Pips, Race, Marble, and Spot left Manhattan early that night so they could start from Brooklyn the next day and save some time. It was an uneventful walk because they managed to hop the last trolley out of Manhattan and only had to walk a few blocks. Had finally given Marble the candies he had bought her earlier on and they were doing one of those sappy 'couple in the moonlight' things. Race and Pips couldn't stand all of the mushiness so they hurried ahead to the lodging house. It was mostly abandoned in the bunk room but they didn't know when the others would be back so they found beds that looked unclaimed. Marble and Spot came in after a large group of newsies and went straight to his room and stun the door. Pips stared at the room, repelled and fascinated at the same time.

She must have looked very obvious because a boy came over and started talking to her, "Don't worry, you'll know if they're doing anything. You can hear Spot all the way down the block." Pips stared at him with her mouth open and he put up his hands defensively, "Hey don't get offended, I'm just stating facts."

He sat down next to her, "I'm Luke." He had shaggy brown hair that kept falling into his pale eyes and a quick friendly smile.

"I'm Pips." She could feel herself blushing.

"Hey, it's nice to meet ya." Another boy came over to them, "This is my friend Dimitry."

He had black hair and eyes and very crooked teeth. He was over six feet tall and spoke in a heavy Russian accent but he seemed like a very friendly person by the way he smiled and thumped Luke on the back.

"Well my friend, it looks like you lost your bed again. I told you making it was a bad idea." He nodded to Pips before lofting himself onto the top bunk.

"Oh, I'm sorry, is this your bed?"

"Yea but it's okay, I'm used to losing it. I'll just share with someone else."

"Oh no! I couldn't..."

"It's too late now, I've already decided to let you have it. Goodnight Pips, maybe I'll see you later." He smiled charmingly and left her blushing and staring after him.

Racetrack came over and leaned against the bedpost, "Ain't chu da popular one?"

"Huh? Oh hi. I don't understand why they keep looking at me."

"'Cause you're cute."

"What!?"

"Well you was kinda ugly for a boy, but now dat yous a goil an' put on a skoit you look all cute an', well, goily."

"Oh, thanks, I think?"

"Don't worry, it's a compliment. We's gotta git up early so go ta sleep." Someone turned the lights off just then and he had to find the way back to his bed through the unfamiliar room in the dark, tripping and swearing all the way, followed by the snickers of the Brooklyn boys.

Pips stared through the dark at Spot's door, feeling uncomfortable being so close to a room where only God knows what was happening.

* * *

"Spot I said no."

"But.."

"Do you remember our little talk about the facts of life?"

"What tal.......oh, nevahmind."

"I thought so." Spot flumped down onto the bed next to Marble and wrapped his arm around her semi-bare waist then buried his face in her shoulder

"Oh quit sulking. Is this a good image for Brooklyn?"

"In me own room? Yes." He didn't bother to lift his head up when he was talking so he muttered directly into her shoulder.

"Stop it, that tickles." Spot sighed and turned his head, "What's wrong?"

"Will ya be dere when I's gotta meet dis guy from Midtown?"

"Of course."

"Promise?"

"Yea, why?"

"Nothin' I jist want ya ta be dere."

"Are you alright?"

"Yea I's jist tired I guess."

"Then go to sleep."

"Yea." He put his face back on her shoulder and fell asleep almost instantly.

* * *

"Marble."

"Uhg."

"Marble."

"Ihn."

"Marble, wake up."

"No."

"Git up."

"Uh-uh."

"Am I gonna hafta git you up?"

"Don't."

"Marble." There was a warning tone in his voice. She turned her head to look at him then buried it back in the pillows. He made an irritated noise in the back of his throat then grabbed the blanket she was wrapped up in and pulled it hard enough to dump her on the floor.

She stared up at him with grainy bloodshot eyes, "I hate you."

"Dat's great, git dressed." He dumped her clothes onto her then sat on the edge of the bed as she got up. It wasn't really a bed, but a collection of old blankets and scraps of cloth tucked under a sheet and held together with some boards. Half of it had fallen apart when he pulled Marble out of the bed but he still managed to find a semi-firm place to sit and watch her.

