Disclaimer: Mrp.

Chapter 12

Flora's POV

"Milena!" I sang out. "It's quitting time!"

"Vive la liberté!" she shrieked in delight. She bounced over, practically squeaking with happiness. I watched her curiously. She was usually a little more reserved than this. Not a lot, mind you, but a little.

"What's got you in such a flutter?" I wondered, shooting her an inquisitive look, one eyebrow cocked.

"N'aimeriez vous pas savoir!" she smirked, a wicked sparkle in her eyes.

"Fine then," I shrugged nonchalantly. "Don't tell me."

She was silent for a moment, and then sound poured out of her like a torrent. "Fine, I'll tell you! I have a date!"

Unsurprising. The boys who come to Tibby's look at her like she's more delicious than the meals in front of them. "With who?"

"Alessandro, from that bakery over on West 99th and Broadway!" her eyes shine like lanterns. "He asked me I'd like to go for a stroll in the park with him, after work today!"

"A stroll in the park? Complete with chaperone?" I smirked.

"Yes! Isn't he a gentleman!" she squeaked, effusive. "His sister will accompany us!"

"That's wonderful," I said, truly meaning it. Suddenly, the light drained out of her eyes, confusion replacing it.

"Vi?" her voice was quiet and careful. "Don't turn around, but there is something a little worrisome behind you."

I froze, each muscle locking down with panic. "What?"

Her accent thickened perceptibly. "Delancys. At the door."

The Delancys. My mind swirled and splintered with bleak memories and scars that suddenly burned. Would they have recognized me? Make a scene? I couldn't have a scene. It would've be a dead giveaway there was something not quite right about the new waitress.

"Milena," I whispered, by voice sinking from the high lilt I used in public to an almost guttural tone. "I need to go. I need to leave now."

She threaded her arm through mine and began to march me towards the kitchen. The panic was receding to a tiny point in the center of my mind. I was nearly safe.

"Miss?"

Milena whirled, a confused smile pasted on her face. "Sentitzen dut, izan ziren niri hitz egiten?"

"I'm sorry, I don't speak..." the boy in front of her apologized. Morris Delancey. For Christ's sake, that boy seems to be entirely focused on my affairs, without even knowing he was! "I was hoping you could introduce me to your friend."

Her smile gained a glint of steel. "How unfortunate for you, but we must be going." She pivoted back on her foot, and continued walking.

"Oh, but I would very much like to meet her," another voice chimes in. Oscar. Milena sped up, but not quickly enough.

Suddenly, an arm snaked around my waist, and I felt hot breath on my ear. "Hey dollface," Oscar Delancey's voice crept into my ear. I held back a shiver of revulsion.

I didn't think; I just reacted. I slammed my elbow backwards into his ribcage, and took off running.

I slammed through the kitchen door, and out the back door into the tiny alley than ran up against the restaurant. I could hear the thundering footsteps of the Delanceys behind me, so I didn't stop. I hurtled out of the alley into the bustling street, taking the curb on the turn of a dime. I was almost flying; my feet were beating the pavement so fast.

All of a sudden, I slammed into something. I was too focused on what I was getting away from, not where I was getting away to. I collapsed on the ground.

"I'm so sorry," I heard a voice say above me. Looking up, I saw a pretty dark haired girl hovering over me. I had smashed, nose first, into her laundry basket.

"No, it's fine," I said, attempting to rise from the sidewalk. I was struck by a dizzy sensation.

She hastened to grab my arm to steady me. "Miss? You're bleeding!"

Shocked, I brought my hand to my face. Bringing it away, I saw my fingers drenched in crimson blood.

It was the blood that did it. Or maybe it was the fact that I could still feel the adrenaline of the chase seeping from my system. A touch of panic from the fact that I could sense the Delancey's were still on my tail. A potent mix.

For the second time that day, I slumped to the ground, this time in a dead faint.

The last thing I heard is the girl calling someone's name, but I couldn't make it out before I'm gone.

David's POV

I was quietly losing myself in David Copperfield, finally home after a long day of selling, when I heard the yelling from the other side of the door.

"David!" A shrill, very feminine voice wailed from the other side of the door. My blood froze. Sarah. "David, open the door!"

I bolted out of my chair and to the door, wrenching it open. I practically yanked Sarah through the doorway. "Sarah, are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she soothed, "There are no problems with me."

I nodded, worries assuaged. Then the full force of her statement hit me. There were no problems with her.

Wordlessly, I ran out of the apartment, my feet beating the familiar path to the lodging house.

"Who's hurt this time?" I asked, staring around at the newsies. They were all crowded around the door to the bunkroom, looking at something. I couldn't elbow my way through them, so I was reduced to staring at their backs, waiting for a response to my question. "Is it another fight?"

Kid Blink looked at me as though I was a German Shepard who'd suddenly started talking. "Shouldn't yous know? She's your goirl."

The world became blindingly clear. "Flora?"

Crutchy shouldered his way over. "Yeah, Jack brought her in. She hasn't woken up yet."

I pushed my way through the crowd, my heart pounding, my head reeling. And then I saw her.

She was lying on one of the bunks, her hair fanned out below her, like a princess in one of the old fairy tales. Jack was kneeling beside her, watching her face closely.

"What the hell happened?" I exclaimed angrily.

"I don't know," he shrugged expansively, but his nerves were obvious. "When I found her, she was passed out on the sidewalk."

"She crashed into me when I was walking home from work," Sarah's soft voice sounded from behind me. I hadn't heard her come in. "She was running so fast I couldn't avoid her, and she hit my laundry basket head-on. Nose started to bleed. When I pointed it out to her, she took one look at the blood and passed out. It was sheer luck that Jack was around."

Jack picked up the narrative. "Sarah was screamin' bloody murder, so it wasn't dat hard ta find her. Recognized Flora, and brought her back here."

"Has anyone called a doctor?" I asked sharply. "If she passed out at the sight of blood and hasn't woken up yet, why the hell hasn't someone gotten a doctor?"

"We can't pay him, Davey," Jack retorted. "And I ain't heard of a doctor who'll treat someone for free."

"Medda could pay," I shot back.

"Boys!" Sarah shouted. We turned to stare at her. She almost never raised her voice. "Calm down!" She took a deep breath. "How about this: we only call the doctor if she doesn't wake up in the next hour."

I wasn't happy about it, but we all agreed, and settled in to wait for Sleeping Beauty to wake up.

So I know I'm a horrible human being for making you wait this long. I shan't bore you with my terrible excuses

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