Ravenna had always been rather tall for a woman, one of the things that she hated about herself. Men didn't like tall women, they preferred petite women, women whom they could tower over and "protect"; one thing which Ravenna always wanted, a man who could protect her and make her feel safe, though she would never admit that aloud.

However, her height did have some advantages and having rather large strides was definitely an advantage at the moment. She was determined that she would loose the man called Mush; she would not be escorted by a gypsy no matter what Jack said. She would not have that filthy man knowing where she lived; she would not have another family ripped from her because of a gypsy. Making sure to wander and take turns where she saw fit, she was sure she would be able to loose the man behind her; she only hoped that she didn't loose herself in the process.

Ferocious meowed in protest at being squeezed rather tightly due to her wandering thoughts. Ravenna's golden orbs grew slightly rounded in concern.

"Oh I'm sorry sweetie; I didn't mean to hurt you. Don't be angry, please."

A voice from right in front of her answered.

"Oh I'm not, or at least I won't be if you stop trying to loose me."

The voice stopped her in mid step while it sent a shiver of mixed dread and delight up her spine. The voice belonged to the one she was attempting to loose, as to how he managed to end up in front of her when she did not even know where she was going would forever remain a mystery. Angered that her ploy had been thwarted her molten hues glared at the man before her.

"I was not referring to you, gypsy. I was speaking to Ferocious." The word gypsy was again stressed and spat from her lips.

All expression dropped from Mush's face before a smirk appeared.

"Oh, in that case I'll be on my way."

With that said Mush began to swagger off and turned right at the corner of a huge red brick building causing him to disappear from sight. A sigh escaped Ravenna's pink tiers. That was easy, she thought to herself.

Glancing about, Ravenna tried to determine where she was and exactly how she would be able to get to her house. She had every intention of going back to help the sick little lying pipsqueak, she just did not have any intention of being "escorted" to her house. She began to bit her bottom lip, however, when she noticed that she did not recognize where she was. It appeared that in her attempt to loose the gypsy she had indeed lost herself. Waiting for a second she debated as to whether or not she truly wanted to sacrifice her pride and try to find the gypsy or if she should ask someone for directions. The image of the man in the ally the evening before decided upon her course of action. Using her height to her advantage for the second time that day she briskly headed in the direction in which Mush had disappeared.

Upon turning the corner she saw the curly haired man leaning against the brick building with a leg bended behind him for support. His arms were crossed in front of his chest and his smirk widened at her appearance.

"Took you long enough Princess."

Her eyes narrowed at the man facing her in response to his term of endearment.

"The only reason I am here is because I do not with to have a repeat of last evening's turn of events."

The gypsy's brown eyes began to twinkle with amusement at her latest announcement.

"That is the first intelligent thing I think I have ever heard coming out of your mouth."

Ravenna's gaze lowered a degree despite Mush's obvious lightening mood.

"I would appreciate your lack of gloating at the fact that I do not have any clue as to where I am or how to go home. I, unlike you, have never had to find my way around town because I have a personal valet who sees to my every traveling need. To know one's way around this city is an obvious sign that one does not have the funds to pay for someone to take them from place to place; an apparent sign of lack of breeding."

While her entire speech could be called "blowing smoke," her facial appearance did not betray her true feelings. One of the things that Ravenna wanted more than anything was the freedom to be able to travel anywhere in the city and not be lost. However, there was no way that she would allow that gypsy to feel superior to her. This might be the second time he had to rescue her, but she was determined not to let him think that he was in some way better than her because he did so.

Arching a perfectly shaped eyebrow, what could only be deemed as a smile lit her lips.

"Shall we be on our way?"

Mush did not even respond to her comment, he merely began to walk away at a rather brisk pace. While he might not have been too much taller than her, the man's legs were certainly longer and he was not inhibited by the articles of clothing that Ravenna was, so keeping up with him was rather difficult.

A frustrated sigh entered the air and Ferocious echoed Ravenna's sentiments with a meow of her own. She apparently did not like how jostled she was becoming due to Ravenna's light jogging.

"Excuse me, but could you slow down please? I'm not used to so much walking, especially at such a ground eating pace."

The man whirled around to face her, causing Ravenna to stop abruptly before running into him.

"Who do you think you are?"

Blinking her liquid sunshine orbs she took a slight step backwards in surprise.

"What did you say?"

Closing his eyes as if trying to keep reign on his temper, the man repeated his question.

"Who. Do. You. Think. You. Are?"

Ravenna noticed that if she didn't play her cards very carefully she would be left alone, and that thought frightened her. Quickly she grasped for something to tell him that would make him realize he truly did not want to leave her here.

"I'm someone who can help nurse you little friend back to health."

At the mention of the sick newsie Mush's eyes opened showing frustration. He appeared to want to leave her here, yet her words seemed to have done the job they were supposed to do, remind him that at the moment she was valuable, not someone to be left to wander aimlessly around Manhattan.

