Kyo had gone to work the next day. He left the house at six in the morning. Yeah, the wake up calls were coming earlier, but that's what Shishou had done with him.

"Always be prepared. Both students and masters should have some understanding." Shishou's words echoed in his head.

Kyo thought back to when he was leaving the house. He'd tried to kiss Tohru goodbye, only to have Calli run and leap into Tohru's arms and hiss at Kyo. Tohru had apologized and he'd just shrugged it off.

Man that cat's lucky. Kyo thought as he continued walking.

Kyo didn't hate Calli, it was the fact that Calli would be Tohru's companion while he was away. Still, he had to admit, he liked the idea of her having a cat. It gave her something she could take care of while he was gone.

Kyo continued his walk and ended up in front of Shigure's house. He walked up the stairs and Akito opened the door.

"Welcome, Kyo. Is Tohru with you today?" Akito asked peering around him.

"Nope." He said entering the house. Akito looked shocked.

"Well I hope you didn't leave her alone." Akito said sternly.

"I didn't leave her alone." He said. He started to walk up the stairs to Shigure's room.

He heard Akito call something after him, but he was too far up the stairs to actually understand what she was saying.

He was right out front of Shigure's room when Mahito leaped out. (AN: I haven't used the kids for a while. I kinda missed them.)

"BOO!" He yelled at Kyo. He looked up at him with a bemused expression on his face.

"What's you freakin' problem kid?" Kyo asked. Mahito looked up at him.

"Do you want the truth?" He asked. Kyo looked at the kid.

"What's the truth?" He asked. He really hoped Mahito wasn't playing some stupid game.

"I had to give Papa enough time to use the rope ladder and climb out of the window. I helped him tie ropes for long time yesterday." Mahito said with a smile. Kyo opened the door to Shigure's bedroom and sure enough, there was a rope ladder trailing outside the window.

Kyo shook his head and left the room. He passed a very proud looking Mahito in the hall.

"Told you. I make good ladders." Mahito said as Kyo headed down the stairs.

Kyo went into the living room where Akito was coaxing Keiko over to her.

"Look Kyo. She's walking." Akito said proudly.

"Well, some where your husband's running." Kyo said. He really couldn't careless about Keiko right now.

"Shigure's missing?" Akito asked scooping up Keiko.

"Well, yeah. Your son helped him fashion a rope ladder." Kyo said.

"I'll call Hatori." Akito said picking up the phone. Kyo didn't wait around to see if Hatori was coming or not. He went out and started looking for Shigure.

-MEANWHILE-

Back at their house, Tohru was up in her paint room working on an underwater scene. The painting was complete with tropical fish and dolphins. She had even added a coral reef in the back.

She'd been working for almost twenty minutes on a dolphin's nose. She just couldn't see to get the reflection of the water right. She heard someone frantically knock on the back door.

The back door? No one uses the back door. She thought putting the paint brush down. She quickly hurried out of the room. She went downstairs where Calli was laying on the couch. She went into the kitchen and unlocked the door. Shigure stood there.

"I'm so sorry Tohru. I just couldn't do it today. My legs are as sore as anything and he was going to make me do more exercises today." He said. Tohru moved out of the way and he immediately went into the living room.

"Can I get you anything?" Tohru asked him from the kitchen.

"Tea would be nice." He replied. She quickly got the stuff for the tea and made it.

When she went into the living room, Shigure was having a staring contest with Calli.

"Here's the tea." Tohru said eyeing them both. She placed it on the coffee table.

"Thanks Tohru. Hey, when did you get a cat?" He asked picking up his cup and taking a sip.

"Yesterday. Her name is Calli, isn't she just so cute?" Tohru asked taking a seat on the couch. Calli immediately went and laid on her lap.

"She is, but I've always liked dogs." Shigure said. Tohru smiled.

"I suppose you would. Kyo did not want me having a rat." Tohru said. Shigure laughed.

"I suppose that makes a lot of sense." He said. He took another sip of his drink and then someone knocked on the front door. Tohru excused herself and went to open it. Calli followed on her heels.

Tohru opened the door. Yuki was standing there.

"Hello, Yuki!" Tohru said with her trademark smile.

