Oh my goodness sorry it's taken so long to update!!! School's almost over, though.

I can't wait to write all of you in! We're going to be a great group – Mia (do you want any nickname?), Emma (Willow), Brooke (Silver), Kristen (Spinner), Midnight, and Pippa of course! And Sarah…

Anyways, thanks so much for submitting them. It will help so much. If you have any more specifics you want to add feel free to let me know. They're not in this chapter, but I'll add them probably in the next one.

Oh, so the guys taken are – Spot (Mia), Skittery (Emma), Race (Brooke), Blink (Kristen), David (Midnight), and Mush (I wonder who…)

And also – you should let me know how you want your character to come into the story. I already know how to do Mia and Emma, but the rest of you are newsies, right? And since there were no girl newsies in the strike :( that means I'll add you after it's over. So a history would be good to add, I guess. Thanks again!!

I don't own the newsies.

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PIPPA'S POV

--

I slowly awoke. It was odd. For some reason, I hadn't had a nightmare or bizarre dream. No, I hadn't dreamt at all. I always did.

Opening my eyes I found myself in a bed. Wrapped up in blankets and with someone's arms around me. My insides jumped as I realized it wasn't Manny. It was someone my size – no, bigger.

I quickly scrambled out of the sheets and stumbled out of the bed. The person stirred and groggily sat up. It was pitch black outside. I couldn't see the room or the person. Slowly I backed towards what I hoped was a door.

A sudden feeling of lightheadedness overwhelmed me and I had to sit down quickly. I slid backwards towards the darkness until I hit a wall.

"Pippa," the person said quietly. It was a guy, and he didn't sound angry or intimidating. "Pip, I's so sorry."

Sorry? For what? "Who are you?" My voice was all scratchy and weird.

"Y-you don't remember? Pip, it's me, it's Spot," he said.

Spot. How could this be Spot? I closed my eyes and tried to think. I'd seen Mush a little while ago. Then…I went and got Manny because he found out who I was. Then we'd gone to Brooklyn. And then…

Oh! I'd spoken to Spot on the docks!

And he had moved towards me so suddenly that I'd fallen off.

"Sp-Spot."

"Oh, God, Pip," Spot almost whispered. I heard him get up and start walking towards me. Uh oh. I slid sideways along the wall, moving farther away. I could hear the hurt and sadness in Spot's voice as he said, "Please, Pip, I aint gonna hurt ya."

I stopped and put my head in my hands. I had such a headache. "I…I can't believe that it's you, Spot," I whispered back slowly.

Spot reached the wall and he slid down next to me. "Wh…why'd ya go? You was all I had left."

"What do ya mean? Spot, you're the one who said for me to get the –"

"I meant none of that, ya hear? I's sorry. I was just so mad. An – an – I nevah wanted you away. I – I can't believe you's right heah." He sighed and shook his head.

I moved towards him and put my head on his shoulder. "Are you okay, Spot? And I mean inside."

He put his arm around me and was quiet for a minute. "I'se fine," he finally said.

I sighed. It would probably be a while before I got a real answer. "I'm really, really sorry about Books. I didn't mean –"

"What's I tell you 'bout that? It wasn't your fault."

He obviously didn't want to talk about Books. So I was silent for a minute. Suddenly I remembered something and reached for his neck. There it was. My key.

Tears sprung into my eyes and I quickly willed them away. He was still wearing my key. I fingered it for a minute. "You…you have it."

Spot put his hand over mine. "Anythin' ta remember me best friend," he said.

"You can't keep it! Throw it off the docks! Bury it! Anything!"

"Huh? Why?"

"It's a long story. But it's dangerous. You could be hurt…kidnapped…or killed!"

I could picture Spot frowning in the darkness. "Tell me the story," he said. "Please."

So I told him. About everything. Including Lawrence. It was probably a bad idea to trust him so easily already…but he was in danger. And I already felt safe with him.

I didn't cry this time. I'd told the story before so the words were already out there. As I kept going Spot's arm gripped me tighter and tighter.

Spot let out a long sigh as I finished. "I can't believe…all on your own…this is all me fault," he breathed.

"Spot, it's not anyone's fault but my father's and my own. And I'm serious. I should've known better, been less naïve, than to walk around in Brooklyn and Manhattan alone. And my father…I hate him. I was so worried he'd hurt you all…and I wasn't all alone. I was with Manny."

"It aint your fault neither, Pip. But I shouldn't a said all that. I's real sorry. We missed so much time with ya…and now that you're back you're nevah gettin' out of our sight. Nevah. Especially with your fathah on the loose. We's with ya. You's home, Pip."

My eyes filled with tears. I closed them and snuggled closer into Spot. I could slowly feel sleep taking over my mind.

