Right, time to make some stuff happen.

Munk gets the closure he was hoping for

A year in the life of the black and white toms

Chapter 17

Turning Point

Another week passed in the same miserable fashion as the previous multitude had. Emotionally Alonzo was barely any better than he had been when he was first brought back to the junkyard and the knock-on effect he had on Munk was as always dismal. Alonzo had resumed his day-in-day-out seclusion after his plan to show Munk he could still be intimate had failed and Munk himself had returned to the same desperate patience he had been employing in recent weeks. They both wished for the same things: that Alonzo could overcome his resentment of his appearance and also his sense of unworthiness. However, if the past couple of months were anything to go by then those wishes were far easier hoped for than accomplished. It seemed that Alonzo simply did not have the ability or strength to get past the way he felt and it pained both him and Munk to think that he might be stuck that way forever. Alonzo had told Munk it felt like something was missing from him and that it was that something that was stopping him from getting past his reservations. In the nights and days that followed that revelation Munk had been thinking incredibly hard as to what Alonzo might be referring to but he simply couldn't think of anything. He was sure that Alonzo had meant that a part of him was missing but when the silver tabby thought about it he couldn't identify which part of Alonzo might be gone. In his eyes his tom was still absolutely perfect and he knew that nothing on the inside could have changed. In his heart he could see and feel no difference in his mate and it made him feel lower than low to think there was something stopping him from being himself that he could personally do nothing about.

It was a late April morning and quite appropriately it was raining hard. Munk stared aimlessly out of his den at the fast-falling droplets as he pondered what he ought to do that day. His experience with Alonzo the previous week had left him quite shaken and most days he tended to sit around trying his best to make it through until night. He had been so confused by what his mate had attempted to do and felt somewhat guilty at not being able to see through the display. He felt he should have known Alonzo was not ready to mate and he shouldn't have allowed his libido to get the better of him. Afterwards he had done his best to console the sobbing tom but there was only so much he could help before he had to give up and let Alonzo recoup in his own time. The patched tom had been left deeply shaken after his attempt to force himself into sex had failed and he was left wondering who he was. He certainly didn't feel like himself anymore and if he wasn't Alonzo then who was he meant to be? From time to time he wondered what he had meant when he told Munk that he felt something was missing. He knew it was the truth but he was confused as to what it was he actually was trying to say. If he didn't know then what hope was there for Munk to guess? This rapt kind of thought kept him rather silent as the days went by and in their den Munk and Alonzo tended just to lay side-by-side thinking. This morning Alonzo stared at his mate who was gazing out of the doorway into the rain and began to wonder how on earth the tabby was managing to put up with him for so long. He knew his dreary, unhappy demeanour must have been a dead weight on Munk and he began to realise how lucky he was to have a tom who was willing to go through such torment for his sake. The thought made Alonzo smile weakly as he continued to watch him and soon enough he felt compelled to get up and go over. Gingerly, Alonzo stepped forward in silence and after a moment came up behind the tabby. He cleared his throat gently making Munk turn around and look at him expectantly. Alonzo felt a tad dizzy but he managed to raise his arms and slink them around his mate. Munk responded in kind and they hugged tenderly as the rain continued to pour outside. It was the first time they had really connected since the previous week's incident and it filled them both with comfort. Alonzo closed his eyes and snuggled into the crook of Munk's neck as he basked in the warmth provided by the tabby's strong arms. Munk silently took in the patched tom's scent and smiled as he remembered the good times. The two had been embracing for a while before Alonzo whispered,

"Thank you"

Munk didn't need to ask what he meant. He knew Alonzo was grateful for his patience and he was only too glad to give him as much comfort as he could offer.

They stayed with each other until the rain stopped a little while later.

Billy hopped from one foot to another in Jenny and Skimble's den. He was itching to get outside and play but Jenny had forbidden him to do so while it was still so wet. She had given him a ball of wool to play with in the meantime but he'd soon tired of it. He just wanted to get out into the open air and release his energy. He once again peered through the doorway and beamed when he saw no rain falling from the sky.

"Jenny! It's stopped raining!" he yelled happily

The gumbie cat glanced at the buzzing kitten from across the den and decided to just let him go.

"Go on then, dear" she said tiredly. She was glad to see the back of him as he'd been pestering her ever since she'd told him to stay indoors.

