A/N: Here we are nearing the end. Such a bittersweet moment for me.

Thanks again to my reviewers for chapter 23:

Deags: Nice to see some feedback from you my friend. :) Yes, the most important thing is that I am aware of most of the laws of reality I haven't fully followed with this fic. We tend to bend the rules just a tad so it's possible for foxes and raccoons to have babies. Speaking of, I still don't think anyone has brought up the fact that the gestation period of a fox is around 53 days, not nine months. We're going to assume that since Rascal is a hybrid, he needed longer to develop though I suppose. But yes thank you for bringing that to my attention. In all other ways, I've tried to keep everything as realistic as I can, but if I slip up again, let me know! You should really upload your next chapter by the way, I'm itching to read it.

cheesyteal'c: Ooh yea those little rodents look innocent, but they can do some damage, haha. Yes one of those secrets will be revealed soon. I actually have never watched Castle, but I'll have to check it out some time. :) I hope you enjoy the next chapter.

cheesebread222: I'm really glad my chapter could make go 'awwww.' Hehe, thank you, I had fun adding in that joke and my little title tie-in, and it's great to know you liked it. Well of course, in all honesty, I never intended to give Tony his own story, it would have never worked out what with Carm having Sly's baby, it would've ended up being a really sad story. And I lost interest in his new story, sad to say. Hopefully I'll be inspired to get back into it someday. And agreed, this would def be the story Carm would prefer! :D

BananaB0mb: Oh yes the title just fits, doesn't it? Makes me happy that it made you laugh. I wanted to give Carm her girl, but I wanted Sly to have a son even more. What, you were expecting me to name him Benjamin? Haha. And yea I wanted to add the chase as a way to just top off the stressful day. A peaceful trouble-free trip to the hospital? No way! Plus I wanted to balance out the sheer amount of fluff that took place right after. Oh good, I was trying to figure out the right name, Devious just doesn't roll off the tongue, hehe but I'm glad you like the name I picked out. :) And I hope you like the other surprises I have in store.

Trick Cooper: It's so awesome to have a fan of this story, and it's wonderful to know you loved it so much. I'm still in shock, thank you. The Dr. M joke just popped into my mind as I was typing and I was like "...yea I think I'll add it." Hehe, good to know you and others liked it. Well then I hope my ending will be just as enjoyable for you!

Freedom Rider 20: Writing goddess? Oh wow thank you, but hardly, there are many other much more talented writers on this site than me. Thanks for reviewing nonetheless. I'm thrilled that you enjoyed all those chapters. I did read the first chapter of Confessions despite being very busy lately, and it was good. :) As is your new one, which I'll finish reading when I have the time to. And if you still want me to review I will gladly do so. I hope you'll continue reading.

Sev Fett of the cuy'val dar 10: Thank you so much! Yep after 3 or 4 months, I'm finally finishing!

Chapter 24 Here in My Arms

Carmelita stepped out of the car and shielded her eyes from the bright rays of sun beating down overhead. She gripped the bouquet of roses in one hand and used her other hand to push away the strands of hair that were blowing across her face due to the wild gusts of wind in the cemetery.

Sly followed right after her. He stepped out of the back seat and then turned to unfasten Rascal from his carseat. The kit stared up at his father and lifted his tiny arms up as he reached out for him, asking, in his own way, to be picked up, and of course Sly gladly did. "C'mere buddy," he crooned as he scooped him up and wrapped the small blanket around him. He lifted him up close to his face and kissed his forehead, causing Rascal's ringed tail to swish happily. "Aah," he squealed with a smile on his tiny muzzle. Sly chuckled and held his son close as he followed Carmelita through the vast open area, in search of a particular grave marker.

She was almost in a daze as she meandered around the headstones that were decorated with flowers of all types and colors. It had been nearly three months since Rascal's birth, and only a week ago had Sly finally told her the grim news about the demise of her vulpine friend, and she was still experiencing a great deal of shock.

