A/N: "Bärchen" is a German pet name for "bear", it;s kinda like saying "darling".

Elsa put the large dirty pot in the sink then turned the faucet on. She looked towards the living room upon hearing Tyler’s voice, hoping that he had come home early. What she saw instead was his face on the TV, being interviewed by Fox Sports.

Elsa knew that he wasn’t going to be soon anyways. Tyler had scored two goals and had one assist in a win over Montreal. With his two goals it made him the first player in the league to score twenty goals this season. He had more goals than Steven Stamkos, even surprising Elsa.

Turning back around to the sink in front of her, she went to put on the pair of yellow rubber gloves, but her phone started to ring. Walking across the kitchen, grabbing her phone off the dock and saw Tyler’s caller ID picture.

“Hello.”

“Hey babycakes.”

“Oh hey, what are you doing calling me?”

“What? I can’t call my girl after a big win?”

“Yes, I mean no. Ugh, what I mean is, shouldn’t you be with the guys or off being interviewed?”

“I just finished up my last interview. Me and the guys are going to leave in the next twenty minutes. I’m going to go out for a drink, then come home.”

“So, I’ll see you in the morning?”

“No. I am going to have one beer then I’m coming home.”

“Bärchen, you don’t have to do that. Go have fun. Celebrate your win.”

“You just finished the last of your finals for the semester. We haven’t spent a lot of time together in the last few weeks and now is the time.”

Elsa smiled to herself and twirled a piece of her dark hair around her finger as Tyler talked.

“Oh, Bärchen. How does popcorn and mindless Netflix surfing sound?”

“Like music to my ears. I’ll see you soon.”

“Alright stud muffin. I’ll see you around eleven thirty?”

“Around then. Okay, I gotta run. Love you baby.”

“Love you Bärchen.”

Elsa said into the phone. Tyler said a long and quick ‘bye’ holding out the e, then the dial tone filled Elsa’s ear. Putting her phone on the counter, Elsa walked back over to the sink and put on the rubber gloves. She started cleaning the last dirty dish when she felt something sit down on her feet. Looking down Elsa saw the newest member of her and Tyler’s family, Cash. The black lab was doing his favourite thing, sitting on her feet and looking up at her.

“Eins minuten.”

She told him. His big brown eyes didn’t look away from her as she finished the dishes. When Elsa finished up and removed the gloves, she bent down and picked up Cash.

“Who’s my good boy?”

She asked him in her baby talk voice. Cash seemed to smile at her and stuck his tongue out at her, trying to lick her face. Elsa laughed and kissed his nose. Walking out of the kitchen she took Cash into the living room and tossed him on the large dark brown couch.

“Zab! Where are you bud?”

She called out as she sat down on the couch in her favourite spot, the corner of where the two sides of the couches meet, making a L shape. Cash ran up the couch and sat on Elsa’s lap cuddling on her chest. Then the sound of the large dogs' footsteps running down the stairs filled Elsa’s ears. Seconds later a big black and white dog jumped on the couch and went for Elsa. It stepped on Cash, making him jump off of Elsa and he fell to the floor.

“Zaboo. Stop it!”

Elsa said giggling as her dog licked her face. She tried putting her hands over her face but Zaboo would just push past them. The large Alaskan Malamute licked Elsa’s face until she was able to push him off the couch and he tried getting back up, but she stood up and started to pet him.

“Who’s my boy? You’re such a good boy.”

She said with a smile as she ran her fingers through his hair on his head. After a minute or two, he calmed down and Elsa was able to sit down on the couch with him. He curled up at her feet and tucked his head in between her feet. When the large dog was laying down Cash walked back over to the couch and stood up on his back legs, resting his front paws on the couch cushion. Elsa looked down at him and let out a small giggle. He was still to small to get up on the couch by himself, and it made her heart melt. Reaching down she grabbed him and placed him on her stomach. Cash turned towards her and rested his head on her boobs.

“You are just like your dad.”

She said with another laugh as she pet his head. With her other hand she reached behind her head and grabbed the TV remote that she keep on top of the cushion. Hitting the TV Guide button she searched through the hundreds that Tyler had bought and she found that Shark Tank was on and pressed ‘okay’. The channel changed to the opening bit of the show and Elsa smiled to herself seeing that she was just in time.

