Chapter 2

A week later, things were going much better than Mia had hoped. Reporters still hastled her for a story, but she refused. Other than that, life still carried on. She got a few commissions that paid well, and was going to start her second commission. The owner of an apartment uptown was apparently moving away, and wanted a painting of the view she had at sunset. Mia was able to get most of the colors down, leaving just a few minor details to work out from memory. This would take a few hours, as the canvas was big, but the old lady went ahead and paid her anyway, despite Mia's typical policy of not charging till the picture was finished.

"It's turning out marvelous," commented the little old cerval.

"Thanks. I'm glad you like it so far. I just have to get some of the details; water shimmers, the occasional boat, ect."

"It's going to be marvelous. I can't wait to show it off to all my friends!"

"Okay." Mia left and silently went back to her apartment. The night would be an easy one.

She put on the song "Close Every Door" by Andrew Lloyd Webber. She didn't know nor care what it came from; it was a song that fit her so well. She began to sing along to the lyrics.

"Close every door to me, hide all the world from me, bar all the windows and shut out the light. Do what you want with me, hate me and laugh at me. Darken my daytime, and torture my night! If my life were important I would ask will I live or die? But I know the answers, lie far from this world."

She let it play through a few times through, repeating the song several times. It took that, a few more songs, and a small glass of reiling to get the picture completed. She let the paint dry before applying a clear coat of varnish to protect it. She would take it to her framer the next day. Nestling in her den, she turned on the tv. Nothing but bad news. She clicked it off and sipped on a glass of water. A good book would be perfect right now, but the only thing that sounded good was a crime drama. And the thought of reading a story with murder in it didn't sound all that great.

"Maybe I could do a painting." She thought on it. "Maybe not. I guess it's time for bed then." She changed into a spaghetti-strap tanktop and some baggy bed pants. She tied her long hair into a loose sleeping braid and brushed her teeth. She just about jumped out of her skin when she heard a thump at the door. Thinking it was a burglar, she slowly inched towards the door, ready to run at a moment's notice. As she inched closer, she began to hear something. A voice?

"Please! Help me…" The last part gurgled. Adrenaline took over, and Mia opened the door. Panther collapsed into her apartment, a nasty gash racing from his right collarbone and down to his left side. His breathing was ragged. She quickly dialed 911, hoping above all else they would come.

When Leon and Wolf barged into the hospital room, Mia was sitting quietly next to Panther, holding his hand. He was silently sleeping, due mostly to the anesthesia he was under. Mia looked at them with worried eyes.

"What happened?" Wolf asked.

"Someone tore into him. He collapsed on my doorstep." Mia looked back at Panther, who was still sleeping. "By the Guards I hope he's going to be okay."

"I'm sure he will. Panther's a tough cat." Leon chimed in.

"I hope so. Damn, he was just supposed to be visiting his family…how'd this happen?"

"Family? Is that what Panther told you he was doing?" The look on the cat's face unnerved him.

"Yeah. We decided to visit our families and patch things up with them."

"Panther doesn't have any family."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"It was a number of years back. Panther and I were high school students together. Then one day, he just vanished. A few years later, they found the bodies of his mother, his younger twin brother and sister, and his father. It turns out, his father was in the War of Chaos. He suffered from PTSD, and went off on the family. A few months later, Panther shows up with you guys, and he has that old scar." She pointed to it. "I'm guessing that's a memento from his father."

"I…I never would have guessed. Panther showed us all sorts of pictures of his family. In fact, he even showed us a picture or two of you. You're Mia Barrington, aren't you?"

"Yeah."

"The Guards blessed him when he landed on your doorstep."

"We'll see…"

Mia was uncertain how to take the other members of Star Wolf. Leon hardly said a word, and Wolf seemed too talkative. She just wanted Panther to wake up….

"Mrrmmm, hmmm…." Panther mumbled. The anesthesia was wearing off. "Where am I?" His voice was groggy, but somehow managed to hold that hypnotic tone that Mia remembered him most by.

"Panther? Oh thank goodness. You're at the hospital."

"Mia? What are you doing here?"

"You landed on my door."

"Oh."

Mia pinched his nose hard enough for his yelp to wake up Wolf and Leon.

"What was that for?!?"

"What in the name of all that is sane were you doing running around and getting cut up?"

"I got in a fight with a few guys."

"And why in the name of the Guards were you doing fighting with other people?"

"They were talking about you. They were going to hurt you."

Mia looked in confusion at him. "And why exactly were they intending to harm me?"

Panther's look was solemn, and his voice was very concerned. "They said you killed some of their friends. Who did you kill?"

Mia froze. Suddenly she went from concerned to pissed off. "That's no body's business! I acted entirely in self defense and if they want to harm me, I'll act just the same! Now you stay outta trouble and stop lying to your friends."

"I didn't—"

"I don't care! If you hadn't have lied to them, you wouldn't be in this mess and I wouldn't be ready to bawl my eyes out thinking you're about to die!" Mia stormed out the room, leaving Panther to lower his eyes in guilt of his actions. Mia walked all the way out of the hospital and to her car before she started crying. "Stupid Panther! Why can't he just think?"