Rude awakenings are never fun. That's why they're called 'rude'. Fry may have been small, but the alarm waking him seemingly five minutes after he went to sleep? That meant death. He shuffled away from his warm pocket of air and felt a little better about the situation when he saw it was 9 a.m. Groaning, he slapped the off switch and figured while he was up he might as well get a drink of water.
He came back to find the occupants of the bed had shifted around. Nibbler was now under a pillow and Leela was on her stomach, clutching the top edge of her covers. When asked later, Fry's answer would always be that he was still half asleep and he never would have wedged himself between the comforter and the dip in Leela's back otherwise.
A few hours later, Fry woke up and saw the Nibbler was still in bed with him. There was a plate of Kibbles 'N Snouts next to him, but he didn't seem interested in it. He must really not be feeling good. After stretching out and scratching himself in the traditional cat fashion, Fry discovered that he did, in fact, like snouts. If there was a chance that it would be cheaper them his regular chow and it would be bearable when he was human again, he was seriously considering eating pet food for the rest of his life.
He caught Leela coming out of the kitchen and she knelt to stroke down his back. "How's he doing, Phil?"
Not good. He doesn't want food. "Mrrow."
She stood and walked into her room. She saw the empty plate and looked hopeful, and then Fry jumped onto the bed and got her attention. "Did Nibbler eat this, or did you?"
The animal did his best to look innocent, but gave up when he burped. Yeah, that might have been me.
They (mostly Leela) got ready and left, but the wait at the vet's office wasn't long. Turns out most people visit when it's not a Thursday at a little past noon. Nibbler was still technically part of an unknown species, so everyone agreed it would be best to leave him overnight for monitoring. The doctor assured Leela that if anything good or bad happened, she'd be the first phone call.
When they got to work, the good captain spread the word that their main source of fuel was indisposed. It seemed to be a pleasant fluke because of the short trips they'd be making. They loaded the ship with things for eight deliveries, three of which they'd make at once.
The largest and the one with the most paperwork would be handed off by Bender and Zoidberg to its recipient on the moon. Amy, being the most well known crew member on Mars, would deal with the dean of Mars U. Leela and Fry were more on a mission of mercy, flying out to Neptune to drop off twenty bottles of whiskey for Robot Santa's elves.
With a fair few Neptunians cheered up, the Planet Express ship headed towards Earth and picked up its team as it went. The next four deliveries went pretty much according to plan and only took them as far as the surrounding star systems. After a stop at a fuel depot, Bender began to poke at the last package. It was the normal brown and about the same size as one of the universe boxes.
"So, what's in this one?" he asked. "And how long is this going to take? I've got an All My Circuits marathon to get to."
"Bender, that's supposed to stay refrigerated." Leela sighed as she rubbed her forehead. "Amy, could you check the cargo manifest before he 'accidentally' rips a hole in that box?"
The engineer lifted the pad and hummed as she looked through it. "Okaay...it's addressed to a Lieutenant Commander, no name given. They're on a planet that's still going by its astronomical name: SR-388. Contents listed as 'batteries'. Specific requests: keep between zero and minus ten degrees Celsius. That's all."
Zoidberg shuddered at the mention of the freezing temperature and when Fry tried to imagine it, his fur bristled. Bender on the other hand was unimpressed with the information and started rhythmically shaking the box. When he finally got bored (or had enough of Leela staring him down), he put it on the floor. A few seconds later, everyone jumped when it shook on its own. There was a dull thump from inside, then a lethargic squeal.
"Bender, put that thing back in the freezer before we get in trouble. And don't touch it again until you have to." Leela didn't seem scared, but she was definitely unsettled. She started to scratch between Fry's shoulders and felt him relax, making her quickly follow suit. Afterward though, she thought it was odd that a cat was taken by surprise and yet seemed to have the presence of mind to keep his claws retracted.
Everyone was only further convinced something shady was going on when the delivery had to be made through a wall. Judging by the hole the box was passed through, it was at least six inches thick and made of a no doubt heavy duty alloy. Once they were back on the ship it was decided it would be in the best interest to never speak of this again. Not to mention running for cover if they heard that planet's name.
With some nudging from Hermes, Leela was the last to clock out at 4:59 and 27 seconds p.m. For about ten minutes before that, she'd been in his office going over paperwork. Fry decided this lapse in attention would be his best chance to get his paws on that vial of antidote and secure his return to humanity. He padded his way up to the laboratory, but the only test tubes there were filled with either Zoidberg's ink or blood. The crimson all had labels, but he didn't pay attention to them.
After that he checked all the other places he could think of: the basement room with the 'animalization' machine, the pseudo-lab near the hangar, and even in the lounge (with a glance from Bender) and all with no luck. Hopes of a weekend long date dashed, Fry headed downstairs to find Leela with his head so low his whiskers almost brushed the floor.
I guess this isn't all bad. I know that mixture's somewhere, I just can't find it. Without that, I could be stuck like this forever. His tail began to sway as he thought about how his last two days had been spent. This whole time I could stay as close as she needed me to be and she didn't think she had to act tough and push me away. We've spent more time together this week then we did the past month. Even more if you count Friday. His mood had been put into a nice upswing.
He got to the hallway that led to Hermes' office when his ears started turning backward. It was a few seconds before the Professor rounded the corner, riding in his hovering Lay-Z-Boy and snoring. Heh, sleeping like a 161-year old baby. Wait, what? Before the chair's large shadow passed over his head, the animal's sharp eyes caught sight of a beautiful thing: the gleam of light off glass coming from the old man's breast pocket. Fry's mouth went agape as he watched the senior float away. The vial!
