*Chapter 18*

The sun hit the window, making the dew glisten the next morning. Bottle Cap sat, curled up in a blanket, beside it, counting the tiny droplets. She had watched the sun rise for the first time in her life, the orange and radiant red flooding over the buildings and streets should have been more dazzling than it seemed, but her sadness dulled it. She shivered when she heard the heavy footsteps of Kloppman, then the familiar words from across the hall as the boys were woken up.

"Caps?" Silver yawned, stretching her arms up into the sky. "You up already?"

"Hmm?" Bottle Cap glanced over, then shook the sleep from her head, "Oh, I couldn't sleep."

"All night?" Silver Fists asked, surprised. The girl replied with a groggy nod before standing up and heading to the washroom. Silver felt bad for the lost girl as she tried to understand what was going on inside her head. She had never thought it would be so hard for Katie to adjust to the life newsies led.

* * *

"Ready ta sell, Caps?" Dragonfly smiled brightly as a group left the lodging house. Bottle Cap could barely think straight for the lack of sleep.

"Sell what?" She asked, then smacked her forehead, "Of course, I'm ready." Dragonfly shot a worried glance to Chipper, who shrugged.

"You sellin' wit' Blink again taday, Cappahs?" Jack asked, wrapping his arm around Chipper's waist.

"No, I think I'm gonna go with Silver." She responded, much to Silver's surprise.

"You shoah?" She wandered out loud, knowing that Bottle Cap had liked Kid Blink for a while back in 2002.

"Yep." Her friend smiled. They bought their papers and headed to Silver's favorite spot to hawk pointless headlines.

"Why didn't ya wanna sell wit' Blink?" Silver asked after a while of pure selling. Bottle Cap smiled at her with a hint of tiredness.

"You like him, don't ya?" She pried mischievously, handing a newspaper to a gruff looking man. Silver didn't answer for a minute, pretending to be busy hawking. "C'mon, Silver." She demanded.

"Ok, ok." Silver Fists rolled her eyes with a smile. "Ya such a Conlon. Always gotta have ya way."

"Yep." Caps nodded proudly, "So spill it."

"I guess I like 'im, maybe a little." She shrugged, her face hiding any uneasiness.

"Then why don't you go for it?" Bottle Cap's blue eyes shone with a girlish glow, remembering the many gossip sessions she and Jessica had held back home. She missed her best friend so much, she wished that the Tipsy here was the same as the one back home.

"Because...just drop it okay?" Her voice was firm, indicating it was a touchy subject.

"Jeez." Bottle Cap breathed, a little taken by surprise at her tone. A few minutes went by where the two sold their newspapers without any exchange of comments.

"What about you'se?" Silver Fists suddenly turned, hand on hip, to catch Bottle Cap in mid-headline.

"Me?" She gestured toward herself with a paper.

"Yeah, you. You like 'em, too. An' from de looks of it, you could fin'lly 'ave 'im."

"Silver," She paused for a moment of thought, "I think I like someone else." She admitted, almost ashamed.

"Really?" A smile spread across Silver's face like a wild fire. "Who? Gawd, Caps! Tell me!"

"Whoa there, killer." Bottle Cap giggled at the tall girl's excitement. She began to twirl her hair anxiously with a shy streak running through her suddenly. "Well, he's really sweet. And cute..."

"Just tell me!" Silver exclaimed impatiently.

"Dibs?" It was more a question than an answer. She didn't know what Silver's reaction would be. She might like him, too, seeing that they had similar taste in boys in the past.

"From Brooklyn?" Silver Fists eyes begged for information. Bottle Cap nodded. "Well, don't look so guilty! Dat boy is goigeous, I gotta admit. You got good taste."

"Do you like him?" Bottle Cap said with disappointment.

"What? You kiddin'?" Silver laughed, "Dibs is just me pal. He ain't me type. You know, blonde haih, blue eye...eye patch." She paused as Bottle Cap held in her laughter. "I guess I really do got a t'ing fer Blink, don't I?"

"You're asking me?" Bottle Cap teased, "You need to figure these things out."

"Shuddup." Silver punched her arm playfully. "Done. How many moah you got?"

"Erm...one." Bottle Cap said before a man approached her to take it off her hands. "Scratch that. I'm out."

"Back to da lodgin' house?"

"Sure, maybe I'll make another attempt at Spin." Bottle Cap shrugged as they walked. Silver returned her comment with a mocking laugh.

"You hit ya head hawdah den we'se t'ought, din't ya?" She shook her head, amazed that this girl would want to go through another trying arguement with Spin.

"She's my sister, I don't want her to hate me." Bottle Cap tried to explain, "I already got two that do, I don't need my "dream sister" to hate me, too." She finished with a chuckle.

"Spin's not dat bad, really." Silver admitted, "Most of us git along wit' 'er just fine. She just has a problem wit' newcomahs. Dough, it ain't nevah lasted dis long."

"I think it's more than me just being new." Bottle Cap sighed, "I really think she wants me to leave."

"Leave 1899?" Silver Fists looked over at Bottle Cap, who smiled.

"No, silly. She dosen't know I'm from 2002. I think she wants me to leave Manhattan. Like it's her territory or something." She shrugged as they entered the lodging house. Laughter and discussion floated down the stairs to their ears.

"RACE!" Dragonfly growled, "You bet MY money at the tracks?"

"Oops, someone's in trouble." Bottle Cap giggled as they started up the creaking steps.