Chapter 34: Who Will Buy My Sweet Red Roses?

A/N: Here's another update with some fluff and some sadness. For all my wonderful reviewers, you guys rock!!!

Warning: Contains violence, tears, and fluff. Oh yeah...and a song reference because I couldn't resist.

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"Nance," Bill said softly to the beautiful woman seated in his lap. He was battling himself on telling her she had to move, that he had to go out on the job. He didn't want to let go of her, didn't want to be apart from her beauty, her smile. All the things about her that drove him absolutely wild. "Nancy," he tried again. She stirred softly, but she too didn't want to move.

"Yeah Bill?"

"It's time for me to go out my girl," he said forlornly.

"Leave it Bill, the 'ouse'll be there again tomorrow."

"Crackit's comin' in to 'elp wiv this one Nance, it 'as to be tonight." Nancy's head popped up irritably and she stared at him with those eyes of hers. Instantly Bill felt paralyzed, as if he could melt through the chair right then and there. He didn't like the affect those eyes had on him, not one bit.

"So it's goin' to be dangerous?" Bill looked at her quizzically as he stood up and she moved with him somewhat reluctantly.

"It's always dangerous Nance," he said as he pulled a box from beneath his bed. In it was a multitude of weapons which he quickly began attaching to his person.

"But Crackit's going to be there," she continued angrily. He nodded as if he didn't understand what on earth she was so het up about. Bill noticed as he continued to stand and put weapons in his pocket that his knees felt like jelly. Her voice did that to him. She spun him around and looked him dead on in the eyes. "That means it's extra dangerous Bill." Bill felt as though his legs might give out if he looked at her much longer, so he instead pushed gruffly past her.

"It's just a job Nance."

"I don't like it!" she said desperately. "I can't understand why you want to go and try the dangerous ones. There are plenty of toffs you can rob what'll never know you were there! Why this? Why the danger Bill?"

"You watch your mouth my girl," he threatened gravely. Her anger lit up something in him too, a different kind of burning passion. Even her fury was beautiful to him. He had to shut her up, she was going to make him explode with these insane emotions that insisted on taking control of him.

"Bill," she said, much softer now "please don't go." She had both of her delicate hands clasped around one of his as if that could hold him in place. Bill felt dangerously out of control when she touched him, she made him lose all common sense. She made him so weak, and this would never do. Quickly, he ripped his hand from her grasp and took a shaky step backwards.

"I'm goin' Nance." His tone was firm, final. So why was it that she was still arguing this?

"No you're not Bill, it's too dangerous and I couldn't bare to see you get hurt. What if you-"

"Enough," Bill growled advancing towards her. He had to gain his control again, people in control weren't weak. He had to show her who was boss, which in Bill's mind was undoubtedly him.

"No! Not until you promise me you're not going to-"

"I said," Sikes growled viciously "Enough!" Using both his hands he shoved Nancy backwards and crashing into the far wall. She cried out in pain as her body slammed against the rotting wood and crumpled to the dirt blackened floor. Nancy looked up through her tears with wide fearful eyes at the man she loved, but he simply whistled for the dog to follow him and left.

Nancy stared in shock after him for a few minutes, everything inside her felt numb. And then, she felt something alright. Pain. Pain in her side from where the impact had jolted her. Pain that was shooting through her skull from where her head had cracked against the wall due to whiplash. And pain in her heart. He was Bill, her Bill. They loved each other. Surely she had imagined that he had pushed her. The Bill she knew would never hurt her, never lay a hand on her in a mean way. Surely, Nancy thought as she laid crumpled against the wall there's another explanation. She thought desperately on it for a few moments before deciding that it had been an accident. He hadn't meant to shove her that hard, he just didn't know his own strength. Yes, she thought just an accident.

But Nancy could do nothing more then curl up against the wall and cry. Because Bill had still pushed her, accidentally knocking her into the wall or no, he had intentionally tried to hurt her in some way. And that hurt. That hurt worse then anything else she was currently enduring.

The steeple bells informed Nancy it was midnight as she climbed under the covers, flinching at the tender spots on her side as she laid down. The pillow felt good against her head, still throbbing from it's sharp contact with the wall. She had not even Bulls-Eye this night, and Bill only took that dog when what he was attempting was very dangerous indeed. That worried Nancy all the more. Still, with a forlorn sigh she laid down, not expecting to get much sleep.

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Bill, Toby, and Bulls-Eye were all heading back from the once again successful break as dawn broke over the square. Bill wasn't exactly comfortable with being around that part of town in daylight, but the job had taken far longer then either of them had anticipated. They had a lot to show for it though, this job was going to make Bill a very rich man indeed. As anxious as he was about being out in the light, it seemed Toby was far more unsettled still. The man had muttered his apologies and darted down the road at breakneck pace, pockets clanging noisily about his side. Bill was taking a much more leisurely pace, feeling a lot better after having put himself back in control. Still, Nancy had looked so pathetic when she crumpled like that, he bet she was hurting.

Damn that woman, not only could she make him weak but now she could make him feel guilty too? Angrily Bill trudged down the road, thinking of how sore she would truly be. She brought in on herself, he reasoned she forgot who was in control. Still, the guilt would not be quelled and he was just beginning to feel genuinely awful when he heard the first sellers emerge for the day.

"Who will buy my sweet red roses? Two blooms for a penny!" That's it! Bill thought, a smile playing at his seemingly permanent scowl. He would get her some roses, girls loved flowers and other fickle things of the nature. They'd make her feel better toot sweet! He could be in charge and she could be happy, this would work. He pulled out some of the cash he'd managed to steal from the upstairs bedroom and marched right up to the plump woman selling the roses. She was a blushing thing with dark hair swept up in a cap.

"A dozen," he said gruffly. That was what he always heard girls chattering about, a dozen red roses. He hadn't the faintest idea how many roses were in a dozen, but he was going to buy them by God! The woman handed him the flowers and he handed her the cash before strolling off towards home. This would work, this would work quite nicely indeed.

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When Nancy woke next, she was aware of something very heavy draped across her bruised rib cage. Bill was back, safe. Instantly she breathed a sigh of relief before wincing sharply. It hurt to so much as breath. The second thing she noticed was a vase on the table beside their bed, filled to the brim with roses. Her eyes went wide in shock as she did a quick scan of the vase's contents. Twelve roses, one dozen exactly. Bill must've bought them for her, he was a sweet man. Instantly the ache in her heart from the idea of him shoving her was gone, it was only an accident after all. And he had bought her roses! Her heart swelled with joy like a great balloon as she rolled over to face Bill.

"Bill!" she cried happily. "Did you buy those roses?" He grunted a short 'yes' and Nancy felt as though she could cry from joy. And then-

"I thought I told ya not to wake me when I'm sleeping," he growled. Nancy rolled back over and stared at the roses, her balloon of joy deflating just a bit.

"Yes Bill," she said forlornly. "Sorry Bill."