The Beauty Underneath

Chapter 6 ~ Have You Missed Me, Darling?

(A/N: I've tried to do different ways of bordering off the different perspectives but it never seems to work ^^'' So can you just pardon the standard '*Insert name here*'s view' thing. I don't want to confuse anyone))

Jemima

"Jemima, are you okay?"

She turned to see the concerned faces of her best friends. Victoria sank to her side and put her arm around the smaller queen and Pouncival twirled his head fur around his digits absent mindedly as he let his anxious eyes glide over her. Jemima let a smile play on her lips as she leant into her older friend's frame,

"You all worry too much… I'm fine. It's been three months, I think I've recovered by now," her voice edged on laughter. Everything about her contradicted her words. Her body slumped slightly, her lips were pulled into a thin smile that seemed almost too slim and her eyes had lost all playful glitter they once possessed.

The two realized this, but they played along with her pretence. Victoria gave a twinkling laugh,

"I know, I know. I'm a forty five year old trapped in an eighteen year olds body," Pouncival took longer to respond but he ruffled the sweet girl's head fur and guffawed along with them.

After a while, the older queen nudged Jemima and winked, "Hey, you'll be sixteen soon… Won't you? The coming of age dance is just around the corner… But who are you going to dance with?"

'Subtle' was obviously not a part of Victoria's vocabulary as she nodded at Pouncival and gave another big cheesy wink. Jemima blushed gently but giggled along as she was expected although as soon as Victoria mentioned the subject she had picked up on an uneasy aura. Pouncival was obviously thinking the same as his ears perked up and his eyes were scanning the area cautiously.

"Maybe its time to start heading home…" his voice seemed do have dropped an octave and it had a certain gruffness to it. Victoria got up and looked around, as if the feeling had just hit her as well. She stood protectively over her friend and refrained from hissing.

Jemima looked like she was the only one unafraid, in fact, her eyes seemed to brighten a bit and her lips twitched.

"Please… Don't stop your conversation for my sake."

The words were chilling. They danced in the air fluidly and played in each cat's ears, Victoria hissed and Pouncival quickly darted to both queens side, his face hard and his posture protective. Jemima stood up and looked around slowly.

"Well since you're all quiet already," the voice said, "If you may, I'd like to talk to my daughter."

Macavity

Grinning to himself, he watched their turned backs and timed his entrance perfectly. He landed perfectly poised but made an almighty crash as he hit the ground, the three turned around sharply and, as if to add to Macavtiy's amusement, each began to breathe ruggedly. That was, except from Jemima. He felt proud that his daughter was able to hold her own.

The adolescent tom stepped in front of her and gave a hiss. Macavity took an immediate dislike to him. For one, he was a tom and was within two feet of his dearest and also he had dared to attempt to keep her out of his sight.

The ginger tom rolled his eyes, "Shut up boy… I think I should be granted a decent conversation with my daughter. Especially as your lot hid her from me for almost sixteen years."

The girl next to Jemima sniggered slightly. If they had met in other circumstances, Macavity would have been attracted to her. However, she seemed as set as the tom was to keep him away from his daughter.

"That's because 'our lot' know what you do to the queens you manage to persuade into becoming close with you." Her voice was prim, sharp and to the point. If they were in a different situation, he would have laughed at her. However, he didn't want to come off badly to Jemima whom was now just staring at him blankly. He caught her gaze and took a step closer,

"Come back with me, Jemima. Sing and live with me. No one else, just us. Okay?" He could see her stiffen and the tom close to her clench his jaw. She shook her head and her eyes filled with tears,

"You want to," his voice was smooth and like velvet, "You know you do. I haven't been able to get you out of my head, and you haven't been able to get me out either, have you?"

She faltered slightly but again stuck her bottom lip out and shook her head. A tear fell from her eye and slid slowly and placidly down her cheek, as if to remind Macavity that he was the one that made her cry.

"But Jemima…"

"Can you not take a hint?" the tom said acidly as the other queen put her arm around the silently crying Jemima, "Stop screwing her life up more than you already have."

Macavity couldn't help but imagine attacking the tom, but he was more of a man than to start a fight with a boy, also it seemed that Jemima and him were close and hurting one of her friends wasn't going to convince her that he could be a trustworthy father. Instead, he smiled at the tom and nodded curtly,

"I'll leave for now, if that would make everyone feel better, okay?" he turned around and started to walk away, after a few beats, he turned around.

"Oh, and Jemima?" she looked into her Father's eyes and felt goose bumps crawl up her arms, "I'll be back."

And with that, the mystery cat disappeared.

Pouncival

Victoria ran at the air as if hoping to catch him and give him a good slap. Pouncival stayed back, his body shaking with anger; he turned to see Jemima with her head tilted so that her face was hidden. It was only when he heard pathetic sobs emerge from her lips that he was quick to attempt to comfort her. He put his arms around her waist and pulled her into a close embrace, she stood rigid for only a few moments before continuing to sob into his chest contently. He stroked her back in an attempt to seem like he knew what he was doing.

The pale queen turned around and sighed, Pouncival caught her eye and nodded before she asked the question he knew she would. He pulled back from Jemima and knelt slightly so he was face to face. Her tears had made her eyelashes spike together and her eyes glisten over. He sighed, if it was someone else he might have found the sight pathetic however it was Jemima.

And Pouncival couldn't bear it when she cried.

"Lets go home… Okay?" he said, trying to make his voice sound caring like an adult would if they were talking to child who needed to be reassured.

Jemima took a while to respond but she eventually nodded and started to walk ahead.