Author's Note: I love this huge writing streak I'm on! I don't know why exactly, but I'm writing constantly. It's great! And just think, I still have another whole week off of school after this one! Just think what could happen..
Chapter 10:

Brooke and Calli walked in the door of Tibby's and made their way over to the table where Race sat. Brooke slid in next to him and he greeted her with a kiss. Brooke murmured, "I could get used ta dat." when he pulled away.

He grinned at her, "Fine by me."

Calli groaned, "Oh, please, don't go all mushy on me now."

Mush sat down next to Calli and raised his eyebrows, "Did I hear my name?"

Calli looked at him warningly, but Race interrupted. "Hey, Mush, I wouldn't sit dere.Blink may wanna."

Mush turned to the girls, "Oh, yeah. Hey, where's Kid Blink?"

Calli met Brooke's eyes and frowned, "I dunno. We haven't seen him all day. Why?"

Mush choked on his drink and Calli was obliged to pound him on the back. "You don't know?" He asked nervously when he could speak. "But dat means-"

The speed with which Mush was at Jack's side was rather extraordinary. Race smacked his head with his hand. "Blink is so gonna kill us."

Brooke still looked confused. "What? Why?"

"Cause he's been in da refuge all day long, dat's why."

^~*^~*^~*~^*~^*~^

Brooke huddled against the wall of the refuge, staying in the shadows. She called softly up to Jack above, "So dis is whatcha call a rescue, huh?"

Jack lowered Brooke more, "Yeah. Like it?"

She gently eased herself onto the ledge, "I guess. I still don't understand why I'm da one down heah dough."

Race peered over the edge of the roof. "Cause yer da lightest besides Calli an' she refuses ta go down."

"Ahh. now I remembah." Brooke tapped lightly on the window to get someone's attention. A blonde boy looked up first and ran to the window. "Hey.uh, who're you?"

"Brooke. Cowboy's up dere, look, do youse know where Kid Blink is?"

The boy nodded. "Next floor down, t'ree ovah."

"T'anks."

He smiled, "No problem."

^~*^~*^~*~^*~^*~^

"Well, he was nice." Brooke said as she scrambled over the edge of the roof.

Jack chuckled, "Glad ya enjoyed yer conversation. What'd he say?"

"Blink's one floor down and t'ree ovah."

Jack swore, "Da rope won't reach dat far. We'll hafta go in."

Calli raised her eyebrows, "And what do you expect to do- just waltz in like we own the joint?"

Race grinned, "Somet'in' like dat."

^~*^~*^~*~^*~^*~^

One at a time the four darted down the hallway and hid in the shadows. Brooke peered down the hallway cautiously, "Dis is wit'out a doubt da stupidest t'ing I've evah done."

Jack prodded her to go faster, "Good."

Suddenly the sound of whistling put an end to any courage the group was feeling. The girls and Race all turned as one to Jack who darted looks about the place. He nodded towards an empty room a little down the hall. "Run for it!" he whispered, going first.

They followed him, just entering the room and closing the door as the guard came within sight. Calli waited for him to pass by and then commented reflectively, "You know, this brings back rather unpleasant memories."

Jack motioned for her to be quiet, and cautiously poked his head out of the room. "It's clear," he called back.

Ten long minutes later they had reached the room Blink was supposedly in. Race looked around uneasily, "I don't like dis Jack. We're write in da middle a da hall, an' dere's nowhere ta duck into if anyone comes."

Jack nodded grimly, "Let's make dis quick den." He pulled a loop of keys from his pocket and began to fit them to the lock. "Courtesy of Snydah, dough I suppose Ropes woulda been a smartah choice."

Calli gulped nervously, grabbing Brooke's arm and gripping it tightly. "If I don't die out here, I'm gonna die in there," she muttered under her breath.

Brooke squeezed Calli's arm encouragingly and smiled at her just as the soft, almost inaudible click told them Jack had found the right key.

He opened the door and they darted inside. Blink sat on his cot, a pretty girl with black hair facing him. The pair turned in surprise, and relief flooded Blink's face. "Took ya long enough," he commented, "I t'ought you'se all had forgotten about me."

Race grinned sheepishly, "Awmost. C'mon, we gotta go. Heya Flame."

