The Great Mouse Detective.

[Willow Pillow]

"I haven't lived hear since I was five years old....on June second." She gets out of the car and twitches seeing the outside of it. She really needs to wash it down. It has bits of bone by the headlights as handprints of blood are smeared on the windows and handle bars to the doors.


There are too many projects to work on she feels slightly overwhelmed. Closing her eyes she opens the back seat to get the cleaning supplies she has. "Today is my first day back home. I've missed this place. It was better then. I used to spend hours in the backyard making mud pies down there." She points to where there would have been a tiny lot that could have been a small backyard once....enough room for the square cement pateo and maybe two lawn chairs. "My mom owned the butcher shop here. I want to restore it and run the shop like she used to."


--


"The problem is," he takes her hand pulling her up to her feet. "They will go missing. And we will have to brainstorm undercover...or covers...to figure out what happened to them before I lose mine too. Best we be proactive about it now."


James pulls her so their chests touch and kisses her hard again. But like the tease that he is, he pulls away, just lacing his hand with hers and leading her back in the house.

 

[Katerang]

"You were gone for a long time. Did your Family move away?" Blake asks trying to be amiable. "But If I was you I would I would get a contractor. He can help you get some of what you want done here" Inside he is thinking this place needs to be torn down.


--


"You jerk! Where are my kisses! Stop cutting them off! If you keep cutting them off I won't help you solve that mystery of yours..." Once the front door closes she flicks off one of her shoes. "Hey look. One of my shoes are already missing."

 

[Willow Pillow]

"No." Piper said, taking the purrell and rubbing it on her gloves walking up to the door and opening it. "They were murdered here. Except my father. He died when I was two. My older brother is alive but he is in prison. You're not me...is that..." she pauses looking genuinely confused at him. "Is that a common saying or something? If so....it is a lot of work. I do not know carpentry....do you know carpentry?"


"Your shoe? It's missing?" He lifts the foot that still has a shoe and takes it off with his teeth, spitting it out. "Is this the foot that lost the shoe? Tara...I'm not sure if you're aware but both your shoes are missing...so is your blouse." He takes one hand on her shirt with a quick swipe, her buttons popping as its ripped open.

 

[Katerang]

"Oh..." He did not expect that... "So... Yes it's an expression that means if I was in the same position as you but I'm not. So a contractor would be good because I have no expertise in carpentry.


--


She slips the broken shirt off and and grabs his tie. "You know I liked that blouse. It would make me upset if something happened to it. I would have to fix the buttons. again. I might have to take something of his..." She lossens the tie and slips it off. draping it over her bare shoulders. "Hey look I gained something! That's kind of weird."

 

[Willow Pillow]

"This might be a clue." James grabs the tie and pulls it so each end is wrapped around his hands. With a snap he grins quickly wrapping the tie around her wrists in a knot. He picks up his wife and holds her across his shoulder. "We need to diagnos this quickly before more clothing comes off.


He runs up the stairs with her.


--


It is painfully obvious that this girl on her own would be taken advantage of an manipulated. She is too honest and cannot pick up on anything. She turns to look at Blake and sees that he is paler. "Do you have a fever? I'm sorry I can't check...but I have tylenol...that decreases fevers." She goes to the third pouch of her utlity belt popping it open and a bottle of tylenol is now in her hands. She walks over and holds it out for him not even registering that is her calm demeaner of admitting murder and atrocious actions that have him slightly paler.


"It's very forward to ask...but could you help me find a contractor?"

 

[Katerang]

"Wait, JAMES!" Tara screams giggling but trying not to. "Don't you dare drop me you!" More giggling, "My hands! James! I need those! Give them. Back! The thief will steal my clothes again! I won't be able to defend myself!"


--


"I'm fine But thank you." He feels that overprotective instinct ingrained in him from being an older brother all these years. "I don't think it's forward Piper. I would be glad to help you." Makes a mental note to get Daniels to find the best contractor for her later... Possibly use the excuse of doing something for Tara to get him to do it.

