I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

Written by & copyright of Foxonian Foxonian@aol.com

Featuring Cassie, (Cassie's keyboardist), Foxonian (Cassie's husband) and Shiva (Cassie's security chief)

Cassie, the Rock & Roll Vixen
http://www.cassietherockvixen.furtopia.org

Please read the prequil, "Wedding Bells," featuring Cassie, Foxonian (Cassie's husband), Mark "Sparky"
Robinson (Cassie's father), Vanessa (Cassie's mother) and others too numerous to list at
http://www.cassietherockvixen.furtopia.org/wedding_bells.txt
Please read the sequil, "The Bargain," featuring Rachel (Cassie's Keyboardist) and Dominic (Rachel's fiance')
http://www.cassietherockvixen.furtopia.org/the_bargain.txt

All characters created by & copyright of Earl Bacon except Laretta, who is created by
and copyright of Andre' Cotton, Alex, who is created by and copyright of Donna Fritz,
Vixina and Cloudchaser, who are created by and copyright of Cloudchaser Shaconage and
Victor & Ben, who are copyright themselves.

"I'll be home for Christmas"

"You mean to tell me that after all these months and a lot of my money, you still have no idea where he is???" a
gothic looking doe furry morph dressed in a dark black faux fur coat, stared at the coyote morph dressed in a
business suit.  "I can't find someone who does not wish to be found so easily, ma'am.  Did you two have some kind
of fight you haven't told me about?" the coyote asked as he began to chew on some gum.  Rachel looked annoyed.  She
had hired this clown of a detective after most of the other agencys refused to deal with her.  She still had no
idea why.  Her lover, the collie -morph Dominic, had dissapperaed just after her employer and friend Cassie's
wedding, with only a note saying that he would return when he could.

She had tried to ask the Silverblack vixen, Shiva, Dominic's old friend about his whereabouts, but she was often
gone for long periods.  When Shiva did make an apperance, she would simply tell her not to worry and leave it at
that.  "I'll be honest, Rachel," the coyote morph began as he turned to open the door to his office and gestured the
doe femme to leave.  "The trail is cold.  I have other cases that are for more promising and far more lucritive to
me.  I'm sorry, but I'm refunding your money for the last month and ending our contract.  Good day!"  "Wait!  You
just can't get rid of me!  I want him found, don't you see?  I can't live with out Him!!!" the gothic doe
protested before being forcibly pushed out the door of the detective's office. After pounding her fists against the
door frame for a moment, Rachel gathered up her misery, and walked down the dimly lit hall and out into the cold
winter snow filled city streets.

"I cannot tell you where he is.  Please do not ask me again!" Shiva replied in an almost angry tone of voice.
Foxonian staired at the silverblack vixen.  She looked tired and morose.  While she still wore he usual black
leather side slitted low-cut dress and her thigh high boots, there was something different about her attire as of
late.  Then it hit him, her fox head pendant was different.  The fox's head now sported a sword in it's mouth,
with small tear shaped rubies, simmulating blood,dripping from the blade.  Since returning from their honeymoon
in Aruba, Cassie and Foxonian had been on a rollercoaster ride downhill.  First, Dominic's dissaperence and
Rachel's becoming unglued over it.  Then, Shiva's bizzare, almost beligerant attitude towrds everyone (resulting in
at least 5 members of the band's security force quitting), fallowed by Cassie's and her band's promotion agency
going under (taking next year's tour along with it).

It got even better.  Alex's boyfriend, the bobcat morph and NYC cop, Rafe, had been shot during a drug raid.  He
was okay, but Alex refused to leave his side.  Cindy kept the phone ringing almost every day, wondering if there was
any news about Dominic, was Rachel ready for the "booby hatch" as the snow leopard so tactfully put it and was
Shiva still "on a tear."  It was becoming annoying.  As much as her continued invitations for her and Foxonian to
join her and Victor and their place in California.  Not that Cassie hadn't told the snowleopard for the umpteenth
time that her and her husband wanted to spend a nice New England Christmas at home this year.  Whenever Cassie
asked Cindy, if she and Victor wanted to come out to the Berkshires, the reply was always, "it's too cold out there
now. Maybe in the Summer, kay?"

As the Rock Vixen entered the room, dressed in a tan wool sweater and long (over the knee) denim dress, accented by
a pair of winter boots and her trademark neck choaker, she finnished putting the last of the ornaments on the huge blue
spruce Christmas tree. She occasionally glanced over to the living area where her human husband continued to argue
with the Silverblack vixen.  "You will never get her to talk, Sweetie.  Not after I tried," Cassie thought to
herself, shaking her foxlike head, so that her huge mane of black head hair moved like a flag in the breeze.  Only
her large bushy fox-like tail, poking out through a slit in rear of her dress showed her irritation over the
whole series of events,by waging back and forth quickly.

