In the original Great Mouse Detective film, the plot begins with Hiram Flaversham abducted by Fidget, Ratigan's right-hand bat, and thus ruining what was supposed to have been Olivia's "very best birthday." After she is abducted by the pirate bat himself, there is a very brief, but obvious conflict between the two characters just before Fidget shoves her inside that giant green bottle. In this story that you're about to read, you'll soon realize that conflict in the movie is nothing compared to the conflict that arises when it involves Fidget's beloved daughter. Fidget, Olivia, Basil, and Dawson are properties of Great Mouse Detective. Madame Ratburn belongs to Mouse Avenger, all other characters belong to me.

Chapter 4: Closure

They STOLE our Daddy! How these profound words echoed in my head as my heart sank to the pit of my stomach! My Daddy was stolen when I was a young girl! And now it has happened again! Since Jenny was too shaken up to speak, Deniece told me what happened. Shortly after I went to bed last night, Fidget and Jenny were sent by Deniece to the food market to buy more supplies. Upon leaving the store, some of Professor Ratigan's old thugs caught up with them. They wanted to give Fidget another chance to rejoin with them, but Fidget refused to give into their offer. This did not sit well with Ratigan's thugs, who split up into two sides and separated the two bats by grabbing them. Fidget ended up becoming a punching bag to one of them. Jenny freed herself by biting the arm of her captive. She attacked the mouse who was hitting her father, who in turn swiped her away with his arm. Naturally, this angered Fidget and there was a struggle. He fought long enough to allow Jenny to escape. At first, Jenny didn't want to leave his side and wanted the both of them to fight off the thugs. Fidget practically scolded her to do as he said. So Jenny obediently ran away. She returned to the house and told her mother what happened, who in turn called upon Basil of Baker Street to search for him. Fidget had still not been found, which was why the children were both crying (Jenny the most).

Deniece-who I learned not only knew Basil of Baker Street but also worked for him-asked me to watch the children while she, Basil, and good old Dr. Dawson searched for Fidget. I was only more than happy to help. The children needed comfort, especially Jenny. I couldn't just leave them alone. "Basil will do everything he can," I spoke softly to Jenny as I held her in my arms. "He is a good detective. He helped me find my Daddy and bring him home safely when I needed help. I'm sure he'll do the same for yours too."

By mid-afternoon, Deniece had returned. They had succeeded in finding his scarf; Toby tracked his scent down to The London Palladium, off Oxford Street. Beneath the stage floor was a dark hole, where a villainous tyrant named Llewelyn of Breconshire reigned supreme. According to Basil's description, this Llewelyn of Breconshire was what Fidget was to Professor Ratigan, way before Fidget's time. He was hired for his lust for inflicting pain on helpless victims, and he managed to do this by adhering to their personal desires then using it against them. One homeless woman mouse off the streets (named Clarissa Glum) longed to be like one of the middle-class women, clean and properly dressed. Disguised as a beautician, Llewelyn promised to grant Clarissa's wish and invited her to his place where she was cleaned and groomed until she exceeded the expectations of an ideal middle-class woman. So Clarissa enjoyed her newfound fortune as everyone around her praised and adored her. Unfortunately, she learned too late that praise and beauty had their price. Since she was alone all her life, she didn't know how to properly handle constant praise or lack of privacy. Llewelyn knew this too well so he murdered one of her adoring fans and set it up to make it look like she was the culprit. And she had no reputation, good or bad, so she was an easy suspect to be tried and hanged. As for his dealings with the Professor, Llewelyn was the only employee to have gotten away with outsmarting his own boss. If the Professor ever handed him a task, Llewelyn always demanded payment in advance before accepting the task, thus making things very difficult for his boss. Because he was supposedly too smart for his own good, the Professor and his gang attempted to trick him and have him killed. But Llewelyn beat them in their own game, killing two of the Professor's thugs, and disappearing from public view. Professor Ratigan had hired Felicia as his executioner for whenever any of his own thugs betrayed him or upset him, most likely to keep order in case Llewelyn influenced any of them. Fidget was hired as his employee four years later, most likely for his youth and his naivete.

