A/N: Well, after over a year-long writer's block, here's the next chapter. Lol It's a little on the short side, and I'm sorry for that. But the next chapter should be coming soon! I promise! (Feel free to bug me if it doesn't come soon enough.) Oh, and by the way, I'm too lazy to do the accents anymore, so just pretend they're there.

Same disclaimer as always.

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Different Doorways

Jack Kelly looked around him, slightly stunned as he and the others watched the East Side kids strapping on knives, putting brass knuckles in their pockets, and tugging on their coats and caps. In a few coat pockets, Jack saw the unforgiving gleam of lengths of thick chain. Very few of the newsies carried their traditional weapon of slingshots and sticks, but slowly Jack began to realize why that was. Slingshots and marbles were toy weapons for children. What they were entering into was not going to be child's play, it was a real, full-blown war, and it was going to be a real fight. Not some little squabble between boroughs. This time, there would be casualties – there already had been casualties. Standing in the doorway to the East Side Lodging House, it finally hit Jack and his companions just how serious this fight would be.

"What're you gawking at, Kelly?" the still slightly-high voice of Ashes Nelson, Ivy's younger brother asked. Normally the kid was a sweetheart, but when it came to Jack, he felt no love.

"So many weapons…" Kit Kat commented, her eyes wide in wonder, and fear.

"What did you think we were doing? Going down to the docks for a swim?" a boy named Rival snapped.

"This is war," Ashes stated, a serious, hardened look in his normally playful eyes.

"It just hadn't hit us how serious this is, until now," Jack defended himself, trying to keep his eyes from gazing around him in wonder. Ivy had half a dozen kids in her lodging house, all under the age of eight. Yet even they were being given knives, and quick instructions on how to use them.

"Shouldn't you leave the kids behind?" he asked, seeing fear plainly written across the face of the young Needle.

"No," a voice behind him said. The question had been meant for Phantom, who'd come up just behind Ashes, but it was Gloves who was answering it. "They would just be leaving them to be massacred should Queens win, or if Queens sends out scouting parties while we're fighting. Believe it or not, Cowboy, they're safer with us."

Alleyway nodded behind Gloves, her mouth set in a grim line. "Well come on," she said, "We should get going."

"Yeah," Wicked agreed. "Criss, Ivy, and Bittah won't be able to hold down the fort long. They're in more danger every second we waste."

"How did you know Ivy's gone?" Ashes asked, knitting his brows. Was Kelly spying on them?

"Obvious, isn't it?" Gloves said, smiling slightly. "Ivy's not here. If she was Jack'd have more hell to pay."

Everyone but Jack laughed at that, as Ivy's well-trained boys and girls piled out of the lodging house and onto the streets. There was tension in the air as the kids huddled in a tight not around Phantom. It was obvious that he was in charge of the group while Ivy was away. Jack had often wondered if there was something between the two of them, and it appeared he had his answer.

"Let's go," was all Phantom said to them all before he melted off into the shadows that lead to Brooklyn. The rest of the group following, many of the young ones heading for the shadows and disappearing as well.

"Your boys ready to go Jack?" Ashes asked as he stepped out at a brisk pace. He had grown up with Criss-Cross and Spot, and underneath the stolid, serious mask that birds were taught to put on, Gloves thought he could detect some worry.

"All of mine are, and so are Wicked's. Jack's were getting ready when we left. They're waiting for our signal," Gloves replied for Jack as Alleyway gave him a shove in the right directions.

"Want me to run ahead and tell them to head out?" Alleyway asked, wanting just as much as Ashes to get to Brooklyn quickly.

"Yeah, that'd be a good idea, I think," Gloves replied, taking over control from the group.

"Please, literally run," Ashes pleaded, letting down his wall for an instant, and turning terrified eyes upon Alley.

"I will," she promised, then turned to Wicked and gave him a quick peck. "See you there!" she called out in mock cheeriness as she headed off.

"Be careful!" a worried Wicked called after her, but she never heard him, she was already lost amongst the shadows.

…

An apprehensive Criss-Cross crouched on the roof next to Bittah, watching some of Trigger's boys police the area. She didn't know what they were searching for, but she knew that whatever it was wasn't' good. They were a half a block from the lodging house, but they couldn't go any further until the search-party had left.

Creeping along the rooftop, Criss-Cross stepped lightly onto the fire escape, then nimbly jumped to the next one. "Where are you going?" Bittah hissed behind her, following silently. "Are you trying to get us killed?"

"Spot said in his note that he'd be at Aunt Helen's," Criss-Cross replied, scurrying silently across the next rooftop. "And I'll bet anything that's what Trigger's boys are trying to find."

"So that's where we're going?"

"Not precisely."

However, where they were going, Bittah would never find out, because at that instant someone jumped out of the shadows, hissing at Criss-Cross and piercing her through with an amber-eyed gaze.

"Now just who the hell do you think you are?" the person demanded.

Criss-Cross's attention did not revert to the stranger, instead it focused on an opening doorway a few blocks away.

"I was wondering when you'd show up Ivy…"

…

A/N: Yeah. It's short, and there's not a lot of action. Okay, more like, not any action. But hey, it's building up. And also, I'm planning on going back and editing all the other chapters, so that they'll be in better shape soon. Please, as always, review.

Spot: Review a I'se'll soak yas!

Spot! I know you've been silent a year, but BE POLITE for goodness sakes.

And now…For the Shout Outs!

Shout Outs to all those of you wonderful people who reviewed so very long ago!

Bittah: Ah, my dear old friend. I miss talking to you babe. And I missed Sick and Twisted. Right more on it dangit! Oh, btw, this chapter was all for you…Well, mostly because you inspired me to write again, my little muse. And don't worry. Next chapter there WILL be action.

Kryscrossed: I do hope that the over-a-year-long suspense hasn't killed you, and that you don't hate me for taking so long to write the next chapter. I mean, I wrote it at least, right!

Air: Ah, um…I feel bad. I promised that. And you all reviewed. But I never updated…Bad me! Anyway, I promise the next update will come faster this time!

Angelfish7: Yes. I'm definitely going to do it now. I'll send out a casting call when I get closer to actually starting it and decide how many characters I'll need. I also have another idea for a story about Ivy and Spot, but it wouldn't be set in the past, it'd be in the current day. And anyway, there was supposed to be a surprise in this chapter, but it's been moved until next chapter. Lol

Skater: Once again I must give the guilty smile as I say I'm sorry for not updating sooner. I just hope you don't hate me!

Betchya OConnor: Well, um, I kinda had a long long writers block. That's kinda why I didn't update. I'm glad you're hooked though! Cuz there's more on the way!

Jas: I'm glad you like the story, and I hope you continue reading.

See you all in the next chappie!

Criss and Spot