A/N: Okay, as usual, I meant to have this up ages ago, and I just never managed to get it done. However, the next chapter's actually almost done, and it should be going up really soon, so watch out for it.
My usual disclaimer that I do not own Newsies, nor do I own the characters in it, Disney does.
Chapter Thirty-Eight: Ready to Fight
The night had grown dark as midnight drew near, but the windows of the Duane Street Lodging House shone eerily with light. Alleyway was still moments away from her destination when someone else approached the house. A tall boy with deep brown eyes, weathered skin from being outdoors, and sun-streaked hair stepped up to the lodging house, and raised his hand to knock on the door.
Something was weighing on him, and he changed his mind at the last second, letting his hand fall lightly against the door, his knuckles resting on the hard wood grain. But even the little noise it made against the door was enough to rouse the nerves of the lodging house, and as he turned to go, a lock was turned, and the door squeaked open a crack.
A bright blue eye and a slice of pale skin was all that could be seen through the door, and with it came a quivering female voice, demanding, "Who's there?"
With a sigh, the boy turned back to face the door and stated, "I'm looking for Criss-Cross Conlon."
"Yah've missed 'er," the girl replied, her New York accent stark against his unaccented words.
They stood in silence for a moment, but then the girl asked, "D-do you want to come in?"
He nodded, and the door opened to reveal a short teenage beauty wearing only a thinning petticoat, and a simple white chemise. It became increasingly obvious to the boy that he had interrupted something as he looked around the room. There were a few tangled blankets on the floor, clothes thrown carelessly everywhere, and a boy pulling a pair of suspenders up over his bare shoulders.
"Vice," the girl said, turning to the other boy. "Go get Gip and Specs will ya?"
Jack had put Specs in charge of the Lodging House while he was gone. The other boy, clearly Vice, nodded and went off up the stairs.
"I'm Dan by the way," the visitor said quietly.
"Ya ain't got a nickname?" the girl asked, her mussed blonde curls bouncing slightly.
"No, I guess I don't," he said, slightly confused. "Should I?"
"I dunno," the girl admitted. "I guess I'm just kinda used to everyone having one. Y'know? Like, I'm Curls. See. That's a nickname."
"It's nice to meet you, Curls," Dan said, holding out his hand to her.
"Nice ta meet ya too," Curls replied, spitting into her hand and shaking his, then giggling girlishly at the disgusted look on his face.
"You're disgusting," spat a girl at the top of the stairs, shoving Vice away as she stormed down. She was followed by a thin boy in spectacles, and Dan guessed that they were Gip and Specs.
"Get back upstairs Vice," Specs said, annoyed.
"My god..." said Gip, looking at Curls in horror and disgust, then, shaking her head, she exploded, "We're about to go to war and you-"
"You too Curls," Specs interrupted her. "Get upstairs. And for God's sake get some clothes on!"
Curls giggled girlishly again and shot Specs a sultry look, but grabbed her skirt from one corner, her shirt from the other, and headed up the stairs.
"It looks like I came at a bad time," said Dan, turning towards the door. He'd come so far, and just now was getting cold feet.
"Who are you anyway?" Gip snapped, still miffed.
"I'm...a friend of...I'm Dan..." he finally managed to say rather lamely.
"And what are you doing here?" Gip demanded.
"I'm...I'm..."
"Spit it out!"
"I'm looking for Criss-Cross. She's a good friend of mine. Or, was a good friend of mine at least…She headed up our lodging house in Colorado."
"Criss-Cross is in Brooklyn," Specs said kindly, realizing Dan might not understand.
"What does that mean?" Dan asked.
"It means that you've probably lost all chance of ever seeing her again," Gip said, easing off a little.
"What? But that can't be. Criss-Cross is too tough to--"
"Is everyone ready to go?" Alleyway interrupted as she burst through the door.
Specs nodded in response and gave walked to the stairs, shouting, "Let's go!"
