There's a Quetzalcoatl in my Living Room

There's a Quetzalcoatl in my Living Room
Okay, you remember the ep "the Beast" where Mel asks Cole if they have dogs on Cirron and Cole describes an animal that Mel references as a "snake that barks"? Well, after a few of the typically convoluted convolutions of my mind, this fic happened. Even though this is supposed to be set relatively late in the season, Jess is still working at the Watchfire. She'll appear later. She's too much fun to get rid of.
Minor spoilers for "The Beast"…
Kukulkan is the Mayan word for a Quetzalcoatl, by the way. (Cirronian also, it would seem. You did know that the Migar species have influenced a lot of our religions and myths, didn't you?) If you don't know what a Quetzalcoatl is, you should figure it out relatively quickly once Cole shows Mel what he's got in the box. Enjoy!

"Cole, how was your trip?" Mel asked, smiling up from the ledger as he walked in. She rose and shut it, deciding to finish inventory another time. "Did you like Brazil?"

He smiled and nodded, setting his bag and the large box tucked under one arm onto a table. "It was very nice, Mel," he told her, pulling off his coat and hanging it up. "I caught my fugitive and I found something very interesting." He smiled widely. "You have to see it, Mel!" he informed her eagerly, grabbing the box in one hand and hers in the other and hauling both up the stairs. "I wouldn't have thought it was possible," he continued, setting the box on the coffee-table. "But it must be because-- I hope she didn't get too cold in the cab…" he added, frowning.

Mel blinked, shifting uneasily. Cole had brought something back from Brazil? A 'she'? How the hell had he gotten an animal through customs? A very large animal, too, if the size of that box was any indication. Well, he couldn't keep it, plain and simple. It was probably illegal anyway and almost certainly required more specialized care than either of them were equipped to give it.

"Cole, what is it?" she whispered uneasily.

He smiled widely up at her, his eyes shining. "It's a K'kul cahn, Mel," he announced cheerfully, lifting the lid off the box.

"K'kul cahn?" Mel repeated, clearing her throat nervously. "Never heard of one, Cole." She shook her head.

"It's a Cirronian word," he explained cheerfully, catching her hand and urging her towards the box. "Look at her, Mel. She's a real beauty!"

Mel stared at him with wide eyes, a single thought bouncing insanely around inside her head. Krikey, he's starting to sound like Steve Irwin!

Probably not the best of signs. Nervous but not sure how else to proceed, Mel peered cautiously into the box. The sight confronting her was not nearly as intimidating as she had expected it to be. It looked like an enormous tropical bird curled up with its head under its wings, forming a brightly-colored ball of feather. Illegal as hell, but not that scary. She gave a shaky nod and flashed Cole a nervous smile.

"It's… pretty," she said quietly. It was, too. She had never seen such bright colors in her life: brilliant emerald green, deep royal blue, bright crimson.

"She got cold in the taxi," Cole told her, reaching into the box and stroking the creature. Mel could see sparks under his fingers. "She'll be more active when she warms up."

"Cole, where did you find her?" Mel asked softly. Figuring out the sequence of events in Cole's acquisition of the bird was probably her first step in figuring out how to deal with its presence in her apartment.

"In the jungle." Cole smiled up at her. "I didn't know you had them on Earth," he added.

Mel frowned. "You have them on Cirron?"

"Of course, Mel," he told her absently. "I told you about them several months ago. You didn't mention that they had them on Earth as well."

"You… told me?"

He nodded, never taking his attention from the creature in the box, which was beginning to stir slightly. "When I was pursuing Mederand."

Mel thought about that for a moment then took a judicious step backwards. "That thing is a snake?" she whispered uneasily.

"Yes, Mel. A snake that barks." He smiled up at her. "What should I name her?"

"Cole, snakes don't have feathers," she pointed out.

"This one does, Mel," he replied, smiling.

"O… kay. Um, Cole…"

"I wonder how she got to Earth."

"Who cares how it got to Earth?" Mel snapped. "There's a barking boa constrictor with feathers in my living room!"

"K'kul cahn, Mel," he reminded her. "And they aren't constrictors. They use poison to neutralize their prey."

"Yeah, that's comforting…"

Frowning at her agitation, he asked, "Is something wrong?"

"What do you think?" she demanded, shaking her head. "Christ, Cole! Is that thing even safe?"

"Mel, I would not bring a dangerous animal into your home," he told her gently, rising and caressing her throat, his expression reassuring.

She sighed and shook her head. "You can't keep her, Cole," she said apologetically.

"But she likes me!" he protested.

"Cole, it's not legal!"

"There is a law on Earth against keeping K'kul cahn?" he asked, staring at her with a befuddled expression.

She bit her lower lip and shook her head. "Dangerous or exotic animals, Cole. You can't keep them as pets without all these special papers and permits."

He frowned. "But, Mel, she wants me to keep her as a pet."

Mel's eyes widened. A poisonous snake with feathers that could talk? Life with Cole may have been many things, but it was never boring. An ancient Chinese curse came to mind. May you live in interesting times. Mel understood what made that a curse a lot better these days.

"She… told you?"

Cole frowned slightly and shook his head. "They can't talk, Mel. But she would never have followed me back to my hotel unless she wanted to attach herself to me." He shrugged. "They're independent animals, Mel. They only show themselves at all when they wish to bond with an individual. It's considered a great honor to be chosen by one," he added, giving her a hopeful look.

Mel sighed. But she followed me home, Mel! Can I please keep her? How was she supposed to say no to Cole when he was doing the puppy-dog eyes at her?

"Not dangerous?" she asked.

"No, Mel."

"House-broken?" At his frown, she explained. "It's not going to… go all over the place, is it? I mean… it's not going try to use my carpet as a toilet, is it?"

"Of course not, Mel." He shook his head. "I'll teach her to use the regular toilet. It won't take long."

"Right." Mel smiled and nodded. If Cole said he could do that, then he could. "Fine. We'll… keep it, I guess."

Cole smiled brightly. "Thank you, Mel. I think you'll like her very much. But she still needs a name." He smiled and took her hand again, pulling her back to the couch and sitting. He tugged her down next to him. "What is an appropriate human name for a pet?"

"Don't you want a Cirronian name?" she asked, looking at the creature in the box again. It was stirring more now, the feathers on its back ruffling, though it showed no signs of uncurling itself from that ball. She wondered if it actually did have wings as she had initially supposed, or if it was all body.

"Would you like to touch her, Mel?" Cole asked, smiling at her.

"Um, if she's chosen you… bonded with you, how will she take that?" Mel asked uncertainly.

"She won't mind."

With these words, Cole reached into the box and pulled it out, dropping it onto their laps. Mel froze, not sure how else to react. The creature uncoiled enough to raise its head, glare at Cole with iridescent blue eyes, and emit a low hiss.

"Oh, you be nice," Cole ordered cheerfully, shaking his head and scratching its chin.

The creature cocked its head at him and let out a delicate and remarkably human-sounding yawn, her jaws unhinging and separating by better than six inches before slamming shut. Having thus cleared her head, she began snaking her way up his arm and draped herself around his shoulders. As Mel looked on, more bemused than afraid, the K'kul cahn regarded the human curiously. It raised its head to the level of Mel's eyes and fixed her with a searching gaze.

"Cole?" Mel asked uneasily. No wings, she saw. Good. The last thing she needed was this thing with the ability to fly.

"It's okay, Mel. She's just trying to decide if she likes you," Cole assured her.

"Is she going to bite me if she decides she doesn't?" Mel asked, remembering his earlier mention of poison and wondering how she was supposed to explain to the ER doctor that she had been bitten by a poisonous tropical snake with feathers. Krikey…

"Of course not, Mel. They're quite gentle."

"Right." Mel nodded uneasily and regarded the snake-creature uncertainly. "Um, hi," she said to it. Its tongue darted out, connecting with Mel right between her eyes. She whimpered and trembled but did not otherwise move, afraid of startling it. "Cole…"

"Relax, Mel," Cole suggested gently. "She won't hurt you."

"Easy for you to say. You know, if I had known that you wanted a pet, I could have gotten you a kitten or something."

"Kitten. We'll call her Kitten," Cole announced, smiling.

"A barking snake named Kitten?"

"She's not a snake, Mel. She's a K'kul cahn. Snakes don't have feathers," he reminded her.

She gave him a sarcastic smile. "Thanks for the reminder, Cole."

"You're welcome, Mel," he replied cheerfully.

Having finished her scrutiny of Mel, the K'kul cahn returned its attention to Cole, nuzzling his cheek a few times before wrapping itself around his shoulders again and closing her eyes.

"She's purring," Mel whispered, shaking her head.

"The sound means she's happy," Cole explained.

