Chapter 2: The Meeting

Daniel made sure Rose's hair was nice and neat. She was wearing the outfit she had tried on plus her collar. He smiled brightly. Here goes nothing. He opened the door to his house and walked in.

Dante was on the couch watching TV. He had finished his work long before and was taking a break. He heard the door open and turned the TV off quickly and stood up. Daniel walked in and smiled at his son. Dante smiled back, but thought he heard a bell ringing.

"Hello Dante." he said.

"Hello dadd… er… father." he said. He knew his father hated when he called him daddy. Dante blinked because he saw someone peak out from behind his father's legs. He thought he heard a giggle as well.

Rose looked from behind Daniel's leg and saw a boy. She giggled and hid again behind the leap of Daniel. She was now curious. She climbed up Daniel's back, much to his surprise, and got on his shoulders. Her feet where on his shoulders herself crouching. Her hands were on Daniel's head and she was leaning forward. Her nose twitched as she looked at the surprised Dante.

"Ika." she said sweetly. She jumped off of Daniel and landed on the floor. She ran towards Dante who fell down on his bottom. She crawled up to him and put her hands on both sides of him and put her nose against his. She rubbed her nose against his and then her nose twitched.

Dante let out a scream scaring Rose. She scooted backwards and was now on all fours and looked at him. Her ears twitched and her tail swayed. He pointed a finger at, trying to say a sentence but fumbled it into just syllables. Rose crawled up to him, his face still in shock. She licked his cheek and he tried to scoot away.

"You taste… salty," she said cutely.

"Wha... wha... what is that?" exclaimed Dante, his voice squeaking.

"This is Rosalyn Angel. Just call her Rose. She's a felis sapien. A mythical creature." explained Daniel.

"A ma, ma, ma, mythical creature?" he stuttered, looking at Rose who scratched behind her ear with her foot.

"Yes. Why do you think I had you study mythical creatures all this time?" asked Daniel.

"Cause they're cute?" he squeaked. Daniel shook his head.

"No. She will be your playmate from now on. You will help her with her schooling and so will I. Now, let me get you two some paper and you can play or something." he said and went to get some paper. As he came back with paper he heard a small little yell. He ran back to the room and dropped the paper. Dante had his eyes covered and Rose had her pants pulled down and squatting. "ROSE!" he cried, running over to her, pulling her up into a standing position and pulling up her pants. "What are you doing?!" he demanded.

"I have to go potty..."she whimpered, crossing her legs. Daniel sighed, and grabbed her had and led her to the bathroom.

Dante grumbled as he watched Rose look at a book. She turned it around several times trying to find out which way it went.

"What are you doing?" he asked boredly, knowing exactly what she was doing.

"Which was does this thing go? My mommy read a couple of these but never had me read any. Where are the pictures?" she asked as well. She had managed to get a hold of his math book.

"Its full of numbers, no pictures except for circles and geometric figures." he explained.

"Geomehic figures? Wut are those?" she asked, setting the book down.

"Its um… geometric." he said. He knew what they were called, just forgot why they were called that.

"Ooo. You're smart! Papa would have liked you! Whenever he comes and gets me you can talk with him! Your daddy can sing for my Papa as well!" she said cheekily. Dante mumbled. 'Great.'

At dinner, Rose was making a mess. She refused to eat any meat and only wanted the other stuff. She sniffed her macaroni and ate some and scrunched her nose at it. She ate some of the rice but shook her head. She took a handful of rice and flung it at Dante. It landed in his hair and he just sat there. He looked at Rose and threw his meatballs at her. She screamed and put her plate up to defend herself, dumping the food all on her. She heard the gasp of Daniel and put her plate down. She said she was sorry, her big green orbs filling with tears for the threat she had done something wrong. Daniel scolded his son, and took Rose to the bathroom to clean her up. Dante grumbled and hit his hand on his fork, sending it twirling in swirls and hit him smack dab in the face. He just grumbled as it fell into his lap.

