A/N: Yes, I know Katt canonically doesn't join Star Fox. This is my own AU that runs parallel with the events in my other two stories, A New Beginning and Prelude to an End. Some folks were concerned about mention of Katt previously joining Star Fox, so I thought I'd put up this little short. It's sort of an explanatory line of events.

To those of you who aren't readers of my other stories, please enjoy this short fic about Falco and Katt.

Chapter 1

"I'm going to do it."

Kattarina Monroe sat in her ship, gripping the controls of the Cat's Paw with white knuckles. She could still hear his voice in her head.

"Katt, what're you doing here?"

"Katt, where'd you go?"

"Katt! Not you again!"

"Katt, can't you go bother someone else?"

Make up your damn mind, fly-boy. Do you want me around, or not? She sighed deeply, pressing the engine boost to catch up to the slowly drifting ship in the distance. She had made up her mind to try, once again, to join Star Fox. Her own gang, the Hot Rodders, had disbanded several days before the end of the Lylat Wars. Flying solo had been fun, but she began to miss the company.

And what better company than the mercenary team she idolized, along with the man of her dreams? Two birds with one stone, so to speak. Rumors on the space station she had docked at spoke of the Star Fox team being nearby. She simply had to find out for herself. Sure enough, the ship in her sights was none other than the Great Fox. Maybe, just maybe, Fox would let her join them. After all, hadn't she just helped them defeat his nemesis?

Her heart was already pounding in her chest. As the ship drew nearer, someone on board sent her a transmission request. Crap... they saw me. She took a deep breath and accepted it.

A familiar face appeared on her dash, stirring up butterflies in her gut. "Hey, Katt."

"Hi, Falco."

"What brings you out here?"

She hesitated. "As a matter of fact, you." He didn't respond, so she continued. "I thought we made quite a team back there... I know I wasn't there for the entire mission, but... I'd like to be, in the future. Fighting alongside Star Fox is a privilege, and it makes me feel alive. I wanted to ask Fox if it would be alright if I joined you, in the future. For whole missions." Damnit, I said "in the future" twice. He's going to think I'm weird.

"Are you being serious?"

"Yes, absolutely! Fighting solo is a little lonely... not to mention, watching my own back in battle is getting kinda old. The Hot Rodders are disbanded. I thought you might be able to use an extra hand, and Lord knows I could use the company."

Falco hesitated a moment. "Look, if you really want to join the team, I'll talk to Fox."

"I was going to ask him myself, but I suppose he might be more inclined to grant a request from you."

"Right. I'll get back to you." The transmission ended.

Katt placed a hand on her chest and took a deep breath to calm herself. He's actually going to ask Fox for me? Does this mean he wants me there?

After several moments of waiting, the Great Fox hailed her again. She accepted the transmission, and Falco's hologram reappeared.

"We're all good. We've got a spare room on board. You can move in your things there. Your licenses are all up to date, so there's no hassle in that area. You're now a part of Star Fox!"

The pink furred feline couldn't hold back her grin. "Really? Thank you!"

"You owe me one."

"Sure thing. I'll be aboard in a few minutes. I'm almost to the ship now."

"I'll see ya."

Katt docked her ship in the main bay, grinning madly at the arwings as she hopped to the metal floor. She had always admired team Star Fox, and now she would get to be a part of them. The missions, the fame, the roma-

"No, it's not like that. She's a good pilot, Fox. I think she'd be a good addition." As the doors slid silently open, words from a conversation she knew she shouldn't be listening to reached her ears.

"I just don't want things to get complicated. I don't want drama on my ship." The two men had yet to realize that she was standing in the doorway.

"There won't be."

The leader sighed heavily. "Don't make me regret this, Falco."

"Ahem."

They turned to her with a start.

"Welcome to Star Fox." Fox McCloud himself offered her his hand to shake, hiding his slight blush with his serious demeanor. Not that she'd never shaken his hand before, but this was different. He was welcoming her onto his ship, to be a part of the now famous team of mercenaries that had saved the entire Lylat system from the clutches of the evil scientist Andross - and to be close to Falco.

She eagerly shook his hand. "It's good to see you again, Fox."

"Well, we'll be seeing a lot more of each other now that you're on board. You're the first female to be a part of the actual team. I know that you're a very skilled pilot, and I'm sure we'll all benefit from you being here. And thanks again for your help with Andross."

"Oh, of course! I mean, I couldn't just sit back and let you boys have all the fun." She winked at Falco.

"Falco, show the lady to her room? I have some things I need to get done."

The avian cleared his throat. "Right this way."

"I-I don't have any of my luggage with me. This was kind of an impulsive thing, and I hadn't actually expected it to go this well." She confided as soon as the bridge doors had closed.

"That's alright. You're free to get your things whenever. I'm just showing you where you'll be sleeping." He led her down the hall and opened the door to the only empty room on board.

The room was full of dust and void of all furniture, save a twin-size bed. It wasn't a particularly large room, either. The floors and wall were made of the same boring silver metal as the rest of the ship. A window on the far wall gave a view of the stars as they coasted through space. The light buzzed as Falco flipped the switch. Katt sneezed.

"I'm pretty sure no one's used this room since the ship was built. But it's yours, now. You can replace that bed if you want."

"I'll definitely be doing that."

"So, why are you really here?" Falco asked, leaning against the door frame.

"Pardon?"

"I mean, we all know you're capable enough to fly solo."

Katt blushed beneath her pink fur. "I told you... flying solo is getting tiresome, and being alone all of the time is... well, lonely. After the Hot-Rodders broke up, I didn't really find a place I could fit in. I really enjoyed helping you guys out on Zoness. That's why I came back on Macbeth... that's why I'm here now."

"Lonely, huh?" He raised a brow.

"Don't start. Do you really think I came all this way and joined a team of mercenaries just to take a shot at you?" The tone she spoke in was slightly meaner than she had intended it to be. I mean, I pretty much did, but that's beside the point, she thought to herself.

Falco chuckled.

"You really are as self-centered as they come." She looked over the spare room, turning away to hide her blush from him. "Just point me in the general direction of the vacuum cleaner and I'll be out of your hair."

It took the sensitive-nosed feline over an hour to thoroughly clean the dust out of the room. She even vacuumed off the mattress itself. When it was all done, she borrowed some sheets from Slippy and collapsed into the stiff, squeaky mattress.

Her heart was still beating too quickly to allow her the luxury of sleep. Her first night on the Great Fox was spent wide awake, staring up at the dark ceiling and listening to the sounds of her own breathing in the empty room.

I can't believe I did it. I can't believe I'm a part of Star Fox.