Disclaimer: All of the newsies, plus Medda Larkson, Brian Denton, Weasel, and Sarah Jacobs belong to Disney. Charles Dickens wrote "A Christmas Carol", and I'm using the dramatization by Michael Paller. I own Springs, Ariana, Tessie, Taylor, Cindy, Ace, Seraph, Cerise, Jade, the Darte twins, Bethany, Bliss, Fish, Mikko, and Curls. Mrs. Holmes kind of belongs to me; she's based on Peggy Holmes, the choreographer of Newsies.

A/N: The version of A Christmas Carol that I was using was in my Introducing Lit. book at school. Since school is almost over and we have turned in our books, I no longer have a copy of it. Hence, this is the last chapter. Enjoy and review!

Seraph's POV:

As the intermission began, I grabbed David Jacobs. "Isn't your older sister on the backstage crew?" I asked.

"Yeah," David answered, bewildered. "Is Medda drunk?"

"Never mind about that. Has she ever baby-sat before?" I questioned.

"Medda?!"

"No, your sister. Sarah, or whatever her name is."

"Yeah, her name's Sarah," David said. "And she baby-sits my little brother all the time. Why?"

"Mrs. Holmes can't come because she can't get a baby-sitter," I explained. "If we find her a baby-sitter, then she can come, and Act Two won't be as embarrassing as Act One."

"I'll talk to her," David said. He rushed off to find his sister, and I ran into the school hallway, searching for the nearest pay phone.

"What are you doing?" Bumlets asked, following me. "We have to get ready to go onstage---it's only a ten minute intermission!"

"I'm just calling Mrs. Holmes and telling her to pack up baby Kenny and get over here NOW!" I replied hurriedly. "Do you have any money?"

"I do," Mush said, appearing in the hallway, "and I'll call Mrs. Holmes. You go back to the auditorium."

"Thanks, Mush," I said gratefully, giving him a quick hug. "You were really good. Except for when you threw the candy cane."

Mush winced. "Yeah, my aim's never been that great," he conceded. "Now go. Don't worry. I'll get hold of Mrs. Holmes."

Luckily, Mrs. Holmes lived close to the school. Three minutes later, she arrived with Kenneth in tow. Sarah took Kenneth off to an empty classroom to baby-sit him for the night, and I gave Mrs. Holmes a quick review of what had happened earlier.

"Getting your director drunk," she mused when I had finished, "that's a new one."

"She wanted a martini!" I said.

"Whatever. Isn't intermission almost over?" Mrs. Holmes asked. "Let's get this show on the road!" I smiled for the first time that night. I could already tell that the second half of the play would be much better than the first.

Mush's POV:

Thanks to Mrs. Holmes, Act Two went very well. She directed, prompted, and generally kept the show running smoothly. She did the same thing for our next two performances. Unfortunately, Medda wasn't able to make it to those. Something about a hang over...

The rest of us enjoyed the performances though---we even got a standing ovation on closing night! We also had an excellent cast party, although Cerise got a little upset when she saw all the lunchmeat there. ("Why are these drama freaks so obsessed with meat?!")

Now, though, it's February, and the announcement about our spring musical went up at lunch today:

Carleton Community School Spring Musical:

"Mary Poppins"

Directed by Ms. M. Larkson, New Head of the CCS Drama Dept.

Assisted by Mr. A. Menken, CCS High School Vocal Music Teacher

Auditions will be held on February 10 at 4:00 p.m.

"Hey, Seraph, are you trying out?" I asked.

"Definitely---"

Seraph's reply was interrupted by the intercom. "Due to the fact that Mr. Menken has just been diagnosed with mononucleosis, we have hired a long term substitute to teach his classes and be the assistant director for the spring musical. The assistant director is someone you all know, Mr. Brian Denton."

Oh no. Here we go again.

A/N: Thanks to Stretch and Hottie5Star for reviewing this story. I may eventually do a sequel with the newsies in "Mary Poppins".