"Keep going," Lindsay encouraged, knowing by the pissed-off look on his face that couldn't be the last of it.

Jean dug into his other pocket and pulled out a single coin. Its shiny gold surface glinted softly in the moonlight.

Jacque's eyes went wide as saucers."Holy shit. You were holding out on me?"

"Drop it. Hurry up!"Lindsay's eyes darted around nervously and she wondered if someone would call the police because of the gunshots. Not to mention the fact that Albert should be coming to soon. She didn't need anymore complications. Gagging, she spat out a warm mouthful of blood.

Jean let out a string of curse words and bent down to set his money alongside Jacque's. At the last moment, however, he couldn't do it and dove for Lindsay.

Lindsay jerked away, involuntarily squeezing the trigger several times. She heard the bullets hit the barrels and wall behind Jean, then the man fell to the ground screaming and wildly trying to reach the back of his shoulder with one hand.

Jacque laughed."Stupid. She didn't even hit you straight on and you still missed the gun. It was a ricochet. Hurts, doesn't it?" he taunted.

"Shit! Shit! Shit!" Lindsay chanted. "Why did you do that? I have a gun, you dumb ass!" she shouted, her hands shaking so badly she was afraid she'd drop the pistol.

"'Cause he's stupid," Jacque told her, not even trying to move to help Jean. "Let him bleed to death."

Lindsay's face looked pale, even in the moonlight. What have I done?

Jean turned raging eyes on her."You shot me!"

Jacque laughed again."Hurts, don't-"

"Shut up! Just shut up," Lindsay ordered, wiping her eyes awkwardly with the back of her throbbing hand. She smeared blood across her face."I need to think." She bent down and scooped up all the money, hastily shoving it into her pockets with her injured hand, hot tears streaking her bloodstained cheeks from the pain the action caused. She stood, feeling queasy."Stay here." She staggered a step closer to Jacque and picked up her pocketknife."Don't follow me. And remember this next time you think it's a good idea to throw a person into the rat pit."

Jacque and Jean glared at her. "Don't worry, String Bean, we'll see you again," Jacque stupidly said.

"Not if I see you first."Lindsay glanced down the alley, seeing the outline of two men in the distance. She tried to focus. The men were getting closer. Limping slightly, she took off running in the opposite direction.

Ginny pressed her forehead against the moist windowpane as she stared down onto the street. Waiting. The shallow puddles that dotted the sidewalk were beginning to grow a thin layer of ice that reflected the moonlight and streetlamps as the temperature dropped. Following a lights out custom an hour after dinner, the entire house was dark and quiet. Far from being able to sleep, Ginny had lit a single beeswax candle some time ago, casting the room in long shadows.

Christian had insisted she and Lindsay stay in the same room they had the night before, deciding that the three little boys who were slated for that room would feel more comfortable with other children on their first night in the house. Blankets and pillows had been laid out in Leo and Nuncio's tiny room, and all five boys were already getting along famously, their animated chatter finally quieting an hour ago.

"Lindsay," she whispered, her eyes rooted on the sidewalk below, "where are you?"

"Right here."

Ginny gasped and spun around, her heart in her throat."Lindsay?"

"You weren't expecting someone else, where you?" Lindsay teased weakly. She'd thrown up twice on the way home and felt a little better than she had when leaving the alley, despite her shakiness.

"How did you get in?" Ginny rushed forward, her socked feet sliding on the smooth, cool wood as she came to a halt.

Lindsay looked down at her wet shoes. Her hands were stuffed deeply into her pockets."I picked the lock on the servant's entrance. I-"

"Oh, my god."Ginny stepped closer, peering carefully at her friend. Lindsay smelled of foul water mixed with an unmistakable metallic scent that could only mean one thing. Blood? Lindsay stepped closer to the candle and Ginny could see that her dark hair was matted and her face stained with crimson streaks. "What on earth happened?" Her voice was rising along with a surge of panic.

Lindsay's eyes fluttered shut. She suddenly felt very tired. "Ginny, can I-?"

"You're hurt." It wasn't a question. Ginny reached out and grabbed Lindsay by the biceps to steady her; the older woman was swaying a little. She looked as pale as she had in the hospital and a new smell was released as Lindsay moved. The redhead got a whiff of... her mind raced as she tried to place the scent. Then her eyes went round."Gun powder," she whispered in disbelief. Her heart began to pound as she searched Lindsay's body with frantic hands."Are... God, are you shot? Where, Lindsay? Tell me!"

"No," Lindsay answered softly, pulling away from Ginny's seeking hands. "I'm not shot. But, Ginny, I really need to sit down. It's been a long walk."

