Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership of the Newsies, the songs, or the plot line in anyway. Anything or anyone that you recognize from the movie belongs to the movie. I am not claiming ownership in any way, shape, or form. I'm just a girl who loves the movie and wants to write about it.

Chapter 9

Hannah's Point of View

A Small Voice

I had only meant to stay with the newsies for one night, but I had now been staying with them for a week. They were so friendly and helpful. I was used to living on my own, relying on stealing to stay alive, and sleeping in alleys to stay out of the rain. Now, selling papers, I had a way to support myself. Of course, it probably wouldn't be permanent, but I couldn't get myself to leave, it was nice being able to come "home" to a warm bed, and to know that I'll be able to have a meal. But, the thought of leaving was ever-present in my mind, a little irritating voice.

The only reason why you are still in New York City is to see the Delancy's pay for what they did to Joshua it would say.

Of course I would argue back, that's stupid, until now you never knew when your next meal was going to be, you didn't have any friends, you were on the streets stealing to survive.

See? That's a weakness, you are starting to rely on other people, how 'bout you sneak out tonight.

And where would I go after I left? Back to Brooklyn? I have that Spot Conlon already fed up with me as it is. Besides I'm happy here.

Are you? News to me

Of course, now shut up and let me sleep.

It was a constant argument that would go on and on and on, always the same, never changing. The newsies were cool, they were the first people who I could call friends ever since Joshua was killed, and they were people who I felt actually cared about me. Celena was my favorite, she was sweet and friendly, she was the first to really make a move to try and befriend me, besides Mush. Of course I had to thank him, I probably wouldn't have gotten out of that fight alive if it weren't for him coming when he did, and it was great of him to let me come back here to Manhattan. I had been selling papers mostly with Celena, Paloosh, Raven, Folly, Katie, Pippa, Skittery, and Specs. Sometimes the group split up, but that's how we usually did it. Trignifty and Mush, the two who had found me always sold together and so did Nanners and Racetrack, of course there were other newsies but they were the ones that I knew the best. Trig had said that one of her closer friends, Seagull was over in Brooklyn, and was supposed to have only been there for one night, the night they found me, but one night dragged onto two, and two to three, and so on, until she had been there a week. Oh well, if she wants to put up with the "high and mighty Spot Conlon" she can be my guest and go ahead, see if I care. Ugh! That kid drives me crazy.

"Everyone up! Papers to sell! Money to make! Get up!" Katie's cry filled the bunkroom, "rise and shine! C'mon up ya get! That means you Avalanche! Up! Up! Up!" Everyone tumbled out of bed, more asleep than awake, with Avalanche protesting the "early shifts" and Katie responding that it was 5:30 and not in any means "early".

Then we went to the distribution center, singing and dancing the whole way. That was one thing I would never get used to. I wasn't exactly the kind of person to go dance in the streets, no matter how much you paid me, ok, maybe for a million bucks, but…

It was my turn next and I stepped up to the distribution office, that same annoying little voice protesting the entire time. Don't buy the papers! Don't buy the papers dummy! Don't do it! Don't you dare! If you even try I'll soak ya! Don't do it! Uh-uh not a good idea! No papers! Do not do it unless you want—

"Twenty papers please" I cut it off.

Ugh! You idiot! I told you not to! You ignoring smart old me, when I'm the one that's kept you alive the entire time, I'm the brains around here and you should be listening to ME

Oh shut up

No! I won't shut up! I refuse to shut up! No! No! No! No! No!

This was getting annoying; it wouldn't leave me alone, but if I left, then the other part of me wouldn't leave me alone. I set off with Celena; the two of us had opted to sell together without anyone else today.

I had sold about half of my papes when we heard the sounds of a fight. Celena and I ran around the corner and looked into the alley. It was 2 older boys taking down a younger kid, one of the newsies; I think they had said his name was Snipeshooter. I didn't recognize the older boys, though at first glance I thought they were Oscar and Morris, apparently not. I didn't have a sling-shot; I didn't have nothing but my bare hands, and a guilty conscience.

I turned to Celena, "go and get help, now."

"What about you?"

"What about me? Go and get help!"

The scabs had heard us and were advancing towards our end of the alley.

"Hannah…this isn't a good idea"

"Go!" I yelled pushing her in the general direction of the lodging house.

I turned back to the two boys, in front of me. This was bad, Snipeshooter was slumped against the wall, holding his ankle which looked broken, I so was not up to fighting two scabbers.

Run! That annoying little voice was at it again. You can still get away! Run!

What about Snipeshooter?

Who cares about him, since when did you care about anyone but yourself?

I did before Joshua died

What about after that?

Well…not really

And you did fine, now run

No! With that I charged at the two scabs, kicking one in the stomach, then I spun around and punched the other in the face. I was driven by a fury and anger that would not subside, I wanted to get rid of that voice once and for all, and at the moment this seemed the only way to go about doing it. One of them was grabbing me from behind now, his companion getting ready to give a punch that would do more than give a black eye. More and more scabs were coming; oh this was baaaaaaaad with a capital "b".

Suddenly I heard a "thud" and the scab holding me, collapsed, and I spun around, Jack was standing there with a smug look on his face. There was no time to talk, most of the newsies where here now, Boots, Bumlets, Skittery, Specs, Blink, Mush, Dash, Itey, Snoddy, Dutchy, Swifty, Jake, Racetrack, all of 'em, even the girls, Trig, Raven, Paloosh, Celena, Folly, Nanners, Katie, Pippa, Avalanche. I don't have much to compliment most of the girls on for their "fighting skills" but Paloosh was amazing, Katie was good, and Pippa was awesome, of course she'd been taught by the "oh-so-wonderful Spot Conlon" oh-so-wonderful indeed, yeah right.

It was complete confusion, punches being thrown left and right, Snipeshooter had recovered enough to crawl out of the general area of the fight. Several of the newsies were on the ground, being kicked or punched or completely ignored. Dash was tiny but ferocious, for being only eight he was a good fighter and didn't have the name Dash for nothing, he was quick. Right now he was on one of the scabbers back's hitting them in the head. Then the scab spun and Dash went flying across the alley slamming into the opposite wall.

"Dash!" I screamed as I ran over to him. He couldn't be dead, he was just a kid! I tried to find a pulse, his head was bleeding, and his arm looked broken. I looked back to the fight, Skittery was out cold, and Folly was next to him, trying to revive him. Itey, was on the ground being kicked by two scabbers, every time he tried to get up they would kick him again. Boots was cornered, between the wall and some trash cans by another two, and Jack had to have at least 5 attacking him at once, there were too many of them, we were outnumbered at least 3 to 1, we would never make it out alive.

Suddenly I heard a sound above us, on the fire escape, it was somewhat…familiar.

"Never fear, Brooklyn is here!" came that same arrogant voice, that same arrogant smirk, that same arrogant Spot. Well, at least he was useful right about now, out came the slingshots and marbles, well, Spot showing up was better than us getting totally soaked.

I turned my attention back to Dash "come on Dash, wake up, please" I pleaded, he was only eight! It wasn't fair that someone as young as him could die! Then I looked up and saw someone I wanted to see even less than Spot Conlon, much less. I was looking right into the eyes of Morris Delancy. I stood up, and began to fight my way through the crowd towards him, the person who had killed my brother, the person who had ruined my life. I wanted to just wipe that smirk of his face, I wanted to give him what he deserved, I was almost there…a few more steps…almost…there…

Suddenly my world went black.

Ok, a bit of a cliff hanger, I'll hopefully have the next chapter up tomorrow. Thanks so much for all the reviews, you guys are awesome!