The Docks

[Administrator]

These are the docks--but watch yourself--this is Spot Conlon's territory!

[Fighter Mallory]

Fighter glanced around the empty docks, a slight smile playing at her lips as she waited on Davey. It had been far too long since they'd seen each other and agreeing to meet up here probably wasn't the best idea but she could care less. No one was around with the weather being as terrible as it had been so she wasn't particularly worried about being caught. She tucked an errant curl behind her ear and gazed out over the water.

Things never seemed to calm down with them. They both had so much going on in their lives that it left very little time for each other. She understood, but that didn't mean she resented the fact any less. Davey was like a dose of normality for her. She could be herself around him without worrying about being watched or judged. She told him more about herself then most people and he took her at face value. He didn't expect her to be like other girls which was a good thing because she really wasn't like other girls.

[David Jacobs]

David slipped by a few of the crates stacked along the docks, keeping his eyes open for that familiar face that he was slowly beginning to realize he wanted to see more and more often. It had been close to a month since they'd really spent any time together, the chance meeting a few days ago barely counted, but at least it had given them a moment to arrange today's meet up. A few more steps and he could see the top of Fighter's head, errant curls slipping out from the ribbon tying her hair back and dancing in the cold wind that blew off the water. To David she'd never looked more beautiful.

"Hi," He said softly, stepping up beside her and finding a smile tugging at his lips and spreading slowly across his features as he looked down at her. It was hard to say what exactly it was between them - begun during one of the most intense and darkest moments of David's life - it had blossomed into this. And this meant stepping forward and pulling her into a hug - Brooklyn and circumstances be damned, he just wanted to know that she was there. "I missed you." He said, his voice muffled in her hair, the admission causing his cheeks to color a little but he told himself it was the stinging cold air that brought about the reaction.

[Fighter Mallory]

Fighter turned, a wide smile growing on her face as her eyes landed on Davey. She couldn't suppress the sigh of contentment that escaped her mouth when he pulled her into a hug. Her arms wrapped around his body to hug him tightly as his muffled words reached her ears. Her own face heated up a bit but she didn't particularly care. She pulled back a bit to look up at him and smile, "I missed you too."

It wasn't often that words like that slipped through her lips, but when she was around Davey she couldn't bring herself to filter her words. He didn't care about Brooklyn or about her reputation and when she was with him she didn't find herself caring much either. He had stood by her side when she was reckless and he still treated her like a person. She knew that was part of the reason she was so drawn to him. He was so much like her that it sometimes scared her because to anyone on the outside looking at them they would never have anything in common.

Fighter had to admit to herself that if hadn't been for that fateful day they probably never would've carried on a conversation with each other, let alone come to care for one another like they did. The thought scared her a bit because she had come to need him in her life in a way she never really needed anyone. After a moment she pulled away completely from his embrace but not before placing a light kiss on his lips. "How've you been?"

[David Jacobs]

When she pulled away, he reached out a hand and toyed with the ends of her hair, not wanting to break the connection completely. Probably a foolish notion considering their location, but David wasn't much concerned about such things at the moment. Others never would have believed it - the Mouth from Manhattan getting on with a Brooklyn girl with bite like Fighter Mallory - but here it was, whatever the reasons, David wasn't going to question it. He'd stopped doing that a long time ago.

"Been okay. You know how things are: Jack's being Jack, Les has been going stir crazy with this weather," David shrugged, leaning back against a stack of crates and grinning at her. "You know not much changes in 'hattan." There was truth enough in that, there was an almost steadying routine to life in the Manhattan borough - and perhaps that's why David sometimes felt such a desperate need to get away from it at times. When he was restless and couldn't sleep and life seemed to big or to small - it was also in those moments that he thought about Fighter.

"What about you?" David asked, turning the conversation in her direction, something that she seemed to have grown more comfortable with over time; talking to him about her and some of her life. And because he was feeling bold he dropped his hand to find hers and play with her fingers as they talked.

[Fighter Mallory]

Fighter smiled as he spoke and nodded her head at what he was saying. She didn't spend a lot of time with the Manhattan newsies but the time she had spent with them they had seemed like they never grew up. Which she supposed was a good thing because kids on the street tended to grow up a little too fast. "I was thinking we should take Gwennie and Les to Coney Island when the weather gets warmer."

She could feel her face blushing a bit as she spoke but she ignored it and smiled at Davey. "I know Gwennie loves it there and she's been just as stir crazy as I'm sure Les is." Fighter had never met Les, but she knew he was around the same age as Gwennie so she could assume what he was like. She wondered briefly what the rest of Davey's family was like. She hadn't know many kids who had even one parent let alone two so it crossed her mind to think about what it was like.