 

[Willow Pillow]

"Brilliant idea Tara." he tosses her on the bed unbuttoning her pants. "We have to use you as bait to catch the thief. Don't know what I'd do without your creative strategies."


--


Piper smiles, and for a moment she doesn't come off rigid and terrified as she normally does. Going to his car she begins taking out what she bought. "I like you Blake," but she doesn't mean it as romantic. "You feel safe. Can you help me put these in my house? I will find a way to repay you later."

 

[Katerang]

"Nooo! My pants my pants! Look they are going missing! James you gotta catch the theif! My hands are tied!" Grinning and trying to push herself out of the pants she is complaining of losing even with her hands tied.


--


"Sure!" Blake Grabs The big bottle of bleach and a few of the heavier stuff and follows her. "I'm glad I can help you I think you are a very nice girl Piper. I like you too." Not sure what she means by that so he just says it back. It's the truth anyway.

 

[Willow Pillow]

Spoiler Alert:


They never caught the thief. He ran off with both Tara's and James' clothing. They had to hide under the covers for protection....and forced to find some way to pass the time with each other. That was the story he was sticking with anyways. Despite how untrue it was.


--


James Daniels was a young, ambitious man who more often than not chose the wrong course of action...but with good intentions paving his way the entire time. He was 21, 5'11 and lanky. His brown locks were disheveled and unruly, but he had a clean shaven face every morning. The outside world may have looked at him like a man child, including his wife's older brother who lived in their basement, but he could be responsible...sometimes. He had his own honor code to live by.


This morning he had managed to crawl into his office, boxes of paperwork collapsed, it looked like a mountain of mess. On the top of one of his bookshelves was a wild raccoon eating Tara's cookies. There was food trash scattered everywhere, no floor to be seen as the bulleton boards was layered with paper work everywhere. He was on his computer cracking his knuckles as he played with his hacking skills. "Alright Louie, let's see how long it takes for me to crack your systems."


Tara would hear the doorbell ring, and if she looked outside there would be a cop car in their driveway.


--


PIper did not sleep the entire day. There was too much to clean. Everything in that place had been bleached down, cleaned and tidied up. Outside there was a large amount of trash bags. She grabbed one and began heading outside when a tour bus drove by.


"And here, ladies and gentlemen, is the murder house where-"


"This is not a murder house!" Piper squeeked dropping her trash bag, her voice very loud.


People were taking photos, a few turned on their smart phones to film. The tour guide stopped and smiled. "I'm sure your realastate agent didn't tell you this when you bought the property, but eight murders occured here-"


"On June second. I know. I did not meet a realastate. This is my home. That was my family. This is not a murder house. People do not come here to commit murders, it was one occurance and that's that."


He just gapes at her, his mouth wide open. "That's....that's not true. There were no survivors."


"My name is Piper Whitman, I was not murdered here. What is this? Why are you on a bus outside my house? What is going on?"


"We're doing a hauntings tour....young lady you may think that-"


"I am Piper Whitman. This should not be allowed on your tour. I want to speak to who is in charge of your organization. Please!"


"If this is part of the tour, this is fantastic, but they need a better actress for the dead girl." One of the tourists say.


"I am not dead! Or an actress! I want to speak to who's in charge."


The tour guide looks uncomfortable. "Look, you can look us up on our website, if you want to mam, but the street is public. This house isn't going to be taken out of the tour. That's just the facts."


Her eyes enlarge as she feels like she's about to cry. "You're a mean man. You would not be happy if the worst day of your life was put on display like this. Mean man." she puts the trash bag down and walks back in side her house. Once inside she curls on the floor and begins to cry.

 

[Katerang]

Tara was cleaning up after breakfast. She wondered if Daniels ever cleaned anything in his whole life... Not if he could avoid it. Tara grew up with maids to pick up after her every mess and she had better habits than he did. She was just starting to Dry the dishes when she saw the cop car pull into her driveway. through the kitchen window. "Crap..." She muttered, knowing full well that her husband did something stupid again. So she puts the towel down on the counter and beats her only friend to the door. She leans against the frame holding the door open. "So. What did he do this time?"


