So, I had the day off because of a snow day, so I just wanted to post something before I run out of time. I hope this is good way to stop before I have a super busy week. We'll see!

The circulation line felt longer to Race than usual. He stood silently, tuning out the other boys that were trying to get through to him, though he just kept pushing them away.

"Hey, Race," Les said, "Wanna come sellin' with me today?"

"Sorry, kid," He replied, not even looking at the little boy. "I'm gonna go alone today."

"Okay…" Les looked up at Davey, and Race almost regretted being so guarded with him.

"Remember, look out for Stars while you'se is workin'!" Jack called from the front of the line. Race sighed, rocking back and forth on his heels.

"I miss her too, ya' know," Romeo whispered in Race's ear. "She's my sister."

Race shrugged, "I'm well aware of that," He snapped, stepping up and slamming down a quarter.

"Where's you're goil?" Oscar asked. Race couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or not.

"I dunno, maybe ya' can tell me," He replied, snatching the newspapers from Morris' hands.

"Whoa, calm down." Morris said. "We don't know anything about it."

"Well, try to figure somethin' out," Race shot, shoving the newspapers in his bag.

"I actually like her, you know?" Oscar called after him. Race rolled his eyes, running out of the circulation center.

He knew that having a bad day meant nothing to his customers at the Sheepshead, but he also knew how to cover how upset he was with fake headlines and bright blue eyes. By the time the sun was in the sky, his newspapers were disappearing a pretty fast rate. People needed to hear the news after being cut off for the past two weeks.

"Extra! Extra! Loving Warden Wrongfully Convicted!" It pained him to hear that headline in that day's newspaper. It was so insane; no embellishing needed.

"That is a load of bullshit," A voice behind him said sternly.

Race turned around quickly. "Mrs. Karlin," He quickly put his newspaper back into his bag.

"Here," Mrs. Karlin dug a nickel out of her purse, handing it to Race. He stared at the coin dumbfoundedly. "Well, aren't I gonna get what I paid for?"

"Oh sorry," He said, giving her the newspaper. "Whaddaya' doin' here?"

"We needed to talk. Will you come with me?"

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but I'm two weeks behind on sellin', and I'm already runnin' outta money."

"How many do you have left?"

"Um," He counted them quickly. "Twenty-one. Why?"

Mrs. Karlin gave him two more dimes and a penny. "And now you're all paid off."

Race's eyes widened. "Mrs. Karlin, I can't, really."

"Please, Race," Mrs. Karlin shoved the money into his hand. "We have an awful lot to discuss."

Mrs. Karlin took him to a nearby deli, ordering two sandwiches for her and Race. He sat down in the bouncy booth seat uncomfortably, Mrs. Karlin watching him seriously.

"Does Mr. Karlin even know that you're talkin' to me?" Race asked.

Mrs. Karlin shook her head. "He thinks I'm out with a friend. We do not have a lot of time. Did you-" She looked around nervously. "Did you read the paper?"

Race nodded, "Do they know? Stars and Romeo?"

"No, they don't. And you can't tell them."

"Why did you tell me? Why can't you tell them?"

"Because I want you to know that I didn't want to just stand by and watch Matthew get hurt. I had no choice."

"At least Stars deserves to know. They both deserve to know why he only hurt Romeo."

"Yes, I know but-"

"He thought he deserved it, didja' know that?" Race asked suddenly. "When he first joined us. It took us two years to convince him it wasn't his fault."

"And you and I both know it wasn't his fault. It was mine." Mrs. Karlin sighed, brushing a strand of dark hair out of her face. Race realized at the moment how much both Stars and Romeo looked like their mother.

And nothing like their father.

"Any news on Lydia?" Mrs. Karlin asked, changing the subject. Race shook his head.

"We have all the newsies lookin' for her."

"I could get the police involved-"

"No!" Race said quickly. "The police already know her. I'm not sure they are so keen on lookin' for her after she got arrested during the strike…"

"Lydia was arrested?" Mrs. Karlin looked shocked. Race rubbed the back of his neck.

"Wrongfully," He said. "Snyder wanted to round up as many kids from the strike as possible and stick 'em all the the Refuge. Stars was one of 'em. So was Crutchie, and Romeo, almost."

"They put that little crippled boy in conditions like that? He didn't deserve that."

"To most people, it doesn't matter. They just wanted their money's worth." Race shrugged sadly.

They ate their food slowly and silently. "Thank you for lunch, ma'am, but I really do have to go."

Mrs. Karlin nodded, deep in thought, "Of course. I hope to see you again."

Race picked up his bag. "Good bye, ma'am."

"Stay safe, Race."

"You too."

Eliza helped Stars to a sitting position, giving her a gulp of watery soup. "I take back what I said about him liking you…"

"Thanks," Stars said sarcastically.

"Well, from the sound of things, you really got him angry. Haven't heard that much from a girl in…"

"What's your story?" Stars asked suddenly, shocking Eliza back into reality. "It seems like you already know everythin' bout me and our dear friend Mr. Patterson."

Brushing her hair back into its tight bun, Eliza shrugged nervously, "Why does it matter?"

"Cuz I've heard nothin' but him tellin' me what a good bride I would have been."

"Well, alright. But, don't… don't tell me how stupid it is. I know already."

"I doubt anythin' is stupider than what I've done in the past two weeks," Stars smirked. Eliza rolled her eyes.

"Listen, Stars, you aren't the first one William has gone after," Eliza whispered. "You're not even the second. You're the fourth."

Stars gasped, running a hand through her tangled hair. "Whaddaya' mean, the fourth?"

"I mean, he does the same thing every time. We always run. He always finds us."

"The… The other girls, didja' know 'em? Didja' ever meet 'em."

Not meeting her eyes, Eliza spoke, "The first one, yes. She was a girl named Christina Rosie. Got locked up in the Refuge, William let her stay there, all cozied in a cell. I was the third. Never met the second girl. She was with him the shortest amount. I don't know what happened to her. Maybe she's dead, maybe not."

Stars hadn't heard Eliza finish the sentence. "Christina… Oh my god…"

Eliza heard her. "Did you know Christina?"

"Yeah," Stars nodded, crying. "I knew her. But… she said that she had killed someone. She had killed the person who was going to marry her."

Covering her mouth, Eliza looked horrified, "She killed someone?"

"Apparently not," Stars stared at the ground. "He's very much alive. And he's upstairs in the drawing room."

"William?" Eliza cried, before Stars clamped a hand over her mouth again.

"Shh! Wouldja' like to go out like her too?"

"Go out? What are you talking about?"

"Chris is dead!" Stars tried not to scream it out. "She was killed! On Snyder's orders…"

"Oh my god. Stars, I am so sorry."

"I met her back in the Refuge. But she said she had killed… Oh god, no…"

"What?"

"Chris said she had killed Snyder's son, that's why she was there for so long, but that means…"

"Who's Snyder?"

"Snyder was the warden of the Refuge." Stars looked up at Eliza, terrified. "And William's father."

Maybe that wasn't the best way to end the chapter. You can thank my beta, CassieKeys for telling me to end it there. Oops... Anyway, please review. Let me know if there is any one-shot ideas you'd like me to write, it'll convince me to go back and write something so I don't abandon FanFiction again... Till the next time!

Newsies forever, second to none!