Chapter 2: Clockwork

A/N: A chapter in which we see how young Nancy fits in, or rather attempts to fit in with the gang. Also, I've decided to do a "warning" for each chapter, sometimes it contains things you need to watch out for, other times it'll just be me being silly (like with this chapter). Please R&R.

Warning: Includes screaming children, thieving six year olds and a severely ticked off Fagin.

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"Fagin!" Nancy shrieked at the top of her lungs. Fagin groaned and rolled over in his bed as he heard the large commotion in the main room of the flat, they were at it again. The girl had barely been here two weeks and while she had learned to fit in with everybody and become a surprisingly good pick pocket in her own right, the boys terrorized her on a daily basis. "Give it back or I'll bite your bloody legs off," he heard her shout. And then "FAGIN!" This time the cry was ear-splitting and none too easily ignored.

"Lord Bill!" one of the boys was shouting. "Give it back to her already, I think me blasted ears are bleeding."

"Here," Fagin heard Bill say "take it." After that the commotion seemed to die down but now Fagin was awake beyond repair.

"Lord," he grumbled as he pulled on his pants and waistcoat. "What was God thinking puttin' a pair o' lungs like tha' on a woman! It ain't right!" As Fagin walked out to greet the loud youngsters he saw Nancy pulling on her other sock and growling at the others.

"Do you see what ya did Bill?" she growled. "There's a bloody 'ole in me stocking!"

"There was 'oles in yer stockings before," cried one of the boys.

"Why you little-"

"Nancy!" Fagin screamed. He stopped gently and corrected himself. "My dear," he said chuckling. "Is it, at all possible you can stop yelling at these boys long enough to let me think straight!" he said thundering off the last two words. Nancy flinched slightly as she continued to yank on the worn black stockings.

"Alright quit yer hollerin'," she snarled. Fagin chuckled outright, he seemed more psychotic then normal this morning.

"Quit yer 'ollerin she says," Fagin said laughing. "She's been screamin' all bloody morning, and she instructs me to quit me bloody 'ollerin!" He walked into the kitchen continually muttering to himself. As soon as he was gone Nancy turned on Bill violently.

"You see what ya done Bill! You 'ad to go and take me stocking and now Fagin's miffed with the lot of us!"

"And by the lot of us you mean you," said one of the boys.

"Shut it!" she said chucking a shoe at him. That was a mistake. The boys then began to play a game of monkey in the middle with her shoe. Poor Nancy, short as can be was jumping lividly after them. "Stop it! Give it 'ere will ya? I said give it back!" One of the boys, who went by Ace was waving the shoe in front of her. She charged after him before he whipped it out of her way and jumped gracefully to the side. Nancy's eyes widened as she saw the table in front of her.

From the kitchen Fagin heard a crash. He jumped like he'd been shot and sent an entire pan of sausages rolling across the dirt blackened floor. Never one to waste food, Fagin had just finished throwing the sausages back into the pan when he jumped again at the sound of Nancy's screams.

"Ace you son of a-"

"ALRIGHT!" Every last one of the children present leaped at the sight of Fagin. Covered in soot, toasting fork in hand, and fuming beyond all reason. "I. 'Ave. 'Ad it!" All of the children visibly cowered at the sound of his voice. "Ace, give 'er the bleedin' shoe, now!" Ace immediately tossed it to Nancy's waiting hands. "Boys," he said gently "you will stop picking on her! And Nancy," he said stalking across the room to her. He reached down and grabbed her ear probably a bit harder then he should have. "YOU! Will stop screaming like everything is life and death because if I 'ear that blood curtlin' shriek of yers one more time I'll tear your ever lovin' throat out! Clear enough?" His voice was ragged and slow, but more then enough to frighten the lot of them. Nancy nodded vigorously and Fagin released her ear to give her a pat on the head. "Good girl, clever girl. Now on the job all of you!" he cried. Without waiting for much more direction the kids walked out of the flat and started through the sewer towards the upper crust side of London. Nancy had taken to chasing after Ace and Johnny, Bill being one to work alone and the other boys unwilling to drag her along.

"What was wrong with Fagin this morning?" she asked skipping along after them.

"Ah the old un's off 'is rocker. Don't you worry yer pretty little 'ead about it," said Johnny ruffling her hair. Agitated she batted his hands away.

"Would you stop doin' that," she asked angrily.

"Sure," Johnny said straightening his spine and acting as though he were a real gentleman. "Right after I give up pick-pocketing, peach on Fagin, and go get a respectable job!" Ace batted the hat off Johnny's head and sent it rolling down the sewers.

"Don't you even joke about peachin'. Don't you even!" With that Ace stalked ahead leaving Johnny to bend over agitated and Nancy to stand there curiously.

"What's wrong with 'im?" she asked curiously.

"Oh don't you worry nothin' bout' it little one," Johnny said as they walked on. "You see, Ace there, 'e don't take too kindly to the idea of peachin'. Fagin's is 'is only real 'ome. His ol' man was a regular right down bad un' an' 'e never knew 'is mum. Fagin's all 'e's got. Without 'im, Ace'll 'ave nowhere to go, see? So 'e really don't like it when people talk like it's some big joke, cuz' to 'im it really ain't." Nancy nodded as they continued after Ace down the tunnel. They came out in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the London streets. Women clad in long hoop skirts were twirling parasols over their shaded heads while gentlemen stalked along with a jolly air. The only children to be seen were finely clad and obviously well fed, skipping along to school Nancy was sure. She turned her head towards Johnny curiously.

"Cash or mash?" she asked him. Nancy did this every day. Mash was the gang's nickname for any sort of food at all and the gang was in charge of bringing home both food and valuables when they returned to Fagin's home. As he put it, the lot of them had to "earn their keep." Johnny smiled at her and ruffled her curls once again. Angrily she pushed his hands away. This only made him chuckle harder.

"I'll take the mash today Nancy. You always do better at getting the goods without getting caught." Nancy beamed up at him with pride.

"Can't have this face and be suspected of much," she said smiling. Johnny nodded and took off down the street. Nancy walked to a fountain in the middle of town and did her best to wash up. She checked her reflection in the rippling pool and did her best to straighten out her ribbon. Feeling down right adorable she headed off towards the center of town. It wasn't hard at all for Nancy to spot somebody ripe for the picking. As inconspicuously as she could Nancy walked over and began tailing a rather noble looking gentlemen by a shop. "Um...excuse me Mister?" she said attempting to sound innocent. She yanked gently at the tails of the man's waistcoat.

"Yes young lady can I help you?" Nancy smiled innocently as she twirled one of her messy red locks.

"Mommy sent me to go to the bookshop but I got lost. I've been looking for it but Mommy'll get worried if I'm gone much longer," she said. She still twirled gently at her hair and tried to look innocent. "Which...um...which way is it?" The man smiled kindly and pointed down the street. He watched the girl's eyes sparkled like a morning sun and she threw her arms around his waist. "Oh thank you Mister!" Nancy quickly pulled out of the hug and skipped off merrily down the street. As soon as she was out of sight she tossed the man's wallet up in the air jubilantly. She smirked gently as she tucked it in a pocket under her skirts. "Like clockwork."