Chapter Text
Growing Up
To say that Jemima loved her father would be an understatement.
She adored her father with all her heart. It was never an uncommon sight to see Munkustrap sitting on his father’s tire with his small kitten happily. curled up beside him.
To say that Munkustrap loved his daughter would be an understatement.
Jemima was Munkustrap’s entire world. The only other cats he loved as much as he loved his Jemima were his father and his brother. Jemima was everything to Munkustrap.
Since the day Munkustrap brought his daughter to the Junkyard, Tugger, Mistoffelees, Alonzo, and Cassandra were part of Jemima’s life. Unknown to Munkustrap, the four had met up after meeting Jemima, and had all agreed that Munkustrap would not go through raising Jemima alone.
They wouldn’t let him do it alone.
He wasn’t alone.
So Jemima grew up with her Uncle Tugs and her Uncle ‘Lonz arguing over who was the better uncle (though it was obviously her Uncle Misto because he made pretty sparkles appear whenever she asked) while her Auntie Cass simply rolled his eyes fondly and told Jemima stories of her home in Egypt, and the stories that humans from that country told to their own children.
And, of course, Jemima had her granddad.
Old Deuteronomy loved his granddaughter nearly as much as Munkustrap loved her. He loved how she could make his son’s eyes light up with just a smile and a hug, and the way that she brought happiness to the entire Junkyard with her laughter and bubbly personality.
Jemima was most definitely a blessing.
Learning
Munkustrap tried not to keep secrets from his daughter, wanting to be as truthful as possible with her.
The one secret that Munkustrap kept from Jemima was about Macavity, Demeter, and Anastasia.
Jemima was supposed to be asleep the night that Tugger and Alonzo met with Munkustrap. It was late, and the two toms were returning from patrol, but she had heart her uncles’ voices, and Jemima couldn’t help it. She jumped out of bed to run and greet Tugger and Alonzo, but paused when she heard Munkustrap.
“Any word?” the silver tabby asked.
“No. Jerrie and Teazer haven’t heard anything about Anastasia returning, and no one’s gotten anything about Demeter.” Tugger replied.
Jemima frowned slightly. She had no idea who this Demeter was, but she remembered hearing Jennyanydots whispering with Cassandra about the same name one afternoon while she was watching Jemima. The kitten peeked around the corner, eyes widening slightly when she saw her dad sitting down, his head in his paws.
“Why are you still looking for them, Straps?” Alonzo asked. “I mean, I understand Anastasia, but Demeter? She made her choice long ago, Straps. She chose Macavity.”
Munkustrap sighed. “I know. I guess I want to look for her for Jenny and Skimble’s sake. They deserve to have their daughters back.” He looked up at his friends, pain in his eyes. “Ana might be gone, but I have to try and find her. Jem deserves to know her mother. Ana wanted to be with her so badly, I have to try for both of them.”
Tugger placed a paw on his brother’s shoulder. “We get it, Munk, and we’re going to try to help.” Munkustrap gave him a thankful smile that the maine coon returned. Tugger’s eyes lifted away from his older brother, and he spotted Jemima, who was attempting to dart back behind the wall, and he couldn’t help but chuckle. “Poppy, what are you doing awake?”
“I heard you and Uncle ‘Lonz, and I wanted to say hi.” Jemima said quietly, looking down at her feet.
“Well then come say hi!” Alonzo said warmly, and Jemima beamed, rushing over to the older toms and hugging them both tightly, giggling when Tugger lifted her up, spinning her around.
Munkustrap chuckled. “Were you there the entire time, my precious flower?”
Jemima ducked her head down shyly as Tugger placed her back on the ground, nodding quickly. Munkustrap pulled her into his arms, hugging her close.
“We’ll head out.” Alonzo said softly.
Tugger kissed his niece’s head and rubbed his shoulder against his brother’s in farewell. “Night, Munk. Night, Poppy!”
Munkustrap gave both toms a friendly nod as they left the den before returning his attention to the kitten in his arms.
“How much did you hear, Jem?” he asked softly.
Jemima looked up at her dad curiously. “Who’s Demeter? And why were you talking about looking for my mommy?”
Munkustrap sighed, standing with Jemima in his arms, and walking back to her bedroom, settling her down on her bed and surrounding her with warm pillows and blankets.
“Demeter is the name of a queen who was once one of my best friends. “Munkustrap began. “She and her sister were Jennyanydots and Skimbleshanks’ daughters. However, a few years ago, they left with a very bad tom named Macavity, and no one’s heard from them ever since.” Jemima listened, enraptured by the story. “When we were kittens together, I had a very big crush on Demeter, and as we grew up, I realized that I loved her very much. Uncle Tugs was very close with Demeter’s sister, Bombalurina, and they were attached at the hip. When she chose to leave the tribe with Macavity and Bombalurina, it hurt me very much, and it broke Uncle Tugs’ heart, but I still want to find them for Jenny and Skimble, because they both miss their daughters very much.”
