See disclaimer from chapter 1
thanks so much for the reviews guys, its fun when people care enough to reflect on the story.
It was late afternoon when David, Jack, and Les got back to the Jacob's apartment, and the sun was already setting, casting an orange glow through the windows. As the tree trouped in David headed for the kitchen to get a drink.
"Hey Jack! You want some water?" He threw back over his shoulder.
"Yeah Dave, that would be great," he answered. He walked over to the big bed in the main room, the one that Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs shared. As he plopped down on the bed to rest his feet a muffled scream came from under the covers. Jack leapt up from the bed and David came running in from the kitchen, by this time Les had disappeared onto the roof to play.
A person scrambled out from under the quilts and pressed itself up against the wall in a familiar way.
"Cate! Jesus you scared us," Jack exclaimed.
"I could say the same," was her quite reply. It sounded curiously like sarcasm, and Jack was a little startled.
David stepped up to them and handed Jack his glass of water. "So, how was your sleep? Is there anything I can get you?" he asked.
"No thank you, I do feel much better now though, and it was very nice of your sister to lend me one of her nightgowns. However, now that I have had some rest, I should no longer take advantage of your hospitality. If you could just direct me to a room in which I could change then . . . ."
"No way!" David interrupted, "We can't just let you go. You need more rest, besides if just let you walk out of here Sarah would kill us."
"Nonsense. I must be going," and with that she tried to stand up. Her body however, had not had enough time to heal, and her right leg, which was probably sprained, gave out beneath her.
Jack, who was closest, quickly stepped up and caught her. David had said she was light, but he was shocked by just how little she weighed. He easily placed her back on the bed, and took a step back, for she had grown very stiff in his arms.
As jack stood back, David could see her relax, and become a little more comfortable. Why was she so afraid of them touching her? What had happened? She had said someone had hurt her, but was it so bad that she no longer wanted any human contact? As he puzzled over this very strange girl he and Jack both really looked at her for the first time since they had gotten home.
She was all cleaned up, and the difference was startling. Her skin was very pale, probably from whatever she had been through recently, but it gave the appearance of always being very fair. The white nightgown fit her almost perfectly, which ment that she was about five feet and seven inches tall, the same height as Sarah. Her long, brown hair had been washed and brushed and fell in waves around her face and down past her shoulders. Some of the sun's rays were still coming in through the window and gave her hair a reddish gold tint. The swelling had gone down around her eye, and both light blue orbs were visible. All in all she was very pretty, with high cheek bones, full lips, which showed evidence of having been cut recently, and those big blue eyes, which watched them both with a familiarly piercing gaze.
Sarah, who seemed to have impeccable timing today, took that opportunity to walk in the door.
"Oh, hello every one," she paused and looked around the room, her eye settled on Cate. "You are looking much better Cate, are you feeling better?"
"Yes, thank you. But as I was just trying to tell the boys, I must be pressing on."
"Hmmm, I think not," Sarah replied firmly. "It will be several weeks before you are in any condition to travel, let alone leave this apartment. I will talk to Mama and Papa tonight and then we can decide what is the best course of action." She paused again, "David, where is Les?"
"Last I saw he went up to the roof to play, but if you like I will go get him." And with that David climbed out onto the fire escape and up to the roof.
Sarah walked over to one of the chairs surrounding the large dinning room table, and sat down, stretching her legs out in front of her. To be correct it wasn't really a dinning room as much as a bed room, den and dinning room rolled into one.
Jack walked over and stood behind her chair and put his hands on her shoulders. He leaned over a little, "long day?"
"Yeah," was her only reply. Then she turned her head to the side and looked up at him, "but I'm feeling better already." She gave him a sheepish little grin.
He promptly bent his head down and kissed her on the mouth, and she relaxed into his arms, which had come down to envelope her.
Cate watched from the bed, a look of sad longing on her face. But the moment was interrupted by the return of Les and David.
"Sarah! Your home! You'll never guess what happened to me today. Never ever." Les had run up to Sarah, forcing Jack to stand back up.
