Chapter Six: A Fatherly Discussion

A love stricken raccoon giggles her way in the Cooper gang hideout. She flies in through the patio doors; her brother following. Isabella lands on her feet next to the main table where Bentley and Penelope are sitting at. The turtle looks up and sees a big smile on a raccoon that is very hard to miss. She is happily buried in her loving thoughts of Aaron. Isabella can't even notice her surroundings; she doesn't notice Murray playing on the arcade game, Bentley observing her, Penelope reading a book called "Inside Aircraft", and a displeased expression written all over her brother's body language and face.

The little raccoon feels like the happiest animal alive. Bentley smiles slightly with a cleaner voice than earlier. "Welcome back you two!" he exclaims as he still studies Isabella. "Looks like you guys had a great- oh..." Bentley's sentence was cut off once he looked over to Sly. "Well..." he continued. "One of you did."

Isabella giggled again making no eye contact and didn't pay attention to Bentley. She dashed to Sly's room and launched herself in the air; crashing right into numerous pillows on the bed. The raccoon covers her face with the pillows she now hugs joyfully. Bentley and Sly watch Isabella and hears her soft and unstoppable giggles. Sly's mouth drops making him frown slightly. Confused and curious, Bentley jerks his head to Sly.

"What is with your sister? What happened?"

"She's in love..." He looks at the turtle. "My little sister fell in love with the waiter at the restaurant. A badger."

Bentley sat there with mouth agape; followed with a smile. "Well good for her!"

Sly sneered, "How?! I don't like it. Not at all!"

Bentley's smile melted. "Why not?"

Sly sat down across from the turtle and covered his face with his hands. "I don't know..." he said hopelessly. "I mean, so many problems can happen, and it feels like I haven't stayed with her long enough to just let her go... Problems like him leaving her heart-broken which will dramatically change her, him learning about who she really is... a thief!"

Bentley nodded in agreement with the raccoon as Penelope blocks herself out of the conversation. "Sly... I understand and see what you are going through. This is normal for a big brother to feel this way towards his little sister; to feel worried, protective, and would do anything to make sure the sister does not get hurt. You are closer than her than a father could ever be and you would protect her simply because you love her, and it would just kill you to see her hurt. I do have to interpret; you can't stop her from liking or wanting to see him. As much as you might want to, you have to let the child experience things."

Sly's head drooped down. "Yeah..."

"Especially when all her teenage years were destroyed from being forced to live with the Paradox family, keeping her from letting her free and have experiences that she needs. I know she's twenty but she's still a child, PARTICULARLY when she never experienced those important events. She is mentally a teenager when really she is an adult. A teenage mind in an adult body.

Sly looked up at the turtle with big eyes. "That's... terrible... for what happened to her... What should I do Bentley?"

"Sly, you must let her go. You have to give her freedom wisely. Not all the time and letting her go all she wants. Let her breathe, don't be too strict with her but let her know you are the one she has to obey and not just be 'super fun brother' because then she'll take advantage of you. She needs a parent, she needs her big brother. She may not know it but she does. Let her spread her wings out but keep an eye on her. Once you know she is responsible enough to be on her own with anything, then let her fly."

Sly smiled as pounds of stress relieves from him. "Thank you so much Bentley, my wise turtle friend!"

"You're welcome my young grasshopper."

The raccoon gets up from his seat and starts his way to his room. "Wait, Sly!" Bentley exclaims. "There's still something I need to talk to you about!"

"Hold that thought Bentley. I need to talk to Izzy."

The raccoon continues to walk as Bentley sighs. Sly strides through the doorway of his bedroom to see his sister lay on his bed with a huge smile on her face, eyes are closed, and a piece of note paper is held against her small chest. Sly grins from seeing her happy and he incrementally closes the door. The sound of the door closing alerts Isabella and she opens her eyes to her big brother. He looks back at her as he spoke in a serene tone. "Hey Izzy."

She smiles back. "Hello Sly!"

Although Sly sounded calm, he had a pinch of seriousness in his voice. "I want to talk to you about what happened at the restaurant."

