Chapter 43

Sunday Gathering

The first thing Kel was aware of as she drifted to consciousness from the warm cocoon she found herself in, was my gentle voice...

"Good morning, sleepy head, care to join us in the land of the waking sleepers?"

She mewled softly, "Five more minutes, mom, I don't w_anna_go to s_chool_." Kel smacked her lips blinking at me. "Oh, uh...good morning," she smiled up at me, her brown eyes radiant. Then she felt Gwen snuggling up against her. "Sleep well?" Gwen whispered in her ear, her voice warm and lilting. "Mm-hum." She nodded, snuggling into Gwen's soft body.

"So, who's ready for some breakfast?" I asked, kissing both girls on the forehead, as I sprang out of bed--or rather _tried_to--before finding myself being dragged back.

"Hey, I want a proper kiss, mister." Gwen said.

"Yeah, me too." Kel seconded.

"Work-work-work." I chuckled with a smile on my muzzle, giving each in turn a _proper_kiss.

One of the joys of having a shower in the master bath is that it's large enough for two, with room to move around. Three, if you were friendly. A tank-less water heater means no one takes a cold shower unless they want_to. The advantages of a tank-less, on demand gas-fired unit meant that the water was _HOT! A_good thing with_two females in the house, I thought. 'Ahhh, the joys of a sybaritic shower...good thing I buy shampoo and conditioner in five gallon buckets,' I mused. It _was_kind of _nice_having Kel around--gave Gwen someone to hen with, and she wasn't too bad to cuddle up with ether. Though they say the Chinese ideogram for "Trouble" is two females under the same roof. From what I've seen so far, I'd have to disagree. Breakfast was _definitely_in order, and after finishing my morning business, I padded off to the kitchen to see what I could rustle up.

Gwen and Kel were still lounging in bed, talking.

"Feeling better this morning, hon?" Gwen asked.

"Definitely, I was wound up tighter than a two dollar watch spring. Even with the shielding and grounding, the chaotic energy just--it was like trying to bail out a leaky rowboat with a teaspoon." Kel sighed.

"Perhaps you should consider a string of hematite beads, say twelve millimeter is a good size to wear. I used to wear one when I would go to Bay Area rock concerts. Areosmith, KISS, Ozzy...a tremendous opportunity to tap raw power--made charging talismans a snap," Gwen flashed her a grin. "The only _down_side is filtering the energy and not over-amping yourself at the same time." Gwen chuckled ruefully.

"Maybe I should give that a try, seeing how well that piece of hematite Rick gave me helped, _thanks_Gwen. By the way, isn't Cassy excited about being preggers?" Gwen smiled, nodding. "Oh I'll say, we had a _long_talk last night...and just between us, she may not be alone in that."

"Really?" Kel asked. "You think you and Rick are going to have kits sometime soon?"

Gwen nodded, "Remember what you saw, me with twins. Well things may be moving quickly in that direction. But what about you, Amanda? Ever think of having kits of your own?" Gwen asked, stroking her belly absentmindedly.

"Kits? Me? No way!_I knew I wasn't cut out to have kits in this life--not that I don't_like_them, it's just something I knew _wasn't_for me. So when I turned eighteen, I had myself '_fixed' so I wouldn't have to worry about it. Not_that I was ever that _active--_I just _knew_it wasn't in the cards." Kel finished solemnly. "But," She _looked_at Gwen, easing her onto her back in bed. "--_Gwen?" She leaned in, giving the skunkette a sniff over "Um, it may be_sooner_than you think..." the vixen said, somewhat awestruck.

"Really?" Gwen smiled as Kel nodded.

"Could be--I don't know why, but you ' _ smell _ ' pregnant. Weird, huh?"

"Interesting..." Gwen mused. "I've been getting subtle hints in that direction. Well, we shall see what we shall see. Let's keep it between just us girls for now, okay?"

"You got it." Kel grinned conspiratorially at Gwen, who tumbled out of bed and stretched languidly. Kel gasped despite herself. "My_God_Gwen, you are_gorgeous! That, tha, _gwahthwa--" Gwen twisted slightly, "Mmh? Oh thank you." She ended her stretch with a full body shimmy of pure sensual seductiveness.