Billy practically flew from the den and rejoiced in being the first one outside after it had stopped raining. He ran to and fro looking for anything to occupy himself and shortly the other kittens heard his clattering and came to join him. They all played happily together and jumped about in the fresh puddles that covered the clearing. It wasn't long before mud started splattering around and pretty soon they were all covered in it. If Jenny had seen them she would have thrown a fit but fortunately for them she had stayed inside. They laughed as they saw what a state they had gotten themselves into and decided that since they were already so messy that it really didn't matter if they got any worse. Once they established this they started throwing great lumps of mud at each other and it didn't take long for all-out war to erupt between them. Pawfuls of mud went flying back and forth and the kittens made quite a mess of the clearing as they carried on.

As if on cue, Munk emerged from his den looking quite stressed and scanned around trying to put a cause to the commotion he had heard from inside. He already had a pretty good idea of which particular cats were causing the racket and he sighed when he found he was right. He simply watched them as they rolled around in the mud and threw it at each other. He tried to be as adult as he could be but he found the sight quite funny and began to chuckle as he watched the kittens make such a mess of themselves. After a moment of watching he turned back to the den and called inside,

"Hey, 'Lonz. Come and look at this"

Alonzo reluctantly stepped out of their den and peered over the junk to see what his mate had told him to look at. He took Munk's paw as he came further out and the tabby helped him as he went. Alonzo looked at the kittens and the awful mess they had created and in just as kittenish a fashion as Munk he began to laugh. It felt wonderful to be able to see something so funny and laugh at it again. The kittens made quite a display and together Munk and Alonzo remembered a time when they had done exactly the same sort of thing. Munk smiled even wider as he watched his mate brighten up and pulled him closer so he could have a better view. If experience was anything to go by then the tabby knew that Alonzo's moment of joy might soon disappear so he did his best to prolong it. He put his arm around the patched tom and they began to laugh even harder as the kittens started to take long run ups and then slide on their tummies through the mud. It was wonderful to watch such a display of innocent kittenish fun but what they both found more wonderful was Alonzo's happiness. Not ten minutes ago he had been at rock bottom but now he looked like his usual, fun-loving self. Munk assumed his mate's emotions were capable of only jumping to extremes at the time but he didn't mind; he was just happy to see Alonzo enjoying himself. The patched tom wasn't thinking about himself now, he was too engrossed in the kitten's fun.

"Remember when we did stuff like that?" said Alonzo nostalgically

"I certainly do. Do you remember how Tugger always used to moan if we got him too messy?"

"Oh yeah!" laughed Alonzo, "Oh to be young again…"

"You're not over the hill just yet, 'Lonz"

"Hmm" sighed Alonzo

They watched the kittens happily in silence for a few more minutes before some of the other Jellicles began to emerge and as usual Alonzo grew fidgety and nervous.

"Munk…" he began before being cut off

"It's okay, I understand. Go on"

"Thanks" said Alonzo before returning to the den and it's privacy. Munk sighed as he sat there. How was it that his mate could keep jumping from one feeling to another so readily? He didn't understand depression very well but knew it must have been horrible to have to endure. He wanted to talk to Alonzo about it but had decided it was best not to make him think about his struggles any more than he had to. He wanted Alonzo to focus on the positives but he was certainly having trouble making him see them. At least he was able to laugh at the kittens who were by now lying down in the mud and making angel shapes. Munk smiled as he looked down at Billy who seemed to be having the time of his life. He thought about what Old Deuteronomy said about adopting him and smiled wider once he had contemplated it for a while despite a feeling of hysteria. He was by no means any more prepared to become a father than he was when his own father had suggested it but he did like the idea more by now. From time to time he had imagined how nice it would be to raise a kitten like Billy if only Alonzo could get well again. He hadn't yet told his mate of his father's idea even though he really wanted to. He wanted to know how Alonzo would feel about being a parent and hoped he might jump at the chance. Still, one step at a time; firstly he had to get Alonzo back to normal.

'Easier said than done' thought the tabby as he once again began to think about what he could do to find Alonzo's missing piece. He still needed to figure out just what it was that Alonzo meant and was no closer to discovering that than he was a week ago. The tabby leant back and looked up into the overcast sky hoping a solution might fall out of the Heaviside layer. Unfortunately, nothing came and he was left to his thoughts on the earth below.

