A/N – I don't own Jocelyn "Jaws" and Joaquin, they are owned by Jocelyn Padoga. I also don't own Spitball she is owned by My Dog Ate My Penname and Pokey is owned by Pokey7. There I think that covers it.
Everyone should go check out JamieBell's Newsies story, 'Susannah and the Newsie'. I recommend it. And Nada Zimri's story 'Lifelong Choices' and also RiotAct's 'Going Home'. Yup that's it.
"Hey Pistol, wait up." Pistol obediently stopped to let Kid Blink and one of the new kids catch up. The new boy was named Joaquin and he was one of the new additions to the Manhattan Lodging House. With dark brown hair and green eyes, he always had a ready smile.
The few other newcomers were mostly girls, two named Shakes and Becca and another little boy called Squirt. Pistol vaguely missed Misery and Racetrack, but soon after they had gotten engaged, they had moved out of the lodging house with Misery's infant son Joshua. Pistol still saw Racetrack and Misery almost every day. Misery no longer sold papers, but Race worked at Sheepshead as a bookie and Blink and Mush visited him all the time.
"Are you going to Medda's tonight Pistol?" She nodded at Blink while humming under her breath. It was widely rumored that she was a few eggs short of a dozen, or in other words touched in the head. Blink didn't care; he still loved to spend time with her.
"I can't believe Jack tried to change the curfew. Silly boy, he was only a newsie a few months ago. Just because he took over Kloppman's job doesn't give him the right to lord it over us." Blink grinned down at Pistol. He agreed with her, and although he and Mush were basically the leaders in the lodging house now, they still didn't have any sway over Jack unlike when Jack had been able to talk Kloppman into anything.
"My sister is singing tonight at Medda's. Her first solo, she's going to be fantastic." Pistol listened to Joaquin bubble on about his sister Jocelyn, nicknamed 'Jaws'. The gentle girl was Joaquin's twin and she had been at Medda's for a year or so ever since the pair's parents had been killed in a fire. Pistol knew Mush had a thing for her, but he was too shy to say anything which cracked Pistol up to no end.
"Alright when is Spot coming with his boys? We need to head to Queens soon to talk to Hebrew and there's no way in Hell we're going just us." Mush had appeared suddenly and Pistol jumped a little. They were heading to meet Spot and then to a meeting with Hebrew Feldman the new leader of Queens. Hebrew apparently had a big problem with the alliance of Manhattan and Brooklyn and had been sending runners to either leaders trying to convince them the folly of such a connection. He was trying to ruin something good and there was no way either borough was going to let him.
"Getting antsy Mushy? I'm right here; don't get your knickers in a knot." Spot sauntered down the sidewalk trailed by some of his largest boys including Riddle, and a few girls, Bourbon and Pokey amongst them. Pistol launched herself at Bourbon, allowing the older taller girl to heft her up and swing her around. Pistol may have been sixteen, but she was as small as Misery who was only 4"11.
After Misery had returned from New Hampshire, Bourbon had gone to Brooklyn to be with Riddle. She looked happy and Pistol was glad. Spot shot them a disapproving look as Bourbon set Pistol down onto her feet, and she snidely stuck her tongue out at him. Shock crossed the Brooklyn boy's face before he broke out into a smirk and cuffed her head.
"Fuckin' nut ya are Pistol. Watch out for this one boys, if there's fighting she goes crazy with her switchblade." Pistol attempted to look menacing and the kids all laughed, more than a few of them taking fake swipes at her head with gentle fists. Blink had a worried look on his face as he crossed his arms and waited for the two groups to be done greeting each other.
Pistol attached herself to Bourbon's sleeve. The girls were wearing their normal attire, boys clothing with their hair tied up and tucked under hats. Misery had given Pistol her old bowler hat and Pistol wore it cocked jauntily over her red hair. Bourbon wore one of Riddle's cabby hats and had a club tucked into her back pocket. Pistol was the only tough Manhattan girl now whereas Brooklyn only had tough girls.
She nodded at the two other girls accompanying Spot. One was short and stocky with a scar on her cheek and shoulder length straw-colored hair. Her gray eyes were cool and she almost never smiled. Her name was Annabelle but the newsies called her Icicle. The other girl was tall and also well-built. She was just called Red, and nobody knew why since she had dirty blonde hair and green eyes.
"Let's get this party started, Medda's show starts soon." The group of kids trooped down alleyways and back streets so as not to draw attention to themselves. Pistol felt her adrenaline beginning to rush through her veins and she gave Bourbon a gleeful smile.
"No trouble now Pistol," Blink said into her ear catching her grin. Spot gave her an indulgent smirk and kinked an eyebrow up at Blink who gave him a stony look back.
"Ah leave the girl alone, she won't cause no harm. I always said you should be a Brooklyn dame," Spot lightly slapped Pistol's face and she took a swing at him, which he easily dodged, laughing. For some reason Spot felt like an older brother to her and he taunted her as one would all the time.
Blink stepped over a puddle of God only knew what and then around a pile of trash as they navigated their way through a narrow alley. He watched the byplay between Spot and Pistol and felt his guts tighten. Mush tossed him a knowing look which Blink struggled to ignore. If they weren't surrounded by kids he would have said something cutting about Mush's feelings for Jaws. Shame coursed through him at that idea and he resolutely decided to never give Mush grief about Jaws.
Deep down Blink knew that Spot didn't think of Pistol in a romantic way. They were too much alike in their aloofness and shying away of sharing feelings. But when the two got going it never failed to create a fluttering of panic in his belly. Cursing silently he stalked ahead of the pair, not seeing the slightly hurt, bemused look Pistol shot his stiff back.
