Thomas had been living in Madame's home with Duchess and the kittens for three months now. He was still an alley cat at heart, but even he had to admit that this was a wonderful place to live. Madame was a wonderful, loving woman that didn't keep him locked inside. He had since learned that she had been a famous opera singer and she still sang around the house. She seemed to enjoy when Scat Cat and his band paid a visit, and they often did. The kittens loved it. Napoleon and Lafayette also came by quite often, though less than the alley cats since the farm was out of town. And of course there were Roquefort and Frou Frou at the house to keep things interesting. All in all, it was a good life and a wonderful family. Duchess was even expecting a second litter of kittens! His kittens.

Duchess snuggled closer to him in their bed as she slept and he let his thoughts wander. He couldn't help but smile as he thought of his little family.

Toulouse was still as rowdy as ever, picking fights with his brother and sister, and his paintings were getting better and better. Marie was still Marie, trying to prove she was as tough as the boys and still be a lady. Berlioz was coming out of his shyness, and thanks to Scat Cat, had discovered a fondness for jazz. They were all excited about the new kittens, and they all called him Papa now.

That was something he had wondered about since he had met them. Where was their real father?

"Thomas?" Duchess said quietly as she stretched and looked at him with those sapphire eyes.

"Hmm?"

"What are you thinking about?" she asked. Her voice was like music.

"Can I ask you something?"

Duchess smiled. "Of course, darling."

He hesitated, thinking it might be a soar subject. "What happened to the kittens' father?"

Duchess sighed and shifted to a more comfortable position. "I was wondering when you would ask about him."

For a long time it had been hard for her to think about Vigo, the wild and artsy cat from Denmark that had fathered her kittens. That had been a dark time in her life, but it was behind her now. She had Madame and her kittens. And Thomas. Her sweet, wonderful Thomas O'Malley. Her alley cat.

She sighed once more and began her story. "His name was Vigo. He was Danish. A painter, like Toulouse. I was smitten. I was young and had just left home. My father ran off and it was just my mother and I. Our owner wasn't the best. He often forgot to feed us. He was an awful human."

"Did he hurt you?" Thomas asked.

"No. Mother wouldn't let him near me." She said. "He kicked her around a lot though. When she died I left. I ended up in Paris and I met Vigo. I thought I was in love, and he did the same thing my own father did. He ran off and left me. Thankfully Madame found me and took me in. She saved us. Just like you did."

Thomas wanted to hunt this Vigo cat down and hurt him for hurting Duchess and abandoning the kittens. He pulled Duchess closed and felt one of the kittens moving inside her. With a smile he realized that he wouldn't have Duchess and the kittens if Vigo hadn't run off. Maybe he would hunt him down and thank him instead.