YAYE! ONLY ONE MORE FINAL DAY FOR ME! AND I NEVER HAVE TO TAKE FRENCH THE REST OF MY LIFE!!!!!!!!! :::grins::: now I can get back to the more important things in life….like stories!

Thanks: Liriana: as much as the poking would bug me, here's the next part! And no you can not come visit me! You're more likely to see me put in a pony named Bill in the story!

Disclaimer: I don't own the New York newsies, however the San Francisco newsies belong to me so ha!

With that said and done! TO CHAPTER 16!

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A dim light filled the room. Prankster's eyes opened as she groaned. She stretched her arms over her head and instantly regretted it. A dull pain ached throughout her entire left side. She tried to remember the last thing she remembered. Killjoy, her fight with him, her fight with Bane, being stabbed.

'That would explain the pain.' Prankster thought to herself.

She slowly sat up in the bed and looked at her surroundings. She was definitely in the lodging house. It was completely dark outside and the candlelight was the only thing that kept the room illuminated. She also noticed that she was completely and utterly alone.

'Well, now I feel loved.' Prankster thought to herself. She cleared her throat and realized her throat was parched. Her stomach also groaned in protest form not eating in a while. Prankster tried to remember her last meal; the apple before she fought Bane was the last thing that came into her mind. Getting food would be near the top of her priority list…after she something to drink and with no one in the room with her she would need to do it herself.

She set her feet on the floor and began walking towards the bathroom, carefully stepping over the floorboards that creaked more than others. She walked past the boys room, and to her surprise they were all up and talking in the far corner of the room. She decided to investigate after her thirst was quenched.

The water was whole heatedly excepted and after engulfing nearly three glasses, her thirst was finally quenched. She set the cup down and her energy seemed to disappear as fast as the water had. She needed to get back to bed. She left the bathroom at a slower pace then when she came in. Prankster still wanted to remain undetected. Not wanting to deal with the newsies questions and concerns at the moment.

She past the boys room, she noticed that they were still up and huddled into the corner. As much as Prankster would've loved to shrug if off and go to bed, her curiosity got he better of her and she needed to hear what they were saying. The boy's were too wrapped up in their conversation to notice the new presence in the room.

"Can we'se see her now?" an impatient voice asked.

"She's not even up yet." The voice of a man said.

Prankster slunk into the shadows. The darkness engulfed her so no one could see her.

"I'se still want to see her." Prank heard Racetrack argue with a small man.

"She's been out for two days!" Heights protested.

'That would explain why I'm hungry.' Prankster smiled to herself.

"Can't we see her now." Small Talk whined.

"You can see her after she regains consciousness." The small man who Prank figured to be a doctor ordered.

"Now," he cleaned his glasses. "I'm going to check on the patient and I shall tell you how she is doing, yet I can assure you that it'll be the same." He promptly left the room, leaving the newsies in protest.

"She's already unconscious." Mock protested.

"What? Does he think we'll break her?" Twitch chimed with his friend.

Prankster shook her head at the boys concern, dreading when they found her awake.

"I wanna be there when she wakes up." Ramble pouted.

"He should at least allow family members." Marbles complained.

"Damnit!" Ramble sat down on a bottom bunk. The conversation stopped at the comment and the newsies, who were once complaining about the doctor began staring at Ramble.

"Ramble!" Marbles started at her sister.

"Did ya jis swear?" Blink asked, astonished.

"Yes," Ramble stared at her shoes, embarrassed about the unnecessary attention.

"How ya doin' Spot?" Jack asked, turning the attention off of Ramble.

Spot clutched his left bandaged arm that had gotten knicked in the fight.

"Bettah then Killjoy, dat's for sure." Spot smirked.

Panic filled Prankster, thoughts and questions concerning her brother flooded her mind.

"Has anyone seen Killjoy?" Marbles asked, sharing the same concern for her brother as she had for Prankster.

"Not since he killed Bane." Spot showed no remorse.

"Spot." Jack cried, "Don't say dat."

"Why'se not?" Spot asked, very annoyed of being told what to do.

"Because, not enough time has past." Jack motioned his hand towards the San Francisco newsies; whose heads were slang down in remorse. Spot rolled his eyes.

"Yeah sure."