"I know. Cats make the same noise," she told him. "I thought you said they barked."

"Oh, they do, Mel. They make many sounds to suit their moods. Barks are for playful moods, hissing for irritation, and they growl when threatened."

Mel nodded. "How intelligent are they?"

"Very intelligent, Mel."

Mel nodded. "Did you have one on Cirron?"

"Not personally." He shook his head. "My wife had one, though. He… tolerated me. Usually," he amended.

"Right… Well, obviously Kitten here likes you a lot," Mel observed, smiling. "She really is very beautiful, Cole."

He smiled widely at her. "I'm glad that she pleases you, Mel."

"I'm not even going to ask how you got her through Customs," Mel told him, smiling and shaking her head. "But I think I'll be able to get used to having her around. What does she eat?"

"She can eat whatever we do, Mel," Cole told her. "They don't require much."

"Okay, just so we don't have to feed her live prey." Mel made a face.

Cole shook his head. "Not if you'd rather not. She occasionally would pursue rodents in the jungle, but she primarily eats nuts and fruits."

"Is she hungry now?"

He shook his head. "She ate a few days ago."

"How often does she eat?"

Cole gave a noncommittal shrug. "It depends on the temperature and how active she is. She'll let us know."

Mel's eyes widened slightly, wondering exactly what 'letting them know' would entail. "And you promise that she doesn't bite?"

"I promise, Mel. Unless she's agitated or threatened, she won't bite."

"Yay," Mel sighed, nodding. Note to self: don't agitate the barking snake. She smiled uneasily up at him. "Where will she sleep? Does she… need anything special? Food or water or a… habitat?"

Cole shook his head. "All she requires is warmth, Mel. And attention. I can give her that, though." He scratched its chin again. "Would you like to pet her?"

Kitten opened her eyes again and actually smiled at her. Mel swallowed hard. She shook her head quickly. "Thanks, but no. I need to… downstairs and… finish inventory before business picks up." Mel rose and backed into the hallway.

Cole smiled serenely, returning his attention to the feathered serpent coiled around his shoulders. "I think she likes you, Kitten," he said, smiling and scratching her chin.

Kitten purred in response to this attention, raising her head to Cole's eye level and staring at him.

"Well, okay, so maybe not yet," he admitted with a blithe shrug. "But she will. If you're nice to her. I want you to be a good girl, Kitten."

Kitten hissed and waggled her head.

"Kitten, you will be nice to Mel," he ordered firmly. "I mean it. She means a lot to me."

Kitten closed her eyes and nodded.

"Good girl." Cole scratched her chin again. "You'll like her. You will. She's a very nice person, just… nervous."

Kitten made a laughing noise.

"Be nice." Cole shook his head. "Honestly, Kitten," he told her rising and walking into the kitchen. "You were not properly socialized as an infant, you know that?" he asked, pulling open the refrigerator.

Still draped around his shoulders, Kitten hissed in protest at the sudden blast of cold air and jumped across the kitchen and onto the far counter.

"Sorry, Kitten," Cole apologized, placing a Tupperware dish next to the refrigerator before closing the door. He walked over to her and gently pet her. "I forgot. Humans store most of their food in cold places. That's a refrigerator."

Kitten nodded, but hissed.

"We heat the food up before we eat it usually." Cole smiled and continued petting Kitten. His smile widened as she rolled onto her back, purring loudly. "Good girl. You'll like it here, Kitten. Mel and I will take good care of you."

Kitten's purrs grew in volume and she wrapped herself around his hand several times.

"You're making it hard to pet you," Cole pointed out gently.

She looked up at him and barked.

Cole smiled and shook his head. "Let me eat first, okay?"

A low hiss declared exactly what the K'kul cahn thought of that idea.

Cole shook his head. "This body requires fuel now, Kitten," he told her firmly.

She hissed again and curled up in a tight ball on the counter.

"Pout all you want," Cole told her, shaking his head and walking back to the other counter. He grabbed a bowl and filled it with pasta, shoving the Tupperware contained back into the refrigerator and the bowl into the microwave. When it was done, he added a little butter and a dusting of parmesan and carried it back to the counter where Kitten was still curled up. "You might like this," he observed, taking a bite.

Kitten immediately uncoiled and regarded him curiously.

"Here." Cole reached into the bowl and picked up a few pieces of pasta, extending them to Kitten. "Open up." When she had, he dropped them into her mouth, smiling when she purred. "Help yourself," he offered, pushing the bowl towards her. She immediately shoved her face into it, earning a laugh from Cole. He was reminded of his own table manners in his early days on Earth. She would improve. Shaking his head, he continued eating. "I guess you like that. I didn't think you'd be hungry again yet."

Kitten raised her head out of the bowl and shivered before returning her attention to the hot food.

"I know. I'm sorry you got cold on the way from the airport. It'll be easier inside the apartment, I promise. It doesn't get that cold inside." He smiled at her soft purr and they continued eating in silence until the bowl was empty. "More?" Cole offered. "I can make more."

Kitten shook her head and barked at him.

"You want to play now?" Cole guessed.

She nodded and barked again.

"Okay." He laughed and nodded. Few things were harder to resist than a K'kul cahn who wanted to play. "We'll play and then I'll groom your feathers, okay? How's that sound?" he asked, extending his hand.

Kitten nodded purred loudly as she climbed up his arm and wrapped herself around his shoulders again.

"You okay, Mel?" Jess asked as they counted up the night's profits. "You seem really edgy."

"Oh, no," Mel told her in what she hoped counted as a casual voice. "No more edgy than usual." She gave Jess an innocent look.

"Yeah, right." Jess shook her head. "Come on, Mel. I know you better than that. What's up?"

She sighed and shook her head. "Don't ask. Trust me, Jess."

"That bad? You and Cole have a fight?" Her eyes went wide. "Oh, God, Mel. You didn’t break up, did you?"

"We're--"

"Just friends. Whatever." Jess grinned and shook her head. "Mel, come on! You honestly think anyone really buys that?"

"It's true." Mel shook her head again. "You know what, Jess? Just forget it, okay. I did not have a fight with Cole, and since we're not involved it would be impossible for us to break up."

"Then how come I haven't seen him once all night, Mel? What's he hiding upstairs for? When he's home, he always comes down to help you."

"He's got a lot in his lap right now." Mel gave a little shrug.

Jess frowned, suddenly concerned for Cole. He may have been an odd-ball, but he was a sweet guy and Jess absolutely adored him. "He okay, Mel? Something happen in Brazil?"

"Nothing serious. Just… things went differently than he expected, you could say."

"If you say so…" Jess sounded dubious.

"Well, I do." Mel grinned reassuringly, shaking her head. "Everything is fine. Come on, Jess. It's getting late. Walk you to your car?"

"Nah, Mel. I'm good. Thanks. You have a good night. Tell Cole I missed him and welcome back."

"I'll tell him."

Mel smiled and walked Jess to her car in spite of the barmaid's protests that it really was not necessary. Not really wanting to go face a poison snake that could obviously smell fear, she poured herself a tall drink. Followed by another.

"She followed me home, Mel," she muttered in the darkness, shaking her head. "Can I keep her, Mel?" She sighed. "Sure, Cole. Why not? My life isn't scary enough right now. Sharing an apartment with a venomous not-quite-reptile should help with that…"

She sighed again, but it quickly deteriorated into a yawn. Shaking her head, she realized that she could either go upstairs or fall asleep at the bar. She climbed to her feet and trudged wearily up the stairs. As she entered the apartment, she immediately heard Cole's good-natured laughter.

"Not fair!" he protested, still laughing. "Kitten, get off!"

At the sound of female laughter, Mel raised an eyebrow and started towards the living room. A deep bark followed the laugh. Mel walked into the living room and stopped in her tracks. Cole was lying on the floor, tightly wrapped in a certain feathered serpent who was alternately barking and laughing at him as he struggled to free himself. He stopped struggling when he saw Mel.

"Oh, hello, Mel," he greeted her from the floor. "Kitten and I were just playing. She got a little too… enthusiastic." He smiled reassuringly in response to her uncertain expression and looked down at Kitten. "Okay, you need to let me go now," he told her gently.

Kitten hissed but uncoiled and climbed onto his shoulder again, purring. Mel shook her head to clear it. There were certain things that a woman just never expected to see in her life. Cole, on the floor, wrestling with a feathered snake and losing was definitely up there on the list.

"I thought you said they weren't constrictors," Mel said quietly, eyeing Kitten uneasily. Kitten smiled widely at her and laughed again. "And you forgot to mention that they laugh, too."

"Oh, K'kul cahn do not normally laugh, Mel," he assured her, smiling. "Kitten learned laughter from me."