As to Fidget's whereabouts, Llewelyn held him captive in a cell, hanging from a ceiling by a chain that bound both his wrists. He was still alive, but he was beaten badly. It was unwise to attempt a rescue without a thoroughly devised plan, for Llewelyn of Breconshire had incredibly acute hearing, a quick thinker, exceptionally good with knives. He would most likely have Fidget killed, which would devastate poor Jenny. Did I mention that this Llewelyn character was also a bat?

"I'll rescue Daddy," said Jenny.

"Out of the question!" I heard Deniece respond. "Llewelyn of Breconshire is not a man to be taken lightly. We'll need to wait until we've come up with a plan."

"What if 'e kills Daddy while we wait!" Jenny asked. "Daddy can't defend 'imself! 'E'll need our help!"

"Your father is a much stronger man than you give him credit for, Jeanette! We'll be helping him best if we wait!"

"But mother-"

"That's enough, Jeanette!"

Her mother's disapproval made little Jenny clench her fists angrily. She turned her head to face me. "What do you think, Livvy?"

"I agree with your mother, Jenny."

Her large ears drooped. "What!"

"I know you want to help your father, Jenny," I tried to explain in an understanding manner, "But if Llewelyn uses people's personal desires against them as Basil says, your being there might make matters worse. He might use you as an excuse to win your father over."

"Father would never give in, no matter what," Jenny insisted. "'E loves me!"

"I never said he didn't. But Llewelyn is supposedly a clever and persuasive villain. And your father was a criminal once. It's very possible Llewelyn could convince him to re-join a life of crime. If your father told you to run when you two were struggling, it was probably for that reason."

But my explanation did not convince her one bit. As a matter of fact, it seemed to make her more angry. "My father would never do such a thing! 'E's a better man than those thugs would ever be! But what do you care!"

Her last remark had taken me aback. How could she say such a thing to me! But she didn't stop at that.

"You don't care if my father dies!" Jenny continued in an accusing tone. "You say 'e might re-join because 'e kidnapped you once. So my father was a criminal once, but 'e's suffered enough for 'is mistakes! 'E 'as no intention of re-joining!"

"That's enough, Jeanette!" Deniece interrupted, coming to my aide. "There's no need to accuse your friend of anything."

Jenny turned her head to face her mother. "But it's true, mother! She's angry with Daddy because 'e kidnapped 'er! 'E said 'e was sorry but clearly that's not enough for 'er! And she won't 'elp me because she thinks 'e'll re-join! 'Asn't Daddy suffered enough!"

Deniece attempted to grab her daughter by the arm, but Jenny shook it loose and ran out the door. But not before turning her gaze on me once more. "I thought we were friends, Livvy! Daddy was right; you are trying to separate us!"

Out of impulse, I ran out to chase her. Now I knew what Fidget meant about Jenny being too altruistic for her own good. She acted as if it was her sole responsibility to ensure her father's safety. But to say the things she did to me! To be angry with me! It made me realize that, like her father, she had a very bad temper. And like her father, she was also a very fast runner. I found myself getting exhausted and out of energy, and we were no more than four blocks away from the Holloway household. I never thought that bats could ever run that fast! And where in the world was she running to? Still, I continued to follow her ... until something stood in both our ways!

"If it isn't our friend's kid."

I remembered these mice. They were Professor Ratigan's thugs alright. And they looked unusually pleased by our presence.

"Where's my Daddy?" Jenny demanded.

"He's with us, of course," said one of the mice, before he approached little Jenny and held her chin in his hand. "But ... I'm sure he'll be pleased to see his little-Ow!"

