STRIKE! ; davey jacobs

NINE

ix. A FAMILY OF WEASELS

JOSEPHINE PROMISED SHE'D BE AT THE
jacobs household in the morning. she'd never break a promise. so she waited on the fire escape, she needed to grab some stuff for the hall. some cloths and other stuff. les walked with her, david was somewhere, looking for other things. josephine pointed towards a piece of clothes, "this pattern but in a different color?" "just blue and green."

les had his wooden sword with him. he knew he had to protect josephine. she was a princess after all, at least les was still convinced so. she had worn a soft blue dress today, she had learned it was david's favorite color. she even considered changing her signature color at shows to appeal more to the boy. josephine kept on walking, accidentally bumping into someone. "sorry, beautiful." the man said. josephine awkwardly nodded her head. she contuined on, les followed but was playing with his sword. that's when oscar delancey stepped out in front of her. her eyes widened and she tried to step back, but it turns out the man behind her was morris delancey.

"so where's your little boyfriend? i hear your my fiancé, huh? so, where's your little davey?" oscar asked. morris grabbed onto josephine. "leave her alone!" les has said, shoving oscar. oscar pushed the little boy over, knocking him in the mud. "no, les! leave him alone!" she had to watch as oscar shoved les some metal containers, knocking some down. morris pushed the girl into an alley way. she pushed herself away from him, "i'm not marrying into a family of weasels." she spat, punching him in the face. oscar chuckled at the fact that josephine thought that would work. the most it did was give morris a cut on his lip.

the way the two boys looked at her, made her panic. she tried to run, but morris grabbed onto her. he pulled her into him, holding her tightly. "get off of me!" she shouted, trying to wiggle out of his grasp. "i said let go of me! somebody help!" she shouted, near tears as she could feel that she couldn't move at all. she felt helpless. even when david showed up. "no! run davey!" she didn't want them getting what they wanted.

"yeah. run davey. we've got the best part of the strike right here." oscar taughted. "she'll be my wife soon enough." he said, smirking. david glared as he ran forward, tackling oscar. morris pushed josephine onto the floor. she had fallen onto her knees, getting mud all over her dress and scraping her knee on the rock she had landed on. "stop it! les! stop, please don't hurt him!" josephine shouted. she went to stand, but a pain shot through her knee. she fell back down just as les ran to her. she held him close to her. she watched as morris pulled out brass knuckles. "no!" she tried to get up, but just fell back down. she felt helpless and useless as she watched oscar punch david again.

"somebody help!" she cried, begging for them to leave david alone already. her cries were answered when jack appeared, saving david. he pushed oscar into some wooden crates and then went for morris. beating him up before head butting him, "remember crutchie?"

jack helped josephine up, the pain barely there now that she had help to fully stand up. "you okay?" jack asked. she nodded. "davey!" she shouted. she had the boy in her arms, hugging him tightly. "you better run, cowboy. we're gonna tell uncle weas. you'll be back in the refuge by supper time!" morris complained. jack stepped forward and the boys ran off. les took off after them, "go on! get out of here! don't come back! jo's ours!" his wooden sword being waved in the air.

"what you couldn't stay away." david  sourly asked, rubbing his stomach. josephine felt horrible for not being able to help. she rubbed his arm, linking her's with his. "guess i can't be something i ain't." "what a scab?" david asked, bending over in pain. josephine shook her head, "no, smart." jack smiled slightly as he nodded. josephine pulled the boy into a hug, "this doesn't mean your forgiven. but you did save davey when i couldn't even help him. morris dropped on that rock and i busted my knee."

"i'm sorry jo. it's my fault." les said, looking up at the girl. josephine smiled as she pulled him into her side, "nah. that family of weasels play dirty. you protected me just fine, les."

davey looked at the two, his stomach still hurt from all the punches oscar had thrown at him. he wondered if oscar had punched him extra hard because of josephine. still a small smile found it's way onto his face. jack had noticed and smiled too. "so what now?" josephine looked over at david, "i think we pay our friend denton a visit and see if he wants to help us one last time." david nodded, agreeing with the girl.

so the four were on their way, "hey, let's stop and get sarah. she could be a lot of help right now. especially cause my knee still hurts." josephine was trying to be tough, but damn did her knee hurt. david wrapped his arm around her waist, "we'll go up and get her. you two can wait for us." the four made the stop to get sarah before going to denton's.

"that looks bad." sarah commented. josephine nodded as she sat down, "mind if i clean up before we leave?" sarah nodded as she started grabbing stuff. "i can do it." josephine leaned back in her chair, her hand reached for david's. he stood next to her, his hand interlocking with hers. sarah smiled softly as she started to clean up josephine's wound. josephine wasn't one for crying or screaming in pain, but she did squeeze the life out of david's hand. "sorry." she said through gritted teeth.

"so what happened?" sarah was about to finish wrapping josephine's knee. josephine sighed as she frowned, "my future husband apparently. i'm not marrying into a weasel family like that. and i'll make my father knows about what they done to me." josephine's hand tightened around david's as she looked up at him, "i'm sorry i couldn't help more." "you did fine, jo. now come on, we have to go see denton."