The small man dashed into the room making his presence known throughout the room. His eyes were in a panic.

"What's wrong doc?" Racetrack asked, "is Prankstah ok?"

"She's gone." The doctor said quickly.

"Whad'doya mean gone?" Racetrack grabbed the poor man by his shirt. Jack rushed between Race and the doctor, for the doctor's safety.

"Like I said," the doctor eyed Race carefully, "She's not in her bed."

While Prankster was on the verge of falling asleep, she was having too much fun seeing the look on the other newsies faces. Though she was utterly convinced that Racetrack would be killing her when they found where she really was.

"Where could she go?" Marbles asked in near panic.

Ramble spoke quickly. "What if someone came and took her and now she's hurt and scared and all alone and…." Ramble stopped talking, not knowing what to say. The other newsies stared at Ramble, disbelieving that she would run out of things to say.

"No one's let me talk this long." Ramble shifted her weight; the act caused Prankster to burst out laughing and revealed herself from the shadows.

"You got a point there Ramble." Prankster smiled as the light stung her eyes. She glanced at the other newsies and a fuming doctor.

"You," he pointed to Prankster, "in bed now!"

"Yes sir," Prankster mock saluted him and kept her position.

"NOW!" The small man nearly cried, which caused every newsie to jump.

"Alright, Alright, I'm going," Prank turned around, "But I was thirsty and no one was in the room, you know how loved that makes me feel." Prankster exited the room with the man.

The remaining newsies stared at the open doorway.

"I wonder how much she heard." Dragon spoke what the rest of the group was thinking.

"Does this mean she's gonna be ok?" Sparky asked hopeful.

"Yeah,

The remaining newsies stared at the open doorway.

"Yeah," Smarts comforted him by throwing her arm around his shoulder. "I think she's going to be just fine in time."

"Now can we go to bed?" Porridge asked, exhausted from the past three days events.

The other newsies nodded in agreement and shuffled their way to their beds. Only one question plagued their minds.

'Where was Killjoy?'

"Damn doctor," Prankster thought as she carefully rolled on her bed to find a comfortable spot. She finally settled for lying on her back, which was the position she started out in. She was confined to her bed by doctor's orders, who was sitting next to the bed staring at her. Prankster turned her head to look at him but continued to lie on her back.

"So Doc," Prankster started a conversation. "How long have I been out?"

"About two days since you've acquired the wound."

"Damn," Prankster thought, becoming annoyed with the doctor. Sure he was smart, but he didn't need to go around belittling those in which he thought were infere to him.

"What's you name doc?"

"My name is Timothy Anderson." He pushed is glasses up further on the bridge of his nose. Prankster's face turned sour at the mention of his name.

"I like Doc better." She smiled.

"I would appreciate if you called me sir or Dr. Anderson." He told her.

Prankster rolled her eyes and moved her head up. She stared staring at the bottom of the top bunk. She began to wonder how much weight would have to be on the top bunk before it would fall onto the bottom bunk. (A.N. I have always wondered this, since I was 5.)

An awkward silence filled the room and the doctor started fidgeting in his chair. He broke the silence by clearing his throat and began to talk.

"What's yours?" He asked. Prankster turned her head and raised an eyebrow when she looked at him.

"What's mine what?"

"What's your name?" He said, as if he made sense the first time.

"Prankster," she smiled and moved her hands behind her had and began looking at the top bunk again.

"Now your mother couldn't have possibly given you that name." He cleaned his glasses. "So tell me what your mother called you."

"She called me many things." Pranks still stared at the top bunk. "Hey you was one of her favorites."

"Do you enjoy being this difficult?"

"This is one of my good days," Prankster admitted, "I love using my guile," She smiled mischievously.

The doctor stared at her in shock, that she would know that word. Prankster turned her head to look at his confused face.

"It means-" She started but was cut off.

"I know what it means…I just didn't expect you to know it."

"Lesson the first when dealing with me." Prankster's grin grew even bigger, "expect everything and anything when you deal with me."

"Even stab wounds, increased vocabulary and stubbornness." Prankster lightly smiled when he said that.

"Well Tim," She began.

"Timothy." He corrected.

"Doc." Prankster smiled when she saw the Doctors face getting annoyed.

"Shouldn't you be asleep?" was his reply.

