"Good bye, love…" he whispered softly. Zela's despairing eyes disappeared from sight as the charm activated in a bright flash. This temporarily blinded Marceth, but when he looked back, the four Junkyard cats were gone.

That was the last thing Marceth remembered before being dragged away by his former colleagues back to the Warehouse…

~^..^~

London had always been a grey place, and on most occasions kept itself occupied with busy streets and worldly tourist sights. But lately, humans seemed less interested to be wandering around in gloomy daylight. How could anyone blame them? There were ghosts that haunted the city. Some were not even once human, but all the same each and every one of them had a soul. Time grew longer each day and lives began to slip out of the realm of the living, falling as silent as stars.
They were fools to think there wouldn't be any victims in this epidemic. Teazer always thought that it wasn't the victims that lost their lives that were the unfortunate ones. The real victims were the ones who suffered amongst the living. The Jellicle tribe had now experienced their feelings of abandonment, and Teazer was the primary example. Her mate and the only family she had known were lost, and now even Tugger had abandoned them. But why would he leave without her? When he knew how desperately she wanted to leave all this behind?

Though everyone's morale was more shattered than before, Alonzo decided to give the Maine Coon a chance to return before most of the remaining tribe left for a safer location. Teazer volunteered herself to stay by the Junkyard fence, hopefully anticipating Tugger's return before sunset. If not, then Alonzo was going to prepare everyone to leave. The tiger-striped queen sighed as her eyes watched the streets sit still. It was still the middle of the day, but that didn't mean she would wake up tomorrow with any joy in her heart, especially if there was no one there to give it to her. Not that she thought of Tugger romantically like she did as a kit, but it felt nice to have someone to care about; someone she could relate to… If Heavyside would find any clemency towards her, then the souls of those who had passed would bless his safe return.

As her eyes peered down the street again, she silently wondered where Tugger would go anyway. Surely, he wouldn't do anything stupid... But whatever he was doing, Teazer was hoping that it was worth abandoning them.

But then her movements stopped, and a strange, overwhelming flash passed all around her. Teazer collapsed from shock of the blinding light, only given a few minutes for recuperation. Blinking her eyes open slowly, her vision came in and out of focus as the dizzying affects of undetected mysticism journeyed away. The tiger striped queen shakingly sat up on her two paws, trying to figure what had happened. The next sight her eyes stopped at answered all her questions.

Four cats were in the middle of the path, all of whom she recognized. Two toms stood next to each other, both holding crippled figures in their grip. When she realized who they were, she was near to fainting again. She saw that it was Zela with Tugger, who was whimpering and crying and pounding at his chest, but her focus was all on Mistoffelees holding a shattered tom with a matted tiger-striped coat and a look of shock in his eyes.

Everlasting Cat. Was he really Mungojerrie? Was he dead? Rumpleteazer ignored her trouble to process her own questions. She ran forward to meet the group, her eyes only on her mate.

"Jerrie! 'eavyside, Jerrie! You're alive!" She was so happy that she broke into tears. Oh he looked terrible, but anyone could expect that from captivity. The tiger-tabby queen was about ready to cling to him like a kit to its mother, but Misto quickly stopped her. "He's very weak, Teazer. He might be confused that you're alive… He thought Macavity killed you…"

Teazer blinked, "…But…but Oi thought that-"

"I know. " Misto murmured, glancing down at the unconscious tom. "Macavity tricked you both. I think I know why too. It was to incriminate Zela."

Teazer blinked as Misto's eyes carefully guided hers to her left, making a weepy gold-red queen more obvious as she wept in Tugger's arms. The tiger-striped queen's eyes widened quite a bit. She thought Zela had betrayed them to Macavity. Why was she here when obviously she didn't appear to be some sort of prisoner? Rumpleteazer's gaze shifted sharply to Mistoffelees. "What's wif her?"

"Long story. All will be explained when this" –he displayed a few vials in his paws- "Is given to the tribe. It's the cure. Zela got it."