"Right. But you said that she wasn't a constrictor. Cole, I am not sharing my apartment with a creature that can strangle me in my sleep."

His smile faded. "Why would Kitten do something like that?"

Kitten chuckled and nuzzled his cheek. He smiled down at her, gently scratching her head. Mel sighed and shook her head.

"They are constrictors, then?"

"No, Mel. Not technically." He shook his head.

Mel's eyes widened and she suddenly found herself wanting to throttle her favorite Cirronian. "Not… technically?"

"Well, they are very strong, but they don't suffocate their prey as constrictors do. They use poison."

"You… mentioned that. So what was up with her putting the squeeze on you?"

"She was playing, Mel."

"Lovely." Mel shook her head. "Cole, we need some ground-rules if that thing--"

Kitten hissed and Cole gently quieted her before turning his attention to Mel. "Mel, her name is Kitten. She is not a thing but a K'kul cahn."

Mel frowned faintly and decided that Kitten had been hissing at her tone of voice. "Right. Well, if you're going to be keeping a K'kul cahn up here, Cole, we need some ground rules."

"Okay, Mel." Cole nodded easily. "I already showed her how to use the toilet. What else do you require of us?"

Mel blinked. Like Cole, Kitten was a fast learner. "Mainly that she absolutely can not be seen. I mean… unlike you, it is kind of hard to hide the fact that she is… of alien origin."

Cole nodded. "I had considered that, Mel."

Good. At least he was not letting his affection for his new 'pet' keep him from seeing logic. "That means she can't be seen downstairs." The Health Department would have had a field day with that one even if Kitten had not been an extraterrestrial feathered serpent. "And during the day you need to either keep her in the War Room or keep the apartment door locked."

Cole nodded. "They are wise precautions, Mel. Is there anything else?"

She shook her head. "No, Cole. That's it. If you don’t mind, I think I'm going to go straight to bed."

His smile wavered slightly, but he nodded. "Okay, Mel. If you think you need to. Sleep well."

"Yeah. Night, Cole." She smiled up at him. "Kitten."

Kitten smiled at her and let out a short bark.

"Mel requires rest now," Cole told the K'kul cahn gently. "She can play with you another time." He smiled after Mel as she walked down the hall. Good night, Mel. Sleep well."

"Okay, Cole. You and Kitten have fun." Mel closed the bedroom door, leaning against it and sighing. "What was I thinking letting him keep that thing?" she sighed. "This is definitely what I get for picking up half-naked guys on abandoned roads."

In the living room, Cole carried Kitten back over to the couch. "Are we going to finish this game or not?" he asked.

Kitten obediently climbed from his shoulder to the coffee table and regarded the chess-board thoughtfully. She looked up at Cole for a moment before leaning over the board, picking up a rook in her mouth, and moving it neatly to another square.

Cole blinked down at the board. "You sure you've never played before?" he asked, moving one of his pieces.

Kitten laughed and nodded.

"You're doing fairly well," he told her. With a grin, he added, "But I'm still going to beat you."

Kitten hissed and moved another piece, giving him a defiant look.

Cole laughed and shook his head, moving another piece. "Check-mate, Kitten."

She hissed in protest, then looked at the board again and conceded defeat with a little sigh.

"We'll be more evenly matched next time," he promised, scooping her up. "But for now I need to get some work done."

Kitten hissed and shook her head as he draped her over his shoulders. She let out a hopeful bark.

"Later. My work is important. Besides, you need sleep. I'll make you a nest in the War Room."

In her room, Mel sighed. She honestly was not sure what had pulled her from her dreams and she had absolutely no intention of bothering to find out. With the day she had just been through, she needed sleep. And dreaming about Cole as she had been was an added bonus, and not one she intended to miss a moment of. She closed her eyes more tightly, yawning and already half asleep. A slight smile crossed her face as something tickled one bare leg, but she was asleep again before she could consider the implications of that sensation.

She woke again, not twenty minutes later, with a strange impression of weight on her chest. She frowned in groggy confusion and opened her eyes, wondering what it could be. Two glowing blue pinpricks regarded her in the darkness, mere inches from her face. Freezing, Mel did what anyone would have done under such circumstances. She screamed. Loudly. Kitten hissed at her and Mel increased the volume of her voice, shouting for Cole and struggling not to move.

The bedroom door was thrown open and Kitten jumped from the bed, snaking her way around Cole as he hurried towards the sleeping woman. Still hissing, she returned to her nest in the War Room. While not as warm as she might have liked, it was, at least, quiet.

"Are you okay, Mel?" Cole asked, gathering her into his arms. "What happened?"

"I woke up with a God-damned K'kul cahn on me!" she snapped.

He looked down at the bed, startled. "Where is she?"

"I don't know… She left, I guess."

"The noise probably scared her."

"She was scared? Cole, I woke up with a poisonous snake on my chest!"

He frowned, tightening his hold on her. "I'm sorry she startled you, Mel," he told her gently. "I'm sure she did not mean to."

She sighed and nodded. "I know, I know. She's just an animal and it's not her fault. It just… it scared me, Cole."

"Kitten is not dangerous, Mel," he assured her tenderly, brushing her hair out of her face. "I would never bring a dangerous animal into your home. I couldn't stand to see anything happen to you, Mel. Especially not because of me."

"Oh, Cole," she whispered, burying her face in his chest and not in the least caring that he was adamant about them not having a physical relationship. She needed a little comfort and security, damn it.

"I'm sorry, Mel," he told her gently, tenderly stroking her hair. "I was working and did not see her leave the nest I had made."

"It's okay, Cole. Why did she come in here like that?" Mel asked, her voice still shaking a little.

"They like warm, dark places to sleep. Perhaps it was not dark enough or quiet enough in the War Room."

"Guess I'll just have to close my door more securely in the future," Mel sighed, resting her chin on his shoulder. "Thanks, Cole."

"For what, Mel?"

She rolled her eyes, not able to suppress a smile at his words. That was her Cole. "The hug. I needed it."

He considered this for a few moments. "If you ever need a hug, Mel, you can tell me. I don't mind hugging you." He gently pushed her out of his embrace and dropped the hand that had been on her hair to her throat. "I like it, actually," he whispered, smiling warmly and brushing his lips across hers.

"So do I. Like it a lot," Mel admitted. She sighed and closed her eyes. "But we can't do this, Cole. We've talked about it."

The Cirronian closed his eyes, too, nodding weakly. "Yes, we did, Mel. If you are no longer afraid, I should go."

"I'm sorry." "So am I." He gave her a sad small smile. "Sleep well, Mel. I'm sorry about Kitten."

She nodded. "Night, Cole. And thanks."

"Sleep well, Mel." He gave her throat a little caress, brushed her hair out of her face again, and left the room.

Mel stared after him as he closed the door, sighing and shaking her head. "Me and my big mouth… Note to self, Mel. Don't agitate the barking snake and don't push away the affectionate Cirronian. Idiot!" she berated herself, falling back onto her pillow and pulling her blanket over her head. "Idiot, idiot, idiot…"

With a low groan, Mel rolled onto her stomach and pulled a pillow over her head. It was going to be a long night.

When Cole returned to the War Room, Kitten was curled up on top of the model head Mel had given him, looking like a very colorful and ornate, if somewhat bizarre, crown. She gave him a questioning look.

"You scared her."

Kitten let out a little puff of air, shaking her head.

"Well, I'm sorry, but you did. Mel is like that, I told you. You must be gentle with her."

Kitten hissed in annoyance.

"I mean it, Kitten. I will not take no for an answer on this…"

Kitten hissed again, but nodded contritely.

"Good girl. Now come here." Cole extended his hand and she climbed up his arm, wrapping around his shoulders. "Get some sleep if you can, Kitten. I'll find you a better place as soon as I'm done with this."

She gave him a questioning look.

"I use these computers to help me Track my fugitives. Right now I'm looking at crime trends in Chicago. That's the name of the city we’re in now. Anomalies can point to fugitive activity so I check these numbers on a weekly basis."

Kitten nodded and purred, nuzzling his cheek as he continued to explain his job and equipment to her.

End Part 2

(The incident between Cole and Jess mentioned here happened in my short fic "Hot Water".) Spoilers for "Love, Cirronian Style" are starting to creep in. Forewarned, forearmed, grasshopper.

When the alarm went off the next morning, Mel was sorely tempted to simply throw it across the room and go back to sleep. She had not gotten much sleep the night before, thanks to Kitten's visit and everything that had followed afterwards between Cole and herself. She was exhausted, tense, on-edge, and in a generally grumpy mood.

This was a chocolate cake for breakfast day if ever there had been one. Of course, it would be just her luck that there was no chocolate cake. She would just have to find some other variety of comfort food to eat too much of. First things first, though. A nice, relaxing, incredibly hot shower to ease her sore, tense muscles.

