#roari

It was the night before Valentine's Day.

Rocky nervously smiled as he walked into Mitzi's office. "Hello, Miss May! Surely another sterling review of our latest...ehm...esca...pade?"

"...Rocky," Mitzi sat behind her desk, "Have a seat."

Rocky sat down, his hands folded in his lap, his ears perked, his eyes wide but not bright.

"...Rocky, what did we send you out to do this time?"

"Fetch cherry bounce from Mr. Reynolds?"

"And what did you do?"

"...I got the liquor!" Rocky said, a soft smile on his face, "I did! All of it, not a drop spi-"

"Crushed, Rocky. Ivy used the word Crushed. You know how long that'll take Viktor to deal with?"

"...well if Nico had just gotten out of the way of the DOOR, it wouldn't've bent!"

"Rocky, every time you get sent out on this sort of thing, something like this happens! I'm glad you got the goods, but you need to start thinking about this more responsibly - you'll get killed!"

"But-"

"But nothin'." Mitzi said. "...I'm not gonna fire you or nothin'. But I need you to understand how serious I am when I say this." She looked him in the eye.

"Be more careful, Roarke"

"...okay." With that, he got up, and left.

-

Rocky rolled by Calvin's apartment, knocking on the door. He was still a little hum drum from his meeting the night before, but he was sure he could maintain good spirits! And he HAD to! He had a DATE tonight!

Calvin opened the door. Normally, Calvin would dress simply for most of the day, but he was oddly dressed to the 9s as he came to the door. Calvin seemed shocked that Rocky was there - perhaps he was seeing Ivy a little early today!

It was not Ivy.

"Roarke."

"...Aunt Nina!" Rocky casually waltzed in past Calvin, who seemed to be desperately trying to keep him out of the apartment. "And how are you this fine, lovely Valentine's Day?"

"I'm well. I was visiting my good child. I suppose I ought to say hello to you, as well."

"You, eh...you always meet Cal on Valentine's Day?"

"He wants to marry this girl, I figured I should meet her." Nina leaned in. "Is she...more modern?"

Calvin's eyes went wide. He looked at Rocky. Rocky didn't get the message.

"Well, compared with ol' Freck here she's avant garde!"

"...is she now?" Nina raised an eyebrow.

"Of course! Awful nice, too - math major, actress, real cute as well - you know, Freckle really lucked out here!"

Rocky had figured that would help. And in most cases, it would.

But he forgot who he was talking to.

"...single? In college? And...and an Actress?"

"Only...only sometimes, ma." Calvin said, reassuringly. "She, ehm, she-"

"What's next - she one'a them flappers I keep readin' about? I should hope not, I wouldn't be caught dead givin' you away to one'a-"

"THAT'S the word I was looking for!" Rocky nodded.

"Rocky you aren't helping." Calvin angrily hissed.

"Not helping you, perhaps, but me, surely! I'm not sure I even want to see this woman! Or you with her."

"Ma, I'm grown, I-"

"No sir. I won't have it." With that, She stood to leave. "...but what about you, Rocky?"

"Oh! Well I've just got this marvelous girlfriend from Portugal."

"Portugal?"

"Sure! Ari." Rocky smiled. "I've got a date with her tonight...she's got this fiery red fur and this cute voice and-"

"You, of all people? Hmm." Nina turned and left. Rocky just stood there, and looked at an astonished Calvin.

Calvin stared for a moment. "That was...definitely the wrong thing to say."

"I-...I can tell...Calvin, I know that was real boneheaded of me, I'm sorry, I-"

"It's alright." Calvin grunted as he sat. "I wasn't planning on the reveal going much better..."

"...listen, i can make it up to y-"

"It's fine, Rocky."

"I mean it, I-"

"Rocky, please, I-"

"If I could just-"

"ROARKE." Calvin stood and barked the word, like an order. "...I'm not mad at-...just...I think ye'd better go, aye?"

"...for sure."

-

Rocky schlepped down the street, and looked in a mirror. He did look a little rough - he needed to get in better shape for his date tonight! Some fancy fine restaurant of sorts - this outfit just wouldn't do! He walked over to the truck, which had a veyr angry Viktor by it, and grabbed one of his nice sets of clothes. He hummed a bit to himself as he snuck down into the Daisy to change, and-

"Mr. Rickaby?"

"GAH!" He nearly jumped out of his skin as he turned around to spot Lacy. "Lacy! What the hell are YOU doing here!?"

"I was looking for you, actually. I have news regarding your request to Mr. Sable?"

"Sure! Will he let me have a room?"

"No."

"Aww, what!?" Rocky gasped. "But I already gave him that deposit!"

"Which he has returned to you in full, here. You'll have to get it cashed." She handed him a check.

"You don't understand, Lacy, I sleep in a truck, I-...what am I supposed to do with myself?"

"...stop breaking the truck, i suppose." Lacy said. "I would loan you space, but I'm moving out of my apartment and into Arthur's soon. I can give you my landlord's line, if you'd like?"

"I suppose-...how much?"

"A month?" Lacy looked at the deposit. "...roughly what you were offering to Mr. Sable. Which, considering he isn't a landlord and hasn't a good concept of money, is...steep."

