Writer's notes: This chapter is short, but it starts the story for the next story in the series ((which I can't wait to get to)). Thank yall for the reviews for the last chapter! I wrote it all in four hours ((that was tiring!)), and I wanted to get it just right, guess I did :)

***

Rebecca drew from her dirt-stained pants' pocket a green handkerchief, and daintily patted the sweat from her brow. She was close to being finished with the new shade garden Guinna talked her into planting. She hated to admit it, but she enjoyed gardening most of the time. Right now, she wasn't sure she did. This stubborn weed just wouldn't come up!
"Hey mom" Molly greeted as she walked up.
"Molly!" Rebecca looked up, stuffing the handkerchief back in her pocket. "What are you doing here?"
"I had some time on my hands, so I came to keep you company."
"Thank you, honey. I'm having a hard time getting the this weed up" she said, tugging on the big weed.
"Here. Let me help."
Molly grabbed the weed from it's base, and they both pulled at the tough weed. Finally, it gave way letting the two bearess fall backwards into the grass. They looked at each other wearing equally startled expressions then melted into laughter. Molly stood first, helping her mother up.
"Thanks, Molly."
"No problem, Mom."
"Now that that darn weed is gone, I can plant these begonias." Rebecca picked up the small gardening shovel she had laid aside, and started digging. Molly stood over her with hands in her pockets, glancing down the walk of the bay.
"Say, mom" she said, hesitantly. "Do you remember Thomas O'Mally?"
Rebecca smiled at the name she was very fond of. "Of course, I do. We were very close, but we found our relationship wouldn't work out with him always gone singing."
"Yeah, I knew that."
"Why?" Rebecca asked, looking up.
"Well, when he came to visit us after you…you know…anyway. He was devastated. It took him awhile to get over the fact that you were gone. But he came to visit many times over the years. He even would take me to gigs he had on other islands and take me to the zoo or the park when he came to visit."
Rebecca was startled but in an excited way. "He did all those things with you?"
"Yep." Molly nodded. "He said he loved you too much to not stick around and help take care of me. He helped me a lot, and he said I reminded him so much of his daughter, Marie."
"Did he ever find his children?"
"No. He never did."
"Does he still come by?" Rebecca asked nonchalantly, placed a red begonia in the hole. O'Malley had been the first man she had loved ever since Lucas died. Even though their relationship didn't work out, they both had always held a torch for each other.
"Yeah. In fact, he's…"
A familiar scat song suddenly filled the harbor, growing closer and closer. Rebecca stood, the gardening shovel dropping to the ground. "Wait…that sounds like Thomas."
Just then, the voice was right on them and there was O'Malley walking pass them.
"Thomas!" Rebecca squealed in more delight than she thought capable of.
The orange cat almost snapped his neck to look her way. "Reebecca?" He stared wide eyed at her for several seconds then fainted.
"Thomas!" Rebecca shouted, running to his side. Molly was right behind.
"O'Mally, wake up."
O'Mally opened his eyes to slits. "Reebecca, are you a ghost?"
Rebecca cracks a smile, and placed her arm under his head. "No, I'm real."
"You must be an angel."
"I'm alive, Thomas. I'm as real as you are."
He touched her cheek. "You are real. But, how?"
"It's a long story."
"Hey, O'Mally." Molly leaned over from her standing position. "Remember over the phone, I told you I had a big surprise for you? Well, surprise!" They helped O'Mally to his feet.
"Reebecca, you're alive!" O'Mally cried, embracing her tightly. "You're here with me and Molly and you're here. When did…what…how? I was just here six months ago."
"I'll explain later. Baloo is alive too."
"He is?" O'Malley slapped his knee. "That is something! How I missed you, baby."
"I missed you too, Thomas."
Molly gleamed with elation as she watched the two reunite. They had been separated so long by their own lives. Now, she knew, they could finally be together.

