Disclaimer: I don't own Newsies or any of it's characters.

I got back to the lodging house right at sunset that afternoon, still in shock from what happened earlier today. Both with Morris and Oscar. I can't believe Morris tried to do that, and Oscar kissed me? Technically though, Oscar did save me from Morris. I would have to thank him later when I got over what happened. I don't think I could even look at him right now, especially if he's with Morris.

I shuddered at the thought as I went up the stairs to the bunk room. As I closed the door behind me, I pressed my back to it and closed my eyes in relief. I thought I'd never get back here, it seemed like a never ending journey.

"Long day?" I heard the voice of Jack Kelly.

I snapped open my eyes and looked up at Jack, then smiled sheepishly, "Oh, hey Jack. Yeah, had a rough day."

"Wud happened?" Jack asked, reading over a spare newspaper as he leaned against one of the bunk beds.

"Um…" I debated whether I should tell him or not. I know he hated the Delancey's, but I didn't want him to hurt them. I didn't like to resolve things with violence.

"Does it have anythin' ta' do wit da Delancey brudda's?" Jack asked.

"How'd you know?" I questioned.

"It's always da Delancey brudda's," Jack said, putting his paper down and standing, walking over to me, "So, wud dey do dis time? Push ye' 'round? Pull ye' hair? Mess with ye' dress?"

"Morris tried to rape me," I said suddenly, not exactly knowing where it came from.

Jack's eyes went wide and he took a step back, stumbling a little, "W-what? He tried ta'—Oh my God, Leah! Ah ye' a'right? He didn't hurt ye' did 'e?"

"No-no, I'm fine," I said, avoiding eye contact with Jack, slightly embarrassed about it, "Oscar got him to go away."

"Osca'? He made Morris back off?" Jack questioned, seemingly not believing it completely.

"Well… He tricked him into leaving, more like it," I admitted.

"But 'e still made 'im leave?" Jack questioned.

"Yeah," I nodded.

"Well… He didn't do nothin' did 'e?" Jack kept on with the questions; I stayed silent at this, "He did, didn't 'e? What'd 'e do?"

"He uh… He might of… He might of kissed me," I said the last part in a whisper-whimper and closed my eyes nervously, tilting my head down and clenching my fists.

"He what?" Jack suddenly snapped, seemingly angry about this; I wasn't surprised.

"He kissed me, alright! I don't know what to do about it! I'm freaking out and so confused!" I cried, gripping my hair as tears pricked the corners of my eyes.

"I'll tell ye' wud I'm gonna do 'bout it. I'm gonna go kick some Delancey ass!" Jack snapped, pushing past me and going out the door and heading downstairs; I ran after him down the stairs.

"No, Jack! Wait!" I caught up to him at the bottom of the steps; I pushed myself in front of him and pushed on his chest a little, trying to stop him from going to soak the Delancey's, "He apologized! He didn't mean it!"

"Didn't mean it?! Wud da hell are ye' talkin' 'bout, Leah?! He kissed ye'! He did mean it!" Jack yelled, flapping his hands around in frustration and anger.

"Alright, so maybe he did mean it, but what if… Maybe… I wasn't that angry at him for it?" I suggested innocently, shrugging my shoulders nervously and clasping my hands at my waist.

"Wait… Do you… Do you actually… Like Osca'?" Jack questioned incredulously, giving me a sort of angry, unbelieving glare, "Are ye' nuts?!"

"No, I'm not! Have you ever really stopped to actually try and get to know him instead beating him up all the time?" I asked, suddenly angry myself. I glared up at the tall boy, my hands on my hips, "He's actually kind of sweet, and… Dare I say, nice… In his own way."

"Osca'? Osca' Delancey? Nice? Ha!" Jack laughed sarcastically before giving me a look of disbelief, "You're kiddin' me right, Leah? You've gotta be jokin' wit me!"

"No Jack, I am not 'jokin'' with ye'," I said irritably.

"Well… I don't care! I'm still goin' ta' kick dere asses!" Jack snapped, storming past me once more.

I chased after him once again, calling after him and begging him not to hurt the boys, "Jack please! Wait up! Don't hurt them, please!"

It did me no good though, Jack ignored me the whole way to the gate.

As he stormed into The World, an angry glare on his face and his fists clenched, he spotted the brothers and called out to them, "Hey, Delancey's!"

They both looked over at Jack, and smirked deviously.

"Hey, wud's up, Cowboy?" Oscar smiled, throwing his hands in the air and waltzing over to Jack, his older brother right behind him with the same evil snarl on his face.

"I can't believe wud you two did ta' sweet little Leah!" Jack snapped, grabbing a fistful of Oscar's shirt and pulling him off his feet a little.

"Whoa Cowboy, whatcha talkin' 'bout?" Oscar snapped, holding his hands up in mock defense.

"Youse know exactly what I'm talkin' 'bout," Jack spat between his teeth.

Oscar then frowned and his face paled dramatically before Jack suddenly smacked his forehead into Oscar's nose. Oscar cried out and fell back out of Jack's hands and landed on the ground with a loud thud.

Morris's face went from smug to angry in a split second as he launched his fist into Jack's face. Jack only stumbled a little, and was soon throwing punches right back at Morris. He got Morris on the ground and sat on top of him before he started repetitively throwing his fists into Morris's face. It only took a minute to make Morris too groggy and beaten to stand, so Jack crawled off of him before going over to a staggering, swaying Oscar, who was holding his bloodied nose.

He grabbed the smaller boy by the shirt and glared into his dark eyes with his own before gritting out, "Stay away from Leah, stay away from all of us. If I eva' see ye' wit 'er again, I'll kill ye'. And dat's a promise."

He then threw Oscar back onto the ground before snatching my wrist and attempting to drag me back to the lodging house, but I protested and pulled my wrist out of his vice like grip, "No Jack!"

He turned around to me and gave me a look of confusion and annoyance, "What?"

"I said no," Crossing my arms, I stood there courageously, "You're not the boss of me. I can do what I want and talk to who I please."

"But… Da Delancey bruddas? Dere assholes," Jack snapped, motioning to the two groggy boys behind me.

"Who are you to judge? Because all you've ever been is assholes to them," I said, shifting all my weight onto my other foot.

"Dey spell trouble, Leah," Jack snapped.

"I don't care, Jack," I snapped back.

"Fine. If dis is whatcha want, den fine! Go 'head!" Jack bellowed as he turned on his heel and headed towards the gate; he turned back to me when he reached it, "But when dey hurt ye', don't come cryin' ta' me! 'Cause I won't be dere!"

And with that, he turned on his heel, and left me and the two brothers alone. I released a heavy sigh and turned around to the boys, seeing Morris lying on his back unconscious, and Oscar, sitting on the ground, holding his nose. I sighed once more before going over to Oscar and squatting down next to him.

"Oscar… Are you alright?" I asked sympathetically.

"Do I look a'right ta' you?" He snapped, but when he saw my hurt expression, he quickly apologized, "Sorry. Didn't mean ta' snap atcha like dat."

"It's alright," I smiled sadly, putting a hand on his shoulder, "Here. Let me help you with this whole… Situation."

He nodded and I helped him stand, but before we started to walk into the distribution center housing, I looked back at Morris.

"What about him?" I questioned, not totally trusting the older brother.

"He'll piece togetha' wud happened ta' 'im when 'e wakes up. He does every time," Oscar said, making me giggle a little bit.

I then helped Oscar inside so that I could help him clean up.