Wow, it's been such a long time since I updated this story! Things have gotten so crazy since school started, I'm not able to find time to write anymore! I just love this story, but like I've said before, I work on this story when I'm bored, and I haven't had time to be bored lately! I'm sorry for keeping all you faithful readers waiting for so long, my apologies, and I hope I can pick up where I left off and continue on with this fun adventure! Thank you!

The Way Storybooks End

Anna woke to the sounds of the large doors to her room opening and a rough hand grabbing her arm. Startled, she was pulled off the couch where she slept, curled up in a tight ball, hitting the floor with a thud. Twisting to her feet, Anna felt the urge to sleep vanish and panic took it's place.

"Basil is missing!"

Isadore's voice boomed in her ear and his hand tightened on her arm in a painful clench, his nails digging through her fur and into her skin. Anna frowned, confused.

"What do you mean, he's missing?"

"HE'S GONE!"

Isadore threw Anna from him and paced the room, Anna picking herself up off the ground and grinding her teeth. It was becoming very old, this lack of emotional restraint on his part, and she doubted she would let him get near enough to her again to hurt her.

Basil. What was he saying about Basil? Missing?

"You wouldn't have anything to do with this, would you?" Isadore snarled, his feet thudding on the floor, nails clicking, whiskers shaking in fury.

"No, I wouldn't," Anna said, her tongue refusing to move after she realized what had happened the previous night. Basil had come to visit her!

Anna had drifted off to sleep, Basil keeping a watch over her. She had argued with him, like the stubborn fool she was. He had fought with her, too, his arrogance annoying her. She had wanted to hug him tight, to never let him go, because he was there for her at a moment when she needed him most.

He was going to rescue her!

"I think you do, Anna," Isadore sneered, seeing the flicker of surprise and secrets in her eye before she could suppress them. "I think he was here last night, in this room."

"Don't be ridiculous," she said, the urge to laugh while Isadore ran around the room tapping on walls fighting with the fear that took her breath away. Isadore wasn't a fool and he was right about Basil being there the previous night, but Anna didn't think think he knew about the secret trapdoor under the bed, hidden by the rug. She hoped he didn't, for Basil's sake as much as hers.

"What about the doctor?" Anna asked, chin in the air as Isadore gave up tapping on the walls for hollow spots and began pacing the floor again. Every time he walked past the bed, where the trapdoor was, Anna felt faint.

"Still here," Isadore snarled. "That rotten excuse of a detective left his own partner behind, his best friend. How much lower can a mouse sink?"

"May I ask how Basil escaped?"

"He sneaked out of this room and out of the palace, passing by my guards," Isadore said, Anna snorting lightly as Isadore called his poor excuse for a dwelling an actual palace.

"No matter," the rat continued, "The wedding will go as planned. Molly is here with a new dress for you and we will be leaving soon. I am short one wedding guest, but that will be one less distraction for you."

Isadore grabbed Anna's hand and bowed over it, the princess revolted by this gesture.

"In a matter of hours, princess, we will rule Mousedom," he said as he left the room, pausing in the doorway. "We will track down that detective and destroy him as he destroyed my father. We will live as they say in storybooks, Anna! We will live happily ever after!"

Anna shuddered as his laugher rang in her ears, the doors slamming behind him. She sat still on the couch until Molly came, bringing a new dress, a white one with lace. Anna said not a word to her only companion, obeying as Molly ordered her to stand and turn and hold still as the dress was perfected.

"Now ya beeter not ruin dis one, girl," Molly said, her accent unusually thick as her voice softened. "Masta wassan't happy about wat ya did with da last one. Even if ya hate it, ya only havta wear it once."

"Once is one time too many," were the only words the princess spoke, preoccupied with her own thoughts to carry on a conversation, no matter how nice Molly was being.

She thought of Basil and wished he would have told her more of his plan.

She wished him the best of luck and a speedy journey, hoping he was already at the palace, waiting to rescue her from the slimy clutches of Isadore's claws.

After all, wasn't that the way most storybooks ended?

Sorry about the short chapter, guys! I just wanted to put the story back on the map before the ending a few chapters from now! Don't worry, you'll find out how Basil escaped, why Dr. Dawson was left behind, and how (if, I mean) Anna escapes from Isadore! Hehe... Thank you so much for reading and please leave me a comment or a review!