I began walking back but accidentally bumped into someone coming out. Before I could apologize, I was suddenly shoved. I stumbled backward and almost fell off the curb. Before I could react, strong hands closed around my neck and slammed me against the white pillar of the Congress Theater. I opened my eyes but I didn't recognize the person who was cutting off my breath. I clawed at his hands. In my daze, I thought drunk. He'd chosen either out of luck or by intuition to keep me in the shadows.

Using the last of my strength, I kicked out and my knee jammed into his stomach. His hands weakened and he let out an "oof." I threw off his hands and almost ran into Jack Kelly. He ignored me and strode past me. He picked up the guy by the collar and punched him in the face. Then he slammed him against the pillar and said,

"Care ta explain what ya were doin'?" He didn't answer but perhaps he couldn't. One eye was already swollen and his nose was bleeding. Even in his pitiful state, I walked up to them and slapped him. I rose my hand again but Jack reached out to grab it. I looked at him in surprise and rage. He said, "Calm down alright? I have this. Jesus." I settled with crossing my arms and throwing daggers at my assaulter.

"I don't recognize ya. Where ya from." The boy grinned grotesquely but didn't answer. This prompted Jack to say, "If ya don't answer me, I'll let the girl have at ya." The boy glared at Jack and leered at me before spitting out,

"Bronx."

"Alright then, Bronx boy. I want ya and yer friends if ya have any outa here. And don't think O'Malley won't hear 'bout this." The boy's face darkened dangerously. Then, I heard running steps behind me and turned to see Racetrack and Kid Blink.

"What's this Jackie-boy?" asked Racetrack. Jack released his hold on the boy and turned to light a cigarette.

"Nuthin', this piece of Bronx trash was jus' leavin'." The boy was clearly outnumbered so he spat on the ground and turned on his heel to leave. He disappeared in the darkness and Jack said, "Be sure t'a check if anymore Bronx newsies are lurkin' around." Racetrack said,

"Sure Jack." He looked at me and then at Jack. Then Racetrack put his arm around Kid Blink and leading him back inside said, "Come on Kid, Medda's waitin'."

I looked at Jack who was blowing out smoke thoughtfully and looking in the distance. I began, "Jack. I know you remember me. What I've been trying to tell you is that I never thought you a thief. That infuriating man who called you a thief misunderstood the whole situation and that's why I went over to the Lodge House and that's what I was trying to say that day I saw you and WHY AREN"T YOU LISTENING TO ME?" He continued to look away from me instead taking another drag from his cigarette. I felt the urge to stamp my foot like a small child.

Instead, I said wearily, " Francis Sullivan, I have tried to apologize countless of times. I don't know what else you want from me."

I turned on and began to walk in the direction home. I smiled within, just the tiniest bit smug at the look of surprise on his face at the mention of his hated name. But mostly frustrated and dejected, I walked into the dark. I knew the way would be dimly lit if at all and what I really wanted to do was return to the lights of the theater but my pride wouldn't allow me. I heard a shout behind me,

"Hey! You want to get raped or somethin'?" I continued walking.

It got darker and more foreboding as I walked away from the lights and I regretted my decision more and more. He'd been right of course. The streets of Manhattan aren't pretty during the day and they weren't exactly any better at night. I expected to see lurking figures in the grim darkness of the alleys but the way home was ominously quiet.

As I neared the little park where the newsies milled around in the late afternoons, I heard soft footsteps behind me. I froze and my heart started beating abnormally fast and my mouth became dry. I stopped and so did the footsteps. Then I quickly walked in the direction of the park.

I walked in and walked to the large statue in the middle of the park of some forgotten mayor of Manhattan. The base was large and I hoped it would hide me. I peeked around it and saw a figure in the middle of the street. The figure stopped but suddenly turned in the direction of the statue. I pulled away and looked around frantically for some sort of weapon. The only thing I could see was a large stick that had fallen from a tree in the park.

I bent carefully as to not rustle the fabric of my dress. I held the stick with both hands as though to create a barrier between me and my soon-to-be attacker. I took a deep breath and readied myself as footsteps neared the statue.

