Midsummer Crises

by starwars4life

Many changes have happened in the lives of the hedgies in the span of 5 years: marriages, parenthood, and a new sense of identity. However, not all changes are good and have given rise to conflicts among many hedgies, which impact the whole family. What sort of life challenges face the hedgies now, and will the love of family and friendship be enough to solve the dilemmas?

8. New Issues Arise

To say things have been busy in my life since Chapter 6 & 7's posting would be a great understatement. Thanks for all your patience, and like always it'll be worth the wait!

Chapter 8: New Issues Arise

It started out as nothing, with having to stay up a little past their normal bedtime to ensure the kids went to sleep. Then it turned into a minor nuisance, with having to wake up at the sound of the children crying for something and calming them down. It escalated into really annoying when they are constantly trying to go to bed after trying so hard to put them to sleep, only to need to get up to the crying again and repeat the process. The fact that this happened all night was beyond frustrating.

Whenever Drake and Annie went to sleep, Bucky and Emily would be praying, begging for Mother Nature for their kids to stay asleep. The two adults would be rocking back and forth anxiously saying in their minds, "Go to sleep, go to sleep...Stay asleep, stay asleep..." only for the crying to restart. They couldn't even take parenting shifts because sometimes only Emily could get the kids to be quiet, and other times only Bucky could, so each parent had to be on standby.

Even worse, the demands of raising their children was just as mentally and physically taxing during the day after three night's worth of sleep deprivation. Even though Lou, Penny, and Annette would be around to babysit while Bucky and Emily recovered, their kids would often have a breakdown upon being separated from their parents and wouldn't stop crying until the three grandparents were forced to bring Drake and Annie back to their parents.

It's only been four days since Annie and Drake were born, and Bucky and Emily already feel overwhelmed with parenting. The fact that they'll need to do this for the rest of their lives also isn't appealing in the slightest. It also doesn't help that it can be hard trying to figure out what their kids want; sometimes rocking them in their arms is enough to quiet them, but other times it's not, and finding out what it will take to satisfy them is a luck-based guessing game. Even the items from the human world like pacifiers and chew toys don't solve the problems permanently (not to mention it makes Bucky's and Emily's respect of their parents increase because Lou, Penny, and Annette didn't have those when those two and their siblings were babies).

Currently, Lou and Annette are playing with Annie and Drake at Ike's favorite natural slide place while Ike is napping. As Bucky and Emily sit in front of the TV, they want to get comfortable, but know that their kids could be brought back at any moment. Bucky and Emily ask themselves literally for the millionth time, "Why did we become parents?!" At the time, it seemed like the best idea ever: to start their own family, to have their own kids who they will play with and help grow into the same responsible individuals like themselves, and to give their parents grandchildren. The reality is different: parenthood is a prison of crying, fussing, tears, burping, and cleaning up throw up.

Emily lolls her tired head over to look at her mate and asks, "Is it wrong for me to feel relieved that we're not taking care of our own kids right now?"

Bucky: "Normally I would think so, but after all we've been doing for the past three days, I'd say we deserve a day's break from them."

When Emily bursts out crying, Bucky's tiredness vanishes and he gets up to go be next to her.

Bucky: "H-hey, what's wrong?"

Emily: "Everything! Everything thing since we've had kids! I wanna go back to how things were! I wanna be able to go on heists, have time to myself, hang out with friends, spend more quality time with you, play videogames, go out exploring places I haven't been to, and having good night sleeps!"

Bucky: "I do too, but why are you so depressed?"

Emily: "Because I had to take a break from all of that months before I had our twins! Parenthood is supposed to be more a joy than a challenge, but I can barely take it anymore!"

Emily buries her head in Bucky's chest as he mulls over how true his mate's recent words are.

Bucky: "Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?"

Emily: "Turn back time and stop me from getting pregnant!"

Bucky: "You know I can't do that. Even so, how can you say that? I mean, yeah, things are a lot harder than we expected, but—"

Emily: "But nothing! I don't know if I can take one more lullaby, one more sleepless night, one more feeding, or one more baby cry sound!"

Bucky: "Emily! This doesn't sound like you at all."

Voice: "That's because she's suffering from postpartum depression."

Bucky and Emily turn their heads and see Emma (who had spoken) and Spike coming to join them.

Spike: "We heard Emily crying and came over to see what the problem was."

Emma: "And it's a good thing too, because postpartum depression can be serious."

Emily: "Post-whadda?"

Emma: "Postpartum depression. It's happens commonly among new mothers who were so used to being social and outgoing, only to have all that taken away from them by needing to take care of their newborns."

Spike: "Believe her, she knows. She went through the exact same thing after we had Ike."

Eager to end his mate's suffering, Bucky quickly and loudly asks, "How do we make it go away?!"

Emma: "We'll tell you, but right now you both need time to calm down."

Bucky: "Whad'dya mean both of us? I'm calm!"

Spike: "No you're not, Bucky—because postpartum depression can affect new fathers too." (Rhetorical) "Why else have you been yelling ever since Emma and I have arrived?"

Bucky: "I don't have it! I'm just tired, frustrated from 'baby blues,' and desperate to get my mate back in a good mood!"

Spike takes his brother's paw and makes him walk with him. Not expecting this, Bucky asks, "Hey what's going on?!"

Spike: "We need to have some guy-talk."

Emma: "And I'll have some girl-talk with my sister."

Once Spike and Bucky are away, Emma hugs her oldest sister and says, "I know exactly how you feel."

Further proving she has postpartum depression, Emily lashes out at Emma by spitting back, "Liar! You don't have twins, and Ike didn't cry nearly as much! You know nothing of my pain!"

Emma grimaces for a second, but remembers why she came over to be with her sister and doesn't get defensive when she replies, "Okay, you're right about the twins and Ike, but that's beside the point. The main thing is, having kids sounds so good before and during pregnancy, but when it really happens it's a nightmare. You wish you could undo everything, or that it's all a bad dream, but every cry reminds you of the grim reality."

Emily: "Tell me something I don't know!"

Emma (nonchalantly): "Okay, then. First," (Yelling and shaking Emily) "TAKE A CHILL PILL! Pull yourself together, Big Sis!"

Emily (shaky voice from being shaken): "I've been trying to, but parenthood is too much for me! I just want things to go back to the way they were before having kids!"

Emma (stops shaking Emily, but speaks in a stern tone): "Wishing for things to go back to the way they were before will only make you feel worse, not better. I know it's not easy for you because you have two kids and they're much noisier than Ike, but that's the way things are. So second, you have to accept that...have to embrace that this is your new life now...that parenthood, by definition is a sacrifice unlike any you'll ever make...before you really crack and do something to your kids you'll regret."

It finally seems that Emma's words are getting through to Emily, who starts breathing normally but whose eyes widen in horror at what Emma is implying.

Emily: "Y-you think that I would actually hurt my Annie and Drake?"

Emma: "...You'd be amazed and horrified at what postpartum depression can make a new mother do when she can't take it anymore. I...I should know..."

Emily: "You...?"

Emma: "It happened back when Ike was 3-years-old, when he was going through his worst whining phase thus far. I was bathing him...no one else was around. My mind was already frayed from dealing with his nonsense, and how being a mother hadn't gotten easier for me like I thought it would when he got a little older. He started whining about the water being too cold, I tried to reassure him, but he kept pushing my buttons. What made me snap was when he ripped off my necklace, and in a fit of rage, I threw him into the deepest part of the pond...He couldn't swim back then, but I focused on finding my necklace before going over to help him. While searching for my necklace I felt free for the first time since giving birth to him, and almost wanted that freedom to stay. But then I thought of Spike, mom, and the rest of our family, and did what I had to to stop him from drowning. I apologized, kissed, and hugged him like there was no tomorrow, and you'll never believe what the first thing he said to me after that traumatic experience was."

Emily: "What?"

Emma (gives a one-sided smirk): " 'That was fun mommy! Throw me again!' "

Emily: "No way..."

Emma: "...Way. What should have been my worst failure as a mother became the first true bonding experience I had with my son. But I was lucky, and I don't think you'll be as fortunate if you snap because, like you said, you're kids are far more challenging than Ike was. Which is why you need to get a hold of your postpartum depression now, before being a mother gets really hard."

Emily feels like reality has slapped her upside the head. Thanks to her sister's story she knows she needs to get a grip on things and get used to the hardships of parenting, while also holding on to a sense of hope that there will be joys ahead as well.

Emily: "I-I understand now. No more free time again, no more deep sleeps, and no more privacy. The sooner I accept that, the better of a mother I'll be." She hugs her sister tightly and says, "Thank you, Emma, for sharing that story and helping me out."

Emma: "What're best-friend-sisters for, eh? Parenting can bring out the best and worst of us, just make sure you keep the worst of yourself to a minimum from now on, no matter how tempting the desire to recapture that freedom you once had before becoming a mommy can be. But you will have free time again, just not for a long while. Parenthood will be rollercoaster ride of easy and hard—like a videogame with schizophrenic difficulty. Y'know, the ones that start out easy, get hard all of a sudden, get a little easy again, then medium, and back to hard; instead of starting easy and gradually getting harder as you progress."

Emily: "Heh, you would be the one to do a videogame comparison, Emma."

Emma: "Now there's the Big Sis I know. How's about we switch the TV back on, go to YouTube, and watch some videogamers rage over brutally hard games until our mates get back from their boys-bonding session?"

Emily: "Sounds fun."

The sisters get a good 10 minutes of showtime in when Bucky and Spike come walking back.

Emily: "There's my handsome mate!"

Bucky: "And there's my gorgeous mate!"

Emily's and Bucky's eyes widen and they simultaneously say, "Baby, you sound like your old self again."

Spike: "So I guess Emma's talk worked just as well as mine did with Bucky."

Emily: "It sure did. What did you say to Bucky?"

Spike: "It went like this..."

---

A private section behind the hedge, 20 minutes ago

Bucky: "I don't understand why you need to talk to me about postpartum depression. I'm telling ya, I don't have it!"

Spike (rhetorically, but sympathetic): "You do realize that every time you yell, you only prove that you're anything but okay right now, don't cha?"

Bucky: "I'm just concerned for my mate. She's losing it and nothing I say can make her feel better."

Spike: "Which is why you're losing it too."

Bucky: "What in the Sam-Hill are you talking about!?"

Spike: "Okay, calm yourself down by closing your eyes, taking a deep breath, and letting it out slowly."

Bucky: "Stop talking to me like you're a therapist! I'm not crazy!"

Spike: "I never said you were. But you're just like dad, really good at hiding your true feelings from most others. As your brother, though, I know you better."

Bucky: "I said stop with the psychologist talk!"

Spike grabs Bucky's arms and holds him so tight that he can't wriggle free. Before Bucky can question what he's doing, Spike sternly says, "Get. A. Grip! I thought I was supposed to be the most emotional of us three because I'm the youngest." (Softer yet serious tone) "You're acting nothing like the biggest brother I knew before."

Bucky: "Before, I didn't have twins who cry nonstop, and was better-rested back then."

Deciding he needs to cut to the chase, Spike says, "Parenting isn't as easy as you thought, is it?"

Bucky sighs both in exhaustion and finally getting Spike's point about him.

Bucky: "Yeah..."

Spike: "And like dad you're too proud to admit you need help, because you're the oldest brother."

Bucky: "Yep, you know me alright...read me like a book."

Spike: "You don't need to be ashamed to ask for help, especially with raising kids. That guy pride nonsense can cause more trouble than it's worth."

Bucky: "Not sure if I have much to be proud of anymore...It's only been four days since Annie's and Drake's birth, and I'm already worn the slap out with parenting. If Emily and me are losing it now, how are we supposed to do this for the rest of our lives?

Spike: "By talking to someone who knows how stressful it can be raising a kid. Now I know that you have twins who are way needier than Ike was, but it's true when they say 'it takes a village to raise a child,' so don't hesitate to ask for my advice on how to cope with the challenges of parenting."

Bucky: "Yeah, but it's more than that..."

Spike: "I'm all ears."

Bucky sighs again and says, "I'm the male of my little family and the oldest of my two brothers...And yet I can't keep my mate, myself, and my kids from wigging out. I just don't understand. It's not like I wasn't expecting this. When Bernard, Mary, De'Ausha, Roger, Tyler, and Ike were born, I got a good idea of how hard parenting would be. But it took their parents far less time to calm them down. So what's up with my twins? Am I doing something wrong, or am I just not good enough to be a father?"

Spike: "It is not you, Bucky, it's your kids. They are more challenging than the ones you mentioned. They've been keeping me—and probably the whole family—up all night too."

Bucky: "That's why Emily, Drake, Annie, and I have been sleeping at our downtime spot away from the log."

Spike: "And thank you for that. But getting back on topic, as the father of Ike and the mate of Emma, everything you've said is 100 percent true. I remember helping to raise Mary, Bernard, De'Ausha, Roger, and Ty too. Since ours were born, you and me quickly discovered that raising your own kids is much different from helping to raise someone else's."

