Disclaimer: The SWAT Kats are owned by Hanna Barbera and the Tremblay Brothers. I own the OCs.
Everyone kept telling me they are tired of hospital scenes, so this chapter was written to break them up.
I hope you all enjoy looking into Candice's family life.
To my Co-Author, thank you! You have taught me so much!
As Candice drove up the driveway, she pointed out several of the rare trees her mother had planted along the driveway when Candice was a young kitten, and how each one signified a certain milestone in her and her sister's lives.
Tim watched in awe as they drove past several large trees on their way up the driveway. His mind kept asking the question, 'Exactly how loaded are Candice's parents? This place is huge!'
They reached the top of the driveway and finally saw the main house. The house had three floors, all with large windows facing the driveway, and in the center was a pair of double doors with a large front porch at the top of the stairs. Candice parked in front of a three-car garage located to the left of the main house, and got out of the car. She put her hands on her hips and arched backwards, stretching her muscles and feeling a small pop in the vicinity of her lower back. She then straightened and said, "That feels better." Candice turned to the passenger side of the car just as Tim was getting out and asked, "How was the trip?"
Tim closed the car door and replied, "It was actually pretty nice, Candice. I was expecting to have back pains after three hours of traveling in that car."
"I had the seats replaced after my first long trip, Tim. The ones that originally came with the car were great for short distance trips, but after the first time I made the journey out here after I bought it, I decided either the seats had to go, or the car did. I kept the car, of course, and changed out the seats to something a lot more comfortable for these long rides. I wasn't going to sell it just after I had spent over 125 thousand buying it. Yes, it was a little expensive, but I am worth it," Candice said.
Tim's mouth almost hit the ground when he heard she had spent so much on a car. That was more than he made in three years at his current salary.
Candice asked, "Are you ok?"
"Candice, I am beginning to think you are way out of my league," Tim replied.
Candice walked over to where Tim was standing, wrapped her arms around his neck, and gave him a passionate kiss right there out in the open where anyone who drove up the driveway or looked out of the windows of the house could see them. She didn't pull back until several minutes later, and when she did, it was only to place her forehead against his before saying, "I love you for who you are, Tim. I don't care if you are not loaded; I just want to be with you and you alone. Wait until tonight, and I will prove it to you."
That was when a lone motorcycle came up the driveway at a high rate of speed and stopped to the right of where Tim and Candice were standing. The rider turned off the engine, removed her helmet, and then flipped her head forward and back to shake out her long, wavy hair back into its native, wild form from being flattened by her helmet. She rested her helmet on the gas tank, turned her head towards Tim and Candice, and asked, "Hey sis, who is the stud muffin?"
Candice let go of Tim and embraced her sister. She then replied, "Susan! Long time no see. How come the only time I get to see you is when the races are broadcast on TV? Oh, and the stud muffin is my new boyfriend, Tim Jones."
Susan returned Candice's embrace, she let go of Candice to dismount her modified racing bike, and then she then said, "If you would accept my invite to come out to the track, you would see me more often, sis." She then gave Tim a good, long once over with her eyes. She licked her lips and asked, "How attached are you to this delicious piece of tomhood? I might have to have a taste of him when we are alone."
"Down, girl. He is mine, and I am not above fighting for him. So what brings you home? Last time I checked, you and Mom weren't exactly getting along," Candice asked.
"Mom and I came to an understanding last week when she told me that Grams was coming to stay for a few days. You know I would do anything for her, Candice, and I just had to come out in order to lounge by mom and dad's new pool. I hope you brought a swimsuit? I bought this tiny little one piece that barely covers anything. You should see the guys line up when I wear it at the beach. Would you like to see me in it, Tim?" Susan asked as she started unzipping her tight leather riding suit.
As Susan pulled the zipper downward, exposing more and more of her cleavage, Candice quickly returned to Tim's side and slapped her paw over Tim's eyes. She then yelled, "Susan! Are you seriously undressing right here in the driveway? Show some restraint, and do that in your room!"
Susan stopped undressing in front of Tim and Candice, and then said, "Fine, I'll see you both by the pool in fifteen. Oh and Tim, if you thought my sister's butt was nice to look at, take a good look at mine as I walk away." She made sure to add extra sway to her hips as she walked towards the house.
