Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer were, as they were typically doing, causing trouble. Having already broken a couple of priceless crystal bowls they were on their way outside to avoid the family because they had started to not be so patient with the two cats. Being very playful and curious they had decided it was best to play outside in the family garden.

"You'll neva catch me!" called Rumpleteazer.

"Yea right," said the older tom.

He raced after her almost tripping over a visible tree root. She gigled happily as she ran quickly through the pool fence. They raced around the edge and in between the pool chairs. Rumpleteazer being a few months younger than Mungojerrie was far less careful than he was. So she hardly noticed how close she was getting until she was actually in the pool. She gargled for a few moments but couldn't pull herself out as she had been taken by surprise and therefore swallowed a lot of salt water.

"TEAZER!" yelled Mungojerrie.

He looked around frantically for her for a few moments. She had surfaced right in the middle.

'Well, I can' jus' leave her there.' He thought and dove in after her.

He swam straight to her limp body and tried to pull her out but she was so damned heavy when her fur was wet. He dragged her over to the first step on the pool. He sat her up there, as he couldn't pull her out. He then ran straight for the junkyard. Not many of the cats were there at that time of the day. Most of them were at home being pampered. He ran straight to the first tom he saw still dripping.

"Tugger! Help! Fallen in! Can't get out!" he said heavily

"Wha?" asked the previously sleeping Rum Tum Tugger. "Quit dripping on me! You'll spoil my new collar!"

This rather 'odd' display had caused the attention of many of the other cats.

"What's the matter?" asked the always official Munkustrap.

"Teazer fell in the pool" he panted. "She's unconscious and I can't get her out!" He beckoned them to come with him and he ran off quickly. When he got to the pool he was relieved to find that she hadn't floated out again. She was still on the step. He ran over and started trying to pull her out. All the males ran over quickly to help him. She was out after a few troubled slip- ups. She was laid a bit away from the pool.

"This is a ladies job." Said Jenny ushering the toms away.

They made their way back to the junkyard except for Mungojerrie who stayed with the queens to watch over his er (this is where the confusion comes in, I don't think of them as brother and sister I mean c'mon. Uh, no!) 'friend'. He stood back as they tried to revive her. She dried off rather quickly in the hot sun and they managed to drag her inside to their basket.

"Watch over her tonight Mungojerrie" said Jenny. "She'll be fine after a little rest and relaxation."

"K," said the, er rather vague Tom. "What do I do with her until she's better."

"Keep her warm and make sure she drinks lots of warm fluids."

Mungojerrie nodded. He watched over her that night making sure that when she stirred he calmed her and that when she was cold, he warmed her. These days when he looked at his dear friend he didn't see his dear friend. He only saw the most beautiful creature ever to grace the planet. He smiled as he settled down early that morning. He could finally sleep. How he longed for sleep. Rumpleteazer was still fast asleep. He lay his head down by her head and she nuzzled close to him. He felt an unfamiliar feeling of warmth as she did this in her semi awake state. A few moments later, he was fast asleep.

"Mungo?" asked Rumpleteazer.

Even though she had slept all-night she felt oddly tired. She stared down at the cat snuggled to her breast. She looked curiously at the look on his face. She felt special. She knew it was him who had dove in after her when she fell in the pool. And she also knew it was him who had gone to find help. He was such a gentleman towards her. Though he would only show this side of himself to his Teazer. She smiled to herself and sat up a little. Letting Mungojerrie's head slip into her 'lap'. She stroked his head and heard him purr appreciatively. She watched her friend snuggle down into her lap. He was really the only thing she had in the world. He was the one who cared for her. Who stayed up all night so she wouldn't be cold or scared. He was the one who had saved her life. How could she go on calling him his friend when he was really so much more than that to her. She knew at that instant that she loved him, so much more than anything in the entire world. She looked at the serene sleeping cat and bent down to lick his face. He started to rouse, murmuring her name as he did so.

"Teaza," he mumbled looking up with blurry eyes.

He saw her beautiful dark eyes staring down at him. He looked up at the beautiful creature that stood before him. He sat up.

"You're awake Teaza." He acknowledged.

"Yeah," she said.

She made a movement to leave.

"Where you goin?" he asked her feeling strangely saddened.

"I'm going to the junkyard. Don't worry, I'll be back soon. I need to talk to some of the girls." She smiled at him and licked his face.

He started to purr and due to his exhaustion he was asleep in no time. Rumpleteazer walked slowly down to the junkyard. When she got there she saw that almost all the girls were there, doing something.

"Whatcha up to?" she asked.

"Rumpleteazer! You're alright!" one of them called out to her.

"Yeah, thankyou for helping me last night. I'm feeling so much better."

They smiled at her and walked to where she was standing.

"I need to talk to you about something." She was rather hesitant at first but in no time the story about how she was feeling towards Mungojerrie was out in the open. "So what do I do?" she asked

The group looked at her blankly. She rolled her eyes.

"Okaaaaay," she said slowly "What did you do when you realised you were well, you know."

"Well, everyone has their own way of showing their affection." Said Demeter.

