A/N: Alright Dag is in a real bad mood today, just so you know. Oh and I created Mark for something that involved pissing off Emily but then decided not to do that so this is a lame attempt to use a now useless character I created. Oh and Paige McGowan belongs to Rain.

Chapter 5

Dag yawned as the sun peaked into view. Looking around the rest of the girls were still asleep. They had had a ruff night, sleeping in an alley didn't work with these middle class girls. Dag had never slept in the streets before either but she'd been so exhausted from the night before it didn't matter.

Untangling herself from the group of girls, Dag got up, careful not to wake the others. To her dismay Why was up in a second. Dag shrugged and kneeled down next to the young girl.

"Why, I'll be right back." Dag whispered to the girl.

"Why?"

"Just trust me, I'll be back," she replied standing back up. "If anybody else waked up tell them I'll be back in a minute. 'Kay?"

"Alright," Why said laying back down.

Dag slipped out into the street heading towards the rubble that used to be her school. Shaking her head she began to look for anything she could sell to get anymore money. After looking for a few minutes she gave up, the other street kids had been here first.

"Dag?" Dag looked up to see Mark, Kleine, and two more boys she didn't know.

"What's it to youse?" Dag replied sharply raising her guard.

"Whoa chill girl." Mark said walking over to her. "What happened here?"

"School, burnt down." Dag responded backing up.

"Any survivors?" asked one of the boys she didn't know.

"I'se got to go," Dag replied turning to run back to the Alley. She wasn't in the mood for a conversation. She wanted to be on the train as quickly as possible to Brooklyn. She also had ten mouths to think about and what she was going to do with them once she go to Brooklyn.

Back in the alley, the girls were awake and pestering Why where Dag had gone. Why of course had had no idea so their efforts were futile.

"Where have you been?" Emily demanded.

"Why should I tell you?" Dag replied defiantly.

"I'm the leader we decided this. Now tell me where you have been." Emily barked angrily.

"No one's de leadah of me," Dag replied sending Emily a death glare.

"You said I could be the leader, and no one else wanted to be so I'm the leader. I make the decisions." Emily was walking on thin ice and everyone could see it. Dag drew her knife and had Emily against the wall with the knife to her throat.

"Dag, leave de poor girl alone," Mark said pulling Dag off Emily.

"What are you doin' here?" Dag said elbowing Mark in the stomach. He let go of her with an ugh. The boys that had been with Mark before were chuckling.

"Dag who are they?" Why asked looking at the boys with curiosity.

"Local newsies," Dag replied not even giving them a second glance.

"Like your newsie friends in Brooklyn?" Why asked this time looking at Dag.

"You're friends with de Brooklyn newsies? Dat explains a lot." Mark said regaining his composure.

"You know the Brooklyn newsies?" Dag asked finally looking over at him.

"Heard things is all. Like they was in da strike, and that a got a real tough leader. Stuff like that. Rumors mostly I suspect."

"You'd be surprised most rumors about the Brooklyn newsies are true." Dag said shaking her head.

"You the survivors of the school that burned down?" Mark asked looking over at Why.

"Yes, Dag saved us." Dag was surprised to see Why answer a question apposed to asking it.

"Don't youse have papes to sell?" Dag asked looking over at him.

"Yeah,"

"Well, we wouldn't want to keep ya's so we have a train to catch."

"You have enough money for all of ya?" Mark asked in awe.

"No, but it never stopped me before," Dag replied pulling the girls to their feet.

"I see," Mark replied laughing. "Good luck." He tossing some bread to her.

"Thanks," She said handing it out as he left. "Alright, first this whole not knowing yeh names ding, is real frustratin' me." Dag said pointing to the girls that she didn't know the names of.

"Paige McGowen," The one that Dag had previously referred to as Allison's friend.

"Lindsey Pearce," said Why's friend 1.

"Kate Brynes," said Emily's friend haughtily.

"Kelsey Sommors," said Why's friend 2. (They needed names okay)

"Thank ya," Dag said in a slightly better mood. She started to think about what they would need. "Kay so we is going to have to find out when the soonest train to New Yawk is. Allison, and Paige ya, no wait, Emily, and Kate, dats yeh job. Ariana, Angel yeh job is to find some food, it's a long trip to New Yawk. Why, Lindsey, and Kelsey you come wit me and…………. Allison youse and Paige go find a boy and see if you can get his hat."

"Why?" Paige asked.

"Asking questions is Why's job. Just go do it." Dag replied. "And make sure it's not a funny bowl shaped one. Regular hat. Oh and everyone meet at the train station in an' hour."

Dag handed Ariana the money she had and made saw everyone off before turning to the three little girls.

"What are we going to do?" Why asked.

"We're going to watch people do what we're about to do," Dag replied motioning them to head out into the street.

"Well what are we about to do?" Why asked as Dag led them towards the train station.

"You'll see."

The three little girls chatted on the way to the train station and didn't even notice when Dag led them farther past the loading platforms. The three girls watched in awe/horror as a few boys jumped onto the moving train that past them.

"We're not going to do that are we?" Why asked looking up and Dag. Dag nodded in reply.

"Now watch, we 'ave to see how dey do it, so we can get on wid out anyone getting' hoit."

"Why can't we just get on the train like everyone else?"

"'Cause we don't 'ave enough money." Dag replied.

After about an hour Dag had pretty much figured out how to go about it and led the unsure girls back to the train station to meet the others. Taking the hat from the successful Allison and Paige she placed it on her head so she did honestly look like a boy, or more of one than when she didn't have a hat.

"When's the next train?" Dag asked pocketing the left over money from Ariana.

"Half an hour," Emily replied sulkily because she was very clearly not the leader anymore.

"Good," Dag replied motioning for them to follow her she lead them to where they would wait for the train. Then she quickly explained the process of grabbing onto the ladders on the side then climbing into the train car.

"We're going to do what?" Emily barked looking over at Dag like she was insane.

"Would you rather stay here with no money?" Dag asked. "Sure you could try to mail yeh pops, but it costs money to mail stuff."

Emily mumbled something to herself then agreed.

As the train came up they got ready and everything went almost smoothly. Everyone was in the empty car except Ariana, she only had one hand on the ladder. Reaching the other hand out to Dag they tried to get her in. Her foot slipped out from under her and began to fall when Dag finally got her hand pulling in. Everyone relaxed as Ariana lay on the floor of the dirt car trying to catch her breath.

"It's a miracle you're alive," Angel said hugging her best friend.

"That's it," Dag exclaimed smiling.

"What?" Ariana replied still breathing hard.

"How 'bout miracle for her nickname,"

"Miracle, alright," the girl formerly known as Ariana said smiling.

"Now what?" Why asked sitting down next to Dag.

"It's 8 hours till New Yawk, I say you relax."