AN: I have been working on and off on this story for about two years now. I have always liked the beginning but never knew where to take it. I am now working on it regularly so please if you like it keep looking for updates. As always reviews are very much appreciated - please let me know what you think. Your opinions are what inspire this gal to keep writing.

NEW AN: Well I finally started editing this one again...I know I know it has taken me forever. I will have the other chapters up soon and then be on the look out for an update. (Haha I was so evil to take it down after the cliffhanger...that was very unchristian like of me.) Anyways thanks for taking the time to read it. Please review (this is me begging!!) I would love to know what you think.

.:Kloppman:.

The three small children stood behind their friend who stood only an inch taller then the next. The smallest who was the only girl, stood shyly at the end of the line clutching the little Italian boys arm. The one in the front spoke up.

"Uh, Mister, my friends and I well were newsboys," looking back he gestured to the girl, "cept' for her, she's a newsgoil, but we was hopein' that maybe you would make an ception' for her and let her stay here."

I smiled at the boy; they all had to be around the age of seven or eight. I didn't have it in my heart to turn them away, even if they didn't have the money for the room and board.

"Well I will make an exception young man, but I only have one bed, you or some of your friends will have to make do with blankets and the floor."

He nodded to show his understanding; I could tell when he looked at me that he had knowledge of the world far beyond the few years he had spent on this earth.

He glanced back at the boy standing directly behind him, who had sandy colored hair, "hey, O'Conlon you heard the man, is dat okay with youse?" he nodded in approval, and looked back

"Tony?" he asked.

The Italian boy responded, "So long as I get da bed, youse know I got a bad back."

The little girl piped up, stepping from her spot at the end, "Sir, what my friends here are trying to tell you is that, we want that bed and the blankets."

I chuckled, I had obviously read her wrong, she was just the type that stood back until it was clear she was needed.

"Well missy, then all I need is for you all to sign your name in the ledger, to have a record of your visit."

I watched as all three boys turned to look at the girl. "Um, Sir, the boys they, well, they don't know how to read or write."

"Abbey!" the tall boy at the front hissed. I smiled knowing now what I had always suspected. None of these children had sold a paper in their life.

"Well we will just have to fix that. I tell you what, how about for now you just give me your names, and I will right them down for you. And, maybe if you find this place to your liking we can work on learning how to read and write."

The Italian boy spoke up, "Mister, I don't know if this is some kind of joke because it sounds too good to be true, but I would definitely be obliged. Oh and I'm sorry my friends here decided to lie to you, they young, they don't understand. By the way the name is Anthony Descanso, but I go by Tony for short."

I smiled again, "It is very nice to meet you Tony."

"And I'm Francis Sullivan, but I don't like it so I would preciate' if you would call me Jack Kelly."

"Jack Kelly?" I asked confused.

"It's his parents first names put together." The little girl answered knowingly. "And I'm Abigail O'Conner." She held her hand. I shook it, beaming; I thought to myself that these kids are going to give this old man a few laughs.

"Ugh, I'm Patrick O'Conlon" the last boy spoke.

With the formalities finished I showed the kids to the bunk room. I took them to a bed with a simple mattress, next to it a nightstand that was half empty. After that I showed the kids the washroom, and retrieved their bedding for them. Upon my return I noticed a few of the regulars, had returned from their dinner.

.:South:.

I noticed the four kids immediately when I walked into the room. They were sitting in a row on the corner bed that had gone unoccupied for quite sometime. I smiled, believing they were in the wrong place, especially the little girl.

"Are you all stayin' here?" I asked to none of them in particular. They looked around to see which would answer.

When no one did the little girl spoke up, "Um, yes Kloppman said we could."

"Well that's nice", I said, they were all too young to recognize the sarcasm in my voice.

I left the room to find Kloppman; there was no way I was going to let four little kids stay in that lodging house, especially a little girl! What little privacy all of us boys had at that point would be absolutely destroyed, with a girl around.

I found Kloppman sitting at the front desk signing another Newsie in. "Kloppman we have got to talk, there ain't no way that four little kids especially a little girl is going to stay here!"

"Oh?" Kloppman said while he gave me the, and who are you decide this, face.

"Kloppman come on, they're little, they need someone to watch them, and we all are to busy to be fathers to a bunch of brats."

"No one said you had to act like their father. But let me remind you of a little boy who came here looking for a place to live, and found many new friends, and some who became like brothers to him."

"Okay Kloppman, but a little girl?!"

"She came with them; I couldn't say yes to the boys and say no to the girl. Besides she seems like a nice kid. She'll just keep all my boys on their best behavior won't she?"

I walked away knowing I had been defeated. When I walked into the bunk room, most of the Newsies had returned for the night. In the center of the room, a nightstand had become a poker table, where the Italian boy was apparently winning. Looking further down the bunkroom I saw the two other boys observing a game of craps. I searched for the little girl and saw her sitting on the corner bed. Her knees pulled inward creating a perch for her chin.

I made my way over to her with many of the other Newsies screaming out the introductions of the little boys. Tony, Jack, and Patrick, I learned were their names. I continued on my trek to the corner bed, to talk to the little girl. Suddenly the room became silent. I turned around to many faces starring at me, and the little boys coming up to me.

"Is there something you need there?" Jack asked, stepping in between me and the girl.

"Just wanted to introduce myself seein' as I am the leader of this here joint," I replied hotly.

"Well this here is Abbey and you would be?" He searched for an answer while the other two boys stepped up to his side creating a blockade between me and the little girl.

"Well um is it Jack, I am South and I run things around here. So you'll be wanting to know me and those goes for your little friends here too." I said my voice steadily rising. What the hell did they think I was gonna do to her anyways?

"Geez Jack" The little girl finally spoke up pushing her way through her human blockade. "It's nice to meet you South. I want to let you know we won't be any trouble at all. Well everyone except for Tony - he doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut."

The little Italian boy took offense "hey I can't help it….me mudder always told me that I was blest wit to much wit. It must be a family thing huh guys?" He looked at his friends who just shook their heads.

"Yeah Tony that's it." The girl looked at him. "Anyways" she said turning her attention back to me "we won't be any trouble."

"Yeah well see that you aren't this isn't your school. And we ain't your nannies. We all got lives here and we don't got time to look after you four." I said sounding meaner then intended.

The one they called Patrick spoke up for the first time "Look she said we ain't gonna be a problem and we ain't - so let's move on. I was enjoyin' that game of craps if youse all don't mind." His anger at my words was apparent as he made his statement hotly.

"Fine" I replied smugly and turned around. "Well what you all starin' at get back to whatever it is that you all waste your time doing." I yelled at the room of dirty newsboys who were obviously amused by my fight with a bunch of seven year old kids.

AN: I'm sure you are all having a tough time figuring out who the little tikes are going to be when they are all grown up right? LOL JK. I have most of the next chapter done and will be posting very shortly. As always reviews are very much appreciated. I would love to here what you think so far.