The next few weeks were a huge life adjustment. Jade, who was used to hot food and proper dinners, had her first warm, almost cold hotdog. She was used to warm plush beds and now slept on a thread bare mattress with a sad excuse for a pillow. She was used to having her hair brushed out and styled each day, she now had to shove her hair under her new cap. She was used to wasting the day away reading, playing the piano, and sleeping until 9, she now had to wake up at the crack of down and work selling papers.

Selling newspapers was an interesting activity. She was constantly surprised by the amount of fabricating these boys did daily. Some were almost the truth, but others were outright lies. Like today, there was a bridge closed for some small construction. This turned into the Brooklyn Bridge being closed due to parts collapsing. If she didn't know the boys were lying, she would have quickly bought a paper to see what happened. She knew that this was the point of course, she was just left speechless at the audacity the newsies had.

She, herself, had begun to spin lies. She followed the lead of a different newsie each day. First it was Jack, then Racetrack, then a boy named Mush. With each newsie she met, a calm came to her. She became used to their presence and their personalities. She knew that Racetrack liked to win, even if that meant he needed to cheat. She knew that Skittery got his name because of his inability to fight. She knew that Mush got his name because of how he is with girls. She was picking up small details about the boys she now lived with. She also met a boy named David and his little brother Les, who, unlike the others, had a family and an actual home.

Jack also dropped the sibling thing. Jade wasn't sure what convinced him, but she was happy he finally dropped it. She wasn't sure if she could have kept trying to convince him of the truth. He came to her one day and told her that he believed that her brother was dead and that she wasn't his sister. He told her that the more he interacted with her the less of his sister he saw in her. He kept to the fact that he knew her from somewhere. Neither of them figured it out yet. They were sure it would come to them.

With the good, came the bad, of course. She was told to stay out of certain areas of the city. She was warned about specific people. Oscar and Morris, the Delancey brothers, were two of those people. She was told to turn and walk the other way if she ever saw one or both. Some of the boys pointed them out to her when they had her at their selling spot. She became familiar with their faces as well as their movements around the city.

Another group of people she was warned about were the Brooklyn newsies. Jack was friends with the leader, but he had told her that they were a rough bunch. The other guys backed him up, telling her about their fears of getting lost and ending up in Brooklyn or running into one of them in a dark alley. She was told that the leader, Spot Conlon, was not a newsie she wanted to meet under any circumstances, and that if it can be helped, she would not have to worry about meeting any of them.

Jade was also told about parts of the city she should steer clear of if she ever found herself alone. Brooklyn, of course was one of them, but so was Harlem and the Bronx. The latter of the three was not as bad as the first two. But she was warned about Brooklyn and Harlem. They always seemed to be at each other's necks.

The boys were patient with her when she tagged along with them for selling. They gave her tips and taught her tricks about selling papers. They also helped her with her accent. If a girl with a British accent was walking around Manhattan, someone was likely to notice and report it. So, the boys corrected her when they noticed a word sounding out of place. She really thought before she spoke which lead to her not speaking unless absolutely necessary.

The guys didn't mind. They got used to her smiles and facial expressions. They began to expect her hums and laughs instead of actual responses. She spoke more to Jack and Racetrack with her accent than the others. They didn't correct her, and it was nice to just speak without having to think about every little word. She was a calming spirit surrounded by chaos. She was content with her current standing in life, that was until the police came.

With everything going so well, she almost forgot she was technically a runaway. Snipeshooter came barreling down the alley near where she was selling papers, yelling to get her attention. Jack turned around with her and jogging to meet the small boy. He was out of breath and barely able to speak, but the child got out the words; bulls, 'hattan, and Jade. Those three words were enough for Jack. The cowboy turned and grabbed Jade's hand, leading her further down the alley.

"Da bulls are in "hattan lookin' for youse. We's gotta get you otta heah." He said not turning around when she asked what happened. Jade followed helplessly behind. Fear creeping up through her veins. What did he mean by "otta heah?" Where was she going to go? She didn't know anyone else in the city. She barely knew the boys she lived with now. Where could he possibly think she could go?