"Morning, Cole. Morning, Kitten," she greeted them as she walked past the war-room.

She stopped in her tracks, staring at Kitten, wrapped like a weird Indian headdress around the model head she had given Cole, and wondering when her life had gotten more surreal than a Salvador Dali painting. Kitten smiled up at her, purring. Cole grinned and rose, joining her in the hall.

"Good morning, Mel. How are you?"

"Better." She smiled faintly, nodding. Not sure how much more of this my heart can take, but better for now.

"Sleep well?"

"Yeah," she lied.

"You still look tired."

Mel shook her head. "Just need a shower to clear my head."

"Would you like me to make breakfast this morning?" he offered.

"Oh, that's okay, Cole. I think I'll just forage in the fridge." Better still, there was an unopened bag of chocolate chips around somewhere. She smiled. "See you later."

"Yes, Mel." He nodded and returned to the war-room. "Kitten?" he asked, looking around. She had abandoned her perch on the model head. He smiled when she peered at him from behind a monitor. "Exploring?" he asked indulgently.

Kitten purred and nodded, her blue eyes twinkling.

"Okay." Cole nodded. "You have fun. I'm going to go make breakfast for Mel. Would you like to help?"

Kitten shook her head and returned to her scrutiny of the mass of wires behind his computers.

Cole shrugged. "Okay. I'll come get you when it's time to eat. Have fun." Giving her a final pet, he left the war-room. Walking past the bathroom door, he paused and knocked, calling, "Mel?"

"Yeah, Cole?" The door opened and Mel leaned out, wrapped in a towel.

Cole spent a few seconds admiring the view before speaking. "I'm going to make breakfast now. What would you like?"

"Oh, Cole, you don't have to do that," Mel assured him, smiling at how sweet he was.

"I know, Mel, but I would like to. I can make Belgian Waffles," he offered in a surprisingly enticing tone.

Mel took a deep breath and nodded slowly. That tone of voice was tempting her to do a lot more than just join Cole for breakfast. "Sounds nice," she managed, her voice trembling.

"Are you cold, Mel?" he asked, concerned.

"I'm fine," she assured him, shaking her head and chuckling softly. There were definitely times when the Cirronian's cluelessness was a good thing.

She took a step back into the bathroom, putting a little physical distance between them. Better. Or worse, depending on your view-point. Maybe it was talking to Cole wearing nothing but a towel, or a combination of that and sleep deprivation, but suddenly she could not get her mind off of the way Cole had interrupted one of Jess' showers a few months ago, assuming it to be Mel behind the curtain. Mel suddenly found herself wondering how hard it would have been to convince Cole to join her now.

Aware that her mind had wandered from dangerous territory to ground zero, Mel quickly said, "I'd better take my shower now."

"Okay, Mel." He nodded easily. "I'll be in the kitchen. See you in a few minutes."

"Yeah, Cole." She smiled and nodded, gratefully closing the door. "Maybe a cold shower instead," she muttered wryly, dropping the towel onto the floor and stepping into the bathtub.

She pulled the shower-curtain shut and turned on the hot water. She was proud of herself when she actually managed to keep her train of thought relatively innocuous as she stood under the hot jet of water. Definitely what the doctor ordered, she decided as she let the water pummel her. She started to feel better immediately, her muscles undoing themselves from the knots they had tied themselves into and the water washing away her anxiety.

She even managed to turn her thoughts away from Cole. Until she reached for a washcloth. Laughing and shaking her head, she decided that she was probably the only woman in history to have been reduced to giggles by the sight of one. Which just went to prove that life with Cole was not all bad, not by a long-shot. Too bad he didn't still need help with the whole hygiene concept, she reflected with a speculative grin.

"Stop it, Mel," she chuckled, shaking her head. "You're cracking up, sister…"

Her laughter died in mid-breath as she felt something warm rubbing against her ankle. She looked down with wide eyes and let out a muffled yelp. Kitten was curled around her ankles several times, staring up at her. At her shout, Kitten swiftly unwrapped herself. Taking a step back, Mel's feet became tangled in Kitten's long body and she went crashing to the floor of the tub. Mel let out a pained cry, then a series of shrieks as the clearly disgruntled K'kul cahn quickly made its way up her prone form. Kitten came nose to nose with her and let out a protracted hiss, her pretty feathers ruffled.

Mel whimpered and crawled backwards until she hit the other end of the tub. "Cole!"

"Mel?" Cole asked, hurrying into the bathroom. He stared with wide eyes at Mel, lying on the floor of the tub being menaced by his new pet. "Kitten!"

Angry, he reached down and gently lifted Mel out of the tub, standing her on the floor. Kitten peered out of the tub and Mel immediately clambered into Cole's arms. Cole stared down at the trembling human, bemused. Her fear was more than obvious, though, so he just hugged her to his chest and carried her from the bathroom, kicking the door shut as he left. Kitten liked hot showers and would be fine in there until he had Mel calmed down.

Mel wrapped her arms around his neck as he carried her down the hall and buried her face in his shoulder, crying and shaking. In her bedroom, he tried to set her down on the edge of the bed, but she continued to cling to him, refusing to loosen her hold. He sat down with her in his lap instead, cradling her against his chest. It was an awkward way to hold a grown woman, but he was large enough to mostly compensate for that. Besides, Mel needed comfort now, and he was going to give it to her.

"It's okay, Mel," he whispered, holding her close and not even noticing that she was still dripping wet and completely naked. "It's okay. You're going to be okay. What happened?"

Mel was torn between anger, humiliation, fear, and shy embarrassment. Angry at Kitten for joining her in the shower and tripping her up like that. Humiliated because she had overreacted. Fearful that the K'kul cahn really was out to get her after all. Embarrassed because… well, because she was naked in Cole's arms as he cradled her like a scared child.

Oh, yes, and grateful that Cole seemed completely oblivious to her nudity. Definitely grateful for that one because things could easily have spun completely out of control if he had not been. Mel sent up a quick prayer of thanks for the truly clueless nature of the Cirronian race, but knew that Cole was still a man and would notice once he was over his worry for her. One arm still securely around his back, she reached behind him and grabbed a blanket.

Cole immediately retrieved the blanket and wrapped it around her before securing her against his chest again. Holding her like this definitely felt nice, in spite of his damp shirt and her obvious distress.

"Are you okay?" he whispered, his concern obvious. "Are you hurt?"

"I'll be fine," she mumbled into his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Cole. Just freaked." She started to pull away, an attempt rendered futile by the fact that Cole refused to loosen his gently hold on her. She looked up uncertainly. "Cole?" she whispered.

"You're still upset, Mel. I should stay with you for a while longer," he told her gently, reaching up and brushing her hair out of her face. His expression was tender as he tucked her hair behind her ears and smoothed away her tears, still holding her against him with one arm. "Are you hurt?" he repeated tenderly.

"Nailed my shoulder pretty good on the way down," she admitted. "But it's nothing, really."

"This one?" he asked, gently touching it.

She nodded and did not protest as he slipped the blanket off of her left shoulder and slowly ran his hand over the bruised flesh. Black and blue or not, his hand felt good. She closed her eyes and leaned into him again as he healed the bruise with a pulse of warming energy. She rested her cheek against his shoulder and let out a contented sigh.

Cole smiled as she smiled, pleased that she made no attempt to pull away even after the healing was over. He let his hand linger on the smooth skin of her shoulder, absently playing his fingers along her bare skin as he admired her pretty freckled face and watched her anxiety slip away. He never wanted to move from this position again.

Mel seemed less than inclined to move herself, and the thought pleased him no end. He had been disappointed when she had stopped their kiss the night before, before it had really even become one. Perhaps, today, relaxing in his arms like this, she might be less inclined to want to put a stop to any gesture of his affection that he attempted. Only one way to find out, he supposed.

Dropping his head slightly, he brushed his lips against hers. Mel's eyes popped opened and she regarded him with wide eyes for a moment before shrugging and smiling up at him. Cole was smiling widely when he kissed her. His smile widened when Mel tightened her grip on him even more.

She pulled away long enough to whisper into his mouth, "We shouldn't be doing this…"

"Why not?" came his whispered reply. Smiling, her dropped his head and tenderly kissed her shoulder where it joined her so-sensitive neck.

Mel closed her eyes, no longer entirely sure why herself. "Never mind," she murmured.

"Yes, Mel." Cole nodded. "Should I kiss your shoulder again? Humans believe that kissing injuries causes them to heal faster."

"Oh, that's right. We do… Yeah, Cole. You can kiss it and make it all better if you want."

