Yaaay! Chapter 4! Enjoy!

Bonus: A little pic that I drew for this chapter, check my profile.

Again, Flushed Away is owned by (c)Dreamworks & (c)Aardman.

Chapter 4: Surprise!

"Roddy"

Rita approaches the sleeping rat and taps his shoulder to wake him up.

"Roddy wake up we're almost home."

Roddy heard Rita's voice but ignores it. He felt his head was heavy and his eyes were still close. "Ri, five more minutes" he groaned and turns to the other side and fell asleep again. Rita was not happy about this. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and raised her one eyebrow, "He's such a baby" she sighed. She couldn't just leave her first-mate sleeping all alone in the boat. Then she had an idea, she went at the edge of the boat and scooped her hand with water and splashed it at Roddy. It gave him quite a shock.

"Ah! No please! I can't swim!" shouted Roddy. He immediately woke up waving around his arms like an amateur swimmer swimming for his life. His face was wet by the cold water and soon realizes it was only one of Rita's tricks. Rita laughed when she saw Roddy's silly reaction.

"Rita, don't scare me like that." Roddy panted and he put his hand on his left chest and felt his heart pounding fast.

"Sorry Roddy" said Rita "anyway you can sleep as long as you want when we get home." Rita goes back to the wheel and steers the boat, Roddy stretches out his arms and then he put his one hand in front of his mouth and yawns. He then rubbed his eyes and goes below deck.

"Oh, Roddy while you're down there," called Rita "could you bring out the stuff that I pick up a while ago, they're in the bag."

"Aye-aye captain" said Roddy but his eyelids grew heavy and he was not paying attention to where he was going, so he tripped on the stairs and flies down the deck. Rita laughed a little, "Maybe I should have let him sleep a little longer" she thought and continues driving. Roddy then realizes his face was on the floor, he got up and wiped the dust off his shirt. He didn't know what he was doing at first, but when he saw the bag, he remembered what Rita said to him. He took the bag, inside was a pile of colourful glass. He carefully carried it so he won't get any cuts. Then suddenly he remembers the necklace that he picked up a while ago, he put down the bag and reach into his pocket and took out the necklace. He gazes at it for a while and opens the locket once again, and still nothing was inside.

"I couldn't give this to Rita if there's nothing in it" he thought "I know, I'll put a letter in it". He ripped out a paper from a little notepad that was lying around the deck and found a bird's feather and an ink for him to write. He wrote the words that came from his mind; he did it very quickly so that Rita wouldn't be suspicious because he wanted the gift to be a surprise. After writing, he folded the paper and put it inside the locket. It fits perfectly, he closed the locket and wrapped it with a gift wrapper that he found lying around. He wrapped it beautifully and put it in his pocket. "Now the question is, when will I give it to her?" he thought and carefully picked up the bag and went above deck.

He then approaches to Rita and shows her the bag. "Great job first-mate" praised Rita "just don't go wandering off sleeping again okay?" Rita trying to tease him and smiled, Roddy smiled back then put the bag beside Rita.

"Roddy," Rita's smile turned to frown and didn't look at Roddy. She continues to look at the water and drives.

"What is it?" asked Roddy, he was concerned when he saw her frowning. He wrapped his arm around her trying to comfort her. "Cheer up, Dr. Roddy St. James is here to help" said Roddy trying to cheer her up. But it didn't give her a smile. Not even a little. Her hands were on the wheel and still looking at the water in front of the boat.

"I don't know if I should tell you this but I" she pauses and takes a deep breath and looks down the steering wheel. She thought that it wasn't the right time to say it and not for long, her frown turned up-side down and looks at Roddy. "Never mind, you'll find out soon enough" said Rita with a cheerful tone. Roddy was confused. He wanted to know what's bothering her but after hearing the cheerful tone, he had no choice but to smile at her and wait to see what happens. He trusts her after all.

