Only Time Will Tell
A Newsies Fanfiction written by xFlipperx

Disclaimer: I do not own Newsies. I own my characters and my plot. That is all.

Chapter Twenty-Three: Something's Coming

The air in the Lodging House was tense. Rain splattered on the streets outside, and each and every newsie sat drenched to the bone on one bunk or the other. Some were playing a rigid game of cards, others talked in tones inaudible to those exceeding the boundary of the bunk where the conversation was taking place. Rookie and Suave sat together on the floor next to Rookie's bunk. Rookie was in Suave's lap, leaning up against his chest as he leaned against the wall. They didn't speak, just enjoyed each other's company, even though they were both soaking wet.

At the front of the room, David and Jack were deep in conversation. Jack had liked the information that Rookie had given to him about the "Manhattan-Brooklyn Bridge", and was pleased that it a.) Was simple, but the probability that it would be effective was very good and b.) That Spot would never see it coming. And as promised, Suave wasn't told about her excursion with Spot the previous night.

Other than that, Rookie had as much clue to what they were discussing as everyone else in the Lodging House. All they were told is that there was a plan to sucker Brooklyn into ending the war without raising a fist, without changing anything that had previously been. "Almost like nothin's evah changed," Jack had explained briefly. "But we's gonna make Spot t'ink it has." Rookie had an inking of the plan forming in her mind, or rather what she would have done, but was positive that Jack and David's would be more calculated, more precise.

"What's on your mind?" Suave whispered in her ear, watching as she had drifted off into a trance-like thought, her eyes glazing over. She came back into her head and turned her head slightly.

"Everything," she replied in the same whispered volume.

"I know what you mean," he replied, resting his chin on her shoulder. Rookie nodded a bit and leaned back into him again, but her insides were torn. Half of her was cynically laughing, the other soaked in guilt. The thoughts that got through were: Hah, he doesn't know the half of it, was her more cynical side and: I wish he did, was from her guilt-soaked side.

The silence was broken when Kid Blink nearly ran into the bunkroom. He stopped when he closed the door behind him and leaned up against it, looking down. All eyes turned to him, including Jack and David. He was drenched to the bone, and he looked plain disheveled. When he looked up and lifted his water-logged hat, a purple bruise was forming on the left side of his jaw.

"What da hell happened ta you?" Racetrack asked, standing up from his game of cards.

"Dat's what I'd like ta know," Jack replied, walking away from his and David's conversation. Kid Blink looked from Racetrack, to the rest of the newsies, and to Jack.

"It's da Delancy brothas, Jack," he said, his slightly-accented voice accented with agitation. "They're back. I don't know how, and I don't know when, but they're back." Much to Rookie's surprise, this caused and immediate up rise with the newsies around her. Delancy. Now why was that name familiar, and why did it set every single one of the Manhattan Newsies off? She looked to Suave, who looked about as clueless as she felt.

But they weren't the only ones that were confused. "Who are da Delancy bruddahs?" she looked over to see Shadow was asking the question. Sweetheart and Runner were also looking a bit confused. Jack and David looked at each other, and then in unison, looked over to Racetrack.

"Couldja explain ta dem, Race?" he asked. "Now we's got anuddah thing ta worry about." Racetrack nodded and David and Jack turned away from the situation and went back to their corner.

"The Delancy bruddahs used ta woik at da distribution centah," he said, once all the newer newsies were grouped toward the back of the bunkroom. "Wit deir uncle, Mista Wiesel."

That's where Rookie knew the names from. They were workers of her (well, Brooklyn's), Uncle. She had heard the names a few times before, especially when the strike ended. They wound up in jail on mistreatment and assault charges. And they were being let out? That boggled Rookie's mind.

The guys were warned heavily against getting into conflicts with them. They were known to attack two-to-one, and often had a set of brass knuckles with them. It was when Racetrack spoke directly to the girls that got everyone revved up. "Dey has no mercy," he told them. "I would not go lurkin' round dark alleys by yoahselfs."

Suave tightened his grip around her lower waist and she winced. "Suave, they're not going to come bursting through the window," she murmured, putting her hands on his and loosening their grip on her.

"Suave! Skittery! Boots!" Jack called suddenly. Suave looked over to Jack, who was motioning for them to come over. "You too, Rookie, Sweetheart, and Itey." Rookie removed Suave's arms from around her waist and the two joined the others in front of Jack.