She stopped as soon as she recognized it, standing still as a statue as she read the name and epitaph, gradually taking it in and trying to get a grip on the reality of it. It was the first time she had received actual proof of his death. She took a deep breath and placed the roses beneath the headstone. She sighed shakily before smiling. "Hi Tony," she said as she knelt down. "Umm, I know…roses are more something that guys give girls, but I thought they were really beautiful and I hope you like them anyways." She almost felt silly as she spoke; she knew he couldn't talk back, but she told herself that he could hear her somehow; it was the only way she could have closure. "I…I'm sorry, that I haven't come to see you already. The truth is that I didn't know. This whole time…I thought you were still alive. And I just recently found out what happened to you…Tony I wanted to tell you that I'm so sorry." A hard lump formed in her throat as she fought back her tears. She had done more crying the past few months than she'd done in her entire life, and coming to terms with her good friend's death only made it that much harder to contain her emotions, but she ultimately did and swallowed the urge to break down. She stayed strong. "I still can't believe all this happened. This feels like some crazy dream that I'm gonna wake up from soon." She bit her lip and then said in a whisper, "But it's real..." She forced herself to think about happy times with him, and a small smile appeared on her lips when the sweet memories flooded her mind. "You know, I remember your very first day you reported to work as a Constable at Interpol. You…you ran into me in the hallway, held out your hand and said 'Hi Miss, my name's Tony Fox, do you mind telling me where the nearest restroom is?'" She laughed aloud as the funny encounter replayed in her head. "That was one of the very rare moments someone could get me to laugh at work. And it was so crazy how fast we became friends after that. It was great to finally be around a guy and fellow officer who looked at my face instead of my body. I remember all the funny discussions we had about how weird it was that we shared the same last name too. To this day it still makes me smile to think about it. And I don't think I ever told you how important it made me feel to be able to show you the ropes in your rookie days. I felt like we had such a strong bond..."

She paused a moment, not sure what to say next. For a moment she couldn't hear anything but the birds chirping in the sycamore trees nearby and the rustle of leaves in the breeze. She looked up to see two sparrows soaring through the clouds, dipping low and swooping high. "A lot has changed since the last time I…saw you. Uh, I'm married now, for starters. You'll be pleased to know I didn't have a child out of wedlock, and yes, Sly willingly proposed on his own." She heard him snicker behind her before she continued. "I took a trip to Italy. I remember you telling me how you weren't much of a traveler, but Taormina is a beautiful city." She took a long pause before she was able to tell him about her new way of life. "I'm a thief now too. I know that you were suspicious of that when I ran into you at Interpol the day I called it quits. You were right, I quit so I could be with Sly, and be a thief…a 'criminal' as you put it. I…I know it's something that no one could wrap their head around, especially friends who've known me for years like you, but being a thief makes me truly happy Tony. I love Sly and being with him was the only way my life would ever be complete. I have a family, a real family. I've had to go through a lot more than I ever thought I'd have to before, but through it all, I got to have my own little family…" She shook her head. "Listen to me, talking about myself when this is about you." She closed her eyes and her ears flattened as she took yet another drawn out shaky breath.

Her ears then perked to the gentle sound of Rascal squealing behind her. She smiled and looked over her shoulder to see Sly standing at a distance, holding the happy little kit. He put his fist in his mouth and sighed as he looked at his mother.

She couldn't help but grin and turned her attention back to her deceased friend. "Tony…there's someone I want to introduce you to." She stood up and gently took the kit from Sly. She cuddled him and knelt down in the soft grass, facing the granite headstone. "Tony, this is my son, Rascal. And he's absolutely the most wonderful little miracle I could've gotten through all of this. And I just wanted to tell you thank you so, so much." Her voice cracked and she swallowed hard. "Neither one of us would be here right now if you hadn't protected me from that monster. You sacrificed your life to rescue me and my son, and it kills me to know that now I'll never be able to thank you face to face. And I'm gonna be guilty for the rest of my life, knowing I made it out safely, and you didn't…" She craned her neck and looked up at the azure sky that was sprinkled with a couple of snow white clouds. "I really hope you're listening right now, because this is the next best thing, and it's all I can do anymore. You'll never know how much I appreciate what you did. You saved my life, saved my child's life, and because of you, I can finally be happy. And wherever you are up there right now, I just want you to know how much you mean to me for what you did. I'm really sorry that I was such a horrible date and I feel totally awful knowing that our last real conversation was one had in anger and hurt, but you know, I don't consider that the last." She shook her head. "I refuse to. I wanted our last encounter to be a happy one, and I know you did too. So, I'm making up for that now."

Rascal looked down at whatever his mother seemed to be looking at, and then looked back up at her, clinging to her with a yawn.

"You...you'll always be in my heart Tony Fox. You left a handprint there that'll never fade. You're truly my hero and I promise you, I'll never forget you, ever. And, I-I…I…" She couldn't finish. She lowered her head, resting her nose on her son's soft head of fur.

She felt a comforting hand on her shoulder, and she slowly got to her feet. She turned to her husband who wrapped her in a warm embrace. She rested her head in his chest, and they stood there for several long minutes, neither one saying a word.

Sly rubbed her back while all she could do was lean against him. As he held her, he vowed then and there to do whatever he needed to do to help his wife heal from her grief and survivor guilt. He would make it his mission in life to be her shoulder to lean on, literally, and to support and comfort her until she had mended enough to accept it and move on.

