Disclaimer: The SWAT Kats are owned by Hanna Barbera and the Tremblay Brothers. I own the OCs.
Technically, this whole chapter is mine and mine alone and I probably could write a story based on these characters alone.
Enjoy all!
As normal, thank you to my dear Co-Author MisaRae. She posted another chapter of Two-Plus-Two yesterday. Go read it and review. I promise, she will write back. That is how I found one of my dearest friends.
Tim opened his left eye, looked at the clock sitting on the nightstand next to the bed, and noticed that it was ten in the morning. Tim lifted his head and turned himself over to face the bed's other occupant. He looked at the sleeping beauty lying next to him and the way her tail every once in a while appeared over the top of the covers before settling back down. As he watched her sleep, his mind started to wander and think about how his life had changed for the better ever since he met her. Tim slowly rolled himself over, lifted the covers, and got out of bed. He returned the blankets to where they had once rested in order keep Candice warm and hopefully not disturb her slumber before he slipped on a pair of grey sweatpants and an undershirt. He turned to catch just one more glimpse of his girlfriend's sleeping face before he left the room.
Leona was already in the kitchen, drinking her morning coffee while reading the newspaper. She was sitting at the island on a stool with her left leg crossed over her right. Leona always loved the mornings when she could sit alone and listen to the birds and the neighborhood children playing outside through the kitchen windows. As she took another sip of coffee, she heard a few heavy footfalls coming down the stairs and heading towards the kitchen. She turned her head and noticed Tim entering the kitchen wearing only a pair of sweatpants and a simple undershirt. His hair was standing on end in various places. She let out a small chuckle, and said while her eyes followed Tim's labored movements towards the coffeemaker, "Good morning, Tim. From the looks of you, you slept very well."
Tim had an empty mug in his paw when he heard Leona's question. He placed the mug down in front of the coffeemaker, opened the valve, and filled the mug with the rich, dark brown liquid, as he replied, "Good morning to you, too, Leona. And to answer your question, yes, I did sleep very well, thanks to Candice."
Leona put her mug down and got on the defensive when she heard his response. Her tail began to rapidly sway back and forth as her eyebrows lowered and her lips tightened in disapproval. She asked, "What do you mean 'thanks to Candice'?"
Tim put the mug down and then answered, "I will not lie to you, Leona. I respect you too much to do that. Candice and I slept together last night. However, that is all we did, sort of. Yes, we did kiss, a lot and we both wanted to take it further. But we both felt it was not the right time. After a few hours of kissing and cuddling, Candice fell asleep. I listened to her breathing for a few minutes before I fell asleep myself." He then picked up his mug again and took a sip of coffee.
Leona relaxed after she heard Tim's explanation of his earlier remark. Her tail stilled and the tip fell back to the floor. She then said, "I'm glad to hear it, Tim. If you haven't figured it out by now, I love my grandcubs to death, especially Candice. Don't get me wrong, I do love Susan; but she constantly tries my patience. I'm sort of glad my son didn't have cubs, because if he did, they would be even wilder than Susan is." Leona narrowed her eyes and gazed intently into Tim's before she said, "So if you ever hurt Candice and I find out, you had better move somewhere very far away where I will never find you. For if I do, I will use your hide as a rug! Do I make myself clear, Tim?"
Tim went over to her and reached over the island. He took Leona's right paw in his left and answered, "Crystal, Leona. But you already know I would never hurt her, period. She means the world to me, and sleeping next to her last night only solidified what I have known since I met her: that one day, she is going to be my wife."
Leona grasped his paw in hers as her tail rhythmically swished back and forth in time with her heart and said, "That is exactly what Lionel told my mother, Tim. You are so much like him, I can almost see him standing in front of me right now. Lionel would have loved you, and he would have welcomed you into our family with open arms."
"You don't know how great it makes me feel to hear you say that," Tim said. "I would have loved to have met your husband, Leona. From what you have told me, and the stories Candice has shared with me, Lionel not only lived his life to the fullest, but he loved his family to no end. That painting of you and him at your wedding shows just how much you loved each other. That is the type of relationship I want with Candice. I want her to always be by my side, and I will love her and our kittens for the rest of my life."
Leona used her superior strength to pull Tim off balance and into her arms. She then embraced him and said, "Then take good care of her, Grandson."
