Disclaimer: Disney owns the Newsies, I own the OOC's.

Still wondering how I got myself another meeting with the newsies, I didn't notice the people in the foyer until I was right in front of them. Looking up I saw my Grandmother and Chloe standing at the foot of the stairs. By the looks on their faces I could tell I'd interrupted something important. My grandmother looked stern but otherwise unfazed, Chloe on the other hand was looking worried. I was going to ask what was going on but remembered my manners and instead said, "I'm sorry for interrupting." Chloe smiled at me but it was my grandmother who replied, "It's nothing of your concern." she paused, taking in my outfit, "You may you up stairs and change into proper clothing for dinner. We're having some guests over tonight. Chloe-" she turned to the maid, "go get the dark blue dress and set it out." she turned back to me as Chloe scampered up the stairs, "I expect you to be cleaned of all the dust and who knows what else by dinner time." Would it kill you to say please? I just bit my tongue and nodded as I walked up the stairs but I didn't get very far.

"Madeline?" I looked back at my grandmother.

"Yes."

"Next time you leave this house you are to come to me to so that I can approve what you're wearing. If I am not here, as that mat very well happen often, you are to go to Chloe or Mr. Jones, I will tell them what is and is not accepted. Do you understand?" I did, what I couldn't understand was how calmly she said all of this, her voice wasn't stern or firm. It was gentle but it still seemed like she was punishing me or insulting me.

"Yes I understand. Goodnight." you horrible, miserable, hag.

"Goodnight."

I finished the walk to my room and found Chloe inside laying out a dark blue dress with black lacy details. I gave a sigh, another beautiful dress, that manages to scratch, pinch, and chafe all over.

I took my eyes and mind off the dress to get a better look at Chloe. She looked tired and worn but still had a slight smile on her face.

"What were you and my grandmother talking about?" I caught her off guard.

"Oh nothing much. Just some things for tonight." She didn't look me in the eye.

"I don't think that was what you were talking about. . .was it about me?"

Chloe sighed, "Please don't ask me Maddy, the Madam told me that what we were talking about was to be kept between her and me. Please don't ask me to break that." She looked at me.

"alright, I'm sorry." I said feeling bad.

"Don't worry, I understand the curiosity." She smiled, "Now it's time for you to get dresses." Oh joy.

Chloe left probably to get something to put in my hair as I changed into the dress. Yep its uncomfortable.

I couldn't lace up the back by myself so I waited for Chloe to come back. When she did I was surprised to see that not only was she carrying a clip for my hair but also a wet washing cloth, a brush, and a white piece of clothing that was thinker then normal.

"what's that?" I asked as Chloe set everything down. She looked to where I was pointed and cringed, "That's a corset." Oh

"Why did you bring in a corset? Do people even where those things anymore?"

"Well yes, upper class people do and I brought it because the Madam said you need to improve your posture and that you needed to get used to it."

"Get used to it?"

"Yes, you'll be wearing it almost everyday when having lessens to help you."

"But aren't they really painful?" I had never worn a corset before.

"Just a little." Chloe's voice got a bit higher. I sighed, resigned to wearing a corset for the night and took the dress back off. Chloe placed the corset over my undergarments, it went from right under my breasts to right below my hips. It wasn't so bad until she started tightening the thing. I gasped as it got tighter and tighter and the pain in my ribs and hips grew.

"Breathe in." Chloe instructed.

"I don't think I can." I wheezed out but tried to suck in a breath and the corset got even tighter.

"There it's tight enough." Chloe said, tight enough? I think I'm going to pass out and I cant move!!

I looked at myself in the mirror as Chloe got the dress from wherever I dropped it. My body looked distorted, my waist was too small, it was unnerving.

"Here you go." Chloe held the dress so I could step into it. She laced up the back and set me down on the chair so she could do my hair.

"While I'm doing your hair you can wash your face." She handed me the washing cloth. I did as she asked.

By the time she was done with my hair and my face was clean it was time for dinner. I caught a quick glance of myself in the mirror, I looked like a fancy, spoilt, rich snob. I was already missing my pants.

Walking down the stairs was a slow process due to the corset and the long dress. I was relieved when we reached the parlor and I saw my grandmother sitting with two men, one younger and one older, and an older woman. Chloe quietly announced my presence and everybody stood up.

"Ah yes, this is my granddaughter Madeline Stein, Madeline this is Mr. Harold Bates and His wife Julia and their son Edward."

"Good evening." I said as politely as I knew how.

Mr. Bates bowed. His wife gave me a scrutinizing look but said a friendly 'good evening' in return. Their son, however, grabbed my hand and placed a kiss on my knuckles.

