disclaimer: I own nothing. This is SLASH. If its not your thing I understand already, no need for you to tell me again, 'kay?

Chapter 1: But its cold outside

Jack hunched his shoulders and shoved his hands further into his tattered jacket

"I really need to get me mittens"

The crisp February pushed sideways at the boy as he tried to make his way back to the lodging house. The sky was overcast, and the charcoal clouds had been threathening snow since yesterday.

Jack had decided to skip out early on selling papes, and planned on spending the rest of the day in the lodge playing cards with the other boys.

Or something.

Really anything to be inside.

He hurried around the corner and up the steps and into the slightly stale, but warm, air of the lodge house.

"Kloppman! Its stinks ta high hell in heah!" he shouted to the elderly man sitting behind the counter.

Kloppman looked up from his book and just smiled. Typical Jack.

He watched as the boy bounded up the stairs to the bed room and could hear the shouted greetings and snide remarks that welcomed him. Kloppman smiled, shook his head and was about to start up his book again when he noticed something in the doorway (more by the wave of cold air then anything).

It was a girl. A pretty girl, if you liked shy. She was bundled up well, her brown hair pulled back loosely, her hat pulled down to cover her ear tips. The wind had reddened her face, but she may have been blushing. She looked bowlegged, but she had simply placed one foot on top of the other, as if trying to keep herself from running.

"Can I help you Miss?" Kloppman asked gently, trying not to frighten her.

"Yeah, um, Yes. Does, um, does Jack Kelley live hereh?" she asked, her voice was surprising loud, taking body language into account.

"That he does, Miss. Would you like me to fetch him for you?"

The girl nodded and smiled thankfully.

Kloppman nodded in response and headed up the stairs. He found the boys gathered around a bed playing poker.

"Jack, you have a visitor."

Jack turned to him, "Yeah? Who is it?"

"A girl"

The other newsies roared at that, a few of them pushing or punching (lightly) various limbs on Jack.

Jack smiled goofily, rolled his eyes at the boys then stood and followed Kloppman back downstairs.

The girl hadn't really moved, but she had removed her hat and fixed her hair. With the hat off you could see her pair of brown eyes, which she kept hidden beneath her eyelashes.

"Well, I'll leave you two alone then." Kloppman said, winked at Jack, then headed off to the backroom.

Author's Note,
Sorry this is to terrible out of season!
I debated using Sarah instead of an OC, but I really don't like Sarah and if I put her in I feel I would be to tempted to constantly bash her for the rest of the story.

I'll be updating this story to coincide with any happenings in a potential relationship I've got going. It's five chapters long, and if we reach chapter five, I shall be a very, very happy girl. :D