"Hobida-hobida-hobida." Kel said, shaking herself out of her enthrallment with the stunning Skunk. "_Girl,_you make me think of takin' a walk on the _wild_side, if ya know what I mean..." she chuckled. Gwen just looked down at the vixen with half lidded eyes.

"Mmm. All things considered, we_could_say, 'been there, done that' I guess--but you n_ever_know where a journey like this will take you. Care to join me in the shower? We could do each other's fur?" Gwen smiled sweetly, extending a paw to her friend...

"Aaah, the first cup of the day was something to be savored. Bean-a-licious! Being a Java-crucian, I dutifully intoned the morning prayer of the dedicated Coffee drinker...

"We all Worship The Black Bean,

Symbol of the god Caffeine-

Like a Drop, Of, Coffee,

Flowing To The Great Cup.

Where There Is Life, There Is Coffee,

Where There Is Cof-fee, There Is Life."

What you took in your coffee determined your path to Bean Nirvana; Cream and Sugar equaled the path of Sweetness and light. If you took it straight up, yours was the path of delectable darkness. There was also the issue of which "Side" of "The Bean" you were on. Espresso drinkers were definitely adherents of the "Dark side," I chuckled looking over at my espresso machine sitting on the counter. Its black enamel surface glowed in the morning light. In my head I could hear 'Darth Vader's' voice emanating from its dark depths...

"You have no IDEA of the powerof the Dark Side! Bwahahahaha!"

Pouring two more cups for the girls, and adding their preferred amendments to each, I took them into the bedroom. "Cof-fee..." I called gently. Then I saw the two girls emerge from the bathroom, their fur still slightly _floofy_from the full body fur dryer. "Thank You," they both grinned, accepted the proffered cups, and kissed me on the cheek.

After we reconvened in the dining room over breakfast, we were having a spirited discussion. "Granted, I can see that, but I don't want to contemplate what would happen if one, or both of them should panic and run out of the circle, when we are outside normal space--and between the worlds..." I paused, sipping my coffee. Kel paled visibly. "Is that even possible?""I've_never_ met anyone_stupid_ enough to_try it,_ but_yes_it is." I said, nodding. "I _have_tossed things out of the circle when between the worlds, and they were _not_there when I returned to the world. So yeah, I guess it IS possible to exit the circle between the worlds. Of course, we could run a few tests--tethered cages of say, lab rats or something."

"NO!" Kel and Gwen exclaimed in unison, cutting off my line of thought. I shrugged.

"_Just_an idea to prove a theory..." I grinned sheepishly.

"That's_the problem with C_eremonial Magicians" Gwen chided. "Everything is an experiment to them." "Well--would you prefer I grab some homeless fur off the street? I _DO_have my ethics, you know..." I grinned wickedly. "Although..." I sat back, contemplating my last suggestion.

"You_WOULDN'T!_" Kel gasped, a paw over her muzzle--shocked that I'd even _suggest_that.

"No..." I chuckled shaking my head. "I'm not a member of some 'Black Lodge' who performs unethical magical experiments on unsuspecting furs--although, I _have_heard..." I said, my voice trailing off...

"ENOUGH!" Gwen admonished. "We need_to decide what to do about Cassandra..._right?" She_looked_at me, letting me know in _NO_uncertain terms that the time for levity had passed.

"Of _course,_my love--just a bit of speculation, nothing more. _But_you are right. Now then, Kel...can you handle the idea of keeping Mike from bolting?"

"Sure, I guess," she said, pausing as a wicked grin split her muzzle. "It _may_involve the use of Paw-cuffs..." she winked.

"Amanda!" Gwen squawked.

"S'okay. I've got some fuzzy ones, they don't chafe." she nodded sincerely.

"Let's keep that_as a back up option, _okay..." Gwen eyed her apprentice. I just grinned liking the idea... "Sheesh!" Gwen threw her paws in the air in exasperation. "I swear, you two are acting just like a couple of perverts!" she barked, glaring at Kel and I.