"Well, why don't you help me make dinner and you can tell me all about it," was her calm answer, as she got up out of the chair. Just before she left the room she stopped, "Jack are you going to stay tonight?"
"If that is what the lovely lady wants," he replied, teasingly, with a deep bow. Sarah just shook her head and continued in to start dinner.
"Oh, and you boys make sure that Cate stays put, we can't have her getting worse," was her final call from the other room.
Both David and Jack looked at Cate, who looked back with an expression that said clearly if they came anywhere near her she would scream her head off. So they settled for sitting at the table and talking over the day's headlines.
It was not very long before the delicious smells of chicken and roast vegetables started to waft through the apartment. And soon after that Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs arrived home and were, needless to say, quite shocked at seeing a young woman in their bed.
"Oh! Ma, Pop, this is Cate Flanagan. She was having a little trouble this morning, and Jack and I found her, and Sarah insisted we bring her back here to rest up and get a few meals in her." David rushed out as he stood up and made his way over to the bed she was resting on.
"Well, the more the merrier I guess," said Mr. Jacobs. He held his had forward as if to shake hers. "My name is Michael Jacobs, I hope you are feeling a little better Cate."
She looked at the outstretched hand cautiously, then shrank back against the wall a little more. "Yes Sir. Thank you Sir," came the hardly audible whisper as she hid behind some of her hair that had fallen in front of her face.
An uneasy tension filled the room until Jack stepped up in between Mr. Jacobs and the cowering form of the girl, "Heya Mr. Jacobs. Hows it gonin?" with that he seized Mr. Jacobs's hand and shook it firmly.
Cate let out a little sigh of relief and gave Jack a silent "thank you".
Mrs. Jacobs came forward a little, "my dear, I hope you are alright?"
"Yes ma'am, thank you very much for your hospitality," was the meek reply.
"Ok then, I'm going to go into the kitchen and help Sarah finish up dinner. Jack will you be staying with us tonight?" Mrs. Jacobs asked.
"Yes, thank you."
"Good, then you boys go wash up so we can eat soon," and with that Mrs. Jacobs disappeared into the kitchen. "So boys, how did selling go today?"
"Great Pop, we made almost two dollars." David pulled the money from his pocket and placed it on the table.
Jack walked forward and clapped David on the shoulder, "See. Wadda I tell ya Mr. J? I told ya that me and your boys could move a thousand papes a week."
It was a half an hour before they all sat around the table, Cate with a shawl around her shoulders. She had been helped to the table by Sarah, who she seemed to be less afraid of than everyone else. That is every one with the exception of Les, whom she didn't seem to be afraid of at all.
"So Miss Flanagan, how long have you been in the city?" asked Mr. Jacobs while cutting his chicken.
"Well my father and I have lived in New York for a little over a year. Before that we owned a ton house in Cork, that is where my mother is buried."
"Oh my, how sad! How old were you when she passed on?" Was Mrs. Jacobs's sympathetic reply.
"She died just before we left for America." Cate answered, then she continued on quickly, "It was an accident, she fell down the stairs."
"Well it is hardly something you want to be reminded of, I'm sure. So Les tell me what happened to you today?" Mrs. Jacobs turned to her youngest son, who shot up in his seat.
"Oh Mama! We went down to the tracks to sell and we saw Race. And he let me hold his ticket, and he won! And he said I was good luck, and then he bought me a hot dog at Tibbie's because I helped him win."
"Well isn't that wonderful for Mr. Racetrack. Did you make sure to thank him?"
"Yes Mama."
By this time everyone had finished their meal, so Mrs. Jacobs stood up and started gathering plates and silverware. "Michael, Sarah, David, would you three help me clean up in the kitchen?"
"Yes Ma," David replied and he also started collecting dishes.
"I'll be just a minute Mama, let me help Cate get back into bed." Sarah stood and started to move towards Cate, but Jack waved her off.
"Go help your parents Sarah, I'll help Cate get back into bed."
"Okay, be carful of her shoulder."
