Disclaimer: Oliver Twist is as much mine as...pretzels. Yes. And, as I own no pretzles, then I own no Oliver Twist.

I wish I had a pretzel...

A/N: Gasp! Can it be? Can she possibly have updated?

Yes, the answer, my friends, is yes.

This chapter worries me slightly. So for this, you have to understand, is that in the Victorian times, some girls were willingly being prostitutes at Lettie's age.

Which she isn't, of course. But the kids would certainly have had an expanded vocabulary and more advanced ideas than eight and nine year olds would have now.

Which, in simple terms, means that Charlie, Dodger and Lettieare as experienced in the world as normal fourteen and fifteen year olds are now. Sorry for shattering their innocence for you. Please don't hate me.

Actually, I don't think Dodger or Charlie ever were innocent.

Lettie sighed, sprawled out on Charlie's bed, legs splayed slightly, "You'll get neck-ache if you keep doing that," she reprimanded.

Charlie looked at her so quickly that his neck clicked, "Pardon?" he asked, his eyes glazed over slightly with exhaustion.

"Keep lookin' at the door," The younger girl stifled a yawn, "Why don't you get some sleep? I'll wait up."

He shook his head, pulling his cap back, "I'm alright," His eyes travelled to the door again, "They've never been so late back before," He mumbled.

"Maybe it's a long job."

"Or maybe the traps gottem."

The two sat in silence for a minute. Bill Sykes, professional thief, house breaker, bully boy, murderer, and girl friend beater, had gone for yet another one of his midnight jaunts into some rich snob's house. Perfectly normal and usual. Except this time he had taken Dodger as a helper.

"I need one with wits, and a little 'un," He had growled at Fagin as his beefy fingers had gripped around Dodger's collar, "An' this sneaky little rat's hardly tall, is 'e?"

Dodger had let out an imaginative string of curse words out at this point, to which Bill Sykes had soundly walloped him about the head, before dragging him out the door, Dodger's legs almost trailing across the floor. They had laughed at that point, Jamie making extremely lewd comments about how Master Dawkins' could make up for his height in several ways. But it was almost two 'o clock now, and the gang was beginning to weary of waiting. The Bigguns, Barney and Tommy the ringleaders, had started up a new, if not tentative game of cards, and most of the Tiddlers, Charlie and Lettie not included, had fell asleep.

Lettie rubbed her eyes, "Maybe they stopped off at the Three Cripples."

Charlie grimaced and collapsed next to Lettie, his head falling onto her shoulder, "That's not good. A tired and potentially drunk Dodger in the same room as several whores."

Lettie laughed quietly, resting her face in Charlie's mop of dusty brown hair, "I can picture it," She mumbled.

Charlie propped himself up on one elbow, "You still keen on 'im?" He asked interestedly, "It's bin 'bout…..a year now, right?"

The girl shrugged, not an easy feat when you're lying down, "I dunno. He ain't exactly the 'knight in shining armour' I imagined."

"Pardon?"

Lettie reached down to the floor and scrabbled around until she found what she was looking for, "My books," She said, waving the well-thumbed copy of EAST OF THE SUN, WEST OF THE MOON, "They all have white knights in shining armour riding on a white steed to the princess's rescue. I always reckoned I might 'ave one of them."

Charlie pushed his hair back from his brown eyes, "You'd be 'ard pressed to find a white knight around 'ere," He gestured wildly, "Too much dust and rust. And the only steed's around are old Tom's donkey. Maybe a slightly grey knight with squeaky armour and a half-starved donkey?"

Lettie hit him in the shoulder, "It's metaphorical," She stressed.

"Dodger ain't metaphora…..meto…..metaphorol….thingy."

The girl made a face, "Stupid."

Charlie shrugged, before letting his head flop back onto the pillow, "You know you love me really," He reminded her cheekily, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"You are stupid," Lettie grumbled, as Charlie hugged her, "Stupid, stupid, stupid…."