Jenny grabbed the mouse's arm with her webbed hands and bit it with her fangs. She demanded that the mice bring her father back to her this instant. What made her think they would even listen to her, I wondered?

"I'm afraid our new leader won't let us do that," said another mouse. "But if you want to see your father again, Llewelyn would welcome you warmly at his place."

Obviously, these mice were trying to goad Jenny into coming with them so Llewelyn could use her as a pawn to win Fidget over. Jenny of course was too opinionated to give in, but that would not be enough for them. If there was one thing I've learned about thugs, they had many ways of getting what they wanted ... and they would surely use them to their advantage. I called to Jenny, begging her to not provoke these mice any further and come back to the house. I was taken by surprise when suddenly one of the thugs grabbed my good arm. "I remember you," he said. "You're that Scottish brat our Fidget kidnapped many years ago."

Jenny must've been quick to notice my disposition, for she jumped away, did a back-flip in mid-air, landed, and bit the arm of the mouse who held me. Soon afterwards, both Jenny and I found ourselves in a struggle. Jenny was amazingly swift in evading her enemies. She flew in circles to make them dizzy, and succeeded, leaving us both enough time to escape. But then there were more ... much more. Jenny and I looked at each other, nodded in agreement before running in opposite directions. I was no fighter nor was I a skilled strategist, but our current predicament forced me to make an exception. I ran up a piece of wood (fashioned like a seasaw), leaning on a barrel. I was to jump across to a layer of bricks just before reaching the end while my chasers would lose their balance and fall. Jenny flew to the road, where cars were approaching. Since she was a bat and could fly, she would swoop up while her pursuers were left to deal with oncoming traffic. Our quick thinking seemed to have saved us both. The mice who chased me fell and were injured, leaving me enough time to climb down the layers of bricks (which were formed like stairs) and back to the ground. Jenny's pursuers lost their nerve with almost being run over by a car while she flew over to re-join with me. But soon the mice that Jenny made dizzy regained their equilibrium and chased us. Suddenly, my strength and endurance gave up on me and I fell to the ground panting for breath. Jenny, who was just getting ready to fly, stopped herself to come to my aide. But as soon as she was within a foot from my view, I saw some strange, chain-like object encircling her wings and waist. It pulled on her until she slid to the ground. When I got a better view I realized that some dark figure cloaked in black had used what looked like a chain-whip in capturing her. Jenny's captor slowly approached us both. I got a better look at him and was taken aback by what I saw. This creature was a bat alright, but when I saw his face he had a very leonine like face! His hair was a thick brown mane that extended from his head over to his shoulders. He was dressed in the clothing of a bounty hunter, and was very muscular for a bat. The creature gazed down at us with piercing yellow eyes.

"So this is the peg-legged's daughter?" I heard him say. His accent sounded Welsh.

"Aye, Sir Llewelyn," said one of the mice.

Sir Llewelyn? So that was him, the infamous Llewelyn of Breconshire! The bat knelt by the captured Jeanette Holloway and carried her by the chain that enslaved her. Poor Jenny squirmed and struggled to break free but to no avail. "She has a lovely face, for someone who resembles her father," said Llewelyn. The leonine-faced bat drew Jenny's face closer to his. "I have witnessed your skill in evading my men. Perhaps you could work for us, alongside your father. You two would make a remarkable pair."

"I will never join you, nor will Daddy!" Jenny replied and spat in his face.

Llewelyn responded with a look of indifference as he wiped his face with his free webbed hand. "That is what I will decide, young lady." He turned his gaze on the mice and threw Jenny at their feet. "Bring them both to our hideout. The Scotswoman will be put in the cell with our honored guest."

I heard Jenny scream for me to run, but I was too weak and exhausted to move. I stared blankly in shame as I watched the mice take her away. I had failed her. I was to protect her, and I had failed. And then darkness engulfed me ...

"Are you awake?"