Ginny guided her over to the bed so she could sit down."Sit. Bu... How did...you're all wet."She blinked several times in confusion. It wasn't raining. "Did you fall in the East River? That, at least, would explain the smell." Her tone was curt but Lindsay could tell it was only because she was worried. Ginny shook her head in dismay."Let me take this off."She began tugging at the sodden woolen coat, but couldn't remove it with Lindsay's hands still stuffed deeply in its pockets.

"What time is it?" Lindsay asked dazedly, feeling chilled despite the fact that the house was well heated.

"Near nine, I think," Ginny answered, not really paying attention to the words. "You need to... here." She gave a gentle tug on one of Lindsay's arms, insisting that she remove her hands from the pockets so she could take off her coat.

Gingerly, Lindsay tugged one hand free, groaning softly in pain. Picking the lock had nearly sent her to her knees in agony.

It took only an instant for Ginny to see that her fingers were broken again. She winced, her heart aching for her friend."Oh, Lindsay."

Lindsay's second hand emerged significantly more slowly than the first and was tightly wrapped around the handle of a black pistol.

Ginny forced herself not to jump back.

Lindsay's knuckles were still sluggishly bleeding, and a white bone peeked through stained, torn flesh.

Frightened, brown, tear-filled eyes ventured upwards to judge Ginny's reaction. Lindsay swallowed thickly. "Things..." She shook her head, her throat closing for a moment."Things... they... they didn't go right."

Ginny pushed a strand of dark hair from Lindsay's forehead, noting the swollen, cut lip, her own eyes brimming with tears."I can see that, honey," she whispered tenderly, putting the weapon out of her mind for the moment."You need me to help you?"

Lindsay's breathing hitched at the kindness in Ginny's voice and she managed a quick nod. Then the words poured out in an almost incoherent stream. "It happened so...so f... fast. I didn't mean for it to. I swear. They're not dead, I don't think." She sucked in a shallow breath."I'm sorry about this afternoon. So sorry. I didn't mean what I said. I am joined at the hip with you, Ginny."She stopped and gave her stunned friend a watery smile."Just your luck, huh?"

Ginny gently cupped Lindsay's cheeks, stroking dirty, stained skin with a tender finger. "Just my luck," she repeated solemnly, making it very clear that that proposition was just fine by her. "Now, you need to give me the gun."

"NO!" Lindsay shook her head frantically."It's dangerous... Oh, God, I didn't mean to shoot-"

"Shhh. It'll be okay," Ginny soothed. Dear Lord, she shot someone?"I know guns are dangerous. I'll be very careful. Please, Lindsay, I can't help you until you give it to me."

Lindsay's hand was shaking so hard that Ginny had to steady it, then carefully, one by one, pry her fingers from the blood-drenched handle.

Ginny deftly opened the cylinder and dumped the remaining bullets onto the bed. Then she snapped it closed and quickly placed it on the dresser. She paused, biting her lip, and grabbed the pistol again. Their bag would be a safer place.

Lindsay didn't hide her surprise. "How-?"

"You don't know everything about me yet, Lindsay Killian," Ginny said absently as she began rummaging through their bag for the remains of Bertha's purple dress. "Wonder if Bertha has any idea she turned out to be a real lifesaver?"

Lindsay decided to get up and help."Ginny, are... aren't you," she paused, grunting in pain and changing her mind about getting up. Now that she was thawing out, things were starting to hurt worse, "Aren't you going to ask me what happened again?"

"Suppose you save me the trouble and just tell me instead."Ginny poured water from a pitcher Christian had thoughtfully placed in their room earlier that evening into a small washbasin and carried the basin over to the bed."I'll need your knife to cut the dress..."

"In my coat pocket," Lindsay told her tiredly. God, I'm an idiot. Only an idiot could be hurting this bad. I should have stayed away from those insane rat-bastard cousins.

Ginny reached into the pocket, and her fingers brushed against a cool pile of coins. She glanced up at her friend in question.

Lindsay sighed."Some guys I know owed me some money." She tried to shrug without moving her ribs, but it was impossible and she gave up quickly."Only they didn't want to pay me back and things.... Well, things..." She carefully covered her eyes with dirty palms."I dunno what happened."

Ginny bit her tongue, suspecting that Lindsay would tell her everything if she could only clamp down on her natural inclination to nag the information out of her long enough to hear it."I see," she said noncommittally, extracting the knife from the other pocket. It was hard to open, and she realized why when she saw the blade, which was covered in half-dried, sticky blood. Ginny's stomach roiled, but she forced herself to cut several long strips of material.

"It's not mine," Lindsay whispered, seeing the color drain from Ginny's face. "I just got a good old fashioned ass-kickin'."She groaned inwardly, more than a little disgusted with herself."Again."

