Keep in mind, this is an AU of the main stuff, and in no way affects it. Nothing from the Main Storyline will make an appearance here, other than some characters.

I will be uploading two chapters per week [Tuesday/Thursday], since the chapters are so short.

Thank you for clicking this story, and I hope you enjoy! Please leave a review!


Part Eight – Crybaby Blues

Beary yawned and stretched as he woke from his nightly rest. He sniffed the air a bit, expecting to find Jewel beside him, but to his surprise, he opened his eyes and found that he was curled up next to a sleeping Henry. Startled a bit, he sat up, confused. How'd he get up to the front of the bus with him? Maybe he was sleepwalking. Henry wasn't even on a bench, but was laying on the floor, just like Fred and Jewel were in the back of the bus with Zeb nestled in beside the large bear.

Beary slowly pulled away from the older bear and stood up. He had to go to the bathroom. Maybe get changed, too. He looked over at the rest stop building, and tiptoed over to grab his backpack. He pulled out a fresh shirt and pair of shorts, and walked to the front of the bus, where the door was already open because Roadie was out walking his chicken.

Jewel noticed him leaving and got up to follow him, grabbing her own fresh clothes out of her backpack. She was careful not to wake anyone else, and wondered when they would wake. She could hear Zeb snoring loudly on the other side of Fred, and silently laughed at the picture. As quick as she could, she ventured out into the cool morning breeze.

"Hi, Roadie!" she called when she was a good distance from the bus.

"Morning, Jewel," the hippie responded with a smile, and continued to walk his chicken on the leash. "Beary went inside already!"

"Thanks!" Jewel hurried on inside, following her nose for Beary's scent. Realizing that he'd gone into the large family bathroom, she grinned and yanked open the door he forgot to lock. The shriek she received caused her to double over in laughter as he hurriedly turned around, covering himself.

"JEWEL!"

"What? Oh, come on, you walking around naked is no different than Henry without pants. Why are you so whiny about it? Just get changed!" She grinned and began to pull of her shirt. "Unlike humans, we don't have to hide our bodies under clothes. You and me choose to. I chose to cover myself like you do because you dress like a human and I didn't want you to feel left out. Actually, I look pretty good all dressed up like this anyway."

"But what about the toilet?!"

Jewel rolled her eyes and pointed to the other toilet on the other side of a small wall. "There's on right there for me to use. It's no different than using a public one, Beary."

His ears flattened, and he turned his head away from her, his face turning hot with embarrassment. "Jewel..."

"Beary, I won't look at you if you don't look at me, okay? I'm sorry for barging in on you, but you did forget to lock the door, as you tend to. I didn't want to go into the women's restrooms alone, okay? Not at a rest stop. It's one reason why Mama won't take me with her anymore." Her ears lowered, and she sighed softly.

Beary frowned, listening. "What happened?"

"Some people were talking weird to me. They wanted to touch my fur, because they didn't think it was real. They wouldn't leave me alone, even when I was on the toilet. They had little cameras under the stalls. I'd never seen Mama so angry before... She broke their cameras and chased them away."

Beary finished pulling on his clothes and went over to her. She hadn't even finished putting on her shirt, and just stood there, staring at the wall. "Jewel... Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"Why should I have? It was before I even met you, but I still remember it. It was... Mama let me go with her another time, but she always accompanied me to the restrooms if they were multiple stalls. As I got older, people kept coming closer, and one grabbed me and tried to take me away. Finally, Mama said that I shouldn't go with her anymore, so I stopped." She sighed. "Being the daughter of a well-known musician isn't all it's cracked up to be, ya know. Once I started living with Aunt Tasha and Uncle James permanently, the, uh, paparazzi seemed to go away."

She shook her head and bent over to grab her new shirt, which had fallen to the floor, and pulled it over her head.

Beary frowned. "Tell you what: I'll wait over here with my ears plugged and eyes closed while you go to the bathroom, since I already went before you came in, okay? I won't leave you alone."

Jewel turned around and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "Thank you." She kissed his cheek and disappeared behind the wall. Beary took the quick opportunity to pull on a fresh green shirt and gray shorts. He covered his ears and closed his eyes until Jewel had come over and gently tapped his nose, letting him open his eyes in time to see her lick his nose. "Gah! That tickles!"

Jewel laughed and washed her paws and went to stand by the door, drying them, while he washed and did the same. Gathering up their old clothes, they left out of the door to where Roadie was and set their clothes down in the grass, feeling the sun on their fur.

One by one, the bears on the bus finally came off the bus and went inside to use the bathroom. By the time they came back out, Jewel had tackled Beary to the ground and they were romping in the grass, laughing and playfully growling at each other.