He gave her a grin and a little kiss on the cheek, "Don't worry, I will."
Sarah left with the reaming dishes, and Jack turned to Cate. "So do you want me to carry you? Or would you ratha that I just support you while you walk?"
She looked nervously at the door to the kitchen, then back at him. "I suppose I could try and just lean on you, and walk." With a little awkwardness they managed to get her settled on the bed again. Jack piled pillows behind her back so that she could sit against the.
"Thank you." she said as he stood back and took a seat in the nearest chair.
"No problem, I'm just doen what any decent porson would."
She gave a little snort, "Not most of the people I know. But I ment for earlier, with Mr. Jacobs, thank you for saving me from having to touch him.
"Why are you so afraid? Its not like any of us is gonna hurt you."
"Forgive me for not being more trusting, but I just meet you, and while you seem like nice enough people I . . . I just can't. Too many bad experiences, I guess."
"Any thing you want to talk about?"
"No," was her simple reply.
Before Jack could get anymore information from her Les came running into the room carrying a checkers set.
"Cate, Cate, will you play with me?" he asked.
"Of course Les," she smiled at the little boy, the only one she could trust. They quickly set up the game and started to play while Jack watched and absent mindedly played with the days earnings.
Meanwhile in the kitchen the four older members of the family were discussing what to do with the young woman in the living room.
"Mama you should have seen the shape she was in this morning," Sarah exclaimed. "David can tell you. She was covered with blood and dirt, and was torn to pieces. She will hardly let anyone touch her."
"She says she was running from something, but she won't say what," David counted. "And she is really light, like she hasn't been eating for days."
"But David, Sarah, she said so herself, she has family, what if they are looking for her?" Came Mr. Jacobs calm interjection.
"If her family lets her get that beat up I think that she would be better off with out them." David answered.
Sarah turned to her mother, "Mama, just let her stay a little while, soon she will be well enough to help out around the apartment. She needs our help, we can't just put her back out on the streets."
Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs looked at each other then Mr. Jacobs started slowly, "she can stay for a few weeks, but if we don't know more about her by then, you'll have to find somewhere else for her to live."
"Ok, thank you very much Papa, she can sleep in my bed with me," came Sarah's quick reply. "I'll go get Les to bed."
"Ok. You can go to David, your mother and I will finish up in here."
When David and Sarah came back into the livingroom the found Les and Cate pondering over the checkerboard and Jack watching from the table.
"Its time fore bed Les," Sarah said from the doorway.
"Ohhh, just five more minutes. Please! We're almost done."
"Ok, but I'll be waiting," with that Sarah hurried of into the bedroom the children shared.
David walked over to the bed and looked at the checkerboard. Cate was in position to win on her next move.
"Ok Les, it is your turn," she said to him. Les contemplated the board for a moment, then moved into the trap Cate had set up. But instead of finishing the game she let him capture one of her kings. Soon the game was over and Cate had let Les win. "You had better get off to bed, or your sister will be mad."
"Goodnight," Les called as he hurried off into the other room.
David sat down on the bed, but not close enough for Cate to feel threatened, and started cleaning up the checkers. "You know, you didn't have to let him win." He said.
"Little children love to win, plus if I hadn't the game would have been over too fast." She said simply. "It is nice to see him so happy."
David was a little taken aback. Her was a girl who was visibly scared of almost every one around, and had obviously been beaten very badly. Yet she was concerned over his little brother's feelings. He gave her a sideways look, she was obviously a very complicated person, and had been hurt very badly. David sighed, he wished there was someway he could help her. For that he would have to gain her trust first.
Jack, who had been silent until then stood and walked over to the window. "Hey Dave, when Sarah comes back out tell her to meet me on the roof."
David looked up from the bed where he was trying to make sure he had gotten all the checkers, "Sure Jack."
With that Jack climbed onto the fire escape and up to the roof.
wow! Sorry that took so long, these chapters are hard to write. But never fear I will have another one the next two days. This is gonna be a long fic, but I promise action, adventure, and romance for all!
thanks so much for the reviews guys, its fun when people care enough to reflect on the story.
