1. Chapter 1 (1/1)
hello, my fine fanfiction friends! here we have yet another gmd fic written by yours truly.
backstory time: a big inspiration to why i came up with this fic was talking to my oldest niece last thanksgiving, who was asking about my late grandmother and said that she wished grandma could be with us, and i told her that even if she's not there with us in body, she'll always be with us in spirit...i'm a very spiritual person, if you can't tell. i hope you enjoy this story!
london 1899
it was a quiet january afternoon. snow blanketed the ground of london. in the thames river cemetery, danielle ratigan-benson was walking down the graveyard's dirt path. after some time, she came to the top of a hill, where a black marble headstone rested. this was the gravesite of her father, professor padraic james ratigan, the self-proclaimed world's greatest criminal mind. ratigan had died in june of 1897, after a fight with his nemesis basil of baker street atop the clock tower turned violent and he was knocked off the tower by the clock's chiming and fell into the river, immediately drowning. basil thankfully had survived, and actually was now married to danielle. they were happy together, but the girl still missed her father desperately.
danielle knelt in the snow beside the grave and smiled. "hi, daddy, it's me," she spoke to the grave. basil always told her it was silly to talk to a grave, seeing as the person buried underneath couldn't hear you or respond. she knew that her father couldn't talk back to her, but visiting his grave and talking to him made her feel happy. "i know you can't hear what i'm saying, but i just feel at peace when i'm here alone with you, just so you're not alone."
little did danielle realize that her father could indeed hear her. up in heaven, ratigan looked down on his daughter, smiling and listening to her. "i know i'm not alone, baby. the days you come to visit me are my favorite days of all."
"things are going well for me, daddy," danielle spoke on. "basil and i are happy together. and olivia's doing well, too. she's back at school, and she's doing really well."
"oh, i'm so glad to hear that, danielle," ratigan responded, unable to be heard. "it's good to hear that basil is treating you well...if he didn't, i'd be giving him nightmares for weeks on end!" he chuckled to himself.
"oh, and i have the most splendid news to tell you," danielle went on, beaming. "you're going to be a grandfather. isn't that wonderful?" she rested a hand on her abdomen, beginning to rub it. "the baby won't be here until september, but we're all looking forward to it."
ratigan stood in shock for a moment. then, a wide smile spread over his face. "i can't believe it! my baby girl is going to have a baby of her own! that's the most amazing news in the world!"
"everyone is betting on what it's going to be," danielle told the grave. "basil and dr. dawson both want it to be a boy, and olivia and mrs. judson would like it to be a girl. me, i'm happy either way." her smile softened as she gently patted her tummy. "it would be nice if it were a boy, though, i have to admit. that way, i could keep the promise i made to you all those years ago and name him padraic, after you."
"planning to keep your promise to your dead father after all these years...what an honorable girl. i must've done something right in raising you."
danielle sighed sadly. "my only regret is that you're not here to share these wonderful things with me."
"but that's where you're wrong, danielle my sweet," ratigan denied, tears beginning to fill his eyes. "i may not be there with you physically, but i'll always be with you, in your heart and in your memories."
danielle stroked the headstone, feeling the cold marble against her palm. "i love you, daddy, and i miss you so very, very much."
"and i love you, my little princess, and i miss you more than you could ever imagine."
(sniff) ok, i'm crying right now. i am literally crying right now.
oh basil, you and your logical mind...why do you have to be such a git at times? and why do i still love you so gosh darned much even when you are a git?
i hope you enjoyed this fic as much as i did.
all my best, discordantprincess.