"So you jump on...?" repeated Andrew in disbelief. "Isn't that...? Nevermind... I can manage that much, "he said with a slight smile, trying to find a comfortable spot on the floor, close to the wall. He tried to avoid the dirtiest spots, but it was hard to find anything close to clean here.

He took off his shirt, flipping it over. At least that way it wouldnt look that dirty when he put it on again. He leaned on the wall, softly falling asleep.

((PS, check if you want to join this group RP! <3))

Ipswich

Jenna sat down beside him and stretched out her legs a little. She pulled off her coat and wrapped it around the front of her like a blanket, she still hung onto that warm rock she'd found. She yawned a bit and closed her eyes, so she drifted to sleep in the same way she had for the past two years.
Huddled up under her coat her head resting on her knees.

The sun's rays reached Andrew's eyes, warm and blinding. Even asleep, the brightness of the new day woke him up. How long had it been since he was woken up by nature itself? Had it been even once in his whole lifetime. Andrew took off his shirt and smiled as he saw a sleeping Jenna. He threw his shirt over him as he wet towards the river, washing his face in the water. It was a lot colder than he expected, but it definitely woke him up.

Trying to make himself smell respectable, he at least had to wash most of the sweat from his boy. He refused to take a bath in the river, or even take off his pants, but at least his upper body would make a difference.

Andrew wasn't the only one who was going about this routine. There were a few bums here and there just washing their faces, not even minding their bodies. A lot of the time it was just to cold to take off the clothes they wore, or they feared they'd get in trouble for it.

Jenna stirred a little as she felt the sunlight on her sink. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked around. Yawning she tossed the rock off to the side and stretched her arms high over her head.
Slowly she stood up, doing a couple stretched to work out the kinks she'd acquired over the night.

Andrew looked at the sun with his hand over his eyes, as if begging the star to warm him up and dry him off. He took the shirt he'd left behind and started buttoning it up when he noticed Jenna was awake.

"So, I'll be counting on you to lead the way?" said Andrew. "Lets go to the pawn shop first, then I'll get you some breakfast."

Jenna yawned and nodded pulling her hat off and rearranging her hair as best as she could under it.
"Yeah alright" She mumbled as she straightened her clothes and headed out of the park sleepily. She stumbled a little as she walked but seemed to still have a good idea where she was headed.

Andrew sighed, smiling slightly. He walked softly and passed her, then turned around to face her.

"You can barely walk right now, maybe we should wait a few minutes, until you recover your consciousness completely."

"ah know where I'm going"Jenna said in a voice that was half yawn, "Time ta be up...Nnh don't let me rest anymore"
She stumbled forwards a little, he head hitting his chest.
She stood there like that for a moment and then slid to one side and walked around him, "Don't do that...I wasn't looking where I was going" She complained.

Her hands stuffed deep in her pockets Jenna headed out towards the street wriggling her nose a little before sneezing.

"Bless you" said Andrew, almost automatically. "And that's precisely why I dont think you should be walking around like that! At least wash your face to liven up!"

She shook her head vigorously "No! I'm fine...really" She muttered, "I'm waiting for St.Mary's catholic shcool to open so I can shower..." He said stretching a bit, "They let all the homeless girls use their showers. I prefer it to splashing in the river..."

She stumbled along the street looking up at signs, "I just gotta sit through a small lecture as I shower..."

"I do hope you at least listen to the lecture," he retorted, as if talking to a child. "The mass is not supposed to be torture, it's supposed to be enlightening. Now, tell me where to find this pawn shop, I'll meet you in the church."

Jenna rolled her eyes "I listen I listen...Not really my flavor but I listen... There's some things to be learned now and then.." She muttered, "And they are good people."

She looked around and pointed down the street "Um...down that way somewhere. It's called donny's pawn. He pays decent, pays more to clean people of course. And you know where the church is right?"

Andrew nodded.

"I know my way around at least that much... I think I don't look that bad right now, do I?" He checked himself as he said that. Sure, he'd been better, but he was still way above the standards of your average bum. "I'll see you in a bit."

He went to Donny's and, after about 20 minutes of haggling and making offers, he got a good $200 from the watch and $60 from his graduation ring, plus, a cheap little necklace so he could put his wedding band away from sight and guarantee its safety.

