They heard Kit long before they saw her. "I want Crale or Craig where are they? Don't touch me. I want Crale. Where's Craig?"
Cray sprinted up the stairs with Mills at his heels. When they reached the room Kit squealed, "Crale you're okay. You're here to take me home right? I don't have to stay do I?" Kit sat in the bed her arms crossed pouting. "There are too many boys here I want ta go home."
"Kit" Cray stated but she interrupted him. "What did you call me? My name is Ami."
"I am sorry Ami, but you can't leave right now you've been sick. But I'll stay here with you." Cray spoke trying to figure out why Kit wasn't answering to her nickname.
"I am not sick." Kit stuck her lip out even more, "Where's Craig?"
"Craig is coming. He'll be here soon." Mills answered knowing full well that he was outside the door.
"Good then he'll take me home." Kit looked proud with her self for finding a way out of somewhere she didn't want to be.
"Ami he can't we're too far away. Do you know where we are?" Cray questioned.
"Well I would say Omaha, this ain't Lincoln."
Cray sighed, this was going to take a while, "No we ain't in Omaha, we're in New York City."
"No we ain't." Kit looked at him in disbelief.
"Yes youse are, in Brooklyn to be exact." Mills held out her hand in friendship, "Ise Kaitlyn but youse can call me Mills."
"Well if I am gonna be stuck here, I guess I should learn who everyone else is. I'm Ami."
Spot spoke up an grin on his face, he was going to prove that Kit was faking it, "Ise Spot, youse boyfriend, this here is Rounder, Falcon, Bait and Jolly."
Kit laughed, "Your cute, but you can't be my boyfriend you're like 20. You're too old for me." Mills hid a smile behind her hand while Spot sputtered.
"Ise only 18 not 20. So how old are you if Ise too old for youse?"
Kit thought for a second, then answered; "I am 13 that is way to young for you. Any way I am dating Craig, well almost."
"Youse dating Swan? No youse ain't."
"Am too."
"Are not."
"Am too."
"Ain't"
"Am"
"Ain't"
"Hold it Ami you're 13?" Kit nodded, "Um guys can I see you out side. Sit tight Ami we'll be right back." Cray motioned for everyone to follow him. "Guys she's lost her memory."
Spot look said duh, "No kidding she said she was 13. Ise now she is 17. She's said so."
"I know I have no idea what happened." Something that Spot said suddenly hit Cray. "Spot when did you start dating Kit?" Cray became very forceful.
"Well wes actually ain't dating but Ise thought that maybe if Ise said something wrong she would correct me."
Mills almost swore she saw his ear tips turn red. "It was worth a shot. So what are wes gonna do about it?"
"Do about what?" Swan asked as he entered the room. He had gone downstairs to get a drink of water, (AN: silly Craig)
"Kit lost her memory and thinks she's 13 again. She don't know any of us." Bait's lower lip quivered as he spoke for the first time.
"You sure she ain't just playing with you?" Swan asked as he took a peek inside the sick room.
"Nope Ise told her Ise her boyfriend and she said I was too old for her. So it couldn't be true."
"Well at least she has retained some common sense." Swan joked, "Well I guess we have to do something. Any ideas what?"
"Well she thinks she is 13 and she won't answer to Kit, all she does is look at us strange." Mills stated the facts.
"Well we could…" Spot was interrupted by a scream that sent everyone for the door.
"Spot don't, he's gonna kill you. Chair please don't I'll do anything. Please don't kill him." Kit whimpered. She sat her eyes wide open, staring into space pleading with the air to spare Spot's life.
Spot went over and placed his hand on her arm, earning a black eye for his trouble. He stood back up, out of arms reach, 'Kit ca youse hear me. It's me Spot Ise going to come sit next to youse."
"Stand back Spot, Chair can kill you if you get to close." Kit called out to the air in front of her, it was as if she didn't even hear him. They were at a lost at what to do. She sat freaking all of them out until finally Swan sat down on the bed. He then did the expected, and pulled her into his lap and began rubbing her back.
"Shush calm down. It's all over now. You don't' have to work yourself up. Chair is gone, Spot and everyone else is fine Shush." It worked slowly Kit became more aware of where she was and those there.
She began to cry and Swan kept rubbing her back. As her sobs slowed to sniffles she lifted her head off Swan's chest and looked around. "Why is everyone here?" Her eyes and lost their frantic animal look and she now was just with drawn.
Spot put his hand on her arm. "Wes all were worried about youse. Youse been asleep for a long time."
Kit turned to him then surprising everyone vaulted into him causing him to fall to the ground with Kit on top of him. "Spot you're okay. He didn't hurt you."
