Chapter Eight

**This Chapter was originally posted 10/30/09. Upon re-reading the work, I realized there was a major incongruency in the storyline: in chapter 6, Demeter and Tanto have already decided to use Bombie as a means to Deuteronomy...yet in the original version of this chap, I have Demeter being totally shocked by this betrayal, and Macavity is the one who suggested using Bombie. So just one small part was rewritten, and now hopefully the botch-up had been fixed.**

"What?" Demeter stepped back. She felt the air leave her lungs, her heart contracted in pain and shock. "You don't mean it."

Cassandra's face was filled with concern, "I know this cannot be easy, Demeter—I'm sorry. I'm not even sure it's true—"

"If you thought it was not true, then you would not have tried to hide it from me," Demeter replied bitterly.

Cass dropped her head in shame. The black and gold queen was right—she had tried to shield her friend from the truth. "I am sorry."

"How?" Demeter asked suddenly. "How is she my sister? Grizabella wasn't pregnant before she left…"

Cassandra gave a painful grimace. Demeter suddenly understood. Her blood boiled, "Lies! All of it—lies!"

"It has been said before—long before Victoria showed up," Cassandra informed her.

"It isn't true. It can't be true," Demeter shook her head vehemently. "My mother would never—"

"Demeter," Cass spoke quietly, yet her voice instantly stopped the black and gold queen's passionate reply. "You must understand: Grizabella was a defeated ruler, an unwanted foreigner, completely at the mercy of Old Deuteronomy. She simply did what the rest of us have done—she did what she had to in order to survive."

There was a moment of silence as Cassandra's words dissolved into Demeter's thoughts.

"Then why did Deuteronomy banish her?" Demeter asked in a small voice.

Cass shrugged, "I do not know. Perhaps he knew she was pregnant—a kitten from the Royal Houses of the Jellicle and the Kitteni would take precedence over Munkustrap. Perhaps he did not was to sacrifice the throne to his new offspring."

"Is that why he killed her?" Demeter turned her jade eyes to the Abyssinian. "To keep her from bringing Victoria's claim to the throne?"

"That is something only Deuteronomy knows," Cass replied vaguely. "No one can be certain of what goes through his mind—he can be quite paranoid at times."

"Rotten Pollicle," Demeter muttered under her breath.

"What will you do?" Cassandra asked gently.

Demeter slowly turned to look at her. Then she simply walked away, without a single word.

~*~

Bombalurina gave a squeal of delight, "Another ball?! How wonderful!"

Admetus merely smiled in response. The red queen's naiveté was so fresh it was almost painful at times. If only she knew.

"Yes, Madame," Admetus replied. "Etcetera Catalina Primosus of the House of the Jellicle will have her coming-of-age ball. It will begin at midnight, with the Moonlight Solo."

"How lovely," Bomba breathed. She propped her head in her paw dreamily, "I remember my coming-of-age ball. The music, the dancing—oh, I'm so happy for Cetty. Should we bring gifts?"

"Not unless you can place a bow around the Rum Tum Tugger, Madame," Admetus quipped. Bomba laughed at the comment. She was the only cat that Admetus could say such things to—anyone else might misinterpret his remarks as insubordination, which could result in punishment.

"Oh it's going to be a wonderful night," Bomba sighed happily, turning her face to the warm sunshine with a smile.

Admetus watched the young queen for a moment as she smiled innocently, completely unaware of her impending doom. He swallowed the lump in his throat, "Yes, Madame. A wonderful night indeed."

~*~

Cassandra watched Demeter stalk off, her porcelain blue eyes filled with concern. She heard a rustle behind her, but she did not even turn to see who it was. She knew.

"Did she believe it?" Jellylorum asked.

"I think so," Cass replied.

"You think so?!" Jellylorum hissed, her voice hoarse with hysteria.

"You can never know for certain," Cass reminded her. "We shall see soon enough. It's up to Demeter now."

"What if she confronts Deuteronomy about it?" Jellylorum asked, looking around furtively.

"You will be safe," Cassandra assured her.

A brief silence passed as the meaning behind her words fully sunk in.

"But what about you?" Jellylorum asked quietly.

Cass gave a crooked smile, "There are casualties in every war."

"That is not a price I am willing to pay," Jellylorum shook her head gently. "I could not go on without you."

