Disclaimer: I do not own Newsies, Disney obviously does(tear Lucky Rats!), and I don't actually own this story, my talented friend, Kristina, does(she, too, is a lucky rat!) and I am merely doing her a favor! But, I actually DO own Tig and Annabelle, others as well, but you have to wait for the sequel! So, for these reasons, don't sue me!
Summary: Marie 'Target' McCoy is a loveable tomboy who lives and sells with the Manhatten Newsies. She starts to date Spot Conlon, but what happens when her heart starts to belong to another newsie that she's known for years? NOT A MARY SUE!!! Skit/Target, Mush/Tig, Jack/OC
Rating: PG-13
As soon as Bella and Munchkin were old enough to stand on their own two feet, Target began teaching them how to fight, as promised. Race started teaching them how to gamble and Jack would be there to instruct how to live life to the fullest. The boys refered to the girls as the "Little Newsie Babies" or "Source of all Darkness" as a joke. They had grown accustomed to waking up at the crack of dawn as most babies do. Kloppman had no problem with the infants at the Lodging House, which was a change; maybe he had a soft spot for small children. Target and the other Newsies had a problem not cursing around the girls, though.
May 25, 1902
Today was the day of Target and Mush's birthday. They were two years apart and were turning nineteen and twenty-one, but they still acted like crazy, carefree four year olds. Tig continued saying that they were being a bad example for the girls. They told her "You only live once."
One-year-old Annabelle was playing under a tree with Munchkin. They were practicing their fighting skills.
Mush and Target sat at the head of the table. Everyone was eating their appetizers when a painful scream rang out. They all looked at Annabelle and Evy. Bella sat on the grass, holding her button nose. Munchkin had her fists balled up tight.
"What?" Munchkin asked, not realizing what she did was wrong. The Newsies stared at the weeping child on the ground.
"Evelyn Lily, what did you'se do?" Target asked, getting up out of her seat.
"I'se think it's pretty obvious what she did," joked Specs.
Target bent down and picked up the sobbing Annabelle.
"We do not punch and we do not hit Bella! Understand?" she scolded. Bella's nose had turned red, but other than that, she was fine. Skittery also got up, plucking his baby girl off the ground. Everyone continued what they were doing before Annabelle screamed. Mush walked up to Skittery.
"Your goil gets more and more like Target every day," he explained. "I'se rememba when she socked me for takin' some of her papes," he continued and stroked his niece's cheek. He then rubbed his cheek bringing back the painful memory. "Hey," he called to Evy, "why don't you'se come ta your Uncle Mush for awhile, huh?" he said, holding his arms out to Munchkin. She also stretched her arms out to him. He placed her on his shoulder. As Skittery walked away, Lily came up and kissed Mush hello. He put an arm around her waist, while the other held Munchkin steady.
"Hey, Evy!" she greeted, looking up at Evy then back at Mush. "So, where's our daughter?" she asked, looking around. He pointed to Target across the way, tossing Annabelle up and down in the bright sunshine.
"Oww!" Mush shouted. Evelyn's tiny hands gripped his ears tightly. "Easy kid!" he exclaimed.
"Down, down!" she shouted, smacking the top of his head.
"Okay, alright," he said. Mush took her off of his shoulders but didn't put her down. "Gimme a kiss," he said, turning his face.
"Kissy, kissy, Mushy, Mushy!" she yelled, hitting him on the head.
"You're as bad as your mudda," he explained.
"Mommy, Mommy!" Munchkin shouted, pressing her lips against her uncle's rough, unshaven cheek. She heard Annabelle's voice. "Bella!" Munchkin exclaimed, raising her arms in the air. She turned to Lily and repeated, "Bella!"
"Go find Bella," Tig said, nodding. Mush set Munchkin on the ground. She wrapped her arms around the bottom of Tig's leg.
"Bye, bye," Munchkin said and ran off to play in the tall grass.
Les and Racetrack were playing with Annabelle in the distance. Evelyn turned to them, her arms waving high in the air for someone to pick her up. Race's eyes lit up.
"Hey Munchkin! Dare's me goil," he shouted, lifting her high in the air, spinning her around.
"Hey Kid-oh," greeted Les. "Haven't seen you'se in awhile," he said. Race put Munchkin down.. She swerved back and forth, trying to walk to Bella, whose nose was still red.
"Sowwy," apologized Evy and kissed Bella's nose. Annabelle just smiled and bopped Evelyn on the head. The two laughed and began chasing butterflies with Racetrack and Les.