"Well he didn't hurt me but Ise not sure Ise okay." This caused everyone to laugh, breaking the tension while Kit and Swan got up with Swan's help.
Bait and Jolly had heard the thump that Spot had caused and came into the room. They scanned the room and when their eyes fell on Kit standing up the launched themselves at her. Giving her huge hugs and taking all at once.
Mills watched it all with amusement then seeing how tired Kit was, "Okay everyone needs to get out Kit needs some rest."
"Mils I am fine let them stay." Kit protested as the newsies began to leave.
"No youse need some rest. Ise let Spot and your brother and Swan stay that's it. All the rest of youse need to get out of here. Youse can see her in the morning." Bait and Jolly left reluctantly giving Kit another hug before leaving.
After everyone had cleared out the remaining group found places to sit. "So how are youse doing Kit." Spot sat down and Kit sat next to him. She leaned on his shoulder not wanting to be along and reassuring herself that he was okay.
"Scared I though he was dead." She shivered slightly and Spot put an arm around her.
"Well he won't hurt youse again. Rounder and Falcon found him last night and turned him over to the bulls. Not only is he in trouble for roughing you up but he is wanted in Baltimore for a murder."
Kit shivered again, but relaxed visibly, "You sure he won't be back?"
"The bulls promised he wouldn't be back. And if he does come back youse will be okay cause wes ain't going to let him hurt youse." Spot gave her a one armed hug. Cray and Swan both agreed out loud while Mills just nodded from her seat next to Cray.
Kit's eyes became heavier as she sat listening to her friends talk round her. Spot felt her go slack as she suddenly became a lot heavier and began using his leg as a pillow. "Cray is she asleep?" Spot barely spoke above a whisper.
"Yep she is, here we'll mover her to the bed."
"Ise not surprised. Ise expected her to fall asleep long time ago." Mills spoke as the guys lifted her up and onto the bed. It was already very late, with the sun going down much earlier.
"If youse want to youse can stay here. I'll take my stuff out and Mills can sleep in here." Mills nodded and spot put a blanket on the floor and pulled a pillow out to make a pallet on the ground. When Cray gave him an odd look Spot shrugged, "Ise ain't letting the goils sleep here on their own."
"Well then I'll sleep here too." Cray spoke before leaving to get another blanket and pillow. Spot left to allow Mills to change. Both guys waited till they heard Mills crawl into the top bunk before entering. It was a quiet night and Kit didn't have any nightmares. No one woke until dawn.
Cray sprinted up the stairs with Mills at his heels. When they reached the room Kit squealed, "Crale you're okay. You're here to take me home right? I don't have to stay do I?" Kit sat in the bed her arms crossed pouting. "There are too many boys here I want ta go home."
"Kit" Cray stated but she interrupted him. "What did you call me? My name is Ami."
"I am sorry Ami, but you can't leave right now you've been sick. But I'll stay here with you." Cray spoke trying to figure out why Kit wasn't answering to her nickname.
"I am not sick." Kit stuck her lip out even more, "Where's Craig?"
"Craig is coming. He'll be here soon." Mills answered knowing full well that he was outside the door.
"Good then he'll take me home." Kit looked proud with her self for finding a way out of somewhere she didn't want to be.
"Ami he can't we're too far away. Do you know where we are?" Cray questioned.
"Well I would say Omaha, this ain't Lincoln."
Cray sighed, this was going to take a while, "No we ain't in Omaha, we're in New York City."
"No we ain't." Kit looked at him in disbelief.
"Yes youse are, in Brooklyn to be exact." Mills held out her hand in friendship, "Ise Kaitlyn but youse can call me Mills."
"Well if I am gonna be stuck here, I guess I should learn who everyone else is. I'm Ami."
Spot spoke up an grin on his face, he was going to prove that Kit was faking it, "Ise Spot, youse boyfriend, this here is Rounder, Falcon, Bait and Jolly."
Kit laughed, "Your cute, but you can't be my boyfriend you're like 20. You're too old for me." Mills hid a smile behind her hand while Spot sputtered.
"Ise only 18 not 20. So how old are you if Ise too old for youse?"
Kit thought for a second, then answered; "I am 13 that is way to young for you. Any way I am dating Craig, well almost."
"Youse dating Swan? No youse ain't."
"Am too."
"Are not."
"Am too."
"Ain't"
"Am"
"Ain't"
"Hold it Ami you're 13?" Kit nodded, "Um guys can I see you out side. Sit tight Ami we'll be right back." Cray motioned for everyone to follow him. "Guys she's lost her memory."
Spot look said duh, "No kidding she said she was 13. Ise now she is 17. She's said so."
"I know I have no idea what happened." Something that Spot said suddenly hit Cray. "Spot when did you start dating Kit?" Cray became very forceful.
