Disclaimer: Song here is part of The Mirror (Angel of Music), and, as with most of the songs that are and will be here, it's from Phantom of the Opera. This chapter took FOREVER to get right, so I hope it does not disappoint. If it does, then I will swiftly rewrite it, put it up, and then continue. Just tell me what you guys want! I'm writing for you, my readers, after all. :) Now, without further ado…

Chapter VIII: Getting to Know You (Well, Sort Of…)

As the dormouse walked along the bank of the brook, she couldn't recall a single moment in her little lifetime that she had looked over her shoulder.

Nor did she really want to.

Mallymkun sighed with self-frustration. Where was that bloody cat? She didn't quite know what she'd say to him if she saw him, but then, she was beginning to rethink the idea of talking to him at all. She'd snapped at him…probably broke his heart, too. One does not get over such a thing very quickly.

But she highly doubted he was REALLY gone for good: cats are possessive and protective creatures, she knew, and Chessur was no exception. He had always considered her to be his, in some way, and that wasn't going to change. Just because she couldn't see him didn't mean he wasn't around.

If anything, it only ascertained his presence; he was very proud of his natural skills at evaporating, and loved nothing more than befuddling people (and animals) with his powers.

Actually, it wasn't her own safety she was really concerned with…no, she could take care of herself, especially when it came to Cheshire Cats.

But Russ…

She couldn't fully understand why she felt so…friendly around him. She felt she could trust him, although she was also fully aware she had only known him a few days. And she knew so little about him, too: his taste for fashion, his gender, and his species…his feelings towards cats…

Yep. That was about it.

And yet she felt very…comfortable around him. Yes…that was the word. She felt comfortable around Russehc. Almost as comfortable as she felt when around Tarrant, or Thackery, or…

No. No thinking about him.

She needed to be on her guard, for Russehc's sake, if not her own. Chess wasn't going to like her being around someone/something he had once considered a tasty meal.

Speaking of Russ, there was the mouse hole beneath the rose bush, just where he said it would be. She walked up to the opening and called down into it.

"Russ? Hello? Are you home?"

For a second there was no reply.

But one can be sure she heard the loud clap from behind her. Fearing the worst, she swung about towards the noise, paw on her blade…

It was Russ, smiling triumphantly.

"My apologies, Mally; I couldn't resist the temptation to startle you."

"Blast it, Russehc!" growled Mallymkun. "I swear, if you EVER do that again, I'll cut your arms off!"

To Mally's surprise, Russehc laughed at the threat!

"I promise, I will not do it again," he said with a chuckle, holding his paws up in a placating gesture. "Now shall we take our lunch?"

Mally nodded. Once. Russ smiled and ran up to the hole.

"Follow me, Mally. I'd hate for you to get lost," he said, and then darted down the tunnel. Mally dashed after him.

A few things became apparent to her as she followed her host down the mouse hole, which twisted and turned, but remained on the same track. One: the hole was almost twice as large as it needed to be. She had lived in a mouse hole herself, many years ago, with her family, and they, like most rodents, had only made their hole as wide as it needed to be, no more. In this tunnel, she could stand on her hind legs and run like that, but in her own home she had had to duck while on all fours.

Secondly: there was something simply…off about the SCENT of the place. It smelled like Russ, certainly, but there was a sharper-smelling, thinner-placed odor that wouldn't go away as well, like a veil of smell. It wasn't a BAD smell, just a strange one.

Mally had to force herself not to laugh out loud when she realized Russ was, possibly unknowingly, dwelling in a "used" home…most likely a rat's.

After a short run, Russehc brought her to a large chamber. A miniature painting of a rose floating in a pond was stuck to one wall. There was a tiny sofa, two little chairs, a small tea table, and a miniature bookcase…this was his living room.

"The dining room is in the next chamber, the kitchen beyond that," said Russ, and ushered her into a smaller area, in which was set only a small table, with a candelabra on it, and two chairs. He pulled one chair out and nodded to indicate that she sit.

