Hey Everyone! Me again after another stupidly long absence. Nearly five months I think. That's just awful!

Now, I've been toying with whether or not to bring this story to a close quickly or not since it's taken me so long to get this far. I realise this is a point where I could wind it down but I did have another tangent in mind that I've always thought would be fun. In the end I've decided to go with the tangent since I did spend a while mapping it out in my head. It shouldn't take too much longer but going by my recent track record it seems there's no knowing how long I could be. Still, I reiterate that I WILL finish this story no matter how long it takes so just hang in there. My idea for the end hasn't changed and hopefully it'll be as entertaining as I planned.

Curiosity Killed The Cat

Chapter 11

Ejection

Striking green eyes met cold blue as Macavity and Munkustrap faced off in Misto's den. The brothers had been locked in a hard, unloving gaze for many long moments now and the smaller, black and white tom trapped in the middle of the pair could only wait in fear for whatever was going to happen next.

Macavity - the tom he'd only minutes before managed to introduce to his sister and one of his closest friends – maintained his usual coolheaded yet fearsome stance but not without a clear glow of resentment and anger building inside and burning in his eyes. Munkustrap stood in the doorway with fire raging within his and his heavy, heated breaths only hammered home how much hatred he held for the cat he faced.

"Macavity!" he spat again flashing his sharp teeth.

"I heard you the first time" the red tom replied with a similar disdain.

Munk sneered as his brother's words fell on his ears and then shot daggers at Misto who fought the urge to cower as his eyes met with the fearsome silver tabby.

"You lied, Misto," he said seething, "You lied right to my face!"

Misto simply looked down and rubbed his elbow with his opposing paw as he felt shame well up inside him.

"I'm sure it doesn't take much" Macavity said cockily and making Munk glare back at him.

"You've got a lot of nerve showing your disgusting face around here!" the silver tom said taking a step forward into the den.

"Well, it's not like it's the first time"

"I know. I can see now I was right"

"Bravo, pussycat" Macavity taunted.

"I think it's time you left"

"I don't think so, Munk, I th-"

"It's Munkustrap to you!"

"As I was saying, Munk, I think I'll stick around for a while just to see how this pans out" Macavity said grabbing Misto and pulling him closer. Misto looked up and somehow found in his eyes the courage he desperately needed at that point. For some reason it made him feel less afraid and he turned around to meet the fiery condemnation spewing from his supposed protector.

"So what is this?" Munk shot, "Some sort of filthy…fling?"

"No" Misto said more meekly than he had meant, "we're…um…"

"You're what?"

"We're…"

"Well, spit it out, you little whelp!"

"Don't speak to him like that!" Macavity cut in.

"And if I do?"

"You'll certainly get what's coming to you" Macavity said pushing Misto aside and taking a step towards his livid brother.

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Why don't you try it and see?"

"Don't push me, Macavity!"

"Stop it! Please!" Misto squeaked before taking a deep breath and saying, "We're…in love"

Munk snorted, "Oh Everlasting Cat…"

"It's true. Macavity and I are…in love"

"Oh, don't be so stupid, Misto! You let him rut on top of you a few times and all of a sudden you think he loves you?"

"I didn't just-!" Macavity begun before pausing to regain some composure, "I mean, we're not just playing around. It's true, I do love him"

"Oh, shut up! It's bad enough you nearly destroyed this tribe by saying that all those years ago but now you're trying it again! You're sick!"

"What happened then was different! And I was different! We all were!"

"And now you've learned how to feel love? Don't play me for an idiot!"

"Well, it certainly seems to have worked until now!"

The exchange was cut short as there was a sudden scuffling at the doorway and everyone in the den turned to see who was coming. In a flash, in popped Bomba and Demeter who as soon as seeing Macavity reacted in completely different ways. Bomba simply gawked at the sight of the big, red tom who stood so imposingly in the den dominating the space and radiating a sense of ownership of everyone and everything. His unexpected presence and striking appearance that had only gotten grander since she last saw him reminded her of when she knew him years beforehand and slowly the way he used to make her feel came flowing back into her mind and into her body. It was a mixed feeling but one that had more power over her than she might have expected.

Demeter was the complete opposite of her friend. The sight of the terrifying tom charged her with terror and succeeded in throwing her back against the wall with shock in her eyes and barely a breath in or out. All of her fears, all of her nightmares that she'd been having in recent weeks had come true and there, standing just a few feet away, was the tom that had caused her such terrible pain and torment in her past. She couldn't even mention his name as he looked upon her with a sympathy she couldn't even realise and stumbled as he spoke,

"Hello, Demeter"

Munk swept across his mate and glared even harder,

"Don't speak to her! Don't ever speak to her!"

Macavity rolled his eyes,

"Hello, Bomba"

"Macavity…" the red queen breathed as she tried to believe what she was seeing.

"It's been a long time"

"It has…"

"I've missed you"

Bomba couldn't resist his voice. It stirred her down to her very core and even though since their last meeting she'd had years to build up anger and hatred towards him, it all came tumbling down with those few simple words and his splendid image. He'd left his mark on her more than she had realised and she had no clue what she was supposed to do now.