Her eyes widened, "…Wait, what?"

Tugger, who seemed to have been listening, threw Zela over his shoulder, who was still whining and whimpering. "No time to explain. Let's just get in there before someone dies!"

At those words, Teazer's heart sunk. She carefully walked on the other side of Jerrie and lifted his arm so that it was supported by her shoulder. Her mate leaned his head on her shoulder, now looking more terrible than before. Her poor bloke. Rumpleteazer gingerly glanced up at the two toms before sighing quietly, "'Ey Tugger? Misto? …Oi gotta tell ya somethin'…"

Misto glanced over at Teazer as they entered into the Junkyard. "What is it?" he asked, as if ready to dismiss what she was about to tell them.

"…Somebody's already died …"

~^..^~

There was light coming from outside of the window, but it was all so dull and lifeless… This once carefully guarded cell that belonged to Marceth's love was now the cold, bleak place that he would probably call his home for years to come. No one guarded him. No one needed to. The reality of it all was that Macavity was now defeated with his plan. He was going to need someone to take the blame. And with Marceth's luck, he was going to die for what he was charged with.

It wasn't going to be something he would cover up either with outrageous stories and large lies. No, the tortoiseshell would tell Macavity everything; how he fell in love with his daughter, how he helped all the Jellicles escape, and of course, how he wanted to reunite with Zelaphelia again. Heavyside, it had only been an hour and he already missed her. She was at the Junkyard, somewhere, probably checking on the loved ones he would never have the chance to meet.

Well, if explaining all this to the Hidden Paw meant his death, maybe he could watch Zela move on from above. She would probably end up with that handsome, arrogant tool of a tom, Tugger. If that happened, he better take care of her. He better be there for the kits that she would mother for him… With that thought, Marceth almost wished it was him in that place. If only I hadn't listened to Macavity's voice! Marceth thought, remorse and pain reflecting back in his mind from his decision; I should have went with Zela… I could have taken care of her… I could have been the mate she wanted…

As he thought wistfully of his lost mateship, the door of the cells cracked open, revealing a dark figure, intensely glaring at him. Marceth half figured it was Macavity, but surprisingly, a black tom had stepped into the light instead. Marceth barely stirred. "Ramlowe…"

The black tom only scowled at him. Marceth knew he should feel terrible after finding out that Ramloweram had been part of the battle before the Junkyard prisoners' escape. He was the one who had fought Tugger, then ran off to find Macavity. He also first-handedly witnessed his older brother be murdered by his former friend. "Macavity wants to see you," Ramlowe spat. "Get up."

"I can't really do that with my paws tied, can I?"

"Do it anyway." The only thing detectable in his tone was the solidarity of being unmerciful.

Marceth sighed quietly as he bent himself upward with his paws bound together. He sat down on his knees, feeling the ropes starting to tighten on his skin. That was probably going to lead to a harsh rope burn, but Marceth was expecting a lot worse when Macavity was done with him.

The black tom unlocked his cell and quickly lifted him to his feet, cruelly pushing him forward. Marceth almost fell, had it not been for his strange ability to leap with good timing. He started to hop himself up the stairs, Ramlowe barely there to make sure he didn't fall and crack his head open. Though, Marceth was certain he wouldn't mind seeing that. The Tortoiseshell sighed quietly as they started down the next hallway to Macavity's den. He stopped near the dead end that led to the boss. "… Ramlowe… what happened to Ben couldn't be avoided."

Ramlowe stopped with him, keeping himself as collected as cobra before it struck. A good henchcat would have stayed silent and continued his duty, but Marceth knew Ramlowe very well. He and his brother had been inseparable. Of course he would stop to deal with the murderer of his last family. "…You enjoyed killing him, didn't you?" he growled, "We used to be friends, Marceth!"

"...Things changed, Ram. After we got assigned jobs, you both thought lesser of me."

"That was no reason to kill him!" The black tom hissed, shoving Marceth up against the wall. "You knew what Ben was like He teased. He joked. He was like that! He enjoyed life, and you took that away from him!"

