"Are you feeling better, little guy?" Madeline asked, sneaking into Ricky's nursery as he looked at her. "I know Mommy is asleep, but that's because she's old."
Ricky cooed, clutching onto Zoomer with a smile, resting his head on her chest as Madeline took him in her arms.
"Auntie Madeline!" Gabby screamed, burying her face in Madeline's nightgown as tears filled her eyes.
"Did you have a bad dream?" Madeline asked, being as careful as she could with Ricky.
"Yeah...mean lady made big doggies run at me," Gabby sniffled.
"Gabby, it was just a dream," Madeline murmured, putting Ricky back in his crib and taking Gabby on her lap. "The mean lady's not here. There are no doggies here either."
"Madeline? Is Gabby okay? And Ricky?" Nell asked as she ran in the room.
"I was just checking on Ricky, and he feels a lot better," Madeline smiled. "Gabby had a bad dream about big doggies and the mean lady Elena dreamed about."
"Well, it's good that Ricky feels better," Nell smiled, feeling Ricky's forehead and nodding when he felt much cooler and his color had returned to normal. "Why don't we put him back to bed, and then we help Gabby?"
"Okay," Madeline smiled, taking a sniffing Gabby by the hand. "You and Elena don't like that mean lady, do you?"
"No. She's scary," Gabby sniffed, rubbing her nose.
"Well, Sofia or Queen Elena don't like her either, so you're not alone," Nell muttered, taking Gabby in her arms. "Let's go to my room and talk about it."
"Auntie Madeline stay too, please?" Gabby begged.
"Well, since I checked Ricky, and he seems to be okay, I can stay for a minute," Madeline decided. "We'll keep the door open so we can hear him if he needs us."
"Okay," Gabby whispered as she hugged her.
"But he'll only cry if he wants me or has a nightmare himself," Nell mused, stroking her hair.
"Babies get nightmares?" Gabby asked in confusion. "What about?"
"It can be about anything," Nell replied, "You used to have nightmares about dogs, but you got over that...at least until today. And Madeline used to have nightmares about fire, but she's getting over that."
"We're all scared of something, Gabby, and it's nothing to be ashamed of," Madeline agreed.
"No mean lady?" Gabby asked.
"No, the mean lady's not here, and she can't get you," Nell smiled. "Queen Elena will make sure of it."
"With her scepter?" Gabby asked as she crawled under Nell and Bobby Lee's covers.
"Yes, with her scepter!" Madeline giggled, seeing Gabby crawl around. "Come on. Tell Nell and me about your nightmare, okay?"
"The mean lady had a big doggie with her," Gabby started, looking around for her kitty, but she forgot that her jaquin was with Elena, Kitty, and Pinky. She cuddled Nell's jaquin Bluebell as she continued. "I run, but mean lady and her doggie caught me and the doggie bit me."
"Now that she mentions it, I thought I'd seen Gabby rubbing her leg when I came to check on her," Madeline murmured.
"Gabby, sweetheart, it was a dream, and dreams can't hurt you," Nell murmured, taking her on her lap and rocking her. "You're safe, and you have so many friends around to keep the mean lady and her doggies away."
"Promise?" Gabby asked.
"I promise," Nell smiled.
"Me too!" Madeline agreed.
"Now that's settled, does my little girl need to use the potty?" Nell asked, stroking Gabby's hair.
"No, Mommy," Gabby muttered, looking at her hands.
"You didn't have an accident, did you?" Nell asked.
"No," Gabby shook her head.
"She didn't, Nell," Madeline confirmed. "I checked her before I sat on the bed with her."
"Well, let's try anyway before we take you back to bed," Nell suggested. "The walk might give you time to calm down."
"Okay," Gabby agreed.
"Good girl," Nell smiled before hearing Ricky crying.
"I'll get him," Madeline offered, pushing Nell out the door. "Gabby needs your attention now."
"Thanks, Maddie," Nell smiled.
Nell took Gabby to the bathroom while Madeline checked on Ricky. "You feel better, Ricky?" she asked. She smiled as Ricky cooed up at her, and she obliged by waving Zoomer around. "Zoom-zoom-zoom! Zoomer goes zoom-zoom!"
Ricky giggled happily at the song, but suddenly, he squealed when he saw a blue blur flying around him.
"I go zoom-zoom too!" Zoom purred, nuzzling him and Madeline.
"Hi, kitty!" Gabby smiled as she and Nell came back.
"I suppose it's true what they say: kitties make everything better," Nell smiled as she stroked Zoom.
"Zoom! Come here, little guy!" Queen Elena chuckled as the baby jaquin nuzzled against Ricky.
