A/N: I wanted to get all my ideas in one while I have time, but since I had time for it, why not? I thought at first with orphans writing the comics (you'll see some of that) that the 2014 Annie would just be from them, but an idea from earlier ("Unending Trust") hit me, I'd done a bit of thinking on the Jackie Robinson thing, and I thought, why not? I hope you enjoy all of mine. This might go to movies eventually, though it's really both. Also, my great uncle did the same thing – calling all new tech "machines" after maybe 2000 – I have Molly doing here.

It's Like A Time Machine!

Chapter One - Uniting the Generations

Annie Bennett, soon to be Annie Stacks, broke into song as she studied her cell phone. "An eagle starts with E. An eagle starts with E. Here are some other words that start with letter E. Elbow ear and eye. End and edge do, too. Watch out for silent E, it plays a trick on you." She chuckled a little, showing her shiny white teeth.

"From what I heard," a young lady said as she sat in a seat beside her in Will Stacks' mansion, "I could tell you'd probably really take to learning through music."

Annie blushed. She was eleven, yet was only now learning to read; something she knew most little kids were learning by age five, if not sooner.

"Hey, don't feel bad. With Old School Sesame Street, you would have had a lot more fun watching it and learning," the woman, named Liz, joked.

"Maybe. Did you hear how I'd always do my book reports as dramas and acting?"

"I did. I brought someone I thought you'd like to meet. Come here, Grandma Molly," Liz said.

Molly, a still spry woman of almost 87, who still lived at home albeit with Liz and her family, walked over from where she'd been examining Will Stacks' cell phone tower display. "Lizzy told me your adoptive dad has lots of fancy machines."

Annie raised an eyebrow. "Machines?"

"Grandma Molly gets so overwhelmed by all this new stuff. She calls everything a machine – a cell phone, a GPS, a computer…" Annie smiled knowingly and nodded.

"The only thing you don't have yet is a time machine," Molly declared.

Liz looked lovingly at Molly. "Hearing your stories is just like having one, Grandma." Back to Annie, Liz shared: "Grandma Molly spent a couple years in an orphanage back in the early '30s. That's where they learned those songs I taught you to help you start learning your letters and how to recognize sounds."

Annie was only half interested till Molly spouted: "We had to learn ourselves. All Miss Hannigan did was yell at us or drink."

Annie perked up and sat up straight. "Wait; Hannigan? She wouldn't happen to have had… oh, must be granddaughter by now, named Colleen, would she?"

"Well, back then I think even Miss Hannigan would have avoided having kids till she was married. Plus, she hated kids; especially orphans. Now, if her brother Rooster had…" Molly paused. "Wait, how much do you know about-?"

"Oh, come on, I'm a street kid, I know everything about what goes on," Annie said, showing just a little defensiveness.

Liz put a hand on Annie's shoulder. "Annie, nobody's judging you one way or the other. It's okay to just say you know."

"Yeah, you're right. Sorry. I guess it is a lot different from when you grew up. I'm still teachin' Mr. Stacks about my city; where the poor people live," Annie said of her part of New York.

"I've talked to him quite a bit; he did hire me, after all. It sounds like he's learning," Liz said.

"Yeah." She looked up at Molly. "You mean none of you went to school? How'd you do it?"

"One of my friends was Duffy Duncan; well, Duncan was her stage name. I don't know if you've heard of her or not." Annie shook her head. "She died a few years ago, but she had such great talent. Even before I was born – I got to the orphanage at age four – when she got there she was already dancing and singing a lot. She was seven years older than me. She lived with her Nona – that's her grandma, maybe her great grandma – till she was three, her parents had died earlier."

Annie turned abruptly toward Liz. "You don't mind if I kinda skip the reading lessons today and listen to this, do you?"

"It's why I brought her, Annie." Liz thought that reading Duffy's first book, "Dancing Trough Raindrops," might be a fun goal for later, if Annie was as into music as she seemed. She wouldn't mention that for now, though; she didn't want to appear to have ulterior motives. She wanted this to be fun for her student.

"Thanks. So, this wasn't just a home one woman ran, right? If she didn't like kids, how'd she get a license?"

