Reflections

I knew from the first time I saw him what he was after- Brian Denton that is. I know everyone thinks I'd left after saying that I'd spread the word in the Battery, but the way of the world is "knowledge is power." Okay, truth was I wanted to see if I could bring Davey with me, I knew he was with Cowboy already- who didn't?

But I was worried, I knew Cowboy, all'a us did- but we knew that Dave didn't, so I wanted to see if I could warn him. See'in the guy in the tweed suit sending Davey the look, the lust look that is, was just another and even better reason to go see him. Plus, me 'n Race, we'd started talking to the kid while Blink was talkin' rounds with Jack, and I knew I liked him. Or rather, we knew we liked him, 'cause me 'n Race, we knew that we'd, in one hour, easily reached a level of kin-ship that we usually only found with the old crew (or rather me, Spots, Blink, Race, Skittery 'n Specs)- the oldest and most known Newsies in all'a New York. That alone earned him my respect- and the beginnings of a deep friendship. He's the first person I knew I could be myself with after ten minutes of small talk. Something that had happened only twice before- when I met Race 'n Blink, and when they introduced me to Spot.

Soon as I dropped the womanizer act 'round Dave, I knew he'd be one'a the crew- when Racetrack started talking about himself too, I knew he was already in. Blink 'n Spot were the last parts of the puzzle that he fit straight into. He's the last part we've been looking for, but anyway, as I was sayin', I knew what Denton was after soon as I passed by him… maybe a little after I passed him.

.....Okay, maybe it was after I realised that he, Denton, was talkin' about a pretty boy and how his shirt brought out the blue in his eyes- so much that he could see it from the edge of the square. I know's all the newsies, and I only knew one who matched that description, so I started heading back. Got back just in time to catch the end of their conversation, then warn him before actually goin' to the battery.

"...I'm Brian Denton, you seem like the kid in charge, what's your name?"

The curly-haired boy stopped in his tracks and glared at the, in his opinion, shady character that was shaking hands with his new friend, then let a small smile slip onto his face when he saw the suspicion in David's eyes as he shook the reporter's hand.

"David."

"David... David as in David and Goliath?" The tweed clad man chuckled lightly. "You really think old man Pullitzer will listen to your demands?"

Immediately defensive, the blue-eyed boy spoke up for what he'd begin to honestly believe in.

"He has to-!"

Whatever David Jacobs would have said next was lost when Jack 'Cowboy' Kelly and his kid brother Les were thrown out of the building, Jack flinging an insult behind him even as gravity asserted itself and he stumbled slightly.

"Well so's your old lady! You tell Pullitzer he needs a appointment wid me!"

Mush breathed a slight sigh of relief when he saw the Cowboy join David at his side- he may not have been liking Jack Kelly all to much lately, but he knew that nothing would happen to his friend while the Cowboy was around. Jack Kelly had marked Dave as his own, and he would make sure Dave stayed his and his alone until he got tired of him. Quietly, he made his way to the group and pulled the blue-eyed boy back.

"Huh? Oh, hey Mush- thought you were off to the battery?" The delight in the boy's tone didn't make the warning look on Mush's face fade.

"Jus' need'd ta wa'hn you Dave- Denton wants what he don't know da Cowboy a'ready took." Ignoring the other boy's blush, Mush continued his warning, dark eyes forcing David to take him seriously. "It may oah may not lead ta any'tin, but Dave, be's ca'ful. We'se all wat'chin out foah you'se 'n Les, but we'se not everywheah- y' hear me?"

David barely had a chance to nod, his demeanor showing that he understood the brevity of the warning before Jack Kelly turned and walked back and, dark eyes glaring at Mush, looped an arm casually around the newest Newsie's shoulders.

"Ain't you'se supposed ta be in da Battery Mush?"

The curly haired boy smiled disarmingly.

"Hey's'a Cowboy, jus' foahgot dat Dave owed me three bits, so's I came back's to get it, see's?"

The teen flipped three coins into the air casually, caught them, then walked away.

I talked to Spot later that day, dying to know what he'd decided 'bout Dave. Believe it or not, 't was Spot, my Spot, who brought 'im up, and not me. He'd asked me 'bout "Jacky-boy's" newest newsie, asked when he'd join'd our ranks. Surprised, I looked at him and asked 'im why.