Cole eagerly complied, spending more time on the kiss this time, wanting to do it properly. Judging from the look on Mel's face, he had succeeded, too. He smiled as the blanket slipped a few inches, revealing her smooth white back and showing him more of her pretty chest than he had ever seen. Well, he had actually seen a lot more of it in the bathroom, but he had been too worried to absorb many details. He kissed her shoulder again, then her neck, before raising his lips to her ear.

"Are you hurt anywhere else, Mel?" he breathed tenderly, torn between wanting his Mel to be unharmed and wanting to kiss more of her soft, inviting skin.

Mel closed her eyes and shivered at the feel of his hot breath against her ear. Tell him about the bruise on my thigh? Another shiver followed the first, but she resisted that temptation, giving in to a different one instead. She turned her head slightly and opened her eyes, smiling adoringly at the sweet, gentle creature holding her in his arms.

"Oh, Cole, you do not need an excuse to kiss me…" she assured him tenderly.

His eyes widened and an eager smile lit his face. "I don't?"

"No…" She shook her head, biting her lip to keep from smiling too much. "You really don't."

"That's nice, Mel. I like kissing you."

"So I'd gathered." Mel chuckled softly, shaking her head. She brushed her lips across his forehead, then rested her own forehead against it. "Would you like to kiss me again?" she whispered, her lips brushing his.

"Yes, Mel."

Cole nodded quickly, before she could change her mind. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he repositioned her slightly on his lap, deciding that he quite liked having her there after all, and leaned down to cover her mouth with his own. Mel's eager response was unexpected. And inviting. He matched her enthusiasm with a level of desire that was reserved for Mel alone. Attentive to Mel's every reaction, no matter how subtle, he was soon kissing her with the proficiency of any human male.

Neither noticed when the blanket slid the rest of the way off of her left shoulder, effectively leaving her completely exposed from the waist up. Cole might have been interested in this fact; Mel would not have cared in the least.

By the time Cole's seeking hands realized that her glorious back was bare, Mel was certain that he had surpassed every human ever born in his kissing skills. In spite of his obvious passion and desire, though, and in spite of his skill, the kiss remained strangely innocent. It was hard for Mel to quantify. The only thing she could say was that it made him ten times as desirable to her and made his kiss twenty times more unbelievable. When he pulled away to catch his breath, Mel felt a pang.

Knowing how modest and shy Mel was, Cole absently resettled the blanket around her shoulders, taking just enough time to have a good look at what it was no longer covering.

"Oh, thanks," she whispered breathlessly.

Her face was flush in a reaction that had absolutely nothing to do with embarrassment. For the first time in their association, she was entertaining thoughts of making love to this man. Not dreaming or fantasizing, but seriously speculating about such an act and its repercussions. Her hands reached up and cradled his face, her fingertips caressing his cheeks and reveling in the feel of his rough stubble. He was regarding her with wide-eyed wonder. The taste of what it was to kiss her that he had gotten at the seminar had obviously not prepared him for the real thing. The difference was clearly not lost on the stunned Cirronian.

Hesitant hands reached for her throat. "Mel?" he whispered, his voice uncertain.

"It's okay," she promised gently. "Just give yourself a second to adjust to what you're feeling."

Cole nodded. "I like these things you're making me feel," he confessed.

"Me, too." She smiled tenderly. "Would you like to kiss me some more, Cole?" she offered.

His nod was quick and eager.

Not quite able to believe what she was doing, Mel whispered, "You know, sometimes when people kiss, Cole, they… touch, too."

"Touch?" he repeated.

Mel bit her lip at his hopeful expression. "You like touching me, don't you, Cole?"

Nodding and wearing the same expression as a little boy on Christmas morning, Cole agreed, "Yes, Mel." After a few moments, he asked, "Where would you like me to touch you, Mel?"

Mel closed her eyes, wondering how far she could, in good conscience, take this. As far as she could tell, the answer was that she had already taken it too far and that this was her last chance to turn back. She hesitated, torn between her desire for the gentle man she loved and her desire to do right by him.

What the hell was she doing, taking advantage of him like this?

"Shit," she sighed, burying her face in his shoulder again.

"Mel?" he asked quietly, frowning at her sudden shift in behavior. "Is something wrong? Have I done something wrong?" he asked anxiously, his expression apologetic.

Her head shot up and she stared, surprised at the question. "Cole, of course you haven't." She shook her head and smiled tenderly at him, tears in her eyes. "No, no… It's the situation that's wrong."

"Mel, I'm deriving a lot of enjoyment from this situation," he told her, frowning in confusion. "Aren't you? If you aren't, just tell me what to do differently…"

The tears that had been threatening overflowed, spilling down her cheeks. "I'm sorry, Cole," she cried, shaking her head. "Not you. It's me…"

"Don't cry, Mel…" Cole's hands gently cupped her face, and he regarded her uncertainty, more concerned now than before. "Please, I don't like it when you cry."

Mel's restraint broke at the concerned, loving look he was giving her. "Kiss me?" she managed in a broken whisper.

Cole nodded and brushed his lips over hers again. Before he could deepen the kiss, though, he became aware of a third life-force in the apartment.

"Mel?" Jess' voice called. "You up here?"

Mel groaned and buried her face in Cole's shoulder, grateful to Jess for her timing. She had been on the verge of doing something stupid. More stupid…

Cole slid his arms around her again, sensing that she still needed comfort. "Here, Jess," he called to the young barmaid.

Jess paused at the threshold of Mel's room, a little startled by the scene before her. Cole was sitting on the edge of Mel's bed, holding Mel in his lap. She was wrapped in a blanket and not wearing much else judging by her bare legs and the bare arm around his neck. They had their arms around each other, and Mel's face was pressed into Cole's shoulder, her entire body trembling. She was either laughing or crying, and Jess badly suspected the latter.

Not looking at Jess, Mel lifted her head enough to speak. "I'll be downstairs in five minutes, Jess."

Jess hesitated, concerned. Mel's voice was shaky and she refused to turn her face in Jess' direction. "Mel, are you okay?"

"Fine. Five minutes. See you then."

When Jess still refused to budge, Cole spoke. "Mel has had a rough morning, Jess. She'll be down in just a few minutes, when she is calm again." When Jess reluctantly left, he whispered, "She's gone, Mel."

"Thank you." Mel sighed deeply and looked up at him. "I'm sorry, Cole. I am. I shouldn't have…" She rose and tugged the blanket more tightly around her, walking to the closet. "Thank you, Cole, for everything."

"I can tell Jess you won't be down today," he offered, troubled by how obviously upset she was.

She shook her head. "I'll be fine in a minute. Just… like you said. Rough morning."

He nodded slowly. "Mel, I'm sorry that Kitten has upset you so much."

"Not your fault," she whispered, tossing her clothes onto the bed and approaching him. She smiled tenderly up at him, shaking her head. "It's just taking us some time to get used to each other, Cole."

Cole nodded slowly. "Mel, if you need anything at all…" he offered.

She smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Cole."

"I hadn't started cooking breakfast yet, but the batter is done. I could cook some waffles while you dress."

"No." Mel shook her head. "Lost my appetite. Just put whatever you don't eat in the fridge."

"Okay, Mel." Reluctantly, Cole left her to dress.

End Part 3

Next up, Kitten wants to play fetch and Jess proves that not all blondes are complete airheads.

"You want to talk about it?" Jess offered as Mel walked into the bar, carrying a bag of chocolate chips in one hand.

"No." Mel shook her head firmly, tearing open the bag of chocolate chips and setting it on the bar. "And it's not what you think, Jess."

"You were naked in his lap, Mel. Crying! Something happened." Jess walked over to Mel and slid a comforting arm around her shoulder, softening her tone. "What happened, Mel? Can you tell me?"

Mel sighed and nodded, helping herself to a handful of chocolate chips. Closing her eyes, she rested her head against her friend's shoulder, grateful that Jess was not going to tease her as she had half-feared. She was far too emotional to have been able to handle that and Jess, bless her, seemed to recognize that.

"I fell in the shower," she said, deciding that Jess had absolutely no need to know what had happened between herself and Cole afterwards. She was still not entirely sure what to make of that yet herself.

"You were in the bedroom," Jess whispered, gently brushing Mel's hair out of her face.

"Yeah, well… Cole brought me there after I fell. I was shaken up and…"

"Shaken up?" Jess repeated, frowning. Mel was more upset than Jess had credited, and not because she had been found in a compromising position with Cole. That fact actually seemed lost on her in spite of the fact that Mel had freaked over much less in the past. "Mel, sweetie, what happened?" she asked gently.

"Kitten happened," Mel growled, reaching across the bar without opening her eyes. She found a glass and selected a bottle at random before opening her eyes. Scotch. Nodding to herself, she half-filled the water-glass.

