Author Note: I'm deeply sorry for making the last chapter so short, I was very tired. So, here's this one.

I didn't even realize that I had fallen asleep. I woke up to the sound of yelling. I covered my ears to drown out the sound, but that didn't do any good. I groaned and rose from the bed, pressing my ear to the door.

"What did I say 'bout fightin?" I heard Spot growl.

"He started it!" I heard an unfamiliar voice.

"I don't care who started it, youse two know that newsies don't fight each others!"

"Well dats a stupid rule," I heard another voice say. I cracked the door open slightly to see Spot slam a boy against the wall.

"What did youse say?" he said in a deadly voice. The boy gulped,

"I-I was jus' sayin-"

"Dat you don't respect the newsy rules," Spot finished for him. The boy blinked and whimpered,

"I-We is sorry." Spot's eyes were full of anger as he released the boy and glared at the other.

"If I hear that youse two causes anymore trouble then I'll soak ya!" The two boys nodded and ran down the stairs. Spot looked my way and smirked,

"Well its 'bout time youse woke up," he said. I opened the door fully and glared at him,

"Violent much?" He raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms over his chest.

"I told ya, people fear me." I rolled my eyes and proceeded down the stairs.

"So, youse okay now?" I heard Spot say. I stopped and turned towards him,

"I'm fine." I turned back around and saw Splinter entering from the front door.

"Hey, Sage!" He greeted me. I smiled,

"Hey, Splinter. How are you?"

"Great!" Splinter then turned his attention to the Brooklyn leader standing at the top of the stairs.

"I gots some news for ya," Splinter told him. Spot nodded for him to continue.

"It's Jack. He says that he needs t'see ya. I hoid it from a Manhattan newsy." Spot nodded,

"'Round up Dice, Tick, Art and Spark." Spot commanded. Splinter nodded and left.

"Who's Jack?" I asked, turning to Spot. He made his way down the stairs,

"Da head of da Manhattan newsies." I watched him walk out the door, and I followed.

"What does he want with you?" I asked.

"Probably gettin trouble from Harlem again," Spot said. He glanced at me,

"Wanna come?" I smiled,

"Sure." We walked to the docks to find the boys talking amongst themselves. Spot stopped in front of them.

"Where is Art?" he asked.

"I'm here," came a voice behind us. We turned around and came face-to-face with a very attractive boy with honey brown hair and soft hazel eyes. He smiled at me,

"Who's dis?" he asked.

"I'm Sage Matthews," I told him. He held out his hand and I shook it.

"Art. Nice t'meet cha," he said.

"Okay, is everybody here now?" Spot counted the boys,

"Good, let's go!" he demanded. Spot turned and began to walk away, all the boys following after him. I looked around and shrugged, following the boys.

"So's, how did youse end up wit Spot?" came Art's voice.

"What?" I asked.

"Well, youse are his goil, right?" I couldn't help but laugh.

"No, I'm not. I guess we're friends," I told him. He smiled,

"That's good."

We soon came upon the Brooklyn Bridge. Once we got to the middle we saw a beautiful site. The water looked so peaceful as the sun's rays beamed onto it. I smiled to myself as I walked alongside of Splinter.

"Pretty, ain't it?" I heard him say. I nodded, and turned my gaze to Spot's back. He was talking to Spark, his spy. I wonder what they're talking about…I thought to myself. Spark handed Spot something, and Spot studied it closely, but what was it? I didn't have time to find out because I rammed right into someone, sending me to the ground. I looked up to see a dirty looking boy, with a hard expression. He glared down at me.

"Watch where you're going you good for nothing girl!" he growled.

"Dat ain't very polite," came Spot's voice. He walked passed the boy and pulled me to my feet. The other boys stood by him, crossing their arms over their chests as if to protect me. I peered over Spot's shoulder and saw the guy roll his eyes and walk away, muttering incoherent words under his breath.