My head throbbed and swam as I opened my eyes. Everything was blurry at first … then I saw I was in a dark, dingy cell with only a small barred window above where moonlight shone. Both my wrists were bound behind my back, and obviously my captors took no consideration that I had a broken arm because it hurt. I also felt alongside my back a pair of webbed wings and the back of a head with large ears. My captors must've put both Jeanette and I in this cell together.

"Jenny, are you alright?" I asked.

"I'm not Jenny!"

That voice! I turned my head to gaze at the creature that was tied with me … Fidget! And he was quite a mess!

"What are you doing here!" I blurted. "Where's Jenny?"

"Dhey have her," Fidget replied, heaving a sigh of exasperation. "God, I told her to stay home! If I ever get outta here alive, I'm gonna kill her!"

Oh no! Llewelyn had Jenny! Panic soared through my mind as I hurriedly struggled to free myself.

"Please stop dat!" Fidget complained. "You're makin' me dizzy!"

"Well you're no help!"

"I'm actually tryin' to t'ink of somethin'!"

"And I'm actually doing something!"

Before we knew it, Fidget and I were both arguing. What stopped us both was an abrupt slam on the cell bars.

"Silence!"

Both our attentions turned to the creature that stood outside our cell door. It was him! That leonine-like bat I saw before I fainted; the same one who captured Jeanette.

"You two make such noise!" the bat complained. "I can hardly hear myself think!"

I glared at our captor with burning anger. "It's you! You're Llewelyn of Breconshire!"

Llewelyn gave me a wry smile as he bowed. "And you must be the girl bat's friend, Olivia Flaversham." He shifted his attention to Fidget as he opened the cell door. Llewelyn extended his webbed hand to Fidget's face and lifted his captive's chin to meet his gaze. "And you, dear friend, must be Professor Ratigan's old employee that survived the fall … Finnius Holloway."

My ears twitched. Finnius Holloway?

"Your name has become legendary in mousedom," Llewelyn continued. "A poor boy who lost his parents to hypocritical mice, then sought to avenge them only to run mad and almost get himself killed. Not to mention that Captain Lillian Bates's band of pirates kidnapped you, making you her slave."

My jaw dropped. So that story Fidget was telling his daughter about being swept away … it was actually true!

"Yeah, so what!" Fidget retorted.

"Then you lost your leg and became Ratigan's employee in my place," Llewelyn continued. "Ratigan was always a little funny in his choices of employees, but you seemed to have an unnatural talent of getting on his good side and earning his trust. But then you exhausted his interest and he tried to dispose of you, but by some twist of fate you were rescued by The Songbird herself. And now you are a father of two adorable children. Congratulations."

"Where is my daughter!" I heard Fidget uttered through clenched teeth.

"With my men," Llewelyn replied. "Not to worry though. She's unharmed."

I felt Fidget struggle against our bonds in anger. Obviously, he didn't believe Llewelyn for a second.

"Of course … That all depends on you, Mr. Holloway."

"If you're askin' me to re-join," said Fidget, "dhen forget it! Dhose days are over!"

Llewelyn chuckled. "Are they? But there's always the next generation to be considered."

"Leave Jenny outta dis! She's got nuthin' to do with dis!"

"Oh, but you're wrong, Mr. Holloway," Llewelyn replied with an evil grin. "She is your daughter. She has your spirit, you blood, your … gift of persuasion. If you don't join us, we can always convince your daughter to join …"

"She would never join you!" I blurted. "She's too strong for you!"

"Strength can be easily broken …"

I was taken by surprise when Fidget shook so furiously with anger. "If you dare lay one hand on my daughter," I heard him say through clenched teeth, "I swear to God, I will kill you!"

Llewelyn laughed. "You will die trying."

"Doesn't matter! I will still kill you!"

But Llewelyn did not appear to be swayed by Fidget's last remark. "I will give you one hour to consider my offer. Join us, or say goodbye to your child."

