"You guys are still fi -"

Jeanette had no chance to finish her sentence. The Chipmunks has already pounced onto her like hungry predators... only, they attacked her with hugs. They embraced her so tight, they didn't want to let go.

The hug lasted a good few minutes. The Chipmunks couldn't bear to have lost her. They all owed her a well-deserved apology, and an explanation.

"Jeanette," Eleanor sniffled. "First of all, none of this is YOUR fault, okay, hon?"

"B-b-but... but I thought -"

"Hush, sis. It's NOT. I won't directly say who IS to blame," she continued, looking right at Brittany, "but it's not yours."

Jeanette spoke through her tears.

"I-I-I thought y-you guys hated me, and were m-mad at me for messing things up -"

"WE thought YOU were mad!" said Theodore.

"Jeanette..." began Simon. "The truth is, we were so worried about you. I was so worried about you! How do you think we could ever be mad at you? At least, how do you think I could be mad at you?"

Jeanette couldn't help but smile, her tear-stained cheeks tinged with a shade of crimson-red.

"We all owe you an... a-a-apology, Jeanette," said Alvin.

"Wow, Alvin..." she replied, "that's a sentence I never expected YOU to say!"

"Well, you d-d-deserve it. After what we did, it was the least I could do... no matter HOW hard it was to s-say..."

"We are terribly sorry, Jeanette," all but Brittany admitted.

Simon elbowed Brittany.

"Hmm. I think someone owes you the biggest apology." He gave her a hard stare. "Brittany? Your cue."

The rest of the Chipmunks backed away, until it was just Brittany and Jeanette. The two girls were face to face with each other in this incredibly awkward moment.

Brittany spoke first, and gave quite a surprising response.

"Please, tell me how you do it!" she cried as she dropped onto her knees and hugged her sister's thighs.

Jeanette was perplexed at this sudden outburst.

"What... what are you talking about, Britt?"

"Your looks... your make-up... your beauty... everything..."

Simon strode hotly towards Brittany.

"Cut the drama, Britt. This isn't about make-up. You need to MAKE UP with your sister. Apologise. And say it like you MEAN it."

"Haha!" Alvin laughed in the awkward situation. "Make-up and make up! Haha! See what you did there? Yeah? No...? Oh..."

"Zip it, Seville," the blue-eyed Brunette demanded.

"Roger that, Captain." He gave a humorous salute, receiving yet another dirty look.

"Britt? The rest of us are waiting for YOU. We haven't got all night, you know."

"Simon..." Jeanette finally spoke up. "It's okay if she doesn't want to apologise. She doesn't have to say sorry if she doesn't mean it -"

"Jeanette, are you joking? I won't let her get away with it! BRITT?! NOW!!!"

"Sorry! Sorry. Sorry. S-s-sorry. I'm... s-sorry."

"Okay. She's apologised," Jeanette continued. "Can... can we just all, you know, start again? Forget about all this crazy drama? I'll get changed into something more... bearable for Brittany."

The group stared at her in awe of her forgiveness, and tolerance.

"I don't need apologies, or anything. I just needed to get away from all the fighting for a bit... some peace, you know? But now we can resolve this issue, and get on with this sleepover. Can't we all do that? For... for me? That would be the best apology you guys could give me."

"Aww!"

The Chipmunks and Chipettes wrapped their arms around the skinny purple-clad, admiring her caring heart.

All but Simon let go of her.

Simon questioned her: "How could you be so kind, Jeanette? After all we've done... after all Brittany's done.. surely you -"

"Anger gets you nothing, Simon. Just misery," she softly responded. "Just forgive and forget all the wrongs people have done to you, and you'll lead a much happier and lighter life... right?"

Wise words indeed, Jeanette.

"Just one more question: where... where were you that whole time. Where did you go?"

She giggled. "You'll find out soon enough. For now, let's all just go back to being cute Chipmunks again."