Parts 26

Cheetara slept somewhat peacefully in her bedroom. Tygra was watching her and discovered that she experienced a fainting spell after using her psychic powers. Lion-O was looking more concerned as he sat in a chair next to her bed, watching her. Tygra was growing more jealous and angry with the young lord, but knew that he had to keep his cool in order for the next plan he conjured up with Leela to work. Leela entered. She saw the look on her husband had while looking at Cheetara. She was growing jealous and angry as Tygra. Instead of showing her true feelings, she decided to play it smooth.

"How is she?" Leela asked as she stood by Lion-O.

"She's fine. She was so weak from losing her powers that she passed out." Tygra answered.

"Why exactly did she pass out like that? Does it happen whenever she uses her special powers?" Leela asked.

"I'll answer your second question first. Whenever Cheetara uses her psychic powers, it drains her energy, but I have never seen her powers take this much of her strength before. Whatever Cheetara saw must have been so shocking that it disturbed Cheetara, breaking her out of her trance too early. WilyKit's outburst also contributed to it, which is why you shouldn't talk whenever Cheetara goes under her trances." Tygra explained.

"I wonder what she saw." Leela thought aloud. I'm more interested if Panthro was involved in it somehow. Leela thought.

WilyKit paced back and forth in her room. WilyKat was in there with her trying to calm her down. Ever since they left the control room, she kept trying to leave and he kept stopping her.

"How could she lie to us, WilyKat? Why would she do that to us?" WilyKit asked her brother.

"I don't know, sis, but it's not going to do you any good pacing like this. Vasa probably has a good reason for not telling us."

"Oh, really, and what would that be?"

"Maybe she wanted to protect us from the truth." WilyKat answered.

"Yeah, and I can't wait until tomorrow to find out. I'm going to see her tonight and if she doesn't tell us, then I'll have to force it out of her." WilyKit said angrily.

Vasa awaken to a loud, pounding knock at her door. She immediately put on her robe and ran to open the door. "Panthro? What are you doing here? It's 1:30 in the morning."

"We have to talk." Panthro said walking in.

"About what?" She asked closing her door.

"The twins. They know."

"They know." She gasped. "How did they find out?"

"Cheetara told them." Panthro said.

"How could she know? She was a child when it happened and didn't live near Cat's Lair." She was confused.

"Cheetara has psychic powers that enables her to look into the past. She almost died tonight, using her powers to find out about the twins parents." Panthro explained.

"But I don't understand why they asked her in the first place."

"Rataro and the mutants attacked earlier tonight and he told WilyKit about her parents. She believed Rataro, and even though we said he was lying, WilyKit still wanted Cheetara to checked to be sure." Panthro explained.

"I can't believe this is happening. I should've know it'll come out this way, and now they will be attacking me about why I lied to them. This is all your fault, Panthro!" Vasa shouted angrily at the blue panther.

WilyKit headed for the door, but her brother stood in front of the door, blocking her exit. "Hold on, Kit. We agreed to wait until morning to leave."

"I can't wait. I have to see her now! Now get out of my way or I'll force my way out!" She shouted almost challenging her brother to fight her.

"No, Kit. You have to calm down." WilyKat grabbed his sister by the shoulders and forced her on her bed. He couldn't believe that his sister was behaving this way. Where did this dark side come from. Was it something she inherited from their parents or something developing on his own? "If you ask me, I think you'd attack Vasa right now instead of talking to her reasonably."

"Why should I be reasonable with her? She lied to us, and she's probably the one who killed our parents."

"I really doubt that, sis."

"Why would you say that?" Kit asked.

"She doesn't look like the type that would kill anyone, and besides since our parents were spies, they were obviously excellent fighter and could have easily taken her." WilyKat explained easily.

"Maybe, but I think there's more to it about keeping the truth from us for our benefit. I think she's keeping it for hers, too. She's hiding something big, WilyKat, I know it."

"I feel that, too, WilyKit, and we'll find out the tomorrow. We won't leave until we know everything." Kat promised his sister.

Leela yawned and looked at her watch. "Oh, my. I didn't know it was almost two. I'm going to bed." She looked down at Lion-O and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Lion-O, I think you should come with me, too."

