Chapter 4

It was some climb to get all the way up to Bridget's place. She lived in a water tower atop a very large building. They climbed a small yarn ladder to reach it, Tony and Fievel were very exhausted once they reached the top and entered Bridget's home. She had a nice place, one that you wouldn't expect a single mouse living on her own to have. It was as if she hadn't always lived there alone, for it was very big and had more than one bedroom. As the sun set Bridget fixed Fievel and Tony some of her home made cheese stew with a side of bread crumbs, which they both ate hungrily. Tony had eaten less food during the day than even Fievel. There was little conversation during the dinner as everyone ate, but afterwards Fievel finally shared in detail his story, how he'd been swept overboard on the way to America and arrived in a glass bottle. Tony and Bridget listened with sympathy, and were impressed Fievel made it to New York alive. By the time they were finished it was finally beginning to get dark outside.

"Would you like me to fix you a place to sleep tonight?" asked Bridget when she noticed Fievel rubbing his eyes and yawning.

"Yes Bridget…" Fievel replied weakly.

Bridget turned to Tony. "I think I'll put Fillie to bed now. We can talk some more afterwards, just us…"

"Yeah, alright…'night Fillie." said Tony, wondering what Bridget might want to discuss.

"Good night Tony…" said Fievel. He seemed to have a lot on his mind, after having told his story. As Bridget walked him down to her guest bed, which was a baby basket floating in the water of the water tower, Fievel noticed a picture of two Irish looking mice on the wall.

"Who are they Bridget?" Fievel asked as he changed into his night gown.

"That's me mother and father…"Bridget sighed as she climbed back up from the bed. "…cat's got them two years ago November."

She noticed a scared look on Fievel's face.

"Now don't you worry, yours are alright, and they're out there somewhere." Bridget added.

Fievel looked at her with his ears perked up, as if the words she had just spoken reminded him of something.

Bridget blew him a kiss. "Now, get some sleep…"

Tony had been listening to them, staring out the window, out at the enormous rising moon. Bridget headed back into the little living room she had. She sat next to Tony on her sofa and heaved a sigh.

"You okay?" Tony asked her.

"Yes I am…I just feel sorry for the lad is all…" Bridget replied. Tony could tell that wasn't all that was bothering her.

"I uh...heard you two talkin'…" Tony began.

"Oh you did…" Bridget looked down. "It's been so hard living on my own since it happened. I can never stop missing them…my parents."

"Hey, don't sweat it…you're in good company." said Tony, patting her back. "You won't have to be on you own from now on anyway."

"And I'm grateful I met you and Fillie for that very reason." said Bridget, "You know…I really wouldn't be out protesting against the cats, if it weren't for what happened to my parents…"

"Well I'm here for you Bridget…from now on things will be different." Tony lightly put his arm around her, taking his chances. To his surprise she leaned into him and rested her cheek on his chest.

"Oh Tony…I hope we really can get together and do something about the cats. I don't want anyone else to suffer …"

"Well with that rally tomorrow that all the mice in town will be at, I'm sure someone will come up with a plan." said Tony, stroking her hair.

"I hope you're right…it's what my parents would have wanted." she said, holding onto his hand.

"So…were your parents attacked before you came to America?" Tony asked, hoping the question wouldn't be too painful to answer.

"No, it was after. It was someone from that gang the Mott Street Maulers…" Bridget closed her eyes, wrapping her arms around Tony.

"Why those no-good cats...they're gonna pay." said Tony toughly.

"How about your parents Tony, you haven't said a word about them…" Bridget said.

"My parents?" Tony was caught off guard by this question.

"Yes…what happened to yours, if you don't mind me askin'?"

Tony frowned a bit and looked down. "They…they're gone. I'm d-doing just fine on my own…"

"From what I gather, you weren't doing fine at all before you met Fillie and I…" Bridget pointed out.

Tony struggled to keep his emotions in control. This was something he never liked to even think about. He sighed…if he wanted things to work out between Bridget and himself, he needed to be honest.

"The…the cats got them too…" Tony said in a near whisper.

"Got who, your parents?" Bridget looked up at him.

Tony closed his eyes and nodded, gulping. "I-in Italy...the cat mafia…they got them…I was just a kid…"

"Oh…oh Tony…that's terrible…" Bridget looked at him with watery eyes, not quite knowing what to say.

"W-we owed them money for our home…but we c-couldn't pay up…we were so poor…" Tony was shuddering as the memories came racing back, "Then one day…they came to collect what we owed…we didn't have money. Mama…she hid me in a trap door under the floor in our house…and…the cats…when they found out we were broke they…they…."

"Tony it's okay, we don't have to discuss this…" Bridget pleaded, stroking Tony's cheek and wiping the tears that were streaming down.

Tony shook his head. "I became an orphan that day…living all on my own…with no place to go. I was afraid the cats would come after me too…so I did the only thing I could do…I decided to go to America, the land where there was no cats…but then…we were all so wrong…"

"It's okay Tony…" Bridget hugged him, wrapping her tail around him as he sniffed and shuddered. "I'm so sorry I made you relive that…you poor darling. It's the saddest story I've ever heard…"

Tony held Bridget tight, the emotions he had tried so hard to mask his whole life bubbling to the surface. Bridget could now see that beneath his tough-guy persona lied a very sad and lost little boy, perhaps one not so different from the boy he had been taking care of. It made sense to Bridget now.

"Shh…y-you hear that?" Tony whispered as his ears perked up. Bridget listened too, and they could both hear Fievel outside, singing himself a lullaby. The words struck a cord in both their hearts, so sad, and yet so hopeful that whomever he was singing to was somewhere out there.

"That poor boy…such a beautiful song…" Bridget whispered.

Tony dried his eyes with his scarf. "We'll find his family…one things for sure, he won't end up like me…his family is alive, and out there somewhere…and I won't rest until I find them…"

Bridget looked up at him with admiration. "I know you'll fulfill that goal Tony. They are somewhere out there…and as long as that's true there's hope."

Tony nodded, staring down into Bridget's eyes, caressing her cheek. They embraced warmly, watching the moon rise together until they eventually fell asleep in each other's arms.