I DO NOT OWN "The Great Mouse Detective" and "Phantom of the Opera" but I DO OWN Kate, Rose, Molly and Lidie Dunham. So now...enjoy!

Chapter Eleven

Basil

I don't know what I was thinking, but I was glad I did it. I poured all of me into it and it seemed that Kate had as well. I don't know if it got through, but I know that someone else had noticed the change in his leading male actor and Ratagin singing as strongly as he did proves it.

I sat there for the rest of it. I felt as if I could have cried during Kate's performance of "Wishing You Were Here" Since it's about Christine talking about her father, I wondered if Kate remembered a possible kinder Ratagin...or maybe trying to remind him of that.

We had arrived at the scene that both Kate and Ratagin sing "Past the Point of No Return" and the outfit she's in had changed then what her mother wore. Black and green, with the corset showing more. I was getting furious as he seemed to be flirting with her, pulling on the strings of her corset...touching her neck, shoulders and chest...but she...Kate looked disgusted.

When she started singing she didn't really look at him at all. Only up at me...and the way she sung and moved her hands was as if she was...teasing me...wait...was she seducing me in front of Ratagin.

I watched as they climbed up to the bridge and crossed in, though again watching him touch her infuriated me. I got up at this time and took the short cut to get down to her.

Kate

I wish this would end, but as Ratagin seemed to sing to me, when he turned me around I had thought I had seen what could possibly be humane in him, but that disappeared just as quickly as it came as I had no choice but to rip his mask off. I knew that he was going to cut the rope so the bridge would collapse and we fall down together, but not this time. I had seen the rope above me and as he cut the rope on the bridge I jumped, grabbing the rope above me, watching him fall through that opening in the floor. I swung myself back to the steps and ran down them and across the stage as I saw Basil start coming towards me. Till what would be the gates for the underground scene came down, blocking Basil and mother from getting to me and a rope being lassoed around my waist and yanked hard.

Finding that Ratagin was the one that yanked me over to him and pushing me behind him. Looking around they somehow managed to get the scenery for this last one up and ready. I got out of the rope, but somehow I felt I shouldn't try to jump past him yet.

"Wait...i think my dear...we have a guest! Sir..."

"Basil!"

"Well this is indeed...an unparalleled delight...I...had rather hope...that you would come...and now my wish comes true...you have truly made my night."

Watching as Basil tried to lift the stage prop while getting his arm through.

"Free her!...Do what you will only free her...Have you no pity?"

"Your lover makes a passionate plea."

"Please Basil...it's useless."

"I...I love her dammit! does that mean nothing?"

"oh just stop it."

"I Love her! Show some compassion to her, she's your daughter."

"The world...nor her mother showed no compassion to me!"

"Kate...please let me see her."

"Be my guest, sir."

Ratagin waves his hand for it to be raised high enough for Basil to come through and starts to go back down.

"Sir I bid you welcome..did you think that I would harm her? why should i make her pay for the sins which are yours!"

Ratagin had leaped over to basil and tied him to the prop, putting the noose around Basil's neck as I cried out to him.

"Run away with your love, the enemy that is mine. There's nothing you can do to save yourself...except perhaps Kate!...Start a new life with me, buy his freedom with your love...refuse and you send your lover to his death...this is the choice...This is the point of no return!"

"the tears I might have shed for your dark fate...turn cold and turn to tears of HATE!"

I saw as my words bit into Ratagin, though it didn't show on his face, but in his eyes it did.

"Kate, please forgive me. Run! get out of here. Don't let it be for nothing."

"Past all hope of cries for help... no point in fighting."

Though i know this is how it is in the movie, it was still creepy to hear Basil and Ratagin sing it at the same time.

"Either way you choose, you cannot win!"

"So do you end your days with me or do you send him to his grave." tightening the noose as he said grave.

"Why make her lie to you to save me!"

"Kate! your trying my patience...make your choice"

"Please Kate...Run...I love you."

He means it...he honestly mean it...He loves me...Basil loves me...I decided this was my moment...I wasn't going to leave without him. I walked slowly up to Ratagin as I sang

"You poor creature of darkness, what kind of life have you known...your daughter is here to show you...You are no longer alone...Daddy."

I got right up to him and held his face, looking him in the eyes as I said that last word. For a full minute I watched as his eyes became...human...sort of. As if he was reliving a certain moment from his past...finally he smiled...not the creepy, devilish grin you'd seen in the movie, but one that though would probably still be scary, it was more of the caring parent kind of smile as he pushed my hair behind my ear.

He stepped back away from me and dropped the rope, turning his back towards me with his hands over his face.

"Go! take her! and take your mother too!"

I rushed over to Basil and untie his bindings, holding him after i got him free. I had them raise it up as we got out of the way, the police came in just in time. Starting to arrest him. They had him turned to me, him looking me in the face.

"Kate...my daughter...i love you."

I guess the music was still going because the song "All I ask of you" was still playing and Ratagin finished his part at this point.

"You alone can make this mad rat turn right...it's over now the music of the night!"

I sighed as I watched the police walk away with him, but before they got too far, he stopped and looked at mom. I don't know what he said, but it made mom smile and cry a little as they take him away. Strange enough as the curtains were closing I saw the audience giving us a standing ovation. I raised an eyebrow at this as well as Basil.

"Well i guess it's better that they believed that this was part of the show."

"Just no encores." said mom

"Well, shall we go home?" said Basil as he holds out his hand to me.

I take it and smiled at him.

"Of course, but mom. What about you?"

"I...well I'll just find a place to crash at for the night."

"you can stay with us. I have the room."

"That's kind of you. I do however need to get my stuff out of the dressing room. This was supposedly my last night so I need to get some of it out now and then I can come back later for the rest."

I watched as mom left to grab her stuff, but I still had one thing I wanted to ask...needed to ask. I looked at Basil and had him face me.

"Basil I need to know...the song from earlier...the song now...what you said a moment ago...do you really..."

"Yes Kate...I meant it. That's why that when we sang that duet, I was meaning it and when I said it to you after I told you to run...yes Kate...I love you...I've wanted to tell you for the last week or so, but...I didn't because..."

"I love you too Basil"

I covered my own mouth after I just blurted it out. I watched as his eyes grow big and probably the first time since I met him...I think I made him speechless. Giving me a chance to continue.

"I know you were doing it because of my mourning, but I think I need to live my life as I miss them. I know i'll always miss them...i'll always love them...always love my husband...but I've realized that...I can't see me without you in it...I...Love You too Basil...and I wouldn't have it any other way."

He went from surprised to happy within that time. He pulled me in closer to him. First it was just to hold me...then he tilted my head up a little and finally...without interruption...we kissed...and it was better then I expected.

"Well i'd say its about time."

We stopped at that moment to look over and see my mother.

"Mother!"

"Well...shall we head home then?"

He held out his arm for me and smiled. I smiled back at him as I took his.

"Yes, let's."