Chapter Twenty: End Of War, New Beginning.

Diana walked over, and patted him on the shoulder. "I'm proud of you, Tom."

"What! What is this?" Ares bellowed with confusion. "What is happening right now?"

"They are everything you say, bad, selfish, and capable of great horrors." said Tom, turning to meet Diana's gaze.

She smiled, and they faced Ares with more confidences. "But they are so much more."

"Lies!" Ares cried out, bringing several blades up, soaring at the two with all his might. The swords exploded into sparks, and fell, not even hitting them. Diana and Tom absorbed the power, sending it back at Ares's face. "They do not deserve your protection!" Blocking them, Ares pulled bolts of lightning from the sky, absorbing the power. He drew it back and sent it at them, the lights glowing brightly as it headed their way.

"It's not about Deserve," started Tom, creating an x with his arms.

"It's about what you believe." Diana captured the lightning in her cuffs.

Beside her, Tom felt the power flow through him, making his fur stand on end, while jolts leaped from whisker to whisker. Tom and Diana kept walking toward Ares, who pulled down more power, lightening from the sky. He shot it at the pair, who skidded back from the powerful hit. They put their arms up, and felt the volts fly about them, making their hair and fur stand on end.

Lighting came their way, Tom closing his eyes and preparing to be blown to bits. Yet, not harm came to him or Diana. Tom ran and jumped, hovering in the air, watching the bright light do no harm to his body. Ares seemed worried by the way the volts danced about, leaving the pair unharmed. They shared a small smirk, and in unison put their arms out, letting the lightning jot around before sending it forward. It hit Ares, and he was slowly torn to bits, the metal melting away while his body was burnt up. The great strike caused an explosion of light to go off. The God of War was no more, as he vanished from the world, forever. The light slowly dimmed and the dark of night came to an end, as the sun rose over the horizon.

Diana and Tom stayed in the air, and watched the sun come up, landing back on solid ground. Black ash fell from the sky, and Tom knew it was finished, over at long last. Their mission had been complete, their quest was at an end. Tom gazed around at the aftermath, seeing everything pretty much leveled off from the intense battle between the gods. Among the rubble, Chief, Sameer, and Charlie clambered out from under a pile of tin. They were happy to be alive, Charlie, and Sameer patted each other, and glanced over to Chief, who stood next to a German. The Germans removed their mask, seeing they'd survived the battle the night before. Chief turned to the German, who held a warm gin. The pair stood, and took in a breath, glad to see the light of day.

Tom saw the men hug, enemies, and allies, men of different race, age, displaying the simples act of affection for toward one another. Deep down, they were all the same, were all human. Standing their, Tom reached over and took Diana's hand in his paw, smiling up at her.

"We did it, Tom."

"We sure did." Diana hugged Tom, feeling him embrace back.

The battle field transformed in the streets of London a paper red, where all came together to rejoice. On the front page of every news paper read; WAR OVER. It was written bold letters, letting everyone, everywhere know, the time of fear, hate, bloodshed, was over. Flags waved as crowds of people celebrated the joyous occasion. Among the crowd Etta, Chief, Sameer, and Charlie, who dressed in their best, congratulating Tom and Diana.

Diana pulled away from Tom, smiling warmly at him. "Oh, Tom, we won. Wont, you...Take a look at us..." With a glimmer in his eye, Tom continued for her, in song of course.

(Take a Look At Us Now (Finally) from Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile)

Tom, Diana (Crowd):
"-Now!
Take a look at us now,
Take a look at us now,
Oh, ooh,
Oh, yeah-yeah,
When that perfect plan's going off the rails,
A heap of trouble is on our tales,
It's time to polish up those scales and give it all we've got,
'Cause in the center of the spotlight we just might've found our spot,

Give us a spot light and a crowd,
Take a look at us now, (Take a look at us now!)
Ready to sing our song out loud,
Take a look at us now, (Take a look at us now!)
The big shebang, our plan debut,
Now we've got the hang of a me plus you,
Seems that we just might come through somehow,
Buddy you were all it took,"

Diana:
"Buddy you were all it took,"

Tom:
"Buddy you were all it took,
Take a look at us now, (Take a look at us now)
Take a look at us now, (Take a look at us now)
Take a look at us now, (Take a look at us now)
Take a look at us now, (Take a look at us now)
Take a look at us now, (Take a look at us now)
Take a look at us now, (Take a look at us now)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, (Take a look at us now, take a look at us now)"
All:
"Take a look at us now!"

