Later that night, Micky was still puttering around in the kitchen, putting stuff away after having his usual before bed snack. The little black kitten followed him. Every few steps, Micky stopped and turned to look at the kitten, who also stopped, tilting its head.

"You think you're being cute, don't you?" Micky said, crouching down in front of the kitten. He held a hand out, palm up. "Come on, little fella."

The kitten paused a moment before scampering over.

Micky scooped him up and held him to his chest. "You need a name, little guy." He began walking around the kitchen again. "Lets see, you need something fitting..." He did another lap around the table, then stopped. He beamed. "Onyx."

The kitten mewed.

Micky grinned. "Guess you like that name, huh?" He headed out of the kitchen, toward the living room. He flopped onto the somewhat battered, who-knows-how-many-hand couch. He sprawled out on it, on his back, and rested Onyx on his chest again.

Onyx began to paw at his t-shirt.

Micky frowned. "It's really terrible what they did to you, Onyx, erasing your memory like that. I mean, you aren't even that old, but you had memories. You won't remember your mom... or all those brothers and sisters. You'd be all alone." He paused and sighed, then scratched Onyx behind the ears. "You know, that's why I took a liking to you. My biggest fear has always been of being alone. It isn't awfully likely to happen, but with all the weird stuff that's been happening to us the last few years..." He sighed again.

Onyx purred and laid down on Micky's chest, his green eyes watching Micky with interest.

Micky gave the kitten a small grin. "Don't tell me you like hearing me talk!" His grin widened. "I'll have you know, Onyx, that once I get going, I can go on and on and on and on..."

Onyx lifted a paw and draped it across his face.

Micky's grin fell. "Awe, now what's that motion for?" He laughed, then shook his head. "Seriously, Onyx." He scratched him behind the ears again.

Onyx moved his paw from his face and tilted his head the other way, green eyes shining.

"If you stayed with your siblings, you'd still be alone because you don't remember them. Even a kitten deserves a family. So we're gonna be your family. This way, you don't have to be alone. You've got me, Lauren, & the twins... once they get old enough to not just see you as a ball of fur."

Onyx pawed at his t-shirt again.

Micky laughed again. "I'm glad you were declawed, or else my chest and t-shirt would look like Swiss cheese by now!"

"But this way you miss out on me playing nurse."

Micky looked up to find Lauren standing in the door. His eyes widened. "Uh, babe, how long've you been there?"

Lauren smiled. "Long enough." She walked over to the couch and sat by Micky's head. "Sorry, Mick, but I heard everything. I was at the top of the stairs when you came in here." She rested a hand on his shoulder.

Onyx picked his head up, then got up and moved over toward Lauren's hand. He nudged her hand with his nose.

"I'd had a feeling I knew the reason behind you wanting... Onyx was the name?"

Micky smiled. "Yeah."

"Nice choice." Lauren smiled, then continued, "I had a feeling that being alone played a factor in that." She gave Onyx a scratch behind the ears.

Micky sighed. "The poor little fella doesn't even remember his siblings. He would be all alone. I couldn't let that happen."

Lauren gave his shoulder a rub. "And that's wonderful of you. Besides, I think he's cute." She paused. "He actually isn't for the twins at all, is he?"

"Can we just say he's for the twins? Atleast that way, the guys won't use this for ammunition on me."

"Sure, Mick." She smiled. "But I know he's really yours."

Micky grinned. "What can I say? I'm a cat guy." He winked.

Lauren winked back. "Litterally, sometimes."

~End~