Ratigan landed with a hard thud on the floor as everyone surrounded him. The flames were at last gone from the mansion, people watched as the smoke entered the afternoon sky. The blue sky enveloped the dark grey smoke. Rosalie pushed her way through the crowd "Excuse me! Please move! He needs air!" she kneeled to the floor and gently touched the bump on Ratigan's head.
Basil was next, followed by Dr. Dawson. Rosalie watched as Dawson brought out a small bottle of smelling salts tilting it back and forth past Ratigan's nose. His yellow eyes began to slowly open when Rosalie sighed with relief "James, are you alright?" he groggily got up and fixed his suit "I'm fine." Rosalie saw Basil and Dawson sneaking away when she grabbed Basil by the collar, forcefully pushing him in front of Ratigan "Do you have anything to do with this?"
Ratigan calmly looked at Basil who raised his eyebrows, a simple sign to not tell her anything, Basil said "Miss Rosalie, I am simply on..."
"A case?" Rosalie quirked an eyebrow.
"A vacation!" Dawson said as he nervously laughed "Y-yes! We thought our hard work needed some time to relax-"
Rosalie let go and crossed her arms "Vacation? You are not the kind to relax" Samantha pushed her way through the crowd, holding Rodger's hand "But why were you in disguise? And here of all places?"
Dawson jumped in again "Well, we thought a place outside of London would give us a chance to open our surroundings, a-and we discovered that a chance to practice our disguising would work in an environment we did not know so well.." As he finished, Basil and Ratigan stood astonished. He chuckled and Rosalie walked towards them "Apparently."
She walked away from the boys and heard Big Daddy's voice "Everyone! The damage included part of the third floor, which was the attic and meeting room. I am happy to say that no one was hurt, because of the bravery of our very own Rosalie Hampstead, without her I think our bridesmaids and bride would have been roasted!" everyone cheered and Rosalie smiled gently, suddenly she felt her hand being pulled behind a tree, Ginger looked at her with a wide eyed look "Who is that?!" she pointed to Basil standing and shaking Big Daddy's hand.
"He's a friend of James and I. Basil of Baker street. He's a detective." Once she finished, Rosalie looked at Ginger's love struck look "Oh no Ginger.." she whispered.
"Did you see the way he just grabbed me and…" she swooned "Oh he just took control like a hero in a storybook." He held Rosalie on the shoulders "Is he single?"
"Well yeah but Ginger I don't think he's interested in a relationship right now, he is very serious about his work." Rosalie protested.
Ginger smiled "He is on vacation right? Well like you said Rosalie… things change." She skipped away and didn't know that Nicolas was eyeing basil with a disgusted but determined look She wants a hero… I'll show that wimp Basil who is really heroic.. jerk
Mavis tapped Alex on the shoulder "Thanks for grabbin me, I had no clue what to do.." she kissed him on the cheek, making the hairs on his face stand on end. She walked away and Alex jumped in the air "Victoria-"
"No! I said kiss on the lips!"
"No you didn't!"
"New rule.. no exceptions!" she nodded and P.J nodded along with her as they walked away.
Back in their room, Rosalie was helping Ratigan with a scratch on his head, he cringed at her "Rosalie that stings!" Rosalie placed her hands on her hips "James stop being such a child.." she continued to wipe the small cloth on his head.
Ratigan groaned "Well I have no idea where the fire started.. anyone seem suspicious?"
She laughed "Suspicious? More like as bland and snooty when I left to London.." She touched his face, covered in dirt "How was it at your end?"
FLASHBACK TO THE BACHELOR PARTY
The boys surrounded themselves with brandy and cigars, Lorenzo watching Ratigan every two minutes with curiosity and jealously. Big daddy's illustrious voice filled the room "Now boys! I want to thank yall for your kindness and allowing me to share true southern hospitality. Cheers to my new son-in-law Rodger!" the boys lifted their glasses "From old friends to the new!" he tipped his wide brimmed hat to Ratigan, who smiled gently "I hope this hitch goes better than luring a possum with a rattlesnake!" the boys cheered and laughed joyously when Alex tapped his uncle's shoulder "Uncle James what does that mean?"
He sipped his drink "No idea.."
Lorenzo picked up his glass "I would also like to mention not only one union, but another to our dearest little Rosalie and her… Husband-to-be." He spit the words like poison, still remaining a smooth façade. The boys cheered and Ratigan replied bitterly "Such a wonderful sentiment Lorenzo, maybe your own marital bliss will come soon eh?" he laughed and Lorenzo's eyes narrowed, then his face turned calm "Rosalie is a charming girl."
Big daddy huffed "Charming, Kind, and the most beautiful southern belle I had the honor to know!"
Lorenzo crossed his arms and sighed "Well I would know that, and much more because we've known each other since we we're children." He flicked a piece of food off his vest "How did she meet you?"
Ratigan remained calm, he wanted to dig into Lorenzo's sides slowly and painfully. "Instead of playing childish games.." he smiled at Lorenzo "I charmed her like any real man would.." he watched Lorenzo's ear twitch "And I am lucky to have made her my soon to be wife."
Lorenzo gritted his teeth "Extremely. Lucky." He took a sip of his drink and Big Daddy spoke up "Now, Now, Lorenzo.. Rosalie made her choice and you can't change that." He patted James on the back "She made a good choice, I'm sure you will be one amazing beau for her. I consider her a daughter that girl, I promised her father when he left I would take care of her, so I depend on gentlemen like you to take care of her." He smiled at him and Lorenzo remarked under her breath "She made her choice alright, temporarily that is.."
Ratigan heard him and turned around "Pardon?"
"Well.." he began "Let's just say one day she will drink champagne and like the taste and the bubbles, then the next day she will favor a tall glass of water." His blue eyes shined into Ratigan's yellow eyes, like he had won the argument.
Ratigan got up out of his seat, being suddenly held back by Bill, Nicolas, Alex, and even little Fidget. Suddenly the smell of smoke filled the air and Ratigan's eyes grew wide "Fire!" he shouted and headed upstairs.
END OF FLASHBACK
Rosalie placed a small bandage on James's head "That is why I was so determined to grab you.. so that fool could have saved himself.. I wanted to show him that I am here to be with you, and I am the one who is going to stay."
Rosalie giggled and Ratigan looked at her "You think my pain is funny?"
"No.. First of all I think it's ridiculous that he would stoop to that level.. I must admit that he was like that when we were younger but it makes me mad that he would treat you like that." She smiled and held Ratigan's hand "But I think it's cute how you protect me from such a scoundrel!" she brought her hand to her head dramatically, then touched his dirty face "But I am not indecisive.. you will be my past, my present, and my future…always." They kissed and Rosalie let go and laughed "Now don't let him get under your skin.. when he's ready to grow up, he will stop bothering you."
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