She clenched her teeth together and raised her paw with a beer glass in it. "Hey Burt, drink's over here bud!" But when he did not turn around to even look at her, Agatha got frustrated and immediately followed after them.

Burt finally caught up to Loni underneath the street light. He took her paw in his gently as to try and not make her any more afraid of him than she already was. "What do you want from me?" she cried out. "Leave me alone!"

"Listen, I don't want to hurt you and I don't want you to think that I'm coming after you," said Burt calmly. "I just don't like to see a lady upset."

"You don't even know me!"

"I know your name."

"Let her go Burt, she don't even want your company." Agatha trotted up to them, an irritated look on her face. "C'mon Burt, let's go back and have a few drinks."

Burt looked from Loni to Agatha and his hold on Loni slackened. "Okay then, I'm sorry for the trouble miss," he said sadly. His ears drooped down, he trotted after Agatha as they made their way back to the pub. Loni looked on but eventually turned and headed her own way.

**

Burt called in sick for the third day in a row and he, alone, made his way to the pub. Agatha had made herself drunk and silly yesterday night and was now suffering from a hangover, leaving Burt all by himself. He didn't mind, he wanted to be alone anyways. When he made it to the pub, there was a low level of activity, but enough customers to keep Charles occupied from talking. Burt quickly ordered a drink and sat at one of the tables, staring intently at the drink sitting in front of him.

Why did he let Loni bum him out? He liked her, that was a fact. But it depressed him that she wanted nothing to do with him. But why did he care so much? Burt didn't know the answer and didn't care to answer it as he took a quiet sip of his drink.

"Excuse me." Looking up, Burt was surprised to see Loni looking at him. She shyly smiled at him. "May I sit here?"

"Of course," said Burt. Now he was confused: didn't she want him to get away from her? So why was she here now all of a sudden?

Loni sat down across from him and immediately said, "I'm sorry about yesterday. I... don't generally like to be around guys."

"Oh?" Burt looked at his beer and offered it to Loni. She declined the offer, but Burt himself didn't want the drink anymore either so he set it off to the side. "Why? I'm sorry if this is getting too personal, but what happened that made you so-"

"My boyfriend," said Loni sadly. "Well... my ex-boyfriend I guess I could say now."

"Ex? Did he hurt you?"

Loni shook her head. "He was a very sweet and loving boyfriend. But... he died in a gang fight." Loni's eyes suddenly started to fill with tears. Quick to action, Burt ran and got a napkin and handed it to her. "H-He was v-very young. And he was j-just killed." Loni blew her nose on the napkin.

"I'm sorry for your loss," said Burt sadly. "He must've been extraordinary."

"He was! B-But now I feel being around so many other males... will be like an insult to his m-m-memory..."

Hearing this now made Burt feel guilty about liking her. He hesitated a bit before taking his paw and laying it on top of hers. "I'm sorry if-"

"It's ok," said Loni sweetly. "Thank you for listening Burt."

"Do you want a drink?" Burt gestured to the still-full beer bottle next to him.

Loni smiled. "I think I will need a drink."

Burt smiled back. "That'a girl." He handed the bottle to her and watched as she drank.

**

Burt did not immediately earn Loni's love, but he did earn her respect and friendship. To try and develop the relationship, he often invited her to his apartment where a grumpy Agatha was always waiting. Whenever Loni entered the house, Agatha would curse loudly and excuse herself to another part of the apartment, but not too far where she couldn't listen in on what Burt and Loni were talking about.

She hated Loni with a passion. The hours became days and the days became weeks and the weeks became months and so on and so forth, and pretty much it felt like Loni was practically living with them. At first Agatha made her hate for Loni discreet, but as time and time went on, Agatha made her absolute loathing for Loni more public. Loni knew she was not welcomed in the apartment but Burt allowed her in anyhow, often telling Agatha that he was the one who paid for the apartment. More fights between Burt and Agatha sparked, about how Burt was avoiding his job now in order to spend more time with Loni, and how Agatha's jealously of Loni was uncalled for. Their friendship was crumbling underneath their noses.

