Abandoning Responsibility (Open)

[Mike D. Greaser]

"Save your pitiful excuses, boy."

Mike couldn't say that he didn't see that coming. It was, after all, an awful excuse. No matter how hard they tried to convince them, Mike knew it was a lost cause. A street rat was found kissing the Governor's daughter, and that was as bad as murder in society's eyes. Mike dipped his head in submission, and took a step back. For now, Mike knew he needed to be respectful to the Governor. That was all he could do.

"In the name of the state of New York, I charge you with abduction, harassment, and attempted assault."

Mike's eyes widened as the officer grabbed his shoulder and whirled him around. His eyes met Alice's and his pleaded with hers. What could he do? Push the officer aside, run off with Alice, and become the most wanted man in New York?

"Don't arrest him."

Mike breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Alice, silently thanking her. He had expected the officers to let go of him, but neither did. Now Mike was getting angry. Who did they think they were? He openly glared at them. Instead of responding curtly, like Mike wanted to, he yanked his wrists out of their grasp.

"He didn't abduct me. I went with him. He never harassed me in any way, and he certainly never assaulted me, or attempted to. I willingly went with him...so you can't arrest him for anything."

Mike smirked as Alice explained. That should throw her father for a loop. Mike tried to hide his smug expression as he turned to look at the Governor. Would he let them go?

"I'll be going home, Father..."
"Damn right you will, Lee!"

Mike's eye widened as Alice gave in. Was she willing giving up? Was she going to be defeated that easily. Mike turned to her and didn't even attempt to hide the hurt that was in his eyes. He opened his mouth to object, but the Governor cut him off. Mike wanted to slap him. How could he talk to his daughter like that?

"Stop it! My name is Alice, goddamn it! You named me Alice, so call me Alice! And I am going home. But not with you. I'm going on my own when I damn well feel like it and you can't force to me. I'd like to see you try..."

Mike raised his eyebrows as Alice began to unravel. That was the maddest Mike had ever seen her. But then his shocked expression turned to a smug one. Alice was not going home. Mike smiled as the Governor began to sputter out a response. His daughter had defied him. He looked over at Alice and smiled slightly. "Alice..." He began to say, but stopped. He didn't want to make the Governor madder than he already was.

[aliceroosevelt]

Oldridge and Wren listened to what the Governor's daughter had to say, and they couldn't believe what they were hearing. It was apparent that the witnesses to the scene hadn't quite gotten the whole story. If Miss Roosevelt was telling the truth, if she had gone along with the street rat willingly, then there was nothing they could do about it. Deputy Wren saw it as a scandal, but not a crime. Oldridge was now concerned that word would get in the newspapers, and it would make him look bad for not rescuing Alice Roosevelt from the hands of a kidnapper, but rather, breaking up their petting party.

In response to his daughter, Governor Roosevelt saw red. He stepped near his daughter, locked her eyes with his, and exclaimed, "Is this what I am hearing? By God, you leave your little brothers and sister, leave the polo grounds...we find your clothes by the side of the river. I won't even think about what happened between then, Lee..." His eyes flashed to Mike momentarily. "But if my daughter is not -- quite all right -- I will take action."

Deputy Wren cleared his throat. "Sir? Governor Roosevelt?" he said timidly. Wren was a very slight man, only in his early twenties, and was highly intimidated by a man of Roosevelt's stature. Still, as a man of the law, he spoke up nonetheless. "Respectfully, sir, in a situation like this...there is nothing the law can quite do as punishment. If your daughter insists she was willing..."

Roosevelt threw his hands up in exasperation. "Enough, Deputy. Lee. You are coming home now. Edith is worried sick about you."

"Hang Edith!"

"Lee!"

"Stop it! My name is Alice, goddamn it! You named me Alice, so call me Alice! And I am going home. But not with you. I'm going on my own when I damn well feel like it and you can't force to me. I'd like to see you try..."

The father and daughter were distracted by a scuffle. Mike had yanked himself free of the officer's grasp, and Oldridge quickly restrained him by the shoulders. Wren stood, rapt with attention, should the middle-aged (yet able-bodied) Chief need any assistance in subduing the perpetrator.

