"Bye Gidget," a voice announced, waking a small cotton ball shaped dog from her slumber.

This was Gidget's owner, one of two, saying goodbye to Gidget as she left to do, well, Gidget honestly had no idea.

But, she didn't care. Because, if her owners were gone, that usually meant Katie in the apartment across the street was gone. All she would have to do is hop up and look out the window.

Sure enough, Gidget saw Max and Duke both laying by the front door, going through their usual withdrawals whenever Katie left.

If this were a few months ago, all that would have happened is Gidget would sit there and ogle Max while he sat there, waiting for Katie to come back.

But now, after she saved him from stray animals on the Brooklyn Bridge, Max and Gidget were essentially an item. They spent a lot of time together, they occasionally ate together, they even took occasional walks together through the neighborhood.

So now, Max and Gidget's morning interactions went a bit differently.

"Hey Max," Gidget cheerfully greeted.

"Gidget," Max cheerfully responded, "I was waiting for you. Katie's been gone for so long!"

"Well," Gidget flirted, "We can forget about Katie, cause it's our time now."

"Forget about Katie," Duke exclaimed, "But then what point would there be to anything?"

"It's just an expression," Max deadpanned.

"All these new things," Duke grumbled, "Expressions, flirtations, weirdo. I'm not sure I like the effect Gidget's having on you."

"Look," Max growled, "If you don't like it when I hang out with Gidget, then maybe you should just go do something else while we spend time together."

"Fine," Duke grumbled, "I will. Maybe I'll see you later, brother." Duke then waltzed into Katie's bedroom and closed the door.

"Of course you're gonna see me later," Max yelled, "We both live here!" Max then turned his head back to Gidget.

"Sorry about that," Max apologized, "I don't know what's up with him."

"Max," Gidget questioned, "Duke seems kind of upset today. Maybe we shouldn't spend time together right now."

"No," Max begged, "It's fine. He's just being weird cause he can't understand what we have. Now, come on over. Please."

"Oh," Gidget swooned, "I can't ignore your puppy dog eyes. Alright."

So, through a complicated set of maneuvers involving multiple fire escapes, Gidget made it to Max's apartment.

Then, they talked about all sorts of things. They even played a little, until Gidget got tired and rested next to Max. And they were happy.

After a few hours, there was a knock on Gidget's door.

"My people are home," Gidget panicked, "I've got to go."

"Alright," Max responded, "I'll see you tomorrow."

"See you then," Gidget stated, giving Max a quick lick on the cheek, "Bye."

"Bye," Max responded, watching Gidget leap out the window, through the mechanism, back to her own apartment.

"That was gross," Duke thought, watching from a corner.

"What are you looking at," Max asked when he turned around.

"I don't even know anymore," Duke answered.

As Gidget made it back to her apartment, she rushed back onto the same couch she always slept on and tried to seem sleepy and tuckered out. Then, when the door opened, she opened her eyes, ready to greet her people.

Only problem was she'd never seen these people in her life.

There were two of them, one wearing a brown uniform and the other wearing a blue uniform. They both seemed to be the males of what Gidget could only classify as "people". The only other differences between the two, besides outfits, were one was fat and the other had a mustache.

All Gidget knew, though, was she had to keep these strangers from her home.

"You know," mustache man lamented, "Getting the pets of victims is the worst part of the job."

"Really," fat man asked, "I thought that was the only part of your job."

"I know," mustache man cried.

That's when Gidget made her move. She lept from the couch and started chewing on fat man's shoe.

"Oh look," mustache man lamented, "There's the little girl."

"Get it off of my shoe," fat man yelled. Mustache man complied, picking up Gidget while keeping her a decent distance away from him.

"What have you done with my people," Gidget growled, unsuccessfully fighting the mustache man, "You devilish, yet suave, goons?"

"I'll keep an eye on her," mustache man ordered, "Could you go check and make sure there's enough room in the van?"

"You don't gotta ask me twice," fat man growled, rushing out of the apartment.

