Disclaimer: I don't own Garfield or Pet Force. I do, however, own Merine.
Author's note: This is my first attempt at a Pet Force fic. I hope at least somebody out there likes it.
* * * *
Garfield the cat worriedly paced the waiting room's floor. His path crossed with an equally worried Jon, who wrung his wrists as he paced. Garfield knew that pacing was as good as exercise, which he absolutely despised, but at the moment he didn't care. What he did care about was that somewhere down that hall that he could see out of the corner of his eye, his vet Liz was helping Arlene give birth to his kitten.
When Jon noticed Arlene was getting big, he brought her and Garfield to Liz to see what was happening to Arlene. After a few tests, Liz determined that Arlene was going to have kittens. She told Jon to bring Arlene back when she starts going into labor, because she knew how incredibly naïve and clueless he can be when these types of situations occur.
At first, Garfield acted as if nothing was new. Then, as Arlene got bigger, he began to accept the fact that the kitten was existing and was his. He brought her food to her, helped her get up in the mornings, and helped her move around the house in general. Nermal was overjoyed to learn that another kitten was going to be taken into the house, and explained the situation to Odie until he finally understood what was happening to Arlene. Garfield was thankful, that during those crucial months, Odie, Nermal, Pooky, Arlene and himself were never called back into Emperor Jon's universe.
When the big moment came, Jon was, of course, oblivious to the fact that Arlene's water had broke. It took the combined noise of Garfield, Nermal, and Odie to lead him to Arlene so he could get her to the vet.
It had now been hours since they had arrived, and were now all waiting for the word. Minutes seemed like hours and hours seemed like days. The tension was so thick and the waiting room was so quiet that the sound of a pin drop would make everybody jump out of their skins.
Garfield guessed that's why he nearly attached himself to the ceiling when Doctor Liz cleared her throat from the doorway.
~
Arlene looked very tired but happy. Her eyes were half closed from fatigue, but were also filled with love for her new kitten. Garfield carefully approached her, and gave her a small smile as she looked at him.
"How are you feeling, Arlene?"
She smiled a tired smile at him. "I'm exhausted, but look at our kitten." She looked at the little kitten that was drinking heartily from her mother. "Isn't she the most beautiful thing you've ever seen?"
Garfield could only smile at the little ball of fur. Her eyes weren't open yet. She had fur the same color as Arlene's, but had black stripes like her father. Garfield's chest swelled with pride. He carefully laid beside the towel Arlene and their kitten were laying on, touching his nose to hers.
~
Jon smiled down at Garfield and Arlene.
"Aw, isn't that precious?"
Liz smiled at the cat couple, then turned to Jon. Her smile faded. "Mr. Arbuckle, there were some complications during birth."
Jon turned to face her, looking a little confused. "What do you mean? What happened?"
"There were a total of three kittens in Arlene. The kitten you see in front of you now was the runt of the litter. She was much smaller than the other two and therefore was the first to come out."
"So?"
Liz put a hand on Jon's left shoulder. "The other two were too big. By the time we got them out, it was too late. I'm sorry, Jon."
Jon's eyes welled up with tears at this news. Jon, being Jon, found the situation heartbreaking.
~
Garfield had listened in on Jon and Liz's short conversation. Shocked, he turned to Arlene. "Is that true?"
A small, hot tear ran down Arlene's face. "Yes. They both looked just like you when she finally managed to get them out. I still can't believe-"
Garfield cut her off by gently rubbing his cheek against hers in a kitty hug.
"Oh Garfield!" Arlene buried her face in Garfield's neck. Garfield gently wrapped his tail around her shaking shoulders as their newborn kitten gently curled up into a little ball against her mother and fell asleep, her fur beginning to dry.
* * * *
Author's note: Well, what did you think? I hoped you liked it. This is just the first chapter; more chapters are to come. The next chapter will take place a few months after this one.
Author's note: This is my first attempt at a Pet Force fic. I hope at least somebody out there likes it.
* * * *
Garfield the cat worriedly paced the waiting room's floor. His path crossed with an equally worried Jon, who wrung his wrists as he paced. Garfield knew that pacing was as good as exercise, which he absolutely despised, but at the moment he didn't care. What he did care about was that somewhere down that hall that he could see out of the corner of his eye, his vet Liz was helping Arlene give birth to his kitten.
When Jon noticed Arlene was getting big, he brought her and Garfield to Liz to see what was happening to Arlene. After a few tests, Liz determined that Arlene was going to have kittens. She told Jon to bring Arlene back when she starts going into labor, because she knew how incredibly naïve and clueless he can be when these types of situations occur.
At first, Garfield acted as if nothing was new. Then, as Arlene got bigger, he began to accept the fact that the kitten was existing and was his. He brought her food to her, helped her get up in the mornings, and helped her move around the house in general. Nermal was overjoyed to learn that another kitten was going to be taken into the house, and explained the situation to Odie until he finally understood what was happening to Arlene. Garfield was thankful, that during those crucial months, Odie, Nermal, Pooky, Arlene and himself were never called back into Emperor Jon's universe.
When the big moment came, Jon was, of course, oblivious to the fact that Arlene's water had broke. It took the combined noise of Garfield, Nermal, and Odie to lead him to Arlene so he could get her to the vet.
It had now been hours since they had arrived, and were now all waiting for the word. Minutes seemed like hours and hours seemed like days. The tension was so thick and the waiting room was so quiet that the sound of a pin drop would make everybody jump out of their skins.
Garfield guessed that's why he nearly attached himself to the ceiling when Doctor Liz cleared her throat from the doorway.
~
Arlene looked very tired but happy. Her eyes were half closed from fatigue, but were also filled with love for her new kitten. Garfield carefully approached her, and gave her a small smile as she looked at him.
"How are you feeling, Arlene?"
She smiled a tired smile at him. "I'm exhausted, but look at our kitten." She looked at the little kitten that was drinking heartily from her mother. "Isn't she the most beautiful thing you've ever seen?"
Garfield could only smile at the little ball of fur. Her eyes weren't open yet. She had fur the same color as Arlene's, but had black stripes like her father. Garfield's chest swelled with pride. He carefully laid beside the towel Arlene and their kitten were laying on, touching his nose to hers.
~
Jon smiled down at Garfield and Arlene.
"Aw, isn't that precious?"
Liz smiled at the cat couple, then turned to Jon. Her smile faded. "Mr. Arbuckle, there were some complications during birth."
Jon turned to face her, looking a little confused. "What do you mean? What happened?"
"There were a total of three kittens in Arlene. The kitten you see in front of you now was the runt of the litter. She was much smaller than the other two and therefore was the first to come out."
"So?"
Liz put a hand on Jon's left shoulder. "The other two were too big. By the time we got them out, it was too late. I'm sorry, Jon."
Jon's eyes welled up with tears at this news. Jon, being Jon, found the situation heartbreaking.
~
Garfield had listened in on Jon and Liz's short conversation. Shocked, he turned to Arlene. "Is that true?"
A small, hot tear ran down Arlene's face. "Yes. They both looked just like you when she finally managed to get them out. I still can't believe-"
Garfield cut her off by gently rubbing his cheek against hers in a kitty hug.
"Oh Garfield!" Arlene buried her face in Garfield's neck. Garfield gently wrapped his tail around her shaking shoulders as their newborn kitten gently curled up into a little ball against her mother and fell asleep, her fur beginning to dry.
* * * *
Author's note: Well, what did you think? I hoped you liked it. This is just the first chapter; more chapters are to come. The next chapter will take place a few months after this one.