Chapter One
Meg: Well, here it is: my third story in the continuing saga of Meg Sarentis and everything GMD!
Sarah: Is Basil actually going to be in this story for once?
Meg: Yes Sarah. I promise you on pain of death; Basil is going to be in this story. And as a rather important character, mind you. Okay, now to the disclaimer: Basil, Dawson, Ratigan, Mrs. Judson, Flaversham and Olivia Flaversham are all property of Disney and may not be used without permission. Basil, Dawson, and Ratigan and maybe Mrs. Judson belong to Eve Titus. Everyone else is owned by me.
Lizz: Except for Sarah, JWJ, Leigh, Emma, RAEB, and me.
JWJ: And anyone who votes Democrat in the next presidential election better have his head examined.
Meg: What does that have to do with anything?
JWJ: This country will go down the tubes without Bush.
Meg: Okay I agree, but-
JWJ: Friends don't let friends vote Democrat.
Meg: I am NOT turning this story into a political party bashing fest! There is nothing wrong with Democrats.
JWJ: Do you want Saddam Hussein to come back to power?
RAEB: Meg, just don't answer that one.
Meg: Okay, just read. It's a long chapter, but a rather short story.
October 1901
"Do you, Joshua Samuel, take this woman, Megana Trina, to be your lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?"
"I do."
"And do you Megana Trina, take this man, Joshua Samuel, to be your lawful wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?"
"I do."
The priest smiled upon us. He finished up the ceremony and said, "Now you may kiss the bride."
We kissed and the life-long sacrament of marriage began.
It was the happiest day of my life. We had the party at the newly built London Theater, and everyone we knew was there. Josh and I did not have any families of our own, but my friend Anne, most of the nuns I had known at the convent, Mrs. Judson, Mr. Merino, Mr. Olk, Dr. Dawson, the entire staff of the London Theater Company, Iggie and Gerrie (with her new baby girl), and Basil were there.
It was such a celebration! We danced and laughed, without a care in the world.
I watched Josh try to teach my best friend Anne how to waltz as I rested my feet for a minute. I laughed as she tripped on her habit for the tenth time in two minutes. I couldn't believe we had finally done it. We were finally married!
Someone cleared his throat behind me. I turned around. "May I have this dance?" Basil asked.
"Of course!" I said, smiling. He took me by the hand and pulled me on the dance floor.
"How's being married?" Basil asked, suppressing a grin.
"Because of you, I was able to get married. I owe you so much, Basil!"
Basil leaned in and whispered in my ear, "My pleasure." His voice was grim.
My smile faded a bit. Just then Josh called out, "Hey, detective! You trying to steal my wife?"
Basil chuckled. "Yes, Mr. Havers, I'm trying to take her. You'll have to fight me for her!"
Josh and Basil took up wrestling stances and had a quick struggle. Basil let my husband pin him to the floor, laughing. Josh pulled me away and we danced.
"You're much better than the first time we danced. Remember?" I said teasingly.
He held me close. "Meg?"
"Yes, darling?"
"I loved you yesterday, love you today, and will love you tomorrow. And forever.""I shall always love you!"
We kissed, too much whistling and clapping.
I felt a movement, and was shifted from my position. I groggily lifted my head and watched Josh put on a robe over his nightclothes.
"What is it?" I asked. "Josh, where are you going?" "Shhh," he whispered. "Go back to sleep, my dear."
I lay back down, wondering why he had gotten up. It had to be only two or three in the morning. Then I heard it: a soft tapping sound. At first I thought it was a tree branch, but trees didn't sound metallic when blown by the wind. Alarmed, I sat up straight.
"Josh!" I hissed. "Honey, please, leave it alone! Let the hotel managers take care of it."
"Take care of what? Meg, I only need to relieve myself," he said, chuckling. He walked back over to me and kissed my forehead. "I'm sorry to have disturbed you. I'll only be a minute."
I saw a glint of silver in his hand and knew he was lying. I jumped out of bed, slipping into my robe and slippers.
"Sweetheart! What are you doing?" he asked, surprised.
"Nothing. You just always take a gun with you when relieving yourself. Just wanted to make sure you didn't shoot my perfume bottles by accident."
"What are you talking about? What gun?" Josh held up both hands. Empty.
"Oh."
Josh looked at me, concerned. "Honey, don't worry. Nothing's here to hurt you."
