Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock

The rhythmic dings of the grandfather clock echoed through the puppy's ears as she opened her eyes. Her fur felt toasty, the fireplace must have turned off not too long ago. She pricked her ears to the windows, taking note of the plip plop of rain and coos of wind.

The puppy sat up with a yawn and lick of the jowls. There was a bit of slobber on her shirt. It was either from herself or her best friends whose paw slid off of her when she sat up.

Bee was to her right, tummy up and splayed out. No wonder her back felt achey, he was taking up all the room in their blanket pile. She gave him an annoyed look before looking to her left.

Lucas was asleep on his side, facing her. His nose quivered when he slept, which Ree always found a little silly. He was a lot more graceful about his sleep than Barry and she.

Ree felt cozy laying between the two of them. They were her best friends, they made her happy even when they tousled or when they made her cry. But right now, she'd have to leave them for a bit. The puppy needed to take a pee before she did more than slob on the two of them.

The little puppy stretched first before doing her best to maneuver from between the sleeping cubs. Luckily, Bee slept through anything, including his own nuclear farts that’d wake her up. Lucas on the other hand was easily awoken, which she could not risk given him already struggling with sleep even on melatonin.

The puppy finally wriggled past her friend's fur and shook her fur out, licking her jowls once more and wiping her eyes. Now, she needed to make it to the potty.

Walking around in Kiki's house at night was pretty scary, the puppy admitted to herself. But, she's done it so many times before that she felt sure that no ghost would be too eager to tease her anymore.  Her claws tapped against the floorboards, paw out feeling her way past the side tables and couch. A little trip through the kitchen and dodging all the stools and pantry shelves.

She reached the bottom of the steps now. Not too much longer to go. One paw at a time, the puppy tiptoed up the creaky wooden steps before reaching the top.

The hallway before her was many doors. One was slightly ajar with a glow of light coming from it; that was Kiki's room. The puppy could hear a familiar TV show jingle that she knew Kiki always watched. The door she needed was past hers and at the end of the hall. She walked there and went inside. Crisis averted successfully.

Ree was washing her paws when it hit her. Having just finished making it to the potty in the night instead of having an accident meant she'd wake up to her mama looking relieved and having fun during cereal time back at home.

It wouldn't be any angry faces or barking or her dreading to see her mama when she turned on the light. No being made to sit at the tub and wash her pissy blankets and sheets with her own two paws. Mama would be really proud of her and give her hugs and kisses.

Ree flicked the water from her paws and wiped the rest on the towel Kiki hung up for paw drying. She wondered if mama was up right now, sitting in the living room at home watching TV or playing her favorite video games. Anytime at night when she’d wake, Ree would follow the light down to the living room and see her sitting there. Mama would usually fuss for her to go back to bed if she was having a snack cuz she didn't want to share, but other times she would fuss cause she said Ree needed proper sleep to not be a crybaby tomorrow. Most times, Ree didn't want that and whimpered until her mama caved in and told her to go take a pee, come here and let her lay at her side while they watched a movie.

Her mama always gave her ears a rub when she laid on her lap. When the movie would finish and Ree would be so sleepy, she'd feel mama lift her up in her arms and carry her. Sometimes, mama would carry her back to her own bed and then Ree would wake up confused. In other times, she was carried to her mama's bed where she'd wake up with fluffy arms around her, seeing her mama's sleepy expression as she snored.

Ree looked down at her paws with a growing frown. It had to be past midnight, so she'd be seeing mama soon again if she sleeps soon. It was just going to be breakfast time, then Biscuit would come get her and Bee, and they'd get dropped off at home and be able to hug mama.

Ree started to feel her way down the hallways, claws clicking against the wall before a creak of a door made her stop in place.

"Alex?"

Out the doorway poked Kiki's upper half. She seemed like she was asleep. Light sleeping ran in their blood, Ree guessed.

Ree turned around, ears twitching. "Kiki?"

"Oh, Astria. Sorry honey, I thought you was Lukey."

"Oh, no. It's me. I needed to go pee. I didn't mean to wake you up."

"Honey, you didn't wake me up. Don't worry." Kikis voice was soft and made Ree feel safe. "You feeling okay?"

Astria looked at her feet paws again, wiggling them anxiously and avoiding Kiki's look.

"Yeah."

"Your tummy hurt or anything?"

"Nuh-uh..." Ree grimaced.

"Need some water?"

Astria shook her head, tail slipping between her legs. The darkness of the hallway suddenly felt scarier.

Kiki tilted her head. "What's the matter, baby?"

Ree lifted a paw to her face, taking a finger into her maw. "I...I dunno."

"...You wanna give your mommy a call?"

Ree's ears perked up high.

Kiki giggled, motioning Ree into her room. Kiki's room was very cool to Ree. She had a lot of moth stuffed animals and figurines all over the place. Mama always said Ree would need to let her plushies go at some point, but Kiki said plushies were forever.

