Alternatively- In Which We Finally See What Skittery's Been Up To

Skittery was going to throw up.
Or at least, that's what he thought was going to happen, after being solemnly marched to his table by police officers, and pushed roughly into a hard wooden chair. His head ached, throbbing even after days of rest in the refuge.
The kids there had taken pity on his stupid concussed self, even more so when they found out he knew the infamous Jack Kelley. They let him have a whole cot for the first night, which was spent in a feverish, nauseated hell. Next few nights he had to share, but he was lucky enough to even get a bed at that point, being new. Christ, he was twice as old as some of those kids, and yet they were the ones to bandage him up, to give him extra food and water, to give him their spots on the cots, leaving themselves on the cold, rat infested floor.
Now Skittery was in court, but not before being worked over by the warden and a couple of his cronies, however. He remembered the hellish walk there with his stupid busted up leg and officers that didn't take too kindly when he leaned on them for support.
"Order!" The judge commanded suddenly, banging his pommel. "Order in my court!"
Skittery swallowed hard, hands clammy, when suddenly, from behind him...
"Psst!"
He whirled around (NOT a smart thing to do with his stupid busted up head), only to see The Walking Mouth himself sitting behind him.
"Davey?" Skittery said disbelievingly, hearing the judge still banging his hammer in front of him. "The hell are you doing here?!"
"It's just me." He whispered back, answering Skittery's unspoken question. "Everyone else doesn't know where you are."
"How do you?!"
"Long story. I have my ways." He shrugged. "Anyways, I've come for moral support, even though I know you don't really like me-"
"Davey, if I get out of this, I'll love you so much I could kiss you. But that's not important."
"Oh."
"What the hell happened to Mush and Blink? And Race? And Spot?"
"Okay, now that is a long story, but they'll be fine now, don't wo- sh! It's starting!" Dave hissed suddenly, pushing Skittery away. "You've got this!"
"Order!" The fat judge wheezed one more time, lacing his fingers and starting his speech. Skittery could hear much past the sound of his heartbeat thudding in his ears. But he did hear the words: "Newsboy", "Trespassing", "10 months", and the most chilling of them all... "Refuge".
10 months in the refuge?
Skittery gripped the table in front of him, forcing himself to stay cool and listen to the police officer testifying against him.
"Your honor, I prosecute the paperboy known as 'Skittery', for several acts of trespassing into private property, resisting arrest, and disturbing the peace."
Skittery thought over what he said quickly, wiping his shaking palms on his pants. The run over to the Brooklyn bridge... Crap. He had run into some buildings, hadn't he? But... But it was an emergency, he couldn't just-
"Myself and my fellow officer were patrolling the streets a few days back, when suddenly a landlord came to me, saying, and I quote, that a bunch of hooligans had run, laughing and screaming through his flat. We managed to catch up to them, not before seeing them terrorizing the streets and disturbing the peace. We managed to apprehend Mr. Skittery at the Brooklyn Bridge, but when he resisted arrest, force was necessary to subdue him."
Skittery took a deep breath. He couldn't go the refuge, not for ten months, he had to do this-
"That's all I need to hear." The judge said simply, banging his pommel with a deafening sense of finality. "I hereby charge the newsboy known as Skittery guilty-"
"What?!" Skittery was standing before he could even think, head spinning. "That's- That's not fair!"
Skittery could practically feel David's panicked stare on him, but he couldn't afford to get distracted.
Ten months in the refuge, Ten months in the refuge, Ten months in the refuge, Ten months in the refuge...
"Excuse me?" The judge scoffed. "Guards, take this delinquent awa-"
"I have a RIGHT to say my side of the story!" He roared, louder than he could ever remember yelling in his life. If he was paying attention, he would have heard camera flashes going off behind him, eager to get a shot of the Innocent facing off a judge. "I know my rights, I'm not stupid!"
