Disclaimer: I don't own the Newsies though I would love to own them. I own Petals, Soccer, and Mr. Miller. Manders and Lindi own themselves.

A/N: If this chapter seems dumb in any way, I'm sorry I've had THE worst writer's block and I've been busy.

Shoutouts:

declinedcard: glad you liked it.

Lindi: you were on the Senior trip when I thought of it. And yes I do believe you know who Soccer is.

Chapter 2: Warming Up

"She doesn't look like she' been on da streets long, but it also looks like she' been abused." Manders mused out loud just before they retired for bed.

"Yeah, I'se t'ink she was abused too. 'Cause when I asked 'er if she was alright she started to look afraid of me like I was goin' ta hoit her or somet'in'." Soccer stated, his heart going out to Anne.

"Who in dere right mind would hoit a goil so badly, dat she can't trust someone when dey are offerin' help." Manders ranted, wanting to cause very serious bodily harm to whomever it was that caused such hurt to Anne, even though she hadn't officially met the girl. "Whoever did dat ought ta be t'rown in jail."

"Manders," Soccer said beginning to feel very protective of Anne. "will you an' Lindi keep an eye on her, if she decides ta stay heah?"

"Oh, shoah. I'se don't t'ink Lindi'll mind. Even though you'se is askin' for trouble wit' Lindi. You know how she likes matchmakin'." Manders replied, suppressing a giggle.

Soccer rolled his eyes, "Yeah, yeah. Jus' make shoah dat if anyt'ing happens, and I mean anyt'ing happens and you need help wit' her, tell me."

"Shoah, you'se gots me woid." Then suddenly thinking of something, "Uhh, Soccah?"

"Yeah?"

"What'll Anne do fer woik? She can't exactly stay fer free and you'se can't affoid you and her."

"I'se don't know. I'se don't t'ink dat she'll want ta be a newsie just yet, so I s'pose I'se could talk ta Millah if she could woik heah."

"I guess dat'll woik. Well, I'se will see ya in da morning."

"Yeah." Soccer responded as he headed toward the boys bunkroom.

-----

"Wake up! Papes don't sell demselves!" Mr. Miller yelled as he proceeded in shaking random newsies awake. He was answered by groans and a few pillows directed at him. "Why can't you boys be like Soccer an' wake up without complain'?"

"'Cause he didn't go ta Manhattan last night." Pasqualley retorted groggily.

"I had t'ings ta do." Soccer said uncomfortably. He didn't want the guys to know that he was learning how to play piano from his grand uncle, the only relative he had left.

"Like findin' a goilfriend." Lucky said viciously.

"She's not me goilfriend? I found her in an alley cryin', so I'se brought her heah when I found out she didn't have any wheah ta go! And if any of you bums lay a fingah on her, I promise you'se I will hoit you." Soccer snapped.

"You jus' want her fer ya self!" Lucky lashed out; unfortunately for him he didn't live up to his name, because before he knew it he was on the ground with a broken nose because Soccer punched him.

The bunkroom had gone silent. The newsies were shocked speechless. Soccer was the peaceful one, the one who believed in turning the other cheek, which was partly the reason why Lucky ignored Soccer.

Soccer grabbed his hat and stormed out of the room slamming the door behind him. 'Calm down, Soccah. You'se don't need ta be scarin' Anne just 'cause Lucky's a moron.' He thought as he reached the girls' bunkroom and knocked.

"Go away" came Lindi's muffled reply. "I'se is tryin' ta sleep."

"Lindi you'se needs ta wake up. We'se gots ta sell papes." Soccer shouted, grinning at the sound of something soft hitting the door.

"I'se gonna soak you'se, Soccah." Lindi threatened as she opened the door revealing her disheveled appearance.

"Millah was comin' ta wake you goils up anyways."

"Yeah, but I'se coulda gotten 5 moah minutes of wondahful sleep." Lindi complained with a pout.

Suppressing a chuckle, "I'se sorry, Lindi. I'se real sorry fer disturbin' you'se peaceful sleep."

"I'se accept you'se apology." Lindi said grinning. "Manders!!! Wake up!"

"No! I'se wants sleep." Manders replied, throwing her pillow at Lindi but missing and hit Soccer instead.

"Ha! Manders you missed!" Lindi exclaimed as Soccer picked up the pillow and threw it back at Manders.