"I will, Grandma. I promise," Tim replied. He tried to pull back from Leona's embrace, but her sheer strength made it impossible. "Um, Leona? I like you, if not love you, but could you please let me go? I would like to serve Candice breakfast in bed."
Leona let him out of her embrace, and then said, "I'm sorry, Tim. Go on and feed my granddaughter."
"Thank you, Leona," Tim said, and went over to the refrigerator to get some eggs.
Leona watched Tim prepare breakfast for Candice and himself with a large smile on his face. He finished making the meal, plated it, and put it on a tray to carry upstairs to Candice. He then proceeded to clean up the mess he made before returning to the tray. Tim picked the tray up and started to walk out of the kitchen. Just before he crossed over the threshold into the other room, Leona said, "Oh Tim?"
Tim stopped, turned to Leona, and asked, "Yes, Leona?"
Leona took a sip of her coffee, lowered the cup so the rim was level with her chin, then said, "I'm not getting any younger, Tim, so you'd better get a start on having cubs, soon. Don't keep me waiting."
Tim almost dropped the tray when he heard Leona's request. He turned around to look at Leona and just stood there with his mouth agape.
Leona shifted her eyes to Tim and said, "Go on. Candice is not going to wait forever for you to make your move, so if you truly love her the way you say you do, Tim, you had better ask her to be yours sooner rather than later." Confident that he understood, Leona let him off the hook, redirecting her gaze to her coffee mug.
Tim closed his mouth, turned back around, and left Leona alone while he pondered what she had told him.
Sasha poked her head from around the corner of the kitchen, then asked, "Is he gone, Mother?"
Leona lifted and turned her head towards her daughter before she said, "I was wondering when you were going to show yourself." She sniffed the air and scrunched her face. Leona then said, "You and Jean were real busy last night. I can smell what you two were doing quite well, and I find it offensive, Sasha. Please go and shower beforereturning."
Sasha frowned, shifted her weight onto one hip, and flicked her tail. She then said, "Mother! This is my house, and I can smell how I want!" She sniffed the air and realized that her mother was right and she reeked of sex and sweat. Sasha relaxed her posture, then said, "I'll shower, right after you tell me what you said to Tim."
"No way, Sasha. What Tim and I spoke about stays between me and him," Leona said before she took a sip of her coffee.
Sasha stormed out of the kitchen, stomped past Jean, and returned to her bedroom.
Jean watched his wife pass by and stomp up the stairs. He shrugged his shoulders and continued on into the kitchen. As soon as he entered, he noticed Leona sitting at the counter drinking a mug of coffee. "Bonjour, Leona. Je présume que vous a bien dormi la nuit dernière ?"( Good morning, Leona. I presume you slept well last night?) Jean asked.
Leona put the mug down, turned her head to Jean, and answered, "Good morning to you, too, Jean. Even though we have known each other for over twenty nine years, I still can't understand you when you speak in French. Please forgive me for asking you to repeat your question, in English this time."
"My apologies, Leona. I still yearn to speak the language of love. I simply asked if you slept well last night," Jean said as he walked around the counter to get a mug from the cabinet by the sink.
Leona went to take a sip of her coffee, only to find that the mug was empty. She rose from her seat at the counter, rounded it to join Jean by the coffeemaker, and waited her turn as she answered his question, "I slept almost as well as when Lionel was still here to keep me safe and warm."
Jean moved away from the coffeemaker and said, "After you, Leona."
"Thank you, Jean," Leona said. "You have always been a gentleman. Sasha is very lucky to have found you."
"Non, I am lucky to have found her, Leona. Your daughter is my angel from heaven, and I fell in love with her at first sight," Jean said.
Leona poured a fresh mug full of the brew, then took a sip of her steaming hot beverage and said, "Always the romantic, Jean. If you didn't marry Sasha, some other she-cat would have come along and snatched you up."
Jean moved over to the coffeemaker, poured himself a mug, took a sip, then said, "One way or another, Mother, Sasha and I would have met and then married. She and I were destined to be together." He took her paw in his and asked, "Such an elegant lioness must be hungry. What would she like? Your personal chef shall prepare whatever your heart desires."
Leona smiled and allowed Jean to lead her to the kitchen table before he grabbed an apron and pulled out a few bowls and pans to make breakfast for her.
