SUMMARY: At the tail end of a date that's going very well, Mari brings Mark home to her apartment. The two have lots in common - and lots of chemistry - but Mari's cat, Pepper, gets territorial. Mark more or less wins the haughty Pepper over, or at least calms her suspicions of this intruder, but he's still not comfortable with her. And as Mari and Mark begin to make out on the couch, Mari's other cat, Peaches, makes his presence known. He's angry and jealous that Mark is stealing "his" girl, and certainly isn't listening to Pepper's bored admonition that "she's just not that into you."

Photos by Mandi Moss

SUMMARY: Mari and Mark return to her place at the end of another date; their flirting is interrupted by a huge catfight that breaks out between Pepper and Peaches. Mari isolates Pepper by locking her in the adjoining room - infuriating Pepper, who screams that Peaches started it, and relentlessly yowls and bangs on the door. Peaches continues to interfere with the date, so Mark gets him out of the room as well. As Mari and Mark get down to making out unmolested, an angry Peaches fumes that this will not stand.

SUMMARY: Pepper and Peaches are mystified as Mari scoops up their poop from the litter box. They don't notice how sad she looks, and even if they did, they wouldn't put it together with the fact that they haven't seen Mark in a while - something for which they're both very glad. As Mari collapses into her couch and tries to work at her laptop, the cats vie for her attention, but all are interrupted by the arrival of Mari's best friend Allison (who hates cats - which, of course, means that they can't leave her alone). Mari confides in Allison that she screwed everything up - she and Mark were ready to move in together, but then she got insecure and weird, and then Mark got weird, and they haven't seen each other since. Allison gives her a pep talk; the two are actually perfect for each other. Mark arrives; as Allison makes herself scarce, Mark and Mari decide they're doing it - they're moving in together. And there's someone he wants her to meet: his dog, Bernard, who bounds into the room happily... much to Pepper and Peaches' horror.

SUMMARY: Pepper and Peaches are not getting along with Bernard at all. This distresses Mark and Mari - they've each raised their pets since they were puppies and kittens. Mark says he and Bernard are a package deal, and sadly tells Mari they may not be able to move in together. As a devastated Mari goes off to drink in the bathtub, Pepper exults that both Mark and Bernard will be leaving... but Peaches, who has been slowly kinda warming to Bernard, points out to the self-involved Pepper how sad Mari is, and suggests finding a way to get along with Bernard. Pepper declines... until Mari appears and slumps sadly on the couch, bottle in hand. Mark returns with Bernard in tow, looking for something he left behind. He and Mari slump together on the couch, wanting each others' company even though their relationship seems about to end. Pepper sighs, and negotiates a truce with Bernard... and then cuddles up with the dog, as Mark and Mari look on. The couple tearfully kiss in relief and then snuggle up together. This place is going to be not just a house but a home, for all of them.