"Hello. I was wondering if you've seen Shigure by any chance? He escaped before Kyo could get him. Huh, and I thought Masters were supposed to be able to out smart their student." He said.

"Um, yeah. He's drinking tea in the living room as we speak." Tohru said. She couldn't lie to Yuki, or anyone for that matter.

"Thank you", Yuki said. He started to enter, but then noticed Calli.

"Yuki?" Tohru asked. He looked down at Calli and then back at Tohru.

"When did you get a cat?" He asked.

"Yesterday! Isn't she cute?" Tohru asked. Yuki smiled. He really didn't like cats, but this made her happy.

"She's adorable." He said. He entered and caught Shigure before he could escape. He said goodbye to Tohru and told her he actually wouldn't be back. He was going back to college. She wished him a safe trip and he dragged Shigure away.

Tohru sighed and returned to her upstairs artwork. Calli followed her. Tohru went and sat down on a stool in front of her painting. Calli laid on the floor next to her.

After Tohru had been working for a few minutes, Calli decided she was tired of being ignored and started to play on some of the drying paint rags Tohru had in the corner. By the time Tohru caught her she had changed from her normal white, tan, brown, black, and goldish-orange color to a blue and purple and whatever other color mess.

"Calli. You silly kitty." Tohru said putting down her paintbrush once more. She scooped Calli up and carried her into the bathroom.

"Now, you probably won't like this very much, but I can't a blue cat." Tohru said. She put Calli in the sink.

Calli laid down as if this was a normal routine and allowed Tohru to rub her off with a washcloth and some soap. (AN: My own cat actually does this. It's kinda cute. She'll get in the sink just because she wants a bath. No lie.)

Tohru got all the paint off of Calli and dried her off. She wrapped her in a towel and carried her downstairs. She sat on the couch with a bundled up Calli in her lap.

She'd been watching T.V. for almost a half an hour when Kyo came home.

"Hi." He greeted when he cam into the living room.

"Welcome home", she said standing up to meet him. He noticed Calli in Tohru's arms and became concerned.

"What's wrong with her?" He asked pointing to Calli. Tohru laughed.

"She got covered in some paint and I had to give her a bath." Tohru explained looking at Calli.

"You gave her a bath? Lucky cat." Kyo realized he'd said the last part out loud.

"She is, isn't she? But you know what? I'm lucky to have her." Tohru said. Kyo was glad that Tohru didn't understand his remark.

"You know what? I've had a long day. I think I just want to get some sleep. What about you?" Kyo asked. Tohru nodded and headed up the stairs before Kyo did. She reached the bedroom and changed into pajamas before he came in. Calli had let herself up onto the bed.

Kyo came in and saw this.

"Hey cat. That's my side." He said trying to move her over. Calli hissed and Kyo crossed his arms.

"I don't think she wants to move Kyo." Tohru said climbing into bed.

"Yeah? Well, I didn't exactly want to give up my spot either." He said. Tohru laughed.

"Just pick her up. She can't hurt you that much." Tohru said.

"Look cat. This is my house. This is my room. This is my bed. And I got dibs on Tohru too, so move." He said moving to pick Calli up. Calli lashed out at his hand. He was too fast though. He set her on the floor.

"That was funny." Tohru said when Kyo climbed into bed next to her.

"Yeah, you get that cat? This is mine. Not yours mine. All of it is mine." He said. Tohru smile. He leaned over and gave her a kiss.

Calli meowed and jumped back up on the bed.

"Aw, good girl." Tohru crooned as Calli inched her way up the bed and nestled in between Kyo and Tohru.

"Come on!" Kyo said. This was getting out of hand. Where did this cat get off?

"Calli, c'mon." Tohru said picking her up and letting her lay on her chest.

Lucky cat. I mean, come on, getting a bath, laying on her chest, what does this cat have that I don't? Kyo thought.

"The cat's never going to learn her place if you keep babying her." Kyo growled. Tohru smirked. He'd never actually seen her smirk before. It was new. Different. Not Tohru-like.

"Are you jealous, Kyo?" Tohru asked. Kyo blushed.

"No. I'm not jealous. I just think a cat should learn its place." He said turning over on his side away from her. "Good night."

"Good night, Kyo." She said. She fell asleep that night with Kyo turned away from her and Calli on her chest.