Disclaimer: The SWAT Kats are owned by Hanna Barbera and the Tremblay Brothers. I own the OCs.
Time for little Gwendlyn to meet Gary and Meridyth for the first time. Knowing them, things are going to be very interesting..
MisaRae, I hope you are feeling better little sis. I worry about you.
A half an hour later, Katerina pulled into the driveway of the house that belonged to Gary and Meridyth Cassidy. She parked the patrol car, turned around in her seat to face Tina and Gwendlyn, who were playing in the back seat. She smiled as she thought, 'This is my new family and I love them.' She then said, "We are here, ready to meet the pair of cats that changed my life Gwendlyn?"
Gwendlyn stopped playing with Tina and nervously looked at the small but elaborate house, then asked, "What if they don't like me?"
"What's not to like?" Tina answered her with her own question and stroked Gwendlyn's hair with her right paw as she continued with, "You are an amazing little girl. You're smart, witty, and completely adorable. Trust me Gwendlyn, my parents are going to love you at first sight. Especially my dad. He may look all big and scary at first, but one look from you and he is going to melt into a pile of goo that is never going to want to let you go." Tina opened her door, then said, "It's such a nice day out that I'm sure my mother is out back, lying in the sun."
They all left the sanctuary of the patrol car and entered the house. Gwendlyn looked at the pictures adorning the walls of Tina and her parents.
Tina pointed out a few of them and explained where they were and what they were doing when they were taken.
As they stepped out onto the rear porch, Tina stopped, turned to Gwendlyn, and said, "Stay here for a minute while I prepare my mother, or more along the lines of making sure my mother is decent for company. She can be a little wild when she wants to be."
Gwendlyn cocked her head but she decided not to ask and instead, she said, "Ok." She turned her attention to Katerina and asked, "Katerina, will you wait with me?"
"Da, of course I'll wait with you," Katerina replied before she hugged Gwendlyn.
Tina left the porch and went into the back yard. She heard the sounds of a pool filter running and said, "That is new, when did my parents get a pool?" She rounded a small white fence that separated the yard from the pool and saw a pair of long legs covered in fine light grey fur. She walked further into the pool area and saw her mother, laying on a deck chair with her left leg bent at the knee, sunning herself, wearing a black bikini that barely covered the intimate sections of her body. "Mom! I hope you have something to cover up with you! I brought a couple of guests with me," Tina said.
"This is my home my dear daughter. And I should be allowed to dress how I feel," Meridyth replied with one eye open looking at her daughter.
"Trust me mom, You are going to want to be decent when you meet this guest," Tina said.
"Really? Other than Katerina, who else did you bring with you?" Meridyth asked as she sat up.
"Your granddaughter mom," Tina replied.
"My what? I thought you just said my granddaughter?" Meridyth asked as she tried to clear the water that wasn't there from her ears.
"That's because I did mom. Katerina and I filled out the paperwork this afternoon and if all goes well, we are going to adopt this beautiful little girl, who happens to be on the back porch with my fiancée right now," Tina answered.
Meridyth grabbed a short blue robe and covered her body, then said, "I want to meet her Tina."
"Alright mom," Tina responded before she turned to the rear porch and beaconed, "Kat, please bring Gwendlyn down."
Katerina knelt down to Gwendlyn and asked, "Are you ready to meet your grandmother?"
"As ready as I will ever be, let's go," Gwendlyn answered and held her right paw up for Katerina to take in hers for comfort.
Katerina took her smaller paw in hers, gave it a gentle squeeze, then escorted her into the pool area.
As soon as Meridyth's eyes fell on Gwendlyn, her feet moved on their own accord, bringing her closer to the young girl. And when she was close enough, Meridyth fell to her knees, opened her arms, and embraced Gwendlyn. Through tears of joy, she said, "I'm Meridyth, your grandmother."
Gwendlyn let go of Katerina's paw and returned Meridyth's embrace. "My name is Gwendlyn, your beautiful grandma."
'My granddaughter! This is my granddaughter and she is so beautiful,' Meridyth thought as she hugged Gwendlyn. She pulled back to look into Gwendlyn's golden eyes for a second before she turned her head back to the house and yelled as loud as she could, "Gary! Get you tail out here now!"