"A meetin' date foah da Leadahs has been set," he told them. "I need yous-" he pointed at Suave, Skittery, and Boots "-to go ta Queens an' tell Tawka. An' I need yous-" he pointed to Rookie, Sweetheart, and Itey "-ta go ta Brooklyn."

"What?" Suave immediately interjected.

"I didn't ask foah an opinion, Suave," Jack snapped. He was edgy, and already quite frustrated. He didn't need the protectiveness of Suave. "I has my reasons, an' yoah jus' gonna haveta deal wit 'em, or ya gonna have ta get out." The whole bunkroom was silent. Everyone who hadn't been looking at the group was now looking, intrigued by the commotion.

"Now, I needs Race, Blink, Mush, Shadow, Cat, Specs, an' Dutchy, front an' centah," Jack said. The seven newsies walked up to the group in front of the bunkroom. "Yous gonna be goin' ta Brooklyn too, but yoah not gonna be goin' all da way." There was confusion, so David stepped in.

"This is our plan…" he began.

'Our plan', was brilliant, in Rookie's eyes. Rookie, Sweetheart, Itey, Racetrack, Kid Blink, Mush, Shadow, Cat, Specs, and Dutchy would walk to Brooklyn. When they got to the Brooklyn Bridge, they would present a note (written by David), explaining that they would be claiming the part of the Brooklyn Bridge that was rightfully there, according to boundaries.

The unspoken part of the plan was clear to Rookie. They were going to make it seem as if they were taking territory from Brooklyn, and try and bait Spot with that. Spot was going to think he lost territory, but in reality he hadn't lost or gained anything, and in the end, he wouldn't gain. Rookie had to admit, when they put their heads together, Jack and David were quite the schemers.

Suave and Rookie kissed briefly before they went their different ways. She could tell that he was upset with her for agreeing to go to Brooklyn, but what else was she going to do? Tell Jack off and get in trouble, lose trust? Absolutely not. Not after all she had been through in these past two and a half months.

There was a large group going to Brooklyn, so they weren't necessarily that paranoid about the news of the return of the infamous Delancy brothers. "Dey're cowahds," Racetrack said, puffing out his cigar. "Dey won't do not'in stupid when dere's dis many a' us."

But what was interesting about the group, is that the three that were going directly to Spot had white pieces of cloth tied around both wrists (Bear, accompanying Rookie, even had a piece around her neck), while the group that was there to take half of the Brooklyn Bridge, were not.

The exact plan was that Sweetheart, Itey, and Rookie would go to the Bridge first. By the terms of the last meeting, they would be given an escort over the Bridge by one of the guards on duty for the night. When the group got to the end of the Bridge, Itey would wait until the escort wasn't looking and throw his empty (though he would pretend it was full) bottle of cola back toward the Bridge. In the still of the night at this hour, the crash would be just audible by the group (Race, Blink, Mush, Shadow, Cat, Specs, and Dutchy) at the other end of the Bridge who would be pretending to guard the way into Manhattan. That group would then attack the Brooklyn guards and push them back to the middle of the bridge. Manhattan outnumbered Brooklyn 2-1, and it would be considered a completely fair fight. It was a holey plan, and it was highly possible for something to go wrong, but when executed the right way, it would work perfectly.

Rookie was shaking on the inside. She had no idea how things would go in Brooklyn. Technically, her group of three would be deemed safe, but she wondered if the terms would change once word got back to Spot on how one side of the Bridge had been seized. She just hoped they would be in-and-out before word got back. And if anything, she had the slightest hope that she wouldn't be touched. And if anything over anything, she had Bear, who was becoming quite the protective little beast.

When the Bridge ramp came into view, Itey motion for Sweetheart and Rookie to break away from the group. The two followed obediently, Rookie stroking Bear's head absentmindedly. Was this going to work? What would be the outcome?

Will I be able to be friends with Spot without being penalized for it? she found herself thinking suddenly. The thought itself surprised her, but her mind just kind of ran with it. When all was right with the Newsie-World, Jack Kelly and Spot Conlon were very good friends. Rookie believed that there was something that once connected them, and began to ponder how hard it was to constantly fight your friend.

It's horrible, you know that, a thought added, and at first, she was once again thrown off by her own inner-statement. She bit her lip and tried to decode her own thought. And it was true, it was hard constantly fighting someone that had meant a lot to her. She had fought with him constantly for the passed nine months, and just as things were looking up for them, it was quite possible that everything else was looking down.

And then she thought about it again. How many times had she and Spot actually gotten into fights? Quite a few, now that she really thought about it. And yet, they always found a way back to each other, one way or another. She smirked to herself and shook her head. There must be one thing right, and that was that she and Spot could never be anything more than friends. Romance meant complications, and complications meant fights.