~*~

After two hours of channel surfing, eleven thirty rolled around and as if on cue the sound of keys jingling behind the front door was heard. Hearing this sound Elsa knew that it would be followed with the sounds of dogs barking. Milliseconds later Zaboo jumped off the couch and ran towards the front door and Elsa heard the rest of the dogs in the house make their way to the front door. The door opened and Tyler’s voice echoed throughout the house.

“Daddy’s home!”

He said closing the door behind him. Elsa got up off the couch and carried Cash into the entryway to see that Tyler was sitting on the floor with a crowd of dogs around him. All of them were licking his face, smelling him and just trying to get his affection. Elsa giggled and watched Tyler interact with all of their crazy dogs.

She thought to herself that when she first meet Tyler when they were teenagers that this would never happen. They had gone to high school together in Ontario. After graduation Tyler shipped out to Boston and Elsa went to Dallas for school. In high school Elsa knew that Tyler liked her but nothing really happened between the two of them. Sure, they made out a parties every once in a while and they hung out on a regular basis, but they were never a ‘thing’.

However, last year in the off season the Tyler Seguin trade rocked the Dallas sports scene. Elsa never thought that she would see Tyler when he moved here. They had hung out back home during the summer, but she highly doubted that Tyler would remember that she lived there. As fate would have it within a week of Tyler moving to Dallas, they ran into each other at a park. Elsa was out on a day off with her group of dogs and her dogs had sniffed out Tyler, making her run after them.

After that Elsa and Tyler had made it a regular thing to have dog walks together, and Elsa could use the help. She had four dogs of her own, two Border Collies, an Alaskan Malamute, and a puppy Neapolitan Bullmastiff mix. Her two Collies, Rex and Fly, she had since she was in high school. Zaboo was a graduation present from her grandparents. Then there was the case of her Neapolitan, Crowley. He was in a litter of pups that her co-worker Diane had found in the alley way of her apartment. The puppies and their mother had been homeless and Diane brought them to work at the veterinary clinic. The mom and the five pups soon became the mascots of the clinic. Diane had named them all before she brought them to work, Dean, Sam, Crowley, Castiel, Juliet, and mama Ellen. No one argued with the names Daine had given them and soon Elsa had grown a soft spot for Crowley. When the pups were old enough each one of the girls at clinic took one home. By the time her and Tyler moved in together she was happy because Crowley was starting to grow out of her small apartment that she already shared with three other dogs.

Tyler’s teammate and best friend Jamie, alway joked that why no guy ever liked dating her, because she let her dogs run her life, but the same was for Tyler. That’s why she thinks they were so good together. When Tyler sat down with Elsa saying that he wanted another dog she thought he was a tad crazy for wanting six dogs in their house, but in the end she agreed and they went to go get Cash the next day. And that’s how they got the crazy family that ruled their house. Elsa was just happy they didn’t have six human babies running around. She prefered the fuzzy four legged babies anyways.

Tyler finally stood up from his spot on the floor and looked over at his girlfriend, who was holding their new puppy and leaning on the wall watching him.

“There’s my favourite girl.”

“I thought was your mom?”

She said with a laugh as Tyler made his way over to her. He rolled his eyes and reached out for her, pulling her into him by her hips.

“Careful of this one.”

Elsa said looking down to the little black puppy in her hands. Tyler looked down and kissed Cash on the head.

“There’s my little boy. Was he good today?”

“No accidents today.”

“No way? That’s great. You’re such a good boy. Yes you are.”

Tyler said taking Cash from Elsa and brought his face close to Cash’s, letting him lick his face.

“You let them kiss you before your own girl friend? Rude Bärchen.”

Elsa told him with a smirk on her face. Tyler laughed and bent down, letting Cash jump down to the floor. Then he reached out for Elsa, grabbing her hips again and went to kiss her but she pushed him away.

“Ew, you’re all covered in slobber.”

She said laughing. Tyler rolled his eyes yet again at her and kissed her cheek anyways.

“We both let the dogs lick our faces. Don’t act like it’s gross. We still on for Netflix and popcorn?”