"Uncalled for?!" snarled Agatha during one of their fights. Loni was in the other room listening in on Burt and Agatha as they shouted back and forth. "You're the one who keeps on inviting her over! And you keep on blowing off your job! We're not getting any money and the guys are gonna get pissed!"

"Then I suggest you stop being such a slob around here and go and find yourself some work!" shouted Burt. "Go work with Charles 'cause we all know how much of a drunk you are!"

"Hey don't be such a hypocrite! You used to drink yourself silly too!"

"I have enough common sense to not allow myself to get crazy drunk! You, however, have no sense at all!"

"You never had a problem with it until she came along! Face it, you changed once she came in your life! I want her out, NOW!"

"No... I want YOU out! Get out Agatha!"

Agatha was taken aback by this, her fiery temper now sizzling fairly quickly. However Burt kept his angry demeanor and pointed to the door, whispering the words, "Get out" underneath his breath. Agatha couldn't believe what she was hearing. He was choosing some girl over his best friend!

"FINE then!" shouted Agatha. "I didn't even want to live here anymore anyways! I hate you Burt Barkin!" She quickly went to pack her stuff while Burt went over to a tearing Loni to try and comfort her. Agatha finished packing and quickly ran out the door, her tough demeanor fading to now one of someone who felt as though they were punched hard in the gut.

The first place she thought of going to was Charles's pub. She went there and was thankful to see him at the counter. Agatha sighed loudly, throwing her luggage next to the chair as she sat down.

"Agatha, where's Burt ol' boy?" asked Charles. "Ain't it so nice he got himself a girl?"

"Yeah, whatever," growled Agatha. "Just give me the usual Charles."

Charles looked over the counter and saw the bags next to her chair. "You... going somewhere?" he asked.

"I'm leaving this stupid town," said Agatha dismissively. "Now can I have my usual?"

Charles sighed and went to go make her drink. "Did you and Burt have a fight?" he asked her.

"I don't want to talk about it Charles."

"Was it over Loni?"

"I SAID I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT!" shouted Agatha.

Charles winced and quickly gave Agatha her drink before disappearing to the back. Agatha didn't really notice. She just took her drink and chugged it all down. She didn't even notice a group of dogs walk in, nor did she notice a chubby mean-looking dog sit next to her.

"Bartender! Let me have a drink!" growled the chubby dog.

Charles returned and raised his brow at the dog. "Oh... hello Carface."

Carface grinned evilly. "Just give me a drink and I'll leave, no trouble, I promise."

"You know I don't trust your promises."

"I got two sets of bones here to pay for. Will that do?"

"I'm a business. Though I don't care for you Carface, I do care for pay." Charles disappeared again.

Carface smirked and then turned his attention to Agatha as she slumped over the counter, her drink all finished. "You look familiar."

Agatha raised her head and recognized Carface immediately. "I know you. You work with Burt don't you?"

"Burt Barkin? That son of a..." Carface slammed his paw on the counter. "Keeps on blowing off work! Doesn't he know who I am? I gotta make a business and if I don't have a guy to do business..."

Agatha licked her lips. "Apparently not," she said dryly.

"Lookit here you, this is a business. Don't stick your nose where it doesn't belong."

A sudden idea popped into Agatha's head. "Wanna know why Burt's been goofing off from work?"

Carface leaned in, suddenly interested.

"He's been hangin' with this girl, Loni. You get rid of her, you get Burt back."

Relaying this in his mind made Carface smirk widely. "Girlie I think you've solved our problems. Where do they live?"

Agatha gave them the address and Carface thanked her before taking his leave without even bothering to have his drink. Agatha took the drink herself and after having it, fell asleep on the counter.

**

"Hey you guys gotta come out here!"

"Someone's been killed!"

"Oh my god..."

There was a lot of commotion happening the next morning. Agatha awoke to all the screaming and also having