I'm crazy, stark raving mad.
Swallowing her courage Rosaleen Magee coiled her hand into a fist then lightly rapped against the New's boy lodge door. She didn't know what had possessed her to show up at her brother's doorstep after two years of no contact whats soever nor why it had taken her so long to get to this point in the first place but if she had to take a lucky guesses she would say that it simply was because at 1 am in the morning on a Thursday night she had no other place to go.
She knocked again but to no avail. She should have known better than to expect this to have an easy start, nothing else in her life ever did. She should just consider herself lucky that she knew where to track the boy down. Some would call it a miracle how she found out her brother's whereabouts.
It had only been three months since he had ran away when she saw him hawking papers on the corner of main street and fifth. Naturally she had been thrilled, running into her brother's arms and begging for him to come home with her but however he had not shared her enthusiasm. He had been relived of course, as all good older brothers are when they see their little sisters after abandoning them but despite her pleading and begging he refused to come home with her. He had said it would be better that way, that he couldn't live with a man who took away his dignity and beat his mother. And when she had begged him to take him with her...well he hadn't been to thrilled about that either. But surely things would be different now, she was older and could practically care for herself sure probably he would understand her reasoning for leaving now.
At least she prayed he did.
Finally the door opened revealing a short stocky black haired boy. He looked almost familiar she thought all though she couldn't quite place him.
Leaning onto his cane the boy grinned letting his soft grey eyes skim from her feet to her head. "Well well well I knew the Red dagger offered good custmor service but I never knew they preformed house calls."
She would recognize that snide Brooklyn accent anywhere. The boy standing in front of her was no other than Spot Colon himself, the self proclaimed 'king of Brooklyn' who had harassed her on her way home the other night.
Great just great.
"You wish..." Rosaleen snarled giving her eyes a cocky roll. "Is Patrick Magee here?"
"Lucky him."
She felt like winding up and punching the little snot nosed Casanova straight in the kisser but knew it would only be in vain. The sick bugger would probably like it, it was probably the closest thing he would get to a woman touching him.
"Just tell me if he's here."
"Why you want to know?" He grinned skimming his eyes from her feet to the blue bow still pinned in her hair. "Didn't get you knocked up did he?"
The thought of that nearly made her loose her lunch.
"Why do you want to know why I want to know?"
"Because us Newsies stick together and if you're gunna tell old Patty boy something he'd much rather not hear then it's my obligation to make sure a certain trouble making redhead doesn't come and mess life up for him."
Ah so he was here. That truly was all she needed to know after all her experience at the dance hall had taught her how to knock out a man with her bare hands and make him cry to his Mama but for some insane reason she wanted to continue this battle of the wits with Spot Collin.
"If a redhead really wanted to cause trouble there's no way in God's good earth you could stop her."
"Want to bet?"
"Yes."
"I could kiss you. That's stopped a lot of girls in their tracks."
"I'm not into self afflicted torture."
"Who says it would be torture, love?"
Common sense.
"Listen could you please just tell me where Pat is?"
"Oh so you're on a nickname basis now? You are his girl. Well I never knew he had it in him to go after a show girl."
"You mention one thing about me being a show girl around him and I swear I will string you up from your-"
"Rosie!"
She snapped her head up meeting her brother's gaze.
Her heart stilled, he looked so different now, at least a foot taller, he had lost the baby fat he had once carried too instead sporting a six pack. Even his hair colour had darkened from the boyish sunny blond to a mousy gold.
"Pat!"
She wasted no time pushing past the king of Brooklyn and running towards the staircase where her brother was standing.
She imedentily fell into his arms pressing a sisterly kiss to his cheek. "I knew you'd be here!" She squealed hugging her brother even tighter. "Oh Pat it's been years-how are you getting enough food, not starving you are they?"
"Me? What about you-what are you doing here lass?"
