Race's ticking pocket watch echoed in King's ears, ticking down the seconds of the night. If it missed a second he'd wait for it- feeling like the whole world stopped, time, breath, life- everything. He opened his eyes and sighed. It was getting light again, another night without sleep, only thought. For the past two nights something has just been off in his mind. He wasn't sure what- he wasn't even sure if there was something wrong, but something in his life felt off, like something was about to change- maybe something already had.

King sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes with a yawn. He stumbled to the washroom trying to be quiet, so not to wake the sleeping boys all around him. His boys, the ones he watched over. Not just them, but every Newsie in Manhattan. A hard job for anyone, but King was a great leader. A strong leader. A fair leader. A leader until a month ago only had this on his mind. Now, things were more complicated, less black and white and now more… gray.

Then, for some reason her face wandered into his head, again. Her smile, her laugh, her glare, her temper- that temper that made him chuckle at how a tiny body could be so explosive. He smiled softly remembering the first he felt his arms go around her and pull her to him- his first and only time actually… She was so helpless and little that when her wise eyes opened and he heard her country air voice, he couldn't help himself but to hold her, even for a second.

He sighed and crawled out the window of the washroom on the fire escape. The mornings were getting cold, the way he liked them. He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned his elbows against the handrail looking down at the alley, finding himself lost in thought; mostly of her, but also thoughts of selling papes, and his ever present money shortage and his stomach that now screamed at him for food. He was surprised when the first ray of light splashed across his face causing him to look up at the sunrise. He smiled; this was the only time when New York was beautiful.

Once then sun had let go of the pinks and purples of the sunrise and let them lay about the scattered clouds, he climbed back inside and hollered. "ALRIGHT BOYS! GIT YOUR LAZY BUTTS OUTTA BED!" He smiled and the rounds of 'Aww, King''s and 'Git off me back''s.

"Hey Cowboy… You wanna git your greasy mug off dat pillow?" King asked playfully to a younger boy with a cowboy hat over his face. King smirked at Cowboy waving him off nonchalantly. The seventeen year old stole the thirteen year old's hat and placed it on his head walking into the washroom again.

"EY!" Cowboy squealed his voice breaking as he clamored after King.

"Woiks everytime," King chuckled handing him his hat.

"One a' these days yer gonna be looking up ta me King," Cowboy chuckled snatching his hat back and putting it on his head proudly.

"You going through a growth spurt Jackey-Boy?" King teased as he washed his face. King had plans for Cowboy, or Jack Kelly as he was also known, in the future. He was well respected, well liked and caring- much like King. King knew at 17 he couldn't be a newsie forever, so even though he still had a few years left selling papes, and being a kid. He was watching the young boy turn into a man and planned to give him Manhattan when he left. If he continued to be the newsie King hoped he would.

King looked up when he heard a commotion behind him. He sighed seeing Crutchy head over heals tumbling into the washroom. King quickly made his way over to the skinny boy who was red in the face and shaking his crutch lose from a towel left on the ground. He heard someone snicker. "Ey- pipe down 'er you'll be needing to borrow that crutch," King shot off quickly. His newsies knew he would never hurt them, but one thing King demanded was respect amongst his boys.

"Heya Crutchy," King said as he and Jack helped him to his feet.

"Heya King, nice mornin' huh?" Crutchy asked, his normal cheerful self back.

"Sure is kid," King smirked. "You hoit yerself?" he asked softly leaning down to him a bit. When Crutchy shook his head, then shrugged King patted him on the shoulder. "Ya wanna sell wit me today?" he asked with a grin.

"Really?" Crutchy asked forgetting about his throbbing knees.

King nodded. "Yep you and me, pal,"

"Wow! That's awful nice a'ya King!" Crutchy nodded his goofey crooked smile getting larger. King smiled and patted him on the back as they walked out of the bunkroom.