A/N: I went to see Oliver at the theatre for the second time last night and once again, I loved it. I was, of course, inspired by Kerry Ellis' amazing performance as Nancy, as I am a big fan of hers and thought that her portrayal of Nancy was unbeatable. So I came up with this last night – it's just a one-shot of the story of Nancy and Bill. Please read and review!
Bill Sikes considered the two young girls standing together at the bar of The Three Cripples, debating. Both were skinny as whippets, one auburn haired and one brunette. He certainly would not call on the wide-eyed auburn haired girl – she had been part of the bar for as long as he could remember, and she still irritated him as much as she had done the first day he saw her.
He beckoned to the other girl when she happened to look over. She raised an eyebrow – You mean me?, she was asking - and he nodded, just once. She came over, and without asking, pulled out the permanently empty chair opposite him and sat. He scowled at her, but she didn't move.
"How much you charging?" he asked. Her cheeks flushed red – she glared at him.
"I ain't no whore!"she snapped. He looked at her, a little startled, but not liking her tone.
"It ain't a hard mistake to make, love – you certainly ain't no lady" he retorted sharply. She stopped glaring and shrugged instead.
"No, I ain't" she agreed. She did not move away.
"Ain't you going?" he prompted.
"I weren't planning to" she replied.
He was extremely startled by this point, "But ain't you scared of me?"
"No" she said, her gaze really rather calm. Bill scowled.
"Don't yer know who I am?" he growled. She just looked blankly back at him and did not reply.
"Did no-one tell yer?" he tried yet again to prise something from her. Still she did not speak.
He relented, "I'm Bill Sikes" he told her. As he said it, he puffed out his chest with pride, looking smug. The corner of her mouth twitched, but she did not smile.
"That's nice" she answered blandly. His face turned mottled purple and red.
"Why ain't you scared o' me?" he demanded, outraged. She just looked at him. She had pretty eyes – brown like her hair.
"I just ain't" she responded casually.
"Well, why not?" he snapped. She tried not to laugh.
"I don't get scared o' nuffin'. Me ma was a whore, and me old man stayed with her for a bit, trying to do the right thing, y'know. But he was a ravin' alcoholic, he was, and he did things to me and my ma that you wouldn't do to a common prostitute" she said all of this as though it were perfectly normal, "So I got out o' there. Came here t' London. And since then I ain't been scared of nothing"
Bill, for the first time in his life, was momentarily speechless.
"I did know who yer were, by the way" she continued, "Where's yer dog?"
"My – what?"
"Yer dog. They told me about him too. What's his name – Bullseye?"
"Er...yeah" Bill looked at her, a scowl once again deepening his face, "Yer alright, kid"
"It's Nancy" she corrected, grinning, "And yer alright yourself"
"Mornin', Bill!"
Nancy's chirpy voice wakened Bill at once – he was used to that by now. She was cooking up some bacon for him, looking bright as always. It was the same routine as they had had for the past year.
"Where you been, Nance?" he asked, noticing that she still wore her boots and shawl over her usual red gown.
"I went and got that money that Fagin owed yer. Picked up a couple o' wallets for yer on the way back" she pointed to two wallets and couple of notes beside the bed.
"Good girl" Bill said, stretching and yawning. He saw the happiness light up her face at the praise.
"They got a new kid at Fagin's now" Nancy continued out of the blue.
"Have they?" Bill asked without much interest.
"Yeah. He's a lovely kid, he really is. Orphan"
"Nice" Bill looked at her, "You coming back to bed, Nance?"
"What about the bacon?" Nancy asked, looking surprised.
"Leave it" Bill gave her one of his rare grins, and she laughed with shock before tumbling into the sheets beside him.
"He's gone?" Nancy looked at Fagin in shock, but a smile curved her lips, "Gone off with a rich gentleman?"
"Yeah" Fagin didn't appreciate her happiness at all, "He could peach on us, Bill"
Bill looked up from his drink, "I see. Then we got to get him back"
"Oh, no!" Nancy protested, "He won't do anything, I told yer before, Bill, he's a good lad, he really is. Oh, can't yer leave him be?"
"Hush yer mouth, Nancy. We got to get him back and that's that. If he peaches on us then I'll be dancing the gallows jig, Nancy. Is that what yer want?" Bill snapped.
"No" Nancy whispered, "But we can't get him back, Bill, he don't belong with us"
"He don't belong with them either, Nancy" Fagin put in, "What we going to do, Bill?"
"Nancy can go to where the rich chap lives and get the boy back. She'll do it, Fagin" Bill decided. Nancy looked up, furious.
"No she won't, Fagin" she retorted. Bill whipped round to glare at her.