"I'm sorry you made the trip for nothing," Gip apologized as kids began to pour down the stairs, a nervous tension running through each and every one of them.
"You can come along and fight if you want," Specs said.
"Sure," Dan replied softly as he moved with the mass of kids out the door.
What seemed like a world away, in Brooklyn, Criss-Cross laughed.
"Ivy Nelson..." she said as though feeling the words out with her tongue. It had been a long time since she'd said the name, and it felt unfamiliar. Her gaze was still fixed upon the opening door of Aunt Helen's house, and worry was ripping through her heart. There was no way to tell who was coming out, and all of Trigger's boys were too close for her to safely move closer to see. Her heart was telling her it was Spot in that door, but her heart was saying just to wait. Whoever was opening the door had stopped and turned back to say something, and each second felt like an eternity as she wait, muscles tensed, ready to spring into action.
"I don't even get a hello?" Ivy asked, faking a pout as she looked Bittah up and down.
"Forgive for being so rude, but I'm..." Criss-Cross suddenly stopped mid-sentence as she recognized the figure of her brother coming out of the door, right before a gang of Trigger's boys, headed by Griff, surrounded him.
"Hiya Spottie," Griff's sneering voice floated up to the girls.
"Shit..." muttered Criss-Cross, her voice echoing Spot's far below.
A/N: Not my best in my opinion, but I had writer's block, so what can you expect? Did anyone remember Dan? From the like 3rd or 4th chapter? If you did, major bonus points to you!
Shout Outs:
Skater: I'd never forget about you all. I just get horribly busy…Anyway, do you hate me now for this long wait? I do, however, promise the next chappie VERY soon. I'm hoping to finish it tonight in between homework and more homework.
Bittah: You finally updated, and I finally updated! Aren't we quite a pair! Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter…It's kind of boring, pointless, and stupid, but I had to through something in there. Besides, there's LOTS of action in the next few chapters, so hopefully they'll make up for just how bad and short this one is. Wow, I don't think I've ever read the whole thing in one sitting. I really need to though. But it's just so darn long…
Betchya O'Connor: It's completely fine that you were harsh, though, I don't remember you being harsh. Sometimes I do need a little meanness to prod me into a new chapter. Or some guilt. And sorry it's taken so horrifically long for me to update again, I'm such a bad girl about updating…This happens with all of my stories, I get right up to the climax, and then suddenly just stop writing the story. Maybe I have some fear of climaxes….Who knows? Anyway, I'm determined to struggle through this one, so just hang in there with me.
Midnight: Heya girl. How're you? I'm really glad that you like my story. I've worked hard on it in the year plus that I've been writing it. Personally I think the middle chapters are the best, my writing was too abrupt in the beginning, and it's just too dry now I think, but I'm determined to at least finish the story.
SpotsDiamond: Wow, you all make me feel so guilty because you say "I can't wait for more" and then I make you wait, and wait, and wait for more. But I promise that you will get at least the next chapter very soon, and I'm so glad that you're enjoying my little, or, rather, long, story here. I hope you continue reading and reviewing.
Krys: Yeah. I know, that last chapter was really short, and so's this one. I tried to make it longer, but it just didn't happen. It's too weird of a chapter, but the next chapter should be exciting and longer as well, because next chapter really hits the climax. And trust me, if you can't remember it, you should try being me. I barely remember some of the things that have happened before, and I constantly have to go back and reference them because they were so terribly long ago. It makes it really hard to write on occasion…
Bryna: Yeah, I'm terribly sorry about all the names. They confuse me too a lot of the time. But, well, I did a casting call for parts, and I got a LOT of characters for this, and, unfortunately, some of them had really similar names, like Striker and Skater, or Vice and Ice. It gets a let crazy for me sometimes too. Anyway, I'm glad you're enjoying it.
Now, a very Merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight!
(I just felt like saying that…Hey, it should be Christmas since I just posted a new chappie, right!)
Criss