Hey! Well, why I get inspired at weird hours I don't know. How was everyone's Christmas, if you celebrate it? Oh! And Happy New Year! Um, early New Year! Oh whatever:) Read on:)

Review and Rad On!

- Emily

The sun hadn't even risen to a viewing point before Maia was woken up by a pillow to the face.

"Flame, get up. Snydah wants ta see ya before da day starts." Crutchie said. Maia groaned.

"I'm beginning to miss Kloppman waking me up. I thought that was early!" Crutchie laughed and shoved her off the bed with his free arm.

"Ya get used ta it. Now come on," Maia stood up and brushed off the dirt that had collected on her shirt. Yes, the refuge floors were that dirty. It also didn't help that she had no other clothes except the clothes she had gotten arrested in. She gave a half smile to Crutchie and walked out of the room. Once she arrived outside his office she hesitated. Taking a deep breath, she made a fist and closed her eyes.

Just knock on the door, Maia. She thought. (A/N: anyone catch the Matilda reference?)

She rapped on the door three times before she heard the eerie,

"Come in." She cracked open the door and slipped in silently, closing the door shut once she was in.

"You wanted ta see me, Mr. Snydah?"She asked.

"Sit." He said, not even looking up from his paper. She sat in the chair across from his desk. She fidgeted in her seat, tapping her toe against the ground anxiously. After three minutes of silence, Snyder put down his paper and cleared his throat.

"Well, Ms. Blazer, how was your first night?" Maia scrunched her eyebrows, confused at the question. Is that all he had to say?

"Um, okay?"

"Okay? Tisk, tisk. What a shame. I was hoping you would be enjoying yourself, since your sentence has been, how do I put this? Changed." Maia's mouth hung open.

"C-changed?" She asked.

"Yes, I don't like it, but it was the only way he would agree." Maia's puzzled expression turned into deep thought. Then, remembering what Jack had told her last night, it became horrified.

"Jack..." she whispered. Snyder smirked.

"Yes, your friend has made a... a little deal in order to make sure your sentence was changed. You will be remaining here the remainder of the week, then returned to the care of Mr. Kloppman. Your father will have legal authorization to check in on you whenever, and if you try anything you will suffer a heavier trial. Understood?" Maia nodded, staring off into space. She clenched her teeth hard to stop any tears from forming. What had Jack done?

"M-Mr. S-Snydah? W-what dead did J-Jack make?" He only gave a dark chuckle.

Maia was in a daze the whole morning. She didn't speak to anyone, she didn't look at anyone. She didn't even react when Snyder slapped her across the face for spilling a drop of his coffee. She went through the motions like a mindless sheep. Twice that morning she had stopped by the room Jack was being held in, but when she knocked no one responded. It was like no one was even in there. Finally it was time for the afternoon break. Maia walked up to the bunk room and sat down on the window sill, staring down at the tiny people walking the streets. Crutchie sat down beside her.

"Flame, please. Tell me what happened this morning. The boys here don't even know you and they know that something went wrong this morning." He placed a comforting hand on her knee. She closed her eyes and took a shaky breath.

"M-my sentence has been shortened. I'll stay here the rest of the week, then I'll be released to Kloppman," she started. Crutchie smiled.

"Flame, that's great!" She shook her head and a tear fell.

Get it together, Maia! You're better than this.She thought.

"No, you don't get it! Jack is da reason I'm getting out early. Snydah said dat he made some kinda deal with someone, and I went up to his room and no one responded. What if something happened ta him? Crutchie, it would be all my fault. It's always my fault." More tears slipped from her eyes and Crutchie pulled her into his chest. He stroked her hair slowly.

"Sh, it will be okay. Cowboy...he is smart. He is careful, wait scratch that. He knows his way around, though." I'm sure he is fine. If it makes you feel any better I can send a message to da boys and see if dey know anything, okay?" She dried her eyes and smiled.

"Thank you, Crutch." She hugged him tightly.

"Anytime, Flame. Now, break is about over. You don't need another bruise ta match da one from earlier." She laughed.

"Okay." Smiling, they both walked back to work.

*earlier that morning with the Newsboys*

The Newsies woke up at six a.m as usual. They got dressed, as usual. However, everything seemed different. The usual laughter and rowdiness had been replaced with silence. A sense of loss hung in the air, but with the look of their leader, their best friend, and the girl who was practically a sister to all of them had really hit deep. The strike seemed less likely of a good outcome. It was like everyone had lost hope.