"This is not about you—it is about something greater," Cassandra reminded her. "Your wants and needs must be sacrificed for the greater good."

"How passionately the little gypsy talks about the duty and honor," Jellylorum mused with a dry smile. She ruffled the fur on Cassandra's head, "One would almost think she had an allegiance to someone."

Cassandra ducked her head and pulled away, "This is rotten, Jellylorum."

"It is necessary."

"I can't help but feel that it isn't."

"Well, it's a good thing I'm the one making the plans then, isn't it?" The calico queen replied carelessly. "When constructing a coup d'état, one must not be burdened down by something as silly as a conscience."

"That explains why you flourish in your plans," Cass said as she turned away. "You are completely heartless."

"Thank you," Jellylorum seemed to think it was a compliment. Her face took on a more serious expression, "Although I do have my moments of weakness, gypsy. We all have weak spots, you know—even me."

"I know," Cass replied, although she still did not turn to look at the calico queen. "That is why I am here—to protect you. Whenever you are weak, I am there to shield you from the world."

"And you do it quite well," Jellylorum added.

"It is not hard," Cass commented. "You are seldom weak."

"I am more than you think," the Felinestine said quietly. "I'm just better at hiding it than most."

A thoughtful silence passed between the two.

"Tis a sad thing," Cassandra gave a slight shake of her head. "She is beleaguered by so many calamities at once—I can't imagine how she encompasses it all."

Jellylorum gave a sage nod, her dark green eyes focusing on Demeter, who was now across the Harem. "She is a very strong soul, Cassandra. There is no telling how much pain she can hold. But like all things, she will break eventually. It's only a matter of time."

Cassandra gazed studiously at the black and gold queen, "I think she could withstand many more trials before she finally caves. Perhaps we have underestimated her."

The calico queen gave a chuckle from deep within her throat. "I don't think so, gypsy. Demeter may have built a strong defense against misery and circumstance, but after tonight, the walls will come tumbling down."

~*~

Demeter sat in the corner of the yard, her green eyes staring unseeingly into the horizon. A single word pulsed through her head with a mind-numbing echo: Why?

She couldn't even begin to fathom how drastically her life had changed during the past few weeks—her destiny had been altered entirely. She had lost her crown, her country, her mother—and yet Deuteronomy continued to destroy all that was left of her precious world, taking with it her sanity and her honor.

She had remained idle for far too long—she should have struck immediately, as soon as she had entered the Jellicle Court. Instead she had taken time to analyze and re-analyze the situation, taking precious time that she did not have to waste. And whilst she was busy weighing the consequences of each intrigue, Deuteronomy was steadily stamping out the trappings of her life.

The black and gold queen did not move—she sat as still as stone for hours, her mind whirling rapidly whilst her body remained motionless. When she finally did break her trance, it was only because Bombalurina was beckoning her to come inside and prepare for the ball. As she rose to her feet, Demeter made a solemn vow. She would bring Deuteronomy to the ground, if it was the last thing she ever did.

~*~

As usual, Admetus came to fetch the two Kitteni queens. It was shortly before midnight, and Etcetera's ball was about to begin.

As they were leaving the room, Bomba gave Corico's paw a small squeeze. She offered a smile of encouragement, but she did not speak. The black and white tom returned the smile, but it did not reach his eyes. Somehow, he had already sensed what was to come, and it filled his heart with pain.

Tantomile must have sensed it, too, for she stayed uncharacteristically close to Demeter, as if silently trying to comfort her mistress. She kept her golden eyes fixed on the black and gold queen—although she didn't know what had happened during Demeter's conversation with Cassandra, Tanto could tell that it had upset her mistress greatly.

Admetus was strangely quiet as well. The whole convoy was melancholy, each lost in his or her own dark and gloomy thoughts. Except for Bombalurina, of course. She was overjoyed. Poor, foolish kit.

~*~

"Good evening, Ladies," Munkustrap bowed gracefully and offered Demeter and Bombalurina a seat. Jellylorum and Cassandra were oddly aloof. They kept quiet, but their eyes were fastened on Demeter. They seemed to be holding their breath with her every move, waiting to see what she would do. She was like a ticking time bomb, and they wanted to be there when she went off.

Deuteronomy motioned to Bombalurina to sit beside him, "Come talk to me."