"I can't." Prankster pouted and looked at the ceiling. "I'm hungry."

"It's too late to get anything, we can bring you something in the morning."

Prankster sighed is disappointment.

"Can I see my friends tomorrow?" She asked hopefully.

He sighed and cleaned off his glasses again. "If you go to sleep now."

"You're the boss doc, just one more question."

"What?"

"Why do you clean your glasses so much?"

"It's a habit." He said quickly and stood up. "I have to go home. I told my wife that I'd be home an hour ago."

"Night," Prank agreed.

"Don't let those boys in here." He ordered.

"Do you think they listen to me?" She asked in mock surprise.

"Good point," he put on his hat, "just don't exhaust yourself."

"You got it," Prankster mock saluted him.

He sighed and walked out the door. She could hear him order the newsies to let her sleep. It was a dead silence until the front door closed. She heard a pair of feet walk down the hill. But when she could no longer hear the footsteps, the door burst open and most of the newsies rushed into the room.

"Hiya boys." Prankster smiled. "What did I miss?"

"Oh tank god, you'se alright." Racetrack sighed and rushed to her side. Ramble and Marbles weren't far away.

"Are you ok Prank?" Marbles asked.

Prankster raised her eyebrow. "Marbles, I got a hole in my left side, I don't think I'm all sunshine and daisies."

"Yaye!" Daisy smiled. She lowered her head when she saw the unwanted stares.

"Hey Spot." Prank noticed the bandage on his arm, "what happened to you?"

"Was savin' a baby from a burnin' church." He cracked.

"Oh," Prank smiled and played along.

"Do you need anything?" Ramble asked.

The hungry swelled in her stomach.

"I'm a little hungry." She admitted.

"Where's some food?" Marbles jumped up; "she must be starving."

"What have I done?" Prankster muttered to herself.

"What was dat?" Jack questioned.

"Nothing," She smiled.

"We'll be back with some food." Marbles called and most of the newsies said their good nights and left the room. Prankster sighed.

"Has anyone seen my brother?" she asked to the only newsies left in the room. Racetrack shook his head.

"Afta Killjoy," he coughed, "killed Bane, he took off, no one's seen him since."

"So Bane is dead?" She asked.

"Yeah," an awkward silence filled the room. "I'se glad you'se up." Racetrack smiled and sat on Prank's bunk.

"Glad to be up." Prankster smiled back. Racetrack cupped her cheek and leaned into kiss her. But they were interrupted when Ramble and Marbles burst into the room clutching apples in their arms.

"We're here." Marbles announced.

"With apples." Ramble smiled.

"You two have da woist timin' eva." Race huffed.

"Oh," Ramble stopped in her place; "did we interrupt something." She probably would've patted him on the head if she weren't holding something.

"Whatever." Was Marbles response as she pushed past Race.

"Here Prank," Marbles tossed about three apples on the bed, "sorry there isn't much variety." She apologized.

"But yesterday," Ramble continued the conversation, "we pulled a Prankster and we were able to steal about ten apples each." Marbles and Ramble snickered at the memory.

"Do I even want to know?" Prankster asked her sisters.

"No you don't!" Marbles told her injured sister. Prankster shrugged and bit down on the first apple. Ramble passed her apples around and they began eating also. Prankster dissolved the three apples, leaving only the cores as evidence that they existed in the first place. The other apples were gone as well.

"Are ya still hungry?" Racetrack asked her.

Pranksters hunger was far from satisfied. But she would live until the morning.

"I'll be fine until tomorrow." Prank lied. "I'm just really tired right now." She yawned.

"Ok, we'll talk to you tomorrow." Ramble ran out.

"Come on Race, leave Prank alone until tomorrow." Marbles grabbed Race by his suspenders and drug him out of the room.

"Night Pranksta." Race called before Marbles pushed him out the door.

"Sweet dreams," Marbles told her sister and shut the door.

Prankster sighed in relief. Enjoying the peace and quiet. She reached for the candle burning on the nightstand and blew it out. She laid her back on her bed and fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow.

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Wanna know something? The rest of the story isn't written. Well, I do have the first half of chapter 17 but other then that nothing. I need to work faster and with school almost out, I'll have a lot more time. But review please, I work faster if I know people actually care about the story. Well I'm off, bye everyone.