Beyond the Gate

by Xeir Zith

The last thing Tanith remembered was Cameron cracking a very bad joke and Daniel cracking up in laughter. The next thing she knows is that she has a splitting headache and is in the dark, literally. As she unravels where she is, she finds out things she would rather not know. The SGC and Atlantis learn more of who the Furlings really are, and where they were hiding all that time

21. Tanith 7

Beyond the Gate

Chapter 21 Home Again

Earth, Sol System

Longbeach California

Six am

Exactly ten hours later I woke up as I felt the train start to slow down as it came to the Long Beach station, the last one on the line before they swapped out the engine on to the rear end of the train to return eastwards. General Landry had gotten us round trip tickets, which meant the return trip was that evening, I had twelve hours with my dad before returning. I had no idea how my dad was going to react to three catwomen on his front porch, but somehow I knew I didnt have to worry.

I rolled from the bed to my feet and began checking myself over. I still had my dress, my weapons and gear. The Ori staff was within reach as was my sword harness which held all seven of my swords. As I inspected them I heard a soft murr of Saca rolling off her bed onto the floor where she woke up as she hit the floor of the train.

Dila slowly woke up. "Where am I ?" She asked softly as she sat up. Her mane was a mess and she needed a hairbrush. But otherwise her clothing was spotless thanks to Saca ensuring that Dila was modest at all times.

"For one thing, you're safe. For another, you're still on Earth, I'm really sorry about those IOA agents, it turns out they were fakes, they wanted to catnap all three of us for some reason or another, and I am pretty sure I know why." I said to her. I smiled then. "Thankfully I had my asgard shield which gave me the edge needed to defend myself and prevent the kidnapping"

Dila looked around as Saca got off the floor and stretched. "Where are we ?" She then asked, she looked very weak from the sleeper dart. And she sounded as if still sleepy.

"General Landry allowed us to leave the SGC, you two are in my care, and after my performance, or so it was said, at the SGC in the briefing room, General Landry said we can go anywhere and do whatever with full IOA approval." I said, saying nothing of the attempts to entrap me and tie me up during the fight. I'd let Saca tell Dila everything.

She looked at me. "So where are we then ? " She raised her arms as if just seeing them for the first time. "What happened to me ?" I had just said what happened, so I said again, this time in simplier terms.

"You were knocked out, Fortunately Saca kept you out of harms way while I took on the attackers. General Landry has them in isolation so I can corner them later tonight or tomorrow morning." I said to her, I smiled "As to where we are right now, we're about to meet my dad. My human father for that matter." I said as I spotted the humvee with an Air Force driver waiting "General Landry even made sure we have a ride" I said as I pointed out the window of the traincar.

Dila got to her feet and stumbled briefly as the feeling and strength came back. I was upset, I hadnt the thought to get Dila or Saca an asgard shield. Not that they needed them. I caught Dila before she could faceplant on the floor. "Whoa, easy" I said as Dila regained her balance. She leaned on me and then on Saca before gaining her feet and getting her bearings.

She thanked me and the three of us soon left the compartment and headed for the Humvee with all our gear. As we neared the truck, the driver spotted us, he knew what to look for. "I'm your driver for today Col, General Landry sends his morning greetings and expects you back at the SGC by morning tomorrow. But in the mean time, I have the address of where we are to go." He said as he lead us the rest of the way to the humvee.

He helped us climb in and once we were settled, Saca ended up falling asleep again in the middle of the backseat as Dila and I traded smiles. Trust Saca to knock out when anything moved with her in it. How she could pilot a fighter in space I never knew.

A good twenty minutes later and I realised the distance between my dads condo and the train station, we'd have to leave twenty minutes to a half hour sooner than planned to get back on the train on time. The Airman pulled the Humvee into a parking lot and parked. He stepped out and let us out of the truck. "From what I was told, your father is expecting you, he's on the tenth floor. From what I understand, your father also has a visitor. But I was not told of who."

I thanked him, "Wait for us here, if you get bored or hungry, you are more than welcome to come on up." I said He nodded. I turned to Dila and Saca. "My dad more then likely has been told of me disappearing from the base at Iota. I'll break it to him gently about what happened to me, and then introduce you two to him. You'll like him. He's sweet." Though the mention of visitor had me confused. I was later told it was an old friend.

I stepped past a Dodge charger and headed for the elevator. I hit the floor call button to bring to elevator to us. "This place feels familar" Dila said as we waited for the elevator.

