Faithful and True

By: Jessica R Vance

Rating: G

Summary: Mungojerrie suspects that something is going on between Rumpleteazer and Mistoffelees. Will his jealousy drive him to reveal his true feelings to his partner in crime?

Disclaimer: Hehe... NO.

~*~

*Jerrie*

Now, you know me. I'm a fairly reasonable fellow, right? Don't go around making rash decisions and sudden judgements. Right?

So why have I suddenly decided that I'm in love with Rumpleteazer?

It doesn't seem like I should be, should it? I mean, we've never been anything more than partners in crime, best friends. I've never given any sort of thought to the idea that we might ever... you know. Be mates.

I chose the weirdest time.

I just *had* to wait until she had taken up with Mistoffelees. He lives next door to us, so she can go see him easily. And all of a sudden they're together all the time! Going places, talking all the time, the whole nine yards. Bloody Hell.

How do I know all this?

I... um...

Well, I kinda followed her last night. To see where she went. And there they were, on Misto's porch, just chatting away and looking very lovey-dovey. Made my hair stand on end, and all of a sudden I felt really mad, like he was moving in on my territory.

Teazer. My territory. Laughable.

Anyways, I was watching them and I just felt something bubbling up inside my stomach and I couldn't figure out what it was.

Then all of a sudden something inside my head said, "It's because you love her, you great lummox!" And I thought, hey... he's right!

So I crept a little closer, to try and hear what they were saying. I didn't need to hear much to know for sure.

"I... I know it's stupid, Teazer. But... I just can't help feeling the way I do."

"Oi know. It's 'ahd, ain' it? 'Specially wonderin' wot they'd say..."

I didn't want to hear any more. I shot off, heading for home as fast as I could.

Teazer was in love with someone else.

And there was nothing I could do about it.

*Teazer*

Something made a noise in the bushes. I turned around fast, but didn't see anything. "Teazer? What's up?" Misto asked.

"Oi... Oi thought Oi 'eard somfin," I muttered, turning back to him. "Guess not."

"So... what do you think?" he asked tenatively.

"Oi think you should go a'ead an' tell 'er," I answered, scratching my ear, "Oi mean, wot've you got t' lose?" He sighed.

"Everything." Then he eyed me. "If that's your philosophy, then why don't you tell Jerrie?"

Blushing, I stared at the ground. "Ahm..."

The magician smiled. "That's what I thought." He nuzzled me gently. "Thanks for talking with me tonight, Teaz. I really appreciate it. Now you better get home, Jerrie might be worried about you."

~*~

*Jerrie*

"Jerrie?" Rumpleteazer called into the dark room.

"Wheh ya been?" I asked quietly.

"Oi been out wif Misto. Tawlkin'."

I didn't bother to ask what they had been talking about. "Ya 'ave a noice toime?"

"Um... yeh, Oi s'pose so."

"'E noice t' ya?"

This made her giggle a little. "O' course 'e is!"

"... Oi... Oi'm glad yo' 'appy, Teaz."

She cocked her head at me. "Jer? You awl roight?"

I didn't respond. Instead, I flopped over onto my side and tried to fall asleep.

*Teazer*

What in the world...? I frowned at my partner in crime. What was he playing at? I sighed and curled up at his back. "G'noight, Jerrie," I muttered.

I loved him, but he was, at times, very, very weird.

~*~

*Jerrie*

I slunk along the road toward the junkyard. I hadn't seen Teazer that day; she was gone before I left. Off with her lover boy, no doubt.

"Electra... I've got something to tell you."

My ears perked. I recognized that voice! Creeping around a corner, I peeked through some bushes to see Mistoffelees and Electra. What is he doing?

"Yes, Misto?"

"I... that is... I..." He sighed. "Well..." Electra smiled and nuzzled him.

"Don't worry about it. I think I already know."

And you know what they did then? You know what that little two timer had the nerve to do? He KISSED her! Right on the lips! I almost screamed! How dare he?!

How dare he do that to Teazer!?

~*~

I waited until Electra had gone to confront the traitor. There was no sense in pulling her into this. Once she left, I crawled forward, heading toward the mystical cat.

"Oh, hello Mungojerrie," Misto greeted me. It was then that he must have noticed the look on my face, because he paled a little. "W...What's wrong?"

"You duhty two-toimin' crook," I growled at him, "Wot roight d'ya 'ave, treatin' Teaza loike that, eh?" He stared at me.

"Treating Teazer like what?"

"Don' play dumb wif me, mista," I hissed, narrowing my eyes, "You know perfec'ly well wot Oi'm tawlkin' about. Leadin' po' Teaza on loike 'at whoile yo' foolin' aroun' wif Electra."

He laughed. "Leading Teazer on? Mungojerrie, what-"

"Oi don' wanna 'ear it!" I frowned deeply at him. "Look, if you was just courtin' Teaza... it... it ain't that Oi *wouldn't* 'ave a problem wif it, but Oi could accept it, ya know? Oi wan' 'er t' be 'appy. But wif you goin' on be'oind 'er back loike this... it's jus' wrong. Now..." I unsheathed my claws, "Ah you willin' t' foight fo' 'er?"

"Mungojerrie! *Wot* ah you doin'!?" I spun around to face Rumpleteazer, who looked somewhere between very angry and very amused.

"T-Teaza!"

"Rumpleteazer! Thank Bast!" Mistoffelees exclaimed, "Please explain to Jerrie that there's nothing going on between us!"

"Between me an' Misto?" Rumpleteazer asked me, looking bewildered, "Theh's nothin' goin' on. 'E's takin' up wif Lec."

"But... you... 'e... Oi thought... 'e..." I sighed. "Ugh. So... Misto ain't courtin' you, Teaz?"

"O' course not!" she said, giggling in that crazy way of hers, "Is 'at whoy you was so angry at 'im? You thought 'e was cheatin' on me?" I nodded. Rumple smiled and hugged me, "Ta fo' carin', Jerrie luv. But... 'ow did you know about Misto an' Lec?"

I blushed heavily, not wanting to admit that I had been spying on the magician. "Oi... um... 'eard?"

"We haven't told anyone," Misto said, grinning at me. "It's only just happened."

I slumped over, my ears folding back. "Oh, awl roight... Oi... Oi saw you, awroight? Oi 'eard somfin an' Oi followed tha soun' an' Oi saw."

Misto smiled knowingly at me. "Why did it bother you so much, Jerrie?"

"Huh?"

"You were about ready to kill me. Was that protective friendship or...?" he trailed off, but all three of us knew what he was talking about.

I felt my face growing redder as I mumbled something incoherent and stalked off.

~*~

*Teazer*

"Misto! D'ya think 'e...?"

"I think so, Teazer." Misto laughed lightly, magically. Of course. Then he disappeared. Typical. I followed Jerrie.

"Mungojerrie! Come back 'ere!" I called. He turned around, his face beet red. I giggled. "Ah you OK?" I asked, nuzzling him. He blushed even harder (if that was possible) and backed up slightly.

"Oi... Oi'm OK..." he stammered, "Teaz... um... abou' wot 'appened back theh..." I stopped him by placing a hand over his mouth.

"It's OK, Jer. You don' 'afta explain." I kissed him, slowly, deliberately. I knew it was all right now.

~*~

Watching from a safe distance, Mistoffelees and Electra congratulated themselves on a job well done.

~Fin~