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Sunday - the day after Aleksandr's magnificent dance (and our first kiss) - I awoke slowly out of a sleep that I honestly didn't think I'd have. After Aleksandr left, I began to think that I'd break into a rendition of "I Could Have Danced All Night," culminating in a sleepless night of deeply romantic (and, quite possibly, intensely lustful) thoughts that would make me toss and turn for hours. Instead, I wound down slowly, drifted off effortlessly, and woke up feeling more than ready for breakfast bagels. Okay, so I did harbor a few thoughts of breakfast bagels in bed, but I showered, dressed, and wasn't too terribly disappointed when breakfast was taken at the breakfast table.

Aleksandr arrived at a perfectly respectable mid-morning hour, greeting me with a full bag of bagels and cream cheese, along with a hug and kiss that renewed my acquaintance with the effects of toe-curling upon hungry bears. It pleased me no end to discover that my great lion, too, was wavering between dining upon breakfast or upon me. We agreed upon breakfast and left other decisions for a little later on.

"How did you sleep?" I asked.

"Surprisingly well." He set the bag on the table, shucked out of his fleece warm-up jacket, all but duplicating his actions when he first brought bagels for breakfast. "I had thought that I'd be awake, but..." He paused, looking at the grin on my muzzle. "You too?"

"I'm not sure if that's a blessing or a curse, but I welcomed it. It makes me think that I could be strong enough for almost anything today."

His raised eyebrows spoke volumes.

"Eat first."

We applied cream cheese of different varieties to our varied bagels, and then we applied ourselves to the task of eating them. We performed admirably. Conversation was light, sprinkled with silence; we'd been together most of the day before, so it's not like we had a lot to catch up on. Both of us were being cautious about exactly where to take the dialog, not out of fear so much as a kind of game that we were having too much fun playing. We were down to our last bagel halves when we gave up and asked the question.

"So, what do you want to do today?" I'm not sure exactly how I managed to get the question in first, but the s.e.g. on my muzzle made me think that my entire face was going to split open.

Aleksandr's grin was no less splendid. "You really want to leave it up to me?"

"You seem to be the only one between us with any self-control."

"What on earth gave you that ridiculous idea?"

"Um... wishful thinking?"

"That's what got us into this predicament in the first place!"

"Duly noted." We laughed gently, and I leaned my elbows on the table and looked into his beautiful antique gold eyes. "I can't believe that I'm still resisting you. Is there any particular reason why we shouldn't succumb to our mutual temptations?"

"Well, we've just eaten. Too much exercise might be bad for the digestion." The twinkle in his eye suggested that he could be bribed. "Perhaps we could do something else for an hour or so."

"Shall I start the timer?"

"We'll just make an educated guess."

I sat back, chuckling. "If we stay here, I'm just as likely as not to jump the gun, you should pardon the expression. So perhaps we should do something radical. How much exercise is involved in a leisurely saunter in the sun?"

"Lovely day for it," he grinned. "Where do you have in mind?"

"There's a nice park less than half a mile down the road. Shouldn't be crowded. We can stroll around for a bit to keep our desires from getting the better of us."

"Temporarily, I hope?"

"Definitely temporarily."

* * * * *

Whoever it was that said "Happiness is walking paw in paw" definitely knew what he was talking about. Despite the difference in our heights, it was a true delight to have Aleksandr at my side, his paw in mine, taking our leisurely walk through the neighborhood and down to the park. In my remote youth, I'd have been worried about public opinion, disapproving stares, perhaps even the threat of physical attack. I couldn't imagine anyone being stupid enough to challenge my big buff lion, and I figured that I could withstand stares and opinions. Only one person's opinion was of primary importance to me now, and he was my co-conspirator.

The day cool, the sky cloudless, the breeze just enough to tease Aleksandr's beautiful indigo mane... every detail was perfect. The park entrance, from this side, had both a pedestrian and an automobile path to it, the former leading off to the right. As we walked along, Aleksandr grinned unashamedly at the beautiful colors of the remaining fall leaves, the deep hues of the evergreens, the paths and open areas of the park. It was teasingly called a "neighborhood park," although it covered several square blocks and was considered a beautiful oasis for the entire city. I pointed out some of the features of the place, and at what we judged to be a good pausing place in our enforced celibacy, we found a bench to sit upon and people-watch for a while.

