Chapter 17: Henceforth Known As...

A/N: In Which the Dodger earns his nickname. THANKS SO MUCH to all my wonderful reviewers, including the annonymous ones who I couldn't send a review reply to. You guys are awesome and the flippin' Fries in my happy meal. :-D This chapter is just for you guys.

Warning: Contains imitations of the proper and nicknames.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Is Fagin 'ere?" was the first thing Nancy inquired as soon as Edward had let her in the door.

"No 'E went to see Bill cause of.....'ey! What is that?"

"Not what," Nancy explained as she shut the door behind Jack and herself. "Who."

"Who, wot, don' matter, who is that?" Seeming slightly terrified, the boy Nancy had brought with her took a step behind her person, using her almost as a shield.

"He is the latest member of the gang if it so suits Fagin," she explained climbing up the stairs.

"Hey Nance 'ow was business today?" James was prattling on as soon as he saw her. "I 'ad a real nice day you know that? See there was this toff what was....who's 'e?"

"Listen up," Nancy said raising her voice "I'm only sayin' this once. This 'ere's Jack Dawkins, 'e's new, treat 'im nice or I'll box your ears in." Nancy used to laugh at that threat when Fagin had posed it to his boys upon her own arrival years ago, but now she found it to be a rather useful thing to say. "Jack, this is Marshall, Morice, Edward, Benjamin, an' James. Say 'ello boys." There were slight grumbles of welcome before the boys all went back to their goings on. It didn't take the new boy two seconds to recognize a card game going on, and, with a grin, he went off in pursuit of joining.

"Where'd 'e come from Nance?" James was asking as soon as the kid was out of earshot. James was a year older then Nancy was, and growing more handsome every day. He never quite understood why it was she was the only girl he'd met who hadn't fallen victim to his charms. If only he knew...

"Kid picked my pocket!" Nancy explained in a hushed but surprised tone. "Not only tha' really so much as that 'e stole my choker right off me neck wivout my noticin'!"

"The one Bill gave ya?" Nancy nodded and James stared at her shock. That was the girl's most prized possession, if the kid had swiped that, he must be good. "But you...I mean...." James took a side glance at the new boy, already engaged in a card game as if he owned the place. "Wow."

"That's what I thought," Nancy said smiling. "Fagin's gonna be real pleased with me for this one."

"No arguments there m'lady," James said with a mocking tone as he offered her a cup of gin "no arguments there."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"And you were able to swipe it off Miss Nancy's neck?" Fagin asked astonished. When he'd returned home from visiting Bill, apparently there had been a dispute about the housebreaker's pay, Nancy had briefly introduced the child before asking him to relay the story to Fagin. Jack was smiling, eager to impress, he strutted around and boasted his little claim to fame.

"That's right. It was too easy, she does this little curtsy as she's passin' me an' I flipped the clasp so fast she didn't notice it was fallin'!" Nancy smiled at Fagin from across the room encouragingly. Nancy was famous for three things in the gang, her beauty, her uncanny ability at cards, and the fact that it was impossible to steal from her. She was so observant she saw things even Fagin missed!

"Well then," Fagin said, a toothy grin appearing on his grimy features "we're very glad to see you Mr. Dawkins, very."

"I don' like it," Nancy piped up from where she was sitting in a chair by the window. It was the same one she'd been slumped in waiting for Bill to return home to them years ago.

"Don't like what my dear?" Fagin asked curiously.

"The kid's name, it don' suit 'im."

"That's right," James chimed in. "Too plain for what 'e managed to do, 'e picked somethin' off Nancy for God's sake!"

"Yes now see 'ere," Nancy said setting down her cup of gin and crossing the room. All the boys gathered around excitedly, she had a very theatric way of doing things. "I say that any boy, wot can pick a choker right off me neck, wivout my noticing...especially if that choker was given to me by none other then Bill Sikes 'imself...am I right?" She cried jubilantly throwing her arms out as if to prod the boys on. They all cheered thunderously in agreement that what she was stating was amazing. "Then 'e deserves a better name then jus' plain ol' Jack Dawkins. Now let me see..." she said pacing around the boy who was looking up at her with eager eyes. It was as if he was mesmerized by her every movement. "You managed to swipe the thing, an' dodge away from my person without me noticing it. So you're...the Dodger!" she cried triumphantly.

"Oh but think," Fagin cried getting in on the fun. "Of how fluidly he must've made the move, am I right my dear?" he asked nodding towards the new boy. The child shook his head vigorously in agreement.

"Tha's right," he said proudly.

"Almost...artful wouldn't ya say so Nance?"

"Why indeed I would Mr. Fagin," she said. They were all having a grand old time with this now, acting as if they were real upper crust people at a coronation or something of the sort. In this boy's case it appeared to be a knighting. "Kneel," she instructed the boy, who did so immediately. Looking about her for only a moment, she very flamboyantly snatched the toasting fork from beside the fire and touched it once on each of the boy's shoulders. "I claim you to be henceforth known, as the Artful Dodger. You may rise good sir," she said with a mock bow. All the boys cheered as Dodger rose to his feet with a grin stretching ear to ear. The children crowded around the new boy, clamping him on the back with cries of 'here's to the Dodger' and 'welcome to the gang Dodge.' Nancy's comment was the quietest of all but the one that the boy would turn out to remember, even years later. Smiling, she ruffled the boy's hair and gave him a little nod. "Consider yourself at home kid," were the words that would forever be engraved in the mind of the Artful Dodger.