Disclaimer: The SWAT Kats are owned by Hanna Barbera and the Tremblay Brothers. I own the OCs.
Another fun chapter has arrived. This is the start of the Little One's arriving. But its also one of the last ones before our family of heroes and heroines start heading down a dark path where they all will be tested one way or another.
MisaRae, we are going on three years of this. I can't think of a better person to take along with me on this journey.
The next morning, Mark and Lisa woke up, completely devoid of clothing. She was resting on his left arm which was wrapped tightly around her.
As the fingers on her right paw made lazy circles in the fur on Mark's chest, she said, "Last night was amazing Mark. I haven't felt that good in a long time."
Mark turned his head and kissed his wife before lowering his head back to the pillow and said, "It helps to have a wife as beautiful as you Lisa. Just a simple smile, makes me love you even more, if that were possible."
Lisa lifted her head from his arm and looked down at her husband. She kissed him before sliding out from under the covers and heading towards the bathroom. She paused at the doorway and said, "You know, the shower is big enough for two. Care to make one of my fantasies a reality?"
Mark couldn't get out of the bed fast enough. He joined Lisa at the doorway, kissed her, and carried her into the bathroom.
A few hours later, they were sitting in the waiting room of the adoption agency, filling out various forms while waiting to be interviewed.
After they finished, Mark turned his head to the left and noticed that Lisa seemed a little nervous. "What's wrong dear?" He asked.
"Mark, I'm not sure about this," she responded before facing her husband. She saw his concerned face, then continued, "Am I going to be a good mother?"
Mark took the pen out of her right paw and took both of her paws in his. He gave them a gentle squeeze, then said, "You are going to love motherhood and our kittens Lisa. You're scared and so am I. I want to be the type of father my kittens can come to for anything, knowing I will love them and support them. I want to be there for all of their school functions, I want to be there for their special occasions, and I want to be part of their lives. I'm not sure if I can be all of those things, but I am going to love them and be the best father I can be. And I know you are going to be the best mother you can be too Lisa. Trust me, once you get him in your arms, you are going to fall hopelessly in love with him."
Lisa leaned against his body, then said, "I hope so Mark."
"Mr and Mrs Samuelson, please come with me," a slightly older she-cat with wavy black hair streaked with gray and wearing a simple brown skirt and dark red blouse said.
Lisa and Mark sat in two older office chairs while the she-cat sat in an even older office chair behind an old steel desk that reminded them both of the desks the teachers had back in school.
She read over the forms they both filled out then tapped them on the desk, aligning the edges together. After she put the neat stack down, she stared both of them in the eyes, then asked, "I only have one question, why do you want to adopt this kitten?"
Mark was the first to answer by responding, "When I first met him and held him in my arms, it felt so right I didn't want to put him down. And when he touched my cheeks, the only thing I wanted to do is take him home and call him my son."
"And you Lisa? You are already expecting your first kitten. Do you want another infant so close to the birth of your own child?" She asked.
"To be honest, I was concerned about having another kitten this close to the birth. However, after discussing it with my husband and my friends, I decided to trust my husband and bring him into our home," Lisa answered.
She narrowed her gaze at the couple, then asked, "You never met the kitten you want to adopt?"
"No I haven't. But I trust my husband," Lisa said.
"Trusting your husband is not good enough!" She said, slamming her paws against her desk. "He's not a thing you can return if it doesn't work the way you planned! He is an adorable, loving little boy!"
"I know that miss!" Lisa said. "I'm going to love him and care for him just as his own mother would if she was still around!"
"Are you sure about that Mrs. Samuelson!? You don't know this kitten from Adam! How do you know you are going to love him as a mother should!?" She spat back, trying to bait Lisa to give her the answer she wanted to hear.
Lisa was at her feet almost instantly. She leaned forward and placed her paws on the desk, then spat, "My husband and I will love this kitten like our own miss! Who are you to think otherwise!?"
"I'm the one who has to decide what's best for him Mrs. Samuelson, and you both passed my little test," she said.
Mark took Lisa's right paw in his left, then asked, "What test?"