"So," he said finally, "how do you feel about children?"

"Covering all the bases, aren't we?" I chuckled. A young otter rode by slowly on his bicycle, his police uniform looking new despite the many months he'd been wearing it. I waved at him, and he waved back, smiling kindly at the old bear he'd gotten to know on his regular beat around the neighborhood. I thought he might stop and talk, but a nod of his head was all I'd get at this point, as if he didn't want to disturb us. "I have to admit, I haven't given it too much thought. I'm afraid I'd make a horrible father."

"You've got to be kidding," my lion teased me, smiling. "Why would you say that?"

"I'm afraid that I might be either too smothering or too aloof." I leaned back on the bench. "I've been so much a loner, and although I might be able to explain myself to a lover or mate, I'm not sure that a young child would quite be able to understand." I shook my head. "I'm too afraid of doing something that would scar the poor thing for life."

I felt Aleksandr petting my head gently, his arm around me on the bench. "I think you're being too hard on yourself."

"Maybe," I admitted. "I have trouble relating to youngsters. Anyone under about 15 is difficult for me to relate to for an extended period. And relating to males of that age has a connotation we really don't want to focus on."

My head jerked forward a bit as I felt the impact of the slap that my lion applied to the back of my skull. He was laughing, as was I. "You," he said, grinning, "are a goofball." He sighed gently and looked around the small park. "I'm not very sure about kids either. I know that there may be millions waiting to be adopted, of all ages. I don't think I'd be very good at changing diapers, Tris, but maybe an older kid..."

"Old enough to dust?" I teased him. Smiling, I leaned against him, sighing. "I can just see you with Junior, out in the back yard, teaching him how to play football."

"American football or real football?"

"Maybe both."

"For all we know, the kid could take up lacrosse or fencing."

"He'll probably take the one that costs more."

Aleksandr chuckled and pulled me closer. "That just shows what wonderful taste his fathers have." He continued to pet my head gently as I leaned against him, lost in the happy warmth of him, and not so idly wondering if the hour were nearly up.

"Mister?"

We both looked at the young pup who stood before us, an Akita perhaps five or six years old, gazing at us with uncertain resolve in his eyes. Aleksandr spoke first: "What's up, youngster?"

"Do you know where my mommy is?"

Chuckling softly, Aleksandr leaned forward. "I'm not sure. I don't think I know your mom. What's your name?"

Shyly, yet not smiling, the boy said, "Brian."

"Hi, Brian, I'm Aleksandr, and this is Tristan. We'll help you find your mom."

I looked around, hoping to find some reinforcements. "Maybe we should find a policeman," I said, forcing a grin. "I saw Truman riding past on his bicycle a little while ago."

"Brian, when was the last time you saw your mom?" Aleksandr asked, kneeling in front of the pup, to get more on eye-level with him.

"Little while," he said, looking around.

"Do you live in the neighborhood? Maybe we could walk you home."

The pup was silent. I stood and moved to one side, looking all around for signs of Truman or another policeman. "I have my cell," I said. "I could call the local police station."

"Let's have a look around first," Aleksandr said, quite reasonably. "Where did you see your mom last, Brian? We can start looking there."

Wordlessly, Brian pointed toward the small shed where the public toilets were located. My stomach rolled over as an old and hated memory exploded in my mind. "Aleksandr, wait." He looked up at me, concerned. "Please, let me call the station."

"Are you okay, love?"

"No." I fumbled in my pocket for the cell phone, nearly dropping it in the process. I could feel Aleksandr's eyes on me as I pressed some keys on the pad and asked an operator for the non-emergency number for the local police precinct. A computer read off the number in a painfully slow fashion, and I pushed another number for it to connect me for whatever small fee it was going to cost. I looked back to see that Aleksandr had taken Brian's paw and was walking - almost being pulled - toward the public toilets. The great lion looked behind himself, waved at me to come along. Despite the relatively mild weather, my blood ran cold.

