I was awakened late at night by a loud knock on the door. I've always been a light sleeper, and I had assumed at first that it was just something falling off the shelf. I sat up in bed and pushed the blanket I had covering me up off. Quietly, so not to rouse the other newsies. I stretched slightly and walked across the floor towards the washroom.

I turned on the tap and splashed some water on my face. Quietly, I turned the tap off and dried my face using a nearby towel. I yawned and turned to go back into the bedroom. I stepped into the room, and immediatly noticed a breeze. Glancing around, I noticed that a window had been left open.

Geez, Crown, I thought. No wonder boys were getting the sniffles. I walked over and shut it. I was about to latch it shut when the knock came again. I froze where I was. Quietly, I opened the door to the stairs and shut it again, heading down the stairs to the front door. The caretaker had gone home hours before. I unlocked the door and opened it.

Standing outside, in a mixture of clothing and pj's, stood the entirity of the Manhattan newsies. "Jack, whattya doing here at-" I glanced at the clock on the wall. "2 in the morning?"

"We was attacked. Middle of the night. Bunch of boys came and beat us up in our sleep. Told us to either join them or leave." I blinked in surprise.

"Come in, for goodness sake. You're gonna freeze out there." I stepped out of the way, and let the 30 or so boys come in, each letting out a small murmur of thanks. Race squeezed my shoulder as he stepped in.

Eyeing a couple of boys, I noticed blood dripping down their faces. I gasped slightly. I padded over to the caretakers desk and opened a drawer. Inside, underneath a box of cigars, a small first aid-kit sat. I grabbed it and opened the latches, pulling out a roll of bandage. I handed it to Crutchie, who seemed to be in the worst shape.

"All the beds are full, but we have a bunch of extra blankets." I whispered. "One second." I quickly ran back up the stairs. When I got up there, Ladders and Clothespin were both sitting on their beds, looking up at me. I mouthed 'follow me.' They both stood up and came over to the cupboard with me. I grabbed a stack of blankets, and they followed suite, following me quietly down the stairs.

The Manhattan newsies were murmuring quietly. I came back down the stairs and passed out blankets. I hugged Race tightly, and pressed my fingers to the bandage on his cheek, sealing it down. He kissed my forehead gently.

I pulled out of his warm embrace and took the roll of bandage from him. I glanced over everyone to make sure everyone was okay, then put the bandage back in the desk.

"Has everyone got a blanket?" I asked. Everyone nodded. "What about you Jack?"

"I'm not to sleep. I'll go on guard." Jack replied. I raised an eyebrow. "Don't try to change my mind Crown."

"Fine. Good night everyone. Sleep well." I said, walking over and locking the door.

I followed Ladders and Clothespin up the stairs and shut the door quietly. Ladders and Clothespin got back into bed followed by me. I pulled the quilt up to my shoulders and turned onto my side, the bed springs squeaking as I did so.

I was nearly asleep when I remembered that I hadn't latched the window. I opened my eyes and pushed myself up, looking at the window. I squinted through the moonlight. The window had already been latched shut. I frowned. Clothespin or Ladders must've done it.

The next afternoon, after everybody had sold papers, Jack and I paid a visit to Spot, to discuss Manhattan getting kicked out.

We sat around a table in Brooklyn, talking in low voices, so not to alarm the Brooklyn boys, although thinking about it, the last time all three of us talked so surious like was way back in July when the strike happened. Now it was nearing November, and with the bitter cold, this was the last time that anyone wanted to get hurt.

"Yous telling me that the Bronx, kicked 'Hattan out of their home, because they want more space." Spot scowled, running a hand through his short brown hair.

Jack nodded. "Said to eathier join them and their cause or get out."

"I just don't get it. Bronx only had like 15 boys at the strike, how did they get you out?" I asked Jack, resting my head on my hand.

"They must have thirty huge boys now, and they attacked in the dead of night, all of us were sleepy, and not at our best state of mind." Jack mumbled, rubbing his temple.