"Boys! Lets go!" Davey called. He was kind of the make-shift leader, with Spot helping of course.

"Get down to da Distribution Center! We's continuin' da strike whethah ya bums like it or not." Spot said, earning himself a punch in the arm my Race.

Once the last boy had left Davey and Spot followed.

"So, you think we can win?" Davey asked. Spot rolled his eyes,.

"Davey, we has no chance. Jacky-boy is in jail, Maia is in jail, Crutchie is in jail. Dat really took a toll on da boys, especially Maia. We's dead."

"Yeah, for some reason the boys grew attached to her. Including me. I still can't believe she turned out fake." Davey said, shoving his hands in his pockets. Spot nodded.

"She has a career in da theatre if she wants it." Spot chuckled. The arrived at the Center. The boys were crowded together, fighting towards something but being held off by police officers.

"What's going on?" Davey asked.

"No idea. Come on," Spot ran into the crowd, yelling at people to move out of his way. And when you are the king of Brooklyn, people tend to obey you. When he got to the front the sight he saw was the last thing he thought he would ever see. Even he had not seen it coming. A stab of betrayal struck his heart but he pushed it away. Standing behind the police, in fancy clothes being polished off by Wiesel, was Jack. In his hand...a stack of newspapers.

"Ya scab! We's trusted ya! Ya bum!" Spot shouted. Jack looked down at his shoes. Davey ran up beside Spot.

"Jack! What are you doing? You scab!" He yelled. Wiesel took a step forward.

"You want to talk to him? Come on," The police let Davey through and he grabbed Jacks' arm, leading him to the side.

"Jack, what do you think you're doing?" He asked. "Is this all part of your big plan? Huh?" Jack looked up, a flash of hurt quickly replaced by a poker face.

Remember why you're doing this, Jack? It's for their protection. Jack thought.

"Listen, Dave. I's don't got anyone tucking me in at night. For da first time I got money in my pocket. You don't understand, okay So forget about all of dis and go." Davey clenched his fists.

"Look at all of those young kids in that crowd. Do you see how scared they are? What will they do if we lose? Those kids look up to you. They idolize you. You should here the way they were crying last night because they didn't know what was happening to their Cowboy. This is how to treat them? Your going to act like you don't care?"

"Dave, shut up. You don't know what you're talking about. I wish I could tell ya but I's can't. If ya was smart enough you'd be able ta figure it out on your own." Jack said, locking eyes with his best friend. Davey threw his hands into the air.

"Your just like Maia! A fake! A liar! You made us think we could trust you and you stab us in the back! I hope you both rot in those cells! Scabs! You bums!" Davey yelled. The police grabbed his arms and threw him back into the crowd of boys. Jack looked back down at the ground as Wiesel led him away from the rowdy crowd.

*Later that evening*

Specs walked down the road that lead to the refuge, as he had been doing every evening to check in on Crutchie. Now that Maia was in there, he wasn't really sure if he should go or not. I mean, that bruise on her father's arm seemed pretty realistic. The rest of the boys were dead set that she was a traitor, and the evidence seemed to show she was guilty...it was complicated.

Specs walked up the below his window, and just as he was about to start climbing up he spotted a folded up paper on the ground. Slowly, he reached down to pick it up. Unfolding it, he read:

To: Whichever Newsie sees this first (probably Specs)

From: Crutchie

Maia arrived yesterday. This morning Snyder called her into his office and

she came back all shaken up. She wouldn't look at or talk to

anyone. When she opened up to me, she said the her sentence had been shortened

and she will stay here the rest of the week then be released to Kloppman. She told me that Jack made

some kind of deal with someone and that's the reason, but Snyder refuses to tell her what happened,

She was in tears and is so worried about Jack, if you have any information please tell us as soon

as possible. Also, please don't be mad at her. I don't believe she is guilty, and neither does Jack.

Thanks. Now, you may not want to help her out...

but she is really dying inside. She cares about all of you and you hating her isn't helping her

at all.

Wishing you all the best!

Specs caught his breath when he read the note. Maybe Maia was framed. Clenching the note in his fish he ran as fast as he possibly could to the lodging house.

I hope you liked it! Yeah, I know I changed some things up, but hopefully you don't mind. I think it goes along with the story and explains some things. Also, I know Maia is a little OOC,but in the next chapter she should be back to her feisty self:)

Thanks for reading!

Review please!

- Emily:)