"'Cause 'Mouth's interestin', an' he says 'e knows you an' Racetrack- dat makes 'im a good guy in my eyes.. plus da kid's cute."

When I started acting a bit jealous, he teased me 'bout it- then replied sayin' that now I knew how he felt, always talking about 'Davey' and all. But 't was ok, it was all in good humor. I told him 'bout Denton, and he told me 'bout their conversation after the meeting at Brooklyn. Then Race and Blink came ovah', dragging Dave with them. That was when we all started getting close, and when we started teachin' Dave a few of the secrets of seduction.... Oh c'mon, you don't really think we're innocents like Davey was, do yah? Haha, just thinkin' 'bout that is amusing. If the look on Jack's face for that week, and Denton's earlier today was any clue, our secrets helped 'innocent Dave' more than jus' a little in the bedroom.

Crud, almost got myself ta forget- Dave gave 'imself ta that bastard Denton to save all'a us........shit we never asked for it- hell, I know all's'a us would've rather paid that fine, or done the time than let Dave do what he did, 'specially Spots 'n me. Hell- only reason we went with Dave, Boots 'n Les to go break Jack out at that point was 'cause of how bad we all felt- if we hadn't taught him those tricks, Dave'd never have gotten the courage to bribe Denton into gettin' us all out.

But none of us could'a taken Dave's face fallin' 'cause we couldn't go and try to save the boy he thought he was in love with, not even Race. So we all went- and when he came back without Cowboy, we's all weren't surprised- so we had Boots take Les home and took Dave with us. It was obvious he wouldn't be able to handle his family's questions right then, even if he tried to say he could, so we took responsibility and took 'im with us- to Brooklyn.

It was afteh Davey fell asleep exhausted, cocooned safely between me, Race, Spot 'n Blink that Blink broke it to Spot. I won't lie an' say I was'n surprised when I saw the flash of recognition, then immediate denial in those beautiful blue eyes- but.. just as fast as Spot understood his own emotions, I realised that I knew mine too....

I love the Walkin' Mouth, Davey.....maybe close to as much as I love Spot...but......

There's still the problem of Denton, and we'se all know that that reporter is a problem. And problems need fixin', if you know what I mean. Race 'n I have been talking, and we know what we're gonna do- but, though it hurts to admit, we might still need him- until he's actually packing, we can't do anything, there's always the chance that he'll manage to pull through for Dave before the strike's over. 'Cause after what Jack did today, and what we might be seein' tomorrow if Race's connections are accurate.... The strike's gonna be all Dave'll care about for a little while.

But once the strike's actually over... well, there'd be nothing stoppin' us anymore, and Denton will get it. Everyone's in with me on that- and that reporter would'n be talking to Dave anymore. We'se all know the type- Denton only wants David 'cause of a combination of age, risk, and a good story. So, once the strike is over, there'll be nothing stopping us.

And no-one can stop a combination of Brooklyn and Grand Central.

--owari--

Author's Notes:

Ano… :blush: many thanks to everyone who reviewed, and thanks for encouraging me to continue ^^;; I'm sorry about the accent, but… I dunno, I can't fully get rid of it- I hope this chapter was a little more understandable ;;;;; :sighs: and yes, I know that Mush might be a little outta character… but, I dunno, I wanted to use him for this, and I really don't think he's as much of a pushover as most people say……

Anyway..

To:

Dreamer110: :bows: thank you so much ^^, I hope that I'm following closely enough to my own story line ;;

Hotshot: :blush: it's really just my first attempt at a newsies fic- I've written and posted one other- a tsubasa reservoir chronicle fic (clamp.. anime ;;)- and number one: I don't like mary sues- so I don't want to try to write it myself at all- number two: ^^;; one'a my friends is a fic writer herself (she writes harry potter 'n card captor sakura fan fiction~ sakuralight :advertises her friend shamelessly: ) so I've already been successfully corrupted….. :blush: but I probably should've asked her to proof my work- sorry about the "w/" thing, went back and fixed it, even if I couldn't make myself rewrite the entire chapter without the accent….

Obsessed wit' Aaron Lohr: :blush: thanks~! ^^ and your muses are amusing :glomps muses: and reaaaaly cute- don't loose 'em

Gothic Author: once again, sorry about the accent -_-;; hope this one was easier to understand…..

Thumbsucker Snitch: :blush has long since covered her face: once again, sorry about the accent…. But thanks so much for the advice and encouragement!