Chapter 11

Sly, his strong fingers still methodically massaging, smiled softly as he noticed that Carmelita was now blissfully asleep. He thought to himself, to tell you the truth this had been a rather nice experience for me too. He smiled then, remembering very fondly the feel of Carmelita's smooth fur and soft skin beneath his fingers, as well as the contented smile upon her lovely face. Speaking of Carmelita's fair countenance, he couldn't seem to help himself and reached over to gently run his fingers through her thick, silky, wavy black hair, smiling at the feel of it around his fingers. Sly sighed in pleasant contentment. He looked down upon the lovely woman sleeping, and because he doesn't want to wake her up, said in a whisper, "I could watch you sleep for hours, dearest Carmelita," he admitted with soft honesty.

Carmelita snuggled peacefully down into her pillow in contentment. Unknown to her, that act brought a smile to Sly Cooper's face that would of melted her heart had she seen it. She was in that state just before one fell into a deep sleep, and as such, she was not completely out yet, she enjoyed the feeling of someone running gentle hands through her mane of thick, black hair. "Mmm..." she groaned softly and happily.

Sly grinned, thankful that she was asleep…well, for two reasons, really: one, so she couldn't see the tender expression in his dark eyes and upon his face; and two, because she would of kicked his butt from one side of the room to the next, if she knew he was running his fingers through her precious locks! He grinned mischievously, allowing his fingers to stroke her silky hair one last time. Sly then got to his feet, and moved around to beside where Carmelita lay sleeping, looking down into her face adoringly. Goodness, he told himself, she looked like an absolute angel! Well, he conceded a moment later, looking down the length of her very lovely figure...she was an angel…in more ways than one! He grinned at that, knowing that if he told his Carmelita that, she would box his ears!

He also realized he was becoming far too tempted by her charms to remain with her just now, so he did the gentlemanly thing and covered her with a thick soft comforter. As his unknowing lady love slept blissfully on, he carefully folded her clothing and laid it upon the foot of her bed. He took one last look at her, and then slowly moved in close to kiss her cheek softly just once before he glided noiselessly from the room, closing the door behind himself...though not all the way, just in case she might need something. No doubt about, Sly Cooper thought to himself...she was an angel, all right. "Sweet dreams, my angel..." he whispered, before moving out into the hallway.

Bentley chose that moment to appear in the hallway, obviously on his way to do a bit of computer research for some upcoming job, and happened to see Sly coming from Carmelita's room. The prim turtle adopted a pose of disapproval, crossing his arms before himself.
"So...all finished with your card game with the Inspector then?" he asked, frowning.

Sly smiled mysteriously at his prudish friend. "As a matter of fact, yes we are, Bentley old boy. Does that bother you? Jealous perhaps, my friend?" He waggled an expressive eyebrow at him.

Bentley frowned at that, then rolled his eyes. "No, Sly. Worried is more like it. Look, I know you fancy her and everything, and I'd be the first to admit that she is really very pretty...but, c'mon, Sly! She's a cop, for goodness sake! And...and, I'm not saying this is so, mind you…but even if she did actually love you, which I'm very doubtful of, try to imagine how she'd be torn between her job and you. If you do love her, could you really do something like that to her?"

Sly frowned, his emotions warring with one another. There were times when Bentley's logic was a bit too clever…and now was such a time. Sly sighed heavily, and cast a longing glance back at Carmelita's door. He paused a long, agonizing moment. "Yeah, I love her. So, no…I suppose I couldn't, Bentley. She deserves better than that," he admitted, though somewhat hesitantly. He shrugged a moment later, adding, "Still...a guy can dream, can't he?"

Bentley realized what that declaration had cost his long-time friend, and smiled back at him in honest sympathy. "Yeah, I suppose that's allowed, Sly. Look, buddy, I'll let you alone. I've got work to do, and you're probably tired, okay?" he headed down the stairs, shaking his head.

Sly sighed again, then turned around toward the retreating Bentley. "Yo, Bent...?" he asked softly.

Bentley stopped, turned his head, look over to him. "Yes, Sly?" he replied.

Sly shook his head to clear it, then spoke. "When you're on the Net...be a pal, would you, and see if you can find our house guest a pair of crutches? I mean, the nearest hospital would probably be the best. Now, don't get me wrong here...you know I really do like carrying Carmelita around, but...I know I can't always be there for her. You know?" Sly explained, his tone neutral, but Bentley could tell he was still torn.

