Chapter three:

Running. Why does this feel so familiar? 'There was that time back in Manhattan,' Bu I've never BEEN in Manhattan before! I lost my train of thought as I tripped over my now old-fashioned boots.

Back in the 19th century! Very nice. No more skinheads, right? Well, sort of. Instead of a bunch of thugs, just two boys walking toward me with chains. 'Da Delancy Brudahs,' the thought popped into my head. Oh God, another "Newsies" moment.

No time to think about that. 'Get up! GO!' Wait, if I'm back in the past, I have Spot. Now where is he?

"Hey! Wha'd she eva' do ta you'se?" Oh God, thank you! Now I have my Spot and he can take care of those, what did I call them? The Delancy Brudahs? "GO!"

So I stood up and went. I bumped into a guy, a bit taller than me.

"Shit!" I turned and attempted to go in the other direction, but the guy grabbed my wrist. "What da hell! Lemme-" At that point, I glanced up at his face. He was gorgeous! "Jack? Jack Kelly?" I don't know this person, but I do. Wait! ANOTHER 'Newsies" moment?

"Ya, how do you'se know me?" The boy with the red Bandanna said. "I don't think we's met before."

"Um." Think, think fast! "I've seen you'se around Manhattan. Hoid da oda newsies callin' your name." Very nice.

"OK, I can believe that. So you knows me, who's you?" His accent is far thinner than Spot's and Ink's, must have something to do with the area of New York they come from.

"Mandy, friends call me Hops. Spot's in trouble, can ya help 'im?" I said in one breath.

"How's it that you knows Spot?" He asked, going completely off subject.

"I'd neva be able ta explain it to ya. Can you go help im'? It's da Delancy Brudahs, dey got chains!"

"I gots a bone ta pick wit does two," he said, releasing my wrist and heading off down the alley. I fallowed closely behind. I may not be the best street fighter, but I've had to defend myself once or twice.

One of the brothers threw a punch and connected with Spots jaw. Hard. He was out before he hit the ground. OK, I know where brother #1 is, the short one, but where's #2? Just then I found out.

Jack was already duking it out with B#1 (brother #1) and B#2 came up behind me, unseen. He grabbed me around my waist and had me off the ground before I knew what was happening. 'Damn shortness' I thought. OK, try and remember self defense classes. Head butt! That'll do the trick.

I made like I was gonna scream, so B#2 would try to cover my mouth. I used the force of his hand to drive my head into his nose.

CRACK

Yet another thing I've never done before. I broke his nose. He dropped me right as B#1 hit Jack with the chain.

"Lit's git outsa herrr!" he said, his words slurred from pain and injury. "We out mashed!" With that, he took off running. Only then did I look around to see several of the guys from the LH standing around, a few with clubs and various other weapons.

They split pretty evenly to tend to the unconscious Spot and bloody Jack. Only one of them went to neither.

"Mandy, are you'se OK?" Ink said coming over and hugging me in a very comforting way. He shuddered when he felt the blood that had drenched my back. He held me out at an arm's length. 'God he's sexy!'

"I'se fine," I said. He gave me this disbelieving look and I remembered the blood. "I broke 'is nose when 'e grabbed me, I's fine. Really."

"We'd betta git you'se cleaned up. Nobody wants ta buy from a bloody newsie." He said and we started walking back to the LH. We were way behind the others who were helping Spot and Jack. I felt really bad. If I'd stayed back instead of running away, I could have helped out.

Once back at the LH, we went to an empty room that was much like Spot's. 'I can only guess what they use this room for' I thought idly.

Ink left the room for a minute and returned with some clean cloths. Boy's cloths, but clean ones.

"I'se hope this stuff fits," he said, handing me the blue button up shirt and pants with suspenders. "We's about the same size, most ways, at least." He said, most likely referring to my not-so-flat chest.

"They should be fine," I said and he started to leave the room. "Wait. Could you'se help me with dese buttons?" I said, pointing at my back.

"Sure," he said, re-closing the door and coming back over to where I was standing. I turned around to give him access to the buttoned down my back. "Where's you from?" he said after undoing the first button, with a bit too much skill.

"You'd neva' undastand, trust me," I said as he undid the next three.

He turned me around to face him.

"I'm a lot more undastandin' than you'd think," he said. He leaned in and kissed me.

The moment seemed so right. I didn't even notice the fact that his accent had left him in that last sentence.

___________________~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~____________________

Ooooooooo, spooky. I have great plans for this story, but telling you would be cheating, wouldn't it? Again I'd like to thank my adoring fans, how ever few there may be. I'd like to see what all of you people see planned for the next chapters (translation: an I making my plans THAT obvious?) Please review, I really do want to know what the public thinks of my twisty story. Tell me what you like, what you don't like, predictions, anything. Thanks again to Shorty Carter and Race Da Hottie, I luv u all!