"How so ?" I asked her as Saca remained quiet and observant. The sunrise was making the sky brighter as we had driven from the train station to my fathers condo. I missed him. I couldnt wait to hug him.

The elevator doors opened and Dila said "It reminds me of where I grew up on Flamelight Spire. A very similar building." She explained as we stepped into the elevator car, I hit the button for the tenth floor.

Less than a minute later and the door slid open, my dads condo was three doors down and it faced the beach with a gorgeous ocean view. "Follow me" I said simply, the two of them nodded and we headed to my dads door. "Remebmer, I'll introduce you, but I have to break it to Dad gently first." I was worried he had forgotten me, or would be terrified of what I had become.

Instead I barely knocked on the door and it opened, for a good minute dad and I stared at each other. "Hi Dad" I said at last. He smiled warmly.

He reached for me, taking my face in his hands, looking me over. He sighed, "I knew you werent dead!" He said happily as I started laughing, we hugged tight and he waved us all inside. "Come in, all of you, come in come in."

Dad was apparently up all night, the news was on showing a weather report of events in Ohio and also Rio. And recently someplace else. Another bunch of folks were transported in one fell swoop We sat on the sofa and a pair of easy chairs. "I was starting to wonder how you were doing when your letters stopped a month ago. A week later, an Air Force officer says you disappeared during a mission. But he also said that you were alive somewhere, so I held out hope." he said, he looked me over. He smiled, "I am glad that I did so."

I blushed at his careful once over of me. "Uh yeah, I... you know how I always had a cat growing up ?" I asked him

"I always remember my daughter, caring for and loving the cat population in Long beach. I wouldnt be the least bit surprised if you were a cat, in a human suit." Dad said to me, a smile on his face "I spoke with the President during the night, it was about midnight here when he called me. After that I was talking with three other groups too, including your boss in the air force. A nice guy, General Landry, he sounds familiar, but I cant quite place him." Dad said he got up and got some drinks for us, mostly fresh ice cold water, as the heat was already rising.

Once Dad had sat down he asked "Why did General Landry of the United States Air Force, and the President of America, call me to tell me that my daughter was coming home and not to panic ?" Trust my dad to continue to love me even as a catwoman. "Was it because of your appearance ? You dont look that much different than when you met Tharon"

"Well" I started to explain, he waved me off, but I did manage at least. "Its complicated, but its also one hell of an adventure so far"

Dan smiled at me and nodded. He raised his glass in a toast. "Welcome home sweetheart." It was then that there came a brief knock at the door and Nathan, my dads secretary and butler stepped into the condo. Ever since dad had won that settlemen in Florida he'd hired himself a butler and secretary, Nathan wanted a job that allowed him to simply drive for my dad, and do errands. But the one thing my dad always handled was the money. "Oh, good morning Nathan" He said upon seeing the butler arrive.

I barely remembered Nathan. He was there when dad was last in the hospital right ? Fortunately my street racing winnings helped with those bills, the lowest point in my life. "Good morning Sir, I see you have guests, I was informed you also had a guest staying the night." It was about seven in the morning.

Dad noded. "Yes, thats right, Robert is asleep in the other room, do be a bit quiet" Robert sounded familiar

"Robert ?" I asked, Dila and Saca remained quiet, Dila herself was facinated by the television, Just my luck that she see Earth news at its finest, it wasnt always the greatest thing. "Why does that name sound familiar ?"

Dad nodded, "Yes, Reverend Robert Sheen, he was visiting Long Beach this week and needed a place to stay, he'll be celebrating at the church tomorrow night and on sunday. Shame you wont be able to make it. He makes a great homily." Dad explained to me.

My eyes went wide as dinner plates as I remembered Robert Sheen, "The priest from the hospital!" I said as I remembered clearly when I first met Tharon, if Dad hadnt told me to go have fun at that time I would haven ever also met the priest who saved his life in the hospital! I looked at dad. "How long has he been here ?" I asked him, had I known I'd try to say hello before we were to head back to Litteton Colorado.

"Been here since tuesday, fortunately he is a good poker player too." Dad liked to play a weekly poker game, so when the casino reopened after the brief city shut down due to a water main break, Dad had invited Reverend Sheen to a poker game. And that was the night before. "Now Bob's been sleeping off the beer. Never seen a guy drink that much and stay on his feet so well."

