CHAPTER 12: Back Together
"WHY ME?"
At the sound of another voice screaming the very same words, the two felines both turned their heads and looked at each other. Alonzo's face was tear-streaked and his eyes were red and puffy. Cassandra's face also was tear-streaked, but she still looked absolutely gorgeous. They stared at each other until Alonzo shook himself awake.
Alonzo gathered his courage and slowly walked up to his ex-mate. He managed a weak smile. "Hey."
"Hey," Cassandra returned, sniffling.
"You, too, huh?"
Cassandra nodded.
"Yeah," Alonzo muttered. He looked at her curiously. "Did you love him?"
Cassandra shrugged. "Not really."
"Oh." Alonzo sounded surprised, but did not say anything further.
"Did you love her?"
Alonzo shook his head. "I thought I did, but…now…I don't think so anymore. I mean, it was great being with her and all, but…somehow…" – his voice dropped to a whisper – "…it couldn't compare with being with you."
Cassandra stared at him, her eyes wide in shock. She tried to swallow a lump that had suddenly formed in her throat. "You mean that?"
Alonzo looked away but nodded. "I do."
Suddenly Cassandra burst into a fresh lot of tears. "Oh, Alonzo, I'm so sorry! I was so foolish, I…I do love you! Oh, I was so blind…when we broke up, I wasn't expecting you to agree to it…I thought…just maybe…you'd apologize like you usually do, but…you didn't…and I ruined it all. I'm sorry!"
"Oh, Cass, I'm sorry, too. I was stupid. I made some really bad choices and messed it all up. I'm the one who should be sorry." Alonzo gently wrapped Cassandra in a hug. "I'm sorry," he whispered.
Cassandra gripped Alonzo tightly as the tears continued to come. When she had finally let out all the emotion, she drew back and looked at him. "It wasn't all your fault. I'm partly to blame, too. If I hadn't have acted like I did…gosh, I've been so moody and emotional lately." She wiped away a stray tear.
"Well, maybe I can help you to balance your emotions," Alonzo suggested.
Cassandra gave a small smile. "Thanks, but I should be back to normal in about two weeks."
"Huh?" A very confused expression passed over Alonzo's features. "You mean you know the reason?"
Cassandra nodded, her smile spreading. "Alonzo, I…I'm pregnant."
Alonzo's face now betrayed disbelief and shock. "Congratulations. To you and to Tugger."
Cassandra's laugh tinkled in the air. "Oh, silly! They're not his."
"They aren't?"
"No. They're yours."
At that moment, Alonzo fainted.
Alonzo's eyelids fluttered open. His eyes latched onto the smiling face of Cassandra. He smiled in return.
Cassandra leaned down and gently kissed him. "Have you recovered yet?" she teased.
Alonzo sat up, swung his legs over the side of the bed and tried to stand. "I…I'm not sure," he admitted.
"It's a big step," Cassandra told him. "Will you be able to handle it?"
"Please," Alonzo groaned, "can you just let me process the news first?"
Cassandra grinned. "Okay," she conceded, wrapping her arms around Alonzo's waist.
"Does this mean we're back on?"
"Mmm-hmmm."
Alonzo smiled. "Good." He tilted her face up to his and leant down slowly, capturing her mouth in a long, sweet kiss.
"Another success?"
Demeter nodded, smiling up at her mate. "Another success, Munku."
"Now the question is: Will they stay together?"
"I don't think either couple will have any issues for a while, now."
Munkustrap smiled at her. "Good."
"Yes, that's good. What's that twinkle in your eye for?" Demeter asked suspiciously.
"Oh, nothing, really. It's just that I've been missing my mate a fair bit lately, since she's become so involved with everyone else's issues, and, now that they have been resolved…" He grinned cheekily.
"Oh, Munks. I told you before, our relationship doesn't need fixing." The black-and-gold queen chuckled.
"So?"
Demeter shook her head before gently pressing her lips to Munkustrap's. "Well, maybe a bit…afterall, we don't want to find ourselves switched!"
Disclaimer: I DO NOT own any of the characters portrayed in this story - they belong entirely to T.S. Eliot, Andrew Lloyd-Webber and whoever else had a hand in creating them. I DO, however, own the story, and it is protected in my name under Australian Copyright Law dating back to 2009.
