AN: This story is inspired by one of my favorite TV shows McLeod's Daughters. I want to make clear it is NOT A CROSSOVER! It will still make sense even if you have never seen the show. For those who don't know McLeod's is an Australian drama that follows the lives of all the women who run a farm called Drover's Run. I highly recommend it if you have not seen it. Anyway on with the usual disclaimer - I do not own Newsies or any of the characters in Newsies. I am just a fan having fun writing about it. Also I have added lyrics from different songs throughout this story. All songs are written by Posie Graeme-Evans and Chris Harriot. They are preformed by Rebecca LaVelle. All of the songs can be found on the McLeod's Daughters soundtrack(s). I hope you all enjoy. Please review if you can - I am always looking for constructive feedback to help improve my writing.

Chapter 1 - Don't Judge

I feel - but the feeling is raw
I feel - and I'm lonely once more
I trust - that I can survive
I trust - it's hard to stay alive

I'm finding my way, I'm finding my way
I can do it alone
I'm finding my way, I'm finding my way
But there's so much, so much more to say
I'm finding my way...

I choose - the hard way to go
I choose - it's all that I know
It's dark, and I want to see the light
It's dark, and I want to do what's right

He sat high up perched on the dock. It wasn't his docks by the lodging house but he enjoyed coming here after selling his papes. This was where the new blood was. He watched as boat loads of people made their way to the end of the docks. These were the folks who had just made it through immigration checks. He pitied many of them as they smiled hopefully. They came to America for a better life. Spot knew most of them would never find it. They would be another group to join the rest of the poverty stricken lower class. He supposed that is why he came here. There was always one kid that had lost his family during the journey over. He made it a point to help those kids. He showed them the ropes. He taught them how to survive so that they didn't become another victim of the streets. He knew he would have died long ago if Mack, the former leader of the Brooklyn Newsies, hadn't done the same for him.

He slid his hand down to his cane. He had come here years ago. His parents had taken ill during the journey and passed on. He had been sitting on his parents trunks on these very same docks wondering what he was going to do when Mack had found him. Some scabbers had roughed him up a bit and taken all his parents things. All he had left of them was the empty trunks he sat on and his father's gold tipped cane. He had some how been able to protect that. Mack had found him and took him under his wing. From that point on Spot had been a newsie. He had become the leader of the Brooklyn Newsies two years ago. His thoughts wandered back to the crowds of people below him.

The people were beginning to dissipate. He knew it would be time for him to leave soon. He said a silent prayer of thanks that no one had caught his eye today - no one had been without a family. He glanced down one last time from his high perch and began the decent down. He hit the point that he could jump down and he let go. He felt himself fall into someone. He lost his balance and both he and the person he had fallen into landed with a hard thud on the ground. "Good going Conlon." He said to himself trying to reorient himself.

"Bloody hell - get off of me!" Spot was surprised to hear a female voice coming from underneath him. He couldn't place the accent as he jumped up. He turned around to see the girl slowly pull herself up. She shot him an ice cold glare that ticked him off - it was after all only an accident.

"Sorry I didn't see ya there." He said trying to contain his anger at the look she gave him.

"Yeah well you should watch where you are going there next time you drongo!" He didn't know what the hell a drongo was but it didn't take an idiot to figure out that he just been insulted by this dame.

"It was an accident!" he yelled at her.

"I don't care what it was you should watch where you are going!" She said in the same rage. He stepped close to her expecting her to step back. Instead the girl stood up straight and met his stare.

"I don' know who da hell ya are but ya should be careful who ya talk to like dat in dis city." He spat out.

"Oh really?!" She said sarcastically. He was about to respond but he was cut off by one of his newsies.

"Spot we'se got trouble from da Bronx!" the newsie said panting to his leader. Spot shot the girl one last glare and turned and left.

