Author's warning: you might need a fire extinguisher handy while reading this! It will come in handy ;)

"Kitty" Year-Round

Part V: Midnight Margaritas

by Mia LeighArc

In a full-sized bed with white and cream linen sheets, Amelia was fast asleep. During the next few moments, Delbert was in the hallway, smiling from the hilarity of the previous night's events. He opened Amelia's bedroom door ever so slightly. As the bosom of the morning breeze scattered over Amelia's toes, the cold pillow next to her breathed air. The creases in her ruffled nightgown hugged her curves tightly as the evil sun poked its head through the cracked window. With her bedroom door open, she could smell the sweet caress of Tuna, scrambled Irathechor eggs and fresh squeezed purp juice.

"Bloody sun always has to have the last word in edgewise!" She thought with a chuckle in mind. As she lay there, she remembered when her mother was alive.

"Amelia honey, time to get up; you don't want to be late sweetie!" her mother would shout from behind the door. Why she still remembered each encounter perfectly was mystery of her crazy, spacer life. She couldn't stand wake up calls; it always felt like just when she had finally gotten to sleep, time had passed her by again. She grabbed the pillow next to her and engulfed her head in it; her naked hind paw still peeking out from under the blankets and trying to seemingly escape to the floor. She grunted frustration,

"I don't want to get up!" she thought, "Not yet, not when I feel as if I've been run over by a bullyadous carriage."

"Amelia? Amelia?" a warm kind voice said, interrupting her memories.

"…Just a few more minutes…" Amelia's replied. She slowly opened her eyes once she smelled the intoxicating smell of her favorite breakfast dish… how could've he known that? Delbert smiled as he brought out cup of a tea on a tray with her breakfast. Amelia noticed that he looked more nervous than usual, like he had something to say.

"Perhaps about last night" Amelia thought with a blush. Amelia lay back remembering what he said to her on their way back from Cresentia when she returned to port from her last voyage smiling warmly at him. He had said that he "felt whole again now that she was home." She remembered fondly, her heart skipping a beat.

She never realized that a man with a doctorate in the field of science would ever be interested in her; nor did she realize she could ever be falling for him as well. Delbert sat down at her feet as he set the tray down in front of her.

"Amelia...er...dear, um I was wondering...um..." Delbert tried to say as Amelia smiled and interrupted him with a touch on his arm.

"What is it?" Amelia said in concern to the man she knew she loved but would never allow herself to say it aloud. Delbert looked somber as if he wanted her to spend more time with him, she would surely say no. He was sure she would be too busy with voyages.

"It-it's nothing... d-d-don't worry about it." Delbert stammered feeling hurt for no reason really as he looked away sadly. Amelia had to know what was bothering him so much that he didn't want to talk about it.

"Nothing my foot, now what's on your mind that you want so desperately to ask me?" Amelia tried her best to get his attention, but nothing was working. He wasn't saying anything, and he held his head in his hands. He looked up for a moment as he spoke again.

"It's just that...oh never mind... you'd probably be too busy anyway..." Delbert said dejected from all positive, hopeful and confident emotion. Amelia looked at him with a concern not seen by anyone else and closed her eyes as she leaned in to kiss him. Delbert jumped when her lips touched his and somehow his confidence was coming back like a flood in his veins

"Amelia, would you umm... like to have dinner with me sometime soon, just us?" He remembered saying the moment he pulled away. Amelia was surprised at him; she was already thinking about them going on a weekend getaway. She smiled and brushed his cheek with her soft hand.

"Where do you want to go, Darling?" Amelia said reassuring him that she really wanted to go.

"Well, I was thinking that umm... well...this is...we could...stay in and I could cook you a meal." Delbert said in a nervous wreck of words.

"Oh...now that's a fine idea" she said trying to sound surprised with a raised eyebrow. She was intrigued to say the least.

"Tell me what you're really thinking, Doctor." She thought with a sly look on her face that Delbert considered incredibly flirtatious.

"For an expert in the laws of physical science, he sure knows how to slip-up nicely," she thought to herself mischievously. He had to know if she genuinely wanted to. He looked long moment and she seemed to smile nod in agreement.

"Of course, Delbert." She said plainly as he smiled widely and kissed her lightly on the cheek.

"Hey!" she said with a pretend offended look, motioning that she wanted a better kiss then that.

"Don't I get a good morning kiss, Delbert. We are alone after-all." and he turned around and kissed her passionately. He pulled away short of breath and Amelia smiled slyly at him

"That's better... now you go on and let me eat my breakfast, and then I'll get dressed for the day." Delbert then laughed lightly and left the room, closing the door carefully.

He opened the mail when he got downstairs to eat breakfast, Sarah looking over his shoulder.