Molly leaned forward. "Miss Hannigan got her job through politics. Something called Tammany Hall. It was a group that ran the city's hiring a lot back then."

Annie rolled her eyes. "Somehow I knew politics would be involved. I'm glad Mr. Stacks got out of that racket."

"I heard about that. Anyway, there were other workers there, too. It was a big building. Once Oliver Warbucks bought the place from the city, my sister Annie and I – we were adipted together - ran it as Warbucks Home for Girls and Boys for a long time. When we ran it, it was a lot more like a home even when it was an orphanage."

"Is it still around? I'd kind of like to see that," Annie said.

"Sure, we could go there; it's a specialty home now, private as always but we work with the foster care system. Anyway, I'm sure you can imagine orphanages are generally sad places, but some are very caring. George Mueller's in England tried to be two centuries ago, and we modelled ours after that. But before, when it was just the Hudson Street Municipal Orphanage, well, it wasn't very fun. But, there were other workers. A cook, a few house mothers… one in particular named Miss Kathy had a teaching license…"

As Annie listened, she understood what Liz had meant, as she felt like she was transported back in time over 90 years, to mid-1923…

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Miss Kathy Harmont, the main house mother of the orphanage Duffy was in, made sure they had some happy times. However, it was quite hard. Her employer, Miss Agatha Hannigan, wasn't there often during the Roaring Twenties. When she was, Miss Kathy could smell trouble. Sometimes it was the attitude, which showed complete contempt for Miss Kathy and a dislike of orphans, period. Sometimes it was the alcohol on Miss Hannigan's breath.

1920s New York City saw the mortality rate drop fast because of better sanitation, but it couldn't help Duffy's dad, who died in the third wave of Spanish Flu around when Duffy was born. Her mother died around a year later. A very elderly (for the time) relative raised her, but finally got too sick to do so. She could barely move toward the end.

Old friends came and helped with the basics while she could encourage little Duffy to dance and sing as well as a child of around three could. Duffy learned that brought praise and attention. Finally, that relative was near death, and Duffy was placed in Miss Hannigan's orphanage.

"This a Gideon?" a sweet little girl a few months younger than Duffy asked. The girl, for reasons that confused Duffy, had two names.

"It's from the Gideons." Miss Kathy held the New Testament the Gideons had given them. They had last placed one there well over a decade earlier, and figured that it was getting pretty old. So, they had put another there. Miss Hannighn would never read it, but Miss Kathy hoped the girls would. "It says God loves you. Even though you're an orphan, someone will always love you."

The girl, several months younger than Duffy, opened it. It was one of those Bibles with pictures. "Who's that?" she asked.

"That's Jesus. He's God and came to Earth to show His love." Kathy knew that, as her age, the girl didn't need a long explanation of how – just a simple answer of who it was.

"Does He got another name, too?"

Miss Kathy held the little girl on her lap. It was close to her third birthday. "You're thinking of how Miss Hannigan just named you after the month you were dropped off, July. And, I gave you the name Kate, didn't I?" She paused for a moment. "Yes, Jesus has other names, too. One of His names is the Light of the World."

As they continued talking, Duffy came in. "Look what I can do, Miss Kathy." She got on her tip toes and began slowly turning with her arms out wide. She fell down once, then got up and did it again. The three-year-old kept trying to twirl, even though she stumbled.

Miss Kathy clapped. "Bravo! You are so good at that, Duffy."

"Will Duffy get another name?" July – it's easier to use that name till much later for continuity's sake - asked.

"No, July. You're just special. Just like everyone's special in some way," Miss Kathy said. Kathy supposed it was possible, but wanted to keep Duffy from worrying. Among Duffy's first words – after hearing Miss Hannigan and Miss Kathy argue about July's name, soon after Duffy came – was to ask sadly, "Will I get a new name? I like Duffy."

Another worker walked in carrying a baby girl of about six months old. There was a very small wing with babies, this one, and an older girls' wing. As they aged out, though, over the next few years this wing would become the older girls' wing and, eventually, the only wing.

"Miss Hannigan thought it best if Annie moved in here. It's been several months since her parents dropped her off. Sure, they left the note and half a locket, but still…" The half locket was around the baby's neck.