Gary had just finished taking a shower after his evening workout. He was planning on spending the rest of the evening and night, lounging by the pool with his wife and possibly take her out for a night on the town before bringing her home. He left the bathroom wearing nothing but a towel when he heard his wife's call. Fearing something might be wrong, he ran out of the bedroom, down the stairs, through the rest of the house and into the backyard. His eyes fell on his wife's back but didn't see the little girl she held in her arms. "What's wrong dear?" He crouched down and asked as he wrapped his left arm around Meridyth's shoulder.
Meridyth turned her head to the right to face Gary with tears of joy in her eyes before she said, "Gary, meet our granddaughter; Gwendlyn."
"Granddaughter!?" Gary asked before he looked past his wife and saw her holding this beautiful kitten in her arms. Gary shuffled himself around his wife, gently touched Gwendlyn on her left shoulder, and said, "Hi, I'm Gary. Your grandfather."
Gwendlyn turned her head to look at Gary and saw this large ocelot looking back at her. Gary looked adorable to her and was compelled to touch the fur on his cheek. She slowly reached out with her right paw and gently caressed the soft fur.
Gary felt her gentle touch on his cheek and closed his eyes before he let out this deep purr.
The four females heard his purr and Meridyth said, "You are only supposed to purr like that for me."
Gary opened his eyes and looked at his wife for a second, then said, "I did only purr only like for you. But now, I purr for you and my granddaughter." He focused back to Gwendlyn and asked, "Would you like to go for a swim before your grandmother and I start dinner?"
"If I can, but don't you want to put something on first grandpa?" Gwendlyn asked in return.
Gary blushed when he realized he was still wearing a towel with nothing underneath. He smiled at her then said, "You're right! I do need to put something on." He stood up and picked Gwendlyn up in his arms. Then said, "I still have a few swimsuits that Tina wore when she was your age. I'm sure you will find one that fits. Then we can play in the pool. Sound good Gwen?"
"Yes grandpa," Gwendlyn replied as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
They walked towards the house just like that with the three females watching as Gary turned into a pile of mush over Gwendlyn. "I think my husband has gone over the deep end, and so have I," Meridyth said before she turned to Tina and Katerina, then said, "Go and change yourselves. You both must be hot in those uniforms. Then why don't you call your friends and we can have a welcome party for Gwendlyn?"
"That's a great idea mom!" Tina said before she grabbed Katerina's paw in hers and pulled her towards the house. "I can't wait for Gwendlyn to meet her new family, especially Sarah and Evelyn. I have a feeling they are going to get along like sisters.!"
A few hours later, Gary, Gwendlyn, and Tina as well as Sarah and Evelyn were in the pool, playing happily while Chance, Callie, Felina, and Jake sat around a white outdoor table with an umbrella in the center. Meridyth, Sally, Larry, and Katerina were around the grill, flipping fish burgers for everyone.
"Its too bad Mark and Lisa aren't here, they are going to go crazy over Gwendlyn," Callie said.
"They'll be back in a few days dear. By the way, when are Callista and Ulysses returning?" Chance asked.
"I was hoping they would be back by now. I guess they are having such a good time in the Dark Ages, they lost track of time. I want them back, I still have to ask Ulysses if he would walk me down the aisle and give me away," Callie said.
"My uncle would be a fool if he didn't want to give away his granddaughter to the tom she is madly in love with. Heck, my own father still can't believe I'm getting married much less having a kitten and I still haven't told him I'm taking his brother's job. I want to see his face when I tell him I'm going to be the Commander of the Enforcers," Felina said before she took a sip of her juice.
"Felina, dear, your family tried to intimidate me when I met them for the first time. Especially your brothers. They wanted to make sure I was good enough for you. Then I met your father. He loomed over me with his large frame, and when I held my own against him, he backed off. He and I got to talking and when he asked if I intended to love you for the rest of my life, I responded, your daughter is my life and I've secretly loved her for years, now that she wears my ring, I swear I was going to love her and my kitten for the rest of my life. Your father gave me his blessing to marry you afterwards. I want to be there though when you tell him you are taking his brother's job, he is going to hit the roof," Jake said.
Michael and Helen came over to the table, sat down, and Michael said, "My wife and I want to thank you for not only befriending our little family, but allowing us to be part of yours."
"You don't have to thank us Michael, your family has become part of ours and it appears that Evelyn and Sarah are becoming friends with Gwendlyn. Just look at how happy they are together. Plus, Gary seems to be having a blast, playing with the three girls," Callie said.