"That's enough!" Munk cut in, "Misto, get away from him!"

"No." the smaller tom said defiantly after a small gulp.

"I said get away!"

"No. I love him" he said drawing closer to his tom.

"Love him?" Bomba said, "You love him?"

"And I love him" Macavity said in response once again putting his arms around his lover.

"But…what?" the red queen said in a stupor.

"We've fallen in love. Plain and simple"

"But…but…" the red queen sputtered, "Even though…despite everything that happened?"

"What do you mean?" asked Misto quietly. There was a short silence before Bomba broke her dumfoundedness and adopted a sultrier, knowing expression,

"You haven't told him"

"Told me what?"

"That he's a murderer" Munk cut in coldly.

"A what?"

"A murderer! He's killed, Misto!"

Misto stood there for a moment looking at his red tom and wondering if it could be true. Macavity just looked back at him through his powerful eyes with a silent expression of regret. It didn't take long to realise that it was likely – even true. After all, it was Macavity. There were more than enough stories and rumours to back it up. It didn't change the way he felt though. In his eyes, Macavity was still the same cat he'd come to know and love. At least for the moment.

"Oh" he said quietly, "I… I see"

Macavity smiled weakly with a pang of guilt beginning to fill him. This was not the way he'd wanted Misto to find out about the darker deeds in his past but to see the smaller tom process it and not step away gave him hope that his not telling him might be forgiven. That was until Munk decided to elaborate.

"He killed a Jellicle, Misto"

Misto's solidarity suddenly faded. A Jellicle? He'd killed an actual Jellicle? Surely that couldn't be true. Looking into those eyes, though, Misto found his answer and gasped lightly as he took in the apparent truth that his love had killed a member of the tribe. His tribe.

"Oh my…" Misto begun before losing his words and wishing he knew what to do. What did he feel? How was he supposed to feel? He didn't know. All he did know was that the cat he'd fallen in love with so recently was capable of killing one of his own.

After a moment he took a single step back from Macavity and simply looked at him wondering what he was going to do. It hurt the red tom to see his Misto looking so lost and confused and to know that he was responsible for it. Still, he maintained his solidarity and eye contact hoping he could think of how to diffuse the situation. It was a good plan but not one his body could follow at that moment and with only the tiniest lapse in concentration his jaw gave the smallest of quivers that was barely visible to anyone. Anyone but Munk. The silver tabby noticed and saw he was starting to gain the upper paw. Cruelly he decided to push further.

"It was many years ago…"

"Munk" came a stifled squeak from across the den making everybody's head turn. There, in the corner, stood Demeter who shook her head lightly but quickly at her mate and quivered nervously. Munk moved over to her and placed his paws on her arms.

"Please don't" she said as he looked at her.

"I have to" the tome said gently, "for Misto's sake"

"No"

"I have to. It'll be okay" he said pulling her close and kissing her on her head. "Don't worry. It'll be over quickly"

Stepping away from her Bomba took his place and comforted her frightened friend. Regaining his firm stance the silver tabby looked directly at Misto and gave him a glare as if to say 'don't you dare look away or I'll make sure you regret it'. Misto just looked back transfixed with worry.

"It was many years ago", Munk began again, "you were only a kitten at the time and didn't even live in the junkyard. The rest of us were all about your age and were probably just as air headed…"

Macavity huffed loudly to show his annoyance towards the insult but did not speak. He just couldn't think how to make this go any easier for his beloved Misto.

"…Macavity was just another member of the tribe like anyone else except he had a certain fancy for…well, just about everyone he wasn't related to. Wouldn't you say so?" he directed to his brother. Macavity kept his silence but intensified his iron glare towards him.

"…Yes, just about no one could escape his vile charms if you can call them that once his lust for them flared up. Toms, queens, it didn't matter who he wanted, he'd have them by playing them for fools and tricking them."

"That's not true!" the red tom said grittily.

"Shut up! Yes it is! The fact of the matter is you'd go after anything you wanted to stick your dick into and then make it yours no matter how disgusting or repulsive your methods!"

Misto's eyes widened at Munk's plain speaking and found it very out of character for him. The silver tabby carried on,

"He was sticking it to just about all the queens in the tribe. He was sleeping with Bomba and Demeter at the same time without telling either of them and making them think they were special to him. And when he wasn't with them he'd be out with any number of cats from outside the tribe. Housecats, strays, you name it! He'd go from defiling one slut, to another, to some disgusting orgy somewhere else and then who knows where! Not only that but he'd come back and flaunt it in front of us and boast about how much tail he was picking up, screwing and then dumping like rubbish!"

Misto felt a lump in his stomach and became slightly dizzy as his lover's sexual history was laid out so barely for him and looked to the red tom to try and get a hint of whether or not it was true. Macavity's apparent refusal to meet his eyes seemed to suggest it was.

"And that's the way it just went on. He'd do what he wanted without caring who he hurt. Not even whilst knowing that I loved Demeter and still stealing her from me!"

"I did not steal her!" Macavity suddenly interjected, "She so obviously preferred me to the crappy, lukewarm drivel you used to spout to try and get her interested!"

