A/N: Here's another one! …. FINALLY!!

Shout Outs:

Joker is Poker With a J – I know! I know! Someone just shoot me already!..I'm getting worse at the updating thing. It's just with writer's block/school/more writer's block it makes everything just a tad bit difficult.

diariesofthepast1899 – Yeah, I'm glad Jack's okay too. Because without Jack, there wouldn't be a Manhattan leader! ..Oh the horrors!

Smiley Cad – Haha. Yes..big trouble indeed. It's okay, my friends and I rub off on each other all the time. I think that means that it's beginning to be the point where they call it "too much togetherness."

Wolf-Godess – Heh, thanks! Oh gosh, puppy dog eyes…how can I resist?!

Vacant Skies – Haha. Yeah they got a little heated. But I just realized that they went from first kiss to home base, all in one day. Ahh, the joys of being a teenager

NadaZimri – Thanks! And it's quite alright, people have lives too. Lol.

Robin – Just dying?...Jk. I'm flattered..really.

Allie – Why, thank you very much! ::blushes::

Chapter 15

When I finally got to the restaurant, ten minutes later, I was met with Tibby's closing. CLOSING?!..They don't close 'til ten! And it was only eight forty. So, I dragged myself closer to the door and peeked in. The diner was dark inside and the manager was just locking the door. There was also a boy that was sweeping the wood floor. In an instant I recognized him. It was Murray.

I knocked on the glass door, to get his attention, hoping all the while that he would recognize me just the same. The red head looked up and smiled. He then leaned his broom against a nearby table and started walking over towards the door. At the same time he fumbled in his pockets for a set of keys. Murray had gotten them out just as he had reached the door and quickly unlocked it.

"Heya. Misfit, right?"

"Yeah, may I'se ask ya a question?" I asked a bit nervously. I really didn't know the guy all that well and asking him a favor was kind of awkward.

"Shoot." He replied.

"Well, foist off why are ya closin' so early? You guys don't normally close 'til" I asked skeptically. I had to start off somewhere.

"It's dah manager's birthday an' he wanted tah get home early, I'se guessin'."

"I'se see. I'se was wonderin' if ya could do me a favor?" I paused, waiting for an answer. He nodded and gestured for me to continue. "Ya know Jack," he nodded again and starting to get impatient. "He got beat up real bad an' I'se was hopin' that ya could fix dah usual foah him?" I looked at him pleadingly. Surely he wouldn't turn this down…would he?

"I'se don't know. Everyone went on home. An' I'se can't cook foah me life, but I'se can try." He smiled at the last part and I was basically jumping for joy.

"Thank you! Ya have no idea how much dis means tah me!"

"No problem. Now tell me, what happened tah Jack," The waiter asked as he ushered me into the restaurant.

About 11 days have passed by since the incident. Everything was getting back to normal, as normal as you can get anyway. Jack was for the most part healed and he went back to selling. Spot and I were seeing each other on a regular basis, one day he would come to Manhattan and the next I would go to Brooklyn. And, even Oscar hasn't been pestering me lately about telling the boys about who I really am. Everything was perfect, almost too perfect.

That few amount of days after what happened to Jack, Race and I were chatting happily as we strolled to our selling spots. Originally, today was my day to go to Brooklyn, but Spot explained to me yesterday that he had to attend to 'leader business' in Harlem. Of course I didn't believe him at first, knowing his reputation and all, but Jack left this morning as well.

Race seemed extra happy today and he just kept talking excitedly. "It's a great day foah sellin'. What do ya tink 'fit?"

I looked up at the sky, "Yeah, poifect weather." But in all reality it was gloomier than after Race lost a bet. It was supposed to ran for the next few days.

"Didja hear 'bout dah party at Medda's tomorrow night?" he questioned merrily. I stopped right in my tracks. There's going to be a party at Medda's tomorrow night? .. For what?! Race must have read my mind because he added, " Medda is just leavin' dah place open foah us. She does it every once an' a while."

