We've come to the end! Gosh, that was an epic, huh? Thank you all so much for reading and I really hope you've enjoyed it.

Munk and Alonzo contemplate their lives one year since the last Jellicle Ball.

(Bonus points to whoever sees the significance of the chapter title.)

A year in the life of the black and white toms

Chapter 20

Now and Forever

Many months had gone past and by now it was mid-August. At cat with black and white patches stared out to the horizon watching the summer sun slowly descend below the horizon. The night would soon arrive and what a night it was going to be. The Jellicle Ball was merely hours away and most of the other cats were out of sight resting to be ready for later. This cat, however, had been sitting for a while on his own just thinking quietly. He didn't understand what all the fuss was about, after all there had been Jellicle Balls before and they all seemed to go almost exactly the same way. Shouldn't it be rather boring by now?

"Something on your mind?" came a voice from behind him and he turned to look back at a tom with markings almost exactly the same as him.

"Just thinking about this Ball"

The tom sat down next to him and joined him in staring at the great, orange ball as it began to dip out of sight. "What about it?"

"I'm nervous"

"Why?"

The cat hesitated for a moment and then spoke timidly, "What if I get it wrong, Dad?"

Alonzo smiled down at Billy and put an arm around him. He had been calling him and Munk 'Dad' for weeks now and it felt good that everyday they were becoming more like a family. "Just let it flow from within you, you'll get it right. After all you are a Jellicle now, it just comes naturally if you let it"

"But what if it doesn't?" asked the kitten looking up at his new father

"What if what doesn't?" yawned another voice from behind them. Billy turned his head to see the protector climbing up onto the big tyre to join them and looked back at the sunset when the silver tabby sat down on his other side.

"Billy's worried he'll get something wrong tonight" said Alonzo

"Oh, I shouldn't think that would happen. Then again I wouldn't really worry if it did. If things are going to go wrong then they won't go nearly as badly as some of the stuff that's happened in previous years"

"What do you mean?" asked the kitten

"Well, we've had falls, scrapes, fights, kidnappings…" said Munk off the cuff. Billy looked up at Alonzo seemingly more worried.

"Is that true?" he asked quietly. Alonzo hugged him a little tighter and placed a small kiss on the top of his head.

"Those aren't going to happen. Don't worry, you'll be fine"

"Of course you will, son" said Munk with another yawn. He had been working extremely hard as usual when it came to this time of year and he hadn't had as much time to sleep as those he protected.

Billy didn't look incredibly satisfied but eased up a little bit against Alonzo. The patched tom continued to look down at him,

"Everything will be fine, Billy. Just wait and see and try not to worry"

"Okay" said the kitten giving no more volume than his previous squeak.

Munk ruffled the fur on his back and he gently pressed up against him letting him feel his comfort. He was so glad they had all gotten along so well since Billy had said yes to being their son. Old Deuteronomy had been so happy when they had told him the news that it was finally done and for the first few hours they weren't able to talk to Billy if they tried. The old tom had taken him onto his lap and had been chatting away happily with his new grandson all the while with a little surprise that it was Munk that gave him one first and not Tugger. Right now though the three just sat there and kept each other company. It wasn't long before the kitten became restless with his parents being so close-by and started to fidget.

"Can I go and see Jemima?" he asked politely but also cheekily

"Go on" said Munk as he helped him up and patted him. The kitten happily scampered away but stopped and turned after only a few steps.

"When should I be back?" he asked.

"Just keep an eye on the clearing. You'll know when to come out" said Alonzo with a smile. "Don't worry, you'll be fine"

The kitten smiled back and started to run again before stopping. One more time he turned around and quickly said, "I love you" before running off to see his friend. Munk and Alonzo called back the same thing but they were sure he was too far gone before he could hear it. Sitting on the tyre they just looked at each other, smiled and shuffled together.

"He's so nervous" said Alonzo happily, "Quite cute really, isn't it?"

