Chapter 9
A Date With Destiny 

	Mike had to admit it…he was looking forward to his date with Cassy. After that night, that wonderful, magical night at Rick’s, his life had changed. That night he and Cassy spent in Rick's guest room, he felt like a teen fur again. They talked, they kissed, they touched—it was like the first time. She made him feel like a god!
	The first time in eight years, perhaps with the help of this beautiful creature—he could finally put the past behind him. Thinking back to their time together, she had seemed so—grateful. As if it was the first time for both of them. The depths of her passion astounded him. He had never had a lover respond to him with that much raw passion. It wasn't until his eyes fell upon 'The Picture' that he realized for the first time that the dull ache in his chest…was Gone. He looked from the picture to his reflection in the mirror and found himself still smiling. His heart and soul told him he was in love, but his mind stubbornly refused to accept it. Despite knowing it was true, he just wasn't ready…Yet. It was Sunday and his day off. Better swing by the florist and pick up some flowers, for he had a date with Cassy.
	Mike met Cassy at the International Fountain at noon and presented her with a single elegant Red carnation.

	"Oh Mikey," Cassy grinned, accepting the flower and bringing it to her nose—inhaling it's spicy scent. "I love carnations!"
	"You deserve flowers, My dear." Mike grinned. It felt so good just being with her, he thought.
	"You’re so sweet…"  Cass blushed slightly, a coy smile dusting her muzzle. They sat and watched the choreographed fountain show, the finale; the firing of four 8 inch water cannons blasting streams of water over 200 feet in the air, to land with a crash on the fountains steel dome.  
	"Oooh I just love that part! I've seen it a hundred times, but it's so cool!" Cassy gushed. Just seeing her exuberance made Mike smile. "Mikey, can I ask you something?"
	"Mmmm? Course ya can dear." Mike turned to face his honey bunny.
	"Okay, well this is going to sound silly, but…" Cassy paused, as if to screw up her courage, "Mike, will…will you be my steady?" the fur on her muzzle standing at attention. Mike just stared at her a moment. "My god Cass, Really?" she nodded not saying anything.

	"…Well sure, yes! I'd love to go steady with you, Cassy. I just…Wow. I'm Touched." Before he could say more Cassy enfolded him in a massive body hug, she just melted into him. He returned the gesture in full measure.

	As they walked paw in paw "Um, Cassy. Are you sure this is what you want?" She nodded, flopping her ears with gusto. This caused Mike to smile at the beautiful Bunny. "Very well." he sighed. "Well than, if we are going to do this right, you know what that means, don't you?" Mike asked trying to sound serious.
	"Um, I'm not sure, I've never had a steady before, well not officially. What's involved?" 
Mike turned to face her, taking both her paws in his, he gazed into her lovely azure blue eyes, a radiant smile on his muzzle. "Promise Rings."
You could have knocked Cassy over with a feather. Her eyes went so wide Mike was afraid they would they would pop out of her head.
	"Really?" Cassy eeped. "Real Official Promise Rings!"
Mike nodded. "Yup. If we are going to do this right, we must get Promise Rings. That is, if you still want to go steady with me that is?"

	"Oh, Yes-Yes-Yes-Yes-Yes!" Cassy squealed. "Thank you—Thank You—Thank you—Thank you!" And there, under the Space Needle Cassy kissed Mike with all the passion she could muster.
	Coming up for air a few minutes later, and refocusing his eyes, Mike gasped. "Wow, that was... Wow. You are a good kisser." he chuckled. Mike led her to the Northwest Gallery, and twenty minutes later they emerged with a matching set of 18K gold Promise Rings. Each band sporting a one-karat emerald green stone made from Mount St. Helens’ Ash. 
Cassy was floating on air. "I love you honey Bunny. You honor me beyond any expression. I hope I am worthy of your love." Mike said softly as they walked paw in paw to the monorail station.
#     #    #
	Not long afterwards, Mike was walking down the pathway in Myrtle-Edwards Park along the Seattle waterfront, Cassy on his arm—the two were just enjoying each others company. This gave Mike time to think. For the first time in a long time, he was happy. He loved the way she felt, the way her fur smelled, her sweet innocence. Everything about her. When she hit him with 'that' question out of the blue like that it absolutely floored him. His heart's answering cry silenced all opposition, it was high time he move on with his life. Then it struck him, what Rick had said to him years ago in the depths of his despair; 'There is one who waits for you.' And here she was!

He had been taken with her from the first day she came to work at Open Season. She was so sweet and bubbly and he had taken it upon himself to look out for her. It really galled him the way some furs took advantage of her trusting nature, he lat it be known what would happen to anyone who raised a hand against her, fortunately it had never come to that. When he heard she was nearly in that big wreck, he determined to tell her how he felt about her. And that night, that wonderful night—he felt Free, for the first time; it felt so right. 
	Pausing to watch the ships on the sound brought him out of his reverence.
"Cassy, You make me so happy, thank you. Until that night at Rick’s, I thought I'd never love again."
	"Mike, I can't tell you how much this all means to me. I was so afraid that you would turn me down…I've known you for four years now, and you've always been 'Mr. Cynical.' But at the same time you've always seemed to look out for me. And I've never told you how much I've appreciated that." Cassy held him for a few minutes before continuing.
	"…And when Gwen said that you, you liked me, I wanted to give you a great big smooch, and then…the wreck." She shuddered at the memory of her near death experience. Mike held her, his strength pouring into her.
	"I um, just had to…to ask you if you'd go with me, and you said YES! It made me the happiest girl in Seattle. I love you Mikey, I'm so glad I asked you to be mine!"
Mike felt such an outpouring of love for this lovely innocent he was almost beyond words. "Sweetheart, may I cook you dinner tonight?" he asked somewhat shyly.
	"You can cook?" Cassy blinked in surprise.
	"Aay, I'm Sicilian, of course I can cook!" he chuckled.
	"What did you have in mind honey?" Cassy asked intrigued.
	"Well, I can whip up some nice Manicotti, stuffed with Ricotta and herbs covered with marinara, or maybe some veal—no, I could make you some eggplant parmigiana?'
	"Ooh, that first one sounds yummy, yes please!" Cassy clapped her paws with joy, in anticipation of having someone prepare a home cooked meal just for her!
	"Excellent! I live right up in Belltown. It's not much, but it's comfortable." Mike said humbly. 
	They caught a cab over to Mike's Belltown Apartment.
#     #    #