Skittery and I were walking to the lodging house. The street lamps were just starting to be lit. Skittery was telling me a joke about a rabbi and priest. I was laughing long and loud when we finally turned the bend to the Lodging House.

Skittery stopped dead in his tracks. He put his hand out to stop me.

"What?" I asked. I looked where Skittery was staring. There was a dark figure. Tall, looks like a guy.

"Do you think it's someone for Race?" I asked. Racetrack had to deal with unexpected guests a lot.

"What do we do if it is?" Skittery was still looking at it. The figure started pacing. "Its not like we can lie to the guy, he might have a knife." He had a point.

"We could cut around the alley and go in the other way." I suggested. He nodded. We started to move away from it, not taking our eyes off it in case it tried to follow us. The figure laced its fingers behind its neck and pushed its elbows closer to each other.

I only knew one person who did that. I stepped in the lamp light. Skittery grabbed my wrist.

"Jackson?" The figure jerked its head in my direction. He stepped in the light too. It was Jackson! I yanked my wrist out of Skittery's grip.

Jackson was my older brother. He's four years older and has a successful life for a nineteen year old. He is six foot and was built like a bull. His hair was thick and bright red. He had so many freckles some of them melded together. We had the same eyes and the same slightly upturned nose.

He threw his arms around me and crushed me to him. I only came up to his neck. I hugged him just as hard, I haven't seen him since Christmas.

"Megan," He held me out at arm's length. He gave me a fatherly look. "You need a new shirt." I laughed and hugged him again. It was so good to see him.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. It was a long trek from Brooklyn, one he wouldn't have made unless it was important. He stood up straight and put his shoulders back. In response, I popped my hip to the right and put my hands on my hips.

"You are going to see the doctor tomorrow." He crossed his arms over his chest. He was daring me to tell him no. I accepted that dare.

"No I'm not, I gotta sell papes." I mimicked his tone and posture. "'Sides, I'm not sick."

"It doesn't matter; people go to the doctor to make sure they're not sick. Sometimes you can be sick and not know it."

"Sorry Jackson, I have to work tomorrow!" He made a face.

"You know I'll just drag ya myself."

"I'm not letting you spend money on me when you got a baby at home." I told him. He smiled proudly.

"It won't cost me a dime, I got promoted and check-ups are free for me and my family."

"You got promoted?" He flashed an even wider smile.

"Yep, so now you ain't got no excuse." I thought a minute.

"Is it a kid's doctor?" I know they have special ones for kids. He looked sheepish.

"They said as long as you're under eighteen you go to one." I sighed.

"Fine I'll go. Is it here in 'Hattan?"

"Yeah, he's in the business district." I nodded.

"Alright, fine!"I sighed. Little did he know I wasn't going to be seeing the doctor tomorrow. I'll walk you to the bridge." I said and started walking to the bridge. Skittery came up behind me.

"I don't thi-" I felt him whip past me into a wall. I turned to see Jackson pinning him to the wall.

"The hell ya think ya doin'?" He growled as he pushed Skittery harder against the wall. Skittery had the wind knocked out of him and couldn't talk.

"Jackson! Put him down!" Jackson looked at me like I was stupid.

"He came behind ya like a rapist!" I gave Jackson a face.

"Jackson, do you honestly think I didn't hear him? He knocked his feet against the concrete." He still didn't let go. "Jackson, he's my friend!" Jackson finally let him down. I walked up to Skittery. He was doubled over trying to catch his breath. I leaned down to see his face.

"You okay?" he nodded. "Sorry about that." He just looked at me.

"Ya didn't tell me ya brudder was visitin'." What he really meant was 'Ya didn't tell me your brother was built like a tug boat.' I shrugged.

"Head back to the House; I'll be there in after I drop him off at the bridge." He straightned up.

"Ok, I'll let Kloppman and Ink know." He left and disappeared into the Lodging House.

"Megan," Jackson said.

"Yes?" I answered innocently.

"Is this a boys' Lodging House?" He looked at me for an answer.

"Or a brothel; depends if I've made rent." He shook his head and sighed.

We walked to the bridge swapping stories of what's happened since we saw each other last. We got to the start of the bridge. It was night and the moon was full. Good for me for walking back.

"I'll meet you at the doctor's tomorrow." He gave me a final hug and started over the bridge. He turned back around. "I left ya a package with the old guy at the desk." He looked like he was going to go again. He turned around. "Be careful Megan, for me?"

"Ya got nothin' to worry about. Cross my heart." He nodded and started walking to his apartment.