"Well what are we waiting for, lets get them out of there." Spot stood up, slamming his fist on the table, making some nearby boys jump.

I rested an hand on his arm. "Stay calm. We can't beat them up yet. Not when it's cold. We have to talk first."

Spot sighed and slouched down in his seat, clasping his hand in mine. I squeezed it gently.

Jack cleared his throat and we turned back to him, cheeks flushing.

"Can we table the palaver and get back to business?" Jack asked. "Why don't we just go over them and threaten them? Bronx are like rats, they are only tough on the outside."

I nodded. "It's now or never. Three is much less intimadating then sixty."

We stood up and walked out of Brooklyn. I let go of Spot's hand as we stepped outside, if their was anybody who didn't need to know that I was a girl, it was the Bronx.

As we walked up to Manhattan lodgings, I eyed the boys all lurking around the outdoors. They was tough. I was already the smallest person in the room. Together, the three of us scowled and marched up the steps to the doors.

A tall boy, probably 17, with coffee-coloured skin, black eyes, and a shaved head, got in our way. I wasn't even at his shoulder, even Jack, the tallest out of the three of us, barely even reached his chin.

"Can I help you three?" He snarled.

"We want to talk to your leader." I stated, not trusting Spot or Jack to not start a fight.

He cracked his knuckles. Did he really think that was gonna frighten me? "How do you know I'm not the leader?"

"More likely second-in-command. Yous probably not smart enough to be leader." I replied, smirking.

"What do you want?" He growled.

"We want Manhattan back, and all the boys out of our terf."

"Oh, so I guess that means I'm talking to Crown, Spot Conlon, and Jack Kelly." He laughed. "I'll be honest, I expected you to be taller."

"And I expected you to be smart and not try to take over others terfs when you're out numbered. Guess we both lost our expectations." I growled at him.

"I'm not Sage. But I can take a message for him." He scowled.

"Tell him the next time he beats up a ten year old, he's dealing with all three of us. Your move." I turned and got half way down the steps before making up my mind. "And one more thing." I walked back up the stairs.

I pulled back and slammed my fist into his jaw. Hard. His face swung to the side. When he turned back, his eyes were glowing. I shrugged, smirked, and turned, bouncing down the steps, back to Jack and Spot, who were both staring at me with open mouths.

"Remind me to stay on your good side." Spot murmured in my ear as we walked away.

"What do you mean they threatened you?" The same brown haired boy from Pulitzer's office asked, the shorter one.

"I mean exactly as I said Sage. They told me that they want us out of their terf. The little one, Crown, leader of Queens. He's got quite the punch on him. He punched me in the jaw. For such a small boy, he nearly knocked me over. Look out for him tonight."

"I don't care about any Crown, Thorn. I just want to get this over with."

"Fine. Now I told you already, I want to help attack Queens."

"Thorn. Need I remind you who's leader. You listen to me." The shorter boy walked up to him. "I am leading the attack. You are staying here."

Thorn growled lowly. "Fine. What's your spy say?"

"He says that he'll tell us when he's got Crown's trust, then he'll let us in. Lion knows what he's doing."

Three days since we threatened Thorn. I was antsy. Something was bound to happen. Bronx had moved back, out of Woodside, into Astoria, which was better then I had expected. I had been taking guard every night. I refused to go to sleep, I didn't want us to get attacked as well.

I was sitting in the chair at the caretakers desk, quietly flipping through an old copy of Sherlock Holmes, when Lion came down the stairs.

"Hey Crown, do you want me to take guard tonight?" He asked.

"No Lion, It's okay."

Lion shook his head at me. "Crown, you haven't slept in three days. You need sleep. I'll take guard."

I stifled a yawn. "Okay. I'm going to bed."

Lion took my seat and I headed upstairs. I didn't even take off my hat before I was sound-asleep in bed.