Bucky: "I came into parenthood knowing that, and it still caught me off guard somehow. Don't you think that means there is something I'm doing wrong?"

Spike: "Yes. Trying to get through parenthood without asking me for help, denying that you also have postpartum depression, and thinking you have to set the example because you're the oldest brother."

Bucky: "Ouch, kinda harsh don't ya think?"

Spike: "The truth can hurt, like you truly being the better gamer and driver of us three."

Bucky smiles for the first time since Spike arrived where he and Emily were about five minutes ago. He also silently admits his pride has caused most of his and Emily's suffering and decides now is a good time to start taking his brother's advice.

Bucky: "Lemme ask you something. Is it normal that Emily and I wanted to have kids to bring joy into our lives, and not make our lives a horror show?"

Spike: "It would be abnormal if you didn't feel like that. 'Cause yeah, kids ARE a pain and parenthood IS a nightmare. Right now, with how your twins are, it's hard to find any joy, but there is joy to be found somewhere."

Bucky: "Like where?"

Spike: "Remember when you explained to the family why you named your son Drake? And when Emily said she named your daughter Annie to pass on her mom's name?

Bucky: "Yeah."

Spike: "Treat raising your kids as an adventure to fulfill those reasons you named them. All adventures have their deadly encounters and booby traps ready to end your fun in its tracks, but the enjoyment you feel during the adventures and overcoming those negative sides will outshine the near-death experiences."

Bucky: "Wow...You're absolutely right. Where'd you learn that from?"

Spike: "From your Drake persona, so I guess you can say I had a great big brother-teacher. You were so gun-ho to rescue Emily after reading that letter from Mr. McEvil in Ohio five years ago. Then there was the time you passed out after eating that bad clam and woke up as 'Drake' again thinking you were in the Amazon Rainforest meeting the Venoma Mortal Snake Gang, going down the Amazon River while piranhas ate away at our raft, meeting a witch doctor, and fighting a flock of macaws. And let's not forget when you hit your head on a rock while doing a flip into the creek at the forest's playground zone and became 'Drake' a third time. You thought we were in Africa running away from a hive of killer bees, crossing a river full of fighting hippos and Nile crocodiles, and fighting the Nyoka porcupine tribe who enslaved other animals and tried sacrificing us in a volcano until herds of zebras, rhinos, and giraffes came to save us from them. In each fictional adventure Quillo, the girls, me, and most of the family had to play along with 'Drake' until we could knock you back into Bucky."

Bucky laughs and says, "Man, you'd think I was on something dank to imagine all of that, but it was all just me and my own imaginative self. When I came to as Bucky I thought it was all a dream, but luckily I remember everything vividly."

Spike: "Bring that passion and excitement with you as you're raising Annie and Drake, because trust me, you're gonna need it. This stressful and sleep-deprived phase won't last forever, and will be replaced by more phases in parenting, some much worse and some much better than the one you and Emily are going through right now. But if you face the hardships like your Drake persona, while remembering who you want your twins to grow up to be like, parenting might not be as bad anymore."

---

Back in the present time, Emily and Emma smile now that the boys have finished recapping their pep talk story.

Bucky: "And I am so gonna take Spike's advice. Not to mention our parents raised us and you" (points at Emily and Emma) without any human world luxuries. If they can do that, our twins should be a cinch by comparison."

Emily: "You're right, Bucky. We can't give up so easily. We need to feel excited to be parents again, not dread. This stage is only temporary and things will get better for us one way or another. Here's what my sister and I said..."

After recapping the things Emily and Emma had talked about, Bucky feels even better about what parenthood has in store for him and Emily.

Bucky: "*Yawn* But catching up on some sleep would be a good start."

Emily: "*Yawn* Agreed."

The two cuddle close together and instantly fall asleep. Spike puts an affectionate paw on Emma's shoulder and she puts her paw on top of his, the two smiling at a job well done. They quietly walk away and to let Bucky and Emily get some much needed rest. That, and Ike's nap time is fixing to be over, so parenthood will soon be calling them back too.

Note: I want to give another special thanks to TheIceAgeMan77342 for giving me some great pointers on how to develop the crisis with Bucky and Emily, as well as Spike's and Emma's efforts to comfort them.

---

But parenthood only becomes harder as children grow older, as RJ is particularly having to deal with. His relationship with Mary has somewhat improved, but the emphasis is somewhat. Ever since coming back from Elroy's, she doesn't seem as mad at him as she once was, but still wants nothing to do with her father. It's changed from hatred to indifference. RJ thought that Elroy's willingness to love Mary even though she is sterile would finally get her back to her old self again. But it hasn't, and that's because Mary is still mad that she and her brother were accidents. The same goes for De'Ausha's relationship with Stella and Tiger.

As for Bernard, things have been worse with him. After just one brief session of trying to teach Bernard how to better use his golf bag items—which his son immediately gave up on after shanking a golf ball that ended up hitting a raven who was flying in the sky—Bernard hasn't followed through with RJ's offer for advice on how to get out of his depression. Bernard insists that he's over it, but RJ knows his son, and can tell that deep down, Bernard is still hurting. He hasn't said anything about what happened between him and Patricia, which might seem logical in that the topic would cause the opossacoon heartache. But it's also important for young ones to express their feelings, both good and bad. Not doing so, especially when going through the trauma his kids have been experiencing, will only make things worse for Bernard...Not to mention, it could make things worse for the whole family if he kept such feelings bottled up. He hasn't even wanted to check in on Heather in the past three days, which means Bernard is just as mad with her about his breakup with Patricia as he is at RJ.

Every attempt to try to speak to his son was met with a "Go away, I don't wanna talk to you." And when RJ stuck around to talk to Bernard anyway, his son would either ignore him or go play with his cousins. But when they also tried to talk to Bernard, he shut them out too. He has isolated himself from the rest of the family, and RJ knows all too well what being left alone with unhappy thoughts can do to someone.

With Verne busy keeping Plushie on a short leash—which is a full-time job—RJ decides to talk to Heather about his troubles. The only upside about the past few days has been that Heather's recovery is going better than expected. She is still bedridden and must rely fully on others whenever being put in a baby doll stroller for a change of scenery, but she no longer has pangs of pain just by breathing or turning over.

RJ: "I'd say you'll be able to get yourself in and out and move around on a doll wheelchair within a week and a half, two weeks at the latest."

Heather: "Like I said, I'm a fast healer. But you didn't come by to tell me that."

RJ sighs, muses "That's my Heather, she knows when I'm troubled," and then says aloud, "It's Bernard. He hasn't been doing well. He tries to hide it, but I know he's torn up on the inside about breaking up with Patricia. And he won't listen to a word I say. Am I doing something wrong?"

Heather: "Absolutely not, RJ. You're doing your very best with our kids. I mean, you're the best dad for our kids. And you're not the only one experiencing this. I've tried to talk to them too, but they just leave. I would follow them if I could, but, well, you know..." (Gestures at her body) "

RJ: "It's easier for you to say that, but you have no idea how hard it was to hear both of our kids say they hate me, their own father. You were only around for Mary to say how much she hated us, but weren't around to hear Bernard say that he hates me to my face."

Heather: "...Oh, I never thought about that..."

RJ feels worse after seeing Heather give one of the most depressed expressions he has ever seen.

Heather (full of regret): "I can't tell you how much I wanted to be by your side to help you talk to our kids whenever they had a meltdown. Hearing you tell me about Bernard yelling and hitting you, without me to help you calm him down...I should've been there. You shouldn't have to deal with this on your own. I feel like the worst mate and mother ever..."

RJ: "Don't you dare say that, Heather. You're the best mate in the whole wide world. You've always been there for me, through thick and thin. Been with me even when I tried to shove you away or shut you out whenever I was having a bad day. That is a mate.

"And you have a perfect reason for not being around lately. It's not because you don't want to be with our kids, it's because you can't be with them all the time anymore. But you saved Bernard's life that day. If he had been stomped on, he would have died...That is a mother."

Heather's mood instantly lightens, and she leans up and says, "Come here, love."

The couple wrap their arms around each other and kiss like it's their wedding day. All negative feelings vanish and they are reminded of why they are soul mates. They also realize they can't lose hope for their children. Things will get better, and not just for their relationship with Mary and Bernard, but for the whole family. They know this because the love they have for each other is the same kind of love that exists in this family, which is unlike any other family of animals. No other animals they know of have married any other species, and no other animal families have started out as small clusters of friends who then became a family by love alone. Moreover, no other animals had befriended a predator, taught him the error of his ways, and took him in as their own. Kale was the toughest challenge of all, so all the things that are going on now, though hard, can't be as hard as that.

Once they break away from their kiss, Heather notices Rebecca at the log's entrance/exit and says, "Hi, Becca."

Rebecca: "Hey Heather and RJ. I just wanted to tell you that Rick and I are going to take Bernard over to Patricia's."

Not expecting his son to want to do that so soon, RJ confusedly asks, "What for?"

Rebecca: "To see if she's re-thought about her choice of breaking up with him."

Heather: "Hold on, I don't know what you're saying. Am I missing something here?"

Rebecca: "Well, just because Bernard doesn't want to talk to you two doesn't mean he hasn't been talking to someone about his problems."

It's pretty obvious to the couple who that someone is, and although RJ and Heather feel left out that their own son hasn't been talking to them, they're at least grateful he hasn't been bottling up his feelings. Recalling the talk Rebecca and Bernard had three days ago while on their way to see Patricia, RJ says, "Yeah, he's been really taking a liking to you lately."

Rebecca: "I told him there's chance that she might have done what she did just out of her shock-in-the-moment. And I honestly believe it. Now that some time has passed, she might have realized she did the wrong thing, and accept Bernard again."

Heather: "But wouldn't Patricia have come to see him by now if that's the case?"

Rebecca pauses for a moment, then confesses in a serious tone, "I...wanted to tell him anything to get his hopes up—"

RJ: "You lied to him? What if y'all go see Patricia and her mind hasn't changed? He'll feel even worse, and it'll all be because of you."

Rebecca: "I know, and I didn't want to, but I had no choice because the things he has told me ever since coming back from Patricia's place have been very...disturbing."

RJ and Heather look at each other to share a worried look, then look back at Rebecca.

Heather: "What has he been saying, Rebecca?"

Rebecca: "He feels worthless, alone, un-loved, weak, dumb, and unworthy to be your son. He thinks no one but me understands him. He curses ever being born into this world and that things would be better if he never existed. At first I thought it was just normal breakup-blues, but trust me when I say that he truly, absolutely, 100 percent, positively believes everything I just told you. I didn't know how seriously he felt this way about all this until...uh..."

RJ (urgently): "Until what?"

Rebecca: "...I caught him trying to slit his wrists with a Swiss army knife last night."

Heather gasps and keeps her paws cupped around her mouth while her eyes start to water. RJ grips on the side of the log's interior while leaning forward, lowering his head, jamming his eyes shut, and letting out a mortified exhale.

Rebecca: "He didn't actually cut himself, though. I stopped him before he could do that."

Heather (relieved): "Thank you, Rebecca. From the bottom of our hearts."

Rebecca: "Don't thank me yet. Like RJ said, if Patricia still doesn't want to be Bernard's girlfriend, he'll feel worse than ever."

RJ: "Why didn't you tell us about any of this earlier?"

Rebecca: "I wanted to, but I had no choice but to promise him that I wouldn't tell another soul—a promise that I'm now breaking, because you'll need to intervene for sure if things go south again. And even if I did tell you before now, he wants nothing to do with you. And if both of you got involved and mentioned the things he's told me, he would know I had talked, and would never trust me again. He needed me, someone who knows what it's like to break up with someone I loved and then got back together with my lover. Mary and De'Ausha can't make him feel better because their boyfriends still love them."

RJ: "Then...you have done the right thing, Becca."

Rebecca: "Not really—lying to him about Patricia only needing time to say she loves him again, and all—but there was little else I could do."

From somewhere outside, Rick's voice calls, "Rebecca? Bernard is ready to head out to Patricia's home."

Rebecca: "I gotta go. I told Rick and Bernard I was using the ladies bush, and if they come looking for me by scent and trace it back to here, Bernard will—"

Heather: "We understand, Rebecca."

RJ: "Go, now."

Rebecca nods and quickly leaves. RJ and Heather look at each other again. At first it's in worry, but a second later, they know what must be done.

Heather: "We'll keep our fingers crossed that Rebecca is right about Patricia."

RJ: "And think of several things to do and say if she's wrong."

Heather: "And we'll do it together. Injuries or not."

With that, the two start brainstorming.

---

So far Plushie's plan of stressing Verne's and Velma's nerves until the two give up on trying to watch him hasn't been working as well as he thought it would. But everyone has a breaking point, and he'll make his uncle and aunt crack eventually. He just needs to have patience, keep trying theirs, and endure what they're putting him through, despite how annoying it is.

