Title: The Brooklyn Chronicles: The Accused

Chapter: Chapter One—We Meet Brooklyn

Rating: Maybe PG… I don't expect this to get over PG-13 at any point

Disclaimer: Disney owns Newsies and all the characters from Newsies (well, excepting the ones that were real… i.e. Spot and Racetrack). They're all copyright and what not, blah blah blah, you've seen it a billion times. I don't own them, but I do own Colly, Boyd, Blackjack, Cats-Eye, Steelie, Domino, Guv'na, Red, and Ties. If I happen to have a character that's the same name as one of yours (only after I started this did I start seeing the name "Blackjack" pop up once or twice) and you're really very worried about it, I'll change it. But don't do that unless the characters are exactly alike, I do love mine the way they are.

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"Aw, c'mon Spot, it's only a liddle kid. He didn't mean ta run inta ya', didja' kid?" As the sun set, a boy of maybe ten or eleven was sprawled on the dirty cobblestones of Brooklyn. His big brown eyes widened at the two big newsboys in front of him. The older newsie picked up the little boy and dusted him off. "He ain't even a newsie; don' botha' soakin' him." Trembling, the small thing stared at the famous Spot Conlon, who seemed to be contemplating just exactly how to land a punch on the clumsy kid.

"What's youh name, kid?" Spot pretended to be disinterested, shining the gold tip of his cane on his shirt, then snapping his trademark pink suspenders loudly. "For fucha' ref'rence, ya' know."

"C-collin. Collin Sweeney. But da' kids call me Colly." The boy was at least a few inches shorter than Spot was, and it was pretty obvious to the both of them that Spot would be the winner in any fight they had. Spot swung his cane around, watching his victim nervously adjust his cap again and again.

"Youse right, Boyd. Ain't even worth soakin'." Spot turned away in disgust, letting the kid – Collin – know just how low he was. Obediently, Boyd followed Spot towards the newsies' lodging house. A tiny whimper caught Boyd's attention. He turned around, letting Spot go on ahead, to see little Colly with tears running down his face. The bigger lad made a face, but bent down anyway and looked Colly in the eyes.

"What's da' matta', kid? Ain't ya' gonna' go home?" Collin tried to gather his inner forces to stop crying and look defiant and tough. He knew it was a losing battle and it didn't take long for the tears to start again.

"Me mudda and fadda tol' me ta find woik. Dey ain't got enough food ta keep me. But dey didn't have any jobs left at da fact'ry." Boyd stared at the kid's pathetic little face. It didn't seem like Collin was making up a story so he could try and rob Boyd of the few pennies he might have. But still, some of these street kids were excellent actors… Nah, Boyd decided, he ain't lying. Dis kid needs a job and a fucha'.

"Why not woik wit' me, kid? Colly, was it? Wouldn't hoit, an' I can spot ya' anudda job afta' a while." Little Collin's face lit up. Boyd held a hand out and Collin shook it eagerly. "I'm Boyd Donelly. So, I guess youh gonna need ta live at the Brooklyn Newsboys Lodgin' 'ouse fer a bit, hm?"

** * **

Spot hadn't been too entirely happy about Boyd letting Colly stay in the lodging house. In fact, he was furious at Boyd for it. After being greeted with the shout "What da' hell is HE doin' heah?!", Boyd winced and followed Spot into his bedroom, which had been a small office until Spot had taken it over for his own private living quarters.

Against his better judgement, Collin put his ear to the wall to hear the two boys arguing. He caught snippets of things, mostly along the lines of "Da' kid's a klutz!" and "He ain't so bad, Spot." Things went into hushed whispers and Colly couldn't hear anything. Finally, a reluctant Spot agreed to let Colly stay there… under the promise it was only until Boyd found him another job. Boyd walked out of Spot's room and gave Colly a brotherly pat on the head.

"He says youse allowed ta stay, Col. Don' worry 'bout it." Boyd forced a grin, making Colly wonder what Boyd had had to barter to persuade Spot to give in. Boyd led Collin to a bunk. "Dis is ouhs. Ya can take da' top mattress."

As the others began changing for bed, Colly blushed and turned away. Boyd gave him a funny look.

