"For Kit's Sake"
Authors: Robert Brown

Disclaimer: This story uses characters created and copyrighted by Disney (except where noted, in which case they were created and copyrighted by us or by another and we have permission to use them). The authors hereby give permission for this story to be downloaded and/or printed at 1 copy per user as long as (1) no changes to the story are made without our express written(not e-mailed) permission and (2) no attempt is made to profit from this story. If either or both rules are violated, it will be considered a violation of copyright law.

Chapter 4: You're getting...what?

The air was so quiet inside Higher for Hire that you could have heard a pin drop. "Didn't you hear me?" Baloo asked, a little anger returning to his voice. "How do we make this cockamamie plan work?"

"Baloo?" Kit ventured. "You mean you're-"

"I'm not happy about it," the big bear cut in. "I'm not happy about it one bit. But there ain't much I can do about it now. Even if I could come up with something better, those suits would know something's up the moment I tried to change the story. Whether I like it or not, it's this or nothing.

"And besides," he continued, his expression softening as he looked at Kit, "you're my boy. There's no way anyone's taking you away from me until I do everything I can to keep you. And even then, they'll have to pray you out of my hands to get you away from me."

A few tears found their way to Kit's eyes and he couldn't be bothered to wipe them away. He'd always known Baloo cared about him like a son, but it was something that mostly went unsaid. Tonight would be a special memory for him to treasure, especially if this plan didn't work out.

He went to lunge at Baloo and give him the biggest hug he had ever given anyone, but he was beaten to the punch. "I'm so sorry Baloo!" Rebecca cried, crying into his shirt as she hugged him. "If I'd known what this meant to you, I never would've suggested it. Can you ever forgive me?"

"If you'd known..." Baloo repeated, trying to figure out what she was talking about. When he did, his face turned absolutely murderous. "Where is Wildcat," he ground out, gently trying to pry Rebecca off his shirt.

"He didn't squeal Papa Bear," Kit spoke up, hoping to defuse Baloo's anger. "I did. And it doesn't matter how I know. The fact is that I do and Miz Cunningham needed to as well. I mean, I thought for sure you'd say no."

Baloo gave Kit a lopsided smile and pulled Kit into the hug Rebecca still had not let go of. "Didn't I learn ya?" he muttered, smiling at the memories that line brought. "This ol' Papa Bear would do anything for his Li'l Britches." Kit just smiled, letting the tears fall.

The three stayed like that until Rebecca pulled from the embrace. "I need to go get Molly," she explained, wiping away her own tears. "The babysitter's probably going spare by now dealing with her. I need to explain to her what's going on anyway. I don't want her telling things to the wrong people."

"Just tell her I'm depending on her," Kit said, rubbing the back of his neck shyly. "She'll be extra careful if you let her know how important it is."

She gave a rueful chuckle at his words. "Oh don't you worry mister; I've learned my lesson about that. We'll talk more about this tomorrow, OK Baloo?"

"Fine by me Beckers," Baloo answered. "Could you do me a little favor though? Could you watch Kit for the night?"

Rebecca exchanged a confused look with Kit before they both shrugged. "I don't mind at all Baloo, but why?"

"I need me a Best Man, don't I? Might as well try to explain this to Louie now before I lose my nerve."

"Can I be ringbearer?" Kit chimed in.

"Like I'd want anyone else," Baloo and Rebecca said together, making them laugh nervously. "I'll be by to pick him up when I get back," Baloo said, heading for the door. "Oh, and make sure he does his homework!" Baloo couldn't help but laugh as he heard Kit scramble up the stairs.

He opened the door to the Sea Duck and hefted his bulk into the pilot's seat. He began to start the engines but just took a moment to sit there. At one time, this plane was supposed to be the gateway to a new and exciting life of marriage. In a way, it had fulfilled the promise he'd placed in it, just waiting a few years to do so. The irony of it all was not lost on him.

Meanwhile, at Louie's Bar and Gas, the party was still in full swing. Even though it had been meant to help cheer Baloo up, it had taken on a life of its own and didn't look like it would stop any time soon. With all the food and drink he was selling, Louie was sure that when the night's tally was totaled, it would be one of his best nights since he opened the place. "I really need to do this more often!" he thought, dishing up another of his famous Krakatoa Specials.

He was about to head to the cooler in the back to refill the bar on wild cherry ice cream when the door opened and the guest of honor reappeared. "I thought you went home for the night, Fuzzy?" he called over the loud music, motioning Baloo over. "You got that delivery in the morning, remember?"

