Bomba sat in her den, sobbing. It had been two weeks since Macavity had almost killed her in his madness. The worst part was that she knew that he couldn't help it, and she still felt angry. It was the curse of his insanity. The trouble was, she had no idea who to be mad at! She simply couldn't be mad at Macavity…He couldn't help what he was he was doing to her, or to anyone else. The Henchcats? They were under the influence of Macavity….Most of them were probably just as scared of him as anyone else. There was no one else that she could be mad at….Except herself…

In addition to her rapid confusion, Bomba's kittens would be due soon, and she was determined that they would grow up ignorant of their father's identity. They could not know that their father was the notorious Napoleon of Crime. She was afraid to lose them, the way she had lost her parents and her friend Bonconlo, to his madness. The thought of it made her cry harder.

Seeing Tugger again had been worst of all. At first, he had been overjoyed to see her, that she was not hurt. But, as he stepped back, and saw her full form, he had realized what Macavity must have done to her. Now, all of the Jellicles avoided her, as though she had some sickness that they did not want to catch. Demeter was the only cat in the Junkyard who would talk to her now. She had been in her place, at least. She was the only cat in the Junkyard who had the personal experience of being tortured and raped by Macavity. But she had never, ever been pregnant with his kittens. She spent countless hours trying to cheer Bomba up. "You'll be okay." She said, "I understand."

But she didn't understand. No one did. How could anyone understand what she felt right now? She didn't even seem to understand herself. She wasn't mad at Macavity; he couldn't help what he had done to her, or to anyone else. She was sad that he had murdered Bonconlo, who had always been a comfort to her in his lair. But she also felt something else, a feeling she had no name for.

Days passed, and Bomba's stomach was steadily growing bigger. She was expecting the kittens to come any day now.

That morning, she was sitting near the edge of the Junkyard, flicking her tail, allowing the sun to warm her swollen figure. Then, out of nowhere, she heard a familiar voice. "…Bomba?"

She looked up to see a grey and black Tom standing over her. "Oh, Everlasting Cat!" She cried, "Bonconlo?! Is that you?!"

"The one and only!" He smiled.

Bomba gasped, and tackled Bonconlo in a hug. He fell to the ground, laughing. "Easy now!"

Bomba let go, out of breath, and allowed him to breathe as well. "I thought that you were dead!"

Bonconlo smiled, and shrugged, "Well, I guess after Macavity maimed me, electrocuted me, and practically tore me apart he thought so too, but some Humans were able to fix me up and here I am!"

His eyes traveled down to Bomba's bloated belly. "When are they due?"

Bomba looked down at her belly as well, and trailed her fingers over her stomach. "Any day now…"

Bonconlo nodded and smiled. "You'll be a great mother, you know."

Bomba smiled a little, but then looked up at him with sad eyes, "What are you gonna do now? You can't go back to Macavity."

Bonconlo bit his lip, and looked off to the horizon. "No…" He said slowly, "I can't…"

They sat in silence for a moment. Then, just as Bomba was beginning to wonder what they were going to do, a voice sounded from behind them. "Bomba?"

She looked up and saw Tugger approaching her. Her heart seemed to sink right down into her stomach, where it disappeared among the unwanted kittens in her belly. "Tugger…What are you doing here?"

"Well…Who is he?"

Bomba looked between the two Toms. "This…This is Bonconlo. He's my friend, Tugger."

"Your friend…But…He's not a Jellicle." He said slowly.

"N-No…He's…He's a Henchcat…Well, he was, but he's not anymore, Tugger, he's-"

"WHAT?!"

Bomba jumped to her feet as fast as she could in her present condition. Tugger's face was quickly turning a horrible shade of beet red. "Tugger, please! He saved my life!"

Tugger stared at her, "What do you mean?"

"Well…M-Macavity, he..." Bomba pursed her lips. She couldn't do it.

Bonconlo seemed to understand. He laid a paw on her shoulder, and Tugger's fur bristled. Bonconlo ignored this, however, and began to talk. "As you know, Macavity has a rather hot temper. When he found out that Bombalurina was…you know, he tried to kill her in his madness."

"Madness?" Tugger asked, sounding almost like he was mocking Bonconlo.

"That's right." Bonconlo nodded. "When he gets mad, he's not sane. He doesn't know what he does until he does it."

Tugger stared at him for several seconds. "I would invite you to stay, of course." He said, his voice slightly sarcastic, "But unfortunately, you are not a Jellicle, so, I suppose, my Queen and I will have to say farewell."

"I was a Jellicle once." Bonconlo mused, his paw still resting on Bomba's shoulder protectively. "Stolen as a kitten, even before Naming, by Macavity's Henchcats."

"Once a Jellicle, always a Jellicle." Bomba murmured softly, "That's what Munkustrap would say, Tugger….You know it is."

Tugger rolled his eyes, and, suddenly, his eyes focused on a point just behind Bomba. "Speak of the devil…"

Everyone turned around to see Munkustrap making his way over the pile of trash that separated them from the rest of the Junkyard. As he drew close enough to register that they were looking at him, he said, "I heard the whole thing, you know. You're right, Bomba. Bonconlo, you are always going to be welcome in the Junkyard."