AN: Enjoy this chapter, Austra and I went trough DocX confusion to the highest degree. Thank the wonderful Austra for BETAing this chapter.

"Ya think we should wake her up?"

"She was really tired last night. Maybe we should just let her sleep."

I instantly recognized Tumbler and Ink's voices.

"Look, she's wakin' up!" Tumbler cried. With a tired sigh, I forced my eyes open, greeted instantly thereafter by the sight of Tumbler and Ink studying my face carefully.

"Hey, watcha starin' at," I murmured groggily. "You should be gettin' ready for work, shouldn't you?" I gave them a sleepy smile. They nodded and scurried off.

The usual sounds of half-awake newsboys filled the lodging house. I sleepily pulled on my shorts and left the suspenders hanging. Then I grabbed my shirt and girl underwear and headed to the washroom.

I got in a stall and changed. The boys had started singing the newsie song Medda's pianist made for us. (I have no idea how someone had the time to just sit around and write music for a bunch of street rats.)

I smiled, humming softly along with them, and went to an open space next to Racetrack and Mush. I looked in the mirror. My hair was actually manageable today! Some soap and water for my face—I grabbed for them—and I would be golden!

Blink came over with a comb, only to see me with my hair already tied up into a ponytail. I smiled smugly at him and he clapped and bowed mockingly. I threw a towel at him.

"Oh, I gotta tell ya, Pittie," Blink caught the towel. "Kloppman's got a package for ya downstairs."

Package? Oh yeah! The one that Jackson dropped off! "Thanks!" I said sincerely, galloping down the stairs.

I passed by newsies in different stage of dress. I half-raised my eyebrows; going down the stairs without thirty other people was weird. Kloppman smiled at me when I got down; then he reached under the desk and pulled out a brown package.

It was pretty big and I worried for a minute made me worry what was inside. It also reminded me that I had a doctor's appointment today.

"Hey Kloppman," he turned around. "Ya got a pen and paper?" Thank God I had been able to go to school before Jackson left, so I knew how to write.

Kloppman searched for a minute but came back up with a piece of paper and a pen. I scribbled down a note.

After signing and folding up the note, I opened the package. The first thing I saw was a note with Megan on the front in beautiful feminine handwriting. It was a note from Annie! I hastily opened it.

Dear Megan,

I'm sorry Teddy and I couldn't come and see you with Jackson. Teddy's got a cold and the last thing I would want is for it to get worse. Don't fret though; the doctor said he'll be right as rain in three to five days. Inside, there are some shirts for you (I noticed the one at Christmas was getting a little tight and I imagine you've grown since) and there is also a dress I made for you—the measurements might be off, so next time I come down I'll alter the dress accordingly. There's also a work skirt. I have also included some ribbon; it's getting hotter and ponytails are a girl's best friend in this kind of weather. I'll bring Teddy soon, I promise!

Love,

Annie

I smiled fondly at the note. Annie was just the sweetest thing. She was as much a mother to me as Jackson was a father. Teddy was their pride and joy. I'm always glad I chose to go to Manhattan; they're such a happy, cozy family. I would feel like an intruder, living with them—and besides, they already had enough mouths to feed.

I put Annie's note in the box then grabbed the note I wrote. I picked up the box and went upstairs. Most of the boys were still in the washroom. I put the box on my bed and went to find Tumbler and Ink.

They had just laced up their boots when I found them. "Hey guys," I addressed them, and they looked at me. "Come here." Curiosity etched on their faces, they came over.

I handed Ink the note. "Tumbler, do you know where Dr. Berger's office is?"

He nodded. "He buys a pape every day."

"Good. You and Ink go to his office. Outside there will be a man taller than Jack and bigger looking than Mush."

Horror filled their faces.

"But don't worry, he's my brother. If he hurts you, he'll have me to answer to."

They relaxed and smiled slightly.

"Give him this note, okay? Dr. Berger's going to give you guys an examination, skip selling today. Go ahead now."

They nodded and bolted out the door.