I had to smile. Then I remembered Dila and Saca. "Oh, Dad, before we go any further, Nathan, pleasure to meet you... again I guess ?"

"Likewise ma'am, I am glad to see that you are still among the living, albiet fuzzier than normal, you want I should find you some conditioning shampoo ?" Nathan said to me, trust him to think ahead.

"That reminds me I need to talk to General Landry before I go back to work. Might have to take a truckload home." I said, then again with Dila there I shook my head. "But never mind that, Dad. This is Dila, and her bodyguard, Saca, Dila, Saca, this is my father. Memphis Raines" I said doing the introductions.

Dila smiled and nodded at my dad in greeting, "A pleasure to meet you. I do hope we are not intruding" Dila started to say as Saca stood from the easy chair she sat in and went to the window, looking out at the beach and water.

"That is quite the view" She said simply. It reminded her of where she grew up on the planet that Flamelight Spire orbited. "Reminds me of home."

Dad smiled, turning to me after shaking hands with Dila. "Any friend of my daughter is a friend of mine, and dont worry, you are not intruding at all. After what General Landry told me, Tanith, you hold yourself well in a fight." He turned briefly to Dila, "If you ask me, you and Saca are safest with my daughter." After all, I was a US Marine, and I trained both in Boot, Officers Training School and then lived on and trained at Iota.

It was a good hour of chatting over random things, Dila asking me and dad many questions, mostly about the area, and the condo. Dad mostly answered those questions. And then there was a question none of us could answer that dad asked. But he gave some more context too.

"About a week ago there was a lightning storm, strangest thing, barely a cloud in the sky too." He said, He set his cup on the coffee table. "Then out of nowhere, bam, lighting strikes on the beach all morning. It seemed to be concentrated around a certain house down the coast. Police wont let anyone near it." He said, he brought up on tjer TV the news report he had DVRed and let me see it entirely.

The smell of eggs and fresh bacon were soon to be had as Nathan started making breakfast. As Nathan cooked, Reverend Sheen stepped from the spare bedroom. "Ah, Good morning Nathan" He said seeing the secretary my dad employed.

"Mornin' Reverend, same coffee this morning ?" Nathan said to him in greeting.

"Yes thank you, good morning Randall." Robert said to my dad. He took a seat in one of the easy chairs. Then took notice of me and Dila, Saca conmtinued to stare out the window wall. "You nefer said anything about further guests, Randall." Robert said to him, slight concern on his face.

Dad laughed and waved a hand at Robert, as if telling him to not worry. "Bob, this is my daughter" dad gestured to me, "Tanith. The girl you met outside my hospital room all those years ago, And this is a friend of hers, Dila, and the lovely lady by the window is Saca."

"I remember a young lady, pale skinned, looking on the vertge of self destruction, not the furred beauty seated before me" Robert Sheen was a smooth talker. I had to smile as Dila blushed. Saca just waved in greeting from watching the beach.

I turned to dad after greeting Sheen. "Dad, do you remebmer what house it was that was hit ?"

He nodded. "Sure, the police wont let anyone near it. But I know a way to get close to it, I doubt the police would stop you from getting close ot it." He took his coffee from Nathan as the man had just brewed a pot. "Oh thank you," Dad said as Nathan also delivered a cup of coffee to Sheen. Dad took a sip. "Ah perfect, Nathan, well done." Dad then set his mug on the coffee table. "Its the only house marked off with crime scene tape. And also fire hazard tape. You cant miss it." Dad explained about the house down the beach, my house was up the beach.

Dad went on further to explain as Nathan brought out the eggs, bacon and a few slices of bread, he'd made extra for all of us to enjoy the food. We ate at the dinner table. I sat next to dad, and Dila sat between Saca and I. Robert sat next to my dad on his other side, and finally Nathan sat next to him, leaving a space, like always, for Mom.

But mom had died six years after dad and her diviorced. Dad said it was due to heart failure. Mom just keeled over in the bar where she worked as a bartender, and was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital, according to the doctors, her heart just stopped beating. I was seventeen at the time. Since then we always had a open seat for mom, even if she wasnt there. I had lateer discovered Mom had also had liver issues too, like my dad once did.

Soon breakfast was over. Dila induldged herself and loved the taste of the eggs that Nathan had cooked. Saca was more interested in the bacon. Soon it was going to be time to hit the beach, I couldnt wait, but then I realised I didnt have a swimsuit that would fit Dila or Saca. And that ended up a funny thought, who'd ever think to see a cat in a swimsuit ?