She forced herself to contain her sadness, and breathed deeply, resisting the urge to burst into tears, reminding herself that he would've wanted her to be happy, and wouldn't want her to mourn his death. Being the tough fox she was, she suppressed the substantial grief she bared and forced it into the deepest part of her mind to deal with, hopefully, much later in time.

Still, final farewells were never easy, and her troubled face was proof of that.

Rascal squealed again, and Carmelita looked down at the three month old kit that had been wrapped in the loving embrace his parents shared. He stared up at her curiously, cocking his head to one side. He then placed his hands on her collarbone and smiled at her, as if to say 'don't be sad Mommy.'

She beamed and kissed his cheek. It was impossible to feel completely broken up inside when her baby was looking up at her with a smile that melted her heart into a puddle and lit up her entire world. "I love you so much my sweet boy," she told him.

He babbled softly in response.

She giggled and wiped away a lone tear that had somehow escaped her right eye, and then nodded to Sly. He turned and headed back to the car, while she followed. Before it was completely out of view, Carmelita looked back over her shoulder at his grave one last time. "Bye Tony," she whispered.

After leaving the cemetery, they met back up with the others at their brand new Safe House in Le Havre, France, a good two hour trip from Paris. Upon returning to the city of love several weeks prior, they had agreed unanimously that with not one, not two, but three new additions to the Cooper Clan, now with Tabby deciding to join the gang on their future adventures as well, to Murray's extreme delight, they simply couldn't stay in the old Safe House. It was meant for three, and the gang had grown so much since Sly first formed his gang, so they felt that moving would be the most appropriate choice. And with the earnings they'd accumulated from the De Luca heist and from other previous heists, the gang had more than enough to put a down payment on a ritzy upscale house, right near the bank of the Seine River. It was a bit more spacious than an average house, though still not large enough to be called a mansion. But it had plenty of rooms, and was more than enough for seven adults and a baby.

They would return to Paris soon of course, but for now they were just taking an extended vacation and laying low so Sly could spend time with his family.

Murray had been so thrilled to be reunited with the team van. As the members packed up their belongings that were left after Mélange had broken in and partially destroyed the old house, they waited for Murray to add seating to his beloved van, ensuring there would be enough room for everyone when they all set out on the open road to perform jobs together. Once he'd done so, he loaded up with Sly, Bentley, Penelope, Carmelita, and little Rascal in the van, and Dimitri and Tabby followed in their respective vehicles. Once they'd gotten a feel for their new home over those next two months, Dimitri informed them all that he would soon be taking off for Greece, because he desired to get back into his skin diving hobby.

So once the three had returned from visiting Tony's grave that day, they joined him and the others outside as they said their goodbyes to their 'smoove' iguana friend.

"How long will you be gone Dimitri?" Sly asked him.

Dimitri shrugged as he twirled his keys, using the key ring like a hula hoop for his scaly finger. "Dunno. I be needin' to hook back up with my spicy girlies and their sweet yachts. They been blowin' up my phone like madness bro. They say they throwin' all kinds of blingin' parties on the smoove beach sand. Could be weeks, maybe months, but I'll stay in touch man." They exchanged a quick fist-bump. "You won't miss me too bad, you got Foxy and little raccoon dude anyways," he said with a wide grin, his gold tooth gleaming in the rays of afternoon sun.

Sly looked over at Carmelita holding Rascal as Penelope played peek-a-boo with him. He would giggle in glee when she revealed her smiling face, and Sly let out a chuckle at watching him squeal in surprise each time she did. "Yea…we'll still miss ya though."

Dimitri waved a hand at him. "C'mon Cracker-box, enough with the uncool mushies, I ain't gonna miss you, no way no how."

Sly put a hand over his heart and poked his lip out in a false pout. "I'm hurt bro."

Dimitri grinned at him and adjusted the collar on his suit. "Well…maybe I miss you a smidge," he said, squinting and making a small gap with his thumb and forefinger to demonstrate the infinitesimal amount, "but dat's it."

The two friends smiled at each other and then Dimitri lowered his sunglasses over his eyes. He waved to the others and blew Penelope a kiss, which of course she returned with a mere roll of her eyes. "I'll send you guys postcard," he told them as he slid into his car. "Peace out my homies and supa fly ladies. Stay funky!"

They all waved at him as he started his car, even Rascal, though technically Carmelita was helping him wave as she gently gripped his arm, guiding it back and forth. "Say bye-bye," she told him in a bubbly tone.

The stylish iguana held two fingers up, demonstrating the peace sign, and then shut his door and drove away, setting out on his long road trip to Greece.

When they'd all gone back inside, the others fell quiet, noticing the serious expressions on Sly and Carmelita's faces. The other four knew where they'd been, and could only imagine how hurt Carmelita still was from coming to terms with Tony's death.

