I decided to put the part where my OC wakes up from being knocked out right here, instead of the previous chapter, so that no one would get confused. Anyway, back to the story!

Chapter 7: Don't Blame Me!

Kaitlin's POV

I woke up to find out that the toy store was a mess and patted dust off myself. I looked around to see if Olivia was still beside me. To my dismay, she was no longer with me. Oh, great! Fidget punched me in the face so he could take her from me. "Olivia?" I called. "Dawson? Basil? Have you gotten Fidget yet?"

"Fidget took her," Dawson said.

I turned to the voice. "Huh?" I gasped.

"But we'll see if Basil has gotten Olivia back," Dawson assured me and he landed with a crash.

"Dawson, are you okay?" I asked worriedly as I rushed over to his side.

"Yes, but I'd like to ask you the same thing," Dawson said.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I replied, "Just knocked out."

Dawson checked my head to see any bruises, but luckily for me, there wasn't anything serious. "But you seem fine now."
"Thanks." I followed him as we ran over to Basil.

"Basil? Basil!" Dawson cried.

Just then, we heard a baby doll repeatedly crying out a mantra, "Mama!" We looked for Basil behind some toys to see where the noise was coming from to see Basil dangling on the toy's string, grunting.

"Basil, thank goodness you're here!" I said, but he ignored me.

"Basil, Olivia!" Dawson cried to get Basil's attention when I couldn't, "Olivia, she's...she's…"

"Yes! She's gone, Dawson!" Basil interrupted with annoyance as he continued accidentally pulling the string. "Confound it! I told you to watch over the girl!"

"Hey, I watched her, but Fidget knocked me out!" I shouted as I watched Dawson try to catch Basil without success.

"We would've gotten the case done faster if it wasn't for your stubbornness!" Basil said, snarkily.

But I wasn't going to take the blame for this; it wasn't my fault, even though I never blamed the heroes. Basil got distracted, too, though, despite him trying to "uphold the law" as usual, but sometimes, I thought otherwise. Dawson did his best to watch over Olivia and she didn't know any better than to wonder off; she forgot Fidget was in the toy store, that's all! They were all equally distracted and she was trying to save her father for goodness sakes, even though their lives were threatened in the process! "Hey, don't blame me! I'm doing the best I can!"

Just then, he landed with a thud and I facepalmed. "But now, she's been spirited away by a maniacal little monster!" Basil snapped with his foul temper, which I found rude when I was doing my best, even if it was true on what he said, so I comforted Dawson, who cringed at his partner's harsh attitude. It didn't matter. What Basil did wasn't going to solve anything! "Soon to be in the clutches of the most depraved mind in all of London! I should've known better than to-"

That did it! I've had it with his jerkish and pathetic attitude, so I raged, "Now just a minute! That's gone too far!"

Basil flinched, finding that I've hit a nerve. His anger turned to shock at the damage he had caused.

I put my hands on my hips as I continued, feeling betrayed, "Listen, I know you're upset about Olivia's kidnapping, but that's no way to express your anger, you jerk! How pathetic! You should've known better than to what? Put your partnership with Dawson and friendship with Olivia and everyone else to the test? Be jealous of Olivia when Dawson treats her better than you do? Talk about wanting to save London from Ratigan when in reality, you're doing this to help yourself, which comes off as lying and being selfish?! Be cruel to anyone who comes to your door and tries to help you? Let your ego get in the way? Say things you'll regret later like you've done just now and blame people for everything? YES, you should've known better! YOU PROMISED! You lied! Even if you were abused by your peers or family members, that's no excuse! It's not because you're trying to uphold the law that gives you the right to say such rude and rash things to people, including Olivia and Dawson. What you're going through, doesn't give you the right to treat others like trash! You're supposed to be the greatest detective Mousedom has ever seen, but you're a disgrace to that title! Bringing Olivia along is called keeping promises and loyalty to her father, which is what some private detective wouldn't understand!"

Basil gasped sharply as I released my anger and hurt as karma for his poor attitude.

I sighed as I said something else, "You know what? You're no different or better than Ratigan for your arrogance and harmful behavior towards anyone, no matter how brilliant and intelligent you are! You're supposed to be a hero, but from what I've seen, you're entirely something else! I trusted you and maybe you're using us the same way Ratigan is using Fidget! You're such a hypocrite! You don't care about anyone but yourself!" I knew that Fidget was forced to do bad things and Ratigan was using him and abusing him daily.

Dawson looked up at me, seeing me defend him and everyone else who were victims of Basil's wrath.

"Kaitlin, I...I'm sorry," Basil said as he was about to put his hand over to me, but I just slapped him. I knew it was wrong, but he had a LOT to think about. I watched him rub his cheek.

"Save it!" I screamed. "You have to earn my trust, as well as everyone else's. I'm done being hurt by you and your drama. It's no wonder why your clients left you after they thanked you without giving you a second glance, moving on with their lives."

Basil saw now that his mistreatment was like a piercing sword to his heart that he could never deflect. He realized that he jumped the gun and needed to handle the situation in a more civilized manner.

I went on my way to the window sill.

"Kaitlin, wait!" Basil called out to me, but I wasn't having any of it.

The detective followed me and he started to sing:

This has to stop now!

Whatever it is that you're going through,

We'll fix it together, me and you,

Just like we've always done.

My next part of the song was this:

No; THIS has to stop now:

This thing where you think that you've been my friend,

And don't even hear how you condescend,

The way you've always done.

Basil sighed as he tried pleading with me again.

Kaitlin, listen.

But I was too stubborn and mad to hear his excuses.

I'm listening!

Basil:

I know it isn't true.

Me:

Isn't it?

Basil:

Just look into my eyes now…

Me:

Well?

Basil:

I know you feel it too.

Me:

Perhaps I do.

Basil:

Kaitlin, listen.

Me:

I'm listening.

Basil:

I swear, it's not too late.

So before another line gets crossed,

And everything we've had is lost,

Just wait.

I was tired of waiting for my chances to get Basil's recognition before it came and left.

Wait?

No, I won't wait!

"Kate!" Basil shouted after me as I continued to run away.

Now I sang my part to shine:

There's a line between the winners and the losers.

There's a line between the chosen and the rest.

And I've done the best I could,

But I've always known just where we stood:

Me here with the luckless,

You there with the blessed.

I shook my head.

And that line between the beggars and the choosers

Is a line you've never let me quite ignore.

How I've tried to jump that great divide,

But I've never got the chances you were given.

You don't know how much I've been denied;

Well, I'm not being patient anymore!

I continued with a more upbeat volume.

I'm crossing the line!

And I'm done holding back!

So look out, clear the track,

It's my turn!

I grinned, satisfied that I didn't have to be with Basil for long. Besides, would I want to be with him when he's so mean and careless?

I'm taking what's mine;

Every drop, every smidge!

And if I'm burning a bridge,

Let it burn!

But I'm crossing the line…

I turned my head with a smirk upon my face to Basil, as if I found his weakness. Since he tested the friendship with me THAT much, I no longer had to put up with him.

As for us, if it's over,

That's fine!

"Kate, wait!" Basil shouted as he was about to stop me, but I wouldn't let him.

I'm crossing the line!

With that said, I gave him an open palm to the back of the head, causing him to fall on the ground.

"You've done enough. Just leave me alone. I'm going to reunite the Flavershams if YOU won't! You will never be Sherlock Holmes!" Basil looked at me with shock and I gave him one more glare before running out, crying angry tears.

I slowly opened the window to see Toby and stepped out onto the window sill to see if he trusted me. "Toby, take me down, please," I commanded kindly and he did as he was told. I hopped off his nose and patted it. I let him comfort me before I left. "Bye, Toby!" Then I ran off to find Olivia alone because I was sick of Basil. I was not sorry for what I said. What I said sounded harsh, but that needed to be said, anyway. I was going to find Olivia and help her get her father back no matter what it took. I kept that promise, fair and square, even though I was knocked out by that dumb old bat. Then, I wondered if Olivia still had my necklace safely tucked with her.

Third Person POV

Basil thought about Kaitlin's next set of outbursts. He realized how upsetting his words were and how it'll affect others, but he couldn't take it back because they ended up hurting him in return. Seeing Dawson sad, for failing to watch over Olivia, made him feel remorseful because Basil was just as guilty for letting himself get distracted. He wasn't used to working with others. "Dawson," Basil said softly and stepped over to him. "I say, Dawson, old chap?" He smiled.

"Oh, poor girl," Dawson sobbed. "I should've watched over her more closely." He sniffed.

Basil knew he had to apologize and make things right for his partner, so he went on, "Don't worry, old fellow. It's not entirely hopeless. I let myself get distracted, as well." Basil smiled again, but it wasn't enough for Dawson, so he put his hand on the elder mouse's shoulder. "We'll get her back. I'll also apologize to Kaitlin."

Dawson got out of his somber state and looked at him, feeling a little better. "Do you think there's a chance?"

"There's always a chance, doctor," Basil replied, lighting a match on the toy jester's nose and lit his pipe. "As long as one can think." He smoked his pipe as he paced around, thinking.

At that moment, Dawson remembered something and grabbed the list out of his pocket. "Get the following…" he read, "Tools...Gears...Girl...Unifor-"

Basil glanced at the list and took it from his partner's hands. "Dawson, you've DONE it!" he gleefully shouted, "This list is precisely what we need!" He dashed towards the window.

"What?"

"Quickly, back to Baker Street!" Basil stepped on a toy duck and remembered the girl, who called him out on his behavior. "You hear that, Kaitlin?" He turned to Toby. "Where is she? Did she leave?"

Toby nodded.

Basil facepalmed. This was all his fault! If it weren't for his rude and selfish attitude, she wouldn't have run off.

"Did she-" Dawson began in a stunned tone, but then turned angry at him. "It was because of your hurtful words that caused her to call you out and leave!"

"I know," Basil said, feeling guilty. "I have no excuse."

"As intelligent as you are, it angers me that you treat others badly!" Dawson snapped.

Toby, who was on Dawson's side for once, growled at Basil.

"You're right, Dawson. I've been really hard on her. I should be more careful with my words and I suppose I could've handled this in a more civilized manner."

"That you could've and once you find Kaitlin, I believe an apology should be an order." Dawson gave Basil a stern glare, making him look sheepish.

Basil sighed in defeat. He knew his partner was right, but said, "I doubt she'll listen."

"You'll never know, Basil. Maybe there's a side of her that we don't quite know."

Little did they expect that the girl they just mentioned was heading on her way to Ratigan's hide-out to bring back her friends that were stolen from her.

AN: My OC will meet Ratigan in the next chapter.