"I'se see, but didn't she just let ya guys have a party not too long ago?" I wondered aloud towards Race. How could I forget THAT night.

"Yeah. Medda's great, ain't she?" Race had the most dreamy look on his face that I couldn't help but smile.

"Yep, dah best! C'mon we'se bettah start sellin' or we'll nevah get done." I stated. The Italian nodded in agreement and we began 'hawkin' dah headlines'.

Later that evening I just couldn't help thinking about the party tomorrow night. I mean, how am I going to tell everyone, especially Spot? When he finds out he'll be pissed and I'm not sure I really want to see that side of him. But, I guess I have to tell him sometime. I just didn't expect for these past two weeks to go by so fast.

I guess that's what I get, right? For leaving and then not being honest. This has to be God's way of punishing me. It doesn't help that I stopped believing in God long ago anyway. Ever since my parents died, I knew that the world was so cruel that it would take away my parents away from me at such a young age. I guess I'm just being selfish, but that lead to my disbelief in God ever since.

Getting up from where I was sitting on the roof, I started to head downstairs. As I descended the ladder, I could already smell the smoke and hear the guys yelling. This was due to the fact that the window leading it the fire escape was still open. The weather felt perfect, I wouldn't know why anyone would want to keep a stuffy place like this all shut up.

Just as I set foot back into the room, I was greeted with some invitations to join a poker game. I quickly agreed to the invitation and sat myself down between Kid Blink and Racetrack. The game consisted of Kid Blink, Race, Skittery and now myself. Candle was at the game also, but she wouldn't dare play against Race. So she just sat on Blink's lap and helped him play.

"What do ya tink is gonna happen at Medda's tomorrow night?" Race asked trying to get everyone to not concentrate on his cards so that he could sneak in a seven from the deck to his hand. Oblivious to the fact of what he was trying to do, we didn't even think twice and Kid just reached around me and smacked Race on the backside of his head.

"Would ya stop talkin' 'bout it already? It'll be dah same as always. We go, we drink, we sing, we dance, and we go home. End o' story." The eye-patched boy said hoping that Race could drop the subject. He had been talking about it all night and Blink, and most of the other newsies, were starting to get annoyed.

The cigar smoker held up his free hand in defense, "Alright, alright. What do ya got?" They decided not to bet and Race agreed, which was really shocking. But, at least no one lost their money to anyone, so everyone was happy.

I was the first to say anything, "I'se fold." Kid was next and he just repeated the same two words, but after words he received a kiss on the cheek and a 'you'll get 'em next time' from a very cheerful Candle. He just smiled and had a look that plainly said 'yeah right, but thanks anyway'.

"An' what 'bout you, Skittery? Are ya gonna fold like dese two?" He jutted his thumb towards us. He was returned with mock looks of hurt.

"Nah," Skittery showed off his four of a kind, in nine's, with a smirk on his face. "Beat dat." Even though the usually grumpy boy knew that some how Race did beat him. And that's exactly what the Italian did.

"Straight flush, in hearts," He said with so much pride that we couldn't help but laugh. "Wha?"

"Nothin'," I answered before anyone else had the chance to. "Anothah game?" Everyone nodded and Race started to deal out everyone's hand of cards. Just as he had finished and put the rest of the deck in the middle of all of us, Jack came in with a not so pleased look on his face.

"How'd it go?" Asked Mush out of curiosity as to why the Manhattan leader looked so glum and exhausted.

Jack sighed and just replied, "Harlem is havin' some territory problems wit' da Bronx. It might lead to a war."

"But isn't da Bronx an' Harlem real close. I'se thought dat they were allies." Mush questioned innocently.

"Yeah, dey are."

"Well, dat ain't right." Jack silently agreed and headed towards his bunk. He was still a little sore and the meeting had him feeling worn out. It had just about all day.

A/N: I know it's short, but I just HAD to get something out there. And, yes I really do believe in God. I'm a Christian and Jesus is my friend!