A/N: Howdy ya'll! This is my first REAL story, not counting the really random Starwars Newsies. I just wanted to point out a few things before I let you get started. The format of the story is very immature. It's on purpose. I'm trying to write from the point of view of a nine-year old, and their thoughts wouldn't exactly be poetry. Also, I know the ending is really weird. I suck at them. Cut me a break, I haven't been doing this for long. Lastly, because I couldn't fit it into the story as it ends too soon, I know Race's last name is Higgins. I gave him a different last name in this case because I figured that as he was going into hiding and didn't like his Dad all that much anyway, he'd take a different name. In my thoughts, it's his mother's maiden name, but any other reason can fit. Lastly, please please please review...My stories will never get better without help or at least a confuidence booster! But try to be nice...I'm still kind of a tenderfoot here. Thanks!
"I can't take this anymore, Luke!" Tony flopped back on his bed, sighing.
His older brother didn't even look up from his studies. "You've been saying that for months now. And—"
"I know, I know, thinking it for years." He spat bitterly. It was annoying to whine to someone and have them shoot logic at you. "But I'm gonna do something about it. Seriously. This time I mean it."
"You've said that for months too." Luciano Baldovino closed the book firmly, running a hand through soft dark ringlets with a sigh. "And I wish you'd stop, honestly. You've nearly reduced the little ones to tears. Especially Isabella." He looked up. "It's not fair to them Antony. They love you…you know that! And all this talk of running away—it's…" He shook his head. "Just stop, alright? It's hard enough to deal with them as is, and we all know you won't really do it."
The annoyance rose another notch, bubbling toward anger. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Luke just gave another tired sigh. "Antony, please. All you've done for the past half of a year is complain about Papa. That's all. No plans, no research into different jobs or living places. Just talk. That's all you ever are, even with those cards you seem to love so much."
"That's just because you aren't worth the effort of really playing." Tony shot back harshly. Luke really got on his nerves sometimes. "How do you know what I have or haven't been doing?"
Luke raised an eyebrow, his expression plainly showing what he thought of that question's stupidity. Tony gave up. His brother could rot in Hell. He'd been trying to find Benny anyway. And with that rather dishonest thought, he stood. "Where's Benny?"
"Kitchen," Luke said casually. "He wanted to see you actually. I only just remembered…"
Tony near about screamed, but the side of his brain more preoccupied with pleasing his elder brother decided that if that's what Benny wanted, then he'd better do it, and forget trying to pound into Luke's thick skull what he was doing. He dashed out.
Benny had wanted to see him about help with cooking, something both of them did partially because of a mutual love of it, and partially out of a desire to do the opposite of what their father wanted. Not that he knew, of course. After all, they also shared a mutual love of life.
After messing around with various spices and cheeses for an hour of so—during which Benny proved a much better conversationalist then Luke—Tony made his way upstairs. As much as he was loath to admit it, Luke had been right.
He had no plans yet, or even really the simple knowledge of where he'd go. The only thing that he had was a phrase that stuck with him throughout every day. He had to get out of here. Where didn't matter, neither did how. He was sick of fearing for his and his families lives every time papa got home, tired of feeling like an accessory that Papa pulled out every now and then to impress his colleagues. "Look, see, I'm successful and still manage to raise a full house of kids and keep my wife in line." It was disgusting, and thanks to his annoying older brother, he was finally ready to do something about it.
That night he settled down in his room and drew up a plan. There was a party in a couple nights, and naturally his Papa would expect them all to be there and act like pretty little angels for him to parade around, or else. But afterward, when Papa was distracted with guests and sent them back to their rooms, they'd be alone for a while. It would give Tony time to pack—he couldn't do it sooner or he'd be caught. He'd have to say his goodbyes before the party, and slip out that night. Papa didn't think any of them would dare do such things, he'd be safe with that part as long as no one woke up.
Finding a place to stay was harder, but after a bit of thought Tony remembered seeing the newsboys out on the streets selling the afternoon edition. He had enough allowance to get him a room in a lodging house for their type, or some other child labor job, and he probably wouldn't be caught. After all, other kids had done it and managed to stay gone, why couldn't he? All that was left was finding something light to put his things in and actually executing the plan.
The next couple days passed by far too quickly for Tony's liking. He barely had time to gather the supplies he needed and kept messing up in his lessons because the butterflies in his stomach continuously flitted up into his mind to mess with the thoughts there.
And then, the night of the party was here, and Tony was more nervous than he'd ever been in his life. Benny kept catching his eye and grinning reassuringly, but it wasn't doing him much good. Still, this was probably the only chance he'd have to speak to his siblings, so he had to do it now, or leave without having said goodbye. He took a deep breath. "Um…boys? Izzy? I gotta tell you something…"
Slowly, they all stopped chatting and dressing and turned to look at him. He swallowed. It was a little unnerving to have that many pairs of brown eyes fixed on you. He opened his mouth to speak, but—
"Children, you're father's waiting!"
Forgetting they had been waiting for anything, the children scampered.
Tony stared down at the small sack on the floor and felt tears welling up in his eyes. Actually leaving home was a lot harder now that he was about to do it, and it wasn't helping him that now that he was actually here, he had started thinking about stuff that had never occurred to him before. Now that he thought about it, this whole thing was rather like abandoning his family. They were stuck in the same problems he was, and for Luke and Benny, worse ones. Papa expected them to get married soon! He was even looking for Ciro, who was not much older than Tony at 11.
Still, that meant he'd turn his attention on Tony soon, and that was the last thing he wanted…to be honest the only girl he didn't kind of find gross was Izzy, and she was too fun to really be a girl anyway.
It was now or never, basically. He might not ever have another chance to get away, and if Papa found out he'd planned this it wouldn't matter that he'd stayed. He'd be in bed for a week. Besides that, Benny might not be so willing to lend Tony his memory bag. Most people kept they're things in a box, but then, Benny'd always been weird. It was one of the reasons they got along so well. Well, that and the fact that Benny had been the only person willing or able to teach him poker.
Tony sighed and shouldered the sack before slipping out into the long dark hall from his room to the main hall. The manor was rather spooky at night, but tonight he didn't have time to notice.
He made it out to the main hall without incident, and had just let his guard down again when he saw the lamp light in the hall leading toward the door. Heart in his throat, he sidled along the wall before peering out into the hall and nearly collapsing with relief. It wasn't his papa waiting for him. It was his little sister. He almost laughed a loud at the sight of her—he should have known Benny would have told her in some sneaky last ditch attempt to get him to rethink his actions. After all, just because he was willing to help didn't mean he agreed. Still, he mused, looking at the little girl sitting on the hall floor in front of the door, looking bored, sicing Izzy on him wasn't really fair. Taking a deep breath, he walked around the corner.
Sure enough, as soon as she saw him a killer pout flew into place on her sweet little mouth and the huge brown eyes filled with tears. One small hand was pulled out of it's tangle in her dark curls and the thumb stuck firmly in her mouth and the other was held out to him imploringly. She really was adorable. He raised an eyebrow at her. "What are you still doing up so late Izzy-bear?"
"Tony's leaving?" She asked around her thumb in a trembling voice.
"Yeah," the older boy said with a soft smile nothing like his usual cheeky crooked grin. Obviously the sight was breaking his heart despite his attempts against letting it do so. "I've gotta go Izzy! I can't stay here with Him."
"Come?" She begged. Now both arms were held out in the universal baby language for "pick me up". She was really too old for it, but was smart enough to know that she got just about anything anyway if she used it; there wasn't anything in the world that she wanted more than her Tony to stay. She loved him more than life itself, and he knew it, which was why it was so obviously taking a toll on him. But she wouldn't win this time. He'd been to ready for too long to let this stop him.
The smile faded. "I can't take you Izzy-bear. You wouldn't like it."
"Come!" She repeated. She could understand him perfectly. She just didn't care.
He sighed, then hoisted the trademark grin back in place and said smoothly, "I'll come back, Iz. Really. But I gotta get away and get a job and a home. Then I'll get you." He poked her nose playfully.
"Promise?" She asked, large eyes widening impossibly. He hesitated--even at nine his honor meant something to him after all. Then again, it would be a while before he'd learn just how important it was.
"Of course. Now go to bed before Papa catches you wandering around and gets mad."
Convinced, she nodded happily and stood, wandering off with a last kiss goodnight and goodbye. Tony smiled a soft sad smile watching her till she rounded the corner, then turned back to the door and opened it. The night yawned before him, as dark and unknown as his future itself was bound to be if he entered it. He hesitated just once more, looking over his shoulder back down the long passageways. That was all he needed. He took a deep breath and, bag in hand, stepped out onto the streets.