"You never cared for her! You knew I loved her and you still took her from me! You had so many others and you still took her just so I couldn't have her!"

"So what?" Macavity shot forgetting who was listening, "Maybe if you were any better at talking to queens you might have actually caught her attention instead of leaving her to settle for you when I was out of the picture!"

"I was there for her when you weren't! I actually care for her like you never did!"

"I did care for her!"

"Oh sure! I suppose that's why you were shagging her best friend at the same time and even worse: her sister!"

There was a sudden silence and Misto's eyes widened even further in shock.

"Sister?" he said in disbelief.

Munk just looked at Macavity slyly through his rage and could see he was about to hammer home how wretched he really was in front of the cat he supposedly loved.

"Yes, her sister. She was quite a queen, Misto. She was kind and caring and beautiful. She was one of the nicest cats you could ever hope to meet and deserved to be loved properly. It seems, though, that your…lover…didn't quite feel the same way"

"Shut your damn mouth, Munkustrap!" Macavity said through clenched teeth struggling not to explode then and there.

"Why?" the silver tom said, "Do you not want Misto to hear the truth about what you did? How you killed her?"

Misto looked at Munk, then at Macavity who this time looked back at him. They paused in limbo for a second before Macavity broke his rage and let his eyes fall to the ground. Misto's mouth dropped open and the dismay that filled him very nearly blocked out the near whisper that came from Macavity,

"It was an accident"

Munk stifled an evil laugh that tried to escape from his chest and could practically taste the justice that was finally being done to his brother.

"It was no accident" he said corrosively, "That tom standing before you killed that poor queen in cold blood and make no mistake"

"That's not true" Macavity tried to say forcefully but it was no use. The shame he felt in front of Misto was crushing and he wished so hard that he could have told him on his terms.

"Well, why don't we explore it?" Munk carried on, "You see, Misto, Macavity's sexual conquests unfortunately included that poor sweet queen. Just like Bomba and Demeter he kept each of the set-ups a secret from one other and enjoyed each of them for the pleasure he derived from them. I couldn't stand watching him sneak around and get his fill whenever he wanted and in the end I decided not to put up with it.

"I told them all plainly and simply what was going on and suddenly it all came to light for them. Well, except Bomba"

Misto looked to Bomba inquisitively though his worry and motivated her to speak up – albeit shamefully,

"I…I did know. But only found out shortly before this happened. I was still horrified by it all"

"But you still…"

"I didn't know what to do. And he was so…charming…" the queen stated losing her defensive stance and seemingly gaining a kind of sultry reminiscence. Misto stopped himself from scrunching his nose in disgust at the thought of his Macavity fooling around with Bomba. To him it just seemed 'icky'.

"So…you were…really having sex with all of them?" Misto asked his tom hoping he'd deny it. "You've…had sex with all the queens in here?" He waited for an answer before remembering his sister, Jemima and Rumplteazer were also there and adding, "Oh wait. Excluding those two and Teazer of cour-"

He cut himself short when he suddenly wondered about that point before looking around to the calico queen for a denial. A denial that, quite shockingly, was replaced by a severe blushing that showed through her fur and an obvious wish to disappear. Misto spun his head back around to Macavity and gawked upon the sudden revelation and the red tom stared back at him with a look as if to say 'please don't be angry'.

"Everlasting Cat!" Misto blurted in disbelief. That seemed to be the emotion everyone expressed at that moment as all eyes went back and forth between the red tom and the newly disgraced queen.

Rumpleteazer's usual cocky and confident demeanour was lost as she felt the other cats' burning judgement land on her fur and she startled when her twin began sputtering,

"Teazer! You didn't!"

The queen began to raise her head but couldn't make herself meet his gaze. Instead she kept her eyes to the floor and spoke quietly in her cockney twang,

"It was only once. And he was really…well…like Bomba said…charming"

"B-…but…when?" the calico tom managed to say.

"A few months ago."

"Did he force you to?"

"No, no, no! He just…"

"Seduced you?" Misto asked with a firmer, angrier voice before turning his head back to the red tom who was even now having trouble processing everything that was coming to light. The den was silent until Mungojerrie groaned, flopped to the floor with his head in his paws and moaned,

"Oh…bloody hell!"

He continued to whimper quietly to himself saying things such as 'My sister. My own sister…' and 'Why me, Everlasting Cat? Why my sister?'

"Go on, Munk" Misto said drawing the focus back to his story.

"Well, Misto, as I was saying, Bomba knew briefly but that's beside the point. I told them all what was happening and they all went ballistic. They couldn't believe what Macavity had been doing and they went after him. When they got to him it was Demeter's sister who really laid into that creep. It was she he'd duped the most because that poor, sweet cat had actually thought he loved her"

"She was special to me" Macavity said gravely. Misto looked back at him with a strange, mixed sensation of renewed shock and also hurt. He thought Macavity had never loved anyone aside from him and it hurt him to think that he wasn't the first cat to have really known his true affections.