Jack brought her deeper in the alley ways behind the buildings of the street he sold his papers on. He stopped, causing her to run into him. She looked up, stunned with an apology on her tongue, but Jack just smiled down at her. She smiled back, stepping away from him slightly. She watched as he tilted his head back and whistled. His whistle was like the birds she would listen to from her bedroom window. She looked up as well, not seeing anything but the tall buildings. That was until she saw a head pop up from one of them.

She watched as a thin, nimble girl made her way down the fire escape of the building to her left. Shifting so she was mostly concealed by Jack, she saw the girl stop halfway on the bottom set of stairs. Jack walked forward to greet the stranger.

"Falcon, I's need yer leadah to come to da lodgin' house." The stranger just nodded and climbed back up to the top of the building then disappeared. Jade wondered where she could have gone, wondered if maybe she was racing across the rooftops like one the characters in her books. The whistling made sense, if the girl was called Falcon.

"Let's get back to da lodgin' house, keep youse off da street. If da bulls are looking for youse heah now, dat means dey must have started somewhere else. Dey might be stayin' in "Hattan for a while." Jack had begun walking toward the end of the alley, presumably towards the lodging house.

Jade's fears had taken over her, making her mind and heart race. Jack must have sensed this because he turned to her after some time of walking. He took a deep breath and told her that she would be okay and that they weren't far from the lodging house.

When they arrived at the building, Racetrack sat outside smoking his cigar. When he saw them approach he stood up and gave Jade a small hug, just enough to comfort her. He asked Jack what was going to happen, what the plan was. Racetrack was the one who sent Snipeshooter, apparently.

"Conlon." Jack spoke one word and Race's face dropped. He began to shake his head in protest. Jack held up a hand to stop Race's onslaught of objections. "Dere's no other option. If we make a deal, da bulls won't find her." They began speaking as if she were a child or just not there. She thought she escaped that, she thought that when she ran away from home that this was done.

"Do I have a say? I know I've been quiet about most issues, but this really involves my life. Do I get to decide where I go?" Jack and Race simultaneously turn towards her. She could see that they both have their objections on their faces. She stood her ground. She was not going to go through all of what she had gone through just to end up in the same situation. She would not be told what she could and could not do. Where she could and could not go. Now a warning was different, a warning was just a suggestion. But Jack deciding where she was going to live and who was going to get control of her was a separate issue.

"Jade, we can't take any risks. Da bulls are starting to look for youse heah. Dey been lookin for youse for weeks now which means dey ain't gonna give up any time soon. Going with Spot is da safest option." Jack's face started to become hard. She could see his frustration with her.

"Jack, it ain't fair ta Jade. She don't know Brooklyn. It ain't safe dere." Race started his argument, gesturing to Jade as he mentioned her. Jack shook his head, telling him no. Jade was becoming frustrated as well. She would not let Jack control her person.

"I understand that you are looking out for me, but I don't need someone to tell me where-"

"No. Dis is what is best. Jade, youse don't know what its like ta run from da bulls. Dey know da city bettah den you. Youse barely know wheah youse are, so youse don't really have any say. I'se sorry, but I'se know how to do dis bettah than anyone and dis is da best way. Youse won't stay dere forevah, just for a bit." Jack cut her off, leaving her speechless. She couldn't believe that she was going through this again. Race stood in front of her with a small, awful smile on his face. He put his hand on her upper arm and gave a slight squeeze. She knew he was trying to reassure her, but it was hard to feel reassured. It was hard to relax when you were being shipped off to a place that you were told to stay far away from.

Jade left both boys outside, choosing to get out of the cold and warm up in the lodging house. They did not stop her. As she walked up the creaky stairs she realized how, in the short amount of time she had been there, how comfortable she had become. How she was no longer worried about the stairs falling under her weight, how she looked forward to decompressing in the room full of newsboys winding down for the day.

Jade had only been there for a few weeks and she felt like she belonged there. Now she was going to be ripped away from this new-found peace and be sent to a place she had only heard horrible stories from. It wasn't late enough for the other boys to be done selling, so when she opened the door to the beds, she was greeted by a deserted room. She supposed that she could use the quiet. After being on the street with screaming boys, the quiet could be a gift. The quiet could keep her company since she didn't want to speak with anyone.