Oh so here came the hard part to explain. If she told Pat about the way Bart was treating her and Mam he would surely go and beat him up, then Bart would know where she was staying, he would come and get her, then the courts would get involved and she'd be put back in his and her mother's cares then she'd be married off to the old grip keeper faster than you could say ball and chain.
So she would have to lie.
"Um visiting I am." She forced a grin then clapped her grip over his elbows. "I knew you were a news boy so I thought I'd try here. I'm so glad you're here Pat. So So glad."
"At this time of night though? Not safe it is for ya."
It might have been two years since she had seen him last but he was still the same ever worrying older brother.
She giggled to this statement pulling away slightly. "I'm a big girl now can handle myself I can."
"Well look at you nearly grown up you are. Another reason why ye shouldn't be out alone."
"Ever the worrier you are Patrick Magee."
"And ever the cause for my worry Rosaleen Magee."
"Wait-" Spot said leaning onto that pathetic gold cane of his. "You're his wife?"
"My wife?" Her brother shook his head widening his grin. "Spot you're mad. She's my little sister."
The king's eyebrow shot up. "Your little sister huh?"
She didn't trust that grin she didn't trust it one bit.
"Yeah what's it to you?"
"Ah nothing. Say you coming down for Sara and Jacky boy's engagement party?"
"Not anymore. Haven't seen my best girl in two years. Need to catch up we do."
"Well then." He tipped his hat then turned towards the door. "Good bye and have fun. Especially you Rose."
He walked out the door humming 'cuddle up a little closer'
She should have known better than to expect this to be easy
"You mean you want to-stay?"
Biting her lip Rosaleen Magee dared to raise her gaze with her older brother's. She could feel her heart thud inside of her chest a sign she was pretty sure wasn't a healthy one. She knew she should have allowed more conversation before she went in for the big deal closer. Perhaps some more buttering up would have sweetened the pot a bit more maybe then he wouldn't be staring at her as if she had just murdered a man.
"Well...yes. Yes I would."
"You're mad. If you haven't noticed I live in a news boys lodging not a lodging for little run away Irish girls."
"What makes you say I ran away? Maybe I just want to try something different."
"Cross dressing?"
She rolled her eyes, he always was a sarcastic little bloke. "Naye not cross dressin."
"Ya have to go home to Mam Rosie she needs ya. Keep 'er sane."
No she needed her as a pawn for her so called husbands game of match making and frankly after the events of tonight she didn't give a fig if the old woman went insane or not.
In her mind she already was.
"She wants me to go." Rosaleen lied. "Experience life for myself, you could say. I don't want to be stuck in Hell's Kitchen for the rest of my days. I want to be free, become my own person without being tied down to Mam and Bart."
"You're not tied down to Mam she's your mother. We need to take care of her."
"We or me. Because you're out here living the high life when I'm working off my arse in a ribbon factory with no hope of a brighter future."
She could tell he had got him there by the defeated look that was now wiping across his entire face. A bubbly satisfaction now rose in her gut.
"Please Pat." She gripped her brother's hand sliding forward on the bunk bed they were sharing. "I know it would be an awful trouble but I need to start my own in life. I have some money. I can pay rent."
"Money where did you get money from?"
"Um-my job."
It wasn't technically a lie, working at the red rouge dagger was her job. Just one he didn't need to know about.
"How much?"
Time to lie again.
"A few dollars-enough for rent."
"Even if you can afford to rent here there's no way Old Sal will let ya. This is a club for boys-news boys."
"I'll be a news boy."
"Back to cross dressing again are we?"
She rolled her eyes again. "A news girl then."
"There ain't no such thing."
"Sure there is saw one last week."
"Well I still don't care. This is no place for you."
Oh how she wished she could grab her brother by the neck and shake some reasoning out of him. Sure maybe it had been a few years since they had seen each other last but couldn't he have just a little heart? He had lived with Bart didn't he remember how horrible it was? Would she need to spell it out for him?
"Please."
"Do you see how many bunk beds are in this room? Sixteen that means I share a room with sixteen other boys-twenty actually sometimes we share. It's not safe for ya."
