I'm excited. Last night I got really enthusiastic about this story and somehow nearly wrote a 2,000 words chapter =D

I give you….

Chapter 9:

I started awake and bolted straight up from where I lay. It was dark. Oh so dark and menacing in the room I was in. I wasn't usually scared of being in the dark but at that moment I was totally unnerved.

Suddenly my memory started coming to me. The dance with Catman, M rambling in French with such a tormented and sad expression I was sure it would haunt me for the rest of my days…

And finally Lizzie running up to M and I and saying Dad's plane was missing…

"Dad!" I cried out in alarm. I had to know if he was okay or not. I stood up shakily and realized I still wore my costume.

I faintly heard movement in the room and jumped in surprise. I hadn't thought there was anyone in the room with me. That someone had apparently been sleeping and woken by my getting up.

"Winnie?" it was Catman and he was beside me in an instant.

"Catman," I sighed in slight relief. I was glad to not be alone in the gloomy room that happened to be the one I had been sleeping in the past nights.

"I'm here," he put an arm around my shoulder.

I leaned into him as he guided me out the dark room and down the stairs to the living room where Claire, Bart, Lizzie, and M were.

Lizzie and M looked horribly distraught. Lizzie's dress was pitifully wrinkled and M's mask was off. They both had worried expressions but brightened up as they saw Catman and I walk into the room.

Catman led me to the Queen Anne sofa and sat down beside me.

"They still don't know anything yet," Lizzie said, barely a whisper but I heard. A sharp pain pierced me in the heart hearing that news. It was a possibility he was dead somewhere or hurt with no one to help him.

I hid my face in Catman's shoulder. I didn't care if I was making a scene in front of Catman's parents, Lizzie, and M. He was the only one on this earth who could comfort me no matter what.

Tears seeped through my closed eyes and onto Catman's tie-dyed shirt. He never complained as I soaked his sleeve with my tears. He just held onto me carefully and hard.

He didn't tell me everything was going to be okay. No, that wouldn't do any good in this situation. We didn't know if it would be okay. Saying it was going to be okay would be a lie.

I cried and cried and then I stopped. Suddenly I was frustrated with myself. Crying was not going to help get Dad back safe and sound.

I sat up with a new attitude and everyone glanced over at me in surprise.

Have you called all the stations around the area they went through?" I asked. Catman stared at me incredulously as did M.

"N—no," Lizzie suddenly smiled. "I'll go right now and call. I best be getting back anyway. Amelie must be worried sick" She jumped up quickly and went outside.

Claire yawned, "Well young people, I think I shall go to bed. Don't stay up too late. M you're welcomed to stay if you like. I talked to your parents already," she said before getting up from a plushy chair. Bart got up also to join her.

"Thank you ma'am." M nodded after her before glancing over at me.

"Oh, and your room is on the third floor on the left to Winnie's," she added, disappearing up the stairs with Bart.

"Will you guys come with me to my house? I need to go check on Nickers and Buddy," I got up slowly. I needed to go get out of this dress into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

"Sure," Catman replied and M nodded getting up with me.

"You can borrow some clothes from me," Catman told M.

I saw M grimace a little and I almost laughed. It was hard to imagine M in nothing but black but him in tie-dye and strips was poposteris. I had to see this.

I went up and changed while Catman got M some clothes. I had a struggle with the corset. I really needed help with it but I wasn't about to dare ask Catman or M for help.

A blush crept upon my cheeks at that thought. No way.

It took me five minutes of struggling and exclamations but I finally got the blasted torture item off. I exhaled deeply in relief and dressed quickly.

I quickly dashed down the stairs and again I tripped on the third to the last step and went plummeting. Except this time Catman didn't catch me. Instead M was the one that caught me as I stumbled into him.

I looked up at him in embarrassment. "Sorry," I apologized as he righted me. It was then I actually saw him.

Dressed in a colorful blue and yellow tie-dye shirt complete with a pair of jeans I had never seen Catman wear that had holes in the knees, and sandals. I blinked in surprise. My eyes weren't ready for that!

"Wow," I whooshed, with a small smile.

M just cocked his head at me in wonderment.

