Confliction

Disclaimer: I don't own Sly. If someone said I did, they lied. The only ones I own are the ones you don't recognize.

AN: Thanks, Bloodlust Mistress for always helping me with Dimitri.

The Fateful Reunion

Wes blinked, "Chief, I can't arrest them for disobeying orders," Not that he didn't have other grounds to arrest them on… he shook his head. He was hoping that this wouldn't be what Barkley wanted to talk to him about when he called him to his office.

"Then arrest them for interfering with the Fox Murder Case," he told him.

"But she hasn't done anything to interfere," Wes defended.

"Yet," he spoke. "We both know what she's planning to do."

"What's so wrong about wanting to save her sister?"

"The fact that she could screw up everything, Doberman! Inspector Fox is emotionally attached and that could and will cause her to do something rash without thinking of the consequences!"

'Got that one right…' he thought sardonically. "Sir, we can't arrest her unless she does something to-"

"Damn it, Doberman! Whoever is gunning the Fox's is after Carmelita too! This is for her own safety."

Wes sighed, there was no arguing. "Yes, Sir." What was he going to do now? He just hoped that Carmelita knew what she was doing.

----

Carmelita had no clue as to what she was doing. She ran the brush through her hair before picking up the black purse. "Ready, Roxy?"

Roxy handed her the ruby, "Let's go."

The fox nodded her head as she took the gem and put it in the purse. She'd be happy when that thing was finally out of her possession. Roxy walked out of the hotel room, Carmelita followed her out, locking the door behind.

It didn't take them long to find themselves at Dimitri's club. They went inside; Dimitri was speaking to the bartender. He looked at the women and grinned, "Well, well, well… look what cat dragged in. Didn't think lady coppers would go through with our little deal. 'Specially not you," he looked pointedly at Carmelita.

She gritted her teeth at him. "Let's just get this over with," she spat. She looked around, grimly. Thugs were everywhere and the air was thick with smoke. She wanted out of there.

Dimitri chuckled. He took a puff of his cigarette and held out his lanky hand, waiting for his price. Carmelita removed the purse from her shoulder and handed it to the lizard. He opened it and examined the ruby without removing it from its silky protection. "Alright, follow Dimitri," he said, going up the stairs to his apartment.

Roxy and Carmelita followed him without hesitation. He held the door open for them, and then locked it behind. It was still a wreck, he sat behind his desk. Papers were everywhere and there were empty bottles on the floor. He filed through the papers hastily, knocking quite a few on the floor.

"Aha!" he said as he pulled out two passes. He transferred the gem into his desk and put the tickets in the purse, handing it back to Carmelita. "I do not know anything about little fox, but no worries. On the back of those tickets is an address, you go to there and give the guards those tickets."

Carmelita pulled out one of the two tickets. She stared at the address, "I recognize this. This is the address of Lady Desiree's Parisian mansion."

Dimitri nodded, "You ask for her, tell her Dimitri sent you."

"Who's Desiree? And how's she supposed to help?" Roxy asked impatiently.

"Lady Desiree is suspected to be one of the Poison Rogues," Carmelita told her.

"She's one of those rogues, no dilly. She'll know what's what with the little fox."

----

Just great… what was he supposed to do? He wouldn't arrest Carmelita… he couldn't. He was impressed by her loyalty to her sister and he had other orders to follow as well. Part of him wanted to obey the chief and arrest the Inspector. He wanted to keep her far out of harm's way. But the other part knew that he had no choice in the matter.

He had to keep Interpol from interfering with the plan. He wasn't stupid; he knew what the plan was. He had orders from the leader of the Poison Rogues to keep them off Carmelita's trail… his leader wanted the fox dead. He could only hope that she could take care of herself. Carmelita was strong and able… she'd be fine. She wouldn't die as easily as the others. She was stronger than that. Wasn't she?

Wes sighed. Everything was going wrong. Why couldn't she have stayed in America? He shook his head as he walked down the streets. It wasn't his problem. His only order was to keep Interpol away from her. It was up to the Poison Rogues to kill her…

He thought of the vixen… her emotional eyes, her long, flowing hair, her overall beauty which was complemented by her outgoing personality and her lust for everything righteous. Could he really just sit back and let them kill her? He rubbed his temple… could he?

----

Cooper Gang Steals Solus Ruby!

Penelope's eyes widened as she read the headline. "Bentley, guys, come over here and look at this. Notorious Cooper Gang strikes again, this time stealing the famous Solus Ruby. The priceless gem was stolen from the Louvre Museum, Detective Wes Doberman reported that Cooper had gotten away, snatching the tape that held his evidence, shortly before he arrived…" she read.

Sly furrowed his brows, "We never stole that ruby, what is Doberman playing?"

Bentley shook his head, it wasn't often they were accused of a crime they hadn't committed, but it had been known to happen. After all, stealing something that valuable did sound like something they'd do. However, the turtle was curious as to why the detective had accused them. Doberman had been chasing them for little over a year now… he should have known that it wasn't them—if not by the sheer sloppiness of the heist, as the article also commented on—by the lack of Sly's signature calling card, which he knew there wasn't because there was no mention of it like there usually is.

"Sly, I honestly don't know what the detective is up to, but we have other situations at hand," he told the raccoon.