"Kitten?" Jess repeated blankly.

"Cole's new pet. Last night she climbs into bed with me. Today, she joined me in the shower and scared the shit out of me."

Jess frowned. "Mel, I know you're a bit highly strung at times, but this seems like an overreaction to having a cat join you in the shower…"

"Not a cat, Jess. Kitten. She's a six-foot snake who's waging a campaign of psychological warfare against me," Mel clarified.

"Oh," Jess said softly. "Poor Mel."

Mel sighed and nodded. "Cole loves the damned thing…"

"But you don't?" Jess sighed and grabbed a few of the milk-chocolate morsels herself. "And she decides to join you in the shower? What'd Cole say?"

"He was totally apologetic." Mel shrugged. "It's not like I'm angry or blaming him, Jess, because I'm not, but Kitten… I swear, if I didn't know better, I'd think she was jealous or something."

"You break your neck in the shower and she's got Cole to herself?" Jess asked.

"Basically." Mel sighed deeply. "I don't know, Jess. Maybe I'm overreacting."

"You aren't overreacting, Mel," Cole said gently, joining the ladies at the bar. "Kitten is being a very bad girl."

"Not that I can blame her for being jealous of you, Cole," Jess teased with a grin. "But, really… Poor Mel," she repeated, hugging her friend. "Kitten needs a time-out or something…"

Cole nodded. "She was not properly socialized as an infant." His eyes settled on the bag of chocolate and then on the glass sitting on the bar. "Isn't it a little early, Mel?" he asked gently.

"With the 24 hours I've had, Cole? No." Mel took another sip of her scotch and nearly dropped her glass as the stairwell door swung open. "Cole," she breathed. "I thought I told you to start locking the doors."

"I did…" He frowned uncomprehendingly as Mel raced across the bar, determined to shut the door before Jess saw.

Kitten darted past Mel and made a bee-line towards Cole. Mel saw with horror that there was something in the K'kul cahn's mouth. She just hoped that the poor thing was not alive any more, whatever it was. Her eyes darted to Jess, staring at Kitten with wide eyes.

"Bloody 'ell," Jess breathed.

Kitten dropped the tennis ball in her mouth at Cole's feet and let out a hopeful bark. Cole glared at her.

"I thought I told you to stay in the war-room, young lady," he told her in a low voice, shaking his head in disgust.

"Cole, just get it upstairs," Mel murmured quickly, moving past him to make sure the front door was still locked. "Jess, I can explain," she began, turning to face the wide-eyed barmaid as Cole scooped up the hissing Kitten and started for the stairs.

"Wait!" Jess protested, hurrying out from behind the bar and stepping in front of Cole. "I can't believe… oh, bloody hell! It is! Cole, you found this while you were in Brazil?" she asked, her voice eager and her eyes shining.

Mel stared for a moment before walking to the bar to retrieve her drink and her chocolate. She needed both. Badly.

"Yes, Jess. She followed me back to my hotel." Cole nodded, feeling as uncertain as Mel over Jess' reaction.

"Can I touch it?" Jess asked.

Mel's head shot up, her expression stunned. Typical Jess, completely unfazed by the most bizarre of circumstances. Shrugging, she drained her glass and poured herself another as Cole showed Jess how Kitten liked to be scratched.

"I once dated this guy had an albino python," Jess was rambling as Kitten purred under her attentions, "and she was gorgeous, Cole. But Kitten here… my God, she's bloody brilliant!"

Cole nodded. "Yes, Jess. Kitten is very intelligent."

Jess blinked at the statement. Typical Cole. "Well, yeah, of course she is… She's a Quetzalcoatl."

Mel tilted her head and helped herself to more chocolate. A what?

"No, Jess. She is a K'kul cahn," Cole corrected her.

Jess frowned faintly. "Kukulkan, Quetzalcoatl. Same difference." She shrugged and stared raptly at Kitten as she looped herself around Cole's shoulders.

"It is?" Cole asked, frowning.

"Jess?" Mel asked.

"Same word, different language," Jess said, shrugging.

Mel blinked, wondering if it was possible. The girl had certainly spent enough time with Mel's grandmother that it might be. "Jess, do you speak--" "Mayan? Nah!" Jess grinned and shook her head. "Just know a few words for different culturally and religiously significant things," she explained absently.

Mel's eyes widened even further. It was the same word in Cirronian and Mayan. What the hell? "And that… other word?"

"Quetzalcoatl?" Jess frowned. "Aztec, Mel. What do they teach you Yanks in school?" she laughed, shaking her head. "This is amazing, Cole," she continued. "This has got to be the biggest anthropological find since… well… Lucy!"

Cole frowned uncertainly. "Who is Lucy? An anthropologist?"

Jess laughed softly before explaining, "Lucy. Discovered by Donald Johanson? Hadar. Olduvai Gorge in Ethiopia?" Shaking her head, she tried again. "Australopithecus afarensis, probably the oldest confirmed example of a hominid," she clarified. "Turned the field of anthropology on its ear, her discovery did. And why are you both looking at me like I'm speaking a different language?" she added, frowning.

"Because for a minute there it sounded like you were," Mel suggested, shaking her head.

Jess turned to face her, frowning faintly. "What, Mel? Just because I'm blonde and perky means I can't be interested in the sciences? Honestly…"

Mel shook her head. "I'm sorry, Jess. It's just that… I mean…" She paused. "You know what that thing is?" she asked, pointing to Kitten.

"Yeah, Mel. I told you. It's a Quetzalcoatl."

"Okay, fine. But what is it?" Mel pressed. Recovered from her shock, she suddenly had a lot of questions. Like how Jess could know anything at all about Cole's alien 'baby', and how Kitten had gotten to Earth in the first place.

"Literally, feathered snake or serpent of the heavens." Jess jerked her head at Kitten. "Huge figure in Aztec and Mayan mythology, Mel. And supposed to be a myth."

"Wish it were a myth," Mel muttered.

Kitten hissed, unwrapped herself from Cole's shoulders and, levitating several feet off the ground, vanished up the stairs and into the apartment.

"It flies?" Mel gasped, glaring at Cole. "You did not mention that it flies, Cole!"

Cole stared after Kitten with a shrug. "Sorry, Mel."

"You also forgot to mention that it opens doors!" Mel snapped, fighting the urge to throw something at him. "What else haven't you told me about it?" she demanded.

Cole recoiled, startled by her obvious anger. He said the first thing that came to mind. "She plays chess…"

Wrong answer. Mel let out a frustrated howl.

Jess frowned and abruptly asked, "Hey, if you didn't think it was a Quetzalcoatl, what did you think it was?"

Mel lowered her head to the bar, giving up.

"How long have these creatures appeared in human mythology, Jess?" Cole queried.

Mel's head shot up again. "Cole!" Bad to worse.

"'Human' mythology?" Jess repeated. She shrugged. "Thousands and thousands of years. More if you look at some of the dragon mythology out there. Why?"

"Her ancestors must have come to Earth with the Progenitors, Mel," Cole announced, nodding.

"Cole, Jess is still here," Mel pointed out, shaking her head in disgust. She would have gone upstairs and straight back to bed if Kitten had not been lurking somewhere in the damned apartment, no doubt just waiting to sink her teeth into Mel's jugular.

"Who are the Progenitors, Cole?" Jess asked, raising a curious eyebrow.

"Cole," Mel warned.

"I think Jess should know, Mel," Cole told her, smiling. "We can trust her and she is my friend."

"You know what? Fine?" Mel shook her head in defeat. "So what if we've spent the last ten months trying to hide this from her, Cole? You just have at it!"

Missing her sarcasm, Cole nodded and explained to Jess, "Six alien races have been visiting your planet for millions of years now, Jess. The Progenitors were a group who came here to establish the Guardian bloodlines, to… preserve certain lore and artifacts."

Her curious smile widened into one of unabashed delight. "You aren't human, are you, Cole?" she breathed.

"No, Jess." He shook his head faintly and smiled gently down at her, his expression reassuring.

His smile widened as it became clear that the young woman who was such a good friend to both of them was not in the slightest need of reassurance. Quite the contrary, she seemed remarkably pleased with the intelligence he had just shared with her.

"Explains a fair bit about you, doesn't it?" Jess laughed. "But you look human," she added, frowning.

Cole nodded. "I took a human form after coming to this planet," he explained. "To blend in."

"Ah." Jess nodded. "So Kitten's an alien, too?"

Cole nodded, then shook his head. "She was born on Earth, I think, Jess. But her species originated on Cirron."

"Cool." Jess grinned. "And then got brought here millions of years ago by these aliens?"

Cole nodded placidly.