Candice shook her head as she watched her sister slink into the house. She turned her head back to face Tim and removed her paw from his eyes. Candice finally said, "You are safe from her, for now. I can't believe she still acts like that. I wonder how many toms she has at her beck and call?"
"I can happily say that I am not one of them. I am hopelessly in love with her slightly older, and much sexier, sister," Tim replied as he snaked his arms around Candice's waist, pulling her to him.
Candice placed her arms around his neck, and softly said as she turned her head and leaned in for a kiss, "You keep talking to me like that, and I am going to have my way with you, right here and now." She kissed him, slipping her tongue into his mouth, tasting him and savoring the flavor.
Tim was really getting into her kiss; so much that he let his paw wander down her back to just above her tail. But just before he tried to slip his paws even lower, he heard a very angry roar emanating from the house.
Candice pulled back from their kiss, looked towards the house, and saw her grandmother standing there in a long dress that fell to her feet, dyed in earth-tones that accentuated her tan fur and her lioness tail swishing back and forth very rapidly. The last time she had seen her grandmother in such a pose was when her grandfather had accidentally broken a spear that used to belong to Candice's great-grandfather. Candice instantly let go of Tim and ran to her grandmother, screaming, "Grandma!" She ran up the front stairs of the house and wrapped her arms around her grandmother tightly. She then said, "I missed you so much!"
Grandma returned her embrace and replied, "I missed you, too, Candy-Cub. How is life in that big city you decided to move to, and more importantly, who is that tom who is about to lose his life for kissing my granddaughter like that in front of me?" She turned her head slightly to stare into Tim's eyes and let out a low growl.
Candice heard her grandmother's growl, and decided she had better act fast or Tim was going to be her Grandma's dinner. She turned her head towards Tim and said, "Tim, please come here and meet my grandmother." She turned her head back to face her grandmother and said, "Grandma, I didn't tell you on the phone because I know how protective you are of me, but I am in love with him and he loves me. So please keep those teeth of yours to yourself until you really get to know him, ok?"
"Candy-Cub, I love you and I want you to be happy. If this Tim makes you happy, then I will not tear his flesh from his body. But if he hurts you, he had better move far, far away. Someplace cold would be most effective, because otherwise I will hunt him down just as my mother taught me," Grandma replied.
Tim ascended the front stairs and stopped in front of Candice and her grandmother. Candice then said, "Grandma, meet Tim, the tom I love. Tim, meet my grandmother. She is the one who taught me how to defend myself."
Tim extended his right paw and said, "Nice to meet you. My name is Tim Jones, and I love your granddaughter to no end."
Candice's grandmother looked at Tim's extended paw and then into Tim's eyes. She still did not trust him yet, and let out a dull roar.
"Grandma! He is just trying to be polite and show you the type of tom he really is. Now apologize and welcome him," Candice snapped at her grandmother.
Candice's grandmother refused to back down, and her eyes met Candice's in a silent battle of wills. Minutes passed, neither one even so much as flinching, until Candice let out her own low roar, a sound that almost perfectly mimicked her grandmother's.
Tim slowly backed away, since he did not want to be caught up in a fight between Candice and her grandmother. He had already seen what Candice could do with her claws, and assumed that her grandmother could do much worse if given the opportunity.
As the family matriarch, Candice's grandmother was not about to let her grandcub walk all over her. She let out a slightly louder roar, insisting that Candice submit.
Candice's reply was to let out a deafening roar, a sound that startled even herself. Seeing her grandmother's shock proved to Candice that she had won this particular fight, and she held her head up high, never breaking eye contact as the corners of her mouth lifted of their own accord.
Candice's grandmother's eyes went wide when she heard such a mighty roar leave her granddaughter's young body. She said, "That was very impressive, Candy-Cub. Not even your mother can roar like that, and she is a lioness. When did you learn to roar like that?"
"I didn't know I could roar like that either, Grandma, until you challenged me over Tim. I love him, and he loves me. I know you caught us in a situation you were not prepared for, and I apologize because I was the one who initiated that kiss. However, Tim is the most caring, loving, trustworthy, and protective tom I have ever dated. I never felt this way about anyone I have dated before, and I like this feeling a lot. So you can either welcome him into this house, or we can leave now and you will never see me again," Candice stated.