"Dispatch," said a female voice in my ear.

I gave my name and location even as I walked to try to catch up to Aleksandr. "Please have an officer sent here as quickly as possible."

"Right away. What seems to be the problem, sir?"

"There's a lost child here, and I'd like to be sure that an officer is here to help the boy find his mother. I think I saw Truman on his bicycle here a little bit ago, perhaps he could--"

"Yes, sir, I can hear Officer Peters responding on the radio; he should be there in moments. Do you want me to stay on the line until he arrives?"

"If you wouldn't mind; I'd be grateful." Aleksandr had almost reached the toilet shed, and I heard my voice shake. "I just want to be sure..."

I saw the boy pointing to one of the doors, and I saw Aleksandr frown and shake his head, pointing to the other door. The boy seemed insistent. I called out to my lion, waving frantically at him. I saw him move a little further away, toward the second door, even as the boy pulled at his arm to go back to the first door. I was close enough to hear Aleksandr asking the boy, "Do you have to use the restroom, Brian?"

"My mom..."

The boy was cut off by a sudden, sharp cry. A female Akita came around from the far side of the toilets, both forepaws to her muzzle as a look of calculated terror appeared on her face. "What are you doing?" she screamed. "What are you doing to my pup?"

Calmly, with something I could almost call poise, Aleksandr inquired, "Excuse me, ma'am, are you Brian's mother?"

The female ran up to Aleksandr and yanked Brian away from him. "You pervert!" she screamed. I could see faces turning toward the commotion. "You prey on young pups, don't you? What were you doing to do to my son?"

I ran up to Aleksandr's side, grasping his arm by one paw, still connected to the dispatcher with the other. The great lion's mouth hung open in complete disbelief, his eyes staring without really registering anything at all. "I'm still here, Officer," I said into the phone. I wasn't sure I could be heard over the female's screaming and shouting. The dispatcher asked me to describe what was going on; I could barely keep track of what either of us was saying, even as a small crowd began to gather at the periphery.

"Okay, one side, one side." Truman came rolling up on his bicycle, bell ringing, parting the crowd as the pedaled in. He managed to get off the bike and put down the kickstand safely enough even as he tried to speak to the woman.

"Arrest that lion!" she screamed. "He tried to molest my pup!"

The officer cast a glance at Aleksander's utterly dumfounded expression and then to me on my cell. "Dispatch?" he asked, reaching toward me. I nodded and handed him the phone. He spoke into it, quickly, trying to be heard over the repeated shouting of the woman just beyond him. "Melody, would you send a cart over, please?" He paused. "Yes, that's right. No, just the one should do. I've got this for the moment. Greg would be fine. Got it."

With an economical movement, he flipped the phone closed and handed it back to me. "Thank you, sir." He turned his attention back to the woman. "May I have your name, ma'am?"

"Withers. Beatrice Withers."

Truman nodded. "What exactly happened here, ma'am?"

"That big queer tried to molest my pup!" she screamed, aiming a trembling finger at Aleksandr. He shook once through, as if he'd been struck, and I squeezed his arm protectively, moving to stand slightly in front of him. "He was dragging him into the males' room! He would have done horrible things to my baby!"

Truman took out a notebook and wrote something down, then turned toward us. "Your name, sir?"

"Aleksandr Maschenko," he said thickly. "I have ID if you need--"

"Not at this point, sir," the otter said calmly. I noticed that he didn't write down Aleksandr's name, either. "Would you tell me what happened?"

"Don't listen to that pervert, he'll lie!" the mother screamed.

Truman appeared not even to have heard her. He looked calmly at Aleksandr, notebook and pen at the ready.

"We - Tristan and I - were sitting on that bench back over there." He nodded slightly toward the place where the morning had, until moments ago, gone so well. "We were talking when the young Akita came up to us. He said he was lost, that he wanted to find his mother. I asked where he had seen her last, and he took me in this direction."

"Mmhm," the otter nodded. "Here, specifically?"

