Chapter 2-Letters of Love

And I wasn't scared of Macavity any more.

But you are. You have been scared of Macavity for so long-too long. It has been two months since you wrote that for me, and you still flinch at loud noises, still have nightmares. I wanted to know what happened, to share your pain, but you wouldn't let me. This was our compromise.

The paper it is written on is ripped and dirty, the amount of times I have poured over it when I couldn't sleep for dreams and nightmares of you and him. I have looked at it so much, I can probably recite it, word for word, off by heart. Every paragraph of your suffering, every sentence of your shame, every word of your pain.

That, in my mind, was it. I didn't care if he was my brother. He was going to pay for what he did to you, Demeter.

You begged me not to, of course. Said I didn't know what he could do to me, what you had seen him do to other cats. I told you that I didn't care. Blinded by my rage, I set out towards the city.

I didn't get past the gates.

You told me you couldn't bear to lose me, and that just melted my heart. So I stayed-a decision I regret to this day.

Oh, Demi. I wish you could see how much I worry about you, how many sleepless nights I have had just thinking about you. You and that...that monster. That thing that doesn't even deserve to be called a cat any more. That murderer.

You won't even leave the Junkyard now, not to get food or visit people or even just to go back to your humans. Did you know they put out signs when you vanished? They were worried about you. We all were.

Every day that week, me, Alonzo, Tugger and various other toms would go out looking for you. Every day we would come home with our heads bowed, with no news. With even less hope than the day before. With more assumptions that we would never find you.

Bombie was going spare. She wouldn't talk to anyone, not even Tugger. She would search for you as well, alone-but to no avail.

I think she knew where you were. I think she knew you were with Macavity. Towards the end, she took a turn for the worse. She thought you were dead. She thought he had killed you. Bombalurina, the most outgoing cat in the Junkyard being a quiet and unseen shadow, just staring up at the moon, crying at night.

When I found you, a million things were going through my head. How lucky that you should appear outside my house, of all the places in London! I thanked the Everlasting Cat there and then, Dem. He had delivered you right into my arms.

But you were scaring me. You looked…dead, Demi, all pale and passed out, all covered in blood. You looked so small. And so still. You were barely breathing.

I took you back home. At first, you wouldn't even let me touch you. You flinched away and covered your face, even though you were so desperately in need of my help.

It was a long way to walk, even though you were so light. I was worn out by the time we got back to the Junkyard. It was really early in the morning, about 1:00. The only cats around were the strays, the ones with no human home to go to. Specifically, no Jenny or Jelly.

But Alonzo was there. Remind me never to underestimate my younger brother again, for as soon as he saw us he came straight over and took you off me, putting himself in charge. He laid you down in that beat up old car Jenny uses when we're sick.

"Watch over her." He told me, before disappearing into the night.

I knew where he was going-Jenny's humans' house. I just hoped he'd get there soon. It didn't look like you would last much longer.

After weeks of waiting, or so it seemed, 'Lonz returned, with a sleepy looking Jenny and Jelly in tow. They wouldn't let me and Alonzo in while they were looking over you, so I went to go and find the one cat who should really know that you were back-your sister.

Bombalurina was hard to find, but eventually I saw her. She was staring out of the window of a human house that must have been the one you shared. She froze when she saw me. No wonder why, really-I was covered in your blood from when I was carrying you. She let me in through the window, and I considered what to say to her.

"Bombie…we found Demeter."

Her eyes went wide, and she struggled to speak.

"Is she…"

"She's alive, but she's very badly hurt. Come back with me. Jenny and Jelly are with her now."

With her face like a stone, she followed.

By the time we got back to the Junkyard, Jenny had come out of that car. She said you were in something called a 'coma', which, she explained, meant you were unconscious and wouldn't wake up for a while, maybe even never.

We were both terrified and relieved-relieved that you were alive, terrified that you would never come out of your 'coma'.

Bombie didn't leave your side once. Did she tell you that? I bet she didn't. She refused to go anywhere just in case you woke up when she was away. I came in and visited every day, of course, but Dad wouldn't let me off my stupid duties enough.

It felt like forever, but it was only five days.

I was there when you woke up. I wouldn't bother telling you that, but I don't think you recognised us. You kept screaming and crying. You thought I was Macavity at one point-that really hurt.

It took a lot to calm you down.

Do you remember when you first had the nightmare? I do. I heard you yelling in the middle of the night, all the way over from my den. Screaming his name and sobbing, a lonely voice in the dark. I ran in and woke you up. You were crying. I tried to comfort you.

"Its okay, it's over. He's not here. You're safe now."

You looked up at me, your soft brown eyes filled with fear.

"I'll never be safe, Munk. Not while he's still out there. Not while he's still alive." you whispered.

I can sort that for you, Dem.

I bet you wondered why I was giving you your life story, huh? Why I was recounting all of that stuff. Well, here's your answer.

I'm going to get him. I'm going to kill Macavity dead, so that you can be safe. So that things can go back to normal.

Look after Jemima, Dem. Don't worry about me. I'll see you when I get back, and if I don't-well, I'll see you in Heaviside. If I'm good enough. I have no doubt that you are. The Everlasting Cat himself is lowlier than you, my darling, my angel. My Demi.

I love you. Stay strong.

Munkustrap.


Author's Note-Well, I did it! Part 2. More is planned. This could end up going on forever.
Big thanks to SummerRose12 and jelliclesoul635 for suggesting I carry on and being so supportive, and to musicgal3 for being a fan. Thanks guys!

Disclaimer-I don't own Cats