Part 5

The next morning was interesting, to say the least. It seemed to Jack that these girls could at least survive for a while as Newsies. They were woken at the usual time with the boys and didn't really object to not being allowed in the washroom until the boys were done. Jack thought they seemed too tired to really care. Jack himself, however, was incredibly awake and prepared for his self-assigned mission.

As they were walking into the washroom, he pulled Race and Specs aside. "I want you'se two ta come wit' me ta Brooklyn. I'se needs ta talk ta Spot wit'out da goils knowin," he said quietly to them. They nodded and went to inform a few others about their impending trip. When that was done, the three newsboys not so much crept out as left quietly, moving swiftly in the direction of Brooklyn.

The trip did not take overly long, though it was no easy trek. When they arrived at the Brooklyn headquarters, however, things were not how they should have been. For one thing, the incredible shrieking coming from inside was certainly not normal. Nor was the sight of THE Spot Conlon yelling face to face with a girl.

Racetrack was feeling rather observant that day as he scrutinized the girl. She had just longer than shoulder length brown hair and was wearing a skin-hugging white, sleeveless shirt and dark green trousers that looked similar to Snitch's Jill's. The boys couldn't even hear what the argument was about, though they could make out that Spot was about ready to flip, and the girl's face was red from anger.

"Ehy, Spot!" Jack called, effectively breaking up the couple. Both looked at the approaching group, Spot with a look of relief and the girl with a glare.

"Ehy, Jacky-boy," Spot said as he approached and spit-shook with Jack. "What brings ya ovah heah?"

"Well, Spot, I'se was gonna ask ya foah some advice, but I'se sees ya got yoah own probl'ms." Spot laughed, and the girl's eyes hardened even more.

"Ain't dat da truth," the young leader of Brooklyn smirked. By this time the girl had also come closer. At the very least, she was close enough to thwap Spot on the back of the head.

"Ow! Wha' was dat foah?" he turned and yelled at her.

"For not introducing me, and for insulting me," she said, her voice getting louder with each word. Before Spot could begin arguing again, Racetrack interrupted.

"Yeah, Spot, I'se beginnin' ta wonda when you'se gonna tell us who dis wondaful goil is," the young Italian said, smiling charmingly. Spot sighed, clearly showing his exasperation.

"Boys, dis is Heather. Heather, dese heah is Race, Jack, and Specs." Various "hellos" were said, and Spot didn't even say anything to Heather as he settled down to discuss business with Jack right there outside. She just settled in for listening and hoping to hear something good.

"So, Jacky-boy, what kinda problems you'se got?"

"Sumthin' like what you'se got."

Spot's only response was to raise an eyebrow. Jack turned to Heather.

"Wheah you'se from?"

Caught off guard, Heather paused for just a moment before answering, "Pittsburgh."

"You'se too, huh?" Racetrack grinned widely at Jack and at his nod, took over questioning Heather.

"Ya got any change on ya?"

Heather looked at him like he was just a bit crazy before digging into her pockets. She pulled out an incredibly shiny dime and handed it to Race. It was less new than the quarter the other girls had produced, and the year on the front read 1980.

"Ehy, Jack, lookit dis." Race passed him the dime. Jack took it and whistled softly.

"Nice year, I'd bet. 1980, that is." When Jack looked up at the girl, her eyes were wide in shock.

**************

"So ya want me ta believe dat she's from a hundr'd an…"

"Three, Spot. Hundred and three."

"A hundr'd and t'ree yeahs in da fuchah?"

"Yup. 'Fraid so." That was all Heather would say. Her eyes were slightly downcast as she realized that for all she knew, she was stranded here with no way home and no familiar faces. Specs, who was sitting next to her, noticed her downcast expression and gave her a sideways hug. She smiled her thanks to him.

Then something occurred to Heather. "Jack, you say you have a similar problem? Whadda ya mean by that?"

Here Jack grinned like the cat that ate the canary. "Well, ya see, we'se gots foah new goils in 'Hattan, and dey's a lot like you. Dey said dey're names is Jill, Ivy, Luna, an' Jill." The boys watched as Heather's face just lit up.

"They're here? Oh my God, they're here!" She jumped up and couldn't sit still, hugging all of the boys, even Spot.

"I take it ya know 'em?" Race's rhetorical question was met with the girl's laughter.

"You bet I do! Ivy and Jill are my cousins, and Luna and Jill are good friends. I can't believe they're here!" Heather seemed to be in a bit of ecstatic shock.

"Ehy, Spot, ya wanna arrange a meetin wit dese goils?" Jack suggestion was met with grins from all parties.

"Aw, Hell yeah!" Heather was practically bouncing off the proverbial walls with excitement.

"'Ow about tamarrah night at Medda's?" The suggestion came from Specs, who had been mostly quiet, and was immediately snatched up by the leaders. They arranged a time, and also that the other girls would arrive first, seeing as Spot and Heather had to make the trip from Brooklyn. The two groups parted on good terms, with promises to meet the next evening.