The judge paused, looking at Skittery, then at the reporters, then back at Skittery. "... Very well."
"First of all, my friends and I were not laughing. We were not happy." Skittery pressed, not sitting back down. "It was a matter of life or death, your honor, our friends were half dead on the Brooklyn Bridge and we had to help them!"
"Ah. The infamous story of the Brooklyn Bridge-"
"It's not just a story, it's true! I was there. You have to understand that whatever we did to save our friends, we did with- with good reason! One second later and they would have been dead!"
"Nonsense. You didn't have to do anything. That's what the police are for, boy-"
"Yeah, really?" Skittery fumed, so angry he could hardly contain himself. "Three boys were about to fall off of the bridge, and instead of helping them, or, I don't know, at least letting me help them, they arrested me! Knocked me out! I'm not joking,damn it, there were witnesses!"
"The officers were-"
"Completely wrong! And I had every right to resist arrest, since I was watching them tip over the edge, and those idiot cops did NOTHING!"
There was complete silence in the court. Faintly, in the back of Skittery's mind, he registered that it felt like his teeth were vibrating with the hysteria.
"... I hereby bring this court to recess." The judge mumbled, banging his gavel halfheartedly.
Instantly the reporters were all over Skittery, even through Davey was trying his best to push them away.
"What do you think of your name, 'The Innocent', sir?"
"Uh. It's... It's appropriate?" He answered dumbly, hands shakily making their way up, like he was trying to defend himself. "I mean, I am. Innocent, I mean. I am Innocent. And just call me Skittery, but can you just-"
"Skittery! What are your opinions on the Brave Captain's fund?"
"The what?" Skittery shook his head, starting to get a headache. "I don't know what you're talking about." Maybe it was the sudden overwhelmed tone in his voice, but they paused nonetheless. "I don't know anything, so just scram, alright?"
They scrammed, surprisingly. Probably not willing to provoke the anger of someone who'd just screamed out an all- powerful judge. With the reporters gone, Dave leaned over the divider, looking slightly apprehensive. Skittery turned to him, and it might've been the concussion, but he was starting to look at Dave in a new light. He remembered in the big fight against the crips, when he got decked across the face... Dave was the one to ask if he was alright. At the rally, Dave was willing to fight off bulls to protect Jack with nothing but a theatre swing... And then Skittery's legs started moving, and suddenly he was in front of Davey, ready to fight to protect him. Sure, Skittery gave him a hard time, what with the guy being better off than all of them, going to school every other day, being a wimp...
But here he was. Giving him support of all things, at court.
"That looks bad." Dave winced, gesturing to the slightly bloody bandage around his head. "What's it made out of?"
"A bedsheet." Skittery bit out, letting his head rest in his hands. He was dead. He was so dead. "You ever been clubbed over the head, Davey?"
"... No." He admitted.
"It sucks. I don't recommend it."
Anyways, I've come for moral support, even though I know you don't really like me
Moral support
Even though I know you don't really like me
You don't really like me
Man, Skittery hadn't given Davey the slightest chance, had he?
"You're not bad, you know that?" He laughed lightly, looking up at him through his bangs. "You're a decent guy, Dave."
The look on his face was stupidly surprised. Really stupidly surprised.
"... Are you sure you're alright, Skittery?"
That made him laugh, which hurt a little, but he didn't care. Laughing was good. Laughing got Skittery's mind off of things. "No, I'm serious. I appreciate this. A lot."
Dave looked like he didn't know what to say to that, but Skittery noted that he looked shocked in a good way. In a happy way. Good.
"... Well... Thanks, I guess? It's nothing, really-"
"I've been nothing but a dick to you, and you know it." Skittery mumbled, suddenly wincing as his head gave another flash of pain.
"Skittery? ... You okay?"
"I'll live." He said simply, but Dave wasn't letting it go.
"I've been learning some first aid, if you tell me I can try to fix you up a little after you get cleared-"
