AN: Thinking I might bring Klaus' ex into the story.

Oh, Rosita was in no way telling Ash that she should be a mom. She was telling Ash not to doubt her own abilities. This is sound advice no matter what the topic. She didn't want Ash thinking badly about herself.

This chapter will follow the other half of the crew who went ahead on to Redshore early to prepare. Oh and I figure even Ryan would agree with the 24 hour tradition given that going back to Redshore is kind of bad luck on its own, so better not to tempt fate. I don't know if you've noticed but bad luck stacks.

Part 19

In Redshore City,

When Ryan and Johnny told Klaus that they were going back to the city for about a week, the instructor quickly invited himself along. They tried to convince him it wasn't necessary but he claimed he wanted to see what sap Crystal Entertainment had hired to replace him. Johnny was sure he was just going so he could continue trying to warn Ryan off of him.

The first few days, they helped Alphonso and Tyler pack up their belongings and clean out their apartment. Johnny had to ask. "Hey, Tyler, where will you be living? Will you still live with Alphonso and Meena?"

The orangutan laughed. "Nah, three is definitely a crowd. There was a one bedroom unit for rent across the hall in the same building." It would be a change. They were as close as brothers since their schooldays. He and Alphonso had shared an apartment since deciding college sucked and they wanted to work for themselves but they knew it couldn't last forever. At least he was getting a surrogate sister out of it. Meena was a nice girl. "What about you two? Do you think you guys will get married?" Johnny and Ryan looked at him for clarification. "To each other?"

The lovers blushed brightly at the suggestions. Ryan scratched his head. "Well, the thought has crossed my mind." He took Johnny's hand.

"Really? You'd want to marry me?" Johnny asked. He admitted, the upcoming nuptials had him wondering the same thing. "Even though Klaus still hates me?"

"You shouldn't worry about him," Alphonso said. "Some people are always going to have something to say even if it's not their place. But if you feel this is where God is leading you, then you should at least think about it."

After hashing things out with Alphonso, he noticed he really was just trying to be inclusive. He didn't need Ryan to believe, he already believed. Ryan would never understand why but there were things about him Alphonso would never understand either. It's what made them each unique. He was just encouraging them in his own way.

Ryan smiled at Johnny, imagining what their wedding might be like. "Maybe someday," he teased, kissing his gorilla. "Definitely someday." He corrected himself.

Tyler finished sweeping up. "Okay, I think we got everything out of here."

Alphonso nodded right as his phone started ringing. "Hey, Meena, how's the trip going? Wha? They did what?" He began laughing. "Are they alright? Poor kids. Yeah, yeah, that's no problem. I can't wait to see you tomorrow. I miss you too. Safe travels, my goddess." He hung up, chuckling.

"What happened? Is everyone alright?" Johnny asked.

Alphonso took a final look around. "Yeah, they just found two stowaways on the bus. Apparently Ash's ex's kids are trying to parent-trap them." He shook his head.

Laughter filled the room. Johnny shook his head. "Really? Wow. Too bad Ash is too smart for that. She'd never get back with that ignoramus." He chuckled.

"Well, time to return the keys and go to the motel. And hide in our room so Meena and I don't accidentally see each other," the bull elephant led the way out.

Ryan looked at his watch. "Twelve hours to go. It'll go by fast." He reassured him.

"Besides, we still need to pick up your dad too," Tyler pointed out.

"I'm just glad he'll be able to be there," Alphonso said softly.

"Wonder how Klaus is doing back at Crystal?" Ryan asked himself.

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Klaus stood outside his old classroom, clenching his fists, ready to have a conniption. Inside the classroom, the new teacher, a cheetah in his early 50's led the students.

"That's it everyone, you are doing splendidly," he could hear the cat praising the pupils. The old monkey growled. How dare they hire him? He was about to leave in a huff when the cheetah looked out the window and grinned. "Klaus? Is that you?" He came over. "I'd heard I was replacing you but didn't think I'd see you. How've you been?"

