Disclaimer: I do not own Newsies or any of its characters, Disney does. I own Lucinda AKA Pretty, AKA Amanda Hearst. I also own Lillian 'Lily' 'Cowgirl' Snyder and Patrick Sullivan.

(A/N: Thanks for the great reviews! :) )

The next afternoon was rainy and dreary. Lucinda, once again posing as Pretty, leaned against the stage. The Manhattan Newsies had just arrived and were still taking their seats when the Brooklyn newsies, led by Spot Conlon, piled into the theater. She glanced over at Jack.

He was standing atop the stage with Medda, Spot soon joined them. The trio planned the evening: after all newsies arrived Tony (who usually only gave out candy) would be giving out hot dogs. Then, the leaders of the strike would address all newsies and try to win the skeptics over. Then Spot would tell Jack his opinion in front of all the newsies. Whatever Spot agreed on, every other newsie would agree on. All trusted the 'Newsie King.'

When she had first joined the newsies she hadn't understood what was so great about the small Brooklyn leader. Until she saw him in action. He was swift, tough, and always thought ahead. Lucinda was immediately impressed with him, it was not every day she met someone who had natural born detective skills. Sometimes, even now, she'd find herself worrying for a moment if he knew she wasn't a newsgirl. But, if he did, he never let on.

Hours later Lucinda sat on the edge of the stage, listening to Jack, Medda, and Spot. It was almost night and soon the rally would begin.

"Hey Pretty, Medda wants youse ta help heh sing!" Jack beamed down at her from the stage.

"Wh-What?" She stared up at Jack and her stomach twisted. She had survived as Pretty by staying in the shadows, keeping herself out of the spotlight, and mainly by minding her own business. She couldn't take the chance of one of these newsies knowing or being related to someone she had helped to bring to justice.

"Medda wants youse ta sing."

"I...I can't."

"Why not?" Jack squatted down and stared her in the eye, "Da only person who really can't sing 'round heah is Spot."

"Dat statement could influence me opinion on dis so called strike, Jacky-Boy." The Brooklyn newsboy leader exclaimed from the other side of the stage.

Jack chuckled before looking down at her.

"I...I know someone who can sing."

"What's heh name?" Jack asked.

One of the rules of being an effective detective was knowing how to think fast. She licked her lips and glanced around Irving Hall until her eyes landed on a poster: Tired of Breaking Your Back For Someone Else's Sake? If the life doesn't seem to suit you, go out West!

"Um...Cowgirl!"

"Cowgoil?" Spot asked as he looked over at her, "How come we'se aint heard of her?"

"She's new in town," Pretty shrugged, "Just arrived by train earlier today."

"And how do youse know heh?" Spot stared at her skeptically.

"She's me cousin, da last livin' relative I'se have. She needed a place so I brought heh heah. I'se will go get heh, she's got a great singin' voice, youse will see!" She turned and ran out of Irving Hall as fast as she could. She hoped Lillian would be able to forgive her.

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"Cowgirl....Sing?!" Lily's head was spinning from Lucinda's tale of Pretty's cousin from out west. Supposedly 'Cowgirl' could sing just as well as Medda. "I've never been out of New York! I've never been out west!" Her heart beat frantically.

"Now, I told you, being a detective means you must make effective lies. No one will go out west to whatever state or providence you say you come from," Lucinda exclaimed with a roll of her eyes. She then tossed Lily a stained white shirt; denim breeches; brown suspenders; a brown vest; a pair of cowboy boots; a brown leather belt with a turquoise belt buckle; and a straw cowboy hat. To finish the ensemble was an ankle length duster, which was worn and torn.

"Isn't this over doing it? How about I wear a blouse and skirt? I'll wear the boots and hat with it."

"No. You're a tomboyish cowgirl, now get dressed then I'll make you up so well your own father won't recognize you."

"Is he going to be there?" Lily asked with a jump, her eyes widened and her face paled. "If he learns what I am doing....I will be out of a home."

