I have no idea where the time went. Im truly sorry for the large wait, I had no idea 10 months or so could pass so quickly. but as is life. Heres a nice long chapter chock full of plot development to hopefully begin to make up for it.

enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Looney tunes

Ever had one of those weeks where absolutely everything that could go wrong did? Where if feels like a monkey is literally playing target practice with your plans and throwing a two by four in them? Yeah, me too. And there were only so many times I could dodge that damn wrench before one knocked me clear between the eyes. I was just lucky enough to have two shots hit me on the same day.

I'd decided to recover as much as I could in the animators lounge. You wouldn't't't think sitting in front of a computer screen and drawing till your fingers bled would be particularly strenuous, but it is. Everyone needs a break every now and then, so the studio had taken the liberty of taking one of the rooms and making it look relatively homey as opposed to the normal cubical/lab look. it sorta looked like the tell-tale 'man cave' dads' say they're gonna build after their kids move out of their rooms, but rarely ever do. Minus the boy funk of course, other than a Frankenstein hook up of an age old arcade console with a big screen TV so the guys could play mortal combat, the place was pretty gender neutral. With a hideous orange couch.

I was currently sprawled out on said hideous orange couch, mp3 player blocking out the silence of the once again abandoned studio. It was late afternoon, and the others had left about an hour ago, leaving me to simmer in my own rage at my situation. I had an arm draped over my eyes to block out the sharp fluorescent light from the lamps overhead.

Annie had gotten to me again, that was the first problem. All week she'd been nagging me on one of my newer projects, one that I had actually proposed myself as a short. The rest of the board has considered it, then told me to compose a well run animatic to show the timing and overall outlook on the short. Normally this kind of project would excite me and it would be overall a fun and challenging job.

However, it seemed Annie had vetoed on the 'fun' part and decided to make it as inhumanly challenging as possible for me.

Don't get me wrong, I know that in the industry, I'm gonna have dog days were nothing in a project goes right. But no matter what I did, Annie was never satisfied. It was always 'this doesn't make sense, explain this, will that joke make sense to anyone else? Is this really the right character design? Change this, change that, change everything.'

All week I felt like I was a runner training for a decathlon with how many times I ran back and forth from the lab to the conference room . Annie had conveniently chosen to supervise this project while Mel was away on a business trip, so there was no one there to give a second opinion. So while the rest of the board was busy with a current movie project, which I longed to be a part of, she kept me fully pinned to the small fry stuff. Not even anymore, when I finally had a project that worked out all the kinks she had pointed out, next thing I knew-

"So sorry , but I'm afraid your proposal has just taken up too much time and resources in the planning stage. The board has rejected it for now, better luck next time."

Annie hadn't even spared me a glance, simply kept organizing a stack of papers in front of her and gesturing for me to 'run along' with an infuriating little wave of her carefully manicured hand.

It had taken all of my self-control not to grab a nearby stapler and shoot in her direction, I could have very easily made it look like an accident. But I had deflated too much to even put up an argument. I turned on my heel and walked out as quick as I could before I could say something id regret (a very big step, considering its me and not a lot of people get that reprieve)

I didn't want to complain, after all if I accused Annie of 'picking on me' it would not only sound infantile, but most would probably say she was 'pushing me' to do my best. Which in a way I guess she was, but she didn't have to be such a bitch about it.

"Posing for a painting JJ? or are you slacking off again?" Someone, three guesses who, asked in my ear, making me jump when it pulled out one of the plugs to do so. Bug's voice and P!nk's did not coincide. not at all..

"Just this once, do you think you could tone down the sarcasm and just sit there quietly rabbit?" I grumbled halfheartedly, I didn't have the energy or patience to argue with him today. truth be told I didn't want to, I was already having an argument with the universe and its conduct towards me as of late.

Bugs snickered, and I felt his arm rest on top of my hair where it half flopped over the arm of the couch, leaning against it. Also successfully pinning me in place while still looking casual.

"Alright JJ, spill. what's happened this time that's got you bent outta shape? not enough coffee in the break room?"

