Disclaimer: here we go! I own nothing so enjoy Chapter 17!

Chapter 17

"Everyone, the baby's here," announced the doctor, all the rabbits were happy to receive the good news. They all sighed with joy and hugged one another.

"Can we see them now?" Rodney asked to which the doctor nodded and signaled them to enter the room Babs and Buster were in. Upon entering, the pink and blue bunnies greeted them with warm smiles and passed the child around for him to get to know his new family.

"Did you name him yet?" asked Lenny, but before Babs could reply, her eyes were locked on a certain purple bunny girl.

"What is she doing here?" Babs asked.

"Hey Babs!" Binky greeted her, she then turned to her left, "hi Buster, long time, no see."

"Hey Binks," he returned the greeting.

"Binks?" Babs turned to her husband, "if I was still pregnant I'd be all over that."

Buster widened his eyes and turned to Bugs and Rodney, "I swear, she'll never let that go, and we didn't even do anything."

"Don't worry, kid, you'll learn soon enough," laughed Rodney.

"Yeah," Bugs chimed in, "ya' have your whole life of not knowin' how to please women."

The men laughed as Binky went up to the bedridden Babs and hugged her. Despite the accusations she had about her that were proven false, she decided to let it go. She was a mother now and Babs didn't want to teach her newborn son to hate someone for something they didn't do, even if you once believed it. Babs returned the embrace and waved at Lenny, signaling that the two were still very serious and that they were treating each other right.

"Sh'so, have you dec'shided on the Godparent'sh yet?" Plucky asked with his eyes in a hopeful gaze. Shirley face-palmed and the Bunnies sighed, "well we thought about it and we've decided on-"

The door opened and in came Hamton with a grim look in his eyes. He noticed the baby bunny in Lola's arms and was halted, "hey guys," he greeted everyone and they returned the greeting. He turned to Plucky, "I need to talk to you, it's important."

"Hey Hamton," Babs called out, "where's Fifi? We're about to announce something really important."

"We're on a break as of now," he replied and returned his focus back on the green duck, "can we go outside, we really need to talk."

"Wait, you and Fifi are like, on a break? Like, how did that happen?" Shirley asked, confused.

"Yeah you know sh'omethin' Hammie? I wanna' talk to you too, wa'sh that female pig at the shower Ma-OOMPH!"

Hamton tried as hard as he could to restrain himself but every word out of Plucky's mouth as well as the questions regarding his now-ex-girlfriend Fifi made him punch the green mallard in the face, knocking him out cold. This shocked the whole room, Lola turned around just so the baby wouldn't witness it for a later memory and Babs and Buster stared at him with wide eyes and jaws dropped.

The pig shuddered as he realized what he did, he wiped his face from the sweat, "I'm…sorry everyone, I really am," his voice was so broken that all he could do was apologize while they stared at him some more.

"When he wakes up," he turned to Shirley as well as everyone, "ask him about her…ask him about May."

He turned to the Bunnies, "congratulations you guys, and I'm sorry for my presence, I'll be leaving now." As he was about to exit the room, he caught a glimpse of the newborn rabbit and bowed his head in shame. He had a demon inside of him and he hated himself for bringing it close to the surface.

"Well," Babs eventually spoke out, "we've decided to name the kid Cotton, Cotton 'Rodney' Bunny," everyone slowly and awkwardly nodded at that, "and since Fifi and Hamton are no longer together, well…"

"So when he wakes up," Buster said to Shirley as he pointed at the still unconscious Plucky, "let him know that you're the Godparents."

…

Mestic eventually woke up from his loss of yet another life, he was down to three and with everything going on, he could lose them all like that. As he opened his eyes he came in eye contact with Lid whose face lit up at his revival. She hugged him tightly and kissed him multiple times.

"I thought I lost you for real this time!" she cried out, "I know it's happened before but…I just can't bear to continue without you!"

"Li-Lid, I'm here," his voice soothed her, he then grabbed her paw, "let's go, let's get outta' here!"

"What?! You can't be serious, Lious will hunt us down!"

"To Hell with Lious, he's slowly sending us to the grave, if we don't leave now then we could get there sooner than you think."