"Well wes actually ain't dating but Ise thought that maybe if Ise said something wrong she would correct me."
Mills almost swore she saw his ear tips turn red. "It was worth a shot. So what are wes gonna do about it?"
"Do about what?" Swan asked as he entered the room. He had gone downstairs to get a drink of water, (AN: silly Craig)
"Kit lost her memory and thinks she's 13 again. She don't know any of us." Bait's lower lip quivered as he spoke for the first time.
"You sure she ain't just playing with you?" Swan asked as he took a peek inside the sick room.
"Nope Ise told her Ise her boyfriend and she said I was too old for her. So it couldn't be true."
"Well at least she has retained some common sense." Swan joked, "Well I guess we have to do something. Any ideas what?"
"Well she thinks she is 13 and she won't answer to Kit, all she does is look at us strange." Mills stated the facts.
"Well we could…" Spot was interrupted by a scream that sent everyone for the door.
"Spot don't, he's gonna kill you. Chair please don't I'll do anything. Please don't kill him." Kit whimpered. She sat her eyes wide open, staring into space pleading with the air to spare Spot's life.
Spot went over and placed his hand on her arm, earning a black eye for his trouble. He stood back up, out of arms reach, 'Kit ca youse hear me. It's me Spot Ise going to come sit next to youse."
"Stand back Spot, Chair can kill you if you get to close." Kit called out to the air in front of her, it was as if she didn't even hear him. They were at a lost at what to do. She sat freaking all of them out until finally Swan sat down on the bed. He then did the expected, and pulled her into his lap and began rubbing her back.
"Shush calm down. It's all over now. You don't' have to work yourself up. Chair is gone, Spot and everyone else is fine Shush." It worked slowly Kit became more aware of where she was and those there.
She began to cry and Swan kept rubbing her back. As her sobs slowed to sniffles she lifted her head off Swan's chest and looked around. "Why is everyone here?" Her eyes and lost their frantic animal look and she now was just with drawn.
Spot put his hand on her arm. "Wes all were worried about youse. Youse been asleep for a long time."
Kit turned to him then surprising everyone vaulted into him causing him to fall to the ground with Kit on top of him. "Spot you're okay. He didn't hurt you."
"Well he didn't hurt me but Ise not sure Ise okay." This caused everyone to laugh, breaking the tension while Kit and Swan got up with Swan's help.
Bait and Jolly had heard the thump that Spot had caused and came into the room. They scanned the room and when their eyes fell on Kit standing up the launched themselves at her. Giving her huge hugs and taking all at once.
Mills watched it all with amusement then seeing how tired Kit was, "Okay everyone needs to get out Kit needs some rest."
"Mils I am fine let them stay." Kit protested as the newsies began to leave.
"No youse need some rest. Ise let Spot and your brother and Swan stay that's it. All the rest of youse need to get out of here. Youse can see her in the morning." Bait and Jolly left reluctantly giving Kit another hug before leaving.
After everyone had cleared out the remaining group found places to sit. "So how are youse doing Kit." Spot sat down and Kit sat next to him. She leaned on his shoulder not wanting to be along and reassuring herself that he was okay.
"Scared I though he was dead." She shivered slightly and Spot put an arm around her.
"Well he won't hurt youse again. Rounder and Falcon found him last night and turned him over to the bulls. Not only is he in trouble for roughing you up but he is wanted in Baltimore for a murder."
Kit shivered again, but relaxed visibly, "You sure he won't be back?"
"The bulls promised he wouldn't be back. And if he does come back youse will be okay cause wes ain't going to let him hurt youse." Spot gave her a one armed hug. Cray and Swan both agreed out loud while Mills just nodded from her seat next to Cray.
Kit's eyes became heavier as she sat listening to her friends talk round her. Spot felt her go slack as she suddenly became a lot heavier and began using his leg as a pillow. "Cray is she asleep?" Spot barely spoke above a whisper.
"Yep she is, here we'll mover her to the bed."
"Ise not surprised. Ise expected her to fall asleep long time ago." Mills spoke as the guys lifted her up and onto the bed. It was already very late, with the sun going down much earlier.
"If youse want to youse can stay here. I'll take my stuff out and Mills can sleep in here." Mills nodded and spot put a blanket on the floor and pulled a pillow out to make a pallet on the ground. When Cray gave him an odd look Spot shrugged, "Ise ain't letting the goils sleep here on their own."
"Well then I'll sleep here too." Cray spoke before leaving to get another blanket and pillow. Spot left to allow Mills to change. Both guys waited till they heard Mills crawl into the top bunk before entering. It was a quiet night and Kit didn't have any nightmares. No one woke until dawn.