MY WAY

Prologue- I can fix it

Mike did things his way.

The little white mouse was no stranger to the fast lane, the hard streets, and the glamorous other half of society. He's seen them all, talked to 'em all, and swindled 'em all. Sure, he had debts to pay but who had time for that when there was life worth living? Yeah, he'd broken a lot of hearts but no need to dwell on the past. He's gotten this far in his life looking out for number one. And if no one else could keep up with him then that was their fault. His world kept rotating and it would never stop...

Until the night when the world decided against it.

It all happened so fast. One second the little mouse was standing off-stage with the other performers watching Meena sing her heart out. The next, he was snatched away by a large bear claw and almost swallowed whole. His charm wasn't going to get him out of this one. At least not until Nancy, his girlfriend, saved his life.

He thought he was done for. The way the bear just carelessly carried him around and then dropped him into his large maw, ready to chew him up. But Mike was rescued from the damp darkness when the bear suddenly spat him out, making him land hard on the concrete with an oof.

"Quick! Get in!" A female voice called out to him.

His head whipped around to see Nancy in his brand new shiny red car.

She didn't need to tell him twice.

He thanked her and settled down in the passenger's seat beside her, giving a content smile. However, they didn't know that they weren't alone. The large Russian bear had managed to get a grip on the vehicle during their escape and plant himself firmly on the trunk, giving a triumphant grin. He was finally going to give the little mouse what was coming to him.

Mike barely had a moment to relax before he caught the sight of brown fur and sharp, pearly-white teeth in the rear-view mirror. almost on impulse, he lurched towards Nancy and latched onto his wheel, jerking it to the left, and down an alley-way. It violently swung the bear to the right of the trunk but he latched onto the seats for dear life. His eyes still locked onto Mike with blood-thirsty intent.

"Mike! What're you-?" Nancy didn't need to finish after she saw the large bear fall into her peripheral. She shrieked and clung to Mike's arm.

The large brown bear growled and swung at them with his razor-sharp claws, just missing them but taking Mikes hat. The bear carelessly let the wind take it away.

"It's over, little mouse." The bear taunted, his voice dripping with venom. "You're going to make a great toothpick."

The white mouse cursed under his breath and assumed the wheel.

"Not in this lifetime, Yogi!"

Shifting gears and slamming his foot down on the gas, Mike drove from side to side, alley-way to alley-way to try and shake the bear boss but just hardly. The large Russian lost his grip a couple times but quickly recovered when his claws gripped onto the back seat. The bear started advancing now, pulling himself towards the driver's seat practically within arms reach of the rodents, ripping and tearing the seats like they were made out of mere paper. Mike looked back at the bear and practically froze in fear as a large paw was hovering over them, claws extended.

This is it...

But before Mike's life could start flashing before his eyes, he was almost taken off his feet my a sudden bounce in the car and a trashcan meeting the bear's face, making the bear lose balance and fall back to the far end of the trunk. Mike's head whipped around to see Nancy resuming control of the car. He was about to thank her before she intentionally went head-on into another trashcan. Mike's eyes went wide as saucers and ducked his head, the trashcan barely missing his head and colliding with the trunk.

Mike felt his heart break slightly at the large gash that was created on impact. His head whipped around towards Nancy.

"Ay! What're ya think you're doin'?" He demanded, Dodging another trashcan.

"Trying to save our butts!" She answered, panic in her voice.

"You're scratchin up the car!"

"Who cares!?"

"She was expensive!"

However, he was immediately silenced by a stern look he'd never seen from her before. She was just as scary as she was attractive.

But Mike ran a frustrated hand through his fur as she hit a few more trashcans, making the large metal bins crash down on the trunk of the car and crash against the bear. The large animal's grip faltering after every hit. However, he finally snapped when a trashcan flew a little too low and cracked the windshield.

"He's on the back again, just shake 'em!" Mike yelled, seeing the damage she was causing his expensive car.

"Look at him, he's almost completely knocked out! One more hit should do it!"

The male mouse smacked his forehead in frustration. What was he going to do with her?

"Alright, killer, my turn to drive!"

Mike pushed her hands away, and resumed control, giving the car a violent jerk to the right and thrusting his finger down on the trunk button, causing the trunk to POP open and catapult the bear into a nearby pile of trash. The Russian bear boss looked like he was in a daze for a moment before he realized where he was. He stood and was ready to charge them but stumbled under his own weight. His legs were in no condition to be stood on. He crumpled to the ground and slammed a fist against the concrete in defeat.

The bear let out a vicious growl that chilled Mike to his core. "I'll get you, Mike! I'll find you and make you pay me back! One way or another!"

The words rang through Mike's head like a death sentence.

Nancy obliviously let out a happy cheer, shaking Mike's arm. "Yay! Ya did it baby!"

But the white mouse didn't want to celebrate just yet. He kept his eyes on the road, not ready to cheer until he was sure the bear was not going to find them. He wanted to get as far away from here. Out of the city if possible. But he had neither the gas or the shelter. So they would just have to lay low for a while before proceeding. He had to breathe.

Eventually, Mike found them a cozy little spot on some docks, hidden neatly between two large shipping containers. Nancy was sitting in the passenger's seat with Mike's suit jacket around her shoulders, disappointingly watching him attempt to get the scratches out of the front of his shiny red car. Grumbling under his breath about how she should have let him drive and how he should've just backed up into the stupid bears and this and that.

He was sulking and it was adorable.

Although she knew he was annoyed with her for scratching up his precious baby, she didn't care. At least they weren't sitting in the bottom of a bear's belly right now. However, she was starting to think it would've been a lot warmer than their current location.

Besides, who knew where that bear was now. They needed to get somewhere safer than this.

"Um... Mikey?" She called out to him sweetly, hoping to get his attention.

But she did not.

"Mike."

All she heard was more grumbling.

"Mike!"

"What!?" He snapped back but quickly caught himself. "Uh, what is it, sweetheart?"

She cleared her throat before speaking. "Y'know, I think the coast might be clear now. Maybe we could start heading back into the city and-"

"Woah, woah, woah, hold on a minute. The city? Are you nuts?" He asked, walking across the hood of his car, looking at her through the cracks in the windshield. "We can't go back now. They might have regrouped. They could be scowerin' the city lookin' for us."

She just gave him a deadpan look. "I don't think three bears can scower the whole city in one night, hon. besides, we beat 'em up pretty badly. They would want to go home and lick their wounds."

Mike ran his hand through the white fur on his head, shaking it, and pacing back and forth. He knew this was a very bad idea. To go back so soon? Maybe she could. But not him. He had too big of a price on his head.

"It's still too risky. We don't know how many of 'em their are. T-They could be back at the theater or the night club o-or-"

"Mikey." She said, her voice calm but slightly raspy from yelling earlier. "I know you're scared but-"

"Scared? No no no, I ain't scared! I had that whole situation under control."

Her face screamed that she did not believe him.

"I did!"

Nancy rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "Okay then, since you have this all under control- what do we do next?"

Mike blinked. "We?"

She nodded. "I helped you get out of that mess back there. I'm in this just as deep as you are now."

"well I'll tell ya what we're doing next. We are sellin' this beauty, skipping town, and forgetting all about this mess." He said confidently.

He wasn't being serious, was he?

"And go where, exactly?" She asked.

"well I'm thinkin'." He started. "This baby is worth at least twenty grand. I say say we sell it and then disappear off into paradise somewhere. Just you and me. Somewhere warm. An island maybe."

Nancy shook her head. "And then what? We just say goodbye to everything here and avoid all responsibility?"

"Precisely!"

Nancy wanted to scream but she knew that wouldn't get them anywhere. And She knew their nerves were already strung tight enough as it was.

"Mike we can't do that." She said simply.

He took her hands. "Oh you won't have to do anything, sweetheart. I'll handle all the details and the tickets-"

"No, Mike, I mean we can't just leave everything behind."

"I can." He said, crossing his arms.

She crossed her arms in return, mocking husband stance. "Well, I'm not."

"Don't worry about it, baby, you'll come around to the idea. It'll be great! Just the two of us, together on a beach somewhere." Mike said, sounding very proud.

"Mike, I'm serious." Nancy said, firmly.

But she was ignored.

This isn't working. He's so stuck up his own ego he just thinks I'm gonna go with him like that! I can't believe-

That's when a lightbulb went off in her head.

"Of course. How silly of me to turn down such an opportunity." She said very passive aggressively with a giggle. She cleared her throat before continuing, getting an idea. She started feigning annoyance. "I guess I'm just not good enough for you."

Mike seemed to take the bait and cocked his head, feeling his heart sink a bit. "Come again?"

She gave herself a mental pat on the back. He was falling for it.

"Oh you know..." She turned and started walking to the end of the car, punching a number into her phone "You follow the beat of your own drum, Mike. What do you need me around for? I'm just there to look pretty on your arm, right? I might as well just leave. wouldn't want to hold you down. I'd Ben better off with some other mouse who's... Responsible." She said the last word dramatically.

The male mouse seemed to panic a bit when she started talking on the phone to someone. He couldn't quite make it out but he knew it wasn't good. When she hung up he did his best to rectify the situation. "W-What are you talkin' about babe? Of course I need you."

"Really?" She asked, finally getting her attention.

The male mouse realized what she was pulling and crossed his arms.

"Oh no you don't. You aren't gonna bait me that easily, sweetheart."

Nancy gave him a cheeky smirk And went to go sit down on the trunk, facing the street. "Then I guess I'll just wait for my ride."

"And where do you think your're goin?" He asked but received no answer.

"Oh, so that's how it's gonna be? Gonna give me the silent treatment? Fine, you do you, sweetheart. I'm gonna fix my car." He said, grumbling to himself and went back to repairing his expensive vehicle.

"Yeah, you do that." She said with a smirk.

Mike scoffed. She didn't know what She was missing out on. No one wouldn't be crazy enough to refuse a free ticket to paradise. Especially from him! Pfft, he would just give her time. She'll realize how silly she was being and run right back to him. Besides, he could be responsible! There was nothing another mouse could do that he couldn't.

He was almost tempted to stand up and say something to her before he caught himself.

No, she was just trying to get to him. She couldn't handle his way of life and was trying to change him that's all. Just like everyone else. She didn't have to care about him. She didn't have to save his life.

But she did.

Mike glanced up at her her for a second to see if she was still facing away from him. Of course she was. That was when the torn seats caught his eye. He glanced back between the two and rolled his eyes in aggravation. Mike jumped over the windshield and made his way into the back seat, inspecting the damage. Of course he would point the finger at her. If she had just let him drive his poor car wouldn't have taken such a beating. But no, she had to take control. She had to hit those trash cans and bust his windshield.

And his poor seats... How easily the bear just tore them to shreds.

The seats...

Mike stopped attempting to repair the seat and just stared at the ripped fabric, suddenly realizing how easily the bear's claws ripped into them. He remembered seeing the Russian tear through the fabric like butter. He remembered turning and seeing the bear ready to smite them down with the very same set of claws, how ready he was for his fate. But Nancy save them. She quickly jumped into action and threw the bear off balance.

She didn't have to do that. She could have just let them become just like this very torn fabric he was holding.

Mike tore his eyes away from the seat and looked up to where the female mouse was sitting, her back to him. She was still wearing his suit jacket and he could just barely see her face. She was looking up at the sky, contemplating something. The moonlight glistening off her white fur.

She was beautiful. Smart.

And you are an idiot. Just gonna fall for it like that. You know that's what she wants you to do.

The male mouse dropped his head with a sigh and was about to open his mouth when he heard a car pull up. His blood went cold. He instinctively ducked down behind the seats in fear, assuming it was the bears again.

"Nancy!" He called out to her in a whisper but received no answer.

Oh no...

His heart sunk and he peered back over the seats to see nothing more than... A taxi? And Nancy was walking towards it.

Oh no!

Mike scrambled out of the vehicle and ran for her. Trying to catch her before she got into the vehicle. She managed to get the door open before she felt a tug on her arm. She turned to see Mike standing there, out of breath and giving her a pleading look, latched onto her sleeve.

She looked down at her arm and started taking the jacket off.

"Oh, sorry, forgot about your jacket." She said simply.

"Forget the jacket. What're ya think you're doin?" He asked.

Nancy met his eyes. "I'm going home, remember?" She gestured towards the taxi. "You're more than welcome to join me. And we could solve this together." She put heavy emphasis on the last word.

Mike gave a nervous laugh, he was playing it off cool but his stomach was actually doing flips. He didn't want her to leave but he wasn't going to make it plainly obvious that she had successfully baited him. Instead he let her go and shrugged.

"oh, yeah, sure you do that babe. I'll handle this on my own."

"I'm sure." She said.

He nodded. "Yep."

She gave a small smile and started getting into the taxi. "So I'll just get out of your way and-"

"W-wait!" Mike said before he could stop himself, surprising himself and Nancy.

"Wait what?" She asked.