"Please I know you can't understand but I really really need to stay here."
"Did he hurt you?"
"I-" She had no choice now if she had any chance at staying with Pat and not going back to Bart she would have to tell him the truth-well some of it that is. "Nothing I can't handle. Please just let me stay with you Pat..."
"What did he do to you?"
"I-"
He came to his feet now, fists clenching with rage. "I'll bloody kill him. I swear to Jesus Mary and Joesph I'll-"
"It's fine Pat!" A sob rose up her throat. "Please don't I-I'm used to it and it's fine. I just need a place to stay."
"What did he do Rosie?"
"He just hits me once and awhile. Please don't do anything though Patrick, he'll just get angry and make me come back."
"It's not right. what am I supposed to do just let him get away with-hitting my little sister?"
"Yes." She sighed glancing over her shoulder at the small wooden clock on the far wall. "He's a vengeful man he won't let it slide. The courts will get involved and I'll have to go back."
He bit his lip then sat down beside her another look of defeat crossing his face. "I don't know what to do, Rosie. The boys aren't always gentlemen here and I won't risk you getting hurt. But I can't let ya go back either."
"I can keep my own."
"Always a fire cracker you were."
"Please let me stay."
He sighed again lowering his gaze to the thin burlap sheets. For a few minutes he paused tracing circles on his lap, an old nervous habit he had since childhood then raised his gaze back to hers.
"You can't stay here but I will find a room for you to rent."
"Thank you!" She threw herself into his arms then kissed his cheek. "Oh Pat you're the best big brother a girl could have!"
"I know..." He sighed again. "You know I'm glad to have you back right, Rosie?"
"Swear it?"
"Do I even need to?"
"No I suppose not-will the place I'll be staying at be close though?"
He shrugged giving his head a small bob. "Yeah no further than a block. Can't have my little sister fending for herself too much. You'll need to get a job by the way I'll do what I can to support ya but I don't think it will cover both our rents."
Another job than her profession at the red dagger. There would be no way in hell Pat would find out about the seedy dealings of her past if she had anything to do with it. He would see her as the pure innocent little sister until the day she died, anything else would break it.
"I will." She said forcing a grin. "Thank you Pat-so much."
"Nothing it is. You're my little sister." He smiled back giving her shoulder a brotherly squeeze. "Now. Why don't you go downstairs to the kitchen and grab the chocolate cake in the cupboard while the rest of the newsies are at Jack's engagement."
It had been ages since her taste buds had enjoyed the delights of something sweet. And her entire body tingled with the thought.
"They'll kill us."
"They'll be too drunk to notice."
She couldn't deny herself the treat of flashing her brother another grin she made her way down the stairs and into the kitchen. It didn't take long to find the illicit chocolate cake, it had already been taken out of the cupboard and was missing a good three pieces. Now all she needed to find was a knife...
"Red."
Gasping she turned around meeting the glare of Spot Collon.
Before she could say anything he stepped forward narrowing his gaze on hers. "So your Patty boy's little sister?"
"I-what's it to you?"
He grinned at her resting his hand onto her shoulder and giving the aching flesh a tender rub. "Notin really. I never cared much for your brother."
"I figure he wouldn't care much for you either."
His hand trailed further down her shoulder now... "Almost as much as he wouldn't like his little sister prancing around stage in nothing but a pretty white slip."
Her heart dropped. Surely he wouldn't go as far to tell Pat about her-well job on the side. He would bloody kill her not to mention she could kiss any chance at staying here goodbye. No one could be so cruel as to do that. Who was she kidding, he was Spot Collin.
Of course he could be that cruel.
Swallowing the rising lump in her chest she took a step forward, deciding to play this incident cool."Whose he going to believe his sister or the likes of you?"
"How about your employer and all the other lads who enjoyed your little show?"
"You wouldn't dare!"
"I might." His tongue traced the outline of his lips. "Then again I might not..."