footsteps on the stairs

[ivegotmypride]

She'd been too late.

That was exactly what she realized when she'd opened the door. The second the door was open she could feel something was off in the air. She took a few tentative steps into the den and called out, "Oi! Who's about?" a customary way to greet the denizens of the den.

She already had a very strong idea who was about. And she didn't like it.

Comments

[ivegotmypride]

“You won’t be.” Shes firm in tone.

“I promise, Jackie. We’ll- we can get you out of London. Bet’s got family in Reading.” Dodger was going to hate the suggestion.

[knowntoherfriends]

"Leave London?" Her voice show how much she hates the suggestion. "Can't leave London! London's... it's home." The idea of leaving the city was just against everything she could ever think of. Even if it was the only way she wouldn't have to fall into what their people expected, she couldn't do it.

"I ain't leaving, an' I ain't being his."

[ivegotmypride]

“You may not have a choice, Jackie.”

They never really had any sort of choice in their lives. They pretended they did, but they were all destined for this. If anything, perhaps leaving was a choice they’d never be offered again.

“I know it ain’t great but we don’t know how the others’ll react. Maybe just till this blows over and we sort Jem out.”

[knowntoherfriends]

"I ain't leaving!"

There was fury in her voice now, pushing back from Nancy and scowling heavily.

"Even if it's all changed, even if they want to make me be his... I ain't doin' it." She breathed deeply. "I'm the Artful Dodger, better than all of 'em put together an' they can fight me fer it, but I ain't givin' up easy."

[ivegotmypride]

Nancy let go of her as requested and set her jaw. So Dodger was determined. That was good, at least.

“You’ll have to work twice as hard, Jackie. We know what Fagin’ll do.”

[knowntoherfriends]

"Like I don't do twice the work already to hide what they fail to get," she snarked, jaw set.

[ivegotmypride]

"Don't you dare cover for them anymore, Dodger." She was surprisingly stern. "They say thick as thieves but Jem just proved that that means bugger all to him." They were supposed to be a family, of sorts. You weren't supposed to do that to family.

And yet.

[knowntoherfriends]

The sternness surprised her, as did the words. Nancy, Nancy who loved them all and would cover for them against Fagin, telling her not to do that? Jackie couldn't help but stare, the slightest of frowns creasing her forehead. But then again... she knew Nancy was right. Jem proved it meant nothing to him, not if he could make himself a big man with knowledge the others didn't have.

"...He'll be tellin' 'em now."

[ivegotmypride]

She did love them. All of them so much. But Dodger was someone special to her, abovethe others. And if Jem hurt Dodger, he’d hurt Nancy. He didn’t deserve Dodger’s goodness.

“I hope you put up a hell of a fight. You tell em you did. And what a coward Jem is.” Bill had taken her publicly. Partially to save her from Fagin’s hands, Nancy was sure. But also to show all watching who really ran them. Who they should fear.

Jem took Dodger alone, because what if he failed?

[knowntoherfriends]

"I bit him," she said. "His hand, when he tried to cover my mouth." Not that it had done much good. He had still managed to hold her down, still managed to... She couldn't let her head think it on, not for a second. It hurt too much to let those thoughts enter.

She hurt too much.

[ivegotmypride]

“Good. Don’t let him get away without a fight.” She had tremendous respect for Dodger in that regard. Her first time... well. It was different. She wanted Bill.

“What do you need from me?”

[knowntoherfriends]

If Jackie was being completely honest, the idea of not fighting Jem had never crossed her mind. Fighting was what she did when it came to Jem, though it was usually with words and had her running rings round the older boy before he had really gotten out of the gate. Fighting with fists, well, he had the advantage of not just being taller than her, but having several pounds of weight on him as well.

"...Someone to back me up, to stand in my corner. No matter what." It was a lot to ask, especially since the lads were going to side with Fagin and Jem, and they both knew that. Jackie reckoned she might have a chance if Nancy stood with her. If Bill decided to fall on the sides of the lads though... she would lose any support.

[ivegotmypride]

"And I will," Nancy says without a second's hesitation. To her, it was nothing. Jackie was almost like a daughter to her, a sister. She would do anything for the girl, and she'd promised her mother she'd keep her safe. She had done a bang up job keeping that promise so far.

