Twelfth part of "A Pandora Bracelet" series! This came about after I got a charm for Christmas. I wanted to dedicate this to my gerbils Gus & Jack (miss you :/) It's based on an experience I had with my little guys. I hope you get a kick out of it. Do not own CSI, The Lion King or Pandora.

My Apologies

Alone time. That was what she needed—desperately. Not that Sara was complaining, she loved her life. Being a mother, a wife, and a part-time worker was not a walk in the park. Like everything in life, there were ups and downs. Her daughter had become a teenager at what felt like overnight. Her oldest son was coming into his own as a fourth grader. Finally her youngest son was leaving the nest and starting pre-school. Times like these called for a breather, a moment to step away and marvel of what had become. During this, Morgan was watching Caleb before she had shift. Halley was practicing cheering and Aaron was playing soccer. An afternoon at the spa was awaiting her. Plus the thought of her husband after the dishes had been cleared and the kids put to bed.

"So Caleb, what would you like to do first?"

"Play wiff Timon and Pumbaa!"

Morgan gave Caleb a wide smile. "Who are they again?"

"My gerbils!"

"Oh right!" She pretended to smack herself in the head. "Your mom said you guys got some new pets! Where are they?"

Faster than the speed of lightning, Caleb had Morgan by the hand and was leading her to the living room. A large, glass cage was set atop an end table. Squealing with delight, Caleb pointed to the cage. "The gray one's Timon and the white one's Pumbaa!"

Morgan could sense Caleb's eagerness to show off his new friends, but he was a bit too short to reach the cage. Without thought she hoisted him up. The three year old clapped his hands.

"Can we play wiff them? Pleaaase!" The boy's blue eyes were shining back.

Morgan chuckled, "Sure! But your mom gave me special instructions, ok? I have to move the cage to the floor and set up their playpen. Only after I do that and am with you, then can we play."

Caleb nodded his head in agreement. His soft, unruly curls swinging about his face. With that, Morgan set Caleb down and eased the cage to the rug. "Ok," she started. "Sweetie, where is the mat and fence?"

He pointed to the basket that contained the gerbils' things. Morgan smiled as she spotted the basket and pulled out the needed supplies. Too cute!

Once the waterproof mat was laid out and the fence was locked in place, little Timon and big Pumbaa were free to roam in the confines of their playpen...

A good twenty minutes had passed since letting the gerbils roam free. "Did you name them?" Morgan asked Caleb. She was in the process of putting Pumbaa back in the cage.

"Yeah! Me and Halley and Aaron did."

"Is The Lion King your favorite movie?"

"Yes!"

"Mine too!" Morgan turned to pick up Timon. He was a feisty little thing. "Easy there bud! Don't gnaw my sweater!" Before she knew it, Timon had jumped off her sleeve and was now scurrying away. "No!" Morgan screamed.

"Where's he goin'?" asked Caleb. He was about to follow Timon when Morgan lifted him up.

"Caleb, I have to catch little Timon, ok? Can you be a good boy and sit here next to Pumbaa?"

"No! I wanna play wiff him!" The three year old crossed his arms and pouted. Tears started to pool in his eyes. He was definitely not a happy camper.

"Aww, sweetie. Aunt Morgan has to put him back in his cage. We don't want him getting lost, right? If you're good I'll give you a cookie your mom left." At the sound of cookie, Caleb grinned a pearly set of white teeth. Morgan patted his head and was off in search of the gerbil…

Thank goodness gerbils can't climb up or down stairs, otherwise we'd be in even bigger trouble. Morgan tip-toed into the dining room where she spotted Timon huddled in a corner. "Gotcha!" Careful not to scare him, she crouched down. She was sure the clicking noise she was making would draw his attention. As her hands extended to grab him, he jumped right over them. Morgan grunted in frustration and wiped the sweat off her forehead. "Caleb, do you see Timon?" she asked cautiously.

"Yeah! He's here!"

