"What do you mean?" Macavity demanded to know.

"He's an observant kitten…he knows there is…tension between you two and he sees the looks you give each other," She explained. Macavity and Munkustrap glanced at each other.

"He knows something is happening between you, that you're not close," Macavity sighed.

"He wasn't fooled by that kiss," Munkustrap gave a growl at that as Griddlebone's eyes widened.

"Wait, wait, wait…what kiss?" She asked, grinning.

"I kissed Munkustrap to make Ronan happy," Macavity shrugged. Griddlebone's eyes almost popped out of her head at that. Munkustrap growled, glaring at Macavity.

"Well…whatever you two did…you need to talk to each other, try at least bond with each other!" Griddlebone snapped. Munkustrap and Macavity glared at one another. Griddlebone gave a growl before slapping them both upside the head simultaneously.

"Ow!"

"What was that for?" the yelps followed.

"If you don't bond, then you'll lose Ronan's love and respect forever,"

"That won't be good for my plans," Macavity muttered. Munkustrap turned on him.

"Who cares about your damn plans?" Munkustrap yelled at him. "He's our son and I for one, will never lose Ronan," and with that, Munkustrap ran from the room.

"You need to talk to each other, sort out your differences or at least try to get a better understanding of each other, that might help you two connect…or at least help you two stand each other," Macavity looked at Griddlebone, who looked back at him, eyebrow raised.

"Um…why are you still here? Why aren't you running after him?"

"What?"

"He doesn't want to lose Ronan…where are the kittens?" Macavity's eyes widened before he bolted from the room. He ran to his room and threw the door open. The kittens were still lying peacefully, fast asleep on the bed. Macavity frowned.

Where was Munkustrap?

Macavity called for his hench-cats, ordering them to find Munkustrap.

An hour later, the hench-cats reported back. None of them had found the silver tabby. Macavity frowned, thinking before his eyes widened and he raced to the roof. He shoved open the door and found Munkustrap leaning against the ledge, looking out.

"You're not planning to jump, are you?" Macavity asked cautiously.

"If I was, I would have already," Munkustrap answered coldly.

"Step back from the ledge, Munk…you're making me nervous,"

"Really?"

"Yes," Macavity growled. "Now step back." Munkustrap did so, turning around to face Macavity. Macavity stood there, staring at him.

"Why did you come up here?"

"I needed air, I needed to think," Munkustrap answered briefly before turning to look back out over the town. Macavity watched him.

"Munk,"

"What?"

"Griddle is right," Munkustrap looked over his shoulder at the ginger Tom.

"What?" Macavity rolled his eyes.

"The only way our kittens are going to trust us, to feel…safe, is if we settle our differences, at least try to get a better understanding of each other," Munkustrap blinked. Macavity sat on the ground, looking at the silver Tom.

"Come on, Munkustrap," Macavity huffed. "The sooner we get this done, the better,"

"Nice to see you're trying to be nice,"

"Stop with the sarcasm," Macavity just said. Munkustrap walked back over from the ledge and sat opposite Macavity, crossing his legs. Munkustrap's tail idly drew patterns in the dirt on the roof.

"So…" Macavity tried. Macavity sighed.

"This is going to be harder than I thought,"

"Do you miss your mother?" Munkustrap asked quietly. Macavity blinked.

"Every day," Macavity told him sincerely. Munkustrap looked up at him, his hazel eyes sad.

"What was she like?"

"Sweet, loving, gentle…I loved her and adored her," Macavity sighed. "Used to take care of me when my father beat me, used to sing me to sleep…" Macavity broke off, suddenly aware of how much he was telling Munkustrap about himself.

"Go on…it's alright," Munkustrap urged him gently. Macavity blinked, looking at Munkustrap.

"About what?" Macavity asked bitterly.

"What did she look like?"

"Average size, I guess…she had soft black fur with white stripes across her front and down her tail, kinda like my patterning," Macavity said, looking down at his chest. "Her eyes were blue and gentle, she always smiled when she was with me…but she looked sad when my father came." Macavity continued.

"Then one night, the day before she disappeared…she just held me, telling me that she loved me,"

Macavity curled against his mother's chest as she held him close. She was humming softly as the small kitten Macavity nestled his head in the crook of her neck.

"Macavity,"

"Yes, Mumma?" Macavity asked, looking up at her gentle face. Viola gently rubbed Macavity's cheek.

"You're going to grow into a great Tom, Macavity," Macavity purred softly, looking at his mother lovingly. Viola smiled, looking in Macavity's large gold eyes.

