Chapter summary : Caleb finds himself lost in the crowded streets of New York. While playing ,four year old , Caleb effortlessly finds himself accused of stealing a paper from an intimidating newsie.

Disclaimer: No, don't own Newsies or any of the characters (except Vivian and Caleb.) One question though.. If you own stock in Disney, you kinda do own newsies then don't you? You just have to share it.

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"Vivian Harvey? That's your mother's name boy?"

The little boy nodded.

"And what's your name then, son?"

"Caleb" The shy boy told the old man, barely able to get his name out right with his thick accent.

"Caleb. Alright Caleb all you have to do is sit right here and I'll find your mommy for you alright?"

Caleb shook his head crossly. "No. I, I can't." He pouted his lip and crinkled his forehead. "The last I saw her, she was over there." He said pointing to the other side of the street filled with empty baskets that someone was hopelessly trying to sell. For a moment he looked at his feet and blinked up at the man towering over him, who seemed to be deciphering what he had just said. *You know how children are difficult to understand? Well how about a kid with an Irish accent?*

The man, not thinking that it mattered where the boy waited, gave him permission. "Is that so? Well then I reckon you should sit over there how about that?"

"That's fine enough." He croaked as he scuttled over to the opposite wall. The sun was harshly beating on his face and Caleb wished he hadn't refused the chance to sit in the comfortable shade. Now the old man was speaking to someone else. They pointed at him a few times and then the other rushed off on his mission. Caleb leaned against the wall and slid down to sit in the dusty road. He and Mommy had gone out on errands an hour ago. And now where was she? He had just looked at the pretty bird and next thing he knew he was all alone, with only strangers in sight. In a strange new city how could he ever find his mommy? Now he felt like he would never see anyone he knew again. He drew pictures in the dirt as he thought. The world was silent to him, all he wanted was to see a familiar face anyone he knew or recognized. By now his freckled cheeks were muddy from sweat and grime. His brown hair was dirty and messy with dust. And he was sure he had something caught in his left eye that he couldn't get out. He stood up and wiped his dirty hands on his pants. After examining them he remarked "Clean." as if someone would pop out of no-where and reward him for his triumph. Now he stood over his dirt drawings.

"There goes the apple." he said and stomped on what vaguely appeared to be some sort of fruit.

"Now dog… " he said addressing the picture of a dog chasing a cat. "…you know cats don't like being chased much, don't you…?" Now he was pacing back and forth and addressed the plaintiff again. "…it's not smart to do something you know is wrong is it…?" He stopped pacing and stood with his hands behind his back. "… because, one day…" He prepared to destroy the picture "… that cat might chase you!" He kicked the dirt from the cat's side of the drawing over to the dog's so now both works were destroyed. Now he just danced over the remaining pictures, not bothering to give any of them their last words. He snickered to himself as he surveyed the now dry and plain patch of dirt by the side of the road. Now dirtier than before he wished he was with his Mommy. She would get him into clean clothes in no time no questions asked. He looked over where the old man had asked him all those questions. His errand boy had returned shaking his head.

"Oh no they didn't find her." Caleb ,holding back tears, spoke to the dirt as if it could hear him. The old man was approaching him again.

"Hello again son."

"Hi."

"I was wondering if you could describe you mommy for me."

"Well, she likes to go shopping, and likes to bake me cookies, and she-"

"Yes, but what does she look like?"

"Oh…" he looked down at his shoes embarrassed that he had made a mistake. "… she has red hair in a big ball at the top of her head.*..a bun..* and she wears a-a…" he tried to remember what mommy was wearing this morning, was it the black dress or the white dress?

"Wait! mommy wore the black dress because she spilled tea on her white one!"

"Hmm… red hair, black dress shouldn't be too hard to find." the old man wheezed sarcastically.

"Wait , umm… she has a purse, it's black no um brown uh."

"Okay okay that's enough thank you, boy."

Caleb went back to his wall and studied the baskets surrounding the edge of the wall. He climbed in the biggest one without the merchant knowing and pretended to slay a sea monster with one swipe of his sword.

"Ha Ha who's the best now?" Immediately he became bored of this game and sunk into the basket. The only thing protruding from the container were his ratty boots. All he did now was listen to the crowd. People selling everything from carpets to birds. He listened to the man who was selling the beat up baskets.

"Geta two for the price of one! Hey, looka you seem like a nice gentleman, how abouta-"

"No thank you sir." he heard someone answer.

"Wella how abouta this I put in a special deala just for you eh?"

"Ah uh no, good day." the person shouted , whose voice came from farther away. He laughed to himself about the salesman's poor skills. He listened again. This time the salesman was talking to a younger man who was giving him a hard time.

"Why would I want one a'yer nasty beat up baskets huh?"

"Looka I show youa they perfect condition come you see."

Nervous Caleb pulled his feet into the basket.

"Looka see they perfect baskets." the salesman was a few baskets away.

"How about you buy a paper from me instead, yeah?"

Caleb laughed to himself about the man's funny accent, he fumbled with his fingers and imitated him,

"p'hai-pah" he said to himself as he stopped to listen again. Wait a second, Caleb remembered something in his head. That voice sounds like one of mommy's friends. He wanted to jump out and see who it was but he didn't have the courage. He heard the younger man ,talking to the merchant, give a laugh and heard him walk away. From the top of his basket he could see the man's back. He was just about to shout to him when something flew in from the opening and hit him square on his forehead.

"Hey! Where'd me other pape go?" He heard the man bellow angrily searching for his lost paper. Caleb looked at what he held in his hands, a paper! He had the man's paper! Surely he would look in his basket and yell at him, maybe he would even be arrested for stealing! He heard the man getting closer and closer to his hiding place. Fears bubbling over in his head. He closed his eyes, mumbling and praying that he wouldn't be found. He heard him right beside his basket

"Hey! Kid! Waddaya do' in with me paper!?"

Scared to death he smiled innocently up at the young man's irritated face.

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*Authors' note : So what do you all think? I'm really excited about this story it's my first newsie fic! Sorry if the beginning was a little slow, I don't like to rush things.*