The baby foxcoon in her arms began to whine, and she looked down at him as he pawed at her shirt. "I'm gonna go feed Rascal and put him down," she said to Sly. She slowly turned and sauntered away, heading upstairs, talking sweetly to the kit as she did.

Sly glanced back at where he'd propped his cane up against the wall. He walked over and picked it up, twirling it around casually. He sighed and looked over at his friends. "I think Carm needs some time alone right now. I'm gonna go out and get a feel for the city. If she asks tell her I'll be back by dinner time?"

They nodded.

He gripped the heirloom and adjusted his blue hat on his head before opening the door and taking off.

Dashing down an obscure alley several blocks away, he bit down on his cane and grabbed onto a rain pipe attached to a tall building. He inched up it, his bushy tail twitching in an almost slithering motion, like a black and gray snake. Once he reached an appropriate high he flipped backwards off the pipe and landed on a neighboring rooftop in a crouch. He leaped over the gaps and scampered along the flat rooftops. He ran across electrical lines with the grace of a circus performer balancing on a tightrope. A few pigeons had gathered on the line but flew off in a flurry as soon as he got close.

Using his cane, he connected it with flagpoles that jutted out from buildings in the city and swung into the air, feeling his stomach take a plunge as he dove in an exhilarating free-fall, landing on an awning and springing himself onto the side of a towering structure that happened to be the Eglise Saint-Joseph Church, one of the tallest buildings in Le Havre. He climbed up the side of the building, feeling the winter wind that rustled his fur grow colder the higher he ascended. When he pulled himself over the edge and was standing on the rooftop, he pivoted and plopped down into a comfortable sitting position on the lip of the building. He hugged his legs to his chest and stared out over the bustling city, taking a deep inhale of the crisp air, becoming lost in thought.

How mind boggling it was for the thief that his life could change so drastically over the course of nine short months. One simple occurrence that took place after a night of passion had transformed his life for the better, forever. And though there were many times when he thought he'd lose it all, it was all behind them now. And all the tension from the inability to be with his true love all those years had dissipated, thanks to their baby boy.

He smiled as he thought about all the thieving his son would do when he was of age. What would he accomplish as he followed in his father's footsteps? Time would tell, but for now, he'd savor his time with Rascal while he was still a baby.

The harsh wind blew all around, causing his teeth to chatter. He looked down and noticed a few inhabitants rushing through the crowded streets with an abundance of shopping bags. Judging by the quality of their clothing and the superfluous jewelry the women sported on their wrists and digits, it appeared that a good number of them had more than a few coins to spare.

A devious look formed in his eyes and he grabbed his cane, preparing to sneak down to the streets and do a little pickpocketing from the wealthier shoppers who were out and about.

Once evening fell in Le Havre, Sly returned to his new home. He scampered up the steps of the column-lined porch to the front door. Pleasant aromas wafting in from the kitchen enveloped the raccoon the moment he stepped inside. He lifted his nose in the air and it wiggled as he inhaled the delicious smells, following the invisible trail past the living room and through the dining room to the doorway of the cozy kitchen.

Carmelita was at the stove, stirring meat sauce in a pot as she hummed a low tune. She bent down to check the bread in the oven before turning her attention back to the sauce and pasta noodles on the burners as well.

Sly leaned against the doorway and silently watched her prepare dinner. What a truly wonderful feeling it was for him to go out exploring the city and then come home to a loving wife, cooking dinner for him. Not many thieves could say they had it as good as he did. Not only was his wife kind and loving, and a great cook, but she was a rare beauty, and she was quite a sight to behold as she worked her culinary magic, her large auburn tail weaving about cheerfully while she tended to the different foods.

She had taken a house and made it a home for him, a safe haven where a thieving raccoon could kick back and relax in the company of the one he loved who loved him. He tiptoed as he did what thieves do best, and snuck up behind her. He felt her jump and heard her gasp as soon as he slipped his arms around her. She looked down and rolled her eyes as she recognized the gray hands resting on her waist. "About time. Welcome back," she said to him.

"It's good to be back," he replied in a subdued voice. "Always nice to come home to my beautiful wife fixing me something to eat. A guy's dream come true."

An amused snort sounded from the vixen and she grinned. "How was your outing? Have a nice run across the rooftops? Do a little sightseeing?"

"Mhm, the city's beautiful, though it's pretty chilly out. The Christmas lights look amazing here, and even though the streets are packed with cars honking their horns in the traffic and the sidewalks are filled with laughing children, as I scaled a wire overhead, I could swear I heard a silver bell ring.

She giggled. "Did you now?"

