DISCLAIMER: Blah blah blah yakity smakity don't own TaleSpin, Disney 
guys do. Don't sue me I have all of nothing to give you.

SPECIAL THANKS: Alyson for helping me get over my writer's block, Dan 
for telling me to write this. But the most thanks goes to the 
occupants of the SOL who will probably get stuck with this.
*****
I'll remember when we met
And all that we went through
It pains me that I never spoke
Of all I wanted to
 
The days and nights that passed us by
Did fade like a distant star
And all the words that could be said
Have been driven much too far

Though our time was cut so short
My heart will always know
That love will guide us back one day
To where the daisies grow
******
Rebecca Cunningham sat at her desk and stared at a corner of her 
office. It was a particular corner that she often stared at, as if her 
intense gaze could change it into something  more pleasent to look at.
The building was rickety, the paint job was horrendous, and the decor 
was pretty much like the rest of it. Rebecca sighed. It wasn't like 
she didn't love the old run down building. It was her business, her 
first attempt at making it in the world. Higher for Hire, the name of 
said business, did okay. It wasn't anywhere near the mega-monopoly 
that was Khan Industries but then again what was? Rebecca traced lines
through the dust that had accumulated on her desk. When had she last 
dusted? She rubbed her eyes tiredly as she heard the familiar sound of
the Seaduck hitting the water.

"Shoes!", Baloo, her pilot and one of three employees, yelled as he 
burst into the room. Kit Cloudkicker, the navigator walked right 
behind him and blinked at the large bears statement.

"Shoes? You are four hours late and the only excuse you have is 
shoes??? What about pirates? Rogue pilots? Mutant beansprouts from the
fifth dismention?? Surely you can do better then shoes!", Rebecca 
shot back.

"It's not an excuse. It happened! Right Li'l Britches?", Baloo looked 
down at Kit who squirmed for a few seconds.

"Um...yeah Papa Bear. It was horrible! I almost got hit by a pair of 
clogs!", the small cub finally said.

Rebecca Cunningham, owner of Hire for Higher, stared at her flight 
crew. She didn't know whether to laugh, scream or fire them. So she 
didn't do anything at all. Baloo approached her cautionously "Uh...
Becky? Aren't you going to yell or lecture or....something?" he asked 
looking worried. Kit stared at Rebecca who glanced down at the cub and
forced a smile. Kit looked relived and then startled as Rebecca 
grabbed Baloo's yellow shirt and hissed "If you're ever this late 
again and then have the audacity to give me the STUPIDEST excuse known
to man I will personally turn you into a rug! Do you understand me?" 
The big bear nodded. "Good", she said, grabbed her suitcase and left.

Baloo and Kit gawked at the door for a few minutes. Finally Kit spoke 
up "Uh...Baloo, did Ms. Cunningham seem a little...uh..."

"Crackers?", Baloo finished.

"No! Stressed out. Maybe you should have told her the truth. You can't
keep lying to her!", Kit said and hoped this time the pilot would 
listen. No such luck.

"Oh come off it Li'l Britches! Ol' Beckers just likes to yell and 
complain and lecture til my ears start to bleed. Who am I to deprive 
her of that pleasure?"

"Whatever you say Papa Bear", Kit stated and glanced at the door 
again.

*******

"Mommy! Mommy! Mommy! Look at me! Look at me!", Molly Cunningham 
shouted to her mother. Rebecca was curled up in the chair fast asleep. 
'Poor Mommy', Molly thought as she placed a blanket around her and 
snuggled up beside her. Molly may have been young but she wasn't 
stupid. Her mother had seemed...off somehow. She didn't laugh as much 
and seemed tired alot. This was the fifth time she had fallen asleep 
on the chair. She told Molly it was because of work but it had never 
happened this much before. Molly scrunched up her face in thought. 
'Mommy needs to relax. She needs a vacation' the little golden cub 
racked her brain trying to think of a way to get her mother to forget 
about work. Ideas spun through her head as she fell asleep.