Meridyth happened to steal a glance at her husband and noticed how much fun he was having with the three young girls. "My husband was born to be a grandfather. As much as he loves his daughter, Gary is going to love being a grandfather even more since we get to spoil our granddaughter, then return her to her parents," Meridyth said.
Katerina flipped one of the burgers as she said, "I hope not mom. As much as I love the way dad adores his new granddaughter, Tina and I don't need her spoiled."
"Kat, as much fun as it would be to spoil Gwendlyn, I won't let it happen," Meridyth answered as she turned to watch her husband carry the three girls around the shallow end of the pool. He had a smile on his face a mile wide, which only made Meridyth say, "I miss the sounds of tiny feet on these floors Katerina. Please bring her over as often as you, or she wants."
"We will mom," Katerina replied as she tended the grill. She happened to look over at her adoptive father, playing with Gwendlyn, Tina, Sarah, and Evelyn. "Dad really seems to be having fun."
"He's your father Katerina?" Sally asked.
"Not really, Gary told me I could call him my father, if I wanted to. Gary has been like my own father ever since I asked for Tina's paw. I barely remember my own father, but I would like to think he would be like Gary is," Katerina said. She turned the burgers one last time, then said, "Dinner is almost ready, can someone set the table?"
"I think Evelyn and I can handle that Katerina," Helen said before she turned to Evelyn, who was still playing with her friends, then asked, "Evelyn dear, can you help me set the table for dinner?"
"Mom! I'm having fun with Gwendlyn and Sarah, can't I stay in the water a little longer?" Evelyn asked.
Helen scowled at her daughter for a second, then wiggled her nose.
Evelyn started to levitate out of the pool and over to her mother, who didn't look to happy at the moment.
Gary and Gwendlyn watched as Evelyn floated out of the water and over to her mother. "Grandpa, did you see that?" She asked.
"Yes I did Gwendlyn and I'm not sure what to make of it," Gary responded without removing his eyes from Evelyn.
"Mr. Cassidy, Evelyn and her family do stuff like that all the time," Sarah said.
Gary turned to the young kitten and asked, "What?"
"Her family are sorcerers and sorceresses. They are magic users Mr. Cassidy," Sarah exclaimed.
"Magic users?" Gary asked. "Well, if they are, I want to know if they are good or bad, especially if Evelyn is going to be my granddaughter's friend."
The four of them waded through the water over to the edge of the pool to where Helen, Meridyth, Sally, Larry, and Katerina were. None of them seemed fazed with the exception of Meridyth who nervously asked Helen, "How are you doing that Helen?"
Helen simply replied as she concentrated on her daughter, "Magic my dear friend."
"Now I know something is wrong with my ears," Meridyth said as she shook her head in disbelief at what she heard. "Magic is folklore and tales for kittens, nothing more."
After Evelyn landed in front of her mother, dripping wet from being in the pool. Helen faced Meridyth and said, "My family are all sorcerers and sorceresses and have been for generations. I happen to have a slight mutation that gave me an ability that no one else in my family has, I can fly as well."
Michael was at his wife's side, being there to support her if she needed it, which she didn't. Helen was very confident in her decision to let Gary and Meridyth in on the family secret, especially if Evelyn and Gwendlyn were going to be friends. "Are you sure about this dear?" He asked.
"Positive Michael. They need to know who we are if they are going to trust us completely and frankly, I'm tired of having to hide what we are from the rest of the world. As our daughter grows, her powers are going to grow as well. She is going to need her friends as well as her family to be there for her."
"You're right my dear. Evelyn is going to need her friends and her family as she grows," Michael said before he focused on his daughter and asked, "Do you have something to say to your mother?"
Evelyn kicked an imaginary stone with her left foot, then said, "I'm sorry mommy. I was just having such a good time with friends my own age instead of older girls who are more focused on boys instead of playing."
Both Gary and Meridyth watched as their new friends embraced each other. Gary put his arm around his wife's shoulders, then asked, "Alright, so you three are a family of sorcerers, does my family have to be afraid of you for any reason?"
"None that I can think of, my friend" Michael responded. "Tina and Katerina, your daughters invited us here to celebrate bringing Gwendlyn into your family and they have known about us for months. Do you think that if they didn't trust us or believe us they would let our daughter anywhere near Gwendlyn?"
"I guess not," Gary said as he let go of Meridyth, went over to Michael, and slapped his left paw on his shoulder as he said, "You and your family are welcome here anytime, my friend."