"As I said, I'm the one who has to decide what is best for him, and I believe you two are what's best. I've been placing kittens into loving homes for years and developed a knack for seeing though lies being told so the couple can get a check from the government. I sensed none of that from either of you." she said as she handed them a form. "Please sign on the dotted line, then you can pick up your son."
Lisa picked up a pen from the desk and was the first to sign the form and as she sat back down, she said, "Thank you miss."
"Don't thank me yet, I still have to perform a home inspection and see how you both interact with him," she said.
Lisa slid the form and the pen over to Mark, who signed it then handed it back to the agent.
She looked over the form and as Mark and Lisa got up to leave to pick up their son, she said, "You two forgot to give him a name. I can't file this without that piece of information."
Lisa turned to Mark, then said, "I've always liked your uncle on your father's side and those little jokes he always told. He made me feel like part of your family. Can we name our son after him?"
"You want to name our first child after him?" Mark asked. He thought about it for a brief second and how despite his uncle being the family clown, how much he cared for his family and died protecting his wife and kids from a fire in his own home. "Uncle Raph would be honored to have our son named after him Lisa." He took the form back and wrote the name Raphael in the blank spot on the form before handing it back to the agent.
"Splendid name, go on and get Raphael and bring him home. I'll be calling in a few weeks to set up an appointment for a home visit," she said.
Mark and Lisa rose from their seats, then Lisa turned to her and said, "Thank you miss." She turned back to her husband, then asked, "Shall we go and get our son?"
Mark picked Lisa up in his arms as he said, "Yes, and on the way home, let's introduce him to our family."
They left the office, leaving the agent alone.
"You two are going to be great parents, to all of your children. My Lord has foreseen this already," she said as she put the adoption form into and large envelope and sealed it with a kiss. "Oh, I forgot to mention that your son is not a kitten of this realm, I guess you will find out that little tidbit of information as he gets older." She got up from behind her desk and left her office, holding the envelope in her left paw. She walked a short distance down the hall to the Mail Chute and as she slipped the envelope into the slot, she said, "Take good care of my son Mr. and Mrs. Samuelson, my Lord and I will be watching." After she finished speaking, she continued walking down the hall, disappearing into the wind with each stride she took.
Mark and Lisa had already picked up Raphael from the hospital and was heading to the hangar to introduce him to the rest of their family.
They arrived at the hangar and parked off to the left of the side entrance to the garage. They both turned around in their seats to gaze at their new son who happened to be asleep in his car seat.
"He's so precious Mark, I can see why you became so attached to him," Lisa said.
"That he is Lisa, I'm surprised that you were able to bond with him so quickly. Although he still seems to prefer me over you," Mark said.
"I guess he is a Daddy's Boy, come on, the gang is all here. I can hardly wait to see Tina and Katerina's faces when they see you holding Raphael," Lisa said before she got out of the car.
Mark chuckled for a second, then said, "I guess he is." And got out of the car.
Chance and Jake were adding a few modifications to the TurboKat in order to make it faster and more agile just like its sister jet while Katerina, Tina, and Marissa worked on tuning the Cyclotrons and Felicia, Callie, and Felina were making plans for a new obstacle course which would test them all to the limits of their abilities, then push them further.
Mark was first down the ladder, cradling Raphael in his right arm. Once he hit the bottom of the ladder, he lifted his head to the top of the ladder, then said, "Your turn Lisa."
Lisa cautiously climbed down the ladder to her waiting husband and child. She quickly kissed her husband and child, before saying, "Let's go and introduce you to your Aunts and Uncles Raphael."
They walked further into the hangar and found the three groups of friends hard at work on their assigned tasks.
Mark spotted his sisters and Marissa working on one of the Cyclotrons, completely oblivious to what was going on around them. He turned his head to the left to face Lisa, then said, "Watch this honey." Before he walked over to stand behind Tina. "What are you doing Tina?" He asked.
"I'm not on the mood for playing games right now Mark, can't you see I'm busy?" She asked not removing her focus from her task.
"Too busy to meet your nephew?" He asked making sure Tina could see Raphael as soon as she turned around.
As Tina turned around, she was saying, "Now I know your muscles have gone to your brain Mark. Lisa is still pregnant so you couldn't possibly have a.." Tina's eyes fell on Raphael and she was on her feet almost instantly. She wiped her paws on a shop towel as she said, "Where did you get such an adorable boy? Can I hold him?"
