Just as a warning to anyone reading this, this story does contain references to depression, past abuse, self-harm, and possibly PTSD. If any of that is potentially upsetting to you, it might not be the best idea for you to read this story.

Chapter 3

This is utter bullshit.

That was what Audrey thought to herself as she ran down the sidewalks near Main Street. She had to get away, from everything and everyone.

Why had this happened to her? She had done absolutely nothing wrong, and suddenly one day, she had been transformed into a fucking cat!

Mom didn't do anything wrong either, and look what happened to her.

Audrey stopped for a minute to try and wipe whatever tears might have came to her eyes, but her tiny paws weren't helping matters. Why the hell did she have to think about that?

After a few minutes, she managed to wipe away the tears. This was all their faults. Rachel's, her Dad's, everyone. She didn't know how, but somehow it was their fault.

Audrey had never felt more humiliated in her life. Nina shoving her head down the toilet and giving her a swirly in the sixth grade, the video that almost went on the internet… and the incident that had nearly driven her to commit murder…none of that compared to her current situation.

Especially Noah teasing her with that stupid laser!

But the red dot had been so enticing, so mysterious. She had to chase it. Her instincts told her that there no other choice but to chase it!

Audrey looked around and took off again down the sidewalk.

Nina had almost posted a video of her and Rachel making out in the school parking lot. But Emma had stopped Nina from filming. She had yelled out for Audrey and Rachel to get out of there…

But that wasn't what nearly drove Audrey over the edge.

No, what did that was when Nina insulted her mother who had died not two days prior. It had trended so much on Twitter that it had made the area's top five tweets. If it hadn't been for Rachel, and her Dad…

She rounded a corner and continued running. Audrey knew where she was going. It was the one place that always seemed to bring peace to her mind.

Rachel was so clingy. Didn't she know that Audrey had her own fears and problems? Didn't she know that she constantly worried that she'd never be able to be good enough for her? For her Dad?

Her Dad…their relationship had always been strained. And after her Mom died, she had never felt like he could handle taking care of both her and Rachel.

And it was so irritating that he wanted them to get married! Where had his insistence been when she was a teenager, when she needed him the most?

As the thoughts went through her mind, she finally reached her destination: Wren Lake. The final resting place of Brandon James, town legend and the person she had idolized as a teenager.

It had been almost thirty years since Brandon had died. Almost three years since Audrey's movie about her quest to prove his innocence had been released. And yet whenever the odd day that she looked back on him came, she couldn't help but feel a connection to him.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden growling from her stomach.

Food. I need food…ooh! Those were her thoughts when she saw a mouse cross in front of her.

Lunch!

Within seconds Audrey had pounced and killed the tiny mouse quickly. As she started to bite into it, a wave of disgust came over her. Was this all she had to look forward to in life now? Killing some mouse just to eat?

She happened to glance over to the dock, where Brandon had died.

Now I know how you feel, Brandon. No one gave a shit about you, either.

"Watch your language, young lady."

A cold chill skated down her spine at the voice. One that she hadn't heard in seven years. Could it be? No, that was impossible…unless…

Audrey turned around, and sure enough, there was the ghost of Helen Jensen. Her mouth dropped and if she had been capable of speech she would've been stuttering.

Ghosts weren't real. She was never supposed to see her mother again, not after the cancer took her. Helen dying had all but sealed her opinion that life was just a big joke, and that nothing mattered.

But people weren't supposed to turn into cats either, and yet she had been. So maybe she had been wrong…

M…Mom?

Tears came to her eyes as Helen picked her up and held her.

"I've missed you too, Audrey. But I'm not happy with you."

What…Why not…

"Audrey, please stop talking, and listen."

Audrey's jaw dropped as Helen said that. As her hands petted her head, she continued, "Honey, you've been shutting out people in your life. The people who matter."

She started to purr and started nudge her head against Helen's hand. God, that felt so good.

"You've always been like this, but now it's getting out of control. Did you see how many people showed up, because you were in trouble?"

Audrey stopped purring. A lot of people had shown up…

"And why are you shutting out Howard and Rachel? The two people who have always been there for you and love you more than anything?"

Before Audrey could try to say anything, she felt a drop on her fur and looked up to get a raindrop land on her face. She looked back Helen, who nodded.

As she placed Audrey down, she said, "I'll see you again, Audrey. I love you."

No! Please…she began before Helen faded away, Don't go.

If it hadn't started pouring, like Louisiana always did in the spring time, Audrey would've started crying. Instead, she started running.

She had to get back home. Or at least somewhere that wasn't wet.

It wasn't just pouring down rain, it had turned into a full-blown spring thunderstorm. Audrey had always disliked rain, but now? She hated it.

She was soaking wet, hungry, and absolutely miserable.

By the time Audrey had gotten back to Main Street, it was nearly flooded and there was no sign of the rain letting up anytime soon.

"Audrey!"

Her ears perked up at the voice. It was Rachel. She turned and there she was, with a towel over her shoulder, on the other side of the street, staring right at Audrey. God, she didn't even have an umbrella.