"...oh." Rocky nodded, slowly, processing what he was hearing. Between this, the meeting last night, and ruining whatever elaborate plan Calvin had to make Ivy palatable to Nina, he wasn't doing well today.

"...alright."

"Mr. Rickaby," Lacy spoke, "if it helps, the boarding house down the way has no curfew."

"I'll drop them a line..." Rocky shuffled off, and tried to think of something else. Could it get any WORSE today?

"Roarke," said Zib, "when you're done back there Mitzi wants us to help with hauling kegs."

Oh. It could.

-

Ari waited at her apartment, humming to herself. "ó Coimbra do Mondego...e dos amores-" She blinked when she heard the door, still putting in her earrings. She knew exactly who it would be - that dashing gray cat with that devilishly sweet smile and those big, bright eyes-

Who, this evening, looked a little flat.

He had dirt on his coat. He looked winded, like he'd run to get here. He looked like he'd cried a bit. He smiled a little.

"...Ari..."

"...we're not going on that date tonight."

He slumped. "...more bad news today, huh?"

"No, no." Ari shook her head. "But you're in no state to go out some place and be miserable - you're clearly not well!"

"No, I can be well! Honest! I promise, Ari, I-"

Ari took his hands and looked up. "You look like you sprinted over here!"

"...only the last little bit. Most of it was...very fast walking?"

"Rocky..." Ari dragged him inside, shut the door, and kicked off her heels.

"...I hate to ruin your night." Rocky said, taking off his jacket and hat instinctively. "I know you must be frustrated...I get it, a guy has a rough day but he really shouldn't let on to that. Especially on a night like tonight." He watched her go into her room. "I mean, I really was planning on it being great! But-" he began to choke up, as he put his face in his hands. "I get it if you're not interested in being seen near me or-"

"Roarke." For the first time since his childhood, the name felt soft in his ears. It felt like a warm bed - like a blanket. He felt Ari's hands on his cheeks. She looked concerned.

"I would love to be seen with you - not a moment goes by when I don't want to be with you." She kissed his forehead. "But you are in NO way to go out tonight. You need o stay in...besides. We can go tomorrow - how hard will it be to find a reservation the day AFTER Valentine's day?"

"...I'm sorry it worked out like th-"

"Shush. I have to spend my night with the most handsome man ever gifted to earth. What a horrible turn of events!"

"...and you don't even need to pretend to be nice to a waiter while wishing you could just have wine."

"Of course!" Ari purred as she sat in his lap. "I'm sorry you had such an abysmal day, and that I made you think it was about to get worse."

"You COULD have phrased that a bit better." Rocky nodded.

"No question there." She replied. "...but I'm glad you're here. I love you, Roarke."

The place seemed to sway as ROCKY walked downstairs. He was looking for someone, in the crowd.

"Shouldn't be...HARD to find." he looked through the place - the new business was good for money but bad for finding dates. Rocky could've sworn he'd seen her somewhere. He started to ask around.

"She's about this high on me, red hair, orange fur, this real cute lipstick that makes her eyes real vivid, like...no? Oh. Okay." He started to reach the edge of the place, and looked around the walls. She wasn't anywhere to be seen. He slumped on a table. "Well." He shrugged a bit. "She'll come...surely!" He smiled, and perked up, sitting there. "I'm right by the stairs. When she gets here, she's BOUND to see me!"

He scanned the crowd for her, still - maybe she WAS here, and he'd somehow missed her. He peered into the mass of people, and saw someone familiar - not Ari, but a shock of blonde hair and a blur of white fur - had to be-

-

LACY huffed and walked from the bar back to the caverns. She crossed her arms. "One night off." She sighed. "ONE. Just ONCE I want a night to myself, and what does that harpy of a woman say?" She mocked a southern Drawl "Well, ah need yuh t'catalogue those barrels back thayuh." She spat on the ground, and looked at her clip board.

"...Arthur's going to be awfully cross." She sighed. Arthur was her boyfriend, and she'd told him she'd be out on the floor some place tonight. She looked at the barrel room's vast expanse.

"Oh, you've GOT to be kidding me." She groaned. She looked down at the clipboard again, and started to write a few things down - mostly checking dates and numbers. She stared and stared, and wrote and wrote. Her hand began to cramp and her eyes began to strain. She leaned against the wall of a cave.

"...if someone was here to talk to, it would be nice." Her voice echoed gently off the walls. "Maybe a tall boy with cinnamon fur and a cute pair of glasses...with rough hands from guitar playing...and who'se supposed to be celebrating his ANNIVERSARY TONIGHT!" She kicked one of the barrels, and winced as she drew back her foot. "Shit!" She fell down.

"...shit."

-

"Shit!" IVY put the receiver to her other ear. "Well. That's not good. With a hammer?" She leaned into the phone. "He's okay, right? You're gonna tell me he's okay?" She sighed, pacing around the upstairs office. Her bright green dress reflected off the mahogany desk as she sat on it, and listened intently. It was Elsa Arbogast. Calvin was hurt.

"He'll be fine," the voice on the other line said, "but when he gets there he's not going to be too steady on that leg."

"So no dancing."

"None."

Ivy nodded. She sighed a bit, part relief and part frustration. "Thank you so, so much, Elsa. Tell him his sweetie is waitin' for him here." She said.