The girl sighed as she watched the boy turn and leave. She glanced down at her skirt to find it had been torn in the fall. Something glistened in the corner of her eye and she realized quickly that the boy had forgotten his cane. She picked it up. She could still see him as she called after him "hey you forgot your cane…come back!" He didn't hear her. She sighed again. She felt terribly dizzy and disoriented from the fall. She had hit her head on the dock pretty hard. She thought about what the boy said. He was right; she would have to watch what she said in the city. This place was clearly nothing like the county side she had come from. She thought more. It had never been in her nature to back down. It was a characteristic that had defined her much of her life. She knew it was a flaw to have such a trait in the city. She would have to take special precautions she decided.

She began to wander off following the boy who had fallen on her. She realized that she had over reacted- that was uncharacteristic of her. She felt she owed the boy an apology; at the least she could return his cane. She had been thinking so much that she hadn't realized until then that she had no idea where she was. She had lost track of the two boys she was looking for. She clutched her carpet bag unsure of where to go or what to do. She decided she would have to wait to return the cane. She needed a job and a place to stay first. She tucked the cane into her bag which was rather large. She walked a little farther careful to mentally mark the streets in her head. She ventured into a market area. She had no idea where to get a job. Her skills weren't needed in the city. This would certainly be a learning experience for her.

She walked from vendor to vendor asking about a job. Most had just grunted quick "no's" to her. One laughed and another threatened to get the police. Another hour had passed during her job search. She sat down on a curb and looked on. The girl began to curse had her self. "How could you be so stupid - coming here without a plan? You've got no job, no place to live!" A tear fell down her cheek. She knew when she wiped away the tear that she really wasn't acting like herself. Crying, anger- being overly emotional, these were not things she usually did. "God what is wrong with me?!" She thought aloud. She didn't really need an answer to the question - she already knew what was wrong.

Her thoughts were interrupted. "Ya shouldn't let people see ya cry in dis' city." A boy in a cowboy hat looked at her. His hat reminded her of home and she wondered if he might be someone who could help her out.

"I know," She whispered uneasily. He sensed her nervousness.

"So what's wrong wid you'se?" he asked "Ya don' look like ya from round ere'." He studied her. The girl looked at the boy wondering if he could possibly be someone she could trust.

"I'm not from around here. Well observed! And here I thought it was my accent that gave it away." She said sarcastically. She regretted her words almost immediately. That was the second time she been a little to cross with her words. "I'm sorry," she said looking at the boy. He smirked at her.

"Dat's okay. You'se lucky - I'm ah nice fella. Ya talk like that to some people round ere' an you'se be dead." She shook her head in agreement. "Da names Jack, Jack Kelly." He reached out a hand to shake. He fought the urge to spit in it. She smirked deciding to follow her instincts and trust the boy.

"Katherine Kingland, you can call me Kate though." She reached her hand out to take his. They began to walk.

"So where ya from Kate," Jack asked.

"Southern Australia." She replied. He looked at her confused.

"What," she asked wondering if she had done something wrong.

"Nuttin' just don't getta lotta people round ere' from Stralia' - mostly da European countries. I taught you'se was from Englan' wit de accent."

She smiled. "Nah, I'm not a Brit." She said.

"So what brings ya to New Yoirk?" he asked her.

"I needed a change of scenery." She replied simply.

"I understand dat," he nodded "so why was ya cryin' back dere?" She looked at him seriously.

"Well I'm not sure about anything around here. I can't find a job. I can't find a place to stay."

He smiled at her. "Ah no worries ya kin' stay wid me." He said deciding he liked this girl.

She looked shocked. "I think you may have the wrong impression of me." She said.

He laughed,"I didn' mean wid me poisonally. I live in da newsie lodgin' house in Manhattan. Ya could be a newsie."

She looked at him funny, "What is a newsie?"

He explained excitedly, "Newsies sell da papes. We get da word out to all da people in New Yoirk."

She thought momentarily. Selling newspapers wasn't exactly what she had in mind. However, she wasn't above any kind of work. "A job is a job," she thought to herself. "All right Jack. I'll do it." Kate said looking at him. Jack smiled as they kept walking.

He glanced down at her as she pulled her bag up to her side. "Ya know I could carry dat for ya." He said pointing to the bag.