I tried not to scowl and give him the satisfaction. Bugs caught me drinking coffee directly out of the pot once, now he had taken it upon himself to limit my supply since I was, admittedly, a little off the wall afterwards. But that was the least of my problems right now,

"No, so you can put it back so the others don't throw a friggen riot.." I managed to block the light smack he aimed at my forehead for the curse, "Look, im just tired and-YIjjghh!" I was cut off when my pocket vibrated and I startled, Bugs gave a raised eyebrow in amusement at the noise that tumbled out of my throat. I ignored him, pulling out my phone and seeing 'mom' in small digital letters.

It was like a breath of fresh air, finally, someone with some understanding, I picked up the call, "Hey Mom."

"Hello sweetheart! I hadn't heard form you this week so I thought I'd call and see how you were doing."

"Yeah...about that,"

the conversation went on with me ranting to her about the things that had been happening that week, and with Bugs sitting on the coffee table next to me, it saved me from having to tell the tale twice. I tried not to sound whiny, cuz im not that sort of person, honestly, but my frustration did show through instinctively as I vented. which I'd always been able to do with her, and vice versa. Bugs, mercifully, didn't interrupt or even give me any particular look on his normally expressive face. he just waited patiently for me to finish and listened, even surprising me when he shook his head when he heard Annie was the cause. I'd learned he wasn't much of a fan of hers either in recent weeks. He would't tell me why, said it was a toon vs human deal and it was messy business and best to pretend it didn't happen.

Mom made a sympathetic noise in her throat "people like that are all over babes, no matter what form of work you go into. in a way its sort of good that you've run into her, so you have experience later in dealing with them. but I can see why your frustrated."

I sighed warily, nodding "yeah. yeah I guess you have a point. but I dont have to like it..."

She laughed, fondness and understanding laced in it that just brought comfort like a mothers voice should "have you heard from your father lately? I told him to send some money for groceries for you this month since I took care of it last month. and the month before."

oh boy...no he hadn't. id been living on mostly ramen reserves id wisely taken with me and saving money until he actually could send money, which I had no doubt he wanted to based on how much he apologized over the phone. but I knew mom still wouldn't like this, not at all.

"Jessie?"

"Uh..well he's gonna try and send some next week, his check got delayed and-"

There was a sudden noise of sharp exasperation that I knew wasn't directed at me but I still winced. for Dad's sake. Bugs leaned forward to listen, an eyebrow raised in confusion.

"Are you kidding me? I ask him to help us out this once, and he STILL cant rise to the occasion, some things just never change."

Oh great, another 'dad's useless' rant. I hated these.. I stiffened and tried to defuse the situation as best I can.

"Mom its cool, I got plenty of canned stuff I can eat, its not like im starving but-"

"you know that stuff has absolutely no nutritional value! Sure you'll survive, but its his job to help take care of you, and I cant do it all on my own!"

I fidgeted, more and more uncomfortable, at least Bugs seemed to share my sentiment.

"I-I know he's let you down, and yeah, this was a set back but, you know he got laid off and there's only so much-"

she interrupted me again, and it was starting to tick me off

"I dont care! he's had more than enough time to find another job, he just doesn't want to! he'd rather sit in his own little world and watch his movies and write his stories, he'll never change, you cant depend on him and I was foolish to-"

My hand tightened so hard on my phone I thought it would crack, and I lost it,

"Well if you think he's such a lousy person, Why'd you MARRY him in the FIRST PLACE?!" I shouted down the phone. I could hear her inhale quickly as my words stung her, but I was too angry to apologize right now. I clicked the call end button, slamming my phone on the coffee table and slumping, hands cradling my head.

It was quiet a few moments, Bugs probably trying to fight his smug nature and choose his words carefully.

"harsh, Jess..." I knew he was being serious since he'd left out the dreaded nickname. and I could tell by his tone he hadnt been expecting that. truthfully I dont think I did either. sure I had thought of saying that before but...for obvious reasons I never did. and there was still a lot that I was keeping inside even now

I didn't answer for a few minutes, just trying to calm down and ease out the stiffness in every part of me. it was like I'd been trying to hold up this huge weight and it just got even heavier again.