"We still have a job to do, I want to leave but we can't run forever, we can't even run anywhere."

"We'll can go to Elmyra's, you'll see her again, I heard she's got some mice we can feed on when we arrive."

Lid was saddened; she turned away from Mestic, undecided on what she wanted to do and what she could do.

"Look, Lid" the blue cat got up and readjusted his fedora, "if we stay here then Lious will just waste us too, if not him then Furrball will do it for him, no orders necessary!"

Lid sighed, she couldn't deny that he was right, she looked him in the eye and nodded, "let's go, now!"

Holding paws, the two Alley Cats ran out of the alley and turned a left, only to see the corpses of two other cats in front of them.

"Fe-Feral?"

"And…Nicus?"

Lid and Mestic were too shocked to even move, "who did this?!" she screamed.

"Lious," Mestic muttered, he then heard moaning and turned to see Feral slightly twitching, "we have to leave, come on!"

"But…they-"

"Forget about them, they're Furrball's now, let him come and get them!"

"But-"

"NOW! Before they wake and take us too!" he grabbed her paw and steered her away

As they ran off, Feral slowly opened his eyes just in time to see them in the distance. He then turned to see Nicus still unconscious on the ground. He gathered himself together and tried waking the grey cat up. The big cat tried slapping Nicus' face just to get his revival done quicker and in a few seconds he was awake. Feral helped him get up and Nicus rubbed his wound while cursing Mestic and Lid's names.

"Seven lives," he spat while Feral stood beside him scowling, "those traitors're gonna pay!"

…

The nurse came back with an ice bag to heal the bruise on Plucky's face. Babs and Buster decided to stay out of the trouble between the green duck and Hamton so Shirley took him outside the room while the rabbits conversed regarding their newborn's name.

"Alright like, spill it," the Loon was not happy, "who's May and why was Hamton mad enough to hit you?"

The green mallard couldn't believe that it had been this long since he last saw the female pig, much less thought about her.

"It wa'sh back in Acme Loo," he explained, "she wa'sh all over me like you wouldn't believe, Shirl, she wanted me so badly but I told her 'no, I'm Shirley's man, you should date Hamton!' but she wouldn't take no for an an'shwer!"

Shirley was obviously not buying it, she cracked her knuckles, signaling that she was ready to finish what Hamton started.

"Alright, alright!" Plucky protested, he sighed and started over, "we were on the sh'et, Hammie wa'sh doin' a cartoon until the rabbits came in an' ruined everything! Sh'omethin' about a script or whatever."

"Like, go on," Shirley listened.

"Then he brought in thi'sh female pig named May to co-sh'tar in hi'sh cartoon, when the rabbits sabotaged it I came in and…well…I just, we-"

"You like, put the moves on her, didn't you?"

"Yeaaaah-uuuuuhhhhhh, ooh, alright, true but keep in mind, the rabbit'sh in there ruined it first-"

"An' you like, made it so much better, right?"

"Shirl, listen to me, it wa'sh a long time ago, I wa'sh never into her anyway, just an in-the-moment tension between me and her, it wa'sh nothing! Nothing!"

Shirley scoffed and sighed, she then stepped away from Plucky and paced a few steps until she walked back to him, "you know," she tried to control her emotions, "I could like, forgive you for what you did with her since we weren't even together at the time…but what you did to Hamton is what's proving everyone right about you!"

"I wa'sh young, I wa'sh sh'tupid!"

"Well you're like, not young anymore even if you act like it!"

"Look I'm sh'orry, what more do you want?!"

"I want you to go and make things right with Hamton!"

She sighed once again, "look Plucky," she stated, "I've like, been with you for four years now, I already told you about my night with that pompous Perfecto so I'm no saint when it comes to the two of us but since, again, we were like, not together then…but what you did that day, is far worse than anything you've ever done."

"But-"

"You stole your best friend's girlfriend!"

"They weren't even dating!"

"Still, he liked her, I mean, why else would he bring her on the set?"

Plucky couldn't say anything so Shirley continued.

"I like, know that Buster can tolerate you, I don't want Babs to be the one to snap at you for this and I know Hamton doesn't have the balls to tell you this but, Plucky…I…I love you but you…you're a scumbag."