We just looked at each other, grinning wickedly then back at Gwen.

"Acting?" we said in unison, then burst out laughing...

"ARGH" Gwen muttered darkly, before laughing herself.

"Okay, Okay." she smiled. "Point taken. What do you suggest?"

"Well, we have that massage table we can use to have Cassy lay on; we can even tie her to it, if it comes to that. I've got some nice, soft nylon rope we can use...Mike as well, if need be." I said offhandedly.

"That will give us a nice horizontal surface to work from, instead of securing her to the ground." Gwen nodded. "Okay, that should work. You have a real kinky side there, mister--one that I didn't even _know_about."

Kel grinned to herself at the idea of staking Cassy buck naked out on the ground, spread eagle in the circle. Seeing the look in her face Gwen asked, "What is it, Amanda?" Kel was shaken from her reverie.

"Oh, um...nothing, just considering possibilities..." Seeming satisfied, Gwen nodded.

"I've known Mike for almost nine years and have seen him through some really bad points in his life. He's almost schizophrenic where Cassy is concerned. On one paw, he's _ecstatic_that she's recovered--and the fact that she's pregnant with his child, he's walking on air because of that. And on the other paw, he's absolutely terrified that he's ruined her life, that because of him, she may end up in a wheelchair for the rest of her life due to her pregnancy." The girls nodded, seeing my point.

"But...and here's a big Idaho bubble-but," I flashed them a grin. "Aside from that brush with the magical path he experienced with his Grandma, back when he was a teenager--and he told me it scared the hell out of him. So he has steered clear of _anything_even remotely connected with the mystical. This will be loading a _lot_on him in a short time..."

"I_know,_love." Gwen admitted. "I had a long talk with Cassandra last night after you all went off to work. She understands what's involved and said she would ease Mike into it, so he wont be walking into this cold. It should work itself out. Now then, what are you planning to throw on the Bar-B-Que?" she asked, turning the subject towards a more relaxing topic. Before long, all was ready when Mike and Cassy arrived...

=Ding-Dong=

"I'll get it!" Kel called out, dashing to the front door. A quick glance out the peephole confirmed her expectation and she threw open the door.

"MIKE! CASSY! Come on in, take off your skin, and rattle around in your bones!" She ushered them quickly inside.

"Kel. You're--" Mike exclaimed.

"What? Buck bare in just my fur?" she replied to the stunned ferret, who just nodded.

"Told you so." Cassy teased as she started to strip out of her clothes.

"See that sign by the door?" It read, 'Did you remember your clothes?'

"Oh,right. Forgot about that. Oh well, when in_Rome_..." Mike smiled.

"Shoot Roman candles?' Kel asked with a giggle as she led them to a guest room, the _same_guest room that they first made love in. They both smiled at the memory.

"There_are_robes in the closet, if you are feeling a bit...exposed." Kel grinned at Mike and Cassy chuckled. Cassy emerged a few minutes later decked out in her honey and cream fur, and padded out to the patio. A noticeable patch of her belly fur was missing, attesting to her stay in the hospital. Kel squatted before the bunny, examining the area. Aside from a six-inch pink line in the center of the shaved patch, and a slight pucker at the bullets entry point, she had healed up _quite_nicely indeed.

"So, how's it feel?" Kel asked, gently running her finger over the scar.

"Eep! That tickles." Cassy giggled. "It still itches a bit, but they say that's due to my fur growing back in."

"Well, looks like you healed up all right." Kel looked up at Cassy's grinning muzzle.

"Yeah, thanks to you." the bunny nodded, flopping her ears.

Kel leaned in sniffing, "Yup." she nodded.

"Yup_what?_" Cassy asked, helping Kel to her feet.

"You_smell_pregnant." Kel winked.

"Well,duh--_I_am, ya know." Cassy rolled her eyes.

"Exactly my point, hon. How are you feeling now?"

"Well, aside from a bit of queasiness this morning--soda crackers and ginger ale work wonders, by the way--I'm doing great! I feel all_glowey_." Cassy said as she sat at the outdoor table.

"Beautiful day." Gwen came up to greet her friend.

