Chapter 4: Help

A/N: A chapter where Nancy shows off her superb acting skills for the very first time. Hope everybody is enjoying this, please R&R.

Warning: Contains thieving, lying, acting six year olds (Nancy's list of talents just gets longer), some foul language (most of these chapters do), and a ticked off Bill.

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"I just want to know how you did it," Ace was whining as they walked off together the next day. Johnny was quite a few paces ahead of them but not so far ahead that they didn't have to mind their words.

"I just looked cute that's all," she said as they continued to walk.

"But why the bleedin' 'ell did ya lie 'bout it? I certainly didn't 'elp ya, and Bill 'e's a regular right down-"

"Shh," Nancy hissed casting a nervous glance forward at Johnny. "Bill's your 'ero 'e is," Nancy said trying to explain. "I couldn't just rip tha' out from under 'im." Ace rolled his eyes as they continued to roam the dirty London streets.

"No, 'course not. If ya ask me, somebody needs to put 'im back in 'is place." Nancy scoffed as they picked up the pace to catch up to Johnny.

"Well then be my guest, 'cause it certainly ain't gonna be me." The trio walked the dirty streets of London waiting to come across the good part of town. Finally they split up for the day, electing Johnny would be the one on the duty of mash, he'd never been the best thief to begin with. So Ace and Nancy split up, each reaching into separate pockets and marveling over the spoils they could find. Nancy had figured she'd just about done her job for the day when she noticed a rather posh man walking down the street ahead of her. He'd be perfect, she could see his handkerchief, silk no less, hanging out of his pocket a good couple of inches. It'd be tricky though, this was the kind of job that called for assistance, perhaps a distraction of some sort. Nancy looked about, none of the other boys could be seen from where she stood. She sat there tapping her foot trying to decide what to do. Finally she sighed and started towards the man. Well, had she out thieved Bill Sikes or hadn't she?

The man had his nose buried in a book and he was leaning backwards against a wall. If she managed to time this right she could snatch the thing and not look back. Carefully Nancy looked around to assure she was not being watched before she stood on her tip toes and gently let her fingers wrap around the cloth. No sooner had she done so then the man wrapped her wrist in his iron grip and dropped the book cold to the ground.

"Gotcha you little thief!" He had said that entirely too loud and now people were watching the scene with interest. Nancy, being clever even at her young age, did the only thing she could think of. She opened her mouth and screamed like it was her job.

"HELP! HELP! The big mean scary man's got me. Somebody help!" Now all the people were glaring at the man instead of she herself as she attempted to get tears to come to her eyes and continued to scream. She looked about and noticed Bill going to pick a nearby gentleman's pocket in all the confusion. He too, had stopped momentarily to watch her every move.

"Nonsense the girl tried to pick my pocket," the man said sneering at her.

"You let me go or my mommy'll have the bow street after you," Nancy protested. "Help!"

"If you don't believe me check the girl's pockets, I'm sure they're positively loaded." The man began to pull up the outer skirt she wore to reveal her pocket and that's when she really let him have it.

"DON'T you touch me there, help! Somebody help me!" Nancy was really giving him what for, thrashing and tearing up and screaming and kicking and the crowd was on edge about what to do. Finally, a one Mr. Bill Sikes, rolled his eyes, stepped away from the man he'd been attempting to rob, and stepped in to complete the act.

"Just what the bleedin' 'ell do you think yer doin' to my little sister," he roared. The crowd now turned angrily towards the man who had hold of Nancy. Bill's voice was simply booming as Nancy paused in all her hysteria.

"Help me Bill!" she wailed. "The mean man's got me an' 'e won't lemme go!" Angrily Bill scooped Nancy up in his arms right out of the man's startled grasp.

"You leave my little sister alone or I'll 'ave the Bow Street Runners down 'ere this instant," Bill snapped. "Creep!" he added for good measure as he walked away. Nancy was curled up in his arms and had her head buried in his chest as he continued to carry her towards Fagin's. Once they were well out of ear shot Bill looked down unhappily at her. "Do you 'ave any idea what kind of pickings were on tha' man?" he said angrily. "I coulda got twice as much as whatever the 'ell you were tryin' to swipe." Nancy wanted to point out she had saved his ass on numerous occasions and he had no room to be sneering at her in such a snide manner but instead his constant griping was met only by her meek...

"I'm sorry Bill," and not another word between them.

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When Bill came bursting through the door to Fagin's flat the old miser was taking some sausages off the table. The other children had been long since back. Every body present froze when they saw Bill carrying Nancy in and even Fagin looked up with worry etched in his usually merry face.

"What 'appened, my dears?"

"This one," he said rather unceremoniously dumping Nancy on a bed "nearly got caught. If I 'adn't of been there I don't know what woulda 'appened to 'er! 'Ell if she 'adn't started screamin' bout bein' kidnapped and wot not it wouldn't 'ave been salvageable at all! She cost me the biggest pick of the day, you know tha'!" Nancy was lying numbly on the bed choosing not to move. After the both of them had relayed in full what had gone on they sat staring at Fagin waiting for him to make his next move. To everyone's surprise, said move was to fall into hysterical laughter. He reached over and wrapped Nancy in a hug rather jubilantly.

"Nancy m'dear! I couldn't of chose a better charge! Kidnappin', you! Ha, oh my eye I can't even imagine. And Bill," he added clapping the astounded lad on the back. "You comin' in with the 'away from me sister bit' oh what glory, what a yarn!" After Fagin's hysterical laughter had died down quite a bit he turned back to them in a more serious manner. "Alright everyone to the table, let's see what you 'ave for me, my dears." Once again all the boys emptied their pockets and Fagin was nodding in a rather bored approving manner until Bill emptied his coat out. Even without his finest pick he'd managed to take almost twice as much as he'd stolen yesterday. To everyone's far greater surprise, so had Nancy. Once again she was tied with Bill when she pulled out the silk kerchief that so much fuss had been made over and laid it down on the table.

"That's Bill's pickings that is," she said nodding to the thing. "I wouldn't 'ave got it without 'im." So once again their hero was restored to their rightful glory but Fagin found himself looking quite curiously at the young girl before him. His newest charge was proving to be nearly twice as beneficial as he had originally thought.