He tickled her cheek with his nose, prompting her to jump in reflex to the sensation. "Yep, but like I said, it's cold outside and I much prefer to be in here where it's warm and toasty." He buried his face in the fur of her exposed shoulder. "And soft," he breathed. "Plus, I'm starving and all I can think about right now is your cooking."

Her crimson lips quirked into a playful smirk. "Well, I hope you're in the mood for rigatoni."

"That sounds good to me," he said before licking his lips and inhaling all the wonderful smells.

"Good good," she nodded as he tightened his hold on her, his arms encircled around her stomach, which had shrunken a great deal during her first month of motherhood.

"Look at that Carm, you're practically melting away."

"Mm, hardly," she replied in firm disagreement. "I have a long way to go before I'm satisfied with my figure again."

He gave her a warm peck on the cheek and rested his chin on her head. "I think you look beautiful no matter what size you are Carm."

She then thought up a brilliant question. "Even Carmelarga sized?" she asked.

A loving chuckle sounded from the raccoon, and he hugged her tightly. "Yep. You were most certainly the hottest giantess I ever laid eyes on."

She chortled. "Ooh good answer Sly. Very smooth." She gave him a sarcastic applaud before returning to stirring the meat sauce.

He grinned and ran his hands through her thick cobalt hair, beginning to repeatedly kiss her on her head, neck, and shoulder while resting his hands on her arms, and she got distracted from preparing dinner as he did so, falling victim to his affection. She closed her eyes and leaned back against him, letting out a small sigh at the shivering sensations he gave her when he rubbed his hands along her arms. Goose bumps rose up on her skin when he wrapped his tail around her thigh. She laughed and attempted to squirm free though he continued to kiss her. "Ringtail, knock it off, I've got to finish cooking."

He displayed the same cheeky grin and continued to hold her while letting up on his other actions. "You know you're going to have to find a new pet name for me," he informed her.

She looked up at him with a quirked brow. "Oh? And why is that?"

With a chuckle he answered, "Because mon amour, there are two ringtails in the house now, in case you forgot."

It was her turn to grin brightly. "That's true. Of course, he can always be Little Ringtail."

"Mmm…maybe," Sly decided. "But he deserves a cooler nickname than that, in my opinion." He picked up on the fact that other than the bubbling of the sauce on the stove and the light crackle coming from the baby monitor on the counter, it was strangely quiet. "Hey where is everyone?" he asked her.

She grabbed a towel and opened the oven door so she could take the bread out. "Bentley and Penelope went out to the little café down the street so they could spend the evening alone together, and Murray and Tabby went to see a wrestling match. They all said they wouldn't be back 'till later in the evening, so it'll be just the two of us eating in tonight."

He wiggled his eyebrows. "Oh I see. So I guess we have the house all to ourselves then, huh?" He had an impish gleam in his eyes as he spoke.

As if on cue, Rascal's faint crying sounded from the monitor.

Carmelita tensed in Sly's embrace. "Well, not all to ourselves," she replied with a sheepish smile.

Sly was already walking around the corner. "I got him," he called to her. He went upstairs and entered the bedroom he shared with Carmelita, but was confused to enter to silence. His ears flicked, expecting to hear weak cries, but instead, nothing. He ambled up and peeked over the side of the crib. His heart melted as he saw that his son had fallen back asleep. He reached down and placed a hand on him, feeling the warmth of his tiny body and the steady thump of his heartbeat. Not a day went by that it amazed the raccoon that he had helped make a life, and such a beautiful, angelic life at that. He also couldn't believe how much he looked like him. It was like looking into a miniature brown-shaded mirror.

When he returned to the kitchen without the kit, Carmelita gave him a confused look.

"He already fell back asleep by the time I got up there to check on him," Sly explained.

She nodded and spooned out noodles onto a plate. Once she had drizzled the red sauce on top, she handed the plate to Sly. "You get first helping."

He leaned in and gave her a kiss, complete with the audible 'mwah'. "You spoil me," he stated.

"Tis true mi amor," she replied as she collected two wine glasses from the cupboard and set them down on the table. Once both their plates were made, the vixen went back into the kitchen one last time and returned with a corkscrew, a bottle of Merlot, and another drink that made Sly's brow quirk.

He eyed the container as Carmelita worked on removing the cork from the bottle. "Carm?"

Once the cork was free, she poured him a glass and handed it to him. "Hmm?" she asked.

He took the glass and set it down gingerly. "What's with the grape juice? You got a fruit craving or something?"

She gave him a shrug and a sheepish smile while she unscrewed the top on the juice. "Well I thought you'd like to have a little drink, but I can't really join you. Alcohol is still off limits for me until Rascal starts drinking formula. But I can at least pretend, right?"