I smiled to myself as they left. The package on my bed drew my attention again. I fished and found a white buttoned down shirt. I tried it on. It was a little tight around the chest but not nearly as bad as Skittery's old shirt. I pulled up my suspenders and put on my vest. After lacing up my boots and deciding to give my hat the day off, I met up with Racetrack and Mush downstairs.

"Man Race, dis goil was somethin'. Her eyes…" Mush gave a dramatic sigh. Race rolled his eyes, and I pursed my lips just the tiniest bit. Mush fell in love every week. I kinda feel bad for him; girls walk all over him.

"Dat's whatcha said last week Mush," Racetrack pulled out a cigar and lit it. Kloppman frowned slightly, but Race cheerfully ignored him.

Mush frowned, already forgetting about, um, whoever it was, and moving on to someone else. The three of us headed out the door, along with the rest of the guys, who rushed downstairs and fairly hurled themselves out the door.

As usual, everyone danced and joked all the way to the distribution center. Jack didn't come in till late and said he'd catch up with everyone, so Race was the first newsie in line today.

The Delancys walked by, but they didn't pick a fight. However, Oscar winked at me, which caused Skittery to suddenly materialize by my side and send Oscar a withering glare. Luckily, before something could start, the gate opened.

I raced ahead of Race to be the first in line. Race scowled at me but whoever got there first got there first. I stuck out my tongue at him. Then I tapped on the window while repeatedly saying "Weasel-Weasel-Weasel-Weasel!" I knew nothing got on his nerves more.

Just as I suspected, Weasel flung open the window and glared at me. I shot my best smile and grabbed a pape to see how much to get. There were really good headlines. Apparently a trolley strike brawl broke out!

I put down fifty cents. "Hundred papes please!" Morris, I am pleased to say, limped up to the counter. Oscar was on the other side smirking. When he smirked, you could see a cut that was crescent moon shaped under his bottom lip. That filled me with pride.

Weasel smirked at me too. "That'll be sixty cents Ms. Pitbull." My heart stopped. Sixty cents?

"That's not funny, Weasel, give me my hundred papes."

"No joke, Miss, Pulitzer raised the price. Now it's sixty cents a hundred." I whipped around and grabbed Race's vest.

"Race, they raised the price, it's sixty cents a hundred!" Race's eyes bugged out of his head.

"What?" He turned around to address everyone. "Dey jacked up da price!" This was met with a chorus of "What?"s and "Dat ain't funny"s. Also some curse words.

"Nobody panic! Wait till Jack gets here, he'll figure somethin' out," I yelled to everyone.

I sat on the steps with Kid and Skittery. Skittery can't sit still when he's agitated; he went up to Specs and bummed a cigarette. He smoked with him until Jack finally showed up.

Kid wasted no time in informing Jack what's happened so far. "They jacked up the price," Jack looked like he'd been slapped. "Ya hear dat Jack? Sixty cents a hundred!" In the distribution building, Oscar was mocking Kid. "Ya know, it's bad enough we gotta eat what we don't sell; now they jacked up the price! Can you believe dat?"

"Dis'll bust me, I'm barely makin' a living right now!" Skittery angrily flicked out his cigarette.

Boots also chimed in. "I'll be back livin' on da streets."

Mush looked so heartbroken. I went up and put a hand on his shoulder. "It don't make no sense," He told me. Then he turned to everyone. "With all da money Pulitzer's makin', why would he gouge us?"

"'Cause he's a tight-wad, dat's why!" Racetrack hit the nail on the head.

"Pipe down, it's just a gag!" Jack went over to talk to Weasel. David and Les came through the gate. They saw us all just sitting around paper-less and David walked up to me.

"What's going on?" David's brows were furrowed. I was too mad to think of how cute Davey looked in his blue striped shirt. I noticed, I just couldn't think about it.

"They raised the price." I spat out angrily.

Jack walked slowly, almost stumblingly, down the stairs and sat on them. Everyone was crowding around him asking what he thinks they should do. Jack looked like he was gonna punch someone.

"Dey can't do dis to me Jack." Blink puffed anxiously on his cigarette.

"Dey can do whatever dey want, its dere stinkin' paper!" Racetrack muttered.