"Fine." He forced himself to reply.

A female mountain lion came out to join them and the new teacher put his arm around her. "You remember my wife, Cecilia."

"Oh I remember her perfectly," he turned his back. "I have to go. My two students are waiting for me." It was a lie but he did not want to talk to him or his wife. This hotel had already seen enough murder.

On the way out, he heard his name. "Klaus, wait. I thought… I thought you'd be happy to see me. We were best friends thirty years ago."

His eyes narrowed at the implication. "Best friends? Best? Friends? I have to go." He said again and this time he did not stop. No matter how loudly he heard his name. Now he was even more satisfied that he'd left this place.

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After Porsha left, Suki had begun calling Mr. Green at least once a day to see how she was doing. During those calls, she'd slowly gotten to know the huge ex-felon. He didn't hide his past crimes from her and she didn't hold them against him. Then he asked her to be his plus-one to the wedding. She didn't know what to make of it but he was such a sweet gorilla when he didn't have to deal with insane wolves. He was a good father figure to Porsha and to the lynx. She was glad for a chance to get to know him better.

That's why she was taking a half day. She'd gotten herself booked into the local salon to get her hair, nails and toes done. On the way out, she stopped to look in on Jerry. She sighed when she saw him.

Jerry had not slept properly in weeks. He knew he looked like hell, his fur was a mess. His eyes were bloodshot, dry and burned with irritation. He had eaten very little. He couldn't even think of anything beyond getting revenge for Crystal.

"Jerry, you can't keep doing this to yourself," she scolded him. "Go home. Eat, get some sleep, take a bath." She pressed him. "Oh god, please, take a bath. It smells like feet in here!" She hurried back to the office and grabbed some air freshener, coming back to spray Jerry's office. "I'm serious Jerry!"

The cat glared at her. "I'm not doing anything else until I beat them! I just cannot let them get away with this." She sighed and shoved him out of his chair to his shock. "Ahhh! Suki! What the?"

"Go home Jerry! I'm not letting you kill yourself slowly like this! Go and take care of yourself! Forget this need for revenge. Go home and grieve like the rest of us do!" She ordered him. "I don't want to see you in this office for two weeks. Understand?"

The cat growled. "I won't give up. I will get justice."

Suki looked over at the bodyguards that now shadowed her. "Raoul, take him home. Make sure he eats and rests." She shook her head sadly. If he didn't let this go, she'd have no choice but to release him from his duties entirely and she'd hate to see him earn Marcus' wrath.

The leopard nodded and picked up the smaller cat, carrying him under his arm. Jerry glared back at her. "And where are you going?"

"Marcus asked me to be his date to Meena and Alphonso's wedding," she explained as they got on the elevator. She sprayed the air freshener along their path.

"Wedding? Date? You're dating the enemy!" He shouted.

She shook her head. "He's not my enemy. He's not Porsha's enemy. Crystal had become a danger, to himself and to others. Marcus only did what had to be done." She still missed James but the James she knew had died a long time ago. The wolf that killed Mr. Moon was not the wolf she fell in love with. She'd grown to realize that over the last several weeks. "His course of action was the most merciful. Far more merciful than what he gave Moon that night. Moon suffered for several minutes before he succumbed. Crystal would have died instantly and painlessly." She gulped. "Put it in perspective, Jerry. Really think about it. Would you prefer him to go on hurting others? To continue hurting himself. You know how long he's ached over Rosamund."

The tortoiseshell assistant was starting to breathe quicker. He didn't want to hear it. However, he hadn't missed the most important piece of information. That monster was back in town and those friends. They insisted he had no evidence but he was sure he had enough to at least get what he wanted. He just needed to find out where the wedding was and when. Shouldn't be that hard. He was subscribed to the Redshore Gazette and all weddings of the day and new engagements were always posted in the paper.

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Alphonso arrived at Redshore City Nursing Home at close to 1 o'clock. His father was already waiting in his chair, his tiny mask around the tip of his trunk helping him to breathe, wearing his best suit and tie.