Sly nodded. They had to find out why that New Yorker cop was after Dimitri. Sly felt guilty for telling her where to find his former fellow gang member. "Right."

----

Dimitri chuckled as he held the ruby in his hand. He really was surprised when he saw Carmelita Fox that first day… and even more so when she arrived again with his stolen jewel. He didn't think she had it in her to do something illegal. There was a knock on the door. He swiftly placed the gem under his mattress. "Who is it??" he snapped, annoyed at the interruption.

"Just open up," said an unmistakable voice.

Dimitri opened the door and grinned, "The Cooper Gang! What brings you to Dimitri's domain?"

"Actually we came to inform you that an Interpol officer is after you and she knows where to find you," Bentley told him.

"Oh, you mean the badly dressed lady cop. Kitty made her appearance," he said smoothly. It seemed that they only knew of the cat. He wondered if they even knew that the Inspector's re-entrance to Paris.

"What did she want?" Penelope asked, "You haven't done anything illegal lately."

"Aw, worried about me, sweet buns?"

"When will you get over yourself?" she asked. He briefly mulled over the last time the mouse told him to get over himself.

"What did she want?" Sly repeated Penelope's question with suspicion.

Dimitri turned towards him. He eyed the thief. "She had a favor she needed. So I, being so gracious, made with the dealings. Why?"

Sly didn't answer him, but continued to look him in the eye. The lizard could tell he was very serious about this. He didn't know why, but Sly seemed really suspicious about the feline cop. He wanted to know why, "How'd you know 'bout the copper's little visit?"

"I met her. She said she was looking for you."

Dimitri nodded, that cleared things some. Not that he could see any reason for him not to be suspicious of her, even if Sly wasn't even sure why he was himself. A smirk played across his face. He walked over to his desk and pulled out one more invitation and handed it to Sly.

"What's this?" he asked.

"You and I are alike. We're both main men who know what they want and take it! I gave the cop lady tickets to the same place. I'm thinking you find her, you find… most answers."

----

Carmelita growled as she fussed over her wig, pushing her curls underneath. Roxy laughed as she handed the green colored contacts, "Looking forward to the party, Vanya?" she asked in her 'Olga' voice, already in her Olga disguise, except her blonde wig was let down and curled and instead of the suit she wore a long black dress with a single long sleeve.

"Oh, yeah. I'm looking forward to a night of silence," she answered, sarcasm laced in her voice.

"At least we'll find out what you need to know."

"Stop talking like that," she sighed. "And that's only if Desiree cooperates." She put the second contact in and smoothed her wig and her dress as she looked in the mirror. She was Vanya again, "All right, let's go."

----

Sly wondered about Dimitri as he straightened his tie. The man was always strange, but this time… something was off. He seemed to know something he didn't and Sly knew he was up to something. He looked at the invitation. It was Lady Desiree's party.

He closed his eyes as he remembered the night Carmelita cut all contact with him and broke his heart. He sighed. Should he go? Was finding Roxy really worth the memories? He didn't even know why he felt so compelled to find her. But he knew he had to. Something inside him demanded he find her. And it was that something that demanded him to go to that party.

----

Sly was bored out of his mind. The so-called party was filled with rich stiffs and slutty snobs. Desiree hadn't even made her appearance and Sly couldn't find Roxy for the life of him, one would assume it'd be easy to find a Brooklyn, pink-haired cat with blue stripes on her face.

Despite the money he was making by a little pick-pocketing, the night seemed to be turning into a waste of time.

He sighed and scanned the room again. No Desiree. No Roxy… but his eye did catch a pretty young woman… a fox with auburn fur and short black hair. As he walked closer he noticed her eyes were a bright green. Next to her was a blonde feline, both seemed about as thrilled as he was with this party. "Care to dance?" he asked the vixen in his most charming voice. She looked at him and then her companion.

Her friend smiled and in a Russian accent she said, "Go dance, it'll be fun."

In spite of her friend's encouragement, the vixen bit her lip and hesitated before placing her hand in his. "Do you know our hostess well?" he asked, attempting to start a conversation with the mysterious woman.

She shook her head but gave no verbal answer.

"Are you enjoying yourself?"

She shrugged her shoulders.

"Are you going to talk to me?"

She touched her throat.

He nodded in understanding, "You can't, can you?"

She shook her head again and nothing more was spoken between them. They then focused all their attention to the next dance; the tango. They danced gracefully and passionately. A passion Sly was shocked he felt with this stranger.

The dance ended with a dip. He stared into her eyes. The only one who had ever inspired such passion in him like this was…

--

Sly! Her eyes widened as she realized who the man was holding her. She forcefully pulled herself from his grasp and ran, paying no mind to the many staring eyes around her.

How could she not have known before? She realized who he was when the dance ended… when she was reminded of a similar night at another party held by a criminal named Rajan.

She ran by Roxy and grabbed her arm. She dragged her outside before shouting, "He's Sly!"

Roxy blinked, "What?"

"That man is Sly Cooper! He tricked me again, I can't believe this!" she ranted, anger and frustration filling her body. She had never wanted to see him again and there he was interfering with her work yet again.

"Carmelita??"

She spun around to see a pair of brown eyes staring at her, his eyebrows furrowed and his mouth agape in shock.

Hope you enjoyed it. Sorry so long, but you know how college is. And if you don't, I'm sure you have an idea. Please review.