ivegotmypride | trepidations

She hadn't needed to use the gun. The next person to walk through the door had been Bill. Nancy'd sorted it out- he'd already agreed to keep her secret long before. Nancy knew, definitively, he was on her side. He hated the old bastard, and he knew what the man did to girls, same as he knew what he did to boys, and he knew what the street was to Nancy.

So Bill had let Jackie stay at their flat for the night- though he got his bed make no mistake. Nancy'd set up as best a spot as she could for Jackie to curl up, and even so she'd fallen asleep with the other girl in her lap, once more. But they couldn't hide away for ever, Bill'd told them that flat out. They had to return to the den. Pretend everything was normal, test the waters and see what Jem'd done told everyone.

She'd hoped, now that they'd had time to cool, she would not have need to bring the pistol along, tucked into her basket like it was nothing.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

knowntoherfriends

Fagin gave a closed mouth smile that unnerved Jackie.

"...Help me sort me stuff, Nance," she said, looking over at the elder. Something did not feel right here and she wasn't right with it.

From:

ivegotmypride

No, Nancy didn’t like it either.

“Of course.” She keeps her eyes on the man.

From:

knowntoherfriends

Jackie pulled at Nancy's arm, wanting her to come with her. A stare down with Fagin wasn't going to help, not right now anyway. Later, yeah, but now they needed to work out why it seemed all so easy for them. What was he up to, and what was he planning?

From:

ivegotmypride

“Let’s go then, Dodger. He clearly don’t need us right now.” She turned to go

From:

knowntoherfriends

"Take time to settle in, dears," Fagin said, almost waving them off.

Jackie tried not to look worried - but he was being too nice, too calm.

From:

ivegotmypride

Nancy nodded at Dodger. Get settled? The hell did he mean.

“Right right” she rolled her eyes

From:

knowntoherfriends

When they were away from Fagin, Jackie looked at Nance. Her voice dropped low.

"What's he up to?"

From:

ivegotmypride

“I don’t know.” She glances at the girl. “But I don’t like it. You watch yourself around him.”

From:

knowntoherfriends

"Feel like he's trying to catch us out on somethin'." Jackie said, worrying her bottom lip as she glanced back to where she knew the old crook was lingering. "But can't reckon what."

From:

ivegotmypride

“What’s there to catch us up on?” She asked with a frown.

“Just keep on your guard. We’ve got it, between the three of us.”

From:

knowntoherfriends

"We kept a big thing from him," she said, "he's gonna want to get his revenge." Fagin hated things being kept from him, they were going to be it for it.

From:

ivegotmypride

“Don’t worry,” she looked back at the door one last time. They’d both worry.

“We’re smarter than him. We can out think him.” But they could all easily forget how violent the old man got.

From:

knowntoherfriends

"I guess," Jackie started to say but they were interrupted.

"Nancy, my dear? A word."

From:

ivegotmypride

Nancy looks st the old devil then back to Jackie.

“Alright- Dodger I’ll catch up with you.” She gave her a look to indicate that hey, she had this.

“What is it?” She asked when she approached him.

From:

knowntoherfriends

Jackie gave a hesitant nod. She trusted Nancy, but she didn't trust Fagin at all.

"It's our dear Dodger, Nancy," Fagin said, voice all concerned. "The lads won't like a girl out doing them at their own trade, we both know it. She won't be safe, they'll be lookin' to shop her."

From:

ivegotmypride

“She’ll be plenty safe. The other boys- they ain’t like Jem. It’s safer as it has been. Why do you think she’s been playing at a boy for so long?” She follows Fagin, unsure about his act.

“She’ll ain’t got the temperament for my work.”

From:

knowntoherfriends

"Jem's been talkin' to the other lads," Fagin added in that concerned tone. "I tried to get him to stop, of course, until I knew more, but you know these lads and their gossip."

From:

ivegotmypride

“No you didn’t.” Shes not going to take his shit about this. “You likely encouraged it.”

From:

knowntoherfriends

"Me? Put my dear Dodger at risk like that?" Fagin sounded genuinely scandalised. "You do me wrong, Nancy girl."

From:

ivegotmypride

“You just demanded she put herself in danger!” She shook her head. “You don’t care about her. All you care about is the money.”

From:

knowntoherfriends

"She'd be with the other girls, she wouldn't be in danger!" He insisted.

From:

ivegotmypride

“You tell me how many years you’ve been selling yourself on the street, then you tell me how safe she’d be. Go on,” she looks at him with cold eyes,: daring him.