Disclaimer : If you really wanna read that I am poor and don't own anything, go back to other chapters. ;-)

Shout~Outs

Mist ~ I found lots of stuff with caffeine and sugar so lots of new chappies on the way!

Treble ~ Thanx, its great to know that my first fic. wasn't a complete disaster. *Gets a huge grin*

Ok I got a break from band so, as I promised, here's the next chapter. *frowns* but come on people, I was seriously hoping to get the little incentive to write from a lot of reviews. I'm just not feeling the love heah. Oh well to those who have reviewed, I love you guys, you're awesomeness.

Special thanx again to Shade for helping my dumb self figure out how to use italics and stuff.

                                                         The Past Is Exactly That                                                                     Chapter 4 The newsies gathered around Specs' bunk as he prepared to tell them about his encounter with the Delancey's. He winced at the thought, but he had to tell the guys what he'd heard.

                                         *~*~*~*~//\\Flashback//\\~*~*~*~*

It was getting dark, and Specs was running just a little late. He knew it was dangerous and just an overall bad idea but taking the alleys was the fastest way back to the lodging house.

"'Ey fouh eyes! 'Ey, we'se tawkin' ta you'se."

Specs felt a cold hand grab his shoulder and turn him around. He stared Morris right in the face. He instantly knew this would surely turn to become a very big problem, but he tried not to let it show. He glared, emotionless, back at Morris as he would whisper incoherent plans that only Oscar would understand.

Without warning a fist jabbed straight into Specs' stomach, making him curl in pain. The next serious of punches turned into one big blur. One fist after another, coming from every direction, as the Delancey's just laughed at the suffering they were putting him through.

"Dat was da most fun I'se had all day." Morris just smiled at the barely breathing newsie crumpled onto the cold ground. "I'se jus' love soakin' newsies." The remark was made just to rub in their victory to the beaten newsie. His attention then turned to his brother. "I'se can't wait fa da plan we'se made ta actually start."

Oscar looked at him with delight at the mention of this "plan". Even Specs could faintly see the smirk appearing on his face. "Well wid da help a' our newsie friend, it should be startin' any day now." Oscar turned his gaze to Specs and crouched down beside him. "Dats right, one a' you'se little friends is helpin' us get our revenge on you'se all."

He got up just as Morris started to scream at him. "Why you'se tellin' 'em dat. You know 'e's jus' gonna tell da rest a' dem whad 'e knows now." Morris seeming like the brains of the operation this time, watched as his brother stormed off. He couldn't believe how stupid Oscar could be at times. He watched as his brother turned the corner quickly and seemed to stop in his tracks as if he ran into something, or something ran into him.

                                       *~*~*~*~\\//End of Flashback\\//~*~*~*~*

"Well, dat's all I can remember." Specs leaned his head back on his pillow.

"It jus' doesn't make sense. One a' us, helpin' da Delancey's? It jus' ain't right." Blink sat on the nearest bunk, trying to fit all the pieces of the puzzle together.

"Yeah, an' Oscar was da one ta let it slip. I'se always t'ought 'e was da brains behind everyt'ing, wasn't 'e?" Mush then sat down beside Blink.

Jack looked around the room, quickly jumping to conclusions due to the recent news. "Well, it seems like one a' us is a traitor." His eyes narrowed. Glances drifted across the room. Many of them in disbelief; some in accusation.

Although most of them thought if Jack, being the leader, thought it was true they should think it was true also. Impulse didn't. She wanted to think this through by herself, without influences from Jack and the others. Sure she'd ask them their ideas for an overall view but she was making her own mind up. To her, something just didn't seem like it fit. Like Blink had said, it just wasn't right.

                                           º~\/~º~/\~º~\/~º~/\~º~\/~º~/\~º

Michael was coming to his wits end. He had tried everything; he called the cops, searched her stuff. He had even gone out searching for her on his own. Nothing worked; this was hopeless.

"Buy me last pape, Mistah?" a small newsboy looked up at him with one of the most innocent faces imaginable.

Michael grinned evilly. That was it, that was the clue he was looking for. Charlotte had always gotten in trouble for being around newsies. Talking like newsies. She was probably staying with newsies. He handed the boy a penny and made sure no one watched as he followed the small child back to the Lodging House where the newsies obviously stayed. 

It was dark by the time the kid had unknowingly lead Michael to Charlotte's new home. He had found a decent spot to watch from outside the window, nicely set away behind in the dark shadows. He waited patiently as unfamiliar newsies walked in and out of his sight range. Suddenly a new face appeared in the crowd of boys; a familiar face.

"Charlotte." The name slid across his lips as they curved into a sneer. He finally found his little paycheck in disguise.

He darted up from his current position and made his way towards the door. "Just you wait you little brat, you'll get what's coming to you. And I'll get a nice little bonus." His hand reached for the cold doorknob when his body was jerked backwards.

"Whad do you'se t'ink you're doin'..." It was more of an exclamation than a question. Michael whirled around to see a figure standing behind the shadows that were just mere feet it front of him. "I was...I was just going to—"

"I'se can see whad you'se goin' ta do. You'se was gonna take Charlotte." A piercing set of bright blue eyes broke through the darkness. "I'se can't let ya do dat." Just then a shimmer of gold came up and struck Michael on the back of his head.

A/N : As always I'd love to come back and see lots of reviews. They just give me that nice warm toasty feeling lol. Any suggestions would be good too. I'd love to hear what you'd all like to see...even though I am pretty sure of the outcome of this whole thing anyways.