“Do you still love Demeter?” Jemima asked curiously, looking at her dad.
Munkustrap was quiet for a minute. “I think I do, very deep down. You don’t stop loving someone out of the blue.” He took a moment, preparing himself for the explanation to Jemima’s second question. “Now, your mommy was a very wonderful, special queen named Anastasia. I met her a little while after everything happened, and she was very kind and loving towards me. I began to visit her in Victoria Grove, and we both fell in love with each other. When your mommy told me she was pregnant with you, that was the happiest day of my life.” Munkustrap reached out, tickling Jemima lightly and making her squirm and giggle. “She wanted to leave her humans behind and join the Jellicles, and we were going to. But the day she gave birth to you, her humans decided it would be best if they moved, taking her with them. I keep looking for her because I know how much she loves you, and how dearly she wanted to meet you.”
Jemima nuzzled against Munkustrap. “Do you think she’ll come back, Daddy?”
“I don’t know, flower. She’s probably very far away at this point because her humans took her.” Munkustrap said softly.
“But we have each other, right?” Jemima asked with wide eyes. Munkustrap chuckled, nodding. “And Uncle Tugs has Uncle Misto now, so he’s not sad?”
“Yes, my precious flower.” The silver tabby said. He noticed his daughter’s frown, and bit back a smile. “What’s the matter?”
Jemima pulled back from her dad, crossing her arms. “If she loved you, why did she leave? She hurt you! And Uncle Tugs was hurt!”
Munkustrap wrapped his arms tightly around his daughter, holding her close. “I can’t tell you, flower. But all I know is that we’re happy now. We have each other, and that’s all that matters.” Jemima nodded, cuddling close to Munkustrap.
“I love you, Daddy.” She said, and Munkustrap nuzzled her head.
“I love you too, my precious flower.”
Return
Jemima hummed to herself as she walked through the Junkyard. Munkustrap was meeting with his father and brother, Mistoffelees was visiting his uncle, and Alonzo and Cassandra were at their human’s house.
So, naturally, Jemima was exploring.
She was near the edge of the Junkyard when she saw them.
Two queens, one gold and one red, looking around with wide eyes.
Jemima began to step away, intent on going to find one of her uncles or her dad, but the queens spotted her, and moved towards her.
“Excuse us, is this where the Jellicles still live?” the gold queen asked in a quiet voice. Jemima nodded, staying silent.
The red queen placed a paw on her companion’s shoulder. “Does a queen named Jennyanydots still live near here?” Jemima nodded again, and the two queens looked at each other with relief in their eyes. “Can you please take us to her?”
“Jemima?” The red and black kitten had never been happier to hear her uncle’s voice. “Poppy, where did you run off to?”
“I’m over here!” Jemima called, not taking her eyes off the queens.
Tugger came into sight, an easy smile on his face. “You know, your dad used to wander off just like this, and we’d find him in the… strangest…” Upon seeing the two queens, Tugger trailed off, staring at them.
“Hello, Tugger.” The gold queen said.
“Poppy, come here.” Tugger said, his voice firm, and Jemima wasted no time in going to her uncle’s side, stepping behind him as he wrapped his tail around her protectively. “What are you two doing here?”
The red queen narrowed her eyes at Tugger’s tone. “We escaped Macavity. He’s controlled us for long enough.”
“Who are they, Uncle Tugs?” Jemima asked quietly, peeking around Tugger’s side at the queens.
Tugger looked down at her. “Demeter and Bombalurina.” Jemima’s eyes widened slightly, and she moved closer to Tugger, ears pinned back. The maine coon looked back at the two queens. “Why should we trust you? You’ve been gone for years with him. How do we know this isn’t a trap?”
“Do you really think we would do that?” Bombalurina asked sharply. “You know us, Tugger!”
Tugger’s eyes narrowed. “Do I?”
“Please, Tugger.” Demeter said, her voice barely above a whisper. “It’s not a trap.”
Tugger tensed, but he turned, wrapping an arm around Jemima’s shoulders. “Fine.”
“Who’s the kitten?” Bombalurina asked as she and her sister followed the two back towards the main stage area.
Jemima looked up at Tugger, who gave her a small smile. She kept her eyes forward, not looking back at the strangers. “My name’s Jemima.”
They reached the main stage area, where most of the other Jellicles were gathered, talking, the other kittens playing and laughing with each other.
“We’ve got guests.” Tugger announced, making the others look up. Jennyanydots let out a small cry when she saw her daughters, rushing forward and pulling them both into her arms, hugging them tightly.
Munkustrap approached his brother, and Jemima latched onto her dad, the silver tabby keeping a protective grasp on her. “Where were they?”
