Chapter Twenty-Eight: Sleepless Night

What now? What could one possibly do right at this moment? Sly watches Bentley just sit there, staring at the door silently. Everything happened so abruptly, so harshly, and suddenly. Sly never thought the problem would escalate to this. Now Penelope is gone, left quicker than a bolt of lightning, and never wants to be with the gang again. It can't end like that.

Sly jolts to the door after just comprehending what just happened but stops to face Bentley. "Dude, should I go after her?"

Bentley's eyes do not meet with his and he takes his time to reply. "No," his voice cracks. "She told us to leave her alone." His eyes close.

Sly's hand jets to the door knob as his other arm springs out. "So what?! Bentley, she is in danger! A girl with no memory of anything, leaving out in the world that recognizes her as a criminal who broke out of jail with the highest security and a former Cooper gang member, would be in danger! She has no idea what she is getting herself into! I can explain everything to her; all she needs to do is cal-"

"What else is there to know now? How can you explain anything now?" The turtle shakes his head in the moment of silence. His friend watches him for answers, answers he wants to hear. Bentley's wheelchair turns away from Sly, moving back at the table. "I'm sorry… I need to be alone. Please…"

Tempted to say another word, Sly nods and sighs.


"You know," Sly stuns Carmelita as he leans against the doorway of her patio. "You look like Christmas morning with your reading glasses, hair tied up in a bun and in your pajama outfit as you read. It's like a present I can't wait to open."

Carmelita slams her book closed and hugs an item that sits in a plastic shopping bag. "Oh! You're home!" she says nervously. Sly crosses his arms, his eyebrow raises and keeps that smirk on his face. "Whatcha hiding there?"

"Nothing! It's a surprise." She hugs the bag tighter to her chest. "I just went a little shopping today after work."

"I see." Sly chuckles as he walks closer. "So is this surprise for m-"

"I'll be right back!" Carmelita leaps from the bed and runs in the bathroom with the bag. By the time Sly gets to the doorway of the bathroom, the door slams in his face. "Don't come in!" she commands.

"Whatever you say, Miss Fox." He grins, and then talks to her through the door. "Hey, did you talk to Barkley about the news?" He hears the paper bag crackle across the bathroom as Carmelita's voice echoes in the small bathroom. "Yeah…"

"And?"

Carmelita grunts as Sly hears a thump against the wall. "Uhh, oh he first congratulated me… excessively, told me to encourage that child into law enforcement…" More struggling is heard from the bathroom. Sly laughs out loud. "Right, like a Cooper would do that."

He could almost hear her rolling her eyes. "Right, like when you were constable for almost eight years?"

"That was different! I had good reasons to become an officer at that time. Anyways, did he say anything else?"

Noises of what sounds like coins falling on the tile floor echo loudly. "Crap!" she hisses under her breath. "Umm, oh yeah he did say that even though it's nice to start a family, now isn't really a good time with this sudden outbreak of crime. So he'll keep me more busy than normal for my first three months. Maybe four. After that he will slow things down for me. He was thinking about temporally making Rachel an Inspector when that time comes. She's not super happy with the temporally part. Oh and funny thing, he thinks your gang is up to this."

Sly smiles with his teeth but then remembers Penelope. "Oh… wait. So he's looking for the Cooper gang with more awareness than usual?"

"Yeah! Any member he could find he would lock up. You guys have been a big threat for… eleven years now? But with this outbreak, his suspicion towards your gang is increasing."

The raccoon sits on the side of the bed and hangs his head low. He takes his blue gloves off and sticks his fingers in his hair. "That's not good…"

"Ha! For us it is. Normally you like the challenge of more police on your tail." The movement doesn't stop in the bathroom as she hears Sly moan. "It's Bentley… well Penelope. Actually both." The movement finally stops. "Oh no, what happened this time?" Carmelita says with concern.