Henry cocked his head to the side, amused to see them like this. Fred laughed and scratched his belly, thinking back to when they were all younger and would get into wrestling matches. Zeb, however, groaned. Hangovers sucked. "Those two romping around remind me of this chick and I in bed one night. Boy, that was such fun. Panda, too. Silver panda. A real beauty. Mmm. Quite the wild animal in bed."

Henry and Fred looked at the auburn bear in shock. "You had a one-night stand?" Fred asked, surprised.

"Yeah, well, whatever. We happened to meet one day in a bar down in Nashville, shortly after I ran into Tennessee. Actually, he was with me when I met that pretty little thang with her perfect curves and beautiful voice. I ditched him and found a motel with her."

Henry groaned. "Zeb, you were raised better than that. Tell me you at least know her name!"

"Uh, Mang... No, Méngméng. Yeah, that's it. Hell if I remember her last name, though, even though... well, never you mind that. She was a Chinese-American, just like I'm a Scottish-American. Heh. Her cute little bu-"

"Enough!" Henry roared, glancing back at the two cubs who were staring at Zeb in confusion and curiosity. "There are children here, Zoober! It's not like it was with the band, where you could just talk about such things! Especially that!"

Zeb had the decency to at least look bashful and embarrassed. "Sorry, Henry. I guess I kinda forgot they was even here. Anyway, we dated for a couple months before she started getting moody and demanding. She got mad at me for being in bars all the time. I did okay for a while, though. Didn't go to any bars, but then her moodiness set in, and I didn't like it, so I'd go drown it out, ya know? We actually did get married, and things were good for a while, and I'd play with our son, but my trips to the bar became more frequent, and then she just... left. I just kinda, well, now I know how Tennessee felt when Trix left, but I'm not as psycho as him. Anyway, that was about eight or so years ago. Kinda wish it had just been a one-night stand, but at the same time, I miss her, ya know? Her and my boy. Wish I had been a better mate and father."

"What's a one-night stand?" Jewel asked.

"Silly, it's a single night stand! Zeb's saying he went with some lady to get a night stand!" Beary responded brightly, causing the adults to breath sighs of relief while shooting Zeb dark looks.

Henry shook his head and looked at the fiddler, in a hurry to change the subject. "Now then, you said you saw Tennessee a few years ago? Where?"

"Nashville," Zeb responded.

"How's he doin'?"

"He's still the same heartbroke, mixed-up, psycho, basket-case crybaby."

"What's he up to?"

"He's a marriage counselor."

Henry's eyes widened in disbelief.

.~*~.

Inside a cozy office sat a married human couple. They were next to each other on the couch, separated by a box of tissues.

"And sometimes I'd appreciate it if he'd do the dishes. He just sits there and expects me to take care of it. But I'm tired. I've been with the baby all day!" the female wailed.

"And you?" the thick, cinnamon colored black bear with wavy hair asked, looking over at her husband. On his desk was a name plaque that read "Tennessee O'Neal" and had his credentials. Along his back wall were all his certificates. Also on his desk was a picture of his lost love. He had traded in his old leather vest for a too-tacky-to-describe cardigan.

"I work all day," the husband complained. "I come home and want to relax. Is that really too much to ask? I mean, what do you think?"

"What do I think?" Tennessee questioned, paws folded in front of him as the couple stared at him for an answer. "I think you two are so gosh dang lucky to have each other. You may fight about the dishes, but at the end of the day, at least..." The pool of tears began falling from his big brown eyes. "At least you're gonna be together! At least your life isn't hollow and empty and filled with despair and longing! Oh, my, the longing for the only one in the world that can make ya happy. You have each other. At least you haven't thrown that away! I was a Country Bear and I even threw that away. Why don'tcha hang me upside down and hit me with a stick till the candy comes out?!"

Tennessee buried his head in his arms and cried like a baby. Tears soaked the swirl of highlighted hair that hung over his eyes. When he couldn't control the sobs any longer, he swiveled his chair away from his clients so they wouldn't have to see such pain.

The husband and wife glanced at each other.

"I feel better," she said.

"Yeah," her husband agreed. Together, they walked out the door, never to return again. In his own unconventional way, Tennessee O'Neal was a very successful therapist.

"Oh, Trixie..." he bawled, sounding once again like a big baby. He missed her so much… They had been together for so long. Okay, it was only three years, but to him, that was a lifetime.

There was a knock at the door.

"Ah, come in..." he softly called, his voice tinged with sadness as he tried to stop the flow of tears.