Mark passed Raphael over to Tina and as she cradled him in her arms, she sweetly said, "Hi, I'm your Aunt Tina."
Raphael looked up into her face and realized he was not with his father anymore. He scrunched up his face and started to cry.
"What's wrong little guy?" Tina asked. "There's nothing to cry about."
"Let me have him back Tina," Mark said as he reached for his son and as soon as he was back in his father's arms again, he stopped crying and cooed like a happy little kitten again. "Daddy's got you. Tina can be scary looking, but she's going to love you."
"Hey! I'm not scary looking brother!" Tina shouted as her fur stood up on end.
"What's all the commotion?" Katerina asked and as she lifted her head and saw Mark holding Raphael, she grabbed Marissa and dragged her over to see the kitten.
Meanwhile, Callie, Felina, and Felicia heard the cry of a kitten in the hangar and Felina asked, "Who would be stupid enough to bring a kitten down here?" The question sat there in her mind for a second before her head snapped up and tuned in the direction of the cry she heard. She noticed Mark holding something in his arms and him smiling from ear-to-ear. Then she saw a pair of tiny paws reaching up into the air. "Callie! Felicia! Lisa had the kitten!" She said as she sprinted over to Mark as fast as she could.
"There is no way Lisa had the kitten already Felina," Callie said but then she saw her best friend running over to where Mark was standing and the bundle in his arms. "Oh my gosh!" She said before she made her way over to the rest of the females surrounding Mark, Lisa, and Raphael.
Felicia walked over to the rest of the group and she looked down at the light-gray furred kitten, smiling back at his father. "He's going to be a great son to both of you. Congratulations."
"Thank you Felicia," Lisa said.
As Callie touched Raphael's paw, she felt something very similar to when she embraced her great grandmother. But just as quickly as she felt it, the sensation faded. She looked deeply into Raphael's eyes and noticed a very dim sparkle in his golden eyes. Callie looked over to her friends and saw how happy they were and didn't want to tell them that their child might be something very special. She needed to confirm her hunch before telling Mark and Lisa. She quickly excused herself from the group and went over to a corner of the hangar to contact Callista.
Callista and Ulysses decided that it was too nice of a day to be inside. They were walking through a neighborhood park, which C.C. Enterprises built completely anonymously but there were very subtle hints as to whom donated it. Ulysses had Callista's left paw in his right as they walked towards the playground.
Of course, the young kittens that played there knew Callista and loved hearing her stories about the very generous and loving queen who once ruled over the area, not knowing that the she-cat who told the stories is actually the queen.
One of the kittens that played there regularly noticed Callista and Ulysses coming towards the playground. She jumped off of the Teeter Totter she was riding and ran to her screaming in delight, "Miss Catlow!"
She wrapped her arms around Callista's denim clad legs, rested her left cheek against her thighs, and asked, "Can you tell us a story about the queen?"
"Certainly Melissa," Callista responded with a smile. "By the way, I got married again, this is my husband Ulysses Feral."
Melissa removed her cheek from Callista's thighs and looked up at Ulysses who was waving at her. "You had better be good to her, or you answer to me and my friends," Melissa threatened.
Ulysses and Callista couldn't help but smile and laugh at the threat. Ulysses stopped laughing and as he wrapped his right arm around his wife's shoulders, he said, "You and your friends have nothing to worry about Melissa. I plan on loving her until the end of time."
"Good Mr. Feral," Melissa said before she looked over to a chuckling Callista, and asked, "Can you tell me that story now?"
Callista regained her composure, then took Melissa's left paw in hers as she said, "Of course!" And led Mellisa and a few of her friends over to a metal bench so she could sit down and tell one of her stories.
After she sat down, she brought her feet slightly to the right and under the bench then started telling Melissa and her friends about her time as the queen.
About a half hour later, the crowd of kittens sitting on the ground in front of Callista grew to over twenty. Each one hanging on every word she spoke.
Callista looked around at the group of young kittens in front of her as she spoke. She focused on their sparkling eyes and their swishing tails and realized, this is where she belonged. Telling stories to kittens and seeing their happy faces as they listened to her spin her tales.
