Disclaimer: I don't own the newsies, but I do own the characters that I make up =)

Chapter 8:

Nova trudged over to the lodging house door. She stood outside the door for a few seconds trying to cover up her new injuries.

"It's now or never" Nova whispered quickly to herself gaining up her courage. Reaching out her hand she placed it on the doorknob and twisted it slowly. When she heard the 'click' she pushed the door in and opened it. Placing one foot before the other she slowly made her way inside. She hoped that everyone was still out selling but with her lucky they weren't.

"Hey Nova" Race yelled out over his cards. At the sound of Nova's name everyone looked up.

"Hey Race" Nova said quietly. All eyes were one her, by now everyone noticed the black eye, split lip and the cut right above her eye.

"Wow, who soaked you?" Race yelled out with a chuckle.

"No one" Nova turned and began to make her way over to the staircase.

"Surely someone had to, I mean you didn't run into a wall, did you?" Blink called out making the laughing Italian boy with a cigar hanging out of his mouth laugh ever harder.

"Go to hell" Nova replied curtly. This was her normal response to whenever someone made fun of her.

Each stair creaked under Nova's body. She had yet to see Jack, and seeing him was what she dreaded most, she was sure to get one hell of a tongue-lashing. As soon as she entered the bunkroom she spotted a familiar figure leaning against the doorframe.

"Nova" Jack said slowly.

"What?"

"What happened to you?" Concern filled Jack eyes.

"Nothing"

"Obviously it wasn't nothing, your bleeding" Jack reached out and touched the spot on her forehead where the cut was located.

"Really? I didn't notice" Nova turned and walked past Jack. She pulled open the window and placed one leg out and then the other one. Once she was out and climbed up the fire escape onto the roof. This was where she came when she needed a break from everything. She made her way over to the edge and sat down with her feet dangling over the edge.

"Ugh" Nova sighed as she heard footsteps coming up behind her.

"Come on Nova tell me what happened" Jack pleaded with her.

"What part of no don't you people understand" Nova hissed as she stood up. "Nothing happened, well at least nothing I want to tell you"

"Ugh! Why won't you open up to us, were not bad people, why can't you trust us" Jack sighed exasperated. Nova turned and began to walk away. As she turned Jack grabbed her arm and pulled her back, Their faces were only mere inches way. Each stood in silence, their breaths getting heavier. "Come on"

"NO"

"I don't understand you, you seem like you like it here but you refuse to tell anyone anything, you're a big mystery to us."

"I don't see you telling me about your past before this, and it's not like a care" Nova averted her gaze away from Jack's eyes.

"Don't say that, I know you do, your not as heartless and you make yourself out to be" Jack lifted his hand up and placed it on Nova's chin directing her gaze from the ground up to his face.

"How-" Nova started to protest but stopped herself. He was right, she tried to make herself antisocial so that she would not become attached to anyone. She never knew how long she would be staying in one area.

There they stood, their gazes locked, each one unsure of what would come in the next moment. Jack slid his hand from her chin up her face to her cheek, which was covered in dirt from her day. Nova stood there, there was something going on inside of her. It felt as though her heart had skipped a beat, the places where Jack's hand had touched felt like they were burning, in a good way. This was new to Nova, she had no idea what was going on, but then it hit her like a ton of bricks.

'You like him don't you' she told herself. Nova had never expected for this to happen, she never expected herself to fall for a guy that she had basically just met.

Acting on impulse Jack leaned forward. The gap between their faces was slowly closing. Nova could feel Jack's shaky breath hitting her face. Then Jack placed his lips on hers. It was like magic, Nova had never felt this way before.

After a few seconds Jack pulled away unsure of what Nova's actions were going to be. Nova looked up and her eyes meet with Jacks. The two stood there for a few minutes, neither on saying a word.

"Hey Jacky-boy" A familiar voice called over through the hot afternoon air, breaking the trance. "What did I interrupt" Spot questioned as he raised his eyebrows suggestively.

"Nothing" Nova said quickly trying to cover up what had just happened.

"Yea, nothing" Jack repeated.

"Yea whatever, anyway, I got to talk to you Jack" Spot shot a look at Nova hinting at the fact that she was suppose to leave.

"I ain't leaving, I was here first" Nova stated firmly.

"Fine, it's not like this is top secret news, you'll find out sooner of later." Spot continued. "So anyway, Jacky-boy you know how we have been having problems with the Bronx?" As soon as 'the Bronx' escaped Spots mouth Nova immediately perked up. "What you know something?"

"No" Nova replied almost to quickly.

"Well back to my point. Today while one of my newsies was out selling he ran into a group of them. Since he was out numbered they managed to soak him real good." Spot looked down at the ground. "He's only 9 Jacky-boy! They soaked a 9-year-old! We got to do something" This was the first time that Nova had ever seen Spot look well, emotional.

"Who did it?" Nova asked.

"Why do you want to know?" Spot shot Nova a threatening glare.

"I just do, tell me damn it!" The harshness in Nova's voice surprised herself as well as both Spot and Jack.

"Um. I think the kid told me that he said his name was Hawk" Spot's eyes glazed over at the mere though of the teen that had hurt one of his newsies.

"Hawk? It can't be. He must have lied"

"My newsies don't lie!"

"Not him, the kid that soaked him, I mean what sensible person would tell the person that he is soaking his name?" Nova tried to rationalize what was happening.

"I don't know, but I tell ya, when I find this 'Hawk' he is going to get a major ass kicking, I'll teach him to soak little kids"

Nova let out a sigh, which caused both Spot and Jack to look at her. She shrugged it off. Spot and Jack went back to talking amongst themselves but Nova's mind was other places. It wasn't on what happen between her and jack; it was on her brother. He wouldn't soak a little kid, would he? She could only hope.

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A/N: Dun.Dun.Dun. Did hawk really soak the little kid? Hummm. I guess you'll have to read and find out! Well anyway the next chapter's up, I hope you all liked it, I finally got some romance in there.

I'd like to thanks my wonderful reviewers: lildreamer99, Glitz, Scoop, bulldogchik05, and last but certainly not least Sweets. You all rock!!!

Moving on. REVIEW!!!!!!!!!! The more reviews I get the quicker I updated!