"Hey Dad, how are you feeling?" He asked as he sat down. Tyler, Johnny and Ryan waited outside.

The elderly elephant smiled at his son. "I'm the best I've been in a long time. My son is finally getting married. Where is my soon-to-be daughter in law?"

Alphonso laughed. "By now I'm sure she's back at the motel getting some sleep. They were traveling all night and had an unexpected delay…" he explained as he hugged his father carefully. "And you know it's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding."

He nodded. "Well, since we have some time, read to me, my boy. It's been so long since I've heard you read to me." He handed Alphonso his Bible. He opened it to the last chapter he'd read to him and went to the next. "A wealthy man had two sons. One day, one son demanded his father divide up…"

Outside the room, Johnny had to ask. "Why is he on oxygen? Is he sick?"

Tyler nodded. "He's in the last stage of COPD, he has been for about 8 years." He explained. "Alphonso had to move him into the nursing home because there's too much care that only a nurse can provide but he would still visit daily. He'd stay overnight if he could." He laughed.

Ryan nodded. He couldn't help but think of his own father. The last time he'd seen his parents, he was walking out with a couple changes of clothes in a plastic bag and getting into Kickenklober's van. He thought he hated the man and his mother but now he wasn't so sure. What if their angry words were the last they'd ever exchange? Maybe it was time to reach out. Maybe they regretted kicking him out by now. Maybe they'd even accept him and Johnny together. It might be worth finding out.

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With only three hours left until the wedding, Lance finally arrived by bus and finally by taxi to the Clover Lane motel. Ash had taken the children to her room unwilling to ask Rosita or anyone else to watch the kids. It was her they were here for and they didn't know any of the others well enough.

When he called to say he'd arrived, she came out to greet him. To say he was upset was an understatement. She wondered how he would react.

The first thing he did was kneel and hug them both close, just reassuring himself that they were alright, they were safe. "I was so scared! Never do that to me again!" He barked. "I thought you might have been kidnapped or worse. I love you both so much." He kissed their foreheads multiple times in between scoldings. "Why'd you run away?" The porcupettes cried and gave him the same explanation they gave Ash and he just looked up at her. "I am so, so sorry. I'll take them home now. Come on, kids, we have a long journey home."

Raquelle pouted. "We don't want to go! Aunt MeeMee said we can come to the wedding if we want."

Little Lance looked over at Ash, clearly wanting her help. "You can't leave now. The next bus back home isn't until tomorrow morning anyway. Stay for the wedding and catch a ride back with us. As much as I hate to reward them for running off."

Her ex-boyfriend groaned with embarrassment. "Thank you. You're right. I can't say it enough, I am so sorry. I don't know what they were thinking."

"Come on, you need to get cleaned up before the wedding. I have to go help Meena finish getting ready," she said, leading him back to her room and giving him the key. She whispered to him, "Don't be too hard on them. They just want a mother. I can't fault them for that,"

He nodded. "I know and I'll talk to them."

She shook her head. "We talked about it on the way and Rosita and Mrs. Patel both advised that we… They think that if we have a dance together then we'll fall in love and get married like in Cinderella."

He hit his forehead. "I read them that story not long ago, it's a favorite. So what do they advise?" He was so lost trying to be both dad and mom to them and he didn't know what to do.

"They think if we dance, as they want, then when we don't fall in love, they'll see that it's just a story. That love doesn't work that way," Ash explained. "They don't know that we dated before and it didn't work out. They don't need to know the why of course."

He nodded. "Maybe…" At least it would mean a dance with her. Maybe then he could finally get her out of his head and start to move on. "I don't have anything else to wear. I was in such a hurry, I just bought the ticket and got on the bus."

She shook her head. "What you got on will do just fine." She referred to his black slacks and white work shirt. "I'll be back soon."

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AN: Next chapter, the wedding, but obviously Jerry is up to no good. What is he planning and will he ruin Meena's wedding? Stay tuned and find out. Please review.