"I did not kill Benthelo because of anything he did in the past!" Marceth hissed back. He didn't need to be intimidated by a younger, vengeful tom. Macavity was going to be a hundred times worse. He sighed, leaning his head back against the wall, "Benthelo did things that I didn't think he would do… he threatened the queen that I love… almost raped her… He could have killed her, given the chance. I couldn't let him torture her anymore, Ram… You say I know what he was like? You're right. He liked fast queens and free drinks… Why do you think Macavity signed him up as an assassin? Ben had a cruelty about him that no one - not even you would understand… and you were closer to him than anyone."

"I lost him, Marceth! I lost him because of you! You took him away from me!" If there was even a trace of tears in his eyes, Marceth only caught a glance, because Ramlowe quickly shoved him to the ground, and had fallen flat on his face. He was kicked violently in the side, causing a discomforted grunt. "Get up…" Ramlowe muttered, "Boss needs to see you…"

"And I intend to see him right now." A dark tone uttered out from a silhouette. There stood Macavity's dark figure, barely visible while he stood in his lighted doorway. His face was shadowed, but it was obvious that he was playing a stoic, snake-like disposition. It did well to send shivers up Marceth's spine. The ginger tom leaned himself over slightly, revealing his bright eyes, now obviously fill for a lust of blood. "Bring him in…"

~^..^~

He left me… How could he have left me… ?

Zela's thoughts were continuous in her head. Marceth's tearful, golden eyes were stirring her soul. Because of this, she couldn't quicken her pace to distribute the cure. It was alright, though. Anyone who wasn't infected was quickly instructed to go into the medical den and have each patient swallow a dose of the cure. After a few short minutes of just sitting there, waiting for something to happen, each sickened Jellicle's fever broke, and all fell into a light sleep.

Everything seemed alright now… But several things quickly caught up to them after the storm passed. One death had occurred the night before they returned. It was their leader, Old Deuteronomy.

Coricopat had explained that he died in his sleep. Poison simply didn't do well on an old tom's heart; especially in his sleep. This event caused the uninfected tribe great grief, and would bring more to the Jellicles that woke up. That wouldn't be until the morning, though. And before that time, Zela was interrogated thoroughly by Alonzo, the twins, and Skimbleshanks.

It wasn't exactly a horrible conversation to have. They didn't make it into a courtroom drama, nor did they accuse her directly of anything. Though Zela knew they had all suspected her of treachery. Mistoffelees influenced their decision to just let her be for the rest of the night, after explaining his time at the warehouse. Yet for some reason, Misto left out the fact that Marceth was the one who helped them. Zela already had a theory for this: the tuxedo tom realized just how right Tugger was. Mating with a henchcat was an unwritten law, which could be used in an accusation of betrayal. The Jellicles really wouldn't have let Marceth into the tribe, nor would they listen to her about everything he had done for them. But now, without him here, she felt more alone than ever…

That feeling started to fade when Victoria had found her and started to explain everything that she missed. She talked about Munkustrap's attempted suicide, their mother contracting the disease, the debate between the surviving Jellicle members about what to do. It was all very unpleasant and shocking. Zelaphelia kept quiet for her half-sister's tale, keeping her mind like paper, waiting to be filled with a detailed picture. She expected nothing less than a horror story, and she had gotten it.

"I feel awful that I got myself captured…" Zela whispered, curled up one of her rugs inside her old den. Nothing in it had changed. "I could have done something…"

"Zela, there was nothing you could have done, and you know it." Victoria wrapped an arm around her sister's shoulder, genuinely smiling. She didn't seem depressed at all. She was glowing in fact. This was either because of her pregnancy hormones or because she had spent most of her night reuniting with Mistoffelees. Zela smiled for the first time that night. At least something of that night was cheerful. Victoria hugged her sister close. "I'm so happy that you're alive… and didn't betray us…"

Zela felt her paws tightened, thinking about how wrong Victoria was. "… Vic… I have to tell you something about what happened while I was captured…"

Vic looked up, slightly raising an eyebrow. "What happened?"