Bomba gave a shy smile and quickly obliged. She cast a worried glance in Coricopat's direction. She could see the crestfallen expression on his face. The red queen knew it must be painful for him to see her with Deuteronomy, but they both knew that she could not refuse the Jellicle Leader.

"Ladies and Gentlemen—Jellicles of all ages!" The Rum Tum Tugger leapt proudly onto the stage, throwing his paws out with dramatic flourish. "Tonight, I present to you Etcetera Catalina Primosus, Jellicle Princess!"

With another grand movement of his paws, Tugger signaled for the band to start before quickly scampering back to his seat. The stage lights dimmed and everyone waited.

The soft, nasally sound of the violin seeped into the still night air. A tiny white paw appeared in the pale circle of light. Etcetera emerged and began her Midnight Solo.

"Is this another one of your compositions?" Bomba leaned forward to whisper in Tugger's ear.

The maine coon nodded, "I call it Cetty's Waltz. Wrote it especially for tonight."

"What a good big brother you are," Bomba said, her tone slightly teasing. Everyone—including Tugger—was well aware of Etcetera's fascination for her older brother.

"Any brother would do it for his sister," Tugger shrugged.

"I didn't see Munkustrap composing any concertos." Bomba remarked.

"That's because Munku doesn't have a musical bone in his body," Tugger replied. "Have you seen the cat dance?"

Bomba giggled at the barb. Compared to Tugger, Munkustrap was definitely the less graceful.

"It's a very beautiful song," she commented softly. "You've impressed me once again, Rum Tum Tugger."

Tugger turned to smile at her, but there was a guarded look in his eyes. Poor kit. She didn't have a clue.

~*~

Demeter's jade eyes scanned the crowd for Macavity. Finally, she spotted his dark face among the other Jellicles. She saw him nod in the direction of the TSE1 car. She gave a slight nod of agreement. She watched him weave through the crowd, disappearing behind the automobile. She waited several minutes before leaving her seat.

The mere sight of his face filled Demeter with instant relief. Ever since Cassandra's shocking confession, Demeter had been trapped with her emotions and completely unable to confide in anyone about it.

"Oh, Macavity," she took a deep breath as she moved to embrace him. "You won't believe what Cassandra told me—"

"It's about the white kitten, isn't it?" Macavity interrupted brusquely. "The one my aunt found."

"How did you know?" Demeter was thoroughly shocked.

"I heard rumors." The gingertom gave a heavy sigh. "I had hoped they weren't true."

"I don't know what to do." Dem spoke quietly. "I feel so helpless, I—"

"Have you got a plan yet?" Bombalurina appeared, rushing forward in a breathless manner. She looked around quickly to make sure they were alone. She gave a curt nod of acknowledgement to Macavity, who continued to stare at her curiously. She cocked her head to the side and stared back at him, Holy Bastet, did he know too?

"Not yet," Demeter replied.

"Well, whatever we do, we'd better do it quickly," Bomba's dark eyes moved from Macavity to Demeter. "Deuteronomy has asked me to be his mate."

"Tell him no," Demeter said quickly.

Macavity gave a wry chuckle, "Deuteronomy doesn't really ask for anything—he simply takes it. Saying no isn't an option."

In the distance, the crowd gave a hearty cheer.

Bomba closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to steady herself. "Too late. He's announced it. There's no going back now."

"Why the hell didn't you say no?" Demeter hissed. "How could you have let it get this far?"

"I didn't have a choice—I couldn't keep stalling him forever!" Bomba replied defensively. "Besides, you were the one who wanted me to—"

"Instead of fighting about things we cannot change, how about working to turn things around?" Macavity suggested, effectively cutting off the squabble between the two sisters.

"You're right," Dem agreed with a frustrated sigh. She turned back to Bomba, "Go. Your public awaits you. It will look strange that Deuteronomy's future mate is missing at the moment of his grand announcement. Macavity and I will find a way to deal with it."

Bomba nodded quickly. As she turned to go, Demeter could see the tears in her little sister's eyes. The black and gold queen was instantly filled with regret, How could I have let things get this far? Why didn't I see this coming?

"He always seems to be one step ahead of you," Macavity commented.

"He is," Demeter admitted sadly. "And now he's taken my little sister. Bast, I was supposed to protect her from this—from him! I've been too busy with my own plans to even notice."

"She didn't stand a chance—from the moment she arrived here, she was his. Nothing you could have done would change that," Macavity said softly.