"Yes, indeed it is, Cassandra. I am _so_glad you are doing better."

"Wanna see my scar?" she grinned, pointing at her belly--a wide grin breaking across her muzzle.

"Well, all right, if you'd like to show me..." Gwen couldn't help but smile at the exuberant bunny as she stood next to her and passing a paw over the shorn area with the lightest of touches. "Yes indeed, you are doing a great job of healing."

"Oooh that felt weird--when you did that, it kinda felt like you were blowing on it." Cassy looked between the two girls sitting at the table, and noticing the demure smile on Gwen's face.

"That was just _my_way of seeing how you are healing up. _If_there was anything to be concerned about, it would have felt warm."

"Okay, Cool! Now when are we gonna get this bullet outta me? What's weird is...it doesn't _hurt_exactly--but I can _feel_it there, kinda like a pressure, but not quite--it just feels...wrong, ya know?" Both Gwen and Kel nodded.

"Understandable, it's something that shouldn't be there, and with any luck, after tonight, it won't be." Gwen nodded at Cassy, placing a paw over her scar.

"Coolness! But Gwen, even if this doesn't work, it's okay. I'm okay with the idea of, ya know...being in a wheelchair. If it means I can be a mom and give Mikey the family he wants..." Cassy said softly.

"Hopefully it won't come to that, Cassandra." Gwen said encouragingly. Cassy only nodded. Hearing the sliding glass door, she turned to see Mike emerge wrapped in a fluffy white house robe. The girls grinned.

"Hey Mike." I said grinning at my friend's slight embarrassment, but that's what the robes were for after all. "How are _you_doing this morning?" Mike shook his head, Grinning.

"She hasn't killed me yet!" he limped just a bit, I noticed as the girls giggled. I could sympathize.

"Just wait until you're married," I chuckled as he made his way over to the grill.

"Yeah, and I've often wondered why the honeymoon was referred to as 'The Widow Maker." he said ruefully, laughing. I handed him a beer

"S'okay Mike. You know what they say, 'That which does not kill you, makes you stronger.'"

"Yeah, But didn't the guy who said that, die of syphilis?" Mike asked. I nodded.

"Why yes, he did. I guess it didn't make him stronger..." I laughed.

"Gee,thanks." Mike chuckled. "So, whatcha grilling?"

"Got quite a mixed grill here, Lets see...some salmon...a few venison steaks KC marinated...brats...some lamb kabobs, corn and a few veggies...I can throw on some burgers if you'd like?" I grinned.

"_Damn_Rick, it _all_sounds _so_good, how can I choose?"

"Why not just have a bit of everything?" I offered.

"Could I?" Mike asked, I nodded.

"That'd be _great!_Thanks." Mike beamed.

"So, tomorrows the big day huh?"

Mike nodded, looking over at Cassy henning with the girls. "Oh yeah. Got the rings on Friday, now I see why you did it, Rick. I wouldn't have believed it...after Lenora stabbed me in the back, I honestly didn't believe I'd ever fall in love again...It just hurt too much." Mike paused to take a pull from his beer. "But after that first night," he said, shaking his head, "That...wonderful,_magical night, I came _so close_to losing her, and when that scumbag shot her..." Mike sighed heavily. "_Never_again. We were _meant_to be together, I can see that now...I _OWE_you guys _soo much, and this thing tonight--Cass told me _some_of it. I don't even pretend to understand it--I _won't_lie to you, Rick. _This_scares the crap out of me. But if it means keeping her out of a wheelchair..."

He paused to look lovingly at his beloved hunny bunny chatting and laughing with the girls.

"If modern medicine says she has a better than 50% chance of ending up that way, then I say, go for it! I'll spit in da goddam doctor'sa eye! 'da closed minded goomba!" Mike's accent always came out when he was upset...

"I tell ya I waz goin' outta my minda with worry. What da hell wuz takin 'dem so long? And when day wheeled her in, in 'dat godam chair...I dam near piss 'da myself!" Shaking himself out of that nightmare, "Sorry bout that." He polished off his beer in one long pull, then crushed the can between his paws. "So tell me, how's this gonna work? I mean I knew_you were into magic, ya know, cards, coins and dice. _Hell, you even _taught_me some of it, but..."

