Chapter 1:
They say that when you are close to death you see your all life flashing before your eyes, but it wasn't what Ratigan saw falling from the Big Ben, all he could see where the lights of the city through the fog . Although his fall felt like hours he could only close his eyes, and embrace the cold wind against his fur. He couldn't enjoy anything else, but the fact that Basil would have followed his own fate . The failure of his plan, the end of his dream... All because of Basil. He would be screaming his anger right now if he wouldn't have lost his voice during the fall long ago.
All of a sudden he felt his fall slowed down by the decorations for Her majesties' jubilee. Some sort of sharp wire scratched him on his left eyebrow before rolling him up. Then he crashed hardly on a street lamp feeling a terrible pain coming from his side close to the chest area, he founded himself holding his breath because of the pain. Before he could do something he landed on his knee before falling in the cold waters of the Thames.
Meanwhile, not far from the landing of Ratigan, a little bat is complaining about the decision of his Boss about throwing him off the hovercraft: "Damn you Boss! He perfectly knows" takes a break to spit out water "I can't fly. Lucky me, I can swim... what... is that the professor..!?"
Fidget assisted at the landing of Ratigan and, without a second thought, rushed swimming to the professor.
"He might not deserve it, but he is still the Boss..."
It surely it wouldn't be easy to get Ratigan out of the water, but he needed to try. As soon as he reached the spot where he saw the professor took a deep breath and dived. He couldn't see much under water, but could find the wire that was keeping the professor and grabbed it and wrapped it around his hand to be sure not to lose his grasp. Fidget made it out of the water and started swimming to the first deck he could find. When he was finally out of the water he started wrapping the wire around a pole to take Ratigan out of the water. As soon as he could reach for the professor he let go of the wire and catch what's left of professor's dress and lifts him to make him lie on the deck.
"Come on professor, you can't give up now!" He starts pushing his chest, luckily after a few attempts he spits out part of the water, breathing again at full lungs.
"Good job professor!" says Fidget relived.
Even if now he is breathing he still unconscious. The bat needs to think quickly and, first thing first, decides to put him out of sight and drags him into an alley.
Now that they are both catching breath, Fidget realizes how much Ratigan is bleeding and that he needs to be provide with medical care immediately.
"Damn it, professor! What am I supposed to do now?" he started walking back and forth in front of the half conscious professor with his back on the wall "The hospital is not at issue..." kept thinking.
"Come on Fidget, the professor relies on you! " none of the thugs can help now, and even if some of them could escape the guards, he had no time go looking for them. There was only one who could help him right now, an old friend of Fidget, a nurse. She wouldn't be pleased to meet him after their argue five years ago, but he had no other choice. He had to try.
Fidget organized himself to drag the professor to his friend: "Don't worry professor, with the help of Zelda we will be planning new diabolical schemes in no time!"
Fidget made it to the entrance of her house, letting rest the professor beside the door. "We arrived professor, hold on a little more.."
He had no idea how to convince her to help his Boss, he never had the chance to talk to her after their quarrel... When he hears the professor coughing because of the water still in his lungs, Fidget snaps out of his thoughts and knocks on the door.
They were having a quite evening in the house, Zelda was sitting on the sofa by the fireplace reading a book, while her brother Vincent, holding a glass of whiskey, was playing chess with their mother. Unexpectedly they heard someone knocking at the door.
"Sis, if you don't mind..." Vincent told Zelda, too focused on the game. Sighing she places away her book to go to the door. "Okay, but only this time. Don't make it a habit"
Exited the living room and headed to the door: "Good evening, how can I... Fidget?"
"Hi Zelda, I..." she doesn't even let him finish his sentence that shuts the door on his face.
Recovered from his surprise Fidget starts screaming at the door: "Please, please! You don't understand, we need your help!"
The door opens again, only this time is her mother opening it.
"Fidget darling! Long time we don't see!"
"Ehm, Good evening Mrs Watterson..." said shyly.
Zelda reappears in the entrance hallway with a glass of whiskey in her hand: "Mom, I told you it was nothing important..."
But Fidget doesn't give up: "Please Zelda..." he helps an unconscious Ratigan inside "he really needs your help..."
As soon as Zelda realizes who Fidget is holding, she drops her glass and after a few steps behind she covers her left ear, already covered by her hair, with her hand. Her eyes shut open full of fear.
"Oh my God! Hurry bring him in the living room, he must be freezing! Vincent, come to help!"
In a moment he appeared on Zelda's side: "What is happening Zelda?" all she could do was pointing at the two guests. As soon as he sees Ratigan he goes helping Fidget "Come on, let's bring him near the fireplace."
They placed Ratigan in the living room by the fireplace, Mrs Watterson placed a blanket on him to keep him warm. When, all of a sudden Zelda stormed in shouting: "What the hell do you think you are doing?"
"Calm down sis..."
"Calm down?! Do you have any idea of who he is? We should be calling the police!"
Fidget tries to reason with her: "Please Zelda, he can't mean you any harm... and he really needs help!"
"Just take him to the hospital than, I don't care!"
"Zelda..." pleaded Fidget "please, you know he can't go there, he needs your help now!"
