Publish Date: 10/07\2003

A/N: I think I am about to ruin a perfectly good one-shot. Let’s hope not.

Chapter 2: Understanding

She hadn’t slept well. Be it the despicable condition of her mattress, the unexpected warmth of the night, or the confusion swirl of the previous night’s events, perhaps a combination of all three had kept her from drifting into a sublime slumber for more than ten minutes at a time. The result was that her nerves were even more frayed than they had been the night before with the intense rises and falls of passionate emotion. She had known Joe for years on end. Their parents had been killed in the same factory accident when he was the age of thirteen and she the tender age of ten. A boyish promise had been made that he would always take care of her, and he had. That was how they met Jack. He near two years older then Joe, he had presented the membership in the establishment in a way so appealing, that even the moral little innocents had been captivated by his offer, but they had refused.

Their first jobs had been simply pick pocketing whatever they could, using different tactics of dishonesty and acts to scrape together a little money here and there. Joe became a newsie, selling papers on street corners, but quickly found that to be less then profitable and it was becoming difficult to find a place to seek lodging. Their desire to die was greater then there desire to go to an orphanage, and the winter months were closing in. Sleeping in abandoned fisher’s huts and warehouses wouldn’t suffice as any honorable or warm abode. Joe had approached Jack.

"We don’t have room for the girl," Jack had stated, his lanky teen frame towering in an opposing form over Joe’s, his blue eyes glittered in hard reality.

"I won’t leave her," Joe didn’t back down, puffing out his chest as if he was trying to intimidate a boy who obviously had much experience in that field.

"We can’t be carrying extra weight around," Jack scorned. "And the girl is extra," he had a malice in his voice with which Elizabeth would soon become familiar.

"I can work too!" Elizabeth had piped in, her new age of eleven seeming to give her the extra courage, and she had stepped forward.

"Let me handle this, my girl," Joe’s voice had sounded tense and low, but she hadn’t cared.

"I can work just as hard as any old boy!" she stamped her tiny foot on the ground and Jack’s face seemed to hold a bit of surprise, but he quickly masked it. "I bet I work harder then you!" She challenged and she say horror enter Joe’s eyes just as fast as an amused twinkle had set in Jack’s.

"What’s your name, girl?" he charged, and Elizabeth had raised up her chin and spoke with as much dignity of one of such low social breeding and age can speak.

"Elizabeth," she sniffed indignantly and Jack looked her up and down. She was tiny, no taller than five feet, with as many curves as a ruler was, she was all angles and planes, but there was a determination about her that had been there then and had lasted for years to come.

"All right, Liz," he shortened her name in a way that had never been done before. "You prove to me you’re worth something, and we’ll get some food into that big mouth of yours," his words had been all bite and no kindness and it infuriated her, but Joe had intervened.

"When can we start?"

The memory held much truth for not only the present state of her relationship with the moody Jack. She constantly had to fight for his approval, for his friendship. The only reason that she was as close to him as she was probably had to do with Joe’s closeness with the young leader. Though their origination wasn’t as large as some were, it had a quite a network over the city and even outside of it. Elizabeth knew very few details of the running of the establishment or the dastardly deeds they no doubt committed; she only got money to fund their corruption.

Times used to be so simple, before she had caught herself in a web that was tangled around her, trapping her. Friendships used to be just that, not dynamic, simply black and white. It was a feeling of simplicity she missed, it was a feeling of simplicity that she knew she would never have again. Pressing the heels of her hands to her eyes, she fought back the confused tears that surfaced at the thoughts. She couldn’t cry. She wasn’t allowed to cry – she had to be just as strong as any man is, except more is so.

Raising her head, she looked with bleary eyes around her small apartment’s bedroom. Then with the resolution not to cry, she rose and began preparation for her day. She’d promised to meet Joe for breakfast.

