Dimension Two...
By the time the party finally wound down and the guests began to make their way to their expensive cars and limos, there wasn't a soul that didn't know that their host had life mated to the Chief Enforcer of the city. The result of this knowledge was already being felt by Jaren from the many hurt, angry, and cold looks he got from most of the female social elite.
Jaren could care less, let them all be pissed, he had gotten what he'd desired for years and no one was going to ruin it. Leaving the rest of the farewells in the capable paws of his staff, Jaren went looking for his mate.
He found Ulysses standing at the french doors looking out over the patio that was drenched in moonlight.
"Hello, love. Ready for bed?" He purred coming up behind his mate and wrapping his arms around his waist.
Feral glanced over his shoulder and was met with a warm kiss. He sighed and turned in Jaren's arms. "Is that an invitation?" He rumbled softly.
"Yesss..." Jaren whispered hotly pressing a kiss on his mate's cheek.
"You are going to make certain I will be walking funny tomorrow...aren't you," he sighed heatedly as Jaren nuzzled his neck and sent shivers down his spine.
"Hmmm...most definitely...come on love...the bedroom awaits," Jaren murmured insistently as he pulled his mate toward the broad staircase.
Feral allowed his new mate to lead him up the carpeted stairs and down a short hallway to a set of double doors. Opening it with one paw, keeping the other around his mate, Jaren nearly waltzed them into the room. The bed was huge and hung with privacy draperies.
Jaren began pulling Ulysses' clothes off a piece at a time as he kissed and nibbled his mate senseless.
Tonight was going to be wonderful.
Dimension One...
Feral was in pain but happy. He was alive and so was his new son. The kitten was so very tiny, nearly as small as the little one he'd lost. He was staring at him now in the isolette. His tiny arms waving aimlessly in restless slumber. There were tubes in his umbilical cord and a nasal catheter in his nose. He looked so helpless.
"He's so very tiny!" T-Bone whispered in awe.
"I was thinking the same thing. Oh, T-Bone it's so unfair that he had to come so soon." Ulysses couldn't help but say in anguish.
"Oh love, it's not your fault. He's beautiful and strong, he'll make it. You're alive and that is what's just as important to me." He soothed and kissed his mate's exhausted face.
"T-Bone's right Uncle, don't worry so much about what might have been. Right now is what's important. You need to rest up and heal. This little guy is going to run your feet off." Felina said trying to cheer her uncle up. It had scared her badly too have nearly lost him. She was so very relieved this was finally over.
"He's really a cutie buddy." Razor said smiling as he stared down at the tiny kitten.
"I must agree. A beautiful treasure." Professor Hackle said warmly.
"I don't wish to douse the happy mood but I have an urgent question to ask." Medi said quietly from behind them all.
They turned as one to stare at the medical robot.
"What is it Medi?" Professor Hackle asked in concern.
"This is the Commander's third pregnancy. I feel strongly that he should not bear anymore. My scanners show that his uterus has grown very thin. The tear that nearly took his life has a high percentage of reoccuring with another pregnancy. Unlike a female, a hermaphrodite's uterus simply isn't as strong." Medi said seriously.
Feral and T-Bone clutched paws in distress at this frightening news. T-Bone looked down at his mate seriously.
"Well we never really discussed having kittens before. They just seemed to have happened. I have a son and a daughter, that's enough, I'm content and I won't risk your life bearing anymore." He said firmly.
"They were all accidents and I love them more than anything but I have no objection to ending that right here. I hated being pregnant." Feral agreed in relief. "So what needs to be done to take care of it?" He asked hesitantly.
"There are two options. One I tie off the fallopian tubes to prevent conception but they have been known to grow back or an egg escapes and embeds itself in the abdominal wall. A dangerous and life threatening situation. The second option is to removed your female reproductive organs entirely. The only down side of this is more dryness in the vagina for sex but that can be replaced with lubricants applied during that activity. The other problem is a lower estrogen level. It is unknown how that affects hermaphrodites. You will have to be monitored for a couple of years to see if there is any problems." Medi explained carefully. "The good news is you will no longer have a heat cycle.
Feral just blinked in shock. Sterilizing seemed to have some hefty risks of its own. "Uh...well when do I need to make a decision on this?" He finally asked.
"During your abdominal surgery would have been the best time but that is impossible now. You need to heal and I don't want your milk supply disturbed until you've completed nursing your newest kit who will need those antibodies you give him to insure his survival. I think six months from now will be sufficient. You will have to refrain from female sexual intercourse during that time however." Medi told him.
"Okay, I'll be able to give you a decision by then." Feral said relieved he didn't have to decide right now. "Thank you, Medi."
"You're welcome Master Feral." Medi nodded and left the room.
"Well, I think we should leave and let you guys get some much needed rest." Felina said then turned to Razor. "Would you give me a lift back to headquarters, Razor?"
"Sure thing, be happy to. Come on Professor. You and I still have that data to go over and plans to devise." Razor said as he headed for the door.
"Oh, heh! Can I tag along? I want to hear what you guys are cooking up." Felina said excitedly.
"Well we really haven't come up with anything yet but you're welcome to add your input if you want, long as you don't get a glaze in your eyes when we begin to get too technical." Razor said shrugging his shoulders as he pressed the button for the hangar floor.
"Well, if it gets that boring for me, I'll just leave you two eggheads to it on your own. Not a problem." Felina said warmly.
Back in the medical suite...
"Sounds like Razor has some ideas to solve our criminal problem and here I am on my back. What rotten timing." Feral snorted tirededly.
"It can't be helped, love. Those creeps have been squeezing this city for the past few months. I only hope Razor and the Professor can find a way to stop them before anymore damage occurs and kats are hurt." T-Bone sighed.
A soft mew came from the isolette drawing his parent's attention. He was thrashing around a bit. T-Bone opened a port and allowed Ulysses to carefully reach in and gently caress their son. His touch brought comfort and their son quieted.
"He's more important love. You concentrate on making him strong and getting yourself well again. The rest will take of itself in due time." T-Bone said softly leaning over and kissing his mate tenderly.
"I don't really have a choice." Feral sighed staring at his son. "What should we name him, my love?" He asked.
"Hmm, I don't know." The tabby said frowning a bit in thought.
They stared at the tiny form for many long minutes as they thought of a suitable name.
"How about 'Oliver'" Feral asked tentatively.
"Crud no!" T-Bone blurted in disgust.
"Well then how about 'Ethan'." Feral said with more firmness.
"Hmmm, not bad and I suspect that's the name you want to." T-Bone said in amusement.
"Yes. So he will be called Ethan Furlong-Feral." Uly said proudly.
"Huh! What the heck's wrong with Feral-Furlong." T-Bone snorted in mild objection.
"Because you can't give your real name to them that's why. As it is their real names will only be on documents in our home security box." Ulysses reminded him.
Sigh, "You're right of course! But when I've finally retired from the SWAT Kat persona then they can proclaim who they are." T-Bone said firmly.
"I hope for that time, my love." He said with heartfelt sincerity to his mate then glanced back at the isolette. "So, hello Ethan welcome to our lives." Feral said softly to his son.
T-Bone just smiled and stared at his son and mate lovingly. 'What a lucky Kat I am.' He thought with a sigh.