While the day was a jubilee, the sight of those lost, pulled Tom back to the grime truth about war. Walking past the happy people, Tom and Diana stood in front of the large monument. Tom looked at the nameless men, and women who gave their lives for the war, and saw familiar looking pilot in one. "Diana," He tugged her arm, pointing to one photo. Getting closer, Tom saw it was Steve, leaning against his plane with a grin across his face, a boy excited to fight for the cause. Seeing how happy he looked made Diana smile sadly, recalling the look of her lost love. Staring closely, Tom spotted Jerry sitting on Steve's shoulder, beaming with pride. Tom could almost imagine the two, moving, and smiling in the still shot.

The group left and walked a few feet away, giving the pair some space. Tom placed a paw on the picture, and sighed heavily, knowing it was time to move on. But how could he? Knowing that Jerry was gone. The mouse he'd planed a life with, along with Steve. He was lost in thought, when he felt something tugging at his coat. Tom opened his eyes, turning his attention to the person.

"Say are you, Thomas Jasper Cat?" Asked the voice of a small child, who stood not by Tom, but below. Tom glanced down and saw a kid mouse, who reminded him an awful lot like Jerry, only his fur was gray, not brown. The kid held a tiny suitcase, and pulled a paper from his pocket. "I was staying with Steve's family until my Uncle Jerry returned from the war. In the event he didn't, I was to be placed in your care through a telegram that arrived days before his passing. Are you the Wonder Cat in question?"

Tom felt his eyes grow moist. "Yeah, I'm Thomas, though you can call me Tom if you'd like. How is it you can talk while Jerry couldn't?"

"Oh, my Uncle could talk, he just chose not too."

"Why that little son of a-"

"Tom!" Diana nudged Tom, seeing the little mouse was still a child. "Language."

"Sorry, what I mean is, I'm not surprised. Well, little one, looks like you'll like living with Diana, and me." Tom took the mouse-size suitcase, lettings the boy walk and stand in his palm.

"Actually it's Diana, and I," corrected the gray mouse, fixing his scarf.

"You are your Uncle's nephew."

"By the way, my names, Nibble. How would you like me to address you Mister?"

"Whatever you want kid."

Nibble climbed up to sit on Tom's shoulder, enjoying the ride. "Wow, you sure are tall. I'll call you Uncle Tom, give my real Uncle cared deeply for you."

"Not as tall as my human friends. But I can still kick their butts."

Diana rubbed Tom's head. "I doubt that."

"How well did you know my Uncle? I mean you're a cat, he was a mouse. I can't see such opposites being friends?"

"We were friends, brothers in arms," said Tom, walking to introduce him to rest of the gang. The group saw Tom, and the mouse who joined him. "Guys, I'd like you to met Nibble, Jerry's nephew. Nibble, that guy in the skirt is Charlie. The dude with the red cap is Sameer, and the handsome fella by Diana is good ol' Chief. Of course I can't forget Etta, who's so sweet she can't get caught out in the rain. Otherwise she'd melt."

The men shook their head at the cat, who was able to talk, and wouldn't know when to shut up. "Aye, Tom, ye pee braid fool of a feline. This be kilt not a skirt."

"Yes, but he's right about me being sweet," chirped Etta with a bright smile.

Chief came up, and placed an arm around Etta, smiling down to the gray mouse. "She sure is sweet."

"Don't worry kid, you'll learn a lot from us. And by us, I mean Diana and myself. The rest of you are a bunch of goofs offs. Except Mrs. Candy, and Chief, I like you."

"Hey, I can teach him how to get a date." Sameer said, fixing his hat. "I am very popular among the ladies."

"Aye, and Ah can teach him how to play the piano and sing!" Charlie chimed in.

"No! I don't think my ears couldn't take that kind of punishment," said Tom

They all shared a laugh, and walked away to fad into the crowd. They were like one big happy family, through the ups and downs, they stayed by each others side. They lost, learned, and loved. But mostly they lived. From that point on, life was going to be different, but at least the world was at peace, for now...