Heya. Okay. It turns out, this fanfic is where all my spare time goes… I'll slow down as school picks up again. But for now, enjoy it while it lasts.

Diclaimer—While I now own a Newsies DVD, the Newsies themselves weren't in the packaging. *sigh*


I suddenly felt like I was falling. I awoke with a start to find I was falling. I screamed. I landed on the hard wood floor with a thud, startling all of the newsies out of their sleep. I groaned and curled into a ball on the floor as they gathered around me.

I looked up to see Jack peering over the edge of the bunk. He grimaced and mouthed "Sorry." Then he couldn't resist a tiny smirk. I glared back up at him.

"What happened?" Race asked, dragging me to my feet.

"Someone doesn' share well. Bummah pushed me outta bed." I growled dusting myself off.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Good riddance. You'se stink, anyways." Jack shot back.

"Look who's talkin'." I said cockily. Jack rolled over and muttered,

"Don' make me come down dere." I just stuck my tongue out at his back. Crutchy came over slowly.

"You'se can bunk wid me tahnight, Charley." He offered with a friendly smile. I smiled back.

"Danks, Crutchy."

I followed Crutchy to his bunk as the crowd dispersed to their own bunks. As we all settled down, I heard Crutchy whisper,

"G'night, Charley."

"G'night, Crutchy." I whispered back, drifting off to sleep.


Kloppman came in early the next morning. He looked over the room of peacefully dreaming boys and allowed himself a small smile. These boys were as close to sons as the old bachelor would get. Then he shook himself. He needed to do his job.

"All right, boys! Up and at 'em! It's daylight, the ink is drying! What're ya doin'? Dreamin' 'bout selling papes? C'mon!"

Newsies groaned and stirred, pushing each other off, pulling blankets over heads, stretching. He slapped Skittery's feet, which were hanging over the edge.

"Skittery! Skittery! Skitts! Wake up!"

"Wha? I'se didn' do it!" Skittery mumbled, bolting upright.

"Yeah, yeah. I know you didn't do it. Get your lazy bum outta bed."

Kloppman continued to Jack's bunk. He poked and prodded and harassed Jack until he rolled over. Jack's cheeks were pink from sleep and the rough pillowcase, and his eyes were still nearly closed. He brought up an arm to shield his eyes from the sun.

"Nah… I'se not gonna get up. Get away." Jack mumbled sleepily, pulling his pillow over his head. Kloppman pushed him outta bed, where Jack landed on the floor with a heavy thump. I couldn't resist a snicker.

"All right, where's the new one? What's his name…" Kloppman asked, looking around.

"Hambone." Jack answered, pulling on his pants. "He bunked with Crutchy."

Kloppman looked around for me, but I was already part of the crowd of boys, flowing towards the washroom. I didn't know how I was gonna handle a pack of boys handling their… ahem… necessaries, but I guessed I would find a way. As for me, well, I guessed I would need to find a deserted alley in a little bit, so I could keep my identity a secret. I tried to keep my head down and wash up quickly, but it was difficult with so many boys chattering and jeering. A bar of soap flew over my head and was neatly caught, followed by a towel. I nearly got elbowed in the face by the boy who was pumping water for the rest of us. I ducked just in time to avoid some errant lather that was flung in protest. And just as I had been carried in there by the tide of riotous boys, I was carried out, and down the stairs.

When we hit the street, the boys spread out, bouncing of the walls of buildings, swinging around street lamps, jumping on and off of crates and barrels. Some of the younger boys were lifted onto shoulders for a ride. Boys pushed and shoved one another, all the while making as much racket as possible. I felt myself being lifted into the air and set on someone's shoulders. I looked down to see Blink's messy blonde mop and grinning face, one eye covered by his brown patch. We paraded all the way to the circulation center in this fashion.

When we got there, we all milled around outside of the open gates. I still sat on Blink's shoulders. Two large, surly boys pushed past us, up to the front, where I could see the top of Jack's head.

"Da Delancey's." Blink muttered.

There was a commotion up near the front, and then I could see the top of Jack's head making its way towards us. He streaked past Blink and I, clutching a bowler hat that had been sitting atop one of the Delancey's heads, and a triumphant grin. The Delancey's thundered past, shoving Blink out of the way. Blink quickly regained his feet, griping my legs tightly. The boys cheered and hollered and booed as the Delancey's chased Jack around the square. This was apparently a morning routine, judging by the familiarity that everyone seemed to have with the events unfolding. I cheered along with the boys at Jack's antics, pumping my fist in the air.