Roosevelt was stunned at his daughter's sudden audacity. "Where do you get the nerve?" he cried, and took his daughter by the arm. "You are coming home if I have to pull you the way!" Alice attempted, albeit weakly, to free herself from her father's firm grasp.

"Alice..."

Alice turned to look at Mike. She saw his slight smile, and knew he was as happy for her as she was for herself. Without thinking, she pulled away from her father and reached out, taking Mike's hand in hers, in a warm gesture. Wren, the thought coming to him that the street rat might try to hurt Miss Roosevelt when she was so near, took the girl by the shoulder and pushed her away, trying to be as ginger as he could, lest he should aggravate her or her father. She shot him a look that Wren didn't think possible for such a pretty, well-bred girl.

Roosevelt stepped forward, took Alice by the upper arm, and pulled her away. Her steps staggered, and she glanced behind her toward Mike. "Mike..." she said in a small voice, until the hand of her father bade her turn the corner. She could see a waiting carriage in the distance, and knew she would accompany her father home. Her stepmother and half-siblings would be overcome with joy to see her safe, until her father told what she had really been doing. Then what would happen?

Sobered by the thought, Alice fell into step beside her father.

[Mike D. Greaser]

"Is this what I am hearing? By God, you leave your little brothers and sister, leave the polo grounds...we find your clothes by the side of the river. I won't even think about what happened between then, Lee... But if my daughter is not -- quite all right -- I will take action."

When the Governor turned to look at him, Mike didn't even attempt to hide the disgust on his face. How could a man not trust his own daughter? They obviously had a tear in their relationship or he wouldn't be so upset. And the fact that the Governor was implying that Mike hadn't taken good care of her made Mike's vision blur for a moment. He would never treat Alice like that! Mike may be the bad guy, but he wouldn't take advantage of a woman like that. That was just sick. Mike clenched his fist and openly glared at all three men.

"Sir? Governor Roosevelt? Respectfully, sir, in a situation like this...there is nothing the law can quite do as punishment. If your daughter insists she was willing..."

Mike's head snapped to the young deputy. Was he actually defending him? Mike's eyes widened for a moment before they filled with amusement. The Governor's own policeman was defying him. That was almost as bad as his own daughter.

"Enough, Deputy. Lee. You are coming home now. Edith is worried sick about you."

"Hang Edith!"

"Lee!"

"Stop it! My name is Alice, goddamn it! You named me Alice, so call me Alice! And I am going home. But not with you. I'm going on my own when I damn well feel like it and you can't force to me. I'd like to see you try..."

Mike wanted to jump up and down and cheer for Alice. She had sure shown her father. Mike saw the angry flash through the Governor's eyes and chuckled under his breath. The officer nudged him; Mike wasn't sure if it was a warning or a way to show his authority. Mike rolled his eyes. The officers thought they were so manly, holding Mike, but if they only knew. If Alice wasn't here, Mike would take all three of them down. But he feared for Alice's safety and what would happen to her if he was to act so rash. But the thought of beating the bloody pulp out of the three men sent a chill down Mike's spine. Sounded like fun. But Mike contained himself, for Alice's sake and the sake of the men standing in front of him.

"Where do you get the nerve?" he cried, and took his daughter by the arm. "You are coming home if I have to pull you the way!"

Mike tensed as Alice's father grabbed her arm. He took a step forward, but was pulled back by the officer that had ahold of Mike's shoulder. After the little scuffle between the two, Mike had calmed himself. He knew he could take all three of them, but then what would he do after that? Run away with Alice. No, there needed to be more planning.

Without thinking, she pulled away from her father and reached out, taking Mike's hand in hers, in a warm gesture.

"Mike..."

Mike smiled at her, and gave her hand a quick squeeze. "Go, Alice." He released her hand and took a step away from her. His eyes met hers, he winked and offered her a quick smirk. He wanted to tell her that he would come for her, and not to worry; but that would probably tick her father off and make him even more paranoid of Alice.

As Alice turned and walked away, Mike turned to the officers. He held out his hand to shake, might as well be on their good side. After an awkward farewell, Mike turned and headed toward Manhattan. He would stay somewhere else tonight, not his apartment. No need to lead the police to his apartment. All night, on word was on his mind.

Alice