"Will do."

Ivy laid on the couch. "...I just got him back." Calvin had an...episode. It set him out about a week - it hurt to see him that way. This morning, he'd smiled, and he held Ivy, and kissed her a dozen times, and promised a dance, and even promised he'd get back from 'work' quick as he could. He was so happy - a happy Ivy hadn't seen on him for a while.

That was surely gone now.

"Something, I swear...something's just trying to make his life so damn hard." She muttered to himself as she walked back down the stairs. "...I can have a good time on my own! I mean, surely. I've done it before!" She grumbled a bit to herself. "Though, when you've had a good time with Cal, you never wanna have a good time withOUT him again..." She looked out at the street through the window of the Daisy.

"...it's really coming down out there."

-

"It's really coming down out there..." ARI was in a phone booth. She had no calls to make - she was just trying to get out of the rain. "Of course my umbrella's in that truck..." She looked down at herself. She was practically waterlogged. She was amazed she hadn't DROWNED on the way here - and she was still halfway from the Daisy. "Rocky's not going to want to dance with a puddle, surely...Ivy's about my size, she says she keeps stuff there...well." She looked down. "My hips...ah. It'll be fine for a night." She peered out the window of the phone booth. A man neared it, and knocked. She had to get going.

She rushed, struggling a bit with the heels in the rain. She tripped, and fell. She brushed herself off, and looked at her coat. "..." She looked down at herself. On top of rain, her new fur coat that Rocky'd spent all of his 'hazard pay' money on was covered in mud. She took in a deep breath, and a lucky roll of thunder hid the cavalcade of Portuguese swears that left her mouth. She kept going, and made it to the door of the club.

She looked at a small watch she had, ignoring the labored footsteps behind her. "Agh, it's getting late..."

-

"It's getting late." ARTHUR was still at the bar. He'd exhausted his talking points with the band, the people there he knew, and with Viktor. He was wondering where Lacy even got away to.

He got up from the bar, and looked around at the mostly empty club. A sad looking Rocky, still waiting diligently by the door, and a nervous, pacing Ivy. It was late. And almost everyone else was either necking in the corners, sitting and getting ready to head out, or gone. Arthur hummed a little tune to himself as he got up and walked to the center of the floor.

He heard very fast clicking heels, and a very flustered voice. "Arthur! Dear." Lacy walked over to him, and wrapped her arms around him. She was covered in dust, and one of her shoes was especially so. She purred so loudly when she hugged him that he felt like he couldn't hear his own thoughts. "I'm so sorry about that, I...if Mitzi even SEES me she finds something for me to do and-"

"It's alright." Arthur smiled down at her, and kissed the top of her head. "You're alright." He looked around. "...not many people left, huh?"

"No." Lacy took in a breath. "...not much of an anniversary, is it?" Lacy said.

"Well, you're here, aren't you?" Arthur smiled. Lacy did, too.

"...yes, I suppose I am..."

Their eyes turned to two people walking down the stairs - more so stumbling.

"There we are...bad way to meet, huh? Almost. No, no, just lean on the - lean on the wall, Calvin."

"I'm trying but yer coat is wet and-"

CALVIN was clinging to Ari as she helped move the boy down the stairs - both looked as if they'd swam here, their fur damp and dripping. Ari's new coat was covered in muck and must've weighed thirty pounds more than it had. Calvin's trousers were ripped, revealing a bandage over his leg, and his hat had a new hole in it, likely from a bullet. He got to the bottom of the steps, and collapsed to the floor, taking in breaths.

"CALVIN MCMURRAY YOU STOP SCARING ME LIKE THAT!" Ivy shouted, rushing over to him and propping him up on the wall. "How did that even HAPPEN to you?"

"I, eh...it's...there was a pig, and-"

"Shush." Ivy kissed him gently, and helped him up. "Eugh...what're you eating these days? Gettin' heavier." She winked. "All muscle, huh?"

"Probably rain water." He replied, fighting off his jacket, and letting it squelch to the floor. "Sorry this all happened so soon after-"

"Nope. No apologizing. You're here." Ivy let her fur get wet as she hugged Calvin, nearly wringing the water out of him.

On the other side of the stair case, Ari watched, sighing a bit. Shame she hadn't seen-

"Ari?" Rocky was there, sitting upright, with wide eyes, and a gentle, happy smile.

"...Rocky! I, ehm, I met your cousin - he...has some sort of wound." She said, getting her coat off, as well. "I'm so sorry about the coat, I...I know you spent a lot of money on it. I can have it cle-"

"Are you warm?" Rocky asked, holding her hands as she sat down.

"...well it was warm, yes, before it got soaked."

"Good!" Rocky hugged her, and squeezed her tight. Ari squeezed him, too. She purred, and stood. "...the band is still here. I hope you haven't danced too much?" She winked. Rocky smiled.

Rocky let himself into Calvin's new apartment. "You're a fanciful writer type, right, Calvin?"

"Well, I mean, I've...written before, but-"

"Perfect!" Rocky sat down by the typewriter and looked over. "I need your help writing to her."

"...this is rich," Calvin rolled his eyes, walking over. "You're the one who makes poems, aren't you?"

