Shout ins:



Angelic One: Yes, Spot and Race are doing some serious male bonding. (Racetrack would wink back but he and Spot are watching golf on tv...go figure)

Tanya and Racetrack...Crazy in love with each other...yep.

Thanks! :D





Sureshot Higgins: CONGRATULATIONS! (That's a fun musical) Just put "Dancer in West Side Story" on your resume. Next time there are West Side auditions the directors will go, "AHA! She has experience!" :D I'm sure you'll be great. Can't wait to hear how it all goes. Kristen shall return...never fear...hope you like this new chapter!





Phoenix: Oh, don't be depressed! :( Here's another chapter. And a certain cameo for a certain tall, quiet newsie...lol. "I resent dat ramark."





goldstranger: I'm really glad you like this!

Yes, Tanya and Race are being adorable. STOP IT, YOU TWO!

Everyone's wondering where Kate's been. It shall be revealed in this chapter! YAY ME! YAY KATE!



Moonlight: That's a lot of "love its!" :D Thank you! Awww, you don't want to hold my fire-breathing snail? But he's very cute...Hope you like the newest chapter...



Raven: Don't panic! The story isn't over yet! And when this story ends, I will immediately start the sequel which should be as entertaining (if not more) to write! I don't know what you guys will think of it...But this story has a couple more chapters in it, at least. :)

Heheh...Yes, Kate's in Brooklyn. Raven, you genius, you!

Inspiration has been my special "rain" from God the last few weeks. Writing is the great escape of my life. It's one of the few areas where I truly get to decide what happens. Reality is almost always spinning out of my control. Nice to know I don't have to figure it all out myself but kind of frustrating all the same!

FASTEN YOUR SEQUIN SEAT BELT! RAVEN IS IN THIS CHAPTER!!!!!!! :) Hope you like it.

Thank you SO MUCH for the awesome review!



Bella: I'm honored that you like this and are still reading it! :D And I'm EXTREMELY flattered that Tanya has a bit of a spot in "Hidden!" You, OF COURSE, have permission to use her as much as you like! :) (Hugs Bella)

I hope your finals went okay! I think everyone's in the middle of those now.

(Here's what the boys said when they saw your review)

Spot: (reading reviews) Hey uh...Jackie boy...ya finally got yaself a fan!

Racetrack: (looks up from eating Shorty's magic brownies) What? Ya mean she's doesn't like me?

Spot: Hey, extry-extry, Racetrack! Da whole woild ain't in love wid you!

Racetrack: (hurt) But dis story's 'bout me!

Spot: (slowly, as if speaking to a small child) No, Racey...actually, dis story is about ME. Yous just happen to be in it.

Racetrack: How come you nevah say anyt'ing then?

Spot: I'se don't hafta say anyt'ing! I can just stand heah and the goils come runnin'.

Jack: (pushing past Spot to read reviews) Yoah a sick man, Spot.

Spot: Look, Jackie boy, dis Bella goil likes ya.

Jack: (reading intently) Legs, put in a message foah me, would ya?

Legs: Okie dokie...

Jack: (clears throat and begins dictating)

Deah Bella,

It's a pleashah hearin' from you. I hope ya havin' a nice day wheahevah you ah.

I nevah went ta school but finals sound tough. But dat's alright cause you'll jus' get tougha wid it!

Best of luck to you.

Coahjully,



Racetrack: Coahjully?

Spot: Ain't dat somet'in ta drink?

Jack: (sighs) Fine, den! Uh...sinceahly, Ja-

Spot: Since when is you sinceah, Jackie boy?

Jack: Since I'm tellin' you, Spot. (Thinking hard) A'right den...Affectionately, Jack Kelly



Racetrack: WHOOOOOO! CHECK IT, BOY! AFFECTIONATELY!

Spot: Awww. Ain't dat cute.



Artemis-chan: Thank you once again for reviewing! Say hi to Ivy for me, then! :)

The Lion King thing...I haven't decided, yet. It's been in the back of my mind since I started writing this. I honestly am not sure.

I don't know. Race is hard for me to figure out. I can't tell if he's playing dumb or he really has no idea what's going on. We'll have to wait and see, I suppose.

Yes, Kate's re-entrance has been long awaited and NOW THE TIME IS FINALLY HERE!

Tanya's actually a decent actress. She just needed to be taken down a peg. I don't want her to be arrogant or perfect in her talents and abilities. I mean, it would be rather expected for me to say that she sold twenty papers in 10 seconds and completely showed up Racetrack but it would also be annoyingly cliche. You are completely right about "people-judging skills." It's one of her more obvious faults.

Blink: She wants a newsie...

Mush: I'm a newsie!

Blink: Well, so am I!

