Title: Cuts Like A Knife

Author: Stress

First written: May 12, 2002

Edited and replaced: January 21, 2005

Summary: Part I of the Soul Mates Series; She thought that life couldn't get any better. She had friends and a family that loved her – she was taken care of and had no complaints. But that was before he came into her life. And, no matter how hard she tries to escape his grasp, he'll never let her go.

The DistributionCenter

"Hey, Blink. I bet you five-to-one that Cowboy asks Stress to be his girl by the end o' this week," Race joked as he sat outside the distribution center, waiting for Bookie to arrive.

"You know what Race, I think he'll ask her by the end of today," Blink replied as he sat down next to Race, keeping his eye peeled for Martini.

Jack stood up next to the two jokesters, blushing slightly, and slapped each one playfully in turn. "Aww, shut up both of you. She's just my friend, that's all," Jack announced as he pulled his cowboy hat onto his head, and sat down to count out his fifty papers.

"Sure, Cowboy, sure," King added as he walked by the three younger boys. King fancied himself as the "know-it-all" of the lodging house; therefore he made it his point to know the business of all of his newsies. "We all know that you got it bad for the Cupcake."

Jack looked up at King with a smirk. "What ever you say, King. By the way, does Stress still faint when she sees ya?" he asked innocently and laughed heartily when King turned bright red.

"Shut up, Jack." Stress's slight hesitations toward King was still a running joke in the lodging house. Though she said she trusted him and considered him one of her new friends, King knew she was still afraid of what he might do to her at any given moment.

As Race, Blink and Jack poked fun at King, he tried to think of a way to get back at the three stooges that sat before him. "I oughtta--"

"King, Cowboy, Race, Blink..." Martini panted as she ran up to the four boys, Bookie right behind her.

King stopped mid-sentence and turned to face Martini. "What's wrong Martini?" As it usually did in the most extreme situations, King's uncanny leader ability, his ability to know when there is trouble around, kicked in.

Martini clutched the stitch in her side as she gasped, trying feverishly to catch her breath. "Trouble... Stress... Help..." she stammered.

Jack jumped up at the mention of Stress's name. "What do you mean, trouble? What happened to Stress?" his voice cracked as he knocked his hat off of his head and prepared himself to run to his friend's aid.

King threw out on of his hands, trying to calm Jack down before all of the details were told. "Bookie, what do you have to say?"

"You see, we were just walking to the distribution center when this guy calls out from behind us. We all stop talking and turned around to see who it was. It seems like it's someone that Stress used to know, but it wasn't on the best o' terms, I would say. He all grabbed her by the arms and kept asking about you, Cowboy, all jealous-like. It was real scary, so we decided it might be a good idea to get some of you guys in case," Bookie blurted out and started to shake. "What's happening to her right now?" she wondered. She doubted it would be good.

Race hurried to Bookie's side and put his arms around her comfortingly. Blink quickly copied the gesture and held Martini close to his chest. Jack paled a bit and began to pace nervously back and forth. "Some guy is hurting Stress, that can't be good," he mumbled, more to himself than anyone else. "Bookie, Martini, where is she?"

Underneath the supportive weight of Blink's arms, Martini called out, "We left her with Gip, Stripes and that guy about six or so blocks back that way."

"Then what are we waiting here for?" Jack wondered out loud as he began to run in the direction that Martini was pointing in. King let out a deep sigh and ran after him.

"I will never forgive myself if anything happened to her. I should have walked to the Bottle Alley lodging house instead of meeting her at the distribution center," he called to King as he ran blindly.

"You really are stuck on the girl, eh, Cowboy?" King replied as he swerved to avoid colliding with Jack.

Jack put on an extra burst of speed when he saw Stripes waiting nervously on a street corner. "Naw, King, we're just friends." He slowed down, just barely, when he drew close to Stripes. "Stripes, where's Stress? Where's Gip?" he cried as he looked around wildly, hoping to see either one of the girls.

Stripes moved her hair out of her eyes, eyes that showed her nervous state. "I don't know, Jack. That guy grabbed Stress and began to drag her into that alley. We began to go after him, but Stress told' us that she'd be fine. After a couple minutes Gip went after them and I haven't seen either one since," she whispered as she began to cry softly. "What if that guy does something to them and I just stood here?"

Jack shook her shoulders gently and whispered back. "Don't worry, Stripes. It probably wasn't a good idea for Gip to follow them, but we'll take care of it." With a quick look at King, Jack began to walk, quietly so as not to scare off the "guy", towards the alley that Stripes had pointed out.

Once he reached the entrance to the alley, Jack tip-toed inside, with King walking gently right behind him. "Shhh!!" King whispered as he made out a man-sized shadow in a back corner of the alley.

Jack nodded and walked right up behind the shadow. He almost lost his head when he saw the two figures who lay unconscious on the ground. "Stress? Gip? My God..."

Before he had a chance to rush forward and rescue his two friends, Jack paused when King tapped his shoulder and pointed at the shadowy figure.

A shadowy figure that was just finishing taking off his pants. "Why would he be taking off his pants? Oh my God, he's gonna --" his thoughts were interrupted when he realized what the figure was going to do to the two helpless girls. Fighting his sensible side which told him not to say anything until he and King could work out a plan, Jack said the first threat that came to his mind. "Touch one hair on that girl's head and I'll personally make sure you never walk again."