Series: Is it Love?
  Title: One Who Cares
  David Noble
  Dnoble49@hotmail.com
  
  
  T-Bone is going to have a hard time figuring out which she-kat he
  really loves. I thought that his she-kat should be a lady in distress
  and here it is. Don't worry Jennifer; I'll make up for you. Just a
  note that Celine, Roland, Diego, Snake Eyes, and Judge Carolyn are my
  characters. 
  
  
  The next day after Roland's discovery of the black market, the owners who
  had tried to avoid the Enforcers waited until Feral left. The Enforcers were
  hauling out stolen property and much military weaponry, including defense
  secrets.  
  
  "Looks like this place is cleaned out! Set this place up for lease," he
  ordered Richard.
  
  "Yes sir." 
  
  After Feral and the Enforcers left, they confronted a slender she-kat named
  Celine who walked by. The black market was once a warehouse owned by her.
  They had stolen it from her and threatened her if she ever told a living
  soul. One of them seized her by the arm.
  
  "What's the idea of telling the Enforcers about our secret *pawn* shop,
  Celine?" he demanded. 
  
  She slapped him in the face.  "Leave me alone! I didn't tell anyone!" she
  said. 
  
  Another pulled out his knife and put it to her breast.  "Perhaps you might
  start telling the truth, if one of your nine lives depended on it now!" he
  said. 
  
  Meanwhile T-Bone was on patrol and saw the assault on radar. 
  
  "I'd better check it out," he said and landed the Turbokat close by. As he
  sneaked up close behind, the tomkat was ready to cut her throat. 
  
  "Say good-bye, sweetheart!" he said. 
  
  As T-Bone ran up to him, the other kats took out their knives and blocked
  his way.
  
  "Who said this was your fight, SWAT Kat!" one of them demanded. 
  
  T-Bone took him by the leg and tipped him, making him fall flat on his back.
  The other kats grabbed T-Bone and one of them thrust his knife into his
  side. T-Bone cried out and elbowed him in the ribs. 
  
  "Why is it every time I save a tail, I end up getting hurt?" he complained. 
  
  The last one confronting him held a gun to his right eye.
  
  "Oh, I can put you out of your misery soon enough," he said. 
  
  Celine kicked the murderer who was holding the knife to her throat in the
  groin and grabbed the one threatening T-Bone on the arm. He closed his fist
  and socked her right on the cheekbone. She fell unconscious. 
  
  T-Bone growled and seized the tomkat by his coat.
  
  "Hey sucker, you don't treat a lady like that!" he tossed the kat over like
  a sack of potatoes. 
  
  The other tom kats were getting up on their knees and T-Bone took two of
  them and made a gesture to the other two to bash their heads together.
  
  "Alright you guys! Any of you want some more of T-Bone or shall I tell the
  Enforcers that I found the jerks who ran the joint?" 
  
  They shook their heads and ran off, more scared of him calling the
  Enforcers.
  
  "Good," he said and helped Celine up.
  
  "Thanks for helping me," she said.
  
  "No problem, except for my bleeding side. By the way, why did they try to
  kill ya?" T-Bone asked. 
  
  "This place was my warehouse until those guys came along and threatened me
  and my associates. They sold my merchandise and claimed it was their place.
  They must be working with different black market dealers around the
  country," she explained. 
  
  T-Bone felt sympathy for her.  "That's too bad. Listen, you shouldn't be
  running businesses around these parts, ma'am. Crime is really getting bad.
  Listen, do you need a ride home?" 
  
  Celine smiled and shook her head.  "No thanks. I walk home," she said. 
  
  T-Bone watched her walk away and called her.  "Excuse me, but what's your
  name?" 
  
  She stopped and looked back at him.  "Why do you want to know my name?" she
  asked curiously. 
  
  "I hope it doesn't hurt asking," he said. 
  
  She smiled.  "Well you saved me, so I should tell you. It's Celine."
  
  "Well, good bye, Celine. I hope I should see you again." 
  
  She turned to look at him again.  "Perhaps. Good night." 
  