Mike hesitated before answering. He didn't know why, but he had to stop her. Seeing that she was about to leave and possibly never talk to him again was bothering him more than he cared to entertain at that moment. And it was hurting his ego something fierce.

"What makes you think I can't be responsible?"

Nancy cocked her head in feigned confusion. "I didn't say you couldn't. I was merely implying that you weren't.."

Mike's ego jumped into high gear before he realized what was coming out of his mouth.

"I can be!"

She crossed her arms, giving a good impression of him. "Is that so?"

"yes, that is very so. Name something you want me to do, and I'll do it."

Thats when he wanted to mentally slap himself. The smile on her face said it all. She had him right where she wanted him.

She got closer to him and poked his nose with her finger. "If only I had a wonderful boyfriend who would pay back those mean bears so that he wouldn't have to worry about getting eaten. And then we could escape to our private island getaway."

Mike almost turned pale. "B-Babe that's a lot of money-"

"Bye-bye!" She started getting into the taxi before he pulled her back to him.

"Okay! Okay." He said with a smirk. "If that's really all it'll take." He strode over to her and put an arm around her shoulder. "And then Just imagine it: you and me under the sun on a private yacht in the middle of the ocean. Just the two of us!"

Nancy wanted to believe him. She truly did.

She took his arm off her. "Do you think you can handle that?"

He shrugged and waved her words off like it was still. "Pfft, please this is kids stuff, babe. I've handled bigger than this."

Nancy was thrilled. She was going to ask him to repeat it but she had gotten him this far. She wasn't about to ruin her- their chances at being happy.

That was exactly what Nancy was looking for. She gave a happy squeal and gave him a big hug.

Nancy wanted to laugh knowing that the only way she was going to get anywhere with him was reverse psychology. But that didn't matter right now. Right now she was willing to help him every step of the way.

He is a good liar.

She shook those thoughts away. She had to trust him if she was going to make this work. She by no means wanted to change him. She loved him for who he was. She just didn't want to see him getting killed like he almost had been.

Nancy was taken from her thoughts by the taxi driver, a large Rhino, hocking his horn.

"Ay! Cool your jets, pal, the lady and I are havin a moment over here!" Mike snapped at him, making Nancy giggle.

"I really should get home." She said, earning a pout from him. "And I hope you mean what you said... and That you're mouse enough fix this."

He put a hand over his heart. "You have my solemn oath as a mouse and a Lincoln graduate."

Before Nancy could stop herself, she threw herself at him and planted her lips on his, making him completely stiffen and his tail curl up. She pulled away and started to get back into the taxi, leaving him a dazed mess.

"Don't forget what you said, Mike." She reminded him.

He just dreamily stared at her. "money, fix, bears, private yacht."

She giggled. "Exactly."

Nancy closed the door and rolled the window down to look at him.

"You know where I live." She said with a sad expression as the car started moving.

Mike snapped out of it and gave her a warm smile. "Don't worry, baby! Just think of us on a warm summer day, cruisin' on a private yacht, in the middle of the ocean. Just the two of us!" He called out to her. Once the taxi was out of sight he stood there for a moment with his hands in his pockets.

Mike made his way back to the car and sat in the driver's seat, gripping the wheel. She was right about one thing. He was tired of running. Tired of hiding. What was the point of making the world your oyster if you were constantly on the defense? But what other choice did he have? He'd swindled so many people, he had no reason not to constantly be on the move. Nancy didn't actually expect him to be able to pay all these animals back, did she?

Unless you're not mouse enough to do it...

Mike scoffed. He would show her. But how?

The answer was simple. But he was going to do it his way.

Mike turned the car on and shifted into reverse. He pulled out of the docks and took a little drive around the outer parts of the city to clear his head and get a plan for his next move. One idea stuck in his head. And he wasn't sure how he was going to pull it off but lord help him he couldn't think of a better solution.

What did he have to lose?

He headed back towards the city.

Thank you for reading! :) It's been so long since I got back into fanfiction and it'll be a while to shake all the cobwebs out. I really tried to comb out the spelling mistakes and such so I do apologize for any wonky punctuation and spelling. Like I said, it's been a while.

As you can tell, this is a redemption story for Mike, my favorite character in SING next to Johnny. And they left his story very open ended so OF COURSE I had to do something with it!

The characters do not belong to me. They belong to Illumination. Only the plot belongs to me... and the taxi driver I guess.