I Do Not Own The Great Mouse Detective, but I Do Own Kay McDowell, her sister Sarah, Jeffrey and Johnathan. So now ladies and gents...Enjoy!


Chapter Eight.

Kate

I had probably spent maybe twenty minutes up in my room trying to sleep, but every time I closed my eyes all I can see is the darkness and my criminal nephew Jeffrey. I couldn't stand this anymore and got out of bed to walk around. I threw on my brown slacks and button up shirt and came down the stairs to find Dawson reading over some paperwork. I didn't want to bother him, so I quietly walked over to the couch and laid down, but needless to say he spotted me.

"Having trouble sleeping Miss Kay?"

"Yes...I...keep seeing him...everytime I close my eyes there he is...Dammit why couldn't I have saved him!...this would never happen if I had just moved faster, gotten in sooner...if I hadn't left to go outside with Sarah..."

"Now Miss Kay, you shouldn't blame yourself. You couldn't have possibly known that he would have turned out this way little alone known if he was alive."

"But he was alive when I saw him in there. He was calling me...I was so close, but those damned mice came and grabbed me. I kept shouting that I need to get my nephew...that he was right there...right...there...this is my fault Dawson."

"You were so young when that happened, You shouldn't blame yourself...I'm sure your sister doesn't."

"Not out loud...but I know she does...every time she looks at me...she may be glad that I'm alive...but I'm sure she'd trade me in for her husband and child."

"I'm sure that isn't true."

Just then Mrs. Judson comes out of the kitchen looking in my direction.

"I hate to bother you Miss Kay, but your sister is on the phone. Something about a package?"

I shot up from the couch and rushed straight for the kitchen. She had received Jeffrey's package early, ha! thank you postal service. I picked up the phone to speak with her as she sounded worried.

"Kay why would Jeffrey send this to me?"

"I don't know...what did he send so maybe I can give you a clear answer."

"It's just a bunch of numbers and two different military times."

"Well tell them to me and maybe I can figure it out."

She told them to me as I had found pen, ink and paper and wrote it down. It all sounded familer, but I needed to think...without my sister nagging in my ear, but the military times I knew: midnight and elevan-thirty.

"Okay sister, is there anything else he sent you?"

"No, just what I told you. Not even a I love you mom."

"...I know Sarah."

"Well now that's over with...how have you been doing Kay?"

"Okay I guess."

"Are you sure? You sound tired."

"I'm fine."

"You're lying."

"And if I am, what are you going to do about it."

"I'll take the next boat to England."

"Not during this case you aren't."

"And how do you plan to stop me from over there?"

"I can ask scotland yard to ban you from setting foot onto this country till this case is over."

"You honestly think that will..."

"I'll go to her majesty if I have to Sarah."

"Then tell me what's wrong so we won't have to go through this."

That's when I just sighed because she would make me go through all that for we are two very stubborn women who won't step down. I wasn't up for this debate so I just caved in.

"You are so troublsome."

"Only for your sake I am."

"Look I haven't been sleeping well okay, that's all."

"Why? has something happened?"

I might as well tell her.

"Yes...Jeffrey broke in a few nights ago."

"You need those locks checked."

"Basil replaced them and added extra locks to the doors and windows for now."

"Good...I take it you were alone, otherwise he wouldn't have bothered."

"Correct, everyone but me were asleep. He snuck into the kitchen to speak with me...He had me pinned against the wall...I was still in my dress from when I went to dinner with Basil...and Jeffrey was looking me and the dress...he...insinuated that he was going to do something..."

"Oh my god Kay! please tell he didn't..."

"No, I screamed bloody murder and he took off, but not without leaving a note. Saying he never attended to do any of the sort and he was just playing with my mind."

"Thank goodness your safe then."

"Yes, but I've been having nightmares since."

"Kay...I want you home after this case."

"But..."

"No buts. If this is how Jeffrey is then I can't allow him to keep doing this to you. You are all I have left and if he decides to do something...I can't lose you too Kay."

"But...Basil..."

"Look I understand for you to stay if you two have at least shared your feelings and they are mutual, but neither one of you two have and it can stay that way for all I care. I just want you home safe, do you understand me?"

"...Yes Sarah."

"Good."

And that was it...she hung up and my head hung low as I just stood there. I didn't want this...I knew I shouldn't have told her, but it was too late and she wants me home when it's over. How could I possibly tell Basil that I'm leaving...especially after I tell him my feelings...There was no way I could...maybe if I just go home and show that I'm alright and get a couple days of sleep, maybe she'll let me come back...an improbable hope, but it was my only one as I go back out to the living room to find Basil just coming inside.


Basil

I smiled as I saw Kay coming out of the kitchen, tired as ever she looked, but something else seemed to be showing on her face I couldn't tell, but I hoped that it would go away when I give her the information I got from Ratigan.

"I got the information from Ratigan for us to go over."

She smiled a little as she gave a weak chuckle that wasn't like her usual. Something seemed to be wrong, but maybe it's just the lack of sleep.

"Funny, I just got off the phone with my sister. She received Jeffrey's package early."

"Excellent! come, let's go look over all this and figure how to stop him."

"Right."

I wasn't too sure if I should just have Kay try and get more sleep, but she seemed determined to stay awake as long as possible.

It was truly amazing how complex Jeffrey had made this out to be for us to figure out, but it seemed that it was in two parts. First one that seemed he's planning either a dissolving hallucinogen or a liquid one, but either way he plans to spike the drinks there with it possibly after he uses this plant to smoke everyone inside. Then there's part two which is actually a bomb. Though he doesn't seem the type to just blow something up after having a plan to be able to control people essentially...unless he plans to break Ratigan out of jail.

That's it! Either breaking Ratigan out is to serve as a distraction or the attack on on the gala is. Either way, it's to figure out which time he plans to do either one. It would better suited that if he's to have the substance enter everyone's systems he would start it at eleven-thirty and at midnight break Ratigan out, causing the officers at the palace to rush back, leaving all of the now drugged guests and royalty alone and to his disposal. Though all of it is in theory, but a one that cannot be ruled out.

It was almost five in the morning when I was satisfied wit this theory and saw Kay falling asleep while looking at everything still.

"Kay, why don't you go to bed?"

"Not when I keep seeing him in my eyelids."

I understood where she was coming from. All I saw was that rat and falling off of Big Ben for weeks when I tried to sleep, but she wasn't sleeping at all as to where I might get a couple minutes of sleep before the nightmare would begin. I had to get Kay to get some sleep somehow.

I smiled, even though I would get smacked in the head by Mrs. Judson for how inappropriate this may be, but it may get Kay to sleep. I stood up from the floor, helped Kay off the floor as well and chuckled as she squeaked when I lifted her into my arms.

"What are you doing?"

"I've told you, you need sleep. You're no good to me or yourself if you aren't one hundred percent your best."

"Ouch."

"It's true and if I have to...I'll stay with you the entire time so you can sleep."

"Wait...in my bed?"

"Well as comfortable as it is, I thought we'd try my bed."

"so...you want me...to sleep with you...in your bed?"

"Well since that's all we'll be doing is sleeping, then yes."

"But...Mrs. Judson..."

"She will understand that the whole purpose was so you could sleep. She won't argue with me on that."

"Well, okay."

"Good, now I shall carry you to your room. Get your sleep clothes on as I will too and you come straight in. Don't worry about knocking, okay?"

"Okay."

I did just that, carried her up the stairs to her room and left to my room to get into my own sleep clothes, waiting on her to come back...hopefully.