She decided on a nap, which she knew wouldn't make her feel any better, but she figured that it was either a nap or sitting around waiting for her doom. She fell into a fitful sleep that was full of uneasy feelings.

When she woke up, she was greeted by a room full of newsies. None of them payed her any mind, just let her sleep. She was astounded by how, even with their noise, she was not taken from her sleep. She looked toward the window to find that the day was long over, and the moon was high in the sky. The boys were all doing their various nightly activities. Sitting up in her bed, she looked around to see if anything was out of place. She was really looking for any newsies out of place, any unfamiliar faces. She didn't see any. Everyone in the room was a regular to the lodging house.

She felt the bed shift and dip behind her. She knew who it was. She also knew that she was not happy with him and would act like a brat if she had to. She heard him sigh and clear his throat. He almost seemed nervous to talk to her. Good. He should be. He should feel bad for what he was doing.

"Jade." Jack's voice was soft, almost as if he didn't want anyone else to hear him. "I'se sorry for doing this. I don't know what else to do. I'se won't forgive myself if you were taken away." She turned to him, wanting to understand but just couldn't. She couldn't understand how he thought he had any right to tell her where she was to go and with who. That he didnt need to ask her first.

"Spot, he's da best chance at keeping youse away from da bulls. I'se helped other runaways and I'se had to ask him for help. He has nevah let me down." Jack seemed sincere. He seemed to be telling the truth. Jade wanted to let him know that it was okay, but it wasn't. She was scared and upset. Jack must have sensed this and tried to reassure her.

"Spot, he's not a bad guy exactly." He paused, looking for words. He was struggling to say something nice about the guy she was to go to Brooklyn with. "Spot is rough, he's not a happy guy. You'se won't see him or his newsies smile or laugh like we'se do heah. Dey have sorta a reputation to keep up. You'se will be okay with him." She tried to give him a small smile. She tried to make him feel better, to make him feel like she was okay with his decision.

"Look, we'se tell you to stay away cause of his newsies, not really him. He won't hoit a goil, but his boys I don't trust. If you'se stick with him, you'se will be fine. I'se promise." Jack was trying. He really was. He was trying to make her feel better about he situation. She calmed down just a bit, enough for him to calm down.

Jack tells her that Spot should be coming soon, so if she has anything to pack it up. She listens without any hesitation. She was raised to please the men around her, to make sure they were okay before her. She knew she should apologize but she doesn't really want to. She doesn't think she should, but she feels wrong for ignoring it. Maybe before she leaves she'll say sorry for her outburst. She feels a sort of freedom here that she didnt feel at the manor.

It didn't take long for Spot to arrive and it didn't take long for everyone to realize it. A hush fell over the room as the boy stood in the door way. He wasn't impressively tall or broad. He held himself like he knew and embraced the reputation that proceeded him. While Jack stood proud but not cocky, Spot stood proud and cocky. He stood knowing what he was and what people thought of him.

Jack walked up to him, spit in his had and held it to Spot. Jade stood watching, confused and a bit disgusted, which only increased when she watched Spot do the same thing. When the hand shake was over, the room became noisy again. Jade noticed that the noise wasn't as wild. It was more subdued. It was conscious of the Brooklyn leader.

Jade watched as Jack lead Spot back towards the sick room. Jade had never really been in the sick room, she knew it was there she just had no reason to be in it. The sick room was self-named since it was the room where the boys who were sick went so they didn't get everyone else sick. It wasn't a huge room, just four beds and some chairs. The beds were not made, their sheets and pillows were neatly folded at the foot of the beds. The beds were not dressed until someone needed one. Jack motioned for Jade to follow them. She stood frozen to the spot she stood until she felt Race come up behind her.

"Come on Jade, its time." Racetrack placed a warm hand on her shoulder, pushing gently her toward the sick room. Her feet gave way and guided her toward the room. She focused on her breathing attempting to calm slightly, just enough so the guys in the room wouldn't think she was hyperventilating. It worked for the most part, the guys looked up when she walked in with Race. Jack smiled at her while Spot just watched. He watched her as she walked forward to greet him.

