~Jake's POV~

Warmth. Warmth. Warmth. My body needs it... to end myself in such a way? It's cold... so  so cold. Arghhhh! I can't even think straight! No matter... I would see my parents soon enough, and that's a thing to look forward to! I just... have to wait for it. Wait for the underworld to receive my soul."Jakey!" no... please.. go away.." It's me! Your pops!" No.. it's not. "Look up will you?" Go away...

If only this could end soon enough, then I could stop ebbing in pain. Jane's probably freaking out right now, and Zack.. Zack has probably moved on with life. Oh go away already for crying out loud! This...this ball of cursed light has been shining at my face for who knows how long. It's like light the end at the end of the tunnel. The opposite of death, the pain that I know as life. Although it's so close, It never seems to come any closer.Like a plate of warm,delicious,cheesy macaroni just out of my reach...

I've always wondered the feeling of death. I mean, a little borrower like me has no chances of living peacefully in that...that world of those humans. I could go over the infinite ways I could die in: squished,eaten,smacked, crushed,falls,chopped,coldness,heat strokes so on and so forth... I thought it was fast and quick, like burning over the sun's energy for a millisecond. I could never predicted that it was so cold... so bitterly cold...It's a wonder how my tail and ears are still intact, and how I haven't lost consciousness too...

Even if I hadn't 'died', what could've happened anyways? Could I still have some time to enjoy Zack's deluxe specialty? Would I be embraced in the gentle clutches of Jane's hands? Should I still be living like the useless being I...was? Sadly, no. Borrowers weren't allowed on 'Earth'. Borrowers are pet, slaves, food and entertainment. Nothing more, nothing less. I should've just killed myself when I had the chance. It's almost amusing how we could just end up being someone's property, someone so heartless. "Just get over it already...life's like that." I said it aloud, with no particular reason in mind..."Jake? J-Jake?!" 

~Jane's POV~

I kept my eyes locked on his features. I kept myself at bay, trying to be as calm as I could."J-Jake? Are you awake?" Tick...tick...tick... maybe it was just my imagination, I thought I'd heard him muttering. I was so relieved to see him living and breathing as his chest swelled and deflated rhythmically. I had my eyes on him with every passing second, trying to make sense out of it. That day? Was nothing short of a miracle...

After the fires were put out, I charged straight into the debris. I overturned every single thing I could and can think off but... my hopes were diminished... or so I thought. Zack had his predator side sniff around, and while I warned him about the consequences... I would have never seen Jake ever again if I had stopped him. He still went on searching for a scent after a fruitless hour; and there he was. Jake was found. Buried on top of a metal cabinet that had miraculously engulfed and shielded Jake from the worst of the heat. 

I still couldn't believe it! It just seemed so... ambiguous. No one could have predicted it. No one would have believed it. No one should have understood it but here he was, an unconscious being that was saved by destiny... if only he woke up.

Two months. He had been in a coma for two months! While I gratefully thanked the heavens for saving him... I wish to feel his emotions, to hear his words and to see his smile. Sighing, I closed the book  I had been reading and laid down sideways on the couch, trying to fathom this little bundle of joy as I started to drift off... I was getting sleepy alright. I haven't caught sixty winks since I started looking over Jake.

Since that fire, I had been jobless. My boss was still trying to slot all the colleagues and me into a branch somewhere near here. So while I had nothing to do at home, I looked after him. It was embarrassing to say it but- I fed him with a teaspoon. Zack, the all knowing chef that he was, recommended soft foods for Jake to chew on. Apparently according to Zack, and science, it was impossible for Jake to chew unconsciously. Something about him choking on something if he hadn't chewed properly but nevertheless, I fed him some porridge. Once in a while, he would make a face. A face filled with joy that warms my heart, because you can't call something like that not cute.

His tail slices the air occasionally, and so does his ears. I mean, aren't cats cute? But in this case... a humanoid figure that had fused with fiction and become half-human, half-cat. And if that wasn't enough to convince me, he can even purr too! Well... used to. I slowly wrapped my hands over his tiny frame, gently picking him up. I held him close to my heart, both physically and mentally. I didn't really know how to make of this. My heart is pounds like there was no tomorrow when he was around, obviously taking a liking to this angel... movement...