The gates to the circulation center opened just as Jack flung the hat, and it settled neatly on top of a street lamp, well out of reach. Blink set me down, and we all streamed in the gates. After being herded through the circulation center, I emerged with fifty papers and set off on my own through the city. After all, I did know the city. Somewhat.

My chosen headline of the day was "Tower of crates fall, crushing stray dogs who were hiding inside." I found what seemed a likely corner, and started hawking my headlines.

"House collapses, kills family of ten! House collapses! Find out if yoah neighbahhood is safe!"

People scurried to me left and right as I continued my trade.


As darkness fell, I made my way back to the lodging house, nursing a split lip. There were several other newsies coming in, as well. Blink spotted me coming in and gave me a smile.

"How was you'se day?" He asked, walking with me.

"I'se got soaked." I bragged, showing off my split lip and black eye.

"Nice shinah, dere, Ham!" He said admiringly. "Nuddin' compared to mine, dough." He motioned to his eye patch with a grin.

"Didya get'em back?" We pushed through the door together.

"Nah, Skittery found 'em and got 'em." I laughed.

"Eh, well, dere's always next time." Blink ruffled my hair.

After we had eaten, and Crutchy and I had cleared the table, all of the boys and I gathered in the bunk room. Race started a poker game in the corner, and I joined. Jack and Blink watched them, passing a cigarette. Jack glanced outside.

"Awright, kids. Off ta bed wid you'se." Jack announced. All the young kids moaned and started to get ready for bed and crawl into their bunks.

"Dat means you'se too, Hambone." Jack said without looking in my direction. I laid down my hand and my fellow players groaned.

"Dank ya, boys!" I said gleefully as I gathered up my winnings.

"Um, Cowboy? C'n I'se have a woid wid you'se?" Crutchy asked, hobbling over to Jack."

"Shoih, Crutchy, what's on ya mind?" Jack leaned back and let out a puff of smoke.

"Well, as nice is Charley is, he sorta, hits in his sleep." Crutchy explained. Jack nodded.

"You'se want me ta take 'im back?" Jack asked, taking another deep drag on the cigarette. Crutchy nodded. Jack sighed.

"C'mere, kid." He motioned me over. Then he picked me up and tossed me onto his bunk. "Go ta sleep." He ordered, before turning and walking away. I watched him, and then nestled my face into the scratchy pillow.

An hour or so later, I felt the mattress sink beside me. Jack tugged on the pillow, and upon realizing that I wasn't giving it up, sighed and pillowed his head on his arm. Out of the darkness, there came a whisper.

"You'se lucky that ya cute, Hambone, or else I'd shove ya ass outta bed again."

Jack obviously thought that my eleven year old alter ego was asleep. My heart fluttered at the whisper. Sheesh. Pull yourself together, Charlotte. I scolded myself. I then realized that I had a big, fat, girly crush on Jack. The same Jack who was lying next to me, his breath warming the back of my neck. The same Jack that I would wake up next to, his boyish cheeks flushed with the cold and sleep. This was going to be a long night, I could tell.


The next morning, I woke before Kloppman had come. Actually, the sun hadn't even come. I looked over my shoulder, to see Jack, looking just like I had imagined him last night. But this was no time for girlish fantasizing. This was time to get to the washroom before everyone else, so I wouldn't be doing my business in a frigid alley again. Jack had thrown an arm over me sometime in the night, so I wiggled out from under it and softly dropped to the floor. I walked carefully to the door.

Once I was out of the bunkroom with the door closed behind me, I moved a little quicker. I wanted to get back to bed before Kloppman came. The first thing I did when I was in the washroom with the door firmly shut behind me was unbind my poor chest. I hadn't let myself out of the thin cotton bandage in days, and it was starting to really ache. I inhaled deeply, enjoying the freedom. After a few breaths, I visited the pot, and then washed up in the bucket of frosty water in the corner. Finally, I looked at the rolled up bandage. I looked down at my chest and pressed both my hands against it. I was pretty boyish, with a straight waist and not enough up top to speak of, but it still would show.

I growled softly as I stripped off my thick woolen undershirt, and then a light tank top. My blousy over shirt was hanging at the foot of Jack's bed. Once I was bare from the waist up, I started to rewrap myself, hating it the entire time. I quickly redressed, and made my way back to the bunkroom. I had no idea how to get back into bed, but after a few seconds of investigation, I found a place where I could hook my toes and pull myself back up. Jack stirred and mumbled something as I slid in next to him. My eyes drifted closed and I was dreaming of my home.


I was shook awake was seemed like mere seconds later, not by Kloppman, but by Jack.

"Whaaaa?" I whined, I pulled Jack's pillow over my head.

"It's Sunday, Hambone. The one day we'se don' gotta woik."

