Lily drove pretty fast, but not breaking the speed limit. She wasn't sure where to go but knew that the orphanage was a no go. Missy held Goldie's hand, a way to try and comfort the girl. Goldie sniffled and looked softly to Missy.
"Let's beat this joint, Lils." Rooster told his girlfriend.
Lily nodded and drove off, she had to let go of Goldie to drive properly but the two younger girls were between her and Rooster, so not easily could escape. Missy moved her hand to hug the younger girl to her. She was scared witless but wouldn't show any weakness in front of Goldie.
Goldie whimpered and whined in the grasp. Lily looked ahead at the road. Missy gently hushed Goldie, stroking the girl's hair. Her heart was breaking at Goldie's fear and from the anguished outcry Molly had given. Rooster glared at the two, then tried to keep them quiet so no other people would hear about their heist.
Missy glared at Rooster. "I'm offering comfort to Goldie... Don't you dare try ta stop me." she growls, like a mother bear.
Rooster scoffed at the girls, having no sympathy, even if one of them was his daughter.
"Missy..." Goldie cooed, going close to her foster big sister.
Missy stroked Goldie's hair softly. She hugged the girl looking away from Rooster. "Men, think only of two things..." she mutters, the adults knowing what she was muttering about.
Goldie looked curious.
"This is why youse ain't supposed to vote." Rooster snapped at Missy for being a woman on that argument.
Missy scowled back, anger taking over the fear making her bold. "Oh, go back to choppin' wood." she retorts.
Rooster glanced at her, annoyed. "Don't make me smack the white off ya face!"
Lily was kind of amused by the fight... kind of.
"It'd take a lot, that would." Missy retorts.
"Oh, shut your filthy mouth!" Rooster growled at her. "When I was growing up, women and children were meant to be seen and not heard!"
"We're better to look at... and the men were worried as we're smarter..." Missy sneers, making sure Goldie wasn't in danger if he did hit her.
"Oh, women don't know nothin' than what purse matches her dress." Rooster snorted.
"Says you, ya dumb clod... Though it explains why we dress better." Missy replies smoothly. She might have been getting reckless but standing up to him was making her not so scared.
"Aw, shuddap!" Rooster spat in her eye.
Rooster flinched from the impact, then turned to Lily. "We're goin' to my place, I don't trust my sister no more."
Lily nodded and drove to where he said.
"Just like a man..." Missy grumbles. She wasn't going to give up so easily.
"Don't make me come back there!" Rooster snapped to Missy, not even making the negative stereotype to Lily about how 'women couldn't drive'.
Goldie merely glared at her father, but said nothing.
Missy stroked Goldie's hair and glared at him. "You can't come back here, it's a pickup truck... Dumb clod..." she retorts.
Goldie snickered a bit at that, but quietly.
Missy smirked a little, pleased Goldie was amused. She was running out of her boldness 'steam' but wasn't going to show it. "I bet if we were in a normal car, he'd think we were next to 'im..." she mutters, but clearly so he could hear it.
Rooster tried to tune out the rough and tough girl. Goldie smirked back at Missy.
Missy gave a fake coo. "Aww, he's tryin' ta tune me out..." she taunts.
"Ain't it grand?" Goldie laughed.
Rooster snarled. "Faster." he demanded to Lily about going to their place.
Lily went faster, soon having them to his place. Missy continued to make fun of him.
"ALRIGHT, SHUDDAP OR GET A HAND TO THE FACE!" Rooster growled to Missy.
"Which hand and which face?" Goldie murmured jokingly so only Missy could hear.
Missy burst out laughing. Lily gulped and pulled Goldie away inside. Goldie winced as she was taken.
"Come along, Missy!" Rooster grabbed the elder Bennett-Warbucks girl and started to take her as well.
Missy bit her lip but still laughed. "You calling my name or meaning the nickname?" She taunts, but shook.
Rooster rolled his eyes and continued to drag along Missy, though noticeably not as rough as Lily was with Goldie. Goldie grunted and rubbed her arm, glaring at Lily. Lily took Goldie to the spare bedroom and put her in.
Missy raised an eyebrow, but did it anyway, though not too hard.
Rooster took her into his room and threw her on a chair. "Be a good girl and keep yer mouth shut!"