I turned and started walking back to the Lodging house. I kept my ears peeled for signs of danger. I was walking for about ten minutes when I heard it. It sounded like footsteps. It could've been my own but they sounded too heavy.

I learned a trick from Race to see if anyone was following you. I flicked my ankle a little before it hit the ground. The result was it sounded little like a horse walking.

I flicked my ankle as I walked. I heard regular footsteps behind me. I stopped and bended down to tie my boots. The footsteps continued. They stopped right behind me. If it was someone I knew who wasn't trying to sneak up on me, they would've said something.

I punched for the crotch. I heard a satisfying "OW!" I didn't stick around to see who I hit.

I heard the sound of heavy boots chasing me. I cut down alleyways but they were still following me. I heard a second set. I sped up and cut down an alley. There was a dead end but there was also a fire escape. I started up them. The footsteps followed me and tackled me on the landing. I kicked out and my foot connected with something.

I looked. It was Morris! Another set of footsteps stopped at the mouth of the alley. It was Oscar. I didn't have time to think, Morris was getting his bearings. I ran up the next flight. Then the next. I was at the fourth landing when they caught up with me again. They tackled me. It made a loud noise, like a rock hitting metal.

"Get the hell off!" I screamed. Morris hauled me to my feet. He held my arms behind my back. I didn't like the way it pushed out my chest. "What the hell is this?"

Oscar smiled creepily. "I think you owe me something doll."

"Oh yeah? What for?" I didn't owe him anything. We were in front of a window. The lights were on. They were such idiots, if they had half a mind they would take me back down to the alley where it would be hard for me to scream for help.

"Ya bit me this morning. I think I should get some compensation."

"Ooo! That's a big word! Here's another one: Ignoramus." He stepped closer. So did Morris. "Bite me." I growled through gritted teeth.

"That's the idea sweet cheeks." Oscar swooped in and started to kiss me. I bit down hard on his mouth. He jerked his head away immediately. He pulled back his hand and slapped me hard. I finally screamed. A loud blood curdling one that would catch anyone's attention and let them know I needed help.

The window we were in front of opened and a man in his later years in a sling punched Morris in the leg. He let go of my arms to hold the now throbbing leg. The man grabbed my wrist and pulled me in the window.

"I'm gonna call the police if you don't get out of here – and you will, if you know what's good for you." The brothers wasted no time in running out of there.

He turned around and shut the window. I landed on a bed. I couldn't be here. I had to be at the lodging house. I can't stay here. My heart was pumping madly and I was breathing heavily. My eyes were wide with fear I had hid from Oscar and Morris. I saw a door and it became tunnel vision. I bolted to the door.

Someone caught me by my waist. I was thrashing trying to get free.

"Pitbull! PITBULL! Calm down! It's me, it's David." I stopped thrashing. I didn't believe this. I turned and saw David's blue eyes and curly hair. I went limp and my vision was blurring from tears that threatened to fall. My shoulders were shaking from trying not to cry.

"Esther, she's hysterical, get her a blanket." I wasn't hysterical. My lower lip was vibrating with the effort to not cry. It really hit me what Oscar and Morris wanted, how close they had almost come to getting it. I stopped trying as fear of what almost was filled me. Tears fell in rivers. I couldn't stop.

"Th-they tried t-t-to," I couldn't talk. I must have been wailing. I gripped David's shirt in an iron fist.

"Shh, I know. It's ok." He wrapped his arm around my shoulders. I buried my face in his chest. He was rubbing soothing circles on my back. "They're not here, you're safe."

I felt a blanket on my shoulder. David wrapped it around me and pulled me to him again. My tears gradually slowed. I felt a tug on my vest. I looked down to see Les. He was in a nightshirt and he had a stuffed bear. He held it out to me.

"Do you want him?" His brown eyes were concerned. I smiled through my tears. I had control of my body again and I wiped the tears away. David loosened his grip on me. I crouched down, breaking from David's hold. I regretted it immediately.

"Thank you Les." I wiped the few that lingered and grabbed the bear. I sat crossed leg on the floor. "What's his name?" I asked stroking his worn face.

"Jake." Les was watching me carefully.

"Jake the Bear huh?" I hugged it to my chest. I couldn't remember the last time I held a stuffed animal.

"Pittie," I looked at Les. He had his little toy sword. "Do ya want me to soak 'em?" Jack must have said it sometime today while they were selling papes. I laughed. I laughed long and loud. I stopped, but giggles still bubbled up. I smiled and pulled him in for a hug.