"Spot," I whispered as I let sleep take over. "You have a lot to tell me…what's been happening around here…Jack…"

With that I succumbed to the darkness.

--

BACK IN MANHATTAN

--

The newsies were hanging out in the lobby of the lodging house. Some were playing poker, some were just sitting around, some were talking, and some were getting ready to go to Medda's.

"So Mush!" A voice – Jake's – yelled across the room. Mush was sitting against the wall, absently playing with his hat and half listening to a story Snipeshooter was avidly telling him. "Hows dat goil you met a few nights ago?"

Mush didn't answer. That girl. Pippa. Ya…how is she? And where the hell is she? he thought. His mind was spinning. And yet he couldn't stop picturing her face. The face when he'd found out. Her eyes had told him everything. It was her. It was his Pip, his Star. Part of him had released the breath he'd been holding for four years while he didn't know where she was. Part of him took another breath, realizing how he felt towards her already. Part of him was furious from her not telling him who she was. Part was ashamed that she hadn't been able to and the way he'd treated her before.

All of him needed her. He'd broken things with Felicity the second Pip had run away. And then he'd taken off after her. She'd disappeared, though. He went to her school and begged to know where she lived. He'd gone to the dorm and had been met by an annoying old woman who at least told him she'd gone to get her brother. He'd gone to the brother's school – Manny's school – only to find out that he was missing.

He'd returned to Manhattan in a rotten mood. David got everyone in the strike mood for a while, but now that they weren't doing anything he was back to thinking about Pip.

Skittery studied Mush from across the room. He must know… he thought. Why else would he be this mad? This down?

He sighed. Stupid Jack. Why did Jack have to choose now to give up on Pip? To become part of a new family? The Jacobs? He's been a loner for so long…and right when Pip comes back he gets a new family. When she sees him she'll be pretty upset. And he had to keep his promise to Pip – so he couldn't tell anyone she was here.

Where was she? When was she coming here to tell everyone? He wanted her to come right then.

Mush got up across the room and stalked towards the door. As it shut behind him, newsies sent questioning glances towards the door. Skittery got up and ran out after him. Once outside, there was no sight of Mush or no return call when Skittery called for him.

Sighing, Skittery went back inside. He ignored the questions from everyone and went straight upstairs, trying to figure out what to do about Pippa.

--

The next day the bulls nabbed Crutchy. The newsies were all furious. That night some went to the refuge to bring him back. Unfortunately, he was too hurt to leave.

This only increased the feeling of rage in the newsies.

The next day they attacked the scabs at the distribution office, only to find themselves cornered…desperately in need of help from a certain someone.

--

PIPPA'S POV

--

"Please, Spot," I said. "They need you."

Spot sighed. "I could say the same back to ya," he said pointedly. "In fact, I have been sayin' the same thing."

"Spot, this is different! They could be in danger at this very moment!"

"They could be thinkin' the same thing about you," Spot said.

I groaned in frustration, only making Spot laugh. "Fine! If you go – now – to help them, I'll tell them…within the week."

Spot thought about it for a few moments before he smirked, spit in his hand, and held it out. "Deal."

I spit in my hand and shook his.

I knew the only reason Spot had waited this long to join the strike was to make me make this deal. It was manipulative, and normally I wouldn't let myself fall for that sort of thing. But I needed an excuse, a deadline, to do it. I had been putting it off for so long. I think he knew I needed this, so he didn't say anything else.

"Flyer! You stay heah with Star and Manny. The rest a you – you're comin' with me ta Manny Hanny," Spot called across the room to one of his birds. Flyer was tall and strong.

I rolled my eyes. I would tell Spot I didn't need a babysitter…but he already knew my feelings about it, and didn't care. That really shows my authority. Anyways, all I wanted was for Spot to get to Manhattan, so I let him go without a fight.

"Good luck, Spot. And all of you. Don't do anything stupid," I told them.

They chuckled and headed out. "Pip," Spot turned to me. "You'd bettah stick ta your end of the deal."

I rolled my eyes. "Get outta here. Of course I will."

Spot shook his head and ruffled my hair before following his boys.

I leaned against the door. Of course I will…

--

I was running. It was four days later.

So much had happened…the rally…the arrests…the courtroom…Jack as the scab…all of which I'd only heard secondhand accounts of.

But I had to get to the train yards in Manhattan. Before Jack. He was on his way there with Teddy Roosevelt. The guy who'd rescued us from the refuge so many years ago.

Spot's birds had told us that Jack wanted to go to Santa Fe. Where he and I'd always wanted to go. So I had to get to the yards, had to tell him he didn't have to go. To find me. Which was what I thought he was doing. The thought of him leaving here to find me put a huge smile on my face and made me run faster.

Spot was going to kill me. There was no babysitter with me. No Manny, even.

