Forward. Upward. Onward: A Bluey Story.

Shards of Broken Glass(house)

Summary: After Mackenzie's departure, Bluey finds a new coping mechanism in which the rest of Glasshouse (and the once unbreakable bond between the Heeler and her friends) gets caught in the crossfire.

Overture, Queensland;

Two days after The Incident.

2:07AM

Chilli's eyes were wide open. She couldn't bring herself to sleep. Something wasn't right.

Bluey was distant all day, and she couldn't really blame her. That morning she had woken up to seeing the two kids holding each other in their sleep, it truly broke her heart having to separate them. The ride to the airport was just as heartbreaking, they were holding hands all the way...

She slowly made her way upstairs, looking into the girls' bedroom. Bingo had been dropped off at Dusty's that morning since her parents knew the fallout could break their younger daughter as well. As she walked in, she noticed something shocking.

Bluey was sitting on her bed, her knees folded into a 30 degree angle as she stared out her window to the dark landscape of Queensland. However, that wasn't what caught Chilli's attention.

"Bluey? Where did you find that razor?"

Just as she finished saying that, Bluey had finished making a small cut in her left leg, hissing and wiping the blood off with a paper towel. Chilli sprinted towards her and gently took the blade from her paw. "It's okay, sweetie, it's okay..." she attempted to calm her daughter down as she brought her head towards her chest.

Bluey sobbed. "I couldn't save him, mum... I couldn't s-save him..." She cried into her mother's chest.

Chilli couldn't help but feel awful. All these years they had grown up side by side, and she could tell Mackenzie had feelings for her daughter for a while. Not only that, but they were also reciprocated. "You really do love him, don't you?"

"More than-" Bluey inhaled mid-sob. "-Than anything in the world..."

Chilli's eyes began to wetten as she stroked her daughter's fur. "I think you and Mackenzie are perfect for one an-"

"THEN WHY IS HE NOT HERE?!" Bluey burst out at her mother. "WHY IS HE NOT HERE WITH ME?!? IF YOU THINK WE'RE SO PERFECT TOGETHER WHY IS HE OFF IN THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD ALONE?!" She broke down and collapsed upon her mother's lap, still sobbing.

"I- I..." Chilli scoured through her brain trying to reassure her daughter, but for the first time as a mother, she was unable to give her an answer. "...I don't know."

The red heeler shed a small tear as she held her daughter close to her. She, oddly enough, sympathised with her, as if she was already comfortable with this feeling. Chilli stared at the dark silhouette that stared at her from a distance. They hadn't seen each other for decades now, Chilli thought she'd never have to confront it once again. Through her daughter, no less.

– – –

Overture, Queensland;

Two days after The Incident.

6:06 AM

"Hey, mate..." a large blue figure whispered at Bluey, whose fur was still enmattened from all of her crying hours ago. "I made you some brekkie, if you'd like to eat with us..." he asked, somewhat sincerely.

The past few days Bandit's brain wouldn't stop torturing him. Was this really the done thing? He slowly left the room as this question retoumbed in his head.