Chapter 3: Road Trip

"…two turtle-doves and a partridge in a pear tree…" rang out the three voices of Rumpleteazer, Goldith, and Alonzo as the truck zoomed down the highway. Teazer was driving and snuggled together in the roomy back seat sat Alonzo and Goldith. They had packed up the bed of Teazer's truck and had been driving for about an hour. Normally, they would have been able to fit everything in the truck itself, but Teazer had to transport the material and she'd insisted on packing her portable drafting table and lamps. Not to mention her sewing machine and all its accessories. "Hey, if I'm gonna be here, why not work? I can get a start on next year's line." She reasoned. Her friends just shrugged and let her. Hell, it was her truck. So there they were, belting out Christmas carols along with the radio, and sharing a thermos of spiced cider. Goldith had opted for spiced wine, but both Rumpleteazer and Alonzo voted her down. Neither of them wanted to be drunk when they arrived and Teazer was driving. So it was spiced cider. There would be plenty of opportunity for spiced wine when they got there.

Alonzo sat up in his seat just as 'White Christmas' came on the air. "Hey, turn it up Teazer! This is the best song ever." Teazer obliged and soon the smooth voice of Bing Crosby floated through the speakers. Alonzo stared singing along in a nice baritone voice. "…just like the ones I used to know." The two queens quieted down and listened.

"I'm tired. That song always makes me sleepy." Goldith yawned as she snuggled against Alonzo's chest.

A snort came from the driver's seat. "If you actually slept at night, you wouldn't be so tired. You guys were so loud I had to plug in to my ipod. But if you want to take a nap, go ahead. I can guarantee that when we get there, Jenny is gonna have arranged a big dinner or party, or something like that. She was always one for lots of trimmings. And especially since I'm coming back after so long." She flicked on the truck's blinker and switched lanes.

"How long has it been since you were last there?" asked Alonzo from the back seat. Goldith had fallen asleep against his chest and he wrapped an arm around her and his paw was absentmindedly playing with her light brown hair.

Teazer swung her head around to scan traffic before she answered. "I honestly don't know. When my parents divorced and then mom died, I'd go and spend summers over there with Jenny. The rest of the time, I lived with Goldith and her family. That's why we're so close. Poppylou and Marlon unofficially 'adopted' me into the family. So I've basically come to see them as 'mom' and 'dad.' But, then, I stopped going to Cattail a long time ago. She's been asking me to come for a visit about every other year since then. I just haven't felt like going. But now, it feels right, and it worked out." She gave a quiet giggle. Ever since they'd left NYC, she had had a feeling of security and comfort. She vaguely remembered her dream from two nights ago and wondered what it meant and who sent it.

"I didn't know. I mean, about your parents. Goldith never told me." Alonzo said when she was finished.

"Bast, forget it. I'm not bitter about it. I miss my real mom, but I never knew my dad."

Alonzo just stared at her.

By this time, it had been almost three hours and they came to a sign and it read:

Cattail: Next right

Furray: Next two exits

"Well, soon we'll be there." Teazer glanced back at Goldith. "You might want to wake her up now. You know it takes her forever to wake up."

Alonzo leaned over to her pointed ear and kissed it. "Hey, love, time to wake up. We're almost there." She mumbled and stirred.

"Huh? Wha? Who?" she stretched. She opened her eyes and found a pair of green ones staring at her. "Oh! Hello, handsome. Are we there?" He laughed and nuzzled her.

"Not yet. But almost. Teazer's taking the exit now."

True enough, Teazer switched on her turn signal and swung onto the off-ramp. As the truck slowed down, she looked around. "This is Quarry. Cattail is just outside this. It'll be about 15 more min."

Teazer, Alonzo, and Goldith who was now awake sat and silently watched the scenery pass before them. Soon they came to a sign that read:

Welcome to Cattail.

Pop: 236 7 8 9

"Huh. I guess the mayor is too lazy to fix the sign." Teazer laughed as she rolled past the sign. She looked around at the buildings she used to visit. Things looked so different. With the though of trying to find Aunt Jennyanydots on her mind, she maneuvered her truck into the town that she used to call home. As soon as she saw it, something inside of her sighed and she felt a voice in her head say, 'It feels good to be back.'

Meanwhile, not too far away…

Ruby red lips curved into a smile. Yes, she was home at last. The shadowed queen moved over to a high-set window and poked at it. As it opened, warm sunlight spilled into the dreary attic of the three-story house on the end of Apple St. still swathed in shadows, she opened a hidden cupboard and withdrew a large flask and a small jar filled with some light green clippings. She went to a mirror and waved her white paw over it as she muttered quietly. Her other paw picked up a few clippings and held them to her nose. Soon the reflective surface melted away to reveal Rumpleteazer in her truck. The only difference were the rich clothes that adorned her slim form. Keller smiled to herself as she closed the window. She shed the black cloak to reveal jet black fur, white paws and odd-shaped white patches that almost looked like stars on her body. Well, the time wasn't right. She would leave everything for now. It wasn't time for them to know.

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A/N: To forstall questions and/or flames, Keller is suppose to be Mary-Sueish with her color. Let me know what you think.