"Just spend time with him." Said one of the other cats.

"I spend almost every hour of every day with him!" she exclaimed glumly.

The queens continued to give their advice for what seemed like forever until a tom marched proudly into the junkyard. He strutted over to the girls.

"How're you going ladies." He asked eyeing Bombalurina.

"Go away Tugger! We're trying to have a conversation here." Said Demeter trying desperately to pull her best friend away from Rum Tum Tugger. Rumpleteazer decided this would be the best time to slip away from the group of rowdy females. Tugger always made queens act that way. It was so annoying! She walked off to a rather deserted part of the junkyard and climbed into an old suitcase. She looked through a large hole in the case. She saw, to her surprise, Mungojerrie. She watched him carefully and sneakily. He wandered tiredly over to Munkustrap, who was trying to find something in a pile of rubbish. Mungojerrie sat down in front of the searching cat. He said something to him, which Rumpleteazer couldn't hear.

"What're ya sayin Jerrie?" she whispered to herself.

She tried to get closer to the hole but didn't realise that as she did this the whole suitcase became unbalanced. She soon found herself rushing down a mountain of garbage. She screamed so hard that she began to cry. The suitcase began to turn over and over. Poor Rumpleteazer was getting very dizzy (and that ladies and gentlemen has to be the corniest of all sentences ever written!). She was on the verge of throwing up when the suitcase stopped. She hobbled out, all four of her legs wobbling everywhere. She realised that she was right under Munkustrap and Mungojerrie. All the other cats had gathered around and were watching with interest. She looked up at the two toms.

"I'm just gonna go now," she said and smiled.

As if in a daze she wandered in two different directions at once. (not so hard when you have four legs) She then promptly collapsed at Mungojerrie's feet.

"What the 'ell were you doin?" he asked her in a let down angry voice.

"Nuthin. I was just tryin to sleep and then the 'ole thing decided to move on me." Came the muffled reply.

Mungojerrie nudged her into an upright position.

"Yeah, woteva." He said

He started to walk away.

"Where you goin?" she asked in a kind of panicky voice.

"'ome."

She watched the handsome orange tom leave the junkyard then she cursed herself for embarrassing him. She sat down with her tail er between her legs and tried not to cry.

"Sweetie?" came the sweet voice of Jenny "Don't worry about ol Jerrie. He'll come around soon enough. You'll see."

She nodded. She decided to leave the junkyard. She needed to be away from the Jellicle community to think for herself, for a change. She walked out to the park and sat on a bench. She started to clean herself. She stopped suddenly. She shouldn't be here. She had just screwed up majorly being found as an 'eavesdropper'. Or that's what Mungo would think of her anyway. She had never cared what any other cat thought of her except for Mungo. He was the important one. She lay down on the bench and rested her head on the edge. Her tears stained the dirt beneath her. Many of the passers by would notice the pretty orange cat who seemed melancholy but none of them would stop. She didn't care. They weren't anything to her. Only Mungo was important.

Mungojerrie was at his home. He lay in his 'cat box' thinking about Teazer. She wouldn't purposely try to hurt his feeling or embarrass him would she? With Teazer anything was possible. He realised how late it was getting. If she wasn't home soon he would have to look for her. Before he could finish his thought she slouched through the cat flap. She looked at him and then walked up stairs, away from his angry glare. That's what she thought it was. It was however a look of relief. She reached the upstairs and went to one of her frequent hiding places, that Mungo didn't know about yet. She crept to the window seat and crawled under the pillow. There was a slightly hollowed out area that she could just fit into without anyone noticing her. She looked out the window. How beautiful the stars were that night.

"Teaza?" came Mungo's quiet voice. "Teaza? Where are you?"

He walked past her room and then doubled back. He could smell her. Her distinct fragrance that was completely 'Teaza'. He called again. No reply. Rumpleteazer heard his padding coming closer to her. She held her breath. Which wasn't easy as he had jumped on the pillow she was under. She saw his head come over the side and saw a very strange upside down view of him.

"You gonna come out?" he asked softly.

"No." she said grumpily.

"Fine then. I'll just stay here all night."

"Damn you." she trailed off.

His face was still upside down in hers. This made talking to him very hard to manage. She tried to climb out but her was so damned heavy!

"Lemme out Mungo." she said frustratedly.

He smiled to himself and moved to one side of the pillow. She pulled herself out from underneath as elegantly as she could. Hmm well that didn't work. She had fur sticking up all over the place. Mungo sighed

"Com'ere." He said to her.

She shuffled over to him. He pulled her head down and started slowly to groom her. She felt a shiver of delight run down her spine.

'Maybe he isn't angry at me anymore.' She thought.

"Teaza?" he asked thoughtfully

"Yeah?"

"Why did you do that today?"

"Do what?"

"Hide in a suitcase to eavesdrop on me and Munkustrap?"

"I didn't hide there specifically ta eavesdrop. I went in there to ge' away from Tugger and his billions of admirers. I found an 'ole and saw you and thingy chattin. I moved closer to here what you was sayin but the suitcase became unbalanced and it fell. That's it end of story."