The girl grinned back at him, "Heya, Race. Long time no see."

"Let's go." Jack said, opening the door again.

^~*^~*^~*~^*~^*~^

Mush was waiting outside when the group finally got out of the refuge. No one spoke until they were a safe distance away, then they all talked at once, eager to tell about everything that had happened.

Once it had calmed down a bit, Jack told about the original attack the night before. "It was Itey an' Boots dat were attacked. Dey were finished sellin' da evenin' papes an' were headin' back ta da Lodgin' House when t'ree or four guys wit' chains got 'em. Boots was knocked around a bunch, an' was unconscious until noon dis mornin'. Itey's got lots of bruises and cuts, an' da best shinah I've evah seen. Dey're awright now, dough. Kloppman's got 'em under constant attention."

Brooke shook her head, "Itey an' Boots. How dose bulls could believe dat dey started da fight is beyond me."

Jack sighed, "Tell me about it." He grinned suddenly, chuckling, "Apparently, dough, Denton went ta da station taday an' really laid inta dem about it. He forced a couple of dem ta go to da LH ta look at Boots an' Itey and said he was gonna inform Teddy Roosevelt about it. Dat was what did it in da end. Da bulls called off da ordah, so now we don't have ta worry about bein' arrested any more. Da guys dat attacked 'em disappeared early dis mornin', an' we're just hopin' dey won't come around again."

By this time they had reached the Lodging House. Jack ushered them inside, telling Flame she could stay the night, "Dere's plenty of bunks in da goils' room, just pick one."

Calli turned to go into her bunkroom when Blink touched her arm. "Look, Charm, I'm real glad yer awright. I wanted to ask you somet'ing last night but I didn't get the chance. I, um-"

"Blink?" Calli interrupted him, backing away from him. "Can we, uh, talk about it tomorrow? I'm just really tired and want to go to bed now."

He nodded, though his eyes showed hurt, "Oh, um, yeah sure. Well I'll see you tomorrow den, right?"

"Good night." Calli said softly, closing the door. She turned around and leaned on it, putting her hand to her head and shaking it. *What am I gonna do?"

^~*^~*^~*~^*~^*~^

Calli grabbed her newspapers and stepped down the stairs, impatiently waiting for Brooke. As soon as the girl turned from the distribution window, Calli grabbed her arm and pulled her along. "Let's have another girl day, ok?"

Brooke stopped walking though, "Calli."

Calli stopped walking, darting a nervous look towards Kid Blink who was just getting his papes. "What's wrong?"

Broke threw her an apologetic look, "I'm sorry, but I wanna sell wit' Race. I've barely seen him since Saturday night."

Calli stared at Brooke as Kid Blink and Race walked over, "Ok. I get it."

Kid Blink grinned, "Dat's awright. I'll sell wit' Charm."

Calli breathed in deeply then smiled weakly at him, "Yeah sure."

Brooke turned to follow Race and threw an encouraging look to Calli over her shoulder.

"Let's go den."

^~*^~*^~*~^*~^*~^

Kid Blink called out a headline and walked over to Calli. "Let's go get some lunch."

She nodded and followed him over to a street vendor for warm rolls. Kid Blink led her over to a park where they sat down on the grass to eat, each absorbed in his or her own thoughts. After several minutes of silence Blink glanced at her nervously, hesitant to try again.

"Uh, Charm," he cleared his throat, "um, what I was gonna say last night is dat I-"

Calli jumped up, brushing crumbs from her skirt, "Finished eating? We better get back to selling, lots of papes today!"

Kid Blink looked at her confused, "But I wanted ta-"

"See ya Blink!" She called back, hurrying back to the street.

*What's goin' on?* he wondered, jumping up to follow her.

^~*^~*^~*~^*~^*~^

Race wandered over to Brooke and slipped his hand into hers, "Finished sellin'? It's gettin' dark."

Brooke turned around, sighing, "Yeah. Let's go."

After several minutes of silence, she sighed again and asked, "Race?"

"Yeah?"

"What do ya t'ink would happen if I went back ta da racetrack?"

"Not much, as long as you kept away from da bookies."

She raised her eyes and looked at him seriously, "No, I mean what do ya t'ink would happen if I went back ta talk ta my dad?"