"What a pig," mustache man grumbled.

"Sending your goon to send for backup are ya," Gidget yelled, "Good. I was hoping I could take you on alone!"

"Hey there little girl," mustache man greeted, "My name is Dominic."

"Your name will be Dead Meat when I'm through with you," Gidget yelled.

"Don't you worry," Dominic reassured, pulling Gidget close to his chest, "I'm gonna make sure you're OK."

"What do you think you're..." Gidget started screaming.

Then, Dominic started rubbing Gidget's back with his free hand. It felt special, like he knew what he was doing because he loved dogs.

"Oh," Gidget moaned, "Maybe your not a bad man."

Gidget relaxed for a few moments more, before Dominic positioned her to look at him, making her remember why she was initially so distressed.

"Wait," Gidget wondered, "Where are my people? What happened to them?"

"Little lady," Dominic lamented, "I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but your owners have unfortunately passed away in a car accident."

"What," Gidget panicked, "What are you talking about? I don't understand. Where are my people? When are they coming back?"

"Don't worry though," Dominic reassured, "Your owners were smart and thought ahead. They arranged for you to stay at a special place for dogs like yourself."

"No," Gidget panicked, "This isn't happening. My people are not gone!"

"You'll be able to stay there until someone adopts you," Dominic comforted, "You'll never have to worry about being put down."

"Hey buddy," fat man yelled from down the hall, "Your truck's good and ready for her."

"Alright," Dominic called back, "We'll be right there." Dominic brought his attention back to Gidget. "Come on girl. Let's get you to your new home."

"No," Gidget yelled, "I'm not going anywhere!" Gidget then bit Dominic's hand. This caused him to drop her to the ground. Gidget used this opportunity to run past Dominic and out of the apartment.

"Grab her," Dominic yelled to fat man, "Don't let her get loose."

Fat man tried to take up the whole hallway, but Gidget still managed to get through fat man's legs. She ran into the stairwell, after maneuvering the door. Running down the stairs, Gidget maneuvered two more doors and was out on the street.

"I'll do whatever it takes to find my people," Gidget vowed, "No matter what it is I have to do, I will find them."

But, Gidget's mission was short lived, as another man in a brown uniform gently picked her up.

"Got her," the new man yelled.

"Great," Dominic responded, "Put her in the truck."

The new man carried Gidget to the back of a truck and placed her inside, on a comfy dog bed with five other dogs, all female. Gidget could immediately tell.

Gidget tried running again, but the new man shut the truck doors in front of her, blocking her in.

"Excuse me," Gidget asked another dog, "What's going on? Where are these people taking us?"

"Leave me alone," the other dog wallowed, "I'm feeling depressed."

"But I don't understand," Gidget complained.

"Neither do I," the other dog snapped back, "Neither do any of us. We were just told our people are gone, and now we're being carted off to who knows where. None of us understand any more than you do."

"But my people aren't gone," Gidget denied, "They're still around. They're coming back for me."

"That's how I felt half an hour ago," the other dog grumbled.

Suddenly, Dominic and the other guy got into the front seats of the van and started it up. It was only now Gidget realized who else she'd be leaving behind in this van.

"Oh my gosh," Gidget realized, "Max!"

Gidget tried banging on the back doors of the van, desperately trying to get someone to notice she was in there and bust her out of there.

"Max," Gidget called out, "Help me! Max! Max!"

"You just don't get it do you," the other dog bitterly asked, "You are never going to see 'Max' again, because you're never coming back!"

"Max," Gidget whined as she gave up, favoring to simply lay on the dog bed. She seems to have finally entered the same state of depression as every other dog in the back of the van.

Six days. It had been six days since Max had last seen Gidget. It was not having a good effect on him.

Katie may not have known about Max's relationship with Gidget, so it simply seemed as if Max was suddenly depressed for no reason, never responding to any commands she gave or treats she offered. The only command Max seemed to be following anymore was "lie down", and Katie didn't even have to tell him to do it.

