In the blink of an eye, it all went silent. Sly sat up and turned to see Bentley and Murray, with slight disbelief on their faces. Then, the van erupted in joy and exultation. During the trip back home, the gang rejoiced in the raccoon's return. Sly told stories about his time with Safir and Kirah, and his friends remembered the long night they spent looking for the smallest hint that led them to him.

Soon, they jumped out of the time tunnel and arrived at the Cooper Gang's safe house. Right then, some sort of irrational fear started to take over Sly's heart. The raccoon swallowed hard and felt his pulse rising as he thought of the possibility of his rescue being another one of the insufferable nightmares he's had over the past years.

"Sly, are you alright?" Carmelita noticed his lost stare and rested her hand on Sly's.

"Uh? Y-yeah… It's just that… it feels weird being back." He looked out of the van's window to see the garage.

"It'll probably take you a few days or a week to adapt… But, don't worry, you have very good friends that are going to help you. And you have me as well." She was now holding his hand.

Sly looked back at Carmelita and mimicked her cozy smile. That fear that ambushed his heart was suddenly gone. The two got out of the van and went up the stairs to join Bentley and Murray in the living room. The raccoon showed himself slightly hesitant, but once he walked around the room, a smile of realization formed on his face. He was finally home.

As he looked around the safehouse, a load of memories came back to him. Then, he noticed the Thievius Raccoonus on the living room table and felt a chill on the back of his neck. He grabbed the book and went to his old room, making Bentley, Murray, and Carmelita somewhat worried.

After a few minutes, Sly peeked through the door. "Carmelita, could you come here for a moment?"

"Yeah, of course." She nodded and walked into the bedroom. "Is something wrong?"

"No, it's just… That thing you said about my father," He sat on the edge of the bed. "Why didn't he ever talk to me?"

Carmelita sat beside him. "He told me he wanted to talk to you after what happened at Kaine Island, but since you decided to fake amnesia and stole away with a certain fox, he wasn't able to reach you." She rested her hand on his leg. "But, you're back now! I'm sure he's eager to finally talk to his son again."

Sly's lips drew a warm smile, and he gently hugged Carmelita. "Thank you." whispered the raccoon.

The vixen returned the hug and caressed the back of his head. "Now, get some rest. You must be exhausted."

"Oh…" There was a slight disappointment in Sly's voice.

"What?"

"I just thought that... you know, since most of my clothes are probably still there, maybe tonight I could crash at your place." The raccoon flashed his charming smile, which the fox mimicked.

"Well…" Her hand moved down to his chest. "It is true we have to make up for lost time..." She planted a sweet kiss on his snout. "I'll be waiting in the car." whispered the vixen before getting up and leaving the room.

Sly put the Thievius Raccoonus back in its place and said goodbye to Bentley and Murray before he left the safe house. Just as she said, Carmelita was waiting for him in her convertible.

"Do you wanna grab something to eat on the way to my apartment?" suggested the fox after the thief got in the car.

"Yes! Please!..." said the raccoon, slightly overexcited. "I mean… I have nothing against Kirah and Safir's cooking, but I could really go for some burgers right now… and some fries… and maybe some onion rings too." Sly spent the past year eating bread, plain rice, vegetables, and, occasionally, some chicken or fish they managed to steal from Khafet's temple.

Carmelita chuckled. "Alright, burgers it is."

Even though it was late at night, the burger joint they went to wasn't closed yet. The vixen took some money she had in her glove box in case of emergencies and ordered their meal at the drive-thru. After getting the food, Carmelita pulled up at the almost empty parking lot, and the two peacefully enjoyed their dinner.

After she finished, the fox put all her trash in one of the paper bags and turned to the raccoon, who was just savoring the last bites of his cheeseburger. She stared at him for a few seconds until he noticed her.

"Do I have sauce on my face?" he innocently asked.

Carmelita let out a wholehearted smile. Then, she moved closer to Sly and rested her head on his shoulder. "God, how I missed you."