"He'll be fine. How are you doing?" responded Munk

"Me? Oh, just fine. Another Jellicle Ball comes and goes I suppose."

"Remember the last Ball?"

Alonzo thought for a moment and the relaxed, "Gosh, it seems so long ago now. So much has happened since then"

"It has been a crazy year"

"Too crazy"

Munk looked at his mate and smiled with their faces close together, "Just another year in ours lives. Mad as a hatter and hurtling along with no brakes" He kissed him.

"Whatever will we get up to this year?" said Alonzo with a smile as their lips parted.

"I don't even want to think about it" said Munk with a grimace, "Too much stress is bad for an old tom like me"

"I'd hardly call you old"

"I'm a father now. It's time for me to straighten up an fly right"

"When have you ever not done that?"

"True…"

"Can you actually believe we're fathers now though?" said Alonzo excitedly. He still had the same excitement within him from the moment Billy had accepted him and he revelled in every moment of it.

"No. It still seems like a wonderful dream"

"Well we certainly went through hell to get there, didn't we?"

"Would you have it any other way?"

Alonzo chuffed, "I certainly could have done without Macavity"

"Well, I suppose. At least we've got Billy though"

"Mmm" hummed Alonzo warmly

They sat for a quiet moment with not a single noise occurring around them aside from the last few sounds of the summer day simmering down.

"You know what this night is?" asked Munk

"No" said Alonzo curiously

"Remember how this night ended one year ago?"

"Not really"

"When you let me stay in your den after the Ball so I wouldn't have to walk all the way back to my humans"

"Vaguely. Why?"

Munk rubbed up against Alonzo, "I just remember how nice it felt to be that close to you. If I think about it that must have been the night I fell in love with you. I just didn't realise at the time"

"Aww" said Alonzo mushily, "You are a big softy under that hard shell, aren't you?"

Munk just bumped him with his head feeling his cheeks grow a tiny bit warmer. "When did you realise you loved me?"

Alonzo thought for a moment and then looked him in the eye, "You know, I don't remember. It happened so fast and then all of that other stuff happened so soon after that I can't quite remember the exact time. All I know is I do love you. You know that, right?"

"Prove it" said Munk slyly

"Alright" said Alonzo and grabbed the tabby's head kissing him fiercely. Munk didn't protest and kissed back but not without cracking an eye to make sure they weren't being watched. A few moments later they parted grinning stupidly.

"Does that prove it?" asked Alonzo with just as much slyness

"I don't know. Might have to try again" replied Munk with a wry smile

"After the Ball, when Billy's gone to bed…" said Alonzo sexily

Munk felt his loins stir but willed himself to be good. "You are outrageous!"

"I know" said the patched tom smugly, "but that's why you love me"

"Sure is" he said pulling his tom close again.

After a while Alonzo said one more thing,

"Thank you, Munk"

The silver tabby didn't look at him but leant his head against his, "What for?"

"For everything you've done this year. You've saved me so many times in so many different ways. I wouldn't be here now if it weren't for you"

The silver tabby smiled wider, "I'll always be here for you. Now and forever, darling. I'll love you all the days of my life no matter what and I'll always be there to save you. You know that don't you?"

Alonzo felt incredibly warm inside and it wasn't just the heat of the summer evening around him. It was love. Without waiting too long he moved his arm around his mate and kissed him tenderly letting him know just how much he cared for him.

"I know. I love you too"

There it is. All wrapped up in a neat little package.

I gotta say, I really enjoyed writing this. It was so much fun making them do what I wanted but I still feel kind of guilty for putting them through all of that.

Thanks so much to all those who have constantly reviewed throughout me writing this. You guys have kept me going with it and you are all so great. Thanks so much.

Look out for the next story. I'm pretty sure it's going to be a sequel to Unlikeliest of Lovers and mercy me some shit is gonna hit the fan!

Thanks so much again, guys. See you next time. xxxx