Disclaimer:  I still have yet to own Newsies, Camp Redwing, or any of the real people in the fic.  *sniff* maybe some day… until then…

Chapter 3: Some Race on the Way to Breakfast

Monday Morning

            Gryffin woke up the next morning in a bad mood, but she couldn't remember why.  Just then, she heard male voices coming from the fire circle and she remembered.  Trying to put it out of her mind, she pulled on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt before covering her head with her Newsboy's hat.

            "Can I escort ya ta breakfast, miss?" Racetrack asked politely near the edge of her tent.  Gryffin was surprised to see him there, and it must have been obvious.  "See, in New York, we's used ta gettin   up oiler dan dis.  Sos, mos' a da guys 'ave been up talkin' fer a while.  Dey all lef' wid da liddle goirls ta go ta breakfast already, but I thought ya might like some company."  Gryffin smiled, a little embarrassed that some boy was waiting for her.

            "Sure, I'd love some," she said simply.  They started walking down the path toward main camp.  There was a bit of an awkward silence for a moment.  Race, who was more eloquent with words than Gryffin could ever hope to be, opened the conversation with no small talk.

            "So, I hoard abou' da fight yas 'ad wid Blinky Boy."  Gryffin nodded.

            "Yeah, I don't care for him very much.  He's a bad example."  Race considered her words for a moment.

            "I guess he ain't da greatest thing a parent could ask for her kid to look up to, but he ain't da woirst eitha.  Jus' listen," he said, draping an arm around her shoulders.  "I don' wan' yas ta take dat kinda attitude to 'im.  See, Blink's had a hard time since da strike.  'E liked da action an' da excitement an' such.  When Kid settles down an' acts good fer a while, it starts ta git ta 'im.  Its not that he's just restless and uncontrollable.  Naw, its jus' dat Kid sees so much wrong wid da woirld, dat he feels da need ta do somethin' about it ta make it betta, but 'e don' know 'ow."

            "Oh."  It was all Gryffin could say.  She wasn't quite sure what Race had meant, and if she did understand him correctly, she wasn't sure what to make of his words. "Well, so what?  We've all had hard times.  What makes his so much worse than the rest of us?"

            "Dat's jus' it," Race said, stopping in the middle of the path and turning Gryffin so she looked him in the face.  He really meant what he said, and for some reason, Gryffin liking Blink really mattered to him.  "'E's 'ad a hard time jus' like yous."  Gryffin gave him a strange look.  Race scratched the back of his head and looked at the trees on the side of the path.  "Sorry… Willow an' me was talkin' las' night.  She tole me some a da tings dat goes on 'round here, an' some a da stuff dat you tole her from ya home.  I hope ya don' mind."

            "No, its okay.  I don't care who hears my story, as long as they've got it right."   Race seemed a bit less tense.

            "Jus' remember, 'e's a good guy, Blink.  I don' wan' 'im ta git hoirt, dat's all."

            The girl dropped her eyes to the ground.  It wasn't often that people were able to send her on guilt trips, especially if they didn't know her very well, but somehow, Racetrack was doing a damn good job.

            "Alright.  I'll keep it in mind, Race, but I'm not promising anything."

            "Tanks," he said as they walked up the ramp to the dining hall.  "Dat's all I's can ask for.  Oh, mormin' Jackie.  Hey… how'd ja sleep las' night, Jack?"

            "Same as I tells Mushie every mormin, Race.  On me back."  Race patted Jack's shoulder. 

            "So where's Spotty?" Race asked, standing on his tip toes and looking around.

            "Of all people, you should know.  He's the only one eye level with you."

            Race shot Jack a dirty look and went off to look for Spot.  Gryffin saw Kid Blink sitting sulkily on the corner of the railing, Race's words running through her head.  He looked like a strangely handsome gargoyle.  As Gryffin watched, she noticed that he was looking through the assembled girls below the deck instead of at them.  Gryffin sighed and wondered vaguely what he was thinking about.

            She ate breakfast that morning with Cowboy.  He told the table a story of how he first escaped from jail.  The girls were giggling and enjoying themselves.  Gryffin couldn't blame them.  Listening to one of Jack's stories was like listening to a symphony written by Beethoven or Bach.  The story had a strong background, rich and full with the many different flavors of New York City.  Drums kept the beat and moved the story forward.  Then the horn section came in with all of the excitement and drama.  Finally, the story closed, with a single flute and clarinet, flying over the keys in their dance of victory.   She was reading waaaayyy too far into this.

            'So this is what it takes,' Gryffin thought, poking her pancakes with her fork.  'This… this is how a true leader sounds.  One who doesn't lead only for the sake of leading, but to make sure that those he cares about are treated properly and that everyone stays fairly happy.'  Jack caught her watching him and flicked a smile her way.  'He's true, and honest, and sweet, and he can sing and dance and he's hot….. awwww, betcha he's gay.'

End Three

A/N:  Hey, the plot thickens… though it's still not very funny yet.  Life goes on, and the next chapter will probably be up in about a half an hour, but I have people waiting, so I'm gonna post this now.  REVIEW!! And tell your friends.  Only if ya like it… any who… I'll c ya all later, and hope you enjoy!

Shoutouts!

Kristan:  Thanks a lot hon!  Guess what?  I'll even send you a Newsie cake.  It has not one, but two awesome Newsies on it!  Spot and lets see… how bout a shirtless Mush?  Sound good?  I wouldn't mind worshiping Mush… especially if he were shirtless… *ohh, good thoughts*

Arty:  Of course ya heart me!  And I heart Kid Blink!  (Oops, wasn't supposed to say that yet… awe, the cat's outta da bag)  Too bad that Vash is at camp… maybe we won't see him much, unless he's in the Guard's Room.  Lamo.  I don't know how I'm going to get Nike and Davey together yet, but I know it will happen.  If ya have any ideas, lemme know.  And thanks for the Chocolate Covered Newsies!  I couldn't decide weather to eat them, lick them, or hang them on my wall to look at forever and ever.

Cassie:  Glad you're enjoyin' yourself.  Hope you like it, though you're not in it yet anywayz.  Maybe you can make a cameo as a camper sometime… I'll see.