This story is nearing the end. I certainly hope everyone who had read this, throughly enjoyed it.

On with the show, so to speak..

Just as soon as Modo and Crystal arrived back at the Royal Home, they were confronted by the Queen. She didn't look too happy to see her granddaughter, riding on the back of a bike, even though she appeared to be having the time of her life with her adoptive father. "A Duchess does not belong on a motorcycle, Modo!"

"Your majesty, Crystal is MY daughter, not yours. If MY daughter wants to go out for a ride with her father, then that is exactly what I'm going to do, Rosemary! Plus, your own daughter loves riding. I'm going to ask Dame Charley to build her one."

"Grandma! I love riding with my father! He would never do anything to hurt me and Lil Hoss is very gentle, she would never do anything to cause me harm, right girl?" Crystal said.

Lil Hoss beeped twice and flashed her headlight in agreement.

"My daughter is a grown woman! She can make her own decisions. But, its my job to make sure my granddaughter, the heir to the throne is taken care of at all times, not riding around on a Dirty, loud machine!"

Modo looked the queen in the eyes and saw that she was determined to have her way, despite Crystal loving riding as much as he did. He stood up, lifted his left leg over the tank, then said, "Take my daughter back to her mother, Lil Hoss, I need to have a chat with the queen."

Crystal slid forward in the saddle, grasped the handlebars, right before Lil Hoss beeped her horn, and rode off in search of Althea.

Once Crystal was out of sight, Modo said, "I love Crystal, Rosemary, just as if she was my own. She might at well have been brought into this world by Althea."

"You love my daughter, the princess that much to think about having kids with her, Modo?" Rosemary asked.

Modo didn't even hesitate with his response, "That I do, Rosemary. I actually wanted to ask you and Gerald something. Tonight, after the party ends, I want to ask Althea to marry me. However, I need yours and your husband's permission first. Will you give us your permission to wed?"

Rosemary knew, if she said no, she would lose her daughter, forever. Modo is all that Althea had been talking about since they met. It was plainly obvious to her, and everyone else, Althea loved Modo and wanted to marry him. "Modo, Althea is mine and Gerald's life. Her happiness is the only thing that matters to me and my husband. Before I answer, Do you swear to keep Althea, and now Crystal, happy and smiling, at all times?"

"Yes, I do, Rosemary," he answered, as he was talking to Althea's mother, and not the queen.

Rosemary reached up and hugged Modo for all she was worth, then said, "You have my permission to ask Althea for her hand. You know, that will make you, the king, when Gerald steps down?"

Modo lightly hugged her back, then answered, "I don't care about being a king, I only want Althea to be my wife. That afternoon, when I caught her, something told me, she was the one for me, and I love her immensely."

"My husband and I figured that. Please do a mother a favor, and love Althea and Crystal for the rest of your life," Rosemary said. She felt the well-formed muscles in Modo's upper back and decided to see exactly how those muscles felt. She ran her hands down his toned back all the way down to his butt, grasping the firm globes in her hands.

"Um, Rosemary, what do you think you are doing?" Modo asked.

"Althea told me your muscles felt divine. I wanted to find out myself, Modo. And she is right, you have one fine body,"

"And as for you, pawing my backside?" Modo asked.

"My daughter and I had a discussion about exactly how taught your butt really was, and its as tight and firm as it looks. My daughter is going to love holding onto it, as you make love to her, Modo," the queen said.

Modo blushed as he let her go and went as fast as his feet could carry him, to find Althea and Crystal.

The queen watched as Modo's butt flexed in those tight pants he was wearing. Then, he turned a corner and she said, "Althea, his body is going to bring you to the heights of pleasure, when you both decide to cross that line." In her mind, she envisioned how Modo and his friends would look, sans clothing. She really liked what she was seeing. "I wonder if Althea would entertain a Ménage et 'twas?" She shrugged her shoulders and left the Courtyard to find her husband.

Later that afternoon, Throttle, Carbine, Vinnie, and Charley were assembled in a line of Knights, waiting for the Royal family to arrive.

They were slightly late, since Charley had to revive her husband. She did have to admit, Vinnie made the most adorable sounds as he slept. One day, she was going to record them, and use it as Blackmail, for when she really wanted something, and he was saying no. But now, Vinnie has his right arm wrapped protectively around Charley's waist, fending off the unwanted attention of other males.

"Will you relax, Vinnie. No one is crazy enough to make a pass at me, with you here, right next to me," Charley said.

