Disclaimer- I own Question! (He's a cutie, ain't he? I'm happy to own him…) But no one else, unfortunately. Unless I decide to create some more characters, which I can do because I am in charge of this story! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA *Evil laughter is heard throughout Hell, which Lexa owns.*
Jack!Muse: We's really gotta hide da coffee from her…
*Other muses nod in agreement*
L/N- Anyone else wondering how I got that from a disclaimer? Cause I am… Oh well, I'll leave it as is, why? Because I can! *Cue more evil laughter* Yeah, it's too early for me… 1:00 in the morning and I'm writing just for you guys! Because you are my life! I live for reviews!
Crunchy- Wow… t-thank you! I'm glad you like it so far! Aww Blink isn't so much of a bastard… he's good, really! He's just a little uh… misdirected in this... *Breaks down* Okay! He's a bastard! I admit it! (Or maybe he's an ambastard… lol one of the best lines in the movie…) Love the way you signed that… hehe… minion…~
Keza- Queen of Procrastination- Wow… long name… THANK YOU BUNCHES for that great review!!! Hooked by the summery… You definitely brightened my mood right there… Question isn't dead, so he can't haunt Blink… but don't worry, he won't be getting off easy… *More evil laughter… I'm sorry Blink!!!*~
Cards- *Blink!Muse runs away from Cards who's still chasing him* hehe… Question thanks you for the huggles *Question!Muse gives Cards a BIIIIIG smile and tries to look pitiful at the same time so he can get more hugs* (Awww I'm falling in love with my own character) Thanks for the review!~
Mondie- *Blink!Muse runs away from Mondie too* I loved AWTR… so much I've seen it about a thousand times… Maybe it's cause I never read the book… Or maybe it's just cause of Shane West *Faints* Thanks for the review!~
AO- Thanks for reviewing! Yeah, poor Question… I can't believe I did that to him…~
Misprint- Lol, I want to see some jumping! Yep, it's going to be a longer fic… what, you think I'd just stop there? Thanks bunches for the review!~
Dr. Linkinshlof-is not a guy- Yep, poor Question… thanks for the review!~
And now the story… Ok truth time… I have NO IDEA where this is going, so updates may not be very quick. I'm trying, but I only have a vague idea of what's going to happen, and it's only for the first few chapters.
Il Salto di Honor
The lodging house was far from the Brooklyn Bridge, but Blink ran the whole way there, not noticing or caring if he was even tired. He couldn't believe what he had just done. He had left a fellow newsie… a fellow human being to the mercy of the bulls. He had probably left him to die. Question was in bad shape, he was missing half a leg. Who would want him now? He was worthless, he wouldn't be able to work in a factory, he wouldn't even be able to sell papers; he couldn't walk. Blink had ruined his life.
Kid Blink stopped running when he reached the lodging house. Breathing hard, he leaned against the door, dreading going in. How could he tell the others what he had done? Flashbacks of earlier in the night spiraled around him, ricocheting off the walls and stabbing him in the heart- right where it hurt the most. A picture of Question appeared in front of his eyes, the vision was hazy, but he could still see every detail in his face- the pain in his eyes, his mouth saying something that Blink couldn't hear. But he was sure the boy was mouthing Blink, me leg! Just the way he had said it only a half hour before. The picture changed to Question's leg, or what had been his leg, but was now just a bloody mass of ligaments and muscle. He was going to be sick.
Leaning over, he spilled his guts onto the ground in front of the lodging house. When he was finally done, he sank weakly to his knees, put his head in his hands and cried.
~~~
The Refuge was just as bad as Question had heard it to be. He had thought the hospital was bad, but now he almost missed the searing pain he had felt the night before as the doctors tried to stitch him up and stop the blood loss. He supposed that he should be thankful that he was even alive, but, although he felt guilty thinking it, he knew he'd rather be dead than have to look at this hideous stump of a leg all the time. After all, that's what Blink had thought was best. Blink had left him there to die.
He had no hard feelings toward the older boy. Question was a naïve boy of eleven. His eyes had seen more than enough pain and suffering in his short life, and he had definitely experienced a good amount as well, but if Question had a major personality flaw, it was that he was too trusting. He was locked in the Refuge and crippled with no future, and yet he felt no anger, no resentment towards Blink. Blink must have realized that, without a leg, Question would be better off dying. He had done what he did for Question's sake, it wasn't his fault that the bulls had taken him to the hospital and those stupid doctors had saved him. It was the thought that counted, and he was grateful that Blink had cared enough about him to do what he thought would have been best for Question.