"I should get a doctor. You look awful."

Lindsay's eyebrows jumped."Gee, thanks, but I don't need a doctor." A memory of herself sitting in Bertha's lap, about ready to lay a big wet one on the large woman, flittered through her mind. She wanted to grin but her heart wasn't in it."I don't want to end up in the asylum."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Ginny said testily."Did you get hit on the head again?"

Lindsay pursed her lips."Probably."

Ginny let out an unhappy grunt."You swear you're not seriously hurt?"

"Sadly, I think I'll live."She shook a little, feeling chilled.

Ginny expelled a shaky breath, lightheaded in her relief. Thank you, God. "Where are you hurt the worst?"

"I think my ribs are cracked... hurts to breathe." Ginny instantly began tugging at her shirt until Lindsay stopped her."Leave it. There's not a damn thing you can do about it now. My fingers need to be re-splinted though, or I'm gonna end up with gnarled paws like an old woman."She slowly extended her cut hand and Ginny nodded at the sickening sight."This, on the other hand..." she chuckled weakly at her bad pun, "needs something."

"All right. I'll be right back." Ginny rushed out of the room, taking great gulps of air as she exploded into the hallway then leaned back against its cool wooden panels, closing her eyes."What have you done, Lindsay?"A gun, a bloody knife, a pocket full of money she didn't have before-all had her mind spinning. Much to her surprise, however, she composed herself rather quickly, knowing that right now her attention was needed elsewhere. After wiping the blood off her hands on a dirty towel in the laundry room, she was able to innocently request a needle and thread from a washerwoman, who lived in a small room on the first floor.

When Ginny returned to their, she found her friend half-undressed and awkwardly running a damp washcloth over her face. The white cloth was stained red and the water in the basin already needed to be changed. Ginny swallowed hard. Okay, a change of plans. "Can you make it downstairs to the basement on your own, because there is no way I can carry you."She didn't want to drag Christian into in whatever it was they were involved in.

Lindsay blinked."I made it up here from across town. I suppose I can get downstairs." Though the thought of traversing the stairs wasn't a pleasant one."But I don't-"

Ginny set the needle and thread on the dresser and gently closed the door behind her. "You're filthy and covered in blood. This tiny washbasin won't be enough. You need a real bath. You've got... God only knows what in your hair, and I need to clean your hand and lip." She sounded worried. "Lindsay, you're susceptible to infection more now than ever. You need to get cleaned up. Properly."Her demeanor brokered no argument and despite the overwhelming desire to do nothing more than curl up in a ball and go to sleep, Lindsay caved in quickly.

"All right."

Ginny's nervous gaze strayed to the window."Should we be expecting the police?"

"I..." Lindsay couldn't help but glance in that direction too."I don't think so. I don't think I was followed. "Lindsay paused so long Ginny figured that she was simply finished talking when Lindsay quietly said, "I think I'd better tell you what happened."

Finally."It might help, Lindsay."

"C'mon, I'll explain while I'm getting cleaned up."Lindsay leaned forward, tense lines of pain marring her face as she moved. She stopped, sighed, and gave Ginny a long-suffering look."Will you help me?"

Ginny was already at her side, helping her onto her feet."Silly question."She pulled a sheet from the bed and wrapped Lindsay in it, hoping they wouldn't run into any of the children, who were all supposed to be in bed, on the way downstairs.

They were in the first floor washroom and Lindsay had climbed into one of the large tubs. A large wood stove was kept well fed twenty-four hours a day in the winter, its vents heating several of the first floor bedrooms. The washroom itself was toasty warm and Lindsay felt herself relaxing in the moist heat as Ginny drained the tub, whisking away most of the grime and blood that had been on Lindsay. Her hand and lip had stopped bleeding and a large mottled bruise covered her ribs below her left breast.

The redhead refilled the tub three-quarters full with steaming water and moved behind Lindsay, kneeling to wash her hair. She was wearing the trousers and man's shirt her companion had stolen from the charity hospital for her and was glad for the ease of movement the garments provided. Ginny's face was covered with a light sheen of perspiration from the steamy air, and she pushed her own hair out of her eyes with the back of one hand before she lathered her hands with a large bar of white soap."Dunk," she ordered, hearing the crack in her own voice. She worked quickly, wanting to attend to Lindsay's hand.

"Feels good," Lindsay murmured, her eyes closed in pleasure. This almost... almost made the ass-whoopin' worth it."Thank you."Things didn't seem so desperate now that she was here with Ginny. She felt her panic subside and the nausea that had been plaguing her ease.

"What happened next?"Ginny wasn't at all sure she wanted to know.

