And Then, There Was Fire.

fifteen.

"The hell.." Lauren said under her breath while walking inside her apartment after the Uber dropped her off, watching Trey hold out his hands in front of him as his elbows rested on his knees. "Since when you had a dog?" She smiled, watching the small, dark gray pit bull that played in Sophia's lap.

"Since late last night. Got a call out to Lake Jesup." He answered tiredly, looking up at her as she got closer.

She admired his tired red eyes that was due to lack of sleep from being on duty, sitting on the carpet in front of Trey with her back to his legs. "Aw, that was ya'll?" She asked while looking up at him. "Heard about it on the radio."

She turned back to the puppy, staring at the two knots on his head as she felt one of his hands reach down from his knee directly behind her as he softly placed it between her shoulder and neck. "He wouldn't leave me alone, so I had to adopt him." Was all that Trey could say comfortably in front of Sophia and Sarai, although there was a much deeper reason why he felt the need to adopt him.

Lauren sighed from Trey's touch after the dinner, that she didn't eat, she had with Aubrey. Her eyes softly blinked now that he was in her presence again, slowly leaning her back against his knees. Once she pressed against him, the puppy stopped playing with Sophia, quickly looking in Lauren's direction.

His sudden movement caused Lauren to pause in place as she stared into the dark blue eyes of the puppy. Sophia held her hands up from touching him, still in a cautious state of mind after his aggressiveness towards her and Sarai when Trey first showed up. They all watched him slowly step out of her lap, making his way slowly to Lauren as he sniffed the carpet on his way to her.

Trey watched his new dog cautiously, as this was his first time watching him in an eerie, calm manner with someone. "He almost bit Sophia at first." Trey softly said, watching him as he continued to slowly creep his way to Lauren, ready to smack him if he was to lay his teeth on her.

"Hi baby." Lauren cooed as she cautiously held her hand out for him. He immediately ran into her body on her lap, running his head against her arm and body. "See, he loves me." She said, giggling from his sudden licks all over her.

"Wooooowwww," Sophia sung out. "Okay Tito, I see how it is."

"For the last time," Trey rolled his eyes as Sarai began laughing from the couch. "I'm not naming him m'fucking Tito." Sophia sucked her teeth as she got up and headed to the kitchen, leaving the rest to continue laughing.

"Ren," Trey softly spoke down to Lauren as Sarai continued watching TV and playing on her iPad. Lauren looked up, knowing Sarai was attempting to eavesdrop although she didn't know yet that Lauren finally was able to break-up with Aubrey officially before arriving back home. "Can I talk to you?" He finally asked.

Lauren hesitated as she wondered if the girls told him that she went out to eat with Aubrey. "Yeah." She answered, getting up from her spot as she expected him to follow her to her bedroom, holding the puppy in her arms.

"Not here." He said as he got up, grabbing his keys.

Lauren later walked into Trey's bedroom as the dog trotted behind her and in front of Trey into the room. He eagerly sprinted across the room once he saw a basketball in the far corner.