FSE

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Author's Note: Hey readers! Here's another installment. Hope all of you enjoy. Rate, Comment, and Fave. I love hearing what you guys think (good and bad). Oh and tell your friends to read. Remember, you guys are the best. - AK

The second Michelle said it, my head dropped a little. I felt like I was back in school and someone just ratted me out to the teacher. It wasn't that I was embarrassed about Michelle saying anything, I was just afraid of what Lisa would think. For all I knew, Lisa was a secret Joshua Black supporter. Would she be as disapproving as my parents would have been?

"Are you both serious?" Lisa asked me in a calm voice.

"Yes." I said. "I love Michelle with all my heart."

Lisa stood up and walked up towards me. Normally I would have gotten up when she did, but I was too nervous to move. Lisa got to my seat and bent down to face me. I tried to give Lisa a small smile, but I couldn't do it. I closed my eyes, expecting Lisa to reprimand me. I felt her arms grab me and pull me close to her. This wasn't a reprimand; this was a hug. This close to Lisa, I could hear her crying softly.

"You do not understand how happy I am." She said to me.

I stood up and returned Lisa's hug. I could see Michelle beaming out of the corner of my eye. Lisa broke her hug and held me by my shoulders.

"Michelle told me when she was a child how she would marry you one day. When she got older, I had to tell her that it was impossible, but I always hoped somehow she'd pull it off."

"Trust me no one is happier than I am that she did." I said. "I just wish I realized how much I loved her sooner."

Michelle walked over to me and gave me a kiss on the cheek. Lisa smiled warmly but it disappeared just a quickly.

"What about your parents? I'm guessing you haven't told them."

"No. I'm afraid. Not just for me either." I said.

"What do you mean?"

Michelle and I explained about everything that was going on with Mr. Cunningham and my dad's meeting and what Sam had told Michelle when she went over to "help." Lisa looked nervous.

"Do you think your father will accept Mr. Cunningham's offer?" Lisa asked.

"Well he likes Mr. Cunningham, but he hates Sam. Overall, I'd say no, but I can't be sure."

"I swear I'd run away. Anywhere would be better than with Sam." Michelle said. "I'd be more of a slave there than I am here. No offence, Andy."

I pulled Michelle close.

"I wish that we could get out of here. Or better yet, that I could tell my parents the truth and they would accept it. I've been praying for a miracle."

Lisa put her hands on both our shoulders.

"I already got mine. My daughter has fallen in love with a good man and is happy. I couldn't have hoped for more."

I heard the front gates open. My father was home.

"All good things must come to an end, I suppose." I said.

"You'd better get to your room, Andy. Michelle and I will take care of the table."

"Are you both sure? I'll help if you want."

"It's alright." Michelle said. "Mom and I have this down. By the time your dad gets in the door, the tables will be cleared. Get upstairs before your dad suspects anything."

I nodded and went up to my room. I couldn't stop smiling. For once, nothing needed to be fixed. Lisa was not only happy about me and Michelle and I being together, she was ecstatic. Now there was only two people left to convince, but something told me they'd be a much harder nut to crack.

My dad walked into the room a few minutes later.

"Ah good," he said when he came in, "you're still awake."

"Yup. How'd everything go with Mr. Cunningham?"

Something told me I really didn't want to know, but I figured it would be best if I knew if I was going have to pack my things.

"Rather well for me, but not for Mr. Cunningham. I had to reject his deal."

"Oh, that's too bad." I said, suppressing a grin. "What did he want?"

"He wanted to buy Michelle from me. Offered a pretty hefty sum of money, too. But I told him that Michelle represents your future more than my present and that there was no amount of money that would change that. I want to give Michelle to you on your wedding day."

"I'd like that too." I said, though I'm betting that his idea of giving Michelle away and my idea were different to say the least.

My dad smiled and me and messed up my hair like he used to do when I was a boy.

"I keep forgetting just how much you've grown. It seems like only yesterday I was still able to carry you in my arms. Oh well. I'll see you in the morning. Good night."

"Night, Dad."

Soon after my dad left, Michelle came in and gave me a kiss goodnight.

"I'd stay with you longer," she said, but I don't want your mother to catch us."

"I understand. So did you enjoy having takeout for the first time?"

"It tasted amazing. And it was nice to not have to cook for once."

"Maybe next time my parents go away we can cook something together."

"What did you have in mind?"

"Oh," I said grabbing Michelle close to me, "I'm sure we'll think of something."

I kissed her goodnight and watched as she walked out of my room. When Michelle left, I got undressed and crawled into bed. What an amazing day it had been! It was somewhat of a relief to tell Lisa what was going on. It was more of a relief that Lisa was happy with Michelle and I being together. I felt my eyes began to close as I drifted off to sleep...