Evelyn went over to Gary, tugged on his board shorts, and asked, "Does that include Spencer as well?"
"Spencer?" Gary asked. "Is Spencer your brother Evelyn?"
Evelyn giggled then answered, "Spencer is my knight. Knowing him, he's around here somewhere." She cupped her paws to her mouth, then yelled, "Spencer! Come out and play!"
Up in the trees surrounding the Cassidy's yard, Spencer dutifully watched his princess play in the pool with her friends. And when Evelyn called out to him, he opened his wings and glided on the air currents down to her side. He folded his wings tight against his body, walked the very short distance to where Evelyn was standing, and said, "As you wish my princess." His eyes happened to wander over to Meridyth and noticed her long legs poking out of the tiny swimsuit she was wearing. He left Evelyn, stood in front of Meridyth, completely ignoring Gary, and said, "My my, what a delightful specimen of beauty you are. Care to come and play with me and the princess?"
Meridyth almost jumped out of her own fur when a white winged-puma not only addressed her the way he did, that something like him actually existed. She ran over to Gary and leaped into his arms, giving Spencer an unobstructed view of her tail section.
"What a beautiful tail you have, all the better to make cubs with," Spencer said and licked his lips.
Gary put his wife down and was about to kick Spencer's tail. When Evelyn and Helen magically threw Spencer into the pool to cool him off. "That's twice you hit on my friends Spencer!" Evelyn berated. "What am I going to do with you?"
Spencer's head popped out of the water while he used his large paws to keep him afloat. He shook the water from his face, then said, "What does a tom have to do in order to get a beautiful she-cat to mate with him?" He turned slightly to face his family, then asked, "What did I do now princess?"
"Spencer! Your mouth gets you in trouble more times than I can count! Why do you need to make passes at my friends?" Evelyn asked obviously ticked at her knight's actions.
"My apologies my princess. I see a beautiful female in front of me and my brain shuts off. I mean no harm with my flirtatious words princess, I want what my cousin has with Isis. I want a family of little cubs flying around, calling me Daddy. I'm tired of being alone my dear princess," Spencer replied as he padded his way over to the side of the pool and with a mighty leap, he landed on the concrete deck surrounding the pool. Spencer shook out his fur and wings, splattering water everywhere. Then said to Meridyth, "You are such an exquisite sight of beauty miss, my mouth moved faster than my mind could keep up." He bowed to her, then said, "I apologize for my behavior."
Meridyth left Gary's side and went over to Spencer. She marveled the muscles beneath the shiny black fur and especially his large white feathery wings. She reached out with her right paw and gently stroked a few of his flight feathers on his right wing as she said, "I forgive you Spencer and if I was single, I might have gone off to play with you. You're quite a hunk of a cat Spencer." She then did something completely unexpected. She kissed him on the right cheek.
Spencer's eyes lit up when he felt her lips against his cheek, then opened up his wings and took off into the sky. "Whoo Hoo! She kissed me!" He exclaimed as he flapped his wings harder and harder. Bringing him higher into the sky.
Meridyth went over to her husband, wrapped her arms around his waist, then asked, "Does my kisses do that to you too Gary?"
Gary picked his wife up in his arms and started to carry her back to the house without saying a word to her.
"Where are you taking me Gary? We have a house full of guests," Meridyth asked.
He stopped, smirked at his beautiful wife, then said to the guests, "We'll be right back, we have a small task that needs to be taken care of. Please excuse us." He then proceeded to carry Meridyth back into the house, closing the door behind them.
Tina left the pool and went over to Katerina. She said, "I think I know what 'Small Task' my parents are going to be taking care of Kat, and I don't want our daughter to hear anything that is going to occur in the house. Shall we eat, then bring everyone over to our house for a tour while our parents finish up?"
"I do think that is a good idea Tina," Katerina said. "Come on everyone, dinner is served!"
While they were dealing with Spencer, Callie and Felina, quickly set the table the 'Normal' way.
Everyone sat around the table, ate something, and watched as the Higgins performed an impromptu magic show with the assistance of Callie.
After the show, everyone helped clean up the dishes and leftover food from dinner.
While Tina entered the house put the leftovers away, she listened to her parents as they 'Completed' their task upstairs. 'After all of these years, they are still so in love with each other. I hope I still feel the same way about Katerina after close to thirty years of marriage.' Tina thought as she wrote them a note saying she was moving the party to her house and left it on the counter.
End of Chapter