"Happy Boithday ta you'se," the Newsies began singing, "Happy Boithday ta you'se, Happy Boithday Target and Mushy!"
"Hey!" Mush shouted.
"Happy Boithday ta you'se!" They clapped and cheered as the two made their wishes and blew out the candles on their cakes; a vanilla cake for Target and a chocolate one for Mush. The group peacefully ate the cake, when it became eerily quite. Target had an idea that would make her day and maybe lighten the mood. And also for the fact that she had always wanted to do this.
She put a giant chunk of vanilla icing on her fork and bent it backwards.
"Hey, Lils!" she shouted, breaking the silence. Everyone looked down the table to Target.
"You wouldn't..," but before Tig could finish her sentence, Marie flung the icing right smack into Lily's stunned face. "...dare," she finished. The Newsies laughed out of control. Lily looked at Mush, who was also full of laughter. "Oh, you think that's funny, do ya?" she asked him sarcastically. She picked a clump of cake from his plate and crushed it on the top of his head.
"Ohh!" they all said again. Mush stood up and looked around. It became silent again.
"FOOD FIGHT!" he shouted. Their lunches flew back and forth across the table. Skittery pelted Rory with the mashed potatoes. She then shoved chocolate cake down Jack's pants.
Bella and Evy sat stunned, watching the parents throw food at each other. Target, coated with food, turned to Skittery, who looked the same. They each had a chunk of cake, but instead of smashing it in each other's face, like their friends, they threw down the cake and wrapped their arms around eachother.
"Happy Boithday ta me!" Target exclaimed and embraced Skittery with a hard kiss. Rory and Jack were doing the same, as well as Mush and Lily. Skittery turned to Evy and smiled happily.
"Hey, dat ain't fair, Munchkin," he said, picking her up. "You'se lets your pop get battered wit food and you'se gets off easy? Is dat it?" he asked, secretively picking up a piece of cake.
"Pop messy, messy Pop!" Evy exclaimed.
"Oh yeah?" he asked.
"Yeah, yeah," she grinned. He took the cake in his hand and lifted it for Evelyn to see. He smeared a little on the bridge of her nose and she giggled.
"You'se want ta have da rest?" Skit asked, raising his eyebrow.
"Gimmie, gimmie!" she shouted. He brought it closer to her face. Target watched closely behind them. Without turning around, he flatted the cake in Marie's face.
"Mommy wants some, too," he explained as the two laughed. "You'se gotta learn ta share."
"Mommy messy!" Evy giggled as she rubbed the icing off her nose.
"Thanks, Skitty-Boy," Target said, pouring cold water down the back of his neck and spine. He inhaled heavily and exhaled with a quiver. Skit picked up another piece of cake.
"Here Munchkin," he said, handing it to Evy. "Go have fun." Skit put her down near where Bella stood. Skittery turned around to Target, who had a hand full of potato salad. She smashed it on top of his already messy head. He shut his eyes for a few seconds. "I'se love you'se, too, Angelface," he said, grabbing and kissing her.
"Wook!" Munchkin said, holding the piece of cake out to Bella. Evy thought of throwing it in her face like her parents when Annabelle took it from her. Munchkin stuck her tongue out at her when unexpectedly, Annabelle smashed it in her face. She giggled giggled and walked away happily.
"Fanks!" Munchkin mockingly said, also laughing
The fight was over and everyone was covered from head to toe in food. Target and Lily sat, trying to get the cake out of their daughter's hair.
"What messy children we have," said Tig as Mush and Skittery strolled up, clothed in cake.
"Ah, take it easy on da guy," Target said, patting Mush on the back. Tig laughed.
"I mean these children," she said.
"Yeah, yeah," Target mocked and looked at Mush. "So, how was your boithday, Shawn?" she asked, wiping Munchkin's face off.
"Hey Marie, none of dat," he said jokingly, pointing a finger at her. "A little messy, but udda den dat, me boithday was pretty damn good! How 'bout you'se?" he asked, picking the potato salad out of his curly hair.
"Couldn't be better! Right, Munchkin?" Target questioned as Evy stretched out her arms to her father. "Right?" Target asked once more.
"Wight!" exclaimed Munchkin, still extending her arms further. "Pop, Pop!"
"What do you'se say?"
"Peas?" sighed Evelyn as her mother gave her to Skittery.
"Okay Shawn, help clean up."
"Hey Marie, if I'se have ta clean up, so does..," he stopped short. He couldn't remember Skittery's real name. Come to think of it, he never knew it! "Hey, what's your foist name, anyway, Jones?" Skit was balancing Evy on his shoulders and looked at them secretively.