Even Duke started noticing Max acting more down than usual. But, unlike Katie, he knew why.

"So," Duke grumbled, "Even with Gidget gone, you still find ways to ignore me?"

"I'm sad," Max responded.

"Because Gidget's gone," Duke exclaimed, "Because your little floozy has taken off?"

"Don't talk about her like that," Max yelled, "I loved her and now I don't know where she is. I'm worried about her and I'm just hoping she's OK!"

"Have you ever told her any of that," Duke asked.

"No," Max lamented, "But I wish I had."

Then, Katie came out of her bedroom.

"What is going on out here," Katie asked, "What's got you two riled up."

"It's Max's lady friend still," Duke answered.

"What's the use," Max self pitied, "She never understands us anyways."

"Oh Max," Katie lamented, getting down on the floor next to Max, "I wish I could understand you, so I can figure out why you're so upset." Katie then left the two dogs alone.

"I didn't know you felt that strongly about Gidget," Duke pointed out.

"I miss her so much," Max lamented, "I just wish I could see her, tell her that I love her. It was all she ever wanted to hear me say, and I never gave it to her."

"I'm sorry," Duke pitied. Max simply ignored this and went to sleep on the floor.

Duke couldn't stand seeing his brother like this. He had to help him.

The next morning, after an exhausting climb up several flights of stairs, Duke reached the apartment of Chloe and knocked on her window.

"Hello Duke," Chloe greeted, "I'm kind of surprised to see you here. I thought you and Max went missing or something."

"No," Duke corrected, "It's worse. Max is sad."

"Oh yeah," Chloe deadpanned, "Sadness. So much worse than going missing."

"He's sad because Gidget's gone," Duke pointed out.

"Oh yeah," Chloe responded, "Her owners died, so she was taken off to Happy Doggies Retirement Home."

"Whaaa," Duke questioned.

"It's a special home for dogs who've lost their owners," Chloe explained.

"She's there," Duke exclaimed, "If only there were some way to let Katie know she was there."

"You know," Chloe pointed out, "I think Buddy's owners actually have a membership with that place."

"I don't see any relevance that has on this," Buddy confessed.

"Well," Chloe explained, "They likely have some sort of physical representation of the home. You could show that to Katie."

"That's smart," Duke complimented, "But there's no way I could get into his apartment. Could you help me?"

"Yeah," Chloe excused, "See, I'm the kind of friend who gives advice, but doesn't really move or go anywhere."

"You know," Duke growled, "I'm not always a good boy."

"Please," Chloe deadpanned, "You don't have the guts to do something like that."

"Wanna bet," Duke asked.

Meanwhile, all Max could do was lay on the couch, staring at the window Gidget used to stare at him through. Max was hoping that, any minute now, Gidget would appear in the window and greet Max with the same enthusiasm she always did.

Suddenly, Max heard some sort of commotion going on upstairs, as if someone was breaking furniture. And it sounded like it was coming from Chloe's apartment.

Usually, Max would go upstairs and investigate, but, if he couldn't be bothered to notice Duke missing, then he couldn't be bothered to go check on Chloe.

Suddenly, Katie came in through the frong door. She'd actually been checking up on her home the last few days, probably due to Max's state of sadness.

"Hey buddy," Katie greeted, "You feeling any better?" Max simply responded by looking away from her.

"Didn't think so," Katie lamented, sitting next to Max, "I wish you could tell me what's wrong."

"And I wish you could understand me," Max lamented, staring at Gidget's old window.

"You know," Katie noticed, "You seem to stare at that window a lot. Why is that?"

"Because the lady I love has gone away from me," Max lamented.

"Wait," Katie thought out loud, "I've been to that apartment a few times for neighborhood watch. I think they had a dog too. Did you know them?"

"Yeah yeah," Max cheered, "I knew her. I knew her."

"Hang on," Katie thought, "Was the dog a female? Max, if you can understand me, nod if the dog was female."

