Cori silently looked up as he watched Macavity's hench-cats drag Tugger out of the room. He wanted to help him…but what could he do?

Tugger looked at Cori sadly before he was dragged out of view. Cori curled up again, ignoring Macavity who was still standing in the doorway. Macavity looked at Cori's back, which was rising and falling evenly. He knew Tugger and Cori had argued a bit in the last four days after they had found out Cori was in a way pregnant. He knew that Tugger said he didn't want to raise the kittens. Macavity moved to Cori's side, gently running his paw down Cori's back. Cori looked around at him.

"My poor Cori," Macavity murmured, seeing Cori's tearstained, bloodshot dark green eyes. Cori turned his head back away.

"Why doesn't he want your kittens?" Macavity asked. Cori just hiccupped in response.

"Stay with me, Cori," Macavity told him softly. "I want the kittens," Cori shook his head, not looking at Macavity. Macavity looked at Cori as Cori curled up tighter.

Though he was meant to be evil…he hated how vulnerable and little Cori looked at the moment. Macavity pulled Cori up, holding him. Cori just stayed limp, his forehead resting on Macavity's shoulder as tears dripped uselessly from his eyes. Macavity bit his lip…it was hurting him to see Cori like this.

"What can I do to help you?" Macavity whispered, holding Cori tighter. Cori just sniffled in response.

"Can I do something for you?"

"I just want to go home," Cori murmured. Macavity looked at him. Cori was crying now, biting his bottom lip.

"I want Tantomile," Cori sobbed. Macavity held him close as Cori cried. Macavity blinked. He knew Cori was heartbroken because Tugger had said no to helping him with the kittens. But Macavity didn't want to let Cori go!

Macavity let Cori go and Cori curled back up on the floor, looking miserable. Tugger was dragged back in moments later, bloodied and barely conscious. Macavity walked out and the door closed behind him. Cori crawled over to Tugger's side and started cleaning the wounds. Tugger gave a groan and opened his eyes, looking at Cori.

"Cori…" Tugger murmured. Cori just gave a small hum in reply as he continued cleaning Tugger's wounds.

"C-Cori, I'm sorry," Cori pulled away from Tugger, feeling nauseous.

"I-I love you, I really do…but I just can't do kittens, I'm not the right one of raising kittens," Tugger murmured.

"You'll be fine," Cori told him softly. "You just have to try…"

"No," Tugger answered firmly. "I don't want kittens, I'm sorry," Cori finished cleaning Tugger's wounds, though tears did fall from his eyes. He finished cleaning Tugger's wounds and moved to the corner, sitting with his back to Tugger, his shoulders heaving.

It hurt so much.

It hurt so much to know that Tugger wouldn't even try helping him with the kittens.

He thought Tugger loved him.

He thought Tugger would do anything for him…

Apparently, he was wrong.

Tantomile huffed as she struggled across the yard, holding her swollen stomach. Jerrie was supportive…he was confused and scared but he was helping her through everything.

Four weeks Tugger and Cori had been gone, and they were no closer to finding them. Munkustrap was out all hours of the night, trying to find his brother, trying to find his sick friend. Tantomile sat down in her and Jerrie's den. Jerrie pushed pillows around her, she swatted at him. He gave a sheepish smile.

"Just lookin' afta the kits," He grinned.

"You do know that Cori will want them," Tantomile said softly. Jerrie nodded. He snuggled up to her, resting his head on her shoulder.

"Maybe we can 'ave our own," He murmured, turning his head slightly to look at her. Tantomile blinked, shocked.

"What?" She asked. Jerrie grinned, moving back.

"Tantomoile," Jerrie said, puffing out his chest. "Will you be my mate?" Tantomile nodded, speechless. She quickly threw her arms around Jerrie's neck. Jerrie hugged her back.

"Yes, yes!" Tantomile whispered. Jerrie chuckled in her ear. Jenny bustled in and froze when she saw them hugging.

"Is everything okay?" Jenny asked worriedly. Tantomile smiled, letting go of Jerrie and wiping her eyes.

"Jerrie just asked me to be his mate," Tantomile smiled. Jenny grinned.

"Well, congratulations!" Jenny laughed, sitting down and checking over Tantomile. Jenny frowned as she pressed on Tantomile's stomach.

"What is it?" Tantomile asked, worried, as she saw the look on Jenny's face.

"Nothing…they're just further along then I originally thought," Jenny murmured.

"How long do you think?"

"If it was a normal pregnancy I'd say another two weeks…but I'm not sure," Jenny admitted. "These little ones are growing quickly inside of you," Tantomile nodded, wrapping her arms around her swollen stomach again.

"I miss you Cori," She whispered as Jenny and Mungo talked to one another.

