Chapter 2

It took a few moments for anyone to notice that an unannounced girl was standing in the room, but the talking gradually stopped as the Newsies realized Tricks was there. Most had quizzical looks on their faces; Tricks noticed that Racetrack (one of the few Newsies she recognized) had let his ever present cigar fall from his mouth on to the floor. A few catcalls emerged from the silence.

There was a commotion as someone pushed their way through the crowd. A familiar face appeared, a smile spreading across it as he rushed towards her.

"Tricks?" Mush exclaimed, wrapping her in hug. A smile of relief spread over Tricks's face as she hugged him back. Over Mush's shoulder, she noticed her brother, a mixed expression of both anger and surprise written on his face.

Tricks's smile quickly faded as she spotted Jack coming towards her. The surprise present on his face moments earlier was replaced by more anger. Stepping away from Mush, Tricks swallowed hard and took a deep breath.

"Nuttin' to see here, fellas. Let's go, double or nothing next hand!" Race yelled, snapping the remaining Newsies out of their silence and back into the usual bunkhouse revelry. Jack nodded towards the roof and climbed onto the fire escape Tricks had just emerged from; Mush gave her hand a quick squeeze of reassurance and went back to the card table.

Tricks found her brother pacing around the roof, kicking up random debris as he walked.

"Jack, I-" Tricks started but her cut her off before she could get anything more out.

"Whaddya doin' here, Tricks, huh? Thought we had this tawk before..." The anger in Jack's voice rose with every word he uttered.

"I...I.." Tricks stammered, her hands nervously twisting in the grey factory dress she still wore.

"Jack, I had nowhere ta go! They fired me, Jack. I been on the streets, on my own for two days...but I ran inta the Delanceys..."

"Tha Delanceys?" He interrupted. "You shoa?"

"I'm sure. I was hidin' in an alley and they noticed me. Oscar grabbed me-"

"Oscar Delancey put his hands on ya?"

"Yeah, and Morris punched me." She turned so Jack could see the black and blue that was sure to be blossoming on her upper right cheek. Jack's anger softened slightly as he turned her chin to see the damage.

"Ya take a beatin' like a Kelly, ya know that?" he said, a slight smile on his face.

"I just need somewhere to stay for a bit, Jack...'til I figure out what to do next. I can help sell papes again, like I used to." Tricks fell silent, her eyes pleading with her brother.

Jack ran his hands over his face and through his hair."Aight, you can stay here tonight, just don't let Kloppman see ya."

"Thanks, Jack." Trick's smiled. Kloppman was the least of her worries; before Jack sent her to the factory, the old man had taken a liking to Tricks, going as far as to convert an old storage area into a room so Tricks didn't have to bunk with the boys.

"Don't mention it." he replied, heading back towards the fire escape. Tricks followed him, noticing that something in her brother's demeanor had changed since the last time she stood on this rooftop with him. Sure, he was older, and now a famous strike leader, but there was something else.

By the time Tricks climbed back in the window, Jack was leaning over Crutchie, whispering something. Race had left the card table, and was at his bunk, putting his cap and vest back on.

Several of the Newsies were still looking at Tricks, waiting for an explanation of who she was.

"I'm Jack Kelly's sister." She thought, raising her chin defiantly. "Got a problem?"

Mush materialized at her side, pulling her away from the prying eyes of the other Newises.

"Tricks, what happened to ya eye?" he asked with concern, tilting her head to see the purplish bruise that contrasted brilliantly with her pale skin.

"It's nothin'." Tricks replied, shaking her head to brush Mush's hand away. "Just had a run in, dat's all"."

Mush's eyes narrowed. "Wit who?" he asked.

"The Delanceys."

Mush dropped his hand and shrugged. "Explains where Jack is goin'."

"Where's Jack goin'?" But before Mush could reply, Jack was standing on a chair telling everyone to shut up.

"Hey, listen up!" Jack called over the din, and the Newsies all looked up from their various leisurely pursuits. "Dis is my sister, Tricks, and she's gonna be stayin' here tonight. Anyone got a problem, they can come see me."

"Ya ready to go, Cowboy?" Race asked, emerging from the crowd. The Newsies took this as their cue to return to their games.

"Yeah." Jack said, jumping down from his perch and heading towards the window. He pulled his cowboy hat on. "Crutchie, ya watch her, alright?" he said before ducking out of the window after Race.

"I can keep an eye out for myself, ya know!" Tricks shouted at her brother's retreating back. Jack always treated Tricks like she was a baby; it drove Tricks insane to be treated like she couldn't take care of herself. Where had Jack been the past three years that Tricks had been on her own?

