Hey Everyone!

Sorry this update took so long, and it's not very long... But I have been massively busy with school, university applications, part-time jobs, friends, boyfriend, family, spilling water in my laptop's keyboard... So unfortunately this story took the back burner. I will be able to update again sometime around the 12th of December. Sorry ya'll.

Anyway, I'd just like to mention that the previous time that I had updated (which was a long time ago...) there were the most hits I had ever seen on my story in one day; it's so exciting to see that people are interested in reading my updates as soon as they are posted.

I would like to thank both DisneyPrincess and Galimatias for their reviews. I'm so sorry I could not give a better return-message... I just want to get this update out as fast as I can and I'm cutting corners right now.

Thank you to all readers and subscribers.

Calysta dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around Basil.

Their cheeks touched as Calysta spoke softly, "Basil, I'm sure that this Napoleon of crime, as you call him, has nothing on you. You were able to get him into jail. There's nothing you can't do."

Basil, who was innately repulsed by any means of physical contact, didn't mind the embrace that he was in. He was initially surprised by Calysta's act of kindness but listened intently to her soft speech.

The British mouse felt warm as his American partner held him. His nose brushed against her long, brown, strawberry-scented hair as he wrapped his arms around her in return.

Calysta felt like there were butterflies in her stomach as she felt Basil's paws move to her back. She smiled as she moved her head to look at the detective in the eyes.

The kitchen door swung open again with a loud "WHAM" and Calysta instantly leaped away from Basil and quickly pulled her paws back towards herself; it was as if she had touched something that was much too hot and needed to soothe her burns. Basil immediately missed the warmth that their embrace had created; he looked up at Calysta from his spot on the armchair and scowled as he crossed his arms. Calysta had jumped so far back that she had almost reached the couch at the other end of the living room.

Mrs Judson emerged from the kitchen and started screaming, "MISTER BASIL! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO THE STOVE!". The maid began running towards Basil holding a small green creature; a toad. Basil poked his head up from the chair; his eyes and smile widened.

"It survived!" Basil hopped onto the the back of the armchair and leaped down to the floor. He dashed into the kitchen and let the door swing close, leaving Mrs Judson looking flustered, holding the amphibian in both her hands.

Mrs Judson looked over at Calysta who's eyebrows were raised in confusion. Still holding the toad the maid said, "You've got a big job on your hands."

….

It took thirty minutes to pry Basil from the kitchen.

"Basil! If you don't leave the kitchen right now, I will make sure a cat swallows you whole and it will be so tragic that the whole population of New Mouse City* will hear about your demise!", Calysta yelled as she pulled on the back of his robe.

"Now, now Calysta, experiments such as these take time..." Basil continued to poke about the stove with a set of metal prongs.

"Time that we don't have!" Calysta continued to tug at the collar of Basil's purple robe. "We need to go check the hospital records" she said, as she jerked the neckband with every word, "We. Need. To. Solve. !" The violet band around Basil's neck broke free with a loud "RIP!"; the piece of the collar was in Calysta's right paw. The girl's eyes widened and her jaw dropped, "Oops", she whispered.

Tufts of light brown fur were visible through the gaping hole in Basil's robe. The mouse dropped the prongs onto the stove top with a clanging noise. Basil turned around slowly and glared at Calysta. He looked like he was going to have a coronary as he spoke through grit teeth, "I'll call for Toby."

Calysta, still holding the piece of torn robe, crossed her arms and smiled, "Good."

...

Mrs Judson was sitting on the couch by the time Basil and Calysta returned from the kitchen; the maid was gently stroking the toad's head as the amphibian sat in her lap. Basil made a tutting sound with his tongue.

"You mustn't keep it Mrs. Judson... it's an experiment!" He exclaimed, frantically waiving his arms.

Mrs Judson scowled at the detective as she continued to gently brought her hand across the top of the toad's head. The toad looked up at Basil and croaked, "RIBBIT".

"I think he wants to stay", Calysta said between giggles, "though I don't understand why he would want to live in a house with you", she finished jokingly.

Basil slapped his face with his paw; he let his fingers part and glared at Calysta through the space between his middle and pointer finger.

"Whatever!"

...

After Basil instructed Mrs Judson to fix the hole in his purple robe then tried and failed to set the toad, that the maid had now named Geoffrey, free, Calysta and the British detective were finally standing outside of 221 1/2. Toby had dashed over as soon as Basil had whistled for him; Basil adjusted his hat as he hopped onto Toby's ear, which the dog had transformed into a tiny staircase.

"Hey Toby!", Calysta rubbed the hound's wet black rose as the dog panted happily.

"AHEM!", came a voice from the top of the dog's head. Calysta looked up; Basil was standing with his legs apart and his arms crossed. He didn't look pleased.

"Whoops." She had been the one rushing him to leave the kitchen and now she was stalling. Toby lowered his nose so that the mouse could climb up the dog's face to meet her British counterpart.

Basil started tapping his small oxford-clad foot furiously against the top of the dog's head, "Come on, now!", he said, while continuing to tap his foot.

Needless to say, Toby did not enjoy the incessant tapping on the top of head; the hound raised his snout and started barking loudly just as Calysta walked on the bridge of his snout.

The sudden movement of Toby lifting his nose sent both the mice falling; Basil, who was standing facing Calysta, landed with his back against Toby's and Calysta fell forward, ending up sprawled on top of Basil.

Basil, at that moment, felt like all of the air had left his lungs; it didn't help that the other mouse had landed right on top of him but when Basil tried to breathe again, he couldn't. All he could do was smell strawberries. He could feel Calysta's right leg pressed against his and her head on his chest and... He blushed.

That awkward moment when you land on top of a sexy mouse?

Um. REVIEW THANKS.

*New Mouse City. Like New York City. This name was completely and utterly taken from the Geronimo Stilton children books.