He knew Alonzo had two main issues: one, he hated his appearance and two, he felt unworthy of Munk's love partly because of that but also because of what he considered Macavity's mark still on him. He had said there was something missing but what did that mean? Did he mean his handsomeness? Did he mean something on the inside? Did he mean something in their relationship? Munk tried to think if there was anything between them that might have changed to make Alonzo feel so bad and then realised why Alonzo had thought their lack of mating had been the cause. He felt sorry that Alonzo had tried mating again despite how much he didn't want to in an attempt to fix his aching soul and their relationship. He admired how the tom was trying his hardest to make things right again but was saddened by his lack of success. The tabby tried thinking of other things that might have been missing and started to retrace the last two months. For the past few weeks Alonzo had been on an emotional rollercoaster and had desperately been trying to find a solution to his grief. Whatever he was missing couldn't have been lost during that time since he hadn't anything to lose. Munk then thought back to the awful night when Alonzo had tried to kill himself and painstakingly went through the details in an attempt to find a clue. Alonzo had disappeared that evening without saying a word and he had found him ready to jump off of Tower Bridge. Surely that was the point when he was at his lowest so could he really have lost anything else at that point? Munk decided probably not and gladly dismissed the memory from his mind. As he thought back further still he found it hard to remember the details from that much time ago and racked his brain as he struggled to recall the little things. Before he had run off to the bridge Alonzo had been feeling just awful about himself and Munk had been watching him become sadder and sadder due to his appearance and feeling of worthlessness. He had been so unstable and Munk had just been watching him feel helpless as he became less able to deal with his issues. At the same time Alonzo had still been healing from the wounds Macavity had inflicted upon him and he was just beginning to realise the extent to which the evil tom had mutilated him. Munk sighed heavily and looked down sadly as he recalled watching Alonzo go from bad to worse. The feeling of uselessness he had felt was indescribable and he just wished he could have prevented all of this in the first place. His father had assured him there was nothing he could have done but he would always feel guilty for not keeping his dear mate from such terrible harm. Begrudgingly he ploughed on and went back to the time when Macavity had imprisoned him as well. He remembered the awful surroundings he had been placed in but also how nice it felt to know Alonzo was nearby once more. That was all taken away when he had seen his mate for the first time since being kidnapped. He was such an awful, bloody mess that Munk had felt sick to imagine what Macavity had done to put his beautiful mate in that state. As Munk recalled just how much blood Alonzo had been covered in and how mangled his body had looked he began to feel incredibly uncomfortable and had to fight back tears which threatened to seep from his eyes. He didn't expect he'd ever get over seeing his mate in such a horrible state and did his best to keep his mind on the matter at hand. If Alonzo had lost anything it would have been at that time. Macavity had done so many awful things to him it was surely then that Alonzo had lost something; but was that his pride, his dignity, his self-worth? Surely it was all of those things and Munk felt no closer to answering his question than when he had begun.

As he sat contemplating sadly he tried to remember everything he had seen. He remembered Alonzo looking completely ruined both physically and emotionally as he hung in his chains but he tried to remember what little he had seen of the area he was being held in. He knew it had been very dirty and there was blood all over the place. Munk paused for a moment as he realised that must have been the same place where Macavity killed Billy's mother and so there must have been some of her blood mixing with Alonzo's as it dried on the floor. Munk shook his head; this was too much to bear.

He was about to take a break when he focused on one shred of memory. Alonzo had been completely covered in blood but there was one thing that was clearly missing from his body: his collar. Munk thought hard and brought his paws to his head as he tried to remember. He had seen that very same collar somewhere nearby but where exactly was it? After a few more moments of desperate trawling through miniscule memories a tiny image of the collar appeared at the back of his mind. It was torn and lying across the room a short distance from where Alonzo had been chained. It had been covered in dust and dirt but the silver studs still shone through like they always had done. Munk opened his eyes and looked straight ahead in deep thought. Surely Alonzo couldn't have meant that it was his collar that was missing? No, of course not. A cat doesn't get so depressed and unstable from a missing collar. Still, Munk continued to think about it. Maybe if he had it back he would remember the moment he was given it and how happy he had been. Munk smiled as he remembered the look on Alonzo's face as he received the collar and how grateful he had been. That had been the night when they'd first made love and agreed to be mates and Munk considered it to be perhaps the best night of his life. Surely Alonzo had felt the same way so having the collar again would certainly bring back the memories, right? Munk thought about it for a little while longer before he thought to himself 'What harm could it do?'