"...if she's got problems with him then fine, just leave me out of it..." I muttered softly. my head was a jumbled mess of 'he-said she-saids' past rants I'd had to suffer through from both sides about the other. Sean was lucky, he was out of the house when the divorce went down so he didn't get stuck in the middle of everything. but guess who did? "leave me out of it."

'it was your fault'

the thought...or I suppose it was a memory, stung hard and fast. It came out of nowhere. and even though it didn't make sense, it still echoed in my head no matter how much I tried to block it out. A tangent of rambling terrifying nonsense that burrowed its way into my conscience on a constant loop. Not this again, I was over this, I'd been over it a hundred times, it wasn't...it wasn't my fault, it had nothing to do with me, remember? Come on remember, they're the ones putting you in the middle, you love both of them, you'd never..

"JJ? come on kiddo, she knows you didn't mean it, and you can call back later to talk it out right? why don't we take a trip to toon town to take your mind off things?"

Why did he always think a trip to toon town would solve all our problems, the world didn't work that way! it didn't change the fact that my parents hated each other and...and...wait. maybe thats why I wanted to be an animator in the first place? what if this whole dream of mine was just a cover up for me wanting an escape?

" Jess?"

A world where the quickest way to solve your problem was a plot hole and no amount of drama could really bring its walls crashing down. what if mom thought I was as lazy as dad? Wait, dad wasn't lazy, but mom thought so, what if she hated me too secretly?

A cold chill ran all the way up and down my spine and burned in my stomach, I'd felt it before, and I hated whenever it came up again. because once it started it was hard to break free, tremendously hard. its like I was trapped in my own-

"Jessie! wake up!" Bugs shouted and all of a sudden I was jarred out of my self abuse, literally, when he grabbed my wrist and pulled so hard I was wrenched off the couch.

I stumbled and turned to give him an angry earful, the panic attack having been put to a sudden halt, when I froze. something had leapt onto the couch a second after I had moved, skittering like a spider but still moving disjointedly like it had muscle under its shadowy wraith like appearance.

I only saw it for a second, before it jumped again as quickly as a flea would and Bugs was tugging me in another direction, looking unnervingly serious and nervous. But it was enough. everything inside felt cold and I knew instinctively there was a reason Bugs was keeping it away. it was like my mind itself knew it was bad news but couldn't pin point what it was, its form kept changing faster than my eye could recognize. it wasn't an animal, it wasn't a ghost it was just...

a nightmare

"What the hell is that thing?!" I yelped when Bugs nearly tore my arm out of socket as he darted around the room, im assuming to avoid the...whatever. I still couldn't see it it was moving too fast.

"Sorry JJ, no time! Just keep movin." Bugs's voice sounded normal and even casual, but his face was twisted in discomfort and it was not reassuring at all. I would have responded as such but he'd pushed me out of the way so we were separated, when the 'it' charged forward, forming in a point that even if it looked intangible, I couldn't help feel like it would pierce me on the spot.

I stumbled again and rammed my hip into the game console desk, and made the mistake of pausing to rub it, wincing in pain, and suddenly shrieked when I felt...something, wrap around my ankle. it wasn't even anything physical, it was just this weird feeling, like a chain of cold air had wrapped around and burrowed under my skin somehow. and what was worse, I couldn't even focus on that. The earlier panic had returned, the icy burn,

' It was your fault, you could have done more, you could still do more, but you don't '

it was like being kicked in the stomach with the same searing burn, and I gasped for breath, freezing up and couldn't shake the thoughts away, they were everywhere, everything I did, I couldn't get free, I couldn't-

"Gangway! comin through!"

I felt the wind get knocked out of me when something rammed the back of my knees and had me tumble back, and my hands scrabbled to find a purchase. I ended up realizing it was a wheeled chair that Bugs had equipped with a rocket (toon powers are a wonderful thing) and I only realized that once we were three quarters down the hall away from the room, and away from whatever that was.

"Your chariot m'lady" Bugs peered around the chair back to grin at me with goggles blocking the wind from his face. Unfortunetly he hadn't payed me the same courtesy. I could swear my ears were touching we were going so fast. I kept one leg curled with me on the seat of the chair just to keep me from falling off while the other stayed out to kick away any obstacles he might not steer away from. God help the poor janitor if he decided to mop today.