"That was illusion--this is magic, the real deal my friend, no bullshit. I've been studying this since I was fifteen. I hold the grade of Master Mage--think Merlin, hell, think of what you said your granny was into."

"I know, _that's_what scares the hell outta me! I seen her do stuff, stuff I can't explain. And now I find out that not _ONLY_is my best friend into this, but so is his ladylove, and _she's_teaching _KEL_to do this _stuff!_Now, don't get me wrong, I'm grateful as hell for what she did for my Cassy--It's just a lot to hit a guy with all at once, ya know?" Mike had a slightly haggard look on his face. "Hell, if it wasn't for Gwen's premonition, we wouldn't even be _having_this conversation--it's just..." He trailed off, not sure what to say, he was far too out of his comfort zone to make much sense of any of this. I placed my paw on his shoulder.

"Mike. You're not_going to go to _hell, for this, okay?" Mike let out a sigh,

"Oh, yeah, _no_it's not that, it's..." Mike looked at me, he was still looking somewhat lost.

"You were raised Catholic, right?"

"Well,yeah. But that's..." he sputtered. I just shook my head.

"Mike, normally we wouldn't be talking about this; most furs can't handle the idea that magic is a real force in the world. But it i_s_. Or the fact there are furs like US, who know how to use it, but there are...Now, we've known each other for, what? Almost nine years. In _all_that time, have I _ever_lied to you?" I asked my Freert friend

"Nope. You've always been straight up with me." Mike nodded.

"When your life exploded in your lap like a grenade, _who_was there for you."

"You_were...and if you _weren't, I probably would have _offed_myself." Mike said flatly.

"I know. That's why I laid that gease upon you. Remember what I said to you? That Suicide was a permanent solution to a temporary problem--that was a gease. It kept you from attempting it, and the thing I used to keep you going was, that there was one who waits for you." I pointed over to Cassy. Mike just stared dumbfounded.

"No shit... Well looks like it worked. Can't tell you how many times I wanted to eat my pistol." The ferret sighed

"But you _couldn't_do it, could you?" I said softly.

"Nope, and a couple of times I really_wanted to. But all I could _do_was just stare at it; I couldn't even pick it up when I felt that way...I s_hould_be pissed off at you, but I can't be. 'Cause you were lookin' out for me...t_hanks, man." Mike shook his head. "So, how do we help Cassy?"

I was transferring the contents of the grill to serving platters. "I'll try and keep this as non-technical as possible--we mark out a working area then draw it into a non-standard reality between the worlds of the physical and the spiritual. You don't have to believe it, just accept it for now. As with all things, there is a spiritual component to everything." Mike nodded.

"Okay, the bullet in Cassy has a non-physical essence. What we are going to do is remove it from her non-physical form and that will allow us to key into it and remove it from her physical body, via matter transmigration. And once it's gone it will be a simple matter of reminding her damaged vertebrae what it was like to be undamaged. Then aid it in returning to that state." Mike was silent for a few moments digesting the information.

"So, let me get this straight, You're going to remove it from her spirit, and that will allow you to remove it from her body? If I read you right, then her spirit carries the essence of the bullet that's lodged in her spine? Is that it?" I nodded.

"Yeah, that is as good an explanation as any; it's more complex then that, but yeah." I nodded to my friend.

"At's what I thought...Gran was always talking about how all blessings flow from God--she used to say, 'As Above, So Below.' Never understood that until now, I guess that's what you were talkin' about, yes?" Mike had a lopsided grin on his face. "Chalk one up for Straga Nona."

"Okay, let's eat, we'll need the carbs for what we plan to be doing later."

As we ate the discussion was on the upcoming operation, I did notice Kel had removed a small bag from her car, at my inquisitive look, she just gave me a sly smile and a wink...ah, I thought, the paw-cuffs...

"Now, Mike, Cassy, I'm going to give you something to help you relax." Gwen said softly. "It's nothing dangerous, it is an herbal compound called Valerian root. It has been used for centuries for its relaxing effects and has also been used as a sleep aid. These are five hundred milligram capsules, I want you to each take two of them." She handed each of them two light brown capsules.