He rose slowly so as not to draw too much attention from the Jellicles and silently headed in the direction of the entrance. He left the junkyard unnoticed and began to make his way back to a place he hoped he'd never have to go to ever again.

After a long, slow walk the silver tabby found himself looking up at the shady, derelict warehouse he had hope he would never have to look at again. It struck fear into the usually stable tom's heart just to gaze at the place where his mate had been imprisoned and tortured. The smell that wafted from within made him feel sick and he knew he really didn't want to take another step forward. With a deep breath and a quiet moment to clear his head he begrudgingly started to move his legs one in front of the other and cautiously entered the disgusting building. The light soon faded as he made his way further and further into the warehouse and if it hadn't been for his night-vision he would have been lost instantly. The smell on the inside was far worse than that which radiated to the outside and Munk struggled as he tried to overcome feeling ill. The worst part of this whole ordeal was the memories which came flooding back just by being there. In his mind he received flashes of Macavity slashing at his mate and the awful pain Alonzo displayed as he was helpless to stop it. He also remembered how useless he'd felt as the henchcats held him down while Macavity did his evil deeds. The memory of finally breaking free and brutally killing the cat was the final nail in the coffin for Munk and he had to stop to try and regain some composure. He didn't want to ever think about the awful things that had gone on in this place on anybody's part and he just wanted to get his mission over with.

He kept walking a little way and soon saw a shaft of light coming through a doorway up ahead. He remembered what was on the other side of that door: it was where Alonzo had been so badly beaten and where he had killed Macavity. The tabby swallowed hard as he tried to prepare himself for what was going to be there now. His senses suggested what to expect as the smell of decay became stronger with every step he took and it wasn't long before he was timidly stepping through the eerie doorway. The first things he saw were beams of light striking their way through the dusty warehouse windows. He followed them to where they hit the ground and through the dusty air he discovered a large, dark figure lying on the floor across the room. With his heart racing Munk took a few steps forward to look upon the dark shape and as he got closer he made out what must have been Macavity's corpse – or rather what was left of it. The body before him consisted of not much more than a grey, gooey mess. There was still evidence of Macavity's ginger fur but by now it had lost it's striking, dangerous look. The flesh beneath it now existed only as dark sludge and Munk could see it moving as the maggots within ate away at what little was left of the dead cat's innards. The most horrible thing was Macavity's head. The skin and fur covering his face had been almost completely stripped away by the tiny insects and all Munk could see was Macavity's fearful skull staring back at him. Even now the tabby felt hatred and evil flow from it and the disgusting sight made Munk feel a little nervous despite it being harmless. Within the dead skull Munk could only see a vile black mess and the sight of the decayed, rotten corpse coupled with the awful smell and even the sound of the festering maggots before him made the tom feel horribly sick. Without much time to deal with the impending physical reaction Munk lurched sharply and emptied his stomach onto the floor to his side. He didn't feel much better after vomiting up his breakfast since Macavity's putrefied body was still lying there and glaring up at him. Munk felt tormented that even now Macavity was having such an effect on him and with great courage he decided it had to stop there. He took a deep breath – trying to ignore the horrible smell - and spoke to Macavity's corpse in a very cold and forceful manner,

"You were an evil cat and you deserve to be lying there rotting. You did awful things to the cat I love and me killing you was exactly the right thing to happen. I know that even now you're tormenting Alonzo but he is going to get better because I'm helping him. It will take time but you will be gone soon. Our love is stronger than your hate and I know we will come out on top. Above all, though, Alonzo is mine. He's not yours and he never was. He is mine and I am his and that's the way it will be forever. You haven't won, Macavity, we have."

Feeling he had finally had the last word Munk turned and began looking around through the dust on the floor. It took him a short while but he soon found the snapped collar shining through the dirt. Munk picked it up delicately and polished it with his paw. He smiled as he looked down at it and deeply hoped it would help Alonzo with his troubles. It would need to be mended of course but he would go to any lengths to help his mate – after all just look at where he was.

Without looking at Macavity's body again he quickly left the area and made his way through the dark passages to the outside world. He took in deep lungfuls of fresh air and brushed the dust out of his fur. It felt wonderful to be out of that dreadful place and with one final look he walked away for the last time. He would never again step inside that warehouse and he couldn't be happier because of it.

