Asparagus Jr., called AJ for short, was walking past the forest when the all-too-sweet smell of catnip reached his nostrils. As he stood there inhaling it, the sound of two queens snoring reached his ears. He cautiously followed the sound to the catnip patch. Sprawled in the middle of the patch were Jellylorum and Jennyanydots. Resisting the urge to nibble a few leaves, he picked up Jennyanydots and carried her to the Junkyard. A sobered-up Skimbleshanks took her to their car trunk, thanking AJ profusely. AJ then returned to the catnip patch as Jellylorum woke up. "AJ. Howya doin'?" Jellylorum asked, her speech slurred.

"More sober than you," he answered as he helped her up. "Let's get you back to the Junkyard before your brother starts to worry."

"But I don' wanna," she whined, dragging her paws.

"Tough patooties," he answered, still dragging her along.

She started to giggle. "Tha's funny."

"What is?" AJ gave up all pretense of dignity and boosted her up so that she was draped over his shoulder.

"Tough patooties," she giggled again. "You've got a nice rear end, y'know that?"

"No, I didn't," AJ entered the Junkyard and set Jellylorum on her feet to preserve her dignity. "Almost home."

"I don' wanna go home," she complained. "Home is cold and lonely."

"How about if I keep you company?" AJ suggested as he helped her to her tidy little flat behind the tire.

"Tha's fine," she slurred as he laid her down on her cushion. "I like you, AJ."

"I like you, too," AJ settled down to keep Jellylorum company.

[In keeping with the prequel to this story, we will now take a commercial break.]

a small, slender girl with long blonde hair and blue eyes enters wearing black jeans, dark blue Docs, a black trenchcoat that reaches the ground and a black fedora. She stands off to the side. Another, taller girl with curly red hair and green eyes enters, carrying a book and reading from it.

Second girl: Quoth the raven...

First Girl: ...nevermore.

Third Girl: from offstage Leave me alone!

First Girl: Who asked you?

Third Girl: enters. She is shorter than the first, about as skinny with short brown hair and blue eyes. Like the second girl, she is dressed in jeans, T-shirt and sneakers Nobody.

First Girl: Then shut up.

Third Girl: No! La la la la.

First Girl: David!!

a tall, skinny boy with blonde hair, green eyes and wearing jeans, T-shirt and sneakers enters

David: You yelled?

First Girl: Get her out of here. gestures at Third Girl

David: shrugs Okay. picks her up and carries her offstage

First Girl: turns to Second Girl Shall we continue?

Second Girl: Quoth the raven...

First Girl: ...nevermore.

Fourth Girl: from offstage Eat my shorts!

First Girl: David!!

[Back to the story.]

AJ woke with a start to find Jellylorum gone from her cushion. He scrambled up and began to follow her half-hour-old scent. It led straight back to the catnip patch. With a sigh, he hauled her over his shoulders and carried her back to the Junkyard. By this time, he was getting pretty good at toting her around. He'd always admired her: so calm, mature and responsible, but the catnip was making her throw all that out the window, not to mention her inhibitions. "Hey, wha's goin' on?"

"Nothing, Jelly," he told her as he lowered her to her cushion. "You just need to rest."

"No I don'," she protested. "I need you."

"What do you mean?" AJ was surprised at her drunken confession.

"I love you," she told him and passed out.

Throughout the rest of the night, he sat watching her, pondering her words. Just before dawn, through a silence you feel you could cut with a knife, he fell asleep.

"Jelly?" AJ's inquiring voice reached her ears.

"What?" Jellylorum mumbled.

"Jelly, wake up," he shook her shoulder.

"No," she put her paws over eyes.

"C'mon, wake up," he shook her again.

"All right, all right, I'm up," she sat up too fast. "Whoa," she clutched her stomach. "That didn't go too well."

"It'll pass," he rubbed her back with a comforting paw.

"I suppose you're right," she slowly got to her feet. "Ooh," she put one paw over her mouth and the other across her stomach.

"C'mon, let's get you somewhere where the mess won't be noticable," AJ helped her out of her flat. Just in time, for her stomach rebelled and she vomited just outside the entrance. AJ sympathetically rubbed her back with circular motions as all her stomach's contents ended up on the ground. "You okay?"

"I will be as soon as I get some water," she told him as he helped her inside.

"I'll go get some," he left.

Jellylorum sank onto her cushion, her stomach still queasy. As she waited for AJ to return with the water, she tried to remember everything that had happened the day and night before. She and Jennyanydots had gone to get 'nipped. They'd both passed out and then she'd found AJ helping her home. Falling asleep on her cushion. Waking up and going back to get 'nipped some more. Finding herself draped over AJ's shoulders. Him saying that she needed rest and her answering...that she needed...Oh, no! She sat up so quickly that her head spun and she sank back down onto the cushion with a moan. She couldn't have told him that! Could she? There was only one thing to do. Ask him what she'd said.

"Hello, AJ," Jennyanydots answered, her hangover almost gone.

"Jellylorum just tossed her cookies and she needs some water," AJ told her.

"Is she okay?" Jennyanydots asked worriedly as she filled a small flask with fresh water.

"Yes, just a hangover. Thanks for the water," AJ took the flask and returned to Jellylorum's flat. "Jelly, I'm back."

"Hi, AJ," she accepted the flask he handed her. "Thanks," she drank the whole flask. "I needed that."

"Good," he sat down nearby as she set the flask aside.

"AJ, can I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"What exactly did I say when I was 'nipped?"

"Second or first time?"

"Second."

"You said, 'Hey wha's goin' on?'," he did a passable imitation of her drunken slur, causing her to giggle in spite of herself. "I said nothing, just that you needed rest," he shifted nervously. "Then you said, 'No I don'. I need you," the words were a bit difficult to say. "I asked what you meant and you said 'I love you' and passed out."

Jellylorum struggled to control herself. "That's it?"

"That's it," he answered, looking anywhere but at her. "May I ask you a question?"

"Of course," she answered.

"Did you mean what you said?"

"About what?"

"About needing and loving me."

She sighed, "Yes."

He whooped. She winced as it increased the pounding in her head. "Sorry," he knelt in front of her. "Jellylorum, I've liked you ever since I've met you, but I realized as I sat with you last night that I love you."

"Really?" AJ nodded. "Thank you!" Jellylorum threw herself into his arms and he gladly held her close.

"Jellylorum?"

"Yes?"

"Will you be my mate?"

"Of course I will, Asparagus Junior."

"Happy day!" AJ and Jellylorum shared a kiss and more.