"What's your problem?"

"I've tried ta wake ya up t'ree times in da past twenty minute an' ya keep fallin' back asleep."

"Oh." Marble pulled a shirt over her head and put on her large grey overcoat. They left his room quietly, everyone was still sleeping in the bunkroom and Marble paused by Pips' bed. Seeing her friend sleeping so soundly she couldn't help thinking of obnoxious ways to wake her up. Eventually she decided that the way the Brooklyn boys were woken up was probably the most irritating thing in the world so she left her friend there and went into the bathroom.

She was almost done when Spot started ringing the large brass bell at the top of the stairs. All of the boys were out of bed in an instant, under the threat of being doused with cold water if they tried to get an extra second of sleep.

Marble rushed Pips and Race so they would be out first, and they were, by almost five minutes. They walked in silence, only broken by yawning, until they were right in front of the Brooklyn Distribution Center.

"What are we doing here?"

Spot looked at Pips like she was a moron, "Do ya actually expect us ta walk across almost abandoned territory all day an' not sell papes?"

"Oh, I never thought of that."

They got up to the locked gates but instead of waiting for them to open Spot climbed over the top and used his key to unlock them from the inside. He answered Marble's questioning look as she walked by him, "Hey you ain't da only one dat can steal stuff."

She laughed as he jumped up onto the loading dock and started ringing the circulation bell. After a few minutes an old man opened the window and looked around, "Is it dat time alroidy? Oh, it's jist you. What did I tell ya 'bout comin' in heah afore we's opened?"

"Sorry, I's jist in a hurry taday, will ya help us out?"

"Papes for four? Shoa." He disappeared in side and came back a minute later with a huge stack of papers. He didn't even bother to count the money Spot put down on the counter.

"T'anks old man." Spot took the papers and left, closing the gates behind him. He dropped the pile in the street and cracked his back.

"Dat's five hundred, who wants what?"

"Huh?"

"Dese ain't on da house kid, how many do ya want?"

Everyone started digging through their pockets for change and bought their papers from Spot, who took the leftovers. Each of them picked up their share and started walking down the street.

* * *

Marble and Pips were standing at a corner selling papers while the boys were down the street talking to one of Spot's 'boids'. The guy worked in a boys only factory and they were serious about the boys only part.

A huge group of girls were passing the corner as Spot and Race came out. They suddenly started giggling and one of them rushed over to the girls on the corner. Marble was sitting on her papers so the girl spoke to the one who looked like a newsie.

She was one of those gorgeous blonds who every guy wants but gets confused if spoken to in words with more that two syllables, "Excuse me? Yes you, newsboy. Can you do something for me, there's a bright shiny penny in it for you."

Pips just stared at the girl, certain that she could beat the crap out of her without breaking a sweat, but wondering if it was a good idea just now. Marble prevented her from having to make that decision by springing to her feet, "I's sorry, me friend heah don't tawlk. Wha' was dat 'cha needed?"

"Oh, um, yes," the girl looked irritated but forgot why so she smiled and turned to Marble, "Do you see that boy over there, Spot Conlon?"

"Ya mean da short one wit da big ego an' da sexy eyes?"

The girl didn't seem to notice the hint so she just giggled, "Yeah, that's the one. Can you go tell him that Missy says hello and even though we haven't spoken in like a year I still love him and I'm waiting for that midnight visit he promised me. Oh wait, is that too much for you to remember?"

"Naw, dats foine. I's gonna go tell 'em now alroight?"

"Yes, do that, here's your penny, thank you." She blushed prettily and rushed back to her friends.

Pips stared at the girl, outraged, for a second then turned to Marble, "What the hell was that?"

"That was funny. Come on let's go earn our penny."

"You're actually going to tell him that load of crap?"

Marble just nodded, "Don't you dare let me laugh."

The boys had seen everything so by the time the girls got to them Spot was already trying to spout off explanations and the fact that Marble's face was bright red and she was shaking with what looked like rage to him didn't help the matter.

When Marble was right in front of them she launched right into her message, "Missy over there," she pointed and the girl, who waved back and giggled, "says that she still loves you after this long year and she's waiting for that midnight visit you promised her."