True to their word, Verne and Velma have really upped their parenting restrictions. He is not allowed to go anywhere, not even to the boys' bush, without an adult keeping an eye on him. He also can't watch TV, play videogames, listen to music, go see anyone besides family, or do any extreme stunts. For all intents and purposes he's in solitary confinement. At first he felt vexed toward his aunt and uncle for all this, but when the other adults were just as prompt at keeping an eye on him—even saying that they have had enough of his attitude too—Plushie has become convinced that Verne and Velma have the rest of them in on a conspiracy too. A conspiracy to ruin his fun. Plushie expected Verne to do so, but is still surprised at how his Aunt Velma is just as stern. From the day he met her up to four days ago, Plushie had always enjoyed that, while meek, Velma wasn't nearly as meek as Verne. She usually tried to defend Plushie's side when allowing him to do things he enjoyed. But Plushie still can't believe that his Aunt Velma, who is typically more understanding than Verne, had hit him and forced him to listen to Verne.

Only one thing doused his anger against the family: the younger family members. It didn't take long for the rest of the family to hear of Plushie's punishment (it never takes long for any news to spread amongst this family) and the teenagers and kids have been doing all they can to put Plushie in a better mood. It's helped pass the time, but nothing seems to be working for the turtle in the long run.

Right now, all the younger hedgies are busy doing other things and Plushie is sitting on the stump of the cut-down tree the family uses as a table for meals—for the past hour and 30 minutes. Just as he moans and tilts his head back in boredom, a puff of purple and sparkling dust erupts and Roger emerges into Plushie's vision.

Roger: "Ta-da!"

Surprised, Plushie lets out an "AHHH!" and falls on his back, his round shell preventing him from getting up.

Roger: "Oh, sorry!" (Chuckles) "I didn't mean to get you that excited, Plushie."

Plushie (angry): "What the heck, Roger!? You trying to give me a heart attack?!"

Roger: "Au contraire, I am here to make you feel alive again!" After helping Plushie back to his feet, Roger clears his throat and continues in the voice of a showman, "Are you ready to see a performance thine eyes shan't ever forget? Fanciful tricks and magical illusions that will boggle thy mind for years to come? Well, all you must do-eth is sit back, relax, and ready-eth thyself for amazement!"

Plushie: "You can cram out the whimsical talk, Roger! This isn't the Middle Ages for pete's sake!"

Roger's mood instantly changes to cynical when he says, "Well, I was here to entertain you and lift your spirits, but if you're going to be this rude to me, then maybe I'll just go and—"

Plushie: "No! Please stay! I'm about to go nuts and really need entertainment! And I'm sorry for getting mad at you. I didn't mean it. It's just my punishment and all, you won't believe how bored I've been."

Roger: "Actually, I know exactly how you feel. No joke. I can't tell you how many times I've been grounded over fighting with my brother. My mom and dad punished me the same way as you, so I figured I'd help you out."

Plushie smiles for the first time in four days. Even though others have been hanging out with him, Roger is the first to truly empathize with the turtle, which makes Plushie's spirits lift in a way they haven't since his punishment began.

Plushie: "You'd really do that for me? Thanks Roger, from the bottom of my heart."

Roger: "Well, that, aaaand I need an audience to showcase my latest magic skills."

While Roger puts his top hat on the tree stump, Plushie rolls his eyes while thinking, "*Sigh*, raccoons...Wait, did I just think that? Oh my gosh, I'm starting to turn into my Uncle!"

Seeing Plushie's face turn into a look of horror, Roger judges that now is the time to begin his show.

Roger: "We'll start simple with my first amazing trick! Observe!"

Roger executes the removable thumb trick by holding out his left paw, placing his right paw's pointer and middle fingers over his left thumb, then sliding his right paw across the bottom, whereby his left thumb magically follows his right paw back and forth. His left thumb reappears when he slides his right fingers back one last time.

Plushie: "Um, sorry Roger, but I know how that one's done."

Roger: "Do tell."

Plushie: "You bent your left thumb and your two fingers covered your right thumb that you moved. No offense, but you're gonna have to do something more impressive to keep a 17-year-old entertained."

Roger: "Heh-heh, I thought you'd say that, which is why I came prepared. How about THIS?" (Holds out his paws and spreads his fingers) "Nothing in my paws, but when I put one to my ear...Voila!"

Using his right paw Roger pulls out a glowing bright blue LED light from his right ear that shines even in the sunlight. He puts his paws together and the light appears on his left paw. He then make the light toss back and forth from his left to right paws while saying "Light here, now there. Here, now there. Here, now there. Aannd..." (Puts the light to his left ear) "It's gone again!"

True to his word, the light is nowhere to be seen.

Roger: "Now, let's shake things up a little."

He pulls the light out of his right ear again, tosses it between his paws once, then puts it in his mouth and shallows it.

Roger: "Ugh! It tastes all electric-e."

Roger spits and the light is in his right paw again. He grabs it with his left fingers and makes two lights for each paw.

Roger: "Maybe if I put it in through the front windows instead of front porch..."

The raccoon puts the right-paw light up to his right nostril, sniffs it into his nose, then does the same with his left paw light and left nostril.

Roger: "That's better!"

Plushie: "That was better than your first trick, but Tyler told me how that one's done. You have squeeze-activated lights in the fake thumbs you're wearing over your real ones."

Roger briefly grimaces but regains his smile when he says, "So my non-believer brother has begun the vile deed of corrupting other members of the family with venomous tales that magic is not real...and you are a tough audience to impress." (Takes the fake thumbs off both paws) "But I was just getting warmed up. Now you'll see true magic that shall impress even you! Why it will be so—Ah, aaaah, aaaaaaaahhhh—" (Pulls out a kleenex from his top hat and sneezes into it) "Aw man, there's no trashcan around. Oh well, my mom is gonna kill me for this…"

Plushie whispers "Eww," when Roger takes the snot-filled kleenex and presses it against both of his palms. When he opens them, Plushie gasps in pure wonder when a small white bird appears in Roger's paws. Before Plushie can ask if the bird is real or just a very good animatronic, the bird flies off into the sky.

Roger: "Because I know you like doing daredevil things, how about I show you something a bit more...dangerous?"

Plushie: "Like what?"

While rummaging through his top hat, Roger says, "Liiiiiiiiike...this!"

He pulls out a knife with a 10 inch blade, raises it above him, tilts his head back, swallows it minus the handle, and then yanks it out quickly. The knife glistens with his saliva, but there is no blood and not even the slightest sign of pain.

Plushie: "How did you—?"

Roger: "Magic, silly!"

Plushie: "Got any more dangerous ones?"

Roger: "Wait here for a bit, I gotta go get something."

Plushie: "Even if I wanted to come with you, I can't."

Roger: "Oh, yeah...Sorry."

When he leaves, Plushie has time to reflect about the show so far. In regards to magic, he would normally consider such kiddie-stuff to be a waste of his time, but right now he'll do anything to keep from being bored, and is surprised as he is thankful that Roger had come by.

When the raccoon returns he's dragging a grey keg full of water, has handcuffs with the closed strand only around his right wrist, and wearing a straightjacket that hasn't been tightened.

Plushie's eyes widen as he asks, "You're not going to do what I think, are you?"

Roger puts the keg in front of the stump and then says, "I sure am." (Steps on top of the stump) "But I need you to tighten the straightjacket, and then clip the handcuff around my left wrist for me."

Plushie promptly obeys, wanting to see just how talented Roger really is. As soon as the straightjacket is securely fasten, Plushie asks, "Where'd you find a straightjacket this small?"

Roger: "It's scary sometimes, what clothes dolls can have these days..."

Before that disturbing image can lead Plushie's imagination to uncomfortable places, Roger quickly adds, "Handcuffs now."

Once the handcuffs are behind his back, Roger steps on top of the keg. "When I jump in, lock the lid."

Plushie: "Don't you need a curtain to be held in front of the keg?"

Roger: "Hah! That's a trick for amateurs. Besides, the keg is all gray and it's not made of glass. But you need to go in front of the keg after sealing me in it."

Plushie: "Whatever you say, dude."

Roger takes a deep breath and hops into the water keg. Having made some modifications to the original design in order to suit Roger's magic performance needs, Plushie takes the lid, puts it on the top, and twists until he hears a click. The turtle then gets to the front and watches. He doesn't know how long Roger can hold his breath, and begins to worry when it feels like 30 seconds have passed. Even worse, he can't tell if Roger is in trouble because the keg isn't made of glass.

Unable to keep his concern in check, Plushie gets next to the keg and knocks on it while yelling, "Roger! You still okay?! Tap the keg if you need me to open up the lid!" No tapping happens and 10 seconds later Plushie says, "Cut the crap, Roger, you're scaring me!"

Five seconds later, and Plushie has had enough. "That's it, I'm letting you out!"

He hurriedly removes the lid, but Roger is nowhere inside! Instead, the teenage raccoon's paw lands on Plushie's shoulder from behind as Roger says, "Oh ye of little faith..."

Plushie spins around and lets out a sigh of relief at the dripping-wet raccoon.

Plushie: "You really had me going there! You're amazing, Roger!"

Roger: "I couldn't have done it without your help. And hearing you say that means a lot to me, because if I can keep the oldest kid entertained then my future as a magician should be bright. But I really need to dry off now, and couldn't bring a towel along with me, so lemme go get one and I'll be back as soon as I can."

Plushie: "Alright, just don't take too long."

Roger nods and heads off. Because Plushie had had so much fun, he's already bored after a few moments. Then he hears someone approaching from behind and turns around to see Tyler coming his way, dragging a five-foot wide trampoline.

Tyler: "I thought I'd check up on how you're doing. I know things must really suck right now, which is why I brought this—" After noticing the discarded straightjacket, handcuffs, and the keg, Tyler rolls his eyes and says, "Did that kiddie-older brother of mine put on a magic show for you?"

Plushie: "Yeah, but swallowing a knife and escaping a sealed keg while bound in a straightjacket and handcuffed behind the back is not kiddie magic tricks."

Ty: "Yeah right, it was a trick knife. There's a button on the handle that makes the blade shrink into the handle."

Plushie (disappointed): "Okay..." (Normal tone) "But what about the water-keg escape? Got an explanation for that?"

Ty: "Only half of it had water in it, separated from the dry half by a glass barrier. He just jumped into the dry half and left out a door in the back."

Plushie: "But when I sealed the lid, I saw the water shimmer inside the whole keg."

Ty: "That was the reflection from the glass barrier."

Plushie: "What about when he came out soaking wet?"

Ty: "Why are you trying so hard to defend him?"

Plushie: "Because he came by to entertain me when I needed it the most. And you still haven't explained how he came out all wet."

Ty (confident): "Well, he..."

Plushie (crosses his arms): "Yeah?"

Ty (unsure): "He...he..."

Plushie: "Yeah, you really need to work harder on disproving your brother's magic tricks, if you can."

Ty: "Oh, I will. Once I have more time to Google search."

Plushie: "Aw, man why'd you have to mention Google? I'm grounded from the internet, you know."

Ty: "Cheer up, Plushie, I've got another way to 'surf the web.' "

Plushie: "You said that pun for a reason...Why is that?"

Ty: "That's what the trampoline is for. Help me put in on the stump."

After the two set the trampoline in place, Ty points and says, "Look up there."

Plushie sees a web swing dangling from the tree tops.

Plushie: "I get it!"

Ty: "Last one to grab onto it is taxidermy fodder!"

The mammal and reptile immediately start their contest, timing their jumps so that the other's momentum makes them jump higher. At first, Ty's lighter weight and better mobility gives him an advantage, but Plushie's heavier weight and better experience in jumping on trampolines with The Extreme's and his mother when he was little ends up giving the turtle the leg-up he needs to beat Tyler to the web swing. Plushie hangs on to it and waits for Tyler to join him up where he is on the next two bounces.

Ty: "Man, you beat me!"

Plushie: "Heh, years of practice."

When the turtle sighs and frowns, Tyler asks, "Hey, what's the matter?"

Plushie: "Down there."

Plushie lets go first and Ty waits for him to come to a stop before letting go and dropping down himself. Before Plushie can speak, Roger arrives back now fully dry.

Roger: "Hey, why'd you guys start trampolining without me?"

Ty: "Not now, Roger. Plushie was just about to get real serious with me about something."

Plushie: "You can join us too, Roger."

Roger nods and gets onto the trampoline next to his little brother.

Ty: "So what's bothering you, Plushie? Didn't jumping on the trampoline and hanging onto the spider swing help you get your mind off not seeing your other friends?"

Plushie: "It only made me think more about them...Don't get me wrong, it did make me feel better, but...I guess it got really old really fast because we weren't doing anything extreme. I'm still unsatisfied. I miss the excitement and danger. I feel like I'm trapped in a cage whenever I play it safe. Sorry guys, but I need more of a distraction."

Roger: "I could put on another magic show for you."

Plushie: "Same problem, it'll get really old really fast because I'm just watching you instead of doing the magic tricks."

Note: the following is based on the Over the Hedge comic strip dated 04/29/2020.

Ty: "I could sing the 'Song of Nimrodel' from Lord of the Rings in original Elvish."

Roger: "Or!...Uncle Hammy could spatula fight with his tail."