"Ah, it ain't important," he said and walked away. Rory and Jack strolled over, taking his place.
"Wowy, Wowy!" shouted Bella, extending her arms. "Up, up!" she said.
"Up, up!" Rory repeated, tossing her into the air. "We'se can watch her for you'se," offered Rory.
"Thanks guys," Lily replied, wiping her hands with a napkin. "Oh boy, that girl is a handful!"
Target said nothing; she was still curious about Skittery
The rest of the day was warm and lazy. The Newsies just sat, congregating in the park. Munchkin and Bella lay sleepily in their father's arms. The wind filtered through the tall trees. Later that day, their old fiend, Bryan Denton, showed up.
"Hey Denton!" everyone shouted. "How are ya? Where've ya been?" they all asked, slapping him on the back. Target and Rory had finally caught a glimpse of who had come. They looked at eachother in the back at the crowd. They were to Denton like Munchkin was to Racetrack. They were his favorite Newsies and were always buddies.
The two stood up and looked above the crowd.
"Girls!" he shouted. They both ran toward him and gave him a giant hug. "Boy, you two really changed! Happy Birthday, Target! Great to see you, girls," Denton said happily.
"Oh Denton, we'se missed you'se!" they said. "We'se wants you ta meet someone. Well, more den one. Follow me," Target said, pulling him by his arm. "Denton, dis is Lily Matthews, soon ta be Lily Meyers!" she explained. Tig extended her hand.
"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Denton," Lily said.
"Oh, you can just call me Denton if you'd like. Everyone else does," he explained as Bella walked up beside her mother. "Who is this?" Denton asked curiously, crouching down to face with Bella.
"That would be Annabelle. She's Mush and Lily's little goil," Target beamed. "And the little one tryin' ta pickpocket you'se is my little Munchkin." Denton turned around to see a dark haired girl holding his wallet. Target picked her up. "Dis is Evelyn," Target explained.
"Well hello there..."
"Just call her Munchkin," interrupted Target.
"Hello there, Munchkin! You look like your mother." He looked to Marie. "Who's the..."
"It's Skittery," she said quickly.
"Ah, good ol' Skittery! I never thought he'd fall in love! He was always grumpy, remember?"
"Yeah, I'se rememba."
"Is he..."
"Still a grouch?" Target finished his sentence. "No." She balanced Evy on her hip. "He's as happy as could be." A moment of silence was obtained.
"I brought my camera," Denton spoke out.
"Dat's great! We can take a bunch of the group! Lets go, Denton." Target sat beside Tig with Munchkin on her lap. "Hey Shortcake!" Marie shouted. Rory had wondered off with Jack. "Come heah and bring Bella," she commanded. The five sat together as Denton took a photograph, a bright flash blinded the girls for a moment. Different colored spots formed before their eyes.
"Sorry about the flash, ladies," apologized Denton.
"Thanks, D," Shortcake said, rubbing her eyes. She would occasionally get tired of saying Denton and start calling him 'D'.
"Help yourself to some..," Tig stopped and looked around at the terrible mess of food. "Sorry Denton, but you're a little late for lunch," Tig explained. Denton also looked around and laughed. Bella and Munchkin ran off to play, their arms waving in the air.
"Wace! Wowy!" they shouted.
"Destructive little tots, aren't they?" asked Denton.
"Very!" they both said. Target and Lily began to clean up the massive mess of food on the table.
Okay, I know..."Where the HELL have you been?" I know and I (fortunately) have an EXCELLENT excuse! A VIRUS!!! stupid computers I couldn't believe it when I checked back and it's been since MARCH since I've updated, but it's taken 'til now to get things fixed. So...if anyone is still out there, thanks for coming back to read this, it means alot to both Kris and myself! R/R and I hope you liked this chapter!
JustDuck: No, I don't think it would be too bad to carry Cowboy's kid (I know I wouldn't mind)! That's too cool about you and your best friend. I wish I could say that about me and my best friend, but my best friend is a year older than I am, so... But, if it makes any difference, Kris and I are exactly a week apart(I'm older). Thanks for reviewing!
Sarah Jade: Thanks for the incouraging words! Believe me, Kris and I have talked about sending both our stories to Kenny! And you're in luck! Kris has a sequel to this and I have a story that goes along with this. And I also believe that Kris is in the works with another Newsies story, but I don't know if she's sending that over when she's done. But when I'm done posting this story, the sequel will be up not too long afterwards!