Skittery shook his head dejectedly, no matter how much it made his head spin. "Come on, Dave. You're not stupid."
"Shut up. Just.. Just shut up, okay? You are walking free, I'm sure of it."
Skittery figured he'd humor the guy, after all, it was the least he could do, considering how much work it must've been to track his sorry ass down.
"Okay, concussion in the head, making me feel like general crap. Right?"
"Right."
"Busted right leg. Not... Not broken, I don't think, but sprained at least. Yeah?"
"Yeah."
"And a couple of broken ribs."
"Okay."
"... Okay."
"Okay." Dave paused, looking strangely beat up. It was a weird look on him, looking like all hope had left him in one fell swoop. "You... You can't go to jail, Skittery. Not for ten months."
"Don't really have a say in it, Davey-"
"I don't care." He mumbled. "You can't. It's not right, and you can't."
"... Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why do you care?" Skittery deadpanned. "I sure as hell haven't been a bouquet of roses to you. Honestly. Why the hell are you even here."
"Okay, I'm not going to stand here- uh, sit here- and listen to you moan about how shitty you've been, because you haven't." Dave snapped, taking Skittery's stupid concussed self by surprise. "You are an ass to everyone sometimes, okay? Not just me. And you had actual reason to not like me at the beginning, I was a snob-"
"You weren't-"
"Yes, I was. I honestly thought you hated me, but I don't care. You're my friend. Everyone is. You know, with exceptions. That you're not one of."
Skittery didn't respond, choosing instead to blink at him blankly.
"So, considering Jack needed to be at the lodging house, and all of your other friends are bedridden, I stepped up to the plate."
"You promise me they're alright." Skittery blurted suddenly, letting the previous conversation die as his stupid concussed self remembered what he was so worried about. "You promise me, Davey, and don't you dare lie."
"They're fine! Honest." Dave smiled, in a way that let Skittery know that they hadn't been "fine" for that long. Which made him feel a sudden, unwarranted, rush of anxiety. "When I left, they had gotten enough money to go get a good doctor. Don't worry, Race and Spot will be fine once they get good enough medicine, and Blink and Mush are already walking around. They're all fine."
Skittery sighed, letting his relief show as he laid his head on the barrier, right beside David's.
"I'm screwed."
"No, you're not."
"I'm so screwed."
"You're not."
"You ever been in the refuge, Davey?"
"That's a stupid question."
"I know. That's why I asked it."
"... No, I have not."
"I know." Skittery squeezed his eyes shut. "My head kills."
Dave didn't answer.
"... You... You really think it'll be fine?"
"I'm not making any promises." Dave said, not moving from his position. They must've been an odd sight, just two boys leaning face first into a metal divider. "... But I have a good feeling."
"Great." Skittery snapped, but instantly sobered, and sighed. "... Sorry."
"It's fine. You're hurt. And on trial. You have the right to be an ass."
Skittery didn't have anything to say to that, but Davey kept talking, so it didn't really make a difference.
"I mean- I mean- you're not being an ass, you just sort of snapped, which doesn't mean you're being an ass, that's not what I meant, honest, I-"
"Shush." Skittery mumbled, and Davey actually shut up.
And that was the last thing they said to eachother before the judge started banging his stupid little hammer again.
"Oder! Order in my court!"
Skittery raised his head woozily, and after a brief second of eye contact with Davey, turned around, feeling sick to his stomach as he stared up at the judge.
"... The jury has decided." The judge wheezed, a happy expression on his face- or was that just Skittery's imagination? It didn't matter. Nothing mattered. Christ- god, nothing mattered, he was getting rats and cold cots for nearly a year and nothing mattered- Skittery gripped the table, eyes shut and head spinning.
"The newsboy known as 'Skittery' is hereby found to be..."
Skittery couldn't breathe. He felt like he was going to pass out, or throw up, or- or worse. Fear crept into his chest, like a 10 ton weight pressing down on his lungs, oh god, oh shit, oh god he couldn't breathe, nothing mattered and he couldn't breathe-

