Author note: I own nothing except Kaycee, Daniel, Jeff, Andrew, Xandra, and Vecter. Sorry about the wait! Writer's block! Enjoy! XD XD XD XD

*Something Beyond Friendship*

-Night-Continued

Kaycee was now giving them a tour of her shop. Using the entrance for smaller animals, they walked into an 80s styled music shop. Neon sighns glowed names of bands and popular icons. A costume studio rest to the right with a red fox trying on some 80s garb. A mink was taking her measurements while a bat went to get some of the clothes for her to try on.

While passing by Marlene saw something that caught her eye. In a case rested over a dozen items of jewelery, all handmade. They all looked a lot like the necklace she was wearing at the moment. Her paw groped for the necklace around her necklace.

"Kaycee?" the sugar glider stopped babbling about some customer who she had to kick out for...some reason that Marlene missed, and turned to look at Marlene.

"Yeah Marlene."

"Where did you get these necklaces? They look so pretty." Marlene pointed toward the display filled with jewelery.

Kaycee now looked a bit proud, "Actually, I made those by hand."

"Really? That's so cool!" Marlene fidgeted abit before untying the necklace around her neck and held it out for Kaycee to see. Kaycee eyes went wide when she saw it.

"Do you recognise this?"

Kaycee looked shocked. " Yes...I made this necklace...I lost this weeks ago..." she looked up, looking her in the eyes, "...Where did you find this?"

"I-I...I found it in my habitat this morning...just before we came here..." Marlene put the necklace into Kaycee's paws. "Here. Its yours. Take it."

"No...you found it...take it..." Kaycee said placing the in Marlene's paws. Marlene stopped her.

"No...you made it...keep it...it wouldn't feel right for me to take it."

"Okay then...well at least let me give you a make-over." Kaycee grinned at this. Let the match-making begin.

"Oh, no you don't have to do that." Marlene said, getting a little embarressed.

"No! I insist! I do owe you after you returned the engagement amulet I made." She said pulling Marlene into the boutique.

"Engagment amulet?" Skipper asked to the guys and Xandra once Marlene and Kaycee had left.

"Yeah, Kaycee makes them. They're like engagment rings. She made them since not all animals can wear rings." Jeff said.

"Intresting..." Skipper said thinking the concept over in his head. He hadn't thought about marrige since the Lola incident.

"Oh so you are thinking about popping the question, no." Andrew asked suddenly beside him. Skipper flushed.

"W-what? No you've got it all wrong! Me and Marlene are just friends. Friends" he said friends sadly as if he wanted them to be more.

"Listen mate. You are not the best liar and its obvious that you like the little sheila. She is quite the catch if i do say so myself." Skipper growled at his remark and Jeff held his hands up in defense, "Easy there mate. I'm an honorable bloke, so are Andrew, and Daniel. And Kaycee doesn't swing that way, she's just picky."

"What's her story anyway?"

"Gal's a former gangsta. She was transfered here before she reformed so everyone's afraid of her. Well except us. Also, if you know her you can tell if she like's a guy because she likes to annoy them and embarress them. She's one tough cookie though. She took down an orca, a great white-shark, and an octupus all at the same time. She also made all this possible. She has a bunch of unrelated talents and dreams of starting up an underground in New York." Daniel said in one breath.

Skipper smirked, "You seem to know alot about Kaycee, Daniel."

"Oi, Danny-boy here had a crush on Kaycee for the longest , mate." Jeff said slapping Daniel on the back. Daniel flushed.

"Oui, he did. The boy was off the deep end." Andrew agreed.

"Yeah, but in the end she gave him a good walloping. Cliped some feathers too didn't she?" Jeff laughed at the memory.

Slam!

Jeff's head suddenly came in contact with a familiar lead pipe.

"Owww..." Jeff whinned rubbiing that would be a bump on his head later.

"Now if the lot of you are done gossiping may I introduce you all to...Marlene" Kaycee gestured toward a small cat-walk giving Marlene her que. When she didn't come out Kaycee got ticked. "Don't be shy. You look hot!" her expression turned to a sly one, she grinned mischeivously, "I'm sure Skipper here would like to see you."

Skipper flushed the color of a tomato.

"...fine. But if anybody laughs I swear I'll go feral on you." Marlene sighed before leaving the safety of the curtain. Skipper's lower beak dropped. Marlene looked...lovely.

She was wearing a light pink (not barbie pink bleh!) flowing dress that had an emerald green sash tied around her waist. On her head was a wig that matched her fur color. It flowed an inch passed her shoulders and had the front part tied back with a sparkley pink ribbon. There were emerald feather hair-extensions on the left side of her hair as well. She hadn't turned his head so much since he, and everyone else, thought she was Arlene. He was still giving the lot of them a hard about that.

"Well? How do I look? Skipper?" Marlene asked shyly.

"Marlene you look lovely." Skipper said.

"Thanks for the compliment Skipper!" she tackled him into a hug.

Skipper was shocked but returned the hug. "No problem you always look lovely Marlene."

Marlene's eyes shot wide open and watered a bit, "Do you mean that?"

"Of c-"

"Totally, you're smoking hot!" A new voice said, slyly. It caused a shiver to go down Marlene's spine. The creep sounded perverted.

They turned to see a liger. Yes a liger, no typo. While he was handsome, you could feel the creepyness radiating from him.

"Vecter! Get out of my store! You and your goons aren't welcome here!" Kaycee yelled, standing up to the gigantic liger as though he were an ant and not a 467lb carnivorous feline and she wasn't roughly the same size as Mort.

"What's wrong Kace? Jealous?" Vecter replied smugly.

Kaycee jumped on his nose poking him in between his. "Don't! Ever! Call! Me! That! Again! Now! Get! Out!"

Vecter gave an annoyed sighed, "Fine we'll leave," he smirked, "but not without her." he pointed at Marlene. Skipper pushed her behind him, and she glared at him, her claws showing themselves.

'Crap! Marlene's about to feral! This cannot be happening.' Skipper thought to himself trying to figure out how he could stop Marlene from ripping this guy to shredds.

"Oi, leave ya yappity bloke. You're not wanted here!" Jeff yelled getting in front of us.

"Oui, you're advances would make any mademoiselle head for the toilets, vomitting." Andrew joined him.

"He's right, Vecter. Just 'cuz you're a hybreed doesn't mean anything. So y'all better leave. I'm sure y'all remember the last Kaycee here kicked you out." Daniel replied smuggly standing with Jeff and Andrew, Xandra hiding behing him, clutching his leg.

"And I said that I'ld leave, but not without her." His eyes looked lustfully at her.

"Look, I don't know who you are but you better leave Marlene alone!" Skipper growled, protecting Marlene.

He looked past Skipper at Marlene. "So your name's Marlene. Well what do you say abuot ditching that flightless bird for a rare and handsome hybreed." He flashed her a charismatic grin.

"No she's not going with you, because she's my girlfriend!" Skipper yelled in the heat of the moment.

"Really? Then That makes her more desirable. I'll be back", Vecter roared. He left in storm, his followers close behind.

There was an un comfertable silence as what Skipper had just said clicked in everyone's heads.

With sly grins on their faces Daniel, Jeff, Andrew, and Kaycee left the two alone, dragging a confused Xandra with them.

Skipper turned to look at Marlene and laughed nerviously.

Bum-bum-bum! R&R!