"This is all your fault." Richard muttered to Ratigan.

Ratigan scoffed as he paced back and forth in the sitting room of Basil's house, he looked at the small brown mouse sitting across from him "My fault.. Bah, if it wasn't for your meddling, Rosalie would not be in this situation."

Richard whispered to him, as Nellie kept an eye on both of them "Would you like to explain how both of you met? Hmm? Nothing says romantic like kidnapping and holding her hostage!" he watched the professor suddenly sit down embarrassingly "Well, if it wasn't for your meddling, my beautiful daughter would be Mrs. Lorenzo Rodrigo Delarosa Montoya Jimenez…" he took a breath and sat down on the couch.

Ratigan looked over at Lorenzo, who sat on a small stool "Your last name is that long?"

"It's a big family.." Lorenzo shrugged his shoulders and chuckled "But that's not the point, she didn't want to break my heart so that's why she broke off the engagement!"

"Yeah an engagement I practically paid for!" he sat up "You should have never listened to her! She clearly doesn't know what is good for her!"

Ratigan looked over at Richard "How could a father so horrible raise such a wonderful mouse like Rosalie?" he scoffed "No matter, I am sure that she will come to her senses and see it was wrong to even bring you back into her perfect life."

"It's your fault." Richard crossed his arms.

Ratigan took a deep breath "No it is not."

"Yes it is!" Richard stood up in defiance.

"No it's not!" Ratigan started to turn red.

Nellie stood put her tea down and stood up "If you ask me, I think it was both of your faults!"

They both pointed at each other and spoke in unison "But he started-"

"Shut up!" she straightened out her dress and pointed upstairs "Rosalie is a grown woman! And if you two continue to get her worked up, she'll get sick.. OR worse!" she pointed to Ratigan "Padraic James! She loves you more than anything! And once you married her, you married part of her family as well, you have to understand that her flesh and blood is closer to her than anything." Nellie looked at Richard snickering at Ratigan "And you!" Richard jumped in his seat "Rosalie is a grown woman! Smart, dependent, and resourceful.. Mainly because she was raised by an upstanding father! She can obviously make her own decisions.. even at your discretion… waiting on you to come back was not on her agenda, neither was finding someone who loves her deeply and worships the ground she walks on!" She crossed her arms "If you are not happy that things are going your way.. think of your wife and best friend Ratigan, and Richard think of your only daughter.. She made many changes for both of you. Think about that."

Dawson and Basil walked out of the guestroom and down the stairs "Well, Rosalie seems to be fine..Just some… stomach and head pain due to stress." Basil smiled at the group.

Dawson wiped his forehead "She just needs some rest." He looked at how tense everyone was in the room "And to be in a perfectly calm environment."

"May I see her?" Ratigan said with worry in his eyes.

Dawson smiled and motioned toward the stairs "That is perfectly fine professor, go right ahead."

He marched up the stairs and saw Rosalie starting to get out of the guest bed, she stumbled and was about to fall when he caught her in his arms "Rosalie my dear, you need to re-"

"I know, I know I need to rest.." she held her head "I can't do this anymore.. I have something to tell you… I can't wait anymore."

"Yes my dear, what is it?" he smiled gently and took her hand.

Just as she was going to speak, the door burst open as Lorenzo shouted "Ratigan, The boys and Victoria are here.. They are in a panic about something."

Ratigan ran down stairs to see Basil setting Victoria on the long couch. She was shaking as tears ran down her face "Victoria, darling? What happened?" Ratigan touched her forehead "She's burning up.. Fight or Flight syndrome no doubt."

He turned to Basil, who quirked an eyebrow as he reached into her coat pocket "The assailants left a note." Basil opened it up and read aloud:

YOUR TIME IS RUNNING OUT.

-D.S

He looked down at Victoria who started to breathe normally "Victoria, please tell us what happened."

Victoria took a deep breath "We were all in the lair, then suddenly from my room I smelled smoke.. I heard Nicolas shout from outside, I turned around because someone threw a note attached to a stone at my window.. Nicolas came in grabbing me as I grabbed the note. We took out the fire, boarded Felicia and left.." she grabbed the note from Basil "Well, if I could recognize anything is that the soot on the stone was from one of the boiler rooms on a trade ship arriving on the south dock. The note also has been written on a quail feather pen." She slumped in her chair and took a breath.

"Well." Ratigan "Victoria you deduction skills astound me.. My word you're starting to sound like.." he looked over at Basil "No… impossible. Tell me it's not true."

Basil quirked an eyebrow "Well, I thought you knew old boy.. Victoria has been taking lessons-" he stiffened and looked over at Victoria "Miss Green.. did you lie to me?"

Victoria slinked in her chair deeper "Well, I just.. Funny story-"

Basil stomped his foot down "I asked you if it was fine with your Uncle! You even gave me a signed form.."

Ratigan's eyes widend "Signed form?!" he looked over at the boys who were shaking, Bill was pushed forward "Bill." Ratigan crossed his arms.

Bill turned pale and fainted as Ratigan slapped his head in embarrassment. Basil looked at Victoria "Young lady I will talk to you about this later."

Ratigan poked him on the shoulder "No. I will." His voice deepened as Basil rolled his eyes.

Nellie was watching the whole sight, as Richard touched her shoulder "Who's children are those?" he chuckled "They can't be Ratigan's are they? God bless those kids."

The white mouse crossed her arms "As a matter of fact they are. Again, like I told you.. it is a LONG story." She saw Mrs. Judson "Mrs. Judson, darling I'll help you make some tea." She left into the kitchen as Richard observed Ratigan and the two green children.

Ratigan looked around "Where is Alexander?"

Victoria sighed and sat up "He left to visit Mavis…"

AN: IT'S CLEAR THAT BOTH MEN HATE EACH OTHER, BUT IT'S UP TO ROSALIE TO CHOOSE WHAT PATH IS BEST FOR HER.. AND SHE STILL HAS A SECRET TO TELL! NOW WE FINALLY GET LORENZO'S LAST NAME, DECIDED TO MAKE IT LONG BECAUSE I'M AWEFUL AND HE HAS SOME SPANISH ROOTS IN HIS FAMILY. I WILL BE UPDATING MORE OFTEN BECAUSE IM ON BREAK FROM SCHOOL! YAY! THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU!

REVIEW AND FOLLOW!"