Ashlyn Sullivan stepped off the train and onto the plat form. She stood there a few moments taking in her first site of New York. Then she picked up the only bag she had with her. "I wonder where I'm going to find him amongst all these people?" Ashlyn thought to herself as she began her walk towards the city.
Most of the newsies had meet at Tibby's for lunch as usual. Jack came in a little later than he usual did. Jack had a look of both shock and disbelief on his face. "Hey, Cowboy?" Race yelled. "What's wid you?" he asked. Jack shook his head and ran his hand through his hair. "Nothin' Race." he mumbled. He still had the telegram in his pocket, but he just couldn't believe it. The boys finished up at Tibby's and headed back to he Lodging House.
Ashlyn had spent the biggest part of the day walking around New York looking for Frances Sullivan. She was about to give up for the day when she saw two boys. One boy had dirty blonde hair and a patch over one eye. The other boy had brown curly hair and beautiful brown eyes and the sweetest smile.
Ashlyn decided to ask them if they knew where she could Frances Sullivan. "Excuse?" she asked approaching Blink and Mush. Blink and Mush stopped to see who calling at them. Seeing a young girl who appeared to need some assistance they stopped in their tracks. "Can we's help ya?" Mush asked with a grin. "Dat's da prettiest goirl I's eva seen." he thought to himself.
"I's hope so." she said. "Can any of you tell me where I can find a Frances Sullivan?" Mush and Blink looked at each other completely shocked. "How she know Jack, and how's she know his real name?" they both thought. Blink slapped Mush in the back of the head to snap him out of his daze, then he answered the question. "Yous mean Jack. Yeah, we's know where ya can find em." Blink told her. Mush glared at Blink for smacking him in the head. Then he took Ashlyn's hand, "Yeah, come wid us. We's take ya to em." he said pulling her along .
Jack stood in the lobby of the Lodging House still trying to make sense of the telegram in his pocket. "It don't make sense, how could it be possible?" Jack mumbled as he paced the room. The other newsies just shook their heads and went back to what they were doing.
"Where we going?" Ashlyn asked following behind Mush who still held her hand and Blink. "To da Lodging House at find Jack fer ya." Mush said pulling her along. "How'd ya know Jack?" Blink asked. "Is don't know him personally, but we have a common connection." she said. Mush and Blink shoot each other curious looks.
The three of them reached the Lodging House and went inside. Every head turned to see Mush and Blink walk in with a girl they had never seen before. "Who's da goirl?" Race asked. It was then that Mush and Blink realized that they didn't know anything about her. Blink shrugged, "dunno, but she's looking' fer Jack."
Ashlyn looked around the room. It was full of boys some her age, some older, and some younger. Then she introduced herself. "I'm Ashlyn Sullivan. I came to New York from Tennessee. I'm looking for Frances Sullivan." Whispers could be heard throughout the room. "Dat be me." Jack said stepping towards Ashlyn. "But da name is Jack, Jack Kelly, or Cowboy." Jack and Ashlyn stood staring at each other for several moments. Neither one knew what to say.
"So, yer me half sista?" he finally said breaking the silence. All the newsies looked at each other in shock not sure if they had heard right. The looks were followed by whispers and gasps. "Yes, I'm your half sister." she replied. Jack shook his head trying to figure out how this could be possible. "So, tell me how'd me fadda and yer mudda get together?" Ashlyn cleared her throat suddenly feeling uncomfortable. "Well, my mother came to NY looking for work. She meet this man and feel in love. It as when she was on a train heading back to Tennessee that she found out he was married and had son, you. She was pregnant at the time she left with me." The room feel silent. Jack gave Ashlyn a light hug. "Welcome at Ny ." he said heading up stairs.
In the weeks that followed Jack and Ashlyn got to know one another better. It took him a while to warm up to her, but when he did he became very over protective. In these weeks she had been in NY it wasn't only her relationship with Jack, but she was in the beginning of something with Mush. When Jack wasn't around they spent a lot of time talking and flirting.