"Oh, sure, sure, but those are about...places, and things! But you...I've seen your letters to Ivy!"

"You've WHA-"

"And I know you're an incredibly romantic man! Please, Calvin, this time it's different, I know I need to woo her with romance instead of my usual rogueish charms! Pleas, I BEG OF YO-"

"Fine."

"Fine?"

"Fine." Calvin sat down at the typewriter. Rocky was a bit...fast and loose with women. Never a creep, never unclear about his intentions, but always a one night sort of man - Calvin figured this would be no different.

"Oh, thank you! How will I ever repay you?"

"Don't...don't worry about it." Calvin quickly hid some papers on his desk. "So, this girl...what's she like?"

"...uhm..." Rocky blinked. He sat down for a moment. "I...well, she...uhm..."

Calvin blinked a few times. "...go on?"

"...she's...a lady...and...has...fur?"

Calvin stared for a moment. "You're sure you met her? Because it doesn't sound that way."

"I know, I know, I just...she's hard to describe! You can't always have words for Ivy, can you?"

"I could tell you what color her fur is."

"Oh, good, Zib and I have a disagreement about this, is it gray or-"

"Rocky. The love...letter? Poem? Song?"

"Poem! That I can turn into a song~!" Rocky winked and nudged his brother, then went back to looking a bit...afraid of something. He sighed. Calvin cocked his head to one side.

"Rocky...you need to help me here if I'm going to write something." Calvin stood, and walked towards the kitchen. He started to get some tea going, and looked over. "Now, tell me the very basics."

"Red fur." Rocky said. "Sort of. And these big eyes, I...I couldn't guess the color. And she had such a cute dress, and-" He blinked. "I...well. I, uh...I'm sure you get the idea. right?"

"Tell me about how she is." Calvin came back, waiting for the kettle to whistle. He sat by the typewriter, and began to take notes.

"...how?"

"Aye, how. Who. What. She's not just fur and eyes, is she?"

"No, no, of course not!" Rocky said. "She was...kind. And nice. And she was...well when she looked at me, she smiled. I nearly ran her over coming out of the café, and we didn't see each other long, but-" Rocky cleared his throat. "...is this...enough to go off of?"

"...Rocky, I think you might be more intimidated by her than in love."

"What? You're crazy! Bonkers! Wacko! Insane! I'd never be scared of someone so....so..." Rocky fought for a word, but didn't find it. Calvin nodded.

"You're clearly at least a little nervous about this. That's normal! A lot's on the line, and all." Calvin said.

"Oh, I know, but...this is just a girl. Really, all it is! And while I'm, infatuated now, and in need of your expertise, I'm sure it'll wear off eventually, as is so oft the case in this modern age!" Rocky winked, with a sense of denial that was painfully obvious to Calvin.

Calvin merely rolled his eyes.

"Rocky, if you're just attracted to her, then go ahead and ask her yerself, you don't need a love poem for this sort of thing, let alone a song."

"You're right." Rocky said. "I mean, so what if she was pretty? There's pretty girls! All over the place! Sure, I mean, none has ever made me...want to settle in, but-"

There was a pause.

"I mena really, what was I thinking? A love letter? Why, all i need to do here is find a good night with her! I would LOATHE the idea of...of waking up to her in the morning, and-" Rocky's ears drooped, "and...nestling into her as she slept." Rocky sighed. "I've never, EVER felt any affection like that - why start now? Why now turn from my lustful ways to wanting to hold her in my arms as she looks into my eyes, and...and to see, to really see what she's thinking?" His tail drooped. "And honestly, I doubt there's any woman on the face of the EARTH who could make me want to keep her safe...to kill for her, to die for her, but also to live for her, and to see things and learn things and love things I've never...loved before...oh, god, Calvin, I-" Rocky tearfully looked over to Calvin, who was hastily scribbling things down. Rocky spoke, through a choked voice.

"I'm...I've never been in love...that must be why I couldn't think of anything to..."

Calvin looked up, and smiled. "It hits you late, aye?"

"Sure, sure...did...did you get anything from that?"

"...I caught a bit." Calvin handed him something. "You can make changes if you'd like."

"...Aces."

-

It was late at night, in an apartment building in St. Louis. And a girl heard something against her window. It sounded like a pebble...annoyed, she looked out, and saw-

"...Rocky, right?" She asked. The two had talked a while, outside the café. She remembered his name. His colossal eyes, his soft smile...

He was just standing there. He cleared his throat, and took out a piece of paper. He'd foregone the song bit...but what is a poem but a song?

"...as..." Rocky cleared his throat, "As a shearwater over the sea, I too have been to many shores...but as the noble bird does, so to have I chosen one to rest on evermore."

He was different than he normally was - shaky, and nervous. He'd never tried to be this...sincere before, about ANYthing.

"Indeed, as astronomers plot the stars, my gaze has laid on many lights, but-" He sputtered, "but...as if transfixed by a celestial glow, only one star remains in my...ehm...mind? No, that doesn't rhyme, I-"

"Sights."

"Sights?" Rocky looked up at the girl. She was smiling.

"You meant to say sights. Rhymes with lights?"