"Of course!" the mother Akita screamed. "Where else could he put his filthy paws all over my pup?" The female suddenly lurched toward Aleksandr, exploding with a vicious bark. My lion actually cowered slightly, and I took him into my arms again to shield him.

Calmly, Truman turned back to the mother. "In some places, Ms. Withers, that would be considered assault, even without physical contact."

"Why aren't you arresting him?" she screamed. "He's a perv, a filthy queer! Lock him up!"

Despite the noise in front of me, a sound attracted my attention from behind. I looked to see one of the electric carts that the constabulary used for conveyance across fairly short distances. I was concerned at first, until I noticed that there was only one officer, the driver, an Irish setter I'd met at some function or other, or perhaps on campus. As he pulled up and stopped, I realized that he was looking quite pointedly at the agitated female, a glint in his eye telling me that he recognized her. He stepped up to Truman as the otter put away his pen and notebook.

"Thanks, Greg. I think we're about done here."

I felt Aleksandr tremble, and I secured my grip around him further.

Truman looked at Brian, who squirmed a little under his gaze. "Would you like to tell me what happened?" the otter asked gently.

The young Akita, ears splayed, tail bouncing nervously, put a bunched forepaw to his mouth, his large eyes on the officer's face. "Got lost," he squeaked out.

"And how did that happen?" Truman's brows knotted, deeply curious. When the pup didn't answer, the otter asked, "Was it like last time, Brian?"

The pup shook his head rapidly, desperately croaking out, "Uh-uh!"

The mother Akita's eyes blazed with fury. "How dare you! Are you accusing my pup of--"

"Not him. You." Truman's voice took on an edge that hinged on fury as well. "You've tried this twice before, Ms. Withers. Three times, by my count, but only two on report. And we do have those reports, and don't think that I won't add this one to it."

Again, she thrust an accusatory finger at Aleksandr. "He's a queer! A pervert! He belongs in jail! He molests pups and kits! He's dangerous!"

"I'd say you're much more dangerous than he," the setter observed, his lilting accent carrying his words even past the female's sputtering. "Ye're all but foamin', lassie, and I for one am hoping ye've had yer shots."

"They're both dangerous!" she screamed. "That bear is a danger to every youngster in this neighborhood!"

"That bear, as you call him, is quite the model neighbor," Truman said generously. "His home and yard are well kept, he volunteers at the shelter when he can, and he's never once borne false witness against anyone... although I'd certainly understand if he wants to press charges in this case."

"The children...!" she sputtered.

"...happen to adore the feller," the setter observed. "He reads to them at the library from time to time. He does voices, ye know, and his brogue is almost as good as me own. Perhaps better, since he wasn't born to it."

"Ms. Withers," Truman intoned, "I'm not having this. Not on my watch, not in my neighborhood. This is the third time you've tried this set-up, and I'm not having it anymore. You are barred from this park; if you are seen here, you will be escorted off the property, as I'm about to do now. After I file my report, I will recommend that Children's Services be notified to take an interest in the way you're bringing up your child."

"He's mine!" she screamed, pulling Brian fiercely against her even as he tried to cling to her leg. "You can't take him away from me because I'm trying to protect him from filth like this!"

"He can be taken from you if you're using him for the purpose of committing crimes, such as lying in order to put someone in jail. Somewhere in the ball park of suborning perjury and conspiracy to criminally defame comes to mind. Framing someone to be judged guilty of a sexual offense? That's a charge that never goes away, Ms. Withers. Even after serving a prison sentence, that tag hangs on for the rest of someone's life. It's literally a life sentence. And you want to inflict that upon someone who has committed no crime?"

"It's a crime against GOD!" the woman screamed, throwing her arms into the air.

"Not any gods I've ever met," the Irish setter offered glibly, moving her toward Truman. "Ye wouldn't want a bit of help with this, would ye?"

"No need," Truman said, recovering his bicycle, readying to escort the woman out of the park. "I'm sure she's going to be no trouble. Isn't that right, Ms. Withers? Or would you rather we cuff you and wait to see if these fine furs want to press charges? We could hold you for several hours while they go through any necessary paperwork. We can find someone to look after Brian properly."

