DISCLAIMER: I do not own Newsies.

Away From the Hunter

Ch. 21.

-Why?-

-GENERAL POV-

"Okay, everyone listen up!" Jack yelled and the room quieted down.

"What's the matter, Jack?" Mush asked.

"Well, you all know what's wrong with the Skittery situation, but I have good news." Jack could speak freely about the Ann situation, Specs had been told everything about Ann before, and had taken the little kids out to the park.

Jack continued speaking. "Race found out where Ann is."

Questions flew at him left and right. "Well, where is she?"

"Is she okay?"

"Are we going to find her?"

"Can I help with the plan?"

The last question was from Skittery, who was still at the top of the staircase, timidly looking down at the expressionless faces of the newsies below him.

"You got a lot of nerve showin' your face again, Michael." Blink said, using Skittery's real name. He was sitting on the couch, with Mush and Spot sitting next to him to make sure he doesn't run off and hurt Skittery, even though they were wanting to do the exact same thing.

Jack looked at Skittery for a second and ignored him and Blink. "Besides from a few visible bruises, she seems to be okay. We know where she is now, so unless they decide to move, things just got a lot easier." Jack looked at Race. "Anythin' you want to add?"

"Nope. Oh wait. We need a plan to get her back."

The other boys started murmuring amongst themselves, thinking of a plan.

"Can I help?" Skittery repeated for the second time.

Everyone stopped talking and stared coldly at him.

Blink was furious. "Do you really think we're goin' to let you help? You're a traitor. You sold out Ann! She loved you, and yet you tell her abuser where she is! And you think we're goin' to let you help? You're crazy."

"But-" Jack stopped Skittery from speaking.

"Skittery, you have less then a minute for you to tell us your plan. It better be worth out time."

Skittery sighed. "Fine. Hunter wants me to meet him sometime, for a surprise. I bet that surprise has to do with Ann. Now, I can go meet him, but bring some of you. But we can't go meetin' at his house, so it has to be somewhere that could be used to our advantage. Somewhere big so we can use it to our advantage. That abandoned warehouse near the Brooklyn bridge."

By now, everyone was quiet, contemplating if they should trust him and his plan or not. It seemed to pass their test, because they nodded, except for Spot and Blink. Blink was just sitting there, staring at the floor, not agreeing, but not disagreeing either. Spot looked a little wary.

"I don't know, Skittery. Bad things happen in warehouses..."

"Well, not if we have a bunch of us, and if only Hunter and his friends, we have the advantage..." He trailed off. It seemed like a good plan in his head, not so much out loud.

"Alright, let's see how this goes. Skittery, go meet up with Hunter tomorrow and tell him to meet you in the warehouse a week from today."

Skittery nodded and headed towards the door to go take a walk and clear his head.

Blink got up and stopped him. "Congratulations, Michael. You redeemed yourself, barely. You've still got a long way to go before you gain back our trust. And walking out of the house to go somewhere, isn't goin' to gain our trust. For all we know, you can be goin' to tell Hunter our plan." He walked away without another word.

Skittery watched the retreating form of his former best friend.

Hearing Blink call him by his given name hurt. If you were a newsie, you were never called your first name unless it was needed.

Skittery sighed and walked back up the stairs, taking Blink's advice.

He was going to get his best friend back. He was going to get Ann back. He was going to gain the newsies' trust. He was going to redeem himself.

Even if it was the last thing he did.

-ANNABELLE'S POV-

It was the day after Race had found me, and I was sitting in the kitchen, staring at my "dinner", if you can even call it that. It was an apple. That was all I had to eat today.

I sighed and took a bite out of my apple.

Hunter entered the room and looked at me. His eyes were puffy and red, and it looked like he was crying, but I doubt he would have any reason to cry. He's not the one being abused.

"Hunter, are you sure keeping her is a good idea? I mean, I bet her friends are still looking for her, and I bet people are getting suspicious." Caleb made the wrong choice of speaking.

"Are you questioning me?" Hunter stared at him.

"N-no." Caleb stuttered under Hunter's cold stare. "I mean," He looked at me apprehensively. "Why are you even doing this? Is she even worth it."

Hunter's stare faltered for a second and I could tell that he wasn't sure of his reason.

I inwardly smiled. Maybe there's hope that I could have my big brother back.

And then he opened his mouth to speak and all my hopes flew out the window. "This little whore? She's not worth anything. But she deserves whatever the I do to her.

Even though his words stung, I could still see the hesitation in his eyes, maybe it isn't too later after all.

I was interrupted from my thoughts when there was a knock on the door.

"Stay here." Hunter said to me. He turned to Caleb. "Watch her. Make sure she doesn't try anything."

