Warning: This story contains adult language, adult themes, and sexually explicit themes. Reader's discretion is advised. Rating - R.

Disclaimer: I do not own Newsies or any of the Newsies characters. Brett, Brynn, Cocoa, Agnes, Maddock, Ms. Barrett, and other miscellaneous characters are all mine. Sweets and Morning Dew own themselves.

Chapter 2: A Daydream Come True

Balancing herself carefully on a ladder, Brett skillfully dusted the light fixtures in every room in the building and well as cleaning the dust from the paintings that were hanging in every room. She then checked to see if the lights worked in case they needed to replace any light bulbs. As she checked the equipment, Brynn politely interrupted her.

"Brett, do you want to go catch a show tonight? Cocoa and I were planning on going to either Irving Hall or someplace else for some fun. How about it?"

"Sure. When do you want to leave?"

"Right after work, which will end in a few minutes, lass, so hurry up!"

Brett lightly chuckled at her friend's request. As she descended the ladder, she felt a couple of hands gently grab her by the waist, helping her down.

"Oh, thanks, Maddock."

"No problem. You know, you have a really nice body. You waist and stomach feel so tight. I wonder what else is tight."

She just looked at Maddock like he was crazy. Since he was the resident flirt, she put up with his advances. Although she found him very attractive, she knew that he was not the type of man to become seriously involved with.

"So, sweetheart, when are you and me going to go out?"

"Does a quarter 'til never sound good?" Maddock playfully put his hand to his heart.

"Ouch, sweetie, that hurt! But I like a woman with a little fire!" She turned on her heel as he followed her towards the lobby. She approached Ms. Barrett who was busy at the desk.

"I just finished dusting all of the rooms and checking the light fixtures. Everything seems still in tact."

"Very good, Brett. You can go now. Have a good evening and be careful."

"I will, thanks." She quickly went to a closet to retrieve her belongings while Maddock stood at the desk talking to Ms. Barrett. She then heard footsteps approaching her in the distance.

"Well, are you going to come with us tonight?"

"Definitely. Since I didn't go out with you and Brynn last week, I'm going to make it up to you tonight."

"Great! I'm glad that you decided to come along this time. I don't want you becoming a recluse. You're young. You've got to live it up!" Cocoa happily stated.

"Brynn, let's go!" Cocoa yelled as Brynn came running out of the ladies' room. "Goodbye, Ms. Barrett." All of the young women said in unison.

"Goodbye, girls!" She answered with Maddock waving to them. She then turned to Maddock. "What are you thinking about, young man?"

"I'm trying to decide which one of those young lovelies I can bed before the year is out. I'd like to taste all three of them at once!"

A swift, middle-aged hand came across Maddock's forehead as Ms. Barrett started smacking him repeatedly as he only laughed at her display of anger.

~

Brett, Brynn, and Cocoa were on their way to the theatre of their choice. They decided to go to The Crimson Cabaret, a new nightclub that people were raving about. The girls stopped at Cocoa and Brynn's apartment so that they could freshen up a bit before heading out to the nightspot.

On their way out, Agnes was passing by o n the opposite side of the street. They did nto see each other in the fleeting.

Holding on to a basket full of clothes, Agnes passed through the streets of lower Manhattan tight-lipped and reserved. She had come back from picking up clothes from a laundress who was paid to wash their clothes on their behalf since both Agnes and her mother worked around the clock. Her two brothers stopped to converse with some of their friends when she realized that they were not immediately behind her.

"Come on, Charles! And you too, Dean. Don't talk to their kind!"

"Aw, shut up, Agnes! You're not me mudda!" Spat out Dean.

"It's mother. Don't talk like street trash, young man!"

"Oh, you need a man, Agnes. Then maybe you won't be so uptight!" Charles relayed.

Agnes rolled her eyes at their insolent comments. Huffing and puffing, Agnes stormed off to her tenement building that she simply abhorred.

Her younger brothers would hang out with the guttersnipes of Manhattan, much to her dismay. She looked down on the homeless lads of New York and looked down even further on her own brothers for wanting to consort with such persons. They would occasionally pickpocket just to show that they could fit in with the rest of the gang.

She had to make it home in time to assist her mother in sewing and embroidering clothes for people who paid her to do such. Everything from baby bonnets and sleeve garters to feather stitching and fancy hand work was performed. Her mother worked from the home as a seamstress and worked as much as she could to maintain a stable economic income. She did not like living in a lower-income bracket, but she had to do what she had to do. Agnes' father did not get home until late in the afternoon. She had wished that her father did not die. He was a prosperous banker who never had to work with his hands, except to scribble down bottom lines and balance sheets. Manual labor was not her family's alley until the harsh reality of a loss of house and home hit him hard and he had to start all over, downgrading to living in an apartment building of modest means.

Agnes hated living under these circumstances. She knew that she needed to get out as soon as possible. She decided to set her sights on finding a man to marry and getting herself out of her situation by any means. The quicker, the better.

~

Jack laid on the edge of the rooftop's ledge, looking up at the stars and smoking a cigarette. It was a peaceful and warm night. The stars in the sky were in the millions as he lay there staring up at them. They looked like diamonds decorating an ebony canvas above the earth. What beautiful creations God made, he thought to himself.

He thought about visiting Spot later on that night since it was a Friday and he gathered that Spot was either playing poker with his friends or spending quality time with his pretty girlfriend that Spot was bragging about last time they hung out. It was "Morning Dew this and Morning Dew that." He was happy for him.

He wondered if he would be so lucky. He had been in a string of wavering relationships. Except for maybe two or three where he really loved the girl he was involved with. But he lost them due to various circumstances. After all, when one just gives love and never gets love, one better let love depart. He wondered to himself when he was going to find a woman that would love to have him around for more than a few months, past the one-year mark.

