Disclaimer: I don't own the newsies or anything of the sort.

Chapter One: A Strange Visit

The streets were crowded. Almost too crowded. The chatter of all the women gave her a headache and all Eliza wanted to do was turn on her heels and flee. But she couldn't. Her older brother has asked her to run some errands and she couldn't say no, not after all the things he did for her. Her list was short, apples, flour, and a dowse of sugar for the pie, and some cigarettes for Johnny and the boys.

"Pie and cigarettes," she thought, "What an awful combination."

The boys were coming over for a poker game and a "discussion", as Johnny liked to call them, and when he asked her to make one of her famous apple pies, she said yes. After all, it was he who supplies her with the money to by the ingredients, he who kept her clothed and sheltered, and he her took care of her in any way she has ever needed. She pushed back her wispy brown curls out of her blue eyes and headed towards Charley for the last item on her list, cigarettes.

"Well if it ain't little Miss O'Malley," he cried out. He was standing behind a counter in a broken down store, with shelves and shelves of cigarettes and alcohol behind him. He belly was large, so large that he almost didn't fit, and Eliza supposed if he didn't tuck the fat in his pants, he wouldn't fit at all, "What can I do for ye today lassie?"

Eliza smiled and leaned her elbows on the counter, "I need two boxes of Woodbines for me brother, and perhaps a pint of whiskey as well."

Her accent was a thick Irish one but Charley got the jist, "Eliza what have I toldja 'bout your drinkin? It'll be the death of ya?"

"Oh can it Charley," she shot back and handed him the money, "Its for me brother as well."

She took the bag he handed her and put in in the basket along with the other goods. It was nearning three o'clock and if she didn't get back soon there'd be no time to bake the pie. As she closed to door to Charleys shut the sun blinded her eyes. She squinted, loosing her footing, falling face first into a wall. Or what she thought was a wall.

"'Scuse me miss," he started, "Oh, it's just you."

Eliza scowled, picking up the last the the items that fell from her basket, "Oh, just me, no big deal." she mocked.

He moved a hand between his hair, pushing it back for a second, "Eliza, we are we going to do with you?" he asked. The two started walking in the direction on her home, "You're so clumbsy. I can hardly believe you're me cousin."

"Oh sorry Frankie," she sarcastically replied, "Guess we can't all have the grace and class of you, Sir Francis Sullivan."

His hand raised to his heart in mock reply, "You hoirt me Liza, you really do."

She gigggled a bit before getting serious, "Frankie?" she asked it so softly he hardly heard her, "What are you doin' 'round here in the points? I know you ain't sellin no papers. Is something the matter?"

He glanced at her for a second before looking away guilty-like, "No doll. Just came to see how youse and Johnny are doin'. Thats all."

Eliza was hardly convinced. Frankie never left his busy life and his girl just to pay a visit. Something was wrong, Horribly wrong. And she had an awful feeling that it had to do with this gathering Johnny was having later.