"Ya aight?" Mush asked, pulling Tricks over to an empty corner, where the yells of the gambling boys weren't so loud.

"Yeah." Tricks replied, averting Mush's eyes. Unless she was really scared or badly hurt, Tricks tried to maintain a defiant face devoid of emotion. Her one giveaway was not being able to look a person in the eye.

"No, ya not." Mush said quietly, leaning down and grabbing her arm. "What's wrong?"

"Nothin', Mush. I'm fine." She said, finally looking up into his eyes. She forgot how much taller he'd gotten in the three years she'd been away. The last time they stood in this bunk room, they were about the same height. Tricks may even have been a hair taller.

"Ya look shook up." he said with concern. "Da Delancys neva scared ya before."

"I wasn't scared," she replied with an edge to her voice, sticking out her chin."I was worried I'd have no place ta go. Then you start tawkin' bout how I'm all scared and everythin', well ya wrong. I ain't scared of anybody-"

"Tricks… shut up!" Mush said with a laugh as he enveloped her in a hug. And she laughed, too.

Her first real laugh in days.

XXXX

It was at that moment Kid Blink walked into the bunkroom. Mush's height, coupled with the fact that his back was towards the stairwell, meant that Blink could not see Tricks. If he had known she was there, Blink probably wouldn't have grabbed Mush's shoulder and turned him around.

"Mush, ya neva-" Blink started, a large grin spread across his face. The grin disappeared when he noticed Mush wasn't alone. "Tricks." he said, forcing the grin back on his face. His unsmiling eyes betrayed his true feelings.

"Blink." She replied, without a smile. Tricks and Blink had never gotten along, which often put Mush in the awkward situation of having to choose one best friend over the other.

About a year after Mush became a Newsie, Kid Blink joined the Newsie ranks. Blink was about the same age as Mush and Tricks, give or take a year. But by the time Blink arrived on the scene, Tricks and Mush were so wrapped up in each other that they really didn't notice the new boy with the eyepatch. Mush and Tricks were practically inseparable, leaving Blink feeling left out and jealous. When Tricks was sent away, the two boys had gradually warmed to each other and became best friends. Tricks being back in the bunkhouse would inevitably cause old jealousies to bubble up again.

"So, you back with da Newsies, huh?"

Tricks nodded. "For a while, anyways."

"Well, ain't that just...swell." Blink replied. "What? Factory life too cozy for ya, wanted to bum on the streets a bit?"

"Ah, Blink, leave 'er alone...wait, why are ya back?" Mush asked. Tricks had been carefully avoiding that question since she arrived at the Lodging House.

"I got fired, Mush." she said quietly, once again avoiding looking him in the eyes.

"Dey fired you?"

"Yup." Tricks looked around the bunkhouse for an escape, a card game that needed an extra player, a friendly face that should could excuse herself to say hello to.

"What for?"

"They need a reason?" she replied with annoyance. People were hired and fired at low skilled jobs around the city every day, why was she receiving the third degree?

"I can think of a few." Blink scoffed from a few feet away.

"Shuddup, Blink." Mush said angrily, not even looking at his friend. "Tricks, what happened?"

"Don't worry about it." she insisted, dodging around Mush and making her way to where Crutchie was sitting, playing cards. "Gotta say hello to Crutchie. He's keepin' an eye out on me, ya know."

Mush ducked back in front of Tricks as she weaved through the bunks, stopping her from walking any further. Tricks sighed and jumped over one of the lower bunks into another row. Mush scooted around the bunk quickly and was again in her path.

Tricks put her hands on her hips. "Move." she ordered Mush, but he didn't budge. She attempted to walk backwards and take a different route through the maze of bunkbeds, but Mush reached out and grabbed both of her upper arms with his hands, pulling her towards him.

"What ain't ya telling me? What happened?"

Tricks sighed and ducked in closer to Mush, not wanting to be overheard, least of all by Blink.

"Look, the supervisor on my floor of the factory? He asked me to do somethin' that I didn't wanna do. And I wouldn't do...and then they fired me, alright?"

"Ya not tellin' me something." Mush, said, narrowing his eyes as he surveyed her.

Tricks shrugged. "Betta then tellin' ya nothin'. Can you move now?"

"No." Mush said, pulling Tricks in and slinging an arm around her shoulder.. "I'm glad ya home."

Home. Tricks thought, leaning her head on Mush's shoulder. It's the closest thing I have.