"Please," was the only word he spoke.

"Thank you. Thank you kindly."

Mally sat down. Russ bowed slightly.

"I'll get the lunch; it's still in the kitchen. I shall return in the flap of a gnat's wing."

And he swerved into another chamber, an air of eagerness clearly etched in his movements. Mally couldn't help but ponder her host, whom she had only known a few days, and yet she already found she could trust as a…friend? Was he her friend already? Well, she let him call her 'Mally,' so, yes, he was her friend. But when did she decide he was her friend? She knew so very, very little about him! Yet she had accepted his invitation to lunch…she'd hesitated, yes, but soon agreed. With everyone else, it would take endless coaxings to go anywhere, yet she'd decided against her own better judgment so quickly and taken the invitation. The only other person she would have done that with was…

NO! No, no, NO! NO thinking about him!

She sighed.

"This is all too weird…"

Then she giggled.

What am I SAYING?

"Here's lunch!" called Russ, entering the room again. "I do hope it is to your liking!"

Of course, "Russehc" knew it would be before he even brought the luncheon in: two cups of tea, with cream and sugar on the side, and two plates, each laden with cheese slices, a crumb of toast coated in squimberry jam, and a miniature-sized treacle-pepper tart. Mally's favorite.

Bill had been shockingly helpful.

He smirked, ever so slightly, when Mally's eyes widened and lit up a bit at the sight of the meal.

"Lunch, I think, was meant to be eaten, Mally, not stared at."

Mally shot her host a suspicious glare.

"All right, confess: are you a spy? A psychic? A radio reporter?"

Russ tilted his head to one side, confusedly.

"I don't understand."

"All these are my favorites. You know who I am at first glance. You know everyone in the Resistance, although you were not a member. So tell me, Russehc, what's your secret?"

Russ shrugged, but said nothing. Mally sighed and put a paw to her eyes.

"You're a regular puzzle, do you know that?"

"Oh, I don't think so," said Russ, biting into his tart. "I just know what I need to know when I need to know it."

Mally eyed him doubtfully.

"When I figure out what you just said," she said slowly, "I'll come up with a crushing reply."

Russ chuckled.

"Eat, please, Mally. I may be insulted if you don't at least sample what I've prepared."

Knowing he was joking, Mally shrugged and took a bite of her toast. Russ smiled.

"If you think I know everything, madam, I can assure you, you are direly mistaken. For example – and forgive me if I seem to forward – I am rather curious as to whether you have a family?"

Mally looked up at him over the rim of her teacup and shrugged.

"I used to," she said simply.

These three words brought a deathly silence.

"The Horunvendush Day."

"Yes. My mother and my three sisters: Milliani, Moldoven, and Mindysa. We called each other Milly, Molly, Mindy…"

"And Mally?"

"Yes."

"What about your father?"

Mally glared at him and said nothing, but only took a large bite of a cheese slice. Russ coughed.

"I take it that bit was too personal. I apologize."

"It's all right. Just don't mention him again."

"As you wish. And…again, forgive me if I tread on forbidden ground, Mally…have you ever had an…involvement with anyone?"

Mally had just been about to take another bite of her cheese, but stopped, the slice halfway to her mouth, when the question was asked. The look in her eyes held both deep hurt and insult. Russ averted his eyes.

"I'm sorry," he said. "Just wondering."

"No, no, it's fine. I just didn't expect it," said Mally. Here she smiled a small, somewhat sad smile. "So, you aren't always a gentleman, huh?"

"W-well, I try, but even a king falters at being kingly, just as a champion in a game will sometimes make a bad move in a game."

"Very eloquent. Why'd you ask?"

"Well, it's just…after what you told me yesterday…"

What? Oh…yeah…henfan…

He'd cornered her. Cornered her like…like…

NO! NO, NO, NO AND NO!

