Nadia aimlessly flipped through channels for something to watch, when she felt stirring in her arms. She smiled at Harry. "Wakey, wakey, cats and eggies. Heh..."

Harry slowly and groggily tried to wake up. He was weak and still exhausted... Usually when he woke up and someone was nearby, he'd panic, but... there was something about the person holding him that was familiar. "Hiya kitten." Nadia grinned, trying not to laugh at how cute he looked while losing a fight to sleep.

He looked up at her, and recognition graced his features. "M-Miss Fortune..." He said softly. Nadia nuzzled him gently and smiled warmly.

"Ya have a good sleep, buddy?" She asked gently. Harry rubbed his eyes sleepily and let out a cute little yawn.

"Y-You kept the scary dreams away... Thank you, Miss Nadia..."

"No problem kitten." She smiled. "It's still really cold out, so how about I put on the fireplace and make you some hot chocolate?"

"You...you don't have to..." Harry stammered.

"But what if I want to?" Nadia asked playfully, her eyes widening in delight as she saw Harry trying to process the question. He seemed so bewildered... it was too cute!

Gently, she set the little bundle of cuteness down on the couch and rubbed his head. "You just wait right here. I'll go getcha some hot chocolate. Trust me, it's good stuff."

She grabbed the TV remote and changed the channel to something a child would like, eventually coming across a network that played little kiddy cartoons. Looking at Harry, she saw him gazing intently at the cartoons and beamed before heading off to make the hot chocolate. After pouring the mix into the milk, stirring gently and microwaving it, she decided to toss in a bit of whipped cream and chocolate sauce, as well as some marshmallows.

When she returned, she saw Harry's face light up when he saw her. She smiled warmly in response and set the mug down on the coffee table and pulled Harry onto her lap. She giggled and kissed his head, making him blush. "Okay kitten, if this is too hot, let me know." She said sweetly, handing Harry the mug. The boy looked in wonder at at the mug before looking up at her.

"This is for me?" He asked in his tiny voice.

Nadia gave him a toothy grin. "Do I have cat ears? Of course it's for you, kit. I did say I was gonna make it for you, didn't I?" She replied, playfully messing up his hair.

The little boy looked at the drink and almost teared up. "Thank you..." Harry took a sip of the drink, and his face lit up so much it reminded Nadia she needed to set up her christmas tree.

"Heh... Pretty good, right? My hot chocolate's a pretty HOT topic with my friend group."

Harry looked up, confused by the pun, and with his mouth covered in whipped cream. Nadia laughed softly as she patted his head. The tiny boy returned to the drink, taking timid sips, savouring every bit of it. Nadia was content to run her fingers through his now much cleaner hair.

When he finished the hot chocolate, Nadia gently took the mug with her tail and set it down on the coffee table. "There ya go, a little warmth in your tummy." Harry hummed in content, and Nadia gently turned him around and hugged him up to her breast, gently rubbing the back of his head in a soothing manner. Then she began to very, very delicately scratch the little boy's back, taking great care not to accidentally cut him with her claws.

Harry mumbled something happily, leaning into Nadia's hold. He didn't seem sleepy, but he just wanted to be close to Nadia. The cat woman gently pulled a blanket over the pair, and continued scratching his back. "Hm... Harry, where are you from?" Nadia finally asked.

"Privet Drive..." Harry mumbled before coughing. Nadia looked thoughtful, trying to put a location to the name, but coming up short no matter how hard she tried.

"Privet Drive... Privet Drive..." She muttered softly. "I don't know any Privet Drive..." She looked down at Harry, head tilted to the side and frowning softly. "Where's Privet Drive?"

"Um... England..." Nadia nodded her head. England... England was very far away from here. How in the world did he get to this place?

"Okay..." Nadia nodded. "Did you like England? I haven't been there before."

"Oh uh... It... It... It was nice..." Harry mumbled. "It rained a lot, and there were a lot of clouds... but I liked it." Nadia nodded once again, beginning to try and figure out how to word her next few questions. She didn't want to push him too hard, but she wanted to understand why he was so terrified.

"Okay, kit... So, did ya have a nice house?" She asked. Harry nodded. "Good, good... Who'd you live with?"

"M-My aunt and uncle...and my cousin..." All right, she was making progress.

"All right... How'd you end up all the way here in Little Innsmouth?"

Harry looked down, not wanting to answer. Nadia's ears drooped and she bit her lip, having a very bad feeling about this. "Car..." Was all Harry finally said. Nadia gently lifted his chin up so he was looking into her eyes.

"And... where's your family now?" She quietly asked, dreading the answer she was almost certain she would get.

Harry looked down slowly and began to tremble slightly. "Um...P-Probably back home..." He said softly. Nadia felt a twinge of rage in her heart.

"...Harry... Sweetie... Do you think that your family...y'know...abandoned you...?" She asked softly. Harry hesitated before he nodded his head slowly.

"They... they did..." He whispered. Nadia sighed and pulled him close, resting her head against his chest. She let out what seemed like a sad groan and rubbed his back.

"Do you know why they might've?" Nadia asked, her tone unusually calm. "I don't know how or why anyone would ever abandon such a little cutie like you..."

"I'm not cute... Imma freak..." Harry mumbled in response.

Nadia blinked at that, then picked Harry up beneath his armpits and held him at arms length, giving him an inspecting look. Harry blinked. "M-Miss Fortune...?" He asked softly. Nadia looked at him with a soft grunt of acknowledgement. "Wh-What are you d-doing...?" He asked timidly.

"Well, I'm looking for anything freaky about ya. And honestly, kit, I'm comin' up pretty short here. See, when I look at you, I don't see anything freaky. I see a cute kid that didn't deserve to be thrown away like yesterday's garbage."

"But... I'm not normal..." Harry insisted. His sincerity caused Nadia to let a slight laugh out.

"Sure ya are!" She replied. "You're a cute little guy! There's nothing freaky about you as far as I can see." Nadia frowned when she saw Harry want to say something, but remained silent.

She gently pressed her forehead against his own and looked him in the eyes. "Harry... Listen... There's nothing wrong with you. Anyone who tells you there is? They're sick in the head. You're a kid. Just a normal, average kid."

"But... But I do weird stuff...! I... I make things change colour...! I make things float, I teleport, I...I...I..." Nadia gently put her index finger over his lip.

"...Have cool powers." She finished gently. "Just because you can do neat tricks doesn't make you a freak. It makes you special and talented."

"I guess..." Harry mumbled, still looking down at the ground. Nadia pulled Harry close once again and rested his head against her breasts, rubbing his back.

"Hey, I think they're cool." Nadia smiled down at him. "But did your family not like them?" Harry now bit his lip, knowing he wasn't ever supposed to talk about what had been done to him, but his silence was all Nadia needed to hear (or not hear) to get a better idea of what happened to him.

She tightened her hold on the boy and began to purr softly to make him feel safe and comfy. When she felt him snuggle in, she grinned, knowing she was doing it right. "I dunno what you've been through, kitten... But don't feel pressured into having to tell me, all right? You can talk about it when you're good and ready." She grinned at the boy, who was wrapped up in blankets with only his little face visible, before stretching out her ligaments to grab her small camera. "Now lemme just get a picture of ya. You look like the world's cutest little bagworm."

Harry tilted his head in confusion, and Nadia snapped a picture before gently laughing at his bewildered face. "So cute!" She cooed, kissing his head once again. She paused, looking around, trying to figure out what to do next, but eventually decided she wanted to stay here and snuggle with Harry for a little bit longer.

Grabbing the remote, she flipped on the TV and changed through the channels, searching for something Harry could enjoy watching, before settling on a station that played little kiddy shows. Harry seemed entranced by the shows, and Nadia smirked in amusement at his reactions, glad to see the boy was happy. She wrapped her arms around his tummy and rested her chin on his head. This was rather nice. He was like having a walking, talking stuffed animal. ...Well, maybe not so much walking yet, since she'd literally carried him everywhere, but hey... She just liked holding him.

Harry still believed he was in a dream. He had been found by a pretty angel, given food, hugs and kisses, kept warm, she HAD to be an angel! He nuzzled closer as much as he could and let out another tiny yawn, his face one of contentment.

