Sorry it took so long to post this chapter, holidays and all. We would like to take this time to thank all of our great reviewers and as for all of you who do not review we have this to say: JERKS!! We don't like you! : P We kid, we kid! But seriously, review. Now that we've run out of funny witticisms to say we move to the story.

Ch. 4

Jack Kelly looked out at the still gray rainy streets of Manhattan. The rain had continued through the night and had not let up yet.

"Alright, guys." Jack said, with a sigh. "No one is gonna be out buyin' today, we might as well stay dry."

"Not me Cowboy," Racetrack said. "I've got a sure thing down at the tracks; I've got a good feelin' 'bout this one."

"Alright, Race. Just don't get yourself killed."

"Sounds like a plan, Jack." He said back, grinning.

After Race left Jack and the others just wandered around the Lodging House, bored out of their minds.

"Hey, Jack," Tumbler said, at around noon. "Ya think we could go see Tessa?"

"I don't know, Tumbler." He said, nervously, still slightly embarrass that he had called Tessa "Tessie".

"Pleeeeease?" He wined, pulling the whole puppy eyed bit.

"Why don't you ask Skittery?" Jack asked desperately.

"He's with Blues (Skittery's girl in our world)."

"Arrrg (I thought Blink was the pirate ;))," Jack groaned. "Fine, we'll go at lunch time, might as well meal out of it."

"Yay, we're goin' to see Tessa!" Tumbler called to Boots and Snipeshooter who cheered in response.

Jack groaned once more and climbed into his bunk shaking his head.

"Why do you guys like her so much, anyways?" He asked, looking down from his bed.

"She's funny and she's tough," Snipeshooter started off what would be a long list of things to like about Tessa.

"She knows as many funny stories as you do," Boots added. "And most of them are true."

"She can do this amazing screamy thing," Tumbler said in an excided voice (he still hadn't gotten over that).

"And she can really stick it to ya, "Cowboy"" Blink said, putting emphasis on the nickname (He was still upset that Jack stole his Pirate shtick).

"Alright already," he said, holding up his hands in mock defense. "I get it, every one loves Tessa, is that it?"

"Yeah, pretty much," was the main response in the room.

"Treacherous bums," he muttered, in jest (mostly) then began to get ready to go to Tibby's.

While the boys got ready to leave Tessa was dealing with the Monday rush (that was sarcasm). The restaurant was almost completely empty, save for p few diners who were no doubt going to sit at their tables for about an hour, buy nothing but water or coffee and then leave her a one forth of a cent tip. Another reason to hate Mondays.

Tessa was glaring down at two pennies sitting on one of the tables when she heard yelling and other such commotion out in the streets. This could mean two things: 1). the sky had opened up and started to rain bear traps, 2). the newsies were going to pay her a visit. If you guessed number 2 then you are correct, tell us in your review so we can send you your prize! (Yeah, we're saying that to get more reviews)

Tumbler, Boots and Snipeshooter were the first to run through the door, yelling their hellos.

"Tessa, Tessa Tessa!" They all cried out in one voice.

"Hey, guys," she said grinning, taking the small boys into her arms for a hug. "How are you doin'?"

"We're great! Jack took us to see you!!"

"So I see," she said looking up at Jack. Since she was fairly certain that he had been teasing her with the whole "Tessie" thing, she had decided to ignore all and any touchy feely thoughts and bait the bear as usual. "Greenhorn." she grunted.

"Tessa," he said back.

"What do you guys want to eat?" Tessa asked the boys as the sat at their table.

Once Tessa got her order she walked into the kitchen to tell Edna their orders. When she came out and put the food on the table and talked to the three younger boys at her table.

As the last of the diners (Jack and Co. had left a little bit ago) left two men walked in together. They wore black bowler hats and had a stink to them, like a backed up sewer. The infamous Delancey Brothers (well, duh…). Tessa took one look at the two smug faces before addressing them in the most serious voice.

"We don't serve your kind hear (look at note one at the bottom of this chapter)."

Oscar was struck speechless that this girl would say that. Morris however, had no such trouble.

"'Ey, you better be careful what you say to men in this city, Dollface," he said with a sick grin. "Pretty little girls can get hurt."

"You are not welcome here, leave now." she added more forcefully.

Oscar and Morris exchanged evil looks before walking towards her.

'Oh, not good' Tessa thought to herself, she knew the Delancey's type. Oscar ran the first time was that he was out numbered (counting Tumbler) and didn't know his attacker. This fight was on their terms and Tessa could tell that it was not going to turn out well for her.

"You two scumbags want to fight?"

No, it couldn't be. Yet it was, lo and behold the mighty Jack Kelly, this is going to be good!

"This doesn't concern you Cowboy," Oscar sneered, grabbing hold of Tessa's wrist pulling her so that she was behind him and his brother. "Now why don't you go sell your papes and we'll take good care of the little lady."

Jack's hazel eye lit up in furry and in one swift motion, he brought his fist straight across Oscar's ugly mug. In less than a minute Jack had both brothers on the ground out side of Tibby's.

"You two ever come here again you're goin' to answer to me and my boys," he yelled, as they ran down an alley. "You make sure everybody knows: this girl is a friend to the Manhattan newsies and we'll soak anyone who messes with her!"

He then turned towards Tessa. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," she said, running a hand through her long dark hair. "Thanks, why did you come back?"

"I left my bandana in at our table," he explained.

"I'll get it for you."

The small talk continued until Tibby returned from walking Edna home. Once Jack explained what had happened the old man offered Jack his thanks and asked if he wanted to stay for dinner. Jack declined saying that he had to get back to his boys. Tessa walked him to the back door like the night before (DUDE that just rhymed!).

"I'll see you tomorrow," she said, still trying to think of a way she could express her gratitude verbally. "Get home safe," she couldn't believe that she said it to him again, that makes to nights in a row!

He smiled at her and for the first time it wasn't a smug or "your face!" (Excuse the modern terminology) type of smile, just a genuine, sweet smile.

"I'll be fine, see you tomorrow, Tess."

Tessa sat at the diner table with her uncle eating when a question struck her.

"Hey, Uncle, why did you name the restaurant "Tibby's"?"

He got a slightly nervous look on his face. "Where did that come from?"

"I was just thinking that it would make more sense to name it Jake's or O'Keeffe's or something like that…" She trailed off thinking about it some more.

"Hhh, I named it after my wife," he said looking down at his plate; a small sad smile began to creep on to his face. "She loved to cook and bake; it had always been her dream to open a restaurant. Shortly after we did she…she… well you see she had been pregnant and well, long story short, she died in child birth, the baby …she never had a chance."

A tear trailed down Jacob's face (Tibby's face).

"I always wondered what she would have been like (the baby); I think she would have been like you. Strong and confident. Yeah, I hope she would've been like you."

Tessa had never been so touched in her entire life and not being much good with words she was at a loss as to what to say. So she decided to do the only thing that felt right.

"Uncle," she said, walking over to him quietly. "I was thinking, I still want to travel but maybe I could…uh…have a sort of home base. You know, here in New York, with you."

Jacob locked eyes with his niece and hugged her tightly knowing that, that had been her way of saying that they were a family now and if that meant giving up some exploring, so be it.

Tessa went to bed that night and knew that for the first time in four years, she had a family. Composed of one uncle and an army of crazy newsies but a family, none the less. With that thought in mind Tessa fell asleep, ready to greet the next day.

We are tired it is very early in the morning, REVIEW!!!

(1) hee hee star wars quote.