I held my breath..."Jake?" silence ensues... "J-Jake?!" I called out, desperately begging for a response. "H-huh? W-where?" he slowly picks himself up... steadily rising out of his sleep into a sitting position.He groggily opens his eyes, blinking a few times to steady his sight. "W-woah!" I...I..."Oh! Jake! You're back!!" I hugged him firmly against my cheek, without a second thought to back it up. I was ecstatic! "Jane? I-is this real?"

"What do you mean? Of course its real! I've been worried sick!" he cringed as his ears furled up.. right..."Sorry...I was so happy. You're alive after all!" I whisper shouted. "B-but the fire.." he said as he gave me those adorable cat eyes... unconsciuosly?" Oh hush now... that's in the past. What matters is in the present!" Jake replied with a genuinely confused look. " Oh alright.. I'll tell you."

~Jake's POV ~

"So your're saying that I got saved by a falling cabinet..." Jane nods solemnly. "And Zack sniffed me out..." she nods again. That has to be the weirdest things that has happened to me but, probably the right thing to do was to thank Zack and that piece of metal." Did the 'police' find the arsonist?"

"Well.. no.Whoever it was, the guy - im guessing - had mixed in with the rioters." she said thoughtfully. "Too bad we couldn't get any footage of that person with our surveillance cameras." Surveillance what?"What is this... surveillance thingy?" She giggled as she looked me straight on." You knew what a arsonist was but not surveillance cameras? I'd thought you were a genius for a second there!" I pouted and looked away." I had a dictionary I would read.."Growl..   "Hungry already? It's just 3 in the afternoon!" she beamed as she spook. "I fed ya a hefty amount during lunch too!" Why was she being so enthusiastic..."Yeah..." 

"Well, no matter!  I could use a snack myself." She held me close to her as she walked towards... a fridge? I'm just picking my brains out now, and sure, I had read a dictionary; but I never had a visualization to know what it looked like. "So... peanut butter or strawberry jam?" My mouth started to water at the sight of those violent colors. "Uh... what are those?" "You're kidding... right?"I had honestly no clue, but it does look exponentially delicious! "Peanut.Butter.And.Jam." she said each word with over-the-top pronunciation, stressing each word. "Peanut butter and Jam?"

"You are really hopeless.." she said mockingly as she spread the mysterious 'Peanut butter and Jam' on some bread( at least I knew that! )."Here, enjoy!" Although I have seen human food, it just never seizes to amaze me. I mean, it's stupendously ginormous! And so... gooood~~~I took bite after bite and I would've had laughed at myself if I wasn't stuffing my face.And as expected, I was full in no time... oh heavenly Peanut butter and Jam... Swipe

I looked up just in time to see Jane taking one last bite out of the sandwich...so...so fast... I didn't even see her picking up the sandwich too... I shuddered at the thought. Being picked up and being eaten... that's as mortifying as it can get! I remembered how Jane acted when her predator side had control... she barely held back the menace.

 I never really knew the real reason why Jane loved borrowers so much too... what did I just say?!! Jeez! I can't imagine a romantic relationship between two incomparable beings, I mean, the size difference! Oh gods stawp thinking of that!  

"Jake.." I looked into her eyes." You know that I'll never do that to you..." what? " Could you... explain what you just said?" I must've looked shocked... "Well... I don't know how this works but I'm somehow interconnected to you..." I blushed... immensely. "No!No! No! It's not what you think it is!"

"When I said interconnected... I meant telepathically. As in I can hear your thoughts." She can hear my thoughts?!" Yes! Yes I can." Jane... when did you start having this... magical ability. "Well... I first met you in the snow. You were freezing to the point of gods know what...and suddenly! I started hearing words out of my mind!"

"I thought I went insane!" She said exasperatedly. " Then when you woke up... you had the same exact voice with that constant muttering in my ear." She could hear me this whole time? "Yes! I know it's crazy but you have to believe me...because that's why I continued to look for you in the pile of debris." Then... you saw that right...the memories, the fluffy thoughts, the 'love' stuff...