Plushie looks to where Roger is pointing and sees Hammy with a spatula in his right paw and shouting "En garde!" to the second spatula that's being held by his tail.

Plushie grins, then quickly loses interest. He briefly gets a moment of hope when Sam and Aaron show up and start spatula fighting as well, but Hammy has to be more cautious once his kids have joined the fray.

Noticing Plushie's expression getting duller, Ty tried to reiterate his previous offer.

Ty: "Really! I have a lute and everything!" (holds up the stringed instrument)

Roger: "We want Plushie distracted, not depressed."

Plushie: "The problem is that whatever we do, it can't be too extreme for the adults who're watching me as we speak."

Roger and Tyler look around and discover Ozzie on a tree branch reading a Shakespeare play, but also keeping a close eye on them.

Roger: "Okay, you've made your point. But how can my magic show and a trampoline get any more exciting for you, and still be okay with the adults?"

Ozzie's voice: "If you can think of a way to satisfy your adrenaline rush, while doing something your uncle would approve of, I will allow it. But it has to be something Verne would be okay with."

Plushie gives it a thought. Because Ozzie has known Verne for quite some time, the opossum practically knows how Verne's mind works. After some more thought, Plushie snaps his finger, grins like a child seeing a new toy, and says, "Here's what I mean..."

After telling his plan, Roger and Ty grin too, and Ozzie nods and gives his approval.

---

At a house in the Elysian Fields Estates, friends are meeting for a get-together. But not just any house, and not just any friends. It is the house of Pierre, his wife Mary Anne, and seven-year-old son Dilbert "Dill." The friends that are meeting them are none other than Dwayne and Gladys LaFontant, along with their six-year-old daughter Glenda. Glenda has her father's big blue eyes, mole on the left side of her face, large nose, and wide mouth. Other than that, she looks just like her mother with a thin body, arched eyebrows, and black hair. Unlike Gladys, Glenda's hair is long and goes halfway down her back, and she wears a red bow.

The two families had become friends years ago after Dwayne became more curious about Verm-Tech's new top Verminator ever since seeing Pierre have a run-in with the hedgies at the supermarket Dwayne used to work in. Dwayne has served as an advisor to Pierre, giving him tips on techniques in order to become a better verminator.

Note: The following caper is based on the Over the Hedge comic strip dated 6/12/2020.

Having heard Pierre's story of his most recent encounter with the hedgies, Dwayne is sitting in a lawn chair in Pierre's backyard looking over a list almost as long as Santa Claus's. He is approached by his daughter who asks, "What'cha doing, daddy?"

Dwayne: "Hey, Glenda. Wanna see my list of everything wrong about animals?"

Glenda: "No, I like animals!"

Dwayne: "You're kidding...What's to like?"

Dwayne and Glenda turn their attention to the hedge when they hear the sound of a trampoline being jumped on—Dooing! The creature is none other than Plushie, who is holding binoculars. The turtle falls back behind the hedge, makes a bigger jump—B-Boingg!—launches himself 30 feet high, his hands outstretched, and grabs onto a pizza box being delivered by a drone. The problem is, he's not heavy enough to make the drone fall down the ground, and because letting go will result in injury or death, he has no choice but to hold on for the rest of the ride, screaming "AAAHHHHHHHH!"

Glenda: "Because animals are very entertaining."

Dwayne: "Wait...I know that shell and, *sniff* that scent!" (Stands up on his prosthetic legs and briskly walks toward the back door of Pierre's house) "Glenda, baby, daddy's got some unfinished business to take care of."

Judging by the way the drone starts to drop altitude, Dwayne theorizes that the destination for the pizza, and Plushie, is the house across the street. Dwayne practically storms through the house after entering, which draws the attention of his wife and Mary Anne.

Gladys: "I know that look and stride...You're about to hunt some vermin aren't you?"

Pierre: "Hunt vermin? Count me in!" (Gets up and joins Dwayne)

Mary Anne: "Oh no you don't, boys! It's a Sunday and we're here to visit with each other, not work."

Dwayne and Pierre in unison: "But—!"

Gladys and Mary Anne in unison: "You're both staying here, and that's final!"

The men sigh, find a seat, and continue to enjoy their time with company, because they know how aggressive their wives can be when said wives' minds are made up.

---

When Plushie gets back with the pizza, he instantly notices Verne and Velma waiting for him with crossed arms and tapping foots.

Plushie: "Ozzie said it was okay for me to try to snag some pizza for the family's lunch, and said even you would approve of it. I thought I weighed enough to make the drone fall to the ground, but I didn't, so I had no choice but to hold on until it landed. Even I didn't intend that to happen."

Verne: "We understand Plushie, we just wanted to make sure you're okay."

Plushie: "I'm always okay when it comes to heisting."

Velma: "And admittedly, that was a great idea. And that's the thing, if you use your daredevil stunts to help the family's livelihood, it's okay."

She eyes Verne who reluctantly nods, indicating she had been talking to him about their nephew's boldness. However, she clearly hasn't changed her stance of being on Verne's side as her next words prove.

Velma: "But using them to destroy things and anger humans just for kicks is intolerable. You're just begging for something terrible to happen to you when you do that."

Verne: "And this is the only time you'll be allowed to do something like what you did today. If you had lost your grip or gotten noticed by humans during your trip back here, you might not still be alive to enjoy the pizza."

Plushie is irritated with his uncle's overthinking and overprotectiveness, but keeps quiet because he doesn't want his punishment to be extended. Instead, all he does is sigh and say, "Yes sir...I'll go back to the stump and sit there...Alone."

The teenage turtle puts down the pizza box and heads back to the stump, only, he isn't alone.

Verne: "I want you to understand something, Plushie. The reason I'm so hard on you is because one day you might become the family's co-leader, and you'll need to be very responsible to do that."

Plushie: "That's the thing. What if I don't want to become the family co-leader? I mean, you got RJ's kids and Rebecca who can become the leaders of the family one day, maybe even Roger or Tyler, so why do I need to be a co-leader?"

Verne: "I never said you had to become the co-leader, I said you might become the co-leader. If you really don't want to, you don't have to. But your opinion might change in the future, so it's better to start stepping up and maturing now."

Velma: "And even if you don't become the family's future co-leader, you'll still need to be responsible if you want to marry and have kids one day."

Plushie: "That is the last thing on my mind right now in life."

Verne: "Yes, we expected so. It's just something we wanted to bring up to you today."

The thought-inducing session the three reptiles are having is suddenly interrupted when RJ's voice screams in panic, "Verne! Velma! Everyone! Get into trees, NOW! That female wolf is here!"

The turtles' hearts skip two beats, and Verne and Velma each grab Plushie by an arm and quickly bring him over to a tree.

Plushie: "Wait a minute, I can fight her! To give non-climbers more time to get to safety!"

Verne: "This isn't a normal wolf, Plushie!"

Plushie: "She can't break through my shell!"

Velma: "From what Mary told us about the run-in she had with her a few days ago, I think this wolf can!"

Verne: "Now start climbing!"

Verne and Velma shove Plushie up, only for him to let go of the tree trunk and start running on the ground toward the direction he had heard RJ.

Verne: "Plushie! What're you doing?!"

Plushie: "We're gonna need a distraction for someone to get Aunt Heather up into a tree!"

Velma: "Come back here this instant, or so help me, we will put you on a real leash!"

Verne: "Yeah! 'Cause we've seen humans use human leashes for their children!"

Plushie: "Small price to pay for doing what's right for the family! At least I have the guts to do it!"

Verne: "Why you! You are in BIG trouble Plushie!"

Unfortunately, Plushie no longer seems to care, and fully focuses on running toward the log. He has to admit that the prospect of being attacked in his own home is somewhat exhilarating, because he'll be fighting to defend both the lives and the possessions whom he cares deeply for. But he also has to win, because that's the only way he will be allowed to walk away from this without punishment (or at least a reduced one) for his disobedience.

When he arrives at the log, RJ is standing at the entrance/exit brandishing his golf club, intending to prevent Clara from entering it while Luby and Lou help get Heather to safety.

Clara: "You's teenk a measly old golf club is gonna stop me?"

RJ: "Yes."

Clara (rhetorically): "Den why am I unafraid?"

RJ: "Look, if you're hungry just take the meat from the cooler. Kale said it tastes better than live animals."

Clara: "Dis ain't about food, it's about revenge! Where's dat coon-possum girl whose scent I followed here?! I told her I'd be back ta kill 'er!"

Mary: "Then you're out of luck, 'cuz I'm up here!"

Clara looks up and glares at Mary who is in a tree. Then RJ hits the wolfess below the left eye with all his strength. He figured Clara can't be negotiated with, so the only option would be to defeat her. Before he hit her, RJ was a little safe from Clara because there are three fully grown male raccoons close by, so she would have to try to figure out who Mary's father is. But Heather didn't have that luxury because she is the only female possum around, thus making it too obvious who Mary's mother is, so he had to do it to protect his mate.

Figuring his blow will buy him enough time to look back and check on Heather, Luby, and Lou, RJ starts to turn around but is stopped by Plushie shouting, "No Uncle RJ!"

RJ refocuses on his front—just in time to use his golf club to block a bite from Clara that would have killed him. RJ thinks in shock, "How can she be unfazed by my hit?!" He then stops himself from proposing any theories in his head, as keeping her deadly teeth at bay requires his full concentration and strength. Clara on the other hand seems to be enjoying it all, as her gums curve up to form a smile. RJ twists his golf club to the left and right, but Clara maintains her grip. Then having had enough fun, she starts to move forward, making RJ move back to where she wants him to go.

No matter how hard RJ tries he can't push Clara back, and the stones and pine cones being thrown at her by those in the trees don't deter her in the slightest, even when they hit her in the head. Clara chuckles at her seemingly invulnerability, giving RJ chills and making him doubt a positive outcome in this fight. Had the female wolf been a person, the phrase "she isn't human!" would perfectly fit. Instead, Verne's earlier statement that she isn't a normal wolf must suffice.

Little do the animals know that Clara lives for revenge and carnage...relishes in it...craves it. Ever since getting "the mark of shame" those two things are all that have been keeping her alive.

Clara stops pushing forward once she's got RJ pressed up against a tree. Trapped by his own golf club, RJ can do nothing else but wait and see what Clara will do to him, but he doesn't give in and will continue to hold his ground for as long as he can. The problem is, he can't even tell anyone how much he loves them, because merely talking will use up strength that he needs so desperately right now.

Plushie's voice: "Hey, She-Wolf! UP HERE!"

Still gripping the golf club in her mouth, Clara replies, "Not gonna dishtract me!"

Plushie's voice: "Then don't say I didn't try to warn ya!"

Clara continues to ignore him, which is her biggest mistake. Having climbed up into a tree while Clara was busy slowly pushing RJ, Plushie drops down backwards so that his hard shell lands smack-dab onto Clara's face, hitting her in the forehead, eyes, and most of the muzzle. Unlike the stones and pinecones from before, which had been light and small, Plushie's shell and weight are heavy and large. Clara can't ignore the hurt this time, and screams in rage and pain. RJ begins climbing up the tree as soon as her grip slackens, his adrenaline offsetting his exhausting from holding her back.

RJ: "Wh-where is, *pant* H...Heather?"

Luby: "She's safe now, RJ."

RJ: "Then c'mon Plushie!"

Plushie nods, runs over to the same tree, and starts to climb it. When he hears several voices shout, "Look out!" the turtle tucks into his shell just as Clara rears up on her hind legs and wraps her teeth around the shell. She throws him to the ground as hard as she can, flips him so that he's upside down, and smacks him out into the open grass far from any trees.

Clara: "You's think ya shell will save you?! We-ell, not from meee!"

Clara digs the index and middle fingers of both forepaws into the gap of Plushie's shell where his left and right hands are and starts clawing him vigorously. Even her fingers have unnatural strength, and Plushie's grunts of pain brings Clara's sinister grin back to her muzzle. Still clawing him in the hand-gaps, Clara wraps her teeth around Plushie's shell and bites down. Because he is upside down, his thinner under-shell is facing toward the wolf's large canine teeth. Plushie realizes just how doomed he is when he hears and feels part of his shell on both the front and back start to crack. Clara's mouth might as well be a mechanized trash compactor, because his shell isn't even stopping her, it's only slowing her down, prolonging the inevitable.

Roger: "HEY, tail-less loser! Yeah, I'm talkin' to you, Ms. Banished! Look at me you dishonorable traitor of Wolf Society!"

The realization that this group of prey animals know what "the mark of shame" means is more insulting to Clara than the actual insults. She loosens her grip so that she's only holding Plushie's shell, withdraws her fingers, and turns around to look at Roger standing in the open. She growls menacingly at him, then bolts toward him. Suddenly, a flash of purple and sparkling smoke envelops Roger, which Clara breathes in, sending her into a coughing fit that makes her drop Plushie to the ground.

Roger reappears behind her and continues his taunts with, "I'm over here, dummy!"

Clara doesn't even wait for her coughing to subside and charges toward him. Seeing the teenage raccoon raise a smoke pellet in the air, Clara closes her eyes and uses her other senses to pinpoint exactly where Roger is standing so that not even another smoke bomb will save him. But he doesn't use a smoke bomb, for that had been his ruse. Instead, he gets out his magic wand, makes it emit the sparker fireworks, and shoves it into Clara's nose. Had her eyes been open she would have avoided it, but fortunately for Roger they were not, and now she enters a gagging fit. She also screams when the sparkers start burning the inside of her nose. After removing the wand from her nose, it takes all of her power to not throw up from the noxious scent and taste of gunpowder.

Roger: "Geez, you really are pathetic. My grandmother is faster than you! No wonder you got kicked out of your pack!"

Enraged more than ever, Clara charges toward Roger a third time, and at a speed that won't give him time to run or defend himself. Then, the sound of a gun hammer being pulled back makes her skid to a stop. That is the only reason she avoids the bullet that enters the ground a mere two feet in front of her. Because looking in the direction of the shooter would spell death for her, she runs this way and that as she makes her way out of the hedgies' forest area. She doesn't even swear vengeance, but the hedgies know it is implied.

From up in the tree he is in, RJ lowers his revolver once Clara's scent starts growing fainter, meaning she is leaving for the day.

RJ thinking: "Or at least until the time she can think of how to combat animals with a gun."

Rogan and Sarah approach their son and put a paw on his shoulders.

Sarah: "Great thinking, RJ."

Rogan: "You reminded me when your mother and I defeated wolves."

RJ: "Almost had her...I was leading my shot...If she hadn't stopped..."

Lou: "But you got her to leave. That's the important thing."

RJ: "I may have made things worse. I just showed her our secret weapon. She'll be expecting it next time, which'll make it harder to defeat her."

Rachel: "We'll need to sleep up in the trees for a while."

Ozzie: "Do we need to send someone after Rebecca, Rick, and Bernard? She might go after them."

Stella: "They can easily climb trees if they pick up that wolf's scent. So they okay, but has anyone else hea been injured?"

RJ: "Heather?"

Heather: "It really hurt being hoisted up the tree. Looks like my recovery time just got extended."

RJ: "Darn it..."

Sarah: "And remember what I said about my sciatic nerve?" (Grips her leg) "Ahh! It's flaring up again."

Luby: "Are you good, Roger?"

Roger: "Yeah, mom."

Ike: "That was SO COOL what'cha did!"

Sam: "Eahhhh!"

Luby: "I'm so proud of you, son!"

Ty: "Okay, I'll admit it...You were pretty awesome!"

Roger: "As I've been saying, magic has other uses besides entertainment. I just wish my dad could've seen me."

De'Ausha: "No worries, we gon tell him everythang!"

Roger: "But I can't take all the credit. Plushie's the one who finally made her feel pain."

RJ: "Way to go with that, Plushie! You saved my life, too. I owe you one."

Plushie: "I haven't had this much fun since being grounded!"

Voice: "And speaking of grounded, you're punishment has been extended!"

Everyone looks over to where the voice came from and see Verne (who had spoken) and Velma making their way across tree branches.

Plushie: "Didn't you hear us talking just now? I saved Uncle RJ's life."

Velma: "But you still disobeyed us! We told you to climb up the tree back there" (points in the direction she had come from) "and you just ran head-first into danger."

RJ: "He's telling the truth, Verne and Velma."

Scarlet: "Things would've been a lot worse if he hadn't shown up when he did."

Hammy (speaking fast without pausing between words): "Ya-huh! He told RJ not to turn around which saved him from becoming the wolf's chew toy!"

Tiger: "I concur that Plushie is right. Perhaps he does deserve something out of this."

Plushie (pointing at Verne and Velma): "If I had listened to you and gone up the tree, I wouldn't have made it here in time to help out. If I did what you said to do, Uncle RJ would've been killed. If anything, you should reduce my punishment, especially because I did it to protect the family. And didn't you say it was alright for me to use my daredevil skills to help the family?"

Verne: "Yes...we did. But from the look on your shell and arms, it looks like you almost got killed."

Plushie (while looking down at the bleeding cuts in his arms and hands, as well as the teeth marks in his shell): "Yeah...I only realized how strong she really was after she started attacking me." (Looks up at his aunt and uncle) "But it was better than sitting around doing nothing." Thinking he needs to get the rest of the family to back him up more than they have already, Plushie says, "And now I know she's strong enough to break through my shell, so I'll think of a better plan to stop her next time she shows her hide around our home!"

Plushie felt like a leader when he spoke that last part, and feels like it even more when several family members whoop and cheer in agreement. Even Verne and Velma can't deny that they admire the leadership quality their nephew had just shown, but the adult turtles know that he's only doing it to avoid punishment. However, the two also can't win this argument, and decide Plushie should be rewarded.

Verne: "Alright...fine. Plushie, your punishment will be over by the end of this week."

Velma: "But you must promise us to be more careful from here on out."

Plushie: "Of course. I got several reasons to do that now." (Brings up his injured arms and hands)

Hammy: "Anyone up for a victory snack?"

Aaron: "I am!"

Scarlet: "Count me in too. You know how much of a sweet tooth I have."

Everyone else seems to agree, and starts making their way down to the food pile, minus Heather and Sarah whose food is brought to them by others. As for Verne and Velma, they can only pray that Plushie's damaged shell will serve as proof that he's not as invincible as he thinks.

---

Now within possum-smelling distance of Patricia's scent, Bernard knows it's do or die time, and he has no intention of dying anymore. For three days he had cried, moped, brooded, and felt altogether rotten, with no hope or brighter side to offset his terrible feelings. But thanks to his Aunt Rebecca, he has one more shot at happiness.

Everything will be set right. Everything must be set right. He has got nothing else. He is desperately out of luck, out of options, and out of hope if this doesn't work—but it will work, so there's nothing to fear. It will work because he has exhausted all other possibilities to make him feel better, and talked to everyone he could (save for his parents out of spite), just to be faced with the inescapable reality that only being loved by Patricia can make him feel happy. He tried playing with his other family members, listened to uplifting music, and watched some of his favorite movies and TV shows, but those only proved to be temporary distractions instead of permanent solutions. Once the song, playtime, or show ended, the feeling of loss and worthlessness returned.

He thinks back to where his problems had all started, and humbly admits his faults that made some of the things happen. True, his parents deserve a lot of the blame for having children they knew would be sterile, but he can't blame them for everything. He regrets being unable to protect his own family members when Tabitha and her gang attacked. Because of that, Sam, his best friend in the family, has lost interest in spending time with Bernard, actively tries to avoid him, and gets angry at him occasionally. Bernard regrets playing possum during the heist that got Heather injured, regrets not being more like a raccoon who can expertly wield his golf bag items with little to no practice, regrets not taking the initiative more often and having to rely on his sister so much, and especially regrets being so weak-willed to give up on trying to convince Patricia to stay with him despite his sterility.

But when he comes into view of Patricia's home, as a famous human who made sure all people are treated fairly by government law once said, the crooked places will be set straight. He can practically taste the turnover his life is about to experience. The past three days have been his darkest, when he was at his worst. But like Rebecca told him it's always darkest just before the dawn. The dawn is coming, his dawn, the dawn of a new and harmonious chapter of his life.

Though aware of the catastrophic flaws of Rebecca's recent words to Bernard, Rick too wants to bolster his surrogate opossacoon nephew's self-esteem and spurs him on by saying, "Okay Bernard, this is it. Let's all of us go and see you get back your girlfriend."

Bernard: "Wait here Aunt Becca and Uncle Rick, I'll handle it myself."

Rebecca: "You sure?"

Rebecca wishes she could have said more than that, because she doesn't want Bernard to be alone if Patricia rejects him again, but also doesn't want to say anything that sounds like she isn't confident about everything she has been saying to Bernard, especially right now.

Bernard: "I trusted your word when you told me why Patricia really broke up with me, and still trust you. Now I need you to trust me to get this taken care of once and for all."

Rebecca gulps too quietly to be heard. Her relationship with her biological nephew is on the line here. If Patricia's mind hasn't changed, then Bernard won't listen to her ever again.

Rick looks at her, sees the concern in her eyes, and does the talking when he says, "Then go ahead, Bernard. We'll wait here."

Bernard doesn't even wait for Rick to finish before he goes forward. His nose tells him that Patricia isn't in her family's home, but on the opposite end of the greenfield the shooting house overlooks. Her family's scents are in the shooting house, but he doesn't want them involved this time. No, this is between Patricia and himself.

He is halfway across the 20-yard wide greenfield when his sense of smell informs him that she is heading in his direction. Bernard feels extra giddy inside as he muses, "She must have picked up my scent and is already coming toward me. Oh yeah, fate's on my side this time, baby!"

There is a line of bushes separating the grass of the greenfield and the forest thicket past it, and when Patricia's footsteps are almost to the bush in front of Bernard, he takes the initiative and says, "Hey, Patricia. It's me, Bernard. We need to talk."

Patricia gasps, quickly goes through the bush, and emerges from it.

Patricia: "Bernard? Wh-what're you doing here?"

Bernard: "I came here to forgive you."

Patricia, hoping for this talk to happen as well, if overjoyed as she says, "You mean you understand that I—"

Bernard: "Yes, absolutely. We all say things we don't mean when we're caught off guard, it's not just human nature to do that, but animal nature too. That's why I came to hear you say that you still love me. You were surprised when I told you I was sterile and in your shock, you said you didn't love me anymore. But you've come to realize differently by now, haven't you? You know that no one will love you like I do, and that we'll still be happy with each other even though we'll never be able to have kids."

Patricia (nervously): "Bernard...I—"

Bernard: "Go on and say it. You know deep down that I'm right." Seeing Patricia lower her head and rub her arm, Bernard thinks he may be doing this with too much strength, and decides to go with his pre-thought reassurance route. "It's okay if you're still nervous—you know how I get when I'm that way. But take it from me, it's better to just say it without thinking. This time, and from now on, I'm not gonna be a Stuttering Steve or a Nervous Nelson. With you by my side, I'll never have to be nervous and alone again, and neither will you. You can't deny our love for each other, Patri—"

Bernard is cut off by the ruffling of something passing through the bushes, followed by a voice saying, "There you are, Pat. I was wondering what was taking you so long."

Bernard tilts his head in confusion at the male raccoon who just came into view. The latter seems equally confused and asks, "Who are you?"

Bernard: "Who are you?"

Patricia: "Um, Bernard, meet Zack. Zack, meet Bernard."

Bernard: "Is he one of your relatives I've never met before."

Patricia: "No, he's, my, uh, friend."

Zack lays his elbow on Patricia's shoulder and turns his head to look at her while he says, "Don't downplay it, Pat." (Looks at Bernard) "I'm her boyfriend."

Bernard's eyes widen and his pupils shrink. Needing to confirm what he just heard, Bernard quizzically asks, "...Boy...friend?..."

Zack: "Well, technically new boyfriend. We just hooked up yesterday. But enough about me, who are you? And more importantly, what are you?"

Bernard's confidence starts dropping fast as he replies, "...An...opossa...coon. My daddy's...a raccoon and my...mommy's an...opossum."

Although Bernard talked to Zack, the hybrid's eyes are locked on Patricia. She feels guilty about what's going on right now, and wants to explain her side to Bernard, but Zack responds to what Bernard had just said before she can speak.

Zack: "Oooookaaaaayyyy...That's, uh, pretty weird...Anyway, how do you know Patricia?"

Bernard: "I was her...boyfriend..."

Zack hiss-cackles loud enough to scare a flock of nearby birds away, then regains his composure and says, "You?! Her boyfriend?! Get real! What would someone as cool as her want anything to do with someon—no, something—like you?!"

Patricia: "He's telling the truth, Zack."

Zack stops leaning his elbow on her should and tilts his head at her. "Seriously?"

While continuing to look at Bernard, though it's very hard to do, Patricia explains, "Uh-huh...But we broke up three days ago."

Zack (to Bernard): "Oh, so that makes you her ex-boyfriend, not her current boyfriend."

Bernard is speechless, but his eyes continue to convey the heart-wrenching emotions he is feeling. He is reliving the pain of his breakup all over again, only this time it feels even worse. Granted, Bernard was expecting Patricia to be with someone else when he had smelt the scent of an unfamiliar animal near her ever since picking up her scent. However, he assumed she was chatting with a friend of hers, especially since she had started moving away from the other animal while he was crossing the greenfield. Never in a million years would he have guessed she was already seeing a new boyfriend.

Having lost patience waiting for Bernard to say something else, Zack ends the awkward silence that followed after his last comment by saying, "Well, you heard her, freakshow. She's not with you anymore, she's with me."

Knowing that Bernard isn't in the mood to even defend himself, Patricia says, "He's not a freak, Zack."

Zack: "Are you kidding? Look at him. He looks he was grown in a test tube by Doctor Frankenstein—after sniffing too much superglue and eating a moldy-bunned hamburger with expired meat."