********

Rebecca felt something hit her at full speed and a little high pitch 
voice ring out. "Mommy time to get up!" 

"Wha...? Ow! Molly Cunningham you know better then to crash into 
people like that!", Rebecca lectured as she reached up to rub her 
already pounding head. 'Nothing like a migrane first thing in the 
morning', she thought drily. She suddenly noticed she was curled into 
the living room chair. "Did I fall asleep here again", she asked 
herself.

"Yup. You were really tired. You're always tired", Molly voice took 
on an accusatory tone.

"I'm sorry honey, but things have been really..."

"Hectic at work", Molly finished.

Rebecca blinked. "Have I already said that?", Rebecca asked picking 
her daughter up and walking into the kitchen to fix breakfast. 

The little cub nodded. "Can I come to work with you today? I'll be 
real good! I promise!", she asked pleadingly.

Rebecca sighed. "I'm going to be awfully busy, Molly. I probably won't 
have time to play with you.", she explained expectly Molly to look 
disappointed. Surprisly the little girl seemed apathetic to this fact. 

"That's okay, Mommy. I know you work hard. I can play by myself", she 
said sweetly.

Rebecca looked at her daughter's angelic face and wondered what she 
was up to.

******
A loud crash echoed through the pier as Baloo and Kit attempted to 
load the morning's cargo. The grey bear stumbled backwards, almost 
pitching himself into the water. Kit grabbed frantically at the box 
and watched as Baloo regained his balance. The large pilot glowered at
the offending box.

"I swear, Li'l Britches, Becky seems to take on clients with heavier, 
and more awkward cargo everyday! I think she does it to spite me.", 
Baloo declared rubbing the foot an earlier box had fell on. 

Kit grinned. "Aw, c'mon Papa Bear! Do you really believe that?"

Before Baloo could answer Rebecca's voice rang out. "Baloo are you 
breaking our very important client's gumball machines??"

Baloo groaned. 'What a pleasant life this would be without her 
constant nagging', he thought as he and Kit placed the last box in the 
Seaduck.

Rebecca approached them with clipboard in hand. "Now the gumball 
machines have to be dropped off by ten and then the lobster bibs..."

Baloo's eyes glazed over and he just nodded. "Mmm hmm.", was all he 
said.

His boss glared at him. "You're not listening to a word I say are 
you??" she yelled.

"Ow!", he said rubbing his ears, "Well now everyone in Cape Suzette is 
listening to you."

"You-you-you...I swear I'm running out of synonyms for stupid and 
lazy!!!"

"Hey, I don't see you loading ten crates of gumball machines! But I'm 
sure sitting on your backside behind a desk takes a whole lot of 
energy!"

Kit just stood there watching the fireworks fly. The fights seemed to 
have gotten worse these past few weeks. It took less and less to set 
Ms. Cunningham off. 'She needs a vacation', he thought

Rebecca's face had turned crimson and she yelled at the top of her 
lungs "You will listen to me when I talk to you or...." she trailed 
off.

"Or what Becky? C'mon can'tcha even finish your empty threats?", he 
sneered and then noticed her swaying slightly, "Becky? Are you okay?",
he asked concerned.

"Oh like you care!", she yelled half-heartedly as she reached out for 
something to steady her. He grabbed her arm and helped her regain her 
balance. "I'm taking you to a doctor", he said.

She shook her head. "Oh no you don't! You're not getting out of work 
that easily!", she stated shakingly as she started to black out.

"Ms. Cunningham??", Kit asked and grabbed her other arm. Rebecca went 
limp in their arms. "Baloo we have to get her to the hospital!" he 
said trying to support his half without falling.

Baloo picked up Rebecca and walked towards the office. "Call the 
ambulance, Li'l Britches!" he ordered as he put her gently on a chair.
"C'mon Becky! This isn't funny.", he said softly. In the distance he 
heard sirens.

END OF PART ONE