"She was" he carried on and then turned to his black and white tom, "but not like you Misto. She was special but not like you. I love you"

Misto didn't know what to believe and remained silent as Munk carried on,

"She blew up and started attacking him. She was so angry and betrayed she just couldn't stop herself. The whole tribe was drawn out by the noise and everyone watched as everything was revealed. Anyway, that's when it all got bad. You see, Misto, Macavity never cared for anyone but himself"

"Fuck you, Munk!" Macavity said but this time not shocking Misto with his language. The poor tom, it seemed, couldn't be any more shocked.

"He never cared and had no mercy for anyone. Instead of making everything right or letting someone stop her he decided to punish her for going against him."

"That's not true!" Macavity yelled.

"Without a word of warning he set her on fire and watched her writhe in agony as she burned to death. It was all over in moments but he still made that wonderful, beautiful queen scream and roll around in tremendous pain as he killed her."

"You're wrong!"

"He stood and watched her burn to death, Misto! He is so evil that he made her die for reacting when she found out he'd tricked her to use her for his own selfish pleasure!"

"Shut up!"

"She thought he loved her and he made her die for it! He's a wicked cat!"

"Just shut up!" Macavity screamed, finally losing it and throwing himself at Munk. With barely an inch to go before flying into him he found himself shooting backwards in a bright, white light and crashing into the wall of the den. When he looked up he saw Misto staring down and breathing heavily, each breath shaking from an angry, hurt sob as he tried and failed to fight back tears.

"Misto…" he said scratchily as he fought the dizziness in his head.

"Shh!" the black and white tom said sharply. There was silence as he stood for a moment, then stiffly stepped over to his supposed lover and slowly crouched in front of him. From there Macavity could see the unbelievable hurt in his eyes after hearing what Munk had said to him and couldn't believe what had just unfolded in the den. With a sob Misto simply said,

"Is it true?"

Macavity stared back at him jolted by the whole situation. He could barely think of words to describe how mixed up the truth was with Munk's version of the story and could only breath one word, "No" before grabbing Misto in his arms and disappearing with him in puff of smoke.

On a damp, dim street corner a short distance from the junkyard nothing moved aside from a few fallen leaves that were gently picked up in the wind. Suddenly there was a flash and two toms were deposited on the pavement disturbing the stillness that had existed before they arrived. The red tom clutched firmly to the black and white tom he had in his paws and as soon as the latter realised where he was he attempted to struggle free from the former's grip.

"Let me go! Let me go!" Misto cried as he struggled to free himself from the murderer he was latched to. Macavity just held on and pulled him up as he got to his paws before trying to speak.

"Misto, please! Just listen to me!"

"Let me go! I can't believe you didn't tell me any of this!"

"I wanted to, Misto! I really did! I just couldn't because it was too painful!"

"Too painful? For you? How could it be?"

"Because it wasn't how Munk put it! He got it so wrong!"

Misto placed his paws on top of Macavity's and with as strong a grip as he could manage succeeded in wrenching them from his body and stepping back.

"Did you kill that queen?"

Macavity took a breath and tried to think of how to explain before Misto spoke again,

"Did you?"

Knowing it would be unwise to pause for too long he spoke unprepared,

"Yes, but-"

"Then how is it wrong?"

"Because Munk is a jealous, lying bastard that would sooner believe the story he made up than admit he was never good enough to have Demeter when I could"

"And that too!" Misto yelled in a constricted, emotional voice making it come out higher than he had wanted, "Why didn't you tell me about that? You've had sex with all the queens in the tribe! And who knows how many toms!"

"Not all the queens… And far fewer toms…"

"It doesn't matter. The point is you never told me!"

"I know. I know and I'm sorry. I should have done but I just couldn't"

"Why not?"

"Because I didn't want to put a stain on what we had. It was too perfect!"

"Clearly not perfect enough" Misto said angrily whilst fighting back the hurt inside him that wanted to push its way out.

Macavity sighed,

"I'm sorry, Misto. I wish I had told you all of this sooner instead of you having to hear it all from Munk"

"Don't blame it on him! At least he was honest!"

"He was not! He lied to you Misto! I swear!"

"Then what's the truth?"

"Listen and I'll tell you"

"Go on then" said Misto plopping himself down and staring up at the bigger tom who looked unfittingly nervous. Gently he placed himself down in front of Misto and sighed before attempting to tell his side of the story.

"Okay, well, the truth is that the first part of the story Munk told you is all true. Back then I did take who I wanted and did what I want with them without caring whether I hurt them or not. I had this…this power over cats that just seemed to make them melt when I spoke to them and then I could do whatever I wanted. And I suppose I did. That was, all apart from one queen, Athena"

Misto's angry expression cracked when he said that name. He knew instantly that it must have been Demeter's sister – the queen whom Macavity had adored before him. It became more real at that point, the moment when she was given a name. It made Misto feel uncomfortable and upset and he wasn't sure how much he could handle. Still, the red tom continued,

"I won't lie, she certainly was special. More special than the others. I didn't love her though. I didn't love anyone. Up until you I never thought I would love anyone and still, you proved me wrong"

Misto didn't know how to feel. What was he supposed to believe now? Everything had been mixed up and he just didn't know what to do. Without speaking he simply sat there and waited for the red tom to carry on.

