The Night The World Went Away (closed to Dodger)-- the night Bill was arrested

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game: the underground

The Night The World Went Away (closed to Dodger)-- the night Bill was arrested

There was a hush over the Den when Nancy called out the password, entering. Everyone looked up, their eyes glued to the door when the seventeen-year-old witch pushed through. She was dressed for work, stopping by per-usual before hand, hoping to catch Bill before the end of her shift.

Something was wrong.

"Nancy- my dear- sit, sit," Fagin said, breaking the silence and approaching the petite girl. He put an arm around her and tried to lead her to the kitchen table. "Pour her a drink, lads!" He all but roared, and there was a flurry of action as the boys hopped to it. No, something was very wrong.

"Nance- we need- we need to talk. Something's happened."

"Wot d'you mean?" Nancy's quick to ask, zooming in on Fagin. "What's happened, Fagin?"

Then he said the words she never wanted to hear: "It's Bill. He's been arrested by the Guardians."

If he said anything else, it was drown out by the keening wail that left Nancy's red-painted lips.

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Most of the lads had been sent to bed, the ones who were still out were the ones that Fagin considered a cut above. Special, worth something. Going to be something, when the right time came. The order was carried out fast but it was Dodger who brought the drink to Nance, squeezing at her knee with an awkward smile. He was still small - he wanted that damn growth spurt to him - but he knew that Nance was ... special. More special than the rest of them.

"It'll be alright, Nance," he muttered softly, "promise."

Something inside of her was wrenching, twisting and tearing. Maybe it was part of that deep connection she'd always had with Bill, since even before they'd gotten together.

The smile does nothing for her, she can't see it through her tears as her wail becomes fully body-wracking sobs. She can't say anything, can't even comprehend it. Bill- they all knew what happened when the Guardians took you.

Eventually, Nancy reaches for her drink, and takes all of it, not caring about the way the gin stung her throat, the way it sloshed down the sides of the glass, on to her chin. She didn't care about anything right now.

"There there, Nance," Fagin tried, putting his hand on her other knee. Instinctively, Nancy flinched away from him, towards Dodger. "He'll be out in no time. Ain't no prison can hold Bill Sikes." He meant it to be comforting, but it only got Nancy sobbing again.

There was a part of the Dodger that didn't really believe it. After all, hadn't they all heard the stories of Bill being taken in only for him to show up not even half an hour later, ready to swing at them for being taken in by the story? Only, it weren't a story this time. He'd seen it with his own two eyes, an' he were pretty sure it wasn't some big illusion by the witches.

Fagin was rubbish at trying to comfort Nancy, the Dodger reckon, as she stood and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. He shot a glare at the old man, he needed to be backing off when Nancy was all sad like this. Not that any of them could, not really.

"Here, Nance, we'll see it right," he spoke softly. "Ain't gonna let nothin' happen to you. Promise. The Dodger'll keep you safe."

The devil ignored him. Nancy was vulnerable, and those times were getting fewer and fewer. He'd taught the lads that, too, leading by example.

Nancy was shaking so hard she could barely speak, but eventually, she managed to stutter out: "I don't know what to do- he's- Bill!" She loved him, more than anything. And now that he was gone, there was nothing.

Fagin was speaking again: "Of course, my dear, and we're all very sad to see poor Bill in this siutation. But this is our Bill, he'll be out in no time..." The Dodger wasn't listening. How could he pay proper attention to the old man when Nancy was hurting so much? How did he even have a chance of making her not hurt?

Her hair was all pinned up. She'd said that her clients liked the look. The Dodger didn't, and he reached up to let it down. It was this nice shade of red. He always liked red-hair. It looked nicest. He took all the pins out, smoothing it down.

"We'll make it right. Nance," he whispered, smoothing her hair as best he could - he wasn't exactly all that good at making things neat and tidy, but he tried.