--


Blake decided he would ask Daniels to find him a contractor... But Daniels is too freaking lazy for him so he left early in the morning with his sister. He helped Tara put up fliers all around town. Tara had to go back so she could wake up again with Daniels but Blake took the remaining fliers to put up. He was almost done when he decided to swing by Pipers since he was going over that way anyway. He makes it to her house and knocks on the door of the dilapidated building.

 

[Willow Pillow]

Piper closed her eyes and curled up into a small ball trying not to let the tears fall down her face, but she failed miserably. The small mousy little girl looked insane, looked like she couldn't take care of herself but she put every effort she could to not fall apart....to be ok. The moment her left tailspinned out of control she had always felt like a small little light adrift in a dark abyss, unable to anchor herself to reality.


It never stopped her from trying. She did everything she could to prove she was sane enough to be here...to be in the normal. Normal people live in cities, or towns...they buy groceries...they make a living. They don't live in murder houses. Sitting up, still crying, she resolved she was going to fix this too.


Jumping when she heard the door knock, she pauses staring out at it. "Who'se hurting you door?" Tentatively she gets up and walks over, rubbing purrell on the handle she opens the door, her white complexion red and puffy from crying she sees the tall dirty Blake, the man who helped her clean yeseterday. She doesn't smile, she can't, she's too upset. "Hi Blake, can I help you with anything?" Her cheeks still stained with tears.


--


Amy crosses her arms, in her uniform she gives Tara a look then peers in the house to see if the jackass is somewhere there. "Wish we met on better terms, Tara. I really do. I noticed our computer system was hacked...and files were taken. I don't have a warrent but I'm 90 percent positive if I searched your husband's computer I'd find he did it. Do you mind if I come in?"

 

[Katerang]

Blake's eyes widen as soon as she opens the door. "Piper? Piper what happened why are you crying?" The small girl in front of him looked so helpless He didn't know what to do. He had the urge to hug her but he had just met her yesterday and in general you didn't just hug acquaintances. "Do you want me to go away or come back later?" He ends up saying. even though he wants to come in and talk to her.


--


"Yeah sure come in. I keep telling him not to creep on police cases but he gets bored just waiting for clients. I can't even get into his office there is so much stuff in there. I would be very happy if you would take some of that away from him. He won't let me near it." Tara steps back holding the door open for her. "Can I get you anything? Coffee? Tea?

 

[Willow Pillow]

"I want you to come in." She opens the door wider stepping aside. Asking what's wrong she starts to cry again. Hiccupping yo choke it back inside. "There is a bus of people....with man telling them this is a murder house....wand they had cameras and were smiling. Why would they smile? This isn't a murder house....this is my home!" She barely gets it out crying all over again.


--


"Tea....if that's OK. I'm sorry I'm shoeing up like this." She gives Tara a smile stepping in.


"If that's snow tell her to come in!" James shouts from his office. "My laptop may or may not be on fire......just a heads up!"


Amy gives an odd look when there are.animal sounds from his office door.


"That is not food! Thar is my tie!"

 

[Katerang]

Blake comes in closing the door behind him. "Piper... No please don't cry um... um... Those people were just looking to be entertained and some people find learning about murders and violence to be entertaining I don't know why... Don't cry!" His big brother instincts kick in and he hugs her in the spur of the moment trying to be comforting.


--


"Yeah Tea is fine!... James you better not have broken another laptop! And if there are raccoons in there you are in charge of kicking them out. No chickening out and getting Blake to do it! Or Amy just because she is here... Also you don't have to go in there if you don't want to... That is a good sized office and it is stuffed with so much stuff I swear only one person can fit in there at a time. Anyway feel free to go sit down or something I'll go make tea" Tara turns and heads into the kitchen.

 

[Willow Pillow]

Piper's eyes enlarge as her entire body goes rigid, her face frozen in fear as she begins to scream, "ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" It doesn't seem to stop even when she takes a breath to continue.