"If Fagin'll listen to anyone, it's me. I'll make him see reason. Let him know that what Jem did won't be tolerated." She sounded sure, but she'd always been quite the actress. No, she'd take this one for the girl. Poor Jackie'd gone through too much already, she didn't need to get bogged down any further. Nancy, on the other hand? Nancy couldn't sink any lower if she tried.

[knowntoherfriends]

The statement gets a baleful state from Jackie, who is honestly wondering if Nancy expects her to buy that line. She's seen how it is, she's not blind. Fagin don't listen to no one who ain't telling him what he wants to hear. Well, except Bill, but everyone listened to Bill. It was dangerous for your health not to listen to Bill.

"He ain't gonna listen,* She said slowly, worrying her bottom lip as the words came out. That was the sticking point in her mind. That no matter what she said of did, she would be made to do what she didn't want to aynway, because Fagin had made up his mind and what he said was law.

Well, pretty much, anyway.

[ivegotmypride]

"I'll make him listen." It wasn't any good, to have Dodger doubting her words. She needed Dodger to believe in her, or at least pretend for the next few hours.

"You make twice as much as I do, easy. We'll make him see reason in that."

[knowntoherfriends]

Try as she might, she couldn't quite but all her faith in Nancy's words. She knew how Fagin was, they both did, and to to pretend otherwise was just setting herself up for major disappointment. But on the other hand, she was tired, and sore, and wanting to cry because everything was going to be different now.

Maybe... pretending to pretend, that wouldn't be so bad, just for a little bit.

A shaky smile appeared.

"'Course we will."

[ivegotmypride]

"That's it," she said with a warm smile, pulling Jack closer again and pressing a motherly kiss on top of her head.

"He'll listen to us, especially with Bill in my corner." Bill was on their side, however much Jackie didn't believe it. Nancy knew Bill well enough to know that. He'd seen what hell Nancy had been through since Fagin threw her on the street. He wouldn't want that visited on another girl.

[knowntoherfriends]

The thing was a bit of Jackie knew Nancy was right, if Bill stood in their corner, Fagin would listen. The problem was she genuinely wondered how long Bill would stand in their corner. How long would it take for Fagin to whisper into his hear that he knew that doing things his way would make them more coin?

"We'll have a chance."

[ivegotmypride]

If it came to that, Nancy would get on her knees and beg them both. Most of the money she brought in still went to Fagin, and she could pick up any slack if he needed. Bill would hate it. Which would keep him on their side. Jack just needed to have faith that Bill had the heart Nancy swore up and down he had.

"And he'll make sure Jem gets a good licking- hurting his best thief like that. Ain't right."

[knowntoherfriends]

Jackie wouldn't want Nancy to go begging on her behalf. It weren't right that she would need to beg in the first place.

"Jem gets away wiv a lot anyway. Never brings in his quota."

[ivegotmypride]

"Well, that's going to end now, ain't it?" She gave her a reassuring smile, rubbing her shoulder.

She takes the gin for a long swig.

"D'you want t'talk about it?"

[knowntoherfriends]

Jackie is silent but then she can't seem to stop herself:

"It's like he had somethin' to prove. It didn't matter that it was me, he just... had to prove somethin'."

[ivegotmypride]

She rubs her shoulder again, intent on keeping her feeling warm and safe.

"That's more'n half of 'em," Nancy has to admit. Men who fucked like they had something to prove. And yet they never did prove themselves.

At least, not in the way they wanted.

"And he proved himself a right bastard what don't know the meaning of loyalty. Not the sort Fagin'd ever trust." With any luck, maybe Fagin would be furious that Jem'd acted without his permission. That he'd jeopardized so much.

[knowntoherfriends]

Jackie pauses, looking at Nancy with an expression that makes it very clear that that particular thing had not crossed her mind. Fagin would be angry that Jem had taken it upon himself to ... to do what he did. (It was hard to even think on it.) It was acting outwith his orders. An' you didn't go against Fagin's word.

"... I didn't think of that."

[ivegotmypride]

Nancy pulls the girl a bit closer to her. "Yeah- see? We can come out on top of this. And you won't be coverin' for what he don't bring in, we'll get you out of this no problem." She had to think that. She couldn't consider how wrong she actually was.