The raccoon applied a soft kiss on her forehead, put his arm around her waist, and snuggled up next to the vixen. "There hasn't been a day I haven't thought of you," said Sly before planting another face on his face.

After that sentimental moment, Carmelita threw their trash in the nearest trash can before they set off for her apartment. When they got there, the same thing happened to the thief as in the safe house. Several memories of the year he spent with Carmelita swamped his head. Although, this time, all of his bad feelings went away with just a look at the fox sitting next to him.

Sly groaned as they walked into the building's elevator. "Hmmm… I can't wait to take a shower." He rested his back against the wall.

"A shower?"

"Yeah… The Nile might be the longest river, but I can assure you it's definitely not the cleanest."

The elevator doors opened, and they walked out.

As the vixen used her keys to open the door, her lips drew a cunning smile. "Actually, I was thinking… Why don't we take a bath?"

"Huh?" Carmelita's proposal caught his attention and tensed his ears.

"You know... A nice and warm bath. That way, I could help you with those hard-to-reach parts." A wink from the fox sealed her suggestion.

"Well, there's no way I can say no to that." He wrapped his arms around her.

"Then, you go fill the bathtub, and I'll go get you something from this century, alright?" Carmelita seductively played with the fur on his chin.

Sly immediately complied and walked into the bathroom. Meanwhile, the vixen went to her bedroom. Since pants and shirts weren't gonna last very long on, she just got one of her lingerie sets and a pair of black boxers for the raccoon.

*knock*

*knock*

*knock*

"Are you still dressed?" asked Carmelita from the other side of the bathroom door.

"Yeah…" The vixen walked in after his answer. "Although there's nothing you haven't seen before." He flashed a charming smile.

"I know… But I didn't want to miss the fun part of the bath." Carmelita hugged the thief from behind and started undoing his leather belt, which, together with his pants, fell to the floor and revealed his lack of underwear. "Hmm…" The vixen let out a lustful smile. Then, she smoothly got rid of his shirt, leaving him au naturel.

The raccoon's body began to show its arousal to the touch of the fox's hands and her kisses on his neck. Her teasing made him squirm and pant, which pleased Carmelita. Sly began to slowly run his hand up Carmelita's thigh, which eventually caused the tables to turn.

The vixen let him turn around and feasted her eyes as the thief took off her shorts and top. He delivered a sweet kiss and, in a swift move, unhooked her bra.

"Haven't lost your touch, huh?" asked the vixen as she rested her hands on the raccoon's chest.

Sly kept applying delicate kisses all over Carmelita's face while his hands unhurriedly reached her lower back.

"The water!" The vixen interrupted their moment so the bathtub wouldn't overflow. After closing the tap, she turned to the thief and flashed a seductive smile. "After you, Ringtail."

Sly mimicked her smile and slowly stepped into the bath. He felt a great sense of relief and relaxation on his back as he lay down and rested the back of his head on the edge of the tub. After taking off her remaining piece of clothing, Carmelita joined him.

"Now, just relax and let me do all the work, okay?" said the fox in a soft voice before grabbing the sponge and some shampoo.

Carmelita then proceeded to gently clean his gray fur. She began with his arms, then his chest, his head, and his back. She put special attention to his tail, which she lathered right before his legs. Once all the foam that had formed made it impossible for Sly to see the vixen's hands, she began working on his most sensitive area. Carmelita made sure to be exceptionally careful and delicate to not hurt the raccoon. After cleaning every inch of his body, the fox dropped the sponge and kissed the thief's slightly wet neck as she stimulated him. Sly couldn't help but let out a few repressed moans, which let the fox know she was doing a good job. When he was close, the raccoon stopped Carmelita. It was his turn to return the favor.

He let her get comfortable before getting some more shampoo. Instead of the sponge, Sly used his hands. The vixen took a deep breath and enjoyed the pleasant scent of lavender and the gentle touch of his Ringtail's hands. Like her, he first made sure to thoroughly clean her orange and cream fur to erase the damage done by the sand and dryness of the desert. Then, he worked his real magic.