Nevertheless we hit the beach shortly after breakfast.

1 Hour Later

The sounds of water crashing against sand was amazing, ity weas endless, and it was the perfect pick me up to help one fall alseep. And here I was, after three years, finally stsicking my feet, my bare feline feet, in the water of Long Beach. Saca stood next to me. "You know" She said, "Dila might want to move here" I spotted why. Dila was playing in the water like a child. Happy as could be. Not caring she was getting drenching wet in her dress. "Dispite the three unsavery types we met at your stargate command so far, the three we have met now, it evens it out. Your planet is quite beautiful. Reminds me a lot of home." Saca said. She explained to me how Flamelight Spire orbited the sun they had named ages ago as the Eternal Flamelight.

I watched Dila play in the water, swimming a few laps in the waves before slogging her way back to us and going back out again as Dad stepepd up next to me. "Its beautiful isint it ?" He asked me.

"It is, its been a long time since I've been able to see the beach." I said in reply to my dad, I leaned on him, we were nearly the same hieght as humans, but now I was a little bit taller. By a good head or so. "If only I had brought my swimsuit" I said softly so only dad could hear. He chuckled.

"Nothing is stopping Dila from enjoying herself, so what is stopping you ? You have the day, seize it" I saw that dad was dressed in a pair of swimtrunks, he had his favorite loud sport shirt on too, and a towel draped on his shoulders. He also wore a pair of crocs on his feet. I still didnt believe he bought a pair of those shoes, but he only used them at the beach, he never wore them to other places.

If only I could sieze the day like Dila had, less than twenty four hours ago Dila had been knocked senseless by the Trust in an catnapping attempt. And here she was now, enjoying the beach like a child would. She slogged her way to us again. I saw that the latex like faberic wasnt darker like most earth fabrics would become when they were wet. Instead if seemed to shine and shimmer with the water. It was cloth, but of an alien quality that looked like it was dry, but it didnt change color as it was indeed very very wet.

"Why arent you two swimming ? Its wonderful!" Maybe dad was right ? I looked at my watch, it was only eleven in the morning, we had until five or so. So swimming for a few hours didnt sound like that bad of an idea at all. Saca and I soon joined Dila, and my dad in the water. We swam and found some reefs before heading back to shore. Dila was curious of the reefs but I told her that we were on a tight time slot and couldnt look around just yet, but we could enjoy our swim on the beach.

It was around two in the afternoon when we finally we back upstairs to dads condo for a late lunch, by then Sheen had left to get ready at the church. Leaving only Nathan cleaning and doing laundry. He opened the door for us as we arrived after being on the beach. I looked at the clock, we had swam from just after eleven in the morning to nearly two in the afternoon, a good three hours, we had five hours left to be with my dad before heading for the station.

Our tickets were on a tight time frame, so we had to time it carefully, and I knew that long beach traffic was going to be entertaining when rushhour kicked in. Luckly with the humvee we could get anywhere and fast. But we still had time to kill, and even with five hours. Dad wanted to make the most of it. And he still hadnt been to bed yet! I was drenching wet as I entered dads condo, Dila ahead of us and Saca behind as Nathan held the door open.

"Thank you Nathan" Dad said to Nathan as the man closed the door behind us and made sure it was shut. "I'll get changed and meet you three in the living room" He said to me, I nodded, Dila had found a mirror and hairbrush and started brushing her mane of graywhite hair as Saca found a towel and dried herself off as best she was able. Dila seemingly didnt care if she were to simply just drip dry.

I went looking for a towel or at least a means to dry my dress as it clung to my body and stank of salt water. I ended up using the bathroom and standing under the shower for five minutes, soaking myself in warm water to get rid of the saltwater smell. Afterwards I dried off and was in the process of putting my heeled leather boots back on when dad joined us in the living room, I sat on the floor as I was still very damp from my shower. Dila sat on a dining room chair, and I didnt know that Saca was now bathing in the shower once I told her how to turn it on and off.

"Nathan, we're going out to a late lunch as soon as Saca is ready. That is of course if you wish to join us ?" Dad said first speaking to Nathan and then turning towards Dila.

"I do not wish us to impose on you in any manner, I am quite sure Nathan can treat us to something. While the two of you get some time together" Dila said to my dad. Who nodded after a moment or so of thinking.

