Hey there! I haven't posted much of anything in here since I discovered Wattpad, so here's a new story for the Fansies out there!

I recently saw the show on it's National Tour in San Francisco, and can I just say, ZACHARY SAYLE IS MY FAVORITE! Have you heard his song he sings while in the Refuge? GO LISTEN TO IT NOW!

ANYways, here's the first chapter of this story! Crutchie's language while narrating is written the way I would narrate a story, so I apologize for that! I found that there's too many surprises in this story to be told in 3rd POV, but oh well! I hope you like it! Don't forget to review, favorite, and follow! I'd love to hear the feedback from you guys!

(God, I use a lot of exclamation points...)

And without further ado, here is Crutchie and the Girl in the Refuge.

"Your brother, Crutchie."

I quickly blow out the candle while folding up my new letter to Jack, and gently pushing it into my pocket, and taking my spot amongst the other two boys on the bed.

There's no talking in the Refuge at night. Silent snores echo through the ghostly halls and the occasional cry of a bird is about as different as you can get. How odd it feels, sleeping in a room with a roof blocking the sky above you. The stars aren't there to kiss you goodnight, and the moon is silent, not welcoming and calming as it is on the rooftops. The closest I could get to a glimpse of the sky is the gray wispy clouds that I can just make out from my spot on the top bunk. I can't even get close to the window, with my leg like this.

Just the thought makes me shudder.

It's mangled up more than usual. The pain is bearable at some moments, but I can't move it an inch before it feels like someone's stepping on it and smashing it against the pavement. I tied a bedsheet around a few parts to stop the bleeding, but there's not a part on it that's not black, blue, or bleeding.

Even the constant pain can't get Jack off my mind. It's odd being away from him for so long, like I'm a puzzle missing a piece that's crucial to finishing it. The last time I'd been this lonely was the the first day ten years ago, when Jack pulled me out of the gutters and into the ranks of the most elite Newsies.

Now, we might lose all of that for the strike. Only if we win, which seems slim now.

"Damn. Been in this hellhole only a few days and youse already thinkin' they losin'?" A feminine voice rings out in the darkness, making me carefully shoot up and over my bad leg, tucking the other one underneath me.

"W-who's there?" I whisper, trying to cover my good leg as good as possible. If it was someone who was going to beat me for being up so late, no way I'd lose that leg too. Was I thinkin' out loud again?

"The strike. They're still going strong. And yes." The voice says. Through the darkness, my eyes settle on a figure that's standing on the other side of the room. Only a sliver of moonlight separates us. "But Pulitzer's head's gonna explode sooner than later."

"Oh." I nod, still trying to make out the figure's face. "Well, he should be. When I get outta here's, I'm gonna make him pay."

The girl giggles as she steps closer to me, illuminating her face in the moonlight. "My name's Nicky, if you were wondering."

Even after seeing so many people on the streets of New York every day, I can easily say that she's the most beautiful person I've ever seen. Her hair trails down her shoulders, making the gray issued gown look elegant and pretty on her. The brown eyes she looks at me are bright with determination, the look I've only seen from Jack when the headlines are as dull as the paper they're printed on.

"Crutchie." I nod, holding out my dirty hand to her. She takes it, smiling with her teeth up at me.

"Nice to meet you, Crutchie." She replied, releasing her smooth, thin hand from my rough, calloused one. "You is that newbie Newsie I've heard so much about. Not many Newsies get locked up in here, and even less stay here as long as you have. So what's the problem?"

I try to look Nicky in the eyes, but my gaze falls to the floor. "My leg's kinda bad, but I'll be outta heres soon."

"Ah." She nods thoughtfully, crossing her arms over her chest in the moonlight. "Sorry. Those Delancy's sure are pieces of crap, aren't theys?"

I give a hollow laugh, because I'm pretty sure anything more might just make the throbbing hurt more.

"So why youse here, Nicky?" I ask, trying to slide the subject off of me.

Her eyes fall from mine and land on the floorboards. "Been here since I was five. They's took my brother and I off the streets, even though we'se was fine." She spat, rolling her eyes. "Said it was good for us. Now, I think a life on the streets would be better than this dump."

"Where's your brother?"

She goes silent for a second, before lifting her eyes and looking out the barred in window. "A few weeks after we'se were here, he got run over tryin' to escape." She whispers, walking towards the window while lost in thought. "He always talked about goin' West with me. Never got any farther than that there driveway."

Silence filled the space between us while we avoided each other's eyes. A kid under me snored quietly beneath me, and a bird whistled a tune a few notes long.

"Sorry." I finally said quietly.

"Nah. I don't want your sympathy." She said, not moving her eyes from the windowsill. The thin fingers that were on the edge of her nightgown were now twirling around a curl in her hair. "That was ten years ago, and it's okay. He's was stupid for running out there like that."

"Ten years?" I asked incredulously. "Youse been here for ten years?"

Her eyes found mine again as she pressed a finger to her lips, watching the door warily.

"You wanna get us both killed?" She asked, shaking her head with a ridiculously adorable face. Thankfully we were in the dark or else she would've seen my blushing. "Yeah. I'm the one who's been here the longest, and that shitbag Snyder don't know nothin 'bout what I do around heres."

"Hey! Some of us gotta sleep here!" Someone whispered fiercely towards the rest of the room.

"Shut up, stupid and go back to sleep." She mumbled, rolling her eyes as she stood from her seat and walked towards me quietly, holding a hunk of bread out to me. "Heard your stomach from the other side of the Refuge. Thought you might want this."

My mouth started to water as I gently took the bread from her hands and started nibbling away at it slowly, thanking her with cheeks filled with the first food I'd had in a few days.

"Night, Crutchie. See you tomorrow." She whispered, reaching a hand out to touch my arm before slipping into the hallway and out of my sight in an instant.

I fell asleep that night with food in my stomach and her on my mind.

So, what did you think?

I hoped you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it, so please leave a review and let me know what you liked, didn't like, and all that in between stuff.