"So lemme sleep." I growled.

"You'se don' want breakfast?" Jack asked, dropping to the floor. My stomach growled loudly, saying that I did indeed want breakfast. I poked my head over the edge of the bed to look at him. He was doing up his pants. I looked away, and my over shirt landed across my face.

"C'mon! Get dressed. Me 'nd some of da oldah boys is going down ta Tibby's for breakfast."

I pulled on my over shirt, and scrambled down, stumbling into Jack. He righted me, and I sat on the lower bunk and pulled my shoes and stockings out from under it, hurriedly putting them on. He sighed impatiently, but he waited for me to finish, before leaving the bunkroom. I scrambled after him.

Jack's long strides left me behind quickly, so that I had to trot to keep up.

"Jack! C'n you'se slow down a little?" I panted. I was aching all over from my various falls and yesterday's beating, and I just couldn't manage to follow him.

"We'se already late." He muttered, pausing.

"Da boys won' mind. Dey'se know I'se can't walk so well."

"It ain't jist my boys we'se meetin'." Jack sighed. "Awright. Get on." He stooped so I could get on his back. I scrambled up, and Jack started off again.

Jack carried me for a few more blocks before he stopped before a building. Stenciled on the window in red script was the word, "Tibby's." Jack pushed the door open and looked around. He saw the guys at the back and started towards them. When he reached the table, he set me down. At the table, Blink, Racetrack, Mush and Skittery were sitting with another boy, who I didn't know, although he looked vaguely familiar. The Manhattan boys were watching him uneasily. Jack pushed me into the booth next to the boy and sat on my other side. The other boys looked alarmed that Jack had done that.

"'ey, Spot. How's dings in Broolyn?" Jack asked easily, leaning back against the booth.

"Well, Jacky boy, dings are good. But tell me, who's da rat?" The boy on my other side, apparently Spot, motioned to me.

"Dis heah's Hambone. He's the new one I'se wanted ya to meet. See, I'se found him on Brooklyn's terr'tory one fine night, runnin' from da bulls. Hambone," Jack looked down at me, "Dis heah is Spot Conlon, da King of Brooklyn."

Brooklyn. King of Brooklyn. Now I knew why the 'hattan's were uneasy around him. No wonder. Spot was small, but he had the attitude of a much larger boy. I was sure he wouldn't hesitate to soak anyone who crossed him. Which, judging by the way he was looking at me, I had.

"So dis is da kid I'se been hearin' 'bout. Da one who can hawk papes even fastah dan you, Jacky boy. 'nd you'se say he's a Brookie?" Spot said slowly, clearly thinking about this.

"Yeah, he's a Brookie." Jack said, lighting a cigarette.

"So den, I'se dinks he belongs to me." Spot declared. The other 'hattan's and I looked in alarm to Jack. He just laughed.

"Nah. Findah's keepah's, Spot. Hambone stays in 'hattan."

"Awright Jacky, keep da rat. I'se just wanna know what you'se was doin' in Brooklyn." Spot asked, smirking. Jack straightened up, no longer at ease.

"I told you'se. Runnin' from da Bulls. I di'n' realize where I'se was til I'se tripped ovah da rat. Den I'se left."

"Takin' somethin' o' mine, wid ya." Spot leaned forward. "Tell me, Jacky boy, why d'ya take him?"

Jack opened his mouth, clearly not sure what to say. Before something unhelpful could come out, I interrupted.

"I'se followed him home, Mistah Conlon, sir." I shot a look to the 'hattans, daring them to say anything about the night when Jack carried me home. "See, I'se was runnin' from da bulls, too, 'nd Jack pulled me into an alley til dey'se was past. 'nd den, Jack left, but since I'se had nowheah ta go, I followed him back to 'hattan." I looked down, praying hard that Spot would believe me.

"Da name's right for him, Jacky. He sure is smooth." Spot smirked. He looked away from me back to Jack, "Awright, da kid heah saved ya. I'se won' considah you'se runnin' as a break in da undahstandin'."

The waiter came over, and we gave him our orders. The boys and I chattered merrily over our lunch, enjoying each other's company and the warmth of the dinner.


Yay. Bad filler chapter. Sorry, but I had to introduce Spot, and start a routine for the Newsies. And be sappy and actually announce the crush that was forming. Also, if you don't mind, could you look for mistakes, and let me know about them. I usually write at night, when I'm tired, so I know things get messed up, especially when I proofread in the morning before I've woken up.

Anyways, thank you all for reviewing and I think we have the drill down. I write, you r&r, and I write faster! (|:) (Thanks, MissThursday, for reminding me of that smiley)