"You have a point, Nathan, invite the Air Force soldier who is waiting downstairs up for food and drink. Tanith and I are gonna take a walk" Dad said to Nathan

"See you when you return sir." Nathan said as dad and I headed for the front door. Dila was going to be safe. I had briefly called Landry to see into his past exploits, fortunately, Nathan was a trustworthy fellow having worked for Brinks on several occasions.

Dad and I headed on a walk around the block towards the Taco Truck Alley, we ordered some tacos and sat down to have them cooked up. "I am glad you managed to get out here, Tanith. When I heard you had disappeared..." Dad faltered, now that we were alone, just the two of us, I knew how he really felt.

"Its alright dad, my first thought was ensuring I was alright and could survive, then my second thought was to ensure I could get information home, to General Landry. To you. I never exected to come back here though, to Earth. To see you, but I am glad General Landry allowed me to see you, when I get back to base I am in for a hell of a grilling though."

Dad smiled, "Given what I was told from General Landry, you can hold your own in a fight, and you knew those three people were impostors. What made you know that ? The extra cat senses you got now or something else ?"

"It was something you taught me when I got my Corvette, according to General Landry its still on base and occasionally driven with care. I'll have it delivered to the house up a few blocks." I said in reply, the house Tharon and I had, had a nice three car garage attached to it, so it made it much nicer. "You taught me how to sense the motives, to look past the facade and look for the truth behind the mask. Feel dont think, trust my instncts"

"So how did you know they were fakes ?" Dad asked me as our tacos were delivered. We dug in, after a sip of Pepsi he said. "From what was told to me. Dila didnt stand a chance."

"Dila was hit with a tranquilser dart before even I could react to the three fakes" I said to dad as I ate my taco, I sipped my Pepsi. "They nearly had me with the tazer, but I knew they were fakes based on their answers and how they evaded my questions so easily." I explained who they refused to answer my questions of why they wanted to know. And I also explained the strange handcuff that was magnetic that had me stuck to the table by one leg, "One of those things were snapped around my left leg. I had to break it with my sword." I explained, Dad had seen my blades, they were safely on the bed in the third bedroom. No doubt Saca passed out on the sofa by now for a catnap.

Dad was oddly quiet. "What's wrong ?" I asked, we werent getting weird looks, occasional folks seemed to want to see me and I could hear their whisperings of how good of a cosplayer I looked, I smiled inwardly, if only they knew.

"That cuff reminds me of something, the police's SWAT team has similar devices to take down major targets, basically they magnetically activate and can hold the target against any metal surface, or effectively helpless once connected to the other cuff." He took a bite of his taco, ate and then said "But your sword was able to easily snap it ?"

"Yes" I replied, it was too easy to snap the cuff. But the taser was my main issue. And then the electrode rods I got smashed in the stomach with. "One of the three, a woman, had a taser, she tried to get me with it, but it didnt work. I didnt feel it. I was able to pull her towards me and knock her down for the count before the other guy tried to get me tripped up with the cuff before I knocked him out, then the last guy had a pair of electrode rods, we fought and I barely disarmed him and broke his hand in three places, and his arm in another four." I said

My dad smiled as he listened to how I fought, "Just hearing the way you fought makes me proud of you. You did good, you protected yourself, and protected Dila and Saca, the way I see it, they're not from here are they ?" Dad said to me, I nodded, trust him to figure out they weren from earth to begin with

"Yeah, they're from a city called Flamelight Spire, I think thats the name of their world too. Dila is supposed to be a diplomat type as a dignitary here, as back on her world shes a council woman or some such. When it was explained to me most of it went over my head" I admitted to dad. I never was good with certain details like that.

Dad laughed, "trust you to figure that its better off not knowing and finding out the hard way" He said to me. "Either way, you saved Dila from what could have been a disaster, it could have resulted in our world being a target for a greater much greater enemy" He had a smile on his face. I smiled in return, dad was right. I might have prevented a war, or worse.

The next few hours were a blur and it allowed Dila and Saca to nap peacefully and quite safe in dads condo. By the time dad and I returned from visiting the marked off struck by lightning house wherein I went inside and Dad stayed outside on the beach acting as if nothing was wrong. Things occurred in a unique way while we were thgere.

"Find anything ?" Dad asked me as I returned to him on the beach and we started walking back to his condo building.

