Disclaimer - I do not own Oliver Twist/Oliver!
bandgeekd - thank you! Well, I did have it in me after all :P Oooh, while starting to write this new chapter I just realised that you have started an Oliver story... I must read it at some point (it's madness in this house at the moment) Hope you enjoy this new chapter (and that I keep the standard up, I'm sorry if it doesn't quite live up to Chapter One, but I'm doing my best :D)
Charlene Bates - have I ever told you how much you make me laugh? Well if I hadn't, you know now! Your reviews are so motivating :D thank you so much. I really hope you enjoy this chapter :D
Broken Amethyst - Hahah thank you, here's an update :P
Sir-Not-Appearing-In-This-Show - Thanks for the review:) Hope you enjoy this chapter!Protego Totalem - Aww thank you, it's fine about the message, the story is still in a VERY early state of construction and so any ideas are still VERY welcome :)
Swirling-embers - hey em :) cheers, glad you enjoyed the first story (lol) hope you enjoy this one too... :D
I just want to say to everyone who's reviewed this story - You're all AWESOME!!! and i owe you guys a LOT for not getting mad at me for the appalling update rate!
So, on with the show!
Chapter 2 - Some unexpected news...
Several days later, Emmy rolled over, screwing up her face against the pale streaks of sunlight which snaked through the dirty windows of the pickpockets' house. She grinned at Annie, who was just waking up next to her.
"What time did you get in?" Emmy asked sleepily "You weren't 'ere when me an' Dodge got back, an' that was one o'clock"
Annie rubbed her eyes, and shuffled into a sitting position, her blonde waves slightly wild.
"Must 'ave been around four... bloody 'ell..."
"You alrigh'?" Emmy asked, concerned. Annie wasn't normally this rough in the morning. Normally she was alright, but last night's 'customer' seemed to have really messed her up. Emmy was always worried about Annie, but normally the worries hid themselves at the back of her mind. This morning however, they fought their way to the front of her mind, as she took in Annie's pale face, matted hair and the dark shadows under her eyes.
"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. Will you go an' get Beth for me?" Annie said breezily, although her voice was slightly husky. Emmy frowned, but nodded.
"Alrigh', 'ang on a sec"
Emmy ambled across the room, to where a big crate, filled with old blankets, stood in the corner. In the makeshift cot, Beth, Annie's daughter, smiled sleepily up at Emmy.
"'Ello" Emmy said softly, "Come on, let's get up"
She leant down and picked up the small toddler. Beth was very small and slim, despite being one and a half years old now, probably something to do with little food, and a cold house. Emmy smiled at the child, and carried her back across the room to Annie.
"'Ere you go"
"Thanks Emmy"
"Yousure you're alright?" Emmy persisted
"Yes, clear off!" Annie attempted a smile as Emmy laughed softly and did as she was told. Emmy only paused to pull on her dress over her petticoat. She would get Dodger to do it up...
Oo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oO
She wandered into the other room, wondering where Dodger was, just in time to see him emerge from the bottom of the stairs. He smiled when he saw her, and walked over to her,
"I took Fagin the money, didn' say 'o we ran into though..."
"That was probably a good idea... can you imagine what 'e would 'ave said? "You TALKED to the owner of the 'ouse?"" she laughed "Could you do up this dress Dodge?"
Dodger grinned at her, a mischievous glitter in his eyes,
"Of course my lady..."
He started to do up the buttons, carefully running his fingers over her back as he did so. He felt her shiver and carried on, caressing the bare skin at the top of her back, where the petticoat was lower than the dress. Then, having done up the final button, he turned her around and kissed her gently on the lips, wondering how much teasing it would take to make her kiss him properly...
Emmy was a wreck by the time Dodger had finished, her heart beating wildly, and her spine tingling, she waited for him to kiss her the way he had the night before... then he didn't. He just pecked her on the lips, and looked at her. Emmy drew a shuddering breath, and walked away, saying
"We need to go out Dodge, although I do think we're a bit old for pickin' pockets..."
Dodger scowled, she hadn't cracked... Then, the prospect of a whole day in Emmy's company won him over, and he grabbed his hat, and followed her out of the door.
Oo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oO
They strolled down the quiet streets, the early sunlight still fighting its way into the winding maze of alleys and streets. Dodger found Emmy's hand, and they walked in a companionable silence, simply enjoying being with each other.
"It really is startin' to get daft y'know" Emmy sighed "we're eighteen years old... and still pickin' pockets like kids..."
Dodger grunted, not wanting to think about what he would do for the rest of his life. It was a much too frightening thing to think about... The prospect of a cold, daunting world in which he and Emmy would be completely alone. Fagin would definitely not be helping them, once they left the pickpockets' house. But what about their other friends? Dodger's mind spiralled on into the abyss of this awful question.
Emmy squeezed his hand a few steps later, and he shook himself out of his thoughts' grip, although a few squirming questions lay at the back of his mind.
The streets were deserted, only the market stall holders were around, setting up their wares for the day.
The duo sat down on a low wall at the edge of a large square, and continued to talk quietly.
After a couple of minutes they fell into a comfortable silence, Dodger's thumb stroking the smooth back of Emmy's hand. She turned her head a little, and nuzzled into his neck muttering,
"That feels nice"
Dodger smiled and shivered a little at the tingling sensation that she was creating on his neck. When she pulled back, with a half smile curving into existence on her face, he took advantage of the moment, and pressed his lips to hers, revelling in the feel of her. He rested his hand on her waist, and pulled her against him, smiling against her lips.