She had no idea what to do: "Mom, Vincent... what should I..."
Unsure Zelda's mother moved to her:"Is he the criminal who..."
"Yes, that's him!" Zelda replied without letting her finish.
"I don't know darling..." the mother was now looking at Ratigan with sorrow in her eyes.
"Please Zelda, you can't let him die!"
"Oh, just shut up Fidget!"
"Actually..." stepped in Vincent "we might help him and get something in return"
Surprised Zelda wondered what Vincent was referring to: "What shall we ask?"
"The dancing lesson"
A moment of silence followed between Zelda and Vincent. She was staring directly in his eyes thinking about his propose. Nodding she moved to a cabinet in the living room and took out a bottle of salts. She opened the bottle under the professor's nose to wake him up.
"Wake up, now!" said Zelda slapping him lightly on the cheeks.
The professors opened his eyes disoriented.
"The picture, The dancing lesson, do you still have it?"
He tried to reply, but found his throat was on fire, so he simply nodded.
"If I help you, you give me back that picture!"
"Back..?" Fidget was a bit confused, he had no idea she knew the Boss.
With a lot of difficulty he nodded again.
"Okay, deal! Vincent, Fidget, bring him to the room of Sullivan, since he is away he won't mind and start a fire in that fireplace! Mom, come with me, I'll need a lot of stuff..."
While Zelda and her mother were looking for everything that might be helpful, her mother said: "I'm proud of what you're doing!"
"I hope I'm doing the right thing..." replayed with a forced smile.
Soon Zelda reached the others in Sullivan's bedroom. Ratigan was lying on the bed, luckily still conscious. She hated that rat so much for what he did to her and her family, but still she sweared she would have helped everyone in need.
"Okay, now everybody out of here, when I tell you come in with blankets and dry clothes"
Without a word everyone but Zelda and Ratigan where out of the room.
Okay Zelda, calm down and relax now, he is like every other patience and he needs your help
She gave another look at him before she finally said: "Okay, let's start!"
First she has to disinfect his wounds and clean them with the alcohol, causing him to cringe. One was nothing to be worried about, it was only a little scratch on his eyebrow, while the other one was a grave injury. On his side he had a wound that required at least twelve stitches and under that she could feel a couple of broken ribs.
"Please, sit down" she said while sitting on his right side and helping him up.
"Here, place your arm on my shoulders, you can lean on me, but please try not moving..."
With a candle she sterilizes the needle and starts sewing. He stands as much still as he can, trying to suffocate his cries of pain.
"I'm sorry, I swear I'll make it haste..." than she asked him: "Might I ask you what happened?"
He took a little to answer, as soon as he tried talking he started coughing 'cause of the water and felt his throat even more on fire.
"...fell from... Big Ben, in... water..." he merely whispered, but she could hear him.
"Okay than, as soon as I'm done here I'll take a look at your lungs." She thought she could have asked him later about why he was falling from the Big Ben tonight...
She finished sewing him quickly and placed the bandages in no time, after that she took the stethoscope and heard of all the water in his lungs, the heart bit was pretty slow, but nothing to be worried about.
"It will take a lot to get reed of all that water, we can only wait..." than she placed him back laying on his back: "Now the worst part professor: your leg!" His leg was twisted, she started touching it with expert hands to see how to proceed. "It doesn't seem broken to me, but we have to twist it right..."
He tried with a lot of difficulty to put his head up and look at her in disbelief: "...what...?"
"Oh, don't you worry it will surely hurt..." she twisted his leg "a lot!"
The professor tried to scream 'cause of the pain, but all he did was a suffocate cry. Zelda couldn't help but smile.
Ah, you deserve it, bastard!
Finally she place a couple of sticks with the bandages along his leg and than place it on a couple of pillows.
"Well, I'm done here..." said Zelda while standing up "I'll send you my mother and brother to take care of you...".
Before she could leave he grabbed her by the sleeve, making her startle. After he stopped coughing he said: "... thanks..."
She left the room after looking at him saying nothing. Outside everyone was waiting for her and her opinion: "He is fine now, he is not out of danger yet, but I think he'll make it through... he is a fighter unfortunately... Please mom, Vincent, help him get ready to sleep."
Vincent stepped immediately in the room while her mother stopped by her: "Well done darling"
She smiled to her, when the door was closed she turned completely angry to Fidget.
Shivering he said: "Thank you Zelda" and looked down immediately.
"Yes, yes... whatever... What the hell is wrong with you!?" shouted completely angry.
"I-I'm sorry... I thought you were the only one who could..."
"I told you" She interrupted him "never show up again!" without listening to his defense she moved to the living room. She needed another drink.
Fidget insecure followed her downstairs.
When he entered there Zelda offered him a blanket and a drink.
"You must be freezing by the way..."
He was kind of shocked from that and with shaking hands reached for the blanket and glass.
All he could do was whisper: "Thanks..."
But she was already sitting by the fire and Fidget followed too, they stayed silent for a very long time sipping their whiskey. Till Fidget spoke first: "So... you knew the professor?"
She nodded and took another sip.
"Might I ask how you met?"
Her eyes turned immediately sad and moved a hand to her left ear always covered by the hair.
"I was his hostage..."