Great, now I didn't have to be afraid of whatever 'it' was doing to me before, but I did need to be afraid of Bug's crazy driving. even more so when he turned a corner and was headed straight for a white painted brick wall of a dead end. and wasn't slowing down..

"BUUUUUGGS!"

I could still hear the wraith thing slithering after us at high speeds, and we were lucky we were just a little faster to keep out of reach. Bugs pulled a plot-hole and threw it at the wall just in time

Next thing I knew we were in toon town, birds chirping a catchy tune and the trees and sun in chorus with it. while me and Bugs in a wheeled chair left a trail of fire down the otherwise charming road.

I was still clinging to the arm rests terrified when I struck up the courage to try and coax him to slow down at least "Bugs! can we slow down before we break the sound barrier?!"

"WHAT?!" Bugs asked back, big ears or not he couldn't hear me over the roar of the wind passing around us and I groaned. I was gonna end up in traction by the end of this wasn't I? Colorful blurs that I suppose were toons looked like paint smears as we rocketed forward, until I hear a rumbling beside us whizz up on a motored unicycle, with three toons stacked on top of each other and grinning at us, going just as fast. They looked like some sort of monkey and mime hybrid with bright red noses, and then a second later they veered off to the side while we continued straight, and I was left to try and process what the heck I just saw..

I blanched even more when I heard the sound of a siren coming up from behind us. you must be kidding...

I looked to the side as the flashing red light came to be paralell to us on the road, but it wasnt a toon cop car. it was...a mouse. in a blue traffic cop suit and a red siren light on top of his sombrero. Bugs looked over as well and grinned, and the chair slowed down to a meer 90 mph.

"Hey there speedy,"

"Hola Senor Bugs! You know how far over the speed limit you are, right?" a voice with a hispanic drawl came out of the tiny being.

Bugs looked down at the chair like he actually had a speedometer attached, and silly me, of course he remembered to attach one. toons..

"I get your doin your job Mac, but we got a situation, needed a quick getaway for safety's sake."

"What sort of situation are we talking about exactly, senor?" Speedy, I recognized him now, Speedy Gonzales, the fastest mouse alive. he was running along side us like it was nothing and looking at Bugs like he should be scolding him but he was still curious.

"Ehh, put it this way Doc, and unwanted visitor has got some doubts floating around JJ here."

I knew he was referring to the thing back there, but once again he had avoided informing me what it was. It looked like that was all the info speedy needed though. his normally laid back demeanor turned somewhat sour and his whiskers twitched just once anxiously. next thing I know he'd disappeared behind the chair out of view.

"Let me give you a hand senor"

"Much appreciated doc, say thank you JJ."

I gripped the arm rests tighter and tried to glance around without tipping the chair "Wait, what? WHAT?"

"Hang on tight senorita, Endale endale III-Pah!"

My back pressed against the back of the chair and all I could feel was a hum in my ears as the whole crazy ride started again "AHHHH!"

/

Bug's POV

To be honest with you, speedy's arrival couldn't have come at a better time. JJ was pretty tenacious and she didn't respond to surprise or confusion with the grace yours truly can. And while I would ordinarily LOVE to eventually share my wisdom with the kid after having a little fun first, this was one issue I'd hoped I wouldn't have to go over for a while, if at all.

The trouble was with someone stubborn like my JJ, it was harder to get their attention away from the topic at hand if they didn't have an IQ Fudd level. luckily toon town was known for its distractions. and I could see a few coming our way..

But first, I needed to get JJ to let go of the chair "Alright kiddo, rides over, you can dismount now."

I tooned up a crowbar and pried it between her hands so they eventually let go, her frazzled expression frozen on her face as I helped her up and the office chair fell apart. A small daisy grew at the top of the pile of parts and a gravestone reading chair popped up behind it. it would be remembered as a hero.

I tutted my tongue at her chiding as she leaned forward on her knees, probably trying to keep what she had for lunch inside "tsk tsk tsk, that was studio property young lady. such reckless behavior- GLACK!"

