AN - I was kinda bored, and this idea just sort of came to me …

Disclaimer - I don't own it, allright!

School was finally over for the summer, and Zack and Cody were walking home from school, just like it was a normal day. They were both lost in thought about the summer ahead. They were wondering if they were going to spend the summer with their dad, or, maybe, at the Tipton, with their mom. It always varied, and it was fun to keep guessing. The twins were so lost in their thoughts, however, that they almost didn't hear the small noise coming from behind the dumpster.

"Meow"

"Did you hear that Zack?"

"No …"

"Meow"

"allright, now I did. What now?"

"We go and investigate?

"okay" And so, the twins crept quietly and peered behind the dumpster. Expecting to see a full grown cat ( probably one that had just found a bird or mouse just out of reach) they were surprised to find a small kitten, looking lost, just sitting there, meowing for no apparent reason.

"Wow!" Zack whispered " what do you say we catch it and take it home?"

"Moseby would never let us keep it, and you know it!"

"Moseby doesn't need to know. We can keep it hidden in our room - maybe just until we find a home for it …"

" your right …. We can't just leave it out here on it's own … look how thin it is - it would starve to death! Even if Moseby finds out and makes us get rid of it, we can always take it to the pound, and someone will adopt it …" With that, they crouched down, and moved in slowly closer to the kitten. The kitten hissed, spat, and backed away, feeling scared.

" Don't we have anything to lure it with? Some food, or something?"

"Yeah … here's my leftover milk from lunch … that might work … but we need something to put it in …"

" How about the lid to my pencil sharpener?

"That might work." Cody put some of the milk into the pencil sharpener lid, and put it down on the ground, closer to the frightened kitten. The kitten smelled the offering, and, being nhungry, stepped forward cautiously.

WHAM! A big tomcat landed on the dumpster and leaped off, walking over to the milk.

"NO! that's NOT your milk!" When Cody and Zack had chased the tomcat away, they found that the kitten had moved up and was now drinking the milk. It didn't even seem afraid when Cody put more milk in the pencil sharpener lid.

Three pencil sharpener lids full later, Cody was able to pick up the kitten.

" We need somewhere for it to hide when we get into the Tipton …" Zack was commenting.

"Yeah … but where? It's not like we could use our backpacks …"

"Wait a minute, we could put it in our backpacks - we still have our gym clothes, and we could make kind of a bed …"

"hmm… that might work …" and so they did. The kitten was finally asleep, when they walked through the doors of the Tipton. Moseby was busy with a guest, and so he didn't notice or suspect anything. Neither did anyone else, because Zack and Cody were able to get into the room without the kitten being found.

"Okay" said Cody, after the kitten had gotten settled " what are we going to name her?"

"are you sure it's a her?"

"Yes"

"Let's name her Keira, after Keira Knightley!"

"Nah, let's name her Natalie, after Natalie Portman!"

"Keira!"

"Natalie!"

"Boys, I'm trying to practice! If you can't keep it down in there, I ma have to come see what your arguing about!

"We can't let Mom know!"

"No … how about a coin toss?" said Zack, pulling out a quarter

"Okay. Heads I pick, tails you pick."

"Fair enough … heads! Darn!"

" okay… I pick …. Natalie."

AN - well, hopefully this was okay … If it needs improvement, please let me know. Of course, if it's okay, and you like it, feel free to let me know that, too (smiles)