"Anyway, all of that carried on until Munk decided to tell them all about what was happening and they did get angry after that. It's understandable, I suppose. I did trick them in order to sleep with them and the truth is I didn't really care. That is, I didn't until what happened next."

Macavity reached forward and took Misto's paws which the black and white tom let him have reluctantly. Squeezing them lightly he encouraged Misto to look up into his eyes and in them he found the deepest sense of assurance he'd ever seen.

"Misto, this is the part I genuinely regret but above all else you have to know that what I'm about to tell you is the honest truth. I swear it by the Everlasting Cat."

Once again Misto didn't speak. He was still lost in a sea of confusion and just continued to stare into those sharp green eyes.

"It's true that Athena was the angriest out of all of them. I had told her I loved her and she took it very badly. So badly that she exploded in a fit of fury. She started to attack me. Claws, teeth, she threw everything she had at me and all I could do was try to defend myself. What I let happen next was awful and I've regretted it for years because it led to me being exiled. I so wish I could take it all back but something like this is…well, when it's done, it's done"

"That's when you killed her?" Misto asked quietly with a cold sensation filling him.

Macavity sighed and let his eyes drop,

"Yes"

Misto felt numb. It felt so strange to hear all of what Macavity was telling him. He'd never imagined he'd ever have to sit through such a mess of sadness and horror. It made him wish he could be somewhere else but even then he knew the only place he really felt safe was in Macavity's arms. That was the cat he was at odds with at that moment and so it only felt worse.

There was a long pause before the red tom gathered his strength together and spoke once again,

"I was getting angry that she just kept coming at me. I yelled at her and told her to stop but she just kept going. I couldn't hit back because…well, she was a queen. I was still getting so frustrated though and then…that's when it all happened"

"What?" asked Misto nervously

"I flew off the handle. I decided I couldn't take any more and threw her off with magic but I…I was so angry that it came out too strongly and…well…oh Everlasting Cat…"

Macavity cut short his story and clasped his paws over his face as the shame of the memory filled him up and disgraced him in front of his new lover. He hated that he had to do this. In truth he'd never wanted to do it. He had hoped that maybe it was a part of his history that Misto never would have had to have known. In that case Misto would know him as the cat he really was, not the cat he'd allowed himself to be in the past. He'd hoped the past was dead and buried but, as always, it followed him and was now spilled out for Misto to see. His magnificent image was ruined in the sight of the cat he loved and he had no idea if he would ever be able to rebuild it.

Misto watched as Macavity struggled with his inner turmoil. He was angry with him for not telling him everything he'd heard from Munk earlier but also felt sorry for the tom he loved looking so frustrated and crestfallen. Above all he loved him and didn't want to see him looking like he was but he just didn't know what he was supposed to do in this situation. Perhaps it wasn't the best thing to do at that moment but just as before he sat there silently and did nothing until Macavity began speaking again. Maybe he should have tried to comfort him or encouraged him to continue but he didn't and so Macavity had to press on alone.

"The magic set her fur on fire" Macavity struggled to say. "And I suppose my anger must have…accelerated it or something because in a second she was completely covered in flames and before I could do anything she…she was dead. She'd burned to death and…I made it happen"

Then there was silence. Neither one of them knew how long they sat there for but it must have been a good few minutes before anything else happened. Macavity felt such incredible guilt and shame that he just couldn't speak anymore and Misto simply didn't know how to process how real it was that Macavity had killed someone. A queen. A jellicle. Sure, he'd heard stories about Macavity killing cats before but he had never known whether to believe them. Even when he'd started secretly seeing Macavity he had wondered if what he was doing was safe but over time that just didn't seem to matter and Misto had simply supposed that the stories must have been untrue. Macavity had seemed so magnificent and dignified that he had dismissed the stories about him but could he still do that knowing what he now knew? Still they sat and there it was. Macavity was indeed capable of killing cats, albeit accidentally in this case but knowing that he could do it made the smaller tom wonder if he had indeed killed others and if so, were those times intentional? It was all just so confusing and scary and it was too much for a tom like him to handle. He was the small, innocent, magic cat that everyone loved even if they did think he was strange. He'd never been faced with such a dilemma and it was all so alien to him.

Was he being silly though? Taking a moment to think through the core information he began to wonder if he could really make the mess they were all in such a huge problem for himself – at least in terms of their relationship. Regardless of the circumstances he'd always wondered if his lover had killed and it had never seemed to be such a deal breaker – as strange as that sounded. It seemed to be just an air of mystery about him and not something he'd ever given too much thought to. He couldn't deny that knowing he actually was a killer was hugely unsettling but in this case it did seem like an accident. Maybe it wasn't murder. Maybe it was just a terrible accident for which Macavity wasn't really to blame. He didn't know. The only thing he could ask himself was whether he could truly hold this against him and whether or not he wanted to lose him over it.

