A.N. A short chappy, but absolutely essential to what Rose is going through. I have no ownership of the Newsies and not affiliated with Disney in anyway. Thanks for all the Reviews. Please Review so I can keep the story up to par. LyxnLion

A Bleeding Rose

Everyday the Mr. Anthony Hearst would come and spin his web of sickly sweet half-truths. His eyes burned with unquenchable fire that promised me a lifetime of despair. He was obsessive, repulsive, and my only company. I was no longer drugged, but my body was weak. I had no concept of time. What I wanted more than anything was word of David, Bumlets, my friends who had become my family. I would try again and again to get information out of Anthony, and I paid for each lie and perversion by kisses. I felt his invasion within my heart. I could feel my reason slipping. I had to gasp against surrendering to his perverted world view. And then, he slipped. He didn't come at dinner. To my horror I found myself thrown into anxiety, like a nervous housewife. He had a hold on my heart so that while it beat wildly with hope, a darkness smothered the emotion. Instead of him, a young boy brought me some food. He could not have been more than seven and he had a strange curious look on his face.

"Is it true?" he asked in awe.

"Is what true?" I responded, confused by his question. I beckoned him closer and gave him some of my bread, "No, take it. They always give me too much. It would be a crime to waste it."

The boy grabbed the bread greedly, nodding, and then with a full mouth sputtered, "Thanks."

"Now, what have you heard about me?" I asked anxious to hear words from an innocent child, beyond the workings of Hearst.

"You're mad." He answered simply. It figured that's what Anthony had been up too, and too near succeeding driving me mad.

"Do I look mad?" I asked calmly.

"No..." he said slowly, "You look pretty."

I blushed foolishly at the young boy's statement. "Then please," I gasped, "could... could you tell me about Da... my friends?"

"You mean the ones that hurt you?" he asked confused.

"They didn't hurt me... at least, I don't think so..." surely I remembered Cecilia's tear streaked face and Anthony's look of triumph as he kicked me, but it seemed so long ago and so strange.

"The Newsies?" He whispered excitedly.

"Yes!" I joyfully gasped wincing as a slight pain lanced my ribs.

"They told me not to tell you... But they also told me you were mad, that it would make you too upset and you couldn't deal with it if you were mad..." He reasoned slowly.

"Please," I cried, "I need to know."

He had come to a decision, "I'll be back," and swiftly scuttled out of the room. He came back with a newspaper folded in his hands. I reached out, shaking, and unfolded the paper. And there, on the front page a large heading topped yesterday newspaper,

"MASSIVE FIRE: NO KNOWN ESCAPES"