A/N: Hi, everyone! I hope you all had the merriest of Christmases and the happiest of New Year's! I would like to say my deepest apologies that it took me over a YEAR to update this story! I've had the most terrible case of writer's block, and real-life stuff going on, and I guess...I was just a little on the lazy side, too. XD But, here we are, chapter ten at last! Maybe now that I got this chapter out of the way, I can FINALLY get more motivation to finally finish this story! Well, enjoy reading!

Matilda and Fritz asked literally everyone in Manhattan using the one photo they had of her, but nobody had seen or known anything about the little girl they were looking for. Upon their search, they came across a boy with a crippled leg.

"Afternoon pape?" he asked them before gasping at their unsightly faces.

"We can go without the rude remark," Matilda said, obviously knowing what startled him.

"And we can go without the news, thank you very much," Fritz added. "Now help us out. Have you seen this girl?" He showed Crutchy the picture of Charlie.

Crutchy's face lit up upon seeing the photo. "Hey! D-dat's Charlie! If she were dressed more like a girl, that is!"

"Fritz and Matilda looked at each other, smirking. "Oh, it appears as if you know our niece. Excellent! Have you seen her anywhere?"

Crutchy gulped. Oh, no. Not again. He thought. "I-it's dis brain of mine, always makin' mistakes, it has a mind of its own, it ain't da foist time I-"

"Well, then!" Matilda sneered. I suppose it's up to us to help your brain not make any more! "Maybe this'll jar your memory!" Immediately, Fritz yanked out Crutchy's crutch from under his arm.

"No-no-no-not-the-crutch-GEEEEEAHHHH!" Crutchy quickly fell over within seconds on the cold icy cobblestone ground. He immediately started getting beaten by Fritz with the crutch. "Oh, yeah. Dat's really into da Christmas spirit; beating on a crip! You're gonna be on Santy's naughty list for sure!" He cried out. He started calling for help nearby. "BLINK! MUSH!"

Immediately, Kid Blink and Mush heard their friend's calls for help. They were on Fritz and Matilda in an instant. A snowball was hurled at Fritz's head. Then Matilda's. They both got disoriented and slipped and fell on the ice and into a snowbank. Blink and Mush continued to throw snow all over them. "YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR THIS YOU BRATS!" Matilda shrieked.

They immediately helped Crutchy to his feet and continued fending off the two as Crutchy hobbled off.

Later that night, The Newsboys' Lodging house was all abuzz as the boys prepared to go caroling to celebrate the imminent approach of Christmas. As they were about to head out into the snowy streets, however, a knock at the door was heard. Bumlets opened the door only to find the most unsightly buzzard and warthog the Newsies had ever seen. Of course, in reality, it was Matilda and Fritz! Regardless, their presence was met with screams and cringes. Bumlets himself let out a cry of disgust and bounded to the closet.

"Who's in charge here?" Matilda shrieked.

"That would be me" replied Kloppman, coming down the stairs as quickly as an elderly man of his stature could.

"Alright then…" Matilda replied.

Fritz pulled out the photo from his pocket.

"Have you seen THIS girl?"

Kloppman adjusted his glasses and looked closely. "Hmm…nope, never seen any girls around here. I have seen a boy who kind of looks like her, though." He said.

"Hey" Fritz turned to his wife, "you think that might be her?"

This was met with a whack in the head by Matilda.

"You dolt!" she scolded, "Once more, how likely is it that a girl would be willing to dress up like a boy to run away? Sometimes, I think you're dumber than you look."

"'Ey" called a voice from the back. It was Racetrack. "I tink I'se seen a kid who looked just like her a while back." The ugly pair scurried up to the gambler, only for him to step back a bit just to keep some distance from them. "Eh, yeah…anyway, I tried talking to her, but she put an egg in her shoe and…well, beat it!"

The lodging house joined in a collective fit of laughter. Naturally, Fritz and Matilda were unamused.

"Fine" Matilda snapped, "be like that! Come on, Fritz. We're looking elsewhere." With that, she yanked his hand and started heading out.

Fritz took one last, bitter glance behind. "Merry Christmas, you little punks!" he shouted to them.

"Same to you, freak" Snipeshooter replied, sticking his tongue out like the gutsy little Newsie he was as the door slammed shut.

As the two once again braved the snow, they bumped into another pair of familiar, shady characters.

"Watch it, granny!" Oscar snapped.

"Who are you calling granny?" Matilda shot back. "You're just as bad as those snot-nosed paperboys in that lodging house we were just in!"

This sparked Morris' interest.

"Whaddya doing bothering them for?" he asked. "Normally, they go bothering others to sell papers."

Oscar added, "Not to mention they have a way with messing people with people they don't trust."

Fritz stepped up. "It just so happens that we lost our poor little niece." He pulled out the photo once more, to which the Delanceys studied and looked at each other.