Her grandmother raked her very critical gaze over Tim and finally said, "Tim, please come forward."
Tim slowly walked towards Candice's grandmother. He was not sure if she was going to take a bite out of him, or hug him. He started sweating as he stood about an inch away from her and said, "Let's try this again. I'm Tim Jones." He extended his right paw to her again. Only this time, it was shaking slightly.
Candice's grandmother saw his arm shaking with nervousness and smiled. She then quickly wrapped her arms around Tim and said, "Please, call me Leona. Candice must love you an awful lot to stand up to me." She stared into Tim's eyes and then said, "If you so much as think of hurting my Candy-Cub in any way…" Leona extended her sharp claws just enough so Tim could feel them against his back before she continued, "I will hunt you down and use your skin as a rug. Do I make myself clear, Tim?"
Tim felt her claws dig into his back and instantly knew that Leona was a female of her word. She could kill him and not even break a sweat. He replied, "Leona, I would never hurt her. I love Candice too much to do that."
"Good boy," Leona said as she let go of Tim. She then said, "The pool is nice and warm, and feels real good. Go upstairs and change into your swimwear, then meet me and Susan by the pool. Your parents will be home in a few hours, Candice. They went shopping for dinner tonight and breakfast in the morning. Knowing your father, he is going to go all out tonight." Leona retreated into the house as soon as she finished speaking.
Tim watched her enter the house and close the door behind her. He then went to Candice's side and latched onto her. He said, "Your grandmother is definitely something special. What was your grandfather like?"
Candice thought back, remembering how big her grandfather had been. However, his love and pride in his family had always been obvious to her, even when she was a tiny kitten. Then she remembered the day he died, and a tear left her eye. She replied, "Grandpa was one of the proudest lions you could ever meet. He was very big, fierce when he needed to be, but most of all, he loved his family and would do anything to see his grand-cubs smile. He especially loved his wife. Every chance he could, he would give her a little token of his love, or sneak in a kiss when she was not expecting it. Come along inside, there is a copy of their wedding picture right by the main staircase."
They entered the house with Tim's left paw enclosed around Candice's right. They stopped at the staircase and Candice directed his gaze to a large portrait of her grandparents' wedding day. Tim looked at the painting and saw how beautiful Leona looked in her wedding dress. Her hair was done in a single, long braid that was draped over her right shoulder. Then his gaze shifted to Candice's grandfather. Candice's description truly hadn't done the magnificent male in the picture justice. Her grandfather stood at least six feet, eight inches in height. His long hair fell to his shoulders, and he was very well built. Candice's grandfather could give Mark a run for his money in the muscle department. Most of all, he noticed her grandfather's smile as he held his new wife in his powerful arm. He definitely loved Leona with all of his heart, just the way Tim loved Candice. Tim took his paw back from Candice and put it around her waist. He then said, "Your grandfather must have loved Leona very much. I can see it in his smile."
"The pride they belonged to thought so too, Tim. Grandma was gorgeous back then, and every male in the pride had his eye on her. In fact, when Grandma and Grandpa were courting, several of the males tried their best to take her away from him. He was not about to let that happen. He loved her, and she loved him. They were the perfect pair, according to the elders, and no lower ranked male was going to take her from him. According to Grandma, he fought every other male in the pride for the right to marry her, and won. There are a lot more pictures of them all over the house, and Grandma is a great storyteller. She'll take any chance she can get to talk about my grandfather, and how much he cared for his family," Candice replied. She looked at her grandfather one more time and then said, "The pool is waiting, Tim. I want to get a few laps in before dinner. I have not had a good workout since we first met, and I am feeling it. I am going to change that this weekend, and you are going to join me. I can't have a boyfriend who can't keep up with me, now can I?" She dragged him upstairs to one of the bedrooms and closed the door behind them.
Tim sat down on the bed while Candice disappeared into the bathroom to change. Just before she closed the door, she said, "Tim, please be a doll and get the bags from the car."
Tim replied as he got off of the bed, "Alright, dear. Is the car still open, or do I need your keys?"
