A/N: I know you're probably confused but I'm going for the reader only knows as much as the main character thing and the main character is very confused so…..Yeah. Things will get explained later, oh and one more thing. I know the real strike didn't go like it did in the movie but let's pretend it did ok. Sorry forgot to tell you I was going on Vacation and wouldn't be updating for a week. Sorry.

Chapter 3

            "Um ya clothes are a little weihd," Riley reminded me. I realized that jeans weren't a common thing in the 'newsie era'. Shucks. John's bob the builder outfit wouldn't go over well either.

            "Well do you know where we could some clothes?" I asked.

            "I know a cheap place if that's what ya mean," he replied.

            I pulled out my wallet and found I had more cash on me than I had thought; two fives a twenty and a few quarters. Hmm inflation was going to be helpful.

            "We should stop theah foist before heading ta de lodgin' house. We'ah not supposed ta have goils in de dorm but I can sneak ya in and don't woiry if I tell de boys not ta touch ya dey won't." Riley informed me while leading me towards the door.

            I wanted more than anything else in the world that when he opened the he'd disappear and everything would be normal but it wasn't. Not that I had anything against Riley he was a sweet and very attractive boy but he was from the 'newsie era' and it was a little creepy.

            John clung to me as we walked down stairs he was getting very tired and would in minutes be begging to go to bed. John was that kind of little boy; if he was tired enough then he'd ask to go to bed.

            Stepping out onto the cobble stone street with me own to feet was the final confirmation that this was real, although it was still sinking in. Riley took my hand to lead me through the dark streets. The street lamps didn't give off half as much light as they did in 2003. His touch sent butterflies through my stomach and I had to begin chanting mentally again.

            I wished that Adam was here because he was much better cure for 'hot-guy-itis' than just chanting his name. John was a comfort though. Having someone I knew helped considerably when I was in a foreign time. I knew that I'd have to find someone to watch him while I tried to find a job. My money despite the amount wouldn't last long.

            "Do ya have any money?" Riley asked looking over his shoulder at me.

            "Some," I replied.

            "If ya don't have enough den I can loan ya some,"

            "Thanks but I think it'll be fine,"

            "It ain't foreign right?"

            "Foreign? I was born and raised USA," I replied sharply and realized my accent from spending most my elementary and middle school years in the Seattle area must sound fairly foreign to him.

            "Oh," he replied. "Ya ain't from New Yawk den?"

            "Yeah I'm from," I paused not sure what year it was and if Seattle had been founded yet. "Out west."

            "Like California and dere?" he asked stopping and looking around.

            "Naw, that's more the southern part, I'm a north west girl."

            "Like Oahgan and Washin'ton?"

            "Yeah actually Washington," it was relieving to know that my home state existed. I was known to pose gangster in pictures with the west side sign. I was born in the south east but moved thank goodness up to my home state of Washington. I nearly died when I was informed that I was moving from the west to the east, but then I was informed of that the move was to New York and I could deal with that. I being a hard core Newsies fan and all. Then it dawned on me, Seattle was a city before Washington had become a state. "Seattle to be exact." Not quite but just saying Seattle covered all the small cities around it.

            "Dis is it," Riley informed me opening the door for me.

            There was a young woman about twenty manning the front desk. She was reading a small book – Moby Dick. I recognized it at once and figured I could pull off conversation about it even though I hadn't read it or seen the movie but I knew the plot.

            Riley released my hand and I was disappointed for a moment then started chanting again. He walked up to the counter and I followed close behind. John was almost asleep in my arms and was getting quite heavy. I set him down on the counter reliving my arms of the little boy's weight.

            "Dese two need new clothes," Riley said.

            "Do they have money?" She replied not even looking up from her book.

            Riley turned to me and I pulled out my wallet.

            "How much?" I needed to be careful with my limited amount of money.

            "What do you want?" The girl looked up at me and sighed heavily.

            "I guess I need a dress and he needs a full outfit,"

            "Alright, cheap or nice?"

            "In between," I decided.