  T-Bone felt heavy that she did not feel like conversing much.
  
  "I really like her. I should've asked her for her number," he thought and
  hopped back into the Turbokat. 
  
  Then, his past girlfriend Jennifer rode by. T-Bone hopped out to meet her.
  Jennifer landed her jet and went over to embrace him.
  
  "Jennifer, I've really missed you," T-Bone said. 
  
  Jennifer released him from her hug and looked at him sadly.  "I wish we
  could have met more often. Who was that she-kat you helped out?" 
  
  T-Bone became speechless and tried to think up an answer to keep her envy
  from exploding. Jennifer felt that Chance no longer had an open heart for
  her. 
  
  "Just some she-kat who needed help. She's alright now though," T-Bone said.
  
  "Hey, T-Bone, here's something I've wanted to ask you. I know we haven't
  spoken to each other for a long time."
  
  "Yeah? Is it concerning our past relationship?" T-Bone felt a bit ashamed
  since he started to recall his Enforcer days with her. T-Bone took her
  gently by the hand.
  
  "Do you still love me?" Jennifer's happy memories seemed to hurt her more,
  since she started to think that her old boyfriend was falling in love with
  another. Celine looked back as she saw Jennifer and T-Bone.
  
  "I'd better leave him alone. He looks like he's happy with her," she said
  softly as she walked away. 
  
  T-Bone was so emotionally crushed that he let go and walked back to his jet. 
  
  Jennifer's eyes filled with tears as he drove away. "I just wanted to tell
  him that he can love her if he wants. Why didn't I see him more often?"
  Jennifer sobbed and buried her face in her hands. 
  
  T-Bone felt the same bitterness.
  
  "Crud! I should have been with her more often. We've forgotten about each
  other!" T-Bone growled. He was angry with himself for neglecting Jennifer.
  "I'm glad that this time I didn't talk about love with Celine!"
  
  *********
  
  During the following morning, Razor sat up in his bed in a hospital room and
  saw a bandage placed on his chest. He tried to peel it off, but a nurse
  entered the room and gently restrained him. 
  
  "Don't do that, honey. You got a third degree burn and it needs to heal,"
  she said, placing his breakfast tray on his lap.
  
  "How long until I can get out of here?" he asked. 
  
  "The doctor said in about four more days, starting today."
  
  "Four days? Good grief, these doctors are so insistent!" Razor complained.
  
  "Oh, it's not long," the nurse replied as she headed out. 
  
  Razor called her back.  "Oh, ma'am! Tell the doctor never to remove my mask,
  ok?" 
  
  "Don't worry. He'll respect your secret identity. And by the way, your
  friends T-Bone and Phurranha are here to see you."
  
  "Thanks." 
  
  Razor wished he could have seen Diego being defeated. T-Bone had told him
  the story about how Roland disabled him. "I think Feral's very proud of
  him," he thought. 
  
  T-Bone and Phurranha entered the room and stood by Razor.
  
  "How's the burn, buddy? Is it getting better?" T-Bone asked.
  
  "Well, the cream for the tissues is helping to take away the sting a bit.
  How's Phurranha?" Razor asked, looking at Phurranha's right arm in a sling.
  
  "It's slowly healing," he said. 
  
  T-Bone took Razor by the paw with both of his paws and gave it a light
  squeeze.   "I'm sorry that you haven't been with me to kick some tail," he
  said. 
  
  "You look like raw meat, partner," Razor said, looking at how T-Bone was
  touching his side and the bruises on his face.
  
  "Yeah. I saved a damsel in distress last night from the owners of the black
  market. They stole her business and made it their hideout."
  
  "Just like those guys did to our hangar," Phurranha pointed out sadly. 
  
  T-Bone put his paw on his shoulder.  "Uh huh. Well that was a long time ago.
  As long as we three are together, that's all that counts," he said.
  
  "You might want to tell me about this damsel in distress?" Razor coyly asked
  and Phurranha giggled. 
  
  T-Bone became annoyed.  "I'd rather not talk about it. I'm in enough trouble
  with Jennifer as is!"
  