CRASH!!!!!

I woke up the second I heard it. It was glass breaking. The security alarms of the house sounded out. I ran out of my room. My dad was already sprinting downstairs wielding a baseball bat. My mother was behind him. When we got down the stairs, we saw Lisa and Michelle coming up the stairs from the basement where they stood.

"What's going on?" My dad yelled.

"I don't know, Sir." Lisa said. "I heard glass breaking; it woke me and Michelle up."

My dad nodded and he, along with my mom and Lisa ran into the living room. I hung back to stay with Michelle.

"Are you ok?" I whispered.

She nodded and I gave her a hug.

"We'd better go and see what happened."

Michelle and I walked into the living room. On the floor was shattered glass and brick. Besides the window nothing was broken.

"Was it a burglar?" asked my mom.

"I'm not sure. It might have been."

While my parents looked out the window I took a closer look at the brick. There was something sitting under it. I picked up the brick and turned it over. There was a note made out of different magazine clippings. I always thought that notes like this were only seen in movies or TV. The note read

BURN IN HELL SLAVEMASTERS! THE ANTRHOS WILL RISE!

If Joshua Black wanted to send a message, this was a damn good way to do it. I was afraid to give my dad the note. I didn't want him to think that Lisa or Michelle had anything to do with it. But I recalled what I had promised to do when it came to Michelle dealing with Sam. Why should my father be any different?

"Hey Dad, there was something attached to the brick." I said.

He turned to look at me and I gave him the paper. He read it out loud and my mother gasped.

"Those mongrels!" My mother said through a snarl. "They should all be killed!"

"Now dear," my dad said. "Let's try and keep calm After all, we know who's responsible for this. It's Joshua Black and his mob."

The police came in a few minutes after the brick flew through the window. They interviewed my mom and dad first. After they saw the note, they talked to Lisa and Michelle. I was up last. I went into the dining room which had been turned into a mini questioning room. I told them what I knew: that I wasn't sure who was responsible for this; that I knew of Joshua Black; I even told them about the run-in I had with him. I made sure to tell them how great Michelle was in saving me.

"Wish mine was like that, the lazy bitch."

My stomach turned when he said it, but I largely ignored it. The police left about 3 in the morning. While mom and dad went back to bed, Lisa and Michelle we're to clean the glass from the floor. I stood downstairs under the guise that I was going to have a midnight snack when they were done. In reality, I wanted to help them clean up a bit.

"You really don't have to this." Lisa said. "I can take care of this. It's not much. You and Michelle should get to bed."

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Yes." Lisa said. "Now both of you get going."

Michelle hooked her arm through mine and rested her head on me.

"To your own rooms." Lisa said with a sly smile.

Michelle gave her mother a look and I had to try hard to suppress a laugh, which I did; barely. I walked Michelle back to the kitchen and gave her a kiss before she went down to the basement. I went up to my room and quickly fell asleep.

The sun was shining brightly when I woke up. I turned on my side to look at my alarm clock. It was already 11. I'm normally awake by 9:30 the latest, so this was somewhat of a surprise. Then again, so was being woken up by a brick flying through the window.

I jumped in the shower and got dressed quickly. I decided to get some food from the kitchen. I figured Michelle and Lisa were allowed to sleep late too or one of my parents told them not to wake me up. I'm pretty sure it was the latter. As I walked downstairs, I could hear people talking. One of the voices was my dad's. I went into the living room to see who was there.

My dad was talking to Mr. Harding. He must have heard about what happened and come over to make sure everything was ok. Anything to make sure my dad's vote was locked in. I thought that perhaps I could sneak pass them.

"Look who decided to get up." My dad said warmly. "Come here, Andrew. We a guest."

Well so much for that. I walked in the living room and said hello to Mr. Harding. He was wearing a power suit complete with a deep red tie.

"We were just discussing what should be done about last night." My dad said.

"Rest assured Andy, the furs that did this will pay dearly." Mr. Harding said. "Why even now I have the Chief of Police investigating as we speak. "

"Thanks." I said. "I think I'm gonna go into town and get some lunch. Do you want me to pick you up anything?"

"No." my dad said. "But there is something you can do. I sent Michelle to the supermarket to pick up some things for me. This may seem like an odd request but will you tail her?"

"Tail her?"

"You know, follow her. I want to prove to Mr. Harding that our furs have nothing to do with Joshua Black. He seems to think that they might have tipped of Black about our location."

"I'm telling you Robert, you cannot be too careful." Mr. Harding interrupted.

"I know, Stephen, I know."

"Don't worry." I said. "I'll make sure she isn't talking to Black."