"Let me guess – Miss Hannigan said that in a snarky, derisive way," Miss Kathy said as the worker sat and cuddled the baby.

July ran over to her. "Hi, Annie," she said sweetly as she sat next to the worker. She rubbed Annie's back and talked sweetly. Since Annie could sit up by then, the worker let July hold her in her lap.

"Duffy, go over and sing to her. You have such a pretty voice," Miss Kathy said.

Duffy did as she was told. She'd kept to herself at first, just going off to the side and practicing dance moves or singing. Duffy had naturally started doing that there for attention, just as she had back when her Nona had been able to care for her.

The workers under Miss Hannigan loved to encourage her – especially Miss Kathy. As three-year-old Duffy sang the ABCs, baby Annie smiled – she loved following along whenever someone sang, and would soon be trying to mimic the noises.

"We could have our own little group of singers in here," the worker said. Nobody had any idea how prophetic – and necessary – that would become.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

"So, let me guess," eleven-year-old Annie said back in the present. "Everyone but Miss Hannigan got let go 'cause of the Depression."

"That's right Miss Kathy was the last – and she just volunteered her last year or so, on nights and weekends during the school year." Molly said. She became a little quieter. "If you don't mind my asking, how old were you when you got placed?"

"I was four."

"I was four when I got put in there." Molly spoke more, hoping that this would help to develop a bit of a bond with Annie, but noticed something was wrong.

"I know it's probably hard to think about losing your parents," Liz said.

"That and… well, you're so old. I don't want to lose more people I care about," Annie muttered.

"I know, you want to stay confident. That Annie in the story was just like you; really positive, direct, and, probably just as streetwise as you," Molly said. "And, the best thing is, even though we lost her last year, I know I'll see her again," Molly added.

"How come?" Annie asked.

"'Cause, that light of the world Jesus is called? He's called that 'cause of the darkness in this world. We all do bad stuff. So, He came to Earth as God in flesh, and He died for our sins and rose again. Anni called on Him to save her a few months after she got out."

"Didn't you say July called on Jesus to save her while in there?" Liz asked.

Molly nodded. "I was wee little, but the others tell me how July kept thinking about one verse that said God gave the spirit of adoption. She was amazed God would call her His child, and she could call Him what really means 'Daddy.' And, she realized to do that, she had to call on Jesus to save her, so she did one night." Molly finished by saying: "She was our quiet orphan, but she was always thinking, always pondering things. And praying."

"God sees everyone as having special gifts; He loves each of us. He just wants us to call on Him to save us from our sins and come make us new inside, so we can have that relationship with Him," Liz said. "And, of course, anyone can do that anywhere, if she did there.".

Annie had to think about that, and what it meant. For now, she asked about the comics. "Liz brought me a few old comic strips to read. She said you guys came up with the idea for Little Orphan Annie in there." She didn't want to admit to a stranger that she couldn't read a lot of them well yet, but she couldn't wait till she could.

"That's right. Pepper came up with that because Annie liked to sneak out to try to find her parents," Molly explained.

Annie laughed. "She was just like me. Do you have any stories about that? Seems like it'd be dangerous if you didn't watch where you were going, even back then."

"Grandma says Pepper lived on the street a bit, so she3 got some knowledge from her at first. But, yeah, her first time was in summer of '28," Liz replied.

"I didn't get there till late in '31. She knew what to watch out for, partly because of Miss Kathy's warnings, partly from Pepper. Still, there was some danger, especially once. It kind of helped cement Pepper's idea that she could write a comic strip about this orphan who liked to wander the streets trying to help people and getting in trouble," Molly said.

Annie was a bit unsure now. "Do… I wanna know what happened? I mean, I know things were a lot rougher when kids got in trouble…"

"Grandma Molly said Miss Hannigan just locked Annie in the cellar – but I think this story was when Miss Kathy was still there, too, right, Grandma?" Liz asked.

"Right. See, she'd snuck out early in the morning. She was gone a good while. There was a lot of chaos after a crash," Molly began.

