Rosalie ran through the endless halls, memorizing every turn. Her brown curls bouncing and flowing behind her. She took a breath and looked around "I've been down here.. or was it that way?" she panicked as she heard voices behind her "She's around 'ere somewhere!" She quickly ran into the next hallway, only to bump into a group of guards..

Damion fixed his cravat, noticing Rosalie being brought in by his guards "Oh good.. you found her." Damion smiled "Now, We can all put this little misunderstanding behind us Rosalie.. I will ask you one last time…" he grinned "Will you marry me?"

Rosalie scowled "Every night, you can ask me the same question."

"No.. NO." he rubbed his temples.

She looked right into his eyes "And I will give you the same answer."

Damion's lip twitched "Don't."

"I'll die first."

Damion then turned red, but quickly recovered "I was hoping you would say you'd be mine.. now it looks like you'll have another day to think about it." Lestor hopped by his side and smiled "But since we can't get past this.. allow me to ask you some questions shall we?"

Rosalie simply glared at him "Ask away but you won't get anything." Damion sighed "Well, we have other ways of making you talk." he continued "You see, your husband seemed to have taken something very important.. a map that I sadly can't read mind you. His trust would be put in someone of importance.. a cousin, a sibling.. or even his own wife."

Rosalie shook slightly, her face softening.. which was noticeable by Damion "I don't know what you are talking about." She then remained a stone face, not saying a word as she was held on both sides by the two hulking guards "Nothing to say my dear?" he smiled at Lestor "Give her the truth serum." Lestor brought a large syringe with a greenish looking liquid, his smile growing wide "With pleasure." Rosalie gasped and started to struggle "Don't you dare! Stop!"

Lestor pressed the syringe into her left arm, and Rosalie started to sway gently "OW! Ohhhhh…. Oooohhh that feels good."

Damion smiled "My own personal formula.. Do you like it?"

"I love it..Wow this is nice." she smiled wide as Damion chuckled "Good to hear. Now Rosalie, what do you think of me?"

Rosalie continued to smile "I think you are SO handsome! OH my GOODNESS you are so handsome! Mr. McDreamy am I right ladies? How can you still be single?"

Damion laughed with his boys "I'm working on it."

"Well your face is just molded by gods.. my word. And those EYES!" she looked up at him with amazement. Damion just kept a grin on his face as she praised him, Rosalie then playfully pouted "Too bad you are a lousy excuse of a man. And you are incredibly stupid.. You have no reguard for people's feelings.." she then laughed "I really DON'T like you.. I really really, really, really hate you you miserable-" Lestor shut his mouth "Little too much boss."

Damion clapped "It was quite amuzing." He then cleared his throat "Now, back to business. What did your husband teach you?" he said blankly.

She continued to smile "OH the usual, how to handle a gun, pick a lock, swordfight and pickpocket when I could.. I'm surprised you couldn't have figured it out yet." She chuckled.

Lestor quirked an eyebrow "What could that be?"

She quickly interrupted 'That I've had a knife stored in the pocket of my dress, but that really doesn't interest you does it?" Damion rolled his eyes "You idiots, Get that knife out of her pocket!" the guards did so as Damion held it, touching the blade with his gloved hands "Mrs. Ratigan.. Can you read the map?"

She nodded "Yeah I can read a little, but who you really want is Charlie, she can read and translate anything you want." She gasped, realizing what she's done "Oh no.."

"Charlie?" Damion quirked an eyebrow, Lestor whispered in his ear "The little brat from the ball, supposedly she and Ratigan were close.. She's locked up with the others." Damion's grey eyes widened with interest "Charlie…" he said to himself, the name flying off the tongue. He talked to his boys "Go bring me the little girl from the dungeon, and-"

Rosalie shouted "Don't you dare touch her!" Damion chuckled and cupped her chin with his gloved hand "Oh not to worry my dear! I wouldn't dream of hurting her.."

"You are a liar." She growled.

Damion simply smiled "Just as long as you follow everything I say.. and you stay in line.." his voice deepened, he still held the knife in his hand, gently touching her chin with the very tip "And she won't be hurt." Rosalie's eyes widened with worry "Do we have a deal?" he said.

Rosalie simply nodded, Damion clasped his hands together "Excellent." He looked to his thugs once more "Boys, please take Mrs. Ratigan to the nicest room in the manor, and make sure she stays there." Rosalie looked up at him, which he returned with a smile "Just some precautions dearest.." The boys started to move her up the long ivory staircase as Damion turned around again "Oh and Rosalie?" they stopped "Think about my proposal.. it is still open, I am a patient man."