  "I see. Look, I made a mistake telling her that you would be loose. This is
  the second time I wish I wasn't right," Razor said remorsefully. 
  
  T-Bone took Razor in his arms and embraced him.  "We're not perfect, buddy.
  I'm afraid my strength cannot pull back the good times I had with your
  sister. I'll see you later."
  
  "Bye, buddies, and give my regards to Roland for me." Razor said.
  
  "We sure will. That kid's quite an Enforcer. I wish he was my son," T-Bone
  said with a smile and left with Phurranha. 
  
  Felicia entered the room with roses and kissed Razor on the cheek. 
   
  "Love you, Razor. I pray that you will be fighting again soon," she said,
  placing the roses next to him. 
  
  "Thanks Felicia. Are you still in the force?" Razor asked. 
  
  "I sure am. I have mastered my gunning and scanning job well. I suppose I've
  been inspired by your skills." 
  
  "Deeply honored. How's my sister, Jennifer?" 
  
  "She's been a bit upset lately. She wouldn't tell me why."
  
  "I'm sad to hear about it. I really feel sorry for my sister."
  
  "What's wrong?"
  
  "My pal said that he fell in love with the she-kat he rescued last night."
  
  "That's terrible. I'll try talking to Chance about it."
  
  "No, leave him alone. The least he needs is to more frustrated."
  
  "Alright, Razor. I'll let the three of them handle it and try to comfort
  Jennifer in the meantime."
  
  "But, I hope that our relationship never changes," Razor said, taking her by
  the hand. 
  
  Felicia looked into his face with a glowing expression. "That's up to you." 
  
  Razor felt that she would the right she-kat for him, but was a bit nervous
  to confess it. Felicia felt the same way and waited for the right time to
  say 'Yes' to him.
  
  *********
  
  The four black market owners joined a successful four-kat gang called the
  Iron Claw group and were greatly appreciated because of their skills at
  selling stolen weapon files. 
  
  "You look like just the types who could fit in. Alright, you're in," the
  leader named Snake Eyes said, chewing and spitting tobacco. 
  
  "First of all, there's a she-kat who we need to talk sense into. I don't
  want her telling the Enforcers about our prior business," one of the kats
  explained. 
  
  "I can see that. Show me where she lives," Snake Eyes said.  
  
  They hopped upon their motorcycles with the new members on the backseats and
  drove over to Celine's house. She heard knocking on the door and answered
  it. Her tormenters entered.
  
  "What do you guys want? Please go!" 
  
  Snake Eyes walked up to her.  "We just want a little help, miss," he said. 
  
  Celine was scared and wished she had the number of the SWAT Kat who saved
  her. She picked up her phone and tried to dial, but Snake Eyes grabbed the
  wires from the wall.
  
  "You're not calling anyone!" he growled and cuffed her mouth and turned to
  one of his associates. "This house is cold.  Light it up a little!" he
  ordered.
  
  "With pleasure," the associate said and put his lighter to a rug. 
  
  Celine screamed as she watched her place become a blazing inferno. The gang
  dragged her out and tied her hands and feet in front of her. 
  
  As they rode off, T-Bone and Roland were on patrol.
  
  "T-Bone, we've got a house on fire on Broadway Avenue," Roland said.
  
  "Roger that!" T-Bone said and landed the Turbokat. He used the water cannon
  from his glovatrix and quenched the fire. The walls were still intact, but
  badly charred. He saw a picture frame on a table. 
  
  "This must have been Celine's house!" he said and held the frame to his
  chest.  
  
  Roland walked in and grabbed T-Bone by the arm.  "Come on, I just got a call
  from my uncle that eight criminal scum are sneaking over to the Enforcer
  weaponry warehouse."
  
  "I'm coming." T-Bone put the picture in his suit and left.
  
  *********
  
  At the warehouse, the Enforcers surrounded the hoods.  
  
  Felina came in front of them. "Stay where you are, you scum and let the girl
  go!" she shouted, pointing her magnum at Snake Eyes. 
  