Baloo sat down on the bar stool, giving his back a little stretch to work out a kink. "Hey Louie," Baloo said, leaning over with his elbows on the bar. "Can we go somewhere and talk for a bit?"

Louie looked at him, using one of his long arms to scratch his back, an ability that left most of his patrons envious. "You're joking, right Cuz? This is my busiest night in a long time! I can't leave the bar alone to talk!"

"I'm getting married."

At the "M" word, Louie dropped the bottle he had just picked up on the floor. Heedless of the glass shards at his feet, he slowly placed his hands on the bar. "I know I didn't hear you right Baloo," he said in a low voice that was scary by how much Baloo could still hear it over the music. "You want to repeat that now? Word by word?"

Baloo took a deep breath and looked his longest and best friend right in the eyes. "I'm. Getting. Married."

Louie took off like a shot for the stage, not caring who or what he knocked over to get there. "Listen up!" he yelled into the microphone as he pulled it off the stage. "The bar is closed! Everybody out!" Silence and uncertain snickers met his words and Louie glowered at them, climbing on top of the drumset so that everyone could see him. "I'm not joking! Everyone that ain't gone in five minutes will never be allowed in this place again!"

All was silent for about thirty seconds before the mad rush for the door began. Baloo had to dive over the bar and take cover so as not to be carried away by the tide, so to speak. He'd never seen so many people move so fast in his life!

Louie had given them five minutes, but the place was a ghost town in three. "Now then Baloo," Louie said in a sweet voice that made Baloo want to run for the door, "you better sit your fuzzy butt down and explain everything to me right now. And no funny stuff either, you got me? You better not hold anything back."

"I owe you that much at least," Baloo agreed, shuffling over to a chair and sitting down so quickly that it creaked under his weight. "You already know most of the story, but let me bring you up to speed on the rest of it."

As Baloo began his explanation, another talk was just finishing up in Cape Suzette. "You understand now honey?" Rebecca asked, brushing out her daughter's hair as they sat in front of her vanity. "We have to do this for Kit, but everyone has to think it real. You can't tell anyone about this or they'll take Kit away."

Molly watched her mother in the mirror, her face unusually serious for her age. "Don't worry Mommy, I won't tell," she promised. "I won't let anyone take Kit from us."

"That's my brave girl," Rebecca whispered, kissing the top of her head. "Come on now, off to bed with you."

Molly turned and gave her mom a quick kiss on the cheek before hopping down to the floor and scampering off toward her room. She paused at her mother's doorway, seeing Kit on the couch working hard at his homework. "Mom," she started in a small voice, "if you marry Baloo and the adoption happens, won't that make Kit my...brother?"

It only took a second for Rebecca to know why her daughter asked that question. Two very different answers sprang to her lips and she had to take a moment to think them over. If she told Molly that Kit would be her brother, it would be the end of her little crush. But...could she devastate her daughter with a lie? Especially a lie that would likely be found out one day?

"Not quite," she said, forcing herself to get the words out. "He would be your step-brother, meaning he would be legally, but not where it would count for something like...marriage." It had been hard to say that out loud, but the big smile on Molly's face made the effort more than worthwhile.

Smiles were hard to come by at Louie's place though. Baloo hadn't gotten much past the threat to take Kit when Louie started ranting and raving at the top of his lungs. Only after Baloo got the whole tale out did Louie finally wind down. "Man Baloo, I can't believe you're in this situation," he said, pulling up a chair with a tired sigh. "Seriously man, I thought you'd be-"

"That's not me anymore," Baloo cut him off. "You should know that from when I burned out the overdrive on the Duck. He didn't abandon me then, and I'm not going to abandon him now."

"Wow, you really have changed Baloo," a decidedly feminine voice called from the back of the room. "But then I had a feeling that the kid was changing you the last time I saw you."

Both Baloo and Louie swung around to look at the uninvited guest, relaxing only slightly when they saw who it was. "Plane Jane," Louie muttered as he smacked his face. "I thought I ordered everyone out?"

"I was in the powder room," she said, shrugging him off. "You don't get me out of there until I'm ready to go."

Louie opened his mouth to tell her off, but Baloo stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. "I trust Jane," he said, swiveling his gaze over to her. "She and I have been through a lot together over the years. You're not going to make me regret that, are you?"

"I'm hurt Baloo," Jane said playfully, but there was an undercurrent in her voice that said maybe she really was. "Like you said, we've gone through too much for you to be questioning me now. If you need any help or anything, just let me know. And I do mean anything."

Baloo cocked his head to the side, smiling as a thought occurred to him. "You know what Jane? I think I might just take you up on that offer."

TO BE CONTINUED