Macavity's eyes widened as he stepped away from Cori. Cori was curled up on the floor, coughing up blood. His body was littered in scratch marks, bruises and bite marks. Macavity could hear Tugger yelling in the other room.

Cori was sobbing softly…he was in so much pain.

Macavity blinked, running a paw through his wild head-fur, he had no idea what had just happened. A hench-cat had told him something that had made him crack and the next thing he knew he was stepping away from Cori's heaving body. Macavity walked back to Cori's side. Cori yelped and flinched away as Macavity tried to touch his shoulder. Macavity sighed, ashamed.

He didn't want to hurt Cori, because what if the kittens were harmed?

He knew Cori wasn't physically carrying the kittens but the bond between he and Tantomile was deep…what if he had hurt the kittens?

Macavity pulled the crying and writhing Cori up, carrying him back to the other room. Tugger snarled at Macavity. Macavity wordlessly handed the bloodied Cori to Tugger.

"Get out of here," Macavity whispered. He had to get Cori out…before Macavity killed him in some fit of rage. Tugger blinked, looking down at Cori.

"Get out now!" Macavity yelled at him. Tugger ran, holding Cori in his arms. Tugger ran along the darkened streets, ignoring the rain falling onto them both. Tugger glanced down at Cori, who groaned a little. He was losing a lot of blood.

"Hang on, Cori," Tugger panted, stopping and looking around. He found the right street and ran down it.

"We're almost there, just hang on!" Tugger begged him. Cori just closed his eyes. Tugger ran into yard.

"Munk!" Tugger cried out. Munkustrap appeared. He took Cori from Tugger and ran to the infirmary.

"M-Munk?" Tugger looked around, seeing Tantomile stumble out, Jerrie worriedly holding her.

"H-He's in the infirmary with Cori," Tugger whispered,

"The kits are comin'," Jerrie groaned as he helped Tantomile to the infirmary. Tugger went to follow but Skimble stopped him, shaking his head.

"Jelly's goin' to check your wounds over, lad…but you have to stay out of the infirmary." Tugger blinked.

"Why can Munkustrap stay?" Tugger asked, sounding very much like a kitten.

"Because Cori asked for him to," Skimble said, his voice suddenly turning cold. Tugger blinked.

"What about me?"

"He doesn't want you, lad," Skimble said coolly. "What did you do to my boy?" Tugger blinked.

"I-I didn't do anything!" Tugger yelped.

"Apparently ya did," Tugger blinked, looking at his paws.

"I-I told him I didn't want kittens," Tugger murmured. Skimble just looked at him before turning and walking away. Bomba appeared moments later, taking his paw and leading him off so she could clean his wounds.

"Why?" Tugger asked as they sat on the boot of TSE1 and Bomba cleaned his wounds.

"Because Jelly needs to help with the birth," Bomba said simply, cleaning Tugger's wounds and grooming him at the same time, trying to get the shine back into his coat. Tugger's head was turned towards the infirmary, listening to cries of pain. Bomba paused, putting her paws on his shoulder when his shoulders started to heave, his head lowered. Bomba hugged him tightly.

"It'll be alright, Tugger," Bombalurina murmured. "Cori will be fine," Tugger turned his head into Bomba's shoulder, sobbing.

"He hates me," Tugger whispered.

"What do you mean?" Bomba asked, confused.

"I-I said I didn't want kittens, that I didn't want them at all," Tugger whispered.

"He hates me because I won't help him," Bomba froze. Tugger sniffed. Bomba sighed and rubbed Tugger's back.

"Everything will work out in time," Bomba told him gently.

Munkustrap watched worriedly as Tantomile and Cori lay side by side, clinging to each other's paws. Tantomile was wincing a little but Cori seemed to be getting the full pain. His back was arching in his pain, his teeth gritted together. It wasn't helping his wounds which Jenny had just treated…they kept re-opening as Cori kept arching, kept crying out.

Jenny was kneeling by Tantomile's legs. Munkustrap walked over and sat by Cori, holding onto his free paw. Cori looked up at him, biting his lip. Munkustrap gave him a small smile.

Cori gave another loud cry, Tantomile echoed it, both of their backs arching. Munkustrap looked around as he heard a high pitched mewl. Jenny had hold of the first kitten. Jenny passed the kitten to Jelly, who cleaned it. Another loud mewl, Jenny gave another smile, passing the kitten to Skimble, who cleaned that one. Tantomile cried out and Jenny looked at the kitten in her paws, it wasn't breathing.

"Jelly," Jenny whispered before standing up, rushing into the other part of the den, still carrying the kitten. Cori gave a sigh of relief as the pain turned into a throbbing. Jelly handed him the first kitten while Skimble handed the second one to Tantomile, who passed it to Cori. Tantomile looked at Skimble, giving a smile.

