I Never Forgot - A GMD Fic

I Never Forgot

“Goodbye, Basil… I’ll… I’ll never forget you.” Were the words sadly said by the little Olivia Flaversham as she clutched Basil’s coat in sorrow as they parted.
“Nor I you, Miss… Miss Flangerhanger.” Replied Basil; typically forgetting Olivia’s name once again. Olivia shook her adorable little head at the mistake before leaving to catch up with her father, Hiram.
As she left, she peered behind the banister and whispered happily, in what seemed like her own secret way, “Goodbye.”

15 years had passed since Basil’s most important and triumphant case involving Professor Ratigan. From then on Basil was never confronted with anything as challenging, difficult and… somewhat exhilarating. Dr. Dawson had since then joined forces as they worked at Baker Street together to crack the mysteries of London.  They formed a fantastic partnership, Basil being as sharp as ever and Dawson’s bumbling unintentional discoveries proving just as useful as they were during the Ratigan case. Their popularity grew, and Basil’s fame was always slowly growing as he became higher in demand.  
“Is this the residence of the famous Basil of Baker Street?” his new clients would always say, before spilling their troubles at him. Before long, Basil would always resolve them, no matter what it took.


  The year was now 1912. London had since evolved dramatically, and Basil had earned an important status among mice. He was quite a bit older, though in appearance he hadn’t aged a day – his darkish beige fur was still soft, his eyes still emitted his famous wisdom through them in a shade of emerald green.  He still remained active, rushing about his office in a frenzy whenever something struck him. If you had known him 15 years earlier, he would have… practically seemed the same to you. But that cannot be said for others…

It was a Wednesday, June 12th, during the summer in 1912. Dawson had left Baker Street for a few days to use his skills as a doctor to help out a family with an ill son, who lived not too far away. Basil felt a tad lost without him, as well as the fact that so far, nobody had come to Baker Street for Basil’s help with a new case. He didn’t have that much to do nowadays unless people came to him. Ratigan was his only most personal case he was ever on a passionate quest to resolve, but that had long been over. It sometimes made him feel a little sad. In his maddest moments he very, very rarely wished Ratigan were still around so he could experience the glorious satisfaction and triumph of defeating him again.

The sun was shining very brightly outside, and birds were singing. Nowadays London wasn’t so easy for a mouse to run around, due to the amount of humans, especially during the summer. The newest automobiles roamed the streets; a death wish for mice. Although during the night time travelling became a whole lot easier as humans retreated to their homes for sleep.

Basil rarely slept. He was so often up at his desk or playing his violin (a new one, since the old one got sat on 15 years ago) often lamenting his older detective days. He just wished something… new would come along.
Basil sighed in his armchair. He could hear Mrs. Judson still bustling around in her kitchen. She had aged, but not too radically. She cared for Basil deeply, quite like a son, as they had resided together at Baker Street for so long.

Basil cracked his knuckles and stretched dramatically, sighing yet again. He was so restless. He wanted something new. Something to happen. Dawson to come back. Anything. He was so restless he even wanted Ratigan back – at least getting rid of him would be something to do.
He got up from his armchair slowly and paced over to his desk. He slouched over it. Something something something something…

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Basil’s ears shot up as he rushed to throw on his casual dressing gown.
“Coming!” He called, scurrying over to the door. He wrenched it open with gusto – but then he stopped.
There was a girl mouse at the door, just in her twenties. Her fur was soft and peachy, her eyes were gentle but feisty, and her face was utterly adorable. She had a long, cornflower blue dress on with a tiny bit of petticoat showing, a red brooch of a rose, a dark green bow resting on her left ear, and a big tartan shawl around her shoulders. She was also clutching a rather large bag.

Basil stood, almost gaping. Something struck him. She was so familiar… so familiar indeed. Her face, it was so unforgettable, yet he had practically forgotten it. He had almost pinpointed her name from the back of his memory himself, but he decided to ask anyway…

“Good afternoon, Miss… urm… What is your name?”
And she replied, slightly smiling, in a soft, charming, and still adorable Scottish accent…

“Flaversham. Olivia Flaversham.”


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Basil gaped. Oh how he gaped. Olivia Flaversham? The little girl from 15 years ago, the center of all the commotion of the Ratigan case? No, it couldn’t possibly be her. That was such a long time ago. He couldn’t believe it. For once his mind was baffled…

…But one hard look at her face and it was so head-smackingly obvious… she had matured all right, but that lovely little face was still there. Beaming. Beaming at him. Basil gulped, suddenly overwhelmed by all the memories, as well as the fact that she looked so beautifully different…

“It’s so good to see you!” Her voice was basically the same, though obviously a bit deeper.

