Hey!  Do you all remember me?  No?!  I didn't think so, lol.  Anyways, I'm reviving this fic from the dead.  So here's the next part after about 6 months of not updating.  Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed way back when!  I love you all!  And without further adieu….more fic!

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The girls in the lodging house had been talking for hours and were beginning to get tired.  Their conversation for the evening had ranged from boyfriends and crushes, to selling tricks, and eventually to the Shadow Stalkers.

The girls were all worried for the boys and girls who had gone off.  After all this was THE most dangerous gang in New York.

"I shoulda just gone wit' dem."  Holiday had moaned falling back onto her bunk.

"And den you woulda been moaning dat you shoulda stayed heah." Bottle Cap had returned.

Holiday had grumbled at that, but knew she was right.  So the girls had lapsed into silence after a few hours of non-stop talking and gossiping.

"Okay, I'm going ta sleep."  Moneybags finally said, moving away from the circle.  "It's gettin' late."

"I guess I will too then." Emu agreed stepping over Gip's outstretched  legs.

Princess followed the idea and soon all the girls had decided to go to sleep.  The bunkroom came alive for a few minutes as the girls prepared for bed.

"G'night Princess." Moneybags called.

"Good night MB."

"Night Hol."

"G'night Caps."

"G'night Emu."

"G'night Night."

Laughing could be heard from Bottle Cap's direction.

"G'night. Gip." Holiday continued, knowing if they didn't finish they'd never sleep.

"Night Hol."

"Where's Aki?" Someone, Holiday thought is was Moneybags, asked suddenly.

"She went on a date with Swifty and they haven't come back yet." Princess answered sleepily.

"Oh."

"Good night everyone!" Gip called, implying that they needed to stop talking already.

"Wait! What about Rev?" Bottle Cap asked, breaking the silence.

"She........with Itey." Princess answered again, this time she was half asleep and forgot half the sentence.

"Oh."

"How about—."

"Sleep!" Holiday cut off.

"Night Everyone." Emu finally said.

Everyone quieted down after that and slowly the girls dropped of to sleep.  Peace…for the moment…finally came over the lodging house.

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"Well I hafta go now."  Jenny said to Jesse after cleaning up the mess.  He, of course, didn't hear her, but it made her feel better to talk to him. "I'll be back foist thing tomorrow, so just stay heah."

She pulled the covers up to his chin and made sure he would be nice and warm.  As she stared down at him, she noticed how handsome he had become over the past few years.  Without thinking, she placed a tender kiss on his lips.  When she pulled back her cheeks were tinged pink with slight embarrassment.

"I'm being silly." She mumbled, realizing that nobody had seen what she had done, least of all Jesse who she thought was still completely unconscious.

After making sure that Jesse was fully comfortable, Jenny ran all the way to the lodging house.  She was beyond late at returning and she had to hope that Kloppman would be okay with her coming in so late.

When she reached the lodging house, she slowed down and opened the door quietly.  Looking around she saw that Kloppman had left a light on for her and the others that were still out.  She realized that, since it was Christmas Eve, it didn't matter if they were late.  She signed in quickly, telling herself that she would pay tomorrow.

Once in the bunkroom she crept almost silently over to the bunk that she shared with Holiday.

"Station?" A voice questioned softly.

Caught. Jenny thought miserably.  She had hoped to slip in without having to give an explanation.

"Yeah?" She replied, having no idea who she was talking to.

"Whatcha doin' coming in so late?" Night asked, stepping away from the window where she had been sitting.

Night time was her time, (hence the name Night) and she usually stayed up much later than the rest of the girls.  Jenny sighed, as she had forgotten this. 

"I lost track a time" Jenny replied as she took off her boots.  Since Jesse didn't want anyone to know about his wound, she figured it would be easier if nobody knew about him at all until he was healed.

Night frowned, though Jenny couldn't see it.  "Its around 3 in da morning.  How…"

"I fell asleep on da bench."  Jenny answered before she could finish.

"Oh." She didn't believe her answer, but had no reason to argue it.  "Well, good night Station."

"Goodnight."  Jenny answered climbing up to the top bunk gracefully.

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Queens

"Come on Fia' we'se almost deah."  The brown haired boy urged as he led the girl down the entryway.  She had stopped and was leaning against the wall for the third time since starting down the long entrance to the Shadow Stalkers' headquarters.

"Dibs, I have a knife wound in my leg.  If you want to know what its like trying to walk with a knife wound in your leg I'll gladly give you one."  Spades Fia' threatened irritably.

She was in a bad mood to put it lightly, and although it wasn't likely that she'd go through with her threat, Dibs didn't know that.  He had only been with the gang for about 10 months and he hadn't taken the time to get to know the girl well.  If he had he would have known that she was loyal to her gang and would do almost anything for them.

"I offered to carry ya but you refused."  He pointed out, putting his left arm around her waist to stable her as they continued on.

Spades Fia' was concentrating too hard on walking to point out the fact that he was injured himself and would have dropped her the instant he picked her up.  His right arm was cut up pretty badly, not to mention the many bruises covering both of them.

"You're goin' back to get Blue right?"  Spades Fia' asked once they were inside the main room of their 'home'.  Her face was devoid of any emotion.  Emotion meant weakness to Fia'.

Dibs hesitated before responding, "Yeah, I suppose."

In all honesty he didn't want to go back out.  He was in need of doctoring for his arm was beginning to hurt more than anything—before it had just been a numbing pain—but at the same time he knew that there were others that wouldn't make it back without help.

Needle came out of his room at that moment carrying his ever present black medical bag.  He was small pale boy of 14 who was very good with medical supplies and such.  He had stayed back from the fight, knowing well that there would be work for him when they returned.

As Needle wordlessly came over to Spades Fia' to take care of her wounds—another knife wound was discovered on her upper left arm—Dibs bade farewell to them both and headed back out into the night.

"Christmas Eve a all nights…." He muttered to himself as he exited the well hidden entrance without anyone seeing him.  "If my arm falls off dere's gonna be hell ta pay."

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So….what did ya think?  Was it as bad as I think it is?  Let me know okay?  I'd really really appreciate it!!  Newsies Love to all!

~*Holiday*~