Rocky smiled, too. He looked up, and perked his ears, throwing the page away. "I cannot tell a lie to you, I've had my share of loving guests, but none so lovely as you, who makes me want to build a-"

"Nest?"

"Is it that predictable?" Rocky knew he shouldn't have asked Calvin - good a writer as he was, he was no poet - but the girl let out a chuckle.

"It's a sentiment a girl hears a lot, you know." She said, which caused Rocky's ears to droop, and his tail to flatten.

"But...I mean it, I promise I do, I-"

"I know." She said.

"...you do?" Rocky held his hat nervously in his hands. The girl nodded.

"If someone is coming by to read odes to me at night, they aren't doing it because they want a quick date...or because they're afraid to be embarrassed." Rocky did feel a few extra eyes on him...including one particularly angry eye.

How was HE supposed to know she lived right next to Viktor!?

"I...I ought to come up there, then? Just so I, ehm...don't anger the neighbors." Rocky, for the first time in a long time,w as genuinely nervous - worried about his odds, and contemplating what he might do if he lost.

The girl spoke.

"Come in...but no funny business."

"Of course!" Rocky rushed up the fire escape.

Aunt Ivy looked stunning in the light as she walked over and hugged dad. She also hugged mom, and patted her back. Uncle Cal looked...droopy. He smiled, but it was weak. And half his tail was missing. He walked, slowly, over to dad, who held him tight, and spoke in a choking voice, "I'm so glad I got to see you again."

Toby knew they weren't really his aunt and uncle - they were something like...cousins?But always, Aunt and Uncle.

"You remember Toby," Mom said, smiling, and ushering Toby towards Ivy. "And Lucy, of course." Lucy waved and smiled politely.

"And you must be Sophie!" Ivy said, kneeling down and picking her up. "Why, I remember when I could hold ya in one hand!"

Mom winced. "Iiiii remember when you did that, too..." She nodded slowly. Ivy scoffed.

"I'm just teasin'."

"How're you, Uncle Calvin?" Lucy asked, rocking back and forth on her feet.

"I'm alright." He said, quietly, carrying a young boy on his shoulders. The boy looked about Sophie's age. He had his mother's fur, and his father's eyes. He was put down by Calvin, and shyly hid behind him.

"Whozat?" Sophie pointed, and walked over.

"Easy, Sophie." Calvin knelt down and smiled. "That's Finn...he's awful shy. He's a good boy, though, eh?" Calvin's voice was quiet, and a bit shaky. Ivy had to help him up.

-

After an hour or so of sitting and catching up, and hearing a lot about tail stuff for some reason, Mom and Dad stood up. "Well, we have to get going," Rocky said, "Gotta go see what the NBC folks want."

"Is Ari gettin' a show too?" Ivy asked. Mom blushed, and shook her head. "No, no...but I help so much with the money, I-" Mom looked at Calvin, and said something. "I don't want to tire him out too much."

"No, yer not tiring!" Ivy looked shocked that mom would even think that. Toby, who'd had to work in a garden under this woman, would disagree with that sentiment, but how would she even be tiring out Calvin?

Must be a grown up thing, Toby thought.

"Ow!" Toby's thoughts suddenly shifted when Sophie stepped on his tail, chasing after a ball. "Careful!" Toby scooped her up, and she giggled and squealed, wriggling in his grip. "You'll pay for that!"

"Nooo!" She yelped, her smile still wide as Toby used all his strength to throw her on the couch. He wasn't a BIG kid - it took a lot out of him! He waved goodbye as mom and dad left, and looked on as Calvin and Ivy glanced at each other.

"It's no crime she doesn't want to see me, Ivy, last time was rough."

"I know, I know. I just...-" The two of them wandered into the kitchen, leaving 4 children alone to their devices.

Lucy had already managed to find something worth reading. She was pouring over some papers at a typewriter, and peering at them. "Wow...this looks like a script!"

"So? That's what Uncle Cal does. He writes scripts."

"But it's a good script!"

"What's it about?"

"Looks like a horror movie. I think." Lucy kept reading, and this time, Toby felt yet another young paw on his tail. He turned around, and saw-

Finn.

Toby went to grab him like he had Sophie, but Finn looked horrified, and jumped on the couch himself, without a word. Toby smiled and laughed. "Gee, guy, I wasn't gonna hurt ya! It's fun!" He said. Sophie, still on the couch, nodded in response. Finn just stared at the two of them, and curled his knees to his chest.

Then, they heard a voice. "Kids! I need to go into town - who's coming with me?"

-

All four of the children BOLTED outside. They knew enough to know that Ivy McMurray was a famous movie actress, so whatever she had to do in town MUST be something exciting. Ivy laughed, and giggled. "No one to stay with Uncle Freckle, huh?"

"I'll be alright."

"Yeah!" Toby said. "He's grown, he can handle himself, let's do something fun!"

Ivy looked over at Calvin, and walked over to him, kissing him softly. "I love you, dearie. Anything happens, let me know, okay?"

"Aye, dear."

"You can handle being on your own?"

Calvin laughed. "The surgery wasn't that bad this time, I'm fine." Calvin kissed her, which drew a 'yech!' from all of the kids, even Finn.

With that, Ivy walked out.

"Where're we going?" Toby asked, sitting in the front seat. He was the oldest, after all.