He kept taking puffs from his cigarette as his thoughts whizzed back and forth. He started getting restless at this point and decided to turn in early. The loneliness was killing him.

As he made his way down the stairwell, he caught sight of a couple standing up against the wall. It was obvious what they were doing. The boyfriend mounted his girlfriend as he wrapped her legs around his waist, thrusting himself into her with impassioned force. Jack stood there for a while and watched them. They seemed oblivious to his existence. Jack remembered engaging himself in such activities in public. The risk of getting caught or spied on was a turn-on for him. Smiling to himself about the situations, he immediately decided to head back to his apartment and head for bed, but not before taking a cold shower.

~

The past few weeks were especially hectic for the employees at the boarding house. In the building that had ten bedrooms, all with amenities. A small group of young teenage girls were in town for a couple of weeks. They ranged in ages of twelve to eighteen. This was a delightful event for Maddock.

Since he was twenty-two, he thought that the eighteen year old and the seventeen year old girls were the perfect targets for him. He noticed that they all eyed him whenever he passed by. The shy ones giggled and the more bold ones openly admired him. He loved the attention. He humored them by talking to them whenever he wasn't busy, but he had sexual designs on the eldest ones of the group.

The feminine borders liked where they were staying and they found the members of staff very friendly, except for Agnes, of course. Two of the girls had already complained to Cocoa of her unwillingness to help them when they needed it. Another frankly stated that she did not like Agnes' attitude. Cocoa and Brett expressed to them that they totally understood their grievances and that if they needed anything to ask for either of them or for Brynn. The girls were very appreciative of their hospitality.

Agnes was on her way to the broom closet when Maddock passed her by. "Hey, Agnes. How was your flight?"

"What are you talking about, cretin?"

"Well, you're putting your broom away, so I was wondering how your flight was!"

Giving him the death glare, Agnes decided not to dignify his question with a response. As she proceeded to move on to her next duty, she was stopped by the voice of her sparring partner.

"Hey, Agnes, come here."

"What!"

"Just come here, please. I've got something I want to ask you." He pleaded.

Sympathy setting into her system, Agnes casually walked over to Maddock to see what he wanted. Once she approached him, she looked at him with sensitive eyes. "Well, what is that you want?"

"Nothing. I just wanted to see how far I can pull a jackass over to me."

Insulted, Agnes reached up and punched him in the arm, which had a little affect on the laughing prankster. He thought that this was the perfect opportunity to mess with her. He continued laughing as she stormed away from him turning the corner to proceed to her next task.

~

Brynn reminded herself of some supplies that she had promised to bring to a friend. It was almost time for she and Brett to leave and she wanted some company. Brett agreed to the trip.

Carrying a somewhat heavy box, Brynn managed to walk several blocks towards her destination. Seeing that she may be needing help, Brett decided to assist her. Brynn quickly reiterated that she did not need any help. Brett only laughed at her independent attitude as she saw that she was struggling with the box of supplies.

In the distance, Brynn saw two young men coming their way; one looking very familiar. "Blink, is that you?" She asked as he got closer to the two women.

"Brynn! My God! I haven't seen ya in years! How are ya, sweetie!?" Brynn swiftly passed the box over to Brett as Blink encased her in a massive bear hug. Brett looked on happily as the two got carried away in their reunion. Jack, however, had his eyes on something else.

Brynn and Blink hadn't seen each other since before the strike of 1899. She would buy a paper from him every other day. She had a huge crush on him as well, until another handsome guy swept her off her feet.

As they got reacquainted, Brett immediately took notice of Jack. She was instantly drawn to how attractive he was. Jack felt the same way about her. The two kept eyeing each other as their friends went on and on about how they needed to hang out with each other again.

"Oh, before I forget my manners, this is my good friend Brett. Brett, this is Blink." Brynn took the box away from her so that she could formally engage in pleasantries. Blink kissed her hand.

"Hello, Brett, and dis is my friend, Jack Kelly."

Jack immediately took her hand and repeated the same gesture. Brett remembered hearing about Jack years ago when he spearheaded the strike. She heard that he was cute, but she didn't think that he was this damn gorgeous! His looks rivaled that of Spot Conlon, another handsome male.

"Well, where were you two headed?" Brynn asked.

"I was on my way ta Brooklyn ta see my girlfriend. And Jack was on his way home. We are just getting back from work. We work at da Manhattan Iron Works."

"Oh, so that explains the big muscles you have acquired! I remember when you were just this skinny little blonde boy. Now, you're a stud!" Brynn teased as Blink laughed.

"Well, where do you work?" Blink asked.

"The Barrett Boarding House. It's only a few blocks away." Jack kept looking at Brett, who was taking furtive glances at Jack like a shy little girl. She never realized how short she was until she looked at Jack. He was very tall. She gathered that he had to be at least 6'2".

Brynn soon reminded Blink of his date with his girlfriend and about how women do not like to be kept waiting. Blink quickly reiterated that they had to hang out one night together to catch up on old times. Blink gave her another hug before allowing them to depart and saying goodbye to both ladies. Jack watched them as they walked on and turned the corner. As soon as they were out of sight, Blink turned to Jack.

"Okay Jack, what's up with dat?"

"What?"

"Dat look you were giving her? Don't think dat I don't know when you are thunderstruck whenever ya see a goil ya like!"

"Whatta ya talking about? I wasn't looking at her?"

"Your tongue was on da floor!"

"Well, okay. I was checking her out."

"Take it easy, Cowboy! She obviously works with Brynn at da Barrett Boarding House a few streets up. Maybe we'll visit them one day."

Jack smiled at Blink's suggestion. "She could tempt the devil himself." Jack stated. They continued to stroll down the block to their prospective destinations.