Bombalurina spent the next week or so feeling sorry for herself. She was sure this was for the better, but it was so hard giving him up. Sometimes the thought of running back to their old den crossed her mind, just to see him. But she didn't want to! Groaning, she pulled a pillow over her head and made a half-hearted attempt to suffocate herself. She didn't want to die; she just wanted the thoughts to be gone. What would it take? Bast, this was difficult. It wasn't really helping that Cassandra was confusing her. Every night they sat and watched the sunset, and every night Cassandra would start to say something and change her mind. What was that all about? She wished the queen would just blurt out what she was thinking about; it would make her life easier. Bomba threw the pillow to the side and sat up, walking over to Demeter's mirror and pulling out her box. She opened it and reached in, feeling around for a certain comb. Her eyebrow rising in surprise, she pulled one out and stared at it.

Tugger's comb.

Well, he had been right. She'd had his comb.

If Bomba had decided to come to her old den, she'd have only been greeted with broken glass and about half of the blanket nest. Tugger was staying with Munkustrap after getting particularly frustrated one night and punching in the mirror. Jenny had scolded him something awful as she picked glass out of his paw; it never did help Tugger couldn't sit still during such things. He didn't even clean up when he'd gone to the den to get his things. It was a place love had been made and broken; it deserved to be broken too.

Like he felt.

"Tugger."

Suddenly Tugger realized he was being poked in the arm by Pouncival. What was he even doing there?

"Go away, Pounce."

"Aw, c'mon. . ."

"What are you doing in Munkus' den?" Tugger snapped at the younger tom, swatting him away. He wasn't in the mood to deal with his crap. Pouncival made a snide face at Tugger, his voice high pitched as he let spew a random line if gibberish. Okay. That's it.

He shot out at the tom kitten, the smaller tom gasping in surprise as he was unexpectedly thrown flat onto his back. Tugger straddled him and held his wrists down, growling down at the little tom. If Munkus walked in right now Tugger would be in it deep, so he better get this done quickly.

"What do you want that's so important?!"

"I just wanted to cheer you up." Pouncival whimpered and squirmed underneath the bigger tom's weight, vaguely worried. Tugger wasn't violent but. . . Suddenly many stories were running through Pounce's head, and that made him uneasy.

"Yeah, well, you ticked me off. If you want to cheer me up, get your scrawny ass out of here. I don't want to talk to anyone." He pressed more of his weight down on the tom dangerously, and Pouncival nodded hurriedly.

"Okay! I'll go! I'll go!"

Tugger let the little tom up, watching with detached satisfaction as he scrambled away. Pouncival was always a nuisance. Now where was he? Oh, right. Feeling sorry for himself. That shouldn't be hard to pick back up on. Plopping back down moodily, he looked up as another cat came inside. Munkus looked shaken, his eyes wide with disbelief as he looked over his shoulder.

"Why did Pouncival just go flailing past me looking like he was going to get killed?"

"Bomba, you've got to stop feeling sorry for yourself."

"Deme, you've got to stop feeling like you've got to feel sorry for me."

Bombalurina knew her friend was trying to help, but as the scarlet queen was on her stomach picking lint off her bed she really didn't want to do much else. Demeter huffed softly and plopped down beside her. Suddenly Bombalurina realized she hadn't yet told Demeter about her recently not feeling well, but before she could say anything the gold queen spoke.

"We've been friends for a long time. I thought you'd appreciate my help."

"I'd appreciate you getting a tom friend. Speaking of which, do you?" Bomba didn't move to look at her friend; she was busying herself with a particularly large bit of lint. Demeter plucked it out of her paws and tossed it on the floor. The scarlet queen let out a defeated sigh and grumbled something under her breath as she looked up at her friend. There was a long moment of silence where Deme simply wrung her paws, and slowly a smirk spread across Bombalurina's face as an eyebrow rose.

"Yes, I do."

"Who is it?"

"Oh, it doesn't matter!" Looking flustered for the first time in months, Demeter stood and walked out of the den quickly, Bomba's laughter following her. She couldn't help it. Well, at least one of the two was happy. She was glad Demeter had someone in her life; she needed it.

Now, what about herself?

"Oh, Alonzo! I can't!" Cassandra might as well have been flailing, the way her voice sounded. This was nothing like the composed Cassandra everyone else saw.