"… Well… let's just say that… in recent parts of my capture… I think I fell in love… and I mated with someone…"

The silence could not have gone on for much longer until it reached a record-breaking point. "Who was it?" Victoria finally asked, sounding as serious as rain.

Zela wasn't sure how to answer that question. Instead she stayed silent, quickly resting her head on her paws. "I can't tell you, Vic…" There were two reasons why she replied that way. One was that she knew Victoria wouldn't keep the truth a secret, and two, she couldn't say Marceth's name out loud without bursting into tears. "Just please, please don't ask me anything else…I don't think I can take it…" Already, her tone sounded broken and quiet. She wouldn't be able to speak much longer if this went on.

The white queen concluded with a deep breath and ended their conversation in peaceful silence. Zela rested her head on her sister's shoulder, now showing the tell-tale signs of how emotionally scarred she really was. In a few short minutes, her venting silence ended. Electra poked her head into her den, smiling at her sisters. "Mum's awake." She said quietly.

The three sisters wasted no time to get to the medical den. By now, three Jellicles had awoken from their slumber, Plato, Jellylorum, and now, Demeter. Walking hastily inside, Zela led her half-sisters to a gold queen, sitting in the second bed to the end of the row. She looked like her normal self, only slightly more confused. Zelaphelia quickly ran up to her mother and hugged her tightly, unable to contain this one joy that she now had in her life. Her mother was alive!

Victoria and Electra had entered in on the hug, the three queens and their mother sharing the time they had now regained together; a moment that ended in peace. It was finally over. The Jellicles had won their battle…

~^..^~

Crunch!

Marceth wailed in pain as he was thrown up against a wall in Macavity's den. This was definitely not one of the boss's more subtle greetings. The tortoiseshell tom cried out in agony, as he held his arm to his chest, feeling it bent in a way that it shouldn't. Macavity only smirked, seeming very pleased with the way Marceth was writhing in pain. There was a cold callousness in each step the ginger tom took, but in the same realm of twisted deviousness, there was a hint of pleasure. He fully indeed on taking revenge against this battered youth. Of course, it wasn't Marceth that he was horribly angry with. He was just a lousy traitor that was only good enough to be senselessly knocked from wall to wall. Macavity yanked Marceth up by the scrap of fur on his neck. "Now, Marceth, what am I to do with you…"

The ginger tom threw Marceth onto the floor again, chuckling sadistically while his victim tried crawling away with only one working paw. Macavity smirked and squatted down next to Marceth, putting his foot on his chest so he wouldn't think about going anywhere. This kind of torture held a good amount of entertainment. "All this time I thought of how loyal you and your parents were to me. But your whole family is only made of devious, pathetic traitors."

Macavity growled quietly as kicked the younger tom hard in the side, his ears perked at the sound of his harrowing yelps. "And I never even figured that you would be the one to defy your master." He sighed again quietly and picked Marceth back up by his pelt, "I had such high hopes for you too… Ah well."

Marceth was still panting hard, but he quickly spat in the Hidden Paw's face, something that he knew would get him killed. "Where's… my.. .mother?" he hissed breathlessly.

In a pause, Macavity wiped the foreign saliva off his face. Instead of slicing at Marceth, like he would do with any regular henchcat, Macavity dropped the young tom back on his floor and casually walked to his bedroom. Marceth groaned aguishly, leaving one eye barely open to see where Macavity was going. "Wynestelle," the ginger tom called, "Your son would like to see you."

Marceth glanced up, wondering what his mother doing with the boss in the first place? Finally, Wynestelle limped out, only exposing her upper body to her son. For once in his life, Marceth could see concern in her eyes directed toward him. "Mum…" he whispered, gripping his broken arm.

The white queen limped quickly over to his side and knelt down in front of him. It was only when her lower half was exposed that Marceth noticed the dry blood that stained the fur on her legs and sides. "What happened to you…?"