"Heh, you're just a cuddly little kitten, aren't you?" Nadia chuckled softly.

The two of them spent more time on the couch when Nadia heard another shriek from outside. She blinked, then turned to Harry with a grin. "I think Minette came over for a visit." She chuckled. "I'll be right back, kit. Better go open the door for her..." Setting Harry down, she approached the front door and pulled it open. There was a snowman outside her door. However, rather than a small snowball for the head, Minette's lower half of body was sticking out of the middle snowball, a top hat and coal eyes decorating her butt. Nadia blinked in surprise before donning a very sharklike grin and reaching for her camera. She didn't know how this happened, all she knew was that this was one for the scrapbook.

Minette seemed to know what her friend was doing, and began thrashing about to try and escape, but to no avail. Nadia got multiple pictures before setting to pulling her friend out. "Delete them." Minette said fatly, spitting some snow out from her mouth.

"Delete what?" Nadia asked with a laugh.

"Ugh... I don't even know how that happened..." Minette sighed, shaking her head. "How's the little baby doing?"

Nadia helped her friend inside with a small smile. "A lot better... Had a nasty fever dream earlier, but I managed to get him through that."

Minette bit her lip sadly before holding up the small bag she brought with her. "You forgot one of the bags, Nadia..." The cat woman blinked.

"Wait, you came all the way out here in the middle of a snowstorm just to deliver this?" Minette blushed slightly before nodding her head.

"Yes... I just...wanna do everything I can to help that poor thing... I'm his auntie...aren't I...?" She looked at Nadia for affirmation and she grinned.

"Of course you are, Minette. Come see him. He's in the living room." The feral guided her friend to where Harry was sitting. "Hey kitten! We got company!"

Harry looked over and Minette bowed politely. "Hi, sweetie... I'm Minette. What's your name?"

"Uh, I'm... I'm Harry." Harry timidly waved, making Minette grin widely and giggle.

"Daw! He's so cute!" She cooed. She and Nadia made their way over to the couch and sat next to him, Minette gasped slightly when she saw the little onesie he was in and her heart seemed to melt into a gooey mess. She gently picked Harry up and held him on her lap, cooing down at him. Harry did seem nervous, but also seemed to be willing to give Minette a chance. "I'm happy to see you feeling better, little guy." Minette smiled.

Nadia chuckled softly and took a seat, sitting back to observe how her best friend and new charge interacted. She knew it would go well. Minette was an absolute sweetheart. Minette gently adjusted her hold so she was holding him up against her shoulder. She closed her eyes and smiled warmly as she gently rubbed his back. Harry blinked. He wasn't expecting to be held like this by someone that wasn't Miss Nadia... But he liked it just as much. Slowly, he snuggled in closer, causing Minette to giggle.

"I can see why Nadia thinks you're so cute." Minette grinned. "You're just a little cuddle bug!" Harry blushed at the compliments, trying to hide his embarrassment in Minette's shoulder. However, this didn't go unnoticed by the two women. Harry began to settle down a little more. He remembered that Miss Minette had made that really yummy clam meal he had earlier, and she seemed as nice as Miss Fortune. While he wouldn't ever admit this, he liked Miss Fortune just a little bit more, he though Miss Minette was very kind as well.

He let a small smile come across his face and closed his eyes slowly. "Th-Thank you, Miss Minette... For... For everything..." He said quietly.

Minette beamed and nuzzled his face gently. "You're welcome, cutie." She cooed. "I sure hope you're enjoying everything..." Meanwhile, Nadia was looking through the shopping bags.

"Ooooh, what do we have here?" She said as she pulled out a trio of plush toys consisting of a simple teddy bear, a kitten, and a cartoony shark.

Harry seemed bewildered by them, and it was depressing that he didn't seem to realize they were for him. "They're for you hon." Nadia finally explained gently.

"F..for me? Why?" Harry asked, clearly confused.

"Because a little kitten like you needs something to play with, silly!" Nadia smiled down at Harry.

"But I don't deserve them." Harry insisted.

Minette pouted slightly. "Awww, Harry, pleeeease?" She asked softly. "I bought them just for you. C'mon, please enjoy them? It would make me VERY happy." Harry blinked up at her, then looked over at Nadia, who grinned and moved the plushies closer to him. He hesitated before slowly picking up the bear and hugging it close, an expression of content forming on his face.

"I...I have a teddy again... I...I used to have a teddy... But my... But... Someone burned him..."

The two women blinked in shock before looking from one another then back to Harry before the two wrapped him in a hug, trying to comfort him. Harry was surprised by the sudden hug. "Umm..." Harry mumbled, looking up at the two. "M'swoory..."

"No hun, don't be sorry..." Nadia said quietly, gently rubbing his back.

"Oh my gosh, someone took away your toy and burned it...?" Minette breathed. "That's horrible... You poor little thing..." She tightened her hold on him. Nadia was glaring at the floor, her fists clenched in anger. Somebody had burned Harry's old teddy bear, and her instincts were screaming at her 'his family did it.'

Harry still seemed confused, but eventually nuzzled in-between the two women. He felt like crying... He really wanted to... But at the same time, he was enjoying the women's embrace. While the two women were trying to withhold tears, they also found his tiny hug he was trying to give them adorable. "It's alright kit, you're safe now..." Nadia whispered.

Minette looked up at Nadia with a sad smile, then handed Harry back over to her. "Here... I think he wants you right now." Nadia blinked, then took the boy back.

She hugged him close and rubbed his back gently to offer her comfort. "It's gonna be okay, hun... You're safe now... I gotcha..." She whispered.

Harry smiled up gently at Nadia. The cat woman smiled, kissing his forehead again before resting his head against her chest. Nadia sighed and patted his back, trying to comfort him. "It's alright, you're safe now." Nadia smiled. "You're gonna stay here with me, and I'm gonna keep you safe."

She nuzzled the top of his head with a sad smile. "And if I ever meet the one who burned your bear... I'll avenge him." She said with a wink.

Harry hugged her tightly when he heard those words of reassurance. "Thank you, Miss Fortune..." He said softly. Nadia rubbed his head and purred softly.

"Aww! That's so cute!" Minette cooed, smiling at the scene. Nadia chuckled and playfully messed up Harry's black hair.

"The little tyke's too cute for his own good, I gotta admit." Nadia said playfully.

"Uh..I.. I can try and stop..." Harry mumbled, afraid he was doing something wrong. His sincerity made Nadia laugh a bit harder than she probably should've.

"Don't worry kiddo! It's just an expression!" Nadia laughed. "Just keep being you!"

Harry blinked, then smiled softly and snuggled in closer. Nadia hugged him closer, chuckling softly. She held him for about thirty minutes before looking down at him. "Hey, kit... Why don't ya go get to know Miss Minette a little more, huh?" She suggested before passing the little boy over to her friend. Minette blinked before smiling warmly and accepting Harry into her arms, gently and carefully grabbing him. He squeaked cutely and she giggled softly.

"Hi cutie." She cooed, smiling down at him.

"Hi Miss Minnow..." Harry mumbled, still trying to get her name correct. "Um... Thank you for the food, it was really yummy."

"I'm glad you liked it! I'll be sure to make you some more."

She hugged him against her shoulder and rubbed his back gently. "You're such a sweet little boy..." She cooed. "Just the cutest widdle thing... Soooo tiny..." Nadia smiled softly at the scene, seeing what Minette was trying to do. She was building up his confidence, trying to help him feel good about himself... Minette was cooing over Harry and giggling softly at his little reactions. Honestly, if Nadia hadn't decided to keep him, she absolutely would have... She gave the boy a kiss on the cheek.

Harry blushed, but liked Miss Minette's comforting presence. He snuggled up against her and let a timid smile form on his face. Minette, for her part, knew that something was usually had so much more energy... But then again, not many kids Harry's age could fit into baby clothing. She knew he was abused, but there was something else... Oh well, she'd comfort him any way she could!

She gently rocked the boy in her arms, smiling and giggling as she felt him snuggle up. She loved being an aunt. Being able to call this sweet boy family... Nadia was beaming with joy at the scene before her. It warmed her heart that Harry and Minette seemed to be bonding well. Not that it was a surprise. Minette was just naturally a sweetheart. After about fifteen minutes, Minette noticed that Harry had gone remarkably still. Looking down at him, she saw that he had fallen asleep in her arms, innocently sucking his thumb.