"No, it's open. The trunk release is under the dashboard, right where my left leg would be," Candice said.
"I'll be right back. Am I sleeping with you tonight, or do I have my own room so I don't make your grandmother any madder at me than she already is?" Tim asked.
Candice came out of the bathroom wearing only her bra and slacks, since she had already removed her shirt. She replied, "I hope you decide to sleep with me, Tim. we have only been together for a couple of days, I have gotten very comfortable having you in my bed at night."
"As have I, Candice. Lying next to you at night and hearing those tiny, gentle purrs escape your mouth as you sleep, lulls me into a very peaceful rest. You are very addictive, and I am not sure if I can sleep without you by my side ever again. However, your grandmother will have my hide if she catches us in bed together without rings on our fingers," Tim retorted.
"Let me worry about Grandma, and you worry about keeping me happy. Go and get our bags, Tim. It is not polite to keep a she-cat waiting," Candice said just before she returned to the bathroom and closed the door.
Tim left their room and closed the door behind him. He started walking down the hallway and admiring the pictures of Candice's family. He paid particular attention to the ones that featured Candice and her grandfather in them. He loomed over her when she was a young kitten, but there was never an ounce of fear in her face or posture when she was with him. They were always smiling or laughing as she rode on his strong shoulders, or he carried her in his powerful arms. Tim stopped right before the staircase and looked at what appeared to be a family photo hanging on the wall. As he studied the photo, he saw Candice with her left arm around Susan. Behind them was a beautiful lioness with her arms around both of them. Tim instantly assumed that she was their mother. To the left of their mother stood a much smaller tom with his right arm around the lioness. He had to be Candice's father. Tim then recognized Leona and her husband standing to the right of Candice's mother. Her grandfather had somehow snuck in a kiss to Leona just as the photo was taken. Leona definitely had not been expecting it. The surprised expression on her face was priceless. Standing to the right of Candice's father was another pair of cats. Tim once again deduced that they were Candice's other grandparents. Tim was about to head downstairs and get the bags from Candice's car, when he heard a door open and close. He turned in the direction of the sound and saw Susan walking down the hall in her swimsuit with a white towel draped over her right shoulder.
Susan saw Tim alone at the end of the hall and decided that now was the time to try and seduce him. She swayed her hips as she walked towards him. She then said, "So, Tim, what do you think of this bathing suit?"
Susan had a very shapely form that would normally make any tom obey her every command. The bathing suit she had on was cut so low in front that it barely contained her breasts, and was cut high enough on the sides that there was only just enough material to cover the more intimate areas of her body.
Tim wanted to look away, but his eyes couldn't help but follow Susan's racy movements. Once she was close enough, she stood on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around his neck.
Susan smiled seductively at Tim and asked, "So, Tim, which sister is hotter? My older sister, or the one who is willing to let you make her scream?"
Tim snapped out of her spell and wrapped his paws around her wrists, caging her in a steely grip. He then pushed Susan away and held her at arm's length. He said, "Susan, you are a beautiful she-cat, but I am hopelessly in love with your sister. Please stop trying to get me to sleep with you, because it is not going to happen."
Susan put her paws on her hips and said, "I will not give up, Tim. Before this weekend is over, I will have you in my bed!" She then walked past him and down the stairs.
After she was gone, Tim shook his head, and then proceeded to head down the stairs to get his and Candice's bags from the car. When he made it to the bottom of the staircase, he found Leona waiting for him. She said, "Tim, please come with me for a minute."
Tim sighed and followed Leona into the living room. He watched her sit down on a couch by the fireplace before motioning for him to sit on the couch across from her.
Once Tim was seated, Leona said, "You handled Susan very well, Tim. Most toms would have jumped at the chance to sleep with her. But you didn't even hesitate before turning her down." Leona turned her head to gaze at the family photo hanging over the fireplace before she said, "Candice means so much to me, Tim. I only want what's best for her at all times." She turned her attention back to Tim before saying, "I wanted to test Candice to see exactly how she felt about you earlier. When she didn't even flinch in the face of my direct order, I knew she was in love with you, and was even willing to fight her own family in order to keep you by her side. Please, do me a favor, Tim. Keep her happy and love her for the rest of your life."