I'll admit I hadnt expected her to grab me round the throat. of course she wouldn't have done it if it would have hurt me but still, im gettin on in years! not that much though..

"What...was...that..thing..?" She ask hoarsely, emphasizing each word so I made no mistake I'd better pick my answer carefully or I'd get a full out JJ tantrum.

So rather than muddle through an explanation now when she still technically didn't know, id think about it for a while. who knows, maybe I could pass I off as the collection agency, heheheh...ehh..

"Ehhh, look JJ! I know you were havin some doubts about your struggles as a young animator tryin to make it out in da woild, so I brought you to a friend who could help, later speedy!" I turned her by the shoulders so she was facing the approaching toons and waved, he gave a gesture back, looking at me like he knew my efforts were in vain then made true on his name. Mouse of little faith.

"What? No, I want you to tell me what that was back there! why'd it attack us and WHY wont you say anything about it! I did not imagine that otherwise we wouldn't have broken several traffic laws to get here!" Jessie looked at me crossly over her shoulder, and I could see confusion and concern layered underneath. Aww come on kid, ya gotta trust me by know to know there's a method to my madness! guess not.

"Must be imagining things, One problem at a time doc, otherwise it'll be just one huge mess ya gotta sort through and that ain't no fun. so come on, do me a solid and say hi to a couple of pals! you-"

Suddenly I was grasping at air, kid broke my grip, not just anyone can do that...or that things showing up had shaken me up more than even I thought. JJ looked at me as such, and for once the kids face wasn't sporting its defiant scowl at my mentoring. Just set in a determined stare, one that I could feel all the way to my toes, which is more than a little disconcerting.

"Bugs..you know what that thing is. I didn't imagine it and neither did you.."

I could feel my ears drooping the slightest bit and my whiskers twitched, dead giveaways that id been caught in a scheme and she'd probably seen enough of my cartoons by now to know it.

JJ crossed her arms and stared at me, and for once I felt like the kid getting caught bein naughty. "Bugs I saw it, I well and truly saw it..you cant just expect me to forget it the thing was coming at us like it wanted us dead."

"Not dead, eesh...not exactly anyway" I couldn't help muttering and she cocked her head,

"then what was it after?" I shook my head. mostly out of my own stubbornness I guess. sometimes I wasn't sure if these long ears belonged to a rabbit or a mule because of it. She sighs and tries again.

"Bugs, im asking you as your student, for my own good and safety, please, tell me what happened back there and how I can avoid it happening again.."

I ran a hand over my head and ears, scratching at them. Seemed the jig was up but...one last hope.

"Alright kid..alright ya got me. I can give ya answers on that thing. But its not exactly something you talk about in decent public, or in any kind of public at all."

"Fine, then take me to where you can tell me"

"I will, but for right now, theres something, as your mentor, I need to teach you that will help you with both your predicaments here."

I gestured to where two black and white blurs raced from one corner of the toon veranda to the other were. JJ stared at me long and hard, probably trying to gauge whether id make good on what I said.

"...Alright fine." I grinned and turned towards the still speeding toons but she caught my arm before I could get much farther "but only if you promise me, cross your heart, that after you'll tell me everything. and no tricks. im speaking to you straight so at least pay me the same courtesy."

Well didn't that just put an icing on the guilt cake today? first she gets exposed to the one thing I never wanted her to have to deal with, and next I get made into the bad guy for wanting to protect her. despite what a flimsy plan of protection it was...I sighed, which wasn't in my nature, and looked at her in the eyes, twinkle of mischief on hold for now, also not in my nature.

"Cross my heart, I promise, no tricks, that after I introduce you to some friends I'll...take you to someone who knows more about it and can tell you more than I can."

"That wasn't the-"

"Look if your gonna know about this, I want ya well informed. times ten. and my woid on this ain't as reliable as this other persons."

JJ looked at her shoes, thinking it over I guess. And I'll tell ya it was nice to see her think about a decision instead of charge right in for once. I just wish it wasn't whether to trust me. We really needed to work on that.

"Alright. deal." She jutted out her hand for a shake "this seals it rabbit, and I wont leave you alone until you make good on your promise if you try to squirm out of it."