The figure rounded the corner of the statute but remained in the shadows. "Stay away, I am warning you. I have full intent to cause harm." I tried to say in a threatening voice. The figure suddenly doubled over and I became thoroughly confused. Wait a minute... "Excuse me, are you laughing?" I said just a tad bit offended. He raised his head.

"Jesus, ya shoulda heard yerself." I felt myself to flush. Grateful for the darkness now, I answered hotly,

"You realize you're a right arsehole Jack Kelly."

"Oh, it's Jack now ain't it?" He answered lightly, ignoring the insult. "Ya know, ya should be thankin' me. I coulda let ya go off by yerself. Woulda had some nice headlines for the mornin'."

"Shut it!" but the infuriating boy continued."And what were you plannin' with that stick?" he said still laughing.

I crossed over and swung it in his face but he moved away quickly. He looked at me appraisingly with a smile on his face. "Good start. But.." I swung again but in the same way so of course he expected it. Stupid of me.

He deftly blocked it and closed a hand over one end and then the other. He grinned and pushed it against me pushing me backward. I nearly tripped over a stray stone and he took the opportunity to twist around me and hold the stick underneath my neck.

"Good start, but not quite ready."

"Fine," I snapped. " Thank you for the assessment. Let me go." He released his hold on the stick and I threw it angrily to the side. I brushed off imaginary dust of the front of my dress careful not to look him in the eye. I walked out of the park and he fell in step beside me, his hands in his trouser pockets. Funny how mere minutes ago he was the one angry with me. I could almost feel him grinning in the darkness so I bristled, "Stop it."

"Stop what?" He said innocently but with the faintest trace of a smile.

"Alright, keep on laughing at me."

"Ah, come on Kate. You woulda laughed too if..." He paused wondering if he should continue. A smile played around my lips as I recalled my fighting stance, ready to take on my attacker with a stick. I laughed, I couldn't help it.

He glanced at me with a relieved and surprised expression at my sudden change of mood. And suddenly I couldn't stop laughing. I had to lean against a lamppost for support and laughed until tears came to my eyes. Jack had also started laughing but now he looked a bit worried at the sight of my tears. He chuckled nervously as he said, "Hey, you alright?"

"I'm fine." I laughed as I wiped away the tears. "I'm fine. I should be getting home." We walked the rest of the dark way in silence. We reached the front of the grocery store and Jack looked at me expectantly. "I'm not going in through the front if that's what you're wondering." I walked to the right side of the building and into the alley. Jack trailed close behind. I climbed onto the thin ledge and attempted to lift the window to my room.

"Here, let me" said Jack.

"It's fine, I can do it." I said quickly. I could do it with only a bit of trouble. I didn't want Jack thinking of me as the kind of girl always needing a guy at hand. He'd already punched someone for me and walked me home for god's sake. I pushed it open and stepped off lightly from the ledge. I looked up at him. "Jack, thanks for...thanks for everything." He crossed his arms and said,

"Um yeah. No problem." And suddenly it seemed like we both didn't know where to look. I broke the silence.

"Alright, then. Goodnight." I climbed back on the ledge and bunched my dress in front of me swung one leg over into the window while holding onto the window frame and then swung the other inside. I jumped carefully onto the ground below as to not wake the Learys. I heard him say,

"Hah, I swear you've done this before."

"You've no idea" I said grinning as I leaned out the window. In truth, it was my first time. He took a few steps back while saying,

"See ya around, Katie." Then he turned around and walked away with his hands in his pocket while whistling a soft tune I couldn't quite make out. I looked at his retreating back for a few seconds and then pulled my head back inside and closed the window. I made sure to lock the window securely. I had left it unlocked since I knew I would be returning late. I put on my nightgown and turned on the oil lamp beside my bed intending to read a bit before sleeping. But I drifted off to sleep before I could.

Hellooo. More twists to come so I'll be taking into account the feedback that I receive to decide if I should go through with these twists.

Addition: It's kind of funny but I started this story with this above chapter and the story developed from there. Just wanted to add that. :)

Thanks to Kathryn Mason-Sykes who reviewed last!