"Car, or bus?" Annie knew it wasn't likely a plane crash then. At her tutor's knowing look, she added, "Never mind. Just let me back in that big ol' time machine."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Seven-year-old Annie shivered. She was already a bit small for her age, though not like she'd become, but she knew her stuff. Including how to look both ways before crossing the street and how to make sure she was seen. Of course, as an orphan she really didn't have anything but one lightly colored outfit and a jacket which was only helping her a little.

She had walke0d quite a way this time – further than she'd ever walked, in fact. She had just gotten some newly donated shoes, which helped. But, she'd heard noise and seen a bunch of lights. So, as business hours crept closer, she began to jog toward the sights and sounds.

She tossed aside the core of the last apple she'd grabbed from the kitchen and shouted above what seemed to be a growing din. "Hey, did anyone leave a kid at an orphanage? She was puzzled; why was it so noisy?

Back at the Hudson Street Municipal. Orphanage, the cook smiled. She tried to put aside her worries about Annie as she helped young Pepper, eight and a half, scramble some eggs. "Good job, Pepper; you're stirring it just right."

Duffy, a few months shy of ten, skipped into the room. "What are you so happy about?" July, also nine, asked. "Didn't you notice Annie's gone?"

"Yeah, I wonder what crazy adventure she's up to," Pepper said.

"You're good at cracking eggs, Pepper," July complimented Pepper as Miss Hannigan walked into the kitchen with a bit of a headache. Perhaps thinking of others would take her mind off her worries, like Miss Kathy had said.

"All right, you probably heard by now Annie snuck out again. Just what this city needs, one more rotten orphan running around," Miss Hannigan groused. "Sometimes I wish someone would say they're her parents, just to get her out of my hair."

"That's dangerous, I know," the cook said as she let Pepper continue making the eggs."

Miss Kathy entered with Kate, who was three, and Tessie, five and a half. Miss Hannigan griped: "Did that rotten orphan wet the bed again?"

"Yes, and we cleaned it thoroughly," Mis Kathy said. "And, please stop calling them that."

"I'll call 'em what I want. And don't talk to me about Tammany Hall, either. It doesn't matter how I got this job; what matters is now I have another orphan I'm gonna have to use my connections to find," Miss Hannigan said.

Miss Kathy smiled. "I don't understand why you don't call Mr. Donnatelli for help… wait, it must have something to do with how much you want the girls to sew. Which would be a lot more if I wasn't here, I'm sure." Her superior said nothing, so Miss Kathy simply sat next to July. "I can tell you're worried, Dear. All of you are. When Annie comes back, we need to help her to see she's safer here than out there. Not just because it's ten degrees below normal. But we also need to understand it's hard for her. She knows her note says-"

Miss Hannigan interrupted. "Why did you teach her to read? Oh, yeah; because I don't let them go to school but they sew or clean instead," Miss Hannigan said snidely. "Like I really care if orphans learn anything." She liked that having Miss Kathy there gave her an excuse to not send them to school, but it still irritated her at times.

Even Pepper rolled her eyes at Miss Hannigan's remark. Pepper had been on the street long enough to know some kids didn't like school, but she wished she could go. She was glad she had her love of stories to keep her going, just like she had cooking. It gave her something to do, so when Miss Kathy had pushed for some of the girls to be taught such skills, Pepper had eagerly taken advantage of the chance.

"It doesn't matter," Miss Kathy continued. "Annie would have been able eventually to figure out her birthday, even if it was just remembering that one person told her. And, she would know that she turned seven yesterday," Miss Kathy said.

"Why any orphan would care when they were born I'll never know," Miss Hannigan grumbled as she walked away.

Meanwhile, Annie had been bouncing a ball of some kind of paper in the air with her hand for a minute or so, deciding whether to advance into the crowd. Finally, she saw a small opening. "Hey, she shouted, "did anyone have a kid seven years ago they left in n orphanage?"

"Out of the way, little girl…" one man said just as the crowd of people all began rushing into the building.

"Leapin' lizards; look out!" Annie said as she tried to scurry out of the way. She suddenly worried she might get trampled in the bedlam.

A/N: Just curious, before the next chapter, anyone figure it out? Actually, the math gives it away, if that's a clue.