It was late afternoon when David, Jack, and Les got back to the Jacob's apartment, and the sun was already setting, casting an orange glow through the windows. As the tree trouped in David headed for the kitchen to get a drink.
"Hey Jack! You want some water?" He threw back over his shoulder.
"Yeah Dave, that would be great," he answered. He walked over to the big bed in the main room, the one that Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs shared. As he plopped down on the bed to rest his feet a muffled scream came from under the covers. Jack leapt up from the bed and David came running in from the kitchen, by this time Les had disappeared onto the roof to play.
A person scrambled out from under the quilts and pressed itself up against the wall in a familiar way.
"Cate! Jesus you scared us," Jack exclaimed.
"I could say the same," was her quite reply. It sounded curiously like sarcasm, and Jack was a little startled.
David stepped up to them and handed Jack his glass of water. "So, how was your sleep? Is there anything I can get you?" he asked.
"No thank you, I do feel much better now though, and it was very nice of your sister to lend me one of her nightgowns. However, now that I have had some rest, I should no longer take advantage of your hospitality. If you could just direct me to a room in which I could change then . . . ."
"No way!" David interrupted, "We can't just let you go. You need more rest, besides if just let you walk out of here Sarah would kill us."
"Nonsense. I must be going," and with that she tried to stand up. Her body however, had not had enough time to heal, and her right leg, which was probably sprained, gave out beneath her.
Jack, who was closest, quickly stepped up and caught her. David had said she was light, but he was shocked by just how little she weighed. He easily placed her back on the bed, and took a step back, for she had grown very stiff in his arms.
As jack stood back, David could see her relax, and become a little more comfortable. Why was she so afraid of them touching her? What had happened? She had said someone had hurt her, but was it so bad that she no longer wanted any human contact? As he puzzled over this very strange girl he and Jack both really looked at her for the first time since they had gotten home.
She was all cleaned up, and the difference was startling. Her skin was very pale, probably from whatever she had been through recently, but it gave the appearance of always being very fair. The white nightgown fit her almost perfectly, which ment that she was about five feet and seven inches tall, the same height as Sarah. Her long, brown hair had been washed and brushed and fell in waves around her face and down past her shoulders. Some of the sun's rays were still coming in through the window and gave her hair a reddish gold tint. The swelling had gone down around her eye, and both light blue orbs were visible. All in all she was very pretty, with high cheek bones, full lips, which showed evidence of having been cut recently, and those big blue eyes, which watched them both with a familiarly piercing gaze.
Sarah, who seemed to have impeccable timing today, took that opportunity to walk in the door.
"Oh, hello every one," she paused and looked around the room, her eye settled on Cate. "You are looking much better Cate, are you feeling better?"
"Yes, thank you. But as I was just trying to tell the boys, I must be pressing on."
"Hmmm, I think not," Sarah replied firmly. "It will be several weeks before you are in any condition to travel, let alone leave this apartment. I will talk to Mama and Papa tonight and then we can decide what is the best course of action." She paused again, "David, where is Les?"
"Last I saw he went up to the roof to play, but if you like I will go get him." And with that David climbed out onto the fire escape and up to the roof.
Sarah walked over to one of the chairs surrounding the large dinning room table, and sat down, stretching her legs out in front of her. To be correct it wasn't really a dinning room as much as a bed room, den and dinning room rolled into one.
Jack walked over and stood behind her chair and put his hands on her shoulders. He leaned over a little, "long day?"
"Yeah," was her only reply. Then she turned her head to the side and looked up at him, "but I'm feeling better already." She gave him a sheepish little grin.
He promptly bent his head down and kissed her on the mouth, and she relaxed into his arms, which had come down to envelope her.
Cate watched from the bed, a look of sad longing on her face. But the moment was interrupted by the return of Les and David.
"Sarah! Your home! You'll never guess what happened to me today. Never ever." Les had run up to Sarah, forcing Jack to stand back up.