"I'm staying with Cheetara." Lion-O said still looking at Cheetara.

Leela eyes grew dark. "But honey, you need your rest." She smiled coldly but sounded cheerful.

Lion-O looked up at Leela. "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. You go on to bed."

"All right." She smiled and kissed Lion-O on the cheek. "Goodnight, Lion-O." She walked towards the door and saw Tygra leaning on the wall. "Goodnight, Tygra." She nodded at him.

"Goodnight, Lady Leela." Tygra said and nodded, acknowledging something they conjured up for the young lord. When Leela left, he spoke again. "She's coming around. She doesn't seem to be jealous of Cheetara anymore. However, after what I just saw, I would be if I were her."

Lion-O was confused. "Why do you say that?"

"Did you just see yourself right now?" Tygra asked. Lion-O didn't seem to understand so Tygra continued. "She knows you don't love her, but did you have to shove it in her face like that tonight? You completely ignored her when Cheetara passed out and just now, you pushed her off, and said you'd watch Cheetara instead of going to bed with your wife. I know you don't like this arrangement, but you have to be considerate and give Leela a chance."

"Maybe I was a little rude to her tonight. I'll apologize to her tomorrow. She knows how I feel about Cheetara, and when I see her hurt like this, only her safety matters now." Lion-O said.

"I understand that you still have feelings for Cheetara, but do you think you can ever love Leela?" Tygra asked.

"My fault?!" Panthro said surprised. "How is it my fault?!"

"You're the one that told--no forced me not to say anything to WilyKit and WilyKat. If I had told the truth, then they wouldn't be shocked and angry right now, and because of your foolishness of hiding the truth, they are going to come after me and demand to know the truth, and I'm going to tell them everything. You will also have to confess your part in it." She pointed out.

Panthro sat on the sofa and Vasa sat beside him. "You're right and I'm sorry. I just don't want anybody to know about how I fit into all this or about Aline. I also didn't want them to know the horrible things their parents or what I did. I don't think they are ready."

"They're 17, Panthro. They are ready. You're just not ready to talk, but you have to now. Whether you like it or not, I'm going to them as much as I can about my ties in this, but you must tell them your part. It's time for them to know about Aline, and they will only comfort you in your loss and forgive you for what you did." She said softly and placed her hand over his. "I forgive you and I can comfort you. In the situation you were in, anybody would've done what you did."

"Thank you." Panthro said. He looked into her soft eyes and kissed her. It started off soft and then hard. As he was kissing her, Panthro realized he needed something else, something stronger than a kiss. Vasa felt what Panthro needed. She helped Panthro unfasten her robe and allowed him to take her on the sofa.

Lion-O looked at Tygra uncertain. "Love Leela? I don't know about that, Tygra. I still love Cheetara, and I will never get over her."

"But you do like Leela a little bit, right? She is beautiful." Tygra commented.

"Leela is a beautiful woman, but I don't feel anything towards her. She has changed some since we married, but I don't see myself loving her anytime soon, if I ever will." Lion-O told Tygra.

"She seems to care about you a lot, Lion-O." Tygra said.

"I see that, too, Tygra, but sometimes I feel she's doing her job, and other times, it looks as if she actually cares for me, and I feel sorry for her about that-caring for someone that doesn't feel the same for you." Lion-O said in a regretting tone.

"You'll eventually need to start caring for her because you need to provide an heir."

"Don't remind me, Tygra." Lion-O said annoyed. "We've only been married six months. I don't want to think about kids now."

"Right." Tygra agreed. "No sense rushing it." Tygra said yawning.

"Why don't you go to bed, Tygra? I'll keep an eye in Cheetara and if anything happens, I'll get you."

"Thanks, Lion-O. I'll see you in the morning. Good night. "He said too cheerfully and left. Outside the door, he pulls out a small tape recorder. He rewinds it and plays it.

Leela is a beautiful woman, but I don't feel anything towards her. Lion-O's voice played on the small recorder.

Tygra laughs wickedly to himself as he walks to his bedroom. "Leela and I may not be able to stop you from loving Cheetara, but Cheetara most definitely will. She'll break your heart."