"They're Cori's kittens," Tantomile said. "Even though I gave birth to them…they are Cori's kittens," Tantomile smiled, the pain wasn't that bad. Munkustrap looked at the kittens cradled in Cori's arms. The first born had sleek black fur with a few silver and copper splotches around him. The second born had silver, copper and white calico fur, she looked like Cori, except for the faint leopard spotted pattern on her two back legs and her right front one.

"Well, they're Tugger's," Munkustrap smiled. Cori nodded, looking at the kittens sadly. He nuzzled their heads as Jenny walked in, carrying the third one, she looked relieved.

"He's fine," Jenny sighed, handing the third one to Munkustrap. Munkustrap blinked, looking at the kitten. He was black with a silver stomach with faint red zigzagged stripes.

"M-Macavity's?" Munkustrap mumbled, shocked. Cori gave a weak smile. Mungojerrie walked in, sitting beside Tantomile and nuzzling her furiously.

"Still want ya own kittens?" Mungojerrie asked. Tantomile smiled. Cori looked at them as he cradled two of his while Munkustrap held the other. Jenny was bustling around, preparing milk for the kittens to drink.

"What?" Cori questioned.

"Jerrie and I are going to be mates next ball," Tantomile told her brother.

"Well, I guessed that…but, Tants, it hurts like hell," Cori laughed weakly. Tantomile smiled, nuzzling her brother. Cori nuzzled her back. Cori watched as Jenny took the kitten from Munkustrap, putting the bottle of milk to his lips and watching the kitten drink.

"Have you got names, Cori?" Munkustrap asked. Cori looked thoughtfully at the kittens in his arms.

"Tiana," Cori said, nodding to the calico queen, "Means Princess," Munkustrap smiled. He knew that little queen would be doted upon. "Fernando…Ferny for short," for the kitten who looked like Tugger, "Means daring, adventurous," Cori smiled at Munkustrap.

"Aden," Cori sighed, looking at the kitten that looked like Macavity, "Means fire," Munkustrap nodded.

"They're great names, Cori," Munkustrap told him. Cori smiled, taking the bottle from Jenny and feeding Tiana as Tantomile took Ferny and fed him. Munkustrap smiled at the scene before leaving to go back to his duties. He walked from the infirmary, hearing Cori and Tantomile discussing what eye colours they thought the kittens would have when they finally opened their eyes. He sat upon the tyre, smiling. Those kittens were adorable…and though their birth was strange and unusual, he knew those kittens would be the pride and joy of Cori's life.

"W-What are they?" Munkustrap looked around, frowning when he saw Tugger.

"I didn't think you cared, Tugger," Munkustrap said coolly. Even though Tugger was his own brother, he was angry that Tugger had said those things to Cori, about not caring about the kittens, about not wanting to raise them, to be any part of their life.

"I-I just want to know, Munk," Tugger whispered.

"Two Toms and a Queen," Munkustrap answered. "One of the Toms, Ferny, looks like you with some of Cori's colouring, the Queen, Tiana, looks like Cori except for she has leopard spotting on three of her legs." Tugger smiled. "The last Tom, Aden, looks like Macavity, except he's black with a silver stomach and has orange zigzagged stripes," Tugger went silent.

"T-Tell him I'm sorry," Tugger whispered before walking off.

"Stop running away from everything, Tugger!" Munkustrap yelled after him. Tugger kept walking. "Two of those kittens are yours for sure…step up and take some responsibility," Tugger just kept walking. Munkustrap growled angrily.

"Grow up, Tugger!" Munkustrap yelled after his silent younger brother. Munkustrap sighed. Alonzo came to sit beside him. Munkustrap looked at him. He still hadn't forgiven Alonzo for attacking Cori.

"I heard Cori had his kits," Alonzo said quietly. "Well, Tantomile had Cori's kits in a non-disgusting way," Munkustrap couldn't help but crack a small smile at Alonzo's confused and jumbled words.

"Three," Munkustrap told him. Alonzo gave a small smile before it disappeared.

"Hey, Munk," Alonzo said quietly.

"Mm?"

"Can you tell him I'm really sorry…and that I hope we can sort of be friends in the future?" Munkustrap nodded.

"Sure," Alonzo smiled and told Munkustrap to go back to see Cori.

Cori was asleep in the infirmary, Tantomile asleep in the nest beside him. The three kittens were curled against Cori's stomach as he lay curled around them. He gave a small smile, looking at his kittens. Though he had no one to raise them with, he'd still love these kittens.

But he was still hurting, knowing he had been abandoned by the one he had given his heart to after the first time his heart had broken, he had been betrayed by the one he had told his secret and hard past to.

It hurt…a lot.

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You have no idea how long it took me to come up with those names!

Thanks to everyone who reviewed!

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Luv HGP!