Whew! I know it's been a while since I updated this fic, but I've got four new ones under Inuyasha in the Anime section that I've been busy with as well. Anyway, here's chappie…6…? I think that's about right. Here ya go!

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Darkness…nothing but darkness…

"Do yeh think he's ev'n breath'n, mate?"

"Prob'ly…a' leas' he be'er be, or else our asses are indeed screwed." Wait…those voices…who did they belong to…? A blue gloved hand reached up to cradle a raccoon's head, sliding under a blue cap to rustle a tuft of grey spiky hair.

"Oh look, mate- I think he's come 'round…about time, man."

"Yah, and teh think, we though' ye wasn't be wakin' up."

"Augh…" The raccoon opened his amber eyes groggily, his head pounding with an intensity of which he'd never felt before. His eyes swept slowly over the space around him. Despite his keen eyesight, he could only make out the outlines of his surroundings. From what little he could see, he seemed to be in some kind of chamber, probably underground. Thick iron bars blocked his way out of his cell, which looked about the size of a walk in closet, as far as he could tell. The two that had been mocking him appeared to be an English bull dog and a German Shepard, both of which were standing opposite of where he lay from the bars, taunting him with the luxury of freedom. The raccoon opened his mouth to talk, but his senses shot out of control, as if another presence was in the room.

"Who else is with you two thugs? Something's up-"

"Sly Cooper…" A third voice, a male with a heavy British accent was heard, though the body to whom it belonged was still hidden. The raccoon stood, clenching and unclenching his fists in anticipation for another rumble, his ringed tail swishing mischievously behind him. His eyes darted all over the darkened room, searching for the third person whom had yet to reveal who this shadow was.

"Who's there…DAMN IT SHOW YOURSELF!" Sly's fearless call echoed through the empty room, though he still wondered where in the hell his cane was. The third voice laughed coldly as a shadow glided towards the bars in front of him.

"Once a Cooper, always a Cooper…I must admit, you definitely get your bravery from your father…" The shadowed figure revealed itself as a silver wolf, about 5"8' in height. His figure was lean, but pure muscle. Despite the darkness, a scar upon the wolf's face was evident, just under his left eye, but Sly wasn't interested in his appearance, for his eyes darted to something that the bastard was holding as if it were his own…

The Cooper family cane.

The wolf wasn't surprised at all when the raccoon began to growl venomously, his white teeth showing in the dark.

"You dare to wield that weapon…my family heirloom…like you fucking own it…like it belongs to you…you sick bastard!" He articulated his insult as best to his ability as he could through his clenched teeth. The wolf simply turned the cane so that the light from the moon shining out the window could roll down its golden point mockingly.

"And just who in the hell are you, that so dared as to disgrace my family's thieving name, pray tell?" At that point, had it not been for the fact that he was in a cell, he would have had the dude in a choke hold and bashed his head against the wall he was so furious with the wolf.

"Damian Amadeus Medora, and as I'm sure you've already guessed, I am your warden." He bowed grandly, angling the cane so that the gold tip was tilted away from his body. Sly wasted no time to pass the opportunity up. He grabbed one bar beside him, using it as an anchor to pull himself toward the bars. He used this driving force as power as he let his other fist swing in between the bars to connect with the wolf's skull…or, so he had planned. Damian was quicker than the raccoon had given him credit for. In one swift movement, he slid to the left enough to feel the air of the blow brush past his face before he grabbed Sly's wrist and yanked him to the bars forcefully. The side of Sly's face met the three inch thick poles with a sickening WHACK.

Sly staggered backwards a few steps, shaking his head slightly to clear it of the daze he was temporarily put in.

"A thick skull…you truly are your father's son."

SUSHI! cool dividers rule

Carmelita was a bit worried…okay, that ain't right…

Delete

Carmelita was worried out of her mind…no, no, no that's not right, either!

Bangs head on desk

Carmelita was lost hopelessly in a state of worry and depression.

She was in a state in which you find yourself wondering why things had to be like this. The broken vixen sighed shakily, her tear filled deep brown eyes shimmering even in the dim moonlight that streamed through her window. Bentley had spent the entire van ride back to the safehouse and half the night trying to get Sly's binocucom to respond to his beacons, but there hadn't been a reply in hours. Though they hadn't given up on their silent agreement to find their friend, Bentley said that the best thing they could do was to wait until they could get the rest of the group back together and plan another venture to The Darkness' lair- Penelope had received a call from Holland asking her to return a favor that she owed a friend there about a week ago, around the same time the Guru had taken to meditation a few miles south of Paris, and Artemis's other best friends, Nina and Suzuna were visiting their families back in the U.S. and would return around the same as everyone else tomorrow.

