Authors Note:

So, I was going through some stuff on my computer and found a bunch of old stories I had that aren't posted anymore so I thought I would put them up…So I am. This is Part 1 of a series technically I guess. After this comes Wrongfully Attracted.

Well, most of these characters aren't mine actually. Actually…none of them are come to think of it. Oh well..

Introduction

She held onto the pole and tried to catch her breath, watching the scenery pass by quickly. She doubled over weak and out of breath trying to hold the tears in. 'Well, ya made it Melody. Yer on da way ta Manhattan an' finally goin' ta be safe. Well, safer dan ya were wid dose pick pockets, at least.'

Once she had caught her breath she slipped into one of the train cars and curled up between a few boxes, praying she wouldn't be found. She let the tears of relief and grief fall down her face and thought for the millionth time, "How did I evah get meself inta dis mess? I jest wish I'd stayed in dat damn church. It woulda been bettah dan dis, by far. At least I'se got away an' I'll get ta start ovah in Manhattan, it may not be dat far but it'll do da trick.'

Part One

Five Years Later

After half a decade on the streets, Melody was nothing like the person she had been before. Once a warm, sensitive girl, she had become a cold and unfeeling child of the streets. Begging, stealing, and starving had become part of her life. She learned how to defend and take care of herself. Years ago, she had left her home too absorbed in her own misery to live, and found a life elsewhere. Today, she found herself still wondering where she went wrong.

Realizing she hadn't had anything to eat in about a day and a half she set out in search of some nourishment. Eyeing a cart of bread, she slowly grabbed a sample and began to slip away, but she didn't count on the owner being wary of such tricks. Just as she thought she had gotten away, she heard him call out to the police. That was her cue to disappear. Melody took off down an alley, but didn't know this part of the city and had no idea where to go. Taking her chances, she slipped around the corner and weaved through a maze of carts and people, intent on finding someplace safe, but the police were hot after her.

Just when she was going to give up, she felt an arm go around her waist and pull her into an alley. About to scream, she felt a hand go over her mouth. No stranger to situations like this, she bit the hand that held her and elbowed her attacker in the stomach. After Melody had finally struggled away, she got a look at her attacker-- he was laughing.

"You'se a feisty one, ain't ya?" her attacker stated rather than questioned between laughs, one eye glinting in amusement, the other covered by a patch.

"What da hell do you want?" Melody was definitely not in the mood to be laughed at.

"I'se gonna see if you'se needed help gettin' 'way from them bulls, but –"

Melody cut him off, "I could. Let's go." She didn't normally let her guard down this easily, but she needed his help and knew it.
Her attacker, grabbing her hand, led her into a building not far from the street. Guiding her inside, he and the man behind the front desk exchanged a meaningful glance and the man mumbled, "Never saw ya, don't know about ya, couldn't stop ya."

Curiously glancing at the man talking to himself, Melody felt herself being led up steps, into a room. After closing the door, the boy with the patch turned to her, "I'se guessin' you'se got some questions."

"Who are ya? Where am I? Why did ya save – " Melody began to rant.

"Whoa! One at a time!" the boy exclaimed.

Blushing a little, she asked, "Who are ya?"

"Me name's Blink. Well dat's what I'se called. Whats yer name?"

"Oh, me name is Melody," she said holding out her hand. He spit in his and shook hers.

"Eew! Why'd ya do dat?" Melody questioned, a little disgusted.

"Sorry, dat's jest what we'se does 'round here," Blink responded.

"Where is here?"

"Dis is the Newsboy's Lodging House," Blink proudly stated, looking lovingly around the shabby room.

"Yer a Newsie?"

"Yep."

"Why did ya help me? Even aftah I bit ya?"

"You'se looked kinda desperate ta git 'way from them bulls, an' I'se knows how dat feels."

"Oh well, sorry 'bout bitin' ya an' everythin'."

"I'se woulda done da same thing, 'cept not," Blink chastised and chuckled. "I know I'se wouldn't a trusted someone who grabbed me from behind."

