HAT: Don't worry, he lives! He's injured, granted, but he lives!

Disclaimer: I do NOT own cats, only the plot of this story and the OCs.

-A FEW YEARS LATER-

Skimble plays with Tugger, Munkustrap (Grizabella's last kit before she left, which cut a knife in everyone's hearts, especially after she was so motherly to Skimble), Cassandra, and Exotica at around noon. For years everything's been pretty calm. Alabaster retired and handed the position to his son, who's now the Jellicle leader, and a few Jellicles moved away with their humans, but that wasn't uncommon. Kohana had Cassandra and Skimble got along with her quite well until her death after Exotica was born. Still, the two queen-kits were growing up to be great queens. They recently gained mystic kits by the names of Tantomile and Coricopat (they keep to themselves because they're still pretty shy around everyone) about Cassandra and Exotica's age. He and Mystia are going strong even with him spending a lot of time wit Ruthenbalt to become the next railway cat and Jenny is getting along (almost too) well with Thomas, and everything seems to be going perfect... except Macavity sneaks out a lot and Skimble feels bad about it because his father and Barron got a hold of him... but he can't do anything about it.

"Skimble! Come on, dad's gonna show us something!" Asparagus calls, holding his queenfriend, Jellylorum's paw.

"Come on, don't leave," Munkustrap begs.

Skimble chuckles. "I'll see you two later."

"Fine," Tugger huffs only to get flicked for his attitude.

Skimble walks towards his friends and queenfriend. "Alright, let's go."

"About time!" Gus chuckles. "Now follow me."

Skimble rushes over to them and Mystia greets him with a nuzzle and they weave their way through the junkyard and when Gus quiets them the teenage kits share looks of curiosity at what the Theater Cat was planning. In all honesty they've never been in this part of the junkyard, only run through it once or twice, but never stopping to observe their surroundings, but there's a strong smell of rabbit in the air and when they look to the older cat he smiles and winks at them.

"This is my little rabbit hunting area. So long as we hunt here on occasion, they'll keep coming back."

They take this to heart and nod before focusing on the rabbits ahead. They managed to catch three, one for each couple and one for the grown tom himself. Once they were finished Skimble smirks and manages to make a puddle of water for them to drink out of and they lap up the water. Skimble's been working on his magic and he's getting to be pretty good, even helping Macavity learn how to keep his powers from hurting others whenever Coricopat and Tantomile couldn't (though younger, still having more experience than both of the older toms) and Skimble's more than willing to use them for the benefit of himself and others, like now.

"Thanks for the water," they say.

"No problem," he responds. "I don't mind."

Skimble, after a while, finds himself alone and he thinks... but he thinks about something he hates thinking about... his da. He can't help but wonder if there were shreds of his old father in there. As he had told Jenny long ago, their father was better, was a great dad until the day he killed their mother. The reaction to ma's message made his father come back for a minute before his eyes and the pain... the pain was something that couldn't be faked. Even after all that Marcus has done: kill their mother, wound him, torture, nearly kill him, Skimbleshanks can't help but still love his father. He knows it's wrong to love the one that's caused you the most pain, but he can't help it. Love has no bounds and doesn't let up no matter how much someone tries to snuff it out, no matter how covered up it is by other emotions. It's still there and it can't be removed once one loves another in because it was forged to be unbreakable, there for eternity no matter what, even if someone thinks they hate someone they used to love and Everlasting knows how much Skimble thought he hated Marcus. It was a lie. He hates the things Marcus did that's what he hated, what he'd become that he hated, never his father.

Why did you do all of this? Skimble silently demands his father, wherever he may be.

Suddenly there's a scream, so loud and heartbroken that Skimble rushes forward and sees Coristo with his throat having been ripped open and his eyes never seeing again as his sister hugs him and sobs. Marcus' scent is all of the the place and he sees a note written in Coristo's blood, something so sick that it makes Skimble's stomach turn despite all of the horrific he's seen in his short life (as well as childbirth, he still shivers at the memory of Tugger's birth).

It seems you've forgotten who your father is. This is your reminder.

Skimble's fur bristles and his eyes glow with his anger. He can handle attacks on himself, but on others, especially to hurt Jenny, was unacceptable. Suddenly he feels a calming paw grab his own and looks down at Coricopat and Tantomile, who each seem to be a little worried so he reigns in his anger enough that his magic doesn't dance on his fur or in his eyes. He squeezes Coricopat's hand back and then releases it as he moves forward to comfort his grieving sister.

"I hate him..." she mutters.

I can't say the same, Skimble thinks but keeps holding her. "Come on... let's take you to Silou."

Silhouette, his other mother (aside from Grizabella), and Jenny's mentor. He knows she must have some calming herbs for his little sister so he enters the snow leopard looking she-cat's den and she immediately comes over and takes the siblings in her arms.

"I heard what happened and I'm so sorry," she mutters, glaring at Skimble and mouthing, Don't do anything rash. Wait.

Jenny simply whimpers and Silhouette gives her poppy sees, something for numbing all types of pain (physical and emotional and mental) and soon Jenny's asleep leaning against the Gumbie Cat who gestures for Skimble to move forward.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"I know you want to rush over there and hurt him for hurting her, but you can't... no matter how much we all want to, we can't risk it. Not so soon, we need to wait until his guard's down because he expects us, especially you, immediately to strike back."

"I know, but it's just that... he seems to get sicker and eviler," Skimble mumbles. "But..."

"You still remember him from before," she murmurs, rubbing his ears. "And you still see that bit of good in him, but it's fading."

He blinks at her. "Yeah... how'd you know?"

She shrugs. "Intuition," she answers before she kisses his forehead. "A kit shouldn't have to be an adult... but I think I'll allow you to be a kit while you're grown. After all, your kittenhood was cut short while Jenny's kept going."

Skimble nods, looking at his sister. Despite how much pain she's gone through, she still behaves as a kitten while he's had to grow up for her so she wouldn't have to. He allows himself this brief kittenlike behavior as he lets Silhouette hold him like a mother would hold her kitten, and he curls in her lap and the top of his head is under her chin as she sings to him. The song makes his muscles relax and his mind numb so he can sleep at last...

HAT: Come on, Marcus had to come back, he's not dead and he's not through.

Silhouette: You've a sick and twisted mind.

HAT: Trust me, I've seen worse... besides, why do you think I've written so many light, funny one-shots? It shows not only am I dark and depressing, but also fun and light. I can't be that author someone reads when they're sad/angry or something.

Silhouette: True... but why'd I ha-

HAT: NO! We can discuss this later... when did you look at the story?

Silhouette: When Alabaster did.

HAT: *sigh* Please say it.

Silhouette: Review, please.