"Nothing doing, babe. I've seen quite a few guys, staring at your ass as you bent over a bike. Your mine and now that you are pregnant with my, totally awesome child, I'm not going to leave your side, not even for a minute," Vinnie said.

She elbowed him in the gut, forcing him to release her. Then said as she threw her hair back, "Carbine, I could use a drink."

"I could use one, as well. But, I have to do this first," Carbine replied. Right before planting a searing kiss on Throttle's mouth.

They stayed like that for a minute, then she pulled back. "That should hold him over, until I get back. Let's go, Charley."

The two women walked away with their hips swaying, leaving the guys standing there with their mouths agape.

"Throttle, bro, your wife is going to kill you, before your time," Vinnie said.

"If she does, what a way to go! I always knew Carbine had a fiery personality. And now that she's pregnant, her appetite for her husband, has increased ten fold," Throttle said.

Carbine and Charley stopped at a table holding all sorts of drinks. Both Alcoholic and not. They both grabbed what could be considered Sparkling Water, but this drink was blue. Charley looked at the blue liquid for a second, before watching Carbine almost down the contacts of the glass she was holding in one shot. "Go on, its real good, Charley," Carbine stated.

Charley took another cursory glance at the liquid again, then drank the whole thing down in one shot. She assumed the icy cold liquid would have burned, but that was farther from the truth. The liquid soothed her throat on its way down to her stomach. "What was that, Carbine?" She asked, picking up another glass from the table.

Carbine lifted another glass of the Blue liquid herself. She took a sip, lowered the glass away from her mouth, then answered, "Its called, Blue Ice, Charley. Its made from the Glaciers, way up north, where no mouse used to not dare to go. But now, that part of Mars has been colonized. They ship the drink down here in blocks of frozen ice, only to be defrosted right before being served. They also ferment it and make a very potent drink called Blue Fire. The last time I had it, I was completely drunk, only after a few sips. There is so much alcohol in it, it doesn't freeze. It forms a slurry, which makes it very desirable to the younger men and women."

"Really? Once this little one is born, I might have to try it," Charley said.

"As long as I get to watch you puke your brains out and nurse the hangover you are going to have. Don't know how it will affect a human, could be quite deadly." Carbine said.

Before Charley had a. Chance to say something in reply, a set of trumpets blared, followed by the Crier announcing, "May I present, King Gerald, Queen Rosemary, Princess Althea, and her daughter, Duchess Crystal!"

Carbine and Charley quickly joined their place in the two lines of knights by the stairs and when told, they snapped to attention.

The Royal family smiled at everyone in attendance before they descended down the stairs.

The king was dressed in a pair of black slacks, with a salmon colored collared shirt, he decided to forgo the crown since it made him more approachable.

The queen looked absolutely radiant in her long blue gown. Just like her husband, she didn't wear her crown either. As. Soon as her feet hit the floor, she extended her left hand to her husband, who graciously took it in his, kissed it, then led her onto the Dance floor.

Althea wore a dress that matched her mothers, with the exception of a lower neck line. She reached the bottom of the stairs and turned around to wait for Modo and their daughter.

Modo was. Still dressed in his Formal Uniform, and looked quite handsome. In the crook of his left arm, sat the Duchess. She had her arms around her father's neck, wearing dress that matched her mother's and her grandmother's.

Vinnie leaned over to Throttle, then whispered, "Have you ever seen the Big Guy so happy, bro?"

"No, I haven't. If he doesn't make the Final move with Althea soon, I'm going to have his head examined," Throttle whispered back.

Modo descended down the stairs to Althea, kissed her, then picked her up in his right arm, before carrying his family to the waiting king and queen.

"The princess is a knockout! Why would someone that looks like her, allow that Half-Mouse to date her I'll never know. She should be with me, I'm positive, I can make her nights, much less lonely," A male mouse standing a few feet behind Throttle and Vinnie, who heard every word.

"Let it go, Vin," Throttle said.

Vinnie listened to his older brother, but kept his fists tightly balled at his sides. No one made fun of his family in his presence and got away with it, cleanly.

Then the music started and the Royal family started to dance, inviting the couples to join them on the floor.

Modo lowered Althea to the floor, so he could dance with his family. And that's exactly what happened, Althea danced with her boyfriend and their daughter. They both moved in time with the music, letting the world fade away.

"Damn she's got one of the most perfect butts I've have ever seen! I wouldn't mind grabbing ahold of those cheeks!" The mouse said.

