Hey, I've been really busy all week, otherwise I'd have updated sooner. Thanks so much to everyone for your support and comments, sniff I don't feel quite as much of a loser anymore.

Chapter 4

Alex lived with the newsies for a couple weeks. She became friends with all the boys, Blink was such a ladies man, Racetrack, in his own sarcastic comments, revealed a depth of character no-one but a girl would notice, Boots had such a gentle spirit, Skittery always seemed to be grumpy, but after a time Alex realized that it was just a way to get attention, and just ignored him when he was like that, and Mush always had a sweet smile on his face. She got to be pretty close to him, they were bunkmates after all.

She once woke up in the night to hear whimpering from the bunk above. She climbed the ladder up to Mush's bunk, he was sweating and jerking around.

"Mush!" She stage whispered. Trying to wake him.

No reply.

Mush!" A little louder.

Nothing.

She shook his shoulder "Mush!" He snapped awake and sat up, panting, with wide eyes he searched the room, borderline panic.

"Mush, it's okay, it's Alex."His eyes focused on her face for a moment. Assured, his whole body sagged with relief. He covered his face with his hands "Sorry, Alex, jus' a dream. I'm okay. You can go back ta bed." She'd never seen him look so depressed before. "You'se don't seem okay. I t'ink it musta been more den jus' a dream." She sounded concerned.

He didn't say anything, after a while Alex sighed and started getting down.

"It's jus" He began, she stilled "When I's still had a family, me dad was always drunk. I was real little, ya know?"

She nodded and waited for him to go on.

"I'se not soft, I was young. couldn't do anyt'ing, an' he was real strong, and felt he had to prove it ." He took in a long shuddering breath, "He'd get to hittin' sometimes." Then, seeing her sympathetic look he bristled "I ain't a weakling! I'se could take him now. I don't needja pity."

"I know's you ain't weak, Mush." Alex assured him "But you'se ain't gotta face everythin' on yer own now. You'se got us newsies, we's got your back."

They both smiled and Alex crawled back into bed.

"G'night Mush."

"Night Alex."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Alex still considered David her best friend, they always sold near each other, and talked when they weren't busy.

She learned all about his family, his lovely sister, Sarah, who he seemed very proud of. His little brother, Les, who'd been pretty much dragged back to school.

"Why's it dat he's got to go back ta school, and you'se getta stay a newsie?" Alex asked.

"Dad's only got a part-time job, we need the income."

He talked about his mother and father, his family sounded... nice.

When he asked about her family, she kind of shrugged off the question.

"Dat's in da past, I's in da present, I's gotta worry 'bout da future. I ain't got time for dat."

But, seeing his look, she sighed "Fine, I has a mudda, fadda, and a brudda. Me fadda wasn't home much, woikin' all da time, ya know?

Ma, she fell in love wit' my fadda when she was young, too young to know better, she gave up a nice, comfortable life for him. Sweet, but stupid.

Me brudda left home when I was eight, ain't seen him since. Wow, he's gotta be sixteen by now!"

Looking at David, she rolled her eyes "Bore ya enough?"

"Why'd you leave?"

She was taken aback for a moment "I- I'se jus' got tired o' dat life...and, we wasn't gettin' on so well, dere was never really much food... got bad enough, me ma was gonna send me upstate to her sister, and... I's jus' left." She looked pretty sad.

"Was your mom upset?"

"I dunno, I snuck out at night."

"Oh."

'He's looks dissapointed in me!' Alex realized, disgruntled.

She wheeled around and poked him in the chest. "Hey, she knows why I'se left. They ain't gotta support me no more. I did 'em a favor, and dey unnerstan' dat!"

David didn't seem to agree, but wisely left it silent.

"An' den," She began, glassy eyed, "When I's real rich, I's gonna drive home in a fancy carriage, a real hoity-toity one, ya know. An' den I'll take dem both away to mansion on da coast, we'll have soivants, and fea'ter beds, and mum will have all da china she could want." For a moment her face displayed the longing she felt, when she realized as much, she schooled her expression and was emotionless.

"Til den, we's got papes to sell."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Alex liked her life with the newsies, she liked the hustle and bustle of the morning in a dorm, she liked listening to the banter between the guys, she liked joining it, she liked selling papers. Strangely enough, she struck up a kind of friendship with that cop from her first day, she sold him a paper every morning, and he always had a smile for her.

She also liked poker.

She played Racetrack alot, and always lost, but no matter how humiliating her defeat, next time he'd say "Anyone up fo' pokah?" She'd zip up, ready to prove herself. Race was amazed she kept coming back only to lose, but he didn't want to complain, it was her money, right?

No matter how long she stayed with them, she still felt seperated, she had to be careful, she had to keep her secret, and it was becoming harder, as she approached her sixteenth birthday curves bagan to appear, and she had to find extra tight wraps for her chest.

She was almost paranoid about someone finding out. All this trust she'd gained would be lost, and she'd have to start from scratch.

But, for now, She was content.

o-o-o-o

Wow, that wasn't nearly as long as I thought it'd be. Oh well. We all start somewhere, right?