"Dat's it! I'se call a pillow fight!" Manders yelled as she got down from her bunk and began swinging her pillow at Lindi.

"Hey dat's not faiah! I'se don't got a pillow." Soccer shouted as Lindi smacked him rather hard with her pillow.

"Dere are some extra pillows lyin' around, you just have ta get them."

"Oh, you'se is just too kind." Soccer commented sarcastically. Then noticing Anne was awake, "Hey, Anne, would you'se mind t'rowin' you'se pillow ta me."

Anne shyly threw the pillow at Soccer, "Do you guys normally do this to wake up?" She asked timidly.

"Nah, only when Soccah waked us up." Manders answered, giggling maniacally when she hit Soccer on the head.

"I don't know why I nevah bring me pillow wit' me when I wake you'se goils up." Soccer said, as he ducked a hit from Lindi making her hit Manders. "Anne, could you'se help me. I'se is out numbahed."

After thinking a moment she grabbed the pillow from the bunk next to hers and began whacking. A few minutes later Spot showed up and just stood in the doorframe watching his sister, Manders, Soccer, and Anne bop each other with pillows, until Lindi noticed her twin and shouted, "Let's get Spot!" and ran after him waving her pillow like mad.

The other three thought it best not to attack Spot with pillows and stayed behind. Lindi didn't last too long without reinforcement and Spot threw her over his shoulder and dumped her on her bed.

"Spot, you'se is such a party poopah!" Lindi glared at her brother.

"Nah, you'se is just too hypah in da morning. Now get ready you'se gots papes ta sell."

"Oh, Anne, I'se almost forgot. I talked ta Millah, da ownah of da Lodging House, and he said you'se could do odd jobs around heah ta earn your lodging, particularly if you'se can cook. So did you'se want ta do dat?"

Once thinking about it, "I suppose I could." She answered. 'Got nothing better to do.' Anne thought ruefully.

"Good. By da way, do you'se know how ta cook?" Soccer asked hopefully.

"Yeah, do you'se? 'Cause Millah can't really." Lindi piped in.

"Yes." Anne replied with a shy smile.

"Oh, thank goodness." Manders shouted in relief. "No moah of Millah's cookin'." This statement caused the fivesome to laugh.

"Now you goils might be able ta get ready?" Spot asked teasingly.

"Yes." Lindi and Manders answered simultaneously.

"Good. Soccah, you'se might as well tell Millah dat he's got a cook."

"I'll do dat. And Anne, when you'se is ready I'll intraduce ya ta Millah. So he can show you'se da kitchen and whatevah else he might want you'se ta do, like cleaning and stuff like dat."

"Ok." Anne replied, beginning to feel a bit apprehensive about soccer not being around.

"Don't worry. Millah don't bite, at least not too badly," Spot assured her, smiling ruefully. "His bark is worse den his bite."

----

As Soccer neared the Lodging House, he smelled something he never thought could possibly come from the lodging house kitchen. Good smelling food!! He quickened his pace. When he entered the Lodging House, he took a big whiff of the glorious aroma and followed his nose to the kitchen. "Oh, dat smells so good!" Soccer exclaimed when he entered the kitchen.

Putting a batch of rolls into the oven, "You sound like you haven't smelled anything like that in ages." Anne said teasingly.

"Well, if you'se tried Millah's cookin' and den smelled dis after years of hard rolls and tasteless food, you'se would feel like you were in heaven too!" He said, as he tried to grab a freshly baked roll from the counter. "Ouch! Why'd you do dat fer?"

"You'll spoil your dinner. Now shoo and keep everyone else out." Anne stated, happily humming to herself as she stirred the stew. She felt safe now that Soccer was around, she didn't know why but she did.

"Yes, ma'am." Soccer replied, happy that Anne seemed to be relaxing in the presence of people.

"What is dat delicious smell?" Lindi inquired walking to the kitchen.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. Anne doesn't want anybody in dere." Soccer warned, but to no avail. Lindi just kept on waking and now was being shooed with a broom by Anne.

"Soccer, I told you to keep people from comin' in." Anne said in mock anger.

"I tried. Lindi just refused to listen." Soccer retorted trying to keep a straight face.

"I'se thought you'se was jokin'." Lindi whined.

"Well, once most of the newsies get back you guys can eat." Anne stated, determined that when they came she wouldn't go try to hide in a corner, she would face them, besides if anything did go wrong Soccer said he would be there.