"Yes she will, Fagin"
"No she won't, Fagin!" Nancy shrieked. Bill's fist came towards her and hit her, hard, so that she toppled to the ground. Everyone in the bar stared at her, laying there on the floor, a pathetic and crumpled mess. Her shoulders shook with sobs.
Bill left, striding out, pushing past all that dared look at him. Bet hurried over to her friend and crouched down beside her. Nancy sat up, pushing Bet away.
"Don't!" she cried, her voice high and tremulous, "Don't pity me!" a bruise already bloomed on her cheek. She gathered up her skirts and ran, calling for Bill. He would be needing her, he always needed her.
Nancy could not bring herself to look at the small, scared boy in the corner of the room. She wished that she had never gotten involved with any of this, just in that moment, because by doing so she had hurt that poor child. She turned away from everyone, her arms wrapped around herself. Bill and Fagin were arguing over the money and books that Oliver had brought, reluctantly, with him.
Nancy changed a glance at Oliver, and saw that although his eyes were sparkling with unshed tears, he managed to give her a small smile of forgiving.
"Enough!" Nancy shrieked as Bill and Fagin's voices got louder and louder. She marched between them, blazing with fury.
"By God, look at you! Brawling like a pair of animals! I shan't stand it anymore, I swear it! Look what I've done for yer, look at what I've been doing for yer since I was only a little older than him! Look at that poor boy! Look at what yer have done!" she screamed, "Yer couldn't just leave him be, oh no!"
"Nancy, if you don't shut that gob of yours right now you'll feel my hands round yer throat" Bill growled. Nancy began to sob with anger. Bill gave her a terrible look of contempt.
"Come on, Nancy. We got to get going" he ordered. Nancy opened her mouth to say more, but just as she did so she caught Oliver's eye. Minutely, the boy shook his head. She gave him a feeble smile and swept out after Bill.
"Mr Brownlow, a young lady is here to see you. She says she knows something about Oliver"
Nancy heard the maid announcing her and scowled. She wasn't a lady, and she didn't like being called one either. She barged in, trying not to gaze for too long at the splendour of the reception room.
"Madam, my maid tells me you have some information on the boy Oliver Twist. Is that true?" Brownlow asked, trying not to betray the eagerness in his voice.
"Yes" she replied.
"Well? Where is he?"
"I – I can't tell yer, Sir. He got kidnapped from 'ere the other day"
"By whom?"
"By – well, by me, Sir, and someone else, but I didn't want to hurt him, someone else made me do it – "
"Who is this other person?" Brownlow asked impatiently. Nancy paled.
"No, no, I shan't say his name, I shan't betray him!" she cried, "But I can get Oliver back for yer. I can meet you with him tonight. Not here, it's too far. At London Bridge, at midnight. And yer better not bring anyone else, cause yer won't ever get that poor boy back if yer do. And yer better trust me, cause if yer don't then you ain't got no-one in the world who's going to help yer"
Brownlow looked at her, "Alright. Has he been hurt?"
"No, not yet, but he will be, if B – if anyone finds out about this. And so will I"
"Who is this man that you speak of?"
"I shan't tell you, I said!" Nancy exploded, panicked, "But yer'll meet me tonight?"
"Yes, I will. But are you sure that you don't need help, my dear?"
"No, no, I don't need help. He wouldn't hurt me, he loves me, he does, and I love him" she gabbled, trying to cover the faint trace that the bruise had left on her cheek, "Don't go bringing no-one with yer!"
She ran.
"Oliver, you stay here, alright? I got to go and find Mr Brownlow, so yer got to stay right here, I'll be back –" Nancy promised. Oliver looked at her.
"Thank you, Nancy" he said in his lovely, sweet little voice. Nancy's eyes welled with tears.
"Yer welcome, kid" she smiled at him and made to dash off for Brownlow. As she did, she heard a voice behind her.
"Where you going, Nancy?" Bill asked coldly. Nancy whipped round to look at him, her eyes wide. She reached out and grabbed Oliver, gripping him tightly in her arms.
"No, No, Bill, please! For Pete's sake, just let him go!" she begged desperately. Bill pushed Oliver aside and advanced on Nancy, his face dark with rage.
"You betrayed me, Nancy" he said threateningly.
"No, I never did, Bill, I never would!" Nancy protested loudly, backing away from him, "Never, Bill!"
He hit her, harder than he had ever hit her before. She crumpled to the ground like a puppet with broken strings, weeping, gazing at him, pleading.
"No, Bill, please..."
He hit her again, again, again. Her whimpers of pain turned to nothing, she was silent at last. Her eyes finally closed. His weapon fell from his hand.
"Dear Gawd, Nancy, what have yer done to me?" he mumbled, "I loved yer, Nancy, I did. What have yer done?"
"Bill..." he last words rattled from her chest, her eyelids flickered, and she breathed her last breath.