Chapter 18: A Game of Chance

A/N: Well I really like this chapter, sort of a cute way to reference how ill tempered Nancy can sometimes be. Just a bit of filler and fluff, enjoy! THANK YOU SO MUCH to all my wonderful reviewers, you guys really make my day, I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. Keep it up.

Warning: Contains swearing, gambling, and admiring of Bill's rock hard muscles.

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"Oh not again!" Benjamin cried throwing his cards down.

"I'm out," Edward grumbled.

"You're out, I was out before we started," chimed in James.

"That's because you're awful at cards to start with!"

"Hey shut up Marshall!"

"You shut up!"

"Shut it both of you," Nancy growled from across the room. She was bent intently over what looked like a bit of glass, trying to comb out her hair. "What the bleedin' 'ell are you all goin' on about anyway then?"

"This one," James said jerking his thumb towards Dodger "Is so good at cards that he could trump even you Nancy." Nancy laughed and continued to run a brush through her mangled locks.

"That's a good one James," she said laughing. Her face contorted in frustration as she yanked at a particularly vicious knot in the back of her head.

"I'm not kidding Nance, the kid's good."

"Right. Hey Fagin, you settin' this up or what?" She called to the old man. He was standing in the kitchen scribbling violently at some figures on a piece of parchment.

"And ten is twenty so if I sell if for half the....hm? What's that Nance? No, I 'aven't taught 'im anything my dear...and then I can buy it back for..." Nancy shook her head at the old man as he continued to mumble to himself. She caught Dodger looking at her curiously and she just smiled, the boy would learn to deal with his benefactor's strange behavior soon enough.

"Nancy I bet you that he could trump you in cards," James said. This time Nancy heard a word that was none to easily ignored by the ill tempered red head, bet. She always took a bet, it was like fire in her blood, she couldn't turn it down.

"What's the bet?" She said. Nancy had already set the brush and makeshift mirror aside. She was looking at James and waiting for her invitation to come across the room.

"We all play a game of cards, and I bet you my grandfather's pocket watch the kid wins." Nancy's eyes narrowed to nothing but slits before she got up, seated herself rather flirtatiously between James and Morice with a grand flip of her skirts, and shook James' outstretched hands.

"And when I win, I expect that ticker to work," she said very triumphantly. Edward dealt out the cards and they all started going around the table. Nancy was quietly smirking behind her hand at the game she had chosen to play. Speculation. Fagin had hand taught her this herself, if they thought anybody was going to beat her they were so wrong. This is going to be like a piece of cake, Nancy thought smiling. I mean look at this hand, first of all those are two of the highest cards in the deck and the kid doesn't have any money to buy the trump card so if they think that....................

"No. Way!"

"It ain't possible."

"Ben smack me, am I dreaming this?"

As the Dodger sat there smirking all the rest of the children sat there gawking. He had won.

"H-how? Who...what did you...huh?" Nancy spluttered incredulously.

"I told you s-"

"Finish that sentence," Nancy snapped at James. "And I'll bite your bleedin' legs off." All the kids were joking about now except her and James, clamping Dodger on the back, giving him a little nudge or a cry of encouragement. Even James eventually got up to join in the celebration. Dodger looked up from his huge group of admirers and spotted Nancy, hoping to see her look of approval.

If looks could kill, Dodger would've died a million times over before he could gasp in shock at the hostility radiating off the young woman. Angrily she shoved her cards to the floor and exited the flat, letting a stream of curses fly under her breath as she did so. She had just slammed the door shut behind her and was intending to storm away to God knows where when she bumped into something so solid she felt like a wall. Instantly she staggered back and fell straight onto her rear end.

"IS THERE ANYBODY I HAVEN'T BUMPED INTO TODAY?!" She thundered furiously. She rubbed her head once and was gathering her wits to kick the wall when she realized it hadn't been a wall at all.