She looked toward Jack before saying hello. Spot simply said hello back then took a seat in the chair nearest to him. Jack let out a breath and sat on the bed behind him, patting the space beside him. Race nudged her as he found a chair himself. Spot held out his hand to the boy and shook it. Race gave a small smirk and sat down. Jade, having nothing else to do, took the seat next to Jack.

"My birdies have been chirpin' Jack." Spot tilted his head as he studied Jack. He didn't look particularly scary. He was intimidating, but terrifying? No. She hoped this was a good thing. She hoped that maybe he was all bark and no bite. She looked toward her companions and realized maybe she was wrong. Jack stilled his fidgeting fingers and licked his lips, he nodded toward Spot saying yeah.

"I'se need your help." As he said this he gestured toward Jade. Jack, she noticed, was loosening up. He seemed to get his confidence back. She had heard that Jack and Spot were friends, but Jack's respect for his friend must have run deep. His actions were becoming more relaxed and fluid instead of fidgety.

"I ain't a babysitter, Kelly." Spot glanced at Jade, but his gaze didn't linger. His attention returned to Jack. Jade bristled. She was slightly offended. She didn't need a baby sitter. She wasn't a baby. She watched Spot with a slight glare. Jack must have noticed her change in demeaner because he began to speak again.

"Not babysitting, just protection from da bulls. You'se don't need to watch her." Jack tried. He wasn't making a great case. For Spot to protect her from the police, he would have to watch her. If he had to keep his eye on her, he was essentially babysitting. She began to think that she was becoming too much trouble for these boys. Maybe she made a mistake in asking for the help. She didn't want to trouble anyone. She was about to voice her concern when Spot turned to her.

"Da bulls came 'round lookin' for a goil. I spect its youse. Who you'se runnin' from?" He made eye contact. She didn't expect him to actually talk to her. With Jack's description he made Spot out to be the silent type. She was caught off guard but quickly recovered.

"A man."

"You'se married?"

"No, I was meant to be, but ran before it could happen."

"So you'se on da run from some guy." He kept eyes on her, moving them from hers to her hair. He followed it down to where it ended, bringing his gaze back to her face. "You'se also have an accent." She nodded. She told him she was working on it. He shook his head. Spot turned back to Jack.

"You'se wanna send her to Brooklyn? Whose idea was dat?" Jack glanced at Jade quickly then faced Spot. He sighed and opened his hands.

"Its my idea. Dere ain't anywhere else I trust enough to keep her safe." Spot turned to her.

"Is dis what you'se want? If yes, we'se leave tomorrow, if no den youse stay heah." Jade was taken aback. She looked toward Jack, shock on her face. The guy, who didn't know her, gave her a choice while Jack did not.

"Spot, da bulls are looking heah for her. She ain't safe heah."

"She desoives to make da choice. It's her life." Jack looked about to fight back, but Spot gave him no room for it. He took all his focus off Jack and gave it to Jade once more. She was conflicted. She didn't know what to do. Should she listen to Jack and go? Or take the chance with all if the cops milling around.

It wasn't much of a choice, was it? One was the smart decision and the other was the opposite. She should just go to Brooklyn for the time that the police were looking and come back after. It shouldn't take too long, maybe a week or two. She could easily keep her head down and get through those weeks.

"If it isn't too much trouble. I'll listen to everything you say and keep my head down." Spot nodded. He turned to Jack with a smirk. Jade knew she made the correct decision. She made the smart decision. She would be okay. She trusted Jack and he told her that she would be fine. She just had to keep close to Spot.

"You'se know what I want in return." Spot's voice interrupted her thoughts, she felt rather than saw Jack nod. She heard Racetrack swear under his breath. She began to wonder what it cost Jack for Spot's protection. Spot spit in his hand and Jack followed suit. The deal was made.

"Alright, get out. I'se just walked 4 hours and I'se want peace. Leave." With that, the two Manhattan newsies and Jade were dismissed. They left the room without a backwards glance to the Brooklyn leader. When outside of the room, both Jack and Race let out a sigh of relief.

"What does he want in return?" Her question seemed loud in the quiet hallway. Jack ran a hand down his face and began walking away.

