A/N:

I promised to post this a few days ago and then I didn't. I'm good at remembering to do things.

Katherine strode down the crowded New York City streets, gracefully dodging in and out of the massive crowds of people talking, laughing, and shouting. Winnie followed behind her, stumbling over piles of horse manure and other garbage that littered the street.

Glancing behind her to make sure that Winnie was still there Katherine called over her shoulder. "We're nearly there, just a few blocks more!"

Winnie nodded, glad that they would soon reach their destination. New York City was so different from Treegap, so much bigger and more crowded, that she was sure she would never get used to it.

Katherine finally stopped in front of an old stone building on the corner of a busy street, so suddenly that Winnie almost ran into her. "Here it is," she announced.

Looking up at the faded sign that hung in front of the building Winnie read it aloud. "Jacobi's Deli."

Katherine nodded. "It's a favorite place for the newsboys to meet, especially around this time of day."

Winnie frowned slightly. "Why right now?"

"It's dinner time," Katherine explained, hurrying over to the entrance to the building. "Come on, I'll introduce you to everyone!"

Winnie chuckled and followed Katherine, trying her best to ignore the strange feeling she couldn't quite put a name to that had settled inside of her.

Once inside Winnie was met with an assault of sounds coming from a particular corner of the restaurant. Walking over she saw that a group of boys, all wearing patched, worn clothes, was the source of all the commotion. She recognized one boy in particular as being Jack, Katherine's beau, so the other boys must be the newsboys.

"Katherine!" Jack said in surprise when he saw her and Winnie walking over to the table. Standing, he greeted Katherine with a quick kiss on the lips that she returned, eliciting a series of hoots and whistles from the other boys.

"Aw, get a room!" one boy with an unlit cigar dangling from his lips called.

"Shut up, they'se in love!" a short boy with dark hair retorted.

"What do you know about love, Romeo?" someone else called, eliciting laughter from the other boys.

Watching this conversation Winnie could feel a smile spreading across her face. She had only just met these boys, but already she liked them a lot. They were so different from the boys she was friends with back home, and that was refreshing.

"Who's this?" Jack asked suddenly, gesturing to Winnie.

"This is Winnie Foster, my cousin," Katherine answered.

"Nice to meet you," Jack said sticking his hand out for Winnie to shake. She did so, giving him a small smile.

"I thought I'd bring her here to meet you and the boys," Katherine explained, and Jack nodded.

"Sure, if she wants."

Smiling, he gestured for Winnie to come over and sit down in an empty seat at the table, right in between two boys who he introduced as Albert and Race. Winnie smiled shyly and said hello to them, then sat quietly as she observed all the commotion taking place around her as the newsboys ate.

Finally, Race looked over at her. "So, where ya from Winnie?"

"Treegap New Hampshire," Winnie answered. Race nodded, then turned to berate the boy who was sitting on his left for bumping his arm.

Winnie met Katherine's eyes across the table, and Katherine smiled reassuringly. She then turned to Jack and, in a voice loud enough for Winnie to hear, asked "Where's Crutchie? I'd like to introduce him to Winnie."

"He said somethin' about using the outhouse," Jack answered, and Katherine nodded.

Winnie frowned slightly. Crutchie certainly was an odd name. Then again, most of the other newsboys had strange names.

Just as she was thinking this, Race asked her another question and she turned towards him to answer, though not before seeing a figure approach the table out of the corner of her eye. As she finished talking to Race Katherine called to her across the table.

"Winnie, this is Crutchie, the boy who I was talking about earlier!"

Winnie turned to say hello and introduce herself, but the words died in her mouth as her chocolate brown eyes fell upon a very familiar pair of green orbs.

"Jesse?"