Small Corner Table

[River Chambers]

River frowned as she talked about her visit with Danny. He hadn't been at the house that night but he'd heard about it the next day from Lefty and Dodger. It was incredibly suprising to him that Danny had acted that way. No girl had ever meant so much to him and it hurt him a lot when she went missing. He smiled when tugged his hair and took a drink from his beer, pulling out a bit of money for the waitress when she brought over Lucky's drink.

He shrugged when she asked what Lexi was like. "I haven't really talked to her that much. Dodger has spent a lot more time with her. Her youngest brother is one of the kids missing though." He paused thinking about how she was trying to take care of everyone else and he knew it was helping her through the situation. "She's been a big help though, I know that." River smiled broadly when she said she'd missed him. He was glad she had because he had certainly missed her. "We can't let it go so long befor we see each other again."

[Lucky Volpecillia]

Her brow lifted and she smirked, taking a swig from her beer followed by another drag from the smoke. Leaning back, "It's not my fault you don't come around none." Sneaks had always been worse but he'd shown her how to trust someone with all she had. Even if he never came back, she wasn't the same person he left so why hand onto it.

"But your right, I miss talkin' to you. Why is it that you show up right after I get trounced on?" she was still smirking as she took another swig from the glass, drawing on the liquor to calm her a bit as she let out a sigh before she flashed a smile even though she was bruised up and it hurt. "Worried about me?"

[River Chambers]

River smirked at Lucky's question, she knew damn well he'd been worried about her. He'd known her nearly his entire life and if anything happened to her....Well, god forbid he got his hands on the bastard that did this to her. "Of course I was, doll, you know I would've been here sooner if I hadn't had to take care of a few issues in the Bronx." As soon as he'd heard about her he'd wanted to come to Brooklyn but it hadn't been the right time. He had to stand by Dodger's side first. Always show a united front.

[Lucky Volpecillia]

She smiled a little, "Heh, I know it. The Bronx is important and with Spot back.. I don't have to be in charge no more." And that was a blessing. Not saying Lucky didn't like being in charge but it was more that she didn't like having all that responsibility. But it was in her blood now. She couldn't shake being the way she was if she'd wanted too.

"I couldn't have imagined both a us, takin care of the boroughs like we do when we were kids.." Hell no. Back then Lucky only looked after herself and Smalls the rest of them could eat it for all she cared. But now.... well, now it was important.

[River Chambers]

River laughed, "You got that right. If you told me six years ago I'd be doing what I do now helping with the kids and such I would've laughed in your face." He'd been much like Lucky in those days, only caring about himself and the few he'd let in. River had never really cared for other newsies until he'd matured, then he'd realized how important it was to take care of the others. "Nice to have a little bit of power over them though, isn't it?"

Lifting his glass to his lips he took a deep chug from it before setting it down. He studied her for a moment and then glanced around the room. They'd always shared a lot of the same opinions on different subjects, it what made him care for her the way he did. "How is Smalls by the way? Heard Conlon got back." Although Smalls and Spot never said they were dating, never even really spoke in public it was pretty obvious to the people who knew them for awhile that they were more than just friends.

[Lucky Volpecillia]

"Hell no.. giving a rats about other people? We were to worried about surviving let alone dealing with anything else back then.." just Lucky and Smalls against the world, Charlotte and Miri. They'd always been a pair and Lucky had taken after her aunt Giulia in just about everything. But a slow smile crossed her face as she thought about it. "No, doubt we'd have thought we'd survived this long..."

"She's good, though out for blood. I know her well enough to know she's made as hell right now and nothing short of an act of god is going to keep her from getting some kind of revenge.." she nodded at the thought before she shrugged. "I don't know if she and Conlon have even spoken since he got back. I'd like to know though truth be told.. I'm just--" she sighed. "I'm exhausted."

[River Chambers]

River laughed, "True. All I was concerned about was getting my meal for the day and selling my papes." He actually missed those days. Things had always been so much simpler when all they had to worry about was getting food. Now, of course, he worried about that and what the others ate. And where his friends were. Things just seemed to complicated these days. "You ever think about just leaving it all behind one day?"