"What?" Delbert shouted as he read the elegant letter again. He couldn't believe he had forgotten the annual science convention was that weekend and it was mandated that Montressor scientists were to be there. He also had to make a speech. "Grrrr!" He growled at the thought of having to leave for the weekend and the fact that he only had a small pack for summer weather on the planet Aldebaran. Plus, the ride there was at least an hour or so. He greatly hated his mother now for always telling him to follow his heart and to make something of himself.

"Some future I made..." he thought angrily. Sarah looked at him worried

"What is it, Delbert?" She asked concerned for his outburst.

"I arrange one night to prepare dinner for the love of my life and suddenly I remember I have a convention!" He started pacing the room and decided that he had no choice. Sarah put a hand on his shoulder and offered him any comfort she could.

"Couldn't you make her dinner when you come back?" She offered sweetly. He considered the suggestion as his mind raced to all the preparation he had to do.

"I could stay at the Benbow all weekend if it would help!" She added with a wry smile. Delbert pondered the thought for a moment, but he didn't have much time either way. He would have to deal with it when he got back. He thanked her for the offer but informed her he had to leave immediately to get there on time. He had planned his travel plans the previous year, well before the voyage to Treasure Planet and due to his ever-constant distraction—being the beautiful Captain Amelia, it had completely slipped his mind. He ran upstairs to his bedroom to get a bag packed for a long day in Aldeberan, one of the driest places to hold a convention. As he came down the stairs, he lovingly wrote Amelia a little note to explain that he couldn't be there with her and he was sorry. He left shortly thereafter and made his way to the Spaceport to get to Aldeberan in time for the convention he now dreaded having to go to.

XXX

Later that next day Amelia got back to Delbert's house (after doing some shopping with Sarah for a new outfit), so excited she was almost running. Upon opening the door with the key, he had given her, she soon realized that no one was in the room. She figured maybe he was doing something in another room and would return soon, she walked around the room with a smile on her face and her love for him showing openly.

"Delbert honey, I'm back dear..." She called excitedly, but no answer came. She called again walking down the hallway to his observatory, nothing. She playfully walked towards his bedroom. Maybe he was getting things ready for that evening. She slowly opened the door so she wouldn't startle him, but as soon as she had opened the door, she found herself alone. She started feeling like she had been blown off. Just as a young girl whose father went off to fight in a war, she climbed onto his bed and crawled under the sea of blankets. She sighed just before she felt a lone tear fall down her face as she closed her eyes. His scent surrounded her, so that would have to provide her the security she was seeking even though her lover wasn't home. She hoped that whatever had happened that he would explain it to her. The captain prided herself on not showing emotion, but she knew something had to be done before she would let him run off like that again. A while later, she came back downstairs and sat in his big chair, drying her eyes, and wondering where he was when she saw a note on the coffee table and picked it up. She dreaded that she intuitively knew what happened as she began to read it.

Dearest Amelia,

Words cannot describe what I'm feeling right now, I regret to inform you that our dinner plans will have to be postponed due to my being asked to attend the 17th convention on the Aldeberan. Every year great scientists from all over the galaxy travel to that very place to celebrate the Montressor Committee of Science and the M.C.S.T if you will. They have once again, asked me to do a speech although my findings are of no or little interest to them; but here I am again. I promise I will make it up to you and when I get home, I hope you will forgive me and let me spend time with you. Again, I'm deeply sorry for the way this day has turned out. I'll see you tomorrow and I find myself missing you already. I hope you can forgive me for my behavior.

Love always,

Delbert

Amelia let another lone tear fall down her features as the doorbell rang; she sniffed back the few tears she had allowed to fall and wiped her face off when she opened the door to find a surprised Sarah. Sarah stared at her and noticed she had been crying, then took the feline woman in her arms.

"Where's Delbert?" Sarah asked cautiously. Amelia just frowned and handed the letter to Sarah who then read it as well. Amelia closed the door and hugged her, patting her back. The two women stood for a moment before pulling away from each other awkwardly.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Sarah said coming back into the room from the kitchen pulling out a rare wine bottle that Delbert kept hidden away. Amelia smiled mischievously

"Oh no, we mustn't!" Amelia said when she saw the wine bottle Delbert held so dear. Amelia shook her head at the thought. Sarah got the point and put it down.

"Tea then?" Sarah asked nicely

"Sure, do you have a while?" She asked with a similar amount of friendliness.

"Try me, I have all night." Sarah said smiling at the distraught woman in front of her. Amelia perked up a little.

"Good..." Amelia said lightly taking the wine bottle from Sarah and putting it back in the kitchen and bringing out two cups of tea instead.

XXX

Delbert had just arrived at the convention when he looked around to see many other distinguished scientists talking in large groups and sharing the latest information from the studies of physical science and quantum mechanics.

