A/N: Thanks for the reviews! And please, if you read the chapter take time to send me a little note…just so I know that you're reading and loving it! It inspires me to update sooner

I apologize for not making it clear with the first chapter (I had thought about it but forgot to mention). Yes, I guess you could consider this a bit of a crossover with the Broadway show! I never really minded Denton, but Sarah was SOOOO boring that I decided to replace her (and Denton) with Katherine from the show. I'm sticking with the original newsies, though, because I can't keep up with the newbies. The reason I didn't upload it as a crossover is because the Jack/Katherine coupling isn't the main story so I didn't feel it necessary…sorry again for the confusion!

I hope you enjoy the new chapter, and I can't wait to hear from my readers!

Three weeks followed and Mush made the factory his official place to sell newspapers. The worker girls always had a smile for him, and he could sell two hundred or more papers in a day between the morning and evening editions. During those few weeks he and Lily had also grown closer, but not enough that she felt comfortable telling him her name. Mush was frustrated on one hand, but he told himself that she was worth the wait. Besides, she couldn't keep this up forever, right? Lily's friends had also gotten to know Mush and had agreed to not let their friend's name slip out while he was around.

"Hey goils!" Mush said as he came up to the third floor where Lily, Rosie, Vivian, and Lydia were.

"Morning!" they all greeted.

"Here's one for da sweet Lydia, one for da beautiful Rosie, one for da talkative Vivian, and one for da gorgeous goil wit no name," he said while placing a paper in front of each girl. When he got to Lily, he kissed her cheek before placing the paper down.

"Mush, you're such a flirt!" said Rosie with a laugh, sliding money his way.

"Well, dat is part of how I'se got my nickname!" he chuckled, pocketing the coins the girls gave him.

"What's the other part?" asked Lily.

"Uh…I'se rather not say."

The girls laughed. Lily could only imagine how many girls Mush had chased before they met, and decided not to dwell on it. It was amazing how jealous she found herself if she did think about the endless list of previous girlfriends he probably had. Of course, she would never admit that to anyone, not even herself.

"Mush, what IS your real name?" questioned Lydia.

"Shawn."

"I like it," said Lily with a small smile, her fingers working as fast as they could with the dress she was working on.

"Of course you'se like it. You'se would like his name even if it toined out ta be Bernard or Eugene 'cause you'se think he's hot!" said Rosie.

Lily blushed and hit Rosie with the top of a dress she was working on. Not very painful but effective enough that she got the point to shut her mouth. "Rosie!" she yelled.

Mush laughed and took satisfaction in knowing that there was a mutual attraction between the two. It would definitely work to his advantage. Before then he knew that she would flirt with him in her own way or give him a smile, but it was never enough of a confirmation that she liked him in the way he thought of her.

"So Lily, what are you'se…" started Vivian but stopped when she realized her mistake. "I'se so sorry!" she apologized.

"You'se idiot," yelled Rosie, smacking Vivian upside the head.

"Don't hit her Rosie, it's fine. Mush would have found out sooner or later," said Lily. She had actually planned to tell him later today but Vivian had made it easier on her.

Mush bent over and whispered in her ear, "So your name's Lily…I'se like it."

"Well thanks, I guess." She glanced over to him, and found Mush staring back. He was looking at her mouth a little too intently for her liking. "Hey, aren't you supposed to meet with your friends for lunch? Don't want to be late, they may suspect something."

He smirked at her for a moment, knowing what she was doing. But Lily had a point; by the time he was making it to their floor today, it was running close to lunchtime. "How 'bout you'se come wit me? I'll pay, and da guys really want ta meet ya."

Lily thought about it and smiled. "Sure, why not," she said. They both stood up and said their good-bye's to the girls.

"Well dat was hot," mumbled Lydia, fanning herself with her paper.

Rosie and Vivian looked at each other before bursting into laughter.

Tibby's was crazier than it normally was. There were guys in every which direction, the waiters were trying to serve the correct orders to the right people, and little William Kelly was screaming his head off in hunger. When Mush and Lily walked into the tiny restaurant, everything suddenly went quiet, even the baby. She tried to break the silence, and the constant staring, by giving a small wave and smile to the large group.

"Hey Mush! You'se gonna introduce us ta da pretty lady?" said Racetrack.

Lily blushed, ducking her head, and Mush said, "Everyone dis is Lily. You'se know…da goil who wouldn't tell me her name."

The group broke out into "ohs" and "gotchas." Lily turned and giggled at Mush, who took his turn to blush.

"Hiya Lily, I'se Crutchy," said the one boy who was standing by the door. They shook hands.

"Hello. It's very nice to meet you."

"It's even nicer ta meet you'se! We finally get ta put a name and a face ta da goil Mush hasn't stopped talkin' 'bout for da past few weeks." With Crutchy's smile and honesty, Lily felt herself become almost comfortable with the situation.

"Thanks a lot, Crutch," Mush mumbled sarcastically, putting an arm around Lily's waist and guiding her to two empty seats.

The waiter came over. "Is there anything I can get for you?" he asked.