Back inside the Dungeon, Basil had made a makeshift crowbar from some abandoned pieces in the cell. He pulled open the bars on the window, him and Dawson pulling back and forth to force the old metal pipes open. "Come on old fella.. we're almost there." The pipes opened enough to fit everyone through, but one person had to stay behind and keep the entrance open. "Alright everyone! We can only keep this open for a short amount of time.. everyone go!" he shouted. Mavis and Alex slid through, then Meyla and Lorenzo. Lorenzo stopped for a moment "Wait! What about Rosalie?"

Basil grunted "We will figure it out now go!" he forced him through onto the cool green grass that was right outside the bars. The boys went next, then Dawson. Basil pushed on the bar for a final time, allowing the bar to stay for approximately a minute. He motioned for Charlie to go through "Alright Miss Charlotte.. your turn." But they were too late! The guards burst through the door "Oy! The prisoners!"

One shouted as he broke thorugh the cell "Get the kid!"

Charlie ran to the opening but was quickly grabbed by the tail. She screamed "Let me go!"

They easily walked her out "Boss wants a word with you."

Basil shouted "Run! Back into the forest!" The group ran off as Lorenzo pleaded "We have to go back! He has Charlotte and Rosalie! We can't leave them behind!"

Basil huffed out of breath "Well, I wish we could go back but if you haven't noticed they were going to kill us!"

Meyla stopped running "Which is what they will do to them if we don't go back!" she stood on a rock "My people have suffered from Damion's wrath for ages.. he has taken the people we hold dear, our culture and has ransacked my city. My father tried to rule, and tried to be a leader.. He tried to keep things normal. I am the future queen and as such my first decree is to not TRY." Lorenzo smiled up at her, "I want to DO something."

Basil sighed "All in favor of risking their lives?" he crossed his arms, and slowly everyone started to raise their hands. Basil rubbed his eyes in amazement "Your highness." He walked to her and laid out his hand "Your wish is our command." Meyla shook it and smiled. Basil looked at the crew "Dawson, Bill, Fidget, and Nicolas.. Miss Brewster, Alexander and myself will stay close to town and figure out a thought out plan. We will stay hidden in one of the inns."

Meyla hopped down from the rock and motioned for Lorenzo "Lorenzo and I will head back to the village…We will meet you tomorrow morning.. or sooner."

"The sooner the better.. If I know Damion, his plans usually take form quicker than usual." Basil looked at the moon as Dawson stuttered "B-But what will become of Rosalie? And Charlie?"

Alex ran a hand through his hair "They will have to be patient." He sighed "In the meantime we need to be efficient as possible."

A voice was heard behind them "I agree completely."

Basil turned and smiled "OH Hello Professor!" he did a double take and nearly fell on the floor "P-Professor!?"

Everyone screamed in a combination between sheer horror and delight!

Bill failed his arms in the air "It's a bad dream!"

Alex nearly fainted "He's supposed to be dead!"

Mavis caught him "We saw him fall!"

Everyone then stared at him. Fidget poked him with a stick "Be gone Spirit! Back to the spirit world!"

Ratigan grabbed the stick and snapped it in half "I am alive!" he rolled his eyes "I attempt to make a suave entrance from my supposed doom and I get an exorcism in its replacement." Everyone cheered and welcomed him back. Alex hugged him tightly "I thought you were gone for good!" Basil shook his hand "Jolly good show old boy! I knew you could do it!" Ratigan's thugs all patted him on the back "Good to have you back sir!" Bill said.

Lorenzo stood dumbfounded "How did you survive?"

Ratigan waved his hand at Richard "I had some assistance. Thank you Richard." He said the last three words quickly, looking away from the older mouse. He seemed embarrassed, but had to thank him in some way or another.

Richard shook his head "Just don't get used to it.." Underneath the gruff mustache, a small smile appeared on the old mouse's face. Which was only caught by Lorenzo himself. Ratigan quickly took inventory of everyone in the group "Where is Rosalie… and Charlie?"

Nicolas took off his hat "They're back there.. we couldn't grab them in time… we're sorry boss."

Ratigan nodded as his fists clenched "It is not your fault.. I should have known this is what would happen." He looked at the group "Rosalie and Charlie are in mortal danger, so the more time we spend amazed that I arose from the dead.. Our girls could be in more danger than we think." He clapped his hands twice "Everyone move!"

Lorenzo looked at the professor "Ratigan.."

"Yes Lorenzo."

Lorenzo "I tried to save her.." He started to tear up "I really tried."

