|
|
Post by manhattan on Oct 6, 2009 23:12:00 GMT -5
Manhattan shook her head and smiled as he explained how to get home.
Why cant ya come home?
"I dont belong there anymoah..." if i evah did she thought to herself. "I dont know IF i belong dere anymoah. Lots of things have changed mush. Lots of people are different. Others..." dead she didnt say it "I got Sweets out Mush." she blurted out before pushing away from the table and picking up a rag to wipe down the counters that were already clean.
|
|
|
|
Post by mush on Oct 6, 2009 23:29:27 GMT -5
Mush looked over at her a little perplexed. Did she think that because Sweets was home they didn't want her around too? If so she was so wrong! He waited a moment before he stood up and pursued her. "Manhattan," he said quietly standing behind you. "Do you think we don't miss you? Do you think we don't value you just as much as her? You didn't just get Sweets out, you helped save everyone. She got out and came back and told us everything. You saved everyone! We missed... everyone, including you..." he made sure that she understood that people thought of her while she was gone too, they didn't just miss one person.
|
|
|
|
Post by manhattan on Oct 6, 2009 23:37:50 GMT -5
Manhattan turned to Mush. "Its not that. Not completely but that isnt the point. I got her out Mush. No one got hurt. No one there knew about it. I could have done it again. I should have! I should have gotten them all out. Without anyone getting hurt. Without Kid bein shot. Without Skittery's shouldah being popped out. Without crackin Dutchy's hand . Without Snoddy's nose bein broke. Without anyone dying! I could have...I should...I Damn it." She blinked as tears started to leak out of her eyes.
|
|
|
|
Post by mush on Oct 6, 2009 23:49:34 GMT -5
"No," he said giving her a hug. "No ya shouldn'ta," he said. He didn't care if she protested, he was hugging her, she had no say in the matter. "Because one of those times they woulda got caught, and then what huh? they find out kids were getting out, they increase security, and then we might not have gotten anyone out! Or worse, they move you all and no one knows where you all are." He gently swayed back and forth while holding her. "Just because it worked really well once doesnt' mean it would keep working that well every time. It was right of you to let Sweets get out, and keep the othes there. I bet ya we saved more lives than we lost," he said rather sure that that was true.
|
|
|
|
Post by manhattan on Oct 6, 2009 23:58:09 GMT -5
Manhattans stood there and let him hug her. Her face firmly in his chest. "I dont know if i can go home Mush. I dont know if i can look them in the eyes, see their wounds and the ones on the inside too and know its partly my fault. I dont know if im strong enough. I cant fix those things inside of em. And i'll want to... Let Sweets be enough foah now." She murmured the last to herself more than anyone else.
|
|
|
|
Post by mush on Oct 7, 2009 0:04:28 GMT -5
"Hush," he nearly commanded. "Listen ta me, none of this is your fault. You got me?" he said it rather harshly, but he didn't think gentleness would do it now."This is all their fault. You didn't do anything! We were worried about you." His tone and face softened as he continued to explain, :a lotta the guys, the ones who dunno where you are, still are worried. Manhattan, ya have a home, and people who know and love you wish you would come home," he said to her. "Really," he said keeping his soft and gentle tone, "this ain't your fault, none of it."
|
|
|
|
Post by manhattan on Oct 7, 2009 1:24:58 GMT -5
"I just need some time yeah? I'll be back..." She lifted her face to his and kissed him on the cheek. "Aftah all Mush whats my name?" she winked at him. "I cant abandon my namesake now can i?"She heard him. She had. It just wasnt an easy step to make right away. So she was running a bit. Avoiding a bit. Faulting herself. "How's kelly?" she asked pulling away changing the subject. She nodded for him to sit down as she went and grabbed another coke and a burger for him.
|
|
|
|
Post by mush on Oct 7, 2009 1:29:34 GMT -5
Mush wanted to storm out of there right that second. He was sure the words had gone right through her, and the boys back home who worried would just keep worrying... he didn't understand it. Not one bit, not even a little. Tried as he might... it was difficult, but finally he let it roll off his back, he couldn't stay mad at her, then she'd never come home... though she might not at this rate anyway. He sighed with his eyes closed for a moment before saying. "Fine... a little preoccupied at the moment, but at this point, who ain't ya know?" he said half chuckling as he sat back down in the booth.
|
|
|
|
Post by manhattan on Oct 7, 2009 1:36:52 GMT -5
Manhattan watched him, reading him like the books she's so fond of. She was tense until she saw him sigh and accept what she said. She loved Mush. She loved Manhattan. And she loved her boys. Yes hers. She fed them damn it there for she owned them. She wasnt sure when she'd come home. But the more she thought about it she knew she would never be able to stay away. It was home though at the moment she didnt feel safe there. She felt more safe wandering the different boroughs than at home. How messed up had she gotten. She shook her head.