But if the opportunity presented itself-

Don't you dare think like that, she growled at herself. No. She was not allowed to think of that, not at all. She had Suave. Beautiful, wonderful Suave. She had Suave, and she intended to keep him, thank-you-very-much. Suave, Suave, Suave, she thought to herself. And in that moment, another thought popped into her head.

Perhaps Suave does have something to worry about, something to be jealous of…

No.

Rookie stopped that thought process just as they reach the ramp. The guards were in front of them immediately, and all of them showed there wristbands. Rookie had Bear sit so they could see the band around her neck.

"We're here with a message for Spot Conlon," Sweetheart explained, her voice in it's usual, well, sweetness.

"An' dat would be?" one of the guards asked, faceless in the dark.

"A private message for Spot Conlon," Rookie piped up.

"A private message dat take t'ree a' yous ta dalivah?" another guard quipped.

"Yeah, an' we's heah peacefully," Itey said calmly, twirling his cola bottle in his hand. "Sos technically, ya gotta let us through."

"We's don't gotta-"

The Brooklynite who had objected was silenced by another. He stepped forward, observed the small group, and nodded his head. "All right," he said. "Let's go."

As they walked along, Rookie looked to Sweetheart, who looked to Itey. The two smirked at each other, and Rookie smiled. This was working. It was really working. Just keep thinking positive, she told herself. Most of all, she wanted to keep her mind clear. A clear mind was a sound, alert mind. She couldn't be muffled by Spot and Suave and the war on a large scale. Her mind had to be right in that moment, or if anything, anticipating what was to come in Brooklyn.

Luckily, when Itey through the bottle, the guard did nothing but shift his eyes and tell them to move faster. Avoiding conflict, something that Rookie never knew Brooklynites were capable of. And so they continued on at a slightly quicker pace.

Walking through Brooklyn was surprisingly easy. Memories came flooding back to Rookie -- that was no surprise, but rather the surprise was that she didn't care. She didn't care that she had walked down the same streets her whole life, as a completely different person. She didn't care that this was the place her life changed, forever. Everything looked the same, but it held a whole different meaning.

When they got to the Brooklyn Lodging House, it looked exactly as Rookie had remembered it from the freezing cold Christmas Eve in December. Itey took the lead behind the escort as they filed into the Lodging House. Sweetheart took the place behind him, and Rookie followed in last.

They were led up a set of stairs, and then passed the bunkroom. When they passed it, the whole room seemed to stop and stare, as if they knew their enemies were among them. Expecting to see Spot among them, Rookie was thrown off when they were led to another set of stairs. They were led to a single door, and told to wait back a few steps. The guard hesitantly knocked three times on the door.

"Who da hell is it?" the sharp, annoyed, tone of Spot Conlon snapped. Rookie couldn't help but smiling, but quickly caught herself before it was noticed by the others.

"It's Gunnah, sir," the guard newsie.

"What doya want?" Spot replied. "It bettah be good." The threat in his tone was scary.

"T'ree newsies from 'Hattan, sir," Gunnah replied. "Dey says dey gotta message from Cowboy foah ya." There was a silence.

"I want names," was the steady reply from the other side of the door. It sounded much closer, as if he was only just on the opposite side.

"Itey."

"Sweetheart."

"Rookie…and Bear."

The door opened, and Gunner was told to "Beat it" by the dark silhouette of Spot Conlon. He told the Manhattaners to enter, and they filed into his room. When they came into the candle-lit room, Rookie saw that it look like they had awoken Spot from sleeping. He was in nothing but pants with the suspenders pulled up on his shoulders. Rookie and him caught eyes. He smirked at her and she rolled her eyes, glaring. Only he would know that it was playful. To others: glare of death.

"Sos Jacky-boy's sent me a message, eh?" he asked, looking to Itey and Sweetheart. Rookie noted his eyes stopped on Sweetheart, and they seemed to exchange something in their eyes. It made Rookie very nervous, and she began stroking Bear's head.

"Yeah, heah," Itey said, and handed the note to Spot. He took it, and brought it over to the candle. Reading it, he sighed and nodded.

"Tell 'em I'll be dere," he told them. The Manhattaner's cue to leave.

And no news from the Brooklyn Bridge, Rookie thought to herself in relief. She and Itey made their way toward the door, but were stopped.