Nancy reacts to the gesture immediately, leaning in further towards Dodger. Jem White sees this from across the room, and moves to refill her now empty glass as Nancy pulls Dodger on to his lap so he can play with her hair better.

"You're not sad- not like me," she told Fagin, taking another drink. "You don't- I love him! We're going t'get married, start a family! And now- now-" she lets out another sob.

He wishes he were taller. Eleven years - he thinks - and here he's still getting pulled into her lap. Shouldn't be that way, he knows that. Meant to be the bloke pulling the sad girl into his lap to comfort her. But he isn't tall enough for that, and she seems to like the way he strokes at her hair, so the Dodger continues to do that. She's always able to keep her hair right nice, is Nance. He liked that.

"I'm wounded you could think so little of me, Nancy my dear. I, who raised you and Bill so finely, and who looks after all these little lads who depend on Bill." Fagin's words only vaguely hit the Dodger. He was right; they had been depending on Sikes, only he wasn't there anymore. "I don't know if any of them are ready. The Dodger there is the best we have, can I tell him to step up?"

Fagin had said it. It was time for the Dodger to step up, to walk in Sikes' shoes.

... The wolf had some big feet, though.

Nancy blanches, and takes another long drink of gin. The world was starting to get fuzzy at the edges now- she hadn't had much to eat that day. She needed that beautiful numbness to come- shit maybe Fagin had something stronger lying around, some drugs he'd be willing to give her. But if she asked, he'd ask for something in return. Call up another debt, as it were.

She couldn't give him that power, not anymore. He'd lost it the night Bill had claimed her, and they had all been there to bear witness to it so there was no question who had rights to Nancy. But now- Now that threat of Bill Sikes was gone- she was as vulnerable as she had been as a child.

Nancy's breath quickened and she glanced down. Automatically one of her hands had rested on her belly, between herself and Dodger. She hadn't had a chance to tell Bill yet- but the old devil knew.

Jem White coughed.

"No- you can't- I can't." She couldn't have this child if she didn't have Bill. And she couldn't force a child to step into those shoes. She didn't have a choice- and she knew it as she raised the glass again and Jem took a seat across from her.

"No one's going to make you do anythin', Nance," there was a note of authority in the Dodger's voice, as he glanced about as best he could from where he was sitting. Which did not include being able to see Jem White at the current moment. "Thing'll get sorted, we'll make 'em right."

"Listen to the Dodger, my dear," Fagin said with that same oily smile. "He's always done what's best for you and for the lads." It was a technical truth, but something about the way it was said made the Dodger frown a little. Just a little, he didn't want Nance to be any more upset than she already was.

There's a flurry of red hair as Nancy shakes her head. Neither of them understood what was happening. Yes, her boyfriend was gone. But there was so much more at work than just that.

"I love him!" She protested needlessly. "I need him- Fagin- you know-" how badly she needed him right now. "It has to be him."

"My dear," Fagin sighs, pacing his hands wide apart in a shrug. "I will do what I can, but I am an old man, with few contacts in the world." The Dodger didn't have to look to know that most of the lads would be rolling their eyes at that. "If you have a problem - any problem - you know I'll do my best for you."

The way Fagin looked at Nancy had the Dodger glancing again. There was something about the way she was sitting. He had seen it plenty of times before, but it wouldn't come to in his head. Why was it familiar?

Nancy seemed to sink down further on the bench, willing Dodger to grow and keep the space between herself and Fagin. Bill would have threatened him already. But Dodger isn't Bill.

The thought brought on a fresh wave of tears as she holds her belly tighter. "I want to see him. I need to see him. I need my Bill. He'll know- he'll say- how did this happen?!"

"You know Bill's temper," Fagin replied. "Seems he bit the wrong person." That made the Dodger frown - Bill didn't bit, not unless he had good reason.

Later, when Eames came in, he'd yell at Fagin for being so stupid- to think that a young, untrained witch could keep him on a leash.