"Work on your insults."

"Lousy, sloppy, immature, drunk, ignorant," Lettie ploughed on, "And the really pathetic thing is that you're a downright, well-bred gentleman compared to Dodger."

Charlie rolled away from her, beaming, "What can I say? I'm a marvel."

Lettie grinned, shoving him, "That's not quite the word I was looking for."

Charlie opened his mouth for what was obviously going to be a witty and stinging retort, before he was cut off by a series of loud, throaty barks and several pairs of falling footsteps on the bridge outside.

"Look who's back," Lettie yawned, propping herself up on her elbows for a better look, "'Bout time too."

The rickety door burst open, almost swinging off its hingesto reveal a beaming, albeit exhausted Dodger, almost collapsing at the knees, face blanched a sickly white, but utterly cheerful. Behind him stood the man who had opened the door, Bill Sykes, towering well over Dodger, carrying a large sack full of ill-gotten gains, and wearing, surprisingly, a slight smile. Next to him was the ever waddling Bullseye, and behind the dog was a fourth figure, half hidden in the shadows.

Fagin strode up to them, arms flung wide open, "Boys, boys!" He cried, while fixing one beady eye on the large sack, "So good to see you again! You have kept us waiting, my dears, for ever so long, thought somethin' 'ad 'appened to you!" He let out a greasy laugh, "Not that we didn't have faith in you, Bill, of course we 'ad faith in you…" He grinned toothily, lowering his voice as he leant next to Dodger, "'Ow much cash did you manage to swipe from this old coot, Dodger?"

Grinning wearily, Dodger procured a small purse bulging with coins, handing it reluctantly to Fagin, "Even though 's rightfully mine," He grumbled sullenly.

Fagin cuffed him sharply over the head, keeping his grin fixed firmly on his face, "I trust he's been good, Bill?"

Bill Sykes shrugged, trying to keep his impressed expression behind bars, "He's a right one, I'll give 'im that," He said, causing Dodger to grin triumphantly up at Fagin, "Now, if you don't mind Fagin, as your cash is here with you, perhaps we could get to the matter of my fee?"

As Fagin shuffled off half-heartedly, Dodger swaggered over to where Lettie and Charlie were waiting eagerly for him, his self-satisfied expression turning to one of utter disgust, "Yeuch!" He exclaimed, "You two haven't been kissin', have you?"

Charlie shook his head, smirking, "No. Why, jealous?"

Dodger shot him a Look, sitting down next to Lettie, "No. No way," He propped his hat up and grinned, "Did you hear him? I impressed him, that's for sure."

"Who cares?" Lettie grumbled, hugging her knees to her chest, "'S only Bill Sykes, ain't it? Who cares about his opinion? Oh, alright," she relented as both Dodger and Charlie began shoving her, "I know you lads think he's all Heaven and Earth – but he's just a man."

"Who everyone respects and fears," Dodger pointed out.

"And who can get into any house you show 'im – just show 'im the house and – bam! – he'll get in there."

"And who has the most gorgeous sweetheart."

Lettie wrinkled up her nose at Dodger, "And I don't know why you don't give that up as a bad job – she never even notices any of you."

"You just wait," Dodger said, almost dreamily, "I'm gonna marry her – just you wait and see."

Lettie made a disgusted face and shook her head tartly, "You lot make complete donkeys out of yourselves when ever she comes around – well, I don't even think she's that pretty!" She ended defiantly, jutting out her chin.

"She's prettier than you!" Charlie said snidely.

Lettie scowled, and made to jump out of the bed, when Dodger caught her by the laces on the back of her petticoat and jerked her back, "Get back here," he ordered, a little more testily, "You'll look like a right fool running around in just that thing." The boy folded his arms, relenting slightly at Lettie's hurt look, "Oh, alright," he grumbled, "Don't get all insulted at me – look, I got somethin' for you."

