The Cat

It took the pair a few weeks before both realized that Norma had trouble seeing some things. Turns out, the little flower lady had problems with her eye sight; she just couldn't see things up close that well and, honestly, Once-ler didn't want her suffering from any kind of problems like that. He told her, one morning, he was heading into town to find her something to fix the problem but it was probably best she stay behind.

Naturally Norma was quite excited to have the run of the cottage to herself so she had saluted the giant man and watched him leave from the window, waving him off with a tiny handkerchief he'd made for her from one of his larger ones. She lowered her hand finally, and sighed sadly. It was strange being without him; ever since she'd come from that flower he found he'd been around, even when she would bathe in her little tub he'd made out of a soup bowl was he within range but always looking away. Which was strange, since the little lady found no real problem with her body, but then again he was a man and they were very strange creatures indeed.

He had made his cottage a lot more 'size' friendly too. With ropes and small ladders and steps made for her to climb up, or slide down, when she was making her way around the place. She hurried to the end of the counter top and looped a paperclip he had made for her around her belt, and around the string. Securely fastened the little lady made her way down the counter until she landed on the ground, unhooked herself, then hurried across the floor.

She hurried up a step ladder made of popsicle sticks and twigs to reach the sink where she found her sponge shoes. Tugging them on, she dipped them in some water before she began to glide around on the plates he'd left in the sink. Norma hummed as she worked, scrubbing the remaining pieces of breakfast of the plate with her sponge shoes before climbing out of the sink entirely.

Grabbing a wash cloth she was about to begin drying when she spotted something out of the corner of her eye. Standing up, the little lady stood on the side of the sink and looked at the strange creature that was staring in at her from the window. It was black, and white, and unlike anything she'd ever seen before. Big green eyes watched her, and a long tail stood up straight behind it. The creature tilted its head, the expression showing one of great interest in the little lady.

"Um. Hello?" she asked before taking a step back since the animal, whatever it was, leaped into the cottage through the window. It landed on Once-ler's bed, and it made its way across the mattress. Norma watched it, her heart beginning to beat faster within her chest. Something told her, instincts maybe, that this was a bad thing and that she should be running.

She made her way to the ladder and quickly slid down it as the animal, whatever it was, now leaped onto the counter where the sink and dishes were. Whatever it was made a strange sound that made her skin tingle in a not too nice way and as soon as she was on the floor she made a dash across the floor, not even daring to look over her shoulder at whatever it was.

It was suddenly upon her, making a horrid noise as it did but at the last second she ducked, covered her head with her arms, and the animal missed her by inches. Norma screamed, since it didn't sound nice at all and it was trying to hurt her — actually HURT her.

"ONCE-LER!" she screamed, even though despite the fact she knew he was gone her first instinct after running was to call for him. Norma got up and rushed towards the one thing she knew she might be able to squeeze into and that the animal could not. One of his work boots, always laying by the door. How many times she'd told him about it she didn't know but now she was glad he had never put them away.

She felt the heat of the animal against her back, heard its horrifying yowl and leaped; just seconds later she doze into the work boot and scrambled all the way down it until she was sitting where his toes normally would be. It smelt horrid, it was close and stuffy but she rather be in here than out there. The animal wasn't giving up, though, she heard it moving arond the boot and gave a startled yell when it was suddenly thrown onto its side.

She screamed again when its hand came rushing in after her, and its clawed paw came so close to grabbing at her dress. Norma tugged it closer, brought her legs in closer to herself and screamed again. Honestly, she couldn't help it, she was still terrified and every time that giant paw came into the boot it felt closer, and closer.

Then the worst thing happened; when it reached in, the next time, its claws hooked into her dress and pulled. There was nothing for Norma to grab onto, nothing to try and hold onto but still she tried, her hands burned as she was yanked out of the shoe and the animal let her go during the rush of it. She cried out as she tumbled over herself again and again before coming to a stop face down on the ground.

Things ached, her knees burned, as well as her hands but she made no attemtp to get up and run now. She covered her head with her hands, and shut her eyes tightly.

That's when the door opened. "Can you beleive I forgot—NORMA!"