  "We're just here for a little trade!" he said. 
  
  "No, you're not! Enforcers - ready your weapons!" 
  
  The other thieves took out their pistols and fired, hitting several
  Enforcers. Bullets from the Enforcers' guns went blasting out, which got
  five of the villains, nearly hitting Celine.  
  
  "Wait, you guys, stop firing - you might hit the girl!" Felina said to the
  Enforcers. 
  
  Snake Eyes sneered and clasped Celine by the neck.
  
  "You hit some of my crew and you lose an innocent citizen!" he hissed,
  holding a knife to her stomach. 
  
  Felina approached him sternly, but calmly with a pair of cuffs. She saw
  Roland and T-Bone with Phurranha land their crafts on top of the
  warehouse.
  
  "Now, stop it. Let her go and come with me!" she calmly ordered. 
  
  Snake Eyes snapped for his remaining followers to take Felina.  "Fellows,
  get her too. I've got two captives for ransom." 
  
  Felina fought off two of the villains approaching her, but the third knocked
  Felina on the neck with his pistol.  Snake Eyes readied the point to sink
  down into Celine's chest. T-Bone squeezed his eyes and landed his foot in
  Snake Eye's cheek. Phurranha gave the third villain a kick in the stomach.
  
  "It's that meddling SWAT Kat from last night!" the second villain said and
  charged at T-Bone with a knife. 
  
  Roland grabbed him by the collar and swung him over on his back.
  
  "Thanks Roland, but I think I could have managed him myself," T-Bone said.
  
  "Just saving you another slice. You said you're tired of being hurt almost
  every time you save someone, right?"
  
  "Oh right." T-Bone tackled Snake Eyes and took out his nails. Then, he
  pinned him on his back and pointed one to his left eye. "Your name is going
  to be one eye in a minute, mister!" he growled. 
  
  Snake Eyes held T-Bone's wrist tightly and pulled out his nails.  "Get off
  me, sucker!" 
  
  Celine took one of the magnums from one of the wounded Enforcers and held it
  to Snake Eye's head.  "Get away from him or I'll blow you're head off!" she
  ordered. 
  
  Snake Eyes turned and slapped her in the face.
  
  "You're gonna tell me what to do, bitch?" he shouted. 
  
  T-Bone hit Snake Eyes in the back with a mini-rocket from his glovatrix. 
  "I'm gonna chain you down, you jerk, and kick you in the ribs until you're
  nothing but pulp!" T-Bone said, shaking him by his shirt. 
  
  Felina got up and patted T-Bone on the shoulder.  "Thanks, T-Bone, but we
  can do without the physical threats. I'll take him from here," she said and
  cuffed him. 
  
  The other two villains tried to get up and escape, but Phurranha gave one an
  electric shock with his staff. Roland grabbed the other with the whip and
  gave him a bone-crushing squeeze with his right arm until he gave out. 
  
  Feral came by and cuffed the criminals.
  
  "Thanks Roland," Feral said and looked at Phurranha. "Who are you, another
  vigilante?" he demanded pointing his finger at his chest. T-Bone walked up
  between them.
  
  "Lay off him, Feral! He's my friend!" T-Bone said, wrapping his arm around
  Phurranha.
  
  "Oh, sorry, SWAT Kat," Feral said. 
  
  T-Bone saw that Phurranha had taken his sling off.  "Ya know, you should've
  left it on. It still hurts."
  
  "Oh, I don't feel much pain anymore." 
  
  T-Bone shrugged while Phurranha walked over to Felina.  "How's that neck?"
  he asked, rubbing it. 
  
  Felina smiled.  "It's feeling better already. Thanks for helping me,
  Phurranha. Come here." She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him
  on the cheek and went to helping the wounded Enforcers to the ambulances
  that were waiting. 
  
  Phurranha felt his cheek and Feral went up to him.
  
  "You stay away from my niece. I don't want her fooling around with a SWAT
  Kat." 
  
  Phurranha growled and pointed his staff at Feral.  "Shut your face! I didn't
  do anything offensive!" he said in an Italian accent. 
  
