Special A/N: The character of "Sketch" was loaned to me ever so graciously by mushluver4ever, and is the sole property of her. All other original characters are my own creation, and all characters from Newsies are the sole property of Disney, and I hope they don't sue me. :)
The awkward-looking foursome made the trek back to Brooklyn's lodging house in good spirits, giggling half the way about Catch's inability to catch herself. They were all so happy they hardly noticed their surroundings, and that it was nearly dark by the time they reached the doorstep of what Penny and Elise now called home.
As they paused at the stoop, a short, stocky girl who the girls knew as Sketch poked her head out the door. Smiling in greeting at Penny and Elise, she turned to Skittery and Crutchy. "Jack was here earlier," she said, "he was lookin' for the two o' you. Says Kloppmann ain't gonna be happy if you'se late for curfew again."
"Kloppmann's never been mad at nobody," Skittery replied, and grinned. "Thanks for the warnin', though, Sketch." And he spat in his palm, offering his hand out to her, and she did the same.
Penny grimaced and made a sound of disgust. "I never understood why you do that."
Crutchy laughed. "Pity you don't see our pal Davey around more often. You two'd get along just fine."
As Sketch went back inside, Elise looked around cautiously. Assured that the coast was clear, she leaned in close to Crutchy. "So, I'm dying to know, because everybody's been talking about it. What happened with Catch and Racetrack that was so bad?"
"See, funny thing," Crutchy said, leaning against the railing and putting on his story-telling face. "It wasn't that big of a deal at first, but Catch made it one. She was Jack's girl for a couple'a months there, but she was always makin' eyes at Racetrack and whatnot. Anyhow, one day she decides to just go for broke an' she kisses him, and Jack walks in and is about ta lay into Racetrack, but Racetrack hauls off an' just decks Catch, square in the kisser." He chuckled at his own joke. "She's been the laughin' stock of Manhattan ever since."
As Crutchy elaborated on the unfortunate (but hilarious) saga of Catch, Skittery led Penny away from the stoop, saying he needed to talk to her "in private."
"Is everything okay, Skittery?" Penny leaned against the cold brick wall, trying to read Skittery's face, which was half-hidden by dusk.
"Hmm? Yeah, yeah, everything's fine." Skittery laughed nervously, taking off his cap and scratching his head. "How're you doin' out here? You like Brooklyn okay?"
"I like it just fine. Well, except for Catch. But I'll get used to her." She smiled and shrugged, as if to remove the problem like a weight from her shoulders. "You didn't pull me away from Crutchy and Elise just to ask me if I like Brooklyn, did you?"
"Well, uh..." he removed his cap again, this time fussing with his hair, and replacing it. Penny thought it kind of defeated the purpose, but decided it best not to say anything. "No, not exactly," Skittery said, at length.
"So, what is it? What's going on?"
"See, Penny, the thing is... Ever since I... y'know, in the alley? Well, since then, when you came to the lodging house, I've had... I've felt... you know."
"No. I don't know, Skittery, because you aren't speaking in English." She laughed, and though she could barely see his face, she could see that he looked extremely uncomfortable. "Okay. All joking aside. Tell me what's going on."
"Um." Skittery swallowed, nervously and audibly. "What... what I was tryin' to say was, that since I met you, I've had... let's call it a thing. I've had a thing for you."
"A thing." Penny just looked up, examined the moon, and grinned. "Okay."
"And so..." He looked around, making sure there were no curious newsies listening in. "So I was wondering, if you'd... be my girl?"
She exhaled like she'd just been hit with a sharp blow to the stomach. Standing silent for a few moments, Penny weighed the pros and cons of advancing their relationship. First off, she'd have protection no matter what, with newsies being loyal to their own and those connected, and she'd finally be able to admit to herself what she'd been denying since she'd met Skittery. But then there was the haunting possibility that the McKennon brothers would find out and drag him into this awful mess.
She sighed, closed her eyes. Skittery bit his lip, staring at her for a moment or two, then hung his headand turned to walk away. "Okay, then."
Penny opened her eyes, looking him over. "Yes."
Skittery and Crutchy walked home in the dark, indeed late for curfew, but between Skittery's victory with Penny and Crutchy seeing Elise laugh and smile again, whatever reprimand they would receive would be well worth it. The boys were both so exhausted, both so content that they didn't say a word to one another on the long walk home, and they were okay with that. They were on top of the world tonight.
But what they didn't know was that two pairs of eyes, staying hidden in the shadows, were watching, following them home.
They were just a few blocks over from Duane Street when those eyes stepped out to become bodies. When those bodies stepped into their path.
"Evenin', lads," said the taller boy, in a voice Skittery had never heard before but recognized immediately. "And where could the two o' you be headed, so late at night?"
"Home," Crutchy replied shortly, his elated happiness slowly deflating. The tall boy grinned at him, rotting teeth gleaming sickly yellow in the light of the street lamp.
"You looked pretty well at home with those lady-friends of yours back in Brooklyn." The shorter one finally spoke, smirking self-assuredly. "You'll tell them Frankie and Kenny miss them, won't ya?" As Skittery began to fume, he only chuckled. "Maybe we oughta pay them a little visit soon here."
Skittery balled his hand and raised it to swing, but the taller boy's fist was already in his face. He didn't feel the blow, but heard the sickly crunch as his nose broke and felt the warm gush of blood and tears. Through the blur in front of his eyes, he saw the shorter boy clock Crutchy cleanly in the jaw.
Swinging blindly, the two newsies lunged forward, going for the kill.
A/N: OH SNAP! Hmm. I wonder what's going to happen. Well, I know what's going to happen, but you'll have to wait to find out, won't you? Ha. Okay, anyway. I'm very proud of this chapter. I figured I'd go for broke and start out all mushy and cute and end with someone completely outta left field. Anyhow, I've had this chapter done for about four days, but that damned document manager wouldn't let me upload it. So I'm sorry for the wait. Anyway, I've got some more work to do. And a great big thanks to mushluver4ever! If anyone else has some ladie newsies they'd like to loan me, I will love you forever. So yeah. Please R&R, and enjoy! -Layne