Author's Note: So sorry this took so long. I've been really busy with school and my horse. Also, sorry this is so short. Hopefully I will be able to get the next one out soon and it will be longer.

Chapter Ten: Days in Bed

Bill Sykes dragged an unconscious body into Fagin's kitchen. "Wot 'ave you done to 'im?" Fagin asked, horrified.

"Only wot she deserved," Bill replied gruffly as he dropped Kathryn at Fagin's feet and walked out the door without another word. Fagin stooped to look at Kathryn's barely alive body. "I wonder what he meant by callin' 'im a girl?" Fagin said to himself.

Just then, Dodger walked in looking very tired even though he had been out on the job for less than half an hour. When he saw Kathryn on the floor, he ran over to her calling, "Kathryn, Kathryn! Wot has he done? Wake up, Kathryn, please wake up!"

"Wot are you callin' Alexander Kafryn for?" Fagin asked Dodger.

Dodger jumped as he realized that Fagin was standing over him and the unconscious body of Kathryn. "Well, it's because that's 'er proper name."

"Wot do you mean? 'is name is Alexander. Kathryn is no name fer a boy."

"She isn't a boy."

"She isn't? Well, she pulled the wool over my old eyes," Fagin replied.

"Who cares wot she did? Why is she on the floor nearly dead?"

"Because Bill said she got wot she deserved. I dunno wot she did but I am not going to touch her."

"Then I will. There is nothing she did that would be deserving of this." Dodger carefully picked Kathryn's thin body up from the dusty floor and carried her gently to her bed. "Kathryn," he said through tears beginning to fall, "please wake up." His head fell to her chest as he sobbed for her to wake up, that she didn't deserve to die.

After a long while, Kathryn's eyes fluttered open and looked around. "Where am I?" she asked softly.

"Oh Kathryn!" Dodger cried, "You're alive!"

"Dodger," Kathryn said groggily, "where am I?"

"You're 'ome, Kathryn, 'ome 'ere with Fagin and me." Kathryn blinked again and looked up at Dodger.

"Dodger? Is it really you? Oh Dodger, I have had so many dreams about you but you were not real in any of them. Please tell me you're real!"

"I am, Kathryn, I'm real. Look, feel my hand, a dream wouldn't be solid."

"Oh Dodge," Kathryn cried as she touched his hand, "you are real!" she pulled him in to a tight hug. He stiffened at first but soon hugged her back.

"Kathryn," he said, "you need to get some rest. Bill 'urt you bad."

"Is that what happened?" Kathryn asked.

"Yes, 'e dragged you 'ere a few hours ago. I've been with you the whole time."

"Oh Dodge! Why would you do that?"

"Because...because...because I love you." There. He said it. Kathryn's eyes began to water as she cried tears of joy. Throwing her arms around his neck, Kathryn sobbed that she loved him too. Gently, Dodger made her lay back down on the bed. "You're still sick, Kathryn. You've got to stay in bed for a few days." Her face fell as she remembered the events of the previous night.

"I wish it had never happened," Kathryn said lamely.

"I do too. I do too," Dodger replied more to himself than to her as he tucked her in.

The next day, Kathryn awoke to usual sound of the boys in the kitchen eating breakfast. She tried to sit up, but found that her back and rib cage hurt too much. As if on cue, Dodger walked in carrying her breakfast.

"Good morning, Kathryn," he said brightly, "'ow do you feel this mornin'?"

"Quite sore, but I'll live," she replied as she took her breakfast.

"Wot did 'e do to you? And why?" Dodger's curiosity finally got the better of him.

"He sent me into a house to steal anything valuable I could find," Kathryn began, "but I found I couldn't touch any of them because a voice in the back of my head told me it was wrong. When I returned to Bill empty handed, he questioned me as to why I didn't bring anything out. I told him the truth but he didn't believe me. He said that I was a poor excuse for a boy. It was then I let slip that I was a girl. I don't remember anything else."

Dodger was silent for some time before he spoke, "I'm sorry Kathryn," he said quietly, "I wonder wot that voice was tryin' to tell you?"

"I guess it was telling me that it is wrong to steal."

"But that is wot we live off of!"

"Yes, but I'm sure we could find a good, honest occupation to live off of." Dodger mulled over what she said for a long time before finally nodding his head in agreement.

"I guess you're right," he said, "we should find a new occupation. Just not today. Not until you're better."