Splinter immediately turned to me,

"Are youse alright?" he asked. I smiled and nodded, making him blush. Spot nodded and motioned for them to continue walking. I followed, this time watching the people passing by me.

It felt like forever until we reached the end of the bridge. We were now in Manhattan, or so I thought. I studied the buildings, and stores. Everything seemed different from Brooklyn. Everybody dressed differently. It seemed there were more wealthy people here than in Brooklyn. We soon came upon a statue of a man and waited.

I looked around at everything. This place was nice. I heard some laughing and saw a couple of boys walking our way. They were being led by a boy with brown hair, wearing a black cowboy hat. He slid it off and spit into his hand, holding it out to Spot. Spot did the same and shook hands with the boy.

"Heya, Spot. Long time no see," he said. The boys behind him chuckled.

"Yeah, whateva. What did youse need?" Spot asked.

"I'm sure you probably figured it out. Anyways, it's Harlem, causin trouble again," the boy said. Spot nodded and turned to his gang,

"Did any of youse bring yer slingshots?" The boys nodded.

"Alright, Jacky-boy. We'll help youse." The boy I took to be Jack smiled and spit-shook with Spot once again. Jack's boys celebrated by screaming random words such as: "Yeah!" "You go Spot!"

I smiled as Splinter and the others rolled their eyes. Jack's eyes then landed on me.

"So, who's dis Spot?" he asked, referring to me. Spot looked at me.

"Dis is Sage. She's stayin with us," he said. Jack held out his clean hand towards me and I shook it.

"Jack Kelly." He then began to introduce me to his boys.

"Dis is Racetrack, Mush, Kid Blink, David and Les." I smiled and nodded to them.

"Hey, youse forgot 'bout me, you idiot!" came a voice from behind David. Jack laughed as somebody stepped out from behind David and smiled at me.

"I'm Scout," he said. I shook hands with him, but noticed something. This is a guy...? Spot rolled his eyes and walked up to Scout. He smacked him in the head and tore of Scout's cabby hat, revealing beautiful, long, light brown hair that hit her shoulders. Ha, I knew it was a girl.

Scout scowled at Spot and smacked him in the back of the head.

"You always ruin things!" she told him. I laughed as Spot glared at her.

"Well, I guess it doesn't matter since youse already look like a boy…" Scout crossed her arms over her chest.

"I know things, Spot. A lot of things. Things about you." She said. Spot sighed and shook his head,

"Whateva." Scout laughed, and I noticed Jack smiling at her. Hmmm…

"I feel sorry for ya," Scout told me. "You have t'live with me cousin here," she said, pointing at Spot. My eyes grew wide.

"Cousin?" I questioned.

"Yeah, cousin. We is related," Scout said. I looked at Spot to find him glaring at Scout. She just smiled innocently and propped her elbow on Jack's shoulder. She was a bit short, just like Spot. Jack laughed at Spot's expression.

"Anyways, we's need to get down t'business," Jack said. "We is expecting a visit from Harlem tonight, and accordin to Blink dey is lookin for a fight." Spot rolled his eyes,

"What, can't defend yerself?" Jack looked down at Scout,

"I can, but I ain't gonna risk for me newsies to be beat down," he said, probably referring to Scout. Aw, he wants to protect her, I thought. Spot nodded.

"Alright. Boys, go get some pebbles," Spot ordered his newsies. The boys nodded and ran off.

"And Sage, youse is gonna stay in da Manhattan Lodging House until I gets back," Spot told me. Scout rolled her eyes,

"What's wrong, Spot? Don' thinks girls can fight?" Spot glared at her,

"Stay out of dis," he warned her. Jack wrapped an arm around Scout's arm, giving her a friendly smile. He must really like her…Spot noticed this,

"Hey, hey, hey. Don't be gettin too friendly here with me cousin," Spot protected. I raised an eyebrow.

"Shut up, Spot. Jus' because we act like siblings don't mean you have ta put on that big brotha act," Scout defended Jack. I silently laughed.

This should be an interesting night…