"Right... I heard all that. I experienced all that." This is embarrassing..." I... never knew you had such a past... I'm so sorry about what happened to your parents." Since you can hear my thoughts... do I still have to speak... like, physically? "I may not know what that feeling feels to you but... I can relate."

~Jane's POV~

"It's pretty common for us borrowers. At the age of 5, I had to learn how to scavenge, scale 'walls' and basically try to avoid humans.But... orphans? Not so much." I wasn't really focused on his words... what I saw from him memories... that haunted me. I can't even imagine what he goes through, to lose his parents right in front of his eyes. And he has feelings for me? Heh, inexplicable...Jane? "Huh?" Oh... so you get back to reality when I talk telepathically? "I... I guess so.." Well then... I'll talk like this now until you start to be more aware of your surroundings. This little Jake has changed so much since the day I met him... from the blubbering scared little soul he was to this confident cute cat he is...

"Still... I'm here if you want to tell me what's wrong." Uhmm... I can practically tell you anything when I'm thinking... "Hehehe... I'll try not to listen." That's Impossible... BEEP! "Jane? Oh thanks the stars! Jake, you're awake!" Zack seems happy... "Yes..yes he is..." "Who are you talking to?"

"Oh uh... nothing!" Liar... "Anyways... haven't you showered yet?" Oh crap! What time is it? 5 o'clock?! " Sorry! I completely forgot about it. I was talking to little ol' Jake... here..." Wait... Jake has never showered since the day of the blizzard..."Jake... when did you last change you clothes? No... when was you last shower?"

"Uhhh.... never?" What?! "I'm not really the kind to shower you know... I'm a cat." Riightt. "But don't you at least freshen up?" Jake poked his tongue out as he scratched his hair. "You're not serious.. right? You've telling me that you've never had water on yourself in your entire life..." Jake continued to poke his tongue out. "Well... I could.. rub you with a towel?" Jane... what are you trying to do here... fine... "S-sure I guess?" he stuttered out.

C-cold! "Oh bare with it! You need to clean yourself next time!" And besides... he looks so adorable when he whines... I can tell that you're thinking about me. " H-how?" Well... because we're interconnected? " Very funny..." but he is just a borrower... tiny as he can be. How will this work out? I don't know.... Also, I thought you wanted me naked...

"Jake that was uncalled for!" I looked away while I plopped him on the basin while I wrung the towel dry... and glowed in all my blushing glory."I-t' s-still c-cold over here y-you know!P-pick m-me up!" "With pleasure~" I said menacingly as I yanked him up.. gently-ish.

J-Jane! Don't do that! I'm gonna be sick! " Oh cripes! I'm so sorry~" Not funny! "Jane, why are you talking to yourself? Are you alright?" Dang! I forgot... I'm other people can't hear Jake. "A-ah nothing.. really! It's nothing."

"Anyways... I'm thinking of going out to eat at a restaurant or something. I don't feel like cooking today... I'm bummed out real hard..." Zack... you're a real slugger, you know that? "Well, we need some clothes for this little kitten here, so why not the mall?" Call me kitten again... I dare you.. "Says the kitten that is currently residing on the palm of my hand." "Jane..."

"Okay okay I'll tell ya! I... can somehow.... communicate without speaking to Jake here." Zack lifted his left eyebrow. "Well... telepathically." He just sighed and gestured towards the door. "I more or less already knew about that..." Wait what? " What do you mean 'more or less already knew about that'?"

"Well..." Zack closed the door behind him. "I can sorta do the same thing too..." Wait... so you can hear me right now? "Yep." Jake looked dumbstruck.Ding!~ The elevator sure arrived faster than usual... " I... know about your parents." Well... that's no problem here. I would've told you two sooner or late anyways. "I'm so sorry about that..." It's... fine...

~Le skipping of time ~

"Woah... that's humongous!" Jake had been constantly purring during the trip... muttering warm things in his sleep... doesn't he know about that? "You've never seen a mall? Little dictionary guy?" Jake shot me a glare."Oh be quiet will you..."