Isabella became a little rigid. "...Okay."

"Don't worry! I'm not mad." he finished off with a smile. "Okay. I want to talk to you about that boy Aaron. What is he uh... like?"

Isabella's emotions poured through her whole body. "Oh he's wonderful and charming and attractive and smart and talented and attractive and... ooh!" The raccoon spread her arms out in the air as she feels her heart jump. Then she giggles and tries to concentrate on the topic again.

Sly's eyes widened. "Oh, haha. Well what have you two talked about? What do you know about him?"

Isabella yet again blushes. "Well, he asked me what drinks you and I wanted like a normal waiter does, he sat down with me and he talked with me; he seemed interested in me too." The raccoon stops her sentence to giggle again, this time feeling butterflies in her stomach. "So then he mentioned he had to go to piano lessons after work. Sly! He plays piano!"

Sly smiles but feels a little jealousy. Aaron seems to impress her a lot. "So I was like, one thousand times more into him than before!" she continued. "Then he said he has practiced his whole life; twenty-two years! Then I told him my love for piano but I just started playing... And now he wants to meet so maybe he can teach me stuff about the piano! That is just so sweet! I really want that!"

Sly sighed. This conversation is eating him away. He is concerned, what if he takes her away from Sly?

"So how is that going to happen?" Sly said.

Isabella held out the paper in her hand that had Aaron's number written on it. "He gave me his number."

Sly snatches the note from her hand and looks at it. Then, he felt his heart spin and beat uncontrollably in a tornado of worry.

"A number?!" he thought. "What if they get too close?! What if he hurts Iz? I don't know him, what if he could do something bad to her? What if she trusts him enough to tell him everything, including that she is a Cooper, and then betrays her?! I can't have a chance of that! I can't let this happen!"

He was shaking; this kind of fear he only felt twice- once when he was eight and saw his father being murdered, and the other time when Dr. M. was attempting to shoot Carmelita back in the Cooper Vault. But then... he took a deep breath and thought back to his conversation with Bentley. "I must... let her go... I mean what if he isn't so bad? I need to meet him again, that I can be sure he won't be a threat. What if I'm just overreacting?"

Sly looks up at Isabella who has a grin on her face and Sly sighs again. "Okay, before you call this boy, I want to make a few things clear."

You hear a gulp from the other raccoon right before Sly continues. "I want you to be careful. Anything he does or says to you in a negative way you must report to me immediately. You can be friends with him and call him, but DO NOT reveal your real identity until I feel he's worthy in keeping such a secret. And..." he smiles, "no dating until you're forty."

Isabella playfully punches her brother. "C'mon Sly! You're starting to sound like a father!"

"I'm serious Iz, but more serious with everything than the last expectation. Well... maybe..."

Isabella laughs to Sly's teasing. "Okay move on!"

"Besides, someone needs to do the father job. Someone needs to set out expectations and set things right. So promise me you won't go against the rules I just said."

"Sure, all of that was understandable, except the no dating til I'm forty."

"Fine" Sly said playfully. "Forty-five it is."

Isabella rolls her eyes as Sly finishes up his father-like discussion. "So if I believe this boy is worthy to hold your identity, our family thieving, and date you, then I'll tell you. Don't do anything behind my back. You can tell me anything, I'm your awesome and stunning bro." Isabella giggled. Sly started to trot towards the door. "So, you can call him with your binocucom. So far this should stay as close friends. Deal?"

Isabella jumps off from the bed and attack-hugs Sly's small waist. "Deal! Thank you Sly!"

He holds her and rubs her back, feeling the weight of the world from this. "Sure... I love you Izzy. I always will."

"I love you too Sly."

*Wow I had to bring out my mature/wise side for that one. Well here it is! Chapter six is done! :D Hope you liked it. I know it was short but hey, that means more chapters! The next chapter is a little short too. It was kinda planned that way. I just wanted to get something done quick for you guys to at least read something. Thank you yet again and the next chapter will hopefully come soon. Probably within a week or over the weekend. I'll see ya in the next chapter!*