"Not guilty."

Skittery couldn't breathe. He didn't breathe as Davey grabbed him, laughing and hollering, he didn't breathe as the officers escorted him out, he didn't breathe when the reporters practically jumped on him when he limped out the doors, now being supported by Davey, he didn't breathe until he was down the road safely and away from everyone.
And then he threw up.
"You did it, Skittery!" Dave was yelling, grinning ear to ear and helping him up. "You did it!"
"I'm... Not going to the refuge."
"You're not going to the refuge!"
"I'm ... Oh my god." Skittery wheezed, wiping his mouth. Ugh. "I'm not going to jail!"
"I know-" Dave started, but was cut off by Skittery grabbing him by the shoulders, grinning and looking him right in the eyes. A look of shock and horror suddenly dawned on Dave's face, and in a small voice he said, "You're not going to kiss me, are you?"
Skittery burst out laughing, jostling his broken ribs painfully, but he couldn't stop. "N-No! Cowboy would kill me!"
"Oka- Hey! Hold on!"
Skittery kept laughing- oh man, that hurt like the unholy pits of hell- but he couldn't stop.
"Okay, okay, come on." David rolled his eyes, throwing Skittery's arm over his shoulder. "Jack's going to lose his mind when he sees you, I swear-"
"Wait... Wait a second." Skittery pushed against him, sitting back down with a wince. "Just a second."
"What're you-"
"Jack can wait five more minutes." He groaned, stretching out his throbbing leg. David, thankfully, understood.
"Can I take a look at it?" David asked, kneeling next to him.
"Go ahead." Skittery undid his shoe, rolling down his sock and rolling up his pants. "I'm telling you, it's just-"
"Fractured." David cut him off, shooting him a look of sympathy. "How did you even walk on this?"
"Carefully." He huffed, looking away as David gently, albeit painfully, began to inspect it.
"You're going to have to ice it once we get to the lodging house." He crinkled his nose. "And I'm going to clean your head and get you new bandages."
"... Thanks." He said, and meant it, because Dave probably knew how to do stuff like that much better than Kloppman or Jack.
"It's nothing." He grinned, holding out a hand. "You ready to go?"
"Ready as I'll ever be." He took it, hefting himself up and hiding the pain.
David... Had actually gotten pretty strong in the past year, Skittery mused, as Dave once again threw Skitt's arm over his shoulder and became his crutch. He was... He was a decent guy, yeah.
Skitt's head was crammed full of thoughts, of Mush, Blink, Spot, and Race, of the judge, of the refuge, and most importantly, the realization that Davey... Davey wasn't a bad guy.

Racetrack Higgins felt like he had been hit by a truck.
No, worse than that.
Like he'd been hit by a truck, right before being thrown off a cliff, tumbling down said cliff, where he got bit by a poisonous snake, and once he made it to the bottom, got blown up by a land mine.
Yeah.
Like that.
He groaned miserably, wondering just how angry someone would have to be at him for him to wake up feeling like death was giving him a back massage. Racetrack tilted his head to the side, and froze.
Jack.
He was draped over the back of a chair, his stupid cowboy hat sitting lopsidedly on his head. He looked like hell, dark circles under his eyes, his face gaunt and stressed.
Jack must've been worried sick. (Sick? Sick about what- oh.)
Race swallowed the lump forming in his throat as the memories hit him, eyes trailing to the cot beside him.
"Heya, Spot." He rasped, voice hoarse. The leader of Brooklyn didn't look much better, covered in bandages and looking generally crappy. Crappy... But alive. Spot nodded stiffly.
"Hey, Race."
"Pffhaha- ow, ow, OW, OW-" They both burst out laughing, which of course made them double over painfully and groan, but hell, they didn't care. They were alive, and they were fine, and that's all they needed to be.
"We gonna be alright, Racetrack?" Spot managed to rasp out, grinning from ear to ear and coughing under his breath.
"Yeah, Spot." Race answered, the laughter dying down but the rising feeling of happiness in his chest only growing. "Yeah, I think we are."
"Heh." Spot died down as well, turning to look at the ceiling. "Hey, you know that girl?"
Race suddenly noted how hoarse and scratchy Spot's voice was; Race had vague memories muffled by pain and darkness of Spot screaming like a madman over him, a crazed, horrible scream that made Race's heart clench, that wasn't Spot, who the hell was that, that couldn't be Spot, oh god, someone get me out of here, that isn't Spot-
"What girl?"
"You know..." He looked at Race again, a shit eating grin on his face. "You know, the tight skirt girl."
"Oh, that girl. Yeah?"
"You think she has a sister?"