She never thought she'd be so grateful to hear his voice but she dare not even lift her head. Norma didn't witness Once-ler suddenly running in, reaching out and grabbing the black cat by the scruff of the neck. He didn't have to think to see what was going on here; Norma's dress was torn, her hair was a mess, and this animal had just about been on top of her. "GET AWAY FROM HER!" he screamed viciously as he yanked the cat away from her but the cat was just as put off as he was. It spat and hissed, wriggling in his grasp and its claws flew in all directions as it made contact with his arm and hand.

Once-ler yelped, btu still held firmly onto the cat as he made his way to the door. "GET OFF. GET OUTTA HERE STUPID CAT!" Once-ler yelled at it, dislodging the animal from his scratched, bleeding arms and hands before slamming the door shut and making quick work to pull the flaps down on the windows so it wouldn't manage to sneak its way indoors. He did this quickly before rushing to Norma, all but falling over himself when he reached her.

"N-Norma, Norma? Are you all right please say you're all right oh God I shouldn't have left you, I'm sorry, I'm so so so sorry," he said as he gently reached around the little lady, gently trying to help her up.

"Once-ler!" Norma gasped, finally rolling over onto her back and wrapped her arms around some of his fingers as he began to help her up not only to her feet, but off the floor entirely. She was soon being pressed against his neck, her small hands gripping at his shirt tightly as she buried her face into the material. "Once-ler I was so a-afraid what was that thing??"

"A cat. Just a stupid cat from town, I-I didn't think.. oh I'm so sorry Norma please, I didn't realize something could get in at you but when I saw I forgot my wallet I came back and…" Once-ler said as he held her against him with one hand, the other stroking her brown curls.

"It's okay, it's okay…" she whispered shakily though her heart was beating ever so fast within her chest, it felt like it was going to burst. She shook her head before pulling back and opened her mouth to speak but then she realized his hands, and arms, were cut. And bleeding. "You're hurt!" she gasped.

"What? Oh-oh uh. It's no big deal—"

"It is too a big deal!" she said, "We have to bandage you!"

"It's not that impor—"

"ONCIE."

Once-ler winced at how loud her small voice could be, how demanding, and the fact he bent to the will of this little lady would have most men shaking their heads in dismay. But soon there he was, sitting on his bed, arms down, whilst Norma hurried around his injuries with one wash cloth, and a long bandage. She cleaned the cuts made by the cat, making him wince lie a baby, before bandaging them up.

"I'm glad I forgot my wallet now." he mumbled quietly. "I don't… I don't think I would have… I could have lost you." Once-ler watched her as she tugged a bandage around a particuarly bad looking laceration to his ring finger.

Norma blinked in surprise, and looked up at him. She smiled, gently. "I am too. I… I was so afraid I kept calling your name, you know?"

"N-no I. I didn't know.. that…" Once-ler shook his head.

"Mm. I was afraid I wouldn't see you again. I didn't like that." Norma whispered as she set the last bandage in place.

"I wouldn't like that either." he mumbled.

The very idea of her not being here, of her leaving, or worst yet dying because of some stupid cat from town getting to her broke his heart in many horrible ways. How quickly he'd gotten used to having her around, of having someone to talk who who wasn't putting him down, or insulting him. How much she relied on him, how she kept him company. It meant the world to him and he didn't even know if she knew how much it meant to him, having her here.

He chewed at his bottom lip before he reached out, and touched her arm with one of his bandaged fingers. "Thank you."

"It's nothing," Norma smiled up at him as she caressed his finger.

"No, not. It's not nothing and I don't mean bandaging my hands either I mean. Thank you, f. For being here. With me. I've never really… had… somebody around like you before and I don't just mean a small lady either I mean. I don't… Ugh. I don't even know what I mean." he shut his eyes and hung his head forward, his black hair falling into his eyes. "It just… I don't want to think of not having you here."

She blinked up at him, surprised by his words, though they did cause her cheeks to turn into a bright red colour. "Really?" she asked.

"Mm." he mumbled.

"...I'm really grateful you're here too." she whispered, "I mean. I don't know how anyone else would have treated me but… but I'm I'm so glad you were the one to find me. And take me in like this." Norma walked up to him, running a hand along his arm before she pressed herself against his chest, shutting her eyes. "Thank you for finding me." she whispered.

"..you're welcome." he whispered, placing a hand around her back, shut his eyes, and just lived in the moment. She was here, she was safe; that's what mattered most. Injuries will heal. That much can be true, but nobody could ever take her place.

Nobody.

The End