"It ain't fair," Boots spoke up. "We ain't got no rights at all!"

"C'mon, it's a rigged deck, dey got all da marbles!"

"Way to be a ray of sunshine Race!" I snapped.

Mush kicked up some dust with his boot. "Jack, c'mon. Let's just get some lousy papes while dey still got some, eh?" He started his way up the ramp. Jack stopped him.

"Dey can't get away with this!"

"We gotta eat Jack!"

"Clear out, clear out! Give him some room, give him some room," Les walked out of the crowd and sat next to Jack. "Let him think!" Kid offered Jack his cigarette. Jack took it and took a drag.

Everyone stared at anything except Jack, glancing around and occasionally catching each other's gazes, faces voicing their fear. After a tense ten seconds, Racetrack looked around.

"Jack, ya done thinkin' yet?"

"HEY HEY HEY!" Everyone looked up to see Weasel on the other side of the window. "World employees only on this side of the gate!"

He quickly closed the window as everyone was throwing their half-lit cigarettes and hats at the window and some suggestions of where Weasel could stick them.

"If we don't sell papes, den nobody sells papes. We don't buy any papes until they put the price back where it was!" Jack declared emphatically.

David scoffed next to me. "What do you mean? Like a strike?"

"Yeah, like a strike!" I could tell Jack was absolutely terrified of taking this step, but I admired that he did it firmly, without flinching.

The Chorus of Disapproval started. I have to admit, I was mad too but a strike may be taking it too far.

"Are ya outta ya mind?" Racetrack knocked on Jack's head. Jack pushed his hand away with a scowl. "It's a good idea!" He defended.

David went closer to him. "Jack, I was just kidding!" He lowered his voice. "We can't strike, we don't have a union."

Jack thought for a second. "Yeah, but if we go on strike, den we are a union!"

"No, we're just a bunch of angry kids with no money."

Jack squinted, like he was thinking so hard it was making his face all hard. "Maybe if we got every newsie in New York." David added.

"Yeah, well we organize!" Jack stood up and slapped Crutchy on the back. "Crutchy, you take up a collection!" Crutchy nodded and started hobbling among everyone holding out his hat. Newsies dropped in anything from a penny to a dime.

Jack walked up to the gate. The newsies followed him in a mass. I stayed with David. Strikes required a lot of planning; Jack can't just rush people into this!

"Jack, this isn't a joke," David went up to Jack again. I followed him. "Jack, this is serious! You saw what happened to those trolley workers!"

"Yeah, well dats anothah good idea, anyone who don' join, we bust dere heads like da trolley workers!" The boys whooped in delight. I looked warily at David. I wasn't too happy about the idea of newsies soakin' each other.

We followed Jack to the Horace Green statue. Skittery and Snitch fell into step with us.

Snitch is lovingly referred to as "the Teenage Thumb-sucker". With his baby face and an overbite as a result of continued thumb-sucking, his clientele mainly consist of mothers and grandmothers. His black curly hair was always covered in his newsboy hat. His baby blue eyes caught the attention of some girls too!

He often completed our trio.

"Whaddya make of this?" he asked me.

"I don't like the idea of you guys going out and soaking people." I told him honestly.

"Jack, you can't just rush people into this!" David being the voice of reason…and cuteness.

I stayed with Snitch and Skittery while David went with Jack to stand in front of the statue.

Jack pursed his lips to the side. He was thinking. "Lemme think," He turned around to address everyone.

"Hey listen, Dave's right. I mean Pulitzer and Hearst and all dem odder rich fellas, dey own dis city. It's not gonna be easy. So da choice has gotta be yours, are we gonna just take what dey give us, or are we gonna strike?"

The newsies all looked at one another. I think it dawned on them that they may have to give up more meals.

The silence was almost unbearable. I thought for a second that this whole strike thing was just going to die, right then and there.

Les, sensing the suddenly dampened morale started the whole thing with just one word.

"Strike!" He yelled holding up his toy sword.

David put his hand over his mouth and pulled him towards his side, hissing angry words into his little brother's ear. The newsies were brightened again. They were excited and asking Jack what they should do.