"he knows better!" she wailed. "I should have been there- I could have stopped him."

"yes, yes, but you weren't," Fagin said, pushing her drink closer to her .

The Dodger frowned again, putting his hand on the top of the cup and glaring at Fagin. "She don't need to take a drink if she don't want it," he said, his voice a bit more daring than he felt. He could do with a drink. None of this made sense to him - Bill was never suppose to be caught.

The way Dodger spoke was shocking and it took Fagin back for a moment. Then he smiles broadly. "quite right Dodger, my dear. Look at you, moving up already!"

Nancy goes for the drink anyway, ignoring the way her hands shook as she picked up the glass. Just keep drinking. it'll be a bad dream.

He looked straight back at Fagin, a hard look on his face. "Ain't movin' nowhere. Just don't think it's right to make her do somethin' she don't want." There was still that edge in his voice, he was trying to be firm, make it clear. He was meant to step up after Sikes, to take his place. Well... Sikes always made it clear to Fagin how things were going to go, didn't he?

He glanced at Nancy and gave her a small smile. "I'll make it right. Promise, I will."

it's an odd tone from Dodger, but Nancy doesn't recognize it. later she will when she thinks about this awful nightmare. She'll think about how profound his words were.

"I don't need- I need BILL!," she urged. "Fagin we've got to get him out!"

"I will, my dear," Fagin assures her, reaching in to pat kindly at her hand. "It'll just take some time... Talking to the right people, greasing the right wheels..." Fagin always made anything sound like a production.

Nancy wrenches her hand from his.

"then do something!" she sobbed. "why are you here? start fixing this!"

Fagin was not to be dissuaded. "Nance- shh, shh. we wouldn't be in this mess if you'd stayed with him..."

"Can't stay with him all the time," the Dodger said quietly. "Not when you want her out workin'." It was cheek, and he knew it, but it came out before he could stop himself. Why should he stop himself? It wasn't like Bill was going to turn round and smack him for it.

"I know- I should have-" he was right. Fagin was right, this was her fault. She raises the glass to her lips and drinks more. When she closes her eyes, the world tilts until she has to open her eyes again to stop it.

"it's all my fault- he's got to hate me..." she grabs her stomach harder. Her poor baby...

"see?" Fagin says, giving Dodger a look that says he doesn't appreciate being spoken to like that. Jem is sitting at the table now, his hand on Nancy's shoulder, interrupting Dodger's ability to play with her hair. Dodger was failing, he could tell. And he wanted to be the one to step up. He was older, taller. Handsomer.

"Ain't your fault," the Dodger spoke loud, looking at Nancy with a hard look. Not hard in the sense that he was angry, but that it was so firmly fixed on his face. It made him - for a brief moment - look older. "You got told to work, an' we've got to do what we're told, don't we?" And at that, he turns back to glare at Fagin, eyes narrowed at the older man.

"'Cause we all got to do our bit," he spat the familiar words back. "Ain't Nance's fault she was doin' her bit, was it?"

"you're right you're right, Sodger!" Fagin hurried. "She was doing her part, but..." He trailed off and glanced at the young woman.

Nancy's eyes flew open and she stood up, sending Dodger off her lap. "His dog- Fagin, where's the dog?" She had to take care of him, if Bill wasn't around.

"No but," the Dodger said. "She was doin' her bit. Bill was doin' his. Ain't no one's fault, is it?" He would keep Fagin's eye caught as long as he could. This was really his first time fighting against the old man, and he wasn't about to have it being ruined by losing the nerve.

Of course, then he's unsettled, and has to grab the table to stop himself colliding with the ground. He can hear Jem White's annoying snicker and he shoots a glare at the idiot. Ain't got no skill, that one, not long till he's in the joint himself.

"Bulls-eye's not here, Nancy dear," Fagin said, truthfully. If the pup had been there, the lads would have been taking care of it.

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