"Oh," Sweetheart had spoken up. "Cowboy sends warning. The Delancy's are back. They've already attacked one of our newsies, so he advises you warn your own." Spot nodded. Itey filed out, and then Sweetheart, somehow pushing Rookie to the back somewhere. Not exactly where she wanted to be at the moment.

"Rookie," he said, just as the three were leaving. She turned, her heart throwing itself into her ribcage. She looked at him cautiously, and watched as he walked over to her. When he was only two steps away, he held a hand out. There were to pieces of paper, but he slid one into the other so it wasn't visible. One was marked with a 'J' the other with an 'R'. The J was on the outside, the R slid into hide in its folds. "Befoahs I foahget. I was gonna send dis ta 'Hattan in da mornin'. Give dis ta Jack-y boy." Rookie nodded and took the two notes, putting them in her pocket. Without another word, she turned and followed Itey and Sweetheart out.

"Here," she said, taking the top note out (and making sure it had the J on it while she extended her hand) and handing it to Sweetheart. "Give that to Cowboy. I don't trust myself to keep it safe, even for the walk home." Sweetheart nodded and took the note, slipping it into the breast pocket (a rare find in a newsie shirt) of her top.

They met Gunner at the bottom of the steps. "I's ta escort ya's to da Bridge, an' den yous can make it out on yoah own." The group agreed, and Rookie wondered if they were all thanking the good Lord. If they had a Brooklynite with them when they came across the Bridge conflict, things could go horribly wrong.

Rookie's heart was pounding all the way back to the Bridge. She had Bear walk as close as possible to her, and she stayed as close to Itey as possible without being completely awkward. When Gunner told them they were on their own, they all tightened the group so they were walking shoulder to shoulder.

"When we's get in sights of da Brooklynites on da Bridge, we run right t'rough 'em, got it?" Itey mumbled to the girls. Sweetheart and Rookie nodded, exchanging quick glances. Rookie couldn't help wondering if the others held their hearts in their throats at the moment. Were they so used to this, so practiced, that it didn't affect them? She wondered if she would ever grow used to it herself.

It was a strange sight, when they came in eyeshot of the peak of the Bridge. There were three newsies facing seven others, spreading themselves across the width of the Bridge. Enemy facing off enemy. Brooklyn vs. Manhattan, and for once, Manhattan had the extreme upper hand. It almost made Rookie want to smile.

The three quickened their pace, trying to stay silent in the night. Itey waved to the Manhattan newsies, and then turned to the girls. "When I's says so." he said, and they nodded.

"Ready…" he said. They were within yards of the Brooklynites' backs.

"Set…" The three quickened their pace to a near walk-run, their legs now pitter-pattering against the pavement. A Brooklynite turned around. Echo.

"Go." The three bolted forward, Rookie grabbing Bear's collar and maneuvering herself as far away from Echo as she could.

It was over in seconds. The three made it across the line easily, the Brooklynites were spread too far apart to catch them, not to mention they were heavily caught off guard. But that didn't matter to Rookie. She stopped and kneeled down next to Bear, making sure that she was all right. She looked up at Sweetheart and smiled. They had made it across the line. They were in Manhattan, and they were safe.

For now.

Author's Note:

-sheepish smile-
I am SO incredibly sorry for making you guys wait a MONTH. That was truly horrible of me, and I'm very sorry. But I went away for the whole first week, and then after that life's been hectic. School starts this Tuesday (the 8th) for me, and I would love to get a chapter up before then, but I don't know if that's going to work. So sadly, no promises.

However, I'm going to warn you. I'm going to my Junior year. This means everything gets kicked up a notch, and I really don't know how often I'll be able to update. I'll really try to use my weekends to the best of my ability, and keep a bi-weekly update going. Once again. Sadly, no promises.

Stupid school.

SO. Back onto the subject of this fiction. What'd you guys think? I *hope* I didn't disappoint you guys! Please tell me what you thought, and feel free to rip me apart for not updating for so long, as that was a very mean thing for me to do.

Tell me what you think, please!

Love always,
xFlipperx

P.S. HUGE thanks to XScree-ScreeX, Newsies-own-me, 0xlittlexmissxsunshinex0, EmeraldGreyClouds, oXPunkieXo, NeverBeTamed, Dimonah Tralon, Sportin' Purple Neck Pillows, and ilovenewsies for your fantastic reviews of Chapter Twenty-Four. And thanks to Mononoke Lynn for your fantastic reviews of every chapter. You guys are the best. =]

P.P.S. Chapter title = "Something's Coming" from West Side Story