"I'm so sorry, darling." I kissed him and hugged him, reaching around his back. I pulled out the gun from where it was secured in place by the sash in his robe.
"Hey!" he began, but it was too late.
"What's this, then? Josh, don't hide this from me. What's the matter?"
Josh started to drag me toward the door. "Did you hear a metallic knocking sound earlier?" he asked. I nodded. "I was just going to check it."
"No!" I whispered. "Honey, please don't. Please..."
"I just want to make sure you're safe."
"I want you to be safe! He won't hurt me; he'll hurt you! He's mad!"
"Meg, it's probably not even him. I just want to make sure everything's secure."
Before I could protest, he planted another kiss on my lips. He whispered in my ear, "If anything happens, go downstairs and have the manager sent for the police."
"But-"
"No 'buts'," he said.
"Please be careful," I whispered. "I love you."
"I love you too." Josh stealthily crept to the window. I stood by the door to our room, feeling completely useless. He inched the curtain back, holding the gun out the whole time.
Suddenly glass shattered as Professor Ratigan leaped into the room. "RUN!" Josh screamed, letting out a shot. It missed.
I ran out the door as screams and shouts issued from the other rooms. Mice began to fill the hallway. "POLICE! POLICE! SOMEONE GET HELP!" Another crash sounded from our hotel room. Josh stumbled along the corridor as Ratigan pursued him. The hotel guests panicked at the sight of the evil rat.
"JOSH!" I yelled. Ratigan looked in my direction.
"MEG, GET AWAY!"
Ratigan started toward me, but Josh jumped on his back and bit him on the shoulder. "AAARRGGHH!" he screamed, flinging Josh away.
Someone grabbed my shoulder from behind. I screamed and turned around. It was Dr. Dawson. Several policemen were behind him. "Miss Sarenti-, er, Mrs. Havers, er... Where's your husband?"
I pointed dumbly toward the huge rat. Josh ran into another room, followed once again by Ratigan. The police pushed their way through the crowd. They ran into the room, firearms at the ready. I heard more shots, more screams, and more glass breaking. Almost immediately they ran back out again. "They're on the roof! We need the stairs to the roof!"
I pushed my way to the room. "Megana, stay here!" Dawson yelled. I ignored him. I had to stop Ratigan.
Once in, I immediately went to the balcony, stepping over shattered glass as I went. I looked up; the gutter was bent where either one or both of them had held on to it. On further inspection, I saw a thin rope hanging from a tree limb towering over the hotel. The rope reached the ground, but it was at least several feet away. I was debating whether to take my chances with the rope or the gutter when Ratigan and Josh rolled over the side. Both grabbed on to the rope, which swung over the courtyard. They tumbled to the ground.
"Josh!"
To my surprise Basil leaned out of our balcony and tossed Josh a cane. He picked it up and drew out a long, thin sword. Tossing the fake cane aside, Josh held his sword at the ready. "Go get yourself a proper weapon, scum!"
Ratigan clapped his hands as another sword was tossed to him. I looked from the direction from whence it came. A mouse I had never seen before sat in one of the trees, clearly backing up the diabolical professor. "Think you can handle such a big weapon, Havers?" he said mockingly.
"No!" I screamed. The adversaries glanced up at me, but decided that I was too far away to worry about. To my horror they began to swordfight.
Josh doesn't know how to swordfight! How could he? How could Basil let him?
Ratigan tried to strike high, but was blocked by Josh. He tried twice more, and then swiftly cut under, hoping to catch his legs. Josh jumped up, and the blade went through air. Josh then tried to hit Ratigan's sword arm, but was blocked. For a moment they both locked blades, glaring at each other for what seemed like an eternity. Then they resumed their fighting
Josh can fight! Where did he learn? He's good. Ratigan's getting tired, I can see it. Too old. Oh Lord, help him, please!
I made a flying leap to the dangling rope; I reached out to grab it, but MISSED! I began to fall through the air.
"NO!!" Two voices screamed out. I grabbed hold of the rope and swung around toward Josh and Ratigan. They had stopped fighting for only a moment; as soon as both mouse and rat realized I was safe, they started up again.
"Meg, get out of here now! I don't want you to have to see his blood!"
"My love, I will make him pay dearly for taking you away from me."
