Quinn got halfway home when she stopped and decided to go the Lodging House and make up with Mush. She felt she had to take care of this tonight. She went up to the Lodging House door and knocked. Blink answered and gave her a big grin.

"Man, am I glad to see you. Mush-boy's always so grouchy when you guys fight. Come on in, he's up in his spot."

"Thanks Blink."

Quinn made her way to the window and up to the roof and what she saw made her blood run cold. Mush was kissing Silver. Her Mush…kissing Silver. Her mind ran in a million directions at once as her heart pounded through her chest before breaking into a million pieces. Quinn wasn't even aware that she'd made a sound until Mush and Silver separated quickly, looking embarrassed.

Silver felt she had to say something.

"Look, Quinn I…"

"Don't. Please, just leave us alone."

Silver walked away and when Quinn heard the window to the bunkroom close, she went up to Mush.

"I don't understand. I mean, after everything we've been through…I thought you loved…" She sat down and put her head in her hands.

"Quinn, I'm so sorry. I don't know what happened, we were just talking and then…God, I'm so confused. I love you so much..."

Quinn looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

"But you're still in love with her."

Mush looked away. Quinn's hands felt around her neck for the clasp of the heart shaped locket Mush had given her for Christmas.

"When you gave me this, you told me that it was your heart. Looks like it still belongs to her." She handed the necklace to Mush and walked off.

The next day, Quinn met Walter at Grand Central Station. It was so crowded, it took her a while, but eventually she saw him waving at her through the sea of people. She ran up and gave him a huge hug. Walter twirled her around and looked her over.

"What's wrong Bernadette?"

"Nothing."

"I know you, what's the matter?"

"I'll tell you on the way home." They were cutting through Central Park, careful to stay away from Mush's selling spot.

"Walter, I'm so miserable without him. What do you do when you love someone with everything you have, and they don't want you?"

"You just keep loving them." He said sadly. "It's all you can do."

As they walked on to Quinn's house, they bumped into Silver.

"Walter, go on without me. Don't bother holding lunch, I'll be there soon." Walter hesitated for a moment and walked away.

"Look, Quinn, I feel lousy about..."

"I'm not going to waste my energy being angry, but I'm not going to pretend that seeing you together didn't tear me apart. Silver, I don't…" Quinn gave a small, friendly laugh. "Silver…Silver…as in Long John Silver?"

Silver's eyes brightened. "Yeah, Treasure Island's my favorite book."

"It's one of my favorites too. My father used to read it to me before he died. Mother thought it was boorish, but the lives of the sailors sounded so exciting."

"Yeah, that's why I left. It's hard doing all that work and having to pretend to be a boy all the time, but it's a lot of fun." Silver looked at Quinn sadly.

"You know, it's too bad. I have a feeling that if we'd met under different circumstances, we'd have been great friends."

"Me too."

A few days later, the Four Musketeers went to a boxing match after selling. Silver's fighter won, and Mush gave her a hug like before, but he was shocked when he didn't feel anything. Silver leaned in to kiss him, but Mush surprised himself once again by moving to kiss her cheek. Silver was startled, but when she noticed Racetrack and Blink looking at them, she concealed her feelings.

When they got back to the Lodging House, Silver asked to talk to Mush alone.

"Mush, close your eyes."

"Why?"

"Just do it."

Mush closed his eyes and Silver kissed him. All he could think about was how much he missed Quinn. Mush gently pushed Silver away.

"Sil, I'm sorry…I can't."

Silver looked at him sadly. "You really do love her, don't you?"

"Yeah…I'm stuck on her."

"I understand. Go find your girl, Mush."

Mush kissed Silver's cheek. "Thanks Sil."

As soon as Mush was gone, Silver started crying. She pulled a piece of paper from her pocket. It was an ad for crew for a ship that would deliver cotton and tobacco to Brazil and then on to England. If Mush had decided he wanted to be with her, she would have thrown it away, but now she had to go tell the guys she was leaving again.

Quinn wandered aimlessly through the city, until she ended up at Medda's, where she and Mush had their first date. She made her way up the fire escape to the roof, remembering the first kiss they shared. A cold wind came up and she shivered. Quinn was startled at first when she felt a powerful set of arms circle her, holding her close. She recognized Mush's touch instantly and pulled away from him.

"What are you doing here, Mush?"

"Looking for you."

Quinn turned to face him.

Part three

This page hosted by Get your own Free Home Page