Jack looked down at David and said something. David turned and looked at me. I blushed. He turned back to Jack and said something.

"Hey, listen; Pulitzer and Hearst have ta respect da rights of the workin' boys of New York!" Jack yelled so everyone could hear. The boys responded with whoops and cheers. Snitch and Skittery were whooping with everyone. I wasn't sure whether I was for or against the strike. What's the worst that could happen?

I made a quick decision. I started cheering too.

David had his eyes locked on me. He said something else I couldn't hear.

Jack jumped up on the statue. Skittery, Snitch, and I were suddenly pushed from behind to get closer to the statue. Someone pushed me hard and I fell. My hands caught the edge of the statue and I face planted into someone's chest. I looked up and saw David's blue eyes. My arms were on either side of him and we were really close.

I jerked back and smiled apologetically. He just nodded then turned back to Jack.

"Pulitzer and Hearst think we're nothin'. Are we nothin'?"

"No!" Everyone answered in unison. Jack bent back down.

"If we stick together like the trolley workers, they can't break us apart." David said. Jack straightened up.

"Pulitzer and Hearst, dey tink dey got us. Do dey got us?"

"No!"

David stepped back and addressed everyone. "We're a union now, the newsboys union. We have to start acting like a union!" Some of the newsies looked confused. Jack translated.

"Even though we ain't got badges, we're a union just by saying so! And The World will know!"

"What's to stop someone else to from selling our papes?" Boots voiced some peoples concerns.

"We'll talk wit 'em." Jack replied smoothly.

"Some of 'em don hear so good." Race pointed out.

"Well den we'll soak 'em!" I winced and the boys erupted into cheers. David looked as horrified as I felt.

"No! We can't beat up kids in the street! It'll give us a bad name!" David practically shrieked. That's a really good point! I thought.

"It can't get any worse!" I rolled my eyes. That had to be Racetrack.

Bumlets threw Jack a stick. Jack continued talking. "What's it gonna take ta stop da wagons? Are we ready?"

"Yeah!" Skittery and Snitch seemed so pumped for this. Why?

"No!" David's lone protest fell on deaf ears. I put my hand on David's arm. Jack kept everyone excited.

"They can't hear you, Dave." I said in a sympathetic tone.

"This is wrong! They can't beat up people! Besides, they could just talk—" He looked at me for help.

"Maybe in your world you can do that. Here, however, fighters are heard." I sighed. I didn't like it any more than he did. Unfortunately, fighting has kept me alive and saved my butt many times.

The group started moving to the distribution gates. I grabbed David's hand dragged him along with me as I ran to catch up with everyone. I dropped David's hand once I got to my normal spot next to Snitch and Skittery. Jack climbed up to the blackboard where Headline writers advertise the day's headlines. David wandered through the newsies, observing them all.

Jack wrote STRIKE over the headlines and everyone cheered wildly. I was cheering with everyone else. Eventually David joined in, although he still looked doubtful. I pitied him.

Jack climbed down from the scaffolding and was greeted by cheers and back slaps. He walked over to the front doors of The World building.

"Alright, we gotta get word out ta all da newsies and tell dem we're on strike. We need some a dose," He paused and thought then he turned to David.

"Ambassadors?" David offered.

"Yeah," Jack grabbed David's hand and dragged him on the steps with him. "Alright, you'se guys gotta be ambasterds," I laughed and Snitch coughed into his hand. I think it went over Skittery's head. Or he just didn't feel like laughing. "And go to the boroughs."

"Say Jack, I'll take Harlem." Kid said and ran off.

"Yeah, I got Midtown." Race said. That was the only place he doesn't owe any money to people.

"I got da Bowery Jack." Mush said dreamily. Must be where the new squeeze lives.

"I'll take da Bronx." Crutchy said and then dragged Itey with him.

"Specs, Bumlets, and Skittery, you take Queens." Skittery nodded, told Snitch and I bye and left. Jack continued. "Snoddy, Pie Eater, take East Side. Snipeshooter, you go with 'em." They nodded and headed off.