She repressed a delighted squeal as she nuzzled the top of his tiny head, Harry squirmed for a moment, then quickly snuggled back down, continuing to sleep peacefully. "He's so precious..." Minette whispered. "I love him!"

Nadia chuckled and reclined on the couch. "Yeah, he's something special all right. Just an awesome little guy..." She looked up with a small frown. Minette noticed and tilted her head. Nadia looked up at her. "Minette... I'm pretty sure the little guy's been abused by his own family... He's said some stuff that makes me pretty suspicious..."

"I mean... I hate to say so, but that makes a lot of sense..." Minette mumbled sadly, looking down at the sleeping boy in her arms. "He's so tiny, he's terrified of everything, it makes sense. My only question is-"

"Why?" Nadia cut her friend off, finishing her thought. "I know, and I want the answer. But I don't want to ask him and make things worse."

Minette bit her lip and nodded sadly, tightening her hold on the boy. "Poor little thing... It just doesn't make sense that anyone could hurt this sweet little face..."

Nadia sighed and shook her head. "Yeah, well, you're lucky it doesn't make sense to you... Means you've never had to see the darker sides of the world..." Minette looked at her with a soft frown. "There's awful people out there, Minette... You know that... But you don't know firsthand how awful people can be..." Nadia said forlornly.

"I...I think I know." Minette finally got out. "Humans tend to hate my people. They see us as freaks. Sure, it's nothing like what little sleepyhead has gone through, but I do get it, at least, I kinda do..." Harry seemed to sense Minette's sadness and unconsciously snuggled closer to her tummy, letting out another tiny yawn as he kept sleeping. The gesture did bring a small smile to the women's faces.

Minette stroked his back gently and looked up at Nadia. "So um... The storm's gotten pretty bad, Nadia... Is it okay if I stay here until it clears up...?"

Nadia smiled and gave her best friend a thumbs up. "You know there's always a place here for you, Minette." Then her expression turned playful. "Besides, wouldn't want a repeat of last time, would we?"

Minette blushed and covered her face. "You mean the time I got covered in snow, and JimBob and Patrick thought I was the abominable snowman?"

"Heh... Yeah. It's a good thing Ripster sniffed ya out before Squidsworth came out and yelled at you all. My ears are still ringing from that time I crash landed in his flower bed."

"I mean, I don't blame him for being annoyed, but... he always seems so cranky." Minette nodded. "I don't know why. It's not like Jim and Pat have ever done anything to hurt him.

"Didn't they try and bury him alive?" Nadia asked, trying to remember one of the things she had been witness too in the past while.

"No. They thought he was dead for some reason, and they were trying to help him move on."

The two girls began to have a small gossip session about their various Dagonian neighbours. From Sebastian starting a successful music career to Jimbe deciding to join a small ragtag pirate group.

"...So my sister started dating Big Bubba a couple months back, and some Medici thug called Mario tried to kidnap her... And she said Bubba literally swallowed him whole, He definitely won daddy's favour that day..."

Nadia shivered slightly. "Yeah, no one messes with Big Bubba... Nothing seems to hurt that guy... Heck, most people can't even get past that creepy Unagi guy that guards the door..." The time she'd inadvertantly wandered too close to the shipwreck that served as Bubba's base and had the massive eel dagonian roar in her face was the only time since getting found out and cut up by Black Dahlia that she had felt raw, mortal terror.

"Truth be told though, I don't think he'd be like that around Harry." Minette said, looking down at the still sleeping boy. "He can be mean... but I don't think he'd hate the little guy, especially with all he's been through."

"I'd be more worried about Harry's reaction." Nadia conceded. "I kind of understand why he was freaked out by Bruce, Gill and the others, but they're not..." She trailed off, trying to think of the right word. "I dunno how to explain it. Monstrous is the wrong word."

"I know what you're getting at though." Minette nodded. "Still, after spending a month on his own in the streets, it's a miracle he'd let anyone get near him like he's let you."

Nadia smiled softly at the sleeping boy and reached over to pat his head. "Well... You wanna know what the first thing he said to me was, after I found him?"

Minette tilted her head to the side curiously, and Nadia grinned broadly at her. "He looked up at me... And he just said...kitty. Simple as that."

Minette blinked, then giggled softly. "Aww... You're right... He is a little cat lover..." She cooed, kissing Harry's cheek softly. "Your cat ears saved the day..."

"He wanted to pet them." Nadia chuckled. "It seemed like he was dreaming while it was happening, it was adorable."

Minette smiled and rubbed Harry's back, smiling as he squirmed about, trying to get comfortable again. "It seems like this is one of the first good sleeps he's had..."

"Sadly, I think it is." Nadia frowned. "He was half-frozen when I found him. Not to mention how sick he was..."

Minette looked over at her with a tilted head. "I did buy him some medicine, Nadia. Try looking in the bags, you should be able to find it." Blinking, Nadia grabbed one of the bags and dug through it. Sure enough, she found some children's cough medicine, medicine for sore throats, medicine to clear the nose, and more. She even found medicine for symptoms Harry hadn't even shown, such as stomach aches and bowel problems. She smiled. "Wow... You've got me all set, Minette..."

"Hey, I think anyone in this town would do the same." The fish woman shrugged. "Well, just about anyone." Nadia nodded with a slight frown before finding cold medicine. She set the bottle on the coffee table and turned back to her friend.

"So... I was gone for like a month. Anything big happen while I was away?" She asked. "Aside form... well, the kid and the hellhounds..."

"From what I've heard it was pretty quiet." Minette replied. "You've done a lot of good work, the town really has gotten better because of you."

Nadia beamed with pride and smiled happily, her tail swishing about behind her. "Heh,.. Glad I could help... Just hope the Medicis leave this place alone..."

"Oh trust me... Me too." Minette said with a small pout before looking down at Harry and passing him over to Nadia. "Here... He probably likes you better."

Nadia accepted the boy with a small smile. "Don't sell yourself short, Minnie. Harry loves his auntie." She said with a wink.

Harry yawned as he began to stir slowly in Nadia's arms. Nadia smirked and patted his back, shaking him gently as he woke up. "Hiya kitten." Nadia smiled down at him.

"Hi Miss Fortune." Harry yawned, leaning into the warmth of Nadia's chest.

"Harry, I have something for you to take." Nadia said, picking up the pill bottle. "Here, this should make you feel better."

She carefully poured some of the medicine into the lid, then turned to Harry with a small smile. "All right, kit... This stuff tastes awful, but it works." Harry blinked, then slowly opened his mouth, allowing her to pour the medicine down his throat. He grimaced at the taste, and Nadia chuckled. "Yeah, I know. Medicine's real yucky, isn't it? But hey... It'll help make the cough go down for a bit."

Harry however, had his eyes scrunched up and had his tounge sticking out somewhat. Nadia laughed at the cute face and patted his head. "That was yucky..." Harry mumbled, clearly not having enjoyed it.

"Well, it'll help you feel better, then you won't need to take it anymore." Nadia smirked, resting Harry back on her lap, turning him somewhat so he could look up at both her and Minette.

He looked between the fwo women, and he felt a sense of security, He had not only Miss Fortune to look after him, but also Miss Minette... He was safe. Truly safe... They would protect him from the pain, the cold, the fear... Miss Nadia was there for him since the second she saw him, and Miss Minette bought things for him. Harry realized he was among friends.

He smiled and seemed to snuggle up against Nadia's arms, letting a warm, genuine smile form. Nadia didn't seem to notice, but when she saw Minette's face brighten more than she had ever seen, she looked down and felt he heart melt when she saw the large, closed-eyed smile Harry had on his face. She recognized what this meant. He trusted them.

She let a tender smile grace her features and planted a kiss on top of the boy's head, purring softly as she gently stroked his back. "Things are okay now... I promise..." She said softly. The sincerity in her voice brought great joy out of little Harry Potter. He knew she would be there for him... There to protect him and keep him safe... This was something he'd wanted since he knew how to talk... This was what it was like to be a part of a family... This was what it was like...to have a mother... He wouldn't say it out loud... He didn't want to make Miss Fortune mad... But he could still pretend to himself that she was his mother...