“Aww, you remembered.”

“That’s all I was thinking when I was at the bar. How about I go change and you make us some popcorn.”

Elsa smiled and stood on her tip toes, giving him a quick kiss.

“I like the sound of that Bärchen.”

Tyler smiled down at her then let go, turning to walk up the stairs up to their bedroom. Elsa walked to the kitchen with a parade of dogs behind her, wondering what she was doing. She went to the cupboard next to the microwave and pulled two bags of popcorn out of the small box. Ripping the clear plastic bag off of them, she opened the microwave, placing the two of them right side up, closing the door then pressed the buttons for a minute and forty five seconds, then pressed go. As the corned popped Elsa went around the island counter and looked around for a their big plastic bowl they used for popcorn and Halloween candy.

As she looked she heard Tyler walking down the stairs and into the living room. A few of the dogs left the kitchen to go sit with Tyler, but Crowley satied with her, sitting on the floor looking up at the microwave. Elsa found the bowl in the back of a cupboard just as the microwave beeped. Crowley let out a single bark, telling her that the microwave was done, something he had done ever since he was a puppy. She smiled and pet him on the head as she walked by.

“Good boy.”

She said as she opened the microwave, pulling out the popped popcorn bags one at a time, opening them and dumping them into the bowl. When that was done she threw the bags away and took the bowl out to the living room. Tyler bent his head back on the couch and watched her and Crowley walk into the room.

“Smell awesome.”

“It is.”

Elsa said popping a handful into her mouth as she walk over to the couch. Looking at the cushions she saw that Tyler had saved her spot next to him. Taking one big step over Rex, who was laying the space between the couch and coffee table, Elsa sat down next to Tyler and Fly. Placing the bowl on her lap Elsa rested her head on Tyler’s shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

“How was your day?”

He asked as he pressed the Netflix button on the remote.

“Good. Took the dogs for a walk. Talked with my mom. Her and my dad were think about coming down to visit. They haven’t seen us in a while. She thought they could come for the game against Colorado.”

“So that’s in about three weeks. Sounds good. I love it when your parents come here, your mom’s cooking is amazing.”

“You’re such a mooch.”

“You love it babe.”

Elsa rolled her eyes and took another handful of popcorn. Netflix finally loaded and Tyler started to flip through the options that popped up.

“What do you feel like watching?”

“How about we finish up the season of Parks and Rec?”

“Really? I was thinking like Fast and Furious.”

“Ugh, Tyler. I don’t want to watch that. Please, I’ve been swamped at school. Just do this for me.”

Tyler groaned and rested his head on the back cushion.

“Fine. Only because you’re cute.”

“Cuter than Jamie?”

“Yes, cuter than Jamie.”

He answered as he went to their recently watched and clicked on Parks and Recreation. As it loaded Tyler put the remote back in it’s spot on the back cushions and took Elsa’s hand that was resting on his leg.

“Did you watch the game?”
“Of course I did. I’m so mad that I couldn’t go. I wanted to me Gallagher.”

“That little shit. Really babe?”

“What? He’s cute. I can’t help it.”

“You are so weird.”

“Last time I checked that’s why you love me.”

“True.”

Elsa giggle and closed her eyes as she nuzzled her head in the crook of his neck. Tyler smiled as she did, she knew that this was his favourite thing that she did when they snuggled.

“Bärchen?”

Elsa asking using his German pet name, making him smile again.

“Yeah, babycakes?”

“I love you.”

“Ich liebe dich.”
“Aww, you remembered.”

“Come on, you yell it at me at least once a day. How could I not?”

Elsa laughed and moved her face to his cheek and kissed him again.

“Ich lieben dich, Tyler.”

“I love you, Elsa.”

Just as Tyler was about to kiss her, Crowley jumped up onto their laps, sending the popcorn bowl flying. Both Tyler and Elsa yelled at Crowley to get off of them, but the super size dog sat on Tyler and rested his slobbery head on Elsa’s lap.

“Your dogs don’t know about personal space.”

“Shut up Tyler, their your dogs too.”

Elsa said slapping Tyler’s arm making him laugh. Then the sound of Parks and Rec starting made the two of them look over at the TV again.

Notes