I shook her hand, the first time since we first met. since then it had been jokes or hugs (mostly forced upon her for a laugh) but there was no laughing right now. and in toon town that just felt unnatural.

/

Jessie's POV

We didn't have to walk far to meet them. in fact they sort of met us half way...or really we walked a few steps and suddenly I had a face full of toon fur, a screaming cat scrambling up my shoulders and trying to burrow into my shirt collar and hide.

"Dah! What the f-!" the cats tail accidently slapped me between the eyes in her haste to hide before I could finish my sentence.

Honestly, this slapstick didn't really fit in with the rest of today...

I spat out a puff of black fur, with a bitter taste of...white paint? Next thing I knew, the town was echoing with a familiar, near taunting melody of whimsical background music. and an approaching 'boing-boing-boing' sound.

"Come to me my darling! I am searching this place all over for you!"

Oh.. this guy...

I took a moment to glare at Bugs as he gave me a smirk, handing me a pair of subtle looking noseplugs. "Try not to hurt his feelings JJ."

Great.

I knew who the cat was now, I reached up to try and pet her consolingly between the ears but she just shuddered and tried to crawl even further down my jacket when Pepe hopped around the corner of the veranda to stop and lean up on two feet.

"Bonjour Monsieur Bunny, and friend" He gave an eyebrow wriggle in my direction with a look that I suppose he thought was sultry. The small cloud of green smoke coming from his...well you know, kind of ruined the image however.

"Yeah hey." I said quickly, the air suddenly tasted very stale.

Bug's brooklyn/bronx accent sounded really weird when the noseplugs made him all nasally and congested sounding. "Pepe, meet da studios newest animation intern. Don't be shy JJ, introduce yourself."

I tried to keep my back straight and not keel over when some of the green smoke wrapped around Pepe to float around me when he reached forward to shake my hand "A pleasure to meet such a charming young lady, miss- DAH-LING!"

It was to Penelope cat's misfortune that she had chosen that moment to come up from the back of my jacket and gasp for air, fur wilting from Pepe's scent. Her ears tilted down in dread as he advanced rather suddenly, the toon like 'zip I heard telling me that much. and I felt a breeze go through my jacket as he chased her out again and I shrieked, rubbing the hairs pricking on the back of my neck. I had the least to worry about though, to the side of me Pepe had the poor thing trapped in his 'embrace of love' smothering her in kisses as she squirmed and struggled.

"Ah bebe, at last we are together once again, mwah mwah mwah mwah"

I wrinkled my nose, this was both nauseating and disturbing. They put this creeper on national television? For kids to watch all over, what were they trying to teach?!

And Bugs was just standing there knowingly, waiting this little episode out. And Pepe had escalated to describing his and Penelope's supposed 'undying love' while Penelope looked as close to barfing as I was. she gave me the big eyed pleading look for help and I couldnt take it anymore. Not just for her sake, I just couldn't take the sappy lovey dovey talk anymore.

"Would you let her go for gods sake? she's not that into you!" I snapped, irritation being stoked again when he merely shrugged.

"She is shy, no?"

"No." flat and blunt, probably what he needed to hear if he was in the mood for listening. Then again when is Pepe known for that?

"I wouldn't get involved JJ, they been at this game for a while and you dont know how to play." Bugs pointed out, troll grin in place. He probably wanted me to get involved just to laugh at what happened to me.

"She doesn't even want to play!"

"Are ya sure about dat? First impressions can be important but they can be wrong."

At that moment Penelope had wormed herself so far forward that the male skunk ended up falling on his face, arms out and still reaching for her as his lips ended up smacking against the ground. I winced when her claws sunk into my arm. I gestured to her, looking at Bugs like "Believe me now?" He shrugged, that annoying little all knowing glint in his eye. I rolled my eyes and tried to get Penelope calm again, petting between her ears.

"Okay okay, easy, I'll help"

"Come to me my peanut! I am your brittle! a combination that cannot be separated by the will of others!" Pepe cooed, trying to beckon her back, to which she shook her head so fast it was a blur of black and white fur.