Mush: Well, so am I!

Blink: Well...well, I'm older than you!

Mush: I have more muscles than you!

Blink: I have blond hair!

Mush: I have more muscles than you!

Blink: I know more than you do! And you're not allowed to say I HAVE MORE MUSCLES THAN YOU!

Mush: Fine. I'm a better dancer than you! HA!

Blink: Let's toss a coin.

Mush: Okay. (Looks at Artemis) Can we borrow a nickel?

Artemis: Um...

Blink: Never mind. We'll just pretend this is a coin! (Holds up newsies DVD)

Legs: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! That's MINE!

Mush: (takes advantage of Blink's distraction) Hey, Artemis, my name's Mush. What's yours?

(Lol. He's sweet but he's not the brightest rattle in the box.)



Ivy: Yeah, comps are clueless. I'm sorry it was shorter than normal! These few chaps have gotten shorter...hmmm...It took Tanya awhile to tell him but I figured you wouldn't just walk up to a perfect stranger and announce that you're from the future...lol. Sadly, I suck at science AND math. They're both tolerable subjects if I can understand them (which is usually never). So which one you girls is older? It's cool to have sister reviewers. Is Race cute? Is the sky BLUE? Is Newsies the greatest musical EVER? Racetrack IS HOT!!!!!





Going, going, never slowing (Have any of you watched Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory lately?)...







The Brooklyn Bridge was generally foggy but the newsie thought it looked a little grayer that day. The wind yanked and teased at their clothes as Tanya and Race started their walk across.

The girl paused and climbed onto to the railing to peer down at the hungry, lapping waves below. Racetrack pulled himself up next to her.

"It's a long way down."

"Best not to t'ink about it 'till yer across."

"You're right." Tanya lifted her head to let the breeze blowing off the water hit her face. She gulped and felt a rush in its fury. Something about the wind had always given her a shot of adrenaline.

"What ah ya doin'?"

"I'm drinking the wind!" she felt silly telling him that but it had already slipped out.

"Ya WHAT?"

"If you stand against the wind and let it go through you it makes you shiver."

"Yeah, cause it's cold."

She shook her head, "When I was little I used to roll down the windows of the car and stick my head out while Mom was driving."

"What's a cah?"

Tanya could have kicked herself then. Oh, well. She had to explain now. Her mind searched through the sketchy history she knew, "An...automobile?" She hoped he had heard that term.

"You mean...like a howseless carrudge?"

"Yeah!"

"You've ridden in one?"

She laughed, "I've DRIVEN one!"

He looked shocked, "Ya mean...you have one?"

"It's my Mom's. I don't have enough money to afford a car and in New York, everyone takes the subway anyway."

"Subway?"

It was going to be a long walk.





Brooklyn was noisy. Noisier it seemed than Manhattan. The boys diving off the side of the docks splashed and the edge of Tanya's skirt was wet and muddy before long.

Seemingly out of nowhere, a girl stepped directly into their path.

"Racetrack...Haven't seen much a you, lately." The girl's cap was pulled down over her eyes but her dark mouth and light skin made her seem exotic even dressed in rags.

"Raven..." the newsie greeted her. "Owah should I say 'Miss Beaufont'?"

"Ya shouldn't. Not if ya wanna keep dose scrawny ahms a yoahs firmly attached ta ya body."

"Ya all talk, goily. Wheah's Spot?"

Raven shrugged, "What do I looks like? His noice maid?" She stared at Tanya, "Who's dis?"

"Dis is Tanya. Tanya dis heah is Michelle Beaufont. But if ya want ta stay on friendly toims wid huh, call 'uh Raven."

"It's nice to meet you, Raven."

Raven nodded and turned back to Racetrack. "Whaddya want wit Spot?"

"Just a woid. 'Bout a goil he found."

Tanya broke in, "Kate! Her name's Kate Lawrence."

Raven nodded, "Yeah, I know Kate."

"Is she here?"

A male voice came from behind them, "Whaddya say, Racetrack."

Spot Conlon's lean form appeared next to Raven. His cool blue eyes met the Italian boy's with something like earned respect.

"How's it goin', Spot?" Racetrack greeted easily but Tanya noticed his body tense slightly in the presence of the Brooklyn leader.

"Yeah, I hoid yous boys is lookin' for Kate."

"Dat's right."

Spot's eyes roamed from Racetrack to Tanya. He stared hard at her for a moment. He nodded at last, "I know you. Ya tha goil who stoled me cap."

Tanya felt uneasy, "Oh. I did?"

"Yeah." Without another word, he turned around, throwing over his shoulder as he went, "Follow me."