"What's his deal?" Pokey who had joined Pistol and Spot shot her an incredulous look and snorted.
"Are you serious?" Pistol tried to scratch her head then mumbled under her breath before removing her bowler hat and THEN scratching her head. Blinking at Spot and Pokey she rolled her eyes and launched herself at Riddle and Bourbon who were walking up ahead. Clinging to Riddle's back like a monkey, she tried spurring him on digging her heels into his sides.
"Giddy up ya bum!" Riddle grabbed the neck of her shirt and flipped her over his shoulder and carried her under one arm. Hollering and squirming she tried biting at him while he laughed.
"You're lucky we like you, ya crazy broad," was all he said. Pistol grunted in reply and let him swing her along before he grew tired of it and set her on her feet. By then they had reached Queens and the mood of the group swiftly turned solemn.
When they reached the old warehouse that the Queens newsies called home, Spot was swaggering along with his chest puffed out, eyes narrowed dangerously and cane at the ready. Blink and Mush both put on their tough faces, something which Mush used to have a problem with in the beginning of his leadership but which he now could do at will.
Pistol and the girls hung back, they were there to mediate if things got heavy, and to also lend a hand in the fighting if need be. The Queens and Harlem newsies didn't let girls join in the fighting period. They wouldn't readily believe that the girls were there to fight, hence creating an element of surprise if they did jump in. Pistol knew that every single Brooklyn kid had a weapon on them. She could see them shifting so that their hands were near wherever they had them hidden on their bodies.
Spot strode up to the door to the warehouse and rapped on it smartly with his cane. Crossing his arms, he stood next to Blink and Mush as they waited. It didn't take long for the door to open and when it did, they were taken aback to see a raven-haired beauty with brown eyes and a nice figure her dress did nothing to hide.
"Can I help you?" Spot snorted and smirked at the same time. He wasn't easily affected by pretty girls, they were a dime a dozen. Taking the girl in with a downward then upward glance he dismissed her just as fast.
"We're here to see Hebrew." Now it was Pistol's turn to have her stomach go sour. Blink was gazing at the girl like he had never seen anything female in his life. Crossing her arms and gripping her elbows tightly she glared daggers at the girl.
"I'm Hebrew's sister Ruth. He's expecting you, come on in." Spot, Mush, and Blink disappeared into the building followed by Joaquin and the Brooklyn boys. The girls were expected to wait outside unless something happened. But Pistol and Bourbon shouldered their way past the last few Brooklyn newsies and joined the boys as they entered a dimly lit hallway that opened up into a large room. Furnished with a table, some chairs, and a woodstove, it had only the bare necessities. A staircase disappeared up the side of one of the walls to where the bunkroom must be.
A group of boys sat around the table, the tallest one rising as they entered. Spot and Blink shot Bourbon and Pistol disapproving glances before Spot sent two of his boys out to keep track of the other girls. The tall boy spat into his hand and stuck it out to Spot and Spot spat into his own before clasping their hands together. The ritual was repeated with Mush and Blink.
Hebrew, the tall boy who had stood up, was solidly built with black hair and brown eyes. He had a largish nose and when he smiled, he was missing one of his front teeth. But instead of making him look goofy, it lent a dangerous air to his already volatile personality. The rest of the Queens boys were the same. While they didn't radiate as hostile of an air as the Brooklyn boys always did, they definitely weren't there to drink tea or play cards.
Hebrew waved a hand to some empty chairs and they all quickly found seats, Riddle keeping Bourbon by his side, while Spot and Blink made Pistol sit in a chair right behind them. Ruth stood against the wall behind her brother, and it was all Pistol could do to not stare at her in disgust.
"Gentlemen," Hebrew's voice was raspy and sounded like it wasn't used that often. He raised dark eyebrows at Spot, Blink, and Mush before placing his hands on the table in front of him. His knuckles were swollen from recent fights and his eyes were flat.
"Shall we begin?"
SHOUT OUTS
Smiley Cad – Yay a new reviewer! :::dances:::: I'm glad you like my stories, the only reason I wasn't updating this was because I got writer's block but I'm ready to start writing a lot again. Thanks for the review!
Kays14 – Thanks that's too nice of ya to say :D I didn't do a Spot story first but I have one up now! I couldn't not write a Spot story, it's Spot…
Erin Go Bragh – I LOVE your penname. It's rockin'. Thanks for the review.
Pokey7 – Good I'm glad I do your character justice. Yep Pistol is definitely a do what I say, not what I do type of person. I liked how Blink comforted her too. He better after getting all scary on that guy.
JamieBell – Nah I'm not the only one who likes your story. Your story rocks. I'll have to promote it. Yep I will do that. I have a few guy friends who would beat up mean guys for me. That's only because I'm little height wise so they get all big brother on me. I definitely couldn't love a wimp, therefore neither can Pistol. I'm glad Blink seems like how he is in the movie.
Nada Zimri – Oooh I remember that shiver part in 'Under My Thumb'. I was proud of that part. This one did the same thing? Score! ::thumbs up::
My Dog Ate My Penname – The ankle grabbing!! Ooooh….::Watches Spot and Spitball:::
Man, he sure showed you!
Spot: I did, didn't I? ::smirk:: Now it's time to watch 'Great Expectations'.
::slaps forehead:: We've created a monster, Spitball….
Yep there is definitely something going on between Pistol and Blink. Eventually anyway.