"Yeah we're all a little battle weary huh?" She reached up and touched his cheek. "How are you holdin up Meyers?" Then it dawned on her and her brows furrowed in frustration "Oy aftah dat nice speech why arent you in 'hattan?"
|
|
|
|
Post by mush on Oct 7, 2009 1:45:13 GMT -5
He looked down at the young girl. "I'm helping out around Queens," he said softly. "they lost someone," he explained. "And have got a good few others fairly hurt," he added quietly. "Still a few missin' too that no one knows where they are," he added. "including a little one," he added. "The borough took quite a hit, and I'm actually here picking up food for those who didn't eat last night." He seemed very quiet and calm and... almost sad as he talked about it. "There was plenty of boys back in 'hattan to take care of each other, plus Medda, and the folks at Irving Hall. The Bronx has got loads of people, and Brooklyn... probably wouldn't accept the help. But queens bein' so far away from Manhattan, and a few kids couldn't make it to Irving, I came to help 'em out here," he explained.
|
|
|
|
Post by manhattan on Oct 7, 2009 4:48:44 GMT -5
"Dez" she murmured and her eyes teared up again. Looking at him as he talked Manhattan straddled his lap gently and looked him in the eye. Tilting her head she saw how badly he wanted to help her, them, everyone. It touched a place inside her. She touched his cheek to make him look at her. "You are a good man Mush Meyers. Not many people care foah people the way you do. Not in tadays woirld. When they fall apart you put dem back tagethah. Ya know the woirds that will impart the most healin. Dats a gift. Dont loose dat. Just do me a favah yeah? dont take too much of othahs pain on yaself. Its not fair. We have ta loirn how ta deal with it ourselves sometimes too." She bumped her forehead with his "Everythin will woirk out, always does." she smiled at him crookedly hoping to get a smile out of him.
|
|
|
|
Post by mush on Oct 7, 2009 5:00:12 GMT -5
He smiled. "Oh... I know," he said as he pulled back a little. "You don't have to tell me," he reassured her. "I only take on the pain that people can't handle," he added with a wink. "If you get off work, you oughta come on back to the lodgin' house with me. I'm gonna need another set of hands to help carry the food anyway, that is if you think you can spare a little bit of time," he added. "Trust me girly, I'm gonna be alright, and so is everyone else..." he was really worried for her at the moment. A few choice others, most of whom were missing, but a lot of her.
|
|
|
|
Post by manhattan on Oct 7, 2009 5:08:57 GMT -5
She started shaking her head before he even finished his sentence about returning to the lodging house. "I'll get you moah food on the house foah dem and I can get an errand boy ta help ya carry it mush but... I...I just cant...not with everything so fresh...not with people missing still and ting in turmoil..." She continued to shake her head slowly like she didnt even know she was doing it. ...not with Dez gone to she thought but didnt say it out loud. "Whose still missin mush?" she asked quietly almost silently.
|
|
|
|
Post by mush on Oct 7, 2009 5:14:08 GMT -5
He nodded. He understood. He couldn't make her go to Queens anymore he could Manhattan. He woudln't press the issue. "A little one that had been kidnapped. Jem I think," he said nodding, remembering Prince talking of him. "Yeah... he said he'd gotten so caught up in... other things that night that he hadn't ever seen the little boy, and when he went looking for him he was no where to be found. He's losin' a nice bit of sleep over it. Kid's young too," he added. "'Course... I ain't so sure Prince'll be sleepin' any time soon as it is," he added... he couldn't imagine... seeing someone shot right before your eyes.
|
|
|
|
Post by manhattan on Oct 7, 2009 5:26:08 GMT -5
She could put the face to the kid. "He'll be home soon...dats all he talked about and how he was goin ta get there...Tell prince ta put some honey and cinnamon if he has any inta warm milk, if he doesnt tell him ta come heah and i'll make him some. It will help him sleep." Manhattan knew how to make it by heart, just right so it would put anyone to sleep. She still hadnt moved from Mush's lap, she wouldnt admit it but she missed human contact. the warmth of friends and being able to touch people without them flinching in fear.
|
|