One evening Mush and Ashlyn were walking back to the LH together. He had held her hand all the way there and Ashlyn felt so happy. When they reached the LH Mush stopped her on the door step. "Ashlyn, Is got something' I's wanna tell ya." Ashlyn stood there looking at Mush. "OK!" Mush placed his hand on her cheek, and looked into her blue eyes. "Yous a beautiful goirl and I's liked yous since da fiorst time I saw ya." Ashlyn smiled and held Mush's hand "Ohh..Mush thanks. I's like yous too." she said feeling the anticipation building up in her.
Keeping his hand lightly on her cheek and looking straight into her beautiful blue eyes he kissed her lips lightly. The glorious moment was to be short lived. Before Ashlyn realized what was happening Jack had appeared and had Mush pinned against the building. "What ya think yous doin'" he shouted grasping Mush's shirt in his fist. "Dat's me sista. I don't' want ya wid her. I's know yer rep wid the girls and I don't want her hoirt." Mush pushed Jack off. "What's da matter wid yous. I's not gonna hoirt her, Jack, I 's neva hoirt a girl especially Ashlyn."
Ashlyn felt the anger building up in side her. Ashlyn ran up to Jack anger sparking in her blue eyes. She slapped Jack hard enough to make his head turn. "You joirk!" she shouted. "Yous have no right to say who I's can be wid or me friends can be!" Jack rubbed his cheek, "yous me sista. I's gotta protect you." Ashlyn was getting furious. "I's appreciate dat you care, but I's can handle me self. Besides Mush ain't gonna hoit me." Then she stomped off.
Ashlyn walked and ran until she was out of breath. She finally stopped to catch her breath and to calm down. It as then that Morris and Oscar approached. "Yous da new newsies? Cowboy's sister" Oscar smirked approaching Ashlyn. Oscar was just about to grab Ashlyn when Mush showed up. "Leave er alone Oscar!" he shouted in a threatening tone. Oscar and Morris turned to look at Mush. "What are you going to do, Mushy?" they snarled.
Mush fought as hard as he could, but Oscar and Morris had him out numbered. Ashlyn tires to fight them off, but there to big for her to fight. When it was over Ashlyn ran over to Mush who was kneeling on the ground holding his sides. His lips were bleeding and he was probably going to have a black eye. "Mush Mush, are ya ok?" she cried. Still holding his sides he got to his feet. "I's ok," he lied wincing through the pain. "No, your not. Let's get yous back to the LH and get da doctor." She helped get Mush back to the LH.
While the newsies waited for the doctor to examine Mush, Ashlyn took the opportunity to tell Jack what had happened. "He jot soaked cause me Jack. He was protecting me." she told him her voice full of concern. Jack paced the hallway running his hand through his hair. "Mush is a good guy, and he's me friend." Jack thought as he continued pacing. Jack walked over to Ashlyn and placed an arm around her shoulders. "Yous right Ashlyn. Is can't tell ya who to be wid. Yous right also in dat Mush wont' hoirt ya." he told her. Squeezing her shoulders lightly, "don't worry he's gonna be fine, and yous got me blessin' to be his goirl if he ask."
The doctor came out of the bunkroom and looked at everybody who was crowded in the hallway. "He's gonna be fine. There's no broken bones or ribs. He did bruise his ribs up pretty bad though. He's gonna have a black eye. Nothing serious though." then he turned to leave and left the bill with Mr. Kloppman. A sigh of relief was heard throughout the LH.
Ashlyn went in to see Mush. He was lying on a bottom bunk since his was normally on top. He had bandages all around his sides protecting his ribs. His lips were slightly swollen and his eye was starting to turn black. She quietly approached the bunk and sat on the edge trying not to wake him. She leaned over and gentely kissed his swollen lips. Mush opened his eyes and smiled up at her. "How ya feelin'?" she asked. Mush took her hand in his and held to his cheek. "I's feel betta now dat yous heah wid me."
He kissed her hand and looked into her face. "Ashlyn, would yous be me goirl? I's can deal
wid Jack." he told her holding her hand near his lips. Ashlyn grinned and laughed. "Yes!! Yes!! I'll be
your goirl and don't bout Jack. He gave us his blessn'." she smiled. Mush started to laugh, but it
made his sides hurt. "and Ashlyn, I's got ya a newsies name. I's Southern Spark." "I's luv it and I's
luv you Mush." she cried and kissed him again. "I's luv you too SS!" he whispered.