"Yeah, I also radioed base, they're going to send a team out here from Area Fifty One. To take care of everything in there." The house was a mess, ruined table and chairs, busted up kitchen, it was as if WWF took place in there and they used everything in the building. It was more like a tornado went off in there now that I thought about it.

"Nothing of what happened to the owner or renter ?" Dad asked me as we walked along. I shook my head. He was upset. "I'll look in the papers tomorrow for the missing persons reports. If I find anything I'll let General Landry know, but the odds are very good, my dear child, that you might find something new before I do." Dad told me as we walked back to his condo building.

We neared the condo structure itself and I looked up at it. It was hard for me to believe that dad liked it here to the point wherein it felt like home, but I loved my house up the beach about a mile along the same road. Literally a mile away able to talk to dad on the phone, or walk over to see him inside an hour. Or vice versa. Dad saw me looking at his condo building and smiled. "Thinking of your place huh ?" he asked me.

"Yeah" I replied truthfully. "Maybe we could visit there ?" That was the hope, we still had two hours before dinner at five thirty. We had to be on the train by eight that night, Landry had texted me that the train was thankfully delayed three hours due to issues concerning the mainline and the last train before our departure was having issues.

Dad smiled, "We'll take my car. Is there anythnig you want to grab from the house ?" I smiled and shook my head. We didnt need to go to dads condo, just get his car from the valet and head for my house a mile away.

We neared my front door and there was a police seal on the front. I sliced throug it with a claw and we entered. The next hour passed in a blur as I walked through the place, I could smell Cam in there, he had visited Tharon now that I could recall Tharon telling me that he was last able to remember talking to a Air Force Colonel about my disappearing from Iota, and then he disappeared in the kitchen. I caught scent of ozone, yeah, that was the lightning more then likely. But there was not a mark on the tile floor.

Thankfully all the furniture was still present in the house and that made me happy at that moment. "Alright, Tharon said he gave Cam one of the code books we had made. And kept one for himself. Soooo" I went to Tharons desk, typed in his code, and slid a drawer open, right there on top was the Furling to English translation book. I smiled and picked it up. Tharon might need it, maybe. I know I would, but somehow writing Furling seemed amazingly easy to do now.

I took a tour through the house on my own as Dad went to the livingroom and picked up an item or two to take back to his place. Most of it from the fridge which thankfully only had some beers unopened. The rest of the food had spoiled and we threw it all out. Even the stuff in the freezer.

As we left I grabbed Tharons hat from the hatrack in the front foyer, the hat that he loved to wear to ever Ren Festival we visited as Puss in Boots and Kitty Softpaws. I smiled as I took the hat, Tharon was gonna need this.

"Dad" I said as we started back towards his place. "I want you to hold onto this" I handed him my house key that Landry had given me. "I will talk to General Landry, and hopefully depending entirely on how the interview back at the base goes tomorrow, I might be able to live here with Tharon again. But until then I want you to hold onto this key. The only other person with one is Dom."

"I heard he had disappeared as well, I read it in the missing persons reports" Dad said, I smiled

"He's alright, he's safe where I ended up, thankfully I was there to help him come to terms with, well what we turned into" I explained.

"So he's a catman too ?" Dad asked, I nodded and smiled, dad chuckled. He gently patted me on the leg above my knee. "Dont worry kiddo" he said to me. "You are my daughter, and he is my son in law, even if shaved bald, nothing will change that. Besides I think the fur is perfect for you. You remind me of your aunts cat Stacy a little bit." Dad said, Aunt Ednas cat, Stacy was a dark tortishell calico cat with a fur color similar to my mix of colors. Infact if I didnt know any better I actually was Stacy's fur pattern dead match because Stacy had gone missing when I disappeared from Iota.

But that was not the resemblence I had hoped for, then again Tharon recognised me as Kitty Softpaws anyhow when he came to on Ascretta. Dad pulled into the condo parking lot and parked the car. He turned to me "So, when can I see the new place ?" he joked, I smiled, if only I could show him pictures of it, maybe even a video tour would work too

I smiled, again, I licked my teeth a bit then said, "I will see what I can do, dad, but no promises, alright ?" I said to him

"Fair deal" Dad replied as his phone went off. "ah, that might be Nathan" Dad checked his phone, "And it is, one moment," He said as we stepped from his car. "yes Nathan ?... I see... Sure, we're on our way up now... alright, see them then" He turned off his phone as I hit the elevator controls "That was Nathan, Dila and Saca just woke up and wondered where we were. Nathan is also cooking dinner it should be ready by time we get upstairs"

I looked at the clock, it was five thirty two. I felt sadness well up inside my gut, I didnt want to leave Dad and return to Ascretta. Not yet! It felt like a dream to see him after so long!