“They were talking to Jemima near the outskirts.” Tugger explained.
“I was walking around and I met them.” Jemima said softly. Munkustrap looked at her, concern in his eyes.
“Are you okay, flower?” he asked. The black and red kitten nodded, and Munkustrap sighed heavily as Jennyanydots stepped away her daughters. He stepped forward, patting Tugger’s shoulder. “We’ll have Mistoffelees check you two over for any sign of spells or magic.”
Jennyanydots’ face fell slightly. “Is that necessary, Munk?”
Munkustrap nodded. “I’m sorry, Jenny, but we can’t be too careful. The safety of the tribe comes first.” The tabby queen nodded in understanding, and Demeter looked at Munkustrap with a small, shy smile. The tom avoided her eyes, and held out his paw. Instantly, Jemima was at his side, grabbing onto his paw as he walked them back towards their den, Tugger stepping forward to talk to the rest of the Jellicles.
“What are we going to do, Daddy?” Jemima asked as they entered their den.
Munkustrap took a breath as soon as they were out of sight, relaxing just a bit. “What do you mean, flower?”
“Well, they’re back, and now you’re sad again.” Jemima said quietly, making Munkustrap laugh slightly.
“I’m not sad, flower. I’m just scared.” He replied gently. “I just don’t want anyone to get hurt again.”
Jemima straightened, holding onto her dad’s paws. “Then we just have to make sure everyone’s protected!”
Munkustrap couldn’t help but chuckle, and he lifted his daughter into his arms, hugging her tightly.
“That’s what we’ll do, flower.”
Hesitance
Jemima wasn’t trying to be mean.
She was just scared.
Both Jennyanydots and Skimbleshanks had immediately changed because of Demeter and Bombalurina’s arrival. They were happier, smiling more, and Jennyanydots could be heard singing in her den during the day.
Jemima was elated that the two Jellicles were happier, but there was just something that made the kitten uneasy.
She knew that the gold queen kept trying to approach her within the first few weeks of her arrival in the Junkyard, but she would always be stopped by Tugger, Mistoffelees, Alonzo, or Cassandra coming in to either talk to Jemima or take her away. The four adults were just as hesitant as Jemima was around the two sisters, refusing to be alone around them, and keeping a closer eye on the Junkyard.
As time went on, of course, the Jellicles began to grow more comfortable around the two queens, and they settled back into their regular routine.
Except for Jemima.
Which was why Munkustrap sat down with his daughter in the privacy of their den to talk to her.
“What’s wrong, flower?” the silver tabby asked.
Jemima cocked her head. “What do you mean, Daddy?”
Munkustrap laughed slightly, taking the kitten’s paws on his own and looking at her intently. “Jemima, flower, I know you. You’ve been very quiet, and you’re not yourself.” Jemima looked down at the ground, and Munkustrap sighed. “Is it because Demeter and Bombalurina have come back?”
Jemima nodded briefly, knowing she couldn’t hide anything from her dad.
“I’m trying, Daddy, I really am. Miss Demeter seems nice, but…” Jemima trailed off, but her grip on Munkustrap’s paws tightened. She didn’t want to say what she was thinking; she was angry at Demeter for breaking her dad’s heart, for abandoning him in the Junkyard with a burden on his shoulders that was too much for one cat. But Jemima was not just angry. She was terrified. Munkustrap still loved Demeter, Jemima knew this. She was terrified that once her dad got close to Demeter, she would fall to the side.
After all, she wouldn’t be Demeter’s daughter.
She was just a reminder of another broken heart.
“Jemima, you listen to me, and you listen good.” Munkustrap said, his voice firm. He grasped his daughter’s chin gently, and tilted her face up. “I love you, my precious flower. I love you more than anything in this world. You are everything to me. Yes, Demeter and Bombalurina are home. Yes, I still have feelings for Demeter. However, you will always be my number one queen.” Jemima’s eyes filled with tears, and Munkustrap pulled her into his arms, hugging her as tightly as he could. “Nothing on Earth or in the Heaviside Layer could ever replace you, my precious flower.”
Jemima clung to Munkustrap, nuzzling into his fur. “I love you too, Daddy.”
The father and daughter sat cuddled together for the rest of the night, Munkustrap telling Jemima stories and singing to her softly, smiles on their faces.
When Munkustrap and Demeter did begin to resume their hesitant relationship, the silver tabby told the gold queen the same words he had told his daughter.
“I still have feelings for you, Demeter, but Jemima will always be my number one priority.” He told her, his eyes glancing across the Junkyard to where Jemima was being entertained by Mistoffelees’ sparkles. “She is my entire world.”
Demeter had simply given him a knowing smile that made Munkustrap relax, and Jemima had bounded over to her dad happily, latching onto his side and smiling shyly at Demeter, and all three knew that things would change, but they would change for the better.
They would be a family.