The female sputtered a bit more before the setter said softly to her, "Think of the pup, ma'am. Looks to me like he needs a bit of lunch and a good nap in his own home. It's better all 'round, wouldn't ye say?"

The crowd began to move away out of embarrassment as much as out of the realization that nothing more interesting was to transpire. Truman guided his bicycle with one paw, walking carefully near but not too close to the still-growling mother. The boy tagged along, not entirely sure what was happening. He looked to me as if he thought he'd done something wrong, but not toward Aleksandr; he was afraid he'd disappointed his mother, and that he might be punished for it. He looked back at me for a moment, his ears aggressively upward, a dark and ugly look on his face, as if I were responsible for denying him some much-desired treat.

I heard my name called and looked over at the setter. "Are ye all right, sir?"

"I'm not entirely sure." I looked at my great lion, who still looked completely dazed. "Aleksandr? You okay, luv?"

"I... think so." He looked at the officer. "Do you need my ID or anything, officer?"

"Well, I'll take your paw in good faith," the setter teased. "Gregory McHenery."

"Aleksandr Mashchenko," the lion said, shaking the offered paw.

"Glad to know ye. I've seen ye about a few times now."

"Are you watching that closely?" I asked.

McHenery looked up at Aleksandr's 81-inch height and observed, "He's a bit hard t' miss, wouldn't ye say?"

Aleksandr tried to laugh, but it came out more as a giggle that he found somewhat embarrassing. It was the last confirmation that I needed - he was going into shock. "I think we'd better get you home," I said, making an attempt to get him moving. He stumbled briefly before fully realizing that he was in motion.

"Can I give ye a lift?" the setter offered. "I know ye live close by, but it's not been the best morning, I think."

"It started out fine," Aleksandr mumbled. "Something happened." He shook his head as he climbed into the cart, frowning, disbelief etched into his beautiful face. "Something happened..."

* * * * *

We were back at my house in short order. I thanked McHenery for the lift, asked him if he'd have Truman give me a call later. As the officer trundled away, I managed to get Aleksandr inside the house and over onto the sofa.

"Don't fuss, I'm all right." He waved a languid paw at me, still frowning. "I just don't... Damn that female, how could she...?"

Anger, I thought, probably a good sign. I was feeling pretty pissed off myself, much like what happened last time. I went into the bedroom, bringing back a big comforter to go with the one that we kept on the sofa for snuggling purposes. I shook out the lighter-weight quilt first, draping it across Aleksandr even has he batted at it in a playful-looking attempt to push it away. I shook out the second, asking, "Do you want anything? Milk? Water? Juice?"

"I'm fine, Tris, don't worry. Water might be good, if you're..." He trailed off as if suddenly uncertain. He looked at me a bit oddly. "What time is it?"

I glanced at the clock, realizing that we'd been gone barely ninety minutes. "Not noon yet," I said. "Are you hungry?"

"No, it's not that, it's just..." He looked around him again, then back at me, an odd look coming across his face. I put off getting the water. I had a hunch that it might happen sooner than I thought. I was almost there myself, putting it off because I thought that my great lion might need me, to help him through the shock of that horrible female's attack, to comfort him if he succumbed to it, I knew how bad shock can be, and any moment now...

As I watched him, I began to feel something strange. I looked to Aleksandr, amazed at his strength, his ability to handle the shock, the horrible shock, so well. His brows knotted together as he returned my gaze, and he reached out a paw to me. I heard something, I couldn't quite tell what it was, a high-pitched keening that I suddenly realized was actually coming from within me. Aleksandr leaned out to me, took my paw and pulled me toward him. My brain was trying to understand even as it was trying to shut down. Shock, I thought, he's going into... I'm going into... I'm... I felt myself pulled into his powerful embrace, my body beginning to shudder as if becoming terribly chilled. He held me tightly as I shook, and cried out, and bawled as the shock and terror overwhelmed me completely.

We lay together for a very long time, trying to warm each other beneath the comforters, trying to let all of the pain and fear drain out of us until we could finally be able to talk to each other again. It felt like hours, and still I clung to him, unable to think, unable to move. When he finally spoke, Aleksandr's first words were, "Are you okay?"