The raccoon placed one of his hands on the vixen's inner thigh and slowly moved it up her leg. Carmelita whimpered as she felt the thief's fingers rubbing against her sex. Sly smiled and leaned in to nuzzle her neck. Meanwhile, his free hand climbed up to her breasts. It had been a year, but the raccoon hadn't forgotten how to make the fox's heart race by using his hands.

Carmelita bit her lower lip and arched her back after Sly slipped a finger inside her. The raccoon increased his intensity, which caused the vixen to hold his face and kiss him. After their lips parted, the thief kept going, which made it harder for Carmelita to catch her breath.

"I… I think we should get out now…" suggested the fox.

Sly smirked and gently relocated his hands on her hips before planting a soft kiss on her lips. "Let me get you a towel..." he said before standing up, cheering Carmelita's eyes.

The raccoon wrapped a towel around his waist and offered another to the vixen as she was getting out of the bathtub. He helped her dry as she ran her hands all over his grey fur. Once she was done, Carmelita put on her black set of lingerie.

"I don't really see the point of you putting that on. I'm just gonna-"

"Take it off once we get to the bedroom? That's the fun part." Carmelita winked at the thief and tossed him the pair of boxers he had brought him.

Sly saw how the fox's tail disappeared as she walked out of the bathroom. Then, he put the boxers on and finished drying off. Since the vixen had closed the bedroom, Sly had to turn the knob and opening to find her in heaven suggestive pose that reminded him how lucky of a raccoon he was.

"Oh, Ringtail… You have no idea how many times I've dreamt of this moment." As the thief walked toward her, Carmelita noticed the effects of her seduction on Sly. He wasn't able to take his eyes off her, and his tail couldn't stop wagging around. There were also more obvious signs of the thief's arousal, but the fox would take care of that in a moment. "Endless nights of loneliness in this empty bed, hoping one day I would be able to see you again, hear your voice, feel your touch." As Sly got closer, the fox got on her knees and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I want you to know that you're the most important thing in my life and that I love you." said the vixen right before their lips melted in a passionate kiss.

"I love you too, Carmelita… I love you so much." Sly leaned in for another kiss. "And I'll be eternally grateful for having you by my side." He enfolded her in his arms.

As the raccoon held her tight, Carmelita began to plant a few ticklish kisses on his neck's gray fur while her hands ran down to his chest. Realizing her intentions, Sly broke the hug and let the vixen get more comfortable. She slowly moved down and gently stroked his lower stomach with her snout as she played with the elastic waistband of his boxers. The vixen teased and felt his erection through his underwear before finally pulling them down, revealing his hardness.

Carmelita smirked and bit her lower lip before looking up at the thief, who answered with a flustered smile. She gently grasped his cock and felt it throb in her hands before taking it in her mouth. Sly huffed as he felt the fox's tongue drawing circles around the most sensitive part of his shaft. She held on to his hips before sliding his dick deeper inside her mouth, which made Sly start to moan and tremble. As she pleased him with her mouth, Carmelita gently began to play with the raccoon's balls, to which Sly replied by gently running his fingers through her hair.

"Ohhh… Carmelita…" The thief stopped repressing his moans.

A few seconds later, the vixen pulled away, leaving a trail of saliva between her lips and his erection. She looked up to the raccoon once again and planted a wet kiss on his head.

"Sit here..." said the fox.

Sly immediately complied and sat next to her on the bed. Carmelita quickly got rid of his boxers and kissed him before she started to jerk him off. The thief could only close his eyes and enjoy the vixen's hands and tongue. He ran his hands all over her curves, but when he tried to go further than her lower back, the fox gently pushed him and pinned him down.

"Not so fast, Cooper… I'm still not done with you." Her words made his heart skip a beat.

"God, you're so hot…" said Sly under his breath as he panted.