Zack and I waltzed into the mall, with the cool air conditioning blowing at a somewhat chilly intent. I wrapped my fingers around Jake a little tighter, to warm him up. Thanks~~ "No problem..." Speaking of problems, I fell like a dozen tigers were glaring upon Jake. They weren't the lazy-tiger type either, full of bitter and impetuous intent.

"We're eating first! Because I'm hungry." Of course you are... " Oh be quiet..." "I've no problem against that but, where are we gonna find a borrower friendly restaurant in this hell?" Zack muttered under his breath, just loud enough for me to hear. "Hmm, last time I was here, if I can recall correctly, Chilies were borrower friendly."

"Jane..." Zack said quietly. " What do you fit inside that brain?" "Oh you know, the usual I'm-better-at-memorizing-than-you thing." As usual, I was correct. Chilies was still open too after about uhhhhhh 6 years? "Soo, you wanna sit on my shoulder while we eat or just... stand on the table?" I'd rather be hugged to death right now... "Hehehe, table it is."Groan... wait whaaat I could even hear his groans?? He looks so grumpy though, even when predators are around him... I guess me and Zack count as 'predators' but I wasn't thinking about us. I'm talking about the whole dang restaurant.

~Jake's POV~

Okay... is it just me... or am I getting more goosebumps than the usual?  "Yeah...but Chilies has a strict order-and-eat policy..." I think Zack was right about you "Kitten..." Human... "Blizzard boy..." Predato- BANG! "Hey watch it! You almost squished him!" Zack... the quickest to resort to anger. "Oh I'm sorry... I didn't see him because he was so small." The waiter replied in a sing-song voice but,it... happened so fast... "Jake? Are you okay?"Jane asked worriedly. C-can I just stay on your s-shoulder so that I won't get k-killed by a p-plate?  "Sure..."

The rest of the eating session was blur... I kept my feelings to myself. Oh! And I've learnt how to control my 'telepathic' ability. You just basically think of the closest thing to you... yes. I've been thinking about Jane. The only reason I know why this works is because of her reaction when I thought about her. Eyes focused and set on the future but dang, this warmth is to die for! I was currently leaning against Jane's neck. Since that provided the most sense of security with the whole restaurant looking at us.

But there was this particular group that had been looking more glaringly than the others. A group of girls that were so pale, you'd believe that they came back from the dead. "Jake. Get onto my hand." Uhmm... sure.. "Zack." He nodded and left the table to the cashier. What's happening? "You'd wish you never find out..."

Someone you know? I knew I struck a chord because of a slight flinch. "Anyways, let's just quietly dazzle onto the outsides of this confinement.." she said as she tucked in the chair and the whole restaurant fell quiet... tick...tick...tick... "Let's go Zack."

She kept quiet to herself. "May I know what just happened inside there?" A sigh was given out, "Those were my high school bullies." Wait... actually, how did she get the money to survive this long anyways? "I knew that question would come sooner or later..." right... telepathy...

"I... was supported by my parents financially." she carried me up to her 'midsection'. "That fact about them is just the worst... they had the nerve to give me money but never thought about visiting me or even send me a little note of some sort. It's... heartbreaking."

"They cut off the money flow once I graduated, don't ask how they knew that, and I guess it was around that time I met Zack." I looked his way... Zack has been with her for that long? "Anyways, it was the first time I actually spent some money I earned, and I wanted something special... sooo..."

Del Gatto's huh. It does sound fancy. "Hey Jane, I'm going to the bank. Keep... keep Jake safe will ya?" "O-of course! Why do you sound like that?" Zack just looked away, his back facing us as he disappeared into the crowd; disintegrating like burnt ash...

"Okay... now... your clothes." Sigh... "I guess mine are a little bit worn down." "What do you mean worn down? It's literally ripped!" Watch the volume! " Oh... sorry about that..." Also, there is such thing as  a shirt store for borrowers? " Well there is... in the pet shop."

Ding~! The doorbell gave a cheerful chime as we entered the mildly infuriating 'pet store'. "Can I help you with anything?" Jane jumped a little as she tried not to drop me. "Y-yes, I'm finding some clothes for this little kitten?" "Kitten? Oh.... borrowers... right this way!"

