Disclaimer: I do not own CATS or any of the characters/songs associated with it. They are the property of T.S. Eliot, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and the Really Useful Group. I however own little Jemeerle (Jem-eer-la).
Author's note:Because I had some reviews saying this didn't seem like it was finished, I'm altering it so in fact, the oneshot fic is now going to become a full fan fiction. And PLEASE NO MORE NIT-PICKING ABOUT THE KITTEN'S NAME.

Chapter One
Roses Wither Away

A rose

He was a rose among daisies

A refined talented being,

Among playful, unwittingly weak beings

He was rose

That wasn't recognized until too late

Munkustrap trembled in surprise, or was it fear ? Or was it, disbelief ? Either way, the strong silver tabby stood there, trembling slightly as he watched the scene unfold.

There stood Macavity, the Ginger cat, the Napoleon of Crime, the Silvery tabby and the Ginger Cat had been battling, when Munkustrap had been slashed across the face by Macavity's wicked claws. That's when something interesting happened, and the reason that Munkustrap stood trembling. There, between the Hidden Paw and Munkustrap himself, stood the tuxedo tom, Quaxo, barely out of kitten hood himself, and with a kitten of his own, Jemeerle, his daughter with Jemima the Moonlight Cat.

Quaxo stood with his claws bared, he stood, on complete guard. His claws glittered in the moonlight. And with every ounce of bravery in his body, Quaxo faced down the Hidden Paw… He managed to severely wound Macavity, but that wasn't enough. The wound may have driven away the Monster of Depravity for a few months, but Macavity had left his mark, in more than one way. He had dealt Quaxo a fatal scratch, and the Ginger Cat disappeared into the night, as Quaxo's heart slowly beat him closer to death. The world was spinning, and it wouldn't stop, its spun faster and faster, never ending. There were blurs of colour over him , as the other Jellicles knelt beside him, trying to help him. They couldn't. If the Conjurer couldn't help himself, no one else could either… Jemima knelt down over him and kissed his brow. Tears ran down her cheeks, she knew there was no use in begging him to stay, it was his time to go… He couldn't help himself. She looked down at him gently,

" Quaxo, always know that I love you"

" I love you too Jemima, for ever and for always. Keep Jemeerle safe…"

Quaxo choked the words out, it was coming closer to the time of his death. Jemima nodded

" I will, and I'll tell her the stories of the Great Quaxo Mistoffelees, Jellicle Conjurer; her father."

He smiled weakly at her words. His eyes lost their lively sparkle…Quaxo was gone.

Jemima stood up bravely and took a deep breath, singing from her heart

Moonlight, turn your face to the moonlight

Let your memory lead you

Open up, enter in

If you find there,

The meaning of what happiness is,

Than a new life will begin…

Old Deuteronomy watched her with a look of utmost sorrow. He knew the pain she had to be in, yet she accepted that it was her beloved mate's end. The tears rolled down the little Calico queen's cheeks, she wiped them away with her paws before sadly whispering, just loud enough that the Jellicle Leader and Munkustrap could hear,

"I hope you find happiness where none can touch you…"

Jemeerle watched innocently from the lip of the pipe's mouth. She was too young to understand that her father wasn't coming home ever again, yet alone the concept of death. It was probably for the best as it was.

Jemima stood over her mate's still warm body. A light breeze wafted through her head fur, like fingers through it. She closed her eyes, feeling the warm breeze in the dead of the night. A soft whisper reached her ears

"I'll watch over you"

Her ears twitched hearing it and she let her tears fall, realizing that it was alright to cry…bottling it up would do her health no good, and right now, Jemeerle needed her more than she needed to grieve.

Munkustrap watched guiltily. It was his fault that Jemima would live out her days without her mate, and that Jemeerle would grow up without her father. Well, at least in his mind, it was his fault. He had never wanted this, he had never asked Quaxo to fight his battle. He walked slowly to Jemima and put his hand on her shoulder. She opened her eyes and turned her head to look at him.

" Jemima, I'm so sorry. I never wanted this…I never wanted to cause you this pain"

She shook her head, and even put on a sad smile

" It wasn't your fault. It was his time to go, and I accept that. I will always love him, and he will always love our family. Jemeerle needs me more now than anything. I hope he finds happiness in the Heaviside Layer, that is all."

She patted Munkustrap's hand with her own tiny one. He nodded, not wanting to pry and upset her more. She moved down onto her knees and kissed Quaxo's still warm lips one last time. She crawled to the edge of the junkyard, and took Jemeerle, her kitten, in her arms. She moved back onto her feet and crossed the junkyard floor, shielding her kitten's eyes from the sight of her father, laying dead and bloody. Jemima climbed the fence, wanting nothing more than this terrible night to be over, and to start a new life the next morning…it was understandable. She finally realized that Quaxo Mistoffelees, had been the rose among the wild flowers in the Jellicle Junkyard… he had been the best… She held Jemeerle in her arms tightly as she sang softly, bitter sweetly:

Daylight, see the dew on the sunflower

And the rose that is fading

Roses wither away

Like the sunflower,

I yearn to turn my face to the dawn,

I am waiting

For the day…