Author's Note: So, I had taken a break from Newsies fiction, mainly due to writer's block, but, now I'm back, and honestly, I have no idea where this story is going to go, the beginning just sort of popped into my head and I decided to go with it. I hope you enjoy :)

Disclaimer: Any newsie from Disney's Newsies, is not mine...the rest, however, are :)

Lighting up a cigarette, Crow surveyed the streets of West Side from the roof of the lodging House. In the distance the figure of a young man approached the city, heading straight for the Newsboys' humble abode. Calmly, Crow exhaled, releasing tendrils of smoke around her pale face. With precise steps she entered the Lodging House and lithely made her way to the individual chambers of West Side's leader. Not bothering to knock, Crow opened the door and coughed to alert the inhabitants of her presence. "There's a boy on his way, Steel," Crow informed the half-naked boy in the bed. Noticing a familiar tow-headed girl next to the leader, Crow nodded in acknowledgment, "Dove."

"Damn it, Crow," Steel, a dark-haired and immensely intelligent young man swore, stretching out for his trousers which were, of course, just out of reach. "Are you incapable of a knock?"

Crow blinked, no emotion evoked within her, and replied, "Of course I have the ability, I simply choose not to."

Steel grumbled, finally able to tug his pants to the bed. "Dove," he said, turning to face the blushing newsgirl beneath the covers. "We'll have to continue another time." He winked, grabbed a wrinkled shirt, and pulled Crow out of the room. "You sure know how to ruin a moment," Steel muttered as the two made their way to the rooftop.

"And what does Crash think of you sleeping with his sister?" Crow retorted.

Steel chuckled, "I have to make due, what with you not accepting the offer."

Crow's steely gray eyes showed no signs of registering the implication, but instead scanned the streets for the newsie that was fast approaching. "There," she stated, jutting her chin in the direction of the newcomer.

Steel stared out into the darkness, the moon allowing just enough light to make out the silhouette of the boy. "No doubt sent to make a peace agreement," the leader thought aloud. Crow nodded in agreement. "Whattaya say we give him a taste of West Side hospitality?"

With a curt bob of the head, Crow was off the roof in a flash, readying a select few to intercept the incoming visitor. Steel had a sneaking suspicion that the boy was from Manhattan, merely because it was Manhattan that had taken West Side's defiance the hardest. With the prices of the papers now secured, Steel felt there was no reason to stay bonded with Manhattan. Neither city needed each others' help at the moment, and Steel figured that not everyone could continuously be friends with everyone else, things just didn't work that way. But Jack Kelly and David Jacobs were set on maintaining order and unity throughout all of New York. A completely ludicrous idea if you asked Steel.

*

Keeping his dinner down by counting to one hundred numerous times, Kid Blink nervously made his way through the deserted streets of West Side. He had no idea why Jack had sent him to West Side. He wasn't the biggest, or the toughest, or the smartest, or anything really. He was just Blink, the one-eyed, giddy boy that loved selling papers with his friends. Maybe Jack had hoped Blink could spread some of his joy for life with the ornery newsboys and girls in West Side.

To prove his point on the cold demeanor of the newsies of West Side, a slight girl appeared in front of him. Her dark hair cascaded in waves to her shoulders from underneath her hat and the way her eyes glowed an eerie silver in the moonlight made Blink's heart skip a beat in fear. "Uh," Blink tried to think of something to say, but his mouth had gone dry and his mind had gone blank.

To his right he heard a rustling and he turned his head to see another newsie closing in. This one was smaller than the girl, with hair of such a bright hue that even without the moon's glow you could have spotted him. His eyes, although fixed on Blink, flit between him and the girl, as if waiting for a sign. Swiveling to his left to see if his instincts were correct, Blink spied a third newsie approaching, this one much bulkier with muscle than the other two, and the scuffling of a shoe from behind him alerted him that there was yet a fourth newsie as well. Blink swallowed, consumed with fright.

"You can follow us on your feet," the girl in front of him spoke with absolutely no emotion in her voice, "Or we can drag you."

Blink's nostrils flared, eyes wide as he checked his peripheral vision to the right. He tipped his head slightly to the left to check and see the stance of the newsie on that side. Both were crouched now, as if ready to pounce. "I think I'se'll walk," he finally stated, voice cracking.

The girl in front of him raised an eyebrow. "Too bad," she replied coolly, confusing Blink beyond words, and the last thing the boy saw before he blacked out was her figure disappearing into the shadows.

*

"Prop him up good, Flea. Yeah, like that."

Blink groaned. Where was he? And why couldn't he move?

"He's comin' to, Crow. Whatchya want me ta do?" someone asked.

"Shut up, how bout?" was the snapped reply.