Max nodded enthusiastically.

"Oh," Katie realized, "I get it now. She was a special lady, but she's gone now. Is that right?"

Max nodded again, but now becoming sad at remembering what had him upset.

"Oh Max," Katie pitied, "I wish there was something I could do to mend your broken heart."

Suddenly, Duke fell from one of the windows into the apartment.

"Duke," Katie yelled, running to Duke, "Are you OK?"

As Katie got closer to Duke, she noticed he was holding a folder in his mouth. She grabbed it and saw that it was labeled Area's Best Pet Homes.

After about an hour drive to the outskirts of New York City, Katie had finally reached the Area's Best Pet Homes. She'd decided to bring Max with her, so he could hopefully identify the dog who's absence made him so miserable.

"You ready," Katie asked.

"I don't know," Max answered, "I'm somehow both excited and nervous to see her. I've missed her so much, though. Yeah, I think I'm ready."

Katie got Max out of the car, put a leash on him, and walked him to the building.

As Katie and Max entered the building, they could tell why it was called Area's Best Pet Homes. Behind the front desk was a room that had everything a dog could want: a sign explicitly banning vacuum cleaners, a mat in the middle of the room that had soft dog beds and all different kinds of balls, even an automatic doggy back scratcher. Needless to say, the dogs in the room were ecstatic.

"Wow," Max oogled, "Buddy is one lucky dog to end up here one day."

Then, a hippie walked out of a side room and stood behind the front desk.

"Hello land dwellers," the hippie greeted, "Welcome to Area's Best Pet Homes. How can the Goddess of Marriage, Knowledge, and the Underworld help you today?"

"Hi," Katie greeted, "I'm looking for a dog you may have here."

"Oh my," the hippie gasped, "It's always an honor knowing one of these dogs can find new owners after their other ones became worm food. Do you know what this dog looks like?"

"Actually," Katie admitted, "My dog is the one who knows what she looks like. I know this sounds a bit crazy..."

"No it doesn't," the hippie reassured, "Personally, I'm glad there's another soul who believes dogs are capable of communication."

"Alright then," Katie stated, "Can my dog go back there and look now?"

"No problem broface," the hippie answered, opening a side door leading to the room.

"Alright Max," Katie pushed, "Go find her."

Max tore towards the room and started looking around. He realized that there were so many dogs that there'd be no way he could find Gidget on his own. He'd need help.

"Excuse me," Max asked a dog sitting by herself, "Can you help me find a dog?"

"Sure," the dog deadpanned, "Just turn around. There's bound to be one. Now leave me alone."

"No," Max corrected, "She's white and puffy, looks like an adorable mound of snow, sounds like a unicorn."

"Wait," the dog remembered, "I do remember seeing a dog like that. She's sitting in the far left corner over there."

Max looked in that corner and, sure enough, there was Gidget, staring at the floor.

"Gidget," Max called out, starting to run towards her.

"Is that," Gidget questioned, turning around, "Max!"

Gidget then started running towards Max faster than he was running to her. So, when they collided, Gidget had Max pinned to the floor and started licking his face.

"I missed you so much," Gidget said between licks, "I was so worried I'd never see you again."

"I really missed you too," Max lamented.

"I think Max found her," Katie pointed out.

"Puppy love," the hippie thought out loud, "Is there any sweeter kind?"

Later that day, Katie, Max, Duke, and Gidget were all relaxing on Katie's fire escape, Katie eating some tiramisu and sharing it with her pets. As she gave Max a bite, she thought about how bringing Gidget home had definitely improved Max's mood. He was back to his old affectionate self.

"Hey Gidget," Duke stated.

"Yeah," Gidget questioned.

"Welcome home," Duke sighed out.

"Thank you Duke," Gidget expressed, "I'm just glad you be back with my Maxie."

"I love you Gidget," Max slyly whispered.

"I love you too Max," Gidget slyly replied.

As the two shared a quick kiss, all of the residents of that apartment knew that everything would be fine.