"Well, thanks. I bettah be goin'. I don't want ta get ya in trouble," Melody said, walking towards the door.

Blink however got there first. "Nu uh, I'se ain't lettin' you'se out der just yet. 'Sides, I'se wants ya ta meet me friends. They'se should be comin' back any minute." At his last statement he indicated to the setting sun outside.

"Are you shoah dat it will be all right?" Melody inquired tentatively

.
"A 'course, but what should I introduce ya as. Everyone heah has a nickname 'cause it ain't safe ta go around usin' real names."

"Umm, I dunno know. What kinda nicknames are der?"
"Well, like I'se said I'se Blink an' den der's Cowboy, da leadah a da Manhattan newsies, Mush, Racetrack, Skittery, Sniper, Fish, Spot – "

Melody cut him off laughing, "Spot!" she gasped.

"I'se wouldn't laugh if I'se were you'se." Blink warned.

"C'mon, Spot? What is he, a little puppy dog?"

"Not quite…" sounded a voice came from the door alerting them of additional company.

Melody turned around to find a very handsome, but deadly looking boy in the doorway. His eyes, beautiful though they were, were cold, and his face was expressionless. An air of authority hung around him as thick as fog.

Blink stuttered a bit, "Hey…she's new…she didn't know…uh…"

Melody looked at Blink, "What's wrong wid ya?" she mouthed.

He mouthed back, "Dat woulda be yer little puppy dog."

Her eyes widened a little, then she giggled and turned back to the figure in the doorway. "Wow," she said, "Yer name doesn't fit ya at all."

She studied him looking for a reaction, the only thing she found was a smirk.

'Boy is he intimidating. Ya wanna take it down a notch. But he is hot! Not da time ta think about dat. But look at dat face, and da outfit, those pink suspenders are so workin', Melody thought.

At the same time Blink was thinking, 'Please don't kill 'er or anythin'. Thank you God fer his rule 'gainst hittin' goils!'

Blink stammered, "Harmony, Ise'd like ya ta meet Spot, da leadah a Brooklyn."

'Goodbye life as Melody, hello life as Harmon,', Harmony thought

.
"It's nice ta meet ya Spot," Harmony greeted, holding out her hand.

Surprisingly enough, Spot didn't shake it, he just stood there with a calculating look on his face. When she was about to pull her hand back, he spit in his and shook it.

'Why do they keep spittin'? It's so gross!' Harmony internally shuttered. Behind her, she could hear Blink exhale.

"What brings you'se ta dese parts, Spot?" Blink queried.

"Business," Spot simply stated.

"Well it's good ta see ya."

"Jack heah?" Spot asked.

Before Blink had a chance to answer there was a banging of the front door and the sound of a stampede heading upstairs. Believing it to be the police, Harmony squeaked and jumped on one of the dozens of the bunk beds in the room, covering herself before the door opened.

Spot and Blink, both unperturbed by the noises downstairs looked at her oddly. Well really, Blink looked at her oddly and Spot stared with his unchanged expression.

"Is dere somethin' wrong wid dat goil?" he asked Blink who just shrugged.

The door swung open revealing a herd of tired, sweaty, but good-looking boys led by a boy with a bandanna around his throat. When he glanced around the room his eyes settled on Spot. He walked towards him with a blank expression, which suddenly erupted into a smile. He spit in his hand and held it out to Spot who did the same.

Harmony, who had been watching from under the cover, grimaced. 'What is wid da exchange a saliva?!?'

"How's it goin' wid you, Spot?" the bandanna boy asked.

"Fine, Cowboy. But before we'se talk business, you'se should knows dat Cyclops ovah der," Spot said indicating Blink who was now glaring at Spot, "brought sum goil 'n heah and she is 'n your bed. Plus, she'se outta her mind."

Harmony, realizing her cover was blown, squeaked in protest causing nearly everyone in the room to jump.