Rose ran out of the bathroom and hopped on the back of a distracted Dante. He wobbled and fell forward, his hands hitting the ground breaking his fall. Rose tumbled off his back and lay on her back. She was dressed in blue pajama pants and a long sleeved blue pajama shirt. They had little moons and stars on them. Dante grumbled. He wasn't really getting along with his playmate, not very good at all. Rose wiggled her nose and hopped up. She ran in a circle around Dante, her arms out like an airplane. Daniel walked out, his jacket over his shoulder and his sleeves rolled up. He crouched down beside Dante and just smiled at him. Dante scrunched up his nose in disapproval. Daniel picked up Rose and carried her to the spare bedroom across from Dante's. Dante picked up the rest of his toys and walked towards his room. The sound of his father's soft voice telling Rose a story filled Dante's ears. He closed his eyes; wet little droplets ran down his cheeks. He went to his room and dropped the toys on the ground. He changed into his pajamas. As he was buttoning up his shirt his father came in. Dante refused to make eye contact and climbed into bed. As he closed his eyes he felt the lips of his father come upon his forehead. Dante soon drifted into an unpleasant slumber.

Daniel walked down to his lab and swung his jacked onto a chair. His two "pets" were finally waking up. He didn't care how much they wanted to scream, no one would be able to hear then due to the sound proof layers he put around his lab so his son wouldn't find out what he was doing. Ever. At lest until he passed it on to his son. Reig shook his head and checked Maji for any wounds. Maji rubbed her ankle, and looked up at Reig. Reig cupped his mate's cheek and ran his other hand through her messy hair. Reig looked at Daniel and growled.

"Where is our daughter?!" he growled.

"Rose? She's upstairs sleeping," said Daniel. Maji's eyes began to water.

"What are you going to do with her?" she whimpered, her voice cracked.

"Nothing. She's going to be my son's playmate. She really likes it here," he explained. Reig snorted.

"How can she like it here when she knows we're down here?" he asked.

"Oh, she doesn't know. I told her you were away. I'm designing a pill. Pills that will make her forget about you if she ever asks about you. I'll make sure it lasts a couple of years of course. Do not worry, she'll be taken care of." explained Daniel flawlessly. He began to work in his lab while Reig hissed from behind the glass of the cage that held him and his wife.

"You will not get away with this you bastard," hissed Reig. Daniel just smiled.

"I think I have."

As the next couple of days went by, Dante started to hate and hate Rose more and more. Her way with his father, the way she learned quickly, and just the way she acted. He was very mad because she had learned the alphabet and learned how to spell his name, his fathers, and her name faster than he learned how to spell his fathers. Jealousy engulfed him as he saw how his father spent time with her and not him. He wanted to be loved like Rose. He wanted to have a place in his father's heart.

That night a storm had moved in and settled its presents over Daniel's house. At the exact stroke of midnight, thunder was heard and it began to pour. Dante was sleeping soundly in his bed when the storm came but was awaken my a small little push. He groaned and opened his eyes. Green pools looked back at him, which were highlighted by the lightning show going on outside. He grumbled, "What do you want?"

"Can I sleep with you?" she asked softly. Dante grumbled and he laid on his side, his back facing Rose.

"Go away." he repeated. He could feel the presents of her still there and ignored it. As the thundered rolled he heard a small gasp. He rolled onto his other side, and saw the fright in Rose's eyes. He sighed, and sat up. He pulled the cover down and motioned for her to come up. Rose scurried herself up there and laid down, her head landing on his lap. He was surprised and wanted to push her away, but she was already sound asleep. He just stared down at her, her little body moving up and down while she breathed. A little while later, he moved her from his lap and fell back asleep. When Daniel awoke in the morning, he saw Rose cuddled up to Dante. Then it hit him. Could a human and a felis sapiens become mates? He just smiled to himself about that. Maybe… Just maybe.