Things Only Remy's Cat Knows

Chapter 1, Kittenhood

(Two cats are in a veterinarian clinic, one adult sitting in Gambit's lap talking to a caged kitten with no home.)

Remy walked past the alley where I lived on the New Orleans streets and the ends of his coat caught my attention. I was just a few weeks old then, and chased after the lively fabric with all the ferocity a kitten can muster. I swatted at them with my claws, catching the fabric in them. Unfortunately, one of my claws got stuck and I was left hanging from his coat, unable to escape as Remy bent over and gently picked me up. One of his large hands supported my tiny body as he used his other hand to gently unhook my claws from his coat.

"Now, what are y'doin, eh, kitty?" He asked.

Meow! Meow! Meow! (Please don't hurt me!) Mew! Meeeeow! (I'll leave you alone, I promise!)

I tried to claw at him, but found that it was impossible to do while he held me like that. My frightened eyes met his, and some part of me knew he wasn't going to hurt me. He looked over my head and frowned. "Y'live in dis alley, kitty? Dis used t'be Remy's home too."

Mew! Meow! (Please let me go home!)

It was as if he understood me, even though he still seemed so sad.

"Non, kitty, Remy not gonna let y'live in dat alley!" He said.

MEW! (No!)

I started crying. I didn't want to leave my home behind! That alley had the best garbage to eat, plus, it was warmer than some of the others. I tried to fight him with everything I had in me, but he just held me firmly. "Shhh! Don' worry." Still, I struggled against him until I didn't have any strength left in me. I resigned myself to the fact that I was probably about to become Chinese food and decided to spend my last moments enjoying the fact that his hands were warm and soft. As I relaxed, he pulled my closer to him and I rested my head against his chest as stroked my dirty fur.

Remy walked into a gas station and bought a pint of milk and a beer. I was so scared and confused by then, I knew I wouldn't be able to find my way home even if Remy let me go. The sounds of cars and all the strangers frightened me.

Mew mew mew! (Please don't put me down! I'm scared!)

He whispered reassuring things into my ear as he walked into a building and then through a door into his apartment. He took a beautiful crystal bowl out of the cabinet and filled it with milk then sat down on the floor and gave it to me. "See? S'alright, kitty, Remy gonna take care of you."

Milk! My mom used to give me milk before she was hit by a car. My mom loved me, she took care of me. And Remy was giving me milk too. It seemed too good to be true, and I just knew that becoming Chinese food was involved somewhere. I was so scared! I took a few laps of the milk, then threw up and ran away, trying to find a place to hide. I ran under the table and peeked out at Remy from under the long tablecloth. He cleaned up the vomit and picked up the dish. He took away the milk and I had barely had any!

Mew! Mew mew mew meow! (Don't take it away!)

Remy smiled and I ran under the table, hiding behind one of it's legs as Remy laid down on the floor and peeked his head under. That's when I knew he wasn't like other humans – his eyes glowed, they looked so kind as he pushed the dish under the table toward me. I didn't care about the milk right then. I walked forward slowly, summoning all of my bravery as I got closer to the face of the strange man. I stretched my neck and sniffed Remy's chin.

Then, he left me alone with the milk so I wouldn't be scared. I drank until I was full…I hadn't been full since Mom died. Still, I was curious about Remy's apartment and cautiously walked back into the kitchen, ready to run at any sign of danger. For over an hour, I explored Remy's beautiful apartment, and then I got to the bedroom. I used my claws to climb the side of his bed like the mountain that it was. I was shocked when I got to the top. So soft, so clean…I had to stop and feel it with my claws, kneading the soft comforter in disbelief. The bed smelled like Remy. Was he a King to be able to sleep on such a soft place? I curled up and fell into the deepest sleep.

When I woke up, a familiar hand was stroking my back. I stood up and stretched, leaning into Remy's kind touch. Then he picked me up and took me into the other bedroom, where he'd done the most amazing thing! In the corner, I had a bowl of the tastiest food, better than anything I'd ever found in the garbage. And a bowl of the cleanest water…I couldn't believe it. Then he took a bag out and dumped it out in front of me. Toys! There were so many kitty toys, I dove into them, desperately trying to destroy twenty fake mice and half a dozen balls at once.

By the time I went to bed that night, I was clean (Remy hated baths when he was little too!), I was full, and I'd barely been put down, showered in attention by the Cajun. Heaven! Then, when Remy was finally ready for bed, he carried me to his room and put me on the big soft bed next to him. I slept for awhile, then I woke up and it was still dark. I thought about how great my new master was and suddenly didn't want to be on the other side of the bed. I stood up and gently walked across the bed, crawling onto his warm chest and then curling up.

Remy woke up the next day and we were inseparable. I followed his big feet everywhere, occasionally nibbling them when he ignored me for too long. And then, he left. I was distraught! I walked around the house searching for him, then stood at the door crying all day. When he got home, I was tired and had no voice. He just smiled and me and picked me up, scratching my chin as hung his coat. "Remy come up wit a name f'ya. Oscar, cause Remy found y'in da trash!" Oscar! I loved my new name.

The next day was a little different. While he was gone, I found ways to make myself busy, doing things like tasting the houseplants, batting electric outlets (bad idea), playing with all the toys Remy bought me, and my favorite activity of all – running through the stacks of sorted cards on Remy's dresser, sending them off the dresser, behind it, and jumbling the decks.

That's how we lived while I was growing up. I loved Remy so much.

And then, one day, strange man came to see Remy. He was tall, his skin whiter than milk. He scared me so much, even as a kitten. Remy called him 'Sinister.' He slapped my master, and I tried to scratch his legs. He kicked me, and it really hurt!

When Sinister left, Remy went to our room and began packing a bag. I knew he was going somewhere, and I kept trying to crawl into the bag so he wouldn't forget me. "Remy's sorry, Oscar, but y'gotta go live wit y'uncle Henri."

I was heartbroken!

He left me with Henri and scratched my chin one last time before he walked out and left me on my own.

…………………………………………

Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel. I know cats can't talk, that they don't understand humans, and that Remy didn't have one.

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