Rebuilt

Chapter 18

    Oscar shushes me, "don't be sorry doll.  Don't be sorry." He stared down into my eyes, "this ain't your fault.  I shouldn't have provoked Spot."  He held me close on his lap, rocking me back and forth, trying his best to calm my uncontrollable quivering sobs.

    I sit up and cradle my stomach, Oscar keeps his hands hovering over my back.  I smile at his sincerity.  I ask the question that has been hovering in my mind ever since this whole mess had started.  "Are-are you'se okay?" My hands hover his face.

    He smiles weakly, gabbing my hand, "I'm fine.  I've been beat up worse."

    "You didn't deserve that," I whisper through tears.

    "No one deserves that," Oscar said, keeping a tight grip on my hand.  "Even though I've done it too many times.  I've regretted it every single time.  That's why I haven't given any of the boys a hard time since the strike ended.  They've worked so so hard.  And don't deserve me givin' them a hard time...even if it might be fun."

    I chuckle at his cocky smile, "i'm still sorry."

    He laughs, "come 'ere."

    He pulls me in and gives me a tight hug.

    "Blades?"

    I jump out of Oscars grasp, I turn and see Elmer and Race. 

    Elmers eyes grow big, "are you'se nuts?! Get away from him!" He notices the vomit, "did he do that to you?  Blades, come here."

    I look at Oscar who looks dumbfounded.  He stands, offering me his hand I take is and stand up.  "Don't worry," Oscar said.  "Nothin' happened.  This was Spot's doin'"

    Elmer scoffed, "oh yeah, like I'm gonna believe you."

    "Elmer, he didn't to this ta me," I say.  "It was Spot!"

"Don't try and defend that bastard, Blades! Look at what he did to you'se! How can you stand to be near him!" Elmer shouts, practically fuming.

"'Cause he didn't do it to me!" I screech.  "It was Spot!"

Elmer opened his mouth again, "wha-wha, why would Spot do this to you'se? He's one of a us!"

Race decided it was time to step in, "Elmer...she did run off from Brooklyn the other day." He scratched the back of his neck.

Elmer looked dumbfounded, "you'se taking Blade's side Racer?! Spot wouldn't do that."

"Yes, he can." Race said.  "Just leave it be Elmer, and help Blades and Oscar out."

Elmer shake his head, "no.  I'se ain't goin' to accept this blatant lie!" Elmer turned around and stormed off.

"Elmer!" I start, "Elmer, please don't go!"

Oscar places a bruised and bloody hand on my shoulder, "don't, doll.  Give 'im some time to cool off."

Angry, stinging tears, stream down my face.  My eyes blink uncontrollably and my shoulders shake.  I turn around and throw myself into Oscars arms.  He rubs my back in slow, soothing, motions.  I take shaky breaths. 

Oscar looks at me in the eyes, "you did nothing wrong, love.  Absolutely nothing."

Race comes up to my side, "Oscars right, Blades.  You'se did nothin' wrong."

"But I did, I'se really, really did."

Oscar bites his lip, "Race, do you trust me?"

Race shrugs, "I'se guess, I mean you did protect Blades." 

Oscar nodded, "good, go find Elmer, convince him that nothin' happened, or at least get him to calm down."

Race readjusted his cigar and shrugged his shoulder, "okay."

"Blades, you are coming with me." Oscar grabbed my hand and dragged me out of the alley and started to pull me down the Main Street.

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Oscar had pulled me through Newsies square and past the lodge house.  Avoiding any Newsies we saw along the way by veering down an alley.  Approaching a two story house, Oscar pulls me up the metal steps and leads me through the door.

"Where in the hell are we?" I ask as Oscar pulls me through the hallway.

"My house," Oscar says simply.

"Are you'se crazy? Morris is here," I whisper.  "I'se need to get outta here."

Oscar shakes his head, "don't worry.  I'll handle him."

Oscar pulls me up hardwood stairs, down a hallway, and through a door.  "This is my room, sit down, and be quiet."

I open my mouth to contradict, but Oscar holds up a finger, cutting me off.  "Just sit tight, okay?"

He turns around and walks out of another door off the side of his bedroom.  I look at his decently sized room.  He had a large bed in the corner of his room and soft fuzzy sheets.  Other than that, he didn't really have much, a hardwood floor with a carpet, a chair with a lamp.

Oscar came out of the side room, his suspenders slack his sides, and he was shirtless.  His very well defined chest was enough to make me look away.  He smiled and laughed, he ran a bloody hand through his black fluffy hair.  His face was clean of blood, though his eye was still black and his lip was swollen.

He grabbed a new shirt from a dresser, "c'mon.  Let's go get you some food."  We walk down the hallway and pass a door, "that's Morris's room." 

I cringe.

Oscar smirks, "yeah, I know.  I hate him too."

We walk down the stairs, I follow Oscar down the hall until he turns into the kitchen.  He sits me down at a table and pulls out a loaf of bread.  I take the time to readjust my cap and my shaking finger through my dirty hair.  A plate of warm bread and butter is set in front of me as well as a glass of water. 

I look at it then look at Oscar, who was getting ready to sit down across from me.  "I'se can't take this.  It's your food."

Oscar looks up, "don't bother.   My families rich.  That's worth nothing in my Uncles eyes."

Deciding not to care anymore, I bite into the bread gratefully.  Finishing the food as quickly as possible, Oscar looks at me with his mouth slightly agape.  "When's the last time you'se had a full meal?"

I had to think long and hard to answer the questions correctly.  "A long time," was all I said. 

Standing, he grabs my plate and cup.  Placing the plate on the counter and refilling the cup with more water.  "C'mon.  How 'bout we get a head start on them reading lessons." He offers me a hand and cocks his eyebrow.

Smiling, I take his hand as he leads me back up the stairs towards his room. 

"Hey Oscar! I certainly hope I didn't just see you leading a street rat up to your room."

Oscar stopped dead in his tracks, pushing me behind him, he leaned over the railing of the stairs.  He groans, "fuck off, Morris.