Tim made his way back to Candice's bedroom. He balanced the tray he was carrying on his right forearm while he knocked on the door with his left hand. When only silence greeted him, he opened the door with a twist of his left wrist and slipped inside, closing the door behind him. Tim turned his head to the bed and noticed Candice was still asleep. He put the tray down and just listened to the gentle purrs escaping her mouth while she slept. After a few minutes, he went over to her, sat down on the edge of the bed, and stroked her cheek with the back of his right paw. "Such a beautiful she-cat," Tim said. "Candice, you have captivated my heart and soul. Someday soon, I hope to be able to call you my wife." Tim removed his paw, leaned forward, and kissed her cheek.
Candice's eyes fluttered open as soon as his lips touched her. She rolled over and said, "Good morning, Tim. Can I keep you? You do a better job waking me up than my alarm clock does."
"Hm.. I might be persuaded to wake you every morning, Candice. What would be my payment if I offered you my services?" Tim asked.
Candice lifted her upper body, wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing her lips very close to his, then she whispered, "This will be a start," before she kissed him.
Tim instantly fell under Candice's spell. He kissed her back while gently guiding her body back to the mattress and deepened the kiss.
Candice felt a spike of arousal, sharper than any she had ever experienced, make her heart skip a beat and her body tremble Tim's tongue danced with hers and his paws grazed against the delicate flesh just beneath the swell of her breasts. Her left paw left its place around his neck and traveled down his back to the waistband of his pants. She let it slip under the fabric to feel the taut muscle of his hindquarters.
When Candice grabbed his behind, Tim's breath hitched as he realized that he was spiraling out of control very quickly, and if he didn't stop soon, he would take things way beyond where he felt comfortable without a ring on her finger. He slowly pulled back from their shared kiss, a silent apology in his eyes as he rested his forehead against hers.
"Tim, why did you stop?" Candice asked in between labored breaths while her paw gently ran through his hair. "The way you were kissing me, I assumed that you wanted things to go further."
Tim's breathing was very labored as he tried to pull oxygen into his lungs. He stroked her hair, letting the fine threads slip through his fingers. Once he was able to speak again, he replied, "As much as I want to take you, Candice, I will not. At least, not yet. He sat up, took her paws in his, and then said, "Candice, when I am around you, I feel like I can take on the world. Ever since we met that night and I felt you in my arms, I knew there was something very special about you. Every moment we have spent together since then has been magical." He kissed her paw, then continued, "Believe me, Candice; I wanted to make your body quiver with pleasure as we make love for the first time. However, I'm slightly old fashioned, and if we crossed that line right now, it would spoil it for both of us when the time is finally right. I am madly in love with you, Candice, and I never want to be apart from you. So if you love me, too, you will understand why I want to wait until the perfect time for us to make love."
"Tim as you already know, none of my past lovers wanted to wait before taking me to bed. You are the first tom who has not wanted to sleep with me early on in our relationship, and I understand why. For the first time in my life, I can feel how much the tom I am with loves me. So if you want to wait to make love to me, I guess I will just have to be patient until we take that step," Candice said. She then grabbed his shirt, pulled him closer, and said, "However, being half lioness, I tend to get very hungry, and I am used to getting what I want. So how are you going to sate my hunger, Tim?"
Tim managed to free himself from her grasp, stood up, and went to the tray of food he had brought for her. As he carried the tray over to her, he said, "This should start to sate your appetite, Candice. I made you three poached eggs, some bacon, juice, and coffee." He set the tray down in front of her and removed the covers keeping her food warm.
Candice sat up, and took the fork into her left paw. She hesitantly used the side of her fork to slice through the soft egg white to release the vibrant yellow yolk. Once she had a decent-sized wedge free, she scooped it onto the fork and brought. She ate the eggs and put the fork down. Candice looked into Tim's eyes and asked, "This is real good, Tim. Did my father give you a few pointers in the kitchen?"
"No, Candice, Jean did not give me any pointers. I have been cooking since I was a young teenager. I actually like to be in the kitchen," Tim replied.
"You are almost as good in the kitchen as my father is. I think I am going to have to keep you around. You never know when I am going to get hungry again," Candice said, then dug into her food.
Tim smirked at her comment as he watched Candice enjoy the meal he had cooked for her.
She finished her breakfast, wiped her mouth, and said, "That was delicious, Tim. Thank you for bringing me breakfast in bed."
"You are welcome, Candice," Tim said. He then decided to get a little playful with her. As he bowed to her, he said, "It was a pleasure being of service to you."