            "Alright that'll be about $5.00, you can pay when they're done though,"

            "When will they be done?" Riley asked impatiently and I realized it was like 10:00 or so. He probably had to get up early to do whatever it was that he did for money.

            "I could start now and draft Nicole to help but just for you," she said smiling at Riley. The two obviously knew each other but just as friends. I could tell by the type of smile she was giving him. You know what I mean.

            Yes so then the clerk pulled up part of the counter and motioned for us to follow her. She led us into a small room full of cloth and such things needed for making dresses. Then she went up the stairs to our left and was up for no more than a few minutes before returning with a younger version of herself leaving me to assume Nicole was her younger sister.

            Nicole had the same features as her assumed older sister lengthy and thin with a small nose and a quaint face. The only real difference I could detect besides the height and age difference was that Nicole had straight auburn hair and her sister curls.

            "Thanks Stephanie," Riley replied as the two girls got to work.

            "Any preference in color?" Nicole asked as she walked over to me. It seemed that Stephanie was going to take care of John and Nicole would help me. Stephanie confirmed this by taking John from me and beginning the measuring.

            "Blue," I replied. She nodded and assessed the clothes I was wearing. Which were a pair of blue jeans and a light blue shirt with my signature monkey on it.

            After measuring me, which was quite the adventure after shopping at the mall all my life, she picked up a roll of light blue fabric which suited me just fine. She looked to me for approval and I smiled.

            It took about an hour and a half before the dress was done to moderate perfection. John was returned to me in a red plaid shirt with grey trousers along with blue suspenders and vest. He was adorable and half asleep. Stephanie handed me a little grey newsie hat.

            "What kind of clothes are those?" Nicole asked as I bundled them up under my arm.

            I was at a loss of words. Completely didn't know what to say.

            "Don't know I found them on the street and they fit so I wore them. You know we were cold and they were there kinda thing," I said after several moments of hesitation. Completely made it up on the spot and Riley was giving me a funny look. The girls nodded.

            I knew why he was giving me a funny look. There was clearly something about me that said to him I'd never been that cold in my life, but he let me slide. I was sure he was completely confused about me by now.

            "Alright, that'll be $5.25" Stephanie said holding out her hand.

            I pulled out my wallet and something finally hit me. I hadn't even thought of it before now. I had brand new bills and state quarters. I hesitated a bit before handing her a five and a North Carolina. She accepted them at first then looked them over.

            "What are ya trying to pull?" she asked studying the money more closely. "What is this some kind of forgery?"

            "Umm," that was all I could get out.

            "We only take real money here," Stephanie shoved the money back in my hands.

            "Could we make a trade?" I asked thinking to what the girls in stories did in this kind of situation. "I have something worth $7.50."

            "What kind of thing?" Stephanie asked carefully.

            I reached down and pulled of the anklet I had gotten not to long ago from claires. It was from claires so it was bond to break sooner or later. I really hoped it wouldn't.

            "One of a kind," I half lied. In the future there was hundreds just like it probably.

            Stephanie examined the silver chain carefully. The little leaves dangling from it with such intricate detail for this time period seemed to catch her eye.

            "Deal," Stephanie decided.

            "Alright," I replied turning to leave. "Thanks,"

            "Thanks," Nicole called after us.

            "Bye Spot," Stephanie called as we stepped through the door.

            Riley went beet red. I stopped dead in my tracks. My grip on John loosened it shock for a second then I came to and tightened my grip on the sleeping boy.

            "Spot, a-a-a-a-as in Spot-Spot Conlon, li-li-like, like B-B-Bro-Brooklyn Spot Conlon," I stuttered in complete and utter awe.

~~~~****~~~~****~~~~

A/N:Hehehe I forgot to describe John. If I do it again just tell me and describe them at the end of the next chapter probably.

            Anyway John is a small boy for his age. About three feet tall with curly blonde hair and big brown eyes. He has a baby face naturally because he is only three and a half. He's chuby only because he has baby fat and once he grows out of it he will be quite thin I therorise.