"Thanks I can handle it." She said smiling. "Why do ya have such a big bag anyways?" he asked.

"My whole life is in here. Everything I own is in here." She said to him thoughtfully.

"I guess dat splains' it." He said smiling at her. They continued to walk. She realized at that moment she had no idea where she was going.

"So if your from Manhattan what are you doing in Brooklyn?" Kate asked curiously.

"Ah its newsie pokah night at da Brooklyn lodgin' house." He smiled. "A poifect place as any for ya ta meet everyone."

Her eyes suddenly had a sparkle. "Poker huh, can I play?" She asked excitedly. He was surprised by her interest in the game.

"Ya shoah. You ave' ta buy in dough. You'se got money for dat?" he questioned her. "Yeah I do." She smiled happily.

Jack decided to save the rest of his questions he for her until later. He knew she would be bombarded by questions when she came to the lodging house. They walked in silence the rest of the way.

Race wasn't enjoying the evening. He was the newsies champion poker player. He normally looked forward to the monthly poker night; it had been no different today. His mood had changed however, since he entered the Brooklyn Lodging House. The Bronx had beat up one of Spot's birdies. Raven was alright but Spot was ticked. Race couldn't understand why the Brooklynite was so ticked off. Raven had been caught red handed spying on the Bronx leaders. It wasn't a shock that the girl had been beat up. That's what happened to spies who got caught. It had happened before and it would happen again. Race had thought that maybe Spot had feelings for Raven and that was why he was so ticked. He had almost voiced this opinion but Ace, one of the Brooklyn Newsies had made the mistake first and he had the shiner to prove it too.

Race decided the best action was to just sit back and play poker. He normally broke the ice in these sorts of situations but he had never seen Spot this angry. Some how he didn't think that the Brooklyn leader would appreciate his jokes like the other newsies would. He watched as Spot stood up from the poker table flipping it over in disgust and then stalked into his room at the end of the bunkroom, slamming the door. Race had thought he could hear a collective sigh of relief at the leaders exit. He turned his attention back to the other newsies. "So whaddya all tink- two maybe three weeks since he last got any?" His joke floated through the room. Seconds later all the newsies were laughing and enjoying themselves once again.

Spot had heard Race's joke. It had talked all his might to not go out and pummel the Italian boy. He knew he had been taking his anger out on the boys unfairly. It was him who had been stupid. He had lost his father's cane. He could almost feel tears burn his eyes - almost. He must have lost it when he fell on the girl. He had been so busy fighting with her he hadn't even noticed. He had gone back to the dock after making sure Raven was okay. It had been a stupid hope to think that it would be laying there waiting for him upon his return. He had wondered if the girl had taken it. He doubted it - it was probably long gone. He thought out loud "Even if she had picked it up she probably already hawked it." It was a gold tipped cane after all. It was extremely valuable.

His thoughts were interrupted when he had heard through the doors the other newsies shouts of hello to Cowboy. He listened as Jack made an announcement. "Dis' ere' is Kate. She gonna be a Newsie in Manhattan." He could hear the newsies shout out their names to the new girl. He suddenly heard a knock on the door. "Uh, Jack I wouldn' do dat if I was you'se." Spot could hear Race say. As Spot opened the door he shot Race a look that told him he was already on thin ice. Race immediately understood- the newsie had heard his earlier joke. Race looked at the table to avoid Spot's glare.

"Heya Spotty boy!" Jack said smirking. "I hoid ya had a bad day. Do you'se wanna talk about it?" Spot glared at Jack the iciest glare he could. He wasn't in the mood for his friends wisecracks.

"Guess not." Jack pushed his way past Spot. "Come on Kate what are ya waitin' for?" Jack said glancing back. Spot threw himself on his bed not really caring to meet Jack's latest conquest. He glanced over as she walked through.

"YOU!" He shot off his bed.

"You!" She replied mockingly to him.

"Oh good - so ya's twoise has already met." Jack said sarcastically but not really all that sure where this was going.

"I want er' outta ere' Jack. She ain't got no respect." Spot said hotly. Jack stood from his leaning stance against a nightstand.