The day was fresh and bright, the azure-sky full of promise and hope. The brilliant sun shone jubilantly upon the earth as soft zephyrs pulled at people’s hair and clothes, almost as though to pull them along with a quicker step. Young newsboys called from street corners, hawking headlines above the general noise of the streets. The smell of lake-water carried a distinct smell, even several blocks away from the banks. The swirl of the smells of humanity and life mixed together with the potent odor of baked wears of the street vendors and horse manure left behind by animals. It was a bittersweet perfume that was part of essence of Chicago, a scent that any native learned to love, and missed the moment they were away from it. It was part of Elizabeth just as much as it was part of Joe or Jack, it was part of them just as much as they were part of it.

She looked out upon all of this from the window of the entry hall of her tenement building. It was a dingy place with unornamented walls and sparse furniture. The front desk, a small low table, and two chairs were the only things that filled the small space. No warmth or décor was wasted in the area. Her pastel blue skirt and cream blouse stood out in a painfully obvious way in the dirty surroundings. Her dark locks pulled back into a modest, fashionable twist, a small hat sitting comfortably upon it. Though her garb was simply, it was sophisticated in as much of a way as she could bring forth.

Joe was late.

Tired from lack of sleep and hunger, she went to one of the two chairs near the front of the small entry hall and sat, slumping back in a very unladylike manner. Relaxing as much as her restrictive corset would allow, she sat with her back against the chair, shoulders slumped, head resting in the palm of one hand. A small frown puckered her brow and her cupid bow mouth was pursed. This was how Jack found her.

Elizabeth heard someone enter and raised her head, unsure what to expect, but not expecting the tall man standing in front of her. For a moment she was petrified, her breath purloined from her chest, her slouched position remaining in tact. What was he doing here? He, unlike Joe, didn’t take residence in this rat-hole. In fact, she wasn’t sure where he took up his residence, but she knew beyond a shadow that it wasn’t in this place.

"What do you want?" she tried to keep her voice calm, but she heard the hurt as it shone through, and cursed herself for showing that what he had said actually affected her. Her posture now erect in the chair, her dark eyes flashing.

"I’ve come to speak with you," his voice was low and held a slight rasp. His hair looked rough and unkempt, the dark circles under his icy eyes showing that he too had most likely lacked sleep the night before.

"Haven’t you already said enough?" she stood stiffly, but her head still barely reached his shoulder, but she saw a flickering in his eyes that she didn’t know was possible. Could it be true that Jack Gable could feel pains, or regret?

"It will only take a moment," he nearly asked permission and she tried to press down some of the anger she felt rising within her. Everything within her told her to tell him no, to make him squirm the way he had made her squirm, and hurt him the way he had hurt her. There was something in his icy blue eyes though that stopped her, could he possibly be genuine? The intimidation was gone, the masks and pretenses were abandoned. Before her stood someone who could genuinely be sorry, someone that she might actually trust. The feminine sympathy won out within her, as she felt the tug at her heartstrings, if nothing else, she deserved to give him the grace she would give any other friend. After all, he was her friend, wasn’t he? Sometimes she wasn’t sure.

"I’m meeting someone for breakfast, so do make it quick," she crossed her hands in front of her, holding them in a very closed fashion

"The words I spoke last night, were spoken in haste and anger," he said, a sincerity in his tone that could have been real, and she believed it to be. "Please, hold it not against me?" he implored and she met his eyes with a discerning stare. Could he possibly be serious?

His eyes held the truth.

"Is this an apology?" she quirked a sarcastic brow and he gave her a disbarring glance that was so comical she felt herself unable to stay frustrated with him. A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips, as she knew that the words he gave her were as close to an apology as she would ever draw from the stubborn leader before her. "I forgive you," she answered simply and she saw a wry grin twist one corner of his mouth.

"Did I ever ask for forgiveness?" he smirked and she pursed her mouth, already annoyed at his quick change from remorse to the sarcastic, intimidating Jack that she knew so well.

"Well if you prefer me to remain upset," she left the end of her sentence unfinished so that he could only guess at the implications. Hell hath no fury as woman scorned, was a phrase that could very well apply to Elizabeth.

"Never, Liz," he returned, the suave smooth-talking leader grinned rakishly and for a moment, Elizabeth could realize where he had gotten his womanizing reputation.

