NOVEMBER 1900

"Okay." Ratigan said "Charlie hold still!"

Charlie stubbornly twisted in her dress "Daddy! This is uncomfortable! You're tying it too tight!" she messed with her sash as Ratigan huffed and waved her arms away "Have mommy do it!"

"Mother is busy right now.. I'm your best chance of fixing your dress." He huffed "The biggest crime lord of the century and I'm fixing a little girls dress." He let go of the sash "There my dear, you are ready."

She twirled in her light pink dress and skipped off as Victoria looked up at him "Can you help me with my hair?" Ratigan sighed "Alright, come here." He smiled as he fixed the tuft of hair on her head. Victoria smiled up at him as he finished. She looked herself in the mirror and gasped. Ratigan's eyes widened "What is it?!"

"I look so cute!" she smiled "Maybe some lipstick-"

"No!" he said "Not yet!" he folded his hands in front of her as a grin started to appear on his face "I'd like to keep you as young as possible."

Victoria's blue eyes narrowed "Fine."

Padraic entered through the door, wearing nothing but his diaper and a grey shirt on. He giggled as Ratigan stretched his hands out for him "P. J..you can't just roam around with nothing but your-" he tried to catch the little three year old "P.J, come here!"

Rosalie walked out of the restroom and caught P.J in her arms, also with Ellie in the other "I got him!" she blew a raspberry on his belly making him laugh. Ratigan sighed in relief "Oh thank goodness! I couldn't catch him!"

Rosalie smiled "We make a good tag team." She handed P.J to Ratigan. Victoria stood in front of them "Do we really have to go to school?"

Charlie stood up on the desk "Yeah! You guys get to stay here while we work hard on…math, and science, and…"

"Art?"

"Yeah! I'm no good at drawing."

Rosalie sat on the chair near the desk, still holding Ellie, who was playing with her mothers loose strand of hair "We have to stay home and clean.." she looked at Ratigan and raised an eyebrow, he played along "OH! Yes of course! Scrub the floors, do the dishes.."

"Clean the windows!"

The girls began to cringe, watching the two adults complain about their jobs. Victoria cringed "Really?"

"Indeed!" he said. He then wrapped an arm around Rosalie "And if you stay which you can, we're just going to tell each other how much we love each other, isn't that right?" Rosalie nodded and was about to kiss him.

Victoria smiled "Awww."

Charlie groaned and grabbed Victoria's sleeve "Ewww. Come on. Bye mom! Bye dad!" Rosalie giggled "Gets them everytime." She placed Ellie in her crib and she settled down for a nap, the baby yawned and snuggled against her yellow blanket. P.J was placed next to her, who fell quickly asleep next to her. Rosalie leaned on the wood of the crib "Look at them.."

He laid a hand on her shoulder "We do a pretty good job."

She nodded "Okay…" she faced him, her eyes narrowing "We have about thirty minutes.." she took his arm and led him to the bed "Come on."

"Thirty minutes for what?!" he said

"Shhh! You'll wake them up! I think you know what I'm talking about!" she patted on the satin covers.

Ratigan smiled wide at her "Oh I love the way your mind works my dear, you really do know " They plopped on the bed and started to sleep, Rosalie snored loudly as Ratigan quickly grabbed the pillow, snuggling into it.

After the nap, and having the children come home came dinner, which was equally as hectic:

P.J started crying loudly as Rosalie tempted to feed him "Please P.J, look! It's delicious! Don't be stubborn!"

"Charlie stop throwing peas at me!"

"That's from recess! You didn't pass me the ball!"

Victoria crossed her arms "It's your own fault that you didn't grab the ball when they let us out!" she flicked a piece of meat at her making Charlie cringe "You're going to pay for that my sweet cousin!" she banged on the wood table as Ratigan looked at her "Charlotte, behave yourself!" then Ellie started crying as Ratigan cringed "Please don't! Anything but the crying!"

Rosalie and Ratigan were in their room, plopped on the bed as before and looked up at the ceiling "We need a break." She said.

"Four children.." he sighed, looking into her eyes "Only one off on his own." he of course referred to Alex, who was off at the university. Rosalie rubbed her eyes "I thought doing this would be some kind of adventure.. but it's not as easy as it seems." She placed a hand on his chest "Am I a good mother?"

He looked right into her eyes "Why would you say that? You are quite possibly better at this than me or any other mother on this earth!" he chuckled "You know how to change them and feed them and other stuff that I don't know how to do!"

She chuckled "Well, you do know how to fix their hair, you're better at it than me.."

"I am a born beautician.. right next to sword fighting and lock picking." He proudly quipped. He touched Rosalie's hand, which was still on his chest "I couldn't do this without you though.."