He rubbed at the back of his neck with an uneasy frown. "I'm really sorry you've had to sacrifice so much babe."

Her brown eyes were warm with bright as she stared back at him. "Aw don't be, it's really not all that bad. I've actually got it pretty good. Normally raccoons leave their mates after the children are born."

He promptly grasped one of her hands. "You know I'd never do that Carmelita, I'm in this for the long haul. You and Rascal are my life now, and thieving comes second."

She chuckled. "Well I'm just relieved that we all made it through all this safely. For a while there, I wondered if he'd make it full term."

The raccoon pressed his lips together in a smirk and crossed his arms. "He's a Cooper, he's always been tough, even before he was born."

She rolled her eyes at his statement, but didn't argue. She raised her glass. "Well then, to family, love, and good health."

"I'll certainly drink to that," he replied, and they clinked their glasses.

As they ate, rain began to pour outside, and the occasional rumble of thunder sounded alongside the raindrops splatting onto the roof.

Sly looked out the window. "Mm, when it rains like this it reminds me of one of our first rendezvous."

She speared a few noodles with her fork. "Oh? Which one? There were so many."

He let out a small snicker. "It was the night I stole the Graff Pink diamond."

She leaned back in her chair and nodded. "Oh yes, I remember that one. It was during my first week as a legitimate Inspector."

"You were quite the spitfire that night," he noted with a playful expression.

She giggled. "It was partially your fault, like always."

"Well now I believe you started it with your little remark. 'Pink is so not your color Raccoon.'"

"And then you said 'Ah but blue is definitely yours Señorita. Have I ever told you how amazing a girl with your shape looks in that Interpol uniform? And just like your little bazooka, your uniform really brings out the color of those stunning eyes of yours.'" She shook her head. "I could practically feel my cheeks burning when I blushed."

They both began laughing at the memory, and at the way they mimicked each other.

"It was a lovely sight," he offered, taking another sip of his wine.

"Mm…I always fell for your flattery," she sighed.

He held a finger up. "Hold up now, that was not flattery, I was being honest. You've always been a knockout and that night was no different, even after it started raining."

She put a hand to her forehead. "Gosh you had me so fired up that night."

He nodded proudly and picked up his piece of bread so he could bite into it. "You chased me all over the rooftops in Paris during the downpour, yelling all kinds of things in Spanish that I'm certain were profane."

She tittered. "And you had the nerve to say that you enjoyed seeing me all wet from the rain, that the drenched look was hot."

"Which earned me a shot from your pistol," he added. "But luckily for me, you had terrible aim, like always, and missed me."

Her eyes narrowed into slits and she lifted her glass up. "Be nice, or I might decorate your winter coat with a little of this lovely purple color."

He laughed and held his hands up. "Ok, you had adequate aim, but you still didn't get me."

She finally nodded after yet again being unable to argue. "You were always an elusive thief."

He flashed a toothy grin. "And still am. And now you're one too."

She speared another forkful of pasta. "I can't wait for the day I actually have a legitimate job during a heist."

Before Sly could respond to her statement, lightning flashed in the dining room window, lighting up the sky in a blinding flash, and a roaring thunderclap crashed. It was such a powerful force of nature that it shook the chandelier over their heads. Their ears twitched to the sound of Rascal beginning to wail loudly from their bedroom. It wasn't an ordinary hungry cry either, and they could both tell.

Carmelita dropped her fork and jumped out of her chair. She rushed upstairs with Sly following right behind her. They dashed into their bedroom and sprinted over to the crib to see Rascal, wide awake and looking increasingly frightened. He sobbed in shallow breaths as he cried and kicked his legs.

"Oh my baby!" Carmelita gasped as she picked him up. "What happened?" She cuddled him to her and rubbed the kit's back.

"Must've been the thunder," Sly noted, glancing outside at the raindrops that pelted the window in splatters.

Carmelita lifted Rascal up and kissed his wet nose. "Did that thunder scare you baby?"

He looked up at her and his tiny lip quivered as he sniffled. Large tears fell from his big brown eyes and rolled down his cheeks.

"Aww hey now, don't you cry sweetie," she said in a gentle voice. "Mommy's here, Mommy's got you. I'm right here, it's ok." To calm the wailing kit, she cradled him and walked around the room, singing him a lullaby in Spanish. She paced the room slowly as she did, leaning down and gazing back at him while delivering the lyrics to his sensitive ears breathily. By the time she had finished the first verse, he had stopped wailing and was only whimpering softly, soothed by her voice.

Sly listened on as his wife sang their child to sleep, and he was taken aback, captivated by the soft and fluid melody she created. Her soprano voice floated into his procyonid ears and sent mild shivers shooting up and down his spine. Even though he couldn't understand a single word of the Spanish lullaby, her singing had him momentarily entranced.