"Are you kidding? Does an active galactic nucleolus have superluminal jets?!" said an over-excited scientist telling a story to the other people in a group to his left. Everybody laughed...Everybody laughed, except Doctor Doppler; he was too disheartened from leaving Amelia behind to feel in sync with who shared his life's passion. Delbert looked at the young lad as a younger version of the man he once was on the voyage to Treasure Planet, or at least the man he was before she came into his life. Amelia was so beautiful, so vibrant that the stars themselves could never contain all the energy that her eyes radiated with one smile; one look and his knees would buckle. He blushed at the thought and continued wading through the crowd to find a place to sit. He tried to act "normal", but he couldn't help thinking about Amelia non- stop. A college looked at him excitedly while he held out a friendly flipper-like hand. Professor Pollux was a chemistry teacher for Montressor University.

"Maybe he was one of Jim's fine instructors" Delbert thought.

"Not that Jim would've taken advantage of such an opportunity to be in the classroom of the great Pollux!" He concluded to himself. "Maybe Jim really has changed..." He added thoughtfully.

"Doppler... Dr. Delbert Doppler?!" the man cried. All the sudden Delbert recognized that familiar friendly voice. His old college roommate "Of course!" he thought to himself. "Barthalemeuw Pollux! how could I forget?" The professor looked incredibly happy to see an old collage chum that he was once close friends with.

"You remembered!" He cried. Delbert was starting to look happy to see his old friend as well. The men shook hands and soon found themselves in a friendly embrace

"Well, come on now old friend... we have a lot of catching up to do!" Pollux said with his flipper like hand holding Delbert's shoulder in a tight grip. The men walked away con the details of their lives since they last saw each other.

XXX

"Say, would you like some more tea?" Amelia said growing bored. Sarah held up the empty tea kettle and held it up to her eyes, seeing that indeed there was no tea left, they drank it all." Sarah stated plainly.

"So, what now?" Amelia said soft-of sad.

"Say now, I know a place a few blocks from here that serves free beers every Friday until 5! It's lady's night you know..."Sarah said as she stood anxiously. With a raised eyebrow, Amelia got up again and then followed Sarah out the door.

A few hours later, Amelia and Sarah were sitting at the bar and having fun as the smooth, tasty substance slid down their throats. A jaunty dance song began to play and seeing as how both women enjoyed that type of music they got up and started dancing wildly while singing along off key to the music. They danced the night away dancing ridiculously and smacking each other's behinds. They laughed for hours after that, not noticing they were drawing attention of the other people at the bar.

Delbert was sitting with Pollux at the front of the conference room when a tall dinosaur-like man came to the podium and announcing when a guest speaker was to share their stories. Delbert was wrapped up both in his friend's sudden burst of interest and missing Amelia dearly.

"You know I actually sailed there, I saw Treasure Planet." Delbert continued quietly.

"What? Flint's trove? The loot of a thousand worlds? you can't be serious." Pollux said at a whisper.

"Yes, It's true... but after everything was said and done, I returned with an even better treasure than gold!" he said quietly, beaming with pride at showing off his love. He got out a picture he took of Amelia after the Treasure Planet voyage.

"This is Captain Amelia Smollett." Delbert said proudly. Pollux smirked at him warmly.

"Wow, she's gorgeous! Way to go you sly dog. "Pollux said teasing his old friend and pushing him slightly.

"Guilty as charged I suppose." Delbert said sarcastically. His next thought was interrupted by the announcer calling his name.

"And now let's hear a round of applause for the brilliant Dr. Delbert Doppler!" the excited man announced as the crowd roared with applause. Delbert blushed slightly the crowd seemed to be so interested in his research, maybe the committee was warming up to him after all. The dinosaur man stepped to the side to let Delbert stand at the podium whilst the clapping continued. Delbert tried to hide it, but he had a very gloomy look on his face when he began his speech.

"Ah-hem, er...where to begin? My latest findings include an uncharted, secluded planet just outside the Lagoon Nebula. It's approximately 1,782 miles in diameter a cubic density of 500kg..."

"Damn, what time is it?" He thought looking at his watch as he continued his speech.

"This is going to be a long day." (at that time, it was 2pm on Aldeberan, plus it was nearly 90 degrees outside.)

XXX

"Damn, what time is it? It's been a long day." (it was 8pm on Montressor.) Amelia said, looking at the clock at the Montressor Bar. A tall, good looking man with spiked red hair came and sat down in the corner watching them, not realizing the identity of the human woman. He pulled his dark brown duster out of the way as he sat and ran his foxlike fingers through his short hair.

"So, what do I have to attribute to such lovely ladies on this wonderful evening?" Aeneas said suavely. Amelia gasped recognizing him and looked at her beer bottle, pretending to be convinced it was talking was her. She wanted to seem too far gone to realize someone was really talking to them. Aeneas backed away from her quickly, smelling the heavy liquor on her breath as he got up and moved farther away, across the room in fact. He had never seen her like this, and he sure as hell didn't like it. Sarah looked at her wondering who he was the Amelia seemed to want to avoid him.