"Did he fly off from wherever he was?" Nell joked, smiling at Madeline's interaction with Ricky.
"He bad kitty!" Gabby giggled, clapping her hands.
"There's no such thing as a bad kitty," Queen Elena smiled. "I think Zoom heard Gabby cry and wanted to help her."
"I think it was Gabby's turn to have a nightmare about Shuriki," Nell explained. "This time, Shuriki had big dogs with her."
"Well, we know that Shuriki's gone, and there aren't any dogs around to bother you," Queen Elena smiled as she took Gabby in her arms. "We'll keep you safe, sweetheart, you know that, right?"
"Yeah," Gabby smiled, giggling as Zoom sniffed and nuzzled against her. "I'm not food!"
"I guess Elena's sleeping in after her kitty ride?" Madeline wondered with a smile.
"She definitely is, Madeline," Florence smirked, musing her hair playfully.
"Elena Lydia will have wonderful dreams now," Bianca smiled as she stroked Zoom. "Florence and I were watching her as Queen Elena flew her around on Skylar, and he was quite gentle with her."
"You two haven't gone on a jaquin ride yet; how would you like to do that before you leave?" Queen Elena offered.
"We would love to," Bianca grinned, stroking Zoom. "It's not every day that we get to do something like that."
"Is it morning, Mommy?" Gabby asked, tugging on Nell's nightdress.
"Yes, sweetheart, but if you want, you can go back to sleep," Nell said as she hugged her.
"Okay, I nap nap, but kitty stays?" Gabby asked, reaching out for Zoom.
"I don't see why not," Queen Elena smiled. "This might be good protector training for Zoom, keeping nightmares away."
"Yay!" Gabby giggled with Zoom flying behind her.
"Hopefully Elena doesn't get jealous that her sister gets a kitty to sleep with her," Madeline smiled as Nell covered her in kisses. "Hey! Stop it, Nell!"
"I don't think so," Nell smirked before seeing Elena hugging Gabe's legs again as he had difficulty getting her off.
"What are you doing to Gabe?" Queen Elena smirked playfully, mussing her hair.
"Giving him hug," Elena answered with a smile.
"But does he like your hug?" Nell asked, making Madeline shriek with giggles.
"And I thought her last attack on me was cute," Gabe smiled as he finally picked her up and tossed her in the air. When he caught Elena again, he said, "You have the right to remain adorable. Anything you say can and will be used against you..."
"Captain, do you think you could write that down?" Bobby Lee grinned. "I know a few guards back home who would love to use that when Elena comes up and watches us!"
"Obviously, Chancellor Esteban and I aren't the only ones good with words," James said as he came up to them. "I went to check on Ricky and he looks like he's over his cold."
"We know, James, we found that out a little while ago," Nell smiled. "But thanks for taking care of him."
"Ricky better?" Elena smiled, flapping her hands.
"Yes. He's better," Madeline smiled, mussing her hair. "I checked him this morning."
"And what about you, Madeline? Are you okay?" Sabrina asked.
"I'm feeling better," Madeline smiled, "Thanks to Nell and the doctor."
"His name was Doctor Thomas," Nell remembered.
"Okay, but what medicine did he give you this time?" Sabrina asked.
"Well, he gave her two different medicines for her headaches," Nell started. "One kind is for lesser headaches, and the other is for the more severe headaches...and he gave her some cream for her arms since they were looking red."
"And did he ask about her scars?" Sabrina whispered.
"Yes, but he also promised he wouldn't tell anyone about them," Madeline whispered back.
"I see Ricky now?" Elena asked, looking at Gabe. "And you come, Mr. Gabe."
"Thank you but I have to watch over the grand council this morning," Gabe smiled, mussing her hair.
"I go too?" Elena asked with a smile.
"Get her drawing paper and lots of crayons. You won't even hear a peep the entire time," Nell joked, smiling softly at Queen Elena.
"I don't see why not," Queen Elena smiled. "I might even let her bang the gavel to bring the meeting to order, and again to tell them the meeting's adjourned."
"She'll love that, just like another Elena I know," Gabe chuckled, knowing how much Queen Elena liked banging the gavel, and how much it annoyed Chancellor Esteban.
"Yay! I come!" Elena giggled, flapping her hands. "Bye Mommy! Bye Daddy!"
"Have fun," Nell smirked, kissing her cheek. "But be good!"
"I be good!" Elena promised as Queen Elena ushered her inside.
"And it's lucky for her that everyone on the Grand Council loves seeing her," Nell smirked as the door closed.
"She'll be fine," Bobby Lee assured her, "But we'll have to watch out if she has Queen Elena make new rules!"