"Then I came back here."

Ginny let out the breath she'd been holding."Thank God. Do you know how close you came to getting killed for a few dollars?"The righteous indignation she'd been holding in all day came flooding back and she began scrubbing harder, her movements jerky and abrupt. "Hard as you might find it to believe, you're worth more than twelve dollars."

"Ginny..." Lindsay spoke through gritted teeth."Take it easy, please."

Ginny's hands slowed."I'm sorry," she apologized, taking the time to lean forward and place a soft kiss on Lindsay's cheek. She couldn't help but smile when she saw that same cheek flush.

"S'okay. That was my money," Lindsay said, examining both her hands. She could wiggle the index finger on the hand with the damaged fingers and figured that one must only be bruised. "Besides, we'll need that money for traveling and food."

"Lindsay," Ginny cupped Lindsay's chin from behind, asking her to turn her head. The young women locked eyes and their faces were so close together that Ginny only needed to whisper.

"I've lived nearly my entire life in a household where trying to find a way to get another dollar was more important than anything else. It came before our health, our safety, our comfort, even our love. Though in my heart I don't think Arthur meant it to or even understood that it was. And Mama never tried once to try to change things."She licked her lips, fighting the urge to break Lindsay's intense gaze. "They're dead now."She felt a lump grow in her throat."And I won't live that way again. Ever." Not even to be with you, Lindsay. "There has to be a better way to be."She searched her eyes. "Do you understand?"

Lindsay nodded slowly. Shit. "I think so." She turned away, feeling well and truly chastised. "It wasn't that the money was more important than you are. But it was my money," she repeated, the statement having the same pathetic impact it had the first time she'd said it to Ginny.

"Dunk."

The brunette did and when she emerged she felt another bucket of water dumped over her head. She sputtered and coughed, cursing at the pain that caused her split lip. "Hey," she complained weakly; next she felt hands rinsing the remaining soap from her hair.

Ginny ignored Lindsay's protest. Her feelings were so raw right now she didn't trust herself to keep things civil. Of all the stupid... careless... dangerous. "Lindsay?"

"Hmm?"

"What did those men owe you money for? Were you playing craps too?"

Lindsay snorted."Hardly." She mulled this next part over. It was pretty embarrassing but this was Ginny. "One of them robbed me and pushed me out of a moving boxcar."

"What?" Ginny screeched.

"And then when I went to try to get my stuff back from him, his two asshole pals beat me senseless," Ginny's hands stilled, "and tossed me into a pit where they bet on how long it would take a mad dog to kill me."

"Bu... that's why you were in the Charity Hospital. The cuts and your ear and everything else... They did that?"Ginny was truly stunned. She'd assumed Lindsay had been in some sort of accident or maybe attacked by a rabid dog.

"Them and the dog, I guess."

Ginny pulled her hands from Lindsay's hair. They involuntarily shaped themselves into quivering fists. Her face flushed and her pulse began to race as a wave of rage crested within her. "They tried to kill you."

Lindsay shrugged one shoulder."Well, yeah, so I figured the money they were betting and then any more money they made off that money was mine."Something didn't sound right in Ginny's voice and she turned around, her eyes involuntarily widening at the look on Ginny's face.

"Bastards," Ginny spat, shooting to her feet. She wiped her hands on her trousers."If I'd known... They're lucky it wasn't me in that alley tonight or they'd be dead right now."She picked up a towel from a stack on the table next to the tub, wringing it with strong hands as she silently seethed, both at the men and at Lindsay.

"You're a better shot than me, huh?" Lindsay teased weakly, the thought of the gun making her sick to her stomach again. She hated guns. Just the sound of one going off, which was a regular occurrence in the shanty town where she'd lived as child, scared her witless.

"This is not funny!" Ginny snapped. "They tried to murder you once and they almost killed you again!"

Lindsay bit off a groan as she leaned forward onto one knee and rose to her feet, sending a sheet of water cascading down her body.

The younger woman's rant derailed as she stared at her friend's wet body, her own mouth going cottony in a heartbeat. She had never been presented with something so overtly gorgeous in her entire life. They'd helped each other wash in the hospital to be certain, but they were never alone there and they'd always had towels and hospital gowns to protect their privacy as best as they could. Unlike now. Steam was rising from skin that was tinted pink from the hot water and her hair was slicked back off her face."Lord have mercy," Ginny said out loud without realizing she'd even spoken.

Lindsay held her injured hands out slightly in front of her and looked down at the lurid bruise below her breast, deciding it was ridiculous to be self-conscious about her nakedness at this point. She couldn't see it as well as she wanted to, so, with the hand whose knuckles were cut, she gently shifted her breast to the side.