I don't own CATS.

Confused, Alonzo asked, "What do you mean, up to me?"

"Accidents like these give you a choice. You're not fully dead yet, but close to it; think of this as something like a coma," replied Silhouette. "You can choose to die and join us in the Heavyside Layer, or you could stay alive to stay with our sister Jemima and your friends."

Jemima was Alonzo's only remaining family member, and if he were to die, she would be left all alone.

Explaining his dilemma to his family, Tavarius chuckled. "Thought you would say that. You don't have to come with us, you know. You can always stay alive and join us later," he stated.

"So, what's the catch?"

Tavarius looked confused. "Say what?"

"There's always some kind of catch when you say stuff like that."

Tavarius laughed. "Why do you think that?"

Alonzo snorted. "I'm your brother. Of course I know." Alonzo repeated his question. "What's the catch?"

Sasarada sighed. "The thing is," she began, "If an accident of this magnitude were to happen again, then you wouldn't survive. That's exactly what happened to your father and-"

"Alonzo?"

Alonzo's mother was interrupted by the astonished voice of a queen. Turning around, he saw a sleek and slim copper queen that he hadn't seen in a year since her owners had moved to France. His breath caught in his throat.

"Cassandra?" he whispered.

The black and white tom saw his former mate's eyes welled up with tears as she glomped him.

"Great Everlasting Cat, I thought I would never see you again," Alonzo murmured into Cassandra's shoulder as they embraced. From the corner of his eye, Alonzo could see his family backing away and disappearing, allowing him to have some privacy with his former mate.

"What happened?" asked Alonzo. "Why are you here?"

"The plane to France...it crash landed," replied Cassandra, her voice wavering ever so slightly.

"You mean you never even made it to your new house?"

Cassandra shook her head and nuzzled Alonzo.

"I thought I'd never see you again," she purred into Alonzo's ear. Pulling away, she asked, "So, what happened to you? And why are you here?"

Alonzo explained his dilemma to Cassandra, and the queen nodded slowly. "So, have you made your choice yet?" she asked.

Alonzo shook his head.

"It's just...I want to be with you and my family, but at the same time I can't let Jemima be alone. It's bad enough we don't have any parents, but without me, she won't have any family in the junkyard."

The black and white tom looked back at the copper queen, whose moonlit eyes were filling up with tears. Alonzo gulped. "Hey, c'mon, it's not gonna be that bad, I'm gonna be back...someday..."

Cassandra cut him off. "Yeah, I know, I understand. Completely. It's just..." she hesitated. "It's just that I'd always pictured us together as mates with kits, but with me...here and you living, it's never gonna happen."

The queen buried her face in Alonzo's shoulder and he felt her tears soak his fur. Then she pulled away.

"I'll miss you," Cassandra whispered.

Alonzo dipped his head. "I'll miss you too," he murmured, and their noses touched for one last time.

"Are you ready?"

Turning around, Alonzo saw Sasarada, Orion, Tavarius, and Silhouette. Sasarada held out her paw. Alonzo padded towards her.

"Yes."

He took his mother's hand in his and looked back at Cassandra. Cassandra waved and Alonzo waved back.

Sasarada led Alonzo into the gate of the Jellicle Junkyard. He was met by cats everywhere, most of which were crowded around Jennyanydots's den. Maneuvering around the cats, the two of them made their way to the den. There they saw Alonzo's body, which was wrapped up ivory white bandages, faintly stained with red.

"Place your paw on your chest," instructed Sasarada, and Alonzo did so. The following sensation was as if all the sights, sounds, and smells were mashed into a blender and mixed together, creating a muggy whirlwind of senses, which eventually faded into darkness.

Meh. I suck at writing sappy romance stuff.