Once Rascal was fast asleep in his mother's arms, she eased him back into the crib, her singing growing softer and softer, until her voice was no more than a whisper. "Dulces sueños mi corazón," she crooned as she caressed his furred cheek.

"That was beautiful Carm," Sly whispered. "I had no idea you could sing like that."

She blushed at the compliment and waved a hand at him. "Oh, what that?" She laughed quietly and shrugged. "Well, I just…that was a song my mom used to sing to me when I couldn't get to sleep at night. I'd never sing in mixed company, but he seemed to like it. Put him straight to sleep." She peered over the side of the crib to see him sleeping peacefully. "Mom told me it's been in our family for generations, kind of like your cane."

He frowned in sympathy. "Carm, you're really missin' your Spanish roots, aren't you?"

She smiled half-heartedly and shrugged. "Maybe a little, and having my parents cut off all contact with me doesn't help the matter."

"They still won't talk to you?"

She shook her head. As she noticed the almost hurt look in his eyes, she smiled. "But it's ok. At this point it's all on them if they ever decide to come around. I've done all I can. And even if they never do, I'll still figure out how to sprinkle our son's life with the Latina culture here and there, whether you like it or not."

He let out a quiet chuckle and took her hands. "I'd love for you to keep your heritage a part of our own family." His ears perked in thought. "In fact, our next baby can have a Spanish name."

Her eyes popped wide. "Wha…next baby?"

He nodded in excitement. "Sure, it can have a Spanish name, and be a fox, and be a girl, just like you. We can start trying again soon so the next one'll be close to Rascal in age."

She held her hands up. "Whoa whoa whoa, hold up, Sly you're not serious are you? You actually want to try to have another baby?"

He continued to nod eagerly. "Mhm. In fact, let's start right now." He scooped her up bridal style, bringing forth a gasp from the astonished vixen, and lightly threw her onto the bed. Before she could protest he leaped into the air and tackled her, pinning her down on the mattress and mashing his lips against hers.

She squealed and giggled as she tried to push him off. It was no use, as he was the tiniest bit stronger than she was. "Sly!" she mumbled against his persistent lips. "Sly, stop it!"

He nipped at her nose and rooted his own nose along her cheek. "Come on Mrs. Cooper, no one in the house but me and you right now. Let's mess around, just a little," he begged in a breathy whisper. His lips began to travel down her neck and chest and she tried to stifle her giggling.

"You're forgetting that your son's over there, and need I remind you that I just got him to go back to sleep?" she asked in a harsh whisper.

He gave her an innocent grin and hugged her body tightly to his. "I'll be very quiet, promise."

Her jaw dropped in incredulity and a laugh of disbelief escaped her lips. "That is such a lie," she hissed. "You always moan so loud…"

He shrugged and a cheeky grin broke out on his gray muzzle. "Well that's because you know how to please a raccoon my sweet."

She grinned and rolled her eyes as he continued to plant gentle kisses on her cheeks and forehead, and he wrapped his legs around hers. He eased his hands up and tried to unbutton her top, but no sooner had his eager hands begun to work at the first button than she swiftly slapped them away. "Regardless," she whispered. "I'm still not really in peak condition for physical activity if you catch my drift."

Realizing she wasn't going to give in, he pressed his lips together and he took a deep exhale through his nostrils. "Alright, fine, I can hold out a little while longer…I guess…"

She smiled and kissed the disappointed coon, letting her lips linger on his for a lengthy moment. "Thank you. It shouldn't be much longer for me to get completely back in shape and have my confidence back, and besides, we should at least wait until we can go off for a weekend alone, have the girls look after Rascal-"

"Wait," Sly cut her off. "What's wrong with the guys watching him?"

Her eyebrows shot up in amusement and she snorted. "The guys? Looking after a three month old baby? Yea, sorry, not happening."

He crossed his arms and quirked a brow. "What? You don't trust my brothers to handle him?"

She pursed her lips and her tail swished in contemplation. "Well…I suppose they could handle it. But this whole talk of more kids…I'm not too sure about that."

He stroked her pointed ears with his thumbs. "I really wish you'd at least think about it sweetie. I've always wanted a big family. Being an only child can be pretty lonely. I know from firsthand experience."

Carmelita leaned against him and stared off in space. "I'm sure being an orphan only made it worse for you," she whispered. She placed a delicate hand on his arm and rubbed the soft fur there, thinking about how broken up it must've made him as a child, to not have a family at all.

He looked away and shrugged, not really wanting to get into it right then.

She put a hand to his face and stared into his eyes that were misted with sadness. "I think it's wonderful you want to have a close family. And it would be wonderful to have more kids too. But I need a little more time to…recover from the miracle of giving birth."