"_Gakh!"_Mike made a face at their pungent aroma.

After the feast, it was time to set up. "You two wait here, we will come and get you when everything is set. It should be about twenty minutes." Gwern nodded

As Mike and Cassy watched, the perimeter of the circle was laid out with heavy nylon rope. The brightly colored cloth elemental banners Black and Red, and Yellow and Blue were placed in the cardinal points. North and South, East and West. The massage table was set in place as were the other items needed. Mike noticed that he was feeling pleasantly relaxed--nowhere near as anxious as he thought he'd be. "How you doing, Honey Bunny?" He asked, taking her paw in his.

"Oh fine, not nervous at all--that Valerian stuff's pretty good..." Cassy mused, happy to be here with her Mikey. Mike had to agree. When all was in readiness, they were given a final briefing on what was about to happen; then the couple was led to their places in the circle. Kel stood by Mike.

"If you don't understand something, ask me, K." She nodded as Cassy was laid upon the Massage table, although Mike did idly wonder what the coil of nylon rope sitting under the table was for... "So Mike, how do you feel about Dragons?" Ken asked casually

"Okay, we are ready." Gwen announced. Once more, she and I cast the circle and spoke the spell that sent the circle between the worlds. Kel grabbed Mike's paw, and two seconds later the world outside the circle vanished, and they were once more between the worlds surrounded by swirling gray mist.

"What The FUQ--" Mike gasped, looking around at a whole lot of nothing. He began to feel the panic rise within him as the colorful cloth banners blazed with raw energy that looked to Mike like fire. Kel, sensing his distress took action, facing the panicky ferret.

"Mike!" She looked directly into his eyes locking his gaze on her, where he began seeing something familiar..

"Oh, hey Kel, this is weird!"

"Yes, Mike. It is..." She said in a calm soothing voice. "Remember, we are _here_to help _Cassy."_That seemed to do the trick.

"Oh, Right. Sorry Kel, it's just--" She smiled at him.

"I know, I remember my first time..." She squeezed his paw.

Gwen stood at Cassy's side. "Cassandra, how are you doing, hon?" Cassy looked around amazed. "This is so COOL!" she jumped slightly. "I--is that_a--a_dragon?" Cassy asked, her eyes going wide with wonder.

"Yes hon, it is. It won't harm you; it is here as a Guardian." Gwen soothed, as the Dragon loomed above the circle in the gray swirling mist. Cassy absently waved,

"Hiya, Mr. Dragon...you're_cool!_" She cooed. "He's _beautiful_Gwen. I-I do you think I could meet him sometime? I'd like to sit down and just talk over tea..."

Cassy mused, overjoyed to see a real_live _dragon. Gwen could feel the Guardian's amused approval.

"I think that can be arranged," she smiled down at the bunny. Mike, on the other hand, _wasn't_handling it _quite_as well as his beloved...

"OHMYFRIGGINGOD!_It's A-a fricking _DRAGON!" Mike squawked.

"Yes, Mike." Kel said calmly. "That's the one I TOLD_you about, _remember?"

"It--it's_looking_at me! Holy shit_it, it's uh..." He immediately looked for a place to _hide. Just then he heard a familiar voice behind him.

"_MICHAEL!_Behave a you self!" He spun around only to come Muzzle to Muzzle with his maternal grandmother, Isabella Ferretti.

_ SMACK! _She slapped him across the muzzle, hard.

"Getta holda youself! It's ah justa DRAGON, whatzamatteryou?" Mike just blinked in shock at the apparition.

"Grandma?"

"At'sa Right." The wizened old ferret femme said, smiling at her grandson. "What? You forget ta you manners now?" That jolted him out of his shock.

"Oh! Uh, Gran, this is Kel...Kel, this is my maternal grandmother, Isabella Ferretti." She smiled at the fox femme.

"Calla me Straga Nona." Kel shook the elder Ferret's paw.

"Pleased to meet you Ma'am."the Vixen said with a grin.

"Okay, Michael. Who you other friends there?" She asked in her broken English.