"You don't know that," Demeter replied bitterly.

"I know my father," Macavity countered. "Whatever Deuteronomy wants, Deuteronomy gets. And I can tell you—from the instant he laid eyes on her, he wanted Bombalurina. It was only a matter of time."

"I'll kill the bastard with my bare paws," Demeter muttered, whirling around quickly.

Macavity caught her before she could act upon her emotions, "That will get you nowhere—except dead. If you want revenge, then you are going to have to do what he had done to you. Take everything from him. Leave him utterly alone and defeated. He has to know that it was you, that you were the one to cause his downfall."

Demeter nodded in agreement. She knew Macavity was right. The gingertom gently took her arm and led her back to the center of the yard, where the rest of the Tribe was rejoicing at the news of Deuteronomy's engagement. Bombalurina stood atop the tire, beside Deuteronomy, smiling benignly down at the Jellicles huddled around the throne.

"She masks her fear very well," Macavity commented.

"One of her best talents," Demeter agreed.

There was a thoughtful pause. Macavity studied the red queen. After a moment of contemplation, he nudged Demeter, "Do you remember this morning when you spoke about finding Deuteronomy's weak spot?"

"Yes," Demeter replied.

Macavity gave a slight grin. His eyes never left Bombalurina, "I think we might have found it."

~*~

"I told you," Jellylorum said softly, not even bothering to look at the newly-engaged couple. The very sight of that red tramp made her stomach turn.

"It happened much faster than we anticipated," Cass observed. She had learned to detach herself from even the most shocking of situations.

"It doesn't change anything," Jellylorum replied. She gave a tight smile, "In fact, it may make things easier. Deuteronomy will be so distracted with his new toy that he won't even notice us."

Cassandra nodded in agreement. Perhaps things had worked out for the best.

~*~

The walk back to the Harem was just as pensive as the walk to the ball had been. No one spoke, but everyone's mind was busily turning over the events of the night.

Admetus had known about it, of course. Everyone had known, except Demeter and Bombalurina. Deuteronomy had made it very clear that his sights were set upon the red queen. It was such a shame, though—Admetus knew that Deuteronomy would eventually tire of Bomba, and then she would be stuck in a loveless, unhappy marriage.

Coricopat had sensed it; so had Tantomile. Though neither one was shocked by the turn of events, Cori was heartbroken. Bombalurina could sense his sorrow; she couldn't bring herself to look at him. She knew that her acceptance of Deuteronomy's proposal had destroyed everything between her and the black and white tom. She wanted to explain, to tell him that she had no choice, but she knew that now was not the time. Corico needed time to absorb, to come to grips with the situation.

Demeter really wasn't surprised either. Sure, she had seemed outraged, but in reality, it was all just a pretense. This was part of her plan--the plan she and Tantomile had devised to bring down the Jellicle. She had been so distracted with Macavity that the plan had fallen by the wayside, mainly because she thought Bomba hated Deuteronomy and that the plan would not work. But now, in an odd stroke of luck, the plan had resurrected and was offering itself to her as a means to an end. She was a bit shocked that it had happened, but after the events of the day, she was glad. She wanted to act quickly, and this was a perfect route to Deuteronomy. She was delighted that Macavity had suggested using Bombie as the Achilles hill to Deuteronomy's defense--even though that was part of the plan all along, somehow she knew Macavity would be much more amendable to the idea since he was the one who suggested it. Despite the pain it would cause her little sister, Demeter relished the chance to destroy Deuteronomy. She was past anger or sadness, or any emotion. Her mind was completely bent on revenge.

And so Bombalurina tagged along, knowing full well that the entire group was either saddened, angered, or otherwise disappointed by her decision. She felt the silence fall upon her shoulders like a weight—their mouths were closed, but their eyes spoke volumes, and their disdain was more punishment than she could bear. And yet she had no one to blame but herself. Her weakness had gotten her into this mess, and now she had to face the penalty for it.

She gave a light sigh. If only she had someone to talk to, to confide in, someone who could look upon her without distrust and disdain. There was only one cat who did that now—Deuteronomy.

~*~

The two figures were tucked away in their usual meeting corner of the Harem.

"I can't believe you did that!" The second's voice was filled with horror.

"I told you, I had to get that damned Kitteni to act—Bomba would never have admitted her feelings for Deuteronomy if we had not pushed her to it." The first growled.