"Ain't ya' gonna change fer bed, Colly?" Boyd stripped down to his underclothes and tossed his other garments onto the floor. Colly shook his head.

"I… I jus' ain't used ta changin' in fronna' oddahs. Me mudda said it was rude ta watch da oddahs change as well." Kicking his boots off, Colly climbed onto the top bunk and pulled the thin white sheet over himself. He rolled over to face the wall and fell asleep promptly—in his clothes.

** * **

Collin was rudely awakened in the morning when an older man, maybe in his early fifties, knocked on each bunk bed loudly. His knuckles hitting the wood resonated throughout the room. Noticing the other boys were awake, Colly fiddled with his cap. He was surprised it had stayed on during the night. Boyd grinned at his new friend's bewildered look.

"Dat's da' owna' of da' Lodgin' 'ouse. He comes in ev'ry mornin' an' gets us ready ta sell papes." Boyd adjusted the undershirt hiding beneath his miraculously clean white shirt. He sat on the edge of the mattress to tie his boots. "Ya' fell asleep in youh clothes last night, but I din't want ta wake ya' up. Ya' even left yer cap on!" Collin jumped down from his bed and was greeted with the sight of about twenty half naked newsies. Colly squeaked and turned away, causing Boyd to chuckle.

"Get used ta it, Col. We change ouh clothes ev'ry day, kid. By da' way, dat's Blackjack and Domino's bed, and dat's Blackjack getting dressed an' Domino takin' Black's cahds." A dark haired kid standing by the bed next to them tucked something into his pocket and waved. The blond boy shouted and grabbed for his cards.

"DOMINO!" The boy Colly assumed was Blackjack chased the other boy into the next room, still trying to pull his pants up. Collin let out a boyish giggle.

"Are dey always like dat?" Boyd nodded with a grin and pointed out another pair in the corner.

"Dat's Steelie and Cats-Eye, like da' kind of mahbles. Cats-Eye is da' one wit' da' green vest an' cap. Dey ain't gonna pay much attention to ya' unless youse got some mahbles for dem." Boyd led Colly to a door on the other side of the room.

"In heah is da' showas an' sinks. Ya' prob'ly ain't gotta' shave yet," Collin mumbled an embarrassed "no" and Boyd went on, "But dat's what most of da' boys use it fer in da mornin'." Pushing the door open, Boyd shoved Colly into the room. "Hey fellas! Dis is Colly. He an' I will be sellin' togedda'. Colly, ya know Blackjack and Domino. The redhead is Red an' da oddah one in knickas is Ties. Guv'na is da one wit' da bowler hat, tryin' ta play up ta his name." Various altogether-too-cheerful-for-it-to-be-sunrise "hellos" rang out, and Guv'na threw a towel at Boyd, laughing.

"Yeah, well, wheah's youh wings, Boidee?" Guv'na teased. Boyd tossed the towel at Domino and punched Red playfully.

"How's da sellin' goin', kid? Youse made a lotta' money on youh new cohna'?" While Boyd and Red chatted, Colly looked around, not knowing what to say or make of all this. He'd never known so many different kinds of boys. And they were anything but modest… Parading around with only their underwear on, some even daring to take it off to wash!

As Colly gazed in amazement, the door swung open and Spot swaggered in. A few cries of "mornin' Spot!" and "hey Spot, how ya' doin'?" rang out. Spot gave a few nods and grins to his band and stopped in front of Collin.

"Youse gonna' be livin' in dis Lodgin' House, youse gotta know dat some t'ings ain't allowed. No comin' in late an' distoibin' da' boys. No goils," Colly blushed. "It ain't so uncommon, da' boys wantin' ta smooch dere lates' sweetheaht in dere beds!" Collin blushed even harder, but Spot continued on. "An' youse gotta' wake up wit' da' rest of us. Unless youse sick. Ya' got it, kid?"

"Yessih, Spot, sih," Collin answered, looking around nervously as the boys cracked up. Spot leaned on his cane ever so slightly, an amused smirk on his face.

"Ya' ain't so bad, Colly. Just nevah run inta me evah again."

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Thank you: Erin (Behind-Da-Scenes-Beta), Krelxi (Oddah-Beta), and Sparks (Pyro-Beta). *blows kisses* You guys rock.