Not for long they arrived at Rita's house. The new house is big as the old one, but it's not a houseboat. The foundation was on the cement and it's much more stable than the old rocking house. It was painted white and the design looks simple yet elegant. It's the perfect house for a huge a family like Rita's. Rita then parked the boat and carried the bag, while Roddy drops the anchor and ties down the boat. Both of them went in the house, for some reason something is not right. Right about now, Rita's younger siblings would gather around Rita and Roddy and greet them, and Rita's grandmother would hug Roddy and shouts 'Tom Jones!' But the room was completely dark and silent. "Hello?" called Rita and searches for the light switch. "Hello, anyone?" Roddy calls out for them, too but no one responded. Rita then felt a switch bulging out of the wall. She pressed it and the room was lit. Then suddenly, Rita's younger siblings jumped out behind the couch. Others jumped out from the cabinet and some hid under the pillows and behind the plants. Fergus, Rita's biggest brother, was obviously easy to spot, he hid behind the flower pot and in it popped out Liam, also Rita's brother who first suspect Roddy before was Millicent Bystander the international jewel thief. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY RITA!" They all shout and they gather around her to give her a big hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"Birthday?" Roddy was surprise, he didn't believe it at first but after seeing Rita's younger siblings greeted her, he was confused why she didn't tell him. Then an old energetic rat with curlers on her hair wearing a pink dress and slippers rush towards Roddy and hugged him, "Tom Jones!" she shouted choking Roddy by her strong arms. Rita's mum and dad, who is still covered with casts from neck to toe and sits on a wheel chair, went to Rita to give her a hug "Happy birthday Rita" both of them greet her and gave her another hug. "Thanks mum, thanks dad" said Rita as she put her arms around them.

"I don't mean to be rude" Roddy interrupting the moment "but Rita, why didn't you tell me it's your birthday?"

"Rita, how could you?" Rita's mum lets go of her and was shocked after hearing what Roddy said.

"Well, you see it's because--" Rita tries to explain to her mum but her dad interrupted her "Well now, you can explain this matter during dinner," he said "at least now Roddy knows it's your birthday" he then gave Roddy a pat in the back "Right, lad?" Roddy just gave him a sheepish grin, he then look at Rita, but he wasn't angry, he was just wondering why Rita didn't tell him her special day. Rita looked away from Roddy though.

"Look at you two, you're a mess" said Rita's mother. Rita's face was covered with dirt, the same with her green shirt, her union pants were slightly thorn, and her shoes are covered with mud. Roddy was covered with dirt, too. The dirt stained his white folded long-sleeved shirt, same with his black pants and shoes. "You two better cleaned up before dinner" said Rita's mother and takes them to the stairs. "I lay down some clothes for you Rita so you better wear them for dinner" she said "and yours too Roddy" she faces Roddy. Both of them went upstairs to their room. Rita's room was on the left side while Roody's room was on the right. They haven't said a word when they went up until they went in to their rooms.

Few minutes later, Roddy went downstairs to find Rita, but she wasn't there. Roddy is wearing his tuxedo, the same one when he went to the sewers. It looks brand new thanks to the sewing skills of Rita's mother. His shoes were shined and his hair was neatly combed. Roddy sat down on the couch in the living room to wait for Rita. The little rats played tug of war using a rope, and others are playing tag. Fergus skates around the room as always, while Rita's sisters were beside Roddy admiring him, especially their grandma. Then suddenly, Roddy heard Rita and her mother talking from the next room.

"Mum are you sure these are my clothes?" said Rita

"Of course, it's your birthday gift from us" said her mother

"But mum"

"You look beautiful"

Rita went in the living room to find Roddy. Her siblings pause when they saw Rita. The children stopped playing and stared at her, even Fergus stopped skating around the room. Roddy was speechless as if she took his breath away. He stared at her beauty like the other children. Roddy and Rita's siblings had never seen her in a dress until now. She was wearing a green dress, it's a simple design yet it suits her. Her hair was neatly combed and a green ribbon tied it down. Rita then was surprise to see them speechless. Rita puts her hand on her waist and raises one of her eyebrows.

"What's wrong? It's like all of you have seen a ghost" she said with a smile. Then Roddy slowly approaches to her and holds her hand. "No, I see an angel that came down from heaven." said Roddy as he smiled and continues to hold Rita's hand. Rita's cheeks turned red and her smile grew wider and stares at Roddy's charming face.

"Aww!" Rita's sisters love romantic scenes. "Eew!" on the other hand the boys didn't like it.