"Yes, but now Demeter's on the war path—"

"Which is exactly where she needs to be. Don't you ever listen when I tell you these things?"

"This is getting dangerous." The second said in a fearful tone.

"Treason always is." The first replied brusquely. "Now, quit your whining and help me think of our next step."

"Well, we've gotten Bombalurina out of the way. Now it's time for Demeter."

"She's not going to be as easy," the first said thoughtfully.

"Maybe, maybe not," the second replied. "We already have her set up for so much more—she knows about Victoria, and then there's Macavity. I mean, she may be easier to handle than you think."

"One thing I have learned," the first said in a gentle tone. "Is to never underestimate your enemy."

~*~

Bombalurina stared pitifully at her reflection. Was there a cat half so miserable in all the earth? She seriously doubted it. She had betrayed everything she had ever known, everyone she had ever loved, and to what end? To be with the very cat who had destroyed her life, her family, her royal home!

She gave a sad sigh. To make matters worse, no one had spoken about it at all—two days had passed since the engagement, and neither Demeter nor Coricopat had even said a word to her. Even Admetus treated her differently—the once open and friendly tom suddenly became guarded, carefully watching his words and actions as if he feared her.

No one understood. Even before she accepted Deuteronomy's proposal, Bombalurina knew she would become his mate. Ever since the Jellicle Ball, she had known that there was no other alternative. Her fate had been decided, written out, and sealed with the immutable power of the gods—nothing could be done to turn the tide, to prevent the impending disaster. It was as certain and unchanging as death.

And yet in this match she did not see death, but life. Life—yes, life!. When Deuteronomy looked at her, it was with love—not cold calculation like Demeter, nor fear like Coricopat, nor loathing like Tantomile.

Bombalurina was struck by that sudden thought—she had never noticed it before, but now it seemed perfectly clear. Tantomile did loathe her. She always had. Perhaps it was because Bomba had taken Coricopat from her. But that truly wasn't a good excuse for the black and white queen's hatred—hadn't Bomba always treated Coricopat with love and respect?

Until now, a small voice replied. The red queen frowned slightly at the comment. It was true, she had hurt Cori deeply with this new announcement. For the first time, she realized that perhaps he would not forgive her for this. The thought of losing Coricopat forever suddenly filled her with an overwhelming sadness—she stifled a sob behind her white-tipped paw, hot tears brimming in her dark eyes. What would she do without him? The mere thought of not having him by her side created panic and grief—what would she do when she actually had to leave him?

At that moment, Coricopat walked into the room. When he saw her, he stopped and turned to exit, "I'm sorry, Madame—"

"Wait," Bomba said quickly, choking on her own tears. Corico turned back to looked at her. She reached for him, her voice little more than a whisper, "Please stay."

The black and white tom took a moment to study her ravaged complexion. He gave a slight nod and moved back into the room.

An awkward silence followed. Bomba stared at the floor. Corico stared at her. Whenever she raised her eyes to meet his, he quickly diverted his gaze to the wall.

"I am so sorry," she spoke quietly. "I never meant to hurt you."

"I know," he said simply. He still kept his eyes fixed blankly ahead.

"I just…." Bomba gave a frustrated sigh. She didn't know how to explain it to him; she didn't want to discuss her feelings for Deuteronomy—not with Coricopat. It would be too painful.

"You don't owe me an explanation, you know," Coricopat said softly. "In fact, you don't owe me anything—you are the master, I am the slave. I am bound to follow your will, without reason or cause."

"Don't say such things," Bomba told him. "I have never thought of you as my slave—you know that."

"Madame, that doesn't make it any less true," Coricopat replied. "No matter how you saw our relationship, it has always been and will always be that way."

"I broke my vow," Bomba stated. "Until death do us part."

"I know."

"Do you hate me for it?"

"No."

"You should."

"I know I should. But I can't bring myself to it."

Bombalurina began to cry, "Your forgiveness makes me feel worse than your hatred ever could. Why must you be so calm? I try to explain, you say it is not necessary. I say you should hate me, you say you cannot. I should be thankful for your understanding, but it only deepens my hatred for myself."

"What? Do you want me to bellow and shout? To throw things and demand an explanation? To call you vile names and swear to hate you forever more?" Coricopat gave a dry smile. "We both know I'm not that kind of tom."

