A/N: Please check out Chapter 8 if you haven't done so already - the alerts are finally working again. :) Thanks!


Chapter 9

Cavan awoke the next morning in the hospital. She was trying to remember what had happened but for the life of her she could not. Then panic set in. Where were her husband and her children? Her heart monitor started squawking and a nurse came rushing in.

"Ma'am, please calm down. You're safe. You're at the hospital," the tigress said.

"Where is my family?" Cavan wanted to know.

"Lord Li-en has your children. Just cuts and scrapes. Nothing major," she told her.

"I need to see them," Cavan stressed.

"I will get them for you but you need to take it easy. You got hit on the head by debris and we don't want you opening your stitches," the tigress tried to calm her down again.

"What happened?" The puma asked.

"I don't really know. There were explosions at the Lair and right now they are trying to dig through the rubble to see if anyone is still in there. It could take a few days," the nurse gave her all the information she could. Cavan heaved a sigh and the tigress went out into the hallway. She wasn't gone more than a minute before Liam and Fiona came running into the room followed by Li-en, who was holding Emma.

"Oh my babies," Cavan pulled her two older children to her as they climbed into her hospital bed.

"We were so worried Mom," Fiona was crying.

"I'm just so glad you're safe," Cavan said. She looked up at her husband who was struggling to hold their youngest. The little pumiliger was reaching for her mother and Cavan offered her arms out to little Emma and Li-en helped her get to her. She held onto them as if it was the last time she'd be able to hold onto them. While they weren't looking though, she mouthed to her husband, how bad is it?

Bad, came the reply and immediately the puma's thoughts went to the other children who lived at the Lair and their parents.

"It's like a regular party in here," the doctor, a lynx, walked in, seeing all the Cats in the room.

"Sorry Doctor," Li-en apologized.

"No need, son. I completely understand, though I do need to borrow mom for a few minutes. There is ice cream waiting down at the nurses' station for some children. I was looking all over for them and if I don't find them soon, we're going to have to call maintenance for a cleanup," the doctor said loud enough for the children to hear.

"Ice cream?" Liam asked.

"Indeed, chocolate and strawberry, or so I'm told," he smiled at them.

"That sounds yummy to me. You guys better get down there before I come looking for some," Cavan told the kids.

"Nurse Shelby is waiting out in the hall to escort you," the doctor said. Li-en took hold of Emma while Fiona and Liam climbed out of the bed. Within a few moments they were out of the room and that let the adults talk for a bit.

"How bad is it Doctor?" Li-en wanted to know.

"Well Lady Cavan will be on her feet in a couple of weeks. That gash on her noggin has me concerned," he admitted.

"Noggin?" Cavan raised an eyebrow and then realized it hurt to do so.

"Sorry, pediatrician by trade. Some habits die hard. I'm Doctor Pho by the way," the lynx smiled.

"Well thank you doctor for looking after my wife and my children. Have you heard any news yet?" Li-en asked, glazing over the fact that the doctor was not used to treating adults. Cavan wanted to ask why he was treating her but she began to worry what the answer would be.

"The doctors from Third Earth should be arriving in a couple of hours. We're going to be very lucky for their help. The number of wounded continues to climb and regrettably so does the number of dead," Pho didn't pull any punches.

"I was right next to Lion-O, Wizz-Ra, President Zhukov, and Alexei when the bombs went off," Cavan said.

"Wizz-Ra saved the Control Room from the worst of it along with Lion-O. Apparently, the Sword and the sorcerer's powers were enough to protect the room long enough for rescue crews to reach you. Then they went in search of the rest of the royals. Cheetara was able to protect the Prince and Princess from the blast and thankfully the Med Bay was easily evacuated because most of the damage occurred up front of the building and the upper floors. Lion-O and the wizard went in to save more of those trapped but no one has seen them since last night," Pho brought them up to speed on what he knew.

"Great Jaga's ghost," Cavan murmured.

"What about the others?" Li-en asked.

"Other than Lion-O and Wizz-Ra, most are accounted for, one way or another, which is good for some and not so much for others. I don't know the actual numbers yet since not everyone has been found and they are not releasing the names of those that passed until they are identified and family notified," Pho explained.

"I need to find out about the other ThunderCats," Li-en said.

"Ask to speak to Doctor Pungali. He wasn't at the Lair when it happened and he's been running things around here," the lynx told them.

"Send the kids in here and I'll keep them occupied," Cavan said. Li-en leaned down and kissed her forehead gingerly.

"I'll be back as soon as I can," he promised before heading out the door.

To Be Continued…