This time, Carbine caught wind of what he said. The former General didn't have the same restraint Vinnie did. She spun on her right heel, strode directly up to the male, then with the sternest look on her face, that made her subordinates quiver, she said, "That's your princess you are talking about! Show some respect, jerk!"

The guy took one look at Carbine in her uniform, especially her tight pants, then said, "I'll respect the princess, if you will come home with me, and take my mind off of her, sweet thing."

Throttle turned around, then very angrily said, "Might I suggest you leave, now. Before I forget I'm a gentle-mouse and turn you into a bloody mess for hitting on my wife!"

Charley was at Carbine's side, holding her right hand in hers. Trying to get her best friend to calm down, before she literally ripped this guy's head off.

He took one look at Charley in her uniform and since she didn't have a tail to obstruct the view of her backside in the tight pants, he focused directly on that part of her body. He reached out with this left hand, grabbed ahold of her butt, then said, "You can keep your wife's hot-body, buddy. I'm perfectly fine with this human!"

Vinnie ripped his hand from his wife's body, and slammed his left fist in his face, breaking his snout, "Don't you, ever touch my wife again!" He roared.

Modo heard Vinnie and stopped dancing. He lifted crystal from his arm, handed her to Althea, then said, "I'll be right back." And went to help his friends.

The mouse got up, wiped some blood from his mouth, then stood back up. As he got ready to fight with Vinnie, he was lifted up, by his right arm, turned to face a very angry Modo, who asked, "What's so important that you decided to interrupt, my daughter's formal introduction?"

"Your daughter!? That's laughable! There is no way, a half-mouse, half, tin-can could ever get a woman pregnant, especially one that is as hot as the princess!"

"Watch it! You're are treading on some, very thin ice!" Modo responded.

"Oh, am I? The way I see it, she's using you as her own personal, Lap-Dog, and nothing more and once she realizes, you have nothing to offer her, she'll move on and find a real man," the mouse spat back.

Modo was desperately trying to keep his cool, since this was Crystal's introduction party. But with all of the spiteful words the jerk was using, he was having a very hard time, not to knock him out, permanently.

Althea heard the despairing remarks from the other side of the room as well. She put Crystal down, then said, "Your friends are over by the Desert Table, why don't you go over and join them, while I try to keep your father under control."

"Mommy, why is he saying those mean things to daddy?" Crystal asked, with a few tears in her eyes.

Althea crouched down, wiped those tears away, kissed her, then answered, "I really don't know, honey. What I do know, I have to go and be by Modo's side, or he is going to do something, very rash."

"Aright, mommy," Crystal said, then reached up with her small arms, hugged her mother, and kissed her back, before going off to find her friends.

Althea watched her daughter mingle with her friends, then whispered, "We love you Crystal." She turned around and ran over to Modo's side, just in time to see his eye glowing this bright red color and his Arm Canon extend out of his arm. She gently placed her left hand on top of the canon, and shook her head.

Modo felt Althea's gentle and loving touch, and calmed down enough to put the canon away. But his eye didn't change back.

"Let me handle this, dear," Althea said. She looked up at the mouse, then said, "Modo is NOT my Lap-Dog! He is my boyfriend, my knight, and most of all, the man I love, dearly! He is everything I want in a man, and more! This man has proven to me, and my parents, that he is more than worthy and deserving of my love and devotion. Furthermore, if he asked me to be his wife, I would say yes, in less than a heartbeat!"

The crowd surrounding them heard Althea's statement, and most of them gasped.

There was the subtle sounds of whispers, stating, "The princess wants to marry, him? What does she see in that Ruffian? What does he have to offer, someone in her stature in return?"

Modo heard off of those whispers, stating he was not good enough for Althea, and his heart sank. He lowered the mouse he was holding to the ground, and with his tail low, started leaving the room.

"See! Everyone here, knows, he's got nothing to offer you, princess!"

Althea balled up her right fist and let it fly. It connected with the mouse's jaw, sending him to the ground. Satisfied, she got her point across, she ran after Modo.

She did catch up to him, brought him around to face him, then kissed him for all she was worth.

Modo wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her back, equally as hard, not caring in the least, who saw them.

This attracted the attention of the king and queen. They strode over, arm in arm. They past their daughter and Modo, smiled at them as they walked by, and stopped directly in front of the mouse, being restrained by Throttle and Vinnie.

"Let him up!" The king ordered.