A cool and detached leader, so intimidating that man twice his size cowered before him could immediately replace the sly grin and twinkle that shone in his eye. He was a man who knew what he wanted, with shaggy dirty blonde hair that he kept fairly well, with the exception of this morning. The skin on his body, though he spent hours in the sun, had managed to stay a fair color with a tinge of a golden glow; the sun-bleached streaks in his hair drew out the crystal blue of his orbs. Unusual eyes they were, strange gold rims around the outside of the iris, the blue specked with shades of violet and lined with dark thick lashes. It wasn’t hard to see how the rumors she had heard might be true.

"If you come with me, I would enjoy your company for breakfast," Jack offered, reaching out and grasping her hand and there was a sudden change in her mood. Jack noticed the change only to have his thoughts interrupted by the opening of the door. Elizabeth quickly withdrew her hand, but not before Joe noticed.

"I say, is there something happening of which I should be aware?" he said in a teasing tone that held a bitter edge directed towards the other man.

"No, Joe," Elizabeth quickly intervened, standing at his side as he looked over the leader with dark eyes. "Jack was simply – clarifying certain things," she chose the words carefully, not wanting to use the world ‘apologizing’ or anything that would denote a weakness in the leader. This, especially in front of another man, was unacceptable. As a woman she understood this.

"Then you fare well, my girl?" Joe asked, still not taking his eyes away from the cold glare of their leader as she felt a protective arm snake out around her shoulder, almost claiming her.

"Yes, I fare well," she smiled bravely, not sure why she felt so guilty for the expression of protection or affection offered by a boy now man that had always been there to defend her.

"That’s, my girl," Joe looked down at her, smiling as he lent down to press a kiss to her cheek. At that gesture, Elizabeth saw understanding wash over Jack’s face, and the sharp pain he felt flashed over his beautiful eyes, only to be masked quickly with the cocky, self-confidence she knew too well.

"So, you finally acquired enough money to have your whore," Jack sneered and Joe’s whole body tensed as Elizabeth stood numbly. The words had been measured for the most pain they could deliver, no sarcasm to ease the barbs as they sunk into her with claws that only raw anger could produce.

"I beg your pardon?" Joe uncoiled his arm from around Elizabeth’s shoulder as he approached the taller man.

"I’m happy for you both, really," Jack seemed to be retracting his words, but merely used the phrase to have them lower their guard before he launched forth with another fiery attack. "Two low-bred fools deserve each other," with those words, Joe’s fist struck out with the speed of a cobra as he brought it across Jack’s strong square jaw. Instantly Jack’s fist shot out and struck Joe in a very similar matter, but before any more blows could be exchanged Joe stepped back, obviously submitting to his leader and pressing back the anger that had momentarily reigned within him.

"I’ll be seeing you both," Jack said as he looked at the submissive Joe, who was still obviously seething and Elizabeth went to his side, tears stinging her eyes. A small trickle of blood came from the corner of Jack’s mouth as he gave her a suggestive signal that caused Elizabeth to restrain Joe, and then he was gone.

Once the leader had left the door, Joe gathered her into his arms, whispering comforting phrases into her hair. Assuring her that she was more a lady then some in the upper class or even in England. Even though there were tears threatening to spill, she refused to cry. She couldn’t cry. She simply stayed nestled against Joe’s chest, stoic and silent through all of his mutterings. Before she had cried from confusion, but she couldn’t do this now, for she understood all too well.

Angel Cat2: I am very descriptive writer, I’m sorry if you don’t like it, it is just my style. I’m glad that you enjoyed my story though.

Moon Dusk: All right, I wrote another chapter. Mind you I did it fairly quickly, and I think I ruined a perfectly good one-shot…. Thank you for the compliment though, I’m glad you enjoyed it.

Jojobear: Thank you very kindly. It is a great honor that you thought that I pulled off such a thin in any semblance of good form. I hope that this chapter wasn’t too big of a let down, I have absolutely no idea where I am going with this story.