That hurt, now the green mallard widened his eyes and dropped his jaw.

"You like, make Daffy look mild compared to you," Shirley continued, "I've like, put up with everything with you, I mean, even he wouldn't steal his friend's girlfriend, he's too stupid to do that anyway, he's lucky Tina's giving it all up for him, I don't know any other girl like that who's willing to put up with his bullsh-"

Plucky was already starting to quiver, his voice started cracking and tears started to cloud his vision. Shirley noticed, she knew she had to say this but perhaps that maybe she was going too far? She stopped when she realized she couldn't go on any further.

"Like, I'm sorry Plucky but I needed to say this, better me than anyone else sinc-" she was cut off when a shadow started to form in front of her as well as Plucky bringing up his arm and pointing right behind her with a scared look. The Loon slowly turned around and came face-to-face with a blue cat in a black trench coat with a crow sitting on his left shoulder.

Plucky fainted and Furrball watched him fall, he dropped his surgeon's uniform right beside him and shifted his focus to Shirley. She looked back at him and just couldn't find any words to speak.

…

Baby Cotton started crying again in Lola's arms. The sound of his bawling almost made the female bunny jump, Babs motioned for her to return him and began performing her motherly duties.

"Let's see what you've got, dear," Babs mother stated, she watched with happy teary eyes as her daughter began soothing the crying baby bunny.

"Get ready for a lotta' dis," Bugs advised Buster. The blue rabbit smiled and walked over to them to help them out.

"Come on, Cotton, shh," Babs rocked her baby gently but it didn't seem to work. Buster motioned for the baby to be brought to him, he gave an attempt but Cotton still cried. The blue bunny wouldn't give up, he tried hushing him softly, rocking him gently, and even attempted to feed him but the more he and Babs tried the more Cotton's cries started to sound like he was almost terrified.

"Um, can I try?" Binky stepped up, Babs sighed and handed Cotton over.

"Come here, baby, let Aunt Binky dry those tears," but the baby still went on.

"Hmm" Rodney thought as he watched everyone now trying to stop Cotton's crying, not one of his own children cried this much, especially at birth, "there was a book that proved that infants cry when any negative emotions are in its presence."

He looked around and couldn't even find a single individual who could fit that description, "negative ones…even dead ones, spirits even." Rodney looked at the door and couldn't hear Plucky and Shirley arguing anymore, the baby's crying seemed to have drowned out the sound.

"I wonder…"

…

"L-like…Furrball?"

The cat looked over to the unconscious Plucky, "quite the talking-to you gave him," he said, "I could've told him that but you saved me the trouble."

Shirley was too surprised to respond, she followed his gaze back to her boyfriend's body then back to him.

"Babs and Buster in there?" Furrball pointed at the door beside them.

"Yeah, like, the whole family is in there, she just gave birth."

Furrball nodded, "maybe I should just stop in for a little while, in and out, no need to stay any longer than that."

Shirley nodded but was still in shock, "like, Furrball," she stepped towards him, "I need to apologize."

"Funny, I'm here to apologize to the Bunnies for crashing their baby shower."

"But I'm like, sorry for something else, you know?"

The painted cat turned to her, curious to know what she wanted to say.

"I'm sorry for everything that happened between you and Fifi, it's my fault you guys never got together."

"What are you talking about?" Furrball asked, his crow just flew over to Plucky and examined his state as Shirley continued.

"When you…disappeared, I told Babs that I envisioned you running off with some female cat, I assumed she was an old lover or some junk, and we didn't tell Fifi until Graduation Day."

"I know about that day, Calamity filled me in on it."

"But like, not the whole story, see, even though I envisioned it, even I started second-guessing it, I mean, you running off with someone else? Especially on the night you promised to see Fifi? That doesn't sound like you, like, at all."

Furrball slightly smirked, "good to know you're aware of that."

Shirley, seeing him in almost the same manner as when they were still in their Acme Loo days, started to loosen up and calm down, she continued explaining.

"At the shower, me and Babs were about to fill her in on how we didn't think the vision was true, but then those Alley Cats…"

"Shirley, just stop."

