Minnie rushed out of her father's office and snatched her coat before hurrying out into the cold. She shivered a little and bit her lip; if Mickey was outside in this weather, it couldn't be good for his illness. Her anger continued to simmer as she hurried down the street. She had never been to Mortimer's place, thankfully, but thanks to his constant invitations she knew where it was. When she finally reached it, her nose wrinkled. It was exactly what she would have expected from him: it looked big and fancy at first glance, but a closer look showed it was poorly maintained. Most likely he couldn't afford to hire enough people due to spending beyond his means.

Fists clenched, Minnie marched straight through the gate and up to the door, raising a fist and pounding on it as loud as she could. She only stopped when she finally heard the latch click. An aged, timid looking goat opened the door.

"C-can I help you, miss?" he asked softly. Minnie felt some of her animosity fade, doubting that this old man was involved in this, but kept a fierce bite in her words.

"I'm here to see Mortimer."

The goat squinted at her, then his eyes widened in recognition.

"You're Minerva Mouse?"

Minnie nodded impatiently, and he sighed and stood aside.

"Mr. Rodawn said you should be welcomed anytime you wish to come."

That got a smirk out of Minnie. Mortimer would certainly be egotistical enough to assume she would come more than once. As soon as she entered, the butler closed the door and gestured.

"Please follow me."

He moved a little slower due to his age, and Minnie was forced to not storm along as she wished to. When they finally reached the door he was clearly escorting her to, he pulled it open and stood aside. With a terse nod, Minnie marched inside to find Mortimer was sitting behind a large desk.

"I told you!" he snapped. "I don't want any…"

He looked up then, and as soon as he saw Minnie his eyes widened in surprise before a smug, arrogant smile spread across his face.

"Well, well, I almost thought you'd never…"

Minnie cut him off in a harsh, angry voice.

"Where is he?!"

Mortimer blinked, his face completely blank, as if he couldn't comprehend any other reason she would be here but to see him. Minnie barely managed to keep from stomping her foot.

"I know you have Mickey! Now where is he?!"

Mortimer's face grew almost petulant as he scoffed.

"Don't tell me you're still hung up on that good for nothing lowlife."

Minnie by now was too furious to speak and glared at Mortimer, her fists clenched and shaking.

"Oh, come on," he said, as if nothing was wrong. "Why waste your time on him? He can't give you what I can." Minnie wanted to strangle him.

"I don't care what you can give me!" she snapped, finding her voice. "And as far as I'm concerned, Mickey is a thousand times the man you are!" The rat shuddered at this blow to his precious ego, then gave a disdainful snort.

"Well, I think he's down a few steps now." Minnie felt numb with fear at those words. Even Mortimer couldn't sink so low… could he?

"What did you do to him?" she whispered.

"Just had him brought in for a… talk."

Minnie gasped at that. Before she could say anything, a bulky figure burst into the room. She recognized one of the "associates" who were always following Mortimer around.

"We've got a problem, boss. The kid collapsed… he looks in bad shape."

Mortimer stiffened, looking alarmed.

"I told you not to get too rough!" The muscular guard shrugged.

"I gave him some hard knocks, but it shouldn't have been enough to…" He was interrupted by a vase smashing against the wall a half inch from his head. Both men looked to see that it had been thrown by a very angry Minnie. Her eyes burned with fury as she glared at the guard, clenching her fists.

"You brainless brute!" she snapped. "Didn't you see?! He's sick!"

As his shock dissolved, Mortimer turned to the guard with a panicked look.

"Get rid of him! Make sure it won't get traced back to me!" With that he ran out of the room, completely ignoring Minnie. The guard growled and moved toward her.

"Since he's too gutless to say so himself, I'll assume that the same applies to you, missy."

Minnie felt fear rising in her throat as she backed up, berating herself for coming here alone. She cried out as the man grabbed her wrist. She desperately wished for her mother's necklace; if there was ever time luck was needed, it was now.

"Let go of me!" she cried. At that moment, the door Mortimer had fled out banged open, and several policemen charged in, surrounding them.

Minnie didn't bother trying to figure out what was going on. She yanked her wrist free, pushed out of the crowd and ran for the room the guard had come from. Her heart twisted with worry when she heard a cough, then almost stopped when she got inside.

"Mickey!" she cried. He was doubled up on the floor, groaning quietly. His right eye was swollen, his lower lip split and he was holding his side. Minnie ran to his side and fell to her knees. He winced as she brushed against his side, but his injuries weren't what frightened her most; rather, it was his raspy, shallow breathing, the sweat beading his forehead, and the heat radiating from his body.

"Minerva!" She looked up just in time to be hugged by her father. "When we found out Mortimer was behind Mickey's disappearance, I knew you'd come here." He drew back and looked her over with anxious eyes.

"I'm all right…" she said, looking down at Mickey as he stirred in her arms and moaned. Marcus followed her look; his face became grim and he quickly stood.

"I'll get help right away." Minnie nodded; it went without saying that she would be staying here. As her father hurried out, she turned back to Mickey and placed a hand on his forehead. Tears filled her eyes; he was hot as fire. To her relief, he slowly opened his eyes. They widened when they rested on her, then a small smile crossed his face.

"I thought you were supposed to be at home for a while," Minnie said, trying to smile despite her terrible worry. "Doctor's orders?" Her throat throbbed with sympathy pain as Mickey coughed harshly.

"Never… was too good at… takin' orders. Sides, I d-didn't get much s-say…" He groaned and started shivering. Doing her best to ease his discomfort, she pulled off her coat and laid it over him.

"I'm sorry," she murmured as she gently wiped away the blood from his cut lip. "I'm so sorry for everything." Mickey raised his hand, which was shaking, and took hers, kissing it.

"I-… it's okay…"

Minnie closed her hand around his, trying to swallow the lump in her throat.

"It's not okay," she said quietly. Mickey smiled weakly and spoke as if he hadn't heard.

"Minnie… you're the… most incredible girl… I've ever known." He winced. "I'd never… felt… the way I did when… when I…" He broke off and coughed again. Minnie felt tears fill her eyes.

"Don't talk like this," she soothed. "Just rest, it'll be all right." Mickey stroked her cheek before his eyes closed. Forcing herself not to let her tears fall, Minnie wrapped her arms around him and held him close.

"Stay with me, Mickey," she whispered. "Please… please be all right." She kept murmuring softly to him until she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Minerva," her father said softly. When Minnie hesitated, he gently drew her away as a few policemen hurried over to Mickey. Her heart sank at their grim looks. Marcus gently squeezed her shoulder, trying to comfort her, but all she could see was him.

Mickey had experienced both being too hot and too cold, but he'd never known that it was possible to be both at the same time. A strange numbness buzzed in his head, blurring his senses. The pain from the beating he'd taken felt distant, as if he was somehow detached from his body. His eyes were so heavy it felt as though they were glued shut, and the few times he managed to push them open everything was swimming on a mist of fever, making him so dizzy he had to close them again. When they were closed, he started dreaming.

Strangely, they were all about his childhood. The orphanage, his rough street days with Oswald, the blurred faces of his parents…

He hoped it wasn't his life starting to flash in front of him. There were plenty of things he wanted to do, and just as many regrets in his life. But probably above them all was how things were left between him and her. The way he'd misjudged, what he said in anger… his heart felt heavy just remembering it. He just hoped he would have a chance to set things right; even if it was just one.

Minnie…

Mickey kept the image of her in his mind. He couldn't help smiling weakly; of all the things he'd hoped to find, at least he had found one. But still, he didn't want to leave now. The thought of being in a world apart from her was much scarier than not being with her in this one.