Author's note: Written for the fantastic Robin Mask who requested this some time back.

Please note that due to real life demands, I update and post stories when I can. I have many ideas and I don't want to post things when I am not feeling it. I wish I could write more often but alas, real life overrides fun fan fiction stuff. I hope to change that soon. This is part of the 'Sordid' verse. Thank you all who follow.

"That's my boy!"

"I knew you would be proud of me, Papa Bear!" The little boy beamed.

Mowgli was temporarily winded by the strength of his father, a heavyset man whose grey shirt was stained with sweat and car oil. Although Baloo wasn't at the peak of physical condition he still had enough energy to play with his son. He looked like a giant bear compared to the lanky boy.

"I knew you would ace that test! We should celebrate. How about…..a visit to Louie's Place down by the pier?"

"Oh can we go? I could totally go for a pizza and chili fries!" He was a small boy with a big appetite. Mowgli could wolf down meals that were laden with creams, sauces and cheese and there would not be an ounce of fat on his body. His father wasn't as lucky but that didn't matter to him.

"Well, you totally earned it. But first we gotta ask your mom."

"And the answer is 'no'," a woman said in a silky but firm voice. She leaned against the doorway looking slightly annoyed. She had a slim build and intense yellow eyes. It was hard to believe that she was married to that giant oaf.

"Oh come on. The kid deserved it."

"I am not going to indulge you every single time you do something well that is expected of you. Last week I gave you money so that you could go to the amusement park with Simba and the boys. " Alice's Wonderland had mini golf, face painting, and a statues of giant chess pieces that the children could move around and pose pictures with. Simba, Pinocchio, Berlioz, Toulouse, Oliver, Michael Darling and Skippy all went.

"Give the kid a break. He was working on dividing his mixed numbers and fractions. You don't remember how hard that was?" Baloo said with his arms stretched out.

"Actually, I don't because my parents taught me how to use the abacus when I was three." She said promptly. She always had an answer for everything. She was always quick on her feet like a cat.

"Man, you are a velvet razor." Baloo said as he scratched the back of his neck.

Women, they are deadly but no man can't help but worship them.

Bagheera let out a small chuckle. It was slightly amusing seeing this giant 'bear' of a man at her mercy.

"You knew that when you married me."

"When was I complainin'?" Baloo replied before he pulled her close. The way he did wasn't slow and gentlemanly. It was gruff and animalistic. He wrapped his thick arm around her waist and pulled her close. He began to nip at her nick and made some deep grunts into her ear. She feigned resistance by 'struggling' as if she were a small cat.

She was everything Baloo wasn't and nowhere was this more pronounced than how they raised their son.

She was well educated and came from a proper background.

He was a struggling musician who coached Little League on Sundays.

She preferred Edith Piaf and Lauren Becall.

His idea of culture was Dizzie Gillispie's 'Soft Peanuts' and Red Sanford.

She watched her figure by living on wheatgrass, light protein, water and gymnastics three times a week.

He could not say no to a second helping of white chocolate raspberry cheesecake.

"Ewwwww, get a room!" Mowlgi said out loud while covering his eyes.

"Hey, way to spoil a moment there, champ!"

"If I have to see or hear anymore of this, I'm going to report you for child abuse!" The boy said still covering his eyes while a smile formed as he said those words.

"Mowgli! That is not funny!"

"Go ahead. I'll even help you pack up if you hate it here."

"Baloo, don't encourage him!"

"Don't come whining when you're hungry and you wanna eat some of that spicy gumbo I make that you like."

"That's not fair, Papa Bear." Mowgli laughed.

"Hey, you know what's not fair? When I am alone with your mother and you knock because you think there are monsters under your bed. You know what else is not fair? You draining my savings account because you are awesome."

He rubbed his son's head with his knuckles. Mowgli laughed. He didn't take things seriously which was a welcome change. Mowgli picked up some of his father's habits and it wasn't just leaving his dirty laundry on the floor.

Though she knew that Baloo was not serious, Mowgli was still a little boy. At ten, he had an idea of what sarcasm was but even she had to be careful with what to say to him. Baloo's sense of humor was crass but never ill-intentioned. She was not sure when was a good time to reveal the truth about his birth. He was very sensitive and felt like he did not belong. He was behaving rather oddly as of late. She wanted to keep that fact about his life secret until she felt he was ready. Ironically, she knew when he was ready for solid food, when to speak and when to sit up. However, he started noticing that he was not like the other children at school who resembled their parents. The others kept mum but Mowgli was not blind.

To make matters worse, he was entering those tumultuous tween years and he had already displayed signs of angst and aggression.

Fortunately, at the recommendation of Mufasa who heard through Sarabi about Bagheera's motherly problems, Mowgli was accepted into a sport's program where he would channel his frustrations.

It was a success.

His friendship with Simba, Pinocchio and the other boys made him become more engaged in the activity.

Martial arts classes, soccer, and boxing lessons were just some the activities that Mowgli was involved and no lessons were too expensive. This was another source of contention between Baloo and Bagheera.

She thought it was more financially sound to get a decent glove second hand. It is not that they were poor. On the contrary, she had a well-paid position for a prestigious company and Baloo made a decent living entertaining people with his band. Growing up poor and being taught the value of a dollar, it made more sense for her to go second hand than to be overindulgent with funds.

Although she agreed that their son needed some extra-curricular activities to keep him occupied instead of spending his time foraging through the neighborhood as if it were a jungle, she felt that Baloo was too lenient on spending habits. For instance, if the coaches demanded certain sports equipment, Baloo would rather go a store that specialized in top of the line sportswear. He would go for the latest material. Only the best for his "Little Britches". He would rather spend thirty five dollars on a new baseball glove than to go to a general retailer and get a decent glove for twenty.

"I think I'd rather have that than go to Louie's."

"You sure? He has a new pinball machine. He said you'd go crazy over it!"

"Mmm, can we go next Saturday after the game?"

"You got it."

"Thanks, Papa Bear."

"You know where the tomatoes and peppers are at now?"

"By the mango tree. I saw you planting them."

"That's right, Squirt. Get me a dozen of each. Oh, and some onions."

"Okay, but if I come back and I see you and mom kissing, I am going to put bleach on my eyes. You'll have to pay Rafiki triple!"

Baloo threw an orange at the doorway and Mowgli scampered off.

"Do you think this is funny?" She hissed.

"Relax, baby. You wanted him to talk to us. Isn't that what you wanted? Only two months ago he wouldn't talk to you or me and now you're complaining?" Baloo grabbed a plum, a peach, and a nectarine and began to juggle them.

"Yes, I wanted communication but he doesn't seem to understand. He seems to think that you are more his friend than his father."

"What's wrong with that?" He said before taking a bit out of a nectarine while still juggling.

"It's about boundaries. He needs to learn that. If you keep acting like a buffoon, he won't ever take you seriously." Bagheera turned. She leaned against their balcony. Their apartment was two stories high and the outer corridors were festooned with a variety of plants and flowers. They were well off enough to live in a place that had its own gym, pool, and community garden. Neighbors who owned exotic birds serenaded the other tenants with their songs. It was paradise.

Baloo watched her. Although he was more interested in admiring her trim frame than her concerns, he knew what would await him if he didn't make the effort to pay attention to what she was saying. He knew what she was asking for. He also knew that those tight pants and light blue sleeveless turtleneck were not helping him concentrate.

"Are you listening?" She growled slightly.

"Yeah, yeah." Baloo chewed slowly. It was one thing when she was nagging. It was something else when she was really annoyed about something. When she was angry, she would give him his bus fare and not kiss him goodbye. She was not outright aggressive but she would get to him by ignoring him. Baloo would rather take a punch to the face than to have no idea what was going on.

"Do you know what he asked me the other day?" She sighed.

"I have no idea. Talk to me."

"He asked me why you had scratches on your back."

Baloo swallowed hard.

"Uh…..Did he?"

"I told him that you scratched yourself a little too hard on that tree and I left it at that."

"I owe you one."

"Baloo, I thought you would be more careful when you would work without a shirt."

"I do! He probably saw me in the yard. When we do gardening, I always have something on. It was hot that day."

Baloo began to recollect the day when he made the decision to garden. It was over ninety degrees. Beads of sweat covered his furry upper lips. He was planting cucumbers. He remembered because Bagheera had a craving the night before. It was an unusual request but then everyone had different tastes afterwards. He personally preferred barbecue flavored chips.

He then privately recalled that night. When she was angry, she was passionate. He made her feel so good, she raked her nails across his skin. He had a goofy grin on his face when she turned to him.

"You need to be careful. I don't want him asking questions that he is not ready for."

"Hey, kids are smart these days. He asks questions, and I answer. If I don't know, I tell him to do the research on the computer."

He was so casual it frustrated her.

Ironically, that is why she fell in love with him. Her parents wanted for her to marry a well off young man from Jaipur. It was traditional and the matchmaker made sure that they were compatible but her western style schooling conflicted with these views. She wanted to know people before making a commitment. In the business world, people are not hired without some sort of background check. This is why interns are favored over a no name applicant.

This is why Baloo was a breath of fresh air. Her suitor and others like him were well bred but inflexible. Some had a public image and another one in private. With Baloo, it was what you get is what you see. Her parents relented. He was not a business man and he may not have been the most fashionable nor did he own a Prius but he was a good man. He was family oriented, reliable and cared for others. It took some time for her parents to get used to this strange arrangement for he was nothing like her. He ate with his mouth open and wasn't raised to be dignified. Fortunately, Baloo won her father over with his musical talent. It turns out that he was a big fan of Hank Williams. Baloo performed 'Your cheating heart' twang and all. She had never seen her father enjoy himself so much. Even her mother had to admit that what Baloo lacked in education he made up for in heart.

"Kids are smart these days. They figure things out on their own. Mowgli is smart like that."

"There is another thing I wanted to tell you. He knows."

"He knows what?"

"He knows, Baloo."

"What are you talking about? And quit being so vague."

"Baloo, he knows that he…..isn't ours."

"Wh-what? Wait a minute…."

"Did you ever receive a notice from the school about a health video the kids were supposed to watch?"

"I might have. Why?"

"Did you read it?" She turned to him.

"Well, uh, I didn't read it but Mowgli told me that it was about sports injuries….."

Oh, boy.

"Oh, now he is getting very creative with his little lies!"

"Look, the genie is out of the bottle now…." He tried to reach out for her.

"There is more!" She said raptly."He asked me for pictures. He wanted to see what you looked like at his age. He must have sorted through the other albums and took advantage. After some time he came to me and said 'Mom, I am not a part of this family.' I assured him that he was. That is when I realized that he was looking for images of me…..carrying him. That is when he told me."

"Oh, oy."

"I wanted to tell him when I was ready. When we were ready."

"Well, he was bound to find out at some point. Was this before or after he got enrolled into Phil's training class?"

"After." She said coolly.

Oh, man.

"I wanted to keep him sheltered from this. I didn't want him to learn about it this way. It wasn't a good time."

"When is it a good time? If you waited until he was twenty, would it have made a difference if he was six?" Baloo pulled her close. He was very warm. He was working outside. She could smell the salt of his sweat. It was a masculine smell.

"You know what your problem is? You're stressed. Look how Mowgli was just now. He probably forgot about it. Yeah, he was a little nuts before but now he is good. He is getting good grades and he is socializing. Cool it." Baloo opened the refrigerator to grab a cold soda.

"My work schedule is very demanding. I would not joke with someone who prepares your meals."

"I'll try to remember that," Baloo sarcastically.

"Stop it," she said tensely.

"It's true. Ever since you started working at that place it's like you are a prickly pear."

"I left Sarabi's company because I was offered a bigger salary which you did not complain about because it gave you more of a reason to stay home and practice with your band. How many guitar strings have you plucked? How many times a week do you go Louie's?"

"I never said quit your job. I am just saying I noticed that no matter how close I get, I always seem to use the wrong paw."

Bagheera sighed. He could so short sighted at times. And yet, Baloo was the type who saw through things. It was true. She was stressed. It was true that her hours were more demanding. What he did not realize was that Shere Khan was very different than Sarabi.

With Sarabi, she would have lunches at the local café. They would on some occasions shop for perfumes at Georgette's Boutique. She was at Sarabi's baby shower. Sarabi gave her a blanket, some new baby clothes and a crib when she adopted Mowgli. His nanny was a woman named Raksha who had a litter of her own and they were Mowgli's first friends.

Although he ran with the same circle as Sarabi and her husband, Shere Khan was very different.

Shere Khan was cool but merciless when he could be. She saw him tear apart one of his inferiors in his office as if they were a helpless deer. He was dignified and professional. He was also skilled and biting criticism while making it look like a compliment. Shere Khan turned scathing commentary an art form.

He was the type of man that her own mother envisioned for her. She had to admit that he was handsome as he was ruthless. He had not changed much since their days at Oxford. They met at a conference for budding business leaders. He was an associate at the time and he was in his last year. Within a period of a few weeks they enjoyed each other's company over tea, discussing politics, art, history, spirituality and psychology. He aroused her mind and her senses.

He was the primary reason why Bagheera could not go through with her arranged marriage. The suitor would ask questions about her history. Baloo was not the type to ask a woman about such personal matters.

He did not judge and that was rare in a man.

"I am just tired."

"Okay, I will leave you alone. If you want me to I'll tell him to lay off you."

"That won't be necessary," she smiled.

Baloo retired for the night. Bagheera checked her emails. She then went to the kitchen to sort over the mail.

There was an invitation for Mowgli. It was an Invitation to Camp Neverland.

Baloo was invited by the local charter high school to perform music. The theme at this year's prom was "1933" and the choice of music was Jazz Swing.

Finally, there was one last letter. The envelope was the color of persimmon. There were initials that were inscripted "S.K.". The font was in Palace Script MT.

Tiana's Place. Thursday at 2.

There was no reason for the invitation and it was a waste of time to ponder why. Shere Khan was mysterious like that. She had refused his requests before by citing personal family obligations of which he acknowledged.

They may have had a history but they were now two different people.

He was a member of the exclusive Hellfire Club. It is said that one must have a Black Card to request membership. It was a private club that housed its own gambling hall, casino, underground pool, fine dining and private entertainment. It catered to all sorts of earthly delights.

It was not the sort of place she would socialize in. The types that fraternize there were not the kind of people she would engage in small conversation unless she had to. This was the type of place that was perfect for Sarabi's sister-in-law, Scar. Now she was more of Shere Khan's type.

Bagheera hid the note amongst a pile of personal papers that she knew Baloo would not sort through. She left him the stacks of coupons and advertisements for the new restaurants. Lumiere's was having a special for children under twelve this week. That would be a convenient lie. Shere Khan would comply demurely.

It was a fib enshrouded in disingenuous wrapping and packaged as convincingly.

It was a secret.

She was like the black cat in Poe's story.

It was a dirty secret that she harbored and knew about. Shere Khan would comment that she was complex and mysterious. In reality, she knew she was being disingenuous. She did it with him. She did it with her son.

She knew that she could not ignore Shere Khan forever.