The door clicked open.

Slowly, he turned around and his jaw dropped as his eyes widened in disbelief. Standing in front of him were three bears he thought he would never see again: Fred, Henry, and Zeb. There were two cubs with them, but he didn't really pay attention to them.

"Don't tell me you're gettin' the band back together!"

Henry grinned and looked at the others with him before looking back at the marriage counselor. "Tennessee, we're getting the band back together."

The sweater-clad brown bear didn't say anything for several minutes and just stared at the assembled group in front of him, his eyes bubbling over with tears. There was an awkward silence in the air.

Beary looked at the other adults and frowned. "Uh..."

Jewel, however, was bustling with nervousness as she looked at the bear she hoped might be her father. Was it really him? Why was he such a crybaby? It wasn't how she had thought him to be at all! She thought he'd be a macho bear, not some wimp! Disappointment began to fill her as she sighed.

Beary glanced over at her and took her paw in his own, squeezing.

Tennessee frowned, trying to think of what to say. "When did you... Where..."

Zeb chuckled. "Lost for words, Ten?"

The former thang player glared at him. "Don't you have some honey to drink?"

The auburn bear growled at him.

"Let's not start," Henry suggested, clearly annoyed.

Tennessee rested his elbow on his desk and placed his head against his paw, wiping his eyes really quick. "Seriously, what are you guys doin' here?"

Fred blinked. "Uh, Gettin' the band back together."

The marriage counselor blinked and frowned. "Uh-huh." He didn't believe them at all. Mainly because of the improbability of it all. The Bears? Back together? As if.

"It's true, Mr. O'Neal," Beary said, taking a small step forward. "We're getting the band back together. So, if you would please come with us, we can be a band again!"

Tennessee looked at the cub and his eyes widened slightly. Standing before him was a male Helen Taylor. 'No, wait... This cub had hazel eyes, not forest green.' The cub's eyes were wide and full of childish curiosity; they sparkled with innocence and wonder. His face, framed by light brown fur, was almost pure white with only a few hints of light brown. He wore a light gray jacket, green t-shirt, and gray cargo shorts.

He glanced at Henry and couldn't help but smile slightly. 'So this is the cub Helen was pregnant with ten years ago. Well, he certainly has her looks, but has Henry's eyes. Good for you, Hen. You did have a third cub. And from the way he talks, I'd say you did a damn good job raising him.' His eyes narrowed slightly when he saw the sorrowful look in the elder bear's eyes. Something was off. Where was Helen?

Henry looked away and glanced at the cub, who had since moved to the front of the desk and was now looking at the wall behind the brown bear with semi-wide eyes, Jewel moving up to stand next to her friend.

Tennessee stared at the golden cub for a moment, shocked. Green eyes, golden fur, and beauty. It couldn't be, could it? If she was Trixie's daughter, then he wasn't the father. Couldn't be. One night together would not have ended in pregnancy, right? Trixie would have written to him about her!

The counselor turned his head and looked at the wall behind him, studying the four certificates of achievement and diplomas that stated that he was legally certified to practice counseling. He glanced back at the cub and grinned slightly at the look of awe on the young bears' face. "So, kids, What's your names?" he asked.

The cubs jumped slightly and looked at him in surprise. "Uh, B-Beary," he answered, suddenly looking nervous.

Tennessee frowned slightly and he glanced at Henry, who was now avoiding his gaze. 'Beary? What kind of name is that for a bear?' he wondered. 'That's just stupid.'

"Jewel St. Claire," Jewel responded with a grin. "Trixie's my mother."

Tennessee started bawling again, causing Jewel to back away with her ears flat.

Henry sighed. "Fred, Zeb, could you take them outside for a bit?"

Fred's stomach growled just then, causing almost everyone to chuckle. Everyone, that is, but the crybaby.

"I'm hungry," the dark brown bear stated as his stomach growled again, only this time, it was joined by both cubs.

Beary immediately looked embarrassed and shuffled his feet as he stared at the floor. "Sorry," he mumbled.

Henry put a paw on his shoulder and chuckled. "I think we're all hungry, kiddo." He looked at Tennessee. "Well, this is your neck of the woods. Where's the best place to eat lunch?" He hoped that maybe that would stop Tennessee from crying so much.

"Well..." The brown bear checked his clock and sniffled, wiping his nose on a bear-sized tissue and dabbed his eyes. "It is my lunch break. We'll have to continue our "talk" over some of the best darn food on this side of the state of Tennessee at ol' Swinburne's diner."

Beary and Jewel's grins couldn't have gotten any bigger.