"I dunno what the boys in the lodging house told you" Oscar said, "but we've indeed seen her around…"

"You better not be lying too" Matilda threatened.

"Oh no" Oscar condescendingly replied, "we swear we have. And we can bring you to her."

"We can?" asked Morris.

"SHUSH!" shouted Oscar.

The aunt and uncle were eager to listen. "I suppose we could give you our time," Matilda told them. Fritz immediately reached into his pocket and was about to hand them his pocket watch when she smacked him on the head with her purse yet again. "I DIDN'T MEAN LITERALLY, YOU DOLT!" she shrieked. "You'll have to excuse my husband here, he's not too bright."

"Hey!" Oscar beamed. "Same with Morris here!"

"SHADDUP!" Morris shouted.

"Well, it's true!" Oscar responded.

"Well, you ain't no genius yourself!"

"SHADDUP!"

The brothers continued their shouting tirade when Matilda finally said, "No worries, no worries, you'll do fine. Just tell me what you know about her."

"We certainly will," Oscar agreed.

"BUT" Morris chimed in, "it's gonna cost you…"

"How much?" Matilda asked, reaching into Fritz's pocket and pulling out a handful of dollar bills, much to his chagrin.

"Hey!" he shouted as Matilda elbowed him.

"We'll discuss THAT later," Oscar told them. "For now, come with us…"

It had been a successful night of caroling. The boys had earned a few coins from caroling, and were now finishing up their Secret Santa gifts, either finally buying them or heading back to the lodging house to wrap their gifts. Meanwhile, Jack sighed with disappointment as he gazed at the glass bird in the window of the gift shop, which was now ten minutes away from closing for Christmas. He looked at the coins he had in his hands. No matter how hard he tried to improve the truth yesterday and today, it still wouldn't be enough to pay for the bird. He was about to consider giving up and deciding on something else when he heard a familiar voice ring up from behind.

"Hiya, Cowboy!" said Oscar in a fake friendly tone. Jack turned around quickly to find the Delanceys sneering at him a few feet away from him.

"Alright, what do youse two want?" Jack asked them suspiciously.

"Oh, nothing, nothing, we see you're looking at that bird!" responded Oscar.

"Pretty, ain't it? I didn't know you was into girly things!" Morris teased.

"Hey, it's a present for someone, alright?" Jack snapped at him.

"Calm down, calm down, no one's judging ya," said Morris. "Although we might."

"Morris, enough." snapped Oscar.

"Just tell me what youse want already." Jack said.

"Oh, we just want to make sure that your little friend, the girl newsie was doing alright." Oscar said.

"Well, she's doing FINE. Thank ya for asking." Jack grumbled.

"Yeah, yeah, you're welcome. We just want to know where exactly she's stayin' so we know she's in good hands!" Oscar told him.

"What are you sayin'?" Jack confronted them.

"Now, look, there's a pair of bad people who are after her tonight." said Morris.

"Yeah!" said Oscar. "Real pair of ugly freaks."

"Any more ugly than youse two?" Jack asked as he let out a laugh.

"Keep it shut." Oscar snapped. "We heard they found out where she is and they're on their way to get her right now."

"And we need to know where she is so we can ambush them." said Morris.

"Youse talkin' about her aunt and uncle?" Jack asked them.

"Exactly!" Oscar exclaimed.

"Why should I trust you?" Jack questioned them.

"Oh, well," said Oscar. "I guess you won't be wanting to be rewarded handsomely for helping us keep her safe." He pulled out a few dollar bills from his pocket and showed them to Jack as he started to walk away.

Jack gazed at the money in Oscar's hand. "Wow," he thought. "That's enough to pay for both the bird and Santa Fe." He thought for a minute. Then again, they do seem to be familiar with her aunt and uncle. What if they are telling the truth? I also really need the money for the Secret Santa. "Alright, alright," Jack relented. He leaned over and whispered to the brothers where Charlie was staying. And in return, Oscar and Morris gave Jack the money. Jack knew deep inside there was going to be trouble, and so before the Delanceys went on their way, Jack stopped them. "Okay, now before you guys go, I's gonna send some other Newsies to make sure youse don't mess up."

Oscar smirked. "Do that and the deal's off."

"Okay, okay, just promise me one thing." Jack said. "Whatever you do, you better not lay a finger on her, or harm A HAIR ON HER HEAD, since I know what youse two is capable of," Jack sternly requested.

Oscar and Morris crossed their hearts. "We promise!" They said in unison.

"You can trust us this once! I mean, it's Christmas after all!" Oscar said.

"Alright." Jack said. "Now beat it before I soak ya's" Jack shouted at them.

"Okay, fine fine!" The Delancey's called out to him as they walked away.

Jack headed into the gift shop, shaking his head, which was filled with many thoughts.

What are the consequences of what I just did?