The thief lay on the bed, and the fox went back to please him with her mouth. He squirmed and moaned at the feel of her lips going up and down his length. At this rate, he wasn't going to last much longer.

"Carmelita, w-wait… I don't wanna… Not yet…" He panted.

The vixen sat up and lay down next to him. "Then let's see what you've got, Ringtail." She lovingly stroked his chin.

As he caught his breath, Sly pulled her close and cuddled her. The fox thought it was a tender gesture and returned the hug but then felt how the thief swiftly unhooked her bra with one hand. Carmelita smiled before letting him place his body on top of her.

The raccoon planted kisses all over the vixen's face before moving his lips down to her chest. There, he cherished her breasts. He felt and kissed them, agitating the fox's breath. Sly formed a trail of kisses that covered most of the cream-colored fur on her stomach and ended on her black panties, which the thief took off with his teeth.

Carmelita began to lose composure as she felt the raccoon's kisses climbing up her thighs. He held her legs down to admire her wetness and bask in her scent. The feeling of anticipation was killing the vixen. That, added to the feeling of his breathing on her sex made her body beg for Sly even more. They both made eye contact as the thief began to use his tongue, which sent shivers down the fox's spine.

It didn't take long for the bedroom to fill up with her moans and begs for Sly to not stop. He was really working her sex: licking, sucking, and even teasing it. The raccoon, who loved her taste on his tongue, soon began to fuck the vixen with his tongue.

"Ahhh…" All Carmelita could do was moan and grip the sheets as she reached climax.

When she was close, the vixen pushed her hips into the thief's mouth, which made him go even deeper. Carmelita gasped and felt how her body clenched as she was filled with a breathtaking orgasm.

Sly smiled, satisfied, as he climbed up the fox's body to lay beside her and cuddle. "You're gorgeous." He applied soft kisses on her cheek while she caught her breath.

Once her breathing was back to normal, Carmelita returned his kisses and wrapped her legs around his body. The raccoon placed his hips on top of hers, pressing her sexes. The fox let out a little whimper, which worried the thief.

"Are you alright?" He immediately backed up.

"Y-yeah, still a little sensitive… Don't worry, just go slow."

The raccoon smiled and planted a kiss on her forehead before accommodating his hips again. He slowly rubbed his erection against her heat, making her moan and shiver. After a while, Carmelita let the thief know she was ready to take him. So he placed each of his hands at her sides and slowly pushed in. The vixen repressed her moans as she adjusted to the thief's size and surrounded his neck with her arms. They both shared a tender kiss before Sly began to move inside the fox. Her back arched as his thrusts got deeper and deeper.

"Ahh… Sly…" Carmelita held on to the raccoon's body as she felt his agitated breathing on her neck.

The vixen pushed her hips against the thief's, sinking all of his cock inside her. Sly moaned before he started to fuck her faster but still gently, making her dissolve into pleasure. Soon, the raccoon's hips began to stutter as he got closer to climax.

"Carmelita…" He passionately kissed the fox and dealt one last powerful thrust before flooding her with his seed.

A wave of pleasure filled their bodies as the vixen's walls fluttered around the thief's pulsating cock. Out of breath, Sly pulled out before he lay on top of Carmelita and snuggled her. The fox returned the hug. She kissed his forehead and caressed the back of his head.

"I think you should have some sleep now." The fox chuckled.

"Oh, no… We're not done." Sly yawned. "Just give me a few minutes." He got comfortable in Carmelita's arms and ended up falling asleep. The fatigue and feeling of a real bed after all that time ended up depriving the thief of a second round.

The vixen could avoid letting out a warm smile before plating one more kiss on the raccoon's snout. "Welcome back, Ringtail..." she whispered softly before closing her eyes and falling asleep.

The couple peacefully enjoyed their sleep while feeling the beating of each other's hearts and the scent of love in their fur. The next morning, the two woke up together, which led to them staying in bed for a little longer and rejoicing in their tender love. Finally, their lives could go back to what they were before, back to normal.