Chapter 4 - Charity

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Leaning against the entrance to Jackson's bar, Finley waited patiently with her arms crossed over her chest. It was a cooler night out, the air nipping at her bare skin as the fog rolled from her nostrils at a steady pace. Finley was used to the cold by this stage in her life, she had to be. especially at this time of year in New York, things were definitely starting to cool down. It wasn't her first winter "homeless". She had been stuck facing the outside world on her own for plenty of years now.

Homeless wasn't exactly the right word to use for her status though. Of course she had a place to live, it just wasn't exactly hers. The place had been abandoned for years. It had water, electricity, but heating? Not a chance. Even if it did it wouldn't stick, the insulation was shit anyway. However, Finley wouldn't trade that place for the world. She loved everything about it. It reminded her of what her life used to be, what it had the potential of being; it reminded her of him. After about an hour of waiting, Finley finally knew that the two were approaching by the sounds of their footsteps. She could have heard them a mile away. Steve's feet were uncoordinated and loud, and people waving at Bucky as he passed down the street seemed like a major distraction for the both of them. Once they were in range though, she looked up from her feet and tilted her head in their direction to show them that she knew they were there. "That wasn't appropriate you know." Steve was the first to speak upon seeing her figure.

"The deal was we would take you to breakfast darlin'" Bucky spoke up next and stuffed his hands deep into his pockets. "-not the other way around."

With a chuckle, Finley grinned and kicked herself up and away from the wall to stand strongly before them. "Nice to see you too boys." Then, she clicked her tongue and uncrossed her arms from her chest. "Now stick close-" the woman wasted no time gripping the handle to the door and pushing it open. Immediately, the hollers and yells from the people inside met their ears and it made Steve shrink back in nerves. "-they'll eat you alive if you give them the chance."

The boy was immediately intimidated.

Once entering beneath the "Jackson" bar sign, his heart shot up his throat as he filed in behind Bucky. Shoulder to shoulder large men were already tussling and going at it within the confines of the sweaty wooden walls. Finley had reached back grabbing a hold of Bucky's wrist and Steve clung onto his jacket making sure they didn't lose one another.

"This is where you're gonna teach me?!" Steve screamed up to her so she could hear through the crowd.

Instead of responding though, she continued to press on and lead the two up towards the bar. The further they dove in the more condensed the group of men became. They got taller, angrier, stronger. That didn't stop Finley though. As soon as she got close to the bar, she pushed aside a few men to clear a space for herself and the boys. This caught the bar tender's attention, and as soon as he locked eyes on her the old man let out loose a huge smile. "Holy shit, she's alive!!" His dry lips grinned.

It didn't phase Finley. "Hey Jack!" She called back and leaned towards him so he could hear her.

"How ya feel kid?!" He asked back to her. As their short conversation played, Bucky leaned closer to Finley using the bar as support as he listened to the conversation as well. Meanwhile, Steve stood behind the whole scene watching the Chaos of the men around them.

"Recovered, but hey, I got a favor to ask!"

"Anything for you." He tossed the towel over his shoulder and ignored the requests of the men around him.

"I need the cage!" She blurted out over everyone else.

A surprised look seemed to wash over the bar tender's face. He sent her a confused look, his eyes fluttered between herself and Bucky, but no words came out of his mouth. Without argument, a nod sounded his approval as he turned and grabbed a key from under the bar beneath him. "Nobody has been down there since you, so it should all be the same!"

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