I smiled through my wet face. "I'm okay now, love. We're okay."

For a long moment, we simply held each other. Softly, he said, "You knew."

Shaking my head against him, I said, "No. I was just afraid."

"Why?"

"Because I'm gay. Because I choose not to hide."

Another long silence. "What happened?"

I buried my face against his silky mane for a moment, fought back tears. "Years ago. Before I came here." I inhaled deeply, Aleksandr's warm scent helping me to relax, to feel safe even in the presence of my most hated memory. "I don't think it was calculated, as this seemed to be, but the results were about the same. I saw a fox kit standing alone, crying, in the middle of a big park, much bigger than this one. No one even seemed to pay attention to him, and I didn't understand why. A child in trouble is supposed to get help from someone, isn't he? He's just a child...

"So I went over, knelt by him, and asked what was wrong. He said that he was lost, that his mom and dad weren't there, that he was scared. So I told him my name and offered a paw to shake, and I asked him if he wanted me to help him find his parents. He snuffled and agreed, and he took my paw and we went looking for them. I headed toward the front of the park, because I knew there was an information kiosk near there, near the public toilets." I swallowed, shuddered.

Aleksandr squeezed me close to him, wordlessly giving me strength.

"When we got to the kiosk, I was about to ask the person there if there was some way to help a lost child, when the kit yanked my hand and pointed toward the toilets. I told him that I would wait for him right there at the kiosk, but he didn't want to let me go. So I let him lead me over to the males' room. We walked in together, the kit still holding my hand. At the sinks, I saw a hyena washing his paws. He looked up when he saw us, and I nodded to him. I told the kit to go use the toilet, I'd wait right there for him. The little fox was apprehensive but eventually went. The hyena struck up a conversation, asking about the kit, and I explained about the lost parents, asking if he might have seen a fox couple around the park, or some other couple looking for a lost child. He hadn't, but the conversation lasted about as long as the kit was in the toilet. That alone was what saved me.

"The three of us walked out at about the same time, and it wasn't another ten seconds before I heard the scream." I gripped Aleksandr even closer to me, and he began to pet my head tenderly. "You can guess."

"But you had a witness."

"I had an off-duty cop, thank whatever deity might have been responsible." I managed a weak smile. "No telling what would have happened otherwise."

"Wouldn't the kit been able to..."

"No telling, luv." I wiped away the last tears. "The mother seemed hysterical right off the bat; for all I know, the kit might have told her anything she wanted to hear, thinking he was helping her. It never came to that. Police were called, statements taken, all of that; no charges, no arrests, everyone was told just to go home. I did go home... and I didn't leave my house for two days." I breathed evenly. "I shut and locked every door and window, pulled all the drapes, unplugged the phones, turned off my computer and my cell... For the first few hours, I actually hid in my bedroom closet. I whimpered and whined and truly thought someone was going to break down my doors and come after me, like a SWAT team."

I felt Aleksandr double over and kiss my head, his chest hitching slightly, bringing forth fresh tears. I rolled over in his arms and turned my face up to see him, the fur on his face still damp, his beautiful antique gold eyes filled with pain. He bent to kiss me, tenderly, softly, the silent reaffirmation of his love and devotion. As he pulled away, gently, I began to feel my strength returning. My great lion was with me, and I was safe. And as I reached up my paw to caress his cheek, I realized that he too was safe, that no one would take him from me, that neither cross nor crowbar could pry us apart.

"You saved my life, Tris," he said softly. "No telling what that female might have done."

"It's behind us now. Or it least it will be when the shock wears off entirely."

"What are you feeling?"

"A little bit like I want to go hide in the closet again... but that I want to take you with me."

A tiny smile crossed his face. "Going back into the closet seems a little counterproductive, don't you think?"

"Now that you mention it..."

The knock at the front door caused both of us to jump.

"Tristan?" came a booming voice from the other side. "It's Maggers, are you there?"

"My next-door neighbor," I said to Aleksandr's protective scowl. "Hang on," I called out. It took more effort than I would have thought, but I finally managed to get myself into a comparatively vertical position and pad over to the door. Opening it, I found my neighbor in his casual Sunday attire, the massively muscled black bull wearing a look of deep concern as he reached out to put a forepaw on my arm. "Are you all right?"