The cat followed the chair until it stopped next to the Professor's bed. As if on cue, Farnsworth roused and mumbled a bit. Then his chair dropped him onto his mattress and hovered away. Fry laid low and started to stalk forward, but the curtain around the bed drew without another move from the Prof.
Great, I'm still boned.
His emotional roller coaster hit another hill just before he turned to leave. A wrinkled hand pushed its way out and laid the thin test tube down, then dropped a white lab coat on the floor.
Yes!
Rearing, he saw it was leaned against a small lamp. All he had to do was get to the top of that nightstand and everything he ever did to show Leela how much he cared about her would be worth it. It wasn't just a vial of brown goo anymore, to him it was hope. Spending all his money on an X-Mas present that got blown up, digging into what someone else said was her past and breaking up her wedding, making a deal with the Robot Devil only to give up what he wanted in the first place...if they were all rolled up into one super problem, that goo could still solve it.
The height was quickly sized up by the animal. Three times his own at least, but he knew it wouldn't pose a challenge. Leela's sink is taller then this. Leg muscles coiled tightly as he double checked the distance and then end of his tail flicked rapidly back and forth. Then...
"Phil?"
Leela's voice threw him off his balance at the last second, causing what would have been a graceful jump to deteriorate into a wild flailing. His face hit an edge and he shook violently to smooth his fur. Oh, perfect. I don't know why I got my hopes up. Don't come this way, don't come this way, don't come this...
"Phiiil?" Against his wishes, Leela was getting closer. His ears were better now, but he knew he couldn't hear her from far enough away that he'd have the right amount of time to change back and get out of the room. One last glance and Fry turned to the door. I'll be back for you later.
"Philip? Where are you, baby?"
It was then that Fry was hit with a wave of something that made him feel all tingly. When he was returned to an upright and furless position, he had plenty of time to think about it and came to the conclusion that it was the same sort of excitement he felt when he and Bender stole the ship. Even if it was only for a short time, he was in on a secret that made Leela say things he wasn't sure she'd say if she knew he was the cat she adopted. Not to mention he was pretty sure she'd never call him 'baby' if he was human.
She was about ready to give up and accuse Bender and Zoidberg of double-teaming her sweet kitty when she heard a scratching. Good luck for them because she hadn't dished out a decent beating in a while and she had a violence version of cabin fever. Leela tucked away her urge to maim as easily as she filed away her urge to be tender and opened the door. On the other side was the small tabby, lying down and looking up at her calmly.
The purple-haired woman placed her hands on her hips. "What are you doing in here, cutie?"
Just some normal cat things. Looking for tuna and wondering what makes that old person smell. He got up and seated himself at her feet, purring as he nuzzled her calf.
"You're adorable. Come on, let's go home."
She scooped him up like a farmer lifting a young lamb; front legs in one hand and back in the other. He didn't squirm in the slightest so she moved him over her head and walked away while pulling her ponytail loose. As it was two days before, Bender wound up walking with Leela and her pet. And he noticed when she kept putting her hand to her head.
"What's your problem," he asked/demanded, his way of showing concern.
"I've had a dull headache all day. I think I'm getting a cold." She made a face, but took comfort in a cuddle to her cheek.
Bender crossed his arms. "Well, I take back what I said about that fuzzball wanting to eat you."
Leela smiled gratefully. "Really?"
"Yup. Now I know what he's really doing is making all you organ-sacs sick. He was able to get Nibbler first because he's so small."
She grumbled in face of the robot's suspicion of living things. "Just be quiet, Bender. You're going to make my headache worse."
"That's another great thing about being me. I don't have to worry about aches or pains, stubbing my toes, or getting brain freeze from a cold beer. Not to mention..."
He rounded the corner without pausing his rant and Leela relished the forthcoming silence. "I don't know how Fry puts up with that bag of bolts."
Every story worth telling has a coincidence. It's usually, but not limited to, huge and near the end. Here's this story's coincidence. The second to last time Fry passed that small antique shop was the same time Leela made it clear what she liked. She paused in front of the window and put her hand on the glass. The charms that sat on the shelf must have been in high demand that week because the one she seemed to be looking at before was now all by its lonesome. It didn't seem like much: just a half-inch at most bit of jewelry that had a crescent moon shaped bit of crystal set in it.
"'It's like seeing something you want so much all the time, but you know you can never have it,'" she said softly as she absentmindedly began to scratch Fry's cheek. "It doesn't really seem fair to compare a piece of metal to myself. Oh, Fry...I'm so sorry."
Come on, Leela, don't do this to yourself. In a bid to get her to laugh again, he started licking at her ear. And it worked.
"Alright, I know. Cheer up, right? It'll all work out once he shows his face again."
She got home, took a shower, and set them both up with dinner. It was pretty much routine to Fry at this point. What wasn't routine was the cold pills she took in an attempt to nip her sickness in the bud. Once she got into bed, she quickly checked her e-mail again and seemed let down when she didn't see anything new. She muttered a soft 'Poo' before she read through the message Fry had sent her and looked at the clock. Then she got an almost giddy smile. "Just a few hours. But...no. Fry's never broken his word to me before." Feeling more anxious then she ever did for anything, Leela tossed and turned before knocking out cold because of the medication.
Fry curled up next to her neck, unsure of how he was going to pull off his change and yet confident that by the next day he and Leela would be able to share a much needed hug.
