Disclaimer: I do not own Cats or its characters.

One

Theme: Smile

It took hours before the all-consuming ecstasy faded, but it couldn't last forever. And as they slowly recovered from the high of being together, of being whole again, the grim memory of their separation began to make itself known.

Coricopat shivered as Tantomile's memories rushed over him. He felt her thoughts, hesitant yet curious, and opened his mind wholly to her. No secrets between them.

She had spent the first few days attempting to mingle amongst the other Jellicles, he saw, yearning for their acceptance. They still turned her away with expressions of disgust. None had even noticed that she was without him.

He caught a whiff of her old thoughts and closed his eyes briefly. I can't go back…Coricopat will not accept me back. I hurt him, there is no way he could forgive me…

I would have, he thought, knowing she was listening. In an instant. Without question.

And now…? Tantomile was nervous, waiting for his answer.

Not a question. No hesitation. You are mine, Tantomile, and I will not lose you again, he thought firmly, leaving her no room for doubt. Tantomile purred aloud, nuzzling up against him.

I am so sorry, Coricopat.

Nothing to forgive, he assured her, pressing himself closely to her, burying his face in her neck and breathing in her unique scent. Cream and honey.

He caught glimpses of her time outside the Junkyard. She had left after finding herself rejected all over, unable to bear the reminders of Coricopat everywhere, but still not quite believing he would take her back. She had joined a small band of cats living in alleys, fighting over scraps of food and always keeping one eye open. She hadn't been able to trust any of them, and so had gotten very little sleep.

Even when she was far away from the Junkyard, though, she had sensed Coricopat's downfall. She had blocked herself from his thoughts, but she couldn't keep from sensing him slowly dying. And that was when she had returned, calling on Alonzo for help.

I knew he would help you…since you were friends once. I reminded him of that. She paused. I couldn't…I just couldn't…

"I couldn't let you die," she finished out loud, her voice hoarse and clogged with her sobbing. Tears flowed freely from her eyes, and she reached out desperately to grasp his paw. "Even if you didn't want me, I couldn't let you die."

Coricopat held her in silence, offering his quiet comfort.

"And then…I couldn't take it anymore," she went on, pressing the thoughts towards him. As he began to heal, she could no longer sense him, and that was torture to Tantomile. She needed to know how he was, at least, needed to know that he would survive. So she had returned to the Junkyard with the intent of simply looking in on him briefly and leaving again. It was only when he looked up at her entrance, meeting her eyes, that she knew she must stay.

Coricopat shivered as a thought hit him—if he had been asleep, or if he hadn't looked up at that moment, she would be gone again.

Yes, Tantomile agreed, nodding tearfully. I would have left again. I truly thought you would not want me back after what I did to you.

I need you, Tantomile. You are a part of me.

The two pressed together again, their minds colliding as words failed them. They simply lay there, letting the rich swirl of emotion wash over them, clinging so tightly to each other that they may have appeared to be one cat.

And to them, at last, it felt as if they were.

One.

Hours passed. It felt like an instant to the psychic cats. Coricopat only noticed that any time had gone by at all because Alonzo came knocking again, calling for Coricopat to come out for a stroll with him and Cassandra.

He felt the bi-colored tom's surprise when not one, but two cats appeared from within Coricopat's den, felt Cassandra's confusion at Tantomile's appearance—she had not yet bothered to wash off the dirt and blood. Both were puzzled by her sudden reappearance, by the fact that the two had seemed to pick up right where they had left off, as if the past four weeks of tragedy and grief had never happened.

Coricopat hesitated. Perhaps they would no longer want to spend time with him, once he and Tantomile were together again. Perhaps he and his mate would be left alone once more, exiled from the rest of the tribe. Tantomile touched his paw briefly in comfort, casting him an apologetic glance. He shook his head minutely.

It didn't matter what they thought. He had his Tantomile back. Nothing else was important.

Still, a small speck of hope lit in him as Cassandra smiled, nodding a greeting to the two identical mates.

"Hello, Coricopat, Tantomile. Tanto, will you be joining us today?" she asked pleasantly, Alonzo grinning.

"We were just thinking of walking around the fence today, maybe going for a hunt later on. It'll be fun," he added temptingly. Tantomile laughed softly, clinging to Coricopat's paw.

"I would love to. Thank you," she said, smiling warmly. Alonzo and Cassandra both smiled, both of them seeming happy with her acceptance, and split to flank the two psychic cats. Cassandra began chatting amicably with Tantomile about her new collar (offering to loan another one of hers to Tantomile should she ever desire it), while Alonzo started going off about how Coricopat needed to take better care of himself (as he always did, when they first started these walks).

Without looking at each other, without interrupting their respective conversations, Coricopat and Tantomile touched paws again, sharing their absolute delight at this turn of events. From last night, when both cats had been in complete despair, to now.

There was nothing Coricopat could do but walk along contentedly and smile.

A/N: That's it! The end. It feels kind of rushed, but that's just how it came out…

I hope you enjoyed this little story!