*Chapter 7*

Bottle Cap got a glimmer in her eye as she made up her mind to do something she'd been dying to do. She smiled and spit on her hand before holding it out to the girl. Blink seemed a little surprised by her action but waited for his friend's reaction. The girl studied Bottle Cap before pulling off her glove and spitting into the palm of her own hand.

"No way!" Bottle Cap squealed, her eyes glued to the silver rings that furnished the girl's fingers. The sun was reflecting off of them as they shook. "Silver?"

"Yeah! How'd ya do it? I nevah t'ought ya'd be able ta pull it off an' even if I did, ya said ya wouldn't!" Silver Fists busted out suddenly, now sure that Blink wasn't pulling a prank. Blink scratched his head in bafflement as Bottle Cap hugged Silver.

"I don't know! I have to talk to you about it, though." Bottle Cap remembered, for the first time since she woke up in 1899, what had happened back in 2002.

"Well, let's tawk, den..." Silver beamed with excitement.

"Yeah, you'se can tawk, latah." Blink cut in, tired of being forgotten. "She's sellin' wit' me but you'se can meet at Tibby's aftah."

"That's good." Bottle Cap agreed, her smile never fading as long as Blink remained by her side. Silver shrugged, pulling her glove back on. The two girls parted as Blink escorted Caps to the Distribution Center.

"Heya Caps!" Tipsy spotted the new girl as she came down the stairs from buying her papers. Bottle Cap looked up from the page at the sound of her name to see a group of girls.

"Hey Tip." BC smiled and walked over to them. A pair of crystal blue eyes studied her cautiously, as if unsure of whether the new girl was safe to talk to.

"Lemme introduce ya to some a da goils." Tipsy smiled before pulling the blonde girl forward. "Dis heah's Cowboy's sistah, True." She was connected to the eyes, obviously, and Bottle Cap smiled.

"Nice to meet ya."

"Hey." True returned the smile quickly. Bottle Cap could tell she was shy, not stuck up, by the _expression on her face.

"Me name's Illusion." A tall, dark-haired girl pushed through. She tied a flannel shirt around her waist as she spoke. "I ain't even gonna ask 'bout ya name." She added, adjusting her dark blue hat.

"Good," Bottle Cap giggled, "because it's not a story I'm proud of." Illusion just nodded and shot a smile her way, as if to say she approved her. It was quiet for a second while Bottle Cap looked around for Blink, who was talking to Mush. She looked back and studied the girls who whispered amongst themselves quietly.

"You must be a gypsy." Bottle Cap spoke up suddenly, tired of the awkwardness. She had made her comment to a gorgeous dark-skinned girl who was tall, as were many of the newsgirls. She had a handkerchief tied around her hand and a blue sash around her waist. She definitely stood out in the crowd, but what really caught Bottle Cap's attention were the silver hoops hanging from her ears.

"Yeah, dat's Gypsy." Tipsy answered. Gypsy said nothing, she only smirked at Bottle Cap.

"Are you a real Gypsy?" Bottle Cap tried to earn all of the girls' approval but felt like she was making an idiot of herself.

"What's it ta you?" The girl's dark blue eyes showed annoyance.

"It was just a question, Gyp." Someone said from behind Bottle Cap. She turned to find Kid Blink. "Ya don't gotta bite 'er head off."

"It's okay, Blink." Bottle Cap smiled at Gypsy, "I don't trust new people that well either."

"Ready?" Blink asked as the girls dispersed into the crowd, hawking headlines. Bottle Cap nodded and they started walking. "Don't let dem scare ya, dey mean well." He assured her.

"I know." Bottle Cap smiled as a man walked up to her.

"Can I have a paper, please?" He asked kindly. Bottle Cap just stared, she didn't think that kind of thing happened. Blink nudged her.

"Oh yeah. Of course." She smiled, handing him a paper. "Here ya go." The man tossed her a penny before walking away.

"Well, ya off to a good stawt." Blink laughed. Bottle Cap blushed and looked away. He began hollering different headlines to passing strangers and she did the same, remembering what Jack had taught Davey and, obviously, her in the "real world." She was more than content to stay with Blink for the rest of her life but she still wanted to talk to Silver Fists, the only one who knew the truth...or did she?