"Studio lot." Ivy said. "I need to pick up some papers from my dire-"

"The LOT!?" Toby looked amazed. "Where they make the movies!?"

Ivy ruffled his head fur a little. "Where else?" Ivy began to drive down the hill. Lucy, in the back, sat between Sophie and Finn. "Aunt Ivy?" She asked, "Why were you so concerned about Uncle Calvin?"

Ivy paused for a moment. "...your Uncle just had a very...delicate operation." She said. "It affects how he walks a little bit. But he'll-" She hesitated, "He'll be alright."

"Where's his tail?" Sophie asked.

"...it, uhm..." Ivy hesitated some more. Toby swore he thought he saw a tear forming behind her sunglasses. "It...had to be taken off."

"Does it grow back?": Sophie asked.

"Tails don't grow back." Lucy said.

"They do on lizards!" Sophie said, sticking her tongue out at Lucy. Lucy crossed her arms.

"And is Uncle Calvin a lizard?"

"He could be under those big ears!"

Ivy stifled a laugh. "That's-...snrk...that's no way to talk about your..pff...your Uncle!"

-

One thing they don't tell you about film studio lots - it's a bit more boring than one would expect. Ivy had instructed them to wait in the lobby while she got something, and then they would go to another building, and at some point ice cream would be involved. Lucy seemed happy to wait, humming softly and looking at all the posters on the wall. Sophie and Finn were busy learning to communicate without much talking. And Toby?

Toby was bored. Out. Of. His. Wits.

He paced around the lobby, and looked around for something, anything, to do. He walked up to the receptionist. "Hey, is anything exciting going on today?"

"...not that I'm aware of." She said, eyes deep in a magazine. Toby walked off glumly, back to the benches where they were sitting -

Right up to Finn. Who was in his spot

"Finn, I'm sure you're great but you're in my spot. Can you move please?"

Finn just...stared at him.

"May you please move?"

"..."

"Sophie, can you tell him to move?"

"...uhm..." Sophie blinked. "Move?"

Nothing.

"Thanks, Soph'. Doing the lord's work here." Toby said, sarcastically.

"Be nice to Finn," Lucy said, "his dad's dying."

"What? No he's not, Aunt Ivy said he was gonna be fine!"

"They had to cut part of his tail off!"

"So?"

"Remember when they thought they were gonna have to do that to Mom and Dad was sobbing for 2 days straight?"

"...well...I guess-"

"Alright, kids," Ivy walked out, with a few papers, "just a fitting and we're done. Sorry I took s'long!"

-

Finn seemed popular with the people here - he got lollipops. He got pats on his head. He even got to stand with Buster Crabbe. Buster Crabbe! FLASH GORDON, Toby's IDOL, and FINN got to just wave to him!

Before you ask, Toby DID get an autograph - but still, Toby couldn't help but feel jealous when Buster told Finn 'Say hi to yer dad for me'.

And now, they were sitting in another waiting room, while Ivy could be heard from behind a curtain. Lucy, again, found something to do very quickly - and Sophie joined her as she explained how sewing machines work (to the best of her 7 year old ability, of course).

This left Toby, a loud, boisterous young lad, and Finn, a guy who Toby hadn't heard talk once the whole time.

"...so..." Toby looked over. "You, uhm...you like books?"

Finn shrugged.

"...you like movies?"

Finn nodded.

"What's yer favorite?"

Finn thought for a moment, and then, pulled a scary face, holding his hands over his head.

"Dracula?"

Finn nodded.

"Lucky - my parents don't let me watch that stuff."

"Last I checked, they did, and you chickened out!" Lucy said.

"Hey! I don't air YOUR secrets do I!?" Finn giggled a little when that happened.

"So. Finn. Level with me...why don't you talk much?" Finn thought for a moment - thinking through how to explain it. He looked down at his feet, then back up at Toby. He shrugged.

"You don't know?"

Finn nodded.

"CAN you talk?" Finn nodded in response again, and move to open his mouth, until-

"Ah!"

"Oh, sorry, Mrs. McMurray, i didn't pin you too hard did I?"

"No, no - be careful, though!" Ivy's laugh came through - it was bright. Finn's eyes softened at it a bit - he had been stiff a few moments before, but now, he looked more relaxed.

"Alright, kids, all finished - who's in for ice cream?"

"ALL OF US!"

"Don't shout! Girls have to be careful back there!"

-

The five of them sat outside of an ice cream stand - Ivy was careful to hide herself, wearing a head scarf and a pair of shades - and the 4 children diligently went about eating ice cream.

And, of course, Finn was doing something odd.

Sure, he was eating his ice cream normally. He was sitting normally. He just wasn't...talking. or saying ANYthing. He stared at something across the street - a little bird, pecking at the ground. Sophie looked for a moment, before going back to her ice cream.

"...Aunt Ivy?"

"Yes, Toby?"

"Why is Finn so quiet?"

"He gets it from his father." Ivy said, nodding. "He's definitely his father's child." Toby blinked.

"...Does he ever say anything?"

"He only speaks to his best friends. I'm sure he'll be talking to Sophie by the evening!" Sophie was circling around Finn, and trying hard to play one handed rock paper scissors while she viciously attacked her cone.