"Alright, what about Brooklyn? Who wants Brooklyn?" He looked around. "C'mon, Spot Conlon's territory." He was met with dead silence. No one would meet his eyes. "Whatsa mattah? Ya scared a Brooklyn?"

"Hey, we ain't scared a Brooklyn!" Boots stepped up. "Spot Conlon just makes us a little… noivous…" He trailed off.

That's the understatement of the year. We were terrified of Spot. He doesn't look very intimidating. He's only a couple inches taller than I am. He has freckles on his nose and he's as skinny as Skittery. It looks like you could snap him in half. But he has these ice blue eyes that pierce your soul. It feels like he knows every secret about you. He's very observant too, so it doesn't take him long to find them out anyway. Plus, he's a wicked good fighter. He takes down kids twice his size!

But what really makes Spot a force to reckon with, is his cane. It comes up to just below the boy's hip, solid black except for a gold tip. He's taken down people with it before.

But Jack acted cocky, and like he wasn't scared of anything. I guess he needed to, to keep the strike alive. "Well, he don make me noivous. So you and me Boots, we'll go."

I looked at Jack just as he was scanning for anyone else to take. Damnit! I made eye contact!

I swear he smirked. "And I know he don' Pittie noivous, so she can come too." Snitch patted me comfortingly on the back. Spot terrifies me, but Jack says he's more agreeable when I'm around so I always get stuck into going. I could have killed Jack, just because I lived with Spot for two weeks and had a small crush on him does not mean I want to be used! "And Dave here can keep us all company." Well, maybe not quite killed him…

Everyone laughed at Dave. I got on the steps and stood in between Boots and David.

David looked like he knew Jack gave him the short end of the stick.

"Sure, just as soon as you take our demands to Pulitzer." He smiled smugly at Jack's slightly alarmed expression.

"Me ta Pulitzer?" Poor Jack. That's what the bastard gets for making me go to Brooklyn.

"Well, you're the leader, Jack." David's enjoying this.

Jack paced for a minute before he looked at Les. He grabbed Les.

"Maybe da kid'll soften him up." They both headed in the building. The cheers and chants of "strike" started up again. The newsies dissipated to different directions to get stuff they need for the strike. Snitch looked at me questioningly.

"Go get whatcha need, I'll be back later." He nodded and left with Dutchy.

A younger man with a brown pinstripe suit came over to David and me.

"What is this strike, what's going on?"

"We're bringing our demands to Pulitzer." David answered. I stepped closer to David so that our shoulders were touching, more for me than him. I don't like strangers, especially nosy ones.

"What demands?" He asked.

"The newsies demands. We're on strike." I tapped David's hand. He looked at me in the corner of his eye. I shot him a wary look.

The man saw my wary look.

"I'm with the New York Sun. Bryan Denton." He held out his hand to me. I spit in my hand and held it out to him. To my surprise, and dismay, he shook my hand. Then he held out his hand to David. David looked at it then shook it. "You seem like the kid in charge. What's your name?"

"David."

"David. David as in, David and Goliath?" David laughed a little. God! What a cute laugh.

However, I knew this man's game. I use it all the time to sell papes.

"And what about you miss?"

Should I use my real name? No…

"Pitbull. Like the dog." He had a small smile. It hadn't left his face since David said strike. Must smell the headlines now.

"You really think Ol' man Pulitzer is gonna listen to your demands?"

"He has to." David said. I snorted.

At that moment, Jack and Les were thrown out. Someone from inside yelled "out hooligans!"

"So's your old lady! You tell Pulitzer that he needs an appointment with me!" Oh Jack. Les put his face close to the shutting doors and added, "Yeah!"

I leaned into David.

"Ten cents he didn't make it past the receptionist's desk."

I walked up to Jack and patted his arm. I kind of hoped that the reporter would've taken the hint. No such luck.

"Bryan Denton." He stuck out his hand to Jack. Jack took it but didn't offer a name.

"I work for the New York Sun." Jack seemed more interested. "How about you tell me what happened over lunch at Tibby's?" As if on cue, Jack's and my stomachs growled in unison. I haven't eaten yet today and I don't think Jack did either.

