EPILOGUE: Past and Future

Bombalurina never did tell her full story to Munkustrap and Alonzo, instead she asked Deuteronomy to explain part of it to them so they were quite happy to befriend her and Demeter. The relationship between Dem and Munku actually blossomed into love!

Bombalurina could never bring herself to become really close to another tom again, and instead reverted into the flirtatious sensual persona, which she used as a defence for her real feelings. However, she made friends for life in that tribe and got into a relationship with Alonzo. Although it wasn't perfect, as they were both strong characters with personalities that often clashed. But that, as with Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer, is another story.

As for Mungojerrie, he was surprised to see Bombalurina again, but not as surprised as she was to see him. He had come dashing into the Junkyard shortly after she had finished the telling of her tale, pushing past Munkustrap and Alonzo, who were making sure she and Deuteronomy were not disturbed.

"Deuteronomy," he panted "sir, you gotta listen! It's not Bomba's fault, she never…"

"Holy Heaviside!" exclaimed the tribe leader, cutting him off, "what in the name of the Everlasting cat are you talking about?"

"Bomba, and Macavity, it was him, don't send her away…" he trailed off again under a reproving look from Deuteronomy. Bombalurina gasped in recognition,

"Mungo! What in Heaviside's name are you doing here? I haven't seen you since, since… well, you know."

"It's Jerrie now, Bomba, I couldn't carry on with the other nickname. It was what Macavity called me. An' that's behind me now, I've got a new life right here, and a soulmate too. That's her over there." He indicated a calico queen like himself playing tag with a group of young kittens. "Her name's Rumpelteazer, I think you'd like her."

"Hold on," said Deuteronomy, "Jerrie, are you Mungo, from Bombalurina's story?"

"I don't know, how much has she told you?"

"Of course you are," said Bombalurina, "she looked at Deuteronomy in wonder, "didn't he ever tell you his full name?"

"Of course," said the old cat, "you must forgive me, I'm not as young as I used to be, and I have to admit that it took me a moment to put two and two together, what with Mungojerrie's rather sudden entrance. Still," he continued, "I'm amazed at your chivalry Jerrie, telling me about your association with The Mystery Cat could have put your position in this tribe in jeopardy."

"It won't though will it?" Bombalurina asked, "I told you what he did, how he hated it as much as me, he even left before I did too, if only a few hours."

"Of course not," said Deuteronomy "however, I'm curious as to why you did this Jerrie."

"It's coz of Bomba, she saved my life that day. If you hadn't run in when you did," he explained to her, "Macavity would have killed me, it's only coz you caused the distraction that he didn't go that far. I owe you my life, the least I can do is be prepared to give up this new one of mine in return."

"Well," laughed Deuteronomy, "I think I'm prepared to let bygones be bygones if you two are."

And so it was that Mungojerrie paid his debt to Bombalurina, and they stayed firm friends for life. From then on Bombalurina was also very touchy about her name, and woe-betide anyone who called her Bomba, she was now more commonly known as Bomby or Bomb for, like Jerrie, the past was something she wanted to forget.

However such events cannot be forgotten lightly, no matter how good a healer time can be. Bombalurina never forgot the day she and Macavity met, or the great relationship they shared over the first few years. But she also remembered that Macavity had changed and that the cat he had become was not the same as the Macavity she had known. And always she remembered that final night of love they had spent together, when all the old barriers had fallen away and he had held her tight.

She still wore his collar, but she alone knew to whom it had once belonged as she had left that detail out of even the story she had told to Deuteronomy. After all, everyone needs something to help them hold on to the memories of the good times so they can look to the future and enjoy the present.


End.

Thanks to the people who reviewed this fic for me, and gave me the confidence to post the rest of it. I hope it lived up to your expectations. Reviews on the whole fic would be very much apreciated, feedback and constructive criticism welcome. I hope you enjoyed reading this, it was just my own little insight to Macavity and Bombalurina's past. Also I thought it would be interesting to make Bomba the main queen in Macavity's life for once, rather than Demeter.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Cats or its characters. All rights to Cats belong to Andrew Lloyd Webber and the RUG.