"Well, why don't you help me make dinner and you can tell me all about it," was her calm answer, as she got up out of the chair. Just before she left the room she stopped, "Jack are you going to stay tonight?"
"If that is what the lovely lady wants," he replied, teasingly, with a deep bow. Sarah just shook her head and continued in to start dinner.
"Oh, and you boys make sure that Cate stays put, we can't have her getting worse," was her final call from the other room.
Both David and Jack looked at Cate, who looked back with an expression that said clearly if they came anywhere near her she would scream her head off. So they settled for sitting at the table and talking over the day's headlines.
It was not very long before the delicious smells of chicken and roast vegetables started to waft through the apartment. And soon after that Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs arrived home and were, needless to say, quite shocked at seeing a young woman in their bed.
"Oh! Ma, Pop, this is Cate Flanagan. She was having a little trouble this morning, and Jack and I found her, and Sarah insisted we bring her back here to rest up and get a few meals in her." David rushed out as he stood up and made his way over to the bed she was resting on.
"Well, the more the merrier I guess," said Mr. Jacobs. He held his had forward as if to shake hers. "My name is Michael Jacobs, I hope you are feeling a little better Cate."
She looked at the outstretched hand cautiously, then shrank back against the wall a little more. "Yes Sir. Thank you Sir," came the hardly audible whisper as she hid behind some of her hair that had fallen in front of her face.
An uneasy tension filled the room until Jack stepped up in between Mr. Jacobs and the cowering form of the girl, "Heya Mr. Jacobs. Hows it gonin?" with that he seized Mr. Jacobs's hand and shook it firmly.
Cate let out a little sigh of relief and gave Jack a silent "thank you".
Mrs. Jacobs came forward a little, "my dear, I hope you are alright?"
"Yes ma'am, thank you very much for your hospitality," was the meek reply.
"Ok then, I'm going to go into the kitchen and help Sarah finish up dinner. Jack will you be staying with us tonight?" Mrs. Jacobs asked.
"Yes, thank you."
"Good, then you boys go wash up so we can eat soon," and with that Mrs. Jacobs disappeared into the kitchen. "So boys, how did selling go today?"
"Great Pop, we made almost two dollars." David pulled the money from his pocket and placed it on the table.
Jack walked forward and clapped David on the shoulder, "See. Wadda I tell ya Mr. J? I told ya that me and your boys could move a thousand papes a week."
It was a half an hour before they all sat around the table, Cate with a shawl around her shoulders. She had been helped to the table by Sarah, who she seemed to be less afraid of than everyone else. That is every one with the exception of Les, whom she didn't seem to be afraid of at all.
"So Miss Flanagan, how long have you been in the city?" asked Mr. Jacobs while cutting his chicken.
"Well my father and I have lived in New York for a little over a year. Before that we owned a ton house in Cork, that is where my mother is buried."
"Oh my, how sad! How old were you when she passed on?" Was Mrs. Jacobs's sympathetic reply.
"She died just before we left for America." Cate answered, then she continued on quickly, "It was an accident, she fell down the stairs."
"Well it is hardly something you want to be reminded of, I'm sure. So Les tell me what happened to you today?" Mrs. Jacobs turned to her youngest son, who shot up in his seat.
"Oh Mama! We went down to the tracks to sell and we saw Race. And he let me hold his ticket, and he won! And he said I was good luck, and then he bought me a hot dog at Tibbie's because I helped him win."
"Well isn't that wonderful for Mr. Racetrack. Did you make sure to thank him?"
"Yes Mama."
By this time everyone had finished their meal, so Mrs. Jacobs stood up and started gathering plates and silverware. "Michael, Sarah, David, would you three help me clean up in the kitchen?"
"Yes Ma," David replied and he also started collecting dishes.
"I'll be just a minute Mama, let me help Cate get back into bed." Sarah stood and started to move towards Cate, but Jack waved her off.
"Go help your parents Sarah, I'll help Cate get back into bed."
"Okay, be carful of her shoulder."