After he'd thought about it for a minute he didn't feel as if he could. He believed the red tom's story over Munk's - after all, how could he not? He loved him and had to believe him. Sure, it did seem Macavity had withheld the truth at certain points in their relationship but he hadn't lied. That seemed to be the important thing here. Macavity had never actually lied to him and that was one of the reasons he trusted him so much. Okay, keeping the whole truth about his past from him wasn't good but he'd never fabricated any of what he'd told him – at least, it didn't seem like he had – and Misto didn't feel he could hold that against him either.

What, then, was he to do now? He wasn't all that angry with Macavity anymore but he didn't feel entirely comfortable going back to how things were. Even if he had wanted to he couldn't because of the situation back in the junkyard. Things were never going to be the same again and he was worried about what would happen now. He didn't want to lose his Macavity but neither did he want to have to go against his tribe.

Right now, though, he didn't care. Coming back to reality he focused on the tom in front of him who he could now see was in total and utter dismay and even though Misto wasn't skilled with reading minds he didn't need to be able to in order to see that Macavity was feeling dreadful. He didn't like seeing his usually so confidant, powerful tom so downtrodden and sad and it pained him to experience it. Macavity had always been so strong and had looked after him when he was not feeling top notch. He'd always been calm and kind and knew exactly what to do for Misto when he was down. Now though it seemed it was Misto's turn to be those things for him. He hoped he could, he really did.

"Macavity…" he said reaching his paw out and placing it on the other's knee. The big tom looked up slowly wondering what he was going to be met with and cautiously met his love's eyes waiting for whatever was coming.

Misto just stared into them. They seemed dimmer in some way, or at least not as striking as usual. It seemed something had been lost now that his reputation was damaged. He felt so bad for his tom and wished he could make it all better. He wanted to go back and undo all of it. The truth was, though, that he couldn't and so he simply had to pick up the pieces of what was left. Considering his options, to Misto it seemed that only one powerful gesture could start to mend a situation like this.

Without waiting any longer, Misto reached out and took his lover's face in his paws. Quickly he leaned forward and pressed his lips against the red tom's and snaked his arms around his neck ever so lovingly. That was just it. He loved this tom he was kissing and wanted to be with him despite all of the horror in his past. They loved each other and love transcended all other trials.

After a moment he pulled his lips away and placed his head on Macavity's shoulder holding him in a gentle hug. Macavity was surprised. He hadn't expected Misto to do that and he certainly didn't think he deserved it. He had expected Misto to tell him off, yell at him or tell him he never wanted to see him again. Instead here they were hugging and kissing and simply being with each other like they had been before. It was mad but it was happening and as soon as Macavity had a moment to think he forced all of the mess they'd fallen into aside and hugged Misto back as tightly as he could. He loved this tom so much and he felt so honoured to be loved by him.

"It doesn't matter" Misto eventually whispered into his lover's ear.

"What?" the red tom whispered back.

"I said it doesn't matter. I don't care what you've done, I just want you. I don't want things to be different, I want you like I had you before. Whatever happens now I just want you and I to be the same because I love you"

Macavity smiled weakly but sincerely and kissed Misto through his fur.

"I love you too, Misto. I love you so very, very much"

The two remained seated on the cold pavement for a while until Misto eventually climbed into Macavity lap. Together they simply sat there holding one another silently mending all of the day's aggravation that had befallen them as the cold autumn air drew in around them.

In the junkyard, things were not good. There was a bitter sense of anger and revulsion in the air perpetuated by Munk who seemed to be radiating hatred as he divided his time between stomping around in a rage and trying to draw Demeter's emotions back together. She had been despondent and nearly inconsolable since Macavity had disappeared with Misto and since Bomba was drifting in her own little world of confusion due to her mixed feelings towards seeing Macavity again it fell solely on Munk to try and help his mate.

He had never been particularly good in these situations and was clearly distracted. Still, he eventually settled with Demeter and rocked her gently as she wept and mumbled short strings of words about being right all along. Seeing Macavity again had truly frightened her and brought back all of the pain she'd gone through from seeing her sister burn to death – not to mention the emotional turmoil she'd had to endure from finding out she'd been played for an absolute fool by the cat she thought had loved her. In her mind she could see the flames as if they were right in front of her and the memory of the awful smell of burning fur and flesh haunted her too. It made her feel sick and dizzy and she just wished she could escape it all.

Nearby, Rumpleteazer bore a quite different set of emotions. Being revealed as one of Macavity's quick flings was quite embarrassing to say the least and were it not for the stern look she had received from Munk which seemed to say 'I'll deal with you later' she most certainly would have forgotten it and concentrated on slapping her brother out of his reviled delirium. Mungojerrie was still slumped on the floor rocking gently and trying to find a happier place in his imagination. He had never even supposed his own sister might have succumbed to the devious temptations of his employer, but there it was. She had and now that he thought about it he could see times in the past when she had been quite jittery around the bigger tom – likely the result of a recent clandestine romp. It made him feel so incredibly awkward and it didn't seem like it was something he would get over soon. Needless to say he wouldn't be looking either of them in the eye for an even longer time.