"An open favor." With that, Jack walked into the bunkroom, probably to lay down. It was late, and they had to wake up early for work. She turned toward Race seeking more of an answer. Racetrack just sighed and explained.

"He basically gets what he wants when he asks. So, if he evah needs backup in a fight, he can call on Jack and Jack has to oblige. Even if it ain't a good time for him. It's an open favah like Jack said. Spot gets when he wants when he wants." Jade shook her head, she knew by both Jack and Race's reactions that this was not an ideal situation.

"My safety isn't worth this trouble. I'll go back to Spot and tell him that I don't need his help." She began panicking. She didn't want to put Jack into a situation that would cause him to get hurt or be at the mercy of the leader of the most dangerous guys in the city. She turned around and reached for the door knob of the sick room when a hand stopped her.

"Jack wouldn't accept the deal if he didn't think it was woith it. And just as a warnin', nevah barge into a room without Conlon's permission. He won't appreciate and you'se won't appreciate what happens to you'se." Race's face told her that he was telling the absolute truth. She logged this into her head for future reference. Thinking about this got her thinking she should probably get some more information about the leader of Brooklyn if she was to be living with him for the next few weeks.

As they walked away from the sick room she asked Race to help her. He led her to the fire escape and told her to climb, disappearing back into the building. She listened, shivering ast she climbed the two flights of metal stairs. The January air was brutal. The wind whipped against her face, cold and sharp. The cold went straight to her bones, leaving her to think that there would be no getting warm.

She waited for him to follow her, but it took him a few minutes. She walked over to the edge of the roof, looking down to the street. In the middle of the night, Manhattan was quiet. Everyone was tucked away in their beds, warm and snug. Everyone was getting their rest for the next long day. Since coming to the lodging house, Jade found that there were more hours in the day than before. She woke earlier and went to bed later. Oddly, she didn't feel exhausted, she just felt fine. She felt like she got enough sleep even though she got less sleep than before. She began thinking about what was going on at her old home, when she heard Racetrack.

When she turned she saw a pile of blankets with legs moving toward her. Laughing quietly, she moved toward the walking pile to relieve Race of the burden. Saying thank you, he gestured for her to set up some of the blankets. They both laid out a blanket to sit on and wrapped one around each of their shoulders. Thanking Racetrack, Jade pulled the blanket close and looked toward the sky.

"Do you think I'll be okay? Did I make a mistake? I know I didn't have much of a choice, Jack would have forced me to go, but-"

"Jade, dere was no easy way out of dis. When someone our age runs away or goes missin' , da bulls stick 'round da lodging houses for a while. Spot said he knew dey was lookin' for you'se which mean Brooklyn is safe." Race looked toward the sky sighing. "You'se won't be dere for long. Da bulls will be around, but after dat dey usually stay gone." He shrugged. Jade turned her attention to the sky as well. She remembers when she went south, into the country, and she saw millions of tiny stars. Being in the middle of the city, the stars lose their visibility. The sky looked empty. She could almost count the number of tiny dots above her. She wondered what Racetrack was thinking, if he was counting the stars or thinking of something totally different.

"Conlon ain't an awful guy." She lost count of her stars and turned to the shivering boy next to her. She chose a great time to run away. Maybe next time she needs to run somewhere she will wait until the summer. "He's just not as open with people so he seems like he's scary. He is wheah he is cause of what he had to do. Nothin' is more important to him than his territory. Dat's why he leaves his deals open. He won't lose Brooklyn to or for anyone. And God help the bastard who doesn't honah da deal. He woiked hard to get what he has."

"How does a person become a leader of a territory?" She didn't think there would be politics in selling papers, but if the boys have a hierarchy then there must be some. Race shifted beside her.

"Depends. Jack, he got it by da old leadah kinda handing "hattan down to him. The old leadah, Shade, left to go to Joisey. He moved on with his life. Found a goil,foil, started a family." Race kept his eyes to the sky. He squinted at the dim lights of the poor stars working so hard against the lights of the street. She watched him watch the sky, waiting for him to continue.