Race stopped walking and grabbed her shoulder, forcing her to stop as well. The look in his eyes bordered between confusion and anger, "Why would you wanna do dat? You'd be pretty stupid if youse went back ta him!"

Brooke folded her arms across her chest and nodded, "I guess yer right. It would be pretty dumb."

Race linked his arm with hers, "Yeah it would."

Brooke nodded again, mumbling, "Yeah," and they continued walking. But Race didn't miss the way her eyes searched the ground and the worried expression on her face remained there the entire trip back.

^~*^~*^~*~^*~^*~^

Newsies streamed into Irving Hall, finding themselves seats and dates as they went. Race gallantly escorted an unusually quiet Brooke, Jack led Sarah inside, and the rest of the newsies brought along factory girls, school girls or newsgirls from other areas of New York.

Race and Blink sat by themselves at a table, looking over at Calli and Brooke who were deep in conversation with Michaela and Flame. Race watched Brooke with a troubled expression and then glanced up at Blink in response, "So Calli's been avoidin' you huh?"

Blink sipped his drink, "Yeah. Every time I try ta talk to her she runs off wit' some excuse. Last time it was dat she needed ta get changed, but she never did."

^~*^~*^~*~^*~^*~^

Flame brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes, glancing over at the table Kid Blink and Racetrack were seated at. "So what are you gonna do?"

"You can't just avoid him for da rest of yer life," Michaela pointed out.

"No," Calli admitted hesitantly, "but I don't have to tell him just yet do I? I mean, you yourself said that Spinz wasn't gonna come tonight."

Michaela held up a hand, "What I said was dat Spot was discussin' somet'ing wit' him an' dey might not be comin'. I dunno for sure."

Calli sighed, "I'm not trying to avoid Blink, I just need time to figure out what I'm gonna say. Right now I don't know whether I love him or Spinz more. I need to be away from both of them for awhile so I can decide."

Brooke took a sip from her drink, "If you put it off much longah it's just gonna get worse. Blink might find out from someone an' den it wouldn't be your decision anymore."

^~*^~*^~*~^*~^*~^

"Awright, heah's what I t'ink." Race announced, leaning forward. "Since you've nevah actually said what you wanna talk ta her about, she prob'ly doesn't know."

"Um, ok."

"Calli prob'ly t'inks dat you wanna tell her about some uddah goil, or somet'ing like dat. You need to go up to her an' just spit it out, don't say, "Oh, um, Calli, I kinda wanna talk to ya about..." an' give her plenty of time ta run away. Just say it."

Kid Blink nodded, "Sounds good."

Race waited for several seconds and threw his hands up, "What are you waitin' for?"

"Now? You want me ta talk to her now?"

"No, a million years from now. Yes, now! Go on."

"Oh boy," Kid Blink muttered, walking over to the girls.

^~*^~*^~*~^*~^*~^

"Look, heah he comes."

"What?!" Calli turned around and came face to face with the topic of their conversation.

"Uh, hey Charm. Can you excuse us ladies?"

The three other girls left, sending Calli encouraging looks as they went. She gulped and turned back to him, "What, Blink?"

"Look, Calli, I wanna talk about you an' me. We have-"

Calli glanced past Blink's shoulder and froze. Spot swaggered in the door, Spinz following after him smiling tolerantly. She looked back at Blink and panicked, "Uh, Blink, I can't talk now. I'm goin' back ta da Lodgin' House, I don't feel all dat good."

She hadn't gotten very far when a hand on her shoulder forced her to stop. She turned around slowly, hoping it wasn't Spinz. Thankfully Blink stood there, but the look on his face informed her he wasn't going to be brushed off this time.

"Calli why are you avoidin' me? Every time I try to talk to youse ya run off. Why?"

"Blink, I just-" Strong arms suddenly wrapped around her waist, and as she turned her head a pair of lips met hers for a moment. She opened her eyes and saw Spinz's face several inches from her own. *Oh. My. Gosh."

With a look of panic she whipped her head around. Kid Blink was gone, but she could see glimpses of his back in the crowd moving away from her.

TO BE CONTINUED
A.N.- Ok, you gotta admit, you love me. hehehe. I am on such a high from this writing streak it isn't even funny.yeah!