"I'll have da roast beef and a water," said Mush.

"A salad, please, and a water," replied Lily.

The waiter left and Lily turned to face forward, Mush talking to some of the guys around them. There she found William looking at her with his big blue eyes in complete fascination. Even his little mouth was slightly parted, a little bit of drool giving his pink lips a glossy appearance.

"Hello there," Lily greeted, smiling at the little boy. "What's your name?"

William smiled and tried to hide his face in his father's shirt.

"Are you'se bein' bashful?" asked Jack as he laughed. "How do you'se expect ta be a flirt if you're busy hidin' ya face?" Jack looked up and put out his hand towards Lily. "Jack Kelly. Pleasure."

"Lily Matthews. Nice to meet you."

"Dis is William, but we just call him Will. It seems like he's takin' a likin' ta you'se already. Guess dat means you're good to go in our group."

"Good to know. I'm sure Mush will happy to hear that," she joked, smirking at Mush who smiled back.

"And I'm Katherine," explained a pretty woman as she came to the table with her, Jack's, and Will's lunch. "Jack's wife and Will's mother. Nice to finally meet you."

"You as well."

"Katherine, can you'se cut up my chicken for me while I'se feed Will?"

"How about I feed our son and you cut up your own chicken," Katherine replied with a raised eyebrow.

Jack sighed but handed the baby over to his wife and slid over so that she could sit down.

"Open up, Will," said Katherine, giving a spoonful of applesauce to her son. He ate it greedily.

"How old is he?" asked Lily.

"Ten months," Katherine replied with a grin, giving Will another spoonful of applesauce.

"He's adorable."

"Thank you. We thought he was cute enough to keep around, even when he tends to get into some antics that prove he's his father's son."

Katherine looked over at Jack who gave her a wink before taking another bite of his meal. Within a few minutes, everyone was sitting quietly, enjoying their meals.

"So where do you work, Lily?" Katherine questioned. She was a true journalist, needing to know every detail. She wasn't used to sharing any of the boys, or at least not truly sharing them. Many a girl come in and out of the group, but the way Mush was looking at Lily told Katherine that she needed to get to know the young girl.

"At the clothing factory on Sixth Street."

"That's hard work, but a good means. What made you decide on that?"

"I moved here about a year ago. My parents had passed and, where I'm from, there were no jobs left. When I got here, the girl next door introduced herself and offered to take me to the factory that she worked at. The owner offered me a job up front, and I've been there ever since."

"Well I'm happy you were able to find a decent job. I wish you the best of luck." Katherine's smile told Lily that she was being honest, and so Lily smiled back.

"Thank you. I appreciate that." She paused. "From your clothes I take it as you're in the business world. How's that working out?"

Katherine laughed. "It's a man's world, but I give them a run for their money. You have to in order to make it."

"She's da best," Jack said, a loving look on his face for her. The group of newsboys grunted in agreement.

"She's how we won da strike," Mush added, raising his glass to Katherine.

"You're THAT Katherine?" exclaimed Lily. "Your article made its way to Philadelphia at least! Excellent work; I couldn't get enough of it!"

The journalist giggled. "Well thank you. That means a lot coming from another woman."

Will was done with his applesauce and was busy looking around the room at all the familiar faces. His attention stopped at Lily and he pointed at her, indicating that he wanted her to hold him.

"Do you mind?" Katherine asked.

"Absolutely not!" Lily took him and sat him on her lap. Will smiled at his mother and began to smack the table in content. The group finished their meals and Mush paid for his and Lily's lunch.

"Well, I better get back to work. Don't want to get fired," said Lily. She handed Will over to Jack, who placed his son on his hip. The Kelly's were also needing to get back to work; Jack to the big office and Katherine to their home.

"I'll walk you'se," said Mush, holding a hand out so that she could take it to get up from her chair.

"It was nice meeting you all," Lily said, waving good-bye. She gave Will a kiss on the cheek. "Good-bye, Will. I hope we get to see each other again." He ducked his head into Jack's shirt once again.

"Bye!" the newsboys yelled backed.

Mush and Lily walked back to the factory in silence for a few minutes. He had managed to keep a hold of her hand since the restaurant, and he took this as a good sign. Both of them had a grin on their faces but neither could see it because they were avoiding looking at one another.

"So you'se like everybody?" he asked, breaking the silence.

"They all seem very nice. Especially the Italian one," she replied, referring to Racetrack.

"That's just Race. He's like dat wit everybody's goils."

Lily smiled, her heart pounding. "Am I your girl, Mush?"

He blushed, his heart starting to race as well. He knew his answer would determine their future, and didn't want to mess it up. "I'se don't know. I'se likes ya ta be, but dat's up ta you'se." By this time they were in front of the sewing factory. They stood at the door for a few seconds, not wanting to move but unsure of what to do. "Uh, Lily," Mush started, "be me goil?"

Lily looked up at him and gave him the biggest smile she could make. Instead of saying anything, she answered him with a kiss.

"Best day eva," he whispered on her lips.

"Mush, be quiet," she whispered back, kissing him again.