Disclaimer- I do not own Newsies

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They looked around the familiar room; touching objects here and there. A comb…a mirror…they ran their hands along soft pillows and blue blankets. It all seemed hazy, or dusty…as if a film was covering either their eyes or all the objects in the room. It was familiar, but different. They hadn't been here in a long time.

Skittery stroked a photograph, running his hands slowly over the edges. The girls' faces beamed up at him, cheerful and smiling at whoever held the camera. Some were laughing, their arms thrown carelessly over one another's' shoulders. Others sat in front of the group, patiently baring the bunny ears their friends made behind them. They were obviously all friends. To him, the faces were familiar, yet changed somehow. The photograph was crisp and bright- new.

"Something's changed", he finally turned around to face the others. Racetrack looked up from the stack of cards he had been looking at. His face had a careful, guarded expression, as he fingered one card- the Queen of Hearts.

"She used to play with me" he said simply. He looked down at the card again, than let it drop to the floor. It spun slowly, twirling the face back and forth. Finally it came to rest on the rug, face down.

Jack sat down quietly on the bed. A heavy movement, that forced the bed to give way with little protest. He knew the bed quite well- he had sat there for hours upon hours, chatting with the other Newsies…and…he turned away, letting the thought go. He didn't want to remember. But against his will, his gaze turned back to the spot, as if drawn to a magnet. He stared at the chair…an old, worn, deep blue thing, with comfy armrests. The desk- an simple wooden construction, with a lamp, papers and books piled everywhere, and pictures taped all over it. The computer- it's blue, silent glow outlining and drawing him to the whole focal point and purpose of the room-the one who had brought them here. The girl.

The others joined him, silently gathering and ranging behind him in a group- a single unit, uniform in thought and purpose.

"It's time." David whispered. As if on cue, she spun around suddenly, eyes and smile flashing a happy greeting –just like the old times. For a moment, their hearts leapt with hope, perhaps, perhaps, unlike the others, they would be lucky…

But then they plummeted all the further, down into darker depths, as her eyes clouded over, and she looked at them in confusion. She shook her head once, than spoke, "For a second I thought you guys had disappeared. Why the long faces? Come on, sit down" she turned back to the computer, anticipating the usual chatter and jokes. But he Newsies sat down without a word, still staring at her.

"What is it?" she snapped impatiently. She blinked as they seemed to flicker a moment, than she sat down on the bed in the middle of them. 'What's happening in Newsie land" she said lightly, leaning against Racetrack, throwing her arm against David, and resting her foot on Blink's knee.

To her surprise, none of them threw her off or play-wrestled her, nor tried to push her off the bed. "They told us this was the last time." Blink said finally, unable to meet her eyes. Spot looked up from the string he had been knotting, and added, "We came to say good-bye."

"What?" she jumped up, eyes panicked. "You can't go, I won't let you" She grabbed Crutchy's crutch and hugged in. "You're my muses, I wont allow it." She sniffed and gave them a smile, waiting for the "Gotcha."

Mush gave her a small smile and helped her up, than gave her a hug. She sniffed the usual smells of old New York City on him- the ink, the sweat- not usually pleasant, but right now they were as comforting as an old dog. She hugged him tight as he said, "You're growing up now. We can't visit you any more. You're growing past us."

"I'll never grow past you" she protested stoutly. "You're my first obsessions, I can't forget you." They said nothing, but looked at her.

Racetrack finally spoke up, "That's what we thought too. But it's already happening. You can't see it, you can't stop it."

David nodded, "You have to grow up, everyone does. Just make something of your life."

She stared at them, about to become angry, but then the doorbell rang. "Wait a second" she said stiffly. She marched out, head held high. In the distance they could hear chatter and laughter. At first there was just the murmur of two voices, but then it became more and more. The Newsies all looked out, eyes recognizing those who could no longer see them. This girl was the last, the most reluctant of them all.

The group of girls entered, behind their girl, the one who loved blue. They all sat around the computer, still giggling and laughing. Their girl no longer saw them, and they feel the world get a little darker. Time was running out.

"I hope that wasn't our last" Jack said sadly.

Skittery shook his head, "We were promised…a real goodbye. They promised us."

They waited patiently, watching. Every once and a while the room would flicker, but the girls didn't seem to notice it; they were busy gushing over something or another on the computer. Suddenly, from the back of their group, a hiss was heard. Heads turned, and they quickly backed up to the wall as a new bunch of people entered. These were bigger, taller men. They were handsome and rugged, so real that for a second the newsies thought they were people. But than they recognized the tell-tale glow of fictional characters, fresh from Fiction land.

Spot glared and moved forwards, fists at the ready. But they brushed right through him, ignoring the wisp that the newsies had all become.

"We're done" Blink said, holding Spot back. "It's no use."

The newsies all calmed, than turned to stare at the girls, who were greeting the new arrivals enthusiastically. For a second, she turned and looked at them eyes lonely and confused.

"Good-bye" They all said. Then they were gone, forever dissolved into nothing- perhaps they would return, perhaps not. Whichever way it turned out, it would be a long, long time.