Catman walked into the room and up to me. He also had an amused expression on his face.

Catman and M looked like twins…well kind of. One with a blonde ponytail and Siamese forget-me-not piercing blue eyes and the other with a jet black ponytail and chocolate brown eyes that held a mystery in them.

"Well let's go," I said with a smile. I looped my arms in through Catman's and M's. We set off toward Catman's corvette.

I let M have the front passenger seat. I didn't think it was fair to make someone as tall as him seat in cramped space. I was so short it didn't bother me.

I was antsy to get to Nickers and was glad when we finally parked. I waited for M to get out and pushed the seat up for me. I got out quickly and headed toward the corral where Nickers grazed. Buddy was nowhere to be seen. Most likely in her stall where she liked to be most of the time.

Nickers looked up and nickered as I walked up to her. "Hey girl," I scratched her chin. Catman walked up beside me and outstretched his hand toward the mare.

She nickered to him and pushed her muzzle against his hand. She had become very attached to Catman as of late. She seemed to like him as much as she did me. I wasn't jealous about that in fact it made me happy to know she loved the boy I loved.

I guess she could tell Catman loved me very much and meant me no harm. Most people who came up to her would have to keep their distance lest they get bitten. She seemed to like M too.

Speaking of M he was nowhere to be found.

Catman squinted up at the stars. "Look!" he pointed up in the sky.

I did look and gasped. A shooting star went through the air. It was the most beautiful sight I had ever seen. I had never seen a shooting star before. It was something memorable.

"Far out," Catman whispered with a smile.

I turned to face him with a smile of my own. "I'll remember this forever," I promised looking up into his eyes. They sparkled in the moonlight.

"Ditto," Catman said before stooping down low to steal a kiss from me.

I laughed softly.

Thank you God for this special moment in a time of such turmoil.

"Nickers, are you ready to eat?" I asked my patient Arabian who stood beside the fence watching Catman and I.

She snorted loudly, bobbing her head before trotting toward the barn.

I laughed, "Someone's hungry."

Catman chuckled as we walked into the barn.

I found M in Buddy's stall. The two had always had a special connection. He had been whispering to the filly and stood up when I walked in with the feed bucket.

This reminded me of Catman the way he jumped and turned quickly. It was like he was afraid he was going to be caught in something that wasn't supposed to be heard.

"You okay?" I asked as he and I walked out the stall. I went to scooping more feed for Nickers.

"Nothing," he said quietly. I noticed he fingered something in his pocket but I didn't question him further about it.

After that was all done we headed back to Coolidge Castle.

The next morning I was awakened by Luther. I groaned and rubbed my eyes. I didn't want to wake up yet.

Luther was persistent in getting attention from me and decided to give me a good clawing.

"Oh!" I cried out, my hand going to my cheek in surprise. I glared at Luther who just swished his tail around looking quite satisfied at waking me up as he did.

My hand came back with a few blood spots from my cheek. Oh joy.

I got up sulkily and went to the vanity to brush my ratty hair. That beehive hairdo didn't seem to want to disappear.

Something white caught my eye and I glanced down on the vanity to see a white piece of paper folded beside my brush.

Puzzled I picked it up to inspect. I opened it curiously and read:

Dear Winnie,

I know I shouldn't trouble you with this news after all this with your Dad. But I have to tell you or I will go crazy. I realized something the other day when I found you on the school steps the other day. I realized I loved you and it is too late! That is what I said last night in French.

With all my heart,

M.I.

I gasped and the letter dropped from my hands and fluttered to the floor. M.I…

Marque Isidore! M was in love with me! I nearly felt like fainting again. I fell to my knees and hands.

He loved me and I loved his best friend. How must that hurt? It pained me. But I loved Catman not M. M was sweet and a wonderful person but I wasn't in love with him. Of course I thought he was handsome…But that isn't the point.

I had to go find him this instant!

I expect reviews for this guys. I know there are not a lot of WTHG readers out there well that know there are fanfictions but whoever is reading this please review. It's very discouraging not to get any reviews.

Does anyone want me to write a Winnie/M one-shot? I really wanna do it!