Singah: This is where you come in!! I am working on how to fit in all the rest too.

Inky: I know, tis sad. But it has to be sad before it can get better!

Rae and Moth: Thanx for the reviews!!

They walked to the Lodging House without saying a word. Hayden didn't know what he could say. He felt that he must be a horrible person, leaving his sister behind like this, but there was no other way! Besides, he would come back for her. She was still only five; he couldn't really expect her to understand. He just didn't want her to hate him for leaving.

They reached the Lodging House and Hayden stopped. "Lissy?"

"What?"

"Please don't hate me for doing this." If she hated him, he just couldn't bear it.

"I don't hate you." She said surprised. No matter what he did, he was still her brother. She didn't want him to leave her, but she believed him when he said that he would come back.

He sighed, and knocked on the door. He waited a minute and no one answered. So he knocked again. This time, he heard footsteps coming. The person who belonged to the footsteps opened up the door and peeked out.

"Isn't it a little after hours for you to be out?" It was an older man, with graying hair and a kind face.

"Sorry, but is Bottlecap here?"

"He's in his bunk, it's past curfew."

"Please, I really need to talk to him."

The man saw the worried look on Hayden's face, and the scared looking little girl clutching his hand. "Well alright then, come in. Wait there and I will go get him." He pointed to a sitting room with some furniture scattered about and walked up some stairs at the other side of the hall.

"See Lissy, it doesn't look too bad, now does it." She didn't answered, just took a deep breath and loosened her grip a little.

They both turned when they heard steps coming down the stairs. It was Bottlecap. Lissy gripped his hand hard again.

"Kid, what are you doing here?" he asked groggily, he had just fallen asleep, and wasn't too kindly to having been waken up.

"Bottlecap, remember when you said we could stay here?" He asked timidly.

"Yea, I remember. Do you and the squirt wanna stay here?"

"Well, just the squirt."

Bottlecap thought for a moment. "How's about you Kid?"

"I…I can't stay. I am leaving Philly, going to New York."

"Woah woah, so you are leaving Philly, and you want the squirt to stay here?" He knew how much the Kid loved the little squirt, and was finding it hard to believe that he would leave her here.

"Yea, if she can, that is." He saw the hesitant look on Bottlecap's face and started again. "Look, if there was any other way, I would take it. But I don't know what else to do. Please Bottlecap, can she stay here? She can be a good newsie too. She's seen me do it enough times."

Bottlecap thought for a minute. "Lucky for you, we just took in another little girl. She needs someone to share a bunk with, and to keep her company. She is the only girl we have"

"Really?" Hayden asked, relieved.

"Her name is Singah. Just picked her up off the streets a few days back. I 'tink she's about, just turned six? I dunno, she's not quite sure herself." Bottlecap could tell that by the look on her face that Lissy didn't want to be there, he was trying to give some comfort in the thought of a friend, but she didn't really seem to be comforted at all.

"Umm, well, do you wanna go see where your bunk will be?" He didn't know what to say, but it looked like she had been through a lot and needed to lie down.

When she didn't answer, Hayden did for her. "Yea, sure."

"Follow me then." He said leading the way up the stairs. He then took a left turn and opened the door to a room, nothing in it except for a few empty bunks. Well, mostly empty. One of them had in it, the small form of a sleeping girl. Her back was turned to them, so they could only see her long and wavy blond hair.

"You will have this room all to yourselves, you and Singah. We can't quite have the boys and girls in the same room." He chuckled. But, seeing as no one else was, he just said. "Ok then, you can use that bunk tonight." He pointed to the one next to the girl. "There are a few blankets in the closet there. So you can make the bed." Still getting no response from either of them, Bottlecap looked at Hayden. "Kid, I need to talk with you. Leave the squirt." Hayden followed him out the door and closed it behind him.

"What?"

"I should be asking you the same thing. What the hell is going on?"

"I told you. I am going to New York, and Lissy is staying here."

"Listen Kid, why don't you stay here? You're already a newsie, and you would get along great with the other guys."

Hayden shook his head. "No, I already decided. I can't change my mind now."

"But why?" Bottlecap thought he had been patient so far, but now he wanted answers.

"This is hard enough as it is without having to explain it to you!" He nearly yelled it. But at seeing the look on Bottlecap's face, he knew he had to explain. "Sorry." He said taking a deep breath. "We cannot stay in that house anymore. I can't handle it. And I can't stay here in the Lodging House because if I do, my father will find me. That is why I have to leave. I have nowhere to go. But Lissy….he won't expect her to be here. So she will be safe. I don't have the money to bring her with me right now. I will come back for her when I do have the money."

Bottlecap was silent. "Ok, now you are making some sort of sense. But how do you plan on getting to New York?"

"Train."

"But those are expensive, how are you gonna get the money?"

"I have money." He said, patting his pocket.

"Well it's too late to leave now. You're gonna have ta wait for the morning to leave. Are you sure I can't talk you into staying?"

"Yep."

"Aight then Kid, I guess this is good bye."

"Guess so."

Bottlecap spit in his hand and held it out. Hayden did the same and they shook.

"Good Luck, and take care of yourself, ya hear?"

"I will, thanks."

Bottlecap turned and walked down the other side of the hall and through the door. When he heard the door click, Hayden sighed and went back into the girls bunkroom. Closing the door behind him, he looked up and saw Lissy sitting on the bed waiting for him.

Authors Note: I hope this chapter is long enough for all of you! Sorry I haven't been updating a whole lot lately. The voices need to give me more ideas. They're up there, just not coming out quite right. So please review! Thanx!