AN: All the comments are nice. Thank you all for reviewing! I own nothing of Newsies or anything that could be brought up.
Backstabber
I had the joy of rolling out of bed with a headache. Don't drink kids. Not even a little. You will regret it. I willingly shoved my head into cold water. I was drying my face before everyone headed downstairs to stop the scabs from selling the papers. We had decided last night after I got back that Cap, Chick, and Jaws would stay back to give Chick's foot a break. I chased after Race and Pearl. I finally reached them but we were already forming our blockade.
"Heard ya comin' in late Nut. You and Spot have a good time?" He asked giving a big grin.
"My head hurts and I want to sleep. Today may not be a good day to mess with me." I said stretching rubbing my face feeling less pain.
"I'll tak' dat as a yes." Race said before he jumped into strike mode. Spot was yelling next to us about them being scabs. We were all yelling about the strike. David yelled for help and nearly busted our ears.
"I ain' def!" Race said breaking up a pair of fighting kids.
Spot headed towards the front of the line of cops breaking kids up as he went. "Hey, hey Race. Jus' tell me I'm seein' things." Spot said seeing Jack all dressed up as a scab.
"No you ain' seein' things dats Jack." Race asked.
"Why's he dressed as a scab?" Mush asked. "Jack look at me will ya. It's me Mush. Look at me what are ya doin'?" He asked sounding really sad.
"This ain' happenin'. This can' be happenin'. What are ya doin' Jack?" Blink screamed next to Mush.
"Hey, what's dis. Where ya get them clothes?" Boots asked getting a glimpse through the crowd.
"Mr. Pulitzer picked them out himself. A special gift for a special new employee." Weasel said loving how we all hated it.
"So much for trusting each other Jack!" I screamed.
"He sold us out!" Someone behind me shouted.
"Ya bum. I'll soak ya you fake!" Race said heading for the line.
"Hey hey hey. Let me get my hands dirty. Come he'e ya dirty rotten scabber!" Spot said nearly breaking the police line when he jumped between two cops. I helped get Spot to the back where he couldn't get into too much trouble. Race and Pearl were still in the front watching. Pearl seemed shocked and Race just looked mad.
"Calm down!" I screamed in Spot's ear as he tried to get back up to the front and soak Jack.
"He sold us out! Dis was his idea and he left us!" Spot yelled back.
"We have to finish this with or without Jack. Spot with Jack being a scab you need to set an example. You have to help David lead the strike." I said in a quieter voice.
He stopped fighting to get out of the five newsies grasps that held him back. He shook them off and said, "Yous is right." He walked back to the front. I followed behind him and caught the last of David and Jack's conversation.
"Yeah, but you never had the guts to put them across yourself, did ya?" Jack asked David.
"I do now." David said turning to us. He just stared and turned back around and jumped at Jack who was mocking him.
"Maybe you want a new suit too?" Weasel said as the cops pushed David back behind the police lines.
"Never! I'm not like you!" He screamed.
We all screamed at tried to get at Jack who was escorted out and through the crowd by police. Everyone stayed and scared the scabs but they managed to get past us and sell their papers. People started asking questions about what we were supposed to do now. David looked lost and really hurt. I tapped Spot on the shoulder and tilted my head toward David. He got the idea and walked over. He started talking to David about how the strike had to go on but David was angry. He pushed Spot out of the way and tried to leave. I stepped in front of him.
"David you're not the only one hurt. You have to lead this strike. Hell if you won't I will and god knows what will happen when the papers get word of a girl leading the new boys strike. So step up and be a leader." I said not moving as he gave me an evil glare and tried to push me out of the way.
"I can't be a leader. I just tell them what to say." David said when I wouldn't move.
"Grow. Up. We all have to do things we can't do. We do them anyway and they become can do." I said as Pearl came to help the blockade I was forming.
"Jack may have ditched us but we won't let you." She said as Race came up.
"You ain' alone neither." Spot said standing next to David. "We're in dis tagethe'."
"You are crazy." David said smiling.
"I'm me. What do you expect?" I said as we all smiled. David wasn't too bad. For now. "Now we got stuff to do and not a lot of time to do it. Let's plan boys."
We all headed for the lodge that somehow became our headquarters during this whole thing. Pearl and I went to check up on Chick whose foot seemed to be loads better. She was actually testing walking on it with help from Skittery. She was a little limpy but it wasn't too bad.
