"I almost did it!" Victoria sobbed, throwing her small paws onto the ground. Jemima, Etcetera, and Tugger all comforted her, with Tugger letting her sit on his lap and the two other kittens rubbing her arms, "I-I almost…I could've told him…I really wanted too!"

Jemima wrapped her arms around the Queen's waist, closing her eyes tightly.

"Oh, kit," She cooed, "it's okay, it's okay."

Victoria shook her head in objection, her fur rubbing against Tugger's mane. Tears streamed down her small white face, hopefully not staining it. Her paws reached up and wrapped around Jemima who still had her in a hug. She cried into her friend's neck trying to choke back outbursts.

"N-n-no it's n-not," She choked.

"He just was startled, Victoria," The Rum Tum Tugger soothed, highly out of his own, normal element, "It doesn't mean he hates you."

"Yeah," Etcetera agreed, "He's right. Mistoffelees is too kind to hate you."

Victoria calmed herself, letting her death grip around Jemima relax. Slowly she slipped out of the hug and crawled out of Tugger's lap, wiping away her tears. She landed down onto the ground with chokes still coming. She hugged herself and closed her eyes looking away from them all.

"I know he is," She whispered, "It just seems too good to be next him. Not like that at least."

Her eyelids fluttered back open, liquid blue eyes now spilling out left over tears falling out of them. She shook her head rapidly, scratching her ears with her paws. Jemima crawled to her side, a small smile plastering across her wide face. Her small padded paw brought her chin up so she could see her fully. The bloodshot look in her eyes was gruesome toward Jemima as the Queen tried to smile. Jemima bit her bottom lip and patted her friend's back, eyes on hers.

"See," She wiped away the remaining tears on her friends cheeks, "That's better."

Tugger smiled lightly as Etcetera wrapped her arms around his waist, smiling widely like the kitten she was.

"I should have known about Misto being asleep," Tugger told Victoria, wincing as Etcetera's grip tightened around his leg, "With that sickness going around, he might have caught it."

Victoria's ears flicked quickly as she turned her head over her shoulder, staring at Tugger with concerned eyes.

"W-what?" She asked, voice barely breath. Tugger, realizing the amount of what he said and what it could've meant, quickly changed his words.

"I mean he has a cold, possibly," He corrected, paws up in the air in defense, "A lot of the cats are catching it."

Victoria's eyes still remained concerned, but she looked away from him with a nodding head. Her face was delicately bright, still somewhat sunken with tears, but brighter. She rubbed her arm in self consciousness and looked down.

"Oh," She simply said, licking her lips and then tucking them in, "I-I see."

"Then there's nothing much to worry about, kit," Etcetera said from her content spot by Tugger's leg, "It's just a cold…that just happens to be spreading."

She smiled weakly at her last comment.

Victoria only smiled briefly, though, as she stood up along with Jemima. Her eyes were glued to the ground, filled with anxiety and tiredness. She closed them together tightly, her cheeks relaxing.

"I'm going to the den," She told them all, voice quiet. Jemima dropped her arms that once were hugging Victoria with her big wide eyes. Swiftly she raised her paw toward the scampering Victoria while Tugger and Etcetera waved at her, "Goodbye."

"Bye Vicky!" Etcetera yelled with a big grin.

Jemima watched as her best friend ran away from them and back to her house. It dawned upon her as she watched her friend sprint away gracefully, that she had never before seen such a look in her friend's eyes. They were sad, of course wet, but there was something in them that almost scared her, in a good way. Her eyes looked as if they were open and alive, filled with more character than ever before. She smiled lightly to herself as thoughts rummaged through her round head.

"Moonlight"

"There's a sound from the pavement"

"As the moon gained her memory"

"She is smiling at them"

"If they find then, the meaning of what happiness is"

"Then a new day will begin"

●●●

Victoria wiped her eyes with the back of her paw from left over tears, coughing softly. Her matted ears perked up as she hugged herself on the prowl. A small purr escaped from her lips as she scratched her ear falling to her knees. Gently she brushed her cheek against her slender shoulder, eyes closed.

A rusting shopping cart fell from beside her, causing her to arch her back and hiss instinctively. It wasn't until a good three seconds that she realized it was only a shopping cart…or was it?