Llewelyn closed the cell door and exited the room, leaving Fidget and I alone in our thoughts. I could still hear Fidget seething through his teeth in anger. I didn't know what else to do but to speak in soft, but firm words of wisdom. "Look, no offense Fidget," I began, "but I don't think you'd stand a chance against Llewelyn. Not in your condition …"

"Doesn't mean dat I can't try," Fidget replied. "I can't let dem take Jenny away from me, like I was taken from my parents."

"Yes, about that," I uttered, almost changing the subject. "What was that about you losing your parents to hypocritical mice? And Llewelyn called you Finnius Holloway?"

Fidget began to explain the further details of what Llewelyn had mentioned. Fidget's real name was Finnius Holloway, as Llewelyn had called him. His father made plans to take him fishing after returning from work when he was four. But his father was shot and killed by a group of mice posing as servants of God (the ones Llewelyn referred to as hypocritical mice). They even had young Finnius captured and attempted to beat him to death, until his mother rescued him. And though they went to the police, they refused to help. Finnius and his mother were forced to struggle on their own, and Finnius struggled in school so much that his mother hired a tutor, who turned out to be cruel and mistreated him badly. This went unnoticed by Finnius's mother for a while, until she had caught the tutor in the act one night and fired him. But his mother's ignorance angered Finnius and the two fought. Finnius ran away, his mother chasing after him, and those hypocritical mice returned, taking his mother's life. Part of me believed him, as he had spoken to me softly, but with an emotional undertone in his voice. But another part of me was puzzled.

"But why would those mice kill your parents?" I asked. "How would your parents' death or yours benefit them?"

"Because dhey were afraid of us," Fidget replied. "A lot of mice don't understand our customs. What dhey don't understand dhey fear. And what dhey fear, dhey try to kill."

"But why did they choose your family?" I asked, still confused. "Weren't their plenty of other families they could've killed?"

"HOW DA HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO KNOW!"

"Hey, keep your voice down," I responded in a low voice, taken aback by Fidget's explosion. "Do you want Llewelyn to hear you?"

I heard Fidget breathing heavily, with a slight quiver in his voice. I could tell that my last comment made him really upset.

"I don't blame you for not believin' me," Fidget continued. "I've done some terrible t'ings and I can't change dat. I just don't want Jenny to suffer liked I've suffered … If I just sit and do nuthin', I'll lose her … I would never … live with myself …"

I turned my gaze to Fidget, and saw that he was misty-eyed. He was fighting to hold back tears, but one managed to roll down his cheek. As I watched my oldest enemy suffering such emotional pain, my heart began to ache. And I realized that he was telling the truth, in everything he said. He was indeed sorry for the crimes he committed … and I, like a spoiled child, obsessed over my own personal pain, refusing to acknowledge his. I remembered something that Madame Ratburn told me back in Scotland: Only you can regain balance between yourself and the enemy … I thought her a madwoman at first, but now I knew she was right. The only way to save Jeanette from a terrible fate was for Fidget and I to put our differences aside and work together. As I pondered in my head for a solution, I thought about that night I had dinner at the Holloway household. In explaining war to her son, Deniece used a metaphor involving a book. All books have two sides, a front and a back. And then there is the middle, called the spine. As long as all three pieces are together, the book is in perfect harmony ... I thought about her metaphor, and I thought about our current situation. The spine … that's it! That was why Ratigan crashed the dirigible after he threw Fidget overboard, leaving him for dead. That was why Llewelyn wanted Fidget to re-join. Fidget was the spine that held harmony among criminals. Without Fidget, they were helpless! Llewelyn would be helpless!

"Fidget?" I called. "Are you listening?"

Fidget's ears twitched. "Yeah?"

"I know how we can save Jenny," I began. "But we need to work together."

A full hour had already passed. The mice that had me captured came to our cell and unlocked the door. They cut loose both our bonds.

"Llewelyn wants to see you two," said one of them.

