This chapter and several others are overdue. Life has been busy, and I have been lazy. So, to the few people who actually read my stories, I apologize for the long wait.

Sly Cooper could feel an intense heat trying to burn through the back of his head. The former reformed thief recognized the feeling. Time hadn't removed the memory of the sensation.

The source of the heat didn't need an introduction. But, almost on cue he heard a deep predatory growl.

"Freeze Criminal!" The source of heat the thief felt, being of course, Inspector Carmelita Fox's death glare.

The fox was trembling with rage. She couldn't believe her eyes. Her raccoon was standing right in front of her. He was wearing his old thieving uniform. He was back at his old habits. He had lied.

The raccoon turned around to face his girlfriend… former girlfriend. "Hi baby. I uh, didn't know you were patrolling this part of town tonight." Now that he could see how angry she looked, his heart stalled. He had seen her upset before. But, the murderous rage in the vixen's eyes was something new. She had chased him for years. They had finally caught one another, and been in a romantic relationship for almost a year. In all that time he had seen her angry,(on more than one occasion he had been the source of her frustration.) Never had he actually thought she would kill him. However, if the look in her eyes was any indication, he was in serious trouble. His mind was racing. The clever raccoon thief was desperately trying to think of something to say to defuse the situation. He opened his mouth to speak, but words failed him.

Seeing the former object of her affection at a loss for words, the Interpol officer snapped out of her trance. Struggling to keep her emotions in check, Carmelita spat, "Hold it right there, Ringtail!" Taking a few short steps toward the stunned raccoon, yet keeping enough space between them so that he couldn't try anything, the auburn fox softened her gaze. Lowering her pistol, she sighed. "How long have you been lying to me, Sly?"

Stepping forward slowly, his hand reaching for hers. "Carmelita, it's not what you think."

"That's close enough Cooper!" Snarling and backing away from him, she raised her pistol. "Enough lies! I want the truth. I deserve that much!"

The hurt look on her face, was more painful for him than any blast he had ever taken from her shock pistol.

Seeing such a strong woman, look so defeated made him feel like the biggest jerk in the world. Hoping that she would at least hear him out, he confessed. "From the beginning. I never lost my memory."

Everything had been a lie. Their entire relationship. The last year of her life, the happiness, the love. Nothing but lies. "You used me to stay out of jail? Why didn't you just run off after you were free? We've been living together, sharing a bed. Did you just want to see how big a fool you could make out of me?"

"Carmelita, sweetheart, it's not like that. I faked amnesia to get close to you. I knew you couldn't date a thief. I saw an opportunity to be with you, and I took it." He paused for a moment, waiting for a response. The fox's silence was deafening, so he continued. "You wanted the same thing. You lied too. My lie wouldn't have worked without yours."

The policewoman's blood was beginning to boil again. "Don't blame this on me! I'm not the one that started all of this! How long did you think you could get away with it?"

"Carmelita I'm not blaming you. I love you. I would've feigned amnesia for the rest of my life just to spend it with you. I love you more than anything else in the world."

Her voice was starting to crack. "Then why do this? Why here? Why now?"

"I can't explain everything right now. But, if you'll just give me a chance I'll make it up to you I promise."

"Shut it Cooper!" The shock pistol whirred to life. "I've heard enough of your lies already! Drop the cane, turn around, and lace your fingers behind your head!"

"Carmelita, I don't have time to argue. Please trust me."

"Trust you? Ha! You've evaded arrest long enough! I won't be fooled again. Drop the.."

Inspector… are you alright?

The fox swayed, eyes rolling back into her head, and her limp body pitching forward.

Lunging forward to catch his love before she hit the floor, the nimble thief swept her up into his arms. Looking up from the vixen's unconscious form, "I thought you were waiting in the van with Murray."

Stepping from behind a statue, the nasally voice of the Cooper Gang's resident genius cautiously spoke up. "When I noticed you weren't behind me, I got concerned. It occurred to me that you might have run into Inspector Fox." He pause for a moment, then added, "When I pointed her out to you earlier, I thought you might be a little more careful."

"What can I say, we're drawn to each other."

"Yeah, sure. If you'll just put Carmelita down we can get going." The turtle turned to leave.

"Bentley, I can't just leave her here."

The turtle's wheelchair screeched to a halt. "Are you insane?!"

"Taking her along may be the only way to convince her that I'm not the world's worst boyfriend. I've already betrayed her trust, I can't just knock her out and abandon her. Bentley I can't lose her. I lied to her for an entire year. Taking her along may be the only way to salvage our relationship."

"Sly when she wakes up, she's going to be angry. Very angry! She's dangerous when she's angry."

"Please Bentley. I promise she won't be any trouble." Sensing his friend's reluctance he grinned, and to lighten the mood added, "I'll feed and walk her you won't have to do anything."

The turtle rubbed his temples and lowered his head in defeat. Giving the lovesick raccoon a stern look he sighed. "Under one condition."

The thief frowned and quirked his brow. "What's that?"

Extending his wheelchair's robotic arm he procured the sleeping vixen's pistol. "That she be relieved of her weapon." Unloading the pistol he smirked. "One more thing..."

"Wizard, you name it."

"If she tries to kill me for hitting her with a sleep dart, I'll make sure to mention that comment about walking and feeding her."

"You worry too much. Once you get to know her you'll see that she's really just a cuddly teddy bear."

"Just come on. We've got to get to the van, Murray is waiting."