A/N: I have just worked out (because I have too much spare time) that on average over all my fics only 5 per cent of hits review. That means that 95 per cent of people who read my fics just read them and then leave. That is really quite depressing. Honestly, people, you don't have to sign in or anything! I don't care if all you say is "Great!" or "Keep it up!" or "Fagin is a bit out of character but otherwise OK", I like getting reviews! If you've got the time to read it, you've got the time to comment. Also I don't mind if you comment on every chapter. In fact I love that.
OK, rant over, here's chapter 3. Hope you like it!
And thanks to everyone who reviews, you people are saints! Really, I mean it.
By the way, I know I switch back and forth calling him Jack and Dodger, but it's to symbolise the effect Anne has on him. If a little inconsistently. Just so you know.
What They All Needed
by xWho-Wouldn't-Waver-With-Jackx
Chapter 3 - Bringing her back
Jack lowered the girl to the ground and knelt beside her. Her singed hair was plastered to her face with sweat and blood spattered from her calf. Her arms were blistered but her clothing, miraculously, was unburnt. Behind him there came another crash from the burning house. He turned his head and saw, through a haze of burning air, the nearest wall, sagging towards them.
Dodger snapped back to himself, lifted the girl and ran.
He was out of breath when he reached his destination. He kicked the door.
"Dodger!" he gasped.
"Cor! Who's she?" said the boy who let him in, stunned to see the girl in Dodger's arms. Dodger pushed past him and climbed the stairs two at a time. All the eyes in the room were upon him and the girl.
"Ooh, Dodger's got a girlfriend!" someone crowed, but all sniggering abruptly stopped as Fagin stood up from his makeshift desk and walked slowly towards his favourite.
"She- she's hurt." Dodger said, his voice ragged from sprinting.
"We'll put her through the back room." Fagin answered him, wisely not asking questions. He went to take the girl from Dodger, but he pushed past him and led the way to the dark little back room, the only privacy in the place besides Fagin's own room.
Kicking open the door Dodger laid the girl gently on the bed.
"Her leg…"
Fagin moved her skirt very slightly, uncovering the huge splinter lodged in the side of her calf. Dodger swallowed at the nauseating sight.
Fagin turned to the boys who had clustered around the door for a better look.
"Charley, Tom, get a couple of bowls of water and an old shirt. One of the worn out ones." he said quietly to the two nearest. They nodded wordlessly and turned away, showing past the boys behind them. "The rest of you, stop gawking and give us some privacy in here!"
They moved away, restlessly, with many a backwards glance.
Fagin turned back to find Dodger still staring at the splinter with a sickened expression. Just then the boys returned with the supplies Fagin had asked for. He tore a sleeve off the shirt and handed it to the boy along with one of the bowls of water.
"Here, get some of that blood off her face." he ordered. Dodger's eyes finally left the wound as he snapped out of his disgusted trance. Taking the proffered items he set them down on the hard chair that was the only other furniture in the room. He then dragged the chair over to the head of the bed and began to clean her face.
For a moment Fagin watched the reverence with which Dodger wiped the blood off her forehead. Then he ripped the other sleeve off the shirt and tied it tightly around the girl's leg above the splinter. Holding her leg down with one hand, he took a firm grip on the splinter, braced himself and pulled.
Dodger, whose eyes were fixed firmly on the girl's face, heard the disgusting, wet sound with horribly heightened awareness.
Fagin quickly bandaged the girl up and turned to Dodger.
"D'you want to stay?"
The boy nodded silently and Fagin left them.
OK, I know this chapter is incredibly short and also crap. Sorry!
Please leave me a review! Good reviewers get to be my fairies! Umm... yeah...
Love you all!
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