He timidly reached up and wrapped his tiny arms around her neck, doing his best to hug her. Nadia grinned and hugged Harry back. It was clear he wanted to belong to a family, and she had every intention of helping him with that. But slow and steady... she didn't want to scare him off by mistake. "You're so cute..." Nadia cooed.

Harry let out a content hum in response, and Nadia kissed his cheek, smiling fondly at him. "Hey Minette... Why don'tcha pick out a movie? We can all watch together."

"Eeeee! Family time! This'll be so FUN!" Minette gushed before rushing off to the movie shelf. Nadia chuckled at her friend's enthusiasm.

"Yep... Family time." She said softly, winking at Harry, who looked up at her curiously. "Yes, squirt. You're part of the family too." She assured him.

Harry's eyes widened in shock as he looked up at Nadia. "F..Family?" He stammered out, finding what he had just heard to be unbelievable. "I...I...I'm family?"

"Yup." Nadia kissed Harry on the head, smiling somewhat sadly at his face. "Family."

Harry stared up at her with wide eyes for a few seconds before slowly leaning his tiny head against her chest, staring in pure disbelief. "Family... But... I'm not a kitty person or a fishy person..."

Nadia gave him a grin. "What, you think that matters? Kitten, lemme tell ya something... Family means WAY more than sharing the same blood or being the same species." She pressed her forehead against his gently and smiled softly. "Family is about people you care about."

"You... You care about me?" Harry asked, looking up in surprise.

"Of course, kitten! Why else do you think I'd be taking care of you?" Nadia laughed, nuzzling his cheek. Harry still seemed downright baffled by the gesture and words until he finally answered timidly.

"Uh... I... I dunno. Why would you want to take care of a freak?"

"Harry, we've been over this." Nadia smiled sadly. "You're not a freak, you're a cute little kitten. I don't know why anyone wouldn't want to take care of you."

Harry leaned into her chest and stared forward blankly, trying to process everything. It was strange... He'd gone from an abused orphan to a part of a family in just one day... Miss Nadia genuinely wanted to take care of him... This was such a foreign concept to the little boy... He thought he would only ever be treated with hatred and scorn.

Nadia seemed to sense it and wordlessly hugged him closer, gently humming a song to him to soothe his fears. Harry decided to take a small risk and timidly tried to hug Nadia. Unfortunately, he was far too tiny to do so, but Nadia grinned nonetheless, kissing his cheek lovingly.

"Heh... That's it, kit, just take it easy... Just get cozy and relax..." She said softly, gently running her fingers through his hair. He snuggled in closer. It took quite a bit of willpower to stop himself from shedding a few tears. He was feeling all sorts of emotions right now, all mixing in with each other. He was happy to finally receive some affection... He was sad that he'd had to suffer so much... And he was absolutely terrified of the idea of waking up to discover it was all just a dream, and he was still alone in the alley, or back in his cupboard awaiting a beating...

But with Miss Fortune and Miss Minette, he believed that wouldn't happen. For the first time in his life, he felt the tiniest bit of confidence that he wasn't going to be hurt. He wanted this to last forever... he didn't know that Nadia had decided it would, and she was going to keep him. He knew she said he was part of her family, but he hadn't begun to fully understand what that really meant.

Nadia watched the tiny little boy snuggle into her and smiled sadly. The damage done was very clear to see, and it was well and truly heartbreaking... The simplest, most mundane displays of affection caused him to react like a man stranded in the desert who just found an oasis. And he was scared... Nadia sighed softly and kissed the boy's head once more, not knowing what else she could say, but wanting to offer him some comfort regardless.

She sighed and rocked him in her arms. She'd help him overcome his pain. she really would. She'd do everything he could to make sure he was nothing but happy for the rest of his precious life.

Minette stepped back into the room, smiling warmly. "Aww, Nadia, you have Finding Momo! I love that movie! Such a sweet mommy-son story..." She cooed. Nadia chuckled softly.

"Yeah, well, the characters look delicious." Nadia said with a massive, toothy grin, causing Minette's face to fall immediately and be replaced with an indignant jaw drop.

"What?! You'd eat Momo and Merlina?! How could you even think about doing something so horrible to them, and after everything they went through?!"

Nadia was about to reply when a high-pitched coughing interrupted the conversation. The two looked down to see Harry cough aggressively then moan in his drowsy state, turning to one side as he continued trying to rest. "Aw... poor kitten..." Nadia frowned, pulling the blanket a bit closer to try and warm him up. "He's gonna have a rough time getting through this cold..."

"I'm just glad he didn't get pneumonia from being out there for so long..." Minette sighed, patting Harry's head lovingly. "Although I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't have a little bit of frostbite."

Nadia winced at that, her ears drooping, and she tightened her hold on the boy, gently rocking him in her arms. "Well... Better do what I can to make sure he stays warm then..." Harry sniffled, then sneezed off to the side. "Gesundheit." Nadia said with a sad smile. He sneezed again, and she grabbed a handkerchief, gently rubbing his nose with it.

Harry let out a soft whine. "M-Miss Fortune...?" He said softly. "I...I don't wanna be sick... When am I gonna get better...?" He asked softly.

"Daw... I know it isn't fun kitten." Nadia spoke softly, rubbing Harry's back. "But it may take a few days until you're better. But don't worry, I'll be here the whole time for you."

"Really?" Harry asked quietly, still trying to stay awake.

"Mmhmm." Nadia grinned, kissing his head. "Don't you worry about a thing, little man. I'll be here to make sure you're well taken care of."

She cradled him against her breast and gently kissed his forehead, purring softly to offer him comfort. "Hey, Minette... Pop in that movie why don'tcha?" Minette smiled brightly and set the movie into the DVD player before heading into the kitchen to see if she could find anything to use as a looked down at Harry with a smirk. "All right, kit... Why don't we sit back and watch us a movie? Maybe it'll take your mind off things a bit."

"M'kay..." Harry mumbled, still feeling sick. Nadia sighed and kissed his forehead, noting how warm it still felt... poor little guy... A few minutes later, the movie had started and Harry seemed to be trying to pay attention, but seemed to be drifting in and out of sleep, his body trying to recover. Nadia kept a tight grip on him, trying to be as comforting a presence as she could.

She looked down at him and smiled sadly. "Hey, kid... Don't force yourself to stay awake for my sake, alright? If you're tired, then just go ahead and get some shuteye... You need to get over this fever." Harry looked up at her tiredly and gratefully, then yawned cutely and closed his eyes, leaning into her embrace and resting his head against her chest. Chuckling, Nadia gently rubbed his back and purred softly to soothe him to sleep. When she heard his tiny snores, she smiled softly and nuzzled the top of his head gently. "Poor little guy..."

Minette seemed to pout as she looked down at the sleeping boy. "What'd he do to deserve this?" The fish woman asked. "The poor thing's been abused, starved, abandoned... and on top of all of that, the poor thing's sick."

"I know, I know..." Nadia nodded, patting his head.

They watched the little boy sleep for a few moments before Nadia looked at Minette. The Dagonian was slightly startled by how uncharacteristically serious her best friend looked. "Minette... I haven't had the chance to tell you what he looked like before I bathed him in the healing water... But... What I saw... Minette... There's some seriously messed up stuff at work here..." Minette blinked, then leaned forward with a serious frown to show she was listening. Nadia took a deep breath before describing everything she had seen. "It's so clear, Minette... His own family... They abused him..."

"...I was afraid of that." Minette sighed.

"And the poor thing, he was covered in cuts and scars. Hw was so malnourished, and clearly beaten... He looked like he was on death's door. And he kept saying how he deserved it all, how it was his fault..." Nadia sighed, kissing Harry once again in his sleep, making the boy coo happily. "And on top of all of that, they abandoned him and left him to be mauled by dogs."

The sleeping boy coughed lightly and she kissed the top of his head. "Minette... The stuff this little guy's been through... It hurts. It really hurts to think about."

Minette nodded her head sadly. "I know, Nadia... I know... It's just awful... But... You found him, didn't you? You're gonna take care of him from now on."