"I know. It is alright. We'll get her back." He softly smiled.

Lorenzo pulled him in for a quick hug and let go. He sighed "She still thinks you're dead.. and so does Damion." Meyla and Lorenzo quickly moved to the forest, the others moved to the city.. to figure out a plan out of their mess.

"Now Charlie, no need to be shy around me!" Damion laughed "Why, I'm your friend!" Charlie didn't budge, she simply crossed her arms at the table "Hmmm tougher than a padlock." Lestor pondered "Looks like we'll have to get the serum!" he walked off, Damion grabbed his collar "No Lestor.." he looked at Charlie "Well, looks like I'll have to enjoy my desert all by myself.." He rang a small bell and a thug came in with a large silver tray, he opened the covering to reveal a perfect medium sized cake. The delicate frosting shaped like flowers made Charlie lick her lips. To make things worse.. her stomach growled loudly… Damion's ears perked quickly "I don't think our guest has eaten anything at all." He licked the fork "What a pity.."

"Come here Charlie." Damion waved to her. She didn't move, until her stomach growled again. Damion laughed "Well, it seems as if you haven't eaten in months." He slid the cake towards her, tempting her little pink nose with the smell. Damion continued to keep that slimy smile on his face "Since you won't come to me.. dig in." he then slid the fork, Charlie grabbed it quickly and started demolishing the cake, rupturing the perfect frosting.

Damion clapped "That a girl! Isn't it good?"

Charlie chuckled, a mouthful of cake "Oh yes sir!" he still smiled at her "I bet you haven't had anything like this my dear."

"No sir!" she swallowed "This has to be the best cake I've ever tasted!"

Damion placed a hand on his chin "And that is not all! What else do you like? Do you like to read?"

She swallowed and looked up at him "Yes sir." She put the fork down "But not as much."

Damion walked towards her "True. Only if orphans could get a proper education." Charlie nearly fell out of her chair "How did you know I'm an orphan?" Damion looked at her clothes "The ripped clothes, the fact that you've completely demolished that cake means that you haven't been given food for a couple days.. and your regard for educating yourself." Charlie crossed her arms "Well I'm not gonna be an orphan for long!"

"Oh how so?" Damion smiled.

She quickly spit it out "Because Ratigan promised he'd help me find my parents."

"Ratigan?" Damion laughed loudly, to the point of crying, he wiped a tear from his eye "Oh.. Ratigan.. really? But he's lone gone my dear.. and to tell you the truth, he would never keep a promise.. Especially to a child."

she stood on her chair "He promised me if I helped him with the map!" she covered her mouth and gasped "Where did that come from?"

"Special frosting." Lestor giggled with delight. Of course the cake had the serum inserted into it, unknowingly to little Charlie herself. Damion's face however, was not centered on Lestor's urge for results, but rather the words uttered by the small mouse before him.

Damion's eyes went wide in interest "So… You can transcribe the map.. Rosalie was right." She started to shake , her fists clenched with empowerment "Rosalie wouldn't say anything like that! And he would so keep a promise! Y-You're a liar!"

"Am I?" Damion knelt down to her "Professor P. James Ratigan is not a rat to take promises.. although he promises to help you he will not go through with it." Damion pouted "And to reiterate.. He is gone.. your chances of finding your family are extremely slim, if you do it on your own." Damion smiled taking her little paws in his "Charlotte, I am a badger of immense wealth.. and I can help you track down your long lost parents and I promise to stop at nothing until they are found.. Something Ratigan could never do for anyone.. let alone a helpless, dirty little orphan like yourself.." Charlie looked away from him. Damion grabbed her little face "I can provide you with anything you need in the meantime.. if you do a little transcribing for me." He let go and laid out his hand "Do we have a deal?"

Charlotte bit her lip and started to think if this was the best idea. I want my parents back… is all she thought. She brought out her hand and stopped herself "You promise?" he simply nodded "Madame, I am a Badger of my word.. Your parents are as good as found." He smiled down on her "Well?"

She hesitated, then self-consciously took his hand and shook it. She felt a hard lump in her throat that made it hard to swallow. A lump of guilt that sat right where her heart should be.

Damion chuckled "Smart girl." He then took her hand, she cringed at the roughness of his gloved hand "Let me take you to my laboratory."

CHARLIE SOLD OUT FOR CAKE EVERYONE! POOR KID.. Review and follow! IT MAY BE SHORT, BUT I WANTED TO UPDATE ONCE MY HORRID 12 HOUR FLIGHT WAS OVER! THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS!