Hey everyone,
So last chapter lacked our favorite Fox and Raccoon. And as much as it pains me, this chapter is still going to be without our lovable rascal of a master thief. However, Carmelita is going to play a big role in this chapter, even if the POV is again going to be Michael's. And I'm going to be honest; the way in which I was going to convince Carmelita to go along with this was another hurdle that took me awhile to get by.
Did it, though,

Venquine1990

Chapter 02
A Discussion At Dinner

9th of June 2007
Michael's House, Paris
Michael's POV

It took me two weeks to get Barkley off my back, prove that I had been invited by Urmila for personal reasons, nothing work related – a lie I didn't even care about – and get Carmelita alone to invite her over for dinner. However, in that same amount of time, I took trips around Interpol from time to time and often had the recorder app of my phone on when passing by officers who I knew were as dirty and corrupt as Barkley. And more often than not I needed a trip to the gym and the showers afterwards as I felt dirty just listening in.
But I want to gather as much evidence as possible for when I meet Cooper, even if I do believe Urmila in that it won't take much to convince the Raccoon that I'm telling the truth about the corruption. "Trust me, Mon Cheri, just Carmelita willingly letting Sly lavish her will prove to him that she is not being treated like she deserves by others, that there is something wrong in her life. It will be enough to convince him to help her however he is able."
There had been no denying the sincerity in the cobra's voice when she told me this, but I had replied: "I'm an Inspector of Interpol, Urmila. Gathering evidence and covering my bases is part of the job. Plus, we will need the evidence to convince others, like the ones who are going to convict Barkley once we bring it all to light." The woman had agreed to this, but had also requested me to be careful. And her tone had made me feel like she considered me a close friend, if not a sibling.

I had also briefly met with both Cheren and Marcus since my meeting at Urmila's fashion boutique and the two had simply asked me for my phone number, though they did so through a code that took me a minute to decipher. And the night after I gave it to them, I received a few more recording files on my phone that I realized they must have taken when they overheard their own coworkers talk. I had quickly send the files onto my wife's phone and then deleted the evidence on my own, including the data that proved I had received the files and that I had sent them on.
I'm not entirely sure if I was successful, but I know that carrying such files on my phone while at work is a safety hazard I can't afford right now. But all that now lies behind me and I just focus on the task at hand. Delanie, Melanie's mother, had been only too happy to take care of Angela for the night and while my little one had really wanted to see Carmelita again, we had told her that Auntie Carmela was coming over to discuss work, not just for fun.
The girl might be young, but she had understood the importance behind this and just left with her gran without another word. Carmelita herself had also been slightly disappointed when we told her that Angela wasn't here, but we had quickly made sure to entertain her with a few funny jokes and a friendly talk. And of course, like always, we let her rant, mostly because I know she needs and deserves it and because, when it comes to Barkley, we often agree with her.

And yet again, her rant's about Barkley, which really doesn't surprise me as the badger had ranted at her for almost a quarter of an hour just as she and I were about to leave for the day. And the badger had used a few very new terms that just made me think: "If he's Christian, he just condemned his soul to the nine pits of hell." Yet at the same time I had also been curious as to how Cooper would respond if he had been the one to have heard the rant in my stead.
This curiosity had allowed me to zone the badger out until he was done and I had only responded with a raised eyebrow and the question: "Was that really necessary, boss?" The Badger had growled at me and I had shrugged and just escorted a red-faced fox out of the building. Carmelita had looked at me funny and I had told her: "I discovered a way to stop being affected. I turn my mind inwards and focus on other thoughts instead. Just deafen myself to his words, really."

Carmelita had muttered how she was going to start trying that herself and we had driven both our cars, first to her home where she parked hers and then to my home in my own. Melanie had happily welcomed her and now she's almost done with her rant. Because of this, I don't even really need to share a look with my wife to know that we think the same thing. "Now's our chance." And another thought also strikes me and makes me want to grin.
"Barkley actually dug his own grave. He made it easier for us to convince Carmelita of this plan of ours and once she's convinced and the plan is in motion, nothing and no one will be able to stop us from taking Barkley and his filthy ways down." And then, as if some deity or mystical force can hear my thoughts, Carmelita plops herself down on the couch and groans: "Seriously, sometimes I think that Barkley can take lessons from Cooper on how to be a boss and a leader."

My wife and I share a short shocked look and I instantly jump at the chance. "So you think Cooper, regardless of his chosen career, to be a better person than Barkley?" And while the poor thing is blissfully oblivious to how my wife and I feel or what we think, she counts down: "Better, more caring, more respectful, and even more honorable to an extent. In all the years I've chased him, he has never once treated me the way Barkley does."
The fox had her eyes closed and her arm across her face, but she pulls it away and stares at the ceiling as she says: "You know, around this time, I keep thinking back to that one night, two years ago, when Cooper and I were up in that chopper." I grimace at this as I fear it might make Melanie relapse, but my wife proves her inner strength as she remains calm while Carmelita goes on and says: "I'm going to be honest with you both, guys.
Outside of the few times these past two years that I've been able to hang with you, I really haven't enjoyed myself the way I did that night. Talking and laughing with Cooper, sharing my personal interest and even completely forgetting the time or where we were headed. In fact, sometimes, when I feel like really wistful, I would almost compare that night to a date." The fox then laughs, but there is no humor in her laugh as there are tears prickling in her eyes. "My first and only date in several years. And yet I would consider it the best date of my life."

"And what if you could have that again?" I ask, but Carmelita just laughs again and says: "Yeah right, as if." Melanie and I share another look and then Melanie says: "Michael wasn't joking, Carmelita. We really know of a way you can repeat that experience of two years ago." The fox's eyes widen and refocus as she had been staring up to this point and she turns towards us. We stare back at her and just with our looks tell her we mean business.
The fox's mouth is slightly agape and her eyes are wide as she sits up to stare at us. I then ask her: "Carmelita, tell me honestly. What do you believe Cooper would do if he found out what Barkley says about you? How he treats you?" The fox winces and mutters: "He'd probably make sure that Barkley wouldn't be able to continue his own line – before he has him end up in the hospital, that is." Melanie also winces at this, but then Carmelita says:

"But what does that matter? I can't have another date with Cooper. He's a criminal." Yet to this I retort: "A criminal who cares more for you than your own boss and who treats you the way you deserve." The fox grimaces and looks down, obviously not wanting to admit this. "You know his birthday is coming up, right?" Melanie then asks and Carmelita asks: "How do you know that?" To which my wife shrugs and says:
"A little serpent told us." The fox before me shakes her head bewildered and I say: "Carmelita, we met with Urmila Svetlana two weeks ago. Yes, the Urmila Svetlana. And she told us an amazing story. Of how Cooper saved her from two kidnappers who were willing to either rape or kill her. And he was only 10 at the time. According to her, he got back in contact with her after she became famous and he's been using the Otto Van Cooper law to pay her for his cloths since."

"That no good Cooper wears Svetlana outfits? I DON'T BELIEVE THIS!" The fox whines, but then suddenly a thought strikes me. "Carmelita. That jacket you're wearing. Is that one of those outfits that Cooper sometimes leaves in your trunk for you?" And it takes the Fox only a second to realize the same thing I did. Her eyes widen a second time over and this time she gapes at me longer than she did the last time around before she whispers: "No way."
"Have you ever checked those cloths for labels, Carmelita?" Melanie asks and a minute later Carmelita proves that she never did. She almost rips the jacket off her body and thoroughly inspects the inside before she lets out a high-pitched yelp and screeches: "THIS IS A SVETLANA ORIGINAL! I DON'T BELIEVE THIS! I have been wearing this jacket for years and I never realized it's a Svetlana original!"
My wife and I can't help but laugh at the poor vixen's disbelief and then I decide to just go for it. "What would you say if I told you that, in return for you being personally present when Svetlana designs your next outfit, all you have to do is be present at Cooper's next birthday bash – without being a cop and going there to arrest him?" And for the third time tonight Carmelita is left gaping at me with bulging eyes.

Yet just as I notice disbelief growing in her gaze, the doorbell suddenly rings. Instantly I am on high alert and think: "Should I have kept my mouth shut at Interpol? Is Barkley seriously that petty that he would come here to ruin the evening like a spoiled kid?" And while I know this can get me in even more trouble, I put my hand on my own holster as I head for the door, ready to shoot Barkley if he tries to barge in or something.
But my shock and suspicion appear unfounded and vanish when I gaze through the peephole and see who is really at my doorstep. Instead of that elation and satisfaction fill me up as I open the door and loudly exclaim: "Bonjour Urmila. What are you doing here?" And while I am quite sure that Carmelita now has her head sticking out of the living room doorway, Urmila walks in and says: "Your wife told me of your visitor tonight, Michael, so I just had to come meet her."

Instantly I feel pride and glee fill me from within over the genius of my wife as I think: "Me visiting Urmila at her boutique and then her visiting me at home will definitely help confirm my little alibi of the first visit being for personal reasons." I close the door behind us and happily take the cobra's long leather coat before guiding her to the living room. There I have to hold back on snickering as Carmelita is looking mighty flustered upon seeing us enter.
"Ma Cheri, Inspector Fox, it is such an honor to meet you." Urmila says and you can easily tell that every word is an honest declaration of her feelings. Again I feel amazed at how warm and loving this cold-blooded reptile is, even after a good seven years of working in the same world of fame and fortune as my father, who was a professional dancer. Carmelita's eyes widen a fraction more and she mumbles: "It's – it's me who – who's honored to meet you, Madam Svetlana.

Oh!" She exclaims and then, to both my and my wife's shock, she holds out the jacket she was just wearing. "Here, this is yours. I – I don't deserve it." But by the look in Urmila's eyes I can tell that the woman instantly thought up a plan just by those words. She smiles lovingly at the younger fox and says: "No, you are wrong, Mon Ami. You do deserve my design. Not only does it fit only a body like your own, but it is also my reward to you. For all the ways that you always help my precious little brother, Sly."
Carmelita hesitantly lets the cobra push the jacket back onto her lap and her eyes widen again at the end as she asks: "So it – it's true? You're – you're in contact with – with that – that Ringtail?" And Urmila makes me snort as she sweetly asks: "Ringtail? Is that your nickname for him, Cheri?" Carmelita herself turns a little red and she mutters: "I – I call him that – sometimes." Her voice is almost soundless at the end.
Urmila smiles at the fox and I almost feel like she considers Carmelita her little sister. I then remember that she considers Cooper her little brother and what she told me of how Cooper thinks of Carmelita. I wonder if that is the case and then Urmila takes our plans a step further as she says: "That is très sweet, Carmelita. Can I call you Carmelita?" And of course the vixen nods her head ferociously fast before Urmila goes on:

"It reminds me of all the sweet things Sly always says about you when he asks me to design something new for you to wear. You have been keeping all that he has me make for you, non?" The fox sighs and mutters: "I keep most of it in my cellar, but yes." The cobra nods and says: "Good enough." Yet I only need to look at Carmelita to know that she is soon going to move those cloths, probably even tonight when she gets home again.
Carmelita then looks from me to Urmila and says: "Madam Svetlana –." But the cobra holds up a hand and says: "Carmelita, you let me call you by your first name and you are very, very precious to my little brother. I insist you return my favor and call me Urmila." Carmelita turns a little red again, but she regains herself and says: "Urmila, before you came here, we were actually discussing Coo – Sly. We were talking about the night he and I flew over Paris."
The cobra smiles widely at this and says: "Ah yes, Sly still holds that memory very dear to his heart." Carmelita rubs the back of her head and says: "So do I. Sometimes I wish I could relive those hours." "And what if you could?" Urmila urges her on and the fox sighs as she says: "These two suggested the same. They said that Sly would – help me with a – personal problem if I agree to come to his birthday party and not arrest him."
She then looks from us to Urmila again and says: "They even claimed that you would make me a brand new outfit and that I could be present while you worked. They were joking, right?" Urmila smiles at her, yet I suddenly notice a bit of strain in her smile as I sit quite close to the cobra on a three-person sofa with my wife. "No Mon Ami, they were not. Though there is one part I did not mention to them when I met them.

A part that, I think, a fox with your temper and pride might not entirely agree with." Instantly all three of us raise an eyebrow at the cobra and she grins a little guilty grin as she says: "When I suggested to your friends that you should come to Sly's birthday party, la petite amie, I didn't mean as a guest to his party. I meant – as a gift to him." Instantly my eyes widen, a gulp escapes me and I feel myself wishing that I hadn't been sitting next to her.
I dare to glance away from the cobra and over to the vixen on the seat in front of us and while in my mind I count down to the moment I predict that her shock will run out and her temper will unleash itself – nothing happens. For a moment I resist the urge to breathe a sigh of relief, but then Carmelita surprises me. Instead of her getting furious, jumping out of her seat, grabbing her shock-pistol and shooting at the cobra, the girl drops her head in her lap and lets out a long, tired breath.

My wife and I share an astonished look and then Carmelita says: "If you had asked this of me in regards to anyone – and I mean a-ny-one else – I would have personally thrown you into Heathrow prison if not shipped you off to Saint Helena prison." The fox then leans back in her seat with her head hanging over the backrest as she says: "But, after everything Barkley has been saying about me, I can't help but want this."
She then holds up a hand and says: "And yes, I am well aware that this basically just confirms everything Barkley says about me, but I just lost the will to care." And while I want to vehemently disagree with the statement, I also worry about something else in regards to her statement. And so I can't help but ask: "You do know that his birthday isn't for another two weeks, right?" And while she stays seated the way she is, Carmelita does nod.
And then Urmila makes everything better as she says: "Mon doux et précieux inspecteur Fox, you are entirely wrong there. What we have planned isn't just to give my little brother the birthday he has dreamed of since he first laid eyes on you, it's also to give him just that little bit more incentive to help you. To help you escape the horrible life you have been living these past few years and give you the life you so honestly deserve, especially as you are both the heroes of France."

Carmelita moves her head back and away from where it was hanging over the backrest and I notice something that really worries me. There are tears of hope and despair shining in her eyes and the same emotions are visible in her chocolate brown orbs as she asks: "You really think this will help? That this will help me escape that hell? That hell that I am just – too proud to leave behind of my own accord? You really think so?"
And while I want it, Urmila beats me to it. She gets out of her seat and, with the reflexes and flexible muscles that come with her species; she lovingly wraps her form around Carmelita without it looking like a predator encircling its prey. She holds the vixen close against her form and whispers: "The same love I hold you with, he will too. Trust me on that one. Let us be your guardian angels, petite renarde." And to my relief, Carmelita cries tears of her own relief.
The three of us happily sit quietly, more than willing to give the fox her time and chance to really get her emotions off her chest, to relieve herself off all the stress she must have been carrying with her these past few years. And while I am happy for her, I also feel my fury and rage against Barkley grow even stronger. But I don't let the others notice this as I know that there will be a time and place for those emotions to let themselves out.

After a few minutes Carmelita's cries turn to hiccups and after another minute or so, those quiet down as well. Melanie takes this as a chance and says: "I'm going to go put dinner in the oven. You three just talk about the plan. The less I know of it, the better." The three of us nod and my wife kisses my cheek and hugs Carmelita around the neck before she leaves. Urmila also unwinds her body from the fox and retakes her earlier seat. And Carmelita softly thanks her as she does.
"So, you are okay with being Sly's birthday gift for the day?" The cobra asks as she sits down and while Carmelita nods, she asks: "This will ensure that Sly will, you know, treat me like he usually does?" Urmilla laughs and says: "Oh heavens no, Cheri. If Sly realizes the chance he has been given, he will do so much more than his usual. He will absolutely lavish you and work his hardest to get rid of all of your stress and concerns. Trust me, I know my brother."
I grin at the cobra and then turn to Carmelita and say: "Basically, the ways you often see me treat Melanie." And because I know that Carmelita actually sometimes envies Melanie, I know this just went a long way in convincing the vixen, even if it apparently didn't even take all that much to convince her in the first place. The fox nods and then asks: "So what do we do exactly?" And Urmila already seems to have the answer as she says:

"I will meet with Bentley and Murray the Wednesday before Sly's birthday. We will need to inform them, but we can also rely on them to keep it quiet from Sly. Also, you and Inspector Andrews over here need to make sure that you have the day off on the 23rd. I know Sly's birthday is the following day, but we usually hold it on Saturdays anyway." Carmelita winces, but I smirk and say: "Don't worry, I'll cover that part. What else?"
Carmelita looks at me curiously, but Urmila just smiles and says: "We need to think of a way that will make it feel natural to Sly that Carmelita is there. I personally have thought of two ways we can do this. And to be honest, I prefer the former, so I will just tell you that one and forget about the latter. The other one is more – realistic, I guess you can say, but my former idea can bring a lot of amusement to us all."

This really intrigues both me and my colleague and Urmila asks the fox: "How well are you able to pretend that you aren't real? How well can you stand perfectly still, as if you were a statue, so to say?" Carmelita's eyes widen and while I realize what Urmila is suggesting, the fox grins and says: "I always won at Hide and Seek with my siblings because I hid like that. Even after they realized my strategy, they still never managed to find me if we played the game." Urmila responds by clapping her hands in excitement and squealing: "Tres bien, Tres bien, mon amie."
Yet I can't help but ask Carmelita: "Are you sure you'll be able to handle that? I mean, Cooper will surely lavish you. You know, compliment you, hold you, brush your hair. Heck, he might even kiss you, because he believes he's kissing a statue. You really think you can keep up if he does so?" And Carmelita proves just how revitalized she is now that she's been able to cry her stress away as she grins and asks: "We'll have to wait and see, won't we?"

You go, Carmelita,
And about her breakdown? No one dare object to that! Carmelita has been dealing with Barkley's crap for nigh on two years. Anyone, no matter how tough or proud, has a breaking point and some people reach theirs in different ways than others. But that doesn't mean I am going to turn Carmelita into a damsel in distress or something of the sort. She is just NOT like that.
Okay, bye,

Venquine1990