"Good Evening Mss. Stein." I couldn't tell if he was being forward or if this was how he was supposed to act so I just smiled uneasily. My grandmother and the Bates chatted for a few moments before we made our way to the formal dinning room. And like the last dinner I'd attended I said very little and ate even less. But the Bates were not like Lady Donahue and her niece, they were much more cheery and talkative and boisterous. It made dinner interesting and more then once I was temped to break out a smile. Mrs. Bates asked me a few simple questions about Colorado and that drew the attention of Mr. Bates who had a dream of going out west. I answered them all and I think I did it the right way because my grandmother seemed pleased. Edward also made conversation but it was mostly him talking about himself. Dinner ended and I thought that the Bates would leave but instead we were back in the pallor sitting down and chatting. Well I wasn't chatting so much as listening and soon my mind was back to thinking of the newsies and Blink. I had had a fun time at Medda's but I doubted we would go there next time and I wasn't looking forward to going back to the lodging house, Kloppman and the conversation I heard had kind of scared me a little.

"Madeline?" I snapped out of my thinking and looked up. My grandmother was looking at me.

"I'm sorry what?" I said quietly. I noticed Mr. And Mrs. Bates talking about something.

"I just thought I'd bring you back from whatever world you'd wondered off to."

"I'm sorry it's been a long day."

She looked at me with suspicion.

"Indeed." I looked away from her.

Soon it was time for the Bates' to leave and I was thankful. I said good bye and Mr. And Mrs. Bates said it was lovely meeting me, and Edward kissed my hand and said a soft goodbye.

When they were gone my grandmother turned to me, "You did well tonight Madeline." I blinked in shock, did she just give me a compliment? "Of course, a mule could have done well tonight. It was the Bates' after all." Ah there's the grandmother I know and hate.

"Well it late and you have lessons tomorrow." I rolled my eyes when she turned her back to go up the stairs. I followed her until I reached my room, "Good night."

"Good night Madeline."

I walked into my room and saw Chloe waiting.

"I need to go help the madam get ready for bed so I'll just loosen the corset and you should be able to get out of it then." She then loosened the corset and rushed out mumbling a quick good night. I sighed as I wiggled out of the corset and took a deep breath when it was finally off. They should be illegal. I laid the dress over the chair and pulled back the covers on the bed and got in my mind drifting to the lessons I would start tomorrow.

POV- Blinks

I smiled as I walked away from Maddy. Today hadn't been that bad after all. The girl made everything more difficult then it needed to be but I guess that's what girls do, they like complicating things. And despite Maddy dressing like a boy she was still very much a girl. A pretty girl as Jack pointed out and Spot re-enforced when he had come over to the table and gave Maddy the once over. The Brooklyn leader didn't have a clue on how to treat the girl and she probably would have blown up ay him like she had with Race and Jack when she got covered in tomatoes. Then that would have gotten Spot angry, and Spot angry is never a good thing unless he's on your side. I was glad I'd been there to keep her from getting into trouble. I nearly laughed out loud when I remembered her hitting the pole with her shoulder. It hadn't been funny at the time, actually I had been really worried that she had hurt herself badly. But looking back I realized that I couldn't leave her alone for too long or she'd end up hurt and in pain. She was a funny girl and the best part was that she wasn't trying to be funny and I don't think she realized how amusing she was. I smiled again, remembering her face when I carried her up to Medda and got her to dance. She had laughed a full and care free laugh and it was the-

"Why you'se smilin' Blink?" I looked up at Mush's voice.

"He aint heard da news yet dat's why." Racetrack grumbled. That's when I noticed some of the newsies sitting on the steps looking like there world had fallen apart.

"What's goin' on?" I asked. Jack answered my question, "We'se being kicked outta da lodgin' house."

"What?!" Kloppman wouldn't do that to us.

"Yeah, apparently da guy who owns da building wants Kloppman and us outta heah by da end of da month." Racetrack added bitterness in his voice.

"And da guy aint givin' us a reason?!" I exclaimed.

"He gave a reason a'right. Money, da man's looking' to sell da place and don't want us scarin' off da potential buyers." Boots added.

"Dat ain't fair!" I yelled.

"Na it aint." Mush said quietly.

"We gotta do something'!" I looked to Jack but he just shook his head.

"I don't think a strike is gonna help us dis time."

"We'se can raise da money ourselves and buy da place." Mush said hopefully.

Again Jack shook his head, "Da price is too high." He sighed and so did I. We would all be living on the streets buy the end of the month. I kept trying to think of places we could go, who could take us in but nothing worked. Medda wasn't poor but she could afford to take us in and Kloppman was the only person who cared enough about us to set up a lodging house and now that was gone.

"What are we gonna do?" I asked more to myself then the others.

"Dere ain't nothin' we can do." Race said. I took a seat on the steps. Race was right, there was nothing we could do.

I'm so so so so so sorry about not updating for two days but I was insanely busy. The bad news is that I don't know how often I'm going to be able to update for a while. I have a summer assignment for English that I have to write and I have to pack for a trip I'm going on. So hopefully I'll be able to post some more chapters before I leave.

You all know I love reviews and if I don't get any then I'm going to be unhappy and I might kill of Blink! ( Totally kidding! I would never do that!) So yeah… go review.

Thank you to ktkakes, Eruptingfender9, NarniaRulz, and SilverRain1.3!!!! I love getting reviews from you guys!!!J