Missy glared from where she landed. "Why should I?" She asks.
Lily merely shrugged.
"When Oliver finds out about this, you and Daddy are gonna get it!" Goldie sneered at the 'dumb hotel'.
Lily merely sniffed. "Eh, I don' care" she says.
Goldie deeply scowled at her. Lily merely shut the door, bolting it closed.
"If ya let go now, I won't kick ya." Missy says, hoping he wouldn't find a way to stop her really.
"Kick me and I'll get handcuffs." Rooster threatened.
"Cuz I'm a man and yer a woman." Rooster snorted, being sexist and a bit foolish again.
Missy stood up. "How 'bout no, ya sexist pig?" she challenges.
"Ya asked for it!" Rooster came to her, holding up his hand like he would once he would corner Goldie and harm her for no reason.
Missy backed until the back of her legs touched the chair again. She however steeled herself, seeing he was possibly going to slap her.
"Stay still and do as you're told!" Rooster snapped, then came closer and looked down at her. He looked like he was going to really hurt her, but he paused a bit as he looked into her eyes and saw how innocent she seemed. She looked like a lost child of sorts, alone in the world lost and unprotected.
Missy looked up at him. She had fear in her eyes but was trying to be brave. She also had the challenge on her face.
Rooster looked at her, then shook his head to look menacing again. He tried to hurt her again, but he felt himself breaking inside. "I-I can't do it..." he murmured, surprised at himself.
Missy looked at him surprised. She sat down and looked straight at him. She bit her lip and wondered what had happened.
Rooster rubbed his arm and backed up, a little anxiously. "What?" he barked at her, not as harsh as he was in the truck ride.
Missy just looked at him. She bit her lip and suddenly blushed. "Actually, do ya have a bathroom?" She asks softly, a more pressing matter on her mind this second.
"Bathroom?" Rooster looked at her. "Uhh... Sure, down the hall, second door on the left."
Missy practically ran to the bathroom. It was followed by the noise of throwing up. Rooster heard the stomach churning feeling of the disgustingness of why she needed the bathroom. Lily was downstairs. He was then starting to think long and hard about the life he led. The voices of his younger sister echoing in his mind about how cruel and dark he was, about 'really' trying to kill Goldie and Annie.
'Rooster, she's a baby, and one of them's your own!'
Annie went up to Oliver and hugged him. Pepper stood with the other girls.
"Come here, sweetie..." Oliver held his adoptive father close.
The other girls looked miserable and worried.
"How about ice cream?" Grace was hoping that would soothe them for a little while to get their minds off the badness of things.
Annie cried silently, only the tears dripping down her cheeks showing she was crying. Oliver held her close, feeling and understanding her pain. Annie clung to Oliver.
Pepper looked at Grace "What kind?" She asks, respectfully quieter.
"Any kind you want." Grace said.
"Rainbow swirls with gummy bears?" Molly asked, curiously like her sweet tooth was acting up.
Pepper nodded.
"Come in." Grace told the girls to get the ice cream ready and put their moods and fears at ease.
Pepper followed.
When the others were gone Annie looked up at her daddy. "What if he hurts them?" She asks.
"I won't let it happen and mark my words, once we get the older girls back, Daniel Francis Hannigan will never hurt another soul again." Warbucks said, roughly.
"Who?" The girls suddenly asked.
Annie also looked confused, but it was more about what Oliver meant.
"Miss Hannigan's brother." Oliver settled their confusion.
Annie nodded, she knew that. She just wasn't sure what he had meant about how he couldn't hurt anyone again.
Missy came back a few minutes later looking pale and shaky. She knew it was useless to try and escape due to not knowing clearly where she was and the fact he could always catch her.
Rooster then shook his thoughts aside and came close to Missy. "Now, do as your told!"
Missy looked up at him. "No, and it was your face that made me throw up..." she says shakily, trying not to show weakness.
"WHY YOU!?" Rooster snarled.
Missy glared at him. "What are you going to do about it?" She asks.
"Far worse than you can ever imagine..." Rooster said, though he seemed to have lost his will and anger to harm her. He was now realizing he had already hurt her worse than just beating her or verbally assaulting her. He noticed this as he looked down at her belly, remembering that too.