Wynestelle shook her head dismissively as she lightly brushed her son's head. "Never mind it…" She whispered hoarsely, "Just do what he says, okay Sweetheart? Your Daddy would want you to save yourself."
"…What… what happened to Dad?"

He heard Macavity snort at them. "How could you not guess, Marcetheus?" he chortled, "I killed him."

Marceth's eyes widened when that piece of news crashed on him. He didn't know his father too well, but he was still his father. How could he be dead? "… You're lying." He told the ginger tom.

Wynestelle flinched at the cackle Macavity gave. "Oh dear boy, I'm sure the body is still somewhere around the Warehouse, if you'd like to find it!"

"Marceth, my boy," his mother said worriedly, "just don't ask about anything else… please…" Wynestelle's eyes were also wide, but it was more out of fear. "Your father angered him. Don't make the same mistake…"

"Now now, Wynestelle," Macavity stepped up to them with a smirk, "No need to fear. I don't intend on killing your boy. I like seeing him suffer. I like seeing him suffer so much, that he will remain a prisoner for the torturers to play with. Won't that be nice? You'll be able to see your boy live; just not in the best of shapes."

The tortoiseshell was now a little more afraid. He saw what those torturers had done to Mungojerrie. He definitely didn't wish the same fate for himself. He was about to request that he be killed somehow, even if it was excruciatingly slow. Maybe he could find a way to kill himself. But immediately after that thought occurred, Marceth second guess himself. Not because he knew it would hurt. But because of the promise he had made to his mate. Zela… he thought longingly. If I must, I'll bear it….

Macavity brow cocked slightly, as if he heard this thought. "Zela?" he murmured, seeming confused, but in a dark, hostile way. The ginger tom stood there a minute before smirking fiendishly. "Oh, Marceth… you cannot be serious… You didn't seriously fall in love with my daughter!"

Marceth only stared at him, his face resembling a deer in the headlights. "…How did you-"

"My dear boy, I can hear every word you utter in your pitiful, one-track mind. I'm sure Mummy dearest here can explain it to you later." Macavity smirked as he moved away from the two of them and sat down in his large, black chair, "But now I finally see how my girl escaped so easily. She had her claws sunk so deep into you that you catered to her every whim… How did I not see what a charmer she could be…?"

Marceth only stared at his boss, feeling his whole body chilled and his pain numbing. He was afraid now of what Macavity was going to do to him. Wynestelle put a paw on his arm, incidentally being the arm that was broken. The tortoiseshell only winced as they both silently waited for Macavity's judgment. What if he used him to get to Zela? What if he killed him right in front of her? The ginger tom glanced up at the both of them, his smirk fading slightly.

"… She did not fall in love with you, boy." He told him quietly. Marceth blinked, but did not respond, since he didn't fully understand. Macavity continued: "She used you to get away. Come now, why would she fall in love with you? So you think just because she slept with you means that she had feelings for you? You stupid little pollicle, the girl needed a way out, and you were her escape… I take pity on you, Marcetheus. You were fooled by an illusion of love." Macavity turned his head to the side and smirked quietly, "She's her father's daughter after all…"

Maybe it was because he didn't want to believe it; maybe it was because he had found a little strength by the anger brewing inside of him, but Marceth only shook his head. "You're wrong, Macavity, Sir." He looked down slightly, still trying to build some courage. "Zelaphelia did love me. I know it. If she were around, you would know it too, but she loves me. And yes, I did help her in every way I could."

Wynestelle's eyes widened, "Marceth-"

"She would have done everything she could to get away from you, but that was only because she was trying to help the cats that she was actually loyal to! Do you know why she kept so close to you all the time? Learned from you? She wanted your secrets! That's how she got the cure for the Jellicles!" Marceth sat up and wobbly stood to his knees. His eyes were now focused on Macavity, who was now just staring at him with intrigue. "You were fooled by your own spawn. You let her defeat you, Macavity! And I bet if you ever found her and dragged her back here, she would do it again! Just like she did the first time!" Yes, Zela had told the story of what her first experience with Macavity was like. It was now a tale he was going to tell to many cats. "Macavity, even if you killed us both right here, right now, it still wouldn't matter. The truth is out there, whether you like it or not. And pretty soon, you're going to be just as washed up as any other criminal! You are defeated Macavity. Surely this last scheme that failed horribly now proves it."