The elevator doors slid open and we stepped inside, Dad hit the floor for ten and the doors slid closed. We rode the elevator in silence. I was upset and Dad knew it. As we neared the tenth floor, Dad spoke. "Tanith, dear heart, dont worry, Everything will be alright in the end, who knows, based on how you acted with those impostors at the base, you might be able to move right back into your own home!" I actually hoped he was right, I missed being with him, I missed the beach, Iota didnt even have a large enough lake to be a beach truth be told, it did have some rivers sure, but no real beach space.

I smiled, we hugged, as we broke our hug the elevator door slid open and we went to his front door, dad typed in his code and we went inside. Nathan wassetting up the dinner table as Dila was at the window wall. Saca was coming out of the third bedroom, brushing her hair. "Where were you ?" She asked as Dila heard us enter and turned our way from the sofa.

"Went for some father and daughter time" I said to her in reply as I cast a look towards dad. Somehow if the Furlings parked a city in Long Beach, the residents would think of it as a typical new skyline to love. I looked from Saca to Dila, "Did you two have a good rest ? Have you thought further on your experiences here ?"

"I have, I actually think this planet is a good one, even with a few weirdos. What did those three really want with me ?" Dila asked me. I sighed.

I shrugged as I was clueless as she was "I wish I knew" I replied, "But as far as I know, nothing good." For all either of us knew, if Dila did not return to the Flamelight Spire city in two days, they'd send a team to extract her. A Few moments passed and Nathan called us all to dinner. We ate mostly in silence, it was a nice vension steak that Nathan had prepared.

It was nearly time for us to leave to return to the train station that would then get us to the train to get us back to the SGC before sunrise the next day. Dad spoke up as we ate the early dinner. "Before you go I have something for you. Nathan if you would get the box." Our train didnt leave until eight that night, but dad wanted us to get to the station early and safely.

"Box ? What box ?" I asked in confusion, I had no idea that dad had kept my rifle scope we had searched bass Pro Shops for up in Michigan when I turned twelve. We wanted to go hunting, and I had a certain type of scope I wanted. And the only store that had that scope was in Auburn Hills Michigan at the mall Great Lakes Crossing.

Nathan came back carrying the oblong box, it was of a pale pine wood in make, I turned to my dad. "You kept it ?" I asked him in shock. I had expected it to be long gone!

"I did, but now I think you should have it. Something tells me you'll need it." He said taking the box from Nathan and handing it to me. I opened it, inside sat a rifle scope in a blanket of pale red silk, I remembered that scope dearly, we had searched very hard for it, it was a rare model at the time, a prototype demo model mostly. But the way I had handled it and used it made it all the more sensible for me to own it. So Bass Pro Shops had shipped it to us in time for hunting season. As a means of testing the scope before going into mass production.

I had even used it in sniper training as well, at least until my teacher and bosses complained and I had to use a stock piece of junk at which point I had returned the scope to Dad at home. "I get the feeling, this will be of more use to you instead of me." He stood up from his chair as I set the box on the table, we hugged for a few minutes, I briefly didnt care that Dila and Saca had just finised eating at that moment and were watching us closely.

Dila had a gentle smile on her face. Dispite the fact that three people had tried to catnap her the day before, she found herself liking my homeworld more than I had hoped she would.

Thirty minutes later

We were finally on our way back to the SGC, a gift from my dad, and the love of my dad, still with me. He knew it was me from the moment I said that hello that morning. And now he knew I was going to be protecting him, just like when we were hunting boars.

I smiled as I took my seat on the train in our compartment. I opened the box, I knew then I could use my sniper rifle at Atlantis with this, and save other Furlings from the Pollicles Maybe even snipe a few ?

A tear slid from my eye as I remembered dads words. I made a note and stuck it with the scope. I was going to talk to the IOA when we got back to the SGC about being allowed to stay at my house at Long Beach, or at my dads condo. Everyone in Long Beach regarded me more as a cosplayer with my cat ears and tail anyhow so I blended right in!

I set the box on the bench seat next to me, setting Tharons hat, the hat he wore when we first met, when he was Puss in Boots, ontop of it. Dispite the events at the SGC, things were going better than I had hoped.