"Ah come on Spot-" He didn't get to finish his sentence as Spot cut him off. "No Jack. She's gone - get er' outta me sight." Kate stood back offended.

"Fine you drongo!" She said turning. "By the way I thought you might want this back." She said as pulled his cane out of her back. She tossed it to him and made a quick exit out of the building. She had no idea where she was or where she was going.

Jack paused looking at his friend before pushing him out of the way. "What da hell was dat for?!" He asked angrily.

Spot starred at the cane. "Damn it!" he said aloud. "I'll get er' Jack!"

He hated when he misjudged people. So she had been a little bitchy when he fell on her - he would have been too- but she had returned his father's cane. That counted for a lot is Spot's book. He ran out of the lodging house as Jack stepped aside. He looked around trying to see if he could see her. He began walking back towards the dock. Maybe she had headed back towards the area where he first met her. That's when he heard something in an ally he was passing.

"Where do ya get off bein' a hoity-toity bitch?!" A gruff male voice said. Spot approached the ally cautiously. He could see a crowd of four men. He saw her slammed up against the wall. Spot wasn't stupid he knew he couldn't just rush in - not against four guys. If he did that she could get hurt worse. He listened and tried to come up with a plan. "Let's see what you got in ere'." The biggest man hissed into her face. "Photographs - ain't dat sweet. Wow boys look at dis group of fine females! Man dat brunette would be a good nail huh?" The man said as he held the photo out to the others. Spot watched as she angrily struggled against one of the man. The big man tossed aside a few more belongings. "Well, well what do we ave' ere'" he said. Spots eyes went wide as he saw the man pull a gun out of the bag.

"Shit!" Spot mumbled. He was now really unsure of a plan. Spot watched as the man rubbed the barrel of the gun against the girls face. She immediately stopped struggling against the two men that had either of her arms pinned. Spot decided it was now or never. He knew he couldn't walk away. This girl had brought back the only piece of his past that he had left. Aside from that, he had knocked her pretty hard into the dock early. He bolted into the view of the men. He slammed his cane into the head of the man who had been sitting back watching. The man crumpled to the ground. Spot flung his cane around as the men who had been holding the girl to the wall charged at him. Kate seeing an opportunity kneed the fat man who had been holding the gun in the groin. He doubled over and dropped the gun. Spot caught a glimpse of her punching the man in the face as he took another swing at one of the other men. Spot continued his fight with three of the men but they all stopped suddenly when they heard the crack of a gun shot. Spot turned to see who had taken the hit as the other three men ran in fear. He saw the girl standing over the man. The man sat wide eyed starring at his crotch. Spot could hear a hissing sound and he knew the man was wetting himself out of fear. Spot glanced down and noticed a glint on the ground. There on the ground a mere inch from the man's crotch was the bullet. His eyes went wide as he turned his attention to the girl with the gun. She relaxed her grip on the gun and spoke. "You're lucky you got me and not the brunette in the picture - Claire would have shot your family jewels to pieces. Now rack off you drongo!" The man sat still clearly in shock. "You heard me- now get out of here!" She took a threatening step towards him. The man struggled, slipping in his own bodily fluids. When he was gone she turned to Spot. "Thanks," she said casually as she began picking up her belongings and throwing them back in her bag.

Spot stood wide eyed and finally moved his mouth from the gapping position to speak. "God who are you and could you please tell me what the hell a drongo is?!"

The girl dropped her bag and walked over to him. She slowly extended her hand to him and then with a smirk said, "Kate, Kate Kingland."

AN: And so the first chapter ends….I really want to know what everyone thinks of it so far. Please, please, please review! Thanks for reading…I will be updating dependant on the feedback.

NEW AN: I haven't sent this to a BETA reader….I had a bad experience with one last time so I usually have my friend edit for me. Unfortunately my friend has had a personal tragedy in her life and isn't up to doing this sort of stuff at this time. I know there are many errors. If any really stand out I would appreciate if you please do as MissRoman did and point them out to me. I will try and fix them. Thanks!