Ulysses watched in awe as his wife captivated every single kitten in front of her. 'No wonder she was the queen for so long,' he thought.
"And the queen as well as her friend Esmeralda flew back to her castle. The End," Callista said before she asked, "Did you like the story?"
Little Melissa quickly rose to her feet and hugged Callista tightly.
Callista returned her embrace before Melissa kissed her left cheek and said, "You should be the queen Mrs. Feral."
"Thank you Melissa. But I can't be the queen, I'm too young," she said before she tickled Melissa.
Melissa laughed as she was tickled and so did Ulysses and Callista. Then Callista felt her granddaughter reaching out to her. Callista put Melissa down, then said, "You have to excuse me and my husband, I'm not feeling well all of a sudden."
Ulysses was instantly at her side and helped her stand. He leaned very close to her and whispered, "What's wrong, my love?"
"Callie is trying to reach me, please take me home," she answered.
"Alright," Ulysses said.
They arrived back at the apartment and went inside. Once Callista was seated on the couch, she reached out to Callie. 'Callie, what's wrong?' She asked telepathically.
'Callista, can you come to the hangar? There is something here you have to see,' Callie responded.
'Ulysses and I will be there shortly,' Callista said. She severed the connection with her granddaughter, turned to face Ulysses, then said, "We need to head over to the hangar."
"Very well, how are we going to get there?" He asked.
Callista rose from her seat, wrapped her arms around Ulysses' neck, and gave him a searing kiss as she tweaked her nose. Teleporting them to the hangar. She pulled back from their heated kiss then asked, "Was that fast enough?"
Ulysses was definitely feeling the effects of his wife's kiss. He wanted her to keep on kissing him like that, and possibly take things further. Realizing where they were, he quickly wiped those thoughts out of his mind, and responded, "Never let me underestimate you Callista."
She ran her fingers through the fur on his right cheek, and said, "I won't."
Callista separated herself from Ulysses and found Mark and Lisa surrounded by the rest of their extended family. She walked over to them to find out why everyone was gathered around the couple. She found her answer as soon as her eyes fell on the tiny bundle Mark had cradled in his arms.
"My my, isn't he a cute kitten," Callista said. "May I hold him please Mark?"
"Of course you can Callista," He responded and handed Raphael over to Callista's waiting arms. "Raphael can be a little finicky as to who is holding him at the moment."
Callista cuddled Raphael into her chest and smiled down at the tiny boy.
He looked up at her and cooed in delight. "You are completely adorable. Where did you find him?" She asked.
"I met Raphael in the hospital a few days ago. As soon as I picked him up in my arms, I knew he was going to be our son, "Mark responded.
Callista peered deeper into Raphael's eyes and saw a very dim sparkle in them. Even though she was overjoyed for Mark and Lisa, the fact that little Raphael was 'Special' weighed deeply on her. As she cuddled Raphael tighter, she reached out to her mother to ask her if she knew who Raphael's birth parents were. 'Mother, I need your guidance and advice.'
Bast happened to be finishing up her work for the day when she heard her daughter's ploy. She rested her paws on the desk and answered, 'What can I do for you Callista?'
'Mother, my friends Mark and Lisa have adopted a little boy, who apparently isn't of this world,'
'They did? That's wonderful news daughter! I knew they would make great parents!' Bast responded.
'Mother! You're skirting around the problem,' Callista spat back at her mother.
'Don't get testy with me Callista! I may be a goddess, but I'm still your mother! I'm not above dealing out a little punishment!'
Callista had never been yelled at or punished in any way, shape or form. Even when she accidentally changed Amelia into a horse when she was very inexperienced sorceress was she yelled at. Now her mother was threatening her from who knows where. 'Sorry mother. But I do need your help with this. I can't tell Mark and Lisa that their child is a descendent of a deity or something else.'
