The animals sat around the T.V., R.J. in the place of honor, right in the middle of them all. He offered some popcorn to Stella, changing the channel with his remote. He grinned, "Ah, here it is!"

On the screen, a reporter stood in a suburban neighborhood. Behind her was a green hedge, and beyond that was a forest. The reporter smiled at the camera and spoke into the microphone, "The events that occurred here just hours ago have led many officials to question the destruction of a suburban park. A bear reportedly attacked one of the workmen in charge of demolishing the woods behind me. However, amateur footage recovered from an anonymous cell phone, have changed the scope of the story."

R.J. winced at the big-screen version of himself dashing across the human camp and getting shot.

Hammy hugged him and then remembered that his friend was still sore, "Sorry!"

"Shhh!" Heather hissed.

The reporter continued, "It seems the animals were provoked into action. Can this be some kind of organized protest? Who knows! But the workmen have been arrested on criminal charges, and this neighborhood is once again safe, thanks to a bear. The bear was shot, but has been taken to an animal hospital, where upon his recovery he will be released into a much larger habitat. It has been decided that the destructed portion of the forest behind me will be replanted and the entire area will be made into a protected green space. The neighborhood association has decided that they like the greenery. Back to you, Greg."

The screen changed to a man predicting rain for the next three days, but the animals were too busy cheering to notice.

"We get to stay!" Hammy bounced into the air

"We get to keep our home!"

Everyone hugged each other and threw popcorn in the air.

"Thanks to a bear?" Lou shook his head, "We all know it was R.J. who saved the day!"

"Hear hear!" Ozzie raised his soda can.

R.J. grinned, "Come on, I wasn't the one who delivered the cell phone."

"Tell us again how you escaped from that car!" Spike begged.

"No no!" Bucky pleaded, "Tell us about when you saw us at that big building!"

Quillo bounced, "I want to hear about when you rode the bear!"

R.J. blinked, "You guys know the stories better than I do by now," he stifled a yawn.

Verne took the remote from the tired raccoon's paw and flipped off the TV, "Come on, guys, let's let him rest. We all need our sleep, too."

"Oh, kay." The triplets looked disappointed, "Night Uncle R.J."

"Night kids."

"Goodnight R.J."

"Goodnight Verne."

"Night R.J.!"

"Sleep tight, Hammy."

"Sweet dreams, there."

"Night Penny, Lou."

"Goodnight!"

"Night Heather, night Ozzie."

"Night everyone!"

"Goodnight Stella, night Tiger! Sleep well."

R.J. curled up in his chair, glancing around him one more time at all the sleeping creatures around him. His family. He smiled and drifted off into a sleep free of nightmares.

At last, he was home.