  Feral put his paws up and backed off.  "You sound familiar like Tipo," Feral
  said. 
  
  T-Bone went up and stopped the quarrel.  "Come on, Phurranha. Let's not
  fight with the big boss chief," he said. 
  
  Feral sneered as he watched both of them walk off.
  
  "Smart mouths! I don't like the idea of Felina being in love with that
  adego!" he growled under his breath. 
  
  Roland took Phurranha back to his sub.  "Don't stress out about my uncle,
  ok? He's harmless to vigilantes, really," Roland said.
  
  "Right. He's harmless as a sack of bricks. And, don't call me vigilante."
  
  "Ok, sorry."
  
  T-Bone helped bring all the wounded kats into the ambulance, even the ones
  he fought with.  Finally, he went over to Celine. 
  
  "Celine, can I give you a ride home?" he asked. Then, he remembered his
  problem with Jennifer and said. "Or if you'd rather walk, that's fine with
  me," he walked back to his jet. 
  
  Then, Jennifer ran up and put her hand on T-Bone's shoulder. He calmly
  pushed it off. "You don't want me I know. I know you're mad as hell at me
  and I know I deserve for you to hate me!"
  
  "There's something I want to tell you. Please listen to me." 
  
  T-Bone gave in and listened patiently. 
  
  "I'm willing to let you go. I didn't show much intimacy in our love."
  
  "I guess abandonment causes changed affections." 
  
  "If you're happy with her, run to her. Just stay my closest friend, please.
  It would kill me if you'd forgotten all about me." 
  
  T-Bone clasped Jennifer tightly to his chest.  "Always, my first true love!"
  
  
  Jennifer kissed him on the cheek. 
  
  Celine started to feel glum and walk away.
  
  "Hey wait up. I know how you feel," Jennifer called to her.
  
  "It's ok.  I want you two to have the best relationship there was." Celine
  said.
  
  "I want to give that same regard to you and him! I was his girlfriend, but I
  know that he's happy with you!"
  
  "Are you serious? Please, I'd never want to ruin a relationship with you."
  
  "We already have a strong relationship as friends. I know that you really
  want him and I'm willing to make a sacrifice for you two." Celine was very
  reluctant to believe her.
  
  "I don't think you know what you're doing." Jennifer gently stroked her on
  the cheek. 
  
  "Go on. He's waiting for you." She gently pushed Celine over to T-Bone. 
  
  However, Celine wanted to give herself a lot of time before she would start
  having a personal relationship with T-Bone. T-Bone was willing to wait. He
  took her home. 
  
  She gasped as she saw her place burned up. "Oh my god. That was my house!"
  
  "Yeah, and I found this picture frame." T-Bone took out the picture from his
  vest and gave it to her. 
  
  Celine sighed.  "What am I going to do now? I don't have a job and I can't
  live on house insurance for long," she asked. 
  
  "I have a deputy friend who might help. Her name is Callie Briggs." T-Bone
  wanted to be as generous as possible and tried hard not to be controlled by
  his feelings for her.
  
  "Thanks for all your help. Listen, why are you doing this for me?" 
  
  T-Bone put his paw on her cheek.  "Because I care about you." 
  
  Celine was so moved by the saying 'I care about you'. 
  
  "I've never had a tom-kat who really cared about me. My dad never really
  understood me. I had a boyfriend once, but I was tricked when I found out he
  already had a girl, just like you." She looked up at T-Bone's eyes and took
  him by the paw. "Thanks for your consideration."
  
  T-Bone smiled and hoisted her up and took her back to the Turbokat. "My
  pleasure, Celine. And a lucky thing too that this time I didn't get cut or
  bruised saving you."
  
  As he drove her over to the deputy mayor's place, he looked back at her and
  smiled. "She's a nice she-kat. I don't want to make any assumption about any
  relationship yet, though. We hardly met, but give it some time," he thought. 
  
  Celine thought the same thing. They both remained silent for the rest of the
  trip, but felt that they had become friends and that the relationship would
  last.
  
  THE END