Nadia gave her friend a small smile. "You know it, Minette... Anyone tries to hurt him while he's with me? Well... You know what a mother bear does to the ones that hurt their cubs."

"Yeah. Oh that reminds me. Has he said it yet?"

"Said what?"

"Y'now... Mama." Minette smiled. Nadia shook her head in response.

"No. The little guy's still confused that someone would want to hug him. I don't think he's ready to call me that just yet. But when he's ready, I be sure to let him know how much I'd like that."

Minette blinked in surprise. "Wow... Really? You want to be his mom?" Nadia looked at her in confusion. "It just...didn't really seem like something you'd be into."

Nadia sheepishly rubbed the back of her head. "Yeah, well... You're not wrong to think that. Honestly, I was pretty surprised myself when I felt that way... But this kid... There's just...something about him, y'know?"

Minette smiled down at Harry, who was nestled into Nadia's tummy, sucking on his thumb. "Yeah, I see what you mean." She nodded. The silence returned for a few moments, then Minette added: "I can make some soup if you'd like, I think it'd help the little cutie get feeling better."

"Really? That'd be great." Nadia sighed in relief. "I wanna get him something to eat, but I'm comfy and don't wanna wake him...

Giggling, Minette rose to her feet and stepped towards the kitchen. "Any kind of soup in particular you think he would like?" She asked with a tilted head.

Nadia shrugged. "Eh, not really. Honestly, at this point, I think he'd be more than happy to eat anything." Nodding, Minette stepped into the kitchen. Nadia felt stirring and heard whimpering, signifying a nightmare was beginning for Harry. She gently rubbed the back of his head and shushed him softly, calming him instantly.

Harry yawned and let out a tiny hum as he seemed to settle back down, a tiny, cute smile forming on his face. Nadia gave a happy 'Aww...' and kissed his head. She didn't know how much that meant to Harry. In fact she didn't know how much her comforting presence meant to him. She truly was the first person (or cat) to ever show him genuine love.

She looked outside at the falling snow, and sighed softly. "Stuff would have buried you alive if I didn't get ya out of there..." She said sadly. Shaking her head, she began to focus her attention on other things. She began to think about...her own capabilities and if she was really the best choice to raise him. She wasn't backing out of it, not by a longshot. But she felt she needed to figure out what aspects of her life needed to change to accommodate for her new kit. She looked around and sighed. Cleanliness was one thing...

She also probably shouldn't keep getting into fights every night. She was surprised Harry hadn't been more terrified of the blood on her hands when she saved him, but she had a bad feeling that he wouldn't be so calm again about that sort of thing... But aside form that, sure, she'd need to keep a close eye on him until the Medicis were gone. Or dead. Or both. But other than that... why couldn't she raise the little guy? It was painfully clear he loved her. And she loved him right back.

She gave the sleeping boy an amused smile. "Ya sure made things complicated, kit... Complicated...and interesting." She gently rubbed circles on his cheek with her thumb. He cooed cutely and she kissed his forehead gently. The movie essentially turned into background noise, as Nadia focused on the sleeping child in her embrace. He really was adorable... And the fact that anyone would willingly harm him in such awful ways... The mere thought brought those feelings of motherly rage back to the forefront.

Sure, there were bad people in the world, Nadia knew that. And she could seethe and scream 'Who could possibly hurt such a little angel!?' all she wanted, but none of that mattered. What mattered now was that he was safe. She'd take care of him, and someday, she hoped she could figure out why they had hurt him, but for now, keeping him safe was more important... Harry finally began to stir once again, and it seemed like he was actually waking up this time. Nadia adjusted him in her arms so the first thing he'd see was her smiling face.

Harry blinked his eyes, then perked up at the sight of the feline features of his new caretaker. "Heya, kit. Ready to join us here in the land of the living?" She teased lightly.

"M-Miss Fortune...?" He asked softly. Nadia nuzzled his face gently. "M'sorry... I...I sleep to much..." He said before yawning softly. She kissed his cheek.

"Hey, don't think like that, kitten. It's cause you're sick and just got off the streets. Ya need your rest if you wanna get your strength back."

"Oh... uh... okay." Harry mumbled, letting Nadia hold him close. He looked around, feeling safe for once. This was a new and admittedly quite strange, feeling for him. Nadia chuckled as his expression and rested his head against her shoulder as she walked back to her room.

"C'mon, let's get you changed." She smiled.

She grabbed a new pair of pajamas from the closet. He didn't really need to change, since he was only going to be resting. She just wanted to see what he looked like in other pajamas. She dug through the closet, and her mouth formed into a very cat-like smile when she pulled out a small cat onesie. "Minette, you are a genius." She said aloud.

"Thank you!" She heard her friend call out from the kitchen. Chuckling, she carefully removed the footie pajamas and helped Harry into the onesie.

Harry yawned and rubbed one of his eyes with what looked like a tiny paw, and Nadia had to suppress a deafening squeal of delight as she hugged him close once again. "So cute..." She cooed, nuzzling Harry's cheek, somewhat suprising the tiny boy. However, he smiled and leaned into the hug, wanting to be close to Miss Fortune.

Chuckling, she cradled him in her arms like a newborn and rocked him back and forth. "Who's a sweet little kitten?" Harry tilted his head. "You are, that's who!" Nadia concluded with a toothy grin, lightly booping his nose and causing a soft giggle that quickly devolved into violent, painful coughs.

"Aw... it'll be okay..." Nadia sighed, patting his back reassuringly. "Miss Minette's making you some soup to keep your little tummy full and warm, and it'll make you feel better!"

"Thank you..." Harry mumbled, still clearly under the weather.

Nadia smiled sadly and kissed his forehead, right around his scar. "C'mon... Let's go see how your soup's coming along." She cooed gently, carrying Harry into the kitchen. Minette was hard at work, focusing on making the soup perfectly. After what he'd been through, little Harry deserved only the best she could give.

"Aw... He's so cute!" Minette cooed when she saw Harry out of the corner of her eye. The sleepy boy rubbed his eyes and gave a very timid, but still genuine smile at the fish woman.

"T...Thank you, Miss Minette." He managed to get out.

"Smells great in here!" Nadia remarked. "How's the soup coming?"

Minette turned back to her work. "It's just about done... Just a few more minutes." She replied before stirring the pot. Nadia took a seat in a kitchen chair, hugging Harry close.

"You're gonna love this, kit. Soup's Minette's specialty." She explained with a grin, causing the dagonian to beam with pride.

Harry smiled up at Minette and let the woman coo and play with him. After a few more minutes, two bowls of soup were placed in front of them. "There you go. Eat up sweetie." Minette cooed down to Harry who gave a more genuine and bigger smile back up at her.

"Thank you miss Miette." Harry said, still struggling to pronounce her name properly.

The Dagonian giggled and helped herself to her own bowl. "Ah, ya did it again, Minette... Looks awesome." Nadia praised with a beaming grin.

"Aww, thanks, Nadia... Really, I wish Yu-Wan would promote me to chef... I'm way better at cooking than I am at serving." Minette replied with a small pout.

Nadia wrapped an arm around Harry and began feeding him a spoonful of soup. Harry's face seemed to light up in delight at the taste. He let out a happy moan as he tasted the soup. "It's so good..." He mumbled happily.

Minette clapped her hands lightly and grinned ear to ear in delight at the boy's praise. "Aww, I'm glad you think so, sweetie!" She gushed. Nadia fed the boy his soup slowly, chuckling periodically at how happy this simple bowl of food seemed to make him. When he'd finished, she pulled him into her arms. She held the little boy in a manner so that his tiny chin rested atop her shoulder, then gently scratched his back to keep him comfortable.

Harry let out a cooing sound, so Nadia knew she was doing something right. Chuckling softly, she kept up the action, letting Harry rest peacefully with a full tummy. "Thanks for the food Minette." Nadia smiled over st her friend.

Minette tilted her head with a closed-eyed smile. "Oh, it was nothing... Always happy to help!" She chirped. She looked over at Harry and giggled.

Nadia chuckled as well. "Yeah, he's cute alright. Think I'll keep him." She joked lightly. Harry let out a soft sigh of relief at hearing those words. He had held onto a deepseated fear that Miss Nadia was going to throw him away when she got the chance, but he was receiving no indications she planned to do so.

