Ratigan walked into the Rat Trap and saw Isabelle at the bar, laying her head in her arms, looking depressed. Its only been two weeks since her mother died and she still reeling from it.

She started to drink heavily and wouldn't talk to anyone, not even Thomas. That got Ratigan worried, knowing the large rat is, after him, her trusted confidante. Then, one day, he caught her vomiting in the alley and that's when he put his foot down. After a rather brutal argument, she stopped drinking, but still wouldn't talk to anyone. He sighed as he broke from his thought and sat next to her, starting to stroke her hair. She didn't respond to his touch, which made him frown.

"Isabelle, you can't do this anymore." he said, "Please...speak to me or anyone else."

She looked at him blankly and bit her lip.

"I-I just cant, Padriac...I just cant yet." she said, getting up and heading to the restroom. Ratigan watched her go with a heaviness in his heart; he didn't like seeing the usual docile thief like this. He heard the front door opened and looked at the newest patron to walk in, raising an eyebrow.

It was a dark gray male mouse with slick black hair and black goatee; he looked middle -age. He noticed the white collar around his neck, realizing he was a priest. He wondered why a priest will even walk in a saloon. He then saw Isabelle come out of the restroom and she glanced at the priest. She froze immediately and look of horror overcame her face as she stepped back.

"N-N-Norman!" she shrieked, making Ratigan at the priest in shock. He then remembered Isabelle's description of her stepfather and realized it was Norman Bailey standing in front of him. He stood up to confront him, but Neil seemed to pop out of nowhere and pointed his gun to the priest.

"Get the fuck out of here, Norman!" he growled. The priest just looked at Neil calmly and smirked.

"You haven't changed a bit, Neil." he said, making the eldest Cassidy growl. He then looked at Isabelle.

"I just want to speak with you." he said, "It took me awhile to track you down."

Isabelle looked at him with scrutiny and sighed.

"Neil..." Isabelle said, looking at her cousin, "Let him speak."

Neil glared at Norman, but backed off. Norman then walked to Isabelle, stopping infront of her.

"I suppose you heard about your mother." he said, with Isabelle nodding.

"Its a shame you weren't there for her." he said, putting a hand on her shoulder. She immediately bristled from his touch and moved his hand away. Ratigan instantly went to her side and put an arm around her, which didn't go unnoticed by Norman.

"You're with a rat?" he exclaimed, "Did you remember what I told you?"

"Don't start, Norman." Isabelle said softly.

"Rats are workers of the devil." he growled out, making Ratigan grit his teeth in silence, "How dare you socialize with these whore-sons."

Isabelle's right ear twitch and she rushed over and slapped Norman in the face.

"Go to hell, Norman!" she yelled out.

What happened next was too fast for anyone to react.

Norman growled, grabbing a bottle from a nearby table and smashed it across Isabelle face, making her fall to her knees. Ratigan gave a feral growl and Neil was about to shoot Norman when a clear voice rang out.

"Hold it right there!"

They all looked at the source of the voice and saw Ella glaring at Norman, with a shotgun in her hand. Neil and Ratigan quickly got out of the way, with them dragging Isabelle away. Norman glanced at the shotgun and just smiled at Ella.

"Now really, Ella. You're not going to shoot-"

BANG!

Everyone jumped at the gunshot and Norman froze, slowly going to his ear and touching it. He pulled his hand back, seeing blood on his fingers. He then looked back at Ella, who cocked hr guna gain.

"I have no trouble with shooting a preacher, Norman." she said, "Now leave."

Norman looked at her and then looked at the others, glaring at them and finally leaving. Ella sighed and then looked at Ratigan and Isabelle, who was holding his handkerchief to her face.

"Come here a second, son." she said, pointing to Ratigan. Ratigan looked confused for a moment, but he complied and walked over to Ella. She circled around him, scrutinizing him. She then stopped in front of him, poking him in the chest with her shotgun.

"So, you're my granddaughters rat beau?" she said, making him nod and looking nervous at the shotgun.

"No listen here." she said, getting his attention with a poke, "If you ever hurt Isabelle, I'm going to bust your balls so bad they are going to be ringing Dixie."

Ratigan only nodded, realizing that's probably where Isabelle got that saying from. Ella then looked at her granddaughter.

"Honey, get yourself patched up and then meet me in the back room. We gotta have ourselves a talk."

AN: Here we finally meet Norman! I based him on Reverend Harry Powell from the film "The Night of the Hunter" and also Claude Frollo, from the Disney version of a Hunchback of Notre Dame. Heh, crazy priests. Technically, Norman is a preacher, which means he could get married. If I had a voice actor, it will be Alan Rickman, cause along with Vincent price and Jeremey Irons, he has a very distinctive voice. Also, he kinda sexy.

So, here we have Norman, who tracked down Isabelle and as you can see, his view on rats still ahsnt changed. Isabelle slaps him and he reacts quite badly. This is the main reason why theses two never got along.

Also, Isabelle is still reeling from her mothers death and has gone to alcohol for comfort. Ratigan wants her to open up, but she cant. I know a lot of you wanted Norman and Ratigan to have a confrontation, but this story is really about Norman and Isabelle, the confrontations between them. Also, Ratigan didn't say anything to Norman when he was making his speech cause he knows this is Isabelle's fight and the last thing she needs to deal with is a mauling.

Got to love grandma Ella, she knows to deal with assholes like Norman and she's will hurt Ratigan if he doesn't treat he granddaughter right. That saying that Ella said, Isabelle said that in a chapter from The Mastermind and The Thief. Got to love those ladies.

Next chapter is Norman's back story, stay tuned!

Anyway, enjoy and comments are loved! I don't own GMD, juts Isabelle, Ella, Neil and Norman!