Bentley felt bad for Sly, knowing how he felt about the lovely Inspector, but chose to hide his own feelings on the matter, and smiled. "Sure thing, Sly...anything for you and your señorita."

Sly grinned at that, then laughed softly. "Thanks, Bentley...you're a gentleman as always," Sly told him as he puts an arm around Bentley's shoulders a moment. He then headed downstairs with his friend, talking in an animated fashion.

Carmelita leaned back against the back of the door, having been eavesdropping the whole time. She closed the door softly, and leaned back against it, closing her eyes. Her mind was whirling after what she had heard of the conversation Cooper and his flunky had been having. The somewhat shocked vixen could scarcely believe what her own ears had heard. Sly Cooper liked her. No, she amended herself, that wasn't it either. She grimaced then, her heart aching within her chest. Sly Cooper loved her!

Yes, that is what Bentley had alluded to …and Cooper had come out and said! She closed her eyes, then drew her hand through her long dark hair, a nervous habit from her childhood. Still confused, she limped back to her bed to lay down. She yawned, and that told her it was more than obvious that she really needed some sleep. Around yet another yawn, she said softly, "How do you do it, Cooper? How do you always manage to make me feel this way?" she asked, her voice shaky, even though the raccoon was nowhere to be seen. Carmelita shook her raven-haired head, disliking how her emotions were all jumbled. "It isn't fair! Why must you always complicate my life so?" she complained, her exquisite brown eyes troubled, rather than angry for once.

Bentley searched most of the night, and while it took some doing, he finally tracked down a hospital that was in the process of ridding itself of some old pairs of crutches. The Cooper gang met that morning, while Carmelita still slept, and decided upon a plan. Bentley would coordinate things from their home, while Sly and Murray would head out to procure Carmelita's crutches. As Bentley would be the only one at home, it fell upon him to keep an eye on Carmelita. It made sense, yet Bentley was plainly uncomfortable being alone with the formidable Inspector. As the operation commenced, Bentley smiled, enjoying a well-made plan working for once. That changed a short time later, when he heard Carmelita yelling for Sly from upstairs. Frowning, Bentley contacted Sly via the binocucom. "Hey, Sly! Would you gimme a minute, please...Carmelita's calling for you."

"Oh, great," Sly replied. "Well, what's the plan, pal?"

Bentley made some quick calculations in his head. "Okay, here's what we do. Wait five minutes, while I'll get the remote communication system set up in her room, okay?"

Sly through his binocucom, replied. "You got it, Bentley. We're waiting. Sly and Murray out."

Bentley unplugged his headphones, then scrambled about, looking for, then finally finding, his remote communications unit. Gear in hand, he then plodded upstairs to Carmelita's room, where she was nearly fit to be tied! "Coming, Inspector! You can stop screaming now!" Bentley growled, as he entered her room.

He found Carmelita sitting on the edge of her bed, her face a bit pink from her yelling. "I am not screaming, buster!" she told him imperiously. She lifted an eyebrow at him. "All right, fella...where's Cooper gotten himself to?"

Bentley rolled his eyes and sighed heavily, but oddly enough, didn't respond right away, choosing instead to set up the remote unit. When he was finished, he looked over and replied to her. "For your information, Inspector…the reason I'm responding to your call is that Sly is currently located at Le Hospital in Paris this very moment, getting you a pair of crutches. And, ma'am, you were scream" Bentley told her, then stopped talking as he heard Sly´s voice sound in his ear. "Excuse me," he added to Carmelita, then replied. "What is it, Sly?"

Sly responded almost immediately. "What's taking you so long towell, hello there!" Sly began, only to stop, obviously surprised by something. He was standing in the shadows of the stairs, and saw a good-looking vixen police officer prowling about. Much to his surprise, he discerns that it's none other than Carmelita's sister, Carmen! There was no disguising those freckles! "So...I guess she's the one they call when Carmelita can't show up for work, eh?" Sly muttered mostly to himself, somewhat pleased by this turn of events. "Yo, Bentley! You'll never guess who's just shown up. I'm looking at Carmelita's sister, Carmen, who's just showed up on the scene..."