Patricia: "That's not true, and just because he's a hybrid doesn't mean he's a freak. This isn't how I expected my new boyfriend to treat my old boyfriend."

Zack: "Why're you defending him? He can speak. Let him tell me otherwise." (To Bernard) "Well? I'm waiting. Freak."

Bernard (barely audible): "I'm not a freak..."

Zack: "Louder."

Bernard can't find his voice. He has lost all the fight in him.

Zack: "No wonder Pat dumped you. You're a freak and a wuss."

Patricia: "That's enough, Zack. And I broke up with him because he's sterile, and can't give me any kits. That's his only flaw, other than that he's a kind, smart, selfless, and responsible guy. If you wanna stay with me, you need to learn not to judge others by their appearance."

Zack's attitude goes from aggressive to docile after he makes a sigh. He wraps his arms around the back of Patricia's head and says, "You're right. I'm sorry, Patricia." (Looks at Bernard) "Sorry Bernard. Ever since I was little animals always made fun of me because I was a raccoon, and their remarks left a permanent impact on how I view other animals. I'll get better, I promise. And now that I'm with you, Pat, I'll change even faster."

Patricia: "I know you will, Zack. Let's just get back to exploring."

Zack: "Now you're talking." When Patricia doesn't join him passing through the bush, he sticks his head out and asks, "What's the holdup?"

Patricia: "You go on ahead, I need to say a few things to Bernard."

Bernard: "...No need...I've gotten all the answers I need...Don't worry about me anymore...Patricia..."

Patricia: "Bernard, I—"

But the opossacoon already turns around and scurries away. Patricia wants to go after him or call out that she got together with Zack not because Bernard means so little to her, but because she needed an immediate distraction from the pain of breaking up with Bernard, because she couldn't take the sorrow anymore. However, she doesn't want to say that within earshot of Zack, because if he leaves her, the guilt and heartbreak will return full force. All she can do now is go with her new boyfriend, and hope he really meant it when he said he was going to change his attitude for her.

As for Bernard, he hasn't shed a single tear, because instead of feeling sad, he feels angry. Certainly at Zack and Patricia, but more so at someone else. When he arrives back at where Rebecca and Rick are waiting for him, Rebecca asks, "Well, how'd it go?"

Bernard (glares at her and speaks in a harsh tone): "You lied to me, Aunt Becca."

Rebecca already knows what must have happened, but is also compelled to let Bernard finish.

Bernard: "You said Patricia still loved me, said that she didn't really mean what she said to me that day, said she needed time to realize her mistakes. But she's already got another boyfriend—two days after breaking up with me! That not only means everything you said for the past three days was a load of bogus, but also that I never meant much to her at all!"

Rebecca: "No, Bernard. I'm just as shocked as you are."

Bernard: "DON'T! I can't trust you, I can't trust ANYONE, anymore! My parents made me sterile, my best friend hates me, my girlfriend broke up with me twice, and now the only raccoon I thought I could count on is a lying manipulator! Did you save me from killing myself just to make me suffer more?!"

Rebecca: "Now that is a lie, Bernard. I love you with all my heart."

Bernard: "Liar! I'm never speaking to you again!"

As he runs off in the direction of home, Rebecca drops to her knees and lets out a frustrated scream while beating her fists on the ground. Once again she messed things up. Once again, her incompetence has caused someone else pain. Once again, she tried to do something good, but only made a bad situation worse.

Rick (hurriedly): "Rebecca, I gotta make sure Bernard gets home safely. Will you be okay here?"

Rebecca: "Don't worry about me. Go to him. Tell RJ and Heather I failed this family again."

Rick: "Don't be so hard on yourself."

Rebecca: "JUST GO!"

Rick nods and hurries away, leaving Rebecca alone. She doesn't stay for long, though. She knows all the commotion will attract Eric, Elaina, and Richie and doesn't want them to give her hollow advice. She also can't go home yet because she doesn't feel worthy to look RJ and Heather in the eyes and tell them the bad news, hence why she told Rick to tell them. Not even gymnastics will brighten her mood, but there is only one guy who she feels confident enough to talk to. She doubts he can boost her spirit back to normal, but it's worth a try.

She goes to see Garrett.

---

Back at the log, the family is still enjoying their victory meal. Confident that Clara won't come back, they are all on the ground now. The only one who isn't eating is Christine. Having had her dawn pig-out, she still isn't that hungry. She smiles at how well she has been at keeping her secret a secret. She drops the smile when her mom approaches next to her and digs through the food pile while letting out a long yawn.

Ozzie: "You okay, Celine?"

Celine: "Yeah...Just tired."

Scarlet: "Lemme guess, the wolf's attack woke you up too early?"

Celine: "It's not that, I just haven't been sleeping very well lately."

Penny: "Jeepers, you poor dear. Why is that?"

Note: the following is based on the Over the Hedge comic strip dated October 5-9, 2020.

Celine: "Bats' hearing can be a double-edged sword, because Christine has been grinding her teeth in her sleep for the past few days and it's been keeping me up at day time.

Not wanting to expose the true reason for this, Christine quickly lies, "I've been under a lot of stress lately. I broke up with my boyfriend, haven't gotten over how my argument with the rest of you" (points at her parents and sisters) "got Aunt Heather hurt, overslept when I intended to tell RJ and Heather that Mary was planning on breaking up with Elroy, which got her leg injured as a result; there's that new wolf in these woods, and I've had to help keep an eye on Plushie."

Once again showing her passiveness Claire agrees without question by saying, "Well, that makes sense."

Marilyn: "Not entirely. We haven't been grinding our teeth, and we've been through the same things you have, minus the boyfriend breakup and the thing about Mary."

Having overheard the conversation, RJ arrives and says, "Maybe the stress has given you a toothache. Lemme take a look with my flashlight."

Christine thinking: "Uh-oh..." (Out loud): "Not necessary, I'm sure I just need to relax more."

Celine: "Better safe than sorry, Christine."

RJ: "It'll only take a second."

Christine (puts her finger-claws out in front of her and backs up a little in defense): "I really don't think—"

Noticing her sister's tone, Marilyn says, "You're hiding something, aren't you Christine?"

Hammy and his family just happen to be passing by and heard what Marilyn said.

Aaron: "Oooo! A secret!"

Sam: "Eee-eeetttt!"

RJ: "Settle down guys, I'm just about to make a plain tooth inspection."

Knowing that any more resistance would confirm Marilyn's suspicions, Christine sighs internally and says in full resignation, "Alright do it."

RJ: "Say 'Ah.' "

Christine: "Ahhhhh."

RJ only has to inspect for two seconds. Next, he puts his flashlight down and reaches into the bat's mouth with his fingers while saying, "Okay...I think I see..." When he removes his fingers, he holds up an object and declares, "The problem!

Hammy, Aaron, and Sam gasp at the sight of a half-eaten bite-sized chunk of Twinkie in RJ's fingers. The other bats use their sense of smell to also confirm the kind of processed pastry treat that the raccoon is holding. Christine hasn't had any food since Clara left, so the discovery is quite unusual.

Hammy, Aaron, Marilyn, and Claire in unison (while pointing at Christine): "Twinkie thief!"

Christine: "I-I-I can explain!

RJ: "How about starting with why you didn't even chew the rest of it?"

Now that there's no point in trying to hide it anymore, Christine comes clean by saying, "I felt so bad about being dumped by my boyfriend I didn't want to enjoy it. But c'mon, Uncle RJ, you just leave them out lying around."

RJ: "Right. Inside an iris-scan, biometric safe."

RJ removes a chunk of tree bark as big as he is from a nearby tree to reveal the safe that he immediately opens with an eye scan, whereby the Twinkies start toppling out.

RJ: "I caught the smell of my scent on the Twinkie I took out of your mouth. It did come from here, not just the stash we have in the food pile."

Claire: "How did you get past the eye scanner, Christine?"

Christine: "I...may have had Plushie make me contact lenses from high-resolution photos of Uncle RJ's iris."

RJ (surprised and confused): "Oooookaaaaayyyy..."

Verne and Velma look at Plushie who says, "It was before my punishment."

Christine: "I know it's very excessive, but...don't you ever just want to get out of your own skin and be someone else? It helps take away the pain of a breakup."

Marilyn: "Like pretending to be Uncle RJ? That 'being someone else' is what Halloween is for."

Christine: "But RJ has a way more fun job."

RJ is about to tell Christine just how hard it is being the co-leader of this family, when Hammy buts in.

Hammy: "No! My job is more fun! See?"

Hammy starts flying in the air after being picked up by a swarm of butterflies.

RJ: "When Hammy is right, he is right."

Simon: "Christine, you can't go around stealing Twinkies, lying, and conning."

RJ: "Yeah, that was my job before meeting this family—minus stealing Twinkies."

Having been put down by the butterflies Hammy points at Christine and lectures her by saying, "And don't you go getting all wacky, cute, huggy, and irresistible!..." (Gets into Christine's face and points at himself with his thumb) " 'Cuz that's my job, Mrs. Bat Lady!" He takes his kids in each paw and storms off in a huff while saying, "You're messing with nature, buster!"

Claire: "I've never seen him that angry before...!"

Marilyn: "Ooooo, you've angered Uncle Hammy."

Christine: "Mea culpa. Mea culpa. Mea culpa..."

Note: mea culpa is Latin for "through my fault."

Simon: "How long have you been stealing RJ's Twinkies, Christine?"

Christine: "...For about a week."

Marilyn: "I think it's been more than Twinkies."

Christine: "Shut your mouth! No one's talking to you!"

Celine: "No Christine, your sister has a point. I think there's more going on here."

Christine: "Like what mom?"

Celine: "The teeth-grinding, how you get tired from flying, and how you've gone to great lengths to get Twinkies...You've developed an eating habit, haven't you?"

Marilyn (pumps her fist): "Oh! Called it!"

Simon: "Quiet, Marilyn!"

Christine: "I...*sigh* yes..."

Celine: "And I bet it's about your boyfriend breaking up with you."

Christine: "Yes...it is...I'm mad, sad, and frustrated. Eating seemed like the easiest thing to do, and I never intended it to get out of hand."

Simon: "But there are better ways to deal with those emotions than excessive eating."

Celine: "For starters, you should have told us how you felt about your breakup."

Christine: "I didn't do that before because none of you know what it's like. Marilyn and Claire don't have boyfriends, and Marilyn would just laugh and mock me like she always does. And you and dad got married, so you obviously didn't break up while dating."

Simon: "True, but that doesn't mean we can't still comfort you. It's what families are for."

Celine: "Thinking we can't is where you are wrong."

Christine: "Gee...I never thought of that...So what can I do to overcome my troubles?"

Simon: "Find other ways to vent out your emotions besides eating things."

Celine: "You could listen to your favorite song or shows, go for a flight, workout, socialize with others, or do something fun that you enjoy."

Simon: "Also know that your heartbreak is only temporary, not permanent. Grow stronger from this failed relationship and don't lose hope that you'll find someone else to love another day. It's rare for any creature to marry his or her first lover, love can take lots of trial and error."

Even Marilyn and Claire's eyebrows are raises with their parents' words, needless to say Christine's mind is blown.

Christine: "Wow...It was so obvious and simple, but I did the opposite."

Simon (nods yes): "Life is all about living and learning, but you only fail if you don't learn from your past mistakes."

Christine: "You're right...Thanks mom and dad!" (Wraps her wings around them in a hug)

Celine: "It's what parents are for, Christine."

Marilyn (hangs her head in shame): "And I guess I haven't been a good big sister lately...If I wasn't so snarky, I could have offered you some help. Instead, I just made things worse. I haven't been through what you're going through, so I have no right to put you or Claire down all the time. I'm sorry Christine."

Claire: "Me too. If I wasn't so passive, I might have realized something was wrong with my own sister...Never again! I'm not gonna be a doormat anymore! I'm going to stand on my own two stubby feet!"

Christine: "I forgive you both. We're sisters, triplets at that, and we stick together."

Marilyn and Claire smile and join the group hug that the bats are sharing now, making the onlookers feel warm on the inside. The feeling doesn't last too long, as a familiar voice—and accent—says, "Dat she-wolf's scent led me right here! I need'a head count; how many injured and how bad! I swear ta Mother Nature if she even scratched anyone in mi familia, I'll break her bones! Talk ta me, folks!"

Everyone turns to see Kale coming in the main living area, his body riled up and ready for a fight.

Emily: "Relax, man. She's not here anymore."

Kale: "But she was here not too long ago!"

RJ: "I shot at her with my revolver. I sadly missed, but she's long gone."

Kale's rage/fear tone instantly drops when he sees everyone standing around. He asks, "S'goin' on here? Started a party without me? What'ja's celebratin'?"

Annette: "Being alive, that's what."

Kale: "No injuries?"

Kale looks up into the trees when he hears Heather say, "I had to be moved up here, which didn't settle too well with my previous injuries."

Sarah: "Or my sciatic nerve."

Plushie: "I saved Uncle RJ, but that wolf actually damaged my shell. I thought I was dead until Roger showed up and used his magic to distract her until RJ tried to shoot her."

