Author's note: This is my first attempt at a Tom and Jerry story, and is first of my two-part series that will cover my take as to how the duo end up living with Joan and George after getting kicked out by Tom's original owner.

I don't own Tom and Jerry. Hanna-Barbera Productions and Warner Bros. does.

Chapter 1: Kicked out

April 11, 2008

Location: New York City (Note: This is the city where I've actually pictured the duo living in from the classical shorts)

"I've had enough, Thomas!" Ms. Brown the maid yelled frustratingly as she booted Thomas "Tom" Cat, a house cat with grey-blue fur, out of her house, along with two suitcases packed with his belongings, into the dark evening in suburban New York. (Note: Ms. Brown is actually the name I've pictured for Mammy Two Shoes in the past when I watched the classical shorts, before I knew her actual name, and I honestly preferred my imagined name than Mammy Two Shoes as a name.)

"I don't know why, but every time I ask you to do the simple task of catching that no-good mouse, Thomas, you end up causing a huge mess in the house! Now get out!"

Tom didn't respond. He was frustrated at the chase that had gone wrong, a chase that ended with massive damage in the house.

Seeing the action from the living room, Jerry applauded what Ms. Brown was doing. He no longer need to worry about getting bugged by the cat any longer.

But Ms. Brown wasn't done yet.

Turning to see Jerry applauding, she looked down to him and asked, "So you think that just because I've thrown Thomas out means that things will be easy on you, did you?"

Jerry looked up and grinned nervously as he stopped applauding.

"Unfortunately, darling, that's going to be the opposite. Get out, now!" Ms. Brown barked as she got her broom stick.

Jerry gasped and immediately raced towards his mouse hole. He quickly packed several of his belongings into his two suitcases and then raced out of the house, returning only to put up a "For Sale" sign by the mouse hole.

Jerry soon ran into Tom, who was frowning at him.

Smiling nervously, Jerry waved at him as if he was saying, "Looks like both of us got kicked out for good."

Instead of growling at the mouse like he usually does when he was in a bad mood, Tom simply turned around and walked down the sidewalk as if he was saying, "Yeah, right. For you getting kicked out, that's your problem, not mine. I'm through with living with that lady anyhow."

Jerry immediately raced down the sidewalk to join the cat and tugged his tail. When Tom stopped and turned and shrugged in an annoyed motion, Jerry shrugged as if he was saying, "Well, now the problem is, where are you going?"

Tom pointed at himself as if he was saying, "Me? I really don't care, as long as my new owner isn't as much as a nut-head as Ms. Brown. Now toddle off, mouse."

Tom then proceeded to brush Jerry away with a paw, but Jerry stopped him and keeled down at at him as if he was saying, "May I come with you, please? You know that I will feel lonely and bored without your chasing."

Tom rolled his eyes. Jerry really can be annoying at times and is really fond of getting him into trouble, mainly with Ms. Brown and Spike the Bulldog, who has moved away several months back. However, Tom did find Jerry a good pal when he is cooperative and they've went through plenty of misadventures together before.

As well, Jerry find that being chased by Tom can be fun when he has nothing else to do, and he largely preferred getting chased than being lonely and bored.

Finally, the cat waved his hand in a gesture as if he was saying, "Fair enough. Come along then, mouse. But no tricks."

Jerry nodded his thanks before his face expression turned into one that asks, "So where are we going, then?"

Tom shrugged as if he was replying. "I honestly have no clue."

As the duo walked down the sidewalk, a gust of wind led a newspaper page to end up right in Tom's face.

"Now what do we have here?" Tom thought as he took the page down and read it's contents.

In the page was an advertisement for cats, promoting Chicago as a good place for cats to live in.

It was then that Tom remembered that some of his buddies were adopted a few months back in Chicago, and in their email messages to him, they all noted that they were their time living there and that he should go join them.

Tom then snapped his fingers as if he was saying, "I know where we should go!"

Jerry turned to him as if he was asking, "Where?"

Tom showed the page to Jerry and pointed at the name "Chicago" as if he was replying, "To Chicago."

Jerry nodded in excitement. He actually got some friends living in the city as well, so he also felt okay with the idea of going to Chicago.

He then waved his hand in the motion to come along as if he was saying, "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

Tom nodded in agreement before checking his pockets for any money. (Note: In my stories, it is possible for characters to pull out objects from thin air, as I'm going to be using plenty of cartoon physics in my stories, although I'm still keeping the storyline realistic.) With plenty of twenty-dollar bills and some change, along with a credit card, he figured that he should be able to afford to buy a train ticket to Chicago.

Jerry also did the same thing, and he noted that he's got his credit card and some change with him.

After checking his pocket, Tom turned and saw an approaching taxi. Immediately, he raised his hand for the taxi and it stopped.

"Where to, bud?" The taxi driver asked as the duo got on. He didn't seem to care about the fact that a cat and a mouse just boarded his taxi.

Seeing an atlas map on the back of the driver's seat, Tom took it and flipped several of its pages before reaching the page that showed the area where Pennsylvania Station is shown. He then pointed at the railroad station on the map.

"Oh, Penn Station, huh? You got it, bud." The driver nodded before shifting the taxi into drive once Tom buckled up.

About fifteen minutes later, the taxi pulled into the drop-off area of the railroad station, and the duo got off after paying the fare.

With that, the duo made their way into Penn Station for the train to Chicago. Little did they realize that their journey is about to be spliced up.

What awaits the duo? Please read and review!