"Yes, you can." The patched tom gave her a hard stare and she silenced herself, deep blue eyes blinking slowly. He sounded so sure, but she didn't feel that way. She really needed to say something to the queen. A few words every night just didn't do it, but it was so hard!

"What if she doesn't feel that way?"

"Love pops up in random places. How many times have I said 'You don't know'? If you never ask, you'll always be wondering."

Cassandra looked at him in defeat. This had been going on for several days now; she was getting sick of it.

"Now, I've got to go. I've got someone to talk to."

"What about me?! I'm in a dilemma!"

Alonzo placed a comforting paw on her shoulder and shook his head.

"I know, but she needs help too. A little more than you, right now. Your troubles need to be sorted out inside yourself. Now," he grabbed her shoulders and turned her around, giving her bottom a push in the other direction. "Get your tail in gear."

Bombalurina was glad Demeter was out. No questions for the time being. That was the last thing she needed. Behind the den on her paws and knees, feeling dizzy and scared; yeah, she was eager to have a worrying queen bothering her. She was nauseous, by now there was nothing in her stomach to come back up. Despite this her body still attempted, so she crouched over and dry heaved a few times before it stopped for the time being. Bast, this was a terrible feeling. She felt a chill go down her spine when she realized Jenny was right. Oh, no. She couldn't do this. . .

"You look well."

That sarcastic voice. . . He walked over, and as she looked up the first thing in her line of sight was (among other things. . .) a bandaged paw.

"What's wrong with your paw?"

"What's wrong with you?"

Her face dropped into a scowl and she shook her head, hesitantly sitting back on her heels. Of course he had to be like that. Tugger smiled apologetically and kneeled down so he could look straight at her face.

"Sorry, first thing that popped into my head."

"I don't want to see you."

"Well unless you've figured out how to make me disappear, you're stuck with me."

She eyed him sourly before sighing in defeat.

"I needed to talk to you anyway."

"Hey, I just came for my comb. I liked that one y'know."

"This is more important than a comb."

He studied her face for a moment, and was surprised to see how serious she looked. And. . . worried? What could it be?

"Okay, fine, but I better get my comb back."

"I think I'm pregnant."

"Oh shit."

Bombalurina invited Tugger inside, something Demeter would not have liked, and offered him a seat. He hesitantly sat beside her on the bed. There was silence for a long, uncomfortable amount of time.

"So. . . what do we do now?"

Bombalurina shook her head.

"I don't know. The tribe isn't going to be happy."

"You better believe that." Tugger muttered, rolling his eyes and putting his paws behind his head, leaning back. Somehow, they couldn't look at each other. It was far too awkward. After another long silence, Tugger decided to speak again.

"They'll only be happy if we become mates."

"Nice try."

They both let out nervous, awkward laughs. It shouldn't have been funny, but in their stressed minds it was welcome. Tugger leaned forward and rested his elbows on his thighs, looking at her with a grin. She looked over to him, dully realizing how close he was sitting. His grin faded a little and he looked down at his paws.

"I miss you."

"Yeah."

Tugger decided it was fine to take a shot. It would work or it wouldn't; now or never. His paw gently touched the side of her face and he leaned forward to kiss her. Their lips touched, and they stayed like that for a moment, Bombalurina not responding. Tugger pulled back, looking embarrassed.

"I'm sorry, I had to. . . I guess. . ."

"I don't love you anymore, Tugger."

"I see that now."

Secretly, Bomba feel guilty for possibly breaking his heart. He gave her a weak smile and waved as he wordlessly left the den. The scarlet queen stared at the door for a moment before dully laying on her side. She didn't know what she was going to do now.

Cassandra felt tears well up in her eyes when she watched Tugger leave Demeter's den. She knew only Bombalurina was in there. It meant only one thing. Whimpering, the sleek queen turned and ran to go find Alonzo. She needed to be comforted; her heart had been broken.

Later that evening Bombalurina found herself walking to the car trunk to watch the sunset; the sway in her hips gone. She couldn't bring herself to be flirtatious right now. Too much worry and guilt seemed to soak her very soul. She felt lost. Maybe she could speak with Cassandra; Demeter wouldn't be as kind.

Bombalurina was disappointed to find that Cassandra didn't come that night.

A/N: Yeah, sorry about that. I forgot to put dividers up the first time I uploaded the chapter. Actually, I re-upload chapters often for reasons like this...