***

The week had been a very odd week for Molly. First, Baloo had asked her about Kit's journal entry then she had reunited O'Malley with her mother. So far the emotion had been up and down, why was she walking into a prison meeting room? The prison was dark; the only light filtering in was from the afternoon sun through the barred windows high up the wall. The cold surroundings made her uncomfortable even though there were guards in several random places. She knew it was wrong not to of told anyone she was doing this, but she had to find out why he did what he did.
Molly waited a few minutes before the opposite door opened, and Karnage was escorted to the chair across the table. He wore a blue prison uniform that did not suit him, and shackles hung from his wrists.
"Molly Cunningham, what a surprise" Karnage said, an amused smirk across his face. "When the little guarding person told me I had a visitor, I never wouldn't of guessed it would be you or any of that family of yours."
Molly didn't reply. She pulled out a notebook from her knapsack and set it down on the table, slipping out the pen held in the bind. Karnage looked at her, puzzled. She had never acted so calm around him before. She brushed a strain of hair out of her face, and looked up at Karnage.
"Now, let's get started?" Molly said.
Karnage still wore a puzzled look. "What are you here for?"
"I'm going to be counseling you."
"I do not understand. I do not need this counseling. Beside, I thought you hated me, yes/no?"
Molly paused in thought. She wanted to say just the right words. "I realized recently that I could either hate you for the rest of my life, or I could help you." She leaned closer to the table, and said lowly, "I want to know exactly WHO you are."
Karnage cocked an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"I've studied psychology and psychopathology and disorders and emotional distress since I was twelve years old" she spoke assertively. "You are not the main reason why I engrossed myself with all that, but you are a part of the reason. The 'why' question has plagued my mind for years. I'm here to get the answer from you."
"You are very confusing, Little Miss Molly. What is this 'why' you talk about?"
"Let's make an easy start. Tell me about your parents."
"I can't understand why you want to know of my parents."
Molly sighed. Running around in circles. She guessed he'd be difficult to crack. "Please work with me, Karnage" she said, firmly. "What was your father like?"
"What can I say that is not obvious; he was a pirate." Karnage shrugged. "He was captain of the ship, Persephony, in the Anglo-Saxs territory."
"Was he a good father?"
"Of course not! He was a rotten, greedy thief."
"Sound familiar?"
Karnage sat back in his chair, a hand to his chest. "Who do you mean? My spectacular self?"
Molly rolled her eyes. "It gets tiring to hear you refer to yourself in those kind of words. Yes, I mean you."
"I am not like him."
"I've known you, Karnage, almost all my life. Rotten, greedy thief sounds like a pretty good description of you to me. You have stolen, kidnapped, attempted murder…"
"Stop with your estupid accusations."
"It's all true!" Molly shouted.
"I KNOW IT IS!" Karnage yelled, standing instantly and slamming a fist to the table.
Molly stared at him, frightened, then, "Is everything all right, Miss Cunningham?" The guard was at the door.
"Yes sir, everything is fine."
Karnage was peering down at her, his eyes narrowed. He sat again after several moments.
"Now" Molly started, holding her ground and desperately holding her cool. "What was your father like?"
"He had not a care in the world but for his treasures. He could anger easily. I would stay far from him. He never approved of me."
Molly scratched that fact down in her notebook. "Why is that?"
"I have heard how fathers should be proud to have a son to have a legacy. My father did not want that. He wanted to be the only one, the only legend. I was his burden from a barmaid who he never married. I left his crew when I was eighteen to take my own crew. I would show him too, because I was the imagineerer of the air pirates. I knew that I would finally have his approval."
"And did you?"
Karnage clinched his fist, holding back an past of anger. "Of course not! I can never. He died in an Anglo-Saxs prison. He never cared of my ingenious notion of robbing cargo planes and plundering cities. I made myself the best, but he did not care."
Molly sat there stunned and taken aback by how open Karnage was being to her. He was shackled and in prison…what could he lose? But could it be that his behavior was due to the fact that all he wanted was his father's approval?
"Times up."
"The hour is up already?" Molly asked, turning to face the guard. He nodded, and beckoned her to follow him out.
"Will you be back?"
Molly stopped at the door. "I'll try to come every week."
Karnage nodded, his chin resting in his palm. "Very well."