Chapter six:

"Is she gonna be ok?" a voice I didn't recognize at the moment said.

"I dunno, Race. I think she's lost allot of blood." I couldn't place that one either.

"Who is she?" Wait, I recognize that one. But it can't be her. "Ohmigod!"

"Baby?" My eyes fluttered open for just a second to verify that it was her. "Baby Bear? But-" I was going to say 'but how?' but I passed out again.

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I opened my eyes again. I think it was late, but I'm not sure. I was at a lodging house, but not the Brooklyn one. Hadn't someone said 'Race' as in 'Racetrack Higgins'? I can't remember, it's all fuzzy.

I shot up, hitting my already throbbing head on the bunk above me. Why's the room spinning? I thought about Baby Bear. The whole reason I'd come to New York. Was it possible that the thing that happened to me happened to her?

Two weeks ago she had flown here, alone. She was supposed to come back the next day, it was a school-type event. When she didn't arrive at the airport, we all started to worry. If she had missed the flight, she would have called.

I gave her a week and a half to get in contact with us. She never did. The police had gone out looking for her the second day she was missing. We found out that she had never arrived at the place the convention was being held. I cleaned out my bank account and bought the ticket to get here.

It was a noble excuse. That's what I kept telling myself. I was supposed to come here and find her. We'd figure out how to get home after that. In truth, aside from the fact that I was hopelessly worried, I was really only looking for a reason to come to New York. I had wanted to for a long time due to my Newsie and "Fearless" obsessions.

Now I THINK I've found her, but I have no idea haw to get back. Hawaii isn't even a state yet, and I don't think that airplanes have been invented yet. And what about how Brooklyn came to the rescue? It was 2004, but they were all there.

And where am I? I have no idea what happened. Something about the ass- pinching greaser and Spot and others to the rescue.

'The blood,' the thought echoed through my mind. Lots of blood. He'd slit my throat, but I THINK I'm still alive. I blacked out. Twice. But I think the second time I had simply fainted.

I pulled myself off the mattress, just now noticing the thick bandages around my neck. I went to the nearest bed and nudged its occupant.

"'s it mornin' a'ready?" it's Mush! That proves it, I'm in the Manhattan LH.

"No, Mush, I'm jus' tryin' to figure out what happened." Somehow I didn't think I'd get much out of him at the moment.

"Who're you?" just as I thought, clueless. "How do you knows me name?"

"You'd never unastand, go back ta sleep." Obedient little bugger. I moved on to the next bed. I thought a moment and found it better to go find Jack or Ink, the only ones I've met so far. Maybe Race, he might know something.

I found Jack first, and started to repetetly poke his shoulder.

"Eh, whatsamata?" his voice was thick with sleep, he turned over to face me. I saw a hint of recognition in his eyes. "Oh, you'se awake. Or is I dreamin'?"

"No, you'se awake. I need someone ta tell me what happened." I really hope he knows something.

"Actually, we was all waitin' for you ta tell us what happened." He sat up and jumped down from his top bunk. "It's tree o'clock in da mornin', whatchoo doi'n up so early?"

"I just now woke up, I want to know where Ink is." There, it's been said. I need to find 'im."

"'e's ova dere." He said, pointing at the opposite corner of the room. "He was real worried about you, he's stayed here for ta last tree days."

"Tree DAYS! I've been out fer tree days?" I couldn't believe it. Oh no, I feel faint. Shit, I'm out again.

This time when I wake up, I don't remember anything.

"Where am I? Who are you? Why am I here? Ink! Ink! Where are you?"

"Oh no, she's babblin'. Want me to put 'er out fer a while?" some boy with dirty blonde hair said.

"NO!" another boy said. I think he's Italian, looks a bit like Race from Newsies. "She needs ta eat somethin', she hasn't been awake fer more than twenty minutes in four days."

Newsies, newsies. That's it. I've gone crazy and an in my own little rendition of Newsie-Ville. No, that's not it. I don't know an Ink. But I suddenly recognized him as he was pushing his way through the crowd of 'ohmigod!'*gulp* half naked guys.

"Mandy, is you all right?" I remembered everything. The thugs, the knife, Spot in 2004. "I thought we'd lost ya." He pulled me into an tight hug and I broke down. In barely a second I had big fat tears roling down my face.

"Luckily Jack didn't knock ya out dis time," I think that was Racetrack, but I couldn't be sure.

"What?" I said looking up from Ink's shoulder. I don't remember getting knocked out.

"Yeah, the six times you woke up you went ta Jack. He tried to tell ya what happened, but ya always fainted 'fore 'e finished." OK, I get it now.

"How long has it been since the fight?" I really needed to know.

"A week. You been in and out for a week." Jack replied, he was said dirty blonde boy.

"What happened? How did I get here, I mean?" that's something that I know I've probubly asked six times already.

"Let's git some food inta your system first," I think spot said that, but things were starting to get fuzzy. "How about we go git you'se some food and you git a little more sleep?"

"That-that sounds-" I was gonna say good, but, again, I'd passed out onto Ink. I guess I'll figure out what happened yesterday. I forgot to ask about Baby Bear, 'cause I'm still not sure it was her.

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Thank you for all the nice reviews! I don't have much to say. Thanks to u all again. I'd do more shout outs, but I don't believe in them (they don't exist!) It's an annoying me thing, but they bug the heck out of me. So I do my own little version. Thank you Peachy, Soaker, and Sureshot Higgins.