Carmelita sat on her windowsill with her knees bent enough so that her feet were resting on the sill as well. Her gaze was set upon the full moon that lit the darkened skylines of the Czechian Underworld. She sighed shakily, raising a hand to brush away the tears that threatened her eyes.

It was her fault.

Sly was captured because he chose to stay behind and protect her.

This was all her own damn fault.

A gentle knock on her door broke her train of thought. She tore her gaze from the shimmering moon through the window to the door. She tried gathering herself, or at least, gathering her voice together.

"Who is it?" She asked in a voice she almost swore was not her own. The door remained shut, but she still heard a female respond to her question.

"It's me- it's Artemis…can I come in?"

"Oh…yeah, sure…come on in." Carmelita's gaze returned to her window. She heard her door open with a tiny creaking, and then shut almost as silently as it had opened. Her ears swiveled toward the soft sound of footsteps advancing on her before she saw Artemis's faint reflection on the glass beside her own.

Carmelita watched with dim eyes as Artemis sat across from her on the sill, following the vixen's gaze out the window. A comfortable silence ensued between the two for a few moments until Artemis decided to break the silence.

"You wanna talk about anything?" Had the situation not been so depressing, Carmelita would have smiled at her friend's comfort, but her heart wouldn't be into the smile; it would be like putting on a mask to hide herself from her best friend. She didn't want to do that, not to Artemis, or any of her other friends. So, she sighed lightly before running a hand lazily through her wavy raven bangs.

"Do you mind if I go on a crying marathon?" Her voice was crackling as she tried her hardest to keep her tears from spilling out of her pained eyes, but her vision was blurring rather quickly. Artemis turned so that she was fully facing the window, though her gaze never left the broken woman before her.

"Use my shoulder if you want." It was an invitation that the vixen couldn't help but accept. She gently but quickly rested her head on Artemis's shoulder just before tears began to escape from under her heavy eyelids. Artemis placed a hand on Carmelita's back as a sisterly sign to offer her what little comfort she could.

"It's alright…everything will work out fine…I promise…" Artemis cooed to her friend, and almost sister, trying her very hardest to comfort her in any way possible. Using her free hand, she reached over and gingerly picked up a mug of warm tea she had brought for Carmelita. She tapped Carmelita on the shoulder with her pinky so she wouldn't drop the ceramic blue mug. Carmelita lifted her head enough so that she could see over the top of the mug.

"I thought you'd like some. I added some sweetener for a little more flavor." Carmelita nodded, lifting her head completely from Artemis's shoulder to gingerly take the cup into her own hands.

"Thank you." She deeply inhaled the steam emitting from the surface of the warm drink. She brought the cup to rest on her lips.

"Be careful, it's hot." Carmelita sipped it cautiously, though she really liked it, it was very hot, just as Artemis had said.

"I'm sorry I'm acting like such a baby…but, I feel like it's my fault that…" She couldn't finish the thought. She didn't need to. Artemis shook her head sternly.

"It's not your fault, and you're not a baby. You love him, so it's only natural to cry if he's in trouble. You know Sly would have done it had it been any one of us, too." She most definitely couldn't argue with that- Sly was one of the greatest people to be friends with, and would always support his friends in any way he could. That was just the type pf guy he was.

"Still…I-I don't think…t-that I-I'll be able to sleep or…a-anything…I…I really miss him." Carmelita sniffed softly before continuing to sip her tea delicately. It was starting to cool now, she could feel it.

"Think about all the good times you've had with him so far. That's what I do when I start missing my folks back home. That way, they're still sorta there with you. It helps you get through it until you see them again. Give it a try, okay?" Artemis smiled warmly at Carmelita. She smiled back with just as much warmth.

"Thanks…I really needed that." Artemis got up and began to walk out the door. When she got about half way across the room, Carmelita suddenly called out,

"Oh, and one more thing before I forget-" Artemis turned to look at her again, only to see the vixen with a dirty grin on her face.

"When we rescue him, remind me to hit him for when he ate my chocolate bar."

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I know the ending of this chapter was a little corny, but at least it beats having her go on and on for twelve pages on a sob story or something, don't it? Stick around!

P.S.- I'm SOOOOO sorry for not updating sooner, but I just moved.