Missy saw where he was looking at and wrapped her arms protectively across her stomach. She stepped back, her back lightly hitting the wall.
Rooster looked down at the bump, then back at the girl. "How far along are ya?" he mumbled, sounding soft.
"About three months..." Missy replies softly. She looked down at the ground. A tiny part of her couldn't help but like the man in a way. She tried to bury that part though.
"What're ya gonna call it?" Rooster asked.
"I'm gonna call it Francis if a boy, Gracie if a girl..." Missy says quietly. She wouldn't meet his gaze. If he came any closer she could lose her bravery or blurt out something she didn't want him to know.
"Francis?" Rooster looked at her in the eye then. "That's my middle name..."
Missy bit her lower lip not looking at him, even if he was looking at her. "So?" She asks, so not to blurt anything out that she didn't want him to know.
"I'm just makin' conversation," Rooster snorted at her, now feeling angst toward her again. "But if that's how yer gonna be!"
Missy turned so that her side was against the wall staring into the corner. "I ain't letting you lull me inta a sense of security... you did kidnap us..." she says, hiding her teary face. 'Darn Hormones...' she thinks.
"I may have kidnapped ya, but yer still alive, ain't ya?" Rooster growled. He didn't sound very aggressive or hostile toward her though for some reason.
Missy flinched, she could feel how close he was still. His body was radiating his body heat and as much as she wished she didn't she knew he was quite toned under his shirt. Rooster blinked at her, feeling odd around Missy now and walked off without injuring her. Missy felt and heard him leave and turned, preparing to get out and find Goldie. Rooster left without another word.
Grace allowed the girls to make any kinds of ice cream they wanted in the Build Your Own Sundae part of the mansion that was by the kitchen. Pepper was surprised at the sundae part. Annie gave Oliver one last squeeze and joined the others. Molly was having trouble due to her being the smallest of the girls and there was a table with bowls, spoons, scoops, and the toppings. There seemed to be a million. Pepper rolled her eyes but being one of the tallest helped Molly. Annie waited for the others to go first.
"Cookie dough... This tastes even better when it ain't Christmas!" Duffy marveled.
"I didn't know they had rainbow ice cream!" Kate added.
"Thanks, Pepper..." Molly was surprised by Pepper's act of random kindness.
Grace smiled at the girls and was proud of Annie for having manners and allowing her friends to go before her even if it was her new home. Pepper merely shrugged, helping Molly get the ice cream. Annie twirled a strand of hair around her finger.
Molly licked her lips, very hungry and eager to try some of the ice cream they were allowed to have without paying. Pepper handed Molly the bowl of rainbow swirled and gummy beared ice cream.
"WOW!" Molly beamed at her dessert.
Pepper then made her own. Molly smiled as she ate her ice cream in delight.
"What kind are you gonna get, Annie?" Tessie asked her friend.
"I dunno." Annie says softly, smiling a tiny smile.
"Try the cookie dough!" Duffy sounded addicted to the kind of flavor she had.
Annie looked thoughtfully at the sundae bar and shrugged, she'd try cookie dough.
Goldie was alone, holding her knees in agony. Lily was sitting at the kitchen table, thinking.
Missy snuck out of Rooster's room and looked around trying to find Goldie, she unbolted the door and looked inside. "Goldie?" She asks softly.
Goldie sniffled, she had not recognized Missy's voice at first. "Come to hurt me some more?"
"It's me, Missy..." Missy says walking in and coming over to hug Goldie. "Who hurt you?" She asks then.
Goldie sniffled and turned to Missy. "Oh, hey... Sorry about that, I thought ya was 'room service'. She didn't hit me or nuthin', but she grabbed me roughly."
Missy hugged the girl and then looked at her. "You know where she'd be?" She asks quietly.
"I heard her shoes click downstairs, so maybe in the family room or kitchen." Goldie guessed.
Lily was just sitting there still. Rooster rubbed his head and went to join Lily.
Missy nodded. "Okay..." she says softly. She kissed Goldie's forehead "Hold tight, sweetheart..." she tells the girl and stood up. "I'll have to shut the door, but I won't lock it." she promises. She then headed downstairs to the kitchen.
"I understand..." Goldie smiled softly to Missy, feeling a little bit better.