During our waiting time, Fidget and I had discussed our plan in full detail in barely audible voices in case Llewelyn would be listening. And poor Jenny was held by Llewelyn himself, both her webbed hands bound behind her back and her mouth gagged. And judging by the bruises on her wings and the tears in her eyes, we knew that Llewelyn had her tortured. That monster! We knew that we would both be put to the ultimate test. We had to be very careful, or it could mean Jeanette's life. And to our good fortune, a familiar face had appeared to us at our cell window ten minutes before our final moment. It was good old Basil of Baker street! He, Dr. Dawson, and Deniece had a plan of their own to defeat the bloody tyrant once and for all. Fidget and I discussed our plan with him, but only as a brief overview. We didn't have much time left to discuss the fuller details.

Llewelyn slowly approached Fidget. "Your time is up, Mr. Holloway!" he announced. "What is your decision?"

"Before I answer," Fidget replied, "I want to know somethin'."

"Your answer first!" Llewelyn replied with a tone of impatience.

"Oh, but I'm curious," Fidget insisted. "After all, wouldn't you wanna know what kind of henchbat you're gettin'?"

Llewelyn was silent for a moment. Then he heaved a passive sigh and gestured with his webbed hand, permitting Fidget to speak. Fidget puffed his chest proudly before he spoke.

"As you pointed out, I exhausted Ratigan's interest in me and dat's why he tried to have me killed. What would happen if I exhausted yours?"

Llewelyn laughed heartily. "You do have the gift of persuasion, just as the stories I've heard about you. As I have told you before, if you didn't re-join I would consider your daughter as a possible candidate. The same would happen if you became useless to me."

"But what if she exhausts your interest too?" he added. "Dhen what?"

"Then I will find another," Llewelyn said simply.

"But what if there is no other?" I added. "It seems rather odd that a bat of your reputation would need a henchman."

"I believe I'm waiting for an answer!" Llewelyn replied, his dislike of being challenged blatant.

"How do you know I'm dat answer?" Fidget asked. "Or dat my daughter is your answer?"

"And you too have the gift of persuasion," I responded. "Why would you need another that already has what you possess?"

By now, Llewelyn of Breconshire began seething through his teeth. He was losing his composure, just as we had planned! "WILL YOU JOIN ME OR NOT!"

"Da answer is NO!" Fidget blurted. "I will not join you! Neither will my daughter!"

"You fool!" Llewelyn retorted. "You pitiful, insignificant fool!"

"No, you're the fool, Llewelyn!" I cried. "Because you don't know what it's like to lose! You never lost anybody you cared for, because you never cared!"

"You don't know nuthin' of pain!"

Llewelyn tried to regain his composure after Fidget's last comment. "But you won't have to worry about pain if you join me."

"Oh, but you're wrong," Fidget replied with a mischievous smile. "Pain is a spine dat holds a book. Pain is a mother bearin' and raisin' children."

"History is written by pain," I added. "Pain is what you use to force people to do your bidding."

"And pain also unites!"

Our attention shifted. The voice belonged to Deniece. She stood by the hole that was the secret entrance to Llewelyn's hideout. Basil and Dawson stood by her at opposite sides. "More citizens, mice, bat, and rat alike, are finding their places in society now. Many have gone through great pain and suffering to find their place."

And then Basil of Baker Street added some powerful words of his own. "Our country is at war. Soldiers risk their lives every day, going through great pain so that future generations may live better lives."

"War is painful, but war creates!" added Dr. Dawson. "I was a Major in her former Majesty's Royal Army; I should know!"