Then Andrew made his way into church, entering and putting his fingers on holy water, making the sign of the cross as he began to pray. Its been long since he truly prayed, he'd forgotten things didn't always come easy and that they can always be taken away. He prayed for an answer for his wife's death, he prayed for wisdom to get to his sister's home, he even prayed a bit for Jenna, this girl who had selflessly helped him when she had nothing herself. Nothing more than whispers, his prayers, but heartfelt and full of faith, hope, and sorrow.

There was some giggling from the back of the sanctuary. A small group of girls was walking in, most in uniforms and then there were a few towards the back of the group in Jeans and T-shirts. They were all quiet and kept their heads down. Except for one, a girl with a baseball cap her auburn pony tail sticking out of the back.

Jenna pulled away from the group and started walking up the rows towards Alexander only to be pulled aside by one of the Nun's. Jenna clutched her coat to her stomach looking a little upset as she was reprimanded for running ahead like that.

"It's just...that that's who I was waiting for...um..he's my Uncle." She pleaded as she glance over at Alexander.
The Nun shook her head, "If he's here for you he will come and get you...now sit down..."

Andrew couldn't help but chuckle at Jenna. She was trying to use him as an excuse, was she? Maybe she should let her listen a little more, to see if something holy stuck to her. He waved at her, but made no other effort to get closer to her.

"Look look! He's waving me over!" Jenna said cheerily as she pointed to Alexander.
The Nun sighed and looked over her shoulder catching his gesture, "Mmh So he did..." She stuffed her hands in her sleeves and made her way over to the man.
She looked him over a little before smiling a somewhat fake smile, "sir is that little girl your niece? Really?" She asked in a voice that just bubbled with doubt.

Jenna stared at Alexander pleadingly, she wanted to leave now, she was clean and she'd been sat down and spoken too already. Now they were trying to get her to attend classes. Usually she'd left by now with the woman they'd met in the park with the doll.

Andrew smiled and bowed his head at the nun.

"Yes, this is my dear niece, Jen, I do hope she hasn't been any trouble. She is a bit of a handful, so I hope to take her of your hands."

He smiled at Jenna, thinking: Niece? Really? Do I really look that old? I'm only 32.

The nun grumbled a bit looking somewhat perturbed, she walked back over to Jenna and pushed her forwards, "Go on..." She said with a sigh.

Jenna hurried towards Alexander throwing her coat back over her shoulders, "Ah thank god" She said clapping her hands and glancing towards the alter a little. "Lets go...lets get out of here" She muttered as she grabbed his arm.

Andrew smiled as he made his way out of the church. He tried to keep Jenna close, but was curious about her behavior.

"Now, weren't you the one with the no touch policy?" he whispered, holding back a chuckle. "Something seems to be making you nervous. Or is it just the church?"

"Its the church..." She muttered looking back a little "I don't want to go to school there...I got nothing against them...just all that stuff kinda creeps me out" She said with a sigh as she released Alexander.

"And that woman! My god...Could she BE anymore passive aggressive" Jenna said flinging her arms up a bit in emphasis, "And she hides my coat from me all the time..." She muttered half sad.

"So you don't like school, at all huh?" said Andrew, a bit sad. Its a pity, when kids these days don't want an education... or was it more...? What made her so uncomfortable..? He wasn't going to ask, this was not the sort of world you asked that sort of thing. "Don't worry about it... now, lets go have some breakfast, alright? Its my treat. You can keep your coat, don't worry."

She poked her tongue out a little "I want something good...it's been a while since I had a decent breakfast" She said with a laugh.
She smiled a bit and licked her lips thoughtfully.

"How about some pancakes them? With bacon?" he offered. Indeed, she was still just a child. "Now what was that about you calling me uncle?"

He laughed as he kept walking towards a halfway decent restaurant.

Jenna grinned from ear to ear, "HELL YES!" She shouted dancing a bit. She hadn't had warm pancakes in so long.

She skipped a little as she followed him. "Eh I went with uncle cause people can have as many uncles as they want...and you can't be my father if I'm pretending the lady at the park is my mom.." She sighed "You gotta watch those nuns...they'll catch you if they lie.."

"So you've become a good liar, huh?" he said with a laugh as he opened the door to the restaurant. "I suppose you would living like this, with that show you pulled at the park..."

Andrew smiled sadly, wishing they could have met in better conditions, both of them with potential untapped in the world, or worse, he lost his completely... he had to fight to gain it back.

"Anyways, try the chocolate chip pancakes, they are really good..."