Having heard of the injuries sustained, Kale growls and clenches his toes so hard that his claws dig into the ground. His hackles (and hair on them) are raised, his ears are forward, and his face and nose have wrinkled from scrunching out of hate. If he had a tail, it would be raised and bristled. Even his hedgie family is afraid of what he might do.

Kale: "If I hadn't been busy patrolling—! Grrah! She's really out to get you's, and I've only been around to help once! I've had it wit bein' too busy elsewhere to help out my own family!"

Verne: "Don't blame yourself, Kale, please! We held out on our own and can do it again."

Kale: "But Heather, Sarah, and Plushie still got hurt! I meant it when I said if anyone got so much a scratch, I'd break her bones!"

Velma: "We'll just need to sleep up in the trees where it's safe. Oh! You can't climb..."

Kale: "No need. Dis is the last straw! She's gonna be dealt with...for good! I'm goin' hunting."

Ozzie: "Mother of Macbeth! You haven't done that since...!"

Kale: "Yeah...since I was with my ex-pack. Time to become a full wolf again."

Emma: "Do you have a plan?"

Kale: "Track her, find her, kill her!"

RJ: "One, you need a better plan than that to defeat her. And two, I'm starting to wonder if anything can take her out. She was so strong, and is way more resilient."

Aaron (to Kale): "Remember when you said she survived ants all over in her fur?"

Mary: "And she took a hive-load of bee stings?"

Bucky: "And we saw how hard you hit her with your golf club, Uncle RJ."

Quillo: "Yeah, and right in the face."

Emma: "And she didn't even flinch!"

RJ: "I need to come with you, Kale, and make sure not to miss to miss my shot this time."

Kale: "No, RJ! Stay here with your mate and daughter. This is between me and her! Only another wolf can defeat Clara!"

Hammy: "Clara? Her name is 'Clara'?" Hammy puts a hand to his chin, nods, and says, "Hm, that's actually a lovely name..."

Everyone looks at him like he's gone more bonkers than usual.

Hammy (sheepishly): "Oh, too soon...?"

Kale: "She's gonna be muerta when I'm through with 'er!" I'll go put'a end to her, den I'll have sum time ta chill out n' relax with mi familia."

Velma: "You're no match for her by yourself, Kale!"

Kale: "She may be strong and can take a beating, but she isn't invincible. She isn't that smart either."

Tiger: "Neither are you if you go after her without help!"

Kale: "I'll have thought of a betta plan before meetin' up with her. I will return to you all, I promise. Until den, you want'a stop me? Catch me and drag me back here!"

Kale then runs off without looking back and is out of sight before anyone can even call for him to come back. Some of the hedgies would have gone out after him despite his protests, if Bernard hadn't shown up just then.

Heather: "How'd things go with—"

Bernard: "It's all over! Patricia's already seeing another boyfriend! What did I ever do to deserve this?! I'll always be alone! I'll hate you and daddy forever because of this!"

Heather's and RJ's hearts sink, and they're about to say something they had talked about in case this happened, when Bernard says something they least expect.

Bernard: "But I especially hate myself!"

Everyone tilts their heads in question.

Bernard: "It's my fault that Patricia was so quick to replace me with another boyfriend. If I hadn't been so busy crying and feeling sad, I could have gone back sooner and done something to fix our relationship...I'm a loser! I'm so weak!"

Everyone feels depressed now, not just Heather and RJ. It's not natural for children to blame and hate themselves for their misfortunes. It's unhealthy too, as Heather is certain she'll need to secretly ask family members to keep suicide watch on her son.

RJ can only try in vain to bring his son some form of comfort from the words he's about to say, but even so the raccoon speaks in a tone of defeat, knowing he's just wasting his breath but refusing to let his son give up on himself.

RJ: "Bernard, I..."

Little do they know that Bernard has been thinking a lot as he returned home, and knows what must be done.

Bernard: "But not anymore! I'm through being a loser! I'm through being weak! And I'm through feeling sad! There's only one way I might be able to win Patricia back, or at least stop this from happening to another girl I fall in love with. Daddy, teach me to be more like a raccoon like you never have before! Work me to the bone if you have to, just know that I'm not gonna stop until I'll never experience this disappointment ever again!"

Now RJ speaks in pride when he says, "Bernard, I-I don't know what to say except that nothing would please me more than to continue you're training!"

Bernard: "I'm not doing it for you, I'm doing it for me!"

RJ: "Of course. Go get your golf bag, son. You can join us too, Mary. Time to train you both to the next level!"

Verne: "We still need to send someone after Kale."

Luby: "Stella and I will try to catch up to him. We can help him out if he gets himself into trouble with Clara."

Stella: "I've been savin' my stink fo' a special occasion."

Verne: "Alright. Be careful you two."

Luby: "As careful as we can be, Verne."

And with that, RJ, his twins, and the rest of the family start getting down to business.

---

Even though the distance was far from her starting point, it doesn't take long for Rebecca to reach Garrett's home—a wide and towering tree that his family has all to themselves. Her rage and frustration seemed to give her an energy boost, making her run faster and feel less tired. Still running off her adrenaline, she forgets formality and climbs up to the hole where Garrett's "room" is and says, "Garrett, I need you right now!"

Garrett emerges as if he was expecting her all along and says, "Well there you are. It's been ages since we've last seen each other, and I was afraid you had forgotten about little old me."

Normally his smooth, cool, and self-aware-that-he's-a-lady's-man voice tone would charm Rebecca, but she's not having any of that right now. She practically throws herself onto him, wrapping her arms around his body and burying her face into his shoulder, whereby the crying begins. Not only did her sudden physical action nearly make Garrett lose his balance, but her emotional action makes him lose his "old smoothie" complexion. He speaks in a serious and concerned tone, "Hey, wh-what's going on, Becca?"

Through the crying, Rebecca says, "I am the worst daughter, sister, aunt, friend, girlfriend—the worst female—in the whole animal kingdom!"

Garrett: "That's not true!"

Rebecca: "Yes it IS! And here's why."

After Rebecca tells Garret the things that have been going on in her life since they last spoke to each other, Garrett can only stammer out, "Woah...That is...Yeah, th-that's pretty rough."

Rebecca: "I was the only one my nephew trusted! I knew I shouldn't have lied to him, but I did anyway, and now he, and most likely his parents, will hate me forever!"

Having little experience with conflict such as this, Garrett doesn't sound so confident in himself when he tries to console his girlfriend by saying, "I'm sure that won't happen. True, they'll be angry with you, but they'll still love you in the end."

Rebecca ignores Garrett's words and continues her sorrowful rant by saying, "No matter how much time goes by, or how good my intentions are, I always mess things up! I barely feel worthy to be alive right now! I am the embodiment of the word 'mistake.' My birth was a mistake, my life is a mistake, every word that comes out of my mouth is a mistake." (Thinking) "And with my homosexuality crisis, for all I know, my relationship with Garret is a mistake."

Despite being her most depressing words so far, they end up giving Garrett the perfect prompt to help Rebecca through her current anguish.

Garrett: "Was learning gymnastics to fend off predators a mistake? Was rescuing your family from Verm-Tech a mistake? Was saving me from being a vegetable a mistake? Was filling the hole in my heart after Lizzy died a mistake? Was making me come to my senses after getting too physical with you 12 days ago a mistake?"

Rebecca looks up at him for the first time since her breakdown began, indicating that his words have finally gotten through to her. Garrett continues with, "Well, were those mistakes?"

Rebecca: "No."

Garrett: "Then your life isn't a mistake. You're better than you think. You have made a lot of mistakes in your life—maybe more than most people—but that doesn't define your value as a daughter, sister, aunt, friend, or girlfriend."

Rebecca should feel proud and want to kiss Garrett right then and there for all that he has said, but then thinks back to how she may only make things worse for him if she does that, only to quite possibly decide that she really is gay.

Before she can think anymore, Garrett replies, "And don't those great moments stand out more than the mistakes you've made?"

Rebecca: "I don't feel like they do..."

Garrett thinking: "Uh-oh."

Rebecca: "But...maybe...? Ugh, I don't know right now. I'm too stressed."

Wanting to stop thinking about today's events, Rebecca's mind goes back to contemplating her sexual orientation. Twelve days ago, after seeing Garrett, she felt that she liked him in a more romantic way; as if her fantasy of Raccoon-Sofía was a one-time phase. But during those 12 days, she had been seeing her gal-pals, and not him.

Rebecca thinking: "I clearly enjoyed spending time with them more than I did with Garrett, so doesn't that confirm I prefer females over males?

"Then why did you come to see him today instead of your gal-pals?"

She can't think of an answer for her warring conscience, and then is brought out of her thoughts when Garrett shakes her and asks, "Hello-o? Earth to Rebecca? You still with me?"

Rebecca: "Oh, I'm sorry. Did you say something?"

Garrett: "I said what can I do to reduce your stress? I can't have the lady I love feel sad, it makes me feel sad too."

Rebecca thinking: "Great, not only am I down in the dumps, I'm dragging Garrett down with me."

The problem is that Garrett's words thus far, though sincere as they are uplifting, aren't enough to rid her of the stress she's feeling right now. She's so frustrated that she needs something to physically let off some steam. That's when she thinks back to 12 days ago, and remembers how she oddly liked it when Garrett had grabbed her full of passion and lust. And not just liked it, but liked it a lot. That reminds her what she wanted to try out with Garrett next time they met, and a lightning bug flashing over her head lets Garrett know that she just got an idea.

Rebecca: "Um, Garrett...?"

Garrett: "Yeah, Becca?"

Rebecca: "Remember how you felt when watching my gymnastic session last time I saw you?"

Garrett remembers alright, and how he almost did something unforgivable. So he says, "Y-yeah, I remember..." in an embarrassed tone while rubbing his arm nervously.

Rebecca: "Do it again right now."

Garrett: "Wha—?!"

He's cut off when Rebecca plants her lips onto his. As typical of him, Garrett's surprise is quickly replaced with his passion as he returns the kiss. But even he is caught off guard when Rebecca starts groping and nuzzling him.

Garrett: "Rebecca, what's gotten into you? This isn't like you at all."

Rebecca: "I wasn't in the mood to do gymnastics to vent out my frustration—and I have a lot of that right now. I want you to help me with it this time."

Garrett: "Well, in that case..."

Garrett grabs Rebecca's waist and pulls her toward him so that their front sides are now touching. He playfully licks her cheek tuff while she wraps her arms around his neck and strokes the back of his head with her fingers. He proceeds to kiss her neck twice, then gives a gentle love nibble on the same spots. Rebecca starts coiling her tail around his waist, making it appear as if he's wearing a hairy belt. It certainly feels like a belt to him, as Rebecca's wraps her tail around him pretty tight. During all of this, Rebecca lets out a moan or an "Mmm," which is immediately echoed by Garrett doing the same. She uncurls her tail to break away from him and starts rubbing her head against his chest, noisily breathing in his scent. And to her surprise, his pheromones are actually stimulating to her for the first time ever. But she doesn't let her conflict about her sexual preference distract her for a second and keeps enjoying the stress-relief session she's having with Garrett.

Next, Garrett tries something a little more intense. Wanting to see just how far Rebecca is willing to take this makeout, he reaches behind her and grabs her hindquarters.

Rebecca breaks away and says, "Whoa Garrett, not so tight."

Garrett: "Oh. Sorry."

Just as he starts sliding his paws up to grab her hips again, Rebecca says, "I didn't say you had to stop. Just that you shouldn't grab there so hard."

Garrett raises an eyebrow and says, "Wow, Rebecca...You're really serious about this, aren't you?"

Rebecca: "Less talk, more loving."

Garrett complies without hesitation. He puts his paws back where they once were and accepts Rebecca's tongue into his mouth. She's been holding back so far, not wanting Garrett to do too much, but now she can't stop herself from releasing her pheromones. None of her previous experiences that border on classifying her as homosexual come close to what she's feeling right now with Garrett. One would think this erases all doubt of her being gay from her mind, but it oddly doesn't. The reason is because she isn't doing this because she loves him, but just to clear herself of the stress. Still, it's working better than she hoped for, and she still hasn't gotten rid of all her stress just yet, so she's isn't finished.

Having breathed in her pheromones, Garrett picks her up and walks her over to his sleeping area, while asking, "Wanna get more comfortable?"

Rebecca plants her feet on the ground and says, "No, we're gonna be standing the whole time. Anywhere else will be too tempting."

Normally Garrett would object or try to convince her to agree with him, but seeing as this is the most pleasurable experience he's shared with Rebecca since the two started dating, he is perfectly alright with it.

Garrett: "As you wish. Can I still carry you?"