"Sorry today wasn't as exciting as I thought - I figured we'd get to go on set today."

"We're gonna go on set!?" Lucy asked, a bright hope in her eye.

"Absolutely - but you have to be very careful on a movie set." Ivy said. "It's dangerous!"

"I can be careful! I dunno about Sophie though..." Sophie was trying to climb a fence. "Soph! Get down from there!"

"Okay!" She bounded down, and hit the ground hard. She simply looked down at herself, brushed her dress off, and ran back over.

Finn walked over to his mother, and looked up. He tugged her dress a little, and spoke softly, for the first time anyone had heard. all day.

"...dad?"

"...oh! Goodness - we ought to run back home and check on him, make sure he's alright." With that, the gang piled into the car, and got home.

-

Dinner had gone just fine. Mom and dad had come home from that awfully long set of meetings, and they looked...happy. Food was good, on account of Uncle Cal, and now the kids were getting ready to go to sleep. They were all crowded into the spare room. Uncle Cal walked in, and smiled.

"Night, all."

"Can you sing us a song?"

"Hmm?"

"Yeah! Mama always sings us songs in port...porter...porterhouse-"

"Portuguese?" Calvin finished the word for Sophie.

"Yeah!"

"I don't speak any Portuguese..." Calvin said. "I speak Irish, though."

"Is that why you talk funny?" Lucy asked.

Calvin chuckled. "Aye, that'd do it, I think." He said. "I used to sing an awful lot better before all this tail business."

"Yeah, what's with yer tail?" Toby finally asked. Finn, at the mention of it, leapt out of the bed, and into his dad's arms, and whispered something to him.

"My tail is sick, and it's making me sick. We hope it'll stop, but we'll see." He nodded, and kissed Finn's forehead, letting him back down. "Now, lullaby, right?"

"Please?" Lucy asked.

Without missing much time, Calvin started singing in a language they didn't understand. "Dún do Shúil, a rún mo chroí, A chuid den tsaol, 's a ghrá liom..."

As he sang, Finn nestled into his bed, and went to sleep. Sophie followed suit. Lucy was next...Toby was still a little awake. He yawned, and spoke.

"Lucy says you're gonna die...is that true?"

"We all do, someday." Calvin said.

"But soon?"

"...It'll all be good memories." He said, smiling. "Sleep well, Tobias."

You’ll Thank Me When You Grow Old

Rows of sunlight snuck through the blinds in the dorm. It was cold - drafty, and wet outside, with typical dorm room quality insulation (that is to say - bad insulation) made for a rather frigid experience. 

Still, Helen was wrapped up in the covers, Olivia was in a thick bath robe - And Ivy was nowhere to be seen. That is, until the door crept open, revealing a rather bleary eyed Ivy, still in clothes from the night before - party clothes, with a hastily thrown on tweed jacket. 

Olivia peered up from her glasses while reading, like a disappointed mother. "You're home early." She said, a snide lilt in her voice. 

"I...stayed at a friend's place." 

"Sure you did." Olivia stood. "And I bet you sat there and played dominos all night, too?" Olivia walked over to her bed, and got a few things from the shelf nearby. 

"Olivia, what does it matter if-" 

"It matters that you're out so late! I was worried sick!" 

"Freckle is nothing to worry about, he's a good man!" "He works at that no good, low down Daisy-whatever. I bet he'll die in some awful shoot out anyhow." 

"Olivia!" Ivy gasped, as she removed the jacket, and her evening sleeves, "How dare you say something like that!" 

"It's true! What's next? He gets you tied up in it?" 

"...well..." 

"...IVY. MICHELLE. PEPPER." Olivia seemed mortified. "You're NOT gonna keep doing that! You'll get killed!" 

"What does it matter to you!?" 

"We're your FRIENDS, Ivy! Don't we mean ANYthing to you?" Olivia fought on a sweater, and got her shoes on. "...I'm going to class. I don't want to hear about...mobsters or whatever." Olivia put her hands on Ivy's shoulders. 

"You'll thank me when you grow old." 

Olivia walked out the door. Ivy stood there. She sniffled. Helen rubbed sleep from her eyes. 

"...oh, morning Ivy," She yawned, "Did you...see Oli? She wanted to talk to you." 

"...how did you sleep through that?" 

"Sleep through what?" 

"Nevermind.”

-

If Only She Knew

Calvin sat there as the record player warbled. Something about a washboard. He sat, nervously, in Mitzi May's office. Ivy was there, too. The two seemed to be in fairly hot water. Calvin and Ivy'd been caught by Mitzi in the broom closet as it were. Ivy, still in her green dress, looked up at Freckle. 

"Think you'll have to stop working for the Daisy?" 

"Maybe." 

"Well. Always the Marigold." She said. 

"Not in my life." He said. "If I'm forced into retirement I'm going-" 

The door opened. Ivy gripped Clavin's hand. Mitzi stormed in. "I must admit, I'm awfully cross you two chose to do this on the clock." 

"Mitzi, with all due respect, Calvin's hands were hardly near my-" 

"It's not about that!" Mitzi said. "I do NOT want to hear the details! What's important is that you should NOT be doing that at work!" 

"I'm NOT on the job!" Ivy remarked. "It's my night off!" 