The Loon thought she might have offended the cat so she obeyed, "you don't have to apologize for anything," Furrball told her.

"What? But why?"

"You weren't the one who put nine DIP-soaked bullets in my heart, this whole thing is on the Alley Cats, not you."

"But like, my vision, it was wrong, I'm at fault here too!"

"Shirley, listen to me," he stepped up to her close and put his paws on her shoulders, "when I…had my 'accident,' I took with me a great sadness, that crow over there carried that sadness for almost three years, your vision was most-likely blocked from the truth because the crow was carrying my soul, clouding your powers of finding me."

That actually made sense, "so…you've been-"

"Yes."

"For all this time?"

He nodded again, "when I came back, I went to see Calamity, Sylvester and Fifi, I'm the reason he came to the shower."

"That's really nice of you, he was like, really depressed since you left, his wife and son leaving him, then him leaving us, he just wasn't the same."

"I saw Fifi as well."

Shirley lit up, "so…she knew about you before we told her?"

Furrball nodded, "I couldn't believe that she was with Hamton, I couldn't hold it against him…but then I saw them together that night."

He walked towards Plucky's still unconscious body and allowed Eric to fly back on his shoulder as Shirley sighed, "so, you also knew about-"

Just then, the doctor returned and opened the door, "alright everyone," she announced, "I'm going to have to ask you all to leave so the parents can spend some time with the baby before we start running procedures and tests."

Within the minute, the Bunnies said their goodbyes to Babs, Buster and Cotton as they exited the room. As they were continuing to walk out, Shirley turned back to see Plucky just waking up but Furrball was nowhere in sight.

...

Babs and Buster were still trying to deal with the crying Cotton but it was to no avail.

"Make it stop, Buster," Babs pleaded, "I've dealt with my siblings whenever they cried, even when my Mom and Dad brought them home, but this is getting way too out of hand!"

"I'm trying, Babsy," Buster responded, he began to walk up with his back turned from his wife and continued to calm his son down, "but no matter what, he keeps crying like he's scared of something, not from the usual fuss that babies make."

"Is he afraid of ghosts?"

"How would I know? He's barely opening his eyes and doesn't know fear, he just sounds that way."

"Cuz' there's a ghost right by my bed."

"What?"

Buster turned around to see Babs shaking in fear as the same black-clad feline from their baby shower stood beside her hospital bed. He turned his head to face her then back to Buster.

"Stay away from her!" Buster ordered, "just take what you want but please, leave them alone!"

"Buster," Furrball stepped towards him, the blue rabbit stepped back with his crying son shielded, "you knew it was me at the shower, don't act too surprised."

"Buster…help," Babs shivered, close to tears, "don't let him hurt our son."

Furrball walked closer to the father and crying son, Buster still shielded Cotton and Babs tried getting out of her bed. The birth seemed to have taken a lot out of her that she struggled to make her way up. The cat walked closer as Buster feared for his son's life. With the infant in his arms, he had no arms free to defend them with, even his ears were too far away from anything to reach.

"Y-you…is it…?"

The cat didn't respond, he continued walking closer until he was right in front of them.

"Please," Babs pleaded from the back, "don't hurt them."

Furrball knew how to calm everyone down, the fear instilled in the bunnies as well as the crying from the baby. He looked back at Babs and then back to the two in front of him and gently put his paw on top of Cotton's head.

"Shhh," he soothed, "sleep."

Buster couldn't believe what was happening, as he held his son he noticed that Cotton's cries started to calm down. Once the infant closed his eyes, Furrball removed his paw from his head.

"Wh-what did y-" Buster answered his own question when he heard the small breathing coming from Cotton, he was sound asleep.

"I'm sorry we reunited like this," Furrball stated, "but I just had to see you, both of you."

Buster walked around him and then stood by Babs and handed her the baby.

"How did you get in here?"

The painted cat shrugged, "Toon logic?"

"Well still, is it really you?"

"Who's the unlucky one? Guess my bad luck's finally caught up with me," he chuckled. Buster slowly spread a smirk, "I knew it was you, at the party, but…what happened?"