Spot had been stuttering incoherently since she started, "No, nevah. I, but, um uh, aw shit."

"Oh really? How interesting."

He stared at her helplessly then suddenly smirked. He grabbed her, bent her back, and kissed her for all he was worth. When they straightened up they both looked down the street at Missy, who was staring open-mouthed and turning an impossible shade of crimson. Marble blew a kiss to her and they all walked on laughing.

"That was fun."

"Yea, who was dat goil again?"

"I forget."

Pips just shook her head and laughed and Race smiled at her, "I tol' ya dis was gonna be fun."

` * * *

It was around noon when they crossed into Queens and they were all down to about half of their papers. Spot was starting to lag behind and Marble was trying to hurry him up. To the casual observer it looked like they were walking arm in arm but she was actually practically dragging him along.

Pips and Racetrack were a short distance behind then like they had been all day, "What's going on with them?"

"Couldn't tell ya. Might have sumpthin' ta do wit Dagada."

"Who?"

"Spot's aunt, she's kinda crazy."

"She ain't really me aunt, she was a friend of me parents an' insists I call 'er aunt and visit her now an' again. Which we ain't gonna do taday." The last comment was directed at Marble.

She just smiled and patted his arm, "Too late."

An old woman rushed out of a doorway and went directly for Spot, "Oh darlin' yous heah again. Won't Dagada be happy. My yous growed all big an' strong. I's gonna go tell 'er dat yous heah. Won't she be happy." As quick as that the woman was down the street and out of sight.

"Shit!"

"Oh be quiet Spot. Dagada's a sweet lady, just deal wit it." He made an irritated noise and walked on sullenly. Marble grinned back at the other two then followed Spot. They finally came to an old tenement building and a woman come bustling out.

She was in her late forties but acted like she was much younger. Her hair was up in a tight grey bun and a giant apron enveloped her massive body. She moved with a speed that was unbelievable for a woman of her bulk.

Spot only had time for a brief wince before she grabbed him to her enormous bosom, "Oh my lovely little boy. I've missed you so much. How you've grown, you look more like your father every time I see you. Oh and you brought your little friends."

She let him go to pinch everyone's cheeks, leaving him red faced, partly from embarrassment, partly from lack of oxygen, "Oh look at all of you little dears. My sweet Racetrack, I knew you would come see me again. And look at this, you have two lovely girlfriends, you heartbreaker you. But enough of this let's get you all inside and get a decent meal in you. You all look half starved. Come on, come on."

She ushered them into the building then rushed up the stairs impatiently to her apartment while the newsies lagged behind, going up the rickety old stairs more carefully.

"Wow, that was.......odd."

Race grinned, "I jist love her. Ain't nuthin' funnier den an' old Irish lady dat t'inks she's still a teenager. She's convinced dat alla da neighborhood boys is aftah her an' she can't remembah nona da goils names unless she's tryin' ta git dem ta marry Spot. She's a liddle crazy."

"A liddle!? Dat woman's outta her mind!"

"Shuddup Spot, she's funny, now be good." He just frowned and braced himself before going through her door.

It was probably the most bizarre room any of them had ever been in. The walls and ceiling were draped with brightly colored pieces of fabric. Each and everyone was a beautiful color alone but together they were painful to look at for more than a minute. There were old mismatched couches and chairs scattered randomly around the room. The most unique thing was the dozens of birdcages by the window. They were on stands and hanging from the ceiling and everyone had an exotic bird in it. The wind chimes hanging all over them accompanied their singing but at a closer look only three of them were real birds, the others were carvings or hand-made dolls.

The only other rooms in the apartment were a bathroom and a sparse bedroom with only a mattress and a lamp. Dagada was bustling around the small stove in the corner that was filling the room with mouth-watering smells. The newsies managed to find a table in the mess and pulled up some chairs. Dagada circled around the table serving them food and clearing away dishes. She talked constantly about how the boys were getting so handsome and how Race must have dozens of girlfriends and how Spot needed to eat more because he would never get a decent wife being so skinny but not to worry because she had a lovely young girl picked out for him and she would love to have them meet today but the girl's mother didn't want her six year old daughter outside in the November cold. At the last comment Marble snorted so hard trying not to laugh that milk came out her nose.