Part 27

Vasa awakened cuddle up in Panthro's strong, muscular arms the next morning. She noticed that Panthro was still sleeping. After what happened between them twice last night, she understood why. Panthro moaned a little and woke up to see his lover smiling at him.

"Good morning." Panthro smiled. He couldn't help but smile. It's been a while since he made love to a woman.

"Good morning, too, and what a good morning it is." She smiled and rubbed her left hand on Panthro's right arm. "It's been a long time since we were together, and I've missed having your arms around me. Do you think we can get back what we had?"

"Do you remember what kind of relationship we had and what caused it?" Panthro asked seriously.

Vasa frowned. "Yeah, I know, and it worked for that short time, but I've missed you since we went our separate ways, Panthro, and I just want to get it back." She said and kissed him. The kiss deepens but the doorbell stops them from going any further. She pulls back and Panthro saw the fear in her eyes. "The twins are here."

WilyKit and WilyKat stood outside Vasa door and press the doorbell again. They had their spaceboards next to the Thundertank. "I wonder why Panthro is here." WilyKat thought aloud.

"Well, we'll find out when one of them answers the door. Why hasn't someone opened it?" WilyKit said impatiently as she rang the doorbell again.

Leela opened the door of her bedroom and Tygra walked in. She closed the door behind him. "Before you say anything, Tygra, I have something to say. When Snarf or any other Thundercat calls you to help Lion-O, you go and help him. I know you cut your communicator off last night, and I'm ordering to never do that again."

"You're ordering me?" Who do you think you are?" Tygra questioned angrily.

"I am the Lady of Thundera, which enables me to order you around." Leela said authoritatively.

Tygra looked insulted and angry. "Let me tell you something, you little witch. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't be Lady of the Thundercats or Thundera. I made you and I can break you and don't you ever forget that. You are not my boss. I am your boss, and if you ever order me to help Lion-O, that stupid, arrogant boy who couldn't lead bees to honey, your days as Lady of the Thundercats will be numbered." Tygra threatened.

"Just remember that if I weren't here, Tygra, your precious Cheetara would be married to Lion-O right now." A wicked smile appeared on her face. "Just how would Lion-O and Cheetara feel if they should happen to find out about your deception? Breaking them up, so you'll have a chance with Cheetara, which you haven't gotten by the way." She laughs. "You haven't gotten to first base with that tramp."

"Tygra slapped Leela hard and she fell back on her bed. "Don't you ever call Cheetara a tramp" He said in an icy voice.

Cheetara was the last to awaken in Cat's Lair that morning. She rolled on her side and her eyes fluttered opened. The first thing she saw were Lion-O's warm eyes smiling at her.

"Good morning. I am so glad you're awake. How are you feeling?" He asked squeezing her hand gently.

"A little tired, but I'll be all right." She noticed their joined hands and gracefully removed her hand from his. "I remember passing out last night after using my psychic powers. How did I get here?"

"After you passed out, Tygra and I had to revive you, and after we did that, we brought you to your room." Lion-O explained.

"Revive me? I almost died?" She asked a little scared.

"Almost, but I would never let anyone so precious to me die." Lion-O told her in a way that made Cheetara see that Lion-O still care for her. Overcome with the realization, she threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

Vasa and Panthro immediately got out of bed bickering and putting their clothes on. "This is all you fault, Panthro." Vasa said angrily.

"This is not my fault. You're the one who got me started." He said putting on his Thundercat uniform and smiled. "And once you get this machine started, you can't stop it until I'm ready to stop."

Angry, Vasa threw a pillow at him. "You're never touching me again." She hissed and left the room.

"I've heard that before and that was always a lie." Panthro said and followed Vasa out the room. He sat on the couch in the living room and she went to the door.

"What took you so long?" was the first question out of WilyKit's mouth when the door finally opened. She and her brother walked it. "And what are you doing here, Panthro?"

"I just arrived a few minutes ago, and wanted to know the truth like you." Panthro answered smoothly.

"Why didn't you wait for us?" WilyKat asked.

"Panthro came to tell me that you were coming and that I should ready myself to answer why I lied to you." Vasa covered for Panthro.

"Well, since you know why we are here, you might as well start explaining." WilyKit asked with an attitude.

