Days later, Quaxo still came to visit Jemima. She was getting better fast. But that was due to the healing magic he sent to her whenever he held her paw. He didn't just send it to her; he sent it to the kits as well. Actually, Jenny had made an inspection and said that Jemima would only have one kit this time. But all the same, Quaxo sent his magic to make sure the kit was born healthy and strong.
On the night of the Jellicle Ball, Quaxo didn't want to leave Jemima's side. But she wanted to see what was happening, so he and Jenny carefully moved Jemima just outside the infirmary. Quaxo sat with her the whole night. But then Grizabella showed up once again. She sang her song of her memories of happiness and sadness. She was getting ready to leave again. The other Jellicles were not showing much compassion, but they were no longer hissing and swiping at her.
Quaxo got up and approached her. For the third time as a Jellicle, he reached out to Grizabella. He didn't care what everyone else thought and he didn't pull away this time. Grizabella reached back and her paw touched his. It was not a feeling he expected. He expected her paw to be cold from lack of contact with others. But her paw was soft and warm.
Slowly, he began to realize that the other cats were coming closer. Their paws were extended as well. They had finally realized that it was alright to let Grizabella come back. She hadn't done anything wrong in the first place.
When everyone had shown that they accepted her again as one of them, Grizabella turned to Quaxo. "I've wanted to ask you ever since I first saw you." Her voice was slightly broken with age, but it was soft like a mother's voice. "Do I know you from somewhere? I could have sworn I've seen you somewhere before a long time ago."
Quaxo shook his head in regret. "I don't know. I can't remember anything about long ago."
Grizabella looked a little disappointed; like she had wanted a different answer. "Well, I guess some things are better left forgotten." Then she turned to the Jellicle family. "But some are worth remembering."
^..^
As soon as everyone was finished welcoming Grizabella, Quaxo retreated towards Jemima again. She had been waiting patiently for him to return. "I'm glad that things turned out okay in the end." She purred into Quaxo's neck.
He grabbed her paw and said, "Me too." He sent healing magic to her for the rest of the night. He watched her fall asleep at his side and he could feel himself getting tired too. But he also knew that if he were to go to sleep, he wouldn't wake up. Using that much magic was too draining. And he had been at it for days. This would be the last night he spent with his beloved Jemima. He would never get to see his kit and wouldn't be able to watch it grow.
He kissed Jemima on the forehead. She stirred. As the night wore on, he was vaguely aware that something clicked in his mind. Then the sun began to rise. Jemima woke slowly. Quaxo was barely awake.
Jemima knew something was wrong almost instantly. "Quaxo? Are you alright?"
"Do you want to know what happened before Tugger and Alonzo brought me here?" he asked, avoiding her question.
"What?" she asked.
Again, he avoided her question. "I was one of three kits. My parents loved us all. We did many things together and we were happy. My parents also used to be Jellicles. But they were accused of being followers of Macavity before I was born. So they left the tribe. They couldn't bring themselves to go too far from the tribe however. So they found a place just outside of the junkyard. It was peaceful enough for a long time. A little while after I was born, I started noticing my powers. My parents were quite happy. I learned to use my magic. But then some rouges attacked us. They killed my sisters and my parents. I barely escaped with my life. But the vivid memories of the deaths of my parents were too much to handle. So I cast a spell on myself so that I wouldn't be able to remember anything."
"But why have they been leaking out one by one?" asked Jemima. "And why do you remember everything now?"
"Because whenever I used my magic for something else, it took away from the power of my spell." Then he looked Jemima directly in the eye. "And the reason I can remember everything now is because I'm dying."
Jemima's face looked horror-struck. "What? "Why?"
"Because I've used too much magic on you." he said. "I've ensured that our kit will be strong and healthy and I've ensured your life as well."
They both had tears forming in their eyes. This was the end. They both lay down next to each other.
"I love you." said Jemima.
"And I love you." answered Quaxo.
^..^
Quaxo died only a little later than that. He had fallen asleep. Jemima burst into loud sobs. It was Munkustrap who came first. When he saw Quaxo at first, nothing seemed to be wrong. But as loud as Jemima was crying, Quaxo didn't wake up. It was then that Munkustrap put the scene together.
He put his arms around Jemima's shoulders to comfort her. She didn't respond. She just continued to cry and cry and cry. A relationship with so much hurt in it was enough to make anyone look upon her with sympathy. What was going to happen to her kit now?
She eventually calmed down. But she refused to talk about what happened to Quaxo. She just kept whispering to herself softly as if it was going to help her. For a little while, she retreated from everyone. She didn't talk to the other cats except when Demeter had her kits.
Then Jemima had her own kit. A kit that looked almost exactly like his father. A kit that had everlasting energy and smiles. And so she named him after his father. "My little Quaxo." she whispered to the tiny sleeping kit.