Mally groaned quietly.

"Well, you've trapped me, so I'll come out with it: I was in a…relationship, but…well…"

She broke off.

"I see. I AM sorry. Please, forget I ever asked."

"Asked what?"

Both smiled.

"You know so much about me," Mally went on, putting some of the cream (there wasn't much left by now…Russ certainly did like his cream) in her tea and stirring it. "Let me ask about you. Was there ever a 'Mrs. Russehc?'"

Russ shook his head.

"No. I've never married, nor ever had a lady in my life."

"I'm surprised! What's keeping them away…too polite for them, perhaps?"

Russ shrugged again.

"Actually, I'm not one for socializing…I'm a bit of an oddity, I suppose: I don't mind being with other people and/or animals, but I'm all right on my own, too. No real complaints."

"I see…I think."

The rest of the luncheon was spent in silence. Both had a lot to think about.

Once the luncheon was finished, Russ escorted Mally back up the tunnel of his burrow. Mally had considered going alone, but the ever-attempted gentleman of a dormouse had insisted. Mally and he shook paws.

"Thank you, Russehc. Lunch was delicious."

"Thank you for the compliment."

An awkward silence.

"Mallymkun?"

"Yes?"

"I was thinking…maybe I could go to tea with you, the Hatter, and the Hare tomorrow…"

"And I could come to lunch with you the next day."

"Well…if you'd like to."

"I would. We could do that. Make a pattern out of it…since the Frabjous Day, I've really nothing to do."

"Well…well, then, I guess it's settled. Tomorrow, then?"

"Tomorrow, Russ. And every day after?"

Russ smirked and tipped his hat in response to inquiry and vanished back into his home beneath the rosebush without another word. Mally smiled to herself – she wasn't sure of why – and turned to leave…

SWOOMPH.

"Insolent boy, this slave of fashion, basking in your glory! Ignorant fool, this brave, young suitor, sharing in MY triumph!"

Mally swallowed quietly. She had wanted to talk with him, but now…now she didn't know what she was going to say!

So she improvised.

"I figured you were somewhere around…"

"I'm always watching, love."

The last word was so full of sarcasm and venom it stung her like a dart to her throat.

Always? I certainly hope not.

"He's just a friend, cat."

"I don't like him."

"That's only because he's managed to escape you," she snapped, a sudden surge of anger coursing through her veins, which died out almost as fast as it had appeared. "You have no right to meddle in my life, or in my relationships. It's MY life, I'll do what I want to do, and see who I want to see."

"I'm a predator, dormousey: not only do I have the right, but I have the ability to do as I see fit to you."

His still-silky voice was heavily laced with ice, and Mallymkun kept her back turned to him. If she saw the dark fury she felt that he felt now, it would shatter her like a sledgehammer to a mirror.

But of course he's angry, numbskull! You called him nothing!

"What do you want?" she half-snarled, trying to sound more upset than she felt.

"A great deal, I assure you. Right now, I would suggest that you and your little 'friend' stay away from each other. If you insist on seeing him again, then both of you little morsels better watch your tails…"

Suddenly he was whispering in her ear. She couldn't stop the sharp intake of breath that she inhaled when his warm, rippling breath tickled the fur on her neck.

"…You never know when I might start CHEWING on them."

"Why…why do care so much if I see him? Why does it concern you so much?" Mally asked, the tremor in her voice no longer hidden.

Chessur chuckled darkly behind her. It was a dreadful sound, the kind a psychopath might make just before strangling a child.

"Because, darling dormousey, you belong to ME…"

His teeth snapped shut very close to her ear, nearly taking it off. It twitched involuntarily.

"…And nobody else. Whether you like it or not."

I USED to LOVE it…

"Leave me be," Mally said, fighting back the fears and thrills she felt washing over her. When the cat made no response, she turned slowly around.

As usual, Chess had slyly disappeared.