Bast already knew who this kitten was as well as his brith parents. She even helped them make sure that the kitten would find a loving home in the realm of the living and what better home to raise him in than Mark and Lisa Samuelson's. 'Callista, I know this is not going to be easy on your friends. I was planning on having Callie raise him as her own since she would naturally understand what is required to raise someone special, until she got pregnant with her own family. Having four infants with abilities would be even too much for me to handle. Hence why I arranged for Raphael to be placed in the hospital the same day your friends went. I knew Raphael would attract Mark to him and they would bond instantly. Outside of our own family, I couldn't think of a better pair to raise Raphael.'
'Don't they deserve to know what Raphael will be capable of as he ages?' Callista asked, stunned by her mother's admission of placing Raphael in Mark and Lisa's care.
'As much as I trust them to care for Raphael. No, they don't need to know what he is capable of doing daughter. The way I foresee the future, Raphael is going to be a fearless protector to those who can't protect themselves and he is going to have his adoptive father and mother to thank for the skills and guidance he is going to need to hone those skills. Plus he is going to father several kittens with one of our family,' Bast responded.
'Wait, one of our family? Are you telling me, Raphael is going to marry one of my great-granddaughters?' Callista asked.
'Oops, I've said too much. So long Callista,' Bast said before severing the link.
Ulysses came up to his wife and when he was close enough, he brushed his left index finger across Raphael's cheek.
Apparently, Raphael didn't either like Ulysses or his touch. He grabbed Ulysses finger in his tiny paws, brought it to his mouth, and chomped down.
"Ow!" Was all Ulysses mentioned to get out of his mouth before Callista removed his finger from the kitten's mouth and said, "I guess he's not fond of you, my dear." She kissed Raphael on the forehead before returning him to his father.
Mark took his son back and cuddled him into his chest.
"Mark, Lisa, Raphael couldn't have found a better pair of parents," Callista said as she turned to the rest of the she-cats and said, "A Kitten Shower is in order here girls. I'm guessing the new parents are probably lacking items that are needed for their new addition."
"Now wait a minute Callista, I don't need a bunch of stuff. Mark and I already have a cradle and some clothes for Raphael already," Lisa said.
"Nonsense Lisa, every new mother deserves a Kitten Shower and since you saved my life, this shower is going to be grand! I'll even have my Party Planner help arrange everything," Callista said point to Callie.
"I get to plan a Kitten Shower!? Someone give me a pad of paper and my phone!" Callie said.
Marissa gave her a pad and a pencil and Callie started writing.
Chance and Jake came over to Mark, looked down at Raphael. Then back up to Mark and Chance said, "He is a cute kid, you are going to be a great father."
"Thank you brother," Mark replied then brought Raphael up to his face to kiss his son. As he did, a very tiny spark left the kitten's paws and zapped Mark.
"Did you see that?" Mark asked.
"Yeah, I did," Jake said as he studied Raphael more closely.
Felina noticed what her fiancé was doing and grabbed him by the left ear as she said, "Stop that Jake, you're going to scare Raphael."
Callista went over to Callie then whispered, "My mother knows something about Raphael and she won't tell me."
"So I was right then. Little Raphael is not of this world," Callie said as she turned her head to face her mother.
"Yes, you are definitely learning faster than I did. Then again, you didn't have a gorgeous teacher to learn from," she said as she flipped her hair over her shoulder.
Callie tweaked her nose in response to her grandmother, and a small wart appeared on Callista's nose.
"Now you look like a witch Callista," Callie said before she started laughing.
Callista crossed her eyes to look at the small wart. She wiped the wart away with swipe of her right paw. Then jokingly said, "May you retain the weight you gained from this pregnancy Callie!"
"Not going to happen, grandma! Remember who's genes I have," Callie retorted.
Callista looked over her body, then back to her granddaughter, and said, "You're right Callie, I lost all of my weight within weeks of giving birth to your mother. Although your weight loss might take a little longer since you are having triplets."
Callie stopped writing on her pad and scowled at her grandmother.
"Oh come on Callie, You know I love you and was only playing with you and you are learning," Callista said before she hugged her and said, "You were able to pick up that Raphael is very special. I'm proud of you. You are going to be an amazing sorceress, in time of course." She separated from Callie then said, "We have a Shower to plan for the she-cat that saved my life."
The two sorceresses worked and planned out one of the more elaborate Kitten Showers there ever was.
End of Chapter