He hopped forward and both me and Penelope panicked. as innocent and funny as that little skip he had was on t, when it was heading straight for you it was more than a little disconcerting. I stumbled back and ended up jogging backwards to keep both me and her out of his grip when my ankle nudged something, and I saw the remains of that office chair Bugs had played speed racer with a while ago. Right as Pepe jumped for Penelope, lips puckered, I managed to swing the chair part and send him soaring.

"Back off, Casanova!"

Pepe didn't look too surprised, years of taking a beating from many a woman had taught him to have a sense of calm with such things and he gave a carefree shrug to Bugs as he flew in a graceful arc over the rabbits head and left a dirt trail when he landed back on the ground.

I kept the chair in front of me as a really pathetic looking shield, twitching when he sat up dizzily. To my surprise, Penelope actually peeked out from around my shoulder, paw pressed somewhat concerned on her mouth.

Pepe swayed a little, eyes spinning as a goose egg grew like a pink mountain on top of his head "Zis girl, she has fire. I like it."

"That would be a spark, mac." Bugs answered, smirking as he pressed the bump back into Pepe's head. or tried to as it popped back up. I guess I don't know my own strength.

I blinked, confused, when Penelope continued to watch him blink stars away, creeping down off my shoulder and approaching, still out of arms reach, but she was obviously checking how he was. Eyebrows furrowing a little at the bump but also watching him warily in case he got grabby again.

...Did I miss something? This is the guy you were tearing away from like he was the plague!

Pepe looked at her, eyes unfocused, but still giving a goofy looking love struck smile. "Fleurrt.." He drawled knowingly.

Penelope finally rolled her eyes like 'yeah, he's fine.' and sat a little ways away from him. still watching him but less concerned but more like..an exasperated girlfriend.

Bugs chuckled as I watched, bewildered.

"I don't get it, he cant take a hint to save his life, she runs away, he gets hurt, suddenly she's miss 'there for you'. She didn't want anything to do with him a minute ago and he just didn't know when to quit!"

"And dats a bad thing?" Bugs asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Clearly sexual predators aren't a normal problem for you in toon town if you're asking me that.." I groused

Bugs shook his head, "Naaah, Pepe aint the kind. He's got a little more gusto than a lot of dame's can handle, but he's a good guy."

"Then why all the dramatics before? why did she run if she was just gonna stick around and wait for him to remember he's a skunk?" I must have really hit him good if he still hadn't recovered. then again maybe that was an act to keep Penelope closer than she normally was.

Bugs shrugged, "Been like dat for a while now. granted it wasn't always dat way. In the beginning it was mostly his smell dat that turned her off, then his tendency to come on a little too strong. she's walloped him a fair few times too ya know."

"Yeah I know" I nodded. id watched the cartoons. Even back then I wasn't sure what to make of Pepe and how he acted. but I can remember enjoying when Penelope fought back. But..

"But he always gets back up, even though he knows he's got a fair chance of getting his clock cleaned again, he keeps trying...I cant decide if its stupid, creepy or..."

"Admirable?" Bugs asked, taking a guess?

I observed the pair of monochromatic toons in front of me. Yeah his inability to see Penelope's discomfort was a little alarming, but at the same time, he never went any farther than just peppering her with kisses. And in quite a few of the cartoons he even went so far as to try and change his own self just to get her to give him a second thought. The point is that he tried, he tried and tried and while he usually stood a chance about as well as a snowball in hell he still got up and tried again.

"Its called persistence" Bugs interjected, seemingly reading my thoughts again. " Persistence in love can be a tricky thing, but persistence is what finally got her attention after all these years."

Pepe had tried to shuffle closer to Penelope and wrap an arm around her shoulders, to which she shook her head with another eye roll and pushed him back to lie back down. lips quirking just a tiny bit when Pepe instead took what he could and wrapped a hand where hers was.

"She still has ta clock him a few times a day to remind him of her boundaries, she even goes so far as to run away if that doesn't work. But at da end of the day, I think she sees the chase a lot more fondly. Women got a thing for commitment."

Persistence. commitment...I looked a little more closely at the cat and skunk, and unlike before where I saw two sides, one harassed ad panicked, and the other dopily in his own little world...now they seemed to mesh together much more nicely. it was still quirky, but there was definatley chemistry. He made it work. the skunk actually found a way to make it work because he kept getting up and trying again..