"It didn't look to good." He said.

"It aint my fault. I didn't now it would topple and send me down a mountain of garbage did I?"

"Well, no." he admitted "Bu' I' still looked very bad. You didn't 'ere anything tha' we did say though? Did you?" he asked quietly

"Well, no. I was to busy screamin for my life."

"I was talkin' to 'im about you." He said quietly.

She looked up at him. Her dark eyes entrancing the tom.

"What was you sayin?" she asked quietly. He looked away from her and took in a deep breath. He turned to where he thought Teaza would be but she wasn't there.

"Teaza?" he whispered looking around frantically.

"Ya?" came her voice from behind him.

He swiveled but went a little to fast and fell over on his back at her feet. She had moved so that she could see out the window. It always fascinated her seeing all the people and seeing all the things that happened on the streets of Victoria Grove. Mungojerrie got to his feet and stared at her. This was never going to work. He could never tell her how he felt. She would just laugh at him in her adorable way.

"It's not fair." He said softly to himself

"What isn't?" asked Rumpleteazer

"Nuffin." He replied, "Teaza?" he asked

"Yeah,?"

"I need to tell you sumfin."

"Go on then." She said drawing her face away from the window.

"I uh.. well.. It aint that easy ta say. but I. I." he was at a loss for words.

"Jerrie? What do you wanna say?"

"Well actually, it aint that important." He said

She watched as he jumped from the windowsill. She sat there stunned for a few seconds. It then hit her. He didn't want her. She jumped down from the windowsill.

"Goin to tha junkyard Jerrie. K?" she called trying to rub away tears.

She ran all the way there. When she got there she found that Tugger had taken a few of the queens away with him. She couldn't help herself this time. She burst into tears in the middle of the junkyard. She cried and cried and cried. Demeter was the first cat to her. She took her away from the prying eyes of other Jellicles to an old pipe. She comforted her and tried her best to calm the cat down.

"Hush now, dry your tears." She said "What's the matter Teazer?"

"I honestly though' 'e was goin ta ask me." She said pitifully to her.

Demeter knew immediately what she meant.

"Maybe he was. He might have just gotten a little nervous."

"Demi? Can you 'onestly see Jerrie as the nervous type?"

"Well, no but it can happen to the bravest of cats that they get nervous when it comes to a beautiful queen."

Those words made Rumpleteazer feel a whole lot better about her predicament. She chatted with Demeter for a while. Demeter was a good friend. She had been very surprised when Demeter had taken to her. Rumpleteazer heard a human yelling what must have been Demeter's family name.

"Well, I gotta go. Don't worry about Mungo. He's just nervous around you." She gave her a slight bump on the head as a goodbye gesture.

"Bye Demi." Called Rumpleteazer after her.

Rumpleteazer walked home.

'I've been doin' this an 'ole lot recently,' she thought 'traipsin' back an forf from the junkyard and 'ome'.

When she got into the house the humans had left. Out to the opera or something. She crept up to their basket where Mungojerrie was muttering to himself. He started clawing at the velvet that the humans had provided them with.

"Why am I such a stupi' ca'?" he said to himself. "Why cant I just say it?" he asked himself "She'll neva say yes, I aint good enuff."

"Say yes to what?" asked Rumpleteazer quietly.

Mungojerrie jumped about a foot in the air as soon as he heard her voice. He turned to face her slowly his face glowing with embarrassment. He opened his mouth to say something but no words came out. The poor tom looked at her helplessly.

"Ask me?" she begged.

He took a deep breath and started.

"I tried to ask you before but I couldn'. You were starin at me so pre'ily I couldn' say what I wanted."

"What did you want to say to me?" she asked him gently.

"Teaza, you are the most beau'iful creature I eva se' eyes on. I love you and I was goin t' ask you if.." he trailed of a little.

Rumpleteazer smiled at him willing him to continue.

"If you would uh.. be my uh.. mate." He stopped and looked down to his paws.

"Mungo, I fawt you weren't gonna ask me.." she said slowly.

He looked up at her beaming face. She walked over to him closer and sat down in front of him.

"Well?" he asked slightly desperately.

"Yes." She said simply. "Yes, I will be your mate."

He looked at her so intently that she finally had to lick his face to snap him out of his trance. He shuddered slightly, in a good way, as she licked him over and over again. He stopped her and looked her up and down. He grinned slowly.

"Y'now." he said slowly. "The whole family are out of the house and we are jus sittin here."

Rumpleteazer caught on straight away. She nodded at him and they were off to the jewellery box. Pearls always made Rumpleteazer feel good.

"For you, darlin' Teazer" said Mungojerrie kind of shyly clasping the pearls around her slender neck.

She smiled at him intently. That night they accumulated many useless items and hid them successfully under the stitching in their basket, which was of course further hidden by the velvet and many cushions the family had supplied for them.

"G'noit luv." Said Mungojerrie to Rumpleteazer

"Gnurghs" came a voice buried in his fur.

He smiled at his queen and sighed. Ah, life was so good.