Within a few minutes, the two were caught up with everything and Furrball even pointed out that Babs shouldn't feel guilty about him and Fifi since it wasn't her fault any more than Shirley's.

"I understand that Hamton was here, was Fifi here too?" Furrball asked, "I know they're together, I had my chance, but I didn't seem to notice them here."

Babs and Buster glanced at each other and sighed, "Furrball," Buster started, "Fifi and Hamton…they're not really together anymore."

The revived cat sighed as well, "I knew this would happen," he muttered.

"What do you mean?" Babs asked.

"I was there, I saw Fifi lose her virginity to Hamton."

The pink bunny closed her eyes, she could only imagine how Furrball felt just by seeing that.

"Be honest with me, with us," she looked up at him, "for Fifi, did Hamton really-"

"I can't say, but I know that wasn't love."

Babs scoffed in disappointing disgust, she buried her face in Buster's shoulder while still holding Cotton, "how could he do this? He loved her, she loved him."

"I could provide the visuals…but I'd rather not," Furrball said, "I don't mean to defend his actions but…I think it has something to do with that 'May' girl."

"I remember May," Buster looked at him, "they had her on the set for one of Hamton's cartoons, we weren't aware of the scripts back then but that's all I can remember."

"Yeah Plucky had something to do with it too, I was just outside with Shirley hearing her unload on him about her."

"Figures," both Bunnies said simultaneously.

Furrball stepped up to them, "it was nice seeing you both again, but I must go," he told them, "I'm sorry for crashing your baby shower, it wasn't my intention, but it makes me happy seeing you two still together, I never doubted your relationship.

The Bunnies smiled, "thanks Furrball," Buster stepped forward and hugged the cat, "we really did miss you, it was really hard trying to get that bill passed to find you."

The cat nodded in acceptance and went to Babs. She hugged him back, "and we'll really miss you again," she said, "but what's gonna' happen to you when you're…done?"

That was something to think about, Furrball really had no answer to that, "I don't know," he replied as he opened the window with Eric already flying out, "but my retribution…awaits me."

He jumped out much to the Bunnies' shock as they expected to hear a thud! sound or something similar but heard nothing. Buster slowly walked it over to the window and looked down to see Acme traffic going on with its night.

"Hey, it was either that or the door," he shrugged back to Babs. The pink bunny turned back to her peacefully sleeping baby and kissed his forehead.

…

Lid and Mestic ran down alleys looking for a clear way out of their Alley Cat territory. If they could make a clean getaway then they might never have to worry about Lious sending anyone after them. They'd be home free.

"Wait! Mestic!"

The blue-shaded cat looked back at Lid, "what's wrong? We can't stop for anything, we have to move!"

"I know but please," she pleaded, "just…let me see her old house before we leave."

Mestic rolled his eyes, he couldn't believe it, Lid was actually serious about wanting to stop at Elmyra's abandoned house just for one last look.

"You do know that's where we placed Furrball, right?"

"Yeah but he hated Elmyra, you think he'd want to stay there? He probably ran outta' there the second he opened his eyes!"

With no spare time to argue, he gave in and allowed it. He led the way there as the long-tailed Lid thanked him from behind. In a matter of seconds, they were close by, all they needed to do was turn the corner and they'd be right in front of the abandoned house.

"Let's go," Mestic whispered, he held Lid's paw and turned the corner, only to bump right into a very familiar orange cat.

"Where'd'ya think yer' goin'?"

"Lious!"

The two cats were staring up at the head Alley Cat himself, the look in his eyes signaled that neither of them would walk away in one piece.

"I said what'r'ya' doin' here?!" Lious repeated himself.

"Us? What are you-" Lid hushed Mestic before he could make any remark because as Lious walked under the streetlight is full body came in to light. The two cats gasped as they saw a red substance splattered all over their boss's paws and some on his body.

"What happened?!" Lid screamed, "is that-?"

"First tell me why yer' here, n' maybe I'll let you's in on a secret."

Mestic got up and explained, "we're leaving," he bluntly stated, "we don't want to have anything to do wit' you, you're Alley Cat gang, Acme Acres, anything, we wanna' leave this life."

