Title - It's A Fine Life
Chapter Title - Dodger's Contemplation
Author - OblivionsGarden
Genre - Romance/Crime/Friendship/Hurt/Comfort/Drama
Disclaimer - I do not own Oliver Twist or Oliver! in anyway, shape or form. I entirely own the plot for this fic and my original characters.

A/n - Please leave a review if you read. I'd greatly appreciate it. x

C,8

As Dodger lay as still as possible, besides the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed, he stared down at the red head snuggled close to him.
Dodger had recently realized that in the past month since Lyra arrived, he'd started to feel very weird when he was around her. When he first saw her, he saw potential of the crooked kind and a helping hand for some food and warmth. Then he saw her as a friend that he was close to as he was close to Charley. Someone to joke with and laugh with and share secrets with, And now...well what on earth was he seeing now as she finally drifted off into her sleep. Dodger saw that she was pretty. Actually she was more than that, with her crimson hair and midnight sky blue eyes. And her infectious laughter, her small frame, her sense of humour and her pick pocketing skills. Plus the way she didn't treat Dodger as any other street urchin and she was more than happy to link arms with him in public. The way she stole his hat one time and let it balance on the top of her head when she'd had a fair share of gin. And the fact that she'd never told anybody that he couldn't read very well. And she'd promised to teach him too.
"Can't you sleep neither, Dodge?" Lyra whispered through the darkness. "Do want me to move, am I keeping you awake?"
"Course not you stay right where you are and go back to sleep. I'm just thinkin' 'bout somethings is all."
"Anything important?" Lyra rested her head back on Dodger's chest.
"Yeah. But nothin' that needs worryin' about."
And there's the fact that she doesn't care what happens to her, as long as her friends are OK. All in all, Dodger now saw Lyra as Lyra actually was and it made his insides feel funny. As if Nancy was dancing round his stomach. What was it Nancy used to feel for Bill? Love? Am I in love with Lyra? Dodger thought to himself. He tilted his head so he was looking at the pale skinned girl beside him. Bloody hell. I better go talk to Nancy in the morning.

"Thanks for lettin' me sleep 'ere Dodge. I don't think I could've lasted in the corner on me own," Lyra was still sat on Dodger's bunk lacing up her boots.
"Anytime." Dodger smiled but made sure he stayed one step away from Lyra. His late night contemplation had left his mind reeling. "Um, you an' Charley will be on your own for a bit today. I'll come find you this afternoon."
"Oh? Where you off to?"
"Just someone I need t'talk to. Let Fagin know will you." Dodger pulled on his hat and left the bedroom, passed Charley who was already in the main room and out of the hideout.

He walked as quick as his legs could go without running so no one thought he was running from the beak and tried to stop him. It didn't take long to arrive at Nancy's place. She still lived in place she used to share with Bill, saying something about it keeping the happier memories alive. Dodger knocked on, hoping she'd be awake this early in the morning. Luckily, she opened the door in just her under dress and a shawl around her shoulders. Immediately her face looked concerned.
"What's 'appened?"
Dodger frowned. "Eh? Nothin'. I just need to talk to you."
"This early?" Dodger nodded. "Oh bloody 'ell Dodge, you nearly gave me an' 'eart attack. Come in." She ushered the boy inside where he sat on the edge of the bed. Nancy sat on the only chair in the room, keeping her shawl firmly around her shoulders. "Now, what's so important you 'ad to leap out o'bed at this time in the mornin'?"
"Well...promise you won't say anythin' to anyone."
"Course I won't."
"It's a bit embrassin' to be 'onest."
"Oh spit it out will you? Tea?" She gestured to the nearly boiled kettle of water.
"Please." Dodger nodded. "Nance...how d'ya know if you love someone?"
Nancy nearly dropped the chipped teacups she was holding. "Love?" Dodger nodded again. "Well." Nancy continued making two cups of watery tea. "I can 'onestly say I never thought you'd be askin' me that Dodge." She chuckled and handed him a cup. "Who you wonderin' about anyway?" She frowned although her eyes told that she knew exactly who Dodger was thinking about.
"Lyra."
"I thought as much." Nancy took a sip of her tea and set it on the small shelf to the left of her. "Well, when I was with...Bill." She said the name with a look of deep regret. "I always felt like he was the best thing to walk on the eart. Trouble was that's exactly how 'e though of 'imself an'all." She smiled a little. "It was like...he could do anythin' 'e wanted an' it wouldn't matter because I loved 'im."
"Is that why you never left 'im, Nance?"
Nancy nodded. "I was stupid really. Blinded by love. I mean I'd 'eard that phrase a thousand times before an' it weren't till 'e was dead that I bloody understood it." Her eyes looked watery and Dodger panicked. He was no good when girls cried.
"Don't cry Nance, I'm sorry."
Nancy waved a dismissive hand. "I ain't gonna cry you big lummox. Now.." She cleared her throat. "Tell me about Lyra. 'Ow'd you feel about her?"
"Well,"Dodger went on to explain to Nancy everything he'd thought about the night previous and with every word he said, Nancy's smile grew wider.
"Oh Dodger. You really do love 'er don't you?"
"Wha-. I uh...yeah I guess, I do." Dodger stood and placed his still full cup of tea beside Nancy's. "I've gotta go Nance. I'll see you soon." The pair exchange a kiss on the cheek before the teenage boy left the house.

He knew he'd promised to find Lyra in the afternoon but it was only nine o clock so he walked in the opposite direction of town to see if Oliver was in the park. It took him a while but eventually he saw the young blonde, running towards him. Dodger always liked to stay out of sight of the toffs but at the moment he didn't care. He needed to get Lyra off his mind.
"Hello Dodger!" Oliver beamed up at the boy. "Not like you to come here in the morning."
"No, just got a bit crowded at Fagin's."
As the two walked to sit down in the grass, Oliver noticed that Dodger was distant. "You OK, Dodger?"
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"How's your lady friend? Um...Lyra?"
"She's fine." Dodger smiled despite himself. Damn it. You ain't supposed to be thinkin' 'bout 'er.
Dodger sat with Oliver until the late afternoon, and it was absolutely no help at all. All day, Lyra was wondering around his brain. Reluctantly, Dodger left for the hideout.

"Ah, Master Dawkins how kind of you to join us on this pleasant evening." Fagin smirked. "What 'ave you got for me today, my dear?"
"Oh." In his panick about Lyra, Dodger hadn't stolen a thing. "Er...nothin'. I sort of got 'eld up. Sorry."
"'Eld up?" Fagin's smirk disappeared. "Now Dodger, just cause you're the best don't mean you can take a day off when you please."
"I know Fagin, sorry. I just 'ad to sort a few thing out. I'll be back at it tomorrow."
"I know you will."

Dodger moved over to where Charley was anxiously waiting for him in the doorway of the bedroom. He passed the sausages and bread without a single glance. He didn't much feel like eating.
"Dodge, where you been?" Asked Charley.
"Around. What's up wi' you?" Charley kept glancing from Dodger to the door in the main room.
"Lyra ain't too 'appy wi' you."
"Why, what've I done?"
"I dunno. She kept askin' where you were when you didn't turn up this afternoon. Then she thought maybe you'd got in to trouble and then she just went quiet and looked dead angry every time I said your name."
"Where is she?"
"She went up on the roof."
"Right. I'll be back later."
"Where you goin'?" Charley called to the disappearing back of his friend.
"To find Lyra!"