Premise: During chapter 148, the Final Battle, Snow and Charming run into Ratigan. Charming recalls arresting him and Snow tells him that he did when Emma was fifteen, because Ratigan was experimenting with mind control drugs. This is that story.

It is 1999. Emma is fifteen and sophomore in High School and the twins are five and in Kindergarten. Everyone's memories were returned five years earlier, but many of the effects of the curse on the town are still in effect. This short story will be a few chapters long.

I will also take requests for Finding You Always short stories that you'd like to see of times or events that we did not see in the epic story.

Thanks for the reviews! Please continue to review. I always respond. Here are individual responses:

Ghostwriter: Yep, lots of things going on. Yeah, I like seeing the softer side of Regina too. Glad you're enjoying it!

Sammii16: You're welcome.

Jennifer Baratta: Thanks, glad you enjoyed it.

Grace5231973: I know, Leo is such a sweet boy. I love him. He's probably my favorite original character that I've ever created. Yeah, I remember some crappy boys doing stuff like that too. Yeah, Aiden is definitely to be pitied, since he has crappy parents too. Glad you're enjoying it!

Sexystarwarslover: Yep, a typical Storybrooke day can be all kinds of crazy. Yep, Drizella is at it again and as crazy as always. I like seeing Thomas again when they were partners back in the day. Yeah, Triton is being a pain, as usual. Yeah, Leo is such a sweet boy. One of my favorite parts of this story verse. Yep, Fidget is busted. Yeah, I like seeing Regina's softer side, especially in these early days. Glad you're enjoying!

A Rat in Storybrooke

Chapter 3: Interrogation

David stared at their suspect through the one way glass intently. He was in serious withdrawal and twitching almost violently. He was letting him sweat for a while, so he'd be ripe for the picking.

"You want to go in or should I?" Thomas asked.

"You can take the first crack," David replied. Thomas smirked.

"You know he's more afraid of you than me, right?" he asked. David smiled.

"I know…but he also knows I'm out here watching and he really doesn't want me to come in there," the prince replied. The other prince nodded in amusement and then put on a stoic expression, as he went into the interrogation room. Fidget almost jumped out of his skin and shuddered.

"Easy there…" he said.

"Please…I really need a fix. I'm…I'm dying here…" Fidget pleaded.

"We're cops…we're not giving you drugs," Thomas said, as he pushed a bottle of water toward him.

"But…" Thomas said, as he got the beady-eyed suspect to look at him.

"But?" Fidget asked.

"The hospital has things that help people like you when they're going through withdrawal. If you answer some questions and tell us what you want to know, the Sheriff might make a call to Dr. Sakura on your behalf," Thomas said.

"But…but I don't know anything…" Fidget stammered. Thomas opened the folder in his hands and slid a few crime scene photos and slid them toward him.

"Professor Frollo was attacked earlier this evening. Know anything about that?" Thomas asked.

"N…no. Wasn't me," he answered quickly.

"I didn't say it was. I just asked if you knew anything since you hang out with a lot of scum," Thomas replied. Fidget scowled at him.

"I don't know anything…" he insisted and then jumped when he heard a loud thud on the glass. It was the Sheriff…he was sure of it.

"Sheriff Nolan is probably moments away from getting the full forensics report and when he does, he's going to come in here," Thomas warned.

"Look…I don't remember anything! It's all a blur!" Fidget said nervously, as he held his pounding head.

David watched outside, as Thomas asked their tweaked out suspect several questions. He turned though, as he heard someone come into the station and smiled when he saw that it was his beautiful wife.

"Hey…" he said, as they shared a tender kiss.

"I wasn't expecting to see you here…but I'm glad you are," he replied.

"Well, I think Regina wanted to spend some time with the kids so she brought over dinner. Since she's watching them, I decided to bring some dinner to you and Thomas," she said, as she held a container.

"Oh…you're amazing, as always," he said, as she set it down on the table.

"So…you think he attacked Professor Frollo?" Snow asked. He nodded.

"Yeah…I'm just not sure why. There's no connection, which makes me think someone probably paid him to do it," he replied.

"Does he always shake like that?" she asked. He smiled.

"When it's been a while since his last hit, yes…which begs the question as to why he didn't use the money he got to buy more drugs," he replied, as the phone rang and he picked it up.

"Sheriff's station," he answered, as he listened.

"Okay great…thanks Paul. Call me when you think the Professor is able to answer any questions," he said, as he hung up.

"Professor Frollo made it through surgery…so I need to get this worm to talk," he said.

"You think he isn't the brains of this," Snow deduced. He smirked and kissed her softly, as they looked at the suspect through the window.

"I don't think he's the brains of anything," David replied, as he went in and Fidget yelped in fright, as David gave him his best steely glare.

"Your attempt to kill the Professor failed. He survived…" David said. Fidget looked up at him with glassy eyes.

"I…I didn't try to kill anyone!" he claimed.

"Then you better tell me who put you up to it or you're going down for attempted murder and I'll make sure it's in solitary so there's no chance of anyone slipping you any of the pink stuff you like to snort," David warned.

"He….he gave me something! It messed with my head!" Fidget claimed.

"That's kind of what drugs do," Thomas said.

"N…no! It wasn't poppy dust or any street drug! It was something…some concoction. Like a science experiment!" he cried. That got David's attention.

"Who?" he questioned.

"I…I want a deal!" Fidget demanded and David slammed his fist on the table.

"If the person that ordered the hit on Frollo is still out there, that means the Professor is in danger. If he dies…you go down too," the prince warned. Fidget twitched and David started to walk away.

"Wait…it was Ratigan!" he shouted and then covered his mouth, realizing that turning on Ratigan could have consequences too.

"Ratigan…he seemed surprised when he learned Frollo was found alive," Thomas recalled.

"Because he was supposed to die in the attack," David said, as he left the room and grabbed his jacket.

"I'll get to the hospital. Lock him up and then go back to the high school and take Bashful with you. He'll be able to identify any suspicious substances," David said, as he kissed Snow tenderly again.

"Think we can put dinner off for a couple hours?" he asked. She smiled.

"I'll have it warm and ready by candlelight when you get home," she replied.

"That sounds incredible. I'll see you soon hopefully," he said, as he hurried out. Snow went home, as Thomas locked Fidget up and then headed to the High School, after a call was made to Bashful.

Ratigan peered around the corner and spotted Dr. Sakura at the nurse's station, as he watched Dr. Sakura hand a patient chart to the nurse.

"Page me the moment Professor Frollo regains consciousness. The Sheriff is very eager to speak with him," he said. The nurse nodded and Ratigan watched him walk away. Ratigan smirked deviously, as he approached and while the nurse looked away, he switched her water bottle with one of his own, which he had drugged. He had already replaced the water supply in the breakroom and dosed the coffee. He would soon have much of the hospital staff under his control.

"Excuse me…I'm Professor Ratigan and I'm here to visit my colleague," he said.

"Oh…if you're here to see Professor Frollo, I'm afraid he isn't able to have visitors yet. But you're welcome to wait in the lobby," she said. He nodded.

"Thank you," he said, as he watched her drink the water and waited a couple beats, as her eyes glazed over.

"You'll take me to Professor Frollo's room now," he said.

"Yes Sir," she replied in a monotone voice, as she led him to Frollo's room. Ratigan's form cast his shadow over the entire room and he smirked deviously, as he prepared to end Frollo before he could talk.

Thomas searched Ratigan's lab and found everything to be meticulously organized and nothing amiss, nor any suspicious substances.

"Well…I guess it makes sense that he might not store anything suspicious here in plain sight. Professor Frollo would probably find it if he did," Bashful mentioned. That admission struck Thomas though and he looked at the forensic scientist.

"Maybe we're looking in the wrong place. Frollo was attacked for a reason," he said.

"You think the evidence is in Frollo's trashed lab? Because we did a pretty good sweep," Bashful replied.

"Doesn't hurt to take another look," Thomas said, as they went down the hall to Frollo's trashed lab. Thomas poked around the desk and opened the drawers. He didn't find anything out of order, but something in the bottom of the last drawer caught his attention. He knocked on it and smirked, as he grabbed the ruler on the Professor's desk.

"This drawer has a false bottom," he said, as he pried the bottom up and found a compartment between that first one.

"Bingo…" Thomas said, as he pulled out several vials of liquid.

"Whoa…I'll get these to the lab right away," Bashful said. Thomas sat down at the desk and looked at the smashed computer.

"It's a total loss. Whoever did this not only smashed it, but fried the hard drive," Bashful said. Thomas sighed and looked at the charred files in the file drawer. They had put out the fire fairly quickly, but there wasn't much left. The corner of a piece of parchment caught his eye and the top of it happened to not be burned up.

"Find something?" Bashful asked.

"A termination form. Can't read anything from it, but if I had to guess, I bet Frollo fired Ratigan," Thomas replied.

"Definitely motive…" Bashful said. He nodded, as he put the piece of evidence in a bag.

"Let us know the minute you know what's in those vials," Thomas said, as he left to join David at the hospital.

Ratigan peered into Frollo's room, as the nurse stood by with a blank expression. His shadow loomed over the Professor, which roused the groggy man, as he came out of his stupor.

"Well…come to finish the job, have you, RATigan?" Frollo asked, with emphasis on the rat part of his name. The other man smirked.

"I cannot have you telling anyone about my plans, now can I?" he asked.

"I suppose not," Frollo replied, as he watched Ratigan motion to the nurse.

"Syringe," he ordered, as she handed one to him.

"So your drug works?" Frollo asked.

"It does, indeed and I'm about to have a whole army of willing, mindless soldiers at my command," Ratigan replied.

"But don't worry…this will be quick. Just a small air bubble in your IV and it will be over," he added, as he prepared to end Frollo's life, until he heard the cocking of a gun.

"Freeze…" David said, as he stood, armed in the doorway. Ratigan did so and put his hands up.

"Turn around slowly," David said, as he snatched the syringe from his hand and threw it in the trash.

"You're under arrest, Professor Ratigan," he said. The Professor smirked.

"Am I?" he asked smugly, as he looked at the nurse and she stepped in between them. He looked confused for a moment.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Don't bother, Sheriff…she works for me now and soon the whole hospital staff will as well," Ratigan said smugly.

"Your drug…you've dosed her," he said.

"Yes…and the water and coffee supply in the staff kitchen," Ratigan answered, as David noticed all the staff that were suddenly at the door. Ratigan used the nurse to shield himself.

"You won't risk hurting any innocent people, so I'll be going now," he said.

"What's going on in here?" Paul asked, as he pushed his way through.

"Careful Doctor…you don't want the blood of one of your staff on your hands," Ratigan said, as he pulled his own gun. Paul put his hands up.

"I take it you haven't had anything to drink from the staff kitchen?" David asked.

"No…I was about to, but I take it that's not a good idea," Paul replied. David nodded.

"He's dosed the coffee and water with his mind control drugs," the prince explained.

"Yes…and now we're leaving, Sheriff. My army will grow and you'd do well to surrender now," Ratigan said.

"That's not happening," David replied.

"Very well…we'll face off again soon," Ratigan said, as he made his way out with part of the hospital staff that was under his control for the moment. Thomas arrived soon after, seeing Ratigan leaving with some of the staff.

"Let me guess…mind control?" he asked.

"Yes…and he's using them as human shields," David replied.

"Bashful is working on analyzing the drugs we found. They were in Frollo's lab. He must have confiscated them and we found this in the files," Thomas said, as he held up a pink piece of paper that was half burned.

"Frollo fired him," David deduced.

"Probably why he wanted the lab torched and Frollo dead. I doubt he was supposed to live after the attack," Thomas said.

"I'll go help Bashful in the lab. If I can get an idea of what's in that drug…maybe I can come up with an antidote," Paul offered.

"That would be amazing," David said, as the doctor headed off.

"What now? We just wait?" Thomas asked.

"No…let's be proactive. If I had to guess, his next target is going to be the scum that hangs out at Medusa. They're perfect for this kind of thing," David replied.

"So we're staking out Medusa's," Thomas said.

"No…you're going to patrol in case he sends any minions to create distractions around town," David replied. Thomas sighed.

"As talented as you are at taking on an entire bar full of violent drunks, don't you think you need some back up?" he asked. David smirked.

"Of course…that's why I'm going to get Snow," he replied, as he pulled out his flip phone.

"Leroy…I need you and Happy here at the hospital to guard Professor Frollo's room," he said, before hanging up.

"Okay…good luck," Thomas said.

"You too…I have a feeling it's going to be a long night," David replied, as he let Thomas take the patrol car, while he took his truck.