"Of course," he said with a barely audible chuckle. "Sorry, I should be more considerate of you and what you have to go through during a process like that."

She smirked. "Oh it'd be ever so nice if you would be honey bun," her voice chimed saccharinely as she walked two of her fingers up his chest and winked at him.

He smirked right back at her, his nose scrunched. "Is that sarcasm I hear in your tone, Mrs. Cooper?"

She was about to reply, when they heard the front door opening. They both tiptoed out of the room and Carmelita eased the door closed behind her as she followed Sly downstairs. The couple entered the front room to hear Penelope and Bentley discussing the theory of general relativity, one of their favorite topics of conversation.

"I'm still doubtful that executing the continuous activation of a time loophole would be possible. There are many arguments regarding semiclassical gravity that suggest that when quantum effects are incorporated into general relativity studies, the loopholes will close abruptly. Even if we could actually activate one, maintaining access is unlikely," Bentley stated.

"I hear ya," uttered the mouse while she removed her coat. "And now that we no longer have the talisman as a power source, it pushes back development that much further." Her lavender ears drooped in dismay.

Bentley grasped her hand. "We'll figure it out, sweetheart. We always do."

She beamed and leaned in for a quick kiss that ended up being a little quicker than she'd intended.

Sly growled playfully behind them, causing the geeky lovers to jump and hold each other at a distance, blushing furiously.

Bentley huffed in irritation. "You know Sly, just because you're a thief doesn't mean you always have to go and sneak up on us all the time like that."

Sly grinned at him and crossed his arms. "I know I don't have to, but I still want to, it's so fun seeing your reaction."

Bentley cleared his throat. "Yea well, it's not as much fun for us."

Sly's head tilted to one side. There seemed to be something troubling the turtle and Sly could pick up on it. They had practically known each other their entire lives, and when something was up, his lifelong friend could always tell.

Penelope seemed oblivious to the subtle unease her boyfriend displayed, or perhaps she was ignoring it. "Where's the baby?" she asked.

"We just put him back down," Carmelita answered. "The thunder was awful during the storm and it woke him up."

Penelope's gaze rose up to the balcony that overlooked the front foyer, in the direction of Sly and Carmelita's bedroom. "Poor thing," she sighed. "Hope it didn't scare him too much. It breaks my heart to hear him cry."

Sly grabbed Carmelita in one of his warm holds. "Well luckily, Carm has an incredible singing voice, and she sang him a lullaby. It put him right back to sleep."

The thin mouse clamped her hands on her hips. "I didn't know you could sing, Carmelita."

The embarrassed fox rolled her eyes. "I can't, Sly's just kissing up to me, for whatever reason, I'm not sure." Her voice lowered as she looked back up at him. "But if it's in attempt to get some, he'll be sorely disappointed since his attempt is futile."

He gave her a mock glare and squeezed her sides, causing her to jump and squeak.

Penelope giggled. "Well I'd love to hear you sing for us some time."

Carmelita smiled and pried the raccoon's hands off her waist. "Well, maybe later, right now I have to go clean the kitchen though. We barely finished eating dinner before the thunder woke him up." She turned and walked to the table to collect the dishes and empty wine glasses.

Penelope began to follow her. "Would ya like some help?"

"That'd be great chica," Carmelita replied warmly, looking over her shoulder. "How was your night?"

The two girls began to discuss Penelope and Bentley's date as they cleared the table and headed into the kitchen.

When they were out of earshot, Sly looked down at his friend. "Hey pal, you look like something's bothering you. What's up?"

Bentley cracked his knuckles anxiously while he stared down at his lap. "Yea I…I need to discuss something with you…"

Sly's brow furrowed in concern. "Sure Bent, let's talk outside," he said, gesturing with his head to the sliding glass door. He walked over to it with his turtle friend wheeling along beside him. Once they were both outside, Sly pulled a patio chair over and sat down in it as he faced the nervous reptile. "So what's going on pal?" Sly asked. "Is something wrong?"

Bentley finally looked up at him. "I've been doing a lot of thinking lately."

His eyebrows raised in an amused fashion. "Well that's a shocker."

Bentley laughed, but it came out sounding strained. He cleared his throat and looked up at the dark sky. "I've been thinking…about...Penelope…"

"Oh?"

The turtle nodded. "Yea…" He reached into a compartment on his chair and pulled something out.

Sly's eyes widened when he caught sight of the small black box in the turtle's hands.

Bentley fiddled with it for a moment before opening it to reveal a small diamond ring. He looked up at his raccoon friend with a serious expression. "Sly, I think it's about time I asked her."

Well, one more chapter and then the epilogue! Which I have big plans for.