The Past Comes Back

A Normal Night

July 1898

It was early July, and life was just life for Feister; it had been eight years and one month since Jack, Race and Specs brought her back to The Lodging House, and even though the boys were all loud, crazy, and weird, she didn't care since she was only louder, crazier, and weirder.

"Albert!" Race yelled, while chasing the red head around the bunk room. "Get yer bum back here with my cigar."

"I don't have it." Albert tossed the cigar to Feister, who caught it and started running in the opposite direction.

"Feister!" Race yelled, chasing the small girl, who climbed up onto Finch's bunk. Race did the same, but by the time he had climbed up Feister had jumped onto Kid Blink's bunk and tossed the cigar back down to Albert.

"I's thought yer name was Racetrack not slowpoke," she teased. Race scowled at her as she stuck her tongue out. He rolled his eyes and went after Albert.

Feister laughed before climbing down. As soon as her feet hit the floor she heard, "You'se better be careful, next time ya won't be so lucky.

She rolled her eyes. "Looks like ya really do have mush for brains," she teased.

"She got ya good," Kid Blink laughed. Just then a pillow whack both his and Mush's face. "Oh it is on." both boys grabbed a pillow and the three of them started a pillow fight.

"Elmer get back here," a blind Specs yelled, trying to find his way around the bunk room without bumping into anything. Elmer had stolen his glasses (again) and was now running around with them in hand.

Little Romeo was talking about the girl of the day to Buttons, and Sniper who had heard it all before. But they weren't going to rain on Romeo's day, after all the girl did kiss him on the cheek and Romeo looked like he was in a dream. Then again they didn't call him 'Romeo' for nothing.

While that was going on Finch was sorting through his shooters, while telling Crutchie how to tell if a shooter is bad or good without using it. Jojo, Henry, Tommy boy, Ike and Mike were playing cards.

Feister, Blink and Mush were still having their pillow fight, until both boys whacked her so hard the she fell onto Jojo's bed, taking the opportunity they dropped their pillows and started to tickle her. It was a well known fact that Feister was very, very ticklish.

Race was still chasing Albert. Elmer was now hiding under one of the bunks, while Specs bumped into the wall and fell onto the floor. And as usual Jack was drawing. He was up in his bunk drawing the chaotic bunk room. Sure it got crazy, and maybe a little out of hand, but that was one of the things Jack loves most about the Lodge, while there was the usual antics and jokes, it was done differently everyday.

While Jack would usually be up on the roof on a night like this, he thought it would be best if he stayed in the night, just in case anything got out of hand. And he was right. By the time Jack finished drawing, Race had tackled Albert to the ground, while a spec-less Specs was walking around the room and tripped over the two boys.

When Elmer crawled out of his hiding spot Blink accidentally stepped on him, just as Feister tried to kick Blink away. Everything happened so fast the next thing they knew was that Blink was on the floor with Elmer and Mush had tripped and fallen on top of Feister, who was looking a little pink.

As for the others, Mike tried to claim that Ike cheated, and the two were now on the ground as well. Henry, Jojo, and Tommy boy were now pulling them apart. Or at least they tried. Finch, Crutchie, Buttons, Sniper and Romeo were relatively calm and just watch the chaos from where they sat.

Putting the paper and pencil under his pillow Jack climbed down from his bunk. He walked over to the middle of the room and picked Race off of Albert. He dragged and sat Race back on his own bunk bed, and gave him a look that made him stay in his seat.

Then he went over to pull Ike and Mike apart. He sat Ike on an empty bunk next to his bed and dragged Mike back to his own, leaving three bunks in between them. Sure it was on the same side of the room, but at least Jack could keep an eye on one for the night.

Then he helped Kid Blink up and then they both helped Elmer out from under the bed. Jack then snatched the glasses from Elmer. Mush had gotten off of Feister, who looked a little red, but for the most part she was fine.

Jack nodded then he went back over to Specs just as Albert helped him back up. He handed Specs his glasses back and snatched the cigar from Albert, stuffing it in his pocket. Seeing that everyone had calmed down, Jack had a small smile. Though it's only been a year since he took over for Wolf, he thought he was doing a good job so far. Looking at the clock it was past ten. He then sent everyone to bed; no one argued and went back to their bunks.

Except one.

"Hey Feisty, you ok?" he asked, walking up to her.

"Yeah, I'm fine." she bit her lip looking around the room before looking back at Jack and asked, "Is it ok if I's stay in here tonight?" When Feister first came to the Lodge she used to sleep in the bunk room with all the boys, but as time went by she got older and started needing more privacy; so Kloppman converted the storage closet into a room for her.

At first Feister didn't use it too much, but with in a few months she started sleeping in it. But sometimes she like to stay with all the boys, such as tonight.

"You'se can stay in the bunk room anytime ya like, remember?" She smiled and headed to her old bunk that she used to share with Wisp and then climbed up to the top. Wisp had been at the Lodge for who knows how long, but shortly after she came along he moved on from the newsie life.

After a month or two Romeo came a long and the two of them bunked till she was ten. Seeing that everyone was in bed Jack went over and turned off the lights before heading back to his own bed.

"Hey Feisty," a voice whispered.

Feister looked over to her right and saw Mush looking at her with concern. "Yeah?" she whispered back while turning on her side.

"You'se ok?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"Hey Lovebirds." Jojo yelled, while banging on the side of the upper bunk. Actually Jojo was trying to get Mush to shut up. How he ended up being bunk mates with Mush was beyond him. "Put a lid on it an' go ta sleep!"

"You'se put a lid on it," Elmer yelled from across the room.

"Aw shut it!" Race yelled while whacking Elmer. "You'se been in a bad mood all day!"

"I's ain't in a bad mood you'se in a bad mood," Elmer shot back. A few of the others started yelling for the other to shut up but then Jack said, "All of ya go ta sleep or I'll soak ya." this made them shut up and they all went to sleep.

Mush and Feister looked at each other and had to muffle their laughter because when they were younger they would always talk quietly and they soon figured out that it would get on the other boys nerves so, they did it to get a laugh. But they didn't mean to do it this time, it just happened.

"Mush brains! Feister! Shut it fore I soak ya!" Jack yelled. Though Jack was on the opposite side and a few bunks down from Mush and Feister, he knew those two couldn't keep quiet to save their lives.

Mush and Feister looked at each other while laughing, which earned them another round of "Shut ups" from the boys.

Feister knew very well that if she didn't stop laughing she would get soaked; so she pulled the blankets over her head. From under the covers she heard, who she guessed was Mush pull his blankets over his head. She started to laugh quietly to herself since pretty much everyone at the Lodge (including herself) acted like a bunch of little kids when they're all supposed to be mature teenagers.

But then again since when have they ever been mature? As she was thinking this Feister had forgotten how crazy it got at night, but she loves it.

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Welp, here's another Fanfiction story for you guys. Thanks again to everyone who read, voted, and commented on A Girl Newsie and the one shots, I'm so glad you guys enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it way back when. Updates are still Mondays and Fridays, Thanks for reading this and I'll see you all soon.