"Pish-posh, you will come live with me," Lucinda replied nonchalantly, "Now hurry and dress. We have....Only an hour, so don't dawdle."

"Easy enough for you to say," Lily muttered when Lucinda exited the bedroom. She sighed, how did she allow herself to get stuck in such situations such as this one? The cemetery and now this. To quote her mother on her favorite expression, "Lordy Lou."

She quickly dressed into the male attire and stared at herself in the mirror. The blouse and pants accentuated her feminine curves in a way she had never seen them before. A blush crept to her cheeks when she realized she looked a cross between manly and untamed with her hair being unruly from undressing and redressing so darned quickly.

Lucinda opened the door and beamed, "How lovely you look! Madeline! Hurry now!"

Madeline rushed in with Lily's hair brush and a make up set. She took off the cowboy hat and placed it on the bed and gently pushed Lillian onto the seat of her bedroom chair. Lucinda opened the make up set and began putting some sort of thick cream all over her face.

"What is that?"

"It's a base," she replied, "It will hide all your freckles and most of your face's identifying marks. Every detective going undercover has to wear this. If it would comfort you, I am wearing it right now." She continued to quickly dab the base on before she took what felt like a course sponge and evened it out.

"Owch!" Lily winced when Madeline tugged on her hair.

"Sorry, dear. I need to make your hair messy."

"Messy?"

"You are posing a rough and tough cowgirl," Madeline reminded her.

"I do not know how to act rough and tough, or man-ish at that!"

"You best learn quickly, then," Lucinda replied, "It is simple to do really. Just think of all the boys you've ever known...Wait...Have you known a boy being a boy, and not a prude?"

"Yes," Lily replied, "A young man who delivered my messages to me at school each morning. He was rather immature, making jokes, and acting younger than his age."

"That is what you would term a normal fellow," Madeline chuckled.

"Real boys and men do not mature fast. That man you are engaged to, Alexander BeeBee, or whatever. I am sure he has an immature side he will never show you," Lucinda commented as she began spinning a large brush into a glass container of loose facial powder. She quickly applied it to Lily's face before adding a little blush. Then she opened a wooden container filled with what looked like brown ink.

"What is that?"

"It's a powder used to make freckles."

"Why cover my freckles to put on more?"

"I'm not putting on more, I'm only putting on one. Now hold still." Lucinda scolded as she dabbed a wooden stick what a dull point into the powder. Then placed the tip of the stick under Lily's right eye and carefully made a tiny freckle.

"There now, you have a beauty mark. Look at yourself in the mirror," the detective ordered as she gathered the make up and put it back into case. She clasped the small black case shut and slid it under Lillian's bed.

Lily turned and stared at herself in the mirror, her heart nearly lunged from her chest. She barely recognized herself. Her hair, which had been neat and pinned, was now hanging loose around her shoulders and was by all means a rat's nest. Her face had a light tan to it, and the single freckle drew her attention to the side of her face rather than her nose and mouth.

Madeline placed the hat back onto Lillian's head. She slid the wooden bead up her chin, and Lily found the cords on the sides of her hat became tighter. Lucinda rushed behind her and tied a blue neck kerchief around her neck.

"Time to go now, thank you so much Madeline!" Lucinda smiled before she grabbed hold of Lily's wrist and dragged her from the house.

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Patrick Sullivan watched as the bulls ran into Irving Hall, minutes later his son rushed out. He smiled and opened his arms in a wide embrace. He only had seconds to get his son before the bulls or those damned nosey strike breakers did. Fortunately Francis was glancing behind his shoulder in horror as another newsboy had been running out of the building alongside him was attacked by a police officer. He unknowingly ran straight into his father's arms.

"Hello, boy," Patrick beamed.

"...Fadda..."

Before his boy had a chance to overcome his shock, Patrick threw the newsboy into the back of the coach and locked the door. He ran quickly to the front of the coach and sat on the running board, then braced his feet and slapped the horses reigns. As the horses ran off like a bat from hell into the dark night he heard a loud 'thud' but assumed it was no more than his son trying