Chapter Seven: Indestructible

A/N: I won't bore you with my explanation of why it's taken me so incredibly long to update the final chapter. But I will apologize for keeping you waiting.

Well, here it is; the final chapter of 'To Compromise'. I hope you liked this little adventure as much as I enjoyed writing it for you.

Munkustrap paced nervously outside the medical den. Every shrill from inside that belonged to Demeter made him want to burst in there and somehow . . . well . . . do something productive. He hated waiting. Not doing anything to improve the situation drove him mad. Every cry Demeter let escape from her mouth, made him cringe with frustration. He despised this unfamiliar feeling of . . . helplessness.

Alonzo placed a comforting paw on his shoulder. "Hey, you should try to relax a bit. I bet Demeter is doing better in there than you are out here." He joked. Munkustrap gave him one of his famous glares and Alonzo obediently removed his paw from Munkustrap's shoulder. Noticing Alonzo's sinking expression, Munkustrap explained. "Look guys, I'm sorry, but I just CANNOT keep my nerves under control! How do I know if she's ok? How do I know when it will be over? Why can't I go in and be with her, give her a paw to hold onto?" he spluttered in a hurried fashion; using his paws for emphasis by waving them around like a lunatic would.

Tugger put his stance on the situation. "Trust me, pal, you don't want to be in there right now. It's like a war zone!"

Munkustrap tried to contain his anxiety, but he had never dealt with or experienced this kind of feeling before. He knew that in just a few moments, he would become a father. The thought of having offspring to teach, guide, and raise made him all the more impatient. He writhed his paws and continued to pace.

Jellylorum peered out of the door, her eyes seeking the silver feline. "Oh, Muuunkustraaap!" she sang within a whisper.

He turned eagerly. "Yes?"

"You can see her now. Come on in, just follow me." she ushered. Munkustrap gave a final glance to his friends before following Jelly to where Demeter was sleeping.

Jelly stepped aside and pointed into a room with a small smile crossing her gentle features, "There they are, sleeping soundly; the three of them snuggled together."

Observing his expression of awe and admiration, Jelly simply patted him on the shoulder and left him to his new family.

He went over to Demeter's bed and just stood there staring at the two tiny bundles of fur cradled in her arms. He absentmindedly knelt down and began stroking them. One had silver fur like him while the other was a blend of silver and gold, most likely the girl he thought.

He failed to notice that Demeter had woken up and was now watching him. "Aren't they special? Look what we did, Munkus."

Munkustrap looked up at her and kissed her forehead. "Oh, they're special alright. They're ours too. We're truly a family now. I cannot believe it. How do you feel?"

"A bit tired, but mostly wonderful. How about you?"

"I can't even begin to explain everything I'm feeling right now, Dem. It's euphoric."

"I know." She giggled. "What should we name them? I thought of a few possibilities, but I wanted to hear your suggestions first."

"Gosh, I hadn't even thought about names. I'm still stunned just by the very sight of them."

"Well, I was thinking of Vulpine for the girl. What do you think?"

"I think it's perfect, honey. And the boy?"

"How do you feel about Solace?"

"It's terrific, absolutely terrific."

"Solace and Vulpine . . ." Demeter mused to herself. She rubbed her nose on the top of their furry little heads. Munkustrap watched, a thought dawning on him.

"I don't see how we were fighting before. None of that matters now though. We have a family now, Demeter, and everything is going to be splendid. All of it will be grand."

"I agree."

"Listen, let's not allow stupid things to come between us ever again. What matters now is that we have each other to depend on. I know what my priorities are now without a doubt." He looked at the two newborn kittens and then up to Demeter.

Demeter smiled at him. "I'm proud of you. And I could not wish for a better mate than you. You're everything I could ever hope for in a tom. I love you."

"I love you, too." They exchanged a chaste kiss.

"About this new parenting thing, let's do it right, ok? No fighting or arguing, and no disputes. I want to bring these kittens up perfectly and nurture them with the very best. After all Munk, they'll be the rulers of the Junkyard someday." Demeter stated, taking the future into consideration.

Munkustrap climbed into bed with her playfully. "We can handle anything now, Dem. That's because we've learned to compromise and nothing can prevent us from reaching our goals. The bond between us is indestructible. Let's never forget that. Let's never forget this moment right now. how happy we are."

"I couldn't agree more."

They ended the night with a gratifying kiss before falling asleep knowing that things would be different from this moment forward.

A/N: Ok, so I am not particularly proud of this final chapter, something felt missing from it. I don't know, you tell me.

Before I sign off of this story for good, I want to give a shout-out to my faithful reviewers who have kept me going. Thank you guys for all of your feedback, you know by now how much I appreciate it. =D