Leela rose from her bed with her hand on the right side of her face, the side Tygra slapped. "And how many other ladies have you slapped?"

"First of all, you are no lady, and that's the first time I've hit a woman and you deserved it; calling my love a tramp."

"Let me tell you something since you don't understand. I am married to Lion-O, and as I see it for a long time. You, on the other hand, haven't gotten anywhere with Cheetara. Still, we both have a problem: Lion-O and Cheetara are still in love with each other, and haven't noticed us. We must work together to separate them to get what we want, and we can only do that if we work together."

"We were working fine until you let the power you were given go to your head." Tygra said.

"You're right, and I'm sorry." Leela apologized and held her hand out. For now.

Tygra shook her hand. "Apology accepted, but remember, I run things." He pulled a small recorder from his back pocket. "I knew carrying a tape recorder would come in good use."

"Have you made the changes?" Leela asked as Tygra hands her the recorder.

"Yes. Do you know what to?"

A wicked smile crept on Leela's face. "But of course."

Cheetara and Lion-O still held onto each close tightly. The last time they were this close to each other was their wedding day. Cheetara realized she was holding Lion-O a little longer than she thought she should and released her hold on him. "Thank you for saving my life. I'll have to thank Tygra when I see him."

"You don't have to thank me, my love." He said taking his hand in hers again.

"Lion-O, you know you--we can't do this. You shouldn't even be calling me that."

"I know, but I miss you. I've missed holding your hand," he looked at their joined hands. "Holding you in my arms," he pulls Cheetara in his arms. "Kissing you," he looked into her eyes and moves closer to kiss her.

Cheetara pulled back. "No, Lion-O, we can't. I miss you, too, but we cannot do this."

"I know. I just wish we had one more special moment together. " He heard Cheetara's stomach growled. "Someone's hungry. I'll get Snarf to make your breakfast." He said and left. When he went down the hall, Leela appeared from the corner.

Vasa let out a deep breath. "First of all, let me say that I'm sorry for lying to you, but I thought it was for the best. I didn't think you two were ready to hear the truth about your parents."

"We might've been shocked about who they really were, but we wouldn't be upset with you for lying to us." WilyKat said.

"We're not children, but adults who deserve to know the truth, so tell us." WilyKit demanded.

"You're 17. Eighteen is the adult age on New Thundera, but yes you do deserve to know the truth. Yes, your parents betrayed their home planet, Thundera, to become spies for the mutants. They were very good spies and fooled everyone about their true nature until the very end. We figured that Ursula, your mother talked my brother Ral into it."

"Ral? Our mother married twice?" Kit said confused.

"No, Ral is short for Ralik. My brother and your father." She explained.

WilyKit and WilyKat gasped in shocked. Panthro looked worried. He wondered how much will they find out, and what was worse what they would do when they found out what happened to their parents. He couldn't tell them. He wasn't ready to tell them what he knew, but he knew it would soon come out.

Part 28

Cheetara was getting the royal treatment by Lion-O. He had brought her breakfast and was feeding it to her in a romantic way. Despite the fact that Cheetara knew Lion-O shouldn't be this warm to her, she couldn't help but enjoy it. She missed him and was enjoying this time with him.

Cheetara laughed. "Lion-O, you don't have to feed me like this. I may be a little weak, but I'm not so weak that I can't feed myself, and anyway, shouldn't you get back on duty or some sleep at least." She said noticing the dark circles under Lion-O's eyes. Did he watch her all night she wondered.

"I suppose so. Has Tygra checked on you?"

"While you were getting my breakfast." She answered. "He said I should stay in bed for a day to recover."

"Good." He smiled with a wicked gleam in his eyes. Cheetara laughed at the wicked look Lion-O was giving her. "I'll come back later." He said picking up her plate and left.

Cheetara laid back on her bed and sighed. The door opened and Leela stood in the doorway. She made eye contact with Cheetara who sat up at her entrance. "You little witch. Even when you're weak, you use it to your advantage to seduced Lion-O."

"Our aunt?" The twins said together.

"How can you be our aunt?" WilyKat asked. "We've lived with our grandmother for years before becoming Thundercats and she never mentioned you."