Morgan poked her head into the living room. Instantly, she spotted Caleb attempting to walk towards Timon. The poor gerbil was now hiding under a table. "Sweetie, stay put. Aunt Morgan's going to catch him."

"But I wanna play!" Caleb yelled.

"I'll give you two cookies instead!" Morgan upped her game. She couldn't believe she was bargaining with a three year old. The offer worked. Caleb plopped down on the carpet and started rolling his toy car. She could only sigh in relief. Now to catch this guy once and for all! She patted Caleb on the back as she crouched on all fours. She couldn't imagine what she looked like to this poor little creature. With quick movement, Morgan was able to scoop up the gerbil and cup him in her hands. "Thank god." In one step she had Timon back in the cage with his brother. She double-checked the lid, making sure it was tight.

"Caleb," Morgan threw the gerbils' toys into the basket. "Your mom won't be back for another hour. How about we go to the mall?" She finished folding the mat and fence.

"Ok. Can I have my cookies now?"

"Sure. Just let me check for any gerbil droppings then we'll be on our way."

Two hours at the spa had done Sara wonders. She left the place with even higher spirits than when she arrived. The brisk air felt great. She had the windows rolled down and let the wind make a mess of her hair. The previous tension in her shoulders was gone. She was eager to get home.

Morgan and Caleb made it to the house ten minutes before Sara did. Caleb snacked on his cookies in the car. For being such a good boy at the mall, Morgan gave him one last cookie. "There's plenty of time before dinner. Just make sure you eat your vegetables, ok?"

"Hello!"

"Mommy!" Caleb scooted off the couch and ran to the front door. Sara knelt and took him in her arms.

"How's my little guy? Did you have a good time with Aunt Morgan?"

A nod of his head confirmed the fun time they had. "That's great. I'm glad you had fun baby." She gave him a kiss on the head. "Why don't you go play downstairs? I just need a minute with Aunt Morgan." After a ruffle of the hair, Caleb was out of sight.

"I hope he wasn't too much trouble."

"No, not at all Sara! He was an angel. It's those gerbils you gotta worry about."

Sara crinkled her brows and tilted her head in confusion. "What happened?"

Morgan couldn't help but feel guilty. "Uh I let the gerbils free in their playpen. I was watching them and Caleb the whole time. It's just um Timon got loose."

Sara's eyes widened. "Were you able to catch him?"

"Yeah of course! It took some time and patience, but Timon is now safely back with Pumbaa. The longest five minutes of my life."

"Poor Morgan," said Sara. She gave the younger woman a few pats on the knee. "That Timon is a crazy one. He'll claw your hands, run up your sleeves, you name it! I should've warned you about him. I hope you didn't get too overwhelmed." She nodded her head and leaned into Morgan. "It's happened to me, too. So don't worry about it."

Morgan smiled. "Really? What a relief. I felt so bad—"

"It's ok! Please, I'm sorry you had to endure that! All's fine, so no worries."

"Ok, as long as you're sure." Morgan pulled a bag from behind her back. "After the little incident I took Caleb to the mall. I wanted to apologize for what happened as well as become a member of your bracelet." She opened the white Pandora box and held it out to Sara. A silver gerbil-like charm stared back at her.

"Morgan really, this wasn't necessary. It's no big deal—"

"I insist. The whole thing's kind of ridiculous now that I look back, but just to reassure I'll be more prepared next time. They didn't have a charm specifically modeling a gerbil, so a mouse was the next best thing."

Chuckling, Sara removed the bracelet off her wrist and slid the charm in place. "Thanks Morgan." A situation like this would've freaked her out in the past. It really was no big deal. She felt like a whole new person. Every now and then all anyone needs is some alone time.

My incident was a bit more hectic. I was home alone and decided to play with Gus (Timon) out of the playpen. Not my smartest idea lol. Probably not my best work, but what can ya do? I had fun remembering what I went through trying to catch my gerbil. Thoughts?