The world seemed slightly brighter as Munk walked home. He was glad to have been able to tell Macavity – even though he was dead - that he hadn't won Alonzo. Munk knew his words wouldn't take back what had happened but he felt better for finally being able to say them and not feel like they were worthless. He had been wanting to tell Macavity that he'd lost for a long time but it only felt right when he'd actually said it to his face – or rather what was left of it. As he walked Munk continued to polish the collar he held and managed to do quite a good job of cleaning it up. As he neared the junkyard he did his best to conceal it and without being seen slunk across to Jenny's den to get some help.

Inside her home Jenny was having a lazy day – as she was so often inclined to do – and was roused from her daze when she saw Munk enter politely. The silver tabby gave her a few moments to pull herself together before he showed her what he had with him.

"Is that your collar, dear?" the queen asked

"Yes, well it was until I gave it Alonzo. Do you remember him wearing it?"

"Not really. I noticed that you weren't wearing it though"

"Well I gave it to him for Christmas but Macavity broke it when he captured him. Do you think you could fix it?" the tabby asked hopefully. Jenny took the garment and examined it carefully.

"Hmmm. I think I could mend it. It won't take very long, have a seat and I'll get some thread"

"Thanks" said Munk as he sat down and waited for her to begin her work. She came back a moment later and threaded a needle with ease. As she began the meticulous job of repairing the collar she spoke to Munk,

"You should have brought it to me sooner. Why did you wait so long?"

"Well I only just remembered it and I had to go and get it"

"You didn't bring it when you brought Alonzo back?"

"No, I had to go back to Macavity's lair and find it"

"Goodness" said Jenny pausing in her sewing, "You actually went back there?"

"Yes"

"How was it?"

"I shan't lie, Jenny, it was grim. I don't mean just not nice I mean it was seriously awful. It was so disgusting and dirty but the worst part were the memories it brought back. I don't ever want to go back there again"

"No I imagine not" aid the queen tentatively resuming her needlework. "Was...HE there?"

"Yes. Well, what was left of him was"

Munk saw her face scrunch up as he said the words. He continued,

"But it's okay, he's gone and I have Alonzo"

"Of course you do. Anyway, here you are" she said as she handed back the collar. Munk was stunned,

"That was quick", he said taken aback. Jenny just smiled,

"Please, dear, I'm a master"

Munk inspected her work. He could barely tell it had been broken in the first place.

"Jenny, this is amazing. Thank you so much"

"It's quite alright, Munkustrap. I hope Alonzo likes it"

"Well I'm sure it can't hurt at all"

Alonzo sat quietly in the den watching the doorway. He really wanted to go outside but felt far too nervous to do so. He could hear the Jellicles enjoying the springtime and desperately wanted to be a part of it but upon inspection of his scars he simply didn't feel brave enough. He sighed and lay down on the bed once again wondering whether or not he would ever be able to get over his fear.

He began to drift off to sleep before he was brought back to awareness by the soft thud of his mate jumping through the door. He turned around and smiled at his mate in an attempt to greet him properly and he puzzled as he saw his tom beaming back at him.

"You look like a kitten that's just discovered his own tail," said Alonzo

Munk sauntered over to him as he held the collar behind his back and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"I've got a surprise for you" said the tabby happily

Alonzo was anxious but decided to go along with what his mate was saying.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yep"

"What is it?"

"Close your eyes"

"Do I have to?"

"Yes. Close 'em"

Alonzo wasn't really in the mood for games but still he complied with his mate's wishes.

"Keep them closed," said Munk as he brought the collar around to his front. Alonzo felt Munk move his paws around his neck and fasten something there. Munk then took Alonzo's paws, stood him up and began to walk him across the den.

"Munk, what's going on?" asked Alonzo wishing his mate wouldn't be so secretive.

"Stop there. Now, open your eyes"

Alonzo did so and looked ahead. Munk had stood him in front of a mirror and around his neck he noticed the tabby had fastened the collar Macavity had ripped off of him months ago. He was quite taken aback as he thought he'd never see it again and was amazed to look at himself wearing his most prized possession.

Munk watched Alonzo raise a paw and touch the collar gently and waited for him to respond. He began to wonder if perhaps it in fact wasn't a very good idea to return it and wondered what he would do if Alonzo reacted badly.