Bentley's eyes bulged at the implacations. "WHAT?" the slightly paranoid turtle exclaimed in distress. "Sly, you be careful!"

Carmelita had her head close to Bentley's, listening in on what was going on. She turned to Bentley, her expression curious, and worried. "What's happening?" she asked, then smiled cleverly. "Cooper got himself in a jam already?"

Bentley smirked at her, which made Carmelita frown slightly, then frowned himself. "Eh, not exactly. Well, not yet at least. But, if I know Sly, and trust me, I know him pretty well, he's about to do something stupid again," he explained.

Carmelita grinned knowingly. "Well, this is Cooper we're talking about, after all. Of course he will." She then frowned. "Why? What's he going to do that's so dumb anyway?"

Bentley grinned, knowing Carmelita was going to be surprised. "Oh, nothing too out of the ordinary for him. You see, he's at the hospital, and guess who's shown up there too?" Bentley teased.

Carmelita frowned, not liking guessing games. "Enough games, buster! Just tell me, Bentley...you don't want to make me limp over for my shock pistol!"

Bentley gulped, knowing full well she might do exactly that! "Okay, okay! It's your sister, Carmen. She must be on patrol at the hospital today. And, Sly's going to, you know he will, show himself and try to flirt with that sister of yours." Bentley shook his head at Sly's recklessness.

Carmelita blinked, very much surprised indeed! "Carmen's there?" she mused aloud, then her eyes went huge. "Oh! Cooper, no!" she shouted to him, making Bentley wince.

Sly, oblivious to their warning, leaped down silently to alight right in front of a most startled Carmen, who automatically drew her shock pistol in haste, and pointed it straight at him. Sly bowed formally, grinning. "Buenos Tardes, Capitan Fox. Como esta usted?" He gives her a chow-eating grin, whirling his cane about dramatically in a blur.

Carmen's hazel eyes narrowed as her temporary fright wore off. "Sly Cooper…I should of known," she deduced, cocking her pistol, and sighting down its barrel at him, ready to shoot. "You're under arrest, senor!"

Sly ignored her declaration, and buffed his nails against his chest in a show of nonchalance. "Now now, mi bonita Capitan...let's not do anything rash, hmm? I'm sure your dear sister would just hate it if you managed to knock off the guy who's been taking care of her the last few days, no?" he explained, his brown eyes twinkling.

Carmen's jaw dropped almost comically, and she nearly dropped her shock pistol as well. "Carmelita?" she questioned, her expression one of concern. "Is she okay? What have you done with her, you wretch!" she then added, her lovely face lighting with a look of hatred, her grip on her weapon suddenly sure again, her hazel eyes full of indignation. "If you've hurt her, Cooper, I'll make sure that it's the last thing you do on this green Earth!"

Sly stowed his cane away, and held up his hands innocently. "Whoa, whoa! Relax, Carmen dear. Carmelita is just fine. I've just been taking care of her since she's been injured. You see, she managed to get her foot broke in a fox trap."

Carmen looked relieved at first, but then concerned again. "A fox trap, you say?" she asked, her concern for her sister evident.

Sly sighed wearily, then closed his eyes a moment. "Yes, Capitan Fox, a fox trap. Just why do you think I'm here after these for then, hmm? Who did you think I'm taking these to anyway?" He explained, showing her the crutches. "Your sister, Carmelita. You do remember her, right?" he added, grinning before continuing. "It all started when she was chasing me and my gang. You do know how determined she gets sometimes. Well, during the chase, she inadvertantly ran afoul of an old fox trap. Yep, stepped right in it...and BANG!" he continued the tale, grinning apologetically as Carmen winced at his description. "Boy, was I ever in a panic!. But, thankfully, she only broke her foot, a couple of hairline fractures, thank goodness. Well, anyway…since we're so far away from a hospital, we really had no other choice than to take her home with us. I could hardly leave the poor girl lying there by herself now, could I?"

Bentley, listening in with Carmelita, groaned, squeezing his eyes shut. "God, Sly...I can't believe you just told her everything! What an idiot!"

Carmelita listened to Sly's every word on the headset. She turned to the agitated turtle, arguing, "Now that's not fair, Bentley. I would of told Carmen the whole thing eventually. She is my sister, after all." Carmelita then grimaced, suddenly not so sure of herself. "Well, okay, except for the part about the crutches," she added hurriedly. She blushed furiously all of the sudden. "Or the strip poker. Oh God..." she added, barely whispering. She closed her eyes, suddenly wishing she could gag Cooper!