"Keep an ear out..." Missy winks and headed to the kitchen. She totally ignored Rooster, though not on purpose as she just hadn't noticed him, and then smacked Lily across the back of her head.
Goldie leaned against the wall to overhear anything going on downstairs due to the walls being really thin.
Lily let out a squeaky shout of pain. "Hey, what was that for?!" She asks angrily, squaring up to Missy.
At Missy's reply of 'for you hurting Goldie as we were brought in here' the two started to fight. Rooster was slowly coming into the kitchen and gasped as he saw two women fighting. Missy and Lily were fighting and Lily actually managed to get a few good hits in, though they both knew hitting Missy's stomach was a no go. However it ended up with Missy sitting on Lily's stomach growling. Rooster noticed how stronger Missy was than Lily was. No wonder Annie seemed so tough against a couple of street urchin boys who tried to punch her on her way back to the orphanage one day. He may have underestimated her and he didn't feel any angst toward her.
Missy was in the process of threatening Lily. "You handle my girl roughly again and I'll knock ya into next week..." she growls, motherly towards Goldie.
Lily saw Rooster. "Get this animal off me!" She exclaims.
Rooster was still frozen, unsure what to do. He actually kind of admired Missy's motherly skills toward his own daughter.
Missy gave Lily a shake. "I'm not an animal, ya dumb hotel!" She growls.
Lily let out a yelp of pain as the shaking hurt a little.
Rooster saw Lily in extreme pain. He shoved Missy off of her and helped up the blonde woman. "Lils, you alright?" he sounded very worried about her a little.
Missy landed, but made sure to protect her stomach. She glared at Rooster.
Lily gasped to get her breath back looking angry. She straightened up her clothes and wiped her split lip. "Either she is gotten rid of or tamed... or I'm leaving this joint." she huffs, angry.
"Don't worry, I'll sort her out, I know how to deal with womens." Rooster told Lily protectively, glaring back at Missy.
Lily glared at the younger woman. "Okay, Roost." she says quietly. She had her arms crossed.
Missy slowly stood up, she had a red hand print on her cheek and a few scratches. Plus her shirt had a rip over the shoulder.
"I'll deal with you later..." Rooster scowled at Missy for leaving her room.
Lily looked up at Rooster. "I'm going ta wash up..." she says, heading to do just that.
Rooster nodded at her. "Okay, babe." he let Lily leave going to do what she said she was going to do and he kept glaring down at Missy with no sympathy.
Missy merely crossed her arms not moving. She scowled back. Lily headed to the bathroom and saw the door was unlocked at the spare room so rebolted it for now. Goldie lifted her head at Lily, then looked back down as she kept in her spot, knowing Missy would be back eventually. Lily looked at her face in the mirror, how dare that younger woman affect her good looks. Missy stared back at him. She wondered what he would do to her.
"Okay, I can't hurt an innocent lady..." Rooster finally said, feeling odd. "I'm sorry I hurt ya... I just... I just... Forget it..."
Missy looked at him a minute more and then looked away. "If ya give me a slap I guess I deserve it... but I just don't want Goldie hurt at all." she murmurs.
"I don't really mean ta hurt my daughta..." Rooster murmured, but audibly.
"I actually meant the dumb hotel... She hurt Goldie by handling her roughly." Missy sighs, sounding angry.
"Well, I'm sorry, she's stronger than she looks... I got battle scars from when I forgot the anniversary of our first date." Rooster said to her.
Missy looked at him. Sure she didn't really like him at this time but she was a compassionate person. "Ya should get rid of her... Find someone who'd just be happy ya loved her." she suggests.
"I DO love Lils..." Rooster argued, though not harshly. Though maybe he didn't actually love Lily, he just loved the money she got to inherit.
Missy looked at him. "I was just suggesting..." she says and looked away again.
"Someone like you maybe?" Rooster asked, without an inch of sarcasm.
"What?" Missy asks blushing, surprised at his question. It was obvious she was merely surprised.
"I think maybe I learned my lesson in the slammah," Rooster shrugged, unsure of what really to do. "I wanted revenge against that little orphan Annie, so Lils and I took youse and Goldie, but now... I feel like not being bad for some reason... I guess I already hurt ya before and I been hurtin' Goldie since she could walk."