Foxonian looked at the silverblack vixen for a moment.  He suspected that the major conflict amoung the vampires
that Shiva once mentioned was now in full fury.  Dominic, since the furrymorph vamps veiwed him so highly, was
being hidden in a place of safety.  Shiva was no doubt here to guard Cassie and himself.  As to her attitude, he
could guess that she wanted to fight, but was denied the privilage, due to her current mission.  Just then,
Shiva glanced at Cassie, who walked into the kitchen.  In a very quick maneuver, the silverblack vixen walked over
and sat down on the 3 seat sofa next to Foxonian's right side.

As the human looked on, Shiva unzipped her thigh high black leather boots and tucked her bare human-like black
furred legs and feet under her self.  She then leaned over and whispered into the human's ear, "all you have
just speculated is true.  With the exception of my attitude towrds my being here.  It was my choice to be with
you both."  "Y-you can read minds??" Foxonian said with a shock.  "Only when in close proximity to someone else.
Your thoughts were practcally screaming at me,"  Shiva replied with a evil grin.  The first time she smiled in
months."  Okay, then.  Why are you so irritaed?" Foxonian asked, while staring at Shiva's dark brown cat-like eyes.

"Wouldn't you be, if you knew many of your friends were being snuffed out of existance?" Shiva began, tossing her
white mane of head hair back over her shoulder.  "I was going to tell you this soon, but I had to be sure.  Dominic
is going to return.  He plans on spending Christmas Eve with Rachel.  This has been long in the planning, becuase
as long as the battle wages, he has to be protected.  That is where most of my people are right now.  Guarding
Dom."  "What about the one's who quit over you being so overbearing?" the human asked.  "They were 'mortal' and
could not be easily trusted.  I had to make sure they left.  I did make sure that other security firms hired them.  I
do have "freinds" in certain places," Shiva replied with a hint of pride in her voice.

"My, you seem to be more relaxed.  It's nice to see, Shiva." Cassie said as she sat down on the large sofa,
on Foxonian's left.  Shiva nodded and replied, "I do feel a little better now, Cass.  I apoligise for all the grief
I have put you through these past two months.  Am I forgiven?"  The Rock Vixen the stood up, walked over to where
Shiva sat and gave her a hug.  "Yes, you most certianly are.  And you are welcome to spend Christmas with us this
year, since with the snow coming down, the drive back to VT. isn't the best.  Despite your Jeep."  "Christmas is
two days away.  I could leave and then return."  Shiva then stood up and went to retrieve her boots, before
Cassie stopped her.

"Shiva," Foxonian began, "Both Cassie and I consider you to be family and we don't send family away at
Christmastime, right Hun?"  "That's right.  Since all of our friends can't be here this year for one reason or
another and my parents and Foxonian's folks can't travel in cold weather easily, the two of us were going to be
rather lonely.  After all, I do need someone else to talk to besides my husband!"  Cassie then shot the human a
fox-like toothy grin.  Foxonian responded by sticking his tounge out and making a "Phifft!" noise.  Shiva then turned
to look at the human and the Rock Vixen before replying in a shaky voice,"

You are the nicest people I have ever known.  I pledge my life to protect you from all harm.  I love you both."
"You can wear some of my things while you are here.  Don't worry, It's regular clothes, not my stage stuff.  You can
use the spare room." Cassie motioned to the hallway near the large stone fireplace.  "No need.  I have everything
I need," Shiva motioned to the large travel bag on the floor next to the silverblack vixen's bare human like feet
that seemed to appear out of nowhere. Shiva then picked up the bag and her tall leahter boots and padded off down
the hallway.  Her large white tipped bushy black fuured tail moving like a mentronome as she moved.

"What did you say to her to cheer her up like that?" Cassie asked Foxonian as she snuggled up do him.  "Not a word.  She seemed to want to talk.  She did say that Dominic will be back on Christmas Eve," the human replied as he placed his arm around his vixen wife.  "I hope for Rachel's sake she's right.  It's not right for someone to be miserable at Christmas," Cassie said as she closed her cat-like eyes and placed her fox-like head on Foxonian's chest.  "I know.  At least Shiva is happy, so that's something, right?"  Foxonian asked as he lovingly kissed Cassie on her forehead.  "Thanks for that, My Love.  I'm so happy I married such a wonderful man like you!" the Rock Vixen said with a giggle.  As the snow flakes began to fall outside the large balcony window, Foxonian took one look at the Christmas tree, the holly and Ivy over the mantle of the stone fire place (with two logs buring insde) then down at his lovely wife and replied, "As am I!"

THE END