"Well, Penelope's attitude with not having memory was going downhill and fast. Bentley started feeling really bad for erasing her memory but it was the right thing to do. For days he was depressed, not knowing what to do. The guilt kept creeping up on him and her dejection with the fact that she loves Bentley but doesn't remember any history with him increased. So Bentley decided that after the quick trip to China, he would explain everything to her, from the day he first talked to her on an online chat to erasing her memory. Then she got really mad at us for doing that and she left. For good. So now she's out there as Penelope, the mouse who joined the Cooper gang and escaped high-security jail IN THIS AREA."

Carmelita starts moving again. "Should we look for her and talk things out? If the police get to her, she will be thrown in solitary confinement, probably next door to Paradox if she is sent in that jail."

He sighs. "Sadly, no. She told all of us to never look for her, talk to her, or watch over her. I was about to but Bentley told me to leave her and he needs time alone. It was only Bentley and I that she told. Everyone else left and I promised to back up Bentley when he tells Penelope the memories."

"That's sad. I remember when Bentley was so hurt back in the medieval times because he found out she neglected him. Poor Bentley…"

Sly's head picks itself up and frowns. "Agreed. Well, I'll inform the gang tomorrow about what happened and mention what you told me. Hopefully Bentley will listen." Again, he hears the coin noises ripple in the air. "What are you doing? Are you gonna come out yet?"

"Hold on ringtail!" She spits out. He anxiously waits on the bed; his eyes search the entire bedroom. Once the bathroom door slams open, his eyes focus on the and only that. Out comes a fox with purple baggy dress pants that the elastic band stops at the ankles, blue slippers, gloves and bra on, gold coins hang from the outline of the bra, some that wrap around her hips, and hanging from her ears, bracelets cover her wrists, arms and sections her hair out. Her deep orange and yellow fur show from her arms, belly, feet, tail, back and parts of the face. A blue-outlined purple veil covers her nose and mouth. Her wild brown eyes stare at Sly who has his mouth wide open. She is in another belly dancing outfit, and already Sly's heart races. The raccoon is dumbstruck.

She walks closer to her fiancé. "I thought back to the belly dancing job I had to do with the gang and I have to admit, before I was caught I did have a little fun. I want to do it again while still in shape," She says almost helplessly. "But I don't know where to find the audience…" Sly knows she is teasing him, and he likes it. Sly smirks and glances at her body. "Well… I guess I can help you with that."


~Bentley~

She's gone… I never knew this would happen. Not this far… Is this a dream? Please tell me it's a nightmare. This can't be real. It can't be! I need her back, she's in danger out there. I'm sick of these tears running down my cheeks, I just want her back. I didn't mean to make her mad, but I didn't want to keep everything from her. I'd thought she would understand. Did I do the right thing?

This bed isn't comfortable without her. She won't be here anymore. I still can't believe it. Should I do something? Now that I told her everything, she's just as capable of doing what she did before. Where is she going? Sly is right, she needs to calm down so we could explain. But won't she get mad again if she saw we didn't listen to her by not leaving her alone? By following her? Could I just watch what she does and make sure she doesn't get in or cause trouble? No… that would be stalking…

I just want to scream. From the top of my lungs, right here and right now. What should I do? Go after her, find her and watch her moves, or simply let her go? Letting her go is not that easy. She has left me twice now. Should I be mad at her? Is this fair to me or is this what I get? What did I do to her before all this conflict between us happened? I JUST DON'T GET THIS! At least Sly goes home to his fiancé. How come he gets the girls and I'm the one broken-shelled! Is there something about me? Something about him I don't have? Well I mind as well never change now since she is gone. I'll just be here falling apart while people like Sly enjoys his life.

My chest hurts… I can't breathe right and my head won't stop aching. I'm tired but can't sleep. My skin feels cold, no matter what temperature it is in the lab. Feeling so… empty. It's not right. I just lost a part of me, a part of my sanity.


*I am back guys! Sorry it took long, I just joined Jazz band not too long ago. I had to practice a lot of piano music. (If I have not said before, yes I play a few instruments). Just typing out this chapter, I just can't WAIT to start the third book in the series. It will be so much fun. But here's this chapter, a new one should come out within November. By the way, I'm just absolutely loving the reviews you guys are saying for both my first and second book! You guys are amazing!*