Hunter left and Caleb stared after him. "Stupid prick."

I feigned surprise. "Now, Caleb. Is that anyway to talk about your 'friend'?"

Caleb glared at me. "Shut up."

I could tell that Caleb really hated Hunter right now. And I don't blame him. But really, I thought they were better "friends" then that.

I looked away from Caleb and at the doorway. I could faintly hear two people talking. I wonder who it was at the door. Probably some friend of Hunter's.

I was interrupted from my thoughts again when yelling started. I could faintly make out someone yelling, "No, I'm not goin' to." But that was all I could make out.

All of sudden, Hunter came back in, smirking. He looked at Caleb. "Bring her out here. I have someone she might wanna see."

I was confused as Caleb stood up and grabbed my arm, shoving me not so gently out the door.

He pushed me on the floor of the living room and stood there. I looked up and I couldn't believe it.

"Skittery?" I said, barely a whisper.

"See, Annie? This here is my good old friend." Hunter said, throwing an arm around Skittery's shoulders.

"Wha- what? How do you know Skittery?" I asked.

Skittery wasn't looking at me. He wouldn't meet my eyes for some reason, and he kept looking somewhere else. He looked nervous, and was being fidgety.

"You might know my friend here as Skittery, but I remember him as Micheal. You remember Michael, don't you?"

"Our neighbor that moved away, the day our parents died?"

SMACK

I got a swift slap to the cheek and I saw Skittery cringe out of the corner of my eye. "I told you never to talk about that day! But do you listen? No! You stupid girl!"

"I'm sorry."

Hunter looked at me and he continued the conversation like he didn't smack me. "Micheal Daniels, right here."

I turned to Skittery. "I didn't know your last name was Daniels."

He didn't answer and I got yelled at again by Hunter. "I also told you to never speak without being spoken to. Why are you so dumb?"

Hunter cleared his throat and continued. "He was the one that led me to the party at Irving Hall. He told me where you were. Everything. I also know about your little boyfriend too, I bet he misses you. And he told me about your little friend, Mouse. And all the others too. I know everything."

My eyes clouded up and my vision started to blur as everything about Skittery being here connected and made sense.

All those letters Skittery had wasted money on were for Hunter. He told him everything. Mouse got hurt because Skittery told Hunter about him. I had blamed myself the whole time. I still did. And Blink? God, I miss that boy so much. Skittery had caused me all this pain, and yet I couldn't bring myself to yell at him.

So all I muttered was one single word. "Why?"

He didn't answer. "Please? Skittery, I think I deserve an answer."

He cringed at how calm I was being. Hunter was sitting back, smirking and enjoying the show. He finally looked at me. "Why are you being so calm? Why aren't you yelling at me?" He wanted me to yell at him. To scream and demand answers.

"You want me to yell at you? Fine. Why would you do that? I think I deserve an answer after everything you put me through." The tears were building up. "We all trusted you, Skittery! I trusted you! Blink trusted you! Jack trusted you! Everyone trusted you, and yet you do this? Hunter hurt Mouse. I always blamed it on myself. You sat there watching me blame myself. And yet it was all because of you!" The tears were falling down my face now. And I was getting louder by the second. "You told him about my birthday party. You let him get me. It was my birthday. My freaking birthday, Skittery. You took Blink away from me! I love him, do you not understand that? I have to go everyday without seeing him for who knows how long! Oh God, Blink. The others. Have they found out yet? I wouldn't blame them for being angry, Skittery. I loved you, Skittery." He cringed again at my use of past tense. "You were my brother. My best friend." He still wasn't looking at me and by now I had stopped screaming. I whispered the last word. "Why?"

I guess he couldn't take it anymore because he ran out. Hunter let him.

"Well, there you have it. You best friend turned traitor. What else will we have in store for you?" Hunter said smirking. "Go clean up and go to your room."

He left and I turned to Caleb. He looked away at my stare. I picked myself off the floor. One question repeating itself in my head.

Why?

A/N: I updated! Yay! Haha.

Anyway, I was really bored today, and like, had nothing to do, so I just started writing, and this happened! None of this originally was supposed to happen, but then it did, and I think I like it better than my original plan.

I know last chapter Hunter became all emotional and stuff, and I had felt sorry for him, but now I don't. I'm back to hating him again, even though I wrote him like that.

This story is coming to an end! Only a few more chapters left! But don't worry, you'll see more of Ann in my sequel! ;) It's not going to be focusing on Ann, but Ann will have a part in it. And after I get done with this, I'll start posting that(:

Okay, enough of my rambling, I hope you like this chapter!

Enjoy and review!