"'Lonz?" asked the tabby gently as the patched tom continued to stare straight into the mirror. Alonzo gazed for a few moments more before his expression softened and his awe turned into tearful joy.

"Did you go back there to get this?" Alonzo asked

"Yes", replied Munk

"Was…HE there?"

"Not much of him"

"Oh…" said Alonzo figuring it out, "I can't believe you went back there. How did you manage it?"

"It was horrible to remember what went on in that place but it's okay. It's gone now and it will never happen again"

"Yes. I suppose you're right"

There was a pause before another question popped into Alonzo's head.

"So, he really is dead?"

Munk put his arm around Alonzo's shoulders and looked into the mirror with him,

"Yes. He is gone for good. He'll never hurt you or anyone ever again"

"Huh…"said Alonzo trailing off. Munk didn't think he sounded incredibly convinced.

"Do you still feel him?" he asked gently. Alonzo nodded so Munk carried on,

"Alonzo, please try and understand that he's gone for good. I know the memory isn't easy to get rid of but I can assure you that no one will ever hurt you again – especially not him. The strength of his evil doesn't even compare to that of our love because love is so much greater than hate. There's that and Macavity can't have really been a Jellicle. No Jellicle could be capable of that much evil and the very fact that you are shows just how different you both were. By the same value he could never own you and he still can't. Jellicles are kind, loving, graceful, peaceful and compassionate. Macavity was sick, twisted, sadistic and above all the epitome of evil. The reason why we'll never know but what we can be sure of is that someone like that could never take complete control of you because you are in no way any of the things he was."

Alonzo swallowed hard before speaking,

"But how can I ever get over the marks he left me with? I don't mean just the scars, I mean the impression he left."

"Just let go, darling. There's nothing he could have done to get in the way of my love for you"

"But the scars. How can I force you to live with me when I look like this?"

"Alonzo, I love you for you, not what you look like. You're the greatest cat in my world and I wouldn't want anyone else aside from you to be my mate regardless of what you look like"

Alonzo looked down, "But after what he did how can I be adequate enough to be your mate?"

"Look at me." Alonzo turned. "From the moment I fell in love with you I knew you were always more than adequate to be my mate. You're far more than I deserve and I thank the Everlasting Cat that you've come to me. I wonder sometimes if I'm good enough for you but I never doubt our love for a second. I promise that for as long as I'm living I will keep you safe and that I will always love you. That's what I was hoping the collar would remind you of. I gave it to you to show you how much I adore you"

Alonzo looked back in the mirror and gazed at the shining collar around his neck. It was true, he did feel it was a symbol of their all-encompassing love and it reignited that flame within him that had been extinguished for so long. He felt a warmth return to his body as he realised just how much love there was between him and Munkustrap and he turned to his mate as tears began to gather in his eyes.

"Munk" he breathed, "Do you really mean it?"

Munk placed his strong arms around Alonzo and brought him close. Alonzo felt safe in his mate's embrace and remembered just how much he loved the feeling as Munk kissed him softly on his lips. Alonzo felt the same tingle that had been there before he had been taken away and his mind began to swim with the feeling of being loved again. When Munk pulled away he brought his mouth close to Alonzo's ear and whispered one final message,

"I will love you forever, my darling. You are the only cat that has ever and will ever complete me and I'll always be your mate until the day I die"

Nothing else needed to be said. Without hesitating Alonzo pulled the tabby into another kiss and finally realised that what he had been missing had been there all along – he just hadn't seen it. Munk had always been the key to his happiness and the assurance he had just been given that he was loved unconditionally had shown him that nothing could ever get in the way of their devotion to each other. He finally felt loved again and the feeling made his heart soar.

Munk and Alonzo did not know whether minutes or hours passed as they embraced each other. They simply did not want to let go but when they did they gazed deeply into each other's eyes and joyfully basked in the love they shared.

Munk raised a paw and caressed his mate's face and Alonzo closed his eyes as he leant into the tabby's touch. Munk smiled as he traced the outline of the black patch on the corner of Alonzo's mouth and the patched tom opened his eyes when he heard the tabby giggle.

"What's so funny?" he asked

"Just the patch on your mouth – it's spectacularly cute"

Alonzo blushed, "I'm not sure I ever liked it that much"

"I always did. It makes you all the more beautiful"

Alonzo smiled, "So you really don't mind the scars?"