"Conlon, on da othah hand, fought for Brooklyn. He fought hard for it. He ain't all talk and no action. He's all talk with even woise action to follow. If he promises a fight, you'se gonna get a fight. Dere's rumors dat he killed da last leadah." Jade raised her eyebrows at that. Did she just agree to live in the same place as a murderer? "But dat's just talk. Da guy is woikin' in some factory on da edge of Battery. Conlon beat da shit outta him and da guy left. He didn't want to show his busted face around da newsies. Conlon gave him a choice and da guy chose to leave. In order for someone to take Brooklyn from da leadah, he's either gotta give it away or have an all-out war." Again, Jade raised her eyebrows. War? Among these boys? She voiced her concern and Race shook his head.

"A war is just fighting. Like with fists. Most of the time. Depends on what's being fought ovah. We'se all have allies. Brooklyn is 'hattan's ally and vice versa. Times are set and fightahs are chosen. Dey meet up, fight and who evah is standing at da end wins dat battle." He put air quotes around the word "battle." Seeing Jade's shocked face, he smiled. "Dey don't normally end in death. In da past dere have been accidents but dats when dey involve weapons. One side usually just calls quits and dey go back to dere part of the city to regroup. Da war goes on til one side flies a white flag.

"Brooklyn though? Brooklyn always wins. Dere ain't a reason to declare war against Spot Conlon. He takes care of his boys and dey do da same for him. His boys are tough enough but if you go aftah on of the youngah ones, you'se will have Conlon to answer to. He's da best fightah in New York, you'se ain't makin' it out of dat fight without at least one broken bone. He doesn't mess around. Once you get on his bad side, dat's it, you'se dere forevah."

Jade began thinking about what she didn't know. She was a sheltered child, kept away from the world. She took trips to the park weekly and left the manor for parties or balls. That was her experience outside her room. She knew what being a prisoner in her own home was like, but she didn't know what fighting for your life each day was like. She realized that she knew a small part of the world. She knew what it was like to be rich and stable in life. She didn't know what it was to be poor and scared. She assumed that these boys were scared. Scared of starving, fighting, growing up. She wouldn't underestimate the guys in Brooklyn, but she would keep in mind that she would have to adapt to their way of life just as she adapted to the Manhattan newsie's way of life.

"If you'se want my advice for dealing with Brooklyn and Conlon, just keep your head down. Get trough the next couple o' weeks and come back heah. Listen to Spot. If he tells you jump, you'se jump. Keep away from da Brooklyn boys unless Conlon says so. You'se gonna be okay. It's just for a little while, you'se gonna be back before you'se know it. And if anything happens to you, Jack will come and getcha." She stayed silent and nodded. Race started to stand shaking the cold away. Jade followed his lead and the two of them grabbed the blankets and made their way inside.

Tomorrow her life would change again. She was just as scared as a few weeks ago when she was running from the police. It was a new fear. This fear was not so much of what she didn't know it was more of what she knew lay ahead of her. She knew she was going to a place that was just as dangerous as being caught by the police. The difference between then and now is that she knew she had a home to go to with the Manhattan newsies after all of this was over.

When they got inside, Race took the blankets from her and headed to his bunk. Everyone else was already laying down, ready for their dreams to take them away. She laid down on her bunk and waited for the same thing to happen to her. She had a long day ahead of her tomorrow.


Hi guys! I hope you are enjoying the story so far. I am sorry if it is so slow, I wanted to make this story detailed and enjoyable.

Let me know what you think and what you guys would like to see happen. I'm always open to suggestions.

Fluffymarshmallows: Thank you for your feedback. I will keep the dialog in the accent form! I hope you enjoy! (:

I might start putting chapter previews at the end of the chapters, would anyone like that?

Happy reading!


Chapter 7 Preview

She backed up, let out a breath and took off. When her feet left the edge of the roof she realized that she wasn't going to land right. She realized that she may not make it to the other side. This wouldn't be a stumble she would quickly recover from. This would either be shattered bones in the least and her death at the most. When she landed, her chest hit the siding while her arms latched on to the edge. It knocked the breath out of her. Spot rushed forward and grabbed the back of her shirt, pulling her up. As he pulled, she felt a sharp pain go through her ribs. Her breathing was labored, and her chest was killing her.