Hello everyone, and welcome to my new multi-chapter! To get a little more information about Mouse, check out my introduction story about her ("Mouse") or check out my profile.

Enjoy!

"Mouse, hurry up! We're gonna be late!" Davey called.

Mouse was lagging behind her brothers on the way to the circulation desk. She was stomping, glaring at the ground. They were each carrying a bag of extra clothes and a toothbrush. Mouse had been excited to be able to stay at the Lodging House for two weeks—that is, until this morning.

"We gotta stop at the Lodging House on the way so we can drop off our stuff—hurry up, Mouse!"

Mouse didn't go any faster. They could leave her behind for all she cared. She knew the real reason they were staying with the newsies. Sure, Mother and Dad were going on a two-week vacation. Sure, they needed a place to stay. But there was definitely a different reason, as Mouse had found out so brutally this morning.

"Haddie." Davey had stopped in his tracks, waiting impatiently for her to catch up. Mouse walked a little faster, knowing that when he said her real name he meant business. Les jogged up beside her and took her hand. She almost swatted him away—who needed a little brother tugging her along?—but decided not to cause any trouble.

After dropping off their bags at the Lodging House, the three siblings continued on to the circulation desk. Mouse pulled away from Les and hurried to get into line with the other boys waiting to get the day's papers. Jack called, "Heya, Mouse! Ready for two weeks of fun?" as she passed, but Mouse swept past him. She was too angry to acknowledge anyone.

She listened closely as Jack went over to Davey. "What's wrong with her?"

Here we go, Mouse thought.

Davey sighed. "Well, you know how our parents think it will help her start talking again if she comes here a lot?"

Go ahead. Tell the whole world.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Well, I guess she just found out about that whole idea this morning."

And it made me pretty darn angry.

"That's it? But I thought she knew that!" Jack exclaimed, unaware that 'she' was listening.

"I think she kind of did, but she heard Dad say it aloud this morning, and it just made her mad, I guess."

Pretty much sums it up, Mouse thought. She knew her parents had let her come to work as a newsie a few times a week partially to help her find her voice again, but the way her father had said it this morning, it was as if that was the only reason. "Is that Jack Kelly kid making any progress with her voice yet?" is what he had said. "He'd better get cracking, or we can forget this whole newsies business and start saving up to send her to special school."

And Jack had known about it. All those things he said to Mouse, to subtly make her frustrated, or to make her laugh. All those times the other boys had snuck up behind her and poked her in the ribs. They had only been hoping to please Jack by being the first to make her squeal. Jack had even started letting her sell alone, on the other end of the block. He didn't help her anymore by hawking the headlines while she held up the papes. She had started losing a lot of money because of him, because he was trying to get her to hawk a headline herself. Did he really think it would be that simple? Did he really think that she would stride down to her corner one day and start shouting?

Mouse hadn't spoken in six years, she wasn't about to start again now. It's not that she was obstinate—she physically couldn't. She had tried. And failed. Maybe it was stubborn will at first, but now…the whole 'silence' thing was out of her control. And she hated that. But she didn't need all the newsies of lower Manhattan trying to help her. She especially didn't need Jack Kelly trying to help her. She was beyond help. No, it was better if they all just left her alone. The idea that two weeks living with the newsies could make her start talking again—well, it was almost laughable.

She just wished she could explain to Jack—to Davey—to all of them—that it was useless to try and help her. The idea of speech was hopeless to Mouse. Why didn't anyone understand?

"Newsies! Hit the streets!" Jack yelled. Mouse realized Les must have handed her a bag and her papes. She slung her bag over her shoulder and walked quickly past Jack. "Hey, Mouse, wait up!"

Mouse ignored him. She would spend the day ignoring people. They wanted her to get her voice back, did they? Well, she would show them. She could get it back herself.

Because Mouse really wanted to speak again.

She just wasn't sure how.

Thank you for reading and please review! I hope to be updating this fairly often. Also, there will be more action in the next chapter :) Just had to set the mood.

-Sis21K