"Like every house in Avalor has to have a kitty!" Nell grinned.
"I don't think that'll happen," Madeline smirked, hearing Ricky start to wake up as she and Sabrina ran to his nursery.
"Maybe Maddie is right. But with Elena knowing her name, she'll probably sneak a few rules in," Nell mused as Bobby Lee kissed her on the cheek.
"Knowing that she has the right to be adorable, that might happen," Bobby Lee smirked, taking Nell by the waist. "But not as much as you."
"You think that way about me?" Nell smirked, feeling herself being pulled into a short kiss on the lips.
"I do. Helen, you're the prettiest, most adorable girl I've ever known," Bobby Lee smiled.
"Yeah, well, when you rescued me I didn't look so great," Nell muttered.
"Helen, you could have been dressed in a moth hole-covered tablecloth, and I'd still think you were the most beautiful person in the world," Bobby Lee smiled.
"That's pretty much what I was wearing when you rescued me!" Nell joked.
"Nell! Ricky wants you!" Madeline yelled as a crying Ricky calmed down at the sight of his mommy.
"See? This is why our flirting can't last long. Because of our son!" Bobby Lee joked, stroking Ricky's hair. "Everyone's happy you're better, buddy. And look at that! A new tooth!"
"Where?" Sabrina wondered, handing Ricky Zoomer.
"Right there," Bobby Lee pointed at Ricky's new tooth, which he was breaking in with Zoomer's help.
"Is that why Ricky's been crying?" Sabrina asked, although she knew that Ricky had been fussy while he was sick.
"Well, that too," Bobby Lee smiled.
"He's not as fussy as he was in Wassailia," Madeline recalled with a smile.
"True," Nell smiled, tickling Ricky's tummy. "But no matter what tooth he'll grow, it'll cause him pain."
"Where's his new tooth at?" Madeline frowned at the mention of Ricky being in pain.
"Here," Bobby Lee pointed at Ricky's mouth, where Madeline saw a new tooth starting to poke through.
"Will he need some more medicine?" Sabrina asked.
"Trust us, Sabrina, Ricky will let us know if he needs medicine," Nell smiled. She glanced at Ricky who snuggled on her chest. "Right now, he's a snuggle bug."
"Is that a new nickname I hear?" Bobby Lee joked, stroking Ricky's hair.
"Maybe," James grinned beside him. "But we might want to warn Elena. She won't be happy if she thinks there's a threat to her territory!"
"Our little love bug jealous of a nickname? No way!" Bobby Lee grinned as Nell gave him a look of mock horror. "She knows the difference between 'love bug' and 'snuggle bug!'"
Ricky cooed, sucking on Nell's blouse as he looked up her with a smile.
"Are you hungry?" Madeline cooed, holding out her hands. "Nell I wanna feed him! Please?!"
"Okay, but just be careful," Nell agreed. "When he's teething, Ricky tends to bite."
"I know, I remember his first tooth," Madeline shuddered. "But hopefully since he has a few more, it won't be as bad, right?"
"Well, Ricky does know what a tooth growing in feels like," Nell agreed. "But you do make a good point. So yes, it can't hurt to give him a bottle or a little cracker to help with the teething."
"Yay!" Madeline giggled, carefully taking Ricky in her arms. "Come on Ricky, Auntie Madeline's gonna feed you a bottle. Would you like that?"
Ricky squealed, clapping his hands happily as Madeline bounced him up and down in her arms.
"Just hope he doesn't bite you and turn you into a werewolf!" Bobby Lee joked with a smile.
"Robert, stop it," Nell grinned, kissing his cheek.
"Aaaawhooo!" Madeline howled.
"Madeline..." Nell frowned, but it turned into a smile when Ricky squealed back, as if he was also howling. "Oh, great, now you've got Ricky doing it! Okay, my little wolf cubs, time to settle down."
"No fair!" Madeline playfully pouted, trying to find Ricky a bottle. "Nell, where are his bottles?"
"Diaper bag. Next to his spare sets of clothes," Nell answered, trying not to laugh at Ricky chewing on her sister's hair.
"Here you go, Ricky," Madeline smiled as she found it. Her smile widened as Ricky started drinking and he didn't bite her.
As she fed Ricky, Madeline smiled as Bobby Lee started singing quietly, "Aaawhooo...Werewolves of London! Aaawhooo!"
"Robert, you're as bad as James!" Nell smirked. "And if you two start singing that song...!"
"But I thought James was good when it came to music," Madeline looked confused.
"Yes he is, and with words," Nell grinned in spite of herself. She knew how James and Bobby Lee had sung The Streak during Elena's streaking incident, and now they had been inspired by one of the songs the guards liked singing on Halloween.
"Speaking of words," Naomi grinned, closing the door with Queen Elena and her grandparents walking behind her. "Estéban is going your Elena a talk."
"Did she request anything with kitties?" Bobby Lee joked with a smile as Ricky reached out for Naomi.
"After your Elena brought the meeting to order, which she loved doing, she requested that our Elena make a rule that every house in Avalor has to have a kitty, and everyone is required to sing a kitty song every day," Naomi grinned as she took Ricky. "Francisco, Gabe, and Luisa all thought her ideas were so cute! Esteban, not so much...but then again, Esteban doesn't like anything cute! Your Elena didn't get too upset; she just went back to her drawing and the meeting continued. But she did get to bang the gavel again to end it."
"That's our future Grand Councilwoman!" Bobby Lee grinned as Queen Elena brought her namesake out to him.
"I know you wanted your rules to happen, but Avalor just isn't ready yet for kitty rules," Queen Elena smiled, hugging Elena close. "Besides, we have serious rules in place for a reason."
"Okay," Elena smiled, holding up her drawing. "But everyone does need a kitty."
"What did you draw?" Naomi smirked, trying to hold back a laugh.
Elena proudly held up her drawing, and Naomi smiled when she saw the picture. Elena had drawn the Grand Council as kitties, and the cat version of herself was in the cat version of Queen Elena's arms. She had given Francisco's character a guitar, and the cat versions of everyone was singing, even the cat Esteban.
"That picture never gets displayed in the palace!" Esteban frowned.
"Don't worry, Chancellor, we'll display it in our castle!" Nell grinned.
"I'm just wondering how she got all of us so perfectly!" Naomi chuckled, taking the drawing for herself. "She even got Estéban's gray streaks!"
"Drawing realistic drawings at home," Nell smirked, taking Elena in her arms.
"You kitty next?" Elena smiled, seeing one of Ricky's teething crackers in her pocket.
"You want to draw us as kitties?" Madeline giggled.
"I'd love to see that!" Nell grinned.
"I think everyone would love to see that!" Queen Elena smiled. "And make sure she makes a copy of her picture for here! No matter what Esteban says, that picture can be displayed here!"
"Yay!" Elena giggled, jumping up and down.
"What, kitty?" Gabby yawned, feeling Zoom nuzzling her face.
"How was your nap?" Madeline asked with a smile, giving her a hug.
"Nap nap was good," Gabby smiled. "Kitty protect me from mean lady!"
"Thank you, Zoom!" Nell smiled, stroking him.
"Want to play now, Kitty?" Elena asked.
"Yeah!" Zoom purred, rubbing against her and Gabby.
"Let's go!" Gabby smiled. "We play with other baby kitties too!"
"Mingo and Estrella will love that," Queen Elena smiled. "Have fun, everybody!"
"You're being nice to the girls, Maddie," Nell noticed with a smile, kissing her cheek. "I'm proud of you."
"You are?" Madeline asked in surprise. "I try to be nice, but it's hard."
"I know, but you're making a really good effort," Nell smiled. "You've come a long way since the time you had to play with Elena for a week as punishment for being mean to her. You help with her feelings puzzle, you read to her and Gabby at bedtime when I'm busy with Ricky, and you try to help when she has a meltdown."
"Except for when I run to my room when she starts screaming," Madeline smiled weakly.
"But that's okay," Nell assured her, "I'm usually there when the screaming starts to get really bad, and I tell you that you don't have to stay if it bothers you."
"Thanks," Madeline giggled a little. "Whenever I read them a story, they always want voices!"
"Same with me," Bobby Lee smirked, musing her hair. "I'll be with Mother for the rest of the day."
"Mother and son day?" Nell guessed with a smile, kissing his cheek. "I think you've earned it."
"Well, someone has to keep Mother and Bianca safe on those wild flying kitties!" Bobby Lee grinned, scratching Zoom behind the ears.
"Miss Bianca will love Skylar!" Madeline grinned, petting Zoom.
"She'll like any of them," Nell smiled. "They were all pretty gentle with us, and Elena and Gabby."
"I think it's because they were little," Madeline grinned before pushing Bobby Lee out the door. "Go! Enjoy the kitties!"
"Are you trying to tell us something?" Bobby Lee joked, mussing her hair as they met up with Florence and Bianca.
"Hello, Robert! Are you and Bianca ready to ride a jaquin?" Florence smiled.
"Absolutely!" Bobby Lee grinned.
"This should be interesting," Bianca agreed, "Queen Elena was introducing me to the jaquins we're going to be riding, and they're all very nice."
