(Ok so maybe the end of the last chapter was a little bit immature, and yes I just realized that, but not to worry I won't sink that low again, close maybe, but not that low. For everyone who has been asking for a steamy scene, I probably won't be putting one in this story, but I will write one eventually because like I said before I'm pretending this is a serious story and if I do that this will degenerate into pure smut and dirty jokes, not a bad thing but not in this story)

Even after her wake up call Pips refused to leave the lodging house that morning. Racetrack decided to keep her company because she was scared to be alone. The day was uneventful after the boys left, expect when Marble hired Snipeshooter, Tumbler, and Boots with a quarter each and an offer of lunch to help her do something. She wouldn't tell anyone but them what it was and they left the house laughing, giving Race and Pips something to wonder about as they passed the time playing cards.

Around noon they heard a lot of noise from the bunkroom, but before they could investigate Tumbler came down and told them they couldn't come up and they had to stop anyone else if they came back early. Race tried sneaking up once, but he tripped over Ashes on the stairs and the cussing out that he got from Marble stopped him from trying again.

It was late afternoon when Snipe and Marble came down. He collapsed across the bottom steps joined a few minutes later by Tumbler. Marble joined Race and Pips and the group of boys who they were keeping downstairs for her.

She sat down looking completely exhausted, but Specs wouldn't let her rest, "What's goin' on up dere? Why can't we go up? I's been waitin' heah all day."

She looked up at him drowsily, "Jist wait 'till Blink 'n Mush git back, then you'll see." She put her head on the table and promptly fell asleep.

Race shrugged and managed to keep them there for four more hands, then Boots came in. He went directly to Marble and woke her up. Neither of them said anything, but she smiled and he ran to join Snipe and Tumbler on the stairs. A second later Mush and Blink came in. Blink went to talk to Race, but Mush headed straight for the steps.

After a quick argument the three boys let him pass. Seconds later he came back down, eyes wide and mouth hanging open. He stopped at the bottom of the steps looking confused then shook his head, turned around, and went back up. This time it was a few minutes before he slowly came back down, eyes still wide, mouth still open. Everyone was watching him as he stopped, shook his head, looked back up the stairs, shook his head again, then turned around and slowly went back up the steps. As soon as he was out of sight everyone in the room shared a collective glance, then, as one, shot out of their chairs and ran up the steps after him.

The first boys froze when they got to the bunkroom and were almost knocked over by the ones behind them. They all managed to get in and stood there gaping.

Every single bed in the room had a scantily clad girl in it and they all looked up, smiled and choruses, "Hi Blink."

The poor boy stood in the front of the group, face going from red to purple then to deathly white. He swallowed hard, "Hi." His voice was weak and he looked like he was going to faint.

Pips stood in the back with Marble, "How did you find so many hookers that quickly?"

"Not all of them are hookers."

"Then who are they?"

Marble snickered, "They're Blink's ex-girlfriends."

* * *

Blink's girlfriends had hung around longer then expected even though he had disappeared quickly. The boys who knew them were up late talking and it was long time before they got to bed. Only two newsies were still awake.

Pips was pacing the room restlessly and Blink was out somewhere getting himself drunk. Having all his old girlfriends show up like that had really gotten to him. It was bothering Pips also.

As funny as the look on his face had been she just wasn't amused. Something about it was bugging her. They had all been nice girls, maybe a little bit too pretty, but nice. She couldn't see what any of them had seen in Kid, none of them seemed right for him. He needed someone to keep him in line. Someone who would keep him out of fights and not let him drink. He needed someone like... Pips stopped herself. It was stupid for her to be wondering what kind of girl was right for Kid, she didn't care.

Now Luke was a nice guy. He was polite and funny and interesting and easy to talk to. Pips sighed, at least neither of them was like her husband. Cruel, violent, demanding, lustful, she shuddered, that was him in a nutshell. Just thinking of him terrified her. He was looking for her now. Now that he thought she was too weak from poverty to fight back and too pregnant to run. Pips felt a guilty rush of relief that the baby was gone. At least it would make it harder for her to be found.

There was a noise on the stairs and she jumped back with a yelp. Her heart was pounding as she pushed herself back against a bedpost.

Blink staggered into the room and collapsed onto the bed across the room from her. Instead of being relieved that it was only Kid, Pips got pissed, "You disgusting pig! How can you just come in here piss drunk and go to sleep like that? Do you have any shame?"

He peered up at her through bleary eyes, "You are absolutely revolting, I don't see how anyone can stand you. Do you always spend your nights in some scruffy little bar wallowing in your own filth? Can you even smell yourself? Or are you too drunk to realize that you reek of rancid piss and vomit." He groaned, "Of course not! The smell of smoke and cheap beer is probably too strong. You could have at least had the decency to clean yourself before coming back, but I guess for you being crusted in dirt is clean."

Pips was so absorbed by criticizing Kid that she didn't notice him get up and walk over to her. Suddenly she was cut off by his lips pressed against hers. The kiss seemed to last forever, but he eventually pulled back and whispered in a rough, tired voice, "Jist shuddup so's I can git some sleep."

Then he was gone, back to bed, where he fell asleep as soon as he was down. Pips stayed where she was, perfectly still. The only two things registering in her mind were how soft his lips were and his breath tasted like peppermint.

* * *

Marble left the next day to stay in Midtown with Skylar, and Frick went to help Harper. Pips suddenly seemed to have too much time on her hands and nothing to do with it. All of her friends were gone or working and she still wasn't ready to leave the building.

She started doing more and more work around the house with Kloppman to pass the time. He paid her for most of it but she couldn't go out and use the money. The only times the urge to get out was there was when Blink was around. He didn't remember anything happening, but she felt weird around him and it make for some pretty spectacular fights. It was the worse few days she had ever spent as a newsie.



(Oi! 'Bout time right? Yea, I know you were expecting it but it had to happen eventually. Anyhow, I'm not promising the next chapter really soon but I should have the whole story written before the middle of February, it seems like forever but I'm at a loss for free time, it'll get done and I really hope you like it. It's late, that's the end, goodnight.)