He let his body relax and he snuggled closer to the woman who had saved him. Maybe he wouldn't be able to call her mama, but she held him and fed him... that was good enough for Harry. Nadia kept scratching his back, enjoying watch the little boy practically melt in her arms. "Dawww... you're a cuddly little kitten." She cooed playfully.

Harry cooed in response and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her back like a baby koala. Nadia grinned and purred softly, much to Harry's delight. He coughed several times, but ignored the discomfort and focused on the soothing rumbling filling his ears. Nadia gently nuzzled his cheek as she purred. Harry was so happy he thought he might burst... This was it... THIS was what he wanted more than anything... This warmth... This love... This feeling of safety and comfort...

Nadia began gently humming a gentle tune to the small boy, Harry felt like all his fears and insecurities were melting away as he remained in this woman's arms. He was scared though. What if she found out about his freakiness? What if she didn't want him and was just pretending to be nice? He tensed up slightly, unwillingly, and tried not to look up at Nadia who blinked in slight confusion.

She kissed his cheek, nuzzled him and pressed her forehead against his, looking him in the eyes. "Hey, kit... What's wrong? What's got ya on edge?"

"M-Miss Nadia...? D-Do you really like me...?" Harry asked softly. Nadia blinked, then laughed softly.

"Of course, kitten... Anyone with eyes can see that..." She cooed.

"E-Even if I... I do freaky stuff...? Like make things change colour or heal to fast or teleport or... or..." Harry bit his lip and let out a soft whimper.

Nadia bit her lip and Minette gave him a sad look. "You think you're a freak, kit...?" Nadia asked softly. Harry whimpered and nodded. Nadia frowned. "...Lemme show ya something. This might be a bit shocking, but don't be scared. Just watch this." Then, she removed her head.

Harry blinked, but shockingly didn't scream. He seemed scared, that much was obvious, but he didn't say anything. Minette's eyes widened in shock, she knew her friend could do this... but in front of Harry?! "Nadia! Are you insane!?" She snapped. "You're gonna traumatize him!"

Nadia looked at her friend with a frown. "He's gotta find out at some point, Minette. Better to get it out of the way early on so it doesn't happen accidentally and he thinks I'm dead." She turned her head back to look at Harry with a sad smile. "Besides... He needs to understand that he's not a freak... And what better way to help him understand than by showing him my own little quirk?" She held her decapitated head up to Harry's cheek and planted a kiss on it, followed by doing the same thing to his forehead and other cheek, then put her head back on. "Y'see, kit? You're the only person I know who can make stuff change colour... But I betcha don't know anyone that can take off their head! And how about Minette over there? She can clean a place so fast, ya barely have time to blink!" Gently, she pressed her forehead against Harry's and stared him dead in the eyes. "We all have our own little quirks, buddy. It doesn't make us freaks... It just means we're special."

"But... I..." Harry began, but Nadia put a finger to his mouth giving him a sad smile.

"You're not a freak, kit. Please don't think that." Nadia cooed.

"How did you do that?" Harry asked. "I didn't know you could take your head off..."

"Well, most people can't." Nadia chuckled.

She sighed softly. "It's a story that'll have to wait until you're older, okay, kit? It's... a pretty scary one... I don't wanna give you any bad dreams."

"Oh... Okay..." Harry nodded, accepting his caregiver's reasoning. Nadia smiled and rubbed his head.

"Now whattya say we go and get you wrapped up in a nice blanket and we'll... play a game or somethin'?"

"M'kay." Harry said with a warm, albeit drowsy smile.

"Thanks for the food, Minette!" Nadia called as she left the room. Minette turned around to answer, but her shoulders drooped when she saw the mess her friend had made. Why? Why did she always do this?! And on a more important note, why did she always make her friend food?! It always ended with her having to clean up after her...

Still, maybe Harry had made some of this mess, and she couldn't blame him for that.

Nadia opened up the hallway closet and found a small, fluffy blanket. She grabbed it and gently wrapped Harry up, leaving only his head emerging. She chuckled and gently scratched the top of his head before stepping into the living room and taking a seat on the couch. "Hey, kit... Ever play I Spy?"

"Uh... no." Harry shook his head after a few moments of thought.

"Well, I'll find something in the room, and I want you to guess what it is!" Nadia smiled, explaining the game to the tiny boy.

"Oh. Okay!" Harry said, seeming to understand the simplicity of the game.

"Well..." Nadia began, looking around the room, trying to find something simple.

"Okay... I spy... with my little eye... Something that is... brown!" Harry looked around the room to try and find what she could be referring to.

"Is it... the shelf...?" He asked.

"Nope!" Nadia shook her head.

"Is it the TV...?"

"Wrong again!"

"The...table...?"

"Bingo! You got it!"

"Oh. Yay!" Harry said after a few moment. "Uh... I see... something that is orange."

Nadia blinked then looked around.

"The clock?"

"No..." Harry mumbled in response.

"The blanket?"

"No..."

"Me?"

Harry blinked in confusion and looked up at her. She grinned back at him, showing all her teeth, and patted his head. "Heh... Just kiddin' ya, kit."

"Oh... Um... Well it's not you... You're not orange..." Harry replied.

"Okay... Hmm... Is iiiiit... That orange in the fruit bowl?"

"Yes!" Harry exclaimed happily.

"Heh. Good one!" Nadia smiled down at him. This continued for bout half an hour, until Nadia decided they should try something else. She sat down with Harry in her arms and smiled down at him.

"Do you want to hear a story?" She asked.

"Yes please miss Fortune." Harry said, looking up with wide, hopeful eyes.

She chuckled and thought about what she was going to tell him about. "Hmm... Oh, I got it! How about the time I beat up the Skullgirl?"

Harry's eyes widened. "Skullgirl...? You mean those scary girls that make dead people alive again...?" He asked, having a vague idea of what Skullgirls are from hearing his aunt and uncle talk about them.

"The very same! And boy, she was a tough one! Okay, so it all started one day when I went to visit Minette over at Yu-Wan's diner..." And so she told the whole story, from fighting off the two thugs harassing Minette to her defeat of Marie to her destroying the Skull Heart.

Harry remained quiet the entire time, completely enthralled with the story. Nadia noted that he not only seemed interested with the story itself, but seemed to be essentially learning bits and pieces of the town's history from her story. He was smarter than she expected. When the story finally ended, it took Harry a few moments to realize the story had ended. "Wow... that was a good story." Harry finally said, looking up at Nadia.

"Heh, you know it." She chuckled, messing with his hair. "It was... an experience. And one I'm thankful I don't have to deal with again.

Harry leaned his head against her chest, and she chuckled softly and scratched his head gently, looking up at the ceiling. "But hey,,, The adventures don't end there." Harry looked back up at her, curious, and she grinned from ear to ear. "See, right after I got back from beating down that Skullgirl? I had to save Minette."

"What?! Something happened to Miss Minette?! What was it?!" Harry asked urgently. Nadia smirked.

"She was kidnapped by bad guys."

"Why?!" Harry asked, clearly frightened by the story. Nadia smirked and patted his head.

"Hey, it's okay hon. Some people are just... dumb." Nadia remarked. "And... well, it didn't end too well for them." Nadia continued her story, telling Harry about how she and Minette found themselves in a plot bigger than they had expected, and how they ended up saving tons of innocents along the way.

Harry listened intently to her story with wide eyes. "...So we decided that the circus girl should go free. She was a good person, just with the wrong crowd."

Harry nodded in understanding, still comfortable in Nadia's arms. "And then... well, I left for a few months. I was tired, and I needed to get way from all this for a bit." Nadia continued with a grin. "I took a vacation, enjoyed some rest. But when I got back, well, I found you." She finished, kissing his nose playfully.

Harry cooed softly at receiving the kiss to his nose, and Nadia chuckled. "And finding you? Well... It just completed everything. Made my return home that much sweeter." Harry felt a warm, tingly feeling welling up inside him, feeling like he was genuinely wanted and loved. He snuggled in close. "Thank you Miss Nadia..."

Nadia opened her mouth to reply, when she heard someone clearing their throat. She looked over to see Minette with her hands on her hips, glaring sternly at her. "We need to discuss your cleanliness, Nadia."