Ree took a seat on Kiki's smooth ottoman while she walked over and picked up the house phone. "Alright. Remember, if she doesn't answer, she'll probably sleep too but that's okay because we can try again in the morning."

"Okay." Astria kicked her paws back and forth as Kiki dialed her mama's number and put it up to her ear.

Ree knew how many times it'd ring before it meant mama wasn’t picking up. Three and a half long riiiiiing before they'd have to leave a voice message. Ree didn't like to leave voice messages because sometimes mama would listen to them around her and tease her and say she sounded so cute and sleepy. Ree lightly rocked in place while Kiki stood, ears twitching in wait for the other canine's tired voice.

It went to the third ring and then silence.

Ree looked at Kiki as she set down the phone. "Sorry baby, I think your mama is sleeping."

Ree looked away and down at her lap. That was okay; they'd talk in the morning. And she'd see her whenever her daddy finally had time to pick her and Bee up. She swallowed hard and sucked in her lips. It was okay.

But the sob was curbed by a ring. Ears perking, Ree watched as Kikk picked up the phone and answered.

"Hey Rain...Oh, you're alright, I thought you might be sleeping...Hah! You and me both...Yep, she woke up and it seems like a call would help her a little...Mhm. Okay." Kiki smiled and took the phone from her ear. "Here you go, baby."

Ree felt her tail wag so hard as Kiki handed her the phone. Pushing it under her floppy ears, the sound of her mama's voice hugged her, brewing bubbles to her throat and misty eyes of joy.

"Hi Ree. You being a nightwalker again?"

Ree giggled. "Nuh-uh. I just needed to use the potty."

"Huh! Sounds like some puppy is gonna be dry when she wakes up." There was a sillyness in her mama's voice that often came with tickles.

Rees' tail wagged harder. "Mmhm, I'm doing gooder now."

"You are, and I'm proud of you. I knew you'd be just fine and figure it out."

"Yeah! What are you doing?" Ree fiddled with her pajama pants. "Were you sleeping?"

"Nope. I came back from work not too long ago so I'm eating a snack and watching some Tv."

"Is it good Tv?"

"Hell no, ain’t shit on except infomercials. They'll put me to sleep though."

Ree giggled. "You can watch my Pokemon DVD if you want."

"Baby, it's a sweet offer but you know I don't understand a single thing about those movies except that Pikachu is in it."

"Well, okay. They are fun though."

"What I do know about Pokemon is that I think my Pikachu should be off sleeping right now."

Rees' tail stopped in place. Yeah, it was late if mama just got off work.

"Go on and sleep, okay?"

"Mommy?"

"Yes, Ree?"

"Um, um." The lousy feeling was hitting her. The throat bubbles felt like they wanted to pop, and the mist in her eyes felt more like steam. She stifled a whine, looking down at her pants.

"We will see each other tomorrow, okay?"

"W-What time?" Ree stammered.

"I told your daddy to bring you and Bee home around 10 AM. If he doesn't, I'll come pick you two up, okay?"

Ree bit her lip. "Okay."

"We'll go to the park and store if you two are good and give Kiki an easy time."

"Okay."

"Now go on to sleep so Kiki can get her rest. I'll call you in the morning when I get up."

"Okay. "

"I love you, Ree. See you later."

"I love you too. See you."

The phone line clicked off. Ree handed Kiki the phone back. She was giving her a sympathetic smile.

"That help you feel a little better?" She asked, bending on a knee to give Ree a head pat.

"Mmmhm. She said she will call me in the morning too. We might go to the store and park too."

"That wonderful, honey. Are you ready to try to sleep again?"

"Uh-huh." Rees' tail started to wag. "I will sleep now."

"Okay. I'll be making waffles in the morning for you guys."

Ree grinned as she got to her paws. "Thank you Kiki."

"Of course, honey. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Ree waddled back down the stairs with a bit of pep in her step. Going to sleep meant waking up dry, eating waffles, playing with Lucas and Barry until her mama came to get them, and then they'd go to the store and the park!

Ree only bumped into a couple things on her way back to the living room. She reached where Lucas and Bee were laying and sat down to crawl back between them.

Lucas sat up as she came a bit close.

"Where'd you go?" He asked. He seemed like he wasn't ever asleep.

"I went to pee, and then I called my mama."

"Oh." Lucas laid down and stretched. "My mom was up?"

"Yeah, watching TV." Ree crawled next to Bee's comatose body as Lucas shifted for her. "She said to try to sleep because we will have breakfast"

Lucas' nose twitched. "Did she say what we're having?"

Ree smiled. "Waffles"

Lucas perked up and wiggled in place before containing himself. "I need to sleep now. Then waffles come quicker!"

"That's what I'm thinking!"

"I'll race you to sleep, okay?"

Ree giggled. "Okay! I'll end up winning though." She laid on her tummy and cuddled her pillow, keeping Lucas from grabbing it away. She blew raspberries at him as he rolled his eyes and laid on his side.

"First one up gets the most waffles."

"Deal."