Thanks to AirRaider23 and Skullgal94 for reviewing!
Once Basil, Dawson, Flaversham, and Veronica were outside, they saw Ratigan fleeing in his dirigible.
"There he goes!" Basil yelled, before he climbed up a flagpole and shouted down, "Dawson! Flaversham! Gather up those balloons. Veronica! I'll need your help with the flag!"
Veronica climbed up the pole to help him.
As they lowered the flag, a storm was beginning, as Fidget pedaled the dirigible while an enraged Ratigan was steering.
"Just wait!" Olivia said to Ratigan. "Basil's smarter than you! He's going to put you in jail!" She began to tug on his tail, as she added, "He's not afraid of a big, old, ugly (Ratigan turns and glares at her in annoyance) rat like you!"
Ratigan angrily snatched his tail from her and said, "Would you kindly sit down and SHUT UP!"
His yell sent Olivia flying back, knocking over a stool and into the wall. Just as Ratigan turned around, he saw a British flag flying in front of him, blocking his path. It was none other than Basil, who had taken the flag, balloons, and a sliding matchbox for him, Veronica, Flaversham, and Dawson to fly in. Ratigan turned the dirigible the other way and flew off.
"Let her go!" Basil yelled.
Dawson and Flaversham released air from an open balloon, closing the distance between them and Ratigan, as they chased him around. Once they had gone through the Tower Bridge, Fidget stopped pedaling, looking exhausted and out of breath.
Ratigan glared at Fidget, as he hopped inside and gestured to Olivia, as he said, "We have to lighten the load."
"Oh, you want to lighten the load?" Ratigan said. Fidget began to snicker at Olivia, until Ratigan grabbed him by his ears and tossed him out of the dirigible, as he yelled, "EXCELLENT IDEA!"
"No! Not me!" Fidget yelled, as he tried to fly, but fell towards the Thames River instead. "I can't fly! I can't fly!"
Ratigan hopped on the propeller and moved forward, but the four mice had already caught up to them.
"Steady!" Basil said, as he and Veronica prepared to jump.
The two jumped and caught the tail of the aircraft. Ratigan ducked as their feet missed him, and Basil and Veronica glared at Ratigan, who glared back at them, until they heard Olivia scream. With no one at the wheel, they were flying towards Big Ben. Ratigan screamed, as the dirigible smashed into the clock tower and the four rodent passengers went flying into the clockwork.
Seconds later, Basil and Veronica, who had suffered a glass cut on the right side of her forehead from Big Ben, came around and stared in shock and awe at the massive clockwork around them. But, as they turned away, both failed to notice Ratigan appear behind them.
With an evil smile, he stepped out of the shadows, one fist raised to strike, while the other hand was covering Olivia's mouth.
Olivia struggled and finally pulled her mouth free, before she shouted, "Basil, Ronnie! Look out!"
The two mice turned around and Ratigan knocked them down. They almost fell off the gear, but quickly grabbed onto the end of the one and tried to climb up, as Ratigan prepared to deal another blow, but Olivia quickly bit down hard on his hand.
"AAAAAAIIIIIEEE!" Ratigan screamed in pain, giving Basil enough time to climb up on the gear and seize the professor's cape and tangle it between two gears.
Ratigan's head jerked back, causing him to drop Olivia, who quickly crawled out of the way, as Veronica climbed up, but Ratigan kicked her in the face, and she fell, landing on a larger gear, connected to another that would crush her in a matter of moments. Immediately, Veronica started jumping from keg to keg to try and get away from the gear, but the next time she jumped, she landed wrong on her ankle. Seeing Veronica in danger, Basil quickly scooped up Olivia and jumped from the gear onto a lever, before they jumped onto a chain, which lifted up.
The final keg was approaching Veronica, as Basil and Olivia were getting closer. Veronica frantically tried to flatten herself against the gear, as Basil reached up and she watched in terror as the gear came towards her. Basil quickly grabbed Veronica's arm, pulling her out of the gear just in time, and both smiled at each other, as the chain lifted them to the top of the tower.
Meanwhile, Ratigan angrily looked up and watched the three mice flee for their lives. And that, my friends, was when Ratigan absolutely, totally, and in all other ways, really lost it, as he felt rage towards Basil, but mostly towards the woman who had been his former henchmouse for betraying him and helping his archenemy publicly humiliate him. With a sudden surge of strength, he tore himself free from his cape.
Basil, Veronica, and Olivia hurried through the tunnel, but stopped at the opening. They were trapped.
Back inside of the clock tower, Ratigan ran through and around the many gears, his clothes becoming torn and ragged. Right now, only one thing mattered to Ratigan: killing Veronica.
Outside, Olivia tugged on Basil's coat and pointed out Dawson and Flaversham, who were approaching.
Back inside, Ratigan was starting to get closer.