"Yes'm."

There was the click of fingers being snapped in front of his face and Kid opened his one eye, hoping it would focus soon. Black hair hung down from the newsie before him and he knew it was the girl from earlier. She smelled of lilacs and smoke, making Blink nauseous in his current state. "Ow," he moaned, trying to reach up and touch his forehead where something hot was leaking onto his patch.

"Keep trying," the girl said to him, "But you can't escape those knots. Skipper excels at such things."

"What?" Blink groggily asked, swinging his head up, causing a flash of pain to streak through his skull. He hissed, taking in air, at the pain. Finally, he noticed that he wasn't just sat in a chair, but instead had his hands tied behind it. "Oh…"

"Now," the girl continued in her monotone, "What is your name?"

Blink furrowed his brow. "They call me Kid. Kid Blink." He swiveled his head around to check out the room he was in. The young woman was bending at the hips in front of him so she could stare directly into his eye. On his right was the same little, orange haired newsie that had been there in the alley, the same with the newsie on the left side of the room, the big burly one. Behind the girl was a door, and standing at the door was a blonde newsboy about Blink's size, arms crossed, with a grimace gracing his face.

"Alright, Blink, why are you here?" the girl, obviously the one in charge, questioned.

"Wait," Blink said, "Who're you'se?" He nodded to the other three as well.

The one with the orange hair to the right bounced forward, a goofy grin on his face. "I'se Flea," he exclaimed, extending his hand and spitting on it for a shake, then quickly relenting when he remembered the fact that Blink's hands were tied.

The other two newsies smirked at Flea's actions, and the girl glared in his direction, sending him back to his sitting position. "That's not important," she said, still staring down Flea.

Blink, frustrated with the situation, argued, "I think it's pretty important!"

The girl stood from her bent position in front of Kid and jerked her jaw at one of the boys. The young, muscular boy from the left came forward, hand wrapped to protect his knuckles from cracking, and smacked Blink on the side of the head, emitting a cry from the patched boy. Leaning down to come eye to eye once again, the girl repeated, "Why. Are. You. Here." The way she stated it didn't make it sound like a question, but, this time, Blink obliged.

"Jack sent me to see how you'se were all doin'," Blink admitted.

Standing back up the girl sighed, placing her hands on her hips. "Boys," she stated, as if giving an order, never looking away from the sad and defeated form of Blink. The three newsies vacated the room, Flea glancing back once more and allowing Blink an apologetic grin while shrugging his shoulders, and the girl walked to the door after them. Turning, hand on the door, she said, "Sleep well," and closed the wooden barrier. Hearing the click of a lock, Blink squeezed his eye shut as searing pain shot through his body. He knew Jack should've sent someone else.

*

"I had a feeling it was Manhattan," Steel muttered, running a hand through his hair, thinking of a plan.

Crow was standing erect next to the doorframe of his room. "Jack's not going to be very happy we're holding one of his boys hostage," she informed her leader.

Steel looked up at her skeptically, "You don't think I already know that?"

Crow eyed the leader cautiously. Of course she knew Steel had come to that conclusion already, but she had felt it necessary to speak the fact. A knock on the door attracted both of their attentions.

Steel raised his brows. "See, Crow, that's how you're supposed to do it," he said, referring to Crow's negligence when it came to knocking.

Crow ignored his statement and grabbed the door handle. A thin boy with flaming red hair and dark chocolate eyes entered, hat in hand. "What is it Flea?" Crow inquired.

"It's just…the boys is startin' ta get worried." His gaze flicked from Steel to Crow. "None a us wants ta start a war or nothin', but with one a Jack's boys bein' held here…we'se gettin' worried that that might happen…"

"He's right, Steel," Crow affirmed, "Jack doesn't take kindly to anyone messing with his boys."

"I know," Steel yelled at his inferiors. Flea winced, but Crow continued to stand mutely, as always. Cocking his head to the side, he eyed the pair. "Go to Manhattan. Tell Jacky Boy he gets his newsie back if we no longer need to abide by his rules of oneness. Make it quick." Crow nodded, shoving Flea out of the doorway to make room for herself. "Oh and Crow?" The girl paused. "Bring Skipper and Crash. You can't avoid Brooklyn, and by now word has spread."

Crow blinked, understanding the danger posed by venturing through Brooklyn, as Spot Conlon and Jack Kelly were so close. She knew Spot would do all he could to get Blink before the quartet could even reach Manhattan, so taking Crash, one of West Side's most skilled fighters, and Skipper, one of the largest boys around, was a strategic tactic to give them a bit of an edge. Crow nodded, and vacated the room.

Author's Note: So, leave a review and tell me what you think :) Thanks!