"I wish I could see you when you have your own kittens, I know you'll love them like I love you,"

"You will see me when I have my kittens, Mumma, you'll still be here with me!" Viola smiled sadly at the young kitten.

"Hey, Mumma?"

"Yes, my darling boy?"

"Why has he been so angry lately?"

"Don't call your dad a he, darling,"

"But…Mumma,"

"Shh, sweetie, I know," Viola murmured softly to the young kitten.

"Why is he angry?"

"Something…something didn't go right, a deal wasn't…met," Viola murmured more to herself.

"Mumma?"

"It's alright, sweetheart, it will be just fine," Macavity nodded.

"Time for you to go to bed, little one,"

"Aww, but, Mumma!" Viola gave a small laugh.

"No buts, mister," She told him as she placed Macavity on his nest. Macavity curled up as Viola gently rubbed his back.

"Macavity, I want you to know that I always will love you, you will always, always be in my heart,"

"I love you too, Mumma,"

"And I don't want you to believe anything you might hear about me…just believe me when I tell you I love you, and that will never ever change," Macavity blinked, giving a slow nod.

"Yes, Mumma," Macavity told her. Viola bent down and kissed his forehead before straightening up, wiping her eyes.

"Now, go to sleep, my little one," Macavity nodded, gently closing his small paw around hers. Viola smiled and began to hum as she rubbed Macavity's back with her free paw. The young kitten slowly drifted off to sleep as he held onto his mother's paw. He barely felt her pull away, that last kiss on his forehead and her sad whispered farewell.

"I'm sorry," Macavity blinked and looked at Munkustrap, who was staring at him sadly.

"Don't be…it was my father's fault," Macavity muttered darkly before sighing. "Yet he raised me to be like him,"

"Not exactly," Macavity looked at Munkustrap, confused at that.

"He may have tried to raise you to be like him…but he didn't really succeed,"

"What do you mean?"

"Your mother was right,"

"What?"

"You do love our kittens like your mother loved you," Munkustrap told him sincerely. Macavity gave a small flicker of a smile at that. Macavity looked at Munkustrap.

"I already know about Grizabella…tell me something more about you," Munkustrap gave a shrug.

"There's not much to tell about me and my past that you don't already know," Munkustrap murmured. "You know about my mother, my family, you know my personality as you described to me when you first brought me here," Macavity blinked, frowning slightly.

"If you could change anything in your life…what would it have been?" Munkustrap looked up at Macavity.

"That Jenny was my mother," Munkustrap answered instantly.

"That's surprising,"

"Why?"

"I thought your answer would have been that you'd be at the Jellicles, away from here," Munkustrap shrugged.

"I love my kittens," Munkustrap said softly. "I would never want to leave them," Macavity gave a nod.

"Did you ever choose to become the Protector, or was it family tradition?"

"Protector is meant to go to the eldest son…but since the time I was really young, Dad had the Protector before me training me to fight and defend myself," Munkustrap murmured.

"Trained so young?"

"Yes…I never knew why though, Tugger never began the training until he was much older,"

"How old were you when you started?"

"Um…when I turned one?" Munkustrap guessed. "Tugger started when he was two,"

"I wonder why…" Macavity murmured.

"I don't know," Munkustrap sighed. "So many things about my life are unclear now,"

"What do you mean?"

"My mother detesting me, the dreams I had, wondering why I only had a few months left at the yard…why I was trained so much younger than the other Toms when it came to fighting," Munkustrap listed. Macavity hesitantly reached out and rested his paw on Munkustrap's shoulder.

"We'll find out eventually,"

"We'll?" Munkustrap questioned. Macavity sighed.

"I…I want us to be able to…be closer, Munk, for the kittens' sake," Macavity murmured.

"I know you love the kittens, but all of those questions will be playing at the back of your mind…and I want to…help you find the answers," Munkustrap gave a small smile, tilting his head.

"What?" Macavity asked.

"You're not as heartless as everyone believes you are…but that'll stay between us," Munkustrap winked. Macavity gave a laugh.

"You're not your father completely you know…I'm starting to see more of the traits you described about your mother come through you," Macavity blinked in surprise.

"And…I hope she's still alive, that she just ran for you and for her," Munkustrap said cautiously. Macavity gave a small smile.

"Come on, we should get back before the kittens wake up." Macavity told him before they both rose to their feet, walking back down into the lair.

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Alrighty then…what do you think? I must warn you…I think this story may be longer then any story in the 'Obsessions' series…as at the moment I'm at 100 pages, with no end in sight at the moment…

Thanks to those who reviewed!

Please read and review!

Luv HGP!