"What the?" Sarah said as turned in her direction, (or so she thought) and started whistling an odd tune. Amelia just smiled at her companion being such a lightweight. She let out a chuckle at her friend.

"What happened now?" Amelia said in a late reaction

"Where the- hell's my - drink?" Sarah slurred. Amelia shook her head with a soft laugh.

"Get another one. "Amelia said through the haze of the room. Sarah looked at the bartender flirtatiously. "Can I - have - another one of - these, - Good sir." Pointing to the nothing in her hands and batted her eyes like a psychotic poodle. "Ma'am, I think you've had enough." The bartender said, trying not to start a scene.

"With - all due - respect - I don't know - why your dollars -are - paying - to be - taxing this - place... it's such - a dump..." Sarah said completely drunk off her ass. Then when the bartender put another beer down, Sarah almost fell out of her chair. Amelia caught her, just barely and they both were hurled to the floor. Amelia helped her up, knowing that she would probably need to go home soon. Luckily, she agreed to be staying at the Benbow Inn (which was still under construction) for the weekend when Delbert said he had plans with Amelia for the weekend. She only stopped by to check if they needed anything after the women went shopping, she was going to head out after but found Amelia alone and rather disappointed. Amelia was glad she did, it was nice to have another woman to confide in for a while. She was glad to be growing closer to her as a friend. Amelia sighed, still angry at how her plans unfolded. She couldn't believe that this was the second time he had something "come up" instead of keeping his date with her. What upset her even more is she didn't even get a head's up until it was too late. She had hoped this wasn't going to become a habit of his, but it being the second time, she had a harder time just waving it off as before. She sulked at her barstool as she sat up again. Sarah suddenly turned to her curious, knowing what was bothering her.

"Why don't you-surprise him at—h-home? He should b-be back by tonight." Sarah suggested frankly, trying to help. Amelia shook her head, knowing all too well her pride had taken a blow and he would have to be the one to fix this. She didn't do anything wrong but expect something that at the last minute didn't happen.

"I'm still a bit cross with him for how he handled things. He didn't even call at all to tell me, I can't believe he would be so insensitive! I'm afraid I still have some mulling to do." Amelia stated coldly. Sarah furrowed her brows, not wanting to see them both so unhappy like this. She picked up her holophone and dialed his number from under the bar. When Delbert didn't answer, she hung up, giggling to herself. If she had to help them sort this out, she would help, drunk or not. Amelia hadn't been paying attention, she just sat thinking holding her chin in her left hand as she ran a nail along the napkin from her last beer.

"Can I ask you a –per-personal-question?" Sarah asked, trying to sober herself. Amelia gave her a weak smile but gave her friend her attention.

"Do you—love-him? Delbert-I-mean?" Sarah said plainly. Amelia was taken aback by this. Of course, she loved spending time with him, and she loved teasing him, but she hadn't fully truly asked herself how deeply she felt. He meant a lot to her, he had saved her life on Treasure Planet and proved to be especially useful under the circumstances. She knew even as cross with him as she was that she didn't want to ever lose him. Sarah continued staring at her, waiting for an answer. He had been the one man to come into her life and shook up her routine, broke down her façade and could easily see the vulnerable woman behind it. The way he comforted her when Arrow died and the way he wanted to take things slowly when she would try to rush into the physical aspect of their relationship made her blush. He truly had shown her how much he loved her without even saying the words. She knew in her heart, she couldn't deny that she did, very much. With a sniffle, Amelia realized, she couldn't hold it back anymore.

"I have to admit that I do" Amelia said barely at a whisper, almost surprised to hear her own words out loud. Sarah smiled warmly.

"Then you should- tell him! I need to be going- home to the Benbow -soon anyway, I'm afraid I'm- m-much more of a—light-weight than I was when –I-was- was younger." Sarah said surprisingly without as much as a slur as before. Amelia nodded, and decided to leave and bring Sarah home, relieved to leave knowing an old face she hadn't seen in so long seemed to come to haunt her. She wasn't sure if it was the beer or her imagination, but it unnerved her to see him again. She brought Sarah to the Benbow and walked to another Tavern. She still had a lot on her mind and didn't want to go back to Delbert's home just yet. She was still a bit cross with him. She knew just down the street was a pub called Starry Night she had been to before on shore leave that had a good atmosphere. She walked in casually, wearing her red low-cut top which showed off her bare shoulders and long tan skirt with a slit up the side she was so excited for Delbert to see her in. To top off the ensemble, she wore plain black heels to accentuate her long legs. She took a seat at the bar ordering a double shot of rum.