Tim could not believe his ears. Candice's grandmother had just given him her blessing to court Candice. Tim replied the only way he could think of. He stood up, went over to Leona, and hugged her. He then said, "That is just what I intend to do, Leona. I love her with every fiber of my being, and I would love nothing more than to one day be able to call her my wife."
Leona returned his embrace and said, "You remind me of my late husband, Tim. Lionel was such a loving and caring male to me and the rest of his family. He would do anything his family asked of him without question, and the only thing he wanted in return was to see them smile. He and Candice were inseparable. When we came for a visit or she visited us, the first thing she would do was run into his arms and demand to be picked up. Lionel was more than happy to please his granddaughters. He would always spoil Candice and Susan rotten any chance he got. So much so, that the rest of the males in the pride thought he had gone soft. My husband was anything but soft. He just loved his family, and was very proud to show them off to the rest of the pride." A small tear crept into the corner of Leona's right eye as she spoke.
Tim drew back, only to see a tear in her right eye. He asked, "I'm glad that I remind you of your husband, Leona. It sounds like he was great cat. Might I ask why you seem upset?"
Leona wiped the tear away with her left paw and replied, "I was just reliving some of my memories of him, Tim. I loved him so much that when he passed, I completely shut down. I didn't want to see my family, friends, or anyone. I actually wanted to die so I could be with him again. Candice and Susan were the only ones who were able to bring me back and help me realize that Lionel lives on in his grandchildren. I still miss having his strong arms around me at night, his simple kisses, and most of all, hearing his deep voice telling me how much he loved me. That is what I want for Candice and Susan: to find a tom who will love them just like Lionel loved me."
Tim extended his right paw to Leona in order to help her stand.
Leona graciously took his paw, and with his assistance, lifted herself from the couch. She said, "Thank you, Tim. Lionel would approve of you courting his Candy-Cub."
Tim smiled at hearing that. He replied, "I would have loved to have met your husband, Leona. If you will excuse me, 'Candy-Cub' is waiting for her bag, and I don't want to keep her waiting for too long. She might turn me into tartare with those claws of hers."
Leona laughed at Tim's remark, and once she had calmed down, she said, "Oh, so you have seen her when she gets mad or feels threatened, then. When she was a young kitten, there was not a cushion in the whole house that was safe from her claws. When she saw something scary on TV, or when she got spooked, those sharp claws would come out and tear into anything that happened to be in their path. One day when you feel brave enough, ask her what happened to Mr. Fluffy. Oh, and Tim? She really hates to be called Candy-Cub by anyone except me, so keep that pet name to yourself. Unless you want to feel how sharp those claws of hers really are."
"Leona, the last thing I ever want to do is be on the wrong side of her or your claws. I have seen what Candice can do with those things, and she warned me about you. Although, I kinda wish she'd warned me about Susan. That is one she-cat I want to stay far away from," Tim said.
"Don't worry about Susan. I will have a talk with her and tell her that she is not to make a single, solitary move on you, or she will have to deal with me!" Leona said.
Tim smiled and embraced her once more before leaving to get his and Candice's bags out of the car. As he walked to the car, he thought, 'Leona is one classy lady. I'm sorry she had to go through losing her husband and suffering a bout of depression like that. I am happy she came out of it, though.'
He opened the trunk of the car and removed both of their bags from the trunk. After he closed the trunk he bolted upright, losing his grip on the bags and letting them fall with a thump on the pavement as he realized what he had just said Leona. "I would love nothing more than to one day be able to call her my wife!? Where did that come from?" He briefly looked towards the house, then back at the bags and asked himself, "I do love her, but am I really ready to be thinking of marrying her?"
Tim's mind wandered back to the dream he had that morning of him and Candice in their marital bed, He had been so blissfully happy, being married to the she-cat who had captivated him so thoroughly already. He then glanced at the house one more time, and saw Candice staring down at him from their bedroom window. His heart fluttered when he saw her gorgeous face there, and he said, "I had better start saving for that ring. I'll have to ask Mark where he purchased Lisa's ring, and ask if he would help me pick one out for Candice." Tim quickly picked up the bags and ran into the house.
End of Chapter