PART THREE: DECISIONS
Chapter One: Only Together

Alonzo hopped up onto the chair beside Demeter. He was panting from exhaustion and gratefully slumped against the bumpy surface. Across from them, a result from running to the junkyard and back, two identical cats sat. They stared at each other for a moment, then back at Munkustrap and Demeter.

*He loves a human?* Coricopat asked. Demeter nodded sadly.

"Yes. What can we do, though? I have an idea that he's not going to want to leave without her." Tantomile glanced down at her paws and shuffled them uneasily.

*There's only thing to do then.* Munkustrap looked up from his lap.

"What? We're not leaving him. I refuse to leave him here alone." Tantomile shook her head, but didn't look up.

*No. We take her, too.*

*Huh? A human in the junkyard?* Alonzo asked in disbelief. Coricopat glanced at his sister, then back at Alonzo.

*No. As a Jellicle, right?* Tantomile nodded. *Or least as a cat,* he added.

"How are we going to do that?" Demeter asked. Tantomile finally looked up.

*We use the same spell that we're going to use on you three on her.* Alonzo frowned.

*Would that even work?* Coricopat shrugged.

*It's worth a shot,* he said. *Worse comes to worse, we'll at least have Misto back.*

Munkustrap sighed. Coricopat did have a point. Even if he didn't like the idea of having a human coming to live in the junkyard, he'd rather do that lose Mistoffelees. He felt responsible for the younger cat and besides he was one of his best friends.

"All right," he agreed finally. "Alonzo? Can you find Megan? Bring her here as soon as you can." Alonzo blinked.

*What if she doesn't want to come?*

"Hopefully that won't happen."

Megan paused. Why am I running away? she thought. Why am I letting his father chase me away as if we've done something wrong? No answer.

She turned at the sound of a faint mew. Looking down, she saw the cat that Michael had brought home rubbing his head against her leg. She picked the cat up, confused and distracted by her thoughts. After petting the creature for a moment, she looked down at it contemplatively.

"I'll take you back," she sighed. Suddenly a plan formed in her head.

If she could only figure out what it was that Michael's father didn't approve of her, maybe she could fix it. Maybe then, he would be able to accept the fact that she loved his son.

Mistoffelees raised his eyes up to greet Munkustrap. The older man looked more than a little sheepish, but glad to see that his plan had worked and that Mistoffelees had calmed down. He offered a smile to the boy.

"Misto?" Mistoffelees turned his face away. "Don't be mad. I'm only trying to do what's best."

Mistoffelees' eyes jerked back to Munkustrap's face. "What's best?" he asked dully. "Of course YOU know what's best."

"At least try to understand the position I'm in."

Mistoffelees smiled bitterly. "I could ask the same of you."

"I know. I'm sorry, I really am, but I had to. At the time it seemed like the only thing to do." Mistoffelees hung his head.

"Well, be happy with yourself. You've succeeded. I'll never see her again and you don't have to worry about a human and a Jellicle being together."

"How do you know that?"

"Cori and Tant are here. They know how to bring us home." Munkustrap tilted his head.

"How...?"

"You forget. I'm the original conjuring cat, remember? I just know some things." Munkustrap sighed.

"Oh, Misto..." Mistoffelees' eyes narrowed.

"Don't. I don't want your pity. You've done what you had to do, didn't you? You can't go and say you regret it now."

Munkustrap was at a loss for words. But I do regret it, he wanted to say, but didn't. Instead, he decided to say what he knew would brighten the boy's spirit.

"Misto? We talked after Megan left. The four of us. And we've come to a decision." Mistoffelees shrugged.

"What?"

"We decided that, if she wants to, Megan will come with us."

Mistoffelees felt his jaw drop. He hadn't thought of that. Of course. It was perfect. The girl he loved, his home, his own body, his family. What could be better. How come this hadn't occurred to him?

"Really?" he asked weakly. Munkustrap nodded and knelt beside him. He put a hand on his shoulder and was surprised to find that Mistoffelees was trembling.

"Really."