"I take it that the local grapevine is in full flower."

"Don't start," the bull huffed, not unkindly. "It's all I could do to keep Sylvie from rushing out and killing that female. And you didn't answer my question - are you all right?"

"We're both all right, thanks very much." I waved an arm toward the sofa where Aleksandr stood waiting for me. "Maggersfontein Wellesly, Aleksandr Mashchenko."

My lion nodded to the bull, who smiled softly. "Sorry to meet under these circumstances. Look, if you're both up to it, Sylvie wants me to fire up the grill in the back yard. I think you're downwind, so since you'll be smelling it anyway, you might as well have some pork loin." His smile sobered a bit. "After all that, you probably think you're not hungry. But you will be. It's the way of shock; I've had it myself. No pressure, I promise you... but if you'd like to come over and be pampered a bit, you're more than welcome."

"Thanks, Maggers," I said, putting a forepaw to his chisled chest. "How about I talk it over with Aleksandr and let you know?"

"Of course. But don't wait too long, please; you know how Sylvie worries."

"Yes I do," I smiled. "At worst, we'll call in just a bit. I promise."

The bull nodded and favored me with one last smile and a squeeze of my arm. "Call anytime. We'll be here."

I closed the door behind him and turned to see Aleksandr folding up the comforters. "Are we going?" I asked him.

He put the comforters on the sofa and turned back to me. "You've got some special neighbors, for them to offer so much. He looks like he spends more time at the gym than I do."

"Wait till you meet Sylvie - that's Sylvian Codrescu, by the way. Before I met you, I thought that no other lion in the world could be that utterly ripped." I managed a laugh. "I'm going to feel downright shabby, among the three of you."

My great lion stepped over to me and brushed my cheek gently with his forepaw. "If you really felt that way, you'd never have befriended them. Or me." He bent to kiss me, and I returned the kiss warmly. "We did have other plans for today, didn't we?"

"We did." My smile was sad and rueful. "I love you, dorogoy, but I'm not sure..."

He put a finger to my lips with great tenderness. "Me either. I have this horrible feeling that those thoughts will intrude, or that I'm still not over it..." He shook his lavish mane gently. "Not time yet, I guess. But for whatever it's worth, I don't want to leave you. I need to be with you."

Matching actions to words, he took me into his powerful embrace as I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him close. "You up for company, or shall we keep to ourselves?"

"He's right about being hungry. I can't quite feel it yet, but I have the feeling that I'm going to be ravenous before long."

"Wise lion." I pulled back to look at him. "Maggers' pork loin is rarely short of miraculous. And he doesn't skimp on portions. If I know Sylvie, he's already putting together enough appetizers and sides to feed the neighborhood."

"I hope the whole neighborhood doesn't show up."

"Only the good folks. Luckily, that's most of them." I smiled. "Let's go remember what it's like to be around people who care about each other."

Aleksandr hesitated. "Do they have children?"

"Not that I know of. A shame - they've tried so hard." My lion managed a chuckle that sounded much more like himself than before. "My other neighbors have kids. Good, reasonably well-mannered kids who enjoy a good story. Best of all, when I'm done with the story, they go back to their parents so that I don't have to deal with them any longer. Best of both worlds."

"Good point." He stood for a moment. "I understand why you hid."

"Do you want to stay here? We don't have to go."

"I don't want to be afraid. And I don't want to let that female have another minute of our lives." He bent to kiss me again. "And I want to meet this other lion of yours. Size up the competition."

I laughed. "Not a chance; Maggers and Sylvie are bound together for life. They're far and away the best couple I know, and fully half he reason that I bought this house." I took his paw and led the way to the door. "C'mon - I want to make sure you're comfortable around here. You know, just in case you ended up living here or something."

Aleksandr paused, looked at me, his smile growing slowly on his muzzle. "Guess I'd better check out the neighbors then."

"And vice versa," I grinned. "Let's give the grapevine something happier to gossip about."