Both Throttle and Vinnie lifted the mouse up from the floor, but kept his hands secured behind his back.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" The king asked.

"I'm not apologizing, for saying what I believe, your highness,"

"In that case, have a good night, in prison! Guards! Take him away!" The king stated.

After the mouse was taken away, the queen said, "Now that the unpleasantries are over, let's get this party kicked into high gear!"

Upon hearing the queen's declaration, the band started playing some hard and fast music and almost everyone started dancing. With the exception of Modo and Althea, they were completely oblivious to the wold around them, as they kissed.

Crystal heard the music and wanted to dance with her parents again. She looked around the room to find them and when she did, she politely excused herself from her friends, and made a beeline for them.

Modo and Althea were completely caught up in the moment, their hands were exploring the other's body, to a point. However, Modo's large hands every once in a while, ghosted across the bottom of Althea's chest, causing her to moan into Modo's mouth. He made a mental note about that particular spot, for future use.

"Mommy! Daddy! Let's dance!" Crystal said, as se got closer to her parents.

Althea broke their shared kiss, and panted for a second. "We'll continue this conversation, later after Crystal goes to bed, Modo," she said. She turned her body to the left, in order to hug Crystal. But as she did so, she made sure to let the tip of her tail, graze across Modo's crotch.

Modo almost Jumped out of his own skin when she did that. But then looked at the mischievous grin on her face. "I'll get back at you later, my dear," Modo said.

Crystal fell into her mother's arms, and the two of them embraced tightly. Then Crystal asked, "Is daddy going to dance with us?"

"I think, your father needs to sit this one out, right dear?" Althea asked Modo.

Modo couldn't figure out what Althea was talking about. Until she discretely pointed to his crotch. He finally noticed how, excited he was, blushed, and covered his problem with his hands. Then went to go and sit down.

Althea laughed at Modo's misfortune, then danced with her daughter.

Hours past and the party started to wind down. Modo watched as his daughter let out a yawn, then said, "Someone is tired, time for bed, Crystal."

Crystal tried to stay awake, so she could spend more time with her parents. She said, "I'm not tired, daddy." And let out another yawn as she rested her head against his left shoulder. Then within seconds, fell asleep.

Modo stroked her long black hair with his right hand, and said, "Sleep tight, I love you." He walked over to Althea, who was talking with her parents, then asked, "Our little girl is out like a blown lightbulb. Care to help me put her to bed?"

"Sure, dear," she responded. She kissed her mother and father before linking her arm through Modo's, and they both left the room.

"Modo asked me this afternoon, if he could ask Althea to marry him, tonight. Come tomorrow morning, we are going to have to start planning for a wedding, dear," the queen said.

"And what was your answer, Rosemary?" Gerald asked.

"Of course, I said he had my permission. Althea loves him, if I said no, she would have run off and married him anyway and we would have lost her, for good," Rosemary answered.

Upstairs, Modo and Althea tucked Crystal into her bed. Since she was too tired to change into her night clothes, Althea simply removed Crystal's shoes before laying her down for the night.

Both parents kissed Crystal and whispered, "Good night." To her. They both stood in the doorway, with Althea leaning into Modo's body, his hands were around her waist.

Modo was getting nervous, since he was about to ask a very life altering question to the woman he loved, more than anything. He looked down at Althea for a second, then said, "Crystal is such a amazing daughter. We are so lucky to have found her, and bring her into our lives, Althea."

"That she is, Modo. I can't imagine what life would be like, without her, or you in it," Althea said.

"In that case, how about we make our relationship more, permanent?" Modo asked.

Althea trembled and slowly turned around to face Modo. She looked up into his eyes, then asked, "Are you asking, what I think you are?"

Modo took a deep breath, then said, "Althea, I've never met a woman like you before. That day when you tripped and I caught you, was the day I knew I found my soulmate. I felt complete as I held you in my arms. When I kiss you, its like a bomb went off inside of me, and it felt amazing. Hearing you this afternoon, telling everyone that you would marry me, if I only asked, made me feel like I was the richest man on Mars. Now, we have a daughter together. A beautiful girl, who needs a mother, and a father." He dropped to a single knee, held her hands in his, then asked, "Princess Althea, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife? Will you marry me?"

Tears started flowing from Althea's eyes as she looked at the man who she loved, the man she adopted a daughter with, the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with, on his knee, asking for her hand in marriage. She could only manage to get a single word out in response, "Yes." Before she kissed him.

End of Chapter