Cowboy walked over to the bed in which she was hiding and lifted the cover. "Blink, it ain't me birthday fer at least anuddah month."

Everyone, except Spot and Blink, stared at her. Noticing all the looks, she gave up any hope of escaping introductions and sat up.

"Hey everyone," she said weakly.

"Uh, hey, I'se Jack, Jack Kelly," stammered the boy who had uncovered her and been referred to as 'Cowboy'. She stared at Jack for quite awhile before forcing herself to avert her gaze afraid that it would betray her . She realized the moment she laid eyes on him that she recognized him from a past life she was desperate to forget.

All the other guys in the room seemed star-struck and had not yet recovered from their shock that there was a girl in their room.

Spot, looking disgusted, well not really, he still hadn't really changed his expression, but you could tell he was disgusted. "Ain't none of you'se seen a goil befoah?"

"Course we has. It's jest, never 'n me bed."

"Sure you'se hasn't, Cowboy," teased one of the boys nudging him in the side.

"Off me back Mush. You knose I'se didn' mean it dat way."

Blink offered Harmony his hand. "Why don't you'se git out of dat bed an' meet everybody."

"Fine, as long as nobody tries ta do dat spit thing ta me, again," Harmony commented, drawing a laugh from everyone, except Spot.

'Does dat guy evah change his expression?!?' she wondered.

Blink took over introductions. "Dat der is Mush, Race, Skittery, Sniper, Crutchy, Boots…"

After a few names, Harmony's eyes glossed over, she could never remember all the names.

"…and you'se already knows me, Jack, and – " Blink was cut off.

"- Spot, da little puppy dog," Spot interrupted.

If there had been any sound in the room before, there was nothing now. Everyone with half a brain could guess what had happened before they'd entered the room. Spot, intimidating as ever, circled the new girl with the same expression he'd had since she'd first seen him.

"Spot – " Jack started, but stopped when Spot turned a glare his way. This boy was not one to be toyed with, obviously.

"You'se got somethin' ta say, Cowboy?"

"Yeah, you'se scarin' her, quit it."

"Spot, da little puppy dog – "

Blink burst in, "She didn't knowse who'se you'se was! It wasn' her fault!"

Spot was a short boy, but obviously that didn't make him a weak boy, when he slammed Blink into the wall with his hand to his throat.

"What has you'se been told 'bout talkin' when I'se is? Huh?" Spot questioned rhetorically, dropping his hand from Blink's throat leaving him to rub his neck while he turned back to Harmony.

"As I'se was sayin'. Spot, da little puppy dog." A deep intake of breath was heard in the room from several boys until he finished with: "I'se likes it."

Harmony, who had been expecting, well, anything but that, gasped. When she looked up, she saw that he was smiling. 'Smilin'? He had actually changed expression?'

"What, you'se thinkin' I couldn' change expression?" Spot asked, the amusement very obvious in his voice.

"Well.. .yeah," Harmony responded, knowing that was exactly what she had been thinking.

"Spot heah is a real great guy so long as ya don't cross him. Which I'se strongly suggests you'se don't do," Blink warned, rubbing his throat.

"So, Harmony, tell us 'bout yerself." Spot commanded. "We'se likes ta know 'a little 'bouts people befoah trustin' em."

"Well, I nevah asked ya ta trust me, did I?" she shot back, not ready to talk about her past. "I nevah asked fer any of dis. Thanks fer da help but I should go, now." With a quick nod to Blink, Harmony ran down the stairs and out the front, only vaguely aware of the shouts from upstairs.

Her mad dash left the guys befuddled. Everyone except Blink and Spot (who had instinctively reverted to his cold, expressionless form) had their jaws hanging. After Jack had regained his senses he turned to the group.

"Boys, we'se all knows dat Manhattan ain't safe, 'specially aftah dark. We'se gotta find 'er, befoah she'se gets 'n trouble." After Jack spoke everyone but he and Spot scurried out of the room.

Turning to his long-time friend, he commented, "Spot, der's somethin' seriously wrong wit' dat goil."