"Sorry Nance!" Bill Sikes cried, immediately offering a hand to help her up. "Didn't see you there." So it was Bill's chest, she thought as he helped her to her feet that explains the wall-like feel. Really strong, he must be toned...from all the housebreaking...Nancy shook her head to clear it of both thoughts and blush as she looked up at Bill.

"My fault," she grumbled. She was still not past the fact that she'd lost a card game for the first time since she was six. Bill was biting back a smile at the flustered young girl's obvious irritation. It wasn't until she brushed past him still muttering under her breath that he realized there was something more then usual upsetting her.

"Hey Nance?"

"He just walks right in and thinks he can...what?" she snapped. If it hadn't been a man as strong as Bill on the receiving end on that word, they probably would've actually cowered at her tone, but he simply just stood there.

"Is something bothering you Nance?"

"The new boy," she growled. Sikes' face contorted in confusion as he looked towards the door to the flat and then back at her.

"There's a new boy?"

"I brought 'im back, 'is name 'is Dodger, 'e's the best damn thief I've ever seen 'sides you and 'e just beat me at cards!"

Bill tried not to laugh, he really did. Nancy looked like she could've killed him from where she stood if she wasn't so sure he could split her head wide open with his bare hands. Angrily she stood there shaking as if debating between tackling Bill head on and throwing herself over the edge of the bridge and to the gunky sewer below. Finally his chuckles slowed to the point where he could talk and he took a step towards Nancy, wrapping an affectionate arm around her.

"Nance, do you 'ave any idea 'ow completely ridiculous you sound just now?"

"Hmph," was her only reply and she jetted her bottom lip out into a pout. He laughed and gave her a light squeeze with the arm draped across her shoulders before letting her go.

"It's a card game Nancy, really. It's not as though the kid did something really bad like picked your pocket or anything." Bill chuckled at the idea before he caught sight of her face and stopped himself by clamping his jaws down on his own tongue. "No. No way somebody filched somethin' off you."

"That," Nancy spat through gritted teeth "would be how I met the charming lad." Suddenly Bill had disappeared from Nancy's side and was getting ready to enter the flat. "Where're you going?" she demanded.

"To meet this kid Nance. Annoying or no, he's got to 'ave some sort of talent." Nancy shot daggers into Bill's back with her eyes before giving up and following him in. "Alrigh' Fagin, where is 'e?" Bill called jubilantly as he bounded up the stairs.

"Bill m'boy. Not 'ere because there's more trouble wiv your money I 'ope."

"As a matter of fact that would be why I'm 'ere but that is besides the point. I wanna meet this new kid."

"Yes Bill," Fagin said with a proud smile. "Of course." At that point however the Artful Dodger was spitting his gin out and dropping his cup to the floor in shock.

"Bill?" Dodger squeaked. Bill turned to the kid and nodded. Dodger was rising from his seat as if he was staring at a ghost and not sure whether or not it was safe to proceed. "The Bill Sikes, 'ousebreaker to all of London?"

"What's it to ya?" Sikes grumbled in a grumpy manner. Dodger took a few steps forward before doing a sweeping bow. If he had had a hat atop his little head he most certainly would've tipped it.

"I 'ave followed your story ever since your first break in was reported. You're like legend you are!" Sikes smiled in a cocky manner at the young boy who was staring up at him absolutely starstruck. Immediately Dodger rounded on his heel to look at Fagin.

"Why didn't you tell me you know Bill Sikes?"

"Hadn't come up yet I suppose," Fagin said chuckling.

"Tha's right," Nancy stated proudly before ruffling the Dodger's hair a bit more roughly then necessary "me an' Bill go way back, don't we Bill?"

"Not 'alf we don't," Bill agreed smiling "and then some." Dodger looked from Nancy to Bill dumbstruck before letting out a long, low whistle. Everybody laughed at the boy's apparent shock and from then on the mood in the flat was very lighthearted, very lighthearted indeed. As if this had made it all better. Even Nancy, for all her grumbling, seemed in a much better off mood. And the Artful Dodger had found his place amongst the gang.