Missy looked at him. She gave a gentle sigh. "Ya can make it up to Goldie... and I will let ya see the baby..." she says, one thing she did do like almost every other women was that she wouldn't try to force anyone to like her or be with her just because they were the other parent of the baby. Plus she didn't actually like him that way right now.
"I've hurt her too much," Rooster looked back at her. "When her mother abandoned me with our daughter, I was in so much pain, I had to drown my sorrows... I think I had a little too much and started to take out my sadness and anger on her." he said, even if he had yelled to his sister about killing Goldie and Annie that he had killed Goldie's mother. That was a lie when he yelled that.
Missy frowned gently and threw caution to the wind offering a small hug. "There's always a chance..." she mumbles.
"I don't deserve no second chances." Rooster huffed, hating himself for the life he had led. He was being worse than his and Agatha's mother who was just as sick and cruel against children as they were.
"Shut it and listen, she still loves ya... and if ya don't push her about it she'll give ya a chance." Missy says. She started to let him go from the hug.
Lily was making her way back downstairs.
"She still loves me?" Rooster glanced at her, curiously. "Why would she still like a miserable old mook like me?"
"'Cuz no matter what, you're still her daddy..." she says quietly. She looked hatefully at Lily.
Lily looked at them as she entered. Rooster looked back at Lily, unsure what to say or do to her.
Lily looked at Rooster. "Why is she still out of the room... and why didn't ya punish her for hurtin' me?" She asks.
Missy stiffened staring at Lily. Rooster blinked at Lily, not even sure what to answer himself.
"Take her back up and teach her a lesson!" She says.
Missy blinked, slowly hating Lily more.
"Fine, I will!" Rooster snapped at her, grabbing Missy, but not in an aggressive way and started to drag her upstairs.
Lily smirked happily. Missy stumbled a little from shock and had to move up with him.
Rooster took Missy upstairs. "Why ya Bennett girls gotta be so sassy?"
Lily sat at the table, listening.
"We have ta be..." Missy says simply, quietly.
"Oh, youse think you gots it rough cuz your 'mommy' and 'daddy' died in a fire." Rooster scoffed, mostly to show off for Lily.
Lily smirked. Missy flinched a little.
Rooster pushed her into his room and shut the door. "Sorry..." he told her softly, he actually felt his stomach turn when he brought up the demise of David and Margaret Bennett.
Missy looked at him. She gave a nod. "I... understand..." she whispers. "Go ahead, she's obviously listening..." she then finishes, whispering.
Rooster then clapped his hands together to make it seem like he was smacking Missy. "Uhh... Don't think this means I like ya..." he whispered to her, though he kind of blushed when he was mentioning about liking her or not.
Missy pretended not to notice the blush. She managed to make a convincing noise of pain. "I know..." she replies so Lily couldn't hear.
Rooster looked at her and continued, not sure what else to say. Missy looked at him. She knew Lily would come and check so sighed and tensed. "You're gonna have to really hit me once... otherwise she'll be able to tell... she may be dumb but she knows what a bruise looks like, referring to the one Missy herself had given Lily.
Rooster sighed, but he agreed with her. "How would ya like to be marked?" He asked like he were a salesman at a carnival. "Black eye? Bloody nose? I won't punch your stomach."
"Anything, but yes not the stomach" Missy whispers, though it was clear to the room next door. "I'm gonna keep the baby..." she says softly.
"Okay... I'm sorry in advance..." Rooster said gently. He then cracked his knuckles, came close and punched Missy against her cheek.
Missy couldn't help the yelp that escaped her lips and she fell on the bed. Luckily her eyes showed she wasn't mad about him punching her, though her body gave her tears in her eyes. She touched her cheek lightly and winced nodding once. Rooster mouthed his apologies, but had a hateful gaze to look convincing if Lily were to walk in right then and right there. Missy looked at the door as it predictably opened. Lily popped her head in to check. She was so predictable and actually had an ugly look of malice and glee on her face.
"I'll settle my daughter, I brought her into this world." Rooster told Lily smoothly, glancing at Missy briefly.
"Okay, Roost." Lily simpers and went back away, letting him shut the door in whatever way he wanted.
Missy gently rubbed her cheek and couldn't help but listen in to what he would say to Goldie.