"You're just as capable for this as I am." She yawned "When was the last time you and I did something?" she yawned again as Ratigan stood up. He checked his pocket watch "The children are asleep, bathed, and done for the night.." he smiled and looked at her. He grabbed her hand, pulling her close next to him. She giggled "What are you doing?" she quickly was spun around "Are we dancing? At this hour young man?"

"I hope you have an escort!"

"Not that I remember.." Rosalie smiled as he spun her around once more and dipped her slowly. "Now where were we?" she was dipped lower and lower. Rosalie laughed hardheartedly as their lips grew closer and closer together.

"Sir!"

Ratigan, scared of the shock dropped Rosalie to the floor. He looked back to face Rosalie on the floor and Bill, who had a look of concern strewn on his face. Ratigan helped her up "What is it Bill?! Somebody better be dying!"

"It's Nellie! She's sick!"

The room was dimly lit, Nellie laid on the bed, her short hair laid across the pillows. The doctor stopped them before seeing her "She has a weak heart and she's fading very fast…" Rosalie nodded as she walked up to the bed, joining Penelope, Girdy, Richard and Charles the butler "Nellie?"

"Rosalie?... Is that you?" Nellie looked over at her and smiled "My child." She looked up at Ratigan "My nephew."

Rosalie held her hand and firmly squeezed it "Nellie.. please. You're gonna be ok."

"No." she said "My heart has grown too weak, my dear. Even those big know it all's say so." She coughed as Rosalie started to tear up "No.. you're gonna be alright.. please. I've only known you for such a short time.."

"And in that time." She took a deep breath "I've watch you leave me, fall in love, get married.. and have the most beautiful children with the love of your life.. I'm so proud of you." she chuckled "I've seen a lot in my time.. Now it's time for you to live your life, knowing every day is an adventure." She held up her hand to Rosalie's face "My beautiful Rosalie…" she looked to everyone "Don't cry for me.. live your lives in inspiration of how I lived mine.. I love you all so much…." Her eyes began to close "I love you…" she whispered "….Love.." her icy blue eyes closed as the clock struck twelve o' clock. The night had grown silent as Rosalie turned to Ratigan, her head burying into his chest to hide her cries. Ratigan rubbed her back and held her closer, so much that they could become one. Nellie laid on the bed, completely lifeless, and as of a cry of sadness, the moon disappeared beneath the dark clouds of the night.

The funeral was held a day later on a cloudy afternoon. The tone was grey as the sky as mice gathered at the site. Everyone stood in the private cemetery, with a large fountain and roses growing in the middle of the gated area. The small group of them; Girdy and Penelope, Charles, Nicolas, Bill, Fidget, Richard and even Alex and Mavis all stood behind Rosalie and Ratigan, who held Rosalie's hand tightly. He held P.J in his arms, as Rosalie held Ellie. Charlie stood on the side of Rosalie, tearing up as she watched her mother, softly cry. They watched as the casket was lowered into the ground, the lovely white and gold casket that was lowered into the darkness of the ground, to be covered with dirt and hidden from the world. The rain started to pour, not stopping the guests watching such a light exit out of the world of the living.

Rosalie continued to cry, squeezing her husband's hand tightly. In her dark black gown, she wiped her tears with a white handkerchief, to seem strong for her children and everyone around her. As the casket disappeared into the dirt, the procession was over and everyone headed away from the white marble tombstone. Ratigan watched as Rosalie hesitated to move, she held up her head as Ratigan gently touched her shoulder and moved her away. The gate creaked closed as they headed to the mansion, boarding Felicia; Rosalie quietly sobbed as the cat walked away.

The gathering after the funeral was solemn and sad, totally out of the mood that Nellie usually brought. Everyone gave the family their condolences, many people who truly didn't know her like they should. Ratigan stood watching Rosalie, who sat near the window and watching the rain fall. She sat at the wicker chair that Nellie sat at, but her eyes still filled with grief. Never before had he seen her so sad and depressed. Charlie tugged on his cape "Is Mommy gonna be ok?"

"She's just sad my dear." He slightly smiled at her, simply saying she was sad "Why don't you go cheer her up?"

Charlie nodded and ran to her, standing by her seat. Rosalie had a grin appearing on her face as she picked up Charlie and set her on her lap, holding her close.

RIP NELLIE PLUNKET, SHE WAS REALLY A GREAT PERSON TO WRITE, BUT AS A WRITER I HAVE MY OWN REASONS FOR DOING WHAT I WANT FOR MY CHARACTERS... I THINK YOU REALLY ARE GONNA LIKE THIS STORY.. PLEASE REVIEW AND FOLLOW!