Kain awoke first, having had a disturbing dream. He held Kitten close, and as he realized she was fine, the dream disapated. He lay there for some time, just watching Kitten when he felt her hips moving restlessly, and from the way she was breathing, he knew she was dreaming of making love. He didn’t have the heart to wake her, even though he was getting aroused, and he listened to her soft mews and the looks on her face as they shifted.

He smiled, looking sexily dangerous as his arousal showed on his face. She’s dreaming of the two of us. I half wish I was dreaming it also. He kissed her lips softly and she cried out softly, and tears of joy slipped through her lashes as he watched her dream an orgasm. Kain licked his lips. He wanted her so much right now, especially with their love making session fresh in his mind.

He would have missed the whisper if his senses hadn’t been heightened by the hardness under the sheet. As it was he froze, his muscles tensing…

She’d whispered a name in the bright rays of the morning, and it hadn’t been his. It hadn’t been him in that dream. She’d whispered another male’s name. Teffy. That’s what she’d whispered with such love and joy…

His blood ran cold and Kitten blinked awake, awakened by his tensed body beside her. He just lay there staring at her, his mind trying to tell him she wouldn’t cheat on him, not after what they’d been through together… She loved him.

She murmured before she even opened her eyes. “Why are you so…” Her voice drifted off as she looked into his eyes, realizing who he was and what he was feeling at the same time. She lay there, realizing what had happened but not how.

“Kain…How do you? What happened?”

Kain quietly answered her, his eyes accusing her. “You whispered his name.”

“I…” Her eyes widened as she realized what he thought. “No!! I never once…No!!” She looked away in horror.

Kain didn’t say a word but slipped away, sitting up in bed, even though he distantly winced at his sore limbs.

Kitten lay there feeling dirty somehow, even though somewhere inside her she knew it wasn’t her fault, she’d done nothing wrong. “I don’t know what to tell you.” She bowed her head, tears coming. “I don’t know…I….”

She gave up trying to make her tongue work and got up, slipping her arms around Kain. When he didn’t respond she cried out fearfully. “I never did anything with him…hell I haven’t seen him since I first met him in that club.”

Kain didn’t reply for a few moments. “You should probably be getting home.”

“But Kain…” She didn’t the courage to tell him she didn’t want to leave, so she simply slipped away and got dressed, tears slipping down her cheeks.

Kain quietly slipped on a pair of sweatpants and padded out of the room. Kain walked out of the door, but even through his pain from past experiences, he heard the sob, and a part of him wanted to run back and hold her, but that was drowned out by what he’d experienced. The last two females he gave his heart to that broke it. He waited until heard her footsteps behind him and he went into the garage, opening a side door to the outside, and went to the shed behind the house. Without a word Kitten followed, not understanding where they were going. She’d only ever seen him on his bike, and she’d thought that was laid up…and with his injuries…

She let out a small gasp. He opened the shed to reveal an amazing car, a metallic purple ’65 mustang. One with several features that made it clear it wasn’t a toy. She stood there for a second until Kain called for her to come on. She got in, glancing at him, wishing he’d be the tiger she’d come to know again. She didn’t like hurting like this, tortured by him torturing himself.

She looked away as they pulled away. She tried to keep herself together. She didn’t want to make it harder for him.

She managed to convince herself this until they pulled up to her home and he stopped the car, staring out the front window instead of looking at her.

As she sat there she snapped. “You don’t understand! Damn you! I’m not her! I’m not that other Furr who hurt you! Didn’t you ever think I have my own problems! You aren’t the only one who has things to deal with!”

Kain actually flinched at the last part and Kitten sat there, her heart made of lead as she realized what she’d said. She couldn’t breath as she sat there just trying to find words.

Kain finally spoke, his voice hoarse. “Go.” That’s all he said, but he turned fierce eyes to her- eyes of a hurt animal about to strike out. He was warning her to leave before he did something he regretted without speaking a word. Kitten flinched away, knowing she’d caused it herself, and slipped out of the car.

She watched him peal out of the driveway and murmured over and over to herself. “I didn’t do anything wrong.”

After some time, Foxy came out and led her into the house, not saying a word.

~ >^.^< ~ =^.^= ~

A week or so later…

“She’s harmless! You just have to tell her how you feel!” Kitten said in a matter of fact tone.

Foxy shook his head. “I’m not so sure.” He and Kitten had been discussing his former roommate Teresa. It seems she had problems letting go of him, and she’d made it obvious that she didn’t like that he was with Kitten. Kitten claimed that he should just ignore her, she’d get the picture eventually, but Foxy had a bad feeling, even though she was probably right.

She’d asked him to go to the club with him tomorrow night, and Foxy hadn’t given her an answer yet. He had told her he’d call her after he’d thought about it. Her eyes had held a weird admiration in them, some strange light. He figured it was okay to ignore her for now; he’d do something more when things escalated. He decided to call her and tell her he’d come to the club.

“I suppose we’ll go to the club tomorrow night and see her. I don’t see how it would hurt anything.” Foxy shrugged and got up to see about something in the kitchen.

Kitten sat thoughtfully on the couch for a while, pondering back on the week. Foxy had helped her realize she had to wait for Kain to realize he was wrong- he wasn’t worth it if he didn’t. She didn’t know about that. She missed him terribly, and she wanted to be with him again. She didn’t like that he hated her for what he thought she’d done.

She’d called him several times in fact- each time he’d hung up when he’d heard her voice- he wouldn’t talk to her. She picked up the phone in front of her once more… just one more time and she’d give up.

She listened to it ringing for a few minutes; finally he picked up and asked in an irritated voice who it was. She sat for a second, not sure what to say before she answered.

“The cat that misses you…” She hesitated, and then continued. “If you’re at least willing to listen, come to the Frantic Fox tomorrow night. I miss you.” With that she softly hung up the phone. She’d leave it up to him. Maybe he’d come or maybe she’d have to get over him. Her heart hurt- she didn’t want to do that. She just wanted him to hold her again.

She’d go talk to Teffy- she’d never really stopped talking to him online and although he didn’t know what they’d fought about, he knew Kitten and Kain were trying to resolve something between them. She wondered what he’d have to say about the new development with Teresa and what advice he’d have.

She decided as she padded over to the computer that she’d talk to Teresa tomorrow- get everything out into the open. Yeah, that would be a good idea. Get it all over with.