Mestic was standing up for Lid as well as himself, this wasn't the first time he'd done it but as something as serious as the matter of wanting out of a gang, this could not be taken lightly, it never was.

Lious crossed his paws, "so…you both wan' out?"

Lid and Mestic nodded, "that's right," he replied, "and we were also planning on stopping by Elmyra's house right there for one last look before we get outta' dodge."

"So you's was plannin' on leavin' without tellin' me?!"

That got them there but Lid saw that her fedora-wearing lover wasn't giving up.

"Do you really need us around?" Mestic retaliated, he turned to grab Lid, reeled her in close and kissed her, "I love Lid, you've said it for years that the Alley Cats have no room for love so what good are we to ya'?"

"Ya' got a point there," Lious unsheathed his claws, "what good are you's if yer' always breakin' away from us, slobberin' all over each otha' n' messin' wit' my right-hand cat?! Easier to call it nine lives already, right?!"

He crept closer to them. Showing no fear, Lid and Mestic prepared themselves for whatever outcome awaited them. Despite the odds in experience, the two stood their ground.

"At least I'll be out of this life," Lid thought to herself, she turned to Mestic and sighed at the sight of his fierce face, "and at least I'll fall with him by my side."

Lious was face-to-face with Mestic and breathed down on his face.

"…Okay then," Lious said.

"Wh-what?!" Lid asked.

"Did I stutter? I said a'right, you's can go!"

The two cats glanced at each other to clarify if they heard him right.

"This red stuff's from our lil' Furrball problem, I've already dealt wit'im', we're good now."

"So…hes-"

"Gone, tossed da' body on a movin' truck, we ain't gotta' worry 'bout'im anymore."

How relieved they were to hear that, "thank you," Lid stepped up, "we really appreciate what you did for us."

"Look, ya' said ya' wanted to see da' house, why not jus' spen'da' night there n' leave in da' mornin'? I ain't got no use for you's so I'm lettin' you's go, I'll find new replacements."

Now it was Mestic's turn to show gratitude, "thanks for-"

"Jus' go already, before I change m'mind!"

Lid and her lover obeyed and ran to the house, "think we could trust him?" she asked Mestic upon entering, "what if we sends Nicus and Feral after us?"

"Somehow I doubt that," he replied, "remember, it's pretty obvious to what he did to Feral and Nicus a little earlier, I don't think they'd wanna' listen to him after that."

"I guess you're right, he could've killed us right then and there, maybe he just didn't wanna' waste the time and energy after dealing with Furrball."

"Or maybe he learned somethin' from all of this and feels grateful for his lives, probably his way of saying he'll be done with the alley life soon."

"With Lious, you never know, but I'll tell you this, I'd rather deal with him and Nicus than find out whatever Furrball had planned for us."

…

Outside, Lious tried getting the red out of his fur, "stupid paint," he muttered, "why did that idiot have red paint in there? What reason did he need it for?!"

He looked back at the old Duff home, "I already got m'paws dirty tonight, I don'need to get'em dirtier," he chuckled, "as soon as Furrball comes back, he'll take care of both'a'you's for me, saves me da' trouble."

He then turned to the side and moved a garbage can away until he saw purple strands of fur sticking out in spaces.

"Damn skunk girl's got some fight in'er, threw that big bucket'a red paint like it was nothin'."

Lious hurled Fifi's unconscious body over his shoulder and ran off down the alley.

To be continued…

A/N: since no one PM'd me about a name for Babs and Buster's kid I decided to name him myself, Cotton was the best I could come up with. Thanks for reading, this is now chapter 17 which is actually the most amount of chapters I've done for any story in my gallery. Next week will be chapter 18 which means I'll be surpassing my own chapter record, nice! Anyway, be sure to review as well as to check out my profile for new updates edited there, this week I've gotten around to adding in brief descriptions of fics that I planned on doing but decided not to go through with them for reasons explained there. Hope it interests you since the summaries are pretty much an abridged version of them lol. I'll be back next week for another update, I know I said Furrball would be getting more action this chapter but I didn't plan on putting in more development so Furrball owning whatever's in his path will have to wait until next week, sorry. I'll see you all next week!