Pure. Unadulterated. Terror.


"I only have one raccoon....and he is a scary bastard!" James calls out of his office. Scrambling to his feet, the two women can hear animal noises outside the office door. As it swings open and papers fall to the floor, Tara can see that his shirt is ripped apart with scratches.


"As much as watching you get mauled fascinates me, why don't I just get our files back."


"You and I both know, you knew I took these about a week ago. You purposely waited."


"Files, they are going in the cruiser. You're lucky I'm not arresting you."


"I saw you investigated my hack twenty minutes after, traced it back to me. You knew. You waited. You know why you waited?" Grinning.


Amy crosses her arms rolling her eyes.


"You wanted these cases solved too, wanted to see what I would make out of them. You're in luck this pile," points to the papers he is standing on. "Is my solved pile."


"Aren't you just the master of organization..."

 

[Katerang]

Blake jumps back as she starts screaming, "Shi- Um Piper what's wrong!?"


Still just screaming.


"Oh my gosh Piper!?"


Screaming


"PIPER!" Blake freaks out over the screaming girl he doesn't touch her but he keeps trying to talk to her with no luck.


"Um um..." He finally spots her belt, "Purell! You like your purell!" He goes and grabs it off her belt the first thing he sees.


--


"How do you even have a system in this mess!?" Tara groans when he says solved pile. She peers in and the raccoon hisses at her and she jumps then glares in at the mess then at her mauled husband, "That is it. You are not Kriss and you do not belong in my home!" She says to the raccoon. Then she storms to the closet pulls out a broom and goes into the office on a mission. She opens the window and the screen and beats the raccoons back with her broom. "Stop opening the screen there is no point. You let Bugs and animals into the house for NO REASON!" So much for that cool head she had been trying to keep about his office and his space. "Amy is going to take away all of her files then you and me are going to clean this office so I can actually walk in here! AND NO ARGUING OR COMPLAINING!" She slams the window shut after the animals had evacuated.

 

[Willow Pillow]

The screaming does not stop. SHe doesn't shift gaze to see what blake is doing, she is just frozen rigid as she screams uncontrollably in a soft high pitch, like she is frozen in time in that action. Blake can wave the bottle in her face and she won't pick it up. It isn't until she can feel the anti-bacteria gel on her hair and face, dripping down that she stops and begins to hyperventilate. Piper jumps out of her own skin backing away from Blake like he slapped her. "You can't touch me! Why did you touch me! You...you can't touch me!"


--


"But it is organized! That's my space. I know where every file is. I HAVE A SYSTEM!" He turns away from Amy immediately rushing to Tara....who has a broom weapon. He tries to get in his office to hug her and try to calm her down, but James fumbles landing on his face. Amy walks over looking in. "I say just burn in. I have all the files on my hard drive, I did want to know his thoughts...yes...but this is literally hell in this room...and the laptop is on fire. I am going to get the fire department."


"WE DON'T NEED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT! I HAVE ALL OF THIS UNDER CONTROL!"

 

[Katerang]

"Sorry! That's just how I usually comfort my sister after she has a bad dream! Then she usually shoves me away when she gets her senses back but I do hug her to make her feel better!.... Sorry... But Are you okay? That was a pretty strong reaction to me touching you even if you don't like being touched." Her is sitting far away from her on the floor so she knows he means no harm.


--


"No." She just says sternly at one of them. even she doesn't know. Then she storms out stepping on him on her way out then comes back with the fire extinguisher she usually keeps in the kitchen. She sprays the computer until long after the fire is put then she plops it down and faces her husband, "Give Amy the done pile then we are burning everything. You don't need this many papers! That's what computers are for! But then again." Points at the burned husk that was his old one, "I don't think you even know how to use those correctly!"

 

[Willow Pillow]

"I don't like being touched. Can't be touched. No no no no no no no no no, don't like being touched." She is shaking her head as she's rubbing the purrell so deep into her skin it starts to turn red, but she won't stop. Her body slowly rocks back and forth as her skin just has blood. So much blood, and she can't scrub it clean. "Dirty. Dirty. Very dirty...so-" she pauses as his words register snapping her out of her fixation. She looks up at him, blue eyes just wide with perplexness. "How do reactions show strength?....there's no muscle to it..."


