Chapter 41: All I've Ever Hoped For
A/N: MAJORLY sorry this took so long. I've been so busy lately, even on vacation. Here's an update though. Enjoy!
Warning: Contains violence and swearing.
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Nancy and Bill walked back towards their home together that night, the smile on Nancy's face rivaled by nothing at all. Bill felt better at how happy he'd made her, as if that made everything between them forgiven. They had just left Fagin's house after Nancy had sung her favorite little thieves to sleep. It seemed she was called upon to do so whenever she came around, mainly by Charley and Dodge. The pair of them had a real obsession with her voice. Nancy smiled to herself as she walked along her fingers laced with Bill's. He noticed her smile and turned to look down on her curiously.
"What you smilin' bout then?"
"Just thinking about the gang s'all." Bill nodded and was about to look away when he noticed something rather unsettling to him indeed.
"Where's your shawl Nance?" His voice was so grave it sent shivers down her spine that had nothing to do with the snow falling around them.
"Forgot it at Fagin's I suppose," she said as nonchalantly as she could manage.
"You suppose?" he growled angrily. "Is that it? You suppose you left the damn thing back there?"
"Yes Bill." Angered by her indifference, he squared her up with him in the road, Nancy flinching from the fast motion.
"Are you stupid?" He asked shaking her by the shoulders. Nancy pursed her lips and he shook her harder. "Huh?" Bill was petrified of Nancy catching a cold like she had the last time she'd forgotten her shawl. "Answer me!"
"I'm sorry Bill," was all she could manage.
"Oh yer sorry? Don't tell me what sorry is! You'll be damn sorry when you catch your death of cold! Is that what you want?" His eyes scoured her face as she bit back tears bitterly.
"No Bill."
"Then go back and get your shawl," he ordered violently. He whipped her to the ground and stormed off. Nancy flew to the ground and cried out as her head cracked against the pavement. She was sickly amused by the contrast of her warm blood against the freezing weather. She picked herself up and wandered through the city streets, shivering against the cold.
He's worried about you, Nancy's mind informed her happily. He was so worried he got mad, that's all. You scared him last time you got sick. Its nice that he's worried. It's really...sweet, of him. Nancy's thoughts had managed to put a smile back on her face when she knocked softly on the door of the flat.
"Plummy and slam," she whispered when Fagin inquired who it was. He let her in and shut the door behind her, a confused look on his features.
"Is everything alright my dear?" he asked concerned.
"I just forgot my shawl is all. Bill was worried I'd catch a cold an' 'e asked me to come back for it."
"I see, well it's good that....Nancy! What happened to your head?" Nancy's fingers went instantly to where she was bleeding and pulled back quickly at the pain caused by the contact.
"The snow," she said gently. "It's so slippery outside, I fell."
"Let me fix that up for you," he offered. Nancy sat down and waited for Fagin to return from his room. He emerged a moment later with a bandage and a bottle that looked questionable.
"Is that going to," Nancy started but her sentence was cut off by a sharp intake of breath when the liquid Fagin pressed to her cut began to burn. All was quiet between the two of them for a moment before Fagin spoke up tentatively.
"So is it still worth it to be with him my dear?"
"What're you on about," she demanded.
"You did not fall and you most certainly did not knock into somebody's shoulder. I'm not blind Nancy dear and I'm asking, is it still worth it?"
"Of course," she insisted indignantly. At that moment Dodger stirred fitfully in his sleep, making them both jump alarmed. Nancy just barely caught her name on his lips and she looked away from him confused.
"He worries about him you know," Fagin said as he wrapped the bandage around her cut. "He really does. He keeps askin' me if you're tellin' the truth."
"And what is it you are telling him?"
"I'm lying for you the same way you're lying for Bill my dear." Nancy smiled as she rose to her feet and snatched up her shawl.
"It seems we both have a habit of protecting those we care for."
"Here's to hoping I don't have to protect you ever again." She froze in the doorway with her back turned to him, and didn't bother to face him before he spoke.
"Hope is useless Fagin. All I've ever hoped for has fallen through." And then she turned and quickly tore through the door and into the night.