She had to get back to her and make up for the shit she'd pulled. But the streets were almost flooded. And she didn't know how good a swimmer she was as a cat.

Fuck it.

With a deep breath, Audrey sprinted across the street and almost immediately regretted it. The water was freezing cold! But she kept on moving. Then she heard the blast of a car horn and happened to turn her head.

A car was heading right for her and Audrey froze in fear. Her brain told her legs to move, but she couldn't. She closed her eyes and waited for the crash.

At least she'd get to see her Mom again.

But the impact never came and instead, she felt herself being lifted off the ground and under a familiar shirt. After a few minutes, she heard a voice ask, "Audrey?"

Audrey crawled out of the shirt to see her savior, when Rachel picked her up from her lap, wrapped her in a towel and held her close. They were inside the store, on the couch.

"Don't run away again!"

She could only let out a soft meow. Good to know she was missed. That's when she heard sniffling and looked up. Rachel was trying to fight back tears and refused to let go.

"I can't lose you, baby. Not with the way… it's been acting up…"

Audrey felt a wave of guilt come over her as Rachel said that. Oh God. How could she have so stupid?

"If I lost you... I don't know what I would do... I love you, Audrey and I want you back."

How could she have been so blind and missed the signs? How had they grown so far apart that she had missed them?

A realization came over Audrey. She'd been caught up in her own problems that she had started ignoring the ones Rachel had.

She had to help her. They had to come back together, because that's the only way they'd ever survive. That's when she felt herself hugging Rachel back. She was human again.

She said to her, "I am so sorry, Rachel. And I love you too."

Rachel's eyes opened and she gasped. Audrey smirked and said, "I ain't going anywhere."

"Audrey, that's great, but…"

She frowned and asked, "What?"

Rachel started to blush as she looked down. Audrey looked down too and had to gasp as she covered herself. Oh God, she was naked.

She quickly wrapped herself more with the towel and walked to the backroom. And a few minutes later, after Rachel had brought her some clothing, she walked out, to see Howard and Rachel waiting for her.

Rachel took a deep breath and asked, "How did you…"

"I'll tell you later, Rachel."

Howard looked like he was about to say something, but didn't. Silence came over them for a few seconds before she walked over to her Dad and gave him a bear hug, before Rachel hugged her from behind.

"I'm sorry guys. I really am."

Howard patted her back and began, "You really had us worried, Audrey…"

"…But we still love you," finished Rachel.

Audrey's heart warmed at that, and she felt a warm presence hold her too. It had to be her Mom. Maybe she would see her again one day.

But for right now, she needed to be there for the woman she loved. And maybe start fixing the relationship she had with Howard.

After a few more minutes, they broke off the hug and made their way back to the apartment. And as they entered, Noah, Riley and Amanda stood up from the couch, after Audrey heard collective gasping.

"Audrey…is that…" began Noah.

"Really you?" finished Riley.

She nodded before saying to each of them, "I'm…I'm really sorry for running away. I'm sorry for worrying each of you. And I want you to know that…I really appreciate all of you coming, when you thought I was in trouble."

Nobody said anything for a little while. And then, one by one, they each came up and formed a big group hug.

Then Noah asked, "And what about my nose?"

Audrey looked it over and replied, "Yeah, I'm sorry about that too."

Three Days Later

Rachel sat in front of the laptop and thought about what she was going to write.

Things had become quite a bit different following that Monday, and Rachel had to admit that she was happy. Audrey had insisted that every day they take some time to just talk about anything that was on their minds.

"Rachel?" came Audrey's voice. Rachel turned around and saw Audrey standing behind her.

"Hey, you. What's up?"

Audrey pulled a chair over with her good hand and sat down next to Rachel. She said, "I've been thinking about last Monday…"

Rachel grinned. "You mean the incident that we swore never to speak of again?"

"Yeah. And…I…close your eyes for a minute, please."

Rachel was confused at that, but did. When she did, she felt Audrey take her left hand and slip something…Oh God, was this really happening?

"Ok, open them."

She did and looked down at her left ring finger. On it was an silver ring, with an onyx gem in it. She looked back up at Audrey and asked, "Is this…?"

"It's a promise ring, Rachel," Audrey replied, and Rachel had to grin as she blushed, "It's what my Dad gave to Mom, when they were still dating."

Rachel smiled as Audrey struggled to find the words to say. It wasn't often she got to see this side of her, the flustered, absolutely adorable side that she hid from everyone but her.

"I love you, Rachel, and I'm making you a promise that I'm yours forever," Audrey finished as she stared into Rachel's eyes, "And that when we're ready to get hitched, that we'll be together until they put us in the fucking ground."

Rachel pulled Audrey into a hug and smiled as she whispered, "I love you too."

Life wasn't going to be perfect for them. Rachel knew that. It was going to throw twists and turns at them like nothing else mattered.

But she couldn't think of anyone else she'd rather experience it with.

The End.

I hope everyone enjoyed this story. Expect more from us in the future.