Ugh, why am I up at 7:00 on a Saturday you ask? Headaches, my good friend. Wow, I never noticed how loud the keyboard is when everything else is quiet...weird.

Well, anyway, here it is! Chapter 12! Hope you enjoy it!

Review and Read On!

- Emily

"Okay, first us. Let's have the case of Maia Blazer. Charged for running away from home, stealing, and resist of arrest." The guard shoved Maia in front of the room

"Steal? I nevah stole nothin'!" She exclaimed, eyes wide and confused.

"Well according to your father you stole all of your family's money." Maia's face turned rock hard and she clenched her teeth.

That lying- She thought.

"Now, who is speaking for her?" The judge called out. A man stepped out from the back of the room.

"I will." Maia closed her eyes. The man stepped behind her and placed his hands on her shoulder, gripping them with such force she was sure there would be a bruise.

"My name is Jacob Blazer. I am Maia's father. She was always a disobedient child, and in all retrospect I should have seen it coming. One day she started screaming for no apparent reason and went crazy! She hit her mother, leaving her unconscious on the kitchen floor. He hit her brother in the eye=, which turned black. To me, she gave a=me a nasty concussion and a disgusting bruise on my left shoulder. Would you like to see?" He pushed down his shirt to reveal...a bruise. The newsies behind her gasped, and she spun around shaking her head frantically.

"No! That nevah happened! You hit me! You hit me!" She said, but screamed the last sentence. Her father shook he head in a sad motion.

"See? Always lying. Always screaming. What...what did I ever do to you? What did I do to deserve this?" He wiped a fake tear from his eye. Oh, he was good.

"So, what would you like her sentence to be?" Judge asked. Jacob looked down at her.

"For the safety of this city, I would like her to be placed in the House of Refuge for a month, to straighten her up, then returned to my care where I will keep watch on her at all times." He said, emphasizing the last words and gripping her shoulders harder. She spun around to face him.

"How could you! You know I nevah did nothin' to you! You-"

"Help!" Jacob yelled, starting to back away. Maia felt a club hit her shoulder and a fist hit her gut. She doubled over and gasped for air and she was lead to the back of the room. As she passed Jack he wouldn't even glance at her.

"Jack, please. Please believe me!" She whispered, her voice choking. He only stared straight ahead as he was lead to the front. Snyder ended up speaking on behalf of Jack, but Maia didn't really pay attention to his trial. How could the newsies not believe her? They had seen proof that Jacob had hit her! She bit her lip to hold back the tears that were forming.

Jack's trial was over fast, and in less than a half hour they both were sitting across from each other in the carriage heading to the refuge.

"It's nice to have you back with me, Sullivan. Things got quiet without you around."

Sullivan? Maia thought, So Jack has a secret of his own, huh? The carriage pulled up in front of the Refuge and two guards came out.

"Take the girl to the room. Don't even bother isolating her. Leave the boy with me, and we will be back later." The guards took ahold of her arm and pulled her out of the carriage. Maia stumbled, and again Jack didn't even glance her way. She could have sworn she felt her heart shatter in her chest.

She was taken to a room on what seemed to be the third floor. the guard threw open the door and shoved her into the room. She hit the floor with a thud! The door slammed shut and immediately hand started helping her up.

"It's a girl!" Someone shouted.

"Really?!"

"What's your name, sweetheart? I'm Ten-Pin, by the way." The new commotion made Maia's head throb, but she answered anyway.

"I'm Maia, but da boys called me Flame." She answered.

"You's don't look like you'd hurt a fly, though!" Ten-Pin laughed.

"You'd be surprised, Ten. Da girl beat up da Delancey's." Maia spun around at the new voice, and a smile spread across her face. Sitting on the window sill wasa familiar gimp.

"Crutchie!" She exclaimed, running over and hugging him. He hugged her back and pulled her to sit beside him.

"So ya two know eachothah?" Ten-Pin asked. Crutchie nodded.

"She's a newsie."

"Not anymore." Maia muttered. The noise died down and Crutchie's face fell.

"Flame, what happened?" Maia kept her eyes on her shoes.

"Um, da newsies had a rally at Medda's, and I knew da bulls was aftah me so Jack ordered me to stay inside. I didn't, and Jack and I ended up gettin' caught. My fathah was speaking for me in court and told a bunch of lies and now I'm in da Refuge for a month and have ta go back ta my family when I's get out. On top of dat, da newsies hate me. Jack wouldn't even look at me." She said. Crutchie put his arm around her.

"I's isn't gonna let dat happen, Flame. And besides, I's sure dey don't hate ya! Dey know da truth-"

"Yeah, but now dey don't believe da truth. You didn't see the spiteful looks dey had." She rubbed her temple with her fingers, trying to make the throbbing go away. No one said much, as if everyone was lost in thought. Suddenly, a bell rang and Crutchie stood up.

"Dat means it's time for Snydah;s dinner. Come on, you's can come wit me." Maia stood up next to him and followed him out the door.

Knock, knock. Crutchie knocked on the door holding a tray and Maia opened the door for him.

"Evening, Mr. Snydah! I hope ya don't mind, but I brought Fla-er- Maia here ta show her da ropes." He set the tray down in front of him and smiled.

How could he be so optimistic? Maia wondered.

"No matter. Have her get Jack's food and take it to him. He is in isolation." Crutchie bit his lip and nodded slightly. He picked up the tray and exited the room. Maia closed the door behind him.

"If Jack is in the refuge, and you is in the refuge, then the strike is sure going downhill."

"Nah, we have our Walking Mouth still." She said. Crutchie laughed.

"Yeah, good old Davey." The went down stairs to the kitchen. She picked up what she couldn't decide was soup or meat and followed Crutchie up to the top floor. They found Jack's room, but couldn't figure out how to get in. She decided to slip it through the small mail flap at the top.

"Jack?" She whispered. He looked over and walked up to them, grabbing the food from her.

"Jack, listen, what happened at court wasn't-"

"I know it wasn't true." Jack said.

"Told ya!" Crutchie said. Maia stuck her tongue out at him. Jack laughed.

"Hiya, Crutch. Now, Maia, I knew dat was a lie. I wasn't lookin' at ya cause dis is all my fault. I's da leadah I should have just cancelled da rally. I's sorry." Maia's heart felt heavy as a boulder.

"Jack, no. It's my fault. I disobeyed your rule and look how we ended up." She said. Jack smiled.

"Thanks, Flame. And don't worry, I sorted everything out. I just hope you realize that. For the boys...probably not." She gave him a puzzled look.

"What do you mean?"

"Flame we gotta go."

"You'll see." Crutchie pulled her away from the door and the flap closed shut.

That's it! I hope you liked it! Please review:)

Thanks!

- Emily