Dagada paused and frowned, "You mustn't eat too fast now, you might choke. Oh you poor dears are so skinny. I know what will help, I have a pie in the oven and it will be ready in just a short hour. I'll let you all have a big piece, how does that sound?"

"I's sorry auntie Dag, but we's in a big hurry an' we'd bettah git goin'."

"So soon?"

"Yea, I's sorry." Spot got up from the table and rushed them out the door and down the steps to the street.

As he hurried them down the block they could hear her yelling out the window, "Come back soon dears, don't be shy. I love you all." Then they were all around the corner and couldn't hear her anymore.

The group stopped and met each other's eyes then everyone collapsed into oozing pools of laughter while Spot waited red faced for them to stop, "It ain' t funny."

* * *

After the sixth woman had stopped Spot to ask if he had visited his aunt yet they had gone up a fire escape and started walking across the roofs. The buildings were close together so it wasn't hard to jump from one to another. It was early afternoon but the sun was going down already so the light was casting golden shadows over them, instead of the dreary half light they would have gotten down on the street.

They were eventually forced to stop when they got to a building where the roof had collapsed in on itself. They sat down with their backs to the edge of the roof and let the cheery sunlight keep them warm as the wind picked up. Clouds were in but there was still clear sky around the sun.

The street below them had cleared out and Marble stood up and stretched, "Are you guys almost ready to go?"

"What about Ashes?"

"I'm getting him now then we're gonna go."

"Ok."

Marble went to the fire escape and climbed down into the street. The three on the roof turned around to look down on her as she sat in the middle of the road. She pulled some food that she had taken off of Dagada's table out of her pocket and put it down next to her then leaned back on her hands and stretched her legs out in front of her to wait.

Nothing happened for a while except some small flickers of motion in the alleys. Finally a large white cat came trotting out cautiously to sniff the food. She looked up a Marble and meowed. It was like a dam broke, cats came pouring out into the open. They didn't go anywhere particular, just milled around and sniffed at the trash in the gutter.

Marble slowly stood up and looked around then bent down and scooped Ashes up out of the mess. It had started to drizzle lightly but now the sky opened up and it began pouring rain. Marble wend bat to the others as they were carefully making their ways down the fire escape. They ran into the street again, staying close to the store fronts.

They had only gone two blocks when a voice called out from behind them, "what da bloody hell do ya punks t'ink yous doin' on me turf?"

They spun around and Marble and Spot got ready for a fight. They squinted into the rain at the blurry figure coming towards them. Suddenly Marble laughed and called back, "Ya wanna fight me? Let's go bitch."

The other girl also laughed, "Marble come 'ere an' git ya dumb ass outta da rain."

"Come on, she's a friend." They followed the girl through the rain and into an alley where she opened a basement window and slipped in. The others followed close behind her and waited inside until she found and lit a lamp in the dark.

She turned around and Pips took a step back. The girl's chin length dark brown hair clung to her tan face but instead of hiding the fresh scar across her left cheekbone it stood out even more in contrast. She grinned and brushed her hair back from her face, showing even more scars on her face. They were all faded to almost invisible marks except for the one on her cheek. Pips wasn't bothered by the marks but the girl's glowing green eyes unnerved her.

She and Marble spit-shook and laughed, "Hey Harper, everyone was wondering what happened to you. Where are the rest of the girls?"

Harper grinned and shoved open the makeshift door in the wall and led them into a brightly lit room full of girls, "Welcome to da new Midtown goil's Lodgin' House."



(Sometimes when I devote an entire day to my fanfic I think 'wait a minute I'm sixteen, why am I spending all of my time on a goofy Disney movie that came out when I was six?' Then I realize this 'goofy Disney movie' is Newsies!!! and I'm still six years old at heart, so then I have to say to that stupid 'brain' of mine is "You shut up and quit butting into my rich little fantasy life. NEWSIES ROCKS!!!!! so ha!" Of course then I realize that I'm talking to my brain and that brings up a whole new set of problems that I'm not even going to go into right now. Newsies I love you!)