AAAHHHH okay okay I know its been ages but I've been having computer trouble sorry! To make up for it this is a pretty long chapter. enjoy!

Chapter 3

The walk back to Brooklyn had been quiet. Luckily, summer days were still relatively long so they had an hour or more of sunlight for their travels. Jack waited until they reached the bridge to speak to Killer.

"So's there a story behind that shinah?" he asked nonchalantly, shoving his hands farther into his pockets. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye before shrugging. "C'mon, you'se can talk to me," she still didn't respond. He let out a heavy sigh before grabbing her arm and attempting to pull her off to the side.

"Mary," he pleaded.

"Francis," she said, looking him in the eyes for the first time in this conversation. He still held a grip on her arm but all she needed to do was look at it and he got smart enough to let go. She turned back to the bridge and began to walk, not bothering to see if he was following her or not.

"Okay, okay, I crossed ovah the line, it's none of my business, but I just worry, ya know?" She stayed silent for a moment before nodding. "Good." He said with a smile, wrapping an arm around him. "You'se is the closest thing I'se got to a little sister," feeling how cold her small frame was he wrapped her closer into his embrace, rubbing her arms with his. She laughed and hugged him back, snaking her arms around his waist. It was rare that Killer ever let her guard down, but when she did it was like a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders.

That relief was only temporary, though because suddenly a four note whistle rang out from the shadowy streets. Her entire body tensed and she bawled the fabric of Jack's shirt in a tight fist. Jack glanced at her from the corner of his eye but decided not to say anything, but simply keeping his protective grip over her shoulders until they got to the lodging house.

…

"I'll raise you a dime," Racetrack bluffed. They were only three hands in and he was down two bucks. All of the boys sat in a circle on the floor of the main lodging room, cards and money stacked in between them like some sort of art. Killer had excused herself to go change from her everyday clothing. She went to the little room off to the side reserved for the lone girl to have a bit of privacy. She put on a simple white cotton night gown with an empire waist and short sleeves. She let her hair down from her cap and carefully brushed out all of the tangles she normally ignored. Looking in the mirror, she could see the parts of herself that she wished she could show, but they were clouded by the bruises on her skin. She tried to touch the discolored area but even pressing the pads of her fingers to it made her wince. With another gaze at the cold piece of reflective glass in front of her she decided enough was enough and instead of feeling sorry for herself she should see what the others were doing.

Killer walked into the room and looked upon the boys laughing about how into the game they all were. David glanced up at the looming figure standing across the circle from him and froze. His breath got caught in his throat as he looked at the stranger. It wasn't possible that this was the same, tough imposing person as before, was it? For the one thing, her hair was long and silky, cascading down to her mid torso in soft waves. Her face was clean and her skin was fair except for the bruise under her eye. Her nightgown showed off her womanly figure, a complete contrast to her shapeless day to day clothes. Even seeing her in this garb was so scandalous it caused him to blush and look down at his cards. He quickly glanced at the other boys to see but they seemed barely bothered at all by her. She took a seat behind Spot who glanced at her, showed her his cards and grinned while winking. She rolled her eyes before getting up again.

"Where ya goin'?" Race asked.

"None o' yer business," she called back turning into the hallway.

"She prob'bly just wants to smoke," Spot interjected.

"Why doesn't she smoke in here?" Race asked again. Spot shrugged.

"She doesn't like too much smoke in a room."

"Hey, Cowboy, is, uh, there anythin' goin' on there?" Blink said wiggling his eyebrows. Spot's eyes shot up from Blink to Jack; of course Jack noticed and thought he'd have a little fun with this.

"Why'd you ask?" he said vaguely.

"Kloppman mentioned somethin' about it," Blink said with a laugh.

"What does Kloppman know?" Spot said, almost too defensively.

"Well he can be pretty wise at times," Jack said with a grin. All of the boys looked at him with wide eyes.

"So there is somethin' there?!" Race asked excitedly.

"No you bums! Did all of you'se forget I'se got meself a goil?" he said, momentarily throwing down his cards. Spot sighed silently in relief.

"So you'se wouldn't mind if I, uh, spent a little more time with her?" Mush asked grinning.

"Well I'm not the one you;se needa ask," Jack said gesturing to Spot. All the boys were looking at him.

"Me? Why would I care? I don't care," Spot lied through his teeth keeping his stone cold composure. "but I'd doubt she'd go for it, she's not really one to 'date'," well that part was true at least.

"You'd be surprised Spot, I mean Killah's gunna have boys fallin' all over her soon as they figure out how pretty she's gotten," Jack said.

"Pfff, who thinks Killer is pretty?" Spot asked.

"I do," David added before he could think better of it, now he had Spots cold gaze unnerving him.

"You do," Spot stated, rather than asked.

"Yeah I do," David said mustering some courage before losing it again under Spot's look.

"Well I do too," Mush added.

"As do I," Blink interjected.

"Here here," Race exclaimed racing his hand. The other boys raised their hands too.

"I'se mean she scares the crap out of me but I think she's plenty beautiful," Race clarified.

"I like how feisty she is, it could come in handy for… other things," Mush said mischievously. The cards in Spot's hand were crumpled and his knuckles were white from the intensity of his grip. Luckily he was saved from the rest of this conversation when he heard light footsteps on the old wooden floors he motioned for them to shut up and go back to the game as she walked inside. She grinned and sat in the small space between Mush and Spot, and to "make room" Mush put his arm behind her and leaned into her. She smiled and rolled her eyes, a regular occurrence with these boys. Spot's blood boiled as the game continued and on for the rest of the night until 'Hattan finally left them. Before Jack left, he pulled Spot aside.

"Look, Spot, I'se not tryin' tah tell you;se how to live yer life but just keep in mind that soiten things have a small window of opportunity," and with a wink he left the lodging house, jogging to catch up with the rest of the guys. Spot watched them until they faded off into the distance of the cold dark night.

There ya go! As always pleaseeeee tell me what you think! Pretty please?