He reached down, his hand scrabbling down in his hand pocket, before withdrawing with something, "Look here," He said, passing Lettie the small leather-bound book, "the old codger had a library full of the things – thought you might like it."

Lettie's eyes widened, sparkling joyfully, "Oh, Dodge!" She exclaimed, flicking hurriedly through the leaf-like pages, "there are stories here I haven't even read – oh, thankyou!"

She flung her arms around Dodger's neck, hugging him tightly, "Yeah…..alright Lett….it wasn't much, or anythin'," Dodger mumbled, looking utterly terrified.

"Well, well…..how sweet."

Lettie let go, slowly sliding away from Dodger and into Charlie. Both the boys had identically pugnacious looks on their face, and the remainder of the awake Bigguns were looking darkly in their direction at the stranger that now joined them.

It was the fourth figure that had joined Dodger, Bill Sykes and Bullseye. He must have been no more than twelve or thirteen, and stood taller than either Dodger or Charlie. All his clothes were made of some rich, dark material, and perched on top of his slicked back, dark hair, was perched a large top hat that rivalled Dodger's.

Maybe it was the haughty way that the boy cocked the hat that made Dodger push his own hat defiantly back from his face, "What d'you want?"

The boy smirked, dull blue eyes glittering malevolently, and leant against one of the wooden pillars that decorated the room, "Now, Jackey-boy, is that any way to greet one of your business associates?" Dodger bristled angrily at the nickname, "Who's the lass, Donkey?" he asked, turning to Charlie.

"New gal," Charlie said defensively, wrapping an arm around Lettie, "Joined about a year ago."

The boy raised an eyebrow, looking Lettie up and down so intently that she squirmed uncomfortably, "She's a bit of a looker, isn't she?" He finally said, "So what's she doin' around you lot?"

Charlie lent forward and grabbed Dodger by the collar to keep him from springing at the boy, "Easy, Dodge," He muttered lowly, keeping his eyes fixed on the intruder, "Just ignore the smarmy bastard."

The boy laughed richly, a grating, throaty sound that made Lettie shuffle backwards to peer over Dodger's shoulder, "Who's 'e?" she asked finally, finding her voice.

"That's Tom Doyle," Charlie grumbled, one hand still firmly grabbing Dodger by the shoulder, "'E helps Bill Sykes with the break-in's."

"Why don't he work here?"

Tom Doyle smiled thinly, "Because I felt that my area of expertise best suited me to work in another line of more experienced business."

Dodger, who had been so occupied with thinking with several insults for the boy, finally burst out with, "Bollocks," He spat, "You don't know what half of those words mean."

The boy sighed, "Really, Jackey-boy, you shouldn't assume that all people are as ignorant as you," He smirked as Dodger made another attempted lunge at him, "But you children should probably get some sleep….See you later, Jakcey-boy…..Donkey…."

Dodger made a noise like an angry cat as Tom swaggered away, "Just wait…..just wait," He growled, "I'll get him someday…."

Charlie, who was panting slightly from the effort of keeping Dodger back, let go, sliding back onto the bed, "He ain't worth it, Dodge….'sides, you don't want to go messin' with him."

"You don't think I'm a match for him?" Dodger asked angrily, curling up next to Lettie and pulling the moth-eaten rug that covered the bed over him.

"No," Charlie said decisively, as Lettie's eyes started to flutter closed, "I'm just saying he could make life very difficult for you if you got in his way."

----

"Get up!" Jamie ordered, pulling Lettie up by the straps of her petticoat, "Some of us have gotta get to work today – and you lot are included."

"Alright, alright," Dodger grumbled, falling onto the floor and rubbing his bruised elbow testily, "Some of us were up late last night."

Lettie shot a dirty look at Jamie, wriggling out of his grip, "Yeah, and some of us don't appreciate being woken up like that," She snapped, pulling on her dress, "Stupid."

"Work on your insults!" Charlie yelled after her as she walked over to the water bucket, splashing water onto her face and neck. She stuck her tongue out at him, grabbing a bread roll from a passing Fagin.

"Thanks Fagin."

Fagin shook his head, grumbling incoherently as he set down the plate on the table, "Appetite, appetite," He grinned at her, showing more gold filling than tooth, "Still, we mustn't stop you from eating, must we, my dear? Must keep your strength up, all of your strength up, especially you, my little sparrow."

Lettie looked up, her mouth full of half-cooked dough, "Eh?"

"Young Master Doyle took quite a liking to you last night, pumpkin. You certainly weaved your magic around him!"

"Magic?"

Fagin waved a reprimanding finger at her, though ruining the effect completely by winking, "Now, now, don't play coy with me, Leticia! You carry out the way you started, gosling, and you'll go a long way. Perhaps even as far as Nancy….now, you'd like that, wouldn't you? A young man to buy you clothes and diamonds, and to drive you around, in a big carriage, to the balls and theatres….you'd like that, my dear, wouldn't you, now?"

----

"Fagin talks a lot of rubbish, you know," Dodger told her later, as they walked down the busy London roads.

"Hmm?"

"You know. I heard. What 'e said," Dodger paused, before offering more of an explanation, "Doyle wouldn't give you any of that stuff."

"I guessed that."

"Good. I just didn't want you thinking, you know, that he would. Give you all that stuff, I mean. Cos he wouldn't."

Lettie shrugged, mumbling, "Probably not."

"What d'you mean, 'probably not'?" Dodger demanded, "It's definitely not! He definitely wouldn't give you anythin'!"

"Fagin said Tom could turn out like Bill Sykes, if he wanted to," Lettie pointed out, a bit unnecessarily, Dodger thought.

"What does that matter?" Dodger snapped, kicking a bollard in his temper and swearing, "Ow….Look, Bill Sykes may be a right amazin' house breaker, but he beats up Nancy somthin' awful! You wouldn't want that to happen to you, would yer?"

Lettie coloured up nicely, "Well, who said anythin' about me?" She exclaimed, "You're just jealous, that's it!"

Dodger's face had turned an amazingly deep shade of red, "I…well, that's wrong end of the….."

"Yeah, you are!" Lettie yelled at him, "You're just jealous because he's a much better thief than you, Fagin told me so!"

"Fagin talks rubbish!" Dodger shouted, his colour going down slightly, "And if you want to go off with Doyle, that's fine by me…but I think he's a bad character, and so does nearly everyone else!"

Lettie folded her arms, "Well, that's what you think. In my books, whenever someone disapproves of a boy, he turns out to be great!"

"Stop talking about your bleeding books! They're just rubbishy stories that never, ever turn out to be true! And neither will your precious Tom Doyle, so he won't," Dodger turned on his heel and stormed off, leaving a furious Lettie in his wake.

A/N: I just love writing fights. It's so much fun. Though I suspect there will be many more as time goes on.

Special thankyous for - jumanji (Calm down! I have updated again, if only to stop you fromcausing yourself an extreme injury) theLOSTCSIfreak (Danke! Merci! And thanks!) thewannabedwarf (I love your pen name. I am also very jealous that you live in Canada)AuroraMercury67 (Who has written some very lovely Oliver Twist stories. I must figure out a way to reply to your very very long review. Ok. Yes,you should finish your fics. I remembered that Charlie is spelt with an -ey, but I keep forgetting as I write. Yeah, Lettie is very bothersome. That's part of her charm. But I reckon Dodger loves her really. And if Dickens had written her into the books...well, the musical would be...odd. And I want her stockings) and GarenRuyMaxwell (You are quite correct. I reckon Dodger was twelve or eleven in the books. This, however, is before the books. Quite a bit before the books. Oliver is, at this current moment, eating gruel and being tormented by Mister Bumbell. We won't see him for another good three or four years.).

Well, that was a long slog. Read, REVIEW, and...eat chocolate. Because that always makes everyone feel happy.

Review?