Jemima and Victoria had slunk off unnoticed once Misto and Macavity had left. Currently they could be found hidden away by the junkyard fence trying to figure out how they felt. Misto had attempted to introduce them all just before Munk had burst in and before they'd heard Munk's story it had seemed as if Macavity wasn't as bad as they all said. Now they were back where they had started and didn't know what opinion to have of him. Was he the suave, kind gentletom Misto had professed or was that just a façade? Alone they discussed their dilemma but as time went on it seemed they accomplished nothing more than flip-flopping between wanting the best for Misto and fearing for his safety while he was alone with a killer.

Hours passed before any kind of coherency returned to the junkyard life of the day and during that time the story of Macavity's appearance and kidnap of Misto reached everyone. The air became tense as those not in the den at the time of it all unfolding gathered in the central clearing and waited to hear anything new. Alonzo did his best to keep an eye on things but the excitement and fear of it all seemed to set the kittens off and provide more than any one wrangler could handle. Chaos was beginning to ensue as time passed and when Munk finally did emerge from Misto's den he was in no mood to deal with it. He'd formulated a plan and was ready to put it into action.

Gruffly calling his younger brother over he mumbled to him something that was inaudible to everyone else. Tugger seemed to protest over whatever Munk had said to him but the stern and almost violent berating that followed forcefully sent him on his way out of the junkyard – albeit moodily. Munk watched the leopard-spotted tom until he disappeared from view and then turned his attention to the legion of eyes upon him from around the clearing. Without saying anything he returned to Misto's den to remove his mate to their own a few moments later. There he sat with her in silence thinking through how he was going to make work what he had planned and decided that no matter what it took he would make it so. He would wrench Misto from Macavity whether he wanted it or not – after all it was for his own good. No matter how old he got it always seemed he'd be a silly little kitten that needed minding and Munk was going to make sure he was never let out of sight again.

Night was drawing in earlier and earlier now that autumn was well under way and the cold air chilled Misto as he stood in a garden looking up at a trellis from which his lover hung.

Macavity had really wanted to cheer Misto up and had thought this might be the best place to bring him. It was the garden where he routinely purloined the roses he regularly gave to the smaller tom and he thought it would be nice for the smaller tom to go back to the place Macavity had first watched him enjoy them. That being said it seemed that now September had passed the last roses were just about to surrender to the autumn and it would be tough to find one as perfect as the black and white tom in Macavity's eyes. Still, he was in luck and after pushing some leaves aside and rummaging around at the top of the trellis Macavity found the very last rose that was still blooming. Effortlessly he struck it from its stem, jumped down to the ground and presented it to the smaller tom with a warm, loving smile.

Misto reached out and took the rose, delicately breathed in its scent and then clutched it tightly before looking back to the red tom. He smiled gently back and softly said "Thank you" before looking back down at the creamy white petals at the end of the stem in his paw.

It made Macavity smile to see his Misto being so like himself – if at least for just that moment. The smaller tom had certainly had a trying day and still he wished he could go back and change things. Even so, he was a logical cat and wasn't about to let wishes and dreams get in the way of reality. He had to move forward and he was going to take Misto with him.

"You're welcome, darling" the red tom began, "So, I suppose we should be going home soon"

"Yes, I suppose"

"I assume you'll be staying with me tonight"

Misto paused for a second before looking up and replying,

"Actually, I should really see how things are at the junkyard. I'm sure Victoria and Jemima are worried about where I've been. As for Munk, well, I suppose it would be better to face him sooner rather than later"

"Are you sure that's the best idea?" the red tom said warily.

"I think so. Besides, what can he do? Ground me? He'd not my dad"

Macavity chuckled, "I suppose not. But still, do you think tonight is the best time to go back? Perhaps waiting until tomorrow would be better just so things can cool down"

"No, no. As I said, Victoria and Jemima will be wondering where I am"

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"Now it's my turn to ask if you think that's a good idea?"

"Well, I just don't want to…leave you alone…what with everything that's gone on. I want you to be safe"

"I will be. I don't think it's gotten to the point where I'll be hung, drawn and quartered just yet. The worst they can do is give me a real telling off"

Macavity wasn't sure. He didn't want to leave his tom alone after everything that happened but it did seem Misto was making sense. Besides it wasn't as if his moron brother would stop him from seeing his Misto if he wanted to. He knew how to get around that fussy idiot and so perhaps it wasn't as bad as it seemed.

"Alright. Come on then" he said putting his arm around Misto and beginning to walk him home.

A little while later with the sun a little more out of sight behind the horizon the two toms arrived on a corner near the entrance to the junkyard and stopped to look at one another.

"Now, if there's any trouble, Misto, just come straight to me, alright?" Macavity said to his lover.

"Don't worry, darling. I'll be fine"

"Are you sure you won't reconsider? Just to give me peace of mind?"

"Why? You really care about me that much?" Misto joked but only eliciting a loving smile from the bigger tom.

"More than you know" he said before leaning down and kissing him softly on the lips. It was such a sweet kiss that Misto nearly dropped his rose and once again he wondered what kind of incredible power such a simple action from his tom had over him. It truly was remarkable what a simple brush of his lips could do.

"I think I do" the smaller tom said as they parted and drew near to give him a hug. The two stood there for a few minutes in each other's arms before Misto pulled away and smiled up at Macavity.