"Huh?What?_Oh right." his mind was _not_ready for this. "G-Gwen, Rick...uh, come 'ere a minute p--p_lease!" His voice was still slightly panicky. Gwen looked up, smiling as they approached.

"Oh, hello there, I'm Gwen Coona, and this is my mate Rick. And this is..."

"Oh I _knowa_who _this_is!" Isabella clapped her withered paws together, beaming at the Bunny lying on the table.

"Straga Nona?" Cassy asked, grinning wildly at seeing the old Ferret again. The black clad elder nodded. Cassy bounced over to her taking her in an exuberant hug. Isabella was laughing joyfully at Cassy's exuberance.

"Guess_what_, Nona? I'm gonna have a baby!" Cassy crowed as the old Ferret placed her paw on Cassy's belly

"That's ah wonderful-ah, Honny bonnay!" Isabella then turned her attention to Gwen.

"Now then," she said, drawing herself up and fixing Gwen with a sternly measured gaze. "I _know_you...anda I'ma gonna helpa you--you did right by my Michael." her features softened. "Thank-a you, M'dear. I wanna you to know, thata _BITCH_who hurt my Mikey isa _no_more..." She spat on the ground. "There's ah much 'ta be said fora family traditions, eh?"

"Holy frickin shit!" Mike gasped with realization. Isabella spun around, her paw raised.

"Keepa _civil_tongue ina you _muzzle!_Such _language_ina front ta the _ladies_Michael..." He wilted. "_Sorry_Gran...I just realized what that message from Uncle Carmine must have meant."

"At'sa_right_. He's ah g_ooda_boy..." she smiled.

"Now, let'sa see about helping your lady lova here," she said, shooing Cassy back to the table.

"Lay downa honey." Cassy laid down upon the massage table, beaming at the elder Ferretti.

"Justa relax. Trusta Nona..." She placed a paw over Cassy's eyes, and she was immediately in a deep sleep.. "Okay. Now you," indicating Gwen. "Watcha Close." She laid her paw over Cassy's scar and closed her eyes. Her paw sunk into Cassy's flesh.

"Eh? Ah. _There_you are." She grumbled, and then removed her paw from Cassy's belly. The slightly mushroomed copper jacketed bullet between her fingers, and not a mark on Cassy.

"Air you go." She dropped the slug into Gwen's paw. "Simple,no?" She smiled at the confused wonderment on Gwen's face. Gwen just nodded mutely.

"Now she make _lotsa_bambinos!" The elder Ferretti declared.

"H--how did you do that?" Gwen asked.

"Eh, no bigga thing. Someday _maybe_I ah show you...K?" Gwen just nodded amazed.

"Now_Michael_, you takea g_ood_care o' her." Isabella admonished with a wagging finger. "Si! Gratzi, Nona, gratzi!" Mike bowed, almost groveling before the elder Ferretti.

I stepped up to the table to check over Cassy, and found her...h_ealed_. No trace of spinal damage. As I opened my eyes I saw Isabella Ferretti staring intently at me From across the table.

"Whatza matter, Mr. Fancy-pants magician? You thinka I not know whatta I'm doing, eh?" Her accusation was softened by a growing smile on her muzzle and a twinkle in her eyes. "No, Miss Isabella, it's just..." I paused. Isabella Ferretti grinned openly and held up a bony finger at me.

"You_justa checkin up ona me, _eh?_S'okay, she be fine, _yeah?" she snapped her fingers and Cassy opened her eyes.

"Yes, Ma'am. It has been a pleasure to meet you, Mike has told me a lot about you." Isabella reached over and patted my cheek,

"You a _good_boy, you helpa my _Mikey_when he need it!" Then she turned to Kel.

"As fora YOU, Miss Foxy," she winked. "YOU gotta potential. Maybe wea talk later. I gotta be going...now you be ah good, Mikey." she gently cuffed him on the cheek. "Ciao."

And she walked out of the circle into the formless mists.

"Um, Rick?" Cassy asked. "Are we done?" Gwen and I exchanged looks.