Her voice changed into pure venom as she saw me, then changing back into the ever smiling psychotic, maniac-looking person she was. "It's in there." ... A little dollhouse... seriously? "You're lucky that our boss actually has this thing." the fake smile still plastered onto her face. "Most stores would just have the little pests climb up the poles and take it themselves." Okay... put me down Jane...

~Jane's POV~

I watched the little kitten hurried down the little dollhouse, then sighed inwardly as he reached the doors. "Say... he quite the specimen." "Pardon me?" " I said... he's quite the specimen. He obeys you, lets you touch him so comfortably... what trick did you do with him? Shock collars?"

"I don't... know where you're going with this." she looked at me from top to bottom. "Have you been living in a hole?" Ouch... "Borrowers rarely ever trust us... I mean of course they don't. They're too busy fearing us like the little vermins they are." I started to fume, but kept it reined in. "Jake... has been like that since we first met."

"Wait... really?! Then now you must tell me your trick! I'm gonna be famous all over the internet if it works!" "Could you please explain more thoroughly for me please..." I was confused and angry at the same time. "Jeez... I didn't know people like you existed but nevertheless!" She pointed her finger at me. "We'll do a little trading here. I'll explain, and you give me your ways. Deal?"... "Fine..."

"So! As you well know that borrowers are little bugs that live in our homes, we have to make them fear us." I already know about that you self-centered bastard. " Even if the... kinder ones of us treat them well, they still look towards the skies. Looking for a way to escape. And that's exactly why we do these kinds of things to them! Toys, food, entertainment and so much more." She swung towards me in a disgustingly glamorous way.

"And that's why I..." she pointed to herself. " People like me find ways to make them obey. From restricting them from eating, talking, moving and finally! Their results start to show; but they've never trusted us... so are you going to tell me your secret?" Now I can't believe a person like her exists, and I've basically known all this..."It's kindness."

"You've tried torture. You've tried malice. You've tried silencing. Why not treat them like us for once?" She looked at me, disgusted. "I'll tell you this for free. You'll never find a borrower that can be whipped into shape. No matter how hard you try." Jane?

"Oh Jake! You're done... that was quick. Here." I poised out my hand for him to climb on to while I kept an eye on that girl... no... monster. 

~Jake's POV~

"Jane... what happened?" She just huffed in response. "I really can't understand the human society nowadays." I didn't want to push her, so I sat down on the palm of her hand. "You shop fast for a borrower." Well... there wasn't much to choose from anyways. "I'm not too surprised." She said as she held out a 'handful' bag of clothes on her other hand.

"Also.. where is Zack? He's supposed to have come back already." Bank sure sounds like a complicated place... "Well... he gets lost easily, I know that for sure... let's go find him." She grunted as she stood up from the bench. "Are you hurt?" She gave a lopsided smile as she started walking towards this... bank...

I might not consciously think well about this idea but... what does love actually feel like? Jane has looked over me for a long time... not like I've met any other human before her... She's shown so much empathy for me it's unreal. When I see the other humans, all they did was just glare down at me as they wanted me dead.. except Zack of course.

I really didn't understand the true meaning of love. Sure, mom and dad were always there to look after me but... it just felt like a throb in my heart now. While Jane... she looked... angelic. I wasn't specifying about her look though. Her actions, her intentions, her kindness... all felt so genuin-BANG!...............

Jane suddenly broke into a sprint, covering me with her other hand protectively so I wouldn't fall. I want to talk to her but... it's no use speaking. Jane? What's that noise and why are you running?... No reply... It did sound loud,that 'bang'. I tried to get a little bit more comfortable within her grasp, because the way she was holding me was a little wee bit too tight for my liking. I was about to lean down as an impact from outside caused me to jump again... did she stop?...

...

...

...

I was suddenly encased in a firm hug with me over her chest, her heart thumping wildly as she struggled to keep the tears back? W-was she crying? "Jane... what happened?" 

...

...

...

"Zack... has l-left us..."