"No thank you Les. I'd rather do that myself." He nodded like it made sense. I gestured to his nightshirt. "I'm sorry I woke you up bud. Why don't you go back to sleep?" I held out Jake to him. He pushed him back to me.

"You need him more." Then a middle-aged woman with a blonde bun on top of her head picked him up and took him into an adjoining room.

The apartment was small. There was a small kitchen/dining area and by the window were two beds. One is a single and the other is a double. I guess Les and David slept out here and their parents must sleep in the adjoining room.

As soon as Les was out of the room, I put Jake on the bed that was slightly messed up.

"Are you alright?" The question came from David's dad. I saw where David got his hair, though his was all brown. His dad was getting a little gray. I nodded.

"I'm fine, that," waving my hand like it was no big deal, "was just adrenaline leaving rather quickly." I gave a small chuckle. He didn't look convinced. "You won't really call the cops right?" Oh god I hoped not. The Bulls were not friends of the newsies. He shook his head.

"Why?"

"They'd be more inclined to believe the story that Oscar and Morris have probably already made. It's too much effort to look too closely." I put the blanket up to my face like I used to when I was younger. It was when Jackson first left and I took the blanket off his bed. I would put it up to my nose so I could smell Jackson. He always smelled like peppermint.

This one smelled comforting. Like cooking spices and that teenage boy smell; this must have been David's blanket. I blushed; good thing the blanket was covering my cheeks too.

"Did they do anything?" David asked. I thought of Oscar kissing me. The grossest moment of my life.

"Oscar kissed me. I bit his lip." David's jaw tensed. He started pacing. After awhile, he still seemed really tense. I got up and went up to him. "Hey," He still paced. I put my hand on his arm. He stopped dead in his tracks. "I'm here in one piece aren't I? I'll get them for what they did. They didn't' even see you; they won't know you live here. You're fine." He looked at me like I was missing the point. "What?"

"You broke earlier, and now you're ok?"

"What? Do you want me to start bawling and wailing? I don't want Les to see me like that. If you need to cry, that's what a rooftop is for."

"I'm sorry, I just... you confuse me." That's what this was. David looked like he was smart he could probably read people like a book.

I shrugged. The door opened.

A beautiful girl walked in. She has long brown hair that went mid-back. It was up in an elaborate half-up half-down style. It looked like she was just standing in the middle of a hurricane. She wore a white blouse and a light brown skirt with a brown apron over it. I touched my own hair and hand-me down clothes self-consciously. She has a nice mouth that looked like it liked to smile a lot and kind brown eyes.

She held and empty laundry basket. She looked just as startled to see me as I was to see her.

"Hi, I'm Sarah." She balanced the laundry basket on her hip and held out her hand to me. I took it.

"Pitbull."

"Are you a friend of David's?" I nodded. "Well, I'm sorry I wasn't here earlier, I was out hanging laundry on the roof." She touched her hair self-consciously. "The wind was horrible! I almost lost one of Poppa's shirts!"

I nodded numbly. I felt bad I couldn't be more sociable, she looked really nice. I was just so tired.

I turned to David and his dad. "Thank you for helping me earlier." I unwrapped David's blanket and put it on his bed. "I should really get going back to the Lodging house." I turned to Sarah, "It was nice meeting you; I hope I get to see you again in the future." I started towards the door. I opened it and then a hand closed it. I looked up to see David.

"Do you seriously think I'm gonna let you go by yourself after what just happened?"

I blinked.

"Yeah."

He opened the door for me. "Well I'm not. I'll walk you to the house." I felt a rush of excitement.

We walked out of his apartment and walked down the hallway. We went down four flights of stairs and entered the lobby. We stepped into the lamp lit street.

"He doesn't let anyone touch Jake."

"What?"

"Les. He doesn't let anyone touch Jake. My mom has to wait till he goes with me to wash it." He looked at me with his blue eyes. "He let you hold it and he left it with you while he went into another room."

"I was basically falling apart at the seams in front of him. He probably figured it would calm me down like it does for him." I looked at the sky. It was a really clear night. I could see the stars perfectly.

"Why were you out anyway?"

"I was leaving the house of the mayor." I looked in his eyes. "I work there part time as a mistress y'know."

David rolled his eyes. "Why were you really?"

"My older brother stopped by the Lodging House, He lives in Brooklyn. So, I walked with him to the bridge."

"He couldn't walk himself?" A thought of Jackson being scared to go out at night alone made me laugh.

