Star felt cold, hard gravel beneath her cheek. She could hear voices, whispering, crying. She felt somthing. Actually she felt a lot of things; pain, aching, hot, cold, but she could distinctly feel two powerful arms wrapped around her middle. They were as still as she was. She turned her head slightly and came face to face with Switch. His icey eyes were shut and he was breathing heavily. There were tiny gashes all over his handsome face.

Slowly, what had just happened came flooding back to her. The fire.Switch must have pulled her out. She had gone in looking for Mush and Jack.

Mush and Jack...

Where were they? Did they make it out? And Mouse!

Suddenly Star was stuggling to get to her feet, she felt hot tears stream down her face but the next thing she knew she was being lifted off the ground by none other then Mush. He cradled her in his arms and then sat down on the hard ground, Star still in his arms.

"Mush..." Star began, but as soon as she drew more air her lungs burned and she coughed like she never had before. Mush just stroked her cheek. He fought back tears. He fought back the urge to kiss her but he knew it wouldn't help at all. He looked over at Switch, who was begginning to sit up, he was coughing to. They made eye contact for a moment. Mush couldn't read his eyes. Couldn't even begin to. Mush was just about to let his eyes moveto somewhere else but Switch beat him to it.Switch looked down at Star, whose coughing was lightening slighty. The two of them made eye contact, except the words not spoken were plenty clear:

'Thank you'

'Your welcome'

---

It took forever for the firefighters to get the lodging house out, and by the time they did there was nothing left to salvage. Thankfully, nobody died.

With no home left to speak of, many- in fact most- of the newsies went their seperate ways. Heading to old friend's houses or basically anywhere they could get out of the wind. Spot offered to take as many newsies as wanted to go to Brooklyn. Jack, Mush, Star, Jamie, Blink, Racetrack and Switch took him up on his offer. Mouse was in pretty bad shape. She had inhaled a lot more smoke then anyone else and was having some troubles breathing, but Jack offered to help her get to Brooklyn. She accepted.

Once in Brooklyn, Spot showed everybody to a fort-type set up that worked well enough at keeping the wind off of everybody. They basically crashed right away. Each mixed up in their own twisted thoughts on what had just happened. What was going to happen. To them. To everything.

The next morning, Spot, Jamie, Jack, Race, Blink and Mush left to try and sell some papers (they'd lost all their money in the fire). Star, Switch and Mouse slept late into the morning. By the time Switch opened his eyes the near-noon sun was pouring into the little room. He looked over to see Star looking back at him.

"Don't you know it's rude to stare," he said.

"Good morning to you to," she said back. She looked past Switch to where Mouse lay, still as stone.

"How is she?" Switch ask in an attempt to salvage the conversation. Or at least start one.

"I don't know," Star said. She felt a small tear begin to well up. She and Mouse had been friends for a long time. Not super close. But close enough. Now Star was begginning to wonder if she ought to have got to know her a little better.

"How bout you," Star asked, looking back at Switch, "how do you feel?"

"Like shit," he said as he tried to sit up. He let out a gasp of pain and clutched his ribs. They felt broken, they probably weren't but they sure hurt.

"You don't look so good," Star said bluntly.

"Gee thanks," Switch said, easing himself back down. He was silent for a moment and then smirked, "but I suppose this is every guys dream huh?"

Star sighed, "And that would be?"

"Waking up with a girl on either side, whole body aching," he swirled his tongue around his lips and raised his eyebrows.

Star scowled. "You're so immature."

"Right, so you're saying you've never caused Mush any 'bodily harm'?"

"As a matter of fact-!" Star interjected, but Switchcut her off.

"Yeah, yeah, I know, you're all about the soft and sensual, got it,"

Star huffed indignantly.

Wincing a little, Switch began feeling his ribs on one side, checking for anything out of the ordinary. As his hand moved up he lifted his shirt, revealing a muscular torso. Star couldn't help but stare.

"Ahem," Switch fake-coughed, however it turned into a real one and he cried out in pain as hecurled, defeated, into a fetal position.

"Don't flatter yourself," Star said. She rolled over, wincing slightly herself and tried to get some more sleep.

---

"Hey Jack!" Blink andMush called as they ran to catch up with Jack.

"Hey," Jack answered, "how's sellin'?"

Blink andMush exchanged looks. Jack sighed. He wasn't doing too good either.

"Erm, yeah, well, down to business," Blink said, he shifted his weight nervously.

"What's up?" Jack asked curiously.

"Ya know how Mouse isn't doing so good?" Mush began.

"Yeah..." Jack answered.

"Well..." Blink began.

"Spit it out will ya!" Jack said impatiently.

"Well, you've seen the ads for that medicine stuff... that uke-o-lip-tis stuff," Blink said, trying to sound out the word.

"Yeah, I've heard of it," Jack said. Where was this going?

"Well, supposedly it helps with breathing, and well, that might be a good thing to have around for Mouse," Blink explained.

"And if we need to we can give it to Star," Mush added quickly, not about to let his girl be left out, "... and... Switch," he added.

"How about we don't give any to Switch," Jack said, seething.

"Ease up, he saved Star," Mush said.

Jack shrugged. "Hold on... wait... doesn't this stuff cost a whole bunch of money?" he asked seriously.

There was a moments silence.

"Uh... yea..." Mush said.

"About twenty bucks..." Blink finished.

"Twenty bucks!" Jack errupted, "in case you havn't noticed, none of us have ever had twenty bucks in our entire lives!" Jack turned a complete circle in frustration. Here were Blink and Mush, wasting his time with nonsense while he could be selling paper.

"No kiddin' Jack," Mush said a little coldly.

"The thing is... we weren't exactly plannin' on buyin' it..."

Jack just stared at his pals for a moment. "You're gonna steal it?"

"Come on Jack, this could be Mouse's life on the line here... she's really sick," Blink said. His eyes were deep with worry, Jack could see that. Jack sighed again. He knew even before he said it out loud that he would help them. Blink was right, it was possibly Mouse's life on the line. Jack looked at Blink. And appearantly he wasn't the only one whom Mouse's quiet sweetness had won over. He didn't even know if this medicine stuff would work... but for Mouse, he'd try.

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End of Chapter 4 :.. Please review! I love reviews!

And on that note; thanks a billion to everyone who did review! Chapter 3 reviews below! THANKS!

Resist Gravity:
Good story.
Can't wait for more!

Lady Sorciere:
This is actually for the third chapter, but my stupid compatuer wouldn't let me review for that chapter. Retarded computer! Anyway, this is shaping up nicely. Switch is...intriguing. Sounds like a stalker though. And he's after Mush's girl. Poor Mush. I like the girls, especially Mouse. I am a reader like she is. But I doubt I would sleep through someone yelling "Fire!". Maybe, though. And I don't like Jamie. I have a thind against sluts. Especially sluts going after Spot. He's MINE, I tell you! Sorry. Anyway, update soon. I don't like cliffhangers!
Seize the Day!

madmbutterfly713
Oh, who/what started the fire? Update soon!

Garen Ruy Maxwell:
Wow. You're killing me. This is a seriously good story.

NewsieGoil1899:
Good job. I like it. Sorry I forgot to review the last chapter. Got side tracked. I really liked both chapters though. It is a very good story thus far. Update soon, heh? If ya don't... I'll sic da Delancy Bruddah's on ya! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA-cough cough- I'm okay! -cough- AHAHAHAHAHAHA!
--Truth.Truth like a blazing fire.An eternal flame.--
--GiNnY--