To answer his question, Rebecca lifts one foot and then other off the wood floor. Remembering something he and Lizzy used to do, Garrett walks over to one of his "room's" walls, and presses Rebecca's back against it. Rebecca seems fully onboard with this as she uses her left paw to grab the wall to better support herself, wraps both legs around Garrett's waist, and touches his left cheek with her right paw while looking in his eyes lovingly. In response, Garrett grabs Rebecca's left hindquarter with his right paw, massages her chest with his left paw, and begins French kissing her, mirroring the same loving look in his eyes that she is giving him. Rebecca Frenches him too, and feels so giddy that she waves her legs back and forth. She unfortunately has to stop that when doing it makes it too hard for both Garrett and herself to keep her propped up against the wall. Nevertheless, she and Garrett are having the time of their lives, and the only thing missing is for background music to play Journey's "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'. "

They remain where they are for five whole minutes, their sights never straying from the other's eyes, their paws maintaining their grips, their bodies maintaining their proximity, and their tongues dancing in and out of each other's mouth. Then their eyes tell each other that it's time to stop, that they have had more than enough fun for the day, and that all the stress Rebecca has been feeling is gone.

Rebecca unwraps her legs from Garrett's waist and he slowly lets go of her once her feet touch the floor. They still stare lovingly at each other for what feels like forever. Then, guided by their new knowledge of the other's body, they close their eyes and enter a loving embrace as Garrett wraps both arms around Rebecca's back, and Rebecca wraps her right arm across Garrett's back while tenderly touching his chest where his heart is with her left paw. His heartbeat starts out vigorous, still riled up from their touching session, but almost immediately slows down as both his mind and body relaxes. Their masks are touching, their mouths are grinning without showing teeth, and Garrett rests his muzzle on top of Rebecca's.

Still keeping his eyes closed, Garrett says, "I love you, Rebecca."

Although Rebecca still holds in her mind that she did this only for stress relief, her body's actions are demanding the opposite: that she's doing this because she is really enjoying it, and loves him. So there is only one way for her to reply.

Rebecca (keeping her eyes closed): "I love you too, Garrett."

The want to keep hugging like they're doing now, but the angry voice of Garrett's father, Glen, from outside saying "What're you doing here?!" causes them to go check what's up.

Both young lovers recognize the voice of the one who responds with "I'm trackin' down that female wolf who's been causin' so much trouble lately. She passed dis way, I can smell 'er scent. She already attacked mi familia, did she attack any of you too?"

Rebecca gasps, rushes to the tree's hole, missing seeing Garrett's face scrunch up in anger. Once she's in the "doorframe" of Garrett's "room" Rebecca frantically asks, "Did she hurt anyone, Kale?!"

Before Kale can answer, Garrett angrily yells, "Get lost, mate-eater! You destroyed my life once, and you're not gonna destroy it twice!"

The rest of Garret's family emerge from their holes in the tree and echo Garrett's tone by saying "Yeah!" They consist of his mother Amy, her brother Jared, Garrett's older brother Houston, and Houston's six-month pregnant mate Lyra.

As typical of his nature, Kale goes on the offensive-defensive by retorting, "None of you's are still ov'a that? How many different ways do I have'ta say I'm sorry and will never do anyting like dat again?"

Rebecca gives Garrett a disapproving look and asks, "You and your family still hate Kale for killing Lizzy?" (Looks up at Garrett's family) "Didn't y'all say you needed time to forgive Kale? How can five years still not be enough?"

Garrett: "Family?!" (Looks Rebecca in the eyes) "No matter how much time has passed, or how much he" (points at Kale) "pretends to be good, do you think that I will ever forget that he took away all of my in-laws; that's half of my family!"

Houston: "And do you think we'll forget how Lizzy and her family's death made my little brother go brain-dead!?"

Jared (to Kale): "So we're still angry with you for all the pain you and your pack have caused us! We have a right to be angry with you, and by gum, we're gonna exercise that right to the fullest!"

Amy (to Rebecca): "Why does he still live with you, Becca?! Why do give a murderer a home to stay in?!"

Rebecca: "I've told you several times, the time he spent recuperating with my family changed him. He's given up his prey-eating ways and helps keep other predators away from animals like us. He's the reason no other wolves have shown up until just recently!"

Lyra: "Here's a history lesson for you, Becca: these woods never had too much wolf trouble until he came here five years ago!"

Glen: "I say he's the reason this new lady wolf has shown up! It'd be best if he leaves this woods forever!"

Jared: "You said it, Glen." (To Kale) "Why don't you go be with your own kind, you butt-sniffing wolf!"

Even before Glen had spoken after Kale showed up here, the wolf was not in the best of moods. Now, after hearing the hard feelings this raccoon family still has toward him, as well as their insults, Kale's anger fully surges. Everything that comes out of his mouth is in a snarl when he begins with, "Ustedes speciest intoleros! You's aren't dee only ones who lost somethin' from her death!" (Rhetorical) "So you lost half your family? I lost my whole family! I got the mark of shame" (turns to show his missing tail) "which means it's 'kill on sight' for all wolves who see me—even if they're my own hermanos! Since den, I've been bustin' my butt, day in and day out, ta keep deese woods safe from predators, out of the guilt I felt for killin' prey animals, includin' Lizzy and her family! The least you's can do is cut me some slack given how much I've changed!"

Note: "Ustedes speciest intoleros" means "you (plural) speciest bigots" in Spanish. Although "intoleros" can also mean "intolerants," I double checked it and, like other non-English language words, it can have multiple meanings.

Rebecca: "He's right. He'll never stop being punished for choosing to help animals instead of eating them. Even if you can't let go what he did, then at least appreciate all his hard work. Me and my family's continued survival also proves that he has changed. And he's like the little brother I never had, so an insult to him is an insult to me!"

Garrett: "You're too soft, Rebecca! And how can you accept him as family after what he did to mine! He's a wolf, it's in his genes to be deceitful! He's probably just pretending to reform so that he'll eat you and your family one night when you least expect it!"

Rebecca (aghast yet angry): "Garrett! How could you say that?!"

Kale: "Enough!" (Points to Garrett's family) "I was hopin' you's would have the common decency to answer a simple yes or no question I had asked wonderin' if any of you's had been hurt. Apparently, dat's too difficult. I've wasted enough time here, and need ta get back to trackin' Clara down and endin' her once and for all! Don't come cryin' ta me if she decides ta come back dis way and eat you's while I'm fallin' behind trying to catch up to her."

Amy: "Aha! If you know her name, you've obviously had a chat with her. So you are still seeing wolves, even with that mark of shame!"

Houston: "And your willingness to let her eat us proves you aren't such a great protector, either! I knew you were lying all along!"

Rebecca: "People, STOP IT ALREADY!"

Ignoring Rebecca, Garrett calls out to the leaving Kale, "That's right, run away! Go cry to your mama, daddy, brothers, or girlfriend! Oh, wait, you can't because they're supposed to kill you on sight. So nobody loves you anymore! NOBODY! Not at all like how I love Rebecca!"

Kale was able to ignore Amy's and Houston's insults, but Garrett's make the wolf lose his patience. Whenever his parents are brought up, Kale just loses it because they had truly loved him like all normal parents should, and never tried to force him to be someone he's not. Even though the hedgies treat him better than Sniff-Tracker Eddie and Sharnese did, they still hold a very special place in Kale's heart, and he will love and miss his parents literally forever. But not only did Garrett bring up the topic Kale hates the most, Garrett insulted them as well.

Blinded by his rage, and wanting to get back at Garrett just as hard as he had gotten to Kale, the wolf yells back, "Well then you're out of luck, because Rebecca thinks she's gay!"

In the span of a two seconds, two things happen. First, everyone in the raccoon family goes, "Huh?" and looks down at Rebecca whose mouth gapes open, while Garrett's eyes, still looking at Kale, widen and he gives a surprised facial expression. The second thing that happens is Garrett regaining his confidence and saying, "L—"

But before Garrett can finish saying "Liar," Rebecca, in an angry and scolding voice he never thought she possessed, wails, "KAAAAAA-AAAALLLE!"

Kale gasps at how he spilled the beans on Rebecca's secret. So does Garrett, who looks at Rebecca in shock.

Garrett (in whisper): "What...? You mean he's telling the truth?"

Rebecca (in a whisper): "I-I-I. Yes. I can't decide if I like females more than males. I like some things about females more than I like about males, and I feel things about females that I don't feel about males. B-but I still love you!"

Garrett's volume starts out normal but turns into a yell when he says, "But if you even think you're gay, then that means you don't really love me!"

Rebecca: "I do love you!"

Garrett: "Wait. It's all clear to me now..."

Rebecca relaxes and says, "It is?"

Garrett: "Yeah..." (Puts up a finger as he gives his verbal list) "Not wanting to get physical with me, not wanting to hang out with me at least every other day, not being attracted to my pheromones, and taking 12 days to finally talk to me since our last meeting...Only a gay female would do that!"

Wanting to undo the damage he's done, Kale buts in, but his voice is full of desperation. "I said she thinks she's gay! I didn't say she is gay!"

Rebecca (screaming at the top of her lungs): "GO AWAY, KALE! NOW!"

Kale lets out a dog-like whine and droops his ears at the angry and spitting tone Rebecca had used on him. He listens to her and scurries out of there, tugging an imaginary tail between his legs.

Rebecca: "Garrett...I'm still undecided. Please understand that this is why I haven't been seeing you lately, because I didn't want to hurt you."

She would have gone into more details about how her homosexual tendencies have been causing stress with herself lately, but the look of contempt she is receiving from Garrett makes her panic, which causes her to say anything to make him stay with her despite this revelation.

Rebecca: "But today you made me feel better than any of my gal-pals ever have! I came to you because no one else knew how to put me in a better mood than you. I really enjoyed cuddling with you; that can be my new way to let off stress instead of gymnastics. Maybe the more time I spend with you, the more I'll learn to love males 100 percent instead of females. This is just a passing phase; trust me."

Garrett: "I did trust you...with my heart...and you have practically stomped on it. How could you? After all I've done to become a better boyfriend for you? I stopped trying to be physical with you, admitted my fault when your pheromones made me lose control of myself, let you decide when we could see each other again—all while having unconditional patience with you. What did I do wrong?"

Rebecca: "Nothing. It's not you, it's me. I'm just as angry and confused with myself as much as you are toward me. We need to stay together as I work all these personal problems out of myself. The love I have for you is the only thing keeping me from knowing that I'm fully gay."

Garrett: "Even if you don't love females fully, I need a mate who will love me fully, as a male. My family won't tolerate me marrying a female who doesn't fully love me, and neither will I... *Sigh* Rebecca, I think that we should break—"

Rebecca: "Before you say anything else, ask yourself, why would I keep seeing you even though I'm more interested in females?"

For the first time since Kale told everyone here her secret, things start going Rebecca's way when Garrett gets stumped with her question.

Garrett: "Um, yeah...Why would you keep seeing me?"

Rebecca: "Because you have a special place in my heart that no one else can fill—not my parents, not my brother, and none of my nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, uncles, or friends. The love that only you can give me is something I need, right now more than ever. And I know how much you need my love, the love that only I can give to you."

Garrett: "But if it's not 100 percent genuine..."

He stops when he notices the look in Rebecca's eyes, the same look they had given each other during the last five minutes of their makeout. He feels the connection they shared at that moment, and it's just as strong now as it was then. He doesn't think, he feels that there is true love there for him, somewhere in Rebecca's eyes.

Garrett thinking: "But then why is she still undecided whether or not she's gay?"

Rebecca feels like her heartbeat stops in anticipation when Garrett's eyes go back to the look of contempt he had given her before, and he raises up his arms with his fingers outstretched while saying in frustration, "Ugh! Why do ladies have to be so complicated?"

Rebecca: "So...are we?"

Garrett: "Yes. We're still together...at least until you come up with a definite answer."

Rebecca (Takes Garrett's paw into both of hers): "Thank you, Garrett."

Amy: "Now hold up, son. You can't be with her anymore!"

Glen: "Yeah, if she's gonna turn out gay, then you're wasting your time!"

Jared: "So it's better to start looking for someone else."

Houston: "I don't want to see my little brother go through another mental breakdown."

Lyra: "If she can't fully love you the same way Lizzy did, then she's no good for us."

Garrett: "Is that the kind of thanks you give to the one who saved me from being comatose? Even if she turns out gay, that doesn't change the fact that we owe her for that. And this is my life, not yours, so it's my choice." When no one offers any more resistance, Garrett continues, "I'm giving her a chance to sort things out. She deserves it."

Rebecca: "None of us are having a good day right now, so I think the best thing to do is for me to head back home. I still need to see if anyone was hurt by the female wolf."

Garrett: "And we need time to think and gather our thoughts, until the next time we meet."

Rebecca: "Agreed. And feel free to drop by whenever you're ready, you don't have to wait for me to come visit you this time."

Garrett: "I'll keep that in mind. See ya."

Before leaving, Rebecca gives him a hug and pecks him on the cheek, then says, "You too."

---

Another chapter down, more to come.

Hopefully I'll still be able to make my annual early holiday chapter posting, but that's only if things go to plan, and life is rarely like that. So know that if I can't make my due date like usual (even though I'm gonna bust my butt to try), I'm always thankful for all of your continued support!

Until next chapter, bye-bye for now!