"He could. I just haven't seen him in so long, I wanted to be with him as long as possible." David looked thoughtful. Something tells me this was going to turn into twenty questions.

"Are you from Brooklyn?"

"Yeah." David blinked at me.

"Why aren't you a newsie in Brooklyn?"

"I left my house. I didn't want to be found." My eyes found themselves looking at his shocked face. "The first two places they'd look, my brothers and the Lodging Houses."

"Your parents didn't look for you?" He sounded horrified.

I thought about this one. If they had looked for me, which I doubt, Jackson never told me. It's not like my parents were abusive, they were just absent. My brother raised me; they just kinda stood around and watched. When Jackson left to move in with Annie, I cried. The loneliness and indifference in the house drove me to Manhattan.

"They weren't really parents, more like polite roommates."

"What?"

"My brother was the one who had the biggest hand in my raising. My parents were pretty much bystanders." He looked down, as if embarrassed that he had good parents.

"Why aren't you living with your brother?"

"He's married and has a kid; he doesn't need more to worry about."

We were rounding the corner to the house. There were three figures on the steps, just sitting. Who could possibly be up this late?

"Thanks for taking me home." I turned to David. He looked wonderful under the full moon; his eyes seemed to be even more intense.

"Dere she is!" A hand came down hard on my shoulder and spun me around to the concerned face of Skittery. "Jesus! Ya gave me a heart attack! Where da hell have ya been?"

"I got," Should I tell Skittery? It wasn't much, just a scuffle. With disgusting kissing. "Lost. David helped me out." I could feel David's eyes burning a hole in my back. Apparently, he was against lying.

"Ya tink I'm stupid? I see da bruise on ya wrist!" He grabbed my arm and held out it under the street light. There were bruise marks from where Morris held my arms behind my back.

"Give her some room Skitts!" Jack came to stand by Skittery and gently pried off his fingers.

Skittery looked like he didn't have a cigarette while he was waiting, he'd be a lot calmer if he did.

"Racetrack, take Skittery inside and tell Kloppman dat Pittie's here." Race grabbed Skittery's arm and steered him into the lodging house.

Jack turned to look at the both of us. His brown eyes settled on me. "Ya wanna tell me what really happened?"

"Oscar got mad that I bit him so he and Morris ganged up on me outside of Davey's apartment." Jack's nostrils flared something that only happened before he soaked someone. "You should've seen it Jack! Davey's dad gave Morris a dead leg and then told them he'd call the bulls!"

Jack still didn't look calmed. If anything, he looked more pissed.

"Jack," David said. "She's been through a lot, maybe she should just go to bed." My knight in shining armor. God, I'm falling hard.

Jack looked me up and down. He nodded then jerked his head back. His meaning was clear: 'Get inside, we'll talk tomorrow'.

I walked inside the cozy house, nodding to Kloppman. I was once again bombarded by Skittery. His coffee colored eyes never left my face. I finally looked at him.

"What?"

He looked at the ceiling and then looked back at me. 'Can you tell me on the roof?' I nodded. We walked up the fire escape and onto the roof.

I loved the roof, the wind was always blowing and the air was cool. I looked down and saw David and Jack still talking. I wonder what they were talking about. Skittery struck a match and lit a cigarette.

"So," He looked me dead in the eyes. "You wanna tell me what happened?"

I told him everything. About how I knew they were following me, how they cornered me, how they were idiots for attacking me outside someone's home, how David's dad gave Morris a dead leg. That was my favorite part. I didn't cry in front of Skitts, he didn't need to worry about me.

He was mad. He told me to tell him when I planned on soaking them, he would help. I laughed and thanked him.

I looked at the stars. The sky was so clear tonight. God, I love star-gazing. Skittery loves it too; we sat together for a long time just staring at them.

Eventually, it grew too cold and we had to go back inside.

Skittery stripped down to his underwear and heaved himself onto his bed. I picked up my long johns and went into the washroom to change. I heard Kloppman call for lights out. After stumbling in the dark, I found my bunk and gratefully sank into it.

I had just closed my eyes when I felt someone lightly shaking my shoulder. I knew it was not morning already! My eyes cracked open to see Ink and Tumbler.

I sat up. "What's wrong guys?"

They looked at each other than back at me. Ink spoke up. "We had bad dreams," I knew where this was going. "Can we sleep with you?" I sighed and closed my eyes. I opened them and smiled.

"C'mon in guys, grab your own blankets."

They scurried to get their blankets and hopped on either side of me. Soon they were breathing deeply.

I followed their lead and fell into a deep sleep.