**********************

"Well, dat was soitenly interestin'." Racetrack's sardonic voice cut clearly through the air, even with the hustle and bustle of the early afternoon in New York, as the boys made their way home from Brooklyn.

"Yeah, shoah was," Jack replied.

"Ehy Jack, what's da current new wit' you an' Sarah?" Specs asked.

"Dere ain't no news wit' me an' Sarah no more."

"Whadda ya mean?"

"I mean we ain't tageddah anymoah."

"Well why not?"

"What do I gotta do, tell you'se me whole life story?"

"Yes." Two voices that time.

A sigh. "Aight. We realized dere wasn' anyt'ing dere no moah, and besides, Sarah'd found someone she liked bettah."

"Shoah. Dat's what dey all say."

"Yeah Jack, jus so long as ya don' t'ink its da end of da woild."

"I don'!"

"Hey, I already made my comments 'bout dat."

"T'anks foah da vote oh confidence dere Race."

"No prob Jack."

An even more exasperated sigh. By this time the boys were nearly home, and the voices from the Lodging House were just barely audible.

As they neared, two voices took up singing a song unknown to the newsboys. One voice was pretty and relatively in tune, and the other was a bit more than slightly off.

"At first I was afraid, I was petrified

Kept thinking I could never live without you by my side

But then I spent so many nights thinking how you did me wrong

And I grew strong, I learned how to get along!"

Specs, Race, and Jack exchanged some skeptical looks.

"And now you're back from outer space

I just walked in to find you here with that same look upon your face

I should have changed that stupid lock I should have made you leave your key

If I'd have known for just one second you'd be back to bother me!"

The singers, once the boys could see, were Luna and Jill-with-short-hair. The girls had arms around each other's shoulders and were singing quite loudly as they stood outside of the Lodging House. Ivy and the other Jill were sitting on the steps and laughing appreciatively at their friends' antics.

"Go on now go! Walk out the door

Just turn around now, you're not welcome anymore

Weren't you the one who tried to break me with goodbye

D'you think I'd crumble, d'you think I'd lay down and die?

Oh no not I! I will survive!

Oh as long as I know how to love I know I'll stay alive.

I've got all my life to live and I've got all my love to give

I will survive, I will survive, hey hey!"

Ivy and Jill had joined in the singing, and now all four girls had collapsed on the street, laughing and gasping for breath. Standing near them were Snitch and Itey, and Mush and Blink and Dutchy were over by the door.

Luna, even in her fit of hysterics, noticed Jack. She squealed a bit, jumped up and ran to Jack, glomping him. The Cowboy was almost knocked over by the force of the glomp, but managed to keep his footing. Barely.

The girl's sprint to Jack caused a few heads to turn, but other than some scattered hellos, nothing much else happened as Luna kept her death grip on the boy. Jill, the one with the short hair, smirked at the pair.

"You scared her when you disappeared this morning, Cowboy," she said, mischief glinting in her eyes. "Don't go doing this to her, or I might have to hurt you." Here the short blonde flexed her hands similarly to a cat's, making sure Jack saw her somewhat long and sharp fingernails. Jack gulped, thinking that perhaps those nails could do some decent damage when used properly.

"So, what's da news from Brooklyn?" Blink's question interrupted Jack's train of thought, thankfully. Maneuvering around Luna's arms, Jack turned to the pirate-look-alike.

"Well, we'se gots a meetin' wit' Spot tamarrah night at Medda's. He wants ta meet da goils." His announcement was met with mixed reactions. The other boys seemed excited to be going to Medda's, but the girls were a bit skeptical of the plans. They were having a small discussion apart from the boys (Luna had disengaged herself from Jack when he'd spoken to Blink) and seemed to be arguing about something. After a few minutes, they turned to Jack and Ivy spoke up.

"So, we gotta wear anything special to a Vaudeville show?"

A/N: Whoo, this took a while to get out. It's also long than the past two chapters too. ^_^;; Maybe they'll stop pestering me for a bit and let me enjoy this nice break we're getting from school. My muses (aka friends and sisters) that is. This chapter finally introduced Heather, who has been bugging me almost since I began to put her in. Also some pluggage, go read my short "Friends in Low Places"! Please!!

Shout-outs:

Cynic: I'm just gonna call you this to save myself form typing. ^_^;; Thanks for the review, and I'll be reading A Break In Time as soon as I can get on a computer that works. ^_^

Jaede Conlon: Thanks for getting in on that review with Cynic. I was hoping to hear more from you before this chapter went up (HINT HINT), but I guess I'll survive with half a review from you. ^_~

Luna: Now, this one I didn't read to you over the phone. ^_~ And yes, your boy is producing some creepy similarities to Das Cowboy. ^_^;; Don't let him go easily hon.

Lil' Rain Angel: Good to hear from you again! And yes, Snitch is the greatest. That's why I'm keeping him for myself in this. ^_~ I hope you keep reading this. ^_^

Extra Disclaimer: "I Will Survive" belongs not to me. It belongs to some other nice people who will hopefully not hurt me for singing such an awesome song in this fic.