"Yeah, yeah... I know, I know..." Nadia rolled her eyes. "Did you have to ruin a good moment though? We were really bonding."

"I don't think yo've cleaned this place. Ever." Minette simply responded, and Nadia knew... she was somewhat right. She had cleaned it, awhile ago. Last... wait. When HAD she last cleaned the place? Whatever. Her friend had ruined a tender moment between her and Harry, and therefore she should hold her accountable to that. That seemed like the reasonable thing to do.

"Um... it is kinda messy." Harry mumbled, making Nadia look down at him. "Do you want me to clean it for you?"

Nadia blinked at that, then shook her head. "Nah, don't worry, kit, it's all good... I'll handle it later on." Minette scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"Later on is right! You wanna know where I've been for the past hour you two were bonding? Cleaning. Top to bottom. This whole darn house, Nadia."

"Uh... Heheheh... Thanks, Minette..." The Dagonian glared sternly and she sighed. "Yeah, I got it... I'll be more mindful from now on..." She conceded.

"Great." Minette said as she left the room. Nadia sighed and looked back down to Harry before smiling and kissing his head.

"Later can be a long time kit. Let's enjoy now." She said happily, tucking the boy into her arm and playfully poking his belly, mentally frowning at how skinny it seemed. Regardless, it got a laugh from Harry.

She chuckled as she began tickling the boy lightly, gaining more and more laughter from him by the second. "Ah... You have a great laugh, kit..." She leaned down and kissed his cheek before cuddling him close. "Better quit while we're ahead, though. Don't want ya to die laughing or anything." Harry gasped and looked at her with wide, fearful eyes. "Hey, just kidding little guy, you're not gonna die laughing." She chuckled softly.

"Oh. Okay." Harry blinked, still unsure, but trusting Nadia nonetheless.

She sighed softly and tightened her hold on Harry, resting her chin atop his head. "Well... I guess, now that everything's clean, there's nothing to worry about..."

Harry looked up at her and tilted his tiny head. "Are you sure there isn't anything I can do to help?" He asked softly. Nadia smiled and nuzzled his head.

"Just keep on being you, kitten... That's the best help you could ever give to anyone..." She cooed. "...Although if you can clean up after yourself, that'd also be appreciated."

"M'kay..." Harry nodded, still leaning into Nadia's embrace. He had no idea how happy this made the cat woman. He was so tiny and sweet, and whenever he tried to be near her, it felt like a baby reaching out for its mother. Nadia chuckled softly and patted his head soothingly.

"Aw..." She said quietly, mostly to herself.

She purred softly into the little boy's ear, hugging him close against her shoulder, resting his tiny head in the crook of her neck. The boy coughed some more. "Tsk... Here, kit..." She popped a cough drop into his mouth, smiling as she heard the subtle sounds of him sucking on it. "There's a good little guy... My good little guy..."

Harry finally let a timid smile form on his face, and Nadia returned it with a large grin of her own. She was gonna work him out of his shell, one way or another. He was somewhat beginning to warm up to her, but she didn't blame him for still being nervous. In no matters helped by his sickness. Still, she was glad she caught it when she did, she didn't want him getting something drastic...

She looked at the boy through the corner of her eyes and smiled when she noticed his eyes drooping tiredly. "Heh... All right, buddy... Go to sleep now..." She whispered. Harry looked at her with a tired smile, then buried his face into her neck, clinging tightly to her like a baby koala. Nadia kissed his cheek gently. He cooed, the sweetest sound she'd ever heard, and then he snored softly, his tiny shoulders rising and falling with each little breath he took.

"...I think I love you," Nadia whispered to herself. "Is this... is this what being a mother is like?"

"Aww, the little guy looks so precious when she sleeps!" Minette cooed, grinning widely at her friend. "You're surprisingly good at this."

Nadia blushed slightly and gave her friend a grin. "Heh... Thanks, Minette..." She said softly. "I dunno what to tell ya... I just... care about him... A lot..."

Minette daintily took a seat on the couch adjacent to her, smiling warmly. "It's very easy to see why... He's so adorable." She cooed. "And he loves you so much..."

Nadia smiled down at the sleeping boy in her arms, noting how calmly he slept as she held him. He did love her, didn't he? "...He did call me mama when he was asleep earlier..."

"Really?" Minette asked in surprise. "Wow... I... huh. Look, I dunno what to say to that, I think you'd be a great mom, but I also think you should take this one step at a time."

"Whaddya mean by that?" Nadia asked, confused.

"There's clearly something wrong." Minette said flatly. "He seems to need to cry... yet can't. I think you need to get him to open up a bit more."

"But if I do that, that may end up hurting him."

"Well... That's why I said you need to get him to open up more. Keep doing what you've been doing... You've been really good with him so far." The Dagonian looked at her friend seriously. "I can tell you love him a lot, Nadia... And he loves you right back. Just look at how cuddly he is."

"I know... He's so cute!" Nadia cooed, gently patting his head. The tiny boy yawned and nuzzled closer to her. "But can I just... become his mom? I really care for him, but I don't know what to do..."

"I think it'll sort itself out." Minette shrugged.

Nadia thought about it, then nodded. "Yeah... I guess you're right... I wouldn't mind too much if he did decide he wanted me to be his mom though..."

Minette cooed softly. "Aww, you're getting attached..." Nadia chuckled and shrugged her shoulders.

"Yeah, well... Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that the feeling's mutual..." She gently nuzzled the little boy's head and felt him bury his face deeper into her neck.

"Heh. Cute little guy..." She said quietly. She gently set him down on the couch, pulling the blanket up and over the tiny boy. She patted his head and let him sleep. "Let's let him take a nap." She smiled. Minette smiled down at the tiny boy who was sleeping peacefully.

Both women watched him sleep soundly, smiling softly. "...He's probably gonna have another bad dream..." Nadia said softly. Minette frowned.

"Wow... How bad are they?" Nadia sighed softly as she gazed upon the tiny sleeping boy, remembering his mental breakdown from earlier.

"He... He had a nasty fever dream that turned into a hallucination..." She said softly. "Someone was beating him up... He... He didn't even realize I was there, even though I was holding him... That's how bad it was..."

"Poor little thing..." Minette sighed. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Sadly... I don't know." Nadia frowned. "As of right now, I think we need to wait until he wakes up, then I might ask him a few more questions." She gently placed a hand on the sleeping boy, as a sort of comforting gesture.

He subconsciously leaned into her touch and smiled, reminding Nadia very much of a sleeping kitten. She smiled tenderly and took a deep breath. "Man, it has been a crazy couple of months..." She said softly. "Ever since those two thugs showed up at the restaurant, everything's just been buckwild."

"Well...That is the life of a thief, after all." Minette said with a sad smile. Nadia looked down. She missed the gang so much...

"Heh. I think they'd find it kinda funny you've become a sort of mother." Minette smirked.

"I...I'm a good mother figure... Right...?" Nadia asked softly.

"Yes, you really are." Minette said completely honestly. Nadia rubbed her arm and looked down at the sleeping boy in her arms, biting her lip.

"Are... Are you sure, Minette...? Rough and tumble types like me... I dunno if they're particularly 'mom' material... I mean... I'd like to be, but... D'you think I can pull it off...?" Minette shrugged.

"I mean look at you... You took him in when he needed someone most...You made sure he was fed, warm and cleaned... You spend time with him, you play with him, you tell him stories, you comfort him when he's scared or upset, you cuddle with him... I think you're a wonderful mother, Nadia."

As if to answer her question, Harry seemed to hum slightly in his sleep before settling back down and yawning cutely. "I think he agrees." Minette said. "He may not be ready to say it out loud, but I think he wants you to be his mother as much as you want to be his."Nadia went silent again. Being a mother... this was a new thought for her. Sure, she had taken care of her friends, and maybe that was 'motherly', but this was adopting a child. Was she really ready? But then again, what was stopping her?

She sighed softly and hugged Harry tightly, stroking the little boy's back and gazing tenderly down at him. "Yeah... I can do it... Second guessing myself won't get me anywhere." The cat girl looked at Minette. "Minette... You're his godmother. And because of that... If anything happens... If the Medicis finally get me... Please take care of him for me..."

