Disclaimer: I sadly, don't own newsies.

_Words don't mean a thing, as long as you love me_
By: Strings

15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22. Mush sighed as he looked at the small amount of change in his hands. He hadn't sold very well today, and this was a time when he most needed money. It was going to be a cold harsh winter in Manhattahn this year, he cold tell by the way Old Man Mcguire was acting. If mcguire was happy, it ment a mildly cold winter, if he was Angry, wich he always was, it was going to be another long, cold, winter. Mush pocketed his earnings and started off twoards the newsboys lodging house. He was just a few blocks away when he ran into, of all people, the Delancey Brothers. "Hey there Mushy. Where ya goin?" said oscar, stepping out infront of him. The delanceys snickered and Morris slammed mush into a building. "Guys..." mush began, preparing to fight. He didn't like fighting but with the delanceys, that's how most incounters end up. "Got any money fer me today mushy boy?" Oscar said, pinning him against the wall. Mush swung his arm out to punch him but Morris grabbed his arm and threw him
into an alley. Mush pushed himself up and lunged at morris but oscar grabbed his arms and held them behind his back. "What ya gonna do about it Mushy?" Morris teased. He reached in his pocket and took out his brass kunckles. Mush braced himself, "here it comes... " he thought. "What the? Aw, hey!" Morris cried, as a girl jumped down from out of no where and twisted morris's arm. Oscar threw Mush down and reached out for the girl, but she was fast, and she turned and punched Oscar with all her might. "Ah crap!" he cried. He grabbed morris and dragged him out of the alley, cursing and yelling. Mush pushed himself up and looked over to the girl. She had Long brown hair, and brown eyes. She was about his hieght, maybe a little shorter, and her skin was pale and covered with scratches and bruises. "Th-thanks!" he said, taking another step twoards her. She shrugged, turned, and began to walk off. "Wait!" mush called, as he ran after her. "You were really good back there! Where'd ya learn dat stuff?" She shrugged again and began walking faster. "Hey, c'mon.. you can talk to me! I don't bite!" At that she began running down the street. "What's with this girl?" mush thought. For some strange reason, he began chasing after her. He finnally caught up with her, and he grabbed her arm, stopping her from running further. "Hey, whats wrong? I just thanked you fer kickin the delanceys butts!" he said. She squirmed to get out of his grasp. "At least, can you tell me yer name?" She shook her head. "Why not? I'll tell ya mine!" She yanked her arm away, but she didn't run. Instead she pulled him into another alley. "This girl is really weird..." mush thought. He looked into her big brown eyes and noticed something he hadn't seen before. Instead of, like any other person who had just kicked the delancey's butts, her eyes being filled with pride, they were filled with sadness. Not any sadness, but a kind mush had never seen before. A kind that seemed as if all she ever wanted was to do something, that seemed commonplace to regular people. There was something she needed, something that could only be shown in her eyes. As he studied her face, mush knew why she hadn't answered him. "Y-you can't, speak?" he said, weakly. The girl nodded slowly. Mush could've slapped himself for being so presistent earlier. "umm.. sorry" he said, instantly regretting it , thinking of how stupid he must sound. But instead of looking offended, the girl smiled. They stood there in scilence. "Go on! Ask her where she lives!" said a little voice in mush's head. "c'mon!" it said again. "Um...so... where do you live?" he said, then realizing it might be kind of hard for her to tell him. She looked down at her feet and shrugged. "Y, you don't have a place to stay?" he said, knowing the answer. She looked away. "ask her to stay with you!" the little voice said again. "Willyoucomeandstaywithme?" he blurted out. She looked up at him, confused. Mush took a deep breath and said, slower, "Will you come and stay at the Newsie lodging house with me?" She stood there for a moement, then smiled and nodded. Mush held out his arm and she took it. "Shall we?" he said, smiling down at the silent beauty beside him. And he led her off to the Lodging house. About five minutes later, they were entering the old wooden doors of the Manhattahn Lodging House for Newsboys and , since about two months before, Newsgirls. Mush looked down at the girl, wanting some approval. She smiled and nodded. "Heya Mush!" said a boy, obviously italian, as They entered. Then he spotted The Girl. " and who is this goil, huh mush?"

"Thats the same thing I'd like to know," came the somewhat cold voice of a girl from the corner.