( LeannaTrizzle wanted to see something about Wash and cats. In lieu of recent episodes, I decided to post that request next. )

I tapped my foot impatiently in the doorway of the locker room.

"Come on already," I whined. "We don't have all night."

"You can wait for two seconds," Wash replied, opening up his locker. "You've been waiting for me all day. A little longer couldn't hurt."

I frowned and crossed my arms, sighing heavily. Wash looked over at me and grinned, rubbing his wet hair with a towel. "C'mere."

I reluctantly approached him. When I was within arm's reach, he grabbed me and pulled me close, planting a kiss on my cheek.

"You act like I'm such a bother," he chuckled into my ear.

"You are."

"Then drop me already."

I growled good-naturedly. "Maybe I will."

"You sound so sure of yourself." He let go and I sat on the bench, saving all of my day's reports to my armor and shutting it down.

"The one day Barbara stops training early, you waste time working out," I grumbled. "We could already be watching Grifball in the lounge with the others if you weren't so freaking dedicated to your job." I glanced up at him. "And you took that shower without me."

"Believe me, there are going to be plenty more showers," Wash smirked, pulling on a gray t-shirt with yellow trim. "But I knew you'd want me to hurry up, so I hurried."

"Fair enough." I stretched widely and yawned, glancing inside his locker. Frowning, I squinted at two pictures I hadn't noticed before.

"Who are they?" I commented, pointing.

Wash's eyes followed my finger and he unstuck two cat pictures from his locker. "Oh, yeah. These are—" He stopped. "They were mine."

"You didn't tell me you had cats."

He sighed and sat down, rubbing a hand through his hair. "That Siamese is Sasha, and the one with black patches is Hartford. Before I got hired to Freelancer, you know how I had my own place? That apartment?"

"Yeah."

"Well, one night I was taking the trash out back. It was cold as hell outside, and these two skinny cats were huddling together, stranded. I actually thought Hart was dead at first. They looked horrible, so I couldn't just let them die. I ended up coaxing Sasha over to me with a little bit of cheese. Long story short, I got the two cats inside and fed and watered.

"Strictly speaking, my apartment didn't allow pets. I took the cats to the vet, and damn, did they eat up my paycheck that month. I had to get them dewormed and give them shots and all sorts of medicine. They made a ton of noise, and the shelter said that they didn't seem feral. So I had them put the cats up for adoption.

"A few weeks passed, and I called the shelter to see if the cats had been adopted. They hadn't. It was because people coming in were interested in taking kittens, and these guys were already a few years old. And then… and then the shelter said that they'd have to put them down if no one came within the next few days to take them.

"I couldn't just let them die, so… I adopted them. I didn't know anyone else who could; a lot of my family is allergic. When I got back to my place, my landlord threw a fit, but I knew he needed the rent I paid him and he wouldn't kick me out. I kept the place really, really clean for him too, so he didn't yell at me again. I guessed that some other owner had dumped the cats on the streets because they were already litter trained, which was great. I don't know why, but all they did was follow me around the first couple weeks.

"That part was… a little creepy. They'd follow me into whatever room I was in and sit about ten feet away, just watching me. It wasn't until a few weeks later when they'd actually come up to me to pet them or allow me to be in another room without watching me. I couldn't believe it when they finally refused to sleep anywhere but in my arms at night."

He sighed and ran his thumb down the edge of one of the pictures.

"I realized how lonely I'd been before they came around. My roommates had moved out, and I'd just stayed busy in order to keep myself distracted. But then, when Hart and Sasha came around, they sort of just… I don't know. They made me feel less alone.

"When I enlisted for Project Freelancer, I was dreading the results of the testing either way it went. I really wanted the job, but… I didn't want to think about what would happen to the cats if I had to leave home.

"I was shocked when I found out I had actually been employed. Shocked, happy, and… really sad." Wash swallowed hard. "I put them up for adoption myself. Found them a good family the day before I left. The parents had two little kids—twins—and they seemed nice. The last time I saw Hart and Sasha was the morning I left for the Project. I know they're just cats, but I asked the family if I could see them again when I get a break and go back. They said that they'd definitely let me, so I have a plan now. After I get my AI implant and adjust to it, I'm going to request a weekend off. I'll go see my family and take a look at Sasha and Hartford and make sure they're all doing okay." Wash stopped suddenly and looked up at me. "That sounds really, really stupid, doesn't it? They're just cats."

"Not at all." I gently set the pictures back in his locker and hugged him. "They made you feel better when you were alone. Nothing's more important than that. And you'll see them soon. If you're requesting a weekend off after adjusting to Epsilon, it won't be long at all. You're up for surgery next." I ran my fingers lightly across his back and chuckled. "I just don't want to spend a weekend here without you. Jerk. Abandoning me like that." I flicked his ear good-naturedly.

Wash grinned, burying his face in my hair and inhaling deeply. "But you're coming with me."

"Wait—what?"

"You heard me."

"I can't!" I laughed. "You know I don't actually work for Project Freelancer. I'd get fired if Hale found out I left a mission to go on a weekend vacation!"

"You could say you were monitoring me," Wash said slyly. "I do need extra supervision, you know."

"That's true. Can't let you go anywhere alone."

"I could always abduct you too," Wash said thoughtfully. "You can't get in trouble if you didn't have any say in the matter."

"Yeah, and on the criminal reports it'll say my kidnapper stole me away to go meet his cats and family," I replied dryly.

"It's the perfect crime." Wash pecked me on the lips and stood up. "Come on. If we hurry, we can catch the rest of the Grifball. York still owes me five bucks from the last game anyway, and I'd hate to miss watching him lose again."