"Your grandmother, my mother, never was fond of me. According to her, I hanged with the wrong crowd and did the wrong things, and when my brother died, she took you two in and cut me out of your life." She explained.

"Why should we even believe you?" WilyKit sounded distrusting.

"I do have proof." She got up and went to her bedroom. In minutes, she returned holding a photo album. She opened it and there were pictures of the twins as cubs and Vasa holding them as well as pictures of their parents and grandmother. "There are plenty of pictures of us and your parents in here."

"Where are you going, Panthro?" asked WilyKat when he saw Panthro getting up.

"Back to the lair. This is a family event." He said at the door. "I'll let the others know what's going on." And with that, he was out the door.

WilyKit closed the album. "Well, I guess you are our aunt, but you have plenty of questions to ask."

"Go ahead." Vasa said.

"Were our parents murdered?"

"From my understanding, yes."

"Who killed them?" WilyKat asked.

"What in the world are you talking about, Leela?" Cheetara asked.

"I heard you and Lion-O outside. I am tired of you flirting with my husband. He is mine, not yours!" She shouted and calmed down. "By the way, he really doesn't love you. He's just playing with you because like an idiot, you still love him, and if you don't believe me, listen to this." She pulled out the tape recorder Tygra had given her and played it.

"Do you love Leela?" Tygra asked.

"I love Leela, and I will never get over her." Lion-O"s voice played even though it was obviously altered, but Cheetara was too shock about hearing what Lion-O said to noticed. "Leela is a beautiful woman. I don't feel anything towards Cheetara. We've only been married six months. I want kids now."

Leela stops the tape and enjoyed the shocked, hurt, and embarrassed expressions on Cheetara's face. She tosses the recorder on her bed. "If you were looking for closure, you just got it." She smiled evilly and left.

Cheetara picked up the recorder. She held back tears because she was becoming angry. She slams her fist on her bed upset. "How could I have been so stupid? How could I let myself get tricked by him again? Of course he doesn't love me. He has Leela to satisfy his needs. I used to have doubts about what Tygra was saying about Lion-O, but he was right all along. Lion-O was trying to get me in bed with him." She realized and looked at the tape recorder again. "This is Tygra's tape recorder. How did Leela get to it? Tygra is always with it."

"How did she take the news?" Tygra asked sitting in his chair in his drawing room.

"Oh, she's just heartbroken." Leela laughed.

"Time for me to make my move." Tygra said getting up. "Where's my recorder?"

"I left it with Cheetara as a memento. Cool, huh?"

"How could you do that? Tygra asked angrily. "Once Cheetara sees the recorder, she'll know it's mine and will become suspicious." He explained and left, running to Cheetara's room. He knocked softly before she allowed him to come in. When he saw how Cheetara was looking, he immediately put his arms around her. "Cheetara, what's wrong?"

"Leela and Lion-O." She said as she buried her face in his chest.

"Tell me. What did they do?" He asked running his fingers through her hair. Beautiful. He thought.

Cheetara played the tape for Tygra and stopped it when it finished. "She already got Lion-O. Why must she keep torturing me like this? I can't believe she'd stoop so low to steal your recorder and secretly taped your conversation with Lion-O. How did she do that anyway? Why couldn't you keep a better eye on your recorder?" She argued at Tygra. "I'm sorry, Tygra. I'm getting mad at you when you had nothing to do with it."

"You never have to apologize to me, Cheetara." He hugged her tightly. "You can always come to me whether you want to cry, get angry, or share your thoughts with." He smiled at her and laid a friendly kiss on her cheek.

Cheetara smiled back and hugged Tygra again. "Thank you, Tygra. You are the best friend a person can ever have. You always know what to say to make me feel better." She hands him the tape recorder. "Take this back and keep a better eye on it. I don't' know how she got it, but you better not leave it lying around."

"You're right about that." Tygra agreed. He looked at Cheetara in a desirable way. It's only a matter a time before you're mine again, and I'll never let you go.

Tygra stayed with Cheetara for a few more minutes before she told him that she wanted to be left alone. He agreed and went to the control room. "Good morning, Panthro. I haven't seen you this morning."

"Tygra. Just the person I wanted to see." Panthro said turning his chair at the main controls around to face his friend.