He might be asking the question, but he knew the answer and he knew his answer would be the same. New York was home and this is where his friends were. He wouldn't leave them if his life depended on it. He loved it here more than he thought he could possibly love it anywhere else. River smirked when she started talking about Smalls and nodded his head. That was how both of them were. If one got hurt the other would turn into a tigress and jump at the chance to rip whoever hurt them to shreds. "Wouldn't have expected any less from her."

River shrugged, "Eh, I'm sure you aren't the only one." He reached out and brushed a piece of hair off her face. "Maybe you should be home taking it easy instead of out here with me." He gave her a smirk because he knew her well enough to know that that was one thing she hated doing. Just sitting somewhere. Lucky was always on the go. "Of course, if you actually did sit back and take it easy I think I might die from shock on the spot."

[Lucky Volpecillia]

When he asked the question she leaned back and had to think about it, she'd wanted to see other places with Sneaks actually but with a small smile she bit her lip thoughtfully. "Can't be gone to long, things fall apart without me." Meaning, she fell apart without the chaos around her. She needed the attachments she had or else she didn't function right, it made her more edgy, more irritable.

She sighed lightly when he brushed the hair from her face and she smiled a little bit at him, how the hell-- she shrugged and then smirked. "I can't go take a load off, all I'd do was think and where would that get me but angry that someone got the drop on me.." She kind of wished that things were as simple as the old days but it was never that simple really. Everything changed, so did people and sometimes people didn't come back.

"You know, I didn't think.. I'd ever just accept life without Sneaks as inevitable.." she sighed. "I cant hang on anymore, I don't have it in me. I'm not even the same girl he fell in love with. I grew up..." There she'd said it out loud.

[River Chambers]

River laughed, "You're right Brooklyn would fall apart without you. I know that for a fact. All the extra stuff you and Smalls did when Conlon was gone didn't go unnoticed." Yeah, he asked people about her when they were apart. He wasn't ready to admit to her how much she'd meant to him, how much she'd always meant to him. Leaning back in his chair, River finished his beer and motioned the waitress to bring over two more. "I know I'd go crazy if you just disappeared on me." He smirked and pulled out a couple of cigarettes offering her one. He'd actually cut back a lot on his smoking habits but he liked to have a few when he drank, which wasn't as often as it used to be.

He nodded to her comment about going stir crazy, "I know what you mean. I can't ever sit still for longer than a few minutes. Gotta keep busy to keep my mind busy especially in times like these." He sighed, it really got to him that all of these kids had vanished. Especially the little kids. Hell Perry barely looked like he'd been out of nappies long. Of course, River knew he was older but he was still so young at heart.

The moment Lucky started talking about Sneaks, River had to refrain himself from rolling his eyes. He'd never liked that kid not one bit. Anyone who just ups and leaves the girl without so much as a goodbye and then shows up in town and doesn't say hello to said girl was more than just a no good bum in his opinion. The only reason River had never let the kid have it was because of how much he'd meant to Lucky. At least now it seemed like she was moving on from it. "Good," And he left it at that because he knew if he started talking about him he'd run his mouth and Lucky wouldn't be happy about it. She might be okay with not being with him but he knew she wouldn't appreciate him saying anything about the kid.

[Lucky Volpecillia]

Lucky smirked when he said he'd go crazy and she leaned back letting her hair fall down her back and out of her face for a moment. She was wild looking, she got that from both of her parents. The Italian gambler and the Romanian dancer. Some people didn't get those kinds of back stories with someone else planning it out. But, she'd seen the world threw shrewd eyes for a very long time. "Yeah well, I'd kick your ass if you took off on me, don't think I could handle much more ya know?"

She felt, well, abandoned. Sneaks was gone, her parents were dead, and here she was alone again. Though she had some good news. Her Aunt had sent her a letter about her being a cousin, two babies and one was named after her. Her Aunt Giulia had never in her life decided that Lucky wasn't allowed to just do what she pleased and that had always been something she'd appreciated. She went to Jersey to see her aunt when she felt she needed to escape the city for a few days.