Our speeches of pain continued, each of us chanting in unison. Pain divides, yet pain draws families together. Pain makes enemies and pain gives birth to friendships. Pain can weaken, but pain can also strengthen. And all together, we all became strong that very night to bring down even the mighty Llewelyn of Breconshire. We were no longer living in the Mousetorian age anymore. This was the year 1914, the year of The Great War! Fidget's grandmother would play a role in an opera that draws creatures together. And the reign of Llewelyn of Breconshire would be no more! The leonine-faced bat was livid with rage at the sound of our voices. He commanded his army of mice to attack. Our war had begun. In all his anxiety, Llewelyn released his hold on Jeanette as he was caught up in the fight. Fidget managed to reach her and loosen her bonds, while Llewelyn was distracted. His army of mice dwindled, most were shot with Basil's gun while others were severely injured. Now only Llewelyn was left standing.

"The game is over, Llewelyn!" Deniece cried. "You will not use anyone anymore!"

As Deniece spoke, Llewelyn shifted his attention back to Jeanette who was slowly approaching the hole to escape. He pulled a knife from his pocket and grinned wickedly. "Oh, but I have one final card to deal."

To Fidget's dismay, Llewelyn aimed his knife in the direction of Jeanette. "JENNY, LOOK OUT!"

In one swoop, Llewelyn tossed his knife; Fidget jumped in to push his daughter out of the way. The blade sunk in Fidget's side. The peg-legged bat slumped to the ground; Jeanette screamed.

"DADDY! NOOOO!"

A maniacally triumphant laugh escaped Llewelyn's throat as he approached the fallen Fidget. Llewelyn grabbed Fidget by the collar. "If you won't join me, then you shall suffer a slow, painful death!"

I screamed. Blinded by panic, I grabbed a pistol from one of the fallen gang mice. Aiming straight for Llewelyn's heart with my good arm, I pulled the trigger. I froze as I watched the leonine-faced bat fall on his knees, dropping Fidget to the ground. Everyone else stared in my direction as the pistol slipped from my hand. I had just taken a life. No longer was I an innocent. I had blood on my hands now.

Deniece rushed over to her husband's side as Jenny broke down crying. She slowly pulled the knife out of Fidget's side while Dr. Dawson applied pressure to the wound to prevent further blood loss. I remained silent in my paralysis at the realization for what I had just done.

"We need to get out of here!" I heard Basil announce as Deniece held her husband in her wings. "Come on, Miss Flaversham!"

I broke free from my trance at the sound of Basil's calling. He called me Flaversham. For once, he got it right ...

Three days had passed since the night we defeated Llewelyn of Breconshire. Little Finnius Jr. was under the care of Father Richards and Sister Ingrid during our battle, the safest place for him to be. Fidget was alive and would continue to live. Dawson managed to stitch and bandage his wound. But the loss of blood made him weak, so Dr. Hemingway fed him rare meat. I was relieved at this news. That meant Jenny still had her father with her. And today was my last full day at London. I would be taking the train to Scotland early next morning. There was one final task for me to complete.

I knocked on the door of 485 Addington Street and was greeted by Deniece.

"May I see your husband?" I asked.

Deniece said nothing but gestured her wing for me to come in. She led me to the guest bedroom, the same place where Fidget slept the night she rescued him, as she said. I slowly opened the door. Fidget was there, shirtless with a white bandage wrapped around his waist and sitting upright. It was the first time I've noticed that his entire body was covered with scars and welts, old wounds from long ago. Jeanette was by his side, smiling.

"'Ow are you feelin' Daddy?"

"Better, now dat I know you're safe," Fidget replied, before crossing his arms. "But don't you ever disobey my orders again."

Jenny nodded, then lowered her head guiltily. "I was worried Daddy. I thought I would lose you."

Fidget placed his webbed hand under her chin to lift her face. I noticed a few tears trickle down Jenny's brown-green eyes.

"I t'ought I would lose you," Fidget uttered in a soft voice. "You're my whole life." Fidget slowly drew his daughter in a warm, fatherly embrace; Jenny wept on his shoulder. Fidget ran his webbed fingers through her brown-red hair. "Jenny, I'm so sorry ... I never wanted dis to happen ..."