One month later:

"Spot, sit down." Jack sighed, watching the King of Brooklyn try to walk on shaky feet.
"Shut up, Jacky boy."
"Spot-"
"Shut."
"Come o-"
"Up."
"Bu-"
"Shuttup."
Jack sighed again, raising his hands in surrender. "Fine, kill yourself for all I care." He shot Race, who was watching Spot like he couldn't wait to watch him fall, a scalding look. "Racetrack, don't tick him off."
"But ma..." Race whined mockingly, making Spot snort and nearly trip.
"Can it, you bum." Jack laughed, flicking Race on the forehead and walking out of the room.
"You're gonna fall~"
"Shut up, Race!"
"Your legs are shaking like-"
"Just because you're jealous doesn't mean-"
"I'm jealous?!"
"I'm out of bed and you ain't!"
"Spot, I swear to god, when this cast comes off-!"
Jack shook his head, walking into the main foyer.
"Mush!" He called, and the boy came trotting.
"Yeah, Jack?"
"Where's Davey?"
"Playing poker." Blink rolled his eye, suddenly appearing beside Mush. "Skittery's teaching him how."
"Davey's playing poker?" Jack took a double take. "Who's teaching him?"
"Told you he wouldn't believe it." Mush smirked, nudging Blink. "Come on, I'm going to go play Hold 'em with Race!"
"Oh, I'm coming too!" Blink grinned at Jack, before being dragged off by a very hyper Mush.
Jack looked over at the Poker table, seeing Skittery with a moderate amount of chips, and Dave with approximately two. He was talking sternly to Davey, who was nodding, until suddenly he threw down a card and everyone groaned in defeat, pushing their chips over to him.
The look on Dave's face could make hardened criminals smile, and Skittery looked on with a proud look on his face.
If anyone were to say a couple months ago that Skittery and Davey would be friends- not only friends, but near best friends- they would probably get hit. Now look at them. No one knew exactly what happened at the courthouse... But Race was pretty certain they kissed. There was even money going around.
Jack turned a full circle, seeing Blink, Mush, and Race all yelling at eachother about poker (Race obviously the loudest, waving his arms in the air and slipping into Italian), Spot falling on his ass and swearing loudly, Dave laughing in triumph and Skittery patting him on the back...
Jack grinned.
Yeah.
Everything was okay.

And... That's a wrap! A huge thank you to everyone who read and reviewed this story so far, and those who will in the future (or maybe even right now, nudge nudge wink wink), you guys are the best :D

A bit of sentimentality here; I started writing this story YEARS ago in my free time, and only recently finished it off and polished it enough to post. No word of a lie, there was no plan whatsoever in terms of plot. It just kind of happened, and then kept happening, and kept happening... And here we are! So... Fun facts!

1. I completely forgot about Skittery and added him in a week ago (sorry) (Also, as I was writing this chapter, I found out that I really like Skittery and David's dynamic) (I hope you do to, it was very unexpected)

2. This story takes place in an alternate universe where the refuge exists, and they also know Davey. ... This one I can't explain.

Thank you again, and see you next time!

- Kat c: