//------------------------------//
// Final Gather 
// Story: Dressed to Steal 
// by Tatsurou 
//------------------------------//

	While Murray wound up in yet another race for a Treasure Key, Coco followed the path to the last one, which Bentley's directions showed was at the end of another path she could follow via a mobile gun turret.  Hopping on, she blasted the doors apart and rode into the path.  She then proceeded to blast her way past several conveyor belts and martial arts monkeys that blocked the path, and across snowy fields and gorillas launching exploding snowballs.  It didn't take long for her to retrieve the Treasure Key and return.  By then, Murray had won the race, and Coco detoured back to the van to retrieve it before moving to wait for Sly by the fireworks.





Sly never knew he could feel so happy and awkward at the same time.  The entire encounter had started so innocently.  He'd convinced Carmelita to come into one of the huts to warm up...which turned out to be a combination sentry post/storage shed.  There were blankets, some crates, and a fireplace.  He'd quickly lit the fire and arranged the blankets to help her warm up, but she continued to shiver.  Without even thinking about it, he'd wrapped her in his arms, using his own internally regulated body temperature to try and warm her up, but she was still chilled...mostly because her clothes were wet from melted snow.

Then she'd started undressing.

He'd tried to be a gentleman, keeping his back turned as she laid her clothes out in front of the fireplace to dry.  But then she'd told him flat out to shed his clothes and spoon up behind her before she froze.  With a direct order like that, he hadn't hesitated...and did his best to remain suave while being very careful where his hands - or other things - wound up.  For the sake of his dignity, he found himself very grateful for how thick and fluffy a fox tail was.

To get both their minds off what was happening, Sly had started talking about the members of the Fiendish Five they'd dealt with, and what they'd learned so far about Panda King's operation.  As they talked, Carmelita wound up getting excited about the prospect of the huge bust she'd be able to make by taking down the entire gang, turned...

Sly wasn't sure about the exact order of events after that, but he found himself very glad Coco hadn't walked in on them.  That would have been even more awkward than it was already.  He still faced resolutely away from Carmelita, clutching his cane as she pulled her now dry clothes back on.

"You've done this sort of thing before?" she asked carefully.

"No," Sly offered quickly.  "That was...the first time..."

She hesitated for a few moments.  "...really," she replied finally, her voice having a hint of surprise mixed with amazement.  She pulled on her jacket.  "Sly...if..."

When she didn't say more, Sly turned towards her and saw her hand on her abdomen.  He quickly realized her concern, and smiled as he realized he could reassure her.  "You don't need to worry about that," he said softly.  "My Dad managed to teach me one family technique before..."  He glanced away, not wanting to mar this moment with talk of what had happened.  "Anyway, it was one developed by one of my mystic ancestors, a focusing of internal energy that prevents anything 'left behind' from having any mystical trace of the one who 'shed' it."

Carmelita raised an eyebrow.  "And this has relevance how?" she asked coldly.

"Well, in more recent eras of science, this was discovered to mean that, with this technique active, we don't leave behind fingerprints...or DNA."  He grinned cheekily.  "It didn't take long for one of my male ancestors to discover a...recreational use for this technique."  Reaching over, he put his hand over hers on her belly.  "Which means this won't happen unless and until we both decide we're ready."

Carmelita's eyebrow raised further, plainly trying to maintain a composed expression.  However, the rapid coloring of her cheeks plainly showed that she wasn't succeeding.  "A useful thing to know."  Her expression then grew thoughtful.

Reaching his other hand up, Sly pulled a penny from her ear.  "Penny for your thoughts?"

"Just that if you continue to evade capture as effectively as you have, the first time I put you in cuffs might not be to take you to jail," Carmelita replied, her smirk turning a trifle wicked.  A similar chuckle followed as Sly's cheeks colored.  "For now, I need to gather the squads.  I'll catch you later raccoon...one way or the other."  With that she sauntered out of the hut, her hips swaying enticingly as her tail swished, showing off how tightly her pants hugged her figure.

Sly promptly fell flat on his back.  "...what a woman..." he murmured, desperately struggling to get himself under control.  "I'm not so sure I can handle her..."  A massive grin plastered itself on his face.  "But it's going to be fun trying."

"Are you about finished 'warming up' the Inspector, Sly?" Bentley's voice demanded a bit snippily from the Binoc-U-Com.

Gulping, Sly picked up the communicator.  "Uh...how much did you hear?" he asked nervously.

"I didn't," Bentley responded flatly.  "Once Coco said I should give you time with Miss Fox and I realized what was happening, I set your Binoc-U-com to buzz me when you were alone."

Sly groaned, putting his face in his hand.  "So I'm going to have to explain what that was to Coco later.  That's not going to be awkward at all..."  His head shot up.  "Wait, where is she?  She didn't go after Panda King on her own, did she?"

"Relax," Bentley reassured him.  "You still have four of the Treasure Keys.  Coco's got the other three now, though, and she's waiting for you by the fireworks."

"On my way," Sly muttered as he grabbed his clothes.