"Calvin is very much on the job." Mitzi replied. 

Calvin looked down. "...I, eh...I was...staking someone out." 

"...why didn't you say something!" 

"I tried, but you kept kissing me before I could say words!" 

"I do have a nasty habit of that." Ivy said. 

"I like that nasty habit." Freckle went a bit red, and drooped his ears. 

"Aww, Calvi-" 

"Excuse me." Mitzi said, sternly. "...I'm not gonna make you two stop seein' each other, that'd be too much. But Ivy, you ask me if Calvin's workin' next time." 

"...fine." 

"And you, Mr. McMurray." Mitzi said. "What are your intentions for my daughter?" 

"...beg...pardon?"

 "Your intentions." 

"...for your daughter?" 

"No, I haven't got a daughter." 

Ivy blinked. "...you said daughter." 

Mitzi's ears stood up. "...I said Ivy." 

"You called me your daughter!" Ivy gasped. "Does that mean-" She smiled brightly, "You love me like a mom!?" 

"Ivy, please, I-"

 "Does THAT mean I'm Ivy may? I like that! I like Ivy Mcmurray more, though~" She cooed. 

"Ivy, I-" 

"You two GET OUT!" Mitzi nearly chased them out with a stick. She sighed. 

"...that girl..." 

If only she knew.

-

Washboard Blues

Glitz. Glamor. Fame. Fortune. All these things came with running the newly successful Daisy. The dresses, the drinks, the fine friends, the gorgeous parties. 

And Mitzi was stuck washing clothes, before such a party, because Wick was 'indisposed'. 

"...You've got 3 maids and a secretary." She grumbled as she scrubbed. "And none of 'em could come to help with things?" She hung something else out. She huffed, and let out a sigh. "I ain't some dainty little housewife, Wick," she spoke, to no one in particular, "if you're not even gonna marry me why make me wash the clothes?" She sighed. "Atlas never made me do that." She grumbled. "I bet ZIB wouldn't! She yelped. "I bet he'd LOVE to wash the clothes from time to time! Closest he gets to a goddamn bath." She sighed. 

"...no, no." She shook her head. "Wick's...injured." She rolled her eyes. "Here I go again, cursing the sick and needy." She got back to scrubbing. She hummed to herself, and sang. 

"Mornin' comes with cloudy skies and rain...my poor back am broke with pain....My man's sleepin', I just scrubbin', chillin', weepin', I do rubbin' age a-creepin', clothes a-tubbin', all day long..." 

She sighed, alone in the back yard, stretching her back and grunting. Her joints cracked. And then... 

"...You know, Zib," She looked over to him, "You really don't have to play that on sax." She said. 

"How am I not gonna play Hoagy Carmichael?" He walked over, and put his instrument down, carefully. 

"What're you even doing here?" 

"Band's entertaining here tonight...I see you've got a bit of the washboard blues, huh?" 

"He's got a bad back, his maids are all sick, and Lacy is already on cooking duty..." She shook her head. 

"Just bad luck on his part." 

"Hmm." Zib shrugged. "You're right, you know." 

"Hm?" 

Zib cupped her chin. "I wouldn't make you wash nothin'." 

"...su...stop." She batted at him, playfully. She smirked. "You're too much." 

"If you say so."

-

You’re Gonna Look Fine

“...Rocky?”

“Hmm?”

“You’ve been looking in the mirror for something like 30 minutes.” Mitzi said, crossing her arms. “What’s got into you? You got a court date or somethin’?”

“Not a court date,” Rocky said, “A REAL date!”

“With who?”

“Ari!” “...it doesn’t ring a bell.”

“You wouldn’t know her, anyhow.” Rocky said, dismissively. “She’s beautiful! She’s got this fiery red fur, and white tailtip, like a...fox or something! How wonderful she is, how delightful, how-”

“Rocky,” Mitzi shook her head, “I understand you got a date goin’ but frankly there’s an awful lot of work to do and I don’t want you mussin’ that suit beforehand. I-...where are you even goin’ at this time’a day that requires that sorta dress?”

“Why, only the finest establishment in town!”

“...”

“HERE!” Rocky said. “For pancakes.” He suavely straightened his tie.

“...for pancakes?”

“She never had ‘em.”

“Rocky-” Mitzi pinched the bridge of her nose. “I do hope she likes you, because I can’t imagine a lotta other women doing so.”

“Do I look okay?”

“You’re gonna look fine.” Mitzi said. “Maybe a little over dressed for a breakfast...you look like you’re on your way to your wedding!”

Rocky sighed dreamily. “I suuuuure aaaaam...”

Mitzi chuckled a bit, and batted his arm. “You really are perplexing.”

“Is that her in the window?”

Standing there was a girl, with...fiery red fur, and a white tailtip. She looked reluctant to enter. Mitzi looked over. “Well, Rocky, you know how to pick ‘em, I’ll give y’that.”

“What if she thinks WE’RE talking though?”

“...despite my better efforts I look like I could be your mother, Rocky. Go ahead, open the door for her!”

“Alright...wish me luck, Miss May, ol’ boss ol’ pal o’mine!”

“Mhm.” Mitzi walked up to the office, and sat in her desk.