"Of course not, darling. You believe me, don't you?"

Alonzo didn't respond with words. Munk saw the cheeky look in his mate's eye that he hadn't seen in a long time and he watched Alonzo step back and scamper from the den. He quickly followed and as he left too he saw Alonzo standing proudly on top of the tyre. He had his paws on his hips and was gloriously displaying himself for the entire world to see. Munk just stood and smiled at his mate – he hadn't expected to see him do that for a long time yet.

Alonzo looked back and Munk and noticed how happy he was. He called over to him,

"Come here, stripes"

The silver tabby complied and went to stand next to him. As he got near Alonzo grabbed him at the waist and pulled him close. Munk laughed at the sudden action and placed his paws on his mate's chest. They happily kissed and then looked out over the junkyard. From there they could see many of the Jellicles looking at them tentatively and it wasn't long before word spread and they all came out to see. Alonzo – of course – still had a feeling of nervousness but miraculously it didn't seem to matter anymore. There was another feeling –something he had felt a lot a long time ago that he had been missing recently. He soon realised what it was: pride. He was well aware of what he looked like but somehow the pure love he felt coming from his mate put all of his apprehension in the shade. He smiled across at all of the cats which gazed at him and after a few moments spoke to them.

"Everyone, I know it might seem a bit strange that I'd be standing here so confidently after the way I've been acting the past couple of months and I think you all deserve to know why."

The on-looking cats perked up there ears in anticipation and Alonzo continued,

"Yes, Macavity did kidnap me and he left me with these scars"

He turned around and displayed his scarred back for them all to see. For many of the Jellicles it was the first time they were getting a proper look at the marks Macavity had left him with and they were quite shocked. Alonzo stood with his back to them for a few seconds so they could get a good look before turning back.

"Those are part of the reason I've been hiding away for so long and I'm sure you can understand by seeing them just how hard it has been for me to realise that looks don't make a cat what he or she is"

He paused for a moment to let the message sink in. He then turned to his mate,

"I think I would have stayed scared forever if it hadn't been for Munk. It took a lot of persuasion but he's shown me all that matters are the cats who love you and I swear to Heaviside that I love this cat right here'

He kissed Munk firmly after he said this and smiled through it as he heard a few muffled 'aww's come from his audience. After parting from his mate he looked back at them and spoke one final time,

"I should have known you all would be okay with the way I look. I realise all of my reservations and fears were just in my head and that none of you would treat me any differently whether I was immaculate or whether my coat was completely gone. It was superficial and I was wrong for thinking that any of you would see me any differently. For that I'm sorry." He knew that the real reason he felt bad was far deeper than his appearance but he felt he ought to give them some explanation as to his behaviour. He wanted to keep the darker parts of what happened to him between himself and the cats closest to him but above all he just wanted to put it all to rest. He was speaking with a renewed confidence but he couldn't say for sure that what he presumed was true. He wasn't in control of their thoughts and opinions but if they were the cats he thought he knew then he felt in his heart that what he was saying about them was the truth.

Feeling what he had said was sufficient Alonzo climbed down from the tyre and began to walk towards the gathered cats. As he passed each individual they reached out to him and smiled. With every cat he made contact with he felt more and more gratified and loved and soon he had touched everyone. It felt great to know that each of them still accepted him and he wondered why he had ever thought that anyone would treat him differently because of what had happened to him.

Alonzo stood in front of Tugger who as usual looked him up and down and leered suggestively.

"You still look just as sexy as ever to me, patches," said the overconfident tom.

"Keep it in your pants, Tug" retorted Alonzo. He kept up a façade of modesty but inside he almost felt glad that Tugger still saw him as good-looking. It made him feel confident; that is, it would have done had he not already had a wonderful mate and he was glad when Bomba ran across and socked the Maine Coon in the chest with a scowl.

A little while later the sun began to break through the clouds and Alonzo felt it's warm rays kiss his body. It felt wonderful to be out in pure daylight once again and it filled him with happiness. He gladly spent the rest of the afternoon talking and laughing with the Jellicles he had missed so much during his seclusion and all the while his mate watched him in subdued amazement. Munk was simply lost for words over his tom's renewed spirit and wondered how on earth he had managed to bring him around so quickly. The tabby was so lost in thought that he didn't notice his father enter the junkyard and sit down beside him and was startled when Old Deuteronomy spoke to him,

"It seems I missed something quite monumental"

"What do you mean, sir?"