Denton turned and started walking to the diner. I looked at Jack. He nodded and started following. Les offered his arm to me. I cocked an eyebrow.

"David says a lady should be escorted to meals." I smiled at the little gentleman and looped my arm around his as best as I could. My hand was resting on his upper arm but he didn't seem to care. David saw and heard the whole thing and smiled. He offered me his arm too. I blushed and put my hand on the inside of his elbow.

Once we were inside, Jack went to the usual corner booth of the restaurant he sits in; the one right next to the window. Les went on Jacks side which left the other side for me and David. He slid in first and I followed suit. Denton pulled up a chair and a waiter came and gave us menus.

I looked at the cheaper side.

"You can get anything you want. Really, it's my treat." Denton smiled at me. "Besides, you look like you could use the food."

"Thanks. I don't take charity." The loaf of bread here is really good, and huge. Old man Tibby just charges two cents for it too.

Denton looked at me. He looked at me up and down. His eyes didn't linger on my chest like most people. He gained some points.

"Consider it a trade then." I turned my head toward him. "I want information for a story. I'm willing to give you a free meal for a quote from you." My stomach growled and I put a hand on it to quiet it.

"Fine. Here's a quote." Denton grinned at me and got out his pad and pencil. "Pulitzer can take his one tenth of a cent and," I remembered Les was here, "choke on it. We're not payin' it."

Jack chortled and David looked shocked. Denton just laughed. "That's the best quote I think I've ever gotten from an eye witness!" The waiter came back to the table for our orders. Jack and Les told him their orders.

Denton ordered and then it was my turn. I looked back down at the menu. I ordered the first thing I saw.

"I'll have roast beef with water." Sounded good. I'm pretty sure beef is cow.

"Me too." David said. The waiter nodded and left.

"So, how did you all become newsies?" Denton asked. His pad and pencil were on the table. This was a personal question.

"My parents are out west lookin' for a place ta live. I'm workin' till dey send for me." Jack's parents were a sore subject for him. Mine were too if I'm being honest.

"My dad got hurt at work. He broke his arm so he couldn't work anymore. So they fired him. He doesn't have a union to protect him so." David gestured with a half-shrug. He spoke quietly, but firmly.

I nodded slowly. That's why his dad had a sling. I probably should've asked that when he was walking me home. Not that he was letting me ask anything.

Denton turned his head to me.

"I went to the distribution center and got some papers. I then sold them. I figure that that was enough work to have become a newsie." He wasn't getting any dirt on me. Not that why I became a newsie is dirty, I just don't want him to know a lot about me.

Our food came. I used my fork to cut off a section of the meat and put it in my mouth. It was heavenly! I quickly ate the rest and the bread that came with it. I was the first one done. I downed my water. Jack was done shortly after me. David was only one third of the way done with his lunch. Denton was just taking the second bite and Les was gaping at me.

"Careful, kid, your face might get stuck like that." Les blinked then went back to his lunch. Jack ordered soda pop with his meal. He quietly sipped on that for awhile.

Denton was finally done with his meal. He picked up his pencil and pad. "So, what happened in Mr. Pulitzer's office?" Jack settled back and began to tell the story.

"So this real snooty mug says ta me 'ya can't see Mr. Pulitzer, no one sees Mr. Pulitzer.' Real Hoity-Toity, ya know da type?"

"Real Hoity-Toity." Les agreed.

"So dats when I says to him I says 'listen, I ain't in da habit of transacting no business with office boys. Just tell him Jack Kelly's here ta see him now!'" He slammed his hand on the table for emphasis.

"That's when he threw us out." Les said plainly. Jack hit his shoulder. David and I laughed. Jack shot us a look.

"Does it scare ya? You're goin' up against the most powerful man in New York City." Denton asked, his smile finally gone.

"Yeah, look at me I'm tremblin'!" Jack said sarcastically.

"Alright," He reached inside his vest to take out a business card. "Keep me informed. I wanna know everything that's goin' on." He gave the business card to David.

"Are we really an important story?" David asked while examining the card.