Silence. Not one sound came from Macavity. His face was focused on his paws, which were drumming quietly on the chair's arm. The tension kept building with every tap on the leather.

When the drumming finally stopped, Macavity blankly looked up at the tortoiseshell. "… Go. You will stay here, but you will sleep in a cell and be alienated by the henchcats. You will continue your work as a guard, but will remain silent for the rest of your miserable life. I only pity you, Marceth, for falling in false love. Wynestelle, you will bring him back to his cell, and come straight back here. If you help your son at all, he will die. Now go."

Marceth wasn't sure why, but there was a somberness to the ginger tom's tone. Not the same commanding, cold voice that he had always known. Wynestelle quietly stood her son to his feet and rushed him out before Marceth could ask any questions. His mother's breaths grew heavy as she quickly led him down the hall. She glanced at him and slightly glared, "He could have killed you, Marceth! He probably still will! You should have stayed silent!"

"I couldn't let him get away with it…" Marceth defended quietly.

"Well, if you thought you had the lowest place in the Warehouse, you most certainly do now." Wynestelle still sounded angry, but there were tears running down her cheeks. The masked, irate vixen was gone, and in her place was an emotionally distraught mother; a rarity for the white queen. Marceth didn't say a word until they got back to the doors that led downstairs to the cells. Wyne hugged her son close to him, this time watching his arm. "My boy… I'm sorry that I never told you…"

Marceth blinked as he did his best to pull away from his mother. "Tell me what, Mum?"

Wynestelle stared down at her feet, for once looking ashamed. "… You are a mystic, Marceth. That's why Macavity can hear your thoughts. Apparently, all mystics can communicate with other mystics." She glanced up at him, but Marceth was only staring at her, even more shocked now. She sighed quietly, "I wanted to tell you so badly, my son. But your father and I knew Macavity would use your powers… We tried to disconnect you from yourself emotionally, but with age, magic grows stronger… I know because my mother was a mystic. She told me everything there was about mystics that I should know, if I were to have a kit … These things tend to skip generations, you know…"

Marceth was now totally confused. How did he not know this all of his life? "…Do you know what my powers are?" he asked her quietly.

"You can drain energy, Marceth. If you're emotionally riled enough, someone can fall asleep by being touched by you. If you're around mystics, their powers grow weak in your presence. When you were a kit, Macavity made you cry, and he fell asleep when he gave you back to me… He never knew about it until now… your father and I told him about it a day ago. That's why your father died. Macavity thought we were traitors because we never told him about your magic…."

The tortoiseshell stared at her with wide eyes, lightly touching his broken arm as he felt tears form in his own eyes. It all made sense. How Zela was always so tired around him. How Tugger fell asleep when he pushed him. But there was something else stirring in Marceth: the thought that he could have used his powers against the boss… against everyone… "I can't believe it…"

"I'm sorry, my son! I am!" Wynestelle stared at him desperately, "Please, please forgive me, my child! You're the only family I have left!"

Marceth simply nudged her away and started walking down the stairs. He was slowly trying to adjust to this shock. There were so many shocks today that he didn't even know what to think anymore. He heard his mother start to cry from the top of the stairs, but Marceth ignored it. He simply focused on how he could use this new opportunity to his advantage. He would find a way to fulfill his promise. He would be back with Zela again….

~^..^~

A/N: You know, this might be the shortest amount of time I've updated… It's kind of cool. I'm going to have to do this more often. I'm really glad I got to update once more before I go on vacation. (The first and last this summer) There should be one more chapter left to do then! *is excited* ^_^