"Well, here I go. Wish me luck" the black and white tom said before turning and making his way towards the entrance to the junkyard.

"Good luck" called the bigger tom who watched Misto until he disappeared around the corner and out of sight. He stood there for a moment wondering if he had just made a big mistake in letting Misto go back alone. Still, he fought the urge to sprint after him and pull him away. After all Misto wasn't stupid. He could handle himself and it was certainly true that whatever was waiting for him it wouldn't cause him any harm.

With a stiff sigh Macavity turned his back and rigidly walked away as the setting autumn sun cast a long, frightening shadow behind him. Perhaps if he'd seen its sinisterness he might have taken it as an omen to what was about to happen to Misto. Then again, how could he have known?

Feeling ironically like a scolded puppy, Misto slowly plodded back into the junkyard with his eyes down and hoping by some miracle that he could simply get through without being berated despite all eyes silently locking themselves onto him. Of course, a meteorite falling out of the sky and hitting him on the head would have been more likely and, like a thunderclap, Munk's voice shot across the junkyard just as Misto reached the middle of the clearing. Nervously Misto turned his head in the direction from which it had come and, with an aura as black as coal, Munk flicked his head to the side indicating for Misto to go into his den.

The small tom stood there for a moment weighing up his options. If he disobeyed then it would only be prolonging his fate. If he went over there and tried to plead his case he'd just be shot down. It was a sticky situation and, once again, not one Misto felt he was qualified to deal with.

As a compromise he eventually turned his body and slowly made his way over to the bigger tom who quickly shepherded him inside his den. Misto kept his eyes fixed to the floor as he was shut away and nervously twiddled the rose in his paws as he waited for the monumental telling off he was about to receive.

When several long, silent moments had passed he felt the weight of the judgement that filled the room begin to crush him and so, with a deep breath, he raised his head to look at the cats he could sense were standing around him. Who he saw he most certainly did not expect.

"Dad?" Misto said as he laid eyes on a rotund, pompous individual a short distance in front of him.

"Mistoffelees" was all that came from the clearly annoyed Bustopher Jones.

Next to his father Misto saw Old Deuteronomy who had the same disappointed, judgemental look as the stout cat next to him. He'd never supposed the situation would have escalated to a point where Munk would not only summon the
Jellicle leader but his father as well. With a gulp, the small tom braced himself for the disciplinary storm he was sure he was about to receive.

Surprisingly, it didn't come.

"Mistoffelees, it has been decided that you and your sister from now on will live with me in St. James" said Bustopher surprisingly calmly but not without a strong sound of iron will in his voice.

Misto woke up at that. What did his dad just say? He was going where?

"Wha-?" the smaller tom began before he was cut off.

"It's not open to discussion Mistoffelees. I thought it must have been a joke when I first heard that you'd gone gallivanting around with a crazed, murderous lunatic but it seems it was the truth. In light of that it has been decided you'll be kept away from…that cat…and I will hear no argument out of you. Is that clear?"

Misto was stunned. What was happening? He didn't want to leave. He couldn't leave. This was his home. He'd lived here for most of his life and had never wanted to go back to living in St. James like when he was a kitten. It just wasn't him and above all, how would Macavity find him?

"But dad!" he began as he tried to get a word in.

"No buts, Mistoffelees! You're coming and that's that. Your sister is ready to go and so, if there's nothing else, we'll be going"

"But I don't want to! Won't you just listen to my side of it?"

"We're going now! Do not cross me, Mistoffelees"

Misto stood there with a thousand things flying through his head. What was happening? Where was he going? Why was he going there? When was this decided? How would Macavity find him? It made him angry that he hadn't even been spoken to before it all became concrete and finding his courage from earlier he stomped his paw and defiantly said,

"No!"

Unfortunately for Misto it seemed his unwillingness to do as he was told had been planned for and before he knew what was going on he felt something being thrown over his head, pulled down to his paws and then pulled aside knocking him to the ground. In an instant he realised he'd been put into a sack and just as the strings at the end were pulled tight and he was dragged away Misto put up the most violent fight of his life.

He kicked, he screamed but as he felt himself being pulled outside and down to the junkyard floor he began to realise that he was going whether he liked it or not.

As Munk began to drag the sack containing Misto behind Bustopher in the lead with Victoria in tow he felt a small, sly smile grace his face. If his brother thought he was going to get his way this time then he was sorely mistaken. Macavity may have had the upper paw before but now it was Munk's turn to call the shots. Justice would be served and to the silver tabby it felt simply fantastic.

Misto continued to fight in darkness as he was pulled along the cold ground but he'd soon find it was no use. Still, he fought valiantly all the while he was held in that sack until finally the marching cats arrived at Bustopher's home in St. James where Misto had spent most of his kittenhood. What was to come was surely not going to be a high point in the young tom's suddenly uprooted life.

Well, there it is. I hope you all liked it. Reviews are greatly appreciated if you have the time and once again I'm sorry this took so long. I should probably apologize now for however long the next chapter may take but with any luck it won't be as long as last time. Who knows?

Anyway, thanks for reading and see you in the next chapter.