"I would feel better if you were," Bomba sniffled. "For days I have wrestled with this—I have at turns chastised and bewailed my actions, defended them and torn them down. I war within myself, and there is no one to turn to for help. No one tells me what they really feel, although I can see it in their eyes. No one uses harsh words, but their softness is sharper than a knife's point, ripping into my heart. Do you know how badly I have wished for someone to storm in here and tell me how wrong, how wicked I am?"

"Why? So you can defend yourself, justify your actions?" Coricopat asked. "So the whole world can see that it's not your fault?"

"No," Bomba began to cry fresh tears. "So they can give me the punishment I deserve. I feel as if I've murdered someone, and no one cares enough to rebuke me. It is the most awful feeling in the world."

Coricopat instantly regretted his words. Bomba looked so pitiful now—hunched over, her shoulders shaking with unvoiced sobs as her two white paws covered her face. She seemed so small, so alone.

He moved toward her, gently taking her into a hug. This only made her sob louder, but she did not pull away. Instead, she nestled her face into his neck and cried as though her heart would break. He could not stay angry at her, even if he wanted to. He merely murmured, "There, there. Perhaps there is a way to fix this."

"It's too late," Bomba replied mournfully. "Deuteronomy has already announced it—if I refuse him now, he'd be humiliated in front of the entire tribe. There's no telling what he would do in retaliation. Besides, what valid reason do I have to refuse him?"

Coricopat gave a heavy sigh. She was right—it could not be undone.

The red queen stood a little straighter, wiping the tears from her cheeks with a small sniffle. "I must look positively frightful. I haven't slept in days."

"You are still beautiful to me," Corico replied, gently caressing her face.

Bomba blushed, "You are too kind. A complete liar, but a kind one."

Coricopat chuckled at the quip. He merely sat down, pulling Bombalurina next to him. "You haven't slept because you are too worried about things you cannot change—your mind runs in circles, chased by panic and doubt. You live in constant fear."

"How do you know all of this?" Bombalurina sat up, her face filled with shock. It was if he had spoken the very thoughts of her mind.

"I know you," Coricopat said simply. He lightly kissed her nose, "Now, sleep. I'll watch over you—no need to fear."

The red queen nodded in acquiescence and laid her head on his chest. Coricopat hummed a distant tune, and for the first time in many nights, Bombalurina drifted into peaceful slumber.

~*~

I knew you were too weak, Tantomile's voice taunted her brother.

Coricopat raised his eyes to see his sister standing in the doorway. He shot her a dark look. Don't you dare wake her.

She's not your problem anymore—she belongs to Deuteronomy.

The comment stung Coricopat, but he did not rise to the bait. He knew Tantomile was just trying to anger him, to make him disturb Bomba's slumber. His sister had a malicious habit of doing such things, although he never understood why.

Go away.

You will have to let her go sooner or later—you always knew that. So why are you hesitating, now that the time has come? Tantomile crossed her arms over her chest.

Because she still needs me.

She will always need you. Tantomile rolled her eyes. She will always need someone—that is the weakness of her nature.

She is not weak. Coricopat defended the red queen.

She's a leech—she must have something or someone to hold onto constantly or else she's in a quandary. Tantomile gazed steadily at her brother. He knew it was true—Bombalurina never was very good at doing things on her own.

I have an oath to uphold. Coricopat replied staunchly. I will be there for her, for as long as she has need of me.

This is not the point I am trying to make, Tantomile informed him. When are you going to stop needing her?

I don't need her.

Then get up. Right now. Just get up and walk away.

There was an awful silence as the two cats stared dreadfully at each other.

You are a monster, Coricopat growled.

The corner of Tanto's mouth quirked into a sardonic smile, "You have no idea."

*Author's Note: Well, Chickadees, this chapter wins the distinction of 'strangest posting place'. I am currently holed up in the stairwell of my apartment, waiting for a tornado to touch down in my city (this is the *third* one today). Without much else to do but wait for the undeniable sound of destruction (which really does sound like a train, fyi), I am working on my story. For those who, like me, live in Tornado Alley USA, this isn't really scary so much as it is boring and time-consuming. But you can rejoice that my time spent huddled on the first floor of 720 Ockley Drive is well used ;) .....and now I wait for the flash flood that will inevitably follow, so that I will be pushed back upstairs, which is the least preferable place to be during a tornado. Ah, Mother Nature can be a bitch...*