Looking up from his bandaged stump, he saw a blond boy, who looked to be around his age, staring at him. He acknowledged the boy with a nod of his head.
"What happened ta youah leg?" The boy asked, staring at it with a look of disgust.
"It got cut off." Question answered, not wanting to go into it.
"Yeah, I'se can see dat. How?" He pried.
"By somet'ing sharp." Question said flatly.
The other boy rolled his eyes, but let the subject drop. "I'se Ten Pin," he introduced himself.
"Question." The two boys spit-shook.
"You'se got a newsie name."
"I'se a newsie. You'se got one too."
"I'se used ta be a newsie." The conversation lapsed into silence.
"What happened?" Question asked after a long pause.
Ten Pin shrugged. "Got thrown in heah."
"Why?"
"We's were goin' t'rough some hard times a while back. I was flat broke and no one else had any extra money. I'se didn't even have enough ta buy papes, so I'se had ta steal dem. Weasel caught me and da rest is history."
"How long ya been in heah?"
"Almost a year," Ten Pin said sadly.
"Dat long? Jus' foah takin' a few papes?" Question was shocked.
"Well, I'se kinda helped Cowboy escape. Snyder knew dat and added extra time."
"But Snyder's gone now,"
"Dey only let a few a us outta da joint, da ones who'd be leavin' soon anyway. Ev'ryone else has ta finish out dere sentence."
"Oh." Question's heart sank, he had figured he'd be out of here by the time the bandages came off his leg.
"Why are you'se in here"
"Got caught trespassing."
Ten Pin nodded. Now he understood everything. "Il Salto di Honor?"
"Did you'se have ta do it?"
"Yeah, ev'ryone does. Is dat how ya hoit youah leg?" Question nodded. "An' what happened ta the newsie youse was with?"
"He left me there, he's probably back at da lodgin' house right now."
Ten Pin's eyes darkened. "A newsie left ya there foah da bulls? Who was it?" He demanded.
"Kid Blink, but 'e was only doin' wha-" Ten Pin cut him off.
"Kid Blink?" Are we's thinkin' of da same Kid Blink, Question? Da Kid Blink I'se know would nevah hoit a fly."
"He didn't want ta hoit me. He musta t'ought I'd be bettah off dead den a crip." Question explained his logic.
Ten Pin made a strange noise in his throat, but he changed the topic. "What are youse gonna do when youse get outta heah?"
"I'se gonna go back ta bein' a newsie."
"I'se'll admit dat you'd sell a lot a pity papes, but it ain't gonna be half easy ta hop around Central Park bein' a crip."
"Crutchy's a crip an' he handles it jus' fine." Question retorted.
"Crutchy still has both his legs."
Crutchy still has both his legs. That statement hit him heard, made everything that had happened in the past twenty four hours more real. This was permanent. There was nothing he could do; no way he could ever get his leg back. He couldn't walk, which meant he couldn't be a newsie anymore. He couldn't work in a factory, no one would ever hire him. He was broke, and if he couldn't get a job anywhere he couldn't eat. He had thrown caution to the wind the night before when he jumped, and with it, he had thrown his entire life away.
~~~
"Blink? Hey, Blinky, you alright?"
Someone was shaking him. Kid Blink groaned and tried to bury his head deeper in the… concrete? He opened his eyes confused. He was lying outside the lodging house in a puddle of his own vomit. Above him was a very concerned looking Mush.
"Blink! You'se awake!" Mush wrinkled his nose. "You'se smell foul!"
Blink sat up and looked down. His entire front was soaked in the disgusting stuff. "Why am I out heah?" he asked.
"I'se thought you'se would know. We was all worried when you'se didn't show up last night. Come on, you'se need a showah." Mush said helping Kid Blink to his feet and leading him inside. "An, by da way, where's da kid?"
Da kid? What kid? QUESTION! The events of the night before came rushing back to him, making him feel nauseous again.
"Mush," he muttered, "You'se are gonna hate me…"
~~~
I hope this wasn't confusing… Blink's first part was directly after he ran away, then Question's POV was the next night, and then Blink's was the morning after Question was hurt. Wow… did that make you even more confused?
You see how fast I updated? You want another fast update? Well them, click that purty little button down there and write me a nice review… Come on… you KNOW you want to! And if you do, you get a gift-wrapped newise! What could be better than that?
~Lexa~