"I'se told ya she'se crazy." Spot replied.

"But der's somethin' else 'bout 'er. She's…different…" Jack drifted off.

"Yeah, I guess she is," Spot went along.

Jack finally snapped out of it and questioned, "So, Spot, why was ya heah?"

"Well, Jacky-boy, I'se 'n need of a little help,." Spot declared as if nearly choking the words.

Jack, understanding it was hard for Spot to ask for help, even from his best friend, just nodded his head. "What can I'se do fer ya?"

"Well, see, things are getting' rough 'n Brooklyn an' I'se needs ta git a few a me boys out. Ya understand?" Spot asked.

"No problem, we'se got a couple a exter beds heah, but I'se don't want any trouble from em." It was a commonly known fact that Brooklyn newsies were the roughest of them all and didn't tolerate much before a fight would start. It was also known that Spot was the only one any of them would listen to. He may look like a little boy, but he was a skillful leader, fighter, and just about everything else. He was a guy that everyone could look up to and fear.
"Der won't be. If any of um tries anythin' jest send em back, Ise'll deal wid em," Spot said with a menacing look in his eyes, making Jack afraid to hand any one over to him, for any reason.

"Ok, whens dey comin'?" Jack asked.

"Well, I'se was gonna stay heah da nite, an' send em ovah da next day. Ise'll collect em when everythin' is safe if dats alright wid you'se," Spot explained.

"No problem heah. Hey, I'se think I'se jist heard da boys come 'n," Jack stated referring to banging coming from downstairs.

The boys burst into the room carrying an unconscious and beaten Harmony.

Jack was furious, "What da hell did you'se do ta 'er?"

"We'se didn' 'ave anythin' ta do wit' dis. Honest!" Blink assured.

"What happened?" Spot interrogated as they laid her back on Jack's bed where she had been hiding a little over an hour ago.

"Well….we'se don' really know…" Mush started, his voice getting quieter as he spoke.

"How can none of you'se guys know what happened?" Jack let out an exasperated sigh. "Who'se the one who'se found her?"

"That'd be me," Blink admitted.

"Alright, Cyclops," Spot said. "Where'd ya find her?"

"Stop callin' me dat!" Blink exclaimed.

"You'se wanna try ta tell me what ta do again?" Spot threatened.

Avoiding the subject, Blink reverted to the former question, "I'se found her in an alley, again. 'Cept dis time she wasn't bitin' me."

"I wanna heah dat story latah!" someone called out.

"Which alley?" Spot asked, ignoring the outburst.

"Da one by da City Hall." Blink responded.

"Ain't dat Queens territrey?" Spot asked Jack.

"I'se gonna soak dem." Jack yelled and ran towards the door. Spot motioned to two of the boys by the door to block his way and they obliged.

"Jack, calm yerself. Foist we'se gotta help her, den wese'll deal out da revenge. 'Sides, we don't even know her. It was her fault she ran outta heah."

"Yeah…well I jest really hate Queens…" Jack admitted. "I'se gonna go outside an' have a cigarette an' Ise'll cum back when I'se feelin' bettah."

Jack went for the window but was tugged back inside by Spot. "I'se not dat easy ta fool. Git back inside."

"Spot, they'se deserve everythin' they'se gonna git," Jack, more or less, whined.

Spot slapped Jack, "Pull yerself togethah man. Dese guys are countin' on you'se ta be der leadah, so act like it!" Spot scolded.

"But Spot, no body, specially no goil, deserves ta be beat up like dat! I'se gotta do somethin'!"

"Den git her some help. She's gonna make it an' all dat, but she's gonna be 'n a lotta pain." Spot said.

Jack resigned, "Ise'll go an' get Kloppmann, he'll know what ta do."

"No, you aren't goin' anywheres till I'se sure you'se ain't plannin' anythin' stupid! One of you'se guys, go and git him fer Jack."

"No need," Harmony said, awakening from unconsciousness. "I'll be on me way."