He gave her a grin and a little kiss on the cheek, "Don't worry, I will."
Sarah left with the reaming dishes, and Jack turned to Cate. "So do you want me to carry you? Or would you ratha that I just support you while you walk?"
She looked nervously at the door to the kitchen, then back at him. "I suppose I could try and just lean on you, and walk." With a little awkwardness they managed to get her settled on the bed again. Jack piled pillows behind her back so that she could sit against the.
"Thank you." she said as he stood back and took a seat in the nearest chair.
"No problem, I'm just doen what any decent porson would."
She gave a little snort, "Not most of the people I know. But I ment for earlier, with Mr. Jacobs, thank you for saving me from having to touch him.
"Why are you so afraid? Its not like any of us is gonna hurt you."
"Forgive me for not being more trusting, but I just meet you, and while you seem like nice enough people I . . . I just can't. Too many bad experiences, I guess."
"Any thing you want to talk about?"
"No," was her simple reply.
Before Jack could get anymore information from her Les came running into the room carrying a checkers set.
"Cate, Cate, will you play with me?" he asked.
"Of course Les," she smiled at the little boy, the only one she could trust. They quickly set up the game and started to play while Jack watched and absent mindedly played with the days earnings.
Meanwhile in the kitchen the four older members of the family were discussing what to do with the young woman in the living room.
"Mama you should have seen the shape she was in this morning," Sarah exclaimed. "David can tell you. She was covered with blood and dirt, and was torn to pieces. She will hardly let anyone touch her."
"She says she was running from something, but she won't say what," David counted. "And she is really light, like she hasn't been eating for days."
"But David, Sarah, she said so herself, she has family, what if they are looking for her?" Came Mr. Jacobs calm interjection.
"If her family lets her get that beat up I think that she would be better off with out them." David answered.
Sarah turned to her mother, "Mama, just let her stay a little while, soon she will be well enough to help out around the apartment. She needs our help, we can't just put her back out on the streets."
Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs looked at each other then Mr. Jacobs started slowly, "she can stay for a few weeks, but if we don't know more about her by then, you'll have to find somewhere else for her to live."
"Ok, thank you very much Papa, she can sleep in my bed with me," came Sarah's quick reply. "I'll go get Les to bed."
"Ok. You can go to David, your mother and I will finish up in here."
When David and Sarah came back into the livingroom the found Les and Cate pondering over the checkerboard and Jack watching from the table.
"Its time fore bed Les," Sarah said from the doorway.
"Ohhh, just five more minutes. Please! We're almost done."
"Ok, but I'll be waiting," with that Sarah hurried of into the bedroom the children shared.
David walked over to the bed and looked at the checkerboard. Cate was in position to win on her next move.
"Ok Les, it is your turn," she said to him. Les contemplated the board for a moment, then moved into the trap Cate had set up. But instead of finishing the game she let him capture one of her kings. Soon the game was over and Cate had let Les win. "You had better get off to bed, or your sister will be mad."
"Goodnight," Les called as he hurried off into the other room.
David sat down on the bed, but not close enough for Cate to feel threatened, and started cleaning up the checkers. "You know, you didn't have to let him win." He said.
"Little children love to win, plus if I hadn't the game would have been over too fast." She said simply. "It is nice to see him so happy."
David was a little taken aback. Her was a girl who was visibly scared of almost every one around, and had obviously been beaten very badly. Yet she was concerned over his little brother's feelings. He gave her a sideways look, she was obviously a very complicated person, and had been hurt very badly. David sighed, he wished there was someway he could help her. For that he would have to gain her trust first.
Jack, who had been silent until then stood and walked over to the window. "Hey Dave, when Sarah comes back out tell her to meet me on the roof."
David looked up from the bed where he was trying to make sure he had gotten all the checkers, "Sure Jack."
With that Jack climbed onto the fire escape and up to the roof.
wow! Sorry that took so long, these chapters are hard to write. But never fear I will have another one the next two days. This is gonna be a long fic, but I promise action, adventure, and romance for all!