Sly heard Carmelita's voice over his binocucom. "Ah ha! There's my pretty lady! Say, Carmelita, have you got anything you'd like to say to your sister?"

Carmelita ignored Sly's saucy remark, and spoke to her sister via the raccoon's binocucom. "Carmen? Can you hear me?" she asked.

Carmen's eyebrows arched up in pleasant surprise. "Carmelita? Thank goodness! Is that really you? Are you okay?" she replied in rapid fashion, her concern touching Carmelita.

Carmelita rolled her eyes, but still smiled at her sister. "No, you dunce...it´s the ghost of Christmas past! Of course it's me, Carmen! And, yes...I'm doing fine, thank you."

Carmen flushed a bit redly at being called a dunce, at least in front of Coooper! "Don't play games with me, Carmelita Montoya Fox! Mama and Papa are worried sick to death about you! It's been ages since they've heard from you!" she protested, though her hazel eyes were full of happiness.

Carmelita put her hand over the microphone a moment, turning to Bentley beside her. "I haven't been gone that long, have I?" she asked, her expression questioning.

Bentley quickly shook his head in negation. "Nope! No can do, Inspector, it's been only three days," he told her.

Carmelita uncovered the microphone. "Carmen, you tell Mama and Papa that I'm doing fine. Now, listen to me, I need you to do something for me, por favor."

Carmen was so relieved to know her little sister was fine, that she grinned. "Anything for you, pequeña hermana!" she replied.

Carmelita winced, but ignored Carmen calling her 'little sister' again. "Whatever you do, please, please, please, don't tell anyone who I'm staying with during my recovery! Um, just tell them that you know that I'm safe, and that I'll be back just as soon as my foot is healed properly, okay?"

Carmen reluctantly nodded, and glowered at Sly a moment, who just grinned and waved goofily at her. Carmen then sighed, shaking her head in disgust. "All right, agreed. Anything else, Carmelita?"

Carmelita was torn momentarily with indecision, and softly chewed her lower lip in worry. Evenutally, she decided to press on. "Yes, one more little thing, mi grande hermana," she asked.

Carmen snorted at being called 'big sister', but waited and listened. "Yes?" she replied, her patience wearing a bit thin.

Carmelita then blurted out her request. "Carmen, let Cooper go...this time," she pleaded.

Carmen blinked rapidly, hardly believing what she has just heard. "You want me to do WHAT?" she thundered, eyeing Cooper with glittering eyes.

Carmelita stuck to her guns. "You heard me, Carmen. Let him walk. Véale en hermana grande de algunos meses," Carmelita told her sister.

Carmen growled, not liking her request one bit, but she managed to control her emotions, trusting her sister. "All right, Carme dear...this time." She then turned to the waiting Sly Cooper. "You are one lucky hombre, Cooper. But, if I catch you next time, I'm putting you behind bars, comprende?"

Sly bowed graciously to her, but with an infuriating grin. "But, of course, Capitan Fox. You know, funny you should say that. Do you know that's exactly what your sister says too...though she hasn't caught me yet," he told her cleverly. He then smiled his most charming smile, then proceeded to walk up and take a most surprised Carmen's slender hand and kissed the back of it, before abruptly disappearing from view. "See you very soon, Señora Fox! Adios!" his voice called back to her.

Carmen was at a loss, not knowing precisely what to do at first. She felt a shiver run up her spine from Sly's roguish smile and his somewhat gallant kiss on her hand. She idly rubbed the spot where he kissed her hand, knowing he was long gone already. "I'll say this, Senor Cooper, you are a charming rogue," she admitted with a grin. She then chuckled thinking. "Poor Carmelita...to have to deal with someone such as him so often," she said in clever sympathy. She grinned to herself again, putting her shock pistol away, before she continued her rounds, pretending that nothing at all had happened.

AN: OK the newest chappie. One thing first this is a Sly/Carmelita fic. Things are going to get better between them after a while and they figure out how they can work it out. OK here are what Carmelita says to Carmen:

Véale en hermana grande de algunos meses: See you in a few Months Big sister