"I love you"
Emmy mumbled back,
"I love you t-"
Suddenly, the quiet, thick air was shattered by a loud cry
"BUY YOUR PAPERS 'ERE! ONLY A SHILLIN'! BUY YOUR PAPERS 'ERE!"
Dodger felt like screaming with annoyance. Instead, he made a low growl in his throat,
"Not even a soul on the streets and 'e as to make that kind of racket..."
Emmy laughed at his unimpressed expression, although she too regretted the loss of the moment.
"BUY YOUR PAPERS 'ERE! TOFF ARRESTED FOR MURDER CHARGES"
Dodger let out another annoyed 'huff' and got off the wall to walk away from the small boy. As Emmy got up to follow him, the boy let out one last gusty yell,
"MISTER OLIVER TWIST ARRESTED ON MURDER CHARGES, READ ALL ABOU' IT!"
Dodger froze. He turned slowly on the spot, staring at the boy, who had just opened his mouth to yell again. Seeing this much larger boy staring at him, the little paper boy shut his mouth again,
"What you lookin' at?" he asked, nervously adjusting his flat cap,
"You" Dodger replied
The little boy flinched, and moved closer to his trolley of papers
"Why?" he asked, trying to keep up his impressive bravado act,
"That story in the paper... what 'appened?" Dodger asked, his voice shaking slightly. He couldn't believe what he had just heard
"You 'ave to buy one, I ain't tellin' you what it says" the boy said snottily, pushing his long dark fringe out of his eyes, and blinking
"I can't read..." Dodger said, all of a sudden feeling very stupid... his gaze dropped to his feet for a second, before looking back up at the boy, just in time to hear him say
"Well then, you won't know, will you?"
Emmy started forwards,
"Couldn't you at least say where Mister Twist is?"
"Brixton" the boy said, seeming to feel guilty, "Brixton lock up"
"And when was the murder done?" Dodger asked desperately, "Please?"
The boy looked at him with an air of irritating superiority,
"Tuesday mornin', at two o'clock"
Emmy's eyes widened and she pulled Dodger away from the little boy,
"It wasn't 'im" she said, her voice tight with worry
"I know 'e doesn't seem like the type Emmy, but 'ow do we know?" Dodger said. His throat felt like it had closed up.
"No..." Emmy continued "We know it wasn't 'im. We were the only one's with 'im from one til 'alf two that mornin'. There is no way 'e could 'ave killed someone at two o'clock!"
Dodger's eyes snapped to Emmy,
"Oh gawd you're right!"
Emmy nodded once, her blue eyes steely.
"Right, Brixton lock up..." Dodger took Emmy's hand and began to run, careering down the street they had come from. When he reached a narrow alleyway he stopped, and leant against the grimy wall, breathing hard.
"You alrigh' Dodge?" Emmy asked tentatively, stepping close to him
"Yeah... but... we got to 'elp Oliver Emmy..."
"I know... but 'ow?"
"No idea..."
Dodger didn't know why it bothered him so much. He had a whirling torrent of emotions inside him, twisting and eating at his insides. He didn't know why, but he knew that he had to help Oliver. The boy had been his friend, and, only a few days ago, was very kind to him.
"'E 'elped us, now we got to 'elp 'im" Dodger repeated
"Well... the only thing I can think of right now is to go and see 'im..." Emmy said slowly, taking Dodger's hand and pulling him away from the wall, "Let 'im know we're goin' to..." she stopped, looking at Dodger with wide eyes.
He caught on,
"Whatare we goin' to do? It's probably madness goin' to the jail..."
"Yeah, it's askin' for it a bit innit..."
Dodger let out a short sarcastic laugh,
"Just a little bit..."
Emmy took his hand,
"Let's go and see Nancy"
Oo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oO
As they neared the Whipping Stocks, Dodger began to relax a little, Nancy would know what to do, he was sure of it. He wasn't sure where his implicit trust in Nancy came from, but he was sure that she was worthy of it.
The old inn was a crumbling building of once red brick. There were many grimy wooden supports, spreading like a dirty and broken spider web all over the face of the building, and the door had long ago lost one of its three hinges. However, this inn was a source of comfort to all the pickpockets. It was always warm from the fire that burned in the far corner, and the barman, although grumpy and red faced, was essentially a good man.
Despite all this, Dodger thought, the real reason that all the pickpockets thought of this place as a place of comfort, was the fact that this was where Nancy worked. She, along with the many other prostitutes with their garishly coloured dresses and frills, could always be found here.
So, when Dodger and Emmy burst through the squeaking door, there she was, resplendent in red and purple, leaning against the bar, tendrils of blonde hair falling in her eyes.
"Nancy!" the pair cried, running towards her "You 'ave to 'elp!"
Nancy's face quickly switched from one of happiness, to one etched with worry,
"Why? Wha's 'appened?"
"It's Oliver" Dodger gasped, still out of breath from their wild sprint through the streets.
Nancy's face would have been comical if not for the seriousness of the conversation,
"Oliver?" she breathed "Oliver Twist?"
Well
Personally I downright hate this chapter (ARGH) but it had to be in there, even if it is just a filler sort of thing.
I REALLY hope you guys liked it :)
Please review and all that to tell me what you think, because I really need to know what you guys think...
I'm so glad to have finally got this up, I can't tell you how glad.
Right, sorry again for the terrible update rate, if I make you wait this long again next time, I will... I don't know, maybe write a oneshot as well, as a present for you unbelievably wonderful and patient people...!
I'm now off to flounder in a pile of paint and tissue paper as I prepare for my art gcse on monday... help
Love,
Blackfishy
xxxx