Chapter 4 Brother(s)

Once outside Feister leaned up against the Lodge with her arms crossed. "So whaddya want, I's haven't got all day," she snapped, making sure her voice was still at a low pitch. She didn't know why she agreed to do this. But something inside her said to do it.

"I think you know." William crossed his arms as well.

"No I's don't know." she took a step closer to him and stared straight into his eyes.

"C'mon, Claire I know it's you." William was sure that this Newsie was his sister posing as a boy. The "boy" was a lot smaller than all the others and was looking at him weirdly.

"Look," Feister snapped. "I's dunno who you'es are or where yer from, but my name ain't Claire, it's Feister."

"No, yer Claire, ma sistah," He replied mimicking her accent.

"An' what makes ya think I's yer long lost sistah? Or some goil?" She asked with her thick New York accent, but she was still loud and clear.

"Cause of this." He snatched her cap off, making her braids fall. "Nice to see you again, Claire." he said with a happy smile.

Feister snatched her cap back and put it on. "How'd ya know it was me?" she crossed her arms, glaring at her so called brother. To her, he still looked somewhat the same. He still had his messy dark brown hair and blue eyes; he finally grew into those long legs and was a little more built. In fact, to Feister William (or Will, for short) looked a lot like their Father.

"The scar on the back of your neck." he gestured to her. "Remember when you were four-"

"Funny," she cut him off. "I's also remember when I's was four you'es left us, without a note or nothin'," she said, a bit too loud, making the boys go out to see what was going on. At that point Feister didn't care, old anger, sadness, and betrayal came bubbling back. "You'es left us! We's looked for months, but ya never came back. I's thought I did somethin' ta make ya leave, an' then mom dies; dad goes down the wrong path. He often took it out on me. Then one night he brings back some goil, who was a monster. An' then he left me in that dumb old apartment when I's was only six!. I's was on my own for weeks tryin' ta make a livin' for myself an' then some thug jumps me, an' starts ta soak me." She paused, and looked over and saw all her brothers, staring, with wide eyes, and mouths open. Even Mush, who knew almost everything about her, didn't know that much. "Jack, Race, an' Specs were there. They's helped me, an' brought me back here, ta my real family." Feister was furious. What made Will think that after all these years he could just pop out of nowhere after he left.

"Claire," Will sighed. "They're not your family, I am. I'm your real brother."

At this point Feister lost all control and flat out yelled for the whole city to hear. "My brudda? Yer not my brudda. They are." she pointed to her boys. "Were you'es there after I got jumpped by some thug? Were you'es there ta wake me up from a nightmare? An' were you'es there ta put me back together after everything I's been through?"

Will didn't answer, instead he stood there, looking into Claire's eyes, that looked hurt. But he pushed that aside and got a good look at her. The last time he saw her she was a little four yr. old girl, now she was a fourteen yr old. To Will Claire didn't change a bit, she still had her long, black hair, that always seemed to be in those two braids, her big brown eyes were just as he remember, but this time they had a lot of fire inside, instead of being empty.

She had obviously gotten taller, and her medium beige skin had a very light tan to it, her face and some parts of her arms had dirt smudges; her hands were ink stained, and she looked a bit stronger, like she could take down someone twice her size. The only big difference was that for some reason she was in boy's clothes.

"That's what I's thought," she said firmly, seeing that her 'brother' wasn't saying anything.

"I thought you'd be happy to see me after all these years."

"Happy? You'es thought I'd be happy? Did you'es really think I's would wanna see you'es after ten, freakin', years?" Feister was shocked, she wasn't sure if she was shocked over the fact that her so called brother had popped out of nowhere, or that he thought that he was still her brother.

"We're family, so I guess that's a yes." He didn't know what happened in the years he was gone, but whatever did it sure made her look a little intimidating. "I came back to make things right again."

"If you'es think yer gonna take me away from my bruddas, my real bruddas, than yer dumber than a Delancey!"

"Now that's an insult ta the Delanceys," Race whispered, a few of the boys agreed, while the others were just shocked that Feister had just spilled out her whole story.

"You listen ta me William Johnson an' you listen good, you'es better stay away from me an' my bruddas or yer face is gonna meet my fist." With that being said Feister stormed off, pushing past her real brothers, up the stairs and into her room. She slammed the door so hard and loud that it could be heard from Brooklyn.

She then started to pace back and fourth as she rambled in French. "What makes 'im think that he can just walk in here and expect me ta be happy. I mean for the love of papes it's been ten years, I'm not the scared, helpless, little goil I use ta be. I can take care of myself now, I'm fourteen freakin' years old, not a baby. And plus he's not even my brudda. Maybe ten years ago, but not now! I have a real family and not one that left me on the streets, and-" Feister stopped pacing, it wasn't until that moment she saw Mush standing in the doorway, with the most confused look ever.

"Bonjour?" Mush said. He really didn't know what to do. Sure he knew a lot of things about his best friend, but didn't know she could speak another language.

"Don't get cute with me Meyers," she snapped, before plopping down on the bed.

"Aww, ya think I'm cute." Mush was the only one who could tease Feister at the level of anger she was at, and get away with it. She glared at him, and he got the message to shut up before something bad happens. "Alright you'es know the drill." he walked over to the bed and took a seat next to her. "What's on yer mind. An' in English, if ya don't mind," he said, with a half worried look that she might actually start speaking French again.

Feister smiled. But as quickly as it came it went just as fast. "There's nothin' ta tawk about."

"Yes there is. Feisty I's knew you'es had a brudda, an' that yer mudder died and yer faudda abandoned ya, but did all those other things ya said really happen? Yer faudda hurtin' ya? You'es thinkin' that ya did somethin' ta make 'im leave?" he asked; though Mush knew a lot of things about Feister, he didn't know everything she just spilled. Feister looked down at the floor, she didn't say anything. And didn't want to either. But she wanted to do was let out all the emotions she held in for ten years, but kept it in as we speak.

Mush knows Feister like the back of his hand, and knew that she was holding in whatever it was she wanted to get out so he said, "It's ok if ya wanna cry."

She looked up at him, dead in the eyes. "Crying means yer week an' I ain't weak."

"Yer not weak," he said softly, looking deep into her brown eyes, while brushing away her hair, and rubbed her cheek with his thumb. "In fact yer the strongest person I's know."

"Really?"

"Definitely." he was still rubbing her cheek as he saw the smallest smile turn up on her face. Feister moved closer and laid her head down on Mush's shoulder as she wrapped her arms around him. He kissed the top of her head and played with a loose lock of her hair.

"Thanks Mush," she said quietly.

"Anytime, Claire," he replied. It felt a little odd when Mush used her 'real' name, but he realized that even though he knew it, he never actually said it until now.

"Risse," she said quietly.

"Huh?" Mush asked, looking down at her. He was completely lost since Feister wasn't making any sense. Then again she never made sense to him. But that's what he loves about her.

She looked up at him with big eyes and said, "Clarisse, that's my real, an' full name. Someone should know."

Mush smiled, and the more he thought about it she really did look like a "Clarisse". "That's really-"

"Stupid." Feister buried her head into his chest. In all truths she always hated her full name. Heck, she didn't even like "Claire".

"Pretty," he said quietly, almost breath like.

Feister looked back up and smiled. "I guess. But I's like 'Feister' better, wanna know why?" she asked, with a sparkling look in her eyes. When Mush didn't answer she said, "Cause it's the name my best friend gave me." she nudged him with her shoulder. Mush smiled and nudged her back.

"So, William's yer brudda." it was more of a statement than a question. Feister nodded her head slightly. "An' if his last name is Johnson than that means yer…" Mush couldn't bring himself to say it. He never thought that Feister, his best friend was the daughter of a man who went down the wrong path.

"Yeah," she admitted quietly. "But, I's promise ya I ain't nothin' like my fudda, an' I's would never-"

"Feister!" Mush cut her off. "Don't worry, ya don't hafta explain yourself, I's know ya ain't like...ya know. Yer a feisty news goil through an' through."

Feister smiled, and she felt her cheeks warm up. She wasn't sure what to think or say, so she just hugged him. She felt Mush wrap his arms around her and her cheeks turned red hot. So, she buried her head in his chest so he wouldn't see her blushing redder than a rose. It also didn't help that he kissed the top of her head. This boy was going to be the end of her.

Author's note

So, there was a lot going on in this chapter. And aside from everything else I love the part where Mush and Feister have their little talk, and not only do you find out Feister's real/full name, but also she can speak French? Who knew? Shout out to Music on the Moon, thanks for the review. What did you think? I'll see you all again on Monday. Anyways thanks for reading.

AGN Fun Fact #3 It was original going to start with chapter 4 in a rough draft.