They had just rounded the corner of an abandoned warehouse when Tanya caught sight of her. The girl leaned against the wall, a hat casting her face in shadow. A stackful of newspapers lay at her feet. Tanya noticed her clothes...obviously boys' clothes. Three feet away a taller girl, stoic in expression, stood with her feet planted wide as she surveyed passerbys for potential customers.

"Kate!"

The girl looked up to see Tanya running towards her, eyes shining.

She pulled herself upright and waited.

"Kate! We've been looking everywhere for you!"

Kate nodded, a sad smile hinting at the angles of her mouth. "Ya found me," she said at last.

"You're a newsie now?"

She shrugged, "Till I find somethin' else to do, I guess." She seemed to think before asking, "Are Kristen and Katherine makin' it?"

"Kristen's with her mother."

"And Kat?"

"Katherine's staying with friends of Cowboy's."

"She's alright then." It was a question voiced as a statement.

"She got hurt. But I think she's getting better."

There was a silence.

"So what about you? Did you make it okay?"

Kate looked down at the dirty street. Without a word, she yanked the worn cap from her head. Tanya drew in a quick breath. Kate's long dark hair now hung in clumps between bare spots where it had simply burned away. "Caught fire," she said simply before drawing the hat back over her head.

The other newsgirl approached them. As she drew nearer, Tanya wondered how tall she was.

"Ruin, this is a friend of mine, Tanya. Tanya, this is Ruin. Conlon's sister."

Tanya marveled then at the resemblance she now saw...the same blue eyes, same freckles peppering her nose, same shade of hair that seemed not quite blond and not all brown.

Ruin gave a half smile, "Tanya."

"Ruin? That's your name?"

"It's a nickname. Spot's idea." she shrugged.

Tanya felt a familiar touch on her shoulder, "Tanya, I gotta get back and get some papes sold owah we won't eat tanight."

"Oh, yeah. Kate, I'm glad you're safe."

"Thanks."

"Good luck."

"You, too."



"Tanya?"

"Yeah?"

Racetrack scuffed his boots in the dust as they walked, "If yous got heah from deah, could a poicon get deah from heah?"

"I don't know. Why?"

He shook his head, "Dis is crazy."

Tanya smiled. "No, YOU'RE crazy, remember?" she teased.

He pushed her, his eyes sparkling playfully.

"Hey!" she pushed him back, making him trip. He regained his balance and turned back to look at her. A mischievous look crossed his face, lighting up his features and bringing out his dimples.

Tanya shrieked and ran, Racetrack close at her heels. Her side began to ache and in a sudden impulse she stopped and spun around. The newsie ran straight into her.

She tripped backwards but grabbed his vest to steady herself. The boy leaned back and she fell forward. Tanya put her hands on his chest to steady herself.

And they just stood there, staring at each other. Racetrack let out a long sigh. Tanya felt his hot breath spread across her cheeks.

The newsboy's dark eyes, that seemed to be a window peeking into the old soul that lived in that youthful body, now shone with something else. Something he was just beginning to see...about Tanya...about himself...

Tanya watched that face that held so much...those EYES that seemed to know so much more than she did but never held it against her...those rough chapped hands that had felt more cold than she would ever know...the curly brown hair that stuck up under the ragged piece of a hat...

Racetrack didn't know what possessed him as he leaned closer and pressed his mouth to hers.

Tanya wasn't sure if she heard bells or if that was just the clock in the square chiming three.

After a moment, he stepped back and stared again.

"Tanya?"

"Mmmhmm?"

He chuckled, "Ya can open ya eyes now."

She blushed and did.

Somehow it wasn't awkward as they kept walking down the street.

"Sheesh, am I dat horribul ta look at?" Racetrack grinned.

"Aww, put a lid on it, ya scabbah!" she said.

Tanya thought he was going to cough up a lung laughing so hard.

"You sound nuttin like me!"

"I do, too!"

"I don't sound like dat!"

"Yes, you do!"

"No, I don't!"



A/N: Well, I'll leave them arguing...what do you think? All I have to say is... FINALLY! Hey, I'm gonna be out of town for a day and a half so I may update before I leave tomorrow but I may not get a chance. :( So if it takes me a little longer...don't worry! I'll just have an extra special chapter 11!)



DISCLAIMER: Disney still owns Newsies. Don't sue me. Besides siccing my fire-breathing snail on you, I will also TP your house! And THEN you'll be sorry! (Dusts hands off) Ha. Guess I showed THEM!



Legs comments on: PMS (I don't think any guys are reading this. But if they are, oh well!)

It is STUPID. Your face breaks out, you mysteriously feel like you've gained ten pounds, you eat your weight in chocolate (which might explain the ten pounds), and you yell at people for no apparent reason. It's stinks being a girl. But I think it would be worse being a guy. There. My profound thought for the evening.