As I watched the two bats in each other's arms, I was overwhelmed with a feeling that was both happiness and pity at the same time. My father once told me that not everyone had the same privileges him and I did, but I never understood until now. Fidget's parents were taken away when he was a helpless child on a day that he and his father were to go fishing. My father was kidnapped on the day that was supposed to be my best birthday. Like me, he was stolen as a child but he didn't have the aide of Basil or his parents to help him. He was never born with a lust for crime ... that lust was conditioned. Had Deniece not saved him from drowning in the Thames, Fidget would've never lived to realize the life that was stolen from him. His daughter wouldn't have been born. And rambunctious, yet sweet Jeanette Holloway ... She was what Fidget would've become had he not been misguided by a life of crime. And because I saved his life by taking someone else's, I realized that even the best of mice or bats can be weakened by the plight of darkness. In the beginning, I had a strong urge to visit London not knowing the reason. But as I stood before the two bats, I found my answer. It was to bring closure to an old wound I harvested through the remainder of my childhood.

"Jenny?" I spoke softly.

Jenny turned her head to look at me. "Livvy?"

"Could I have a moment alone with your father?"

"Go check on your brudder, sweetie," Fidget whispered.

"Yes, Daddy."

After Jenny walked out of the room, I approached the injured Fidget on the bed. "You did a very brave thing, saving your daughter's life at the expense of your own."

"Llewelyn would've killed her," he uttered feebily. "I couldn't just sit and do nuthin'."

"Of course," I replied. "You were just doing what any father would've done for his daughter."

Fidget began to chuckle. "Now I know how your father felt. I guess we're even."

I lowered my head. "Well, about that ... I think my father has forgiven you."

"Whaddya mean?"

I told Fidget the death of my father and how he made his dying request that I should forgive Fidget. The bat's ears drooped guiltily. "If only your father and I met differently ... If only I wasn't so blind ..."

I gently rested my good hand on his shoulder. "Don't torture yourself, Fidget. What's done is done."

"Still, I know what I did was wrong," said Fidget. "I don't blame you if you can't forgive me."

"But I do forgive you," I replied.

The bat's jaw hung open in surprise. "You do?"

I breathed deeply before I spoke again. "You've proven yourself capable of greater good. Your parents would've been very proud of you."

Fidget closed his eyes solemnly. He sighed heavily, but gave a smile of satisfaction, as if a great burden had been lifted from his shoulders. "So dat mean we're not enemies anymore, right?"

"It means exactly that." He slowly extended his hand to my good hand and shook it. From that moment on, we declared our personal war at a complete end. I couldn't stay angry with him anymore, and he had no intention of going back to the life that he once lived. He was a father now, with two loving children and they were the only things he truly desired now. With my good arm, I pulled him forward into an embrace of my own, which surely surprised him. "Be strong, Finnius Holloway. For your daughter's sake."

As I left Fidget in his room to rest, I bade the rest of his family farewell. I was just heading out the door when I heard Jenny's voice.

"Livvy, wait!"

I turned around to face her. In both her webbed hands, she held a brown music box. She handed it to me and urged me to open it. A pair of two female ballerina bats stood back-to-back as they turned to the sound of music. Inside the box was a piece of paper, with the words "Friends Forever" written on it.

"It was made by me father's second cousin, Carlo Boitano," said Jenny. "He made me a few of these; I can sacrifice one."

"It's beautiful!" I uttered in a breathless tone.

"A lil' somethin' I wanted to give you, so you won't forget me."

I gave the little girl bat a smile. "I could never forget you, Jeanette Holloway."

Jenny and I held each other's hands in a loving and firm grip ... and then we parted.

The day has come. I was heading for the train bound for Scotland where I know that I could start to live again. Shortly after I stepped onto the train, I sat in a comfortable corner, where I could close my eyes and go to sleep. The door to a painful past was finally close. Father wanted me to fulfill his dying request ... and I have ... May you finally rest in peace, father ...