“I… yes. You too, Miss Flabbershire. I... I mean, um, Flavershop. Sham.” Basil burbled.

Olivia laughed, giggling just like she did when she was a little girl. Basil felt a tiny part of his heart melt slightly.

“Whatever.” She said, grinning. She stood there contentedly, smiling slightly, as if she were waiting for something.
Basil looked at her, confused, and then suddenly realized.

“Oh! Oh yes yes yes, do come in, come in.” He waved her in with his hand, nose pointed high, “You may sit if you wish. I shall inform Mrs. Judson to prepare something for you immediately.”

“Mrs. Judson?!” Olivia exclaimed. She suddenly dashed, running past Basil, nearly knocking him over, as he cursed.

“Goodness child, do be careful!” He scolded.

But Olivia wasn’t listening as she charged into the kitchen. Basil listened as the kitchen was quiet for a moment, hearing Olivia talking faintly, and then he jumped harshly as Mrs. Judson screeched with delight, hearing her squealing as she presumably embraced Olivia in a big hug.
They both suddenly tumbled out of the kitchen, smiling wildly.

“Oh Basil, it’s little Olivia! I can’t believe it!” Mrs. Judson burbled.

“…I know.”

“Oh, my dear, my dear, do make yourself at home. Isn’t it a lovely hot day?? I’ll make you something to drink immediately.”

“Thank you very much, Mrs. Judson.” Olivia said politely, sitting down in Basil’s armchair.

“Oh no, that’s…” Basil started to say as she sat down, “Never mind.”

Olivia got out a little mirror out of her dress pocket and adjusted her bow, then she put it away. She turned to Basil and smiled at him.
Basil resisted the urge to gulp again. He adjusted his dressing gown and cleared his throat.

“Might I enquire as to where your Father is?” Basil asked, sitting in the other chair opposite. He leant forward slightly for his next question, “And… why did it take you 15 years to come back?” He asked, more quietly and gentler this time.

Olivia paused, glancing to the floor.
“Well… ach, well after the… event, Father closed up the toy shop and we decided to travel back up to Scotland for a little while. We have family up there so it was nice to see them again,” She explained, unwrapping her tartan shawl and putting it on the chair.

“But we ended up staying up there. This is actually the first time we’ve been to London since. I leapt at the chance to come back… for lots of reasons. I love London, and I really wanted to see you again.”

Basil felt an odd pang in his heart once more.

“But Father couldn’t come, he’s… not very well,” She saw Basil’s face, “Oh no, it’s all right, he’ll be fine, but he’s too weak for travelling—“
She paused again, seeing Basil’s new expression.

“So… that means… “Basil interjected, “That you travelled down to London ON YOUR OWN!?” He exclaimed, aghast.

Olivia laughed, “Yes, I’m perfectly capable, you silly thing! Though erm…”

“What?”

She grinned nervously, “I don’t… actually have anywhere to stay.”

Basil’s eyes widened, realizing what was coming.

“You…  you want to stay at… HERE?! You want to stay here?”

Olivia’s face said it all, all total innocence.

“Oh no! No, no and no!” Basil protested stupidly, folding his arms. “I’m sure you’re enough of a… grown woman now to find your own living quarters.”

There was a little silence and then her face fell. She pulled the same face that she pulled with Dawson when they first met all that time ago.
Basil’s heart melted again. His own face fell as he struggled to refuse.

“But… ooohhhh… you… gah… ohhh… ALL RIGHT. All right…” He sighed agitatedly, “Mind you, isn’t it a bit foolish of you to travel all the way from Scotland to London without knowing where you’re going to stay…?”

Olivia hesitated, “Well… yes. But…  I knew you’d let me stay!”

Basil felt the same irritation he felt towards her when she was a little girl steadily resurfacing… but deep down, he knew she was right. He would never turn her down. He couldn’t. He didn’t have it in him. Why would he?
He reconsidered for a moment, glancing at her face, and sighed.

“Well… all right.”

To his utter shock, Olivia’s grin suddenly spread all over her face manically and she bounded over to him, throwing her arms around him and hugging him tightly. Basil stiffened, shocked that she could be so forward and also, the fact that he was being hugged by a really rather lovely girl – even if it was Olivia Flaversham.

“Ah, thank you, thank you again Basil!” she cooed in her Scottish accent, getting off of him. She grabbed her big bag, heaved it over to the corner of the room and put it there.

Basil, rather bewildered from the moment, suddenly smiled charmingly, and said, “Then I suppose you’re most welcome, Miss Flaversham.”
Olivia looked slightly startled that Basil had actually managed to get her name right this time. She turned to him and smiled sweetly back.

“I told you I’d never forget you.”