"Fine, where do you live Nettle?"

A slender brow rose at the title. So she was back to Nettle was she? This man did not know the meaning of the word, yet she thought that perhaps later would be a better time to give him a demonstration. As of now she seemed to have pushed his temper to its limit.

"1467 Hillcrest View"

A snort was all that was given in response before Mush began to walk at a slightly slower pace in the direction of her neighborhood; the pair was silent for the remainder of the walk to her house. Upon reaching her house she informed Mush to remain outside while she dealt with what needed to be done.

It took some cajoling, yet Ravenna was somehow able to convince the butler that Mr. Worthington did not need to be informed of her lack of sleeping in the house the night before. She also managed to convince him that it would be fine for her to be absent from the house for the next few days. She left Ferocious in the care of her personal maid and gathered what items she thought she might need to better enable her to nurse the newsie; if she knew what type of disease he had it would be much easier to gather supplies, but as she did not have any medical background and had not had any substantial time to examine him she was left to mere guessing.

Supplies in hand, she walked out the door and headed towards Mush, not especially looking forward to another trip with him. As she had assumed, the entire walk was in silence, which to Ravenna was ideal, the less contact she had with the gypsy the better. All that she wanted to do was nurse the little brat and then be on her merry way back to her house and non gypsy, newsie willed life.

Mush stopped at the entrance to where they had left earlier that morning.

"This is the Lodging House."

His words were clipped and he didn't even give her the decency of any kind of goodbye before he walked in what she assumed was the direction of where Jack would be waiting with his newspapers. While Ravenna knew that she should not give the gyspy the power to make her feel inferior at his lack of a farewell, it appeared that she did not have any control over her emotions. This angered her. Why should she care if some dirty gypsy newsie despised her so much that he could not even tell her goodbye? She didn't want to be told goodbye by him. His voice would forever contaminate those words, or so she attempted to tell herself as she walked towards the room that she had slept in the previous night.

Pushing open the door she caught her second glimpse of the sick newsie lying in the bed. Setting her supplies in the nearest empty chair she headed towards the lad and laid her hand upon his forehead again. Noticing that the boy's forehead was definitely hotter than it had been previously she decided that her first official task as nurse would be to bathe the kid in cold water. She remembered that was what Cook had her maid do whenever she had a fever, and so she deemed it good enough for the lad. The only problem, however, was how she would get the lad from the bed to the washroom, and how she was supposed to bathe a naked boy. She wasn't sure that she should be the one to do such a task, even if she was the kid's nurse.

A/N: OK, just a few quick notes:

I changed the date so it is 1902. Heh I realized that if I had gone on with what I had originally wrote Mush would have been around 13 hehe. Oops. Had originally begun this as non Newsie so that's why the dates were so early.

The name Jack called Rav in the last chapter and what Mush called her in this one, Nettle, is from a trilogy by Jean Ferris that I read many moons ago. I liked the idea of calling a girl that so I "borrowed" it hehe. The trilogy is very good, but they were written for young teens just so ya know.

I have no clue what the streets are in Manhattan, and I made one up, sorry.

I know this is probably terrible and poorly worded and the grammar is atrocious, but I finished this at 2:38 AM so yeah.

Now onto my last issue: What happened? I didn't scare you all off did I? I mean Ravenna isn't THAT bad is she? I can't promise she'll get better right away but she will further on in the story, I promise! Please come back. *bottom lip quivers in the way a little kid's would if she was lost in a grocery store*

Big thanks to all of my reviewers. *Gives out little Debbie's Strawberry Shortcake rolls as a token of gratitude*

Raeghann: Hehe, I'm glad you like my portrayal of Mush. I was going for a different side of him, I was growing tired of everyone portraying him as this sweet naïve person. Here's the next chapter that's where it is hehe. Ok, bad joke. But that's ok. Hehe. Again thanks for all of your help. It seems that your "kick start" decided to take over this chapter, but that's ok. :o)

Mondie: Don't worry Hun, as long as I actually get my review I'm happy hehe. Even if it was a few days later. :o) As for Rav, well, as the summary says she has a prejudice she has to get over before it is smooth sailing for her and Mush, and if she got over it in the first few chapters the story would not have anywhere to go, so as painful as it is to read, Rav will have to be a pain in the butt for a bit longer. It'll be worth it to read though (I hope) even if they aren't together yet. Thanks for the faithful reviews

JP: I'm glad you liked that line, it's my favorite from "The Green Mile" great movie, and that's the best line from it. So I had to use it hehe. As for the crème savors, of course they are Strawberry, that's the best flavor! I'm so glad you enjoy this fic, I can't ever hear that enough hehe. I hope you liked this newest edition to the saga. Hehe. Now it really sounds like a soap.

AaronLohrLover24: I know, she is a huge meanie at the moment, but she'll get nicer I promise. She just has to get over her prejudices first. Thank you for the compliment, my head is swelling between you and JP. Hehe Hope this chapter lived up to your expectations.