"About what?" Tygra asked confused.

"Cheetara."

Tygra became concerned. "What about her? Is anything wrong because I just checked her."

"No, I'm not talking about her now. Lion-O told me that she was all right, just needed some rest. I meant something that happened last night before we fought Rataro. We didn't tell you this because of the mutant ambushed, but when Cheetara and I went to Way Outback last night, Cheetara almost killed the Lunataks with her telekinetic powers."

"What?!" The tiger was stunned.

"I stopped her, but she didn't know what she was doing. All she knows is that she became angry when the Lunataks taunted her about her relationship with Lion-O that she fired her powers on them. When I saw her, she looked like she knew she was doing. She looked so vengeful, angry...I never saw her looking like that before. It was almost scary seeing her like that."

Tygra began thinking. "Hmm. The last time she used her telekinetic powers was in that Telepathy Beam incident, and she was angry then. Could it be that whenever Cheetara becomes angry, her telekinetic powers would come out and attack the person or persons causing it?" Tygra asked aloud.

"I was thinking the same thing, too, and if we're right then I have a feeling that we haven't seen the last of it."

"But Cheetara has control of it now, so we shouldn't have much to worry about." Tygra said.

"I don't know about that, Tygra." Panthro disagreed.

"What are you saying, Panthro?"

"Ever since Lion-O and Leela's marriage, Cheetara kept most of her feelings about the whole thing buried inside of herself. Cheetara is not only hurt by the breakup, she is also very angry, and I believe on the verge of snapping. I don't know when or where, but it will happen and when it does, her powers are going to be so strong and formidable that-" Panthro stopped at a lost for words and shakes his head thinking how powerful Cheetara will be, "I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end."

Tygra noticed that Panthro sounded almost fearful of Cheetara. He found it hard to believe that his love maybe capable of doing the things Panthro had said. However, the thought of her attacking someone, possibly Lion-O, intrigued him. He wondered if he could turn Cheetara against Lion-O permanently. That'll teach the boy a lesson he'd never forget.

Cheetara sat in her bed thinking how Lion-O had hurt her one too many times. She couldn't believe how she trusted and loved him. A knock on the door broke her from her thoughts. "Come in." she said.

Lion-O came in happily smiling at her. He took her hand in his and stroked it gently. "Feeling better?" he asked.

"I don't feel anything towards Cheetara." Cheetara hears Lion-O's voice from the tape recorder in her head. "If you were looking for closure, you just got it." Another voice, Leela's plays in her head. "It's time to end this." Cheetara thought. She pulls her hand from Lion-O's. "What are you doing here?" Cheetara asked annoyed.

"I came to see you." Lion-O answered.

"You can see that I am fine. Now go away." Cheetara said coldly.

"Cheetara, why are you being so cold?" Lion-O asked.

"Because I am tired of you pretending to love me, and you shouldn't be doing this now that you are married."

"How can you say that, Cheetara, when you know I love you." Lion-O tried to explain.

"Maybe you do love me, but I don't love you. In fact, I hate you." Cheetara said furiously and turned away.

"What?" He turned Cheetara around to face him. "Cheetara, did Leela say anything to you?"

"No." She lied. "Why can't you believe that I don't love you and that no one made me say that? I never loved you and I doubt that I ever would have." She lied again.

"How can you say that, after everything we've been through?" The young lord didn't understand.

"I had feelings for you, yes, but it was infatuation. What we had was just a fling. If we'd married, we would've been divorce by now."

"I can't believe I'm hearing this." Lion-O ran his hand through his thick red, mane.

"Believe it and get out. We're through. Get over me as I have quickly gotten over you." She was unsympathetic with the lion.

Lion-O, shocked, emotionally hurt, and feeling betrayed walked to the door, took one look at Cheetara and left. Lion-O walked slowly down the hallway to his quarters. Leela appeared out of the corner and saw her husband go into their room sadly.

A wicked smile appeared on her face. "He's weak, vulnerable, needs comfort, and I'll be the one to give it to him."

Parts 29-30: Leela takes advantage of Lion-O in his vulnerability. Panthro tells Cheetara his connection with WilyKit and WIlyKat's parents. The Thundercats receives a surprised attack by the Mutants.