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Curled up with Ilsa on the couch, she made sure they were in the eyeline of the door. The girl loved to be the first one to make a run at Chuck when he got home. In the meantime though, they would go back to reading Skippyjon Jones.

Chuck made a stop before headed home, then with his purchase, he got into the limo and went home. When he walked through the door, he looked slightly guilty. "So, I may have made a stop before I came home."

Ilsa, of course, scrambled to her father as soon as the door opened. And, with her squeal of delight, it was clearly Chuck, Bri took and extra moment to put the girl's book away. When she got to the door, though, it seemed that she really should have gotten there first. "I think I want to hurt you right now."

Chuck looked at his daughter who was squealing with delight over the new puppy. "She seems to be okay with it. I named him Elmer."

She was fighting the smile really hard. Ilsa had a new best friend in under three seconds and Chuck... Well, Chuck was being himself. Which was really hard to fight some days. Not that she wanted to. "All right!" She threw her hands up in the air with a shake of her head. "You're both insane. Certifiable. She's definitely yours." Moving around the small child and smaller dog, she wraps her husband up in a hug. "And it's not sleeping on her bed."

Chuck grinned and hugged her back. "Deal. And at least it's not a pony."

"At least it is not that," she agreed. Because, really, what else could she do with him but agree. A damn puppy. With a huff that blew a stray strand of hair out of her face, she slipped away just enough to kiss his cheek; her hand slid down the line of his arm, his wrist until she tangled their fingers together. "I get the feeling tomorrow morning is going to come with an early wake up call involving a child and a dog."

Chuck nodded as he watched their daughter play with the puppy. "Someone at work was selling them and I never had a dog growing up. I didn't want Ilsa to miss out on it the way I had."

Her heart skipped a cold beat or two; an old feeling of anger at a man she never met that they never discussed and never would. But she smiled and pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth. "You done good," she hummed. "I think Elmer's going to take second place in her heart." The pair were already fast friends, jumping and playing around the living room floor.

Chuck grinned. "I was hoping you'd say that and that I wouldn't be the one in the dog house. I figured she needed someone other than us to be around. I know that she loves Eric, Serena, and Lily but she doesn't seem to connect with anyone her own age. She's a lot more advanced than most that are her age."

"We've never babied her, Chuck," Bri pointed out. They never baby-talked with her; what was the point of teaching her a language that no one else knew? When she got old enough to ask questions, they explained what they could; watered down versions that she would understand but it was never storks and carrots that make you see in the dark. "But Elmer will be good for her. And we can take her to walk him in the park and that will get her to socialize with kids her own age more too."

"I know that." Chuck said. "Still I feel as though she doesn't socialize enough with children her own age and sometimes I worry."

"Worry away," she nodded. "I think we're allowed to do that still." But September was going to be a whole new hurdle. Good and bad. She wouldn't be able to dodge interacting with kids her age anymore and they wouldn't be able to drop everything to help her if she needed it. "She'll figure things out and we'll help her. Elmer too," she laughed. "What time," she asked, a swift change of subject that he should be more than used to at this point, "is Lily's Bathe the Whales thing?"

Chuck shrugged. "She didn't give me the details yet. You know how Lily can be. I'd imagine it's probably around 7. That's when they usually start. I do know that it's a black tie event."

"I do love seeing you in your black tie get-up," she hummed, looking him over with a cheeky grin.

"Well, I must say that you're rather striking in an evening gown." He replied with a smirk.

"I do what I can to impress certain people." Only ever one person. "And make everyone else jealous. It helps that I have some truly amazing arm candy," she teased. She slipped away to sit with Ilsa and meet Elmer. Okay, so the little jerk was pretty cute. For a bulldog. "Are you coming down here or what," she goaded gently, playfully as the dog went belly up for scratches. "This was your idea."

Chuck agreed and sat down next to her. "I thought he was cute. I mean, for a dog. I wasn't really sure what kind of dog to buy. I've never had to purchase a pet before, except for that goldfish when I was six. Nate killed it."

"How did Nate kill your goldfish?" There was a mix of amusement and amazement her tone. "Tried to take it for a walk?"

"No, nothing like that." Chuck said as he shook his head. "I was going on vacation and I asked Nate to watch it. When I got home, he tried to tell me it ran away then broke down and told me that he overfed it."

"Overfed it?" Okay, that was just... So very Nate. "How the hell do you overfeed a goldfish... Nevermind. I really don't want to know." Shaking her head, she pressed a kiss to the top of Ilsa's head. "Speaking of food, we have to get some for this little guy. And all of the other 'dog things' he needs." Bowls, collar, a bed... Well, she could see him sleeping with Ilsa mainly so maybe that one wasn't as important.

"Probably a good idea." Chuck said with a nod. "Do you know what kind to buy? Not to sound like an idiot or anything, I've just never really had to buy food for anything that wasn't human."

"I haven't but don't worry. There is always the internet and helpful store employees who know about animals," she pointed out with a grin. "I'll handle it."

Chuck kissed her forehead. "Thank you. I knew that I could count on you. But hey, if I can keep a child alive, I have a pretty good chance with an animal."

"I think you've done pretty well with the child," Bri laughed. "And she even likes you a little!"