"Well, what's important? Last year I covered the war in Cuba." I remembered that. That was the best selling that I had ever had. I was moving two hundred a day and not breaking a sweat.

"Charged up San Juan hill with Colonel Teddy Roosevelt. That was a very important story."

Les looked awestruck. Jack was fighting to keep from having the same expression. I quirked an eyebrow. He didn't really answer David's question.

"So, is the newsies strike important?" There. He's going to answer it. "It all depends on you." Or not. What does that mean?

He made eye contact with all of us in turn. He started to walk to the cash register to pay for the meals.

"So my name's really gonna be in da papers?" Jack asked.

"Any objections?" Denton replied.

"Not as long as ya get it right. Kelly, Jack Kelly." Denton nodded then turned away smiling. "And Denton?" He turned back around. "No pictures." He nodded again, with an understanding smile, and then left.

"Eat up Davey, ya need da strength ta go ta Brooklyn." Jack said in a sing song voice. I smirked.

"Megan!" That didn't sound good. I turned to see a very angry Jackson in the doorway.

"Excuse me." I slowly started to slide under the table.

From my hiding place, I saw Jackson's brown work boots from stop in front of our table.

"Where'd she go Kelly?" Jackson sounded pissed.

"Who?" Bless you Jack!

"Can we help you?" David asked in a steely voice.

"Where is she Kelly?"

"I know a lot of 'she's; you'll have to be more specific."

Finally, Jackson stooped to look under the table. I smiled sheepishly at him. He grabbed my vest and yanked me out. David stood up and grabbed my arm.

"Let her go, sir." David said in that steely voice.

"It's okay, David," I pried off Jackson's fingers. "This is my brother Jackson. Jackson, this is my friend David and his little brother Les." Jackson nodded at both of them.

"Where were you this morning?" He asked.

"Working." I replied.

"You had a doctor's appointment."

"I thought Ink and Tumbler could've used it more."

Jackson sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Megan—"

"Tumbler looked sick."

"You're not their mother!"

"I'm close enough to it, Jackson."

He sighed. "No, you're just an older kid." I winced. I did consider myself a maternal figure to the younger guys in the lodging house.

"So were you." I reminded him.

His eyes hardened. I went too far and I knew it.

"You will go next time." his voice left no room for argument.

"Alright. I'll see ya next time around with Annie and Teddy. Bye." He hugged me and left.

"C'mon, we gotta go pick up Boots." Jack said.

We got up and started towards the Lodging House. We dropped off Les on the way. I went in and got Boots and my hat. I took the ribbon out of my hair and put on my hat. My hair would act like a curtain against the Brooklynites.

I walked out the Lodging House with Boots. Then we started the long trek to Brooklyn.

It was light enough; we could've just been out for a stroll. Boots and Jack kept up a steady conversation in the front, while David and I stayed in the back and talked…not quite so steadily.

"Why was your brother mad at you?" The game of twenty questions resumes.

"I was supposed to go to a doctor's office for a check-up. Instead I sent Tumbler and Ink."

He didn't immediately ask another question. I took my chance.

"So, what's your life like?" I asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Before you were a newsie, you had to have a life. What was it like?"

"Oh, well, my dad would work and momma would work from home. Sarah works part time and goes to school. Les isn't old enough for school yet, and I would go to school full time."

School. I remembered that. I loved school, especially the books. "I used to go to school." I told David. He looked surprised.

"Is that why you don't have an accent?"

"Probably."

We reached the start of the Brooklyn Bridge. David seemed a little wary, as if the bridge was going to bite him. Actually, I didn't really blame him. It was a long, high bridge.

"I've never been to Brooklyn before." David admitted.

"Really?" answered Jack. It seemed more for politeness' sake.

David was still tense.

"I spent a month there one night." Boots said. I laughed. David seemed to get it was a joke but still couldn't really laugh.

"Hey, watch this." Jack and Boots leaned over the railing of the bridge and yelled down into the river. The echo was loud and reverberated as usual.

"So, uh, is this Spot Conlon really dangerous?" David was continuing to try to conquer his struggle with the bridge. Jack, Boots and I exchanged looks. Then laughed.

The echo was great.