"So what shoul' we do?" Spot yelled. I guessed it was because they needed some help. I walked over and heard Pearl coming up behind me.
"Well oddly enough there isn't a lot we can do. But we need Jack. He's a sign that the strike is still going on." I said but couldn't finish due to Spot and David getting angry at me.
"Whadda ya talkin' 'bout?" Spot asked looking confused.
"You tell us we need to step up then you say we need to get Jack back?" David asked sounding really confused.
"Let her finish you ninnies!" Pearl yelled before anyone said anything else.
"Thank you. People see Jack and they have hope. They see him being a scab they go and be scabs. What I'm saying is we need him if we want him or not." I said hoping I got my point across.
"An' how we suppose ta do dat?" Spot asked with a serious face.
"Yeah, he clearly doesn't want to be a newsie." David said still confused but not as much.
"I know how but it's not easy and it involves my least favorite rodent." I said looking disgusted.
"Oh no. What is it?" David asked not looking happy.
"Pulitzer wants the strike stopped. He underestimates us. He thinks we'll fail without Jack and the strike will crumble. The Delancey's, even though they are idiots, know that we," I gave a quick wave around the four of us that sat in a circle planning our next attack. "Won't let that happen. So to fix the problem they will try and take down one of you." I said pointing to both Spot and David. "They aren't stupid enough to go after Spot so that leaves you David."
"They're coming after me?" He asked shocked.
"Yup now let her finish." Pearl ordered.
"So my guess is they will try to draw you in by using…say your sister. They'll go after her then you come to the rescue but they soak you before you get the chance. But say we add in a factor like Jack. He hears Sarah screaming and comes to the rescue too. It's a simple plan really." I said feeling really proud of my obsession with Newsies.
"So you want to me go into this trap?" David questioned. "What if Jack doesn't come?"
"That's why you have the Calvary hiding out making sure you don't get to beaten. That'll be Pearl, me, Spot and a few others. Jack doesn't come we save the day." I said with a smile on my face.
"How will we know dat dey started deir plan?" Spot asked resting his chin on his cane.
"We have scouts. They follow Sarah and Jack." Pearl chimed in after I stayed quiet.
"There ya go." I said in a cheerful voice. Spot and David didn't seem too happy though. "Look. It's the only shot we got."
"Fine. I'll do it." David said with a sigh.
"Great! We'll get people on it!" Pearl said chasing down some newsies and volunteering them to scout. When they gave her odd looks and tried to refuse she always pointed back at me and I gave a mean look. Some kids were so gullible.
Before anyone knew it, it was dark and people were yawning. Spot was too tired to go to Brooklyn no matter what he said about not being tired. I forced him into Jack's bunk and curled up on my own bunk where Jaws was stretched out. I got a corner of the bed though. That's the most I could have gotten even if I kicked her in the side.
(Spot's POV)
He wanted to stay but his boys needed him. Nut Job nearly had to tie him to the bunk. She said, "You look like hell. There's no way you are leaving this lodge." He didn't argue much he was closer to having her as his girl. He rolled on the top bunk and watched as Nut Job tried to find space on the small bed. He couldn't help but smile a little. Nut would kick Jaws then Jaws would kick her feet out taking up more of the bed.
(Pearl, Chick and Cap's POV)
Pearl kicked the side of Cap and Chick's bed. She pointed to Spot. He was just watching Nut. It was creepy in a cute they're in love kind of way and they all knew it. They all three got up when Nut and Jaws were asleep and surrounded the bunk that Spot slept on. It wasn't a proper relationship without the friendly you hurt her we hurt you thing.
"Hey goils?" Spot said lying on his back staring at the ceiling looking like he was about to go to sleep.
"Spot you do anything-" Chick started.
"And we mean anything." Cap added.
"And we will hurt you." Chick said.
"I will personally treat you worse than Frankenstein's monster and you will see our combined wrath that will rain down upon you and bring the seven plagues of Egypt. Do you understand?" Pearl said in a loud whisper.
"I know I do." Skittery mumbled with several nods from other bunks.
"Yeah no hurtin' Nut. I ain' stupid 'nough ta do dat anyway." Spot said looking the girls in the eyes. "Swear." He said falling back down to sleep.
"Our job is done." Pearl said with a smile.
"But mine's not." Nut said opening her eyes. "I didn't know we were enforcing the punishment rule." She had an evil smile growing on her face. "Night girls."
"God we hurt dem and Nut'll kill us fur sure." Race's voice came as they all settled back into their beds.