Guest: Thank you for being so invested in this story! Here you go! I apologize for not updating earlier!

I don't own Newsies.

Chapter Three

"What?" Laura felt numb. The man in front of her had been her friend a few seconds ago. Not a vengeful enemy. Her hands shook as she held her brother's hands.

"You heard me correctly, Miss Kelly," he continued, nearing the three of them, "I did say that I knew your father. My name is Bryan Snyder, my father was William Snyder if that sparks anything. It had only been about a minute or two. Still, I owe him a great, favor." His tone spat poison. " Your father got mine in prison, which ended his life within a few years. True, he was getting old, but those conditions did nothing to help him. I trust that you'll enjoy your time here."

Laura shook her head slowly. "You must have mistaken him for someone else. Our father never got anyone arrested."

Her brother nodded his agreement. She pulled Theo closer to her. He didn't seem to mind as much. Levi put a hand on his back. They couldn't let their little brother get hurt. He was the soft spot in both of them.

"Not in the way you see it. My father was a good man. A good man that was punished because his little friends wanted some attention, so they blamed him for all of their troubles. Before my father was arrested, though, my mother arrested him. Too ashamed the way that those kids were treating him. I only wanted my father back. Jack Kelly kept him from me. I'm beyond excited to seek my revenge. It feels so good, children. Someday, you understand what it's like to hate someone this much and are able to give them a piece of your pain," Mr. Snyder told them.

After his lecture, Mr. Snyder wrote down their full names in a record book. Laura couldn't endanger her brothers. She would find a way to escape later. Once they were in a room alone together. Mr. Snyder made a call and three different people met them. They looked like nurses or doctors. Each one took a different sibling.

"Wait! I need to be with my brothers!" Laura exclaimed, trying to reach for them.

The nurse only slapped her hand away. As Laura winced in pain, she tried to memorize where her brothers were going. Once the nurse started dragging her away, Laura was able to get a better look. Theo was doing his best to pry the man away from him. He earned a slap. Laura yearned to scream.

She was lead to an examination room. A large doctor waited for her in there. Laura despised the feeling of his terrible breath on her neck. He was a creep. Just like the ones that her father would warn her about if she ever visited Brooklyn.

The doctor looked her over. Laura had her weight and height recorded. He asked her strange questions. Such as: "What are the smallest things you've gotten angry about?" Or "what's the worst thing you've ever done in your life?". She lied about most of them. Her father taught her to lie. Just in case.

After the examination was over, Laura was given a uniform to change into. She could over hear the nurse's and doctor's conversation.

"The girl shows no signs of being mentally or physically ill. I quite like the girl," the doctor reported, "Perhaps, I could adopt her. Give her a loving home."

Her stomach felt like a ship during a storm. Adopted by him. Laura would rather die. She slid on a skirt made from fabric that was bound to give her a rash within half an hour.

"I'll give Master Snyder the reports. I'm sure he'll be pleased that one of them isn't mad." The nurse gathered Laura, pulling her by the elbow. "Your name is now Joan. After the Saint. Joan Smith. That's what it will be in your records from now on."

"But my name is-"

"Not anymore. Joan is the name you will be answering to now. There are no Laura's here. Laura's a much too pretty name for a little girl that's undeserving."

The doctor stared directly at Laura while she was yanked out the room. There was no way of knowing where she was going. They ended up in front of a door. Just a plain door. Anything could be behind it. It turned out to be full of girls. A few younger then her. Most older. They stood to order. Like an army. Not a group of girls.

"This is Joan Smith," the nurse informed them, "Say, 'Hello, Joan.'"

"Hello Joan," they chorused back.

"Good. Now Joan, this is your bed." She gestured to an uncomfortable looking cot. "You'll find a box underneath with everything you need. If you have any questions just ask Olga."

She left. Now Laura was truly alone. Her brothers were gone. Put through who knew what. If they changed the names of the boys too, how was she to find her brothers? Laura needed an escape plan. She needed to get her brothers out. Laura sat on the bed, sobbing into her skirt. The other girls ignored her. Probably judging her. Laura didn't care anymore. She ached for her family.

Someone tapped her shoulder. Laura was in no mood to talk, but turned around out of politeness. A girl with greasy hair beamed at her. Her smile didn't met her eyes. Laura nodded at her.

"Hi. I'm Frances," she said in a high pitched voice, "And your name is Joan."

"I mean, not really. The lady just gave me that name. My real name is Laura Kelly and I'm not an orphan. My father is alive."

"My mother is too poor to take care of us, but I'll make sure that we get our money back. We are only going to be here for a little while. Or I'll be adopted." Frances giggled. "Either one is good. I win. Your father must have been poor, too."

Laura shook her head. "We were just fine. If my father needed financial help at all, we always had extended family to go to. Mr. Snyder was about to take us to him-"

"It's for the best. Just like my situation." She giggled, again. Laura started moving farther from this strange girl. "We could be adopted by the same people. Then we'll be sisters."

It was clear that she did not like this girl. She acted, strange. Laura thought Theo acted weird, but this was a different way. When she tried standing up to get away, Frances grabbed her arm.

"Please, let go. Besides, I already have a sister. She's at home. With my father. I need to find my little-"

"Come on, let's be best friends."

Frances's eyes held no mercy. Laura even went as far to kick her off. She wouldn't budge. Only got closer. Laura always hated when people got this close.

"Get off her, Frances!" an older girl shouted.

She let go with a whine. "But I want her to be my friend."

"That's clearly not what she wants. Get away. I will bring you to Nurse Andrews."

Finally Frances pulled away, letting Laura give a deep breath of relief. She ran to her rescuer. A girl who was about fifteen, held a strong gaze. Even after going through this hell.

"Thank you! Thank you!" Laura exclaimed.

"'Welcome, kid. Stay away from the kids like that. I've been in here for years, you can trust me." She hesitated for a moment. "I think Pa's still alive. What's your name, kid? I mean, you're real name."

"Laura Kelly."

So yeah! It's not actaully the Snyder. It's his son. I was thinking about with the timeline of this story, that Snyder would probably be dead.

I was doing some research and I came arcoss one orphanage from the Victorian time period that changed the kid's name to the name of a Catholic Saint. I thought that was really interesting so I included it. Also a way to make it harder for Jack to find them. Also, I haven't officially diagnoised Frances, but she has a mental disorder of some kind. I would love to hear what you think she might have. She's not going to be a major character. But the girl that saved Laura is. . . Any guesses?

Thanks for reading! Please review!