"Yeah Cassy, we're done, how do you feel?" Cassy moved a bit. "Well--_I don't _feel_it there any more, I guess that means it's gone, _right?" she looked at me expectantly.

"Yup, you're a hundred percent." I smiled at her reassuringly. She looked from Gwen on one side to me on the other, reached out hugging us. "_Thanks_guys!" Her smile was just so radiant.

"S'okay, Cassandra--let's go home." Gwen said, helping Cassy off the table.

"Where's Nona?" the bunny asked looking around for the elderly ferret.

"She had to go, Hunny Bunny." Mike said. "But I think we will be seeing her again."

Cassy and Mike embraced. "_That_was--" I started.

"--unexpected." Gwen finished, examining the copper jacketed slug she held in her paw.

"Now_that_will make one _hell_of a wedding present." I mused, looking at the forty five caliber slug in Gwen's paw.

We were sitting around in the Hot tub later, relaxing.

"So,_that_was your Granny...I _knew_she was neat!" Cassy said.

"Yup, that she was...uh IS... I don't know how we are going to explain this to the Docs." Mike held up the source of all their trouble. "I'm gonna get _this_gold-plated and made into a pendant for ya Honey Bunny, ta wear as a good luck charm."

As nine o'clock rolled around, Mike and Cassy bid their hosts a fond farewell, reminding us of the meeting at noon down at the courthouse tomorrow. And after seeing them off we sat round the table discussing the evening's events...

"That was definitely unexpected..." Kel started. "I didn't know they could _do_that. I tell ya, she damn near scared me to death, the way she just appeared like that."

"Well, I guess she knew Mike _needed_her; we _were_in the right place for her to intercede, after all." I offered. "I've just never seen that level of healing before..."

"Yeah, it reminded me of psychic surgery, the way she just reached in and plucked the bullet out like that." Gwen said.

"At_least_she's on our_side." Kel smiled. "I'd _hate_to think of her as an _enemy."

"On that, we are all in agreement." Gwen said, lifting her coffee cup in toast.

As Gwen was preparing for bed, I took Kel in a hug.

"Kel, I want you to know, you did a _great_job tonight, and I know we haven't really _discussed_it--but I, uh...kinda _like_having you around. I know Gwen does, but..." I paused, and Kel looked at me a moment. "You don't think, that I'd...come between you two, do you?" she inquired.

"Oh, NO--that's--that's not it at all." I stammered. "I didn't want you to think that...uh, I didn't want you to _worry_about...what with _Cassy_uh, in _her_condition..."

_ Bing! _It suddenly hit Kel what I was trying to so delicately say. She grinned.

"Riick...This_isn't_about the SEX, is _it?"_Damn! I thought.

"Um, no--well, uh kind of...I--" She placed her fingers gently against my lips.

"Gwen_and I have _discussed_it, and there is _No_need for you to worry about getting me pregnant, you _Can't, no matter _how_wonderfully hard you try, Believe me..."

I looked somewhat nonplussed by her cavalier attitude--I'd plowed her pretty hard of late.

"Well, uh...I don't_Know_Kel, We haven't been using anything to _prevent_it, so it got me to thinking..." I said. She grinned, slowly shaking her head.

"Rick,_I have to admit you are a w_onderful_lover. Gwen's very lucky to have you and I'm _damn grateful_she's willing to share you with me. _But,_getting me accidentally knocked up is something you d_on't_need to worry about. I _love_the feeling when you go off deep inside of me, but let me set your mind at ease...it's _not_you, you are a _wonderfully_virile male! It's _me--_I'm_fixed; kits just aren't_an option for me now, so you can _plow_me with_impunity." Kel almost laughed at the shocked look on my face; that was the one thing I hadn't thought of.

"Besides love." Gwen said, sliding an arm around my hip. "She can pinch hit for me when the kits come along, and I get 'benched' from that _wonderful_activity during the third trimester--that is, if you don't mind, my beloved." Gwen cooed, nibbling my ear. I felt like I'd just been double teamed and blindsided. Looking between the two girls, I gave in gracefully.

"Okay, I surrender. You know _best,_love." And with that they dragged me off to bed.

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