Jess smiled widely. "Pretty neat. I know a few anthropologists who would love to get their hands on her."

"No!" Mel said quickly, shaking her head. "Jess, you can't. Who knows what they'd do to her?"

"Oh, good point." Jess frowned. It had not occurred to her before, but Mel was 100% correct. Kitten was an amazing scientific find, one that people would want to study. And not all such people would be inclined to be gentle. "Plus it'd open up a lot of questions about you guys," she added quietly.

"Which would be a very bad thing," Mel sighed. "Please, Jess. You can't tell anyone. You don't know what the government would do to Cole if they…" She trailed off, shaking her head. "Please?" she implored her friend.

Jess blinked, startled. "Sure, Mel, sure." She nodded quickly. No wonder Mel had always been so skittish where Cole was concerned. "I swear, I won't tell a soul." She gave Cole a reassuring smile and squeezed Mel's shoulder, nodding.

Mel gave her a weak smile. "Thanks, Jess."

"No problem, sweetie."

"Mel," Cole said softly. "I’m going to go upstairs and talk to Kitten. There are many things she needs to understand."

Mel looked up at him, her expression weary. "She understands every word we say, doesn't she, Cole?"

Cole nodded. "Yes, Mel. I told you, the K'kul cahn are a very intelligent race."

"Sure they are," Mel muttered as Cole vanished upstairs. "So why does Kitten hate me, Jess?"

"Maybe she is jealous," Jess suggested cheerfully.

"Jealous?" Mel repeated, blinking. "Jess, I was joking about that."

Jess ignored the protest. "You see it with dogs and cats a lot. Their owner starts dating someone, and the animal gets jealous. Does everything in its power to make that person miserable, Mel."

Mel looked up at her and realized she was serious. "Right. I knew there was a reason I've never had a pet. But what's Kitten got to be jealous of? Cole practically ignores me when she's around…"

"Not how it looked to me upstairs," Jess told her.

"Jess, for the last time, Cole and I are not--"

"I believe you, Mel."

"You do?" Mel stared at her in surprise. She actually meant it.

"Yeah. Cole's not human. I doubt anything could happen… I mean, hell, he probably doesn't even find humans that attractive if he's not one."

Mel smiled wryly, shaking her head and admitting, "Not that, Jess. It's his job."

"Ah, so men really are the same all over?" Jess sat down next to Mel and patted her back sympathetically. "But he obviously adores you all the same, Mel. And it's got Kitten jealous."

"Well good for Kitten." Mel sighed deeply. "So what do I do, Jess?"

"No bloody clue." Jess shrugged. "Send her air-freight back to Brazil?"

"Cole loves her, Jess. I can't."

Jess frowned sympathetically. "Then you sit her down and have a long talk with her. Cole says she can understand you."

Mel sighed and nodded. "This is my life, Jess. Alien cops, a grandmother who hung out with her own circle of alien friends--"

"That explains a lot, too," Jess remarked quietly.

"And heart-to-heart talks with poisonous feathered snakes that bark, purr, laugh, and fly even though they don't have wings. Oh, yes, and who have higher IQs than most of the men I've dated in my life…"

Jess laughed. "Yeah, well she is a female after all," she pointed out, winking.

Mel grinned and chuckled, helping herself to another handful of chocolate chips and offering the bag to Jess.

"So he's really not human?" Jess asked, leaning close and lowering her voice. Time for some quality girl-talk.

Mel laughed and nodded. "He's really not. Scared the shit out of me when we first met."

"You knew? From the beginning?"

"Almost." Mel shrugged. "I found out on the second day. He saved my life."

"Oh, wow," Jess breathed. "That's so romantic…"

"Oh, you have no idea." Mel smiled fondly. "He cried, Jess."

"Aww…" Jess bit her lower lip and placed one hand over her heart. "Bloody hell, Mel. I don't care if he is an alien. You need to snatch the boy up."

"Oh, you think that's as good as he gets?" Mel shook her head. "He does this… this thing to my throat…" Mel raised her hand to her throat, stroking it absently and half-closing her eyes.

"Sounds sexy."

"Oh, you have no idea. Does things to me that no kiss ever has. Well…" Mel bowed her head, flushing and smiling.

"You've kissed him?" Jess asked with wide eyes.

"Once or twice," Mel admitted, bemused that they had just revealed to Jess that Cole was not human and all Jess seemed interested in was what kind of boyfriend that made him.

"What's it like?"

"Out of this world," Mel told her, grinning. "It's like… like there's actual electricity passing between our bodies." Her smile widened. "And it does not stop at our lips, Jess," she added in a low voice.

"Wow," Jess murmured, pouring two fresh drinks. "So, where can I find myself one of him?"

Mel giggled and raised her glass to Jess. "Here's to out of this world Cirronians."

"And their barking snakes," Jess added gravely before both women dissolved into giggles.

End Part 4

Last part coming soon. Kitten's master plan is finally revealed…

The bar was busy enough that evening that Cole had to wait for a few minutes to speak with Mel when she came downstairs. His opening words were not encouraging to the harried woman.

"Mel, I'm sorry," he began.

"What did she do this time?" Mel sighed, shaking her head.

"We should not discuss this in public, Mel."

"Right." She sighed and nodded. "Jess! You guys okay without me for a few minutes?" she called.

Jess took one look at the expression on Cole's face and nodded, making a shooing motion and wondering what Kitten had done now. She shook her head as Mel and Cole vanished into the back room. Something told her that she would not be seeing Mel again tonight.

"What did she do?" Mel repeated when they were alone in the store room.

"When you were getting dressed this morning, Mel, you left your underwear drawer open," he began, his expression apologetic.

"What?" Mel demanded, staring up at him with wide eyes. "What did she do in my underwear drawer, Cole?"

"This would be a good time to remove any of your panties that you're particularly fond of, Mel. She's already shredded one pair." As he followed the cursing woman across the bar and up the stairs, he added, "It's a shame, too, Mel. They were a very pretty shade of blue, like your eyes." He was not entirely sure whether the noise Mel made in response to this comment was a laugh or a scream. "I'm sorry, Mel," he added.

Mel walked into her bedroom, coming to a stop several feet in front of her dresser, with its partially-opened underwear drawer. "I am not putting my hand in there until you get her out, Cole."

Cole nodded and quickly scooped up Kitten. She hissed at him, a shred of black silk fluttering to the floor.

Mel cursed again, tears in her eyes. "Why are you doing this to me, you brat!" she demanded, ripping open her drawer and shifting through its shredded contents. "Obviously she doesn't like plain white cotton," she grumbled, tossing several pairs over her shoulder and onto her bed. "Has to go for the expensive stuff…"

"I think she likes the way silk feels, Mel," Cole offered by way of an explanation, moving to stand next to her. He reached into the drawer and came up with a handful of shredded silk. "These must have felt very nice against your skin all day, Mel."

Mel closed her eyes and took a few moments to compose herself. "Cole, please take Kitten out of here. I really can not look at her right now."

Cole nodded and returned the ruined undergarments to the drawer before carrying Kitten from the room. He returned as Mel was finishing sorting through her underwear. Her plain cotton panties and bras were all just fine, but only two silk bra and one set of silk panties remained in one piece. She sat down on her bed with these in her hand, shaking her head and laughing mirthlessly.

"I think your pet is trying to drive me insane, Cole," she announced, dropping them onto the bed with the others. "It's working, too."

Cole frowned apologetically, sitting down next to her. He picked up the panties and regarded them thoughtfully, rubbing the fabric between his fingers as Mel stared on with wide eyes. Her expression was shocked when he closed his eyes and rubbed the fabric against his cheek.

"Cole!" Mel gasped. "What are you doing?" she whispered, wondering if her grip on reality really had slipped completely thanks to the K'kul cahn.

"This fabric, Mel," he told her, rubbing it against her cheek. "I know what Kitten was doing."

"Really?" Mel asked, raising an eyebrow. "Share."

"There is a tree that grows on Cirron. The leaves have a very similar texture to this. K'kul cahn shred these leaves to sleep on."

"Oh," Mel whispered, shaking her head.

For some insane reason, that actually made Kitten's destruction of the contents of her underwear drawer seem completely reasonable. She sighed and shook her head, walking over to her dresser and pulling that drawer until it came out in her hands.

"What are you doing, Mel?" Cole asked as she retrieved several fallen handfuls of silk and returned them to the drawer.

"If it's going to keep her from joining me in bed again tonight, Kitten is more than welcomed to my underwear drawer, Cole," Mel explained, carrying it into the war-room and setting it down in a dark corner. "In fact…" Mel left the war-room and returned a few moments later with a shirt in her hand. "It got torn so I've been using it as a nightshirt. All yours, Kitten," she announced, dropping it into the drawer.