"I know you didn't like him," she said with a wave of her hand, but for awhile. He'd made her happy, they'd wanted to get married. And now, she was back at square one. With no idea about her future or what she wanted only-- that she wanted to cook for a living. Bake things, she'd always been good at that. "But.. I loved him. And even if, I never see him again, I at least got to fall in love once. Most people don't even get that chance.." waving her hand after the statement she took a couple swigs from her beer to erase the sentiment. It was over now, done. "What about you? Any dames in your life I'm not going to like on principle?"

[River Chambers]

River grinned at her comment, "Oh, I'm not the taking off sort. New Yorks in my blood, I don't think there's a place anywhere that I would feel more at home than here." He loved the city even when they went through troubled times, it was always going to be the place he called home. He knew without a doubt that anywhere else he went would be boring and muldane, but New York was full of life.

He didn't bother to agree or disagree with Lucky's comment about him not liking Sneaks. He knew he didn't and he wasn't going to lie to her face and pretend he did. It wasn't the type of person her was but he also wasn't the type of person who would talk badly about someone who his friend cared about. He knew she loved him and that was only reason he hadn't gone head to head with him. He'd wanted to plenty of times but he hadn't wanted to face the wrath of Lucky. As she talked about Sneaks he studied her and although she said she was over him it was plain as day that she still had feelings for the fool. Maybe one day she'd be over him but now wasn't that time.

Laughing, River shook his head when Lucky asked if he had any ladies in his life. "Not today. I don't have enough time for women." Besides there was only one woman he wanted to be involved with and he couldn't do anything about it until she was fully over her ex.

[Lucky Volpecillia]

She smiled a little, recovering before she laughed. "Right, right, Zeke says there is never no time for women. Even amongst all of this--" she waved her hand again indicating all the trouble that had been going on. "Never, never to busy to go and catch a dame on the side." she was smiling. How could she not? She finally let out a breath and smiled at River.

"I deserve better than to wait forever.." Sure she got a little off topic but the smile she wore, it was true. She had her own life to live and it couldn't hang on the hinges of someone else any longer. She had dreams as big as the New York skyline and she was going to get them. Come hell or high water. Smirking she took a swig of her beer finishing it off and wrapper her arms around her stomach.

"Besides, I've done fine on my own most of my life, why do I need to wait around for something that's never coming.."

[River Chambers]

River laughed, "Zeke never struck me as a one woman kind of guy." Pausing a moment River thought about the fact that he'd never really been serious with anyone but he'd never used and abused a woman. For some reason it wasn't him to have a one night stand with anyone. "When I find the right person I'll know." Of course he knew already but he wasn't sure if he wanted to broach that with Lucky.

Nodding his head to show his agreement he couldn't help but say what had been on his mind for years. "Honestly Lucks, I know you loved the idiot but how you put up with him for so long I never could understand." Then again he'd never been in love with someone and been in a relationship with them so he couldn't really say what he'd do if it were him. "You deserve a hell of a lot better."

Finally the barmaid brought over their second round and he smiled gratefully towards her before looking back at Lucky. "We all have, Lucks, but we still have each other." And he meant that to the fullest because he was there for his friends until the end.

[Lucky Volpecillia]

She held out her glass at the last comment and a small smile worked over her face. "How about a toast?" she suggested. "To getting what we want in life and taking no prisoners." she was Italian after all, or at least partially. And as she smirked she took a long swig from her drink. She wanted to forget Sneaks, though she knew she never would but she was moving on and that was actually enough. No more wondering, worrying or hoping.

She was just done.

[River Chambers]

River grinned and lifted his glass, "I'll toast to that." Taking a deep gulp he sighed as he put the glass down. And then he remembered the cards he had bought on his way here and he reached into his pocket and drew them out setting them in front of Lucky. "Thought you might need a new deck. I know how worn down yours is." He would've gotten her something a little nicer but friends didn't do that for friends and he honestly had spent most of his extra cash on the cards anyway.