"That's my boy. Go now, before she leaves."

I nodded and sped out the door. Of course I had no intention of tailing Michelle; but any time spent with her was welcome. I got to the supermarket in record time. All I had to do now was find Michelle. I looked down the aisles. Once I hit the cereal aisle, I saw Michelle. She had a red cereal box in her hands.

"Silly Rabbit, Trix are for kids."

Yes, I know it's a corny line, but I'm a dork. Michelle turned around and jumped into my arms.

"What are you doing here?"

"My dad told me to tail you to make sure you're not talking to Black. So I have to keep a close eye on you."

"For once, I actually like one of his ideas. C'mon. I'm almost done here."

I followed Michelle around the supermarket picking up a few things. It was kinda embarrassing that I didn't know where anything was in the place. I've been in this place maybe five times. Michelle had the place down pat. I told Michelle about how paranoid Mr. Harding was about Black. She gave me a dirty look when I told her that I felt sorry for Marie.

"You really don't like her, do you?" I asked.

"I had to watch her with the guy I'd been in love with since I was seven. Then I had to watch her break that guy's heart. Yeah, I guess you can say I really don't like her."

I leaned in close to Michelle.

"Don't worry. You kiss much better than her."

Michelle laughed and we walked to the checkout line. My mind flashed with images of the two of us doing simple everyday things like grocery shopping. I just seemed natural around Michelle. I wasn't worried what everyone thought because she was there and that's all I cared about.

We paid for the groceries and walked outside. I couldn't help but smile.

"What's got you so happy?" Michelle asked.

"I'm around you."

As we passed the parking lot, I could see a man struggling putting his groceries in the trunk of his car. When we got closer, I could see it was Mr. Cunningham.

"Hey, Mr. Cunningham," I called out. "Do you need a hand?"

"I-if you w-woul-wouldn't mind."

Michelle and I put our bags on the ground and helped Mr. Cunningham with his groceries.

"T-th-thank you, b-both. S-S-Sam has the flu and I d-don't w-w-want him to get everyone s-s-sick."

"It's no problem." I said.

I put another bag into the trunk. Michelle tapped me on the shoulder.

"Look at his hand." She whispered.

As I bent to put another bag in the trunk I saw Mr. Cunningham's right hand. It was bandaged up pretty heavily. The more I looked, the more I could see the entire length of his arm swollen, like it had been bandaged too.

"Hey Mr. Cunningham, what happened to your arm?"

His eyes opened wide, like he was afraid. Within a moment, his face flashed a smile.

"O-oh. I-I-I uh- ha-had a l-l-little a-acc-accident. J-just a small cut is all."

"Some accident." Michelle whispered to me. "If I didn't know better, I'd say someone slashed him with a knife."

"Or a claw." I said.

We both stared at each other for a moment.

"Mr. Cunningham," I said. "What really happened to your arm?"

"I-I don't kn-know wh-what you mean."

I looked around to make sure no one was near us.

"Did Sam attack you?"

"T-that's c-crazy. M-my S-S-Sam would never..."

"It's because you couldn't buy me, isn't it Mr. Cunningham." Michelle said.

I was afraid for a moment. What if Mr. Cunningham flipped? After all, this was my "pet" suggesting to him that he was lying. I'm pretty sure Anthros have been beaten for far less. To my surprise, Mr. Cunningham didn't say anything. He just looked at the two of us for a moment. Then he put his head in his hands.

"I'm so ashamed." He said, practically crying.

It was the first time I had heard him say anything without stuttering.

"I try," he kept going, "I really do. I just can't control him. I never could. I try to do what I can to make him happy. To make his life a little bit better."

I walked up to him and put my hand on his shoulder. He looked like a broken man. It was as if years of quiet torment had been finally released.

"You're right, by the way." He said to Michelle when he was able to calm down a bit. "Sam...h-he attacked me b-because I didn't buy you."

"Mr. Cunningham." Michelle said, "forgive my asking, but why do you let Sam bully you like this?"

"She's right." I added quickly. "it sounds like you're his pet and not the other way around."

I hated calling an anthro any human's pet, but it was the only thing I could think of. Mr. Cunningham took a deep breath and looked at me and Michelle. His face was red from crying.

"S-S-Sam isn't my p-pet." Mr. Cunningham said. "E-ev-everyone thinks that, b-b-but he's not."

"Then what is he?" I asked.

Mr. Cunningham paused for a moment.

"W-what I'm g-going to s-say, you both must keep s-secret. P-please; I'm b-b-begging you both."

Michelle and I nodded. Mr. Cunningham took another deep breath.

"Like I s-said. S-Sam isn't my p-pet. S-Sam is my son."