"Munkustrap" the old tom said in a fatherly tone

"Dad" corrected the tabby

"That's better. I'm referring to your mate, boy. He certainly seems to have come around"

"Well, I'd say he's very close to being his old self again"

"Yes. It's nice to see him again, I was beginning to think he might stay secluded forever"

"You and I both."

"How did it happen?"

"How did what happen?"

"How did he make such a change in such a short space of time"

"Well it hasn't been than short a time"

"I suppose not but the last time I asked you told me there was no change. That wasn't very long ago and now he seems renewed"

"I think it just came down to properly reminding him that he is loved. I told him that I could never stop loving him regardless of what happened and I think he finally took it to heart"

"Really? Well I say well done, son. You certainly seem to have done the right thing."

Munk smiled and felt a little smug. He supposed he always was a daddy's boy when it came to his father's approval. Still, he was modest and didn't want to seem too eager so he responded with a simple, "Thank you"

At that moment Alonzo saw Old Deuteronomy with Munk and pulled himself away from the others. He happily bounded up to them and bowed before the Jellicle leader. Old Deuteronomy returned the gesture and smiled down at him,

"It's good to see you again, Alonzo"

"And you, sir" responded the patched tom

"I'm so glad to see you looking so well"

"Thank you, sir, but I couldn't have managed it without Munk. It's all his doing, you see"

"Well, it's nonetheless wonderful to see you looking so bright"

Alonzo hopped up next to Munk and snuggled into his fur. It felt wonderful to be able to jump on his mate again whenever the mood took him and he loved the feeling of being so close without having to worry about what the tabby thought. This was because he knew he was loved.

The rest of the day seemed to fly by and it seemed like a flash before Munk and Alonzo were standing in their den once again holding each other. Neither of them said anything as they slowly made their way to the bed and lay down next to each other.

"You look so beautiful," said Munk to his mate

"No, you do," replied the patched tom

They both smiled and kissed tenderly as they pulled each other close. Alonzo slid his paw down to Munk's hip and gave him a cheeky smile,

"So, I was thinking maybe we could…you know"

Munk smiled wider but brought his mate's paw back up,

"You know what? I think for now I just want to lay here with you. I just want to hold you and be in love with you, if that's alright"

Alonzo smiled wider as well and rested his head under the tabby's chin,

"That's be nice"

They stayed lying together for a long time and soon they both began to feel drowsy. Alonzo was just about to drop off to sleep before one final thought popped into his head. He opened his eyes and spoke very softly,

"Munk?"

"Mmm?" responded the sleepy tabby

"I was thinking: Let's start afresh"

"What do you mean, darling?"

"Well, I just want to put all of what's happened in the past however many months it's been to rest. I've had enough of dealing with it now and I'm ready to let it go"

Munk opened his eyes and looked down at his mate, "Are you sure?"

Alonzo smiled up at him, "Yes"

Munk kissed his mate on the forehead and hugged him tightly, "Then of course, darling. Anything to put that rotten mess to an end"

They both closed their eyes again, happy to be on the same wavelength. Alonzo, though, had one more thought.

"Starting tomorrow maybe we should do something new, you know, so we can both move on together"

"What do you mean, dear?"

"Well, we should do something we can both concentrate on so we can forget everything that's happened and how hard it's been on both of us. Something to strengthen our relationship because the Everlasting Cat knows the way I've been acting has taken it's toll on you and me."

"What do you have in mind?"

"I'm not sure. Can you think of anything?"

Munk was drifting and wasn't totally involved with the conversation until he had an idea. He opened his eyes and began to speak. He had wanted to bring up the subject for a while but until now he didn't think Alonzo would be able to handle it. 'Now is good a time as any' he thought.

"'Lonz?"

"Yeah?"

"Let me talk to you bout Billy…"

Finally Alonzo is feeling okay again, yay! But how on earth is he going to handle Munk's idea?

I hope this didn't seem too rushed. It felt as if I'd gone so far down the 'Alonzo is depressed' route that it was going to be impossible to bring him back. I never wanted to make him commit suicide so I'm hoping me turning the story around didn't seem too fast. Well I guess that's what reviews are for, let me know if you thought Alonzo's turning point was too quick.

Thanks for reading, only a couple more chapters to go now.