Slowly, she began to stand up straight and saunter away, legs running vine-like around each other. The hair on the back of her neck stood up as she ran into a piece of scrap metal. She once again repeated her motions, this time faster, as if scared.

A giggle rang around the crowded junkyard, causing Victoria's ears to flicker. She gasped loudly and brought her paws to her chest with wide, wide eyes. The giggling came to a short stop, though, as severe coughing then began to become abundant. Catching on, Victoria calmed her breathing and relaxed her grip around herself. She knew who this was.

"Rumpleteazer?" She asked voice angelic, "Is that you?"

A sniff was the first reply along with a sigh.

"I'm afraid so, kit," Rumpleteazer responded. She climbed down from her spot on a high wooden chair, face drooped and paler. Snot threatened to fall from her tiny nose so she snorted it back up, sighing out of exhaustion afterwards.

"Oh," Victoria suppressed commenting, afraid of offending the past Queen.

"Yeah," Rumpleteazer said, straining her voice into a cough. She moved her head away and coughed vicously. She came to a bumpy stop as she looked back to the other Queen, who stared with concern, "I told Mungojerrie to go play with the other cats for a while. Don't want him getting sick right?"

She laughed, bitterly humorous. She coughed again and blinked down hard tired and fatigued. She dropped her arms to her side and turned around, mouth now in an awkward line.

"I mean," She shouted in her semi-Irish accent, "First the sickness was given to Asparagus, and then he gave it to Electra who gave it to me!"

Herwords were quick, as if a stick of dynamite had just been lit. Of course, this was very much like Rumpleteazer who at heart had one of the shortest tempers. Her lips were puckered out into a pout that made her look like a smaller kitten than she was.

"I'm sorry," Victoria told her, barely perceptible and eyes on the ground, "I heard about it all. Haven't caught it yet."

The look in the white Queen's eyes was a strong signal to Rumpleteazer as the younger kitten played with her paws. A small smile slowly teased the corners of her mouth as she knew that look.

"Who is he?" She asked, casually, back to her old Rumple self. Victoria looked up immediately with liquid eyes.

"W-what?" She responded, off guard. Rumpleteazer giggled lively, finally getting back into character.

"The tom you're thinking about," She told her, voice higher, "I can that look in your eyes-I know what it means."

"Oh-umm…uh," Victoria murmured to herself, scared to tell. She got a simple smile from Rumple, though, who brightened up when she saw her face.

"C'mon, Vicky," She groaned, "You can trust me."

Victoria pondered a moment, eyes deep in thought. She trusted Rumpleteazer, yes she did, but could she tell her. She made up her mind and looked at her friend straight in the eyes.

"M-Mistoffelees," She muttered. Rumpleteazer's ears flickered as she bent down to hear her better. This was done purposely.

"Oh, I'm sorry," She said, obviously fake, "Did you say Mungojerrie?"

"No! I-,"

"Oh he's a scum bag, you don't want him!"

"No, no, I said-,"

"Or did you say Skimble? He's a wee bit too old for you, kit!"
"No, Rumpleteazer!"

"Old Deuteronomy?"

"I said Mistoffelees!"

Victoria's voice bounded across the junkyard, loud and highlighted. She quickly covered her mouth with her paws, face turning every shade of pink there could be. Rumple grinned with pearly whites, innocence being the only thing from the ordinary here. Her eyes were lively and her face brighter.

"You did that on purpose," Victoria almost hissed, annoyed now.

"Oh, I'm sorry, kit," Rumpleteazer giggled, "You're just so much fun to mess with!"

Victoria's solemn response to her was a brow glare, paws tight. Rumple rolled her eyes at the over-dramatic tantrum she was giving and sat her down beside her.

"I'm joking, I'm joking!" She told her, voice now serious, "Here, look at me."-She raised the Queen's chin so that she could only look at her-, "Mistoffelees is a good tom, and he'd never shoot down such a pretty kit like you."

Victoria tried looking down.

"But he's not like other tom's," She told her friend, "What if he doesn't accept me?"

"Aye, listen to me," Rumpleteazer started. Her eyes connected with Victoria's and gave them a warm look, "Will you go to the ends of the Heavyside for Misto?"-Victoria gave her a nod, eyes wide-"Would you give up everything you had, and everything you'd want for him?"

"He is all I want," Victoria breathed. Rumpleteazer smiled, making the white Queen do so as well.

"He should love only you then, my pretty kit."