But I didn't care. I had to get to those train yards.

After what seemed like forever, I got there. There were crowds gathered around. In the distance I saw a shiny car rolling down the street. My insides fluttered. Jacky must be in there.

I pushed through the crowd as the car got closer. Finally I reached the front, the side of the street. I brushed myself off and then looked up.

There he was.

My brother.

Jacky.

Sitting in the car.

He was so grown up. And he looked so happy.

As he neared, I yelled, "JACKY!" Above the roar of the crowd, it must've been impossible to hear me.

But, seeming like it was in slow motion, he looked at me as the car passed.

Our eyes locked and I smiled, laughing. He turned around with a confused frown on his face and kept looking at me.

Suddenly the crowd swallowed me as they swarmed behind the carriage. I dodged through them, trying to keep up.

"Hey!"

"Why's it stopped?"

Came scattered voices.

There was a moment of silence. The carriage had stopped. I tried jumping to see what was going on. I could barely see the car. But I could see Jack talking to Mr. Roosevelt who was nodding.

"My people," Mr. Roosevelt's voice boomed out over us. "We are going back!"

The crowd cheered again.

I laughed happily. He had seen me! He knew I was here! I would meet him back in Manhattan.

With renewed energy I ran back. I took alleys too small for the car in order to get there on time.

I decided to go to the distribution center. There was a square outside of it where Jack would probably want to be dropped off.

I reached it just as the car was pulling up.

Cheering started again and people engulfed the car wildly. I looked around for a familiar face…but everyone was moving too fast and there were too many people to tell.

Everyone formed a circle around Jack.

I stood to the side, but high on some crates, willing Jack to look at me. There was no way I'd manage to wiggle through the crowd.

Everyone quieted as Jack spoke.

I heard him say, "Sides, I got family heah," smiling.

Over here, Jacky! I wanted to scream it. But he wasn't looking at me. I waved at him, but still, he didn't look at me. I followed his gaze. There were two guys standing where he was looking. One that looked his age and one that looked younger than Manny.

Suddenly a girl pushed her way through the crowd and towards Jack. Jack smiled at her and put his arms around her. And they kissed.

I didn't get it.

Everything was moving so fast. I had moved to sitting on the crate, just watching everything. I pulled my hat forward, lowering it so that no one could see my eyes but I could still watch them.

Jacky was spit-shaking with the guy, saying, "You 'n me, Davey."

I still didn't get it.

Jack, this 'Davey', the little kid, and the kissy girl started walking together. Everyone else started to disperse.

I got up, tucking my braid under my hat. I had to figure out who these people were. I was breaking again on the inside. Whatever had been rebuilding inside me had quickly been shattered.

Jack has a new family.

I followed them as they laughed and talked. Jack looked truly happy. Well good, I thought. I'm happy for you. If Jack's happy, that's all that should matter, right?

The group entered a tenement building. I found the fire escape and climbed it slowly, carefully looking in the windows as I went up.

In one, there was a nice table set. A woman was bustling around the kitchen and a man was reading a paper. Somehow, I knew this was it. I sat in the shadows of the escape. I pulled m knees up to my chest and rested my head on my knees.

The door opened. The woman immediately ran to the door. The man stood up with a smile on his face.

Jack and the others came in.

"My darlings," cooed the woman. She hugged the girl, patted the older boys head, kissed the younger boys head, and then turned to Jack. My eyes narrowed as I watched her take Jack's face in her hands. "Jack, we are so proud of you. And you stayed!"

Jack smiled. "I realized I have family heah. What would I do in Sante Fe without you?"

The woman placed a hand over her heart. "Oh, Jack, you always have a family here. You are most certainly a member of our family."

I wanted to throw up.

I took off my cap and wrung it nervously in my hands.

"Sarah, dear, why don't you serve the soup?"

"Yes, mama," said the girl – Sarah.

"And the rest of you, sit! Sit!" She was bossy. Jack wouldn't listen to her.

He did, and smiling.

The man made his way over to them. He stopped by Jack's chair. Jack stood up as he held out a hand to shake. "Good to have you back, son."

Jack? With manners? What has he become?

Everyone took their seats as Sarah came around with the soup. They were laughing and talking. All of them were happy. Much happier than Jack could've been with me. Part of my heart broke at this realization.

Sarah looked up as she poured her mother's soup. Her eyes wandered to the window and I froze. She saw me.

"Who's –"

I didn't stay to listen to the rest of her sentence. I was out of there in a flash.

I ran and ran until I had no idea where I was.

So that's what he calls a family. I scoffed.

Aren't you glad you're not that way?

--

I know. Recognize the ending? ;)

Well…can't wait to write everyone in! Let me know what you thought of this chapter please!!