I sighed, shaking my head with a small smile and gave Bugs a mock cross look "Shoulda known you'd been dragging me through another lesson."

"And what have we learned?" Bugs asked, giving my hair a tossle to which I swatted his hands away.

I rolled my eyes. I wish he could just believe I got the message for once instead of having to spell out that he was right and I was wrong. but the guy was too smug for that.

"I need persistence to get Annie to respect me...and to get myself noticed in the business. Really anywhere I guess. If its something I really want...then I need to keep trying even if I hit a few bumps. or a few bumps hit me in this case."

Bugs nodded, and nudged me playfully, "and when ya get knocked a little too hard and ya need a little pick me up before ya start again? Dats when ya go to someone ya care about. ta remind you why your tryin." there was a series of neon lights suddenly pointing at him and I scoffed, giving him a teasing shove.

I finally put the chair down next to it's grave and walked up to the odd couple. I knelt next to Penelope and smiled.

"Good luck kid, and don't be afraid to be a little firmer to get the message across you've had enough...you guys'll be okay if you do."

Penelope smiled, nodding. turning to look down at Pepe in what I knew was a rare tender moment between the two. I stood up and left them too it, knowing it wouldn't last long knowing Pepe.

"Ain't dey sweet?" Bugs asked, little cupids and birds floating around him as he clasped his hands together.

I rolled my eyes again, "I dont know what she's thinking, but they seem happy enough."

It wasn't until a few moments of silence passed between us while we walked, that I noticed something.

"You know I never did get to tell him my name."

Bug snickered, "Funny, I don't think she has either."

I tried to hold back, but that one did catch me off guard and I gave a somewhat un-ladylike snort and we both started laughing.

Just like that, my horrible day seemed like it had happened ages ago. I was perfectly content just walking down the road with Bugs and chatting, enjoying the surreal surroundings of the toon landscapes and backgrounds that didn't quite fit perfectly into the real world.

It was my own mistake to wonder why I had been so worked up in the first place, because that was the only door it needed before they came flooding back. The fight with mom, and running away from...that.

I stopped walking as I tried to will away the chill running up my spine remembering it. Bug's ear pricked a little when he noticed I wasn't walking anymore and he turned, raising an eyebrow.

"Whats up doc?"

Only now did I realize why Bugs had been so desperate for me to meet those friends. he wasn't just teaching me an animation lesson he was trying to distract me.

"Did you forget our deal?"

His ears drooped downwards a second, and I knew id been right, and he'd been hoping I had forgotten. I crossed my arms, he could call me stubborn or whatever he liked. I wasn't budging on this one.

I waited for the excuse, the pleading or the 'come on JJ give me a break' but there wasn't one. the gray hare just sighed, for the first time looking a bit weary.

"No I didn't forget. Okay JJ, a deals a deal. and I wont go back on it so long as this is what you want."

The look he gave me was enough to make me pause, he looked casual enough, as Bugs always did, yet there was something in the way his mouth was quirked only halfway, almost grimly, and the way his eyebrow was furrowed just enough for me to see that this was serious business, and he didn't like it.

But I needed to know what was going on, I didn't like being kept in the dark, about anything. Even if the truth hurt. I learned that five years ago when I first found out my parents were separating.

I nodded slowly "Yes."

Bugs closed his eyes a moment, not long but enough to make me feel like I had just slapped a fifty pound weight on his back. It only lasted long enough for me to blink, and he was back to his normal self, ears upright and smirking.

"Well den JJ, follow me."

I jogged a little so I was walking side by side with him, and arched an eyebrow curiously, "Where exactly are we going?"

"the best place to get information, the toon library."

"they keep info on something like that thin in a public library?" Seemed a bit counter intuitive considering how hard Bugs was trying to get me to forget about it.

He shook his head "Nah, gotta go to the classified section to know about dis thing. and there's only one toon they trusted with it."

I couldn't help it, I had to know, "Who is it?"

Bugs grinned wryly at me, "To Granny's house we go."

Hope everyone is psyched, I've been looking forward to writing the next chapter for a while. See you next time!