Disclaimer: I do not own the Newsies, Disney does, however I do own Patch, Scribble, Sparrow, and everyone else not form the movie belongs to their own fabulous creators.

Chapter 2

Jack, Sparrow, Miracle, and Patch all walked together to sell. Patch, or Isabel Hiddens was sixteen years old and stood 5'6. She had auburn hair that came down to the middle of her back and was separated into four different braids. "Hey have ya guys seen David?" Patch asked. Patch normally sold and lived in Brooklyn. But today she was supposed to meet David, her boyfriend, but he was nowhere to be found.

"Nope." Said Jack. Sparrow was reading the front of the newspaper.

"Hey did ya read today's headline?" she asked.

"GIRL'S GONE INSANE?" read Patch allowed. A few people stopped and bought a paper from the group. Patch read on, "Doctors don't know what to make of this new 'Disease', effecting girls all over New York. No symptoms have yet been discovered, but anger, depression, and suicide seem to be the serious side effects. Doctor's are doing all that can to cure these young girls."

"Sounds like a good headline," said David running up to the group.

"You're late," stated Patch angrily.

"I'm sorry, but Les is sick and my mother needed a little bit of help this morning." David exclaimed through each deep breath he took. His face was red and sweat could be seen on his brow.

"Poor Les," Miracle said.

"He'll be fine in a day or two. My mother is just over reacting as usual. Patch, can you ever forgive me?" Patch looked as if she was actually considering saying no before blurting out.

"Come on let's go then. Hopefully we can finish early and go see him." Patch grabbed David's hands and ran off yelling out the headline. David waved as he was pulled along and sold papers as he went.

Jack, Sparrow, and Miracle headed down the opposite street, selling all of their papers before noon.

Many Newsies had done the same, sold all their papers before noon and now sat at Tibby's eating and laughing. At one booth, four girls sat serious looks on their faces.

"Shooter I really don't think this headline is meant to scare girls," Granny whispered.

Shooter, or Aurora O'Brien, leaned on her hand, her eyes a clue color in frustration. Her black hat sat on the table letting, her shoulder length light brown hair fall free. "Granny, me not sayin' that, all me sayin' is that we should be careful."

"Shooter's right," said Hornet jumping in the conversation. She adjusted her glasses on her freckled nose, back over her green/hazel eyes. "So far this so called disease is only attackin' girls around our ages. I think the youngest was ten."

"That is where I agree with Granny," Nova chimed in. Elizabeth Harker, or Nova, was tall, standing around 5'7. She was 17 years old, had light brown hair past her shoulders and emerald green eyes. "Say the younger newsies see us panicking, so will they. Besides so far it has only been rich girls, maybe we will be alright."

"But what if it is more serious then you and Granny are making it?" asked Shooter.

"Listen, this is what I suggest," started Granny. "That we pay attention to the headlines and be careful."

"No, really Granny," Hornet said sarcastically.

"Come on this isn't the time to get sarcastic, scared, or angry. We need to stay in good moods and Shooter, Granny is right, watchin' the headlines is the best thing we can do," Nova stated.

"Fine!" Exclaimed Hornet. "Let's just hope that this disease stays attacking only rich girls."

An hour later Skittery and Two-Bits walked into Tibby's. "Hey Two-Bits, how'd ya sell?" Asked Race, a small smile starting to appear on his face as she sent death glares in his direction.

"Even wit a good headline I only sold twenty five papes, while Skittery sold all seventy five of his," she said through clenched teeth.

"I offered to help her, but she told me no," Skittery added a smile on his face also.

"I don't need yer help!" she spat.

"Fine, fine," he said holding his hands up in defense. "I was only tryin' to help."

"Shoah, shoah," she replied plopping into a seat next to Specs, who had also just walked in.

"Hey Skit, ya see Hornet around?" Specs asked.

"Ova there," he said nodding his head in the direction of the girls.

"Thanks." Specs walked over to the table. He placed his hands over Hornet's eyes.

"I wonder who this could be," Hornet said a smile forming on her face. "I hope he is someone tall, handsome, dark haired, and a romantic. I know who it is. Skittery I told ya we can't show our affection in public, what is Specs was to see." Specs face dropped and his hands slowly started to fall. The other girl's at the table did all that they could to hold in laughs and keep a straight face. "Skittery are ya alright?" asked Hornet pulling the hands down and turning. Suddenly, her face dropped. "Specs it's ya." Hornet was an excellent actress. Hornet reached for Specs hands, but he pulled away. "Specs I just kid..." Specs didn't even listen. He made his way towards Skittery and before anyone could stop him punched Skittery, hard in the jaw.

Skittery jumped up, cradling his now throbbing jaw with his hand. "What was that fer?" he demanded.

"What are ya doing behind me back wit me girl?" Specs demanded, his fist up ready to fight. Sklittery's face changed from anger to confusion. Nova, who was Skittery's girlfriend, quickly whispered in his ear. Skittery lowered his fist.

"Specs come wit me," whispered Hornet, grabbing hold of Skittery's ear and pulling him out the door.

Many of the newsies raced to the window to see what was going on outside. Others gathered around Skittery and Nova. "What in God's name is goin' on?" asked Mem. Darcy Rhiobh or Mem was sixteen, stood 5'6, her strawberry blond hair was pulled into a tight bun, bangs falling in her eyes, and she had large pale blue eyes.

Nova motioned for everyone to lean in and she began to explain everything.

"Specs," Hornet said, holding both of his hands in hers. "Hey look at me fer a second."

"Why should I?" he snapped back. "Ya cheated on me."

"I didn't cheat on ya, I would neva do that." Hornet's anger started to come through as she spoke.

"Please Hornet, I heard it from yer own mouth." For the first time he looked at her angrily.

"Specs it was a joke!" she spat back at him.

"A joke?" He questioned.

"Yes, a stupid joke. I knew it was ya the entire time."

"Why would ya try and trick me like that?" he asked, truly hurt.

"It was just a joke is all. I didn't think ya would take it so seriously." She said. She was angry now, proving why she had her nickname.

"Why ya getting; made at me? Yer the one who tricked me."

"Well yer the one who took it to damn serious."

"Serious, how would ya like it if I said I was cheatin' on ya wit Scribble?" Scribble and Specs grew up together and were best friends.

For a second it seemed Specs had gotten the last word, which never happened, Hornet always got it. "Please that girl wouldn't have the guts to ever do anything like that. She'll be to scared."

Specs clamped his mouth shut, his eyes full of hurt as he walked off towards anywhere but there. Hornet watched him go and immediately regretted every word that came out of her mouth, but she would never admit that aloud, her pride would never let her.