Chapter 1

Over the next six years, Francis Sullivan turned into the very handsome and tuff leader of the Manhattan newsies named Jack Kelly or Cowboy. He lead them in the newsies strike of 1899, where he and his gang of newsies, including Mush, Racetrack, Blink, Crutchy, Skittery, Specs, plus many more, some help from Brooklyn newsie, Spot Conlon, and David and Les Jacobs, went on strike against Joe Pulitzer.

Two Months after Winning the Strike

Eating dinner at the Jacobs' was one of Jack's favorite things to do. They always had a place at their table for him after all he was David's best friend, and Les' hero. Jack had his head down eating his food, when he noticed no one was talking. He slowly looked up and saw the whole Jacobs family smiling at him.

"I didn't do it," He said.

Mrs. Jacobs got up and went into the kitchen.

"What is dis, Davey?" Jack asked his best friend.

"What is what, Jack?" the blue eyed boy smiled.

"Nothin' is goin' on, Jack," Les beamed, "Just 'cuz mama made you a ca…" David put his hand over Les' mouth. He chuckled at Jack, and then glared at Les.

Mrs. Jacobs came back with a chocolate cake and put it in front of Jack.

"What is dis for?" he asked.

"Happy birthday, Jack!" Les said breaking free of David's hand.

"You guys are da best," Jack said, "I can't believe I forgot me own birthday."

"I'll cut the cake for you," Sarah said getting a knife.

"Are youse sayin' youse doan trust me with a knife?" Jack said.

"I think she is," Mr. Jacobs said.

They all laughed but were cut short by a knock on the door.

"I'll get it," David said.

When he opened the door there was a girl standing there, that looked around the same age as him. They had a key around their neck but this wasn't Spot and she had all of her hair in a tan hat. The girl looked at him with her big brown eyes.

"Is Jack Kelly herah?" she asked.

"Um…yah," David said questioningly and turned his head to Jack, "Jack, some one is here for you."

Jack got up and looked at the stranger, it wasn't anyone he knew.

"Do I knows you?" he asked.

"Bettah than youse think, but da reason Ise herah is to bring youse a message from Spot," she said. "He sent Nancy back herah."

Jack stopped dead in his tracks and stared at this visitor in disbelief.

"Where is she," he said.

"Try 16 Maple Street, Apatment numbah 23," she told him.

"Davey, Davey, where is dat?" he said not removing his eyes from the person.

"Well, Jack," he said a little confused, "That's our address."

Jack stared at the mysterious visitor. He reached over to her hat and pulled it off. The girl's sandy brown hair came to her shoulders.

"…Nancy…?" he said in question and shock.

The girl smiled and nodded. Jack still in shock walked numbly over to her and touched her face to see if she was real. Jack was getting overcome by emotions.

"Nancy," he said softly as he fell into her and hugged her. "I thought youse would hates me foreveah," He said almost in tears at the sight and touch of his baby sister who wasn't a baby anymore.

"I could nevah hate youse foreveah," she smiled.

The Jacobs looked at each other in confusion.

"Who is that, David?" Sarah whispered.

"He never said anything about her to me," David shrugged.

Jack pulled himself out of the hug and turned and looked at the Jacobs' faces.

"Oh! Nancy, dis is Mr. an' Mrs. Jacobs, me best friend, Davey, his 'ittle broddah, Les, and his sista, Sarah. Guys, dis is me sistah, Nancy." Jack said beaming happily.

"You never told us you had a sister," Mrs. Jacobs said.

"Well…" and Jack began to tell them the story of what happened six years ago. But David wasn't paying attention to what Jack was saying; he was looking at the stranger that had just came into his house. She was a splitting image of Jack, from having the same color hair, the big brown eyes, the big smile, they even dressed alike. Nancy looked at David through the corner off her eye. "He looks so familiar," she thought.

"She is….She is…..wait a second…Am I thinking this? I've never thought someone was beautiful when I don't even know them," he thought and paused.

Nancy kept looking at him until a memory came back to her…

"Well if it ain't Jack be nimble, Jack be quick," Spot Conlon said to His friend Jack Kelly. I looked on from behind some boxes.

"So this was her big brother," I thought. She hadn't seen him in a while. "But who were the others with him? Ohh one was Boots….But the other…?"

"But we aren't playing! We are going on strike!" the boy said. "Whoa, did he just speak up to Spot?" I thought in shock.

"Oh yah, yah, who is dis, Jacky boi, some sorta walking mouth?" Spot said back to the boy. Jack introduced him as David. Just then a hand was placed on my shoulder. I gasped quietly and turned around. It was only Kiki. Kiki laughed quietly.

"Stop spying and lets go!" Kiki whispered. I followed her out.

"She is Jack's sister that means she must be wild and crazy like Jack also. She would never have anything to do with me except just as her brother's best friend." He paused again. "Why would that matter to me? What is going on with me? I don't even know her, how can I be thinking this?"

"So how old are you, Nancy?" Mrs. Jacobs asked bringing David out of his thoughts.

"I'm 15, ma'am," she said politely.

"Oh, our son David is 15, also," she smiled.

Nancy smiled and looked at David.

"Why does my mom have to be so embarrassing some times, uumm ok what do I do? Smile back? Ok," he thought. David smiled weakly back at her.

"Hey, youse guys, lets go down and see me boiys, they be dyin' to see ya, Nancy," Jack said. "C'mon, Davey, let's go." Jack kissed Mrs. Jacobs on the cheek. "Tanks for Dinah." The three of them set off down the street to the lodging house where the gang was.

A/N- This is kind of like a stand in chapter for the actual first chapter. Yes, I know, Kitty(her and I co-author this story) thinks this chapter sucks, but the actual chapter will be way better and be up soon!