Veronica seemed to realize this, before she turned to Basil and said, "I need you to make a promise. And listen carefully. No matter what happens to me, I don't want you to come after me."
"But-But you'll be-" Basil began.
"I know I'll be killed," Veronica said. "It's me he wants. Now, promise me. Promise you won't come after me."
"I-I promise," Basil said.
"Good," Veronica said, before she quickly picked up Olivia and held her up to her father, who was leaning as far as he could, trying to reach Olivia. "Come on, Dawson!" Veronica yelled, as she stood up on her tiptoes to hand Olivia to her father. "Closer, a little closer!"
Ratigan scrabbled up onto the striking hammer and leapt forward.
"Daddy!" Olivia cried. "I can't reach!" By now, Ratigan was bounding through the tunnel towards the three mice, who were attempting to escape, as Olivia yelled again, "I can't reach!"
Basil turned around, gasped, and shouted, "Veronica! Look out!"
But Veronica didn't need Basil's warning to realize that Ratigan was coming, even as she turned around just in time to see Ratigan lunge towards her, with a crazed look of murder in his eyes, as she gasped in terror, and muttered, "Oh my God."
Before she had time to realize what was about to happen to her, Ratigan rammed into her middle head-on, knocking her off of Big Ben, along with Ratigan. Olivia was tossed into the air and was caught by her father, who hugged her.
Veronica, on the other hand, wasn't so lucky. Ratigan had Veronica tucked under his arm, as they both tumbled head over heels down the roof. And even as they fell, Ratigan grabbed Veronica's waist and held it in a death grip, squeezing the air out of her, while Veronica grabbed onto the roof in an attempt to stop her fall, but given how slippery the roof was and how fast she and Ratigan were going, her fingers just slid on the roof, before she and Ratigan slid off the roof and were separated in the air.
Mid-fall, Ratigan grabbed Veronica again, but then they both landed on the hour hand and Veronica bounced away from him and landed halfway over the hour hand. She came around, only to be greeted by the sight of a 100-foot drop below her. She gasped and quickly pulled herself off the edge and onto the hour hand, pressing her back against it. Veronica began to look around for Ratigan, wondering whether or not he had fallen. If so, then great. If not…well…she'd rather not think about that at the moment.
Just then, she heard someone call out to her, "Ronnie!" She glanced up to see Dawson, Olivia, and Flaversham, but no Basil with them, floating towards the edge of the hand, as Dawson yelled, "Over here!"
A wave of relief swept over her and she stepped forward, but Ratigan let out a roar of rage, as he attacked Veronica from behind, wrapping one arm around her neck, as she let out a strangled cry of terror, as he lifted her up and attempted to strangle her, but Veronica squirmed out of his grasp and landed on the hour hand, momentarily surprising the rat, which gave her enough time to escape.
"Oh, God! Oh, please! Oh, God. Please!" Veronica pleaded, as she began to scramble up the incline, despite the pain from her ankle, trying to get to the safety that was awaiting her.
But Ratigan wasn't about to let her go so easily, as she reached the top of the incline and he leapt into her way and blocked her path.
"There's no escape this time, wench!" Ratigan snarled at her, his normally silky voice now a throaty snarl that sent chills up her spine and would haunt her nightmares for years to come, as she slid down the incline and frantically limped the other way, trying to put distance between her and the rage-crazed rat, but then she screamed, as Ratigan leapt into her way again, and she skidded to a stop, staring up at him with a look of utter terror on her face.
As she watched in horror, he lifted his hand and unsheathed his razor-sharp claws, and swung downwards, tearing through her dress and then hitting her in the chin, sending her flying away and bracing herself for the next hit.
But then, she heard a voice that she knew all too well shout, "You wanna bet?"
She looked up and watched as Basil punched Ratigan.
"Basil, you promised!" Veronica said, as he helped her up. "You promised not to come!"
"If you go down," Basil told her, as they both turned to face the mad rat, "we're going down together."
Veronica sighed, but then said, "Basil, when this is over, remind me to thank you!"
"How sweet!" Ratigan sneered. "Together again-for the last time!"
He swiped at them, but they both leapt out of the way and jumped on top of him, but Ratigan knocked them both off of him and they both landed on the hour hand. Veronica looked up to see if Dawson was close, and sure enough, he was.
"Now, go!" Veronica yelled to Basil. "I'll be right behind you!"
Veronica knew that what she had said was in and of itself a lie, but she had to say something to make Basil go.
Basil ran up the incline and jumped onto the makeshift balloon and Veronica followed, but once she reached the top, she put too much pressure on her bad ankle, and, with a cry of pain, she fell over, clutching her ankle, giving Ratigan enough time to catch up to her. She looked up in terror to see that Ratigan had leapt up beside her and, before she could pull out her dagger, he smacked her in the throat, and she let out a gagging sound, as she was flung away. Veronica got up to her feet, but Ratigan was beside her once more and he swiped at her face, and Veronica grabbed her muzzle in pain, and Ratigan slapped her, cutting her cheek and knocking her off her feet. As she tried to get up, Ratigan's claws raked through her back and she cried out in pain and Ratigan struck her once more, almost knocking her off of the hour hand. She slowly climbed back up onto the hour hand and staggered to her feet, clutching her bleeding arm in pain, and Ratigan was upon her again.
