Me: Hi! I haven't posted anything for Great Mouse Detective so here it is! This is the reposted sequel to 'Fall of an empire'. I will try to update as frequently as possible but that doesn't mean that I will. -.-

Terra: Right, Anyways Sorceress of the Nile only owns me and her characters. She doesn't claim Great Mouse Detective.

Me: Yup, Happy reading!

Seven months after Ratigan's takeover, Terra felt like she could finally breathe again. Terra had been so afraid during that whole incident and now that it was over, she felt relieved. However, since many mice died in the fight, Terra often came home with work she had to do. Often she would go the Basil's flat to see how he and Dawson were fairing after the whole thing. However, one night, she got a surprise. Mrs Judson had left for the weekend to visit family and old friends on the country side and Basil was invited to a gala that he was taking Dawson with.

"The stuffy gala would be much more interesting if you came, Terra." Basil remarked as they stood by the door. Terra chuckled.

"Yes well, I have work I need to finish. Besides, I've been so busy lately, I would rather spend some time here then at a stuffy gala." Basil chuckled.

"I suppose." He kissed her cheek and she giggled. She waved them off and watched until the pair of mice disappeared among the London streets. Terra softly closed the door and wandered back to the couch next to the fire. She had made herself a cup of lemon tea as she worked on papers for the morgue. Soon she finished and she sighed to herself, cupping her paws around the tea cup and staring at the fire. She closed her eyes and her nose took in the smells of the room around her. The chemicals on the table behind her, the smoke of the fire, the lingering smell of Mrs Judson's crumpets and something else. Something that seemed very familiar. Mint. Strangely she could smell mint in the flat.

'I haven't smelled mint in seven months. I smelled it at the castle, but why am I smelling it now?' She wondered. She opened her eyes and glanced around.

"Good evening, Terra." Terra gasped and stood to see Ratigan standing behind her with a smirk on his face. Her tea spilled on the floor and Terra stared at the large rat that was standing before her. She hadn't seen him since that night at the castle and the fear that she had felt that night was coursing through her now. It took all the willpower she had to keep herself from screaming.

"How are you-?" Ratigan chuckled.

"Alive? Oh well, it takes much more then a fall down a rocky hill to kill me." Terra took a step back as Ratigan moved closer to her.

"You know, I still fail to understand why you choose him over me. I could have given you everything you desired and more and yet, you still turned away from me."

"I told you back at the castle, I don't trust you like I did before." Terra angrily growled.

"You cast me aside like a broken toy. Now you decide that I'm useful again?! Well, you missed out on your choice." Terra turned from him and crossed her arms over her chest. She heard him chuckle in amusement.

"You are just as fiery as when I first met you." She sharply inhaled when she fell his paws on her arms. She noted that he was wearing his clean white gloves again, but she knew that they hid the long claws.

"You may think that I betrayed you, but you are wrong, Terra." Terra turned and broke from Ratigan's hold.

"What are you talking about?"

"I can see that you care for Basil, much more then you should." Her ears pulled back in anger.

"So you would protect him?"

"Of course!" She snapped. She didn't like the triumphant smirk on his face.

"So you would lay down your life, in exchange for his."

"Yes." She answered simply.

"I'll make you a deal, I was planning to take my revenge on both you and Basil, but since you are a special young lady, I'll offer you a choice. Either come back with me and cut your ties to Basil or stay with him and suffer the consequences." Terra gritted her teeth. Her nails were digging into her fists as she glared at him.

"Make your choice, Terra." Terra swallowed.

"I'll think about it." Ratigan hummed.

"I'll give you two weeks to think about your choice. But no later, you know I am about being on time." Terra resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Ratigan watched her for a moment then turned and headed for the door.

"Oh and Terra?"

"What?" She asked sharply. Ratigan looked over his shoulder.

"Not a word to anyone, otherwise you find that your loved ones will be victims of many unfortunate incidents." Her eyes widened.

"You... Won't..." That smirk on his face said otherwise. He chuckled.

"Do you wish to take that chance?" Terra was quiet.

"I thought so." Ratigan took the 'Death Bell' from the mantel and placed it in his pocket.

"I believe this is mine. See you soon, Terra." Terra watched in silence as the rat slipped through the door, his long tail slithering out behind him. When the door closed, Terra allowed herself to breathe as she sat on the couch, holding her head. After a minute of telling herself to calm down and breathing, the reality of what just happened came crushing down on her. She only had two weeks to choose to either go back to Ratigan or to stay and face his wraith and the worse part was she couldn't breathe a word to anyone.