Kitten purred loudly and nuzzled Mel's hand for a moment. Then she dove into the drawer, merrily ripping the shirt to pieces, shaking it in her mouth like a rag doll and sending bits of fabric everywhere.

Cole smiled happily and moved to stand next to Mel, absently draping an arm around her shoulder. "You've made her very happy, Mel."

"Yeah, well…" Mel shrugged. "Tomorrow she and I are sitting down and having a long talk, but… what the hell, right?" She smiled up at him. "She makes you happy, which earns her points in my book."

Cole smiled warmly down at her. "Are you going back downstairs now, Mel?" he asked quietly.

Mel blinked. His tone of voice clearly indicated that he was hoping for a negative answer. "Not yet. I need to clean my room a little," she told him. "Do some rearranging in my drawers. Want to keep me company when I work?"

Cole smiled and nodded, following Mel back to her room. He closed the war-room door as they left. "Can I help, Mel?" he offered.

Uncomfortable with the thought of Cole handling her underthings, Mel shook her head quickly. It was going to take her months to forget the way he had been handling those silk panties. No reason to tempt fate further tonight.

"No thanks, Cole. I've got it."

"If you're sure, Mel," he said, sitting on the edge of the bed and picking up the silk panties again. "Why don't they make underwear of this fabric for men, Mel?" he asked. "I think I'd like to wear something like that."

Mel flushed and turned her back to him on the pretext of making room in a drawer. "They make silk boxers for men, Cole, but I don't think they make briefs."

"Boxers?" he asked, rising and joining her.

"Yeah, they're… another kind of underwear that men can wear. Not sure you'd be particularly comfortable in them, being used to briefs," she rambled. She drew a deep breath, struggling to compose herself.

Cole considered this. "How does it feel to wear silk underwear instead of cotton, Mel?"

Mel knew she was beet red, but she managed to keep her tone steady. "Just like the difference between a cotton shirt and a silk one, Cole."

"Are you wearing silk underwear now, Mel?" Cole inquired in a low voice, his expression curious.

Mel let out a startled squeal at the question and sputtered, "Cole!"

"Yes, Mel?" he asked innocently.

Mel sighed. He had not meant any harm, of course, but still… "Cole, that is not a socially acceptable question to ask a woman," she told him gently, plucking the underwear out of his hands and dropping them into a drawer at random. Shaking her head, she rubbed the back of her neck, trying to relieve some of the tension building there.

Cole watched this wordlessly, his expression thoughtful. Abruptly, he bent down and planted a tender kiss on the nape of her neck.

"Cole?" Mel asked, her voice shaking. "What are you doing?"

"You were rubbing your neck. I thought it hurt. I was kissing it and making it all better." Cole smiled happily and repeated the procedure.

"Well, that's… nice of you, Cole, but… my neck doesn't hurt. Really."

Focusing on taking deep, even breaths, Mel returned her attention to rearranging the drawers. Cole planted another kiss on the base of her neck. Her eyes widened.

"I said it doesn't hurt," she whispered.

"That's okay, Mel," Cole assured her, smiling. "You told me this morning that I did not need an excuse to kiss you. Remember?"

Mel winced. "Cole, about that…"

"I liked the way you were behaving this morning, Mel," he told her. "I don't like that you were scared, but you were more affectionate as well, and more receptive to my touch. I liked that, Mel."

"Cole, we've talked about this." Mel turned to face him and found herself in his arms. "Cole…" She shook her head, her expression apologetic. "You can't be distracted, remember?"

Cole nodded. "I remember, Mel. I've been thinking about it a lot in the last few days. I've decided that it is a silly restriction for us to place on ourselves."

"You… have?" she managed.

Cole nodded. "I was trying to protect you, Mel, but I think I went about it wrong. I think that I can protect you just as well if…" He trailed off.

"If what?" she whispered, staring up at him with wide eyes.

"If we… act upon those things which we both feel, Mel. I feel them very strongly, Mel, and I believe that you do as well. If I'm wrong, you can tell me. I'll understand and will not try to kiss you any more."

She stared up at him mutely, her eyes wide.

"Mel?" he asked uncertainly, his expression reflecting hope and anxiety.

"Um… yeah, Cole, I'm sorry. I was just… thinking, you know? I… I think the first thing we need to do is… well, define these things that… well, we feel for each other…" she began hesitantly.

"Love, Mel. It is love. I love you very much," he told her firmly, smiling down at her.

"You… do?" she whispered, tears in his eyes.

"I love you and I believe that you may love me as well. Am I wrong?" he whispered, his face falling.

"No," Mel whispered, barely audible. She shook her head firmly. "You aren't wrong, Cole. I do love you. I mean… really. I love you more than I've ever loved anyone before."

Cole smiled widely, half lifting her from the ground with his enthusiastic hug. "I'm very glad, Mel. I had… hoped so, but I wasn't sure," he admitted.

"How could I not love a man like you, Cole?" she asked gently, shaking her head and cradling his face in her hands. "Why would you think that?"

"There have been many times, Mel, especially in the last few days, where you have pushed me away."

"You said…" She shrugged. "I was trying to do the right thing."

"I love that about you, Mel," Cole told her with a smile. "You always try to do what is right."

"Well, I do my best." Mel shrugged. "Doesn't always work out like it should, though." She smiled wryly. "Otherwise I wouldn't have ended up naked in your lap this morning."

"I liked having you naked in my lap, Mel." He smiled. "We should do it again. This time when you are not upset."

Mel laughed, shaking her head. "You want me naked in your lap again?"

Cole smiled and nodded eagerly. "We could do it now," he suggested brightly.

Mel flushed, shaking her head. "Oh, Cole, I would love that, but I… really think that we need to… well, discuss some things before we do anything else…"

"Our relationship, Mel?" he guessed.

"Yeah." Mel nodded, pleased that he seemed to take this in stride.

"It's a good idea, Mel. I think you're right and it is important that we discuss our relationship. We should do that now."

"Good idea." Mel smiled lovingly up at him.

"And then you can sit naked in my lap again," he continued in a matter-of-fact voice, looking very pleased with himself.

Mel laughed, shaking her head. She looked up at Cole, smiling curiously down at her as if trying to figure out why his suggestion had her laughing. Finally she composed herself enough to shrug and nod.

"Sounds like a good idea, Cole," she told him, smiling. Her smile turned sly. "Although it's really not fair that I get to be naked and you have to wear clothes…" she added.

Cole's expression was speculative. "From what I understand of humans, Mel, that could lead to… other things." His expression was tentatively hopeful.

"Which would kind of be the point," Mel explained, laughing.

He grinned widely, nodding. "I like that idea, Mel."

"Me, too."

"We should have that discussion now, I think, Mel," he suggested. He bent to kiss her again, stopping when she held up her hand. "Yes, Mel?"

"Cole, Kitten can open and unlock doors," she pointed out.

Cole spent a few minutes trying to figure out what that had to do with anything, then smiled widely. He gave Mel a quick kiss on the tip of her cute little nose, then walked and closed the door. As Mel watched, laughing and shaking her head, he grabbed on to her dresser and pulled it in front of the door.

"Better Mel?" he asked, smiling proudly at his ingenuity.

Laughing too hard to speak, Mel just nodded. Cole smiled at her good humor and sat down next to her, wrapping his arms around her and just holding her close until her laughter died down.

"Have I mentioned how much I love you?" she chuckled, shaking her head and cuddling into him.

He smiled widely and nodded.

"So, I… guess we have some things to discuss," Mel said, taking a deep breath.

Cole nodded. "Think so, Mel. I'm not sure how long this conversation is going to take, but humans do require sleep and I wouldn't want you to be too tired to enjoy sitting in my lap." He considered for a moment, then smiled and scooped her up and into his lap. "This is better," he announced. "We can talk and you can sit in my lap."

"Um… sure." Mel shrugged.

Cole smiled slyly. "If you'd like, you can take your clothes off now, Mel," he offered. "I don't mind."

"We're never going to have this conversation if you keep making me laugh, Cole!" she protested, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face in his shoulder.

"You're right, Mel. We should discuss our relationship now. Later, we can discuss… other things."

She shook her head, laughing. That was her Cole all right.

Kitten lay curled up outside of Mel's bedroom door, listening to the conversation within and chuckling to herself. When spoken communication was abandoned in favor of unspoken cooperation, she returned to her new nest in the war-room, well pleased. It had taken her pets long enough to respond to her prodding, certainly, but it had been worth the wait.

Chuckling to herself, she began rearranging the nest, readying it. Now she could lay her clutch, secure in the knowledge that her offspring, when they hatched, would have little pets of their own to play with.

The End

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