"Veronica!" Basil cried, as he turned back to where Veronica and Ratigan were. Veronica looked physically drained and spent, as she stared wearily up at Ratigan, who slapped her again, cutting her other cheek and sending her flying over the edge, but she quickly grabbed onto the tip of the hour hand. Ratigan hovered over her with a growl and Basil immediately tried to get to Veronica, who was about to face certain death at the hands of the crazed rat, but Dawson and Flaversham held him back. "Let go, confound it!" Basil yelled, trying to get Dawson and Flaversham off him.
Meanwhile, Veronica worriedly looked up, as the clock's chimes began to sound. It was close to 10:00. Just as she turned back, a flash of lightning and the light coming from the clock gave her a good view of the rat above her, and she almost had a heart attack at the sight of him looking like a wild animal, as his breath hissed noisily through his teeth.
"Oh, God, get me out of here," Veronica said, as she watched Ratigan rear back to deliver one more blow and she braced herself.
Ratigan's claws plunged into her right side where the stitches were, tearing out one stitch, and Veronica cried out in pain, before she began to fall. Basil and Dawson tried to catch Veronica as she fell past them, but they missed.
"NOOOOOO!" Basil screamed, falling to his knees and reaching out towards Veronica, as she fell while all Dawson, Flaversham, and Olivia could do was watch in disbelief.
Even Ratigan looked uncertain, as he looked down, before he looked up and smiled evilly.
"I've WON!" Ratigan yelled, leaping up into the air and laughing hysterically.
But suddenly, there was a whistle and Veronica called out, "Guess again!" Shocked, Ratigan looked down to find Veronica holding onto the propeller of the dirigible with one hand while the other was holding something. "It ain't over till the fat lady sings!" She shouted, before she showed Ratigan what she was holding.
It was the bell he used to call his cat, Felicia! With a smirk, she rang it vigorously, and a dumbfounded Ratigan checked his sleeves, wondering how in the world she could have gotten it. Unfortunately, that was all the time he had to check, as the minute hand moved to the 12 and the clock chimed 10:00.
The vibrations caused Ratigan to stagger and lose his balance. He screamed, as he fell towards Veronica and caught her by her dress. The ropes snapped under the extra weight and Ratigan screamed again, as he fell and Veronica followed, still holding onto the propeller. All in an instant, Veronica knew what to do, as she maneuvered herself onto the propeller and began to pedal away.
"Have a nice trip, and see ya next fall!" Veronica said, as Ratigan let out a scream of fury and fell towards the river. As she watched him fall into the river, she called out, "Nice workin' with ya!"
And with that, she pedaled up to where the others were waiting.
Meanwhile, Basil, Dawson, Olivia, and Flaversham were desperately searching for Veronica. When they couldn't find her, they immediately assumed the worst, as Olivia turned away and cried into her father's apron, while all Basil could do was stare down, numb with shock and grief from losing the woman he loved.
But then, he paused as he registered what he had thought. Loved…did he even think that right? Loved? Then he remembered the little twinge of jealousy when he had seen Veronica comforting Dawson and the feeling he'd had when he had fallen on top of Veronica. Then he realized it. Yes, he did love her.
Basil hung his head and allowed the tears to fall freely and uninhibited for the only woman he would probably ever love. Just then, however, he heard a squeaking sound.
"What?" Basil said, as he looked down, as did Olivia, who stopped crying and leaned back to look down.
And there, emerging from the clouds, pedaling up into the sky, was Veronica, her sailor dress torn and stained red from her blood.
"Ho, ho! Hooray!" Dawson yelled, happily.
"Hooray! It's Ronnie!" Olivia yelled, as she hugged Dawson and Flaversham jumped up and down.
"Good! Jolly good!" Dawson said.
"Oh, that was good!" Basil said to Dawson and Flaversham. "That was good! No, better than that! That was brilliant!"
The storm was over, as the five mice were reunited. Once the makeshift balloon had come close enough to Veronica, she stepped off of the propeller and collapsed into Basil's waiting arms, falling unconscious, as Basil held her close to him, silently thanking whatever God was listening, Catholic, Jewish, or Christian, for sparing the woman he loved from getting killed by his archenemy.
Before she did, she said, "Go to my family's house. It's two blocks down from where you live, take a left, and you're there. They'll protect us."
As they passed over the Thames River, Basil spotted Ratigan lying on the shore dead.
Basil sighed, as he took Veronica in his arms and said into her ear, "He won't hurt you anymore, Veronica."