Disclaimer: I do not own West Side Story or any of the characters contained therein. Raquel, however, is mine, so please don't steal her!

Author's Notes: Thanks to those of you who have read and reviewed! It makes me happy! lol. BTW... sorry I didn't resolve the Chino issue in the last chapter. It shall be done. I promise. And I'm sorry for killing all you Baby John fans with the last chapter. BTW, notes to reviewers are at the end of the chapter.

Chapter 6: The Men Who Loved Her

Big Deal had seen Baby John flee the cellar, and went after him. "Johnny-boy!" he called.

"Huh?" Baby John replied from his hiding place, between two crates, where he was wiping his eyes.

"Where are ya, boy?"

"I'm right here," Baby John answered, waving his hand so that Big Deal could see him.

"What're you doin' out here all alone?"

"Nothin'," Baby John said, somehow lacking conviction.

"Nothin', huh? This ain't got nothin' to do with that broad, does it?"

"Huh?" Baby John responded, hoping it would sound as if he couldn't understand what Big Deal was talking about.

"C'mon, boy," Big Deal replied, trying not to smile.

"You mean... you know?"

"Everybody knows."

Baby John looked at his feet. "Really?"

"Yeah. You don't hide stuff like that too good." Big Deal smiled. "Baby John and a broad," he thought to himself. He shook his head. "C'mon, Johnny-boy," he said. "We need to get inside."

"Why?" Baby John asked, feeling sure that things like this would never have happened to any of the other Jets. Especially not Riff, or Ice... Or Tony.

"Because, we're too close to PR territory to suit me," Big Deal said. "And I sure as h--- don't wanna be hangin' out here when Indio and Pepe show up."

Baby John shook his head. "No... I guess not..."

Big Deal smiled. "Glad we're on the same channel here."

Baby John followed Big Deal back into the cellar with a sigh. From now on, he was going to hate being around Raquel and A-Rab

OoOoOoO

Raquel was sitting alone in the corner of the cellar that the Jets had closed off with a sheet for her. She smiled to herself. She had A-Rab in the palm of her hand. Right where she wanted him. And she was glad. If all of the others would be so easy to take down, this whole thing might be fun.

OoOoOoO

Back on the Puerto Rican side of town. Anita, Maria, and the others were all gathered around the table in Anita's apartment, some in tears, others in shock.

"I can't believe it!" Maria said.

"Neither can I," Anita replied. "Was it not enough that 'Nardo and Riff and Tony had to die?"

Consuelo was sobbing, because she had known Chino since they were small children, and he was like a brother to her.

"Lethal injection..." Rosalia said, unable to complete any kind of thought but that one.

"There has been too much death!" Maria exclaimed, smacking her hand down on the table. "Do they plan to improve things with more death?"

Anita began to cry. "And of all times for Raquel to disappear. Pobre Chino. She deserts him when he needs her!"

Ever since Raquel had turned up missing, the Sharks, especially Del Campo, had been looking for her. Only for Chino's sentencing had they taken time from their searching. And then, they had decided to search her room for any clue as to where she might be.

As the girls sat around, they were startled by fierce rapping on the door. "Maria, Anita, it's Pepe! Lemme in!"

Maria ran to the door. "Pepe, ¿qué pasa?"

Pepe stopped to breathe. "Maria, Chino's gun and..." he stopped to breathe again. "His switchblade are missing from Raquel's room. Del Campo is in there, and he will not speak."

"Dios mio!" Maria explained.

Teresita, Del Campo's sister, was on her feet in a fraction of a second headed toward Raquel and Chino's flat.

"Mi hermano," she said over and over as she ran. She didn't slow down until she was in Raquel's room and at her brother's side. "Hermano."

Del Campo looked at his sister blankly through the emptiest eyes she'd ever seen. Pepe slowly walked over to Teresita. "He believes she is dead," he told her softly. "He thinks she went to take her own life."

"Oh, Antonio," she said. She was the only one who could call Del Campo by his first name. "Antonio, we do not know this! She could be fine. Perhaps she took them for protection. There is no proof that she is dead. Surely there is a good reason for this."

Del Campo still said nothing, so Teresita gently took his arm. "Come, hermano,"she said.

He stood up and let her lead him to their flat. He sat on the old worn sofa as directed, but said nothing. Teresita sat beside him, and it was only then that she noticed a small diamond ring in his hand.

OoOoOoO

Ash- Thanks. I'm glad you like it. That threat from Ice... I spent a while trying to think of some elaborate threat, and then, I was like... Lol, it's Ice... He's gonna play it cool, boy. As far as Maria and Chino, she is being her normal, "hate is bad" self, and hoping Chino gets a second chance to give up hate... I think. lol. The lie... Yeah, Raquel wants to get near the Jets... Yeah... Raquel and her evil tortureness. lol. But as far as who she kills or if she kills anyone... I say nothing... I really don't like Action or Anybodys that much. Sometimes, though, I'm OK with them. lol. Baby John is a doll. He's sooo sweet and innocent. Poor kid. Thanks also for the review on chap. 5. I'm glad I'm evoking emotions, albeit not happy ones. lol.

Lyndsie Rose- Glad you like it. Yeah... I agree that it's a little odd, but she really loved 'Nardo, and she really hates them. Thanks for the compliment on the characterization of Ice, Action, and Baby John... That's one of the most important things to me, is that the characters stay themselves. As far as "crossing themselves," I babysat for a Catholic family, and that's what my little friend Alexandra said... But, she was also in 3rd grade... so I don't know. lol. But I'm glad you like it... Please keep reading.

Eaglesgirl- I know how you. It hurt me to write it. lol. I just love that guy! lol.

Tonyboy- Yeah. It broke my heart to write it... Ah, what our muses make us do. lol. Wow... That's a long time to wait for auditions. That's gotta suck. I wish I could come see it at your school. Esp. if you're Tony. Did you know that Russ Tamblyn originally tried out for Tony in the movie, and that it was down to just him and Richard Beymer, and they gave it to Richard Beymer, but then asked him to read for Riff... And also, did you know that George Chakiris, who plays Bernardo, played Riff in the play version? Trivia for ya there. lol. If our school did WSS, I would want to play Maria, or Anita... I'd even take Anybodys if that's what I got. lol. My choral director can play faves too, esp. with Seniors. In fact, for Phantom of the Opera Theme this year, I wanted that song really bad, but anywho, he gave it to a 1st soprano, who couldn't hit the low notes. I was like, WHAT? I'm a second, who can sing some 1st range, high enough for that part, and some alto, low enough for that part. Ugh! lol. I def hope you get Tony! I agree about the novelization. Tony's not a coward. My gosh. What coward would go right back to the girl he loves after he's killed her brother? Yeah... Russ Tamblyn is so great in both WSS and 7B7B. That's a great movie. I think you would do Raoul or Phantom great, just from your personality. You seem like a great person who really understands characters, which is majorly important! Glad you liked the chap, and thanks alot for another long review...

Translations...

Pobre- Poor

¿Qué pasa?- What is happening?

Dios mio- My God.

Mi hermano- my brother