"Ow."


Amy snickers as Tara steps on the back of his head.


Daniels forces himself in a sitting position. "I know you are saying hurtful things because you are upset. I forgive you and love you. BUT I. Am. An. Excellent. Hacker. I know computers thank you very much Mr. Grumpy Gills. I broke Briggs' fire wall just for shits."


"You....you what?! The billionaire tycoon?!"


"See, Even Ms. Snow can acknowledge I'm good with computers."


"YOU ARE AN IDIOT!"

 

[Katerang]

"Um... Um it's just a measure of how people react like if you whisper at me or yell at me something like that... Wait wha.... How.... How have you lived so far... If you can't find people?"


--


"Too bad for you I'm not buying you another- Wait... Why is he an idiot this time? I thought he was helping you?"

 

[Willow Pillow]

"So...when we react we measure....do I need to buy a specific ruler for that? How do you measure it correctly....." Piper is still rubbing Purrel on herself calming down as she is curious and baffled how the measurement system of reactions go. "I lived at St. Anslem's home for the Mentally Unstable. I breathe, eat...sleep....read....I can do all that with no one touching me at all. Not ever."


--


"He was hacking into the systems of Louis Briggs. THe Louis Briggs. Who can pretty much do whatever the fuck he wants in the nation and every law enforcement seems to turn a blind eye. Your husband is a moron!"


"Hey! I consider that a challenge worth taking thank you."

 

[Katerang]

He starts to smile at her answer because she is just too cute then his face falls again when she mentions the asylum. "Um. Piper... Didn't you say this is the first time you've been back here since you were five? Have you been in the mental asylum since then?"


--


Tara only has a vague idea about who he is since she has been mainly focused on James the whole time since she arrived. James James and more James. And she is fine with that. She really loves him. But Briggs... She knows that name and she is guessing he is just the same as the last one she faced. "Why are you going after briggs? If he is as bad as I think he is you're not a superhero you shouldn't be taking on a guy that... Well It's probably different but still a bad guy! James you need to be careful!"

 

[Katerang]

(Boop accidental post))

 

[Willow Pillow]

(I got no notifications for this! NONE...stupid computer)


"It was more places than that. I was in that meat locker there," She said pointing to the kitchen. "Where I climbed to the top of a window, cut my hands, fell into a dumpster and wondered the streets for a few days. I was at some court houses too. I went to one recently to prove I am sane and can take care of myself. So....not always at St. Anslem's, but I was there most of the time."


--


"I am not going after Briggs." Daniels scoffs defensively. "Yet."


"Yet?"


"I just have these...dream cases I muse about. A lot of them I will probably never do, but I can still poke my nose around them from time to time."


"You're asking to get yourself in serious trouble. Fucking idiot." Amy shakes her head walking by, slapping him upside the back of his head as she goes to the paper stacks and starts to pick them up. "He has connections in the FBI, senators, CIA, state and local authorities and you're just some smart ass civilian who thinks he can conquer the world. Tara's right, you're not a super hero. THey died a very long time ago leaving us this shit hole to live in. Stop playing hero, you moron. You have someone that loves you, don't fuck it up."

 

[Katerang]

Blake blinks a few times just staring at her. "Didn't... Wait so You have been... In a mental... So you proved that you were Sane..." Shakes his head to clear it... "So no touching then? Am I really that dirty?" He's trying to think of nice things to say mostly wondering what happened to her really... Blake can be blunt so he just asks. "Why Were you in a meat locker and what did you say happened to your family?"


--


"Stupid Husband!" Tara blushes and also feels a little sad about how Amy looked at supers. It wasn't their fault they died. Lucky for her she hears the kettle. "That's the water I have to get that." She runs a hand through Daniel's hair as she passes. "Start cleaning up this mess and giving Amy what she needs Stupidhead."