Tugger watched as Bombalurina proudly made her way back across the lawn and into the large dinning area.

Well it looks like someone's finally back to normal. Tugger smirked as Tristram smiled up at him. The kitten stared happily yet questioningly up at the older tom. He knew that his dad had driven his mother away somehow, aided by the rest of the tribe, but why the big change all of a sudden? Why did they want both of them back again? Tristram knew that there was a lot to learn about his family, but there was also something that kept him wondering about their past as well. Something that he felt hadn't been told to his mother or father, despite their best efforts to find out.

"Did you really mean it? That we could stay with you?" Tristram asked, cautiously and curiously. Looking down at the kitten, the Rum Tum Tugger smiled nervously. He hadn't expected to warm up to the little tom so quickly after not seeing him for most of his life, but surprisingly, it was instinctual for him. Tristram seemed to warm up to cats easily, as well.

"Looks that way, doesn't it?" Tugger said as he dazedly walked past the kitten, who quickly darted in front of him.

"Why?" Tristram asked, raising an eyebrow. Tugger ruffled the kittens head tuff and sauntered past him again, smiling awkwardly. "Let's just say that I had a change of heart. After all, you do need a place to stay. It just so happens that I have the room and can give it to you."

No matter how much Tristram meant to him, Tugger still wasn't completely comfortable with having a kitten clinging to him all of the time. He had never really thought about having kittens when he was younger; it just wasn't something that had really ever appealed to him... but now that he had his son back again, he wasn't really sure how he was supposed to act around him. Sure, he was used to having screaming queen kittens at his feet during one point in his life, but now that they were all grown up, he had put most of that behind him and moved on.

"Where ya going?" Tristram asked confused, running after Tugger who was heading toward the exit.

"Home," Tugger said, smiling to himself as Tristram tried to keep up with his large strides. "How about you go back to the party and tell your mother that I've gone and that you can both come over whenever you're ready?" If there was one thing that he knew about the tribe, it was that he shouldn't be around when everyone found out that Bombalurina and Tristram were staying with him; they were wary to say the least.

Tristram watched his father walk away and headed back into the den to tell Bombalurina.


"So Bombalurina, how long are you planning to stay here in the junkyard? Or are you going back to that- tavern, right away?" Jellylorum asked the red queen, tensely. She had almost said 'whore house' but had caught herself on.

"Well, actually, Tristram and I are staying," Bombalurina answered, not really ready to tell the cats who she was going to stay with.

"Oh, well then, welcome back! Who are you staying with?" Jennyanydots asked as Munkustrap, Demeter and Mistoffelees joined them, overhearing the conversation.

"Well, a cat said that he had the room to spare, so I accepted," Bombalurina said, beginning to regret her decision. She knew that everyone would be suspicious of what was going on between her and Tugger, and that they would probably give her a hard time about it- even though she knew that nothing was or would go on between them.

"Da-Tugger, said that we can live with him and mom said yes!" Tristram exclaimed happily, butting into the conversation, recieving a glare form Bombalurina. Mistoffelees and Munkustrap gave a knowing glance to each other immediately, and Bombalurina decided that this was the best time to leave the party. She gave each of the cats a smile and led Tristram outside by the scruff of his mane.

"Well, I didn't see that coming," Demeter said, green eyes gleaming with amusement. Jellylorum and Jennyanydots looked at each other and walked away toward an isolated corner, Demeter on their heels.

"That was odd; Tugger had just said to me about an half hour ago, that he wasn't going to do anything to make Bombalurina and Tristram stay. I should have known better," Munkustrap said, facing Mistoffelees. "I wonder what he's up to?"


"I knew that this would come back to bite us in the butt," Jellylorum said to a frustrated Jennyanydots.

"Now you listen to me, Jellylorum. Bombalurina is back now and staying with Tugger, much to my dismay," Jennyanydots was interrupted by a grunt coming from Demeter. "Any-who," she continued, "She and Tugger don't know anything about it, so why worry? They are obviously not going to find out at this rate! Look how awkward they're acting around eachother!" Demeter gave the old Gumbie cat a glare. Did she honestly think that the past would just go away like that?

"I honestly don't know why you let this go on for so long… Didn't you think about my sister's feelings at all?" Demeter shot at the two queens. "It's partly your fault that all of this has happened!"

"Hold on just a minute! If I can recall, you were just as set against those two being together as we were!" Jellylorum spat at the golden queen, who sat down and folded her arms. "I know, I know. I just didn't want her to get hurt like all the other queens had been... When I found out about her and Tugger... I lost my head. I didn't mean for it to get so out of hand," Demeter said dejectedly.

"I know love, and it's not just your fault; it's all of ours. We've kept them from each other ever since they were kittens, and well, I guess you could say that it was bound to blow up in our faces eventually. You know how those two act when they're told not to do something," Jellylorum said, stroking the younger queens flushed face. "All we can do now is wait and hope that everything will turn out for the best."

The three queens looked at each other solemnly, unsure of what they should do in order to help the mislead family.


As Bombalurina led her son over the heaps of old tires and scraps of metal, she inwardly hoped that she still remembered where Tugger's den was located. "I think just one more turn and-" Bombalurina trailed off unsure, Tristram looking on, unimpressed.

"Are you sure you know where you're going?" he asked.

"Of course I know where I'm going! At least I that think I do," Bombalurina said, grimacing as she began toying with her tail.

"Why don't we ask for help?" Tristram asked, peering over a cliff made out of an old box.

"We don't need help. I can find this place blindfolded! It just may take me awhile."

"Then I guess that you won't be needing my help," a smug voice said from behind the two cats. Tugger shook his head at the red queen and playfully waved a claw in front of her nose, earning him an angry hiss and a swat, in response. "Easy kitty, I didn't mean it as an offense. I was just teasing," he said, raising an amused eyebrow.

"I know that!" she hissed, sauntering passed him. "So where do we go from here, big shot?" Tugger smirked and ruffled Tristram's head fur as he walked up to Bombalurina.

"Nowhere, you're already here," Tugger said, pointing behind the red queen. "I could hear you two coming down the path from a mile away, and you sounded like you needed help, so here I am." He smirked and dusted off his mane cockily.

"Thanks for your hospitality," Bombalurina replied sarcastically, not at all impressed with his attitude. Tugger gave her a glare and walked passed, heading into his den and motioning for them to follow.

Bombalurina was surprised; his den was oddly… clean. It hadn't changed all that much over the years… Other then a few new odds and ends, it still looked exactly the same as it had the last time she had seen it. Tristram looked around, surveying his surroundings like a detective; this place felt so warm and inviting, not at all like the rooms in the tavern! These cat's lived so differently from him, and it was very odd.

"Um, you can sleep here… If you want to, I mean," Tugger gestured to a small rug at the entrance of the den, refusing to meet Bombalurina's gaze. Walking over to the blanket, she sat down awkwardly. "Um, thanks."

The Maine Coon responded by stalking to the other end of his den and laying down quickly, determined to stay as far away from Bombalurina as possible.

Bombalurina curled up around Tristram, who had quickly fallen asleep as soon as his head had hit one of the pillows, and glanced into the opposite end of the room. Why was he acting so nice? A few moments later, feeling her eyes on him, Tugger turned to look at her, and their eyes locked. Surprised, she quickly looked away and he found himself letting a tiny smirk cross his face. Things were going to change between them; he knew it. It was only a matter of time.