The Real World: Revived

The man yowled a bit, releasing Rowan, who quickly took off, leaving her underwear behind as she ran back for her knife. The man cursed, and ran away, down the alley and out the back.

"Oh god, what the hell..."
Felicity dropped the gun, her mind racing.
"Oh shit, hey! Are you alright?!" Felicity stumbled up to the front of the alley, staring after the girl.

Rowan shoved the knife back into her pocket, and tried to light a cigarette with trembling hands, "Yeah... I'm, uh, fine..." she shook her head, "It happens a lot..."

"I'd say..." Felicity threw her purse over her shoulder and stuffing the gun back into the bottom.
"Do you want to come inside, I can get you a drink or something. To settle your nerves."

Rowan nodded, hands still shaking as she shoved the unlit cigarette back into her pocket, unable to get the blasted thing lit.

"If you don't mind... They won't just kick me out, will they?"

"They won't deny a paying customer, plus you're with me. I'll make sure they leave you be. Here."
Felicity handed Rowan a few twenties.
"Get you a drink or two. I don't mind, just don't get drunk. I have to be able to take you back to your place. I don't really want you going by yourself. Especially after what just went down out here. I'm Felicity by the way."

"Rowan." she stood slowly, "Rowan Galveston. And thanks... You might have just saved my life back there."

"I've been doing that a lot these last few weeks. I helped a guy while he was OD'ing out front. I guess I'm a stripper by night, hero by day."

Rowan snorted a laugh as she spoke hoarsely, "Captain Pole Dancer."

"At your service." Felicity tipped an imaginary hat and grimaced. Pole dancer, that's all she really was.

Rowan's smile faltered, "It probably wasn't the best of jokes. Pardon my... odd humor."

"Its fine. I'm a stripper and you're a hooker. Neither one of us is any better than the other. But for tonight, you're not what you were. If that makes any sense."
Felicity guided Rowan into the bar area, telling the bartender to watch after her for the night.

Rowan nodded, with a chuckle. "If only you knew how accurate of a statement that was."

The bartender nodded and got her a drink, which she sipped on slowly.

Felicity left Rowan at the bar to go backstage. She had to get to work or risk losing her job. Her attire was set out so she slipped it on, readying herself for the first performance.

Rowan sipped at her drink, hands steadying somewhat as she watched.

The night dragged on. Stripper after stripper performed. Around 3 am the club was closed, each dancer leaving for the night. Felicity walked towards the bar, hair up and a glass of whiskey in hand.
"Now darling, tell me, does the red light make my ask look big or just the right size?"
Felicity grinned, her voice mimicking a snooty art snob.

Rowan snorted a laugh, "Just be glad you have one." she chuckled, shaking her head and finishing off her drink.

Felicity downed her whiskey and sat the glass down.
"Come on, I'll walk you back home."

Rowan nodded, shrugging into her jacket a bit more, pulling it close around her shoulders.

"So... why did you do it?" she asked.

"Well, to start...I couldn't just stand there and watch someone get raped. Second, I have this good karma thing I'm trying to do. Lastly, I was scared. I put myself in your shoes and knew I'd want you to do the same for me."

"Like I said, it's happened before." she shoved her hands in her pockets as she walked, "With more people around, and less who did anything."

"I've seen girls like you around the club, the life fucks you all up. I know I don't know anything about what you've been through. But you're still a human to me. You feel the same way I do. I couldn't be like the others and just walk on."
Felicity walked on, the street lamps lighting the way.

"I wasn't always desperate." she shivered, holding to the fur of her coat, "A washed-up pretty face screwed up by drugs and beatings... My name used to mean something around here, you know?" she chuckled, "You know the Galvestons?" she asked.

But, who didn't? The Galveston family was one of the richest families in the states. Property giants. Building malls, hotels, parking garages... Even did charity work, building hospitals or parks.

"Yeah, I definitely have. I'm guessing you're the daughter they never speak of. They tell people you went missing, wasn't it?"

"That's the story now?" she laughed, shaking her head, "And yeah. That's me. Things used to be a lot less hard, but, there's only so much you can handle having three chaperones and a couple hundred cameras on you all at once."