"Of course." Minette smiled, but there was an undeniable sadness in her eyes when she said so. She smiled and patted the tiny boy's head, earning a small coo in response. She chuckled slightly and smiled up at Nadia. "Honestly, I wouldn't be too worried about the Medici's, it honestly seems like they've lost a lot of their grip on the town ever since Big Bubba rose up I heard rumours that he almost ate Black Dahlia."

"Even so, that doesn't mean they're done for." Nadia frowned.

Nadia narrowed her eyes into slits and held Harry's tiny hand and squeezed it gently. "If they put one hand on him... I will KILL them... Slowly... PAINFULLY..." Minette was taken aback very slightly, having never seen her friend talk so darkly before. She understood, though... If they harmed little Harry... Well, anything they got, they'd deserve.

Nada looked down at the tiny boy, who seemed to be squirming on the couch. There was somethingly clearly wrong... It took her a moment, then she realized he was probably having a nightmare. "Aw... poor thing..." She cooed sitting down again and gently shaking him to wake him up.

He snapped awake with a sharp gasp, looked around wildly, then squeezed his eyes shut and flinched intensely. Nadia tightened her hold on him and purred softly. "It's okay, hun... Whatever you're seeing isn't real... It's just a dumb old hallucination, it can't hurt you... Just take it easy now..." She whispered softly into his ear.

Harry seemed to relax slightly upon hearing her voice, and he slowly looked up to see her smiling face. "I...I had another bad dream..." He whimpered.

"Aww... Hey, it's okay." Nadia cooed gently, holding him close. "Why don't you tell me about it?" Harry looked away, it was clear he didn't want to, that or maybe he was afraid of telling her what happened. Nadia didn't like either option, and kissed his head. "It's okay, you can tell me. I won't be upset." She cooed softly.

He sniffled slightly, then took a deep breath. "It... It was my unc- The walrus man again." Nadia blinked and her ears drooped as she processed what he just said.

"The one that beat you up in your last dream...?" She said softly. Harry hesitated before nodding his tiny head. "...And you were about to say...your uncle?"

"...Yes." Harry nodded sadly, not wanting to look up at Nadia. In response, Nadia simply kissed his head.

"It's alright, you don't need to be scared." She cooed gently, rubbing his head. "I'm here, you're safe now."

"It just... it just felt so real..." Harry mumbled, still not wanting to look up at Nadia. It was honestly heartbreaking to the cat woman.

"Hey... It's okay, kitten..." She whispered softly, resting her chin atop his head. "It's okay, he can't hurt you... He tries, I break his jaw and claw out his eyes..."

"Y-You promise to keep me safe...?" Harry asked softly, finally looking up at her. Nadia smiled confidently, then gave him a very light, playful noogie.

"You know it, kiddo. Just consider me your guard cat." She joked.

"Thank you..." Harry mumbled, leaning into Nadia's hold.

"Heh, don't worry about it hon. I'll keep you safe." Nadia cooed softly, rubbing his back in a soothing gesture. Harry smiled and let himself be kept warm and safe by Miss Nadia, he loved her, what did he do to deserve this though? He was a freak, but she seemed to think he was...

Seeming to sense his thoughts, Nadia nuzzled him gently. "You're such a good boy..." She whispered softly. "Probably never even hurt a fly..." Harry felt reassured by these words. Miss Nadia thought he was a good boy... Now, he decided it was his duty to prove her right and be the best boy he could be. Minette observed the scene before her with a warm smile, wondering how Nadia could ever doubt herself. These two were so adorable together... Truly a mother-son relationship.

Harry snuggled into her embrace, and Nadia smiled. Maybe Minette was right, maybe she was the right person to be Harry's mother. When she looked down at the small boy, she saw someone so desperately in need of love and affection, of someone to call a mother... and who else did she know that could do it? Minette probably could, and some of the old gang might be able to... But she had found him, she had saved him, there was something special between the two, something she couldn't explain. And yet she didn't need an explanation.

She nuzzled him gently and kissed his forehead, eliciting a coo from the child. The feral giggled softly and looked at Minette, who was smiling warmly. "See? Didn't I tell you? Not hard at all, right?" The dagonian chirped happily. Nadia chuckled and nodded her head in response, gazing down at the boy.

"Yeah... It's all sorta coming to me naturally..." Nadia admitted softly.

Harry smiled up at Nadia as she gently patted his head. The little boy was so comfy, and huggable. She enjoyed when she got to hold him like this. The two were just comfy together. "Harry, I know it may seem scary, but do you want to talk about your nightmares?" Nadia asked gently, and Harry bit his lip.

"I... I already told you about my bad dreams though..." Harry said softly. Nadia smiled and shook her head.

"I mean... in general. Since you were living out on the streets, I bet you've probably been having bad dreams for quite a while now... haven't you?"

Harry whimpered and snuggled in closer to her. "They're so scary... I hate the bad dreams... I wish they'd stay away..."

"Well... do you know what causes them? Is there a recurring nightmare you have?" Nadia prodded, trying to (gently) get Harry to open up about his past. She knew what was causing his nightmares, it was no mistake. But she knew sooner or later he'd have to get it off his chest, but she wanted him to know she would be more than willing to listen.

"Um... I... I have... a few..." He admitted softly. Nadia nodded and gestured for him to continue. "Th-There's one where my mommy dies... There's a green light, and she screams and then she's...gone..."

Nadia clicked her tongue. "That's an ugly dream to have, huh, kit?" She said softly. "What else?"

"Um... The rest are about the... The walrus man..."

"Your uncle?" Nadia asked, rather bluntly. From Harry's reaction, it was clear she probably shouldn't have.

"Um...y..yeah..." Harry whimpered, suddenly seemed frightened again.

"Hey, it's alright, it's alright." Nadia said soothingly.

He buried his face into her once more and she bit her lip sadly, tightening her hold on him. She knew... She just knew that this boy's uncle had hurt him... "Okay, sweetie... Wanna tell me what he does to you in these dreams...?" She whispered softly. Harry began to tremble violently in her arms.

"He... He... He beats me up... A lot... And it feels real... Like it's really happening in real life... And it hurts... It really, really hurts..." He whimpered.

Nadia didn't reply right away, instead deciding to hold him closer, gently cooing to try and calm him down. She felt bad, she knew this was coming, and she wasn't looking forward to it. "That's horrible, Kit." She said softly.

He said nothing, he just curled in on himself as tightly as he could and buried his face into her chest. Nadia purred softly and stroked his back. "I know he hurt you." She whispered softly into his ear. He tensed up slightly. "Shhhhhh... Shh shh shh shh shh... You don't have to talk about it now... That can wait for another day... You were very brave telling me about your bad dreams... I'm proud of you, kitten."

"Thank you Miss Fortune" Harry said quietly, nuzzling back into Nadia's embrace once again.

"Poor little thing..." Minette sighed sadly, looking at the tiny boy with teary eyes.

"Yeah... This kid's had it bad... But that's the past. The future? Well, the future's gonna be full of better things for the little guy..." Nadia said softly, looking down at Harry. "Y'hear that, kit...? It's okay now. Ya got a roof over your head... Clothes on your back... Food in your little belly... And someone to take care of you." Nadia said softly. She pressed her forehead against his. "And if ol' uncle walrus tries anything on you again? I'll send him flying with a broken jaw. That's a promise."

"Thank you Miss Nadia." Harry said softly, hugging the cat woman's neck. Nadia grinned and hugged him back, gently nuzzling his cheek as she grinned at the tiny boy in her arms. Internally, she was furious. How could someone hurt a child so small and precious?! What was wrong with someone so that they hated, let alone hurt, such a little child?!

Well... She supposed it didn't matter... He was with her now. She loved him. She knew this for a fact. Mother or not, all she knew was that she cared deeply for this boy. She grabbed the TV remote. "All right, gang, let's see what's on TV." She said as she began flipping through channels, eventually settling on a kiddy show.

Nadia wasn't paying too much attention to the show, she was more focused on Harry. He seemed happy, he seemed more relaxed, but she wasn't sure how long that would last. But until then, she was gonna take care of him.

She smiled and rested her chin atop his head, purring gently and softly, just to let him know that she was here... That as long as she was there... He would be okay.