*Chapter 25*

"Get up, Kate." Spot nudged Bottle Cap gently, pulling her out of a hazy dream world. In actuality, Katie wasn't sure which was the dream, waking up and seeing Spot or what Spot had snatched from her head of her old life.

"Wha?" She forced her heavy eyelids open and looked around the silent room, "Why are you waking me up?"

"Thought ya might like a headstart." He shrugged, pulling his suspenders up. "Da othahs will git up in five minutes or less." Bottle Cap yawned and rubbed the sleep from her eyes before letting her bare feet make contact with the hard wooden floor boards. She dragged herself into the washroom and slowly washed her face.

* * *

"Heya Cowboy, I'se gonna head ta Brooklyn aftah I sell me papes taday." Silver informed Jack as she passed him on the way to the Distribution Office, Blink close behind.

"Ta see Bottle Cap?" Illusion asked curiously, having overheard.

"Yeah." She replied groggily. A flutter went up between the newsgirls at the mention of the expedition.

"Hey, I'll tag along, Silvah." Mush offered, "I was headin' ovah anyhow ta see Hades."

"I'll come, too." Illusion spoke up again, "I wanna see how Spot's doin'" Silver raised an eyebrow at the requests to accompany but didn't dislike it.

"Okay, meet ya at da cornah, den." Silver shrugged before acquiring her newspapers and heading off with Blink.

* * *

"Wheah ya wanna sell?" Dibs asked Bottle Cap as the group of Brooklyn Newsies exited the creaky building and made their short journey to the Distribution Office for the Journal.

"Dosen't matter." She replied airily, tired of getting up so early every morning. "Your usual place is fine with me." At this, Dibs chuckled and tossed her a perfected grin. His deep blue eyes took in her very being, causing her to feel exsposed before him. It was as if he could see her soul, and every secret within.

"What?" She asked, eyeing him ever-so-carefully. The tall boy looked in front of him, realizing her discomfort.

"It's jist dat...you don't know wheah I sell, do ya?" He inquired, a smile still playing at his lips and shining through his eyes.

"No..." Katie searched the recesses of her mind, trying to recall what all she had made up for this boy. A past, a personality, looks, age, height...no selling spot. Right then a breath-takingly beautiful girl appeared at the other side of Bottle Cap.

"Dibs, ya ain't takin' 'er deah. Spot'll moidah ya." She giggled lightly. With one look into the girl's eyes, Bottle Cap recognized her to be Hades.

"Naw, Hades, I ain't dumb." He laughed. Bottle Cap was growing impatient as she received her newspapers. Where did he sell?

"You two sellin' at ya spot, Dibs?" Caps asked, obviously back from his trip to Manhattan.

"Where the hell do you sell, Dibs?" Bottle Cap finally exclaimed, unable to hold in her curiosity for a second more. The two boys looked at one another with sly grins as Bottle Cap placed her hands on her hips.

"Good luck." Caps tipped his hat and headed off with a stack of papers in his arm and a grin lighting his face. Bottle Cap glared, almost unknowingly, at the young man before her.

"Well?"

"I guess ya jus' gonna hafta come an' see." Dibs shrugged before starting off. Bottle Cap huffed and followed his lead, dying to know what he was up to.