Candice lifted her left eyebrow, grabbed the pillow from behind her, and threw it at himard enough to knock him to the floor. But before he could stand back up again, Candice jumped out of bed, landed on top of him, and said, "For that little stunt, Tim, you and I are going for a run. About ten miles should get our blood pumping." She got off of him, went over to her bags, pulled out some running clothes, and headed towards the bathroom to brush her teeth and change. But before she closed the door, she turned her head to the left, and said, "You have five minutes to change, and if you are not ready, we are going to add twenty laps in the pool to our workout." Then Candice closed the bathroom door.
Felicia woke up with a massive headache. She opened her eyes, and didn't recognize the bedroom she was sleeping in. Felicia examined the unfamiliar room and took note of the elaborate Easter Asian decor. As she removed the covers from her body, she noticed that she was still dressed in her surgical scrubs. Hoping that she didn't do anything that she might regret, she slipped off of the futon to her feet and left the room.
Natsume and Yoso were already in the kitchen, drinking their morning tea when Felicia entered the kitchen. Yoso turned his head to her and said, "Good morning, my student. Did you sleep well Felicia?"
"Ohayo, Yoso-sensei, Natsume-sama," Felicia responded and bowed in respect. However, her head was pounding, so bowing hurt her even more. She slowly straightened with a grimace, then rubbed her temples with her paws as she closed her eyes.
Natsume put her tea down and went to her. She put her left arm around Felicia, then said, "Child, we are family. There is no need to be so formal, Felicia. Please come and sit. You don't look so good."
Natsume helped Felicia over to the table, then Felicia sat down while Natsume went to get her a cup of tea.
Yoso lowered his cup to the table. He looked at his student and said, "You don't look so good."
"I don't feel so good, master. What was in that bottle?" Felicia asked as she nursed the tea that Natsume had brought her.
"Dear child, that bottle contained fifty-year-old sake. I tried to warn you about the potency, but you wouldn't listen. After your tenth serving, Natsume had to put you to bed," Yoso replied.
"That explains why my head is pounding so badly. I was never one to drink," Felicia said. She tried to lift her head and turn towards to Yoso, but her headache prevented her from doing so. Felicia lowered her head to the table and asked, "Why didn't you stop me, master?"
"We tried, Felicia," Natsume answered as she brought a plate of food over to Felicia along with a tall glass of water. "You wouldn't stop, no matter what we did. You even took the bottle away from my husband right before you started dancing around the living room. Eat this and drink all of the water. The food will give you energy."
Felicia lifted her head and slowly sipped the water. She then tried to eat some of the food.
Both Natsume and Yoso watched her carefully to make sure she didn't get sick from eating too fast, and eventually, she managed to eat and drink everything in front of her. Natsume took her plate and glass away, and then returned with another glass full of water. She said, "Drink this, Felicia. You are dehydrated and need to drink as much water as possible."
"Thank you, Natsume. Both you and sensei have always had my best interest in your heart, and have treated me as family, even when I didn't deserve to be. For that, I am deeply grateful," Felicia said before she took a sip of water.
Natsume smiled as she watched her adoptive daughter drink, embracing the pang of bittersweet pain that came on the heels of a heartfelt wish.
Yoso noticed a slight change in his wife's posture, so he went over to her, wrapped a protective arm around her waist, and asked, "Is something bothering you, my love?"
Natsume turned her head to her husband, and then kissed his cheek. "You are always worried about me, Yoso. I have trained with you and Felicia for years, so I know how to take care of myself. To answer your question, I was thinking how nice it would have been if our sons were still with us, and Felicia was our daughter. We would have made a great family together," she said.
"Yes, we would have made an excellent family, Natsume. However, Sosuke and Ushio were taken from us for a reason, even though I do miss them dearly and would give anything to have them back," Yoso said before he turned to look at Felicia. "But look what we have gained; Felicia is the daughter we always wanted. We are blessed to have been able to watch her grow and become the beautiful, confident she-cat she is now. Between the love and guidance she received from her parents, as well as us, she is ready to take on anything life throws her way."
That was when Felicia turned her head and vomited.
"Well, she will be able to take on the world.. once she gets rid of that hangover. Let's get her back into bed, then I'll come back and clean this up," Yoso said.
Natsume and Yoso carried Felicia back to her room, tucked her in, and then left so she could sleep off her ailment.
End of Chapter