As I slid to the ground, I saw Josh make a jab at Ratigan's arm. The point hit home; Ratigan pulled away as red blood trickled out. He slashed at Josh, but the agile mouse tumbled out of reach, unharmed. With a quick twist and flip of the sword, Josh disarmed the professor. Using the flat of his blade, he tripped Ratigan, making him fall to the ground.
"Surrender, rat!" he hissed, holding the sword point to Ratigan's throat.
I saw defeat in his eyes. He sighed dramatically. "Well, if this is the way it is to be..." He whistled.
The thug I had noticed earlier jumped from his perch onto Josh, knocking him to the ground. Ratigan swiftly moved out of the way of the blade before it cut him. In his shock Josh let go of the sword. The thug held Josh down on the ground as Ratigan picked up the fallen weapon.
I ran towards them just as Ratigan plunged the sword into my husband's side. "NO!" I shrieked.
Ratigan pulled the sword out of his former henchmouse's side. Meg ran past him to where the boy lay. The evil professor advanced toward her, about to claim his prize.
"RATIGAN!" He looked up.
Basil stood on a balcony, gun raised. "Back away from her."
Ratigan slowly walked away from Meg, knowing how good a shot his adversary was. He bumped into his henchman. Basil cocked the gun and smiled grimly at the diabolical professor. "Farewell, Ratigan."
Ratigan pulled his henchman in front of him. The poor mouse screamed as the bullet hit him. Ratigan dropped the body and ran off. He scaled the courtyard fence as shots rang out behind him. He could always get Meg later; for now he wanted to stay alive.
I ran to Josh. Dark red blood poured out of his injured side.
"JOSH! Josh, please..."
He looked up at me. "Meg..."
I heard gunshots and saw Ratigan escape, again.
"Meg, I'm so sorry," Josh whispered. "I'm so sorry..."
"He's not here anymore, he can't hurt us anymore."
"Meg, it hurts so bad... so bad..."
I pressed my fingers to his lips, trying hard to fight back tears. "Hush. Don't speak. We'll get you to a doctor, you'll be just fine."
He squeezed my paw. "Meg, I... he got me bad. I'm not going to make it."
The tears started to roll down my face. "Oh God... no, please God, no! Not on our wedding night!"
Josh held my paw more tightly than before. "I'm sorry."
"Oh God... God... don't leave me, Josh. Please, don't leave..."
"Meg," he whispered, his voice shaking. "Live a happy life. Don't forget about me."
I smiled sadly. "Never. I'll never forget."
"That's my Meg." He brushed the side of my face with his paw. I grasped it and held it to my face. I could see his breath come in gasps of pain.
"I love you," I whispered. "I shall always love you."
"I love you. I shall always be with you."
I gently cradled him as he looked up at me, his eyes full of love. Then I noticed that it seemed that he was staring at me. I gasped. His eyes had glazed over. He was dead.
I sobbed and laid down next to him, ignoring the blood, ignoring the screams, just wishing I could die too.
RAEB: Why am I not surprised?
Lizz: You killed him! And on their wedding night too!
Meg: (shifts uncomfortably) Yeah... I know.
Lizz: But why?
Meg: Change in the author's attitude towards that character.
Emma: Meg, you've just turned this into a soap opera.
Leigh: Yeah, like "Days of Our Lives", when Roman got killed by the killer like, an hour after he and Kate tied the knot.
JWJ: You watch SOAP OPERAS?
Leigh: Only when I'm bored.
JWJ: (rolls eyes) Sure.
Meg: I don't want to turn this into a soap opera!
Sarah: I thought you said that Basil was going to be more involved...
Meg: He was, for crying out loud! Sheesh people, leave me alone! Yes, I killed off Josh, yes, he's dead, yes, Ratigan got away once again! Happy now? You're all making me feel like a murderer! I'm now wishing that I had never added Josh into the story back in "Sing Sweetly"!
RAEB: Well, you do like to kill people.
Meg: Leave me alone people! (cell phone rings) Uh, hold on. Hello?
Ratigan's voice: You stupid &$!# (censored)! 'My love?' I, the greatest criminal mind in the world, falling in love with you? You are either going to destroy this story, or pay the consequences!
JWJ: Which are? Oh, this is priceless!
Ratigan: I'm giving you until February 14 to destroy this.
Meg: And if I don't?
Ratigan: Have you ever heard of the "Valentine's Day Massacre?"
Meg: (gulp)
Ratigan: Happy Valentine's Day, 'my love'. ( dial tone heard)
Meg: (small voice) Help.