Once again she caused everyone, except Spot, to jump.

"You'se been 'n enough trouble as it is, der ain't no way I'se lettin' you out a heah." Spot declared.
"We'll it's a good thing that no one has ta let me do anythin'. I – "

Just as she was about to dig her grave deeper, a boy dripping from perspiration and huffing from running made his way towards Spot. Between deep inhalations, the boy managed to whisper something in his ear that caused Spot to turn to Jack.

"I'se don't want her or you'se ta leave dis room an' I'se means it. I'se gotta git back ta Brooklyn. Ise'll send dose boys ovah tomarah," Spot said, then left the room at a slow pace followed by a frantic looking messenger. His calm exit was purposely misleading on the urgency of the matter.

"There is no way I'se gunna let him tell me what to do. I said I was goin', and I am. Thanks fer yer help, but leave me alone!" Harmony exclaimed, trying to get to her feet. That turned out to be a little more difficult than she had predicted. On her first attempt she fell right back. The second time she stood for a few seconds, before she collapsed into the arms of a waiting Blink.

"I'se don't think you'se 'n quite da shape ta be travelin'. Why don't you'se stay 'til you'se feelin' bettah? Den, no one will try ta stop ya and youse'll be bettah off," Blink reasoned.

"All right, but I'm not happy 'bout it." Harmony resigned while being laid back into bed by Blink.

"You'se don't have ta be happy 'bout it, you'se jest gotta do it. I ain't known ya very long, but I'se takin a likin' ta ya an' I don't wanna see anythin' bad happen to you'se…again," Blink stated.

"You'se okay Harmony? I'se don't know if you'se remembers me, but I'se undah house arrest wid you'se now. Undah the command a Mr. High-n'-Mighty Puppy Dog, I'se not ta leave dis place until he says I'se can. Same fer you'se I'se believes."

"So I've heard. Are ya actually goin' ta listen ta him?" Harmony asked him.

"Yeah, but not fer the reasons yer thinkin'. I'se listenin' cause Spot is one of me closest friends an' he knows when I'se upset, I does stupid, foolish things. In dis case, I'se was 'bout ta take on da whole a Queens, you'se seems ta be a weak spot. When I'se seen you'se all beaten up, I was real upset. Spot puttin' me undah house arrest was prolly da best thing. Der are ways oddah den soaking guys and breaking alliances ta git revenge…" Jack finished.

"I don't understand. I haven't known ya fer more den a day, and while yer 'round, I'm not nice ta ya at all, yet ya still seem ta want ta help me out. I really don't understand," Harmony said, a little confused. She had done her best to keep people away from her ever since, a long time, and up until now, she had been successful.

She also had other reasons for not wanting him in particular to get close to her. Earlier in her life she had known Jack and they had been the best of friends. It was strange seeing him again and she was happy about it but she knew that she had hurt him when she left the first time, and couldn't imagine doing it again. It was best if he never remembered her, and this house arrest wasn't going to help hide her secret.

"It's simple. I'se likes ya. You'se reminds me of a real special goil I'se use ta know," Jack said. "Besides, youse'll learn dat in Manhattan, newsies are too nice fer der own good. We'se da friendly, trustin' type. If you'se wants secrecy an' all dat, Brooklyn'd suit ya much bettah. Dem newsies, like Spot, dey keeps ta themselves. But deys tough. Can't remembah a fight deys didn't win…"

"Jack, I'se a little worn out, would ya mind if I took a little nap?" Harmony abruptly asked, none too subtly hinting that she wanted him to leave.

"Nope, course not." Jack replied, innocently ignorant that she didn't want him around.

"Goodnight Jack. Goodnight Blink." she called to them as she settled into her temporary bed.

'I bettah stay on me toes around dese boys. I gotta remembah dat I'm in dis world alone and nothin's gunna change dat…not even dese boys…even if dey are really cute…I mean nice…,,' Harmony thought, drifting off to sleep.