Fighter shrugged at his question and played with her hair for a moment. "Bout the same." She hadn't been doing much other then drinking, gambling, and working. She snickered a bit when she thought about some of the things she had done. Like her conversation with Jewel and her interaction with Banshee. "Things don't change much in Brooklyn either."

She couldn't suppress the smile the crossed her face when Davey grabbed her hand in his own and began playing with her fingers. She looked around and decided they were alone enough for the touch. Fighter had never been one for physical embraces or anything like that but she found she didn't not only not mind but actually enjoyed it with Davey.

[David Jacobs]

"Les would love that," David said with a smile as she suggested taking his little brother and Gwennie to Coney Island once it got warmer and winter had been chased away. "He was bugging me to take him all last summer and..." ...it would be an excuse to see each other. He thought, suddenly exhausted by the thought of more months of hiding and dodging and weeks of time without seeing Fighter. Shaking off the feeling, he slid his fingers between hers so their palms were pressed together. "How is Gwennie?" In some ways the young girl was just as much a part of his experience during the massive riot that had brought him and Fighter together and he wondered after Gwennie often.

"What do you want to do today?" David asked, looking down at their joined hands and smiling faintly. "Besides stand out here and freeze on the dock." He'd managed to work himself into getting away for most of the day, could probably push it into evening if he wanted and he intended to spend every moment of that time with Fighter. "We've got a lot of time to make up for." His words were accompanied by a laugh as he used their joined hands to pull her close again and his free one lifted to cup her neck as he drew her in for another kiss. "A lot of time."

[Fighter Mallory]

Fighter practically beamed when he agreed to her suggestion. She knew Gwennie would love it not only because she loved Coney Island but because it would give her the chance to hang out with someone who was her age. Plus, it was just one more reason for her to have time with Davey. She knew he was tired of the secrecy and to be honest it was wearing on her as well, but she wasn't sure how to even come clean about them at this point. She figured she was pushing it just being with him at the docks because it was a popular place for Brooklyn newsies to frequent.

Her blush deepened at his words and his kiss and she was sure her face looked like a cherry but it couldn't be helped. She wasn't used to getting this kind of attention and having it mean something. Sure, boys loved to flirt with her and she tended to flirt back but that was harmless. What she had with Davey couldn't even be defined, at least not by her. When she pulled back from the kiss, she smirked up at Davey. "Anything you like," She said softly as she lifted her free hand to rest on his cheek. "I don't mind as long as I get to spend time with you..." Because she agreed with him completely when he said they had a lot to make up for.

[Hawkeye Dekker]

Hawkeye strolled nonchalantly through the streets of Brooklyn, his mind deep in thought and a cigarette hanging loosely from his fingers. He had finished selling later than usual, thanks to this godforsaken weather, but he had still somehow managed to be the first one back. When he had arrived at the LH, though, he’d decided it was far too still for him. It wasn’t that he disliked quiet, he actually rather enjoyed it, but the eerie quiet of this normally noisy building unsettled him and so he took to the streets again.

As he walked, Hawk mulled over recent events. Mainly who had joined the borough, who had left – none, naturally – who needed to be put back in line, who had fought with whom, and which couples were getting too friendly for a Brooklyn newsie. Of course it wasn’t his job to necessarily do something about any of these things, it was Spot’s, but Hawkeye being who he was couldn’t just ignore them. He saw practically everything that happened around him and with Spot as preoccupied as he was, with only God knows what, Hawk would lend a hand – or a fist – when it was needed.

He didn’t have any particular destination in mind, but, as Brooklynites are oft known to do, his feet headed for the docks. He took a drag and blew the smoke out his nose, his mind preoccupied and only mildly paying attention to the things going on around him. Not completely tuning them out, of course – he was far too observant for that – hawk merely set them as background noise to his own thoughts.

As the docks grew closer, the noise of the streets lessened significantly and he began paying full attention again. He could already hear the lapping of the water on aged wood, even though he couldn’t see it yet. When he neared the street that the docks were on, he began hearing other sounds aside from the water. First Hawkeye heard the squawks of the seagulls, then the faint sound of human voices. There was no way for him to distinguish who they belonged to from this far away, but he could tell from the pitch that they belonged to a male and a female. He sighed and crossed himself, praying it wasn’t another newsie couple that needed breaking up. The one that Spot had come upon a few nights ago was enough drama to last them a good, long while.

Bringing the cig to his lips, he was just about to take another drag when the whole of the docks came into view. What he saw caused him to drop his cigarette and his jaw into the street; something that just didn’t happen to Hawkeye. To the casual observer he would have only looked mildly confused, or perhaps simply tired, but, to any who knew him, his slightly open mouth, cigarette-less hand, and partially furrowed eyebrows were as good as two screams and a mouth completely agape on anyone else. He was shocked. Really and truly, honest to god, no kidding, sure enough, completely shocked. And that took some doing.

Hawk’s mind was trying to make sense of what he was seeing, but it kept looping back and repeating itself. It was like a phonograph trying to play a scratched record, but unable to continue the song because it was stuck on one spot. One phrase kept going though his mind over and over again, effectively blocking out the comprehensive part of his brain that was trying to solve the puzzle in front of him. Finally, the Brooklyn boy managed to voice the phrase and, in doing so, ended his moment of paralyzing confusion: “This better not be what it fucking looks like, Fighter.”

[Fighter Mallory]

The color drained from Fighter's face as she stiffly pulled back from Davey and turned toward Hawkeye. She crossed her arms over her chest and hitched an eyebrow at him. "Well, that depends, what the fuck do you think this looks like?"

Her voice was calm, but her heart was going crazy in her chest. Inwardly she couldn't help but curse herself for being so lackadaisical about where she met Davey. She knew better, but she'd been so anxious to see him that she hadn't really cared about the prospect of getting caught. Now, though, she cared a lot.

It wasn't that she was ashamed of her relationship because she wasn't. It was just easier to keep it from their friends because then they didn't have to explain anything. Fighter preferred not to have to explain herself to anyone, but she was going to have to do some quick thinking if she was going to get out of this one.

As she waited for Hawkeye to say something, her eyes darted back to Davey to try to assess what he was feeling about what was happening. It was awkward enough being found out by one of the few guys in Brooklyn she considered a friend. She wasn't sure what Hawkeye had seen, but she was pretty sure it was enough to make a correct assumption about what was going on.

She figured it wasn't just the fact that she was seeing someone that had him looking so surprised, but the fact that she was seeing David Jacobs. It had taken her by surprise as well in the beginning. That was one of the reasons why it had just been easier to keep them a secret. It's not as though any of her friends would suspect them of seeing one another if she was in any other situation. Unfortunately for her, she was pretty sure Hawk had seen enough to make the leap and put two and two together.

[David Jacobs]

David had been right in the middle of explaining what he thought they could do that day, catch some lunch over in the Bronx, go for a walk in the park if there was time - but he didn't get a chance to even finish his first sentence when he heard a male voice behind them and felt Fighter stiffen in his arms. She stepped back and turned with her arms crossed snapping at Hawkeye with the sort of fire and bite David expected from her. Turning himself, David's first look at Hawkeye told him that the Brooklynite had seen damn near enough to know exactly what was going on, even if he didn't quite seem to believe it.

They were an odd match from the start, especially from the outside looking in - David the Walking Mouth and the feisty Fighter who was one of Spot's closest advisers. Manhattan and Brooklyn. But against what might have seemed the most unlikely of odds, they had worked, they had forged a bond - they'd kept it a secret as long as they could out of necessity but now it seemed that time had come to an end.

"Hawkeye," David said by way of greeting: he wasn't scared of Brooklyn, but like any practical sort they made him a little nervous and this was Fighter's stomping ground it was best if he let her lead the way. But he wasn't about to back down and abandon post either - David Jacobs was nothing if not loyal and he had a strong sense about standing up for what he believed in and there wasn't much he believed in more than Fighter and what they shared. He caught her gaze when she looked over at him and shot her a half smile - the jig was up.

[Hawkeye Dekker]

Hawkeye clenched his jaw, doing his level best to refrain from losing his temper. Fighter was a friend, one of the few people he had actually allowed to get close to him, and the last thing he wanted to do was drive her off with hasty words. Narrowing his eyes at David’s brief greeting, he took two deep breaths to calm himself, watching as the pair exchanged loaded glances. This whole situation felt like some sort of dream. One of those brief snippet dreams that hits so hard you wake with a jolt, breathing like you just ran a marathon. Except this wasn’t the kind where your brother is pushing you off a cliff, or where your girlfriend is marrying another man, it was the kind where you find your best friend getting cozy with the wrong guy.

Hawkeye focused in on Fighter, completely ignoring David, and hardened his gaze. Lesser men crumbled under this look, they curled up and begged forgiveness, but not Fight. No, she was made of sterner stuff. She was stronger than most of the men in Brooklyn, no small feat to be sure, and it was this spark of hers that had first prompted him to allow her to get close. Was that a mistake? Should he have kept her distant just like everyone else? Perhaps.

Clearing his throat to release some of the tension that had settled there, Hawk pulled out a cigarette and a match, holding them loosely in his hand. “It looks to me,” he began slowly, being careful not to let his temper get loose, “…like you’re more dan friends with Mouth here.” He popped the cig in his mouth and lit it deftly, taking a long drag before releasing it out of his mouth as he talked. “Care to explain?”

[Fighter Mallory]

Fighter didn't bat an eye as he studied her. It wasn't the first time he'd looked at her like that and she was sure it wouldn't be the last, but it didn't bother her. He might intimidate other people, but Fighter had learned the hard way that she had more to be scared of then a Brooklyn boy glaring at her. She knew this was just his initial reaction to the situation he had stumbled upon. She also knew that this was hardly the worst scenario of what could have happened. She was sure someone with less self-control would have done something much brasher.

Her lips tightened into a scowl when he asked her to explain. She had to swallow back a sarcastic retort and remind herself to stay calm. She wasn't used to answering for herself and this was partly why she had wanted to keep this relationship to herself. She had known though that eventually this was going to happen so she had to deal with it instead of deflecting it with sarcasm. Well...she had to try, anyway.

Fighter's head angled her head to the side a bit as she gazed at him through narrowed eyes. "Not particularly," Her smirk grew a bit. She shrugged one shoulder absently, "Besides I think you found the explanation all on your own, Hawk." Her tone wasn't harsh or even overly sarcastic. She wasn't trying to push her friends buttons anymore then they already had been. It was just hard to give a straight answer under these circumstances when her heart wouldn't stop pounding.

[David Jacobs]

David had always secretly hoped, and really found it more likely, that one of his Manhattan crew might be the ones to stumble upon them. They spent more time together there, it was easier to hide and David's friends were a kinder, gentler sort and more likely to react with more shock then tension. But the reality was what it was and they were standing there facing Hawk who didn't seem likely to accept anything but an explanation that Fighter was hesitant to give. At the end of the day David wasn't really sure it matter if he and Fighter were friends or more than friends, it seemed to be the fact that he was the Walking Mouth from Manhattan that ate away at Hawk. But David didn't feel like apologizing, not after everything he and Fighter had been through and especially not after what he was beginning to feel for her.

He also knew with the sort of certainty that forced acceptance, that after this encounter news of his and Fighter's relationship - whatever Hawk found out about it here - would spread over the city and through the boroughs faster than David could likely get back to Manhattan. Especially if Hawk told Birdie, which David had no doubt that he would, he just hoped he got a chance to tell Jack and some of his friends himself.

It seemed silly to deny anything in front of Hawk at this point, they didn't know how long they had been standing there watching and moments before they had been kissing, David had been touching Fighter's face and their voices were soft in near intimate whispers. So David stepped closer to her and sensing the tension in her frame, reaching out a hand to touch her shoulder, wanting to provide her support, let her know that he wasn't going anywhere. "I think you got a pretty clear picture," David said to Hawk softly, though his eyes remained on Fighter.

[Hawkeye Dekker]

Hawk was not in the mood for her smart mouth or their lovey-dovey glances, the pair of them were going to make him sick if they didn’t cut it out. Yes, they were right, he knew what was going on. Anyone even half as observant as Hawk would have known. What he wanted from Fighter, was the why. Clenching and unclenching his jaw again, he took a deep drag of his cig and blew the smoke back out in a huff. Then he knew what he needed. He needed to talk to his friend without Manhattan’s big Mouth listening to every word.

Fighter was strong and had not earned her nickname by sitting around being a good little girl. Lucky for him though, Hawk was still stronger. He grabbed her arm with his free hand and gently, but firmly, pulled her toward him. Then he pointed at David with his other hand, “You, stay.” Each word was accentuated by the smoke in his hand and his eyes made it clear that this was not a request. Hawkeye pulled fighter out of earshot from David and a little further down the docks, not an easy task to be sure. Once he felt they were far enough away, he released her and crossed his arms over his chest.

What he needed to do now was open up, be genuine with her. Not the easiest thing for him to do, but he figured he owed it to her. Uncharacteristically frustrated, he uncrossed his arms and threw the remains of his fag into the water, then rubbed his hands over his face. “Look, Fight,” he began, trying to let everything he was feeling show in his words and not his face, “I just need an answer.” Hawk looked her in the eye and continued, “Just one honest answer, not a smart-ass remark.” He paused, watching her earnestly, “Why him? Of all the guys you could have picked, why him?”





*((Fag (n): cigarette.))