Note: I'm aware that it has been forever since I last updated, and I offer my most sincere apologies. Sometimes life takes over. I now have a beautiful niece! Anyway, if I don't seem to updating regular enough, just send me a PM, and I'll try to speed things up. I hope you enjoy! Also, update on the NYNA. This story won the Best Overall award, and this series, won the best series award. Thanks to everyone for voting and supporting!

Place To Believe Chapter 10 - I'll Always Take Care of You

Megan and Rhoda retreated into the home as the rain increased its downpour. Megan kept glancing at Rhoda with wide, curious eyes. She was trying to decipher the story Rhoda had started, and figure out the skittish girl. Lillith was buzzing about in a flurry, and she glanced at them, her eyes instantly lighting up.

"Meg," she said, hurrying over, her skirts swishing about her. "Is this…?"

"This is Rhoda," Megan said, placing a gentle hand on her friend's tense shoulder. "Rhoda, this is Lillith, the hard worker responsible for this lovely home."

Lillith blushed. "The Lord has blessed and helped me," she said, her reddened cheeks only adding a extra brightness to her smile. "Without Him, we would be nowhere." She patted Rhoda's white hand companionably. "I hope we will be good friends. Now, though, I have to make sure everything is ready for the opening! Only a few days!"

Rhoda, looking speechless just nodded her head.

"Let's go sit where we can be comfortable," Megan said, pointing out the couches in the big room. "You can finish your story there."

They walked in silence the few feet to the couches. Rhoda seemed to be growing more and more restless as each moment ticked by. She continued to look at the door as if she expected someone to walk through at any second.

"Calm down," Megan said, her voice quiet and soothing. "You are safe here."

Rhoda visibly seemed to relax, if only just a bit. "Con will surely notice me missing," she said. "He'll search all of New York if he has too- I jus' know he will!"

"Well," Megan said, a smile forming upon her lips. "He cannot come in here. It's private property you know!"

Rhoda gave a slight smile of her own. "I don't think that really matters to him."

"Hm. Well, I suppose we'll find out. And anyway, there are several strapping young men next door who would be eager to erm…teach this Con not to mess with us here. Though, I would rather him know joy found in Christ, as I have."

Rhoda shifted uncomfortably. She knew it was joy she would never find, thanks to her sin. The thought sent a shock of pain all the way through her. But… then again, hadn't Megan said that God loved even the worst sinners?

"Rhoda!"

Rhoda looked up to see Megan wearing a mystified expression. "I think you drifted somewhere else," she said, and smiled again.

"I-I suppose I did," she stuttered out. "Jus' thinking of something, is all."

Megan nodded, as if she understood exactly what Rhoda was trying to say.

"We all drift now and then," Megan confided. "Even me."

"I suppose so."

"Now, were you going to tell me the rest of your story? I still don't see how you can be a murderer."

At these words, Rhoda's face turned such a furious red, that Megan thought her to be absolutely furious indeed. But a moment later, her face crinkled up, and sobs wracked her thin body. Megan immediately knew her error.

"Oh Rhoda," she said, throwing her arms around the older girl. "Please, please forgive me for being so free with my words. It was wrong of me, I know. You can tell me what happened when you're ready, and not a moment sooner."

Rhoda sniffed, rubbing her eyes, and feeling embarrassed. "I'm ready now," she said, a determined light in her eyes that Megan was almost certain she had never seen before.

"All right, then," Megan said with a nod, and leaned forward to hear as Rhoda started in a quiet voice.

"After Con found me the first time, he really looked out for me. Really helped me. He sent me on errands, and in return I'd get money to spare- more then enough to send home to my siblings. I never thought to ask where the money came from… I suddenly had lots of friends- Con's friends. But a few months after, things changed a bit.

X-X-X

2 years ago

Rhoda braided back her long dark hair to keep it off her neck, knowing it would be a warm day. The girl felt the bag at her side, and smiled. Conner had said there was an important message inside meant only for a man named Snake. The name itself would normally have dissuaded her from going, but when she made a promise, she insisted on keeping it. She heard a noise behind her, and her heart briefly jumped in her throat.

"Rhoda," said a voice, and she breathed slower.

"Yes, Con?" She turned to face him, standing at the edge of her doorway. She had been so grateful for the room, and none of the boy's ever bothered her here. He stood there, just looking at her for a moment, and she felt warmth crawling up her neck and ears. He smiled at her, and entered the room.

"Look, Rhoda, I'm sending Pistol with you."

When the girl started to complain, he lifted a hand, which stopped her instantly.

"The part of Brooklyn you're going to is…dangerous. There's plenty o' creeps about. Pistol's gonna watch your back."

Rhoda thought of the lithe, thin teenager who slunk around the warehouse doing whatever he was instructed to do, and wondered if he would be any good at protecting someone.

"Pistol. All right then," she said, pulling the strap of the bag up on her shoulder.

"He'll follow you at a distance. Something we learned from Spot Conlon."

Rhoda looked at him quizzically. "Spot Conlon?"

Con grinned. "Someone who doesn't give a very good fist impression."

"Con," she said, growing impatient at his teasing. "Who is Spot Conlon?"

He laid a hand on her shoulder and she felt strange for a moment. "Alright, Rhoda. I'll tell ya. He's the new leadah of the Brooklyn newsies. He don't really bother me. In fact, some of his ideas have worked for us. Like the birds, which is when someone follows ya, but stays unseen."

"Oh," Rhoda said. "How old is he?"

"Only fourteen or fifteen I guess. Heard he's a real 'ladies man' too. You should probably stay away from 'im."

She laughed. "Don't worry. I'm not interested in Spot Conlon!"

"Good," he said. He was about to speak again, when the sound of a throat being cleared came from behind him. Rhoda looked to see Pistol standing there, his long legs tilted, hat in hand.

"I'm ready," he said in his slightly nasally voice.

Conner looked at Rhoda with that deep, searching gaze that tended to make her feel uncomfortable. "You be careful," he whispered softly, pulling her into a big hug- the sort your brother might give you.

"You know me," she said with a smile, though secretly wondering how bad this Snake really was. "I always know how to get out of a situation."

He snorted. "Yeah, when I save you!"

"Stuff it. Let's go Pistol." She marched past the thin boy into the hallway, and pretended she couldn't hear the boys behind her.

"Pistol!"

"Yeah boss?"

"Keep her safe."

X-X-X-X

Walking in the Bronx with her hair tucked up in one of Con's hats, and wearing one of his outfits was not Rhoda's idea of a pleasant stroll. She'd been in the bad part of Manhattan before, but never Bronx. It made her shiver. Everywhere around her were signs of how bad this place truly was. She ignored most of the people clogging the sides of the streets, and stuck to the middle of the road.

Pistol had given her instructions on how to reach Snake's hideout, and now she searched her memory for the particulars. Had he said there was an old apartment building that hadn't been torn down after a fire on the right, or the left? But suddenly, she knew exactly where she was headed. There it stood, half the building blackened. Rhoda couldn't understand why someone would want to take up residency in a place like this, that looked as if it would fall apart at any sign of a storm, and she also wondered why it had never been taken down.

However, the girl didn't have much time to wonder on the dangerous location of the headquarters, because a moment later she was grabbed by one of her suspender straps, and was being dragged towards the burnt out building. Con had given her some instruction on self-defense, and she now kicked the person holding her in the leg as hard as she could. She heard a grunt behind her, and followed up her attack with another kick in the stomach.

She saw that her attacker was a young man dressed in clean clothes, but didn't stay to see details. Rhoda took off. Con hadn't said someone would attack her! And where in the world was Pistol!

She didn't get far. This time there were two men. She found herself dragged into the building, searching vainly for a glimpse of Pistol. The room they pulled her into was empty except for a solitary wooden chair that she was promptly plopped down into.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" said a voice that sent chills running up and down Rhoda's neck.

He was tall, but thick, and muscular.

"Some kid comin' round Boss. Dunno who," offered the man who had first grabbed Rhoda.

The girl squinted at the man who had been called Boss. Snake? He certainly didn't look like a snake. He must've gained his name for disposition…

"Who are you," the man said, stepping in front of Rhoda, and cracking his knuckles. She didn't like the message he was sending.

The girl kept her eyes downcast. There was no reason for her not to tell who she was. But on the other hand, she didn't want to reveal the fact that she was a girl. She wasn't THAT good at disguising her voice.

The man grabbed her chin, and jerked it up, and without meaning to, she let out a small sound of distress. His eyes widened slightly, and a grin grew on his face. "Well looky here," he drawled, jerking off her cap. Her braid tumbled out, and she glared back. "What's a pretty little thing like you doin' round these parts o' town, hmm?" he asked, touching her cheek. Her mouth went dry. Where was Pistol?

"Leave me alone," she said. He laughed, and moved to touch her messy braid when suddenly there was a great ruckus, and the big man was on the floor.

Rhoda looked up to see Conner glowering at the man, and she almost felt like weeping with relief. Con looked at her, and his eyes softened. He took her hand, and put her behind himself protectively. Then he turned steely eyes back to the man now rubbing his jaw.

"What do you think you're doing Snake?" he growled. "I told ya I was sending a messenger. You need ta keep your hands off my people. Otherwise we won't…work so well together."

Snake looked angry, but he stood without attempting to hit Con back. "Sorry Dog. Didn't know it was your girl."

Rhoda expected Conner to refute the claim that she was his girl, but to her surprise he didn't. Instead he just jerked his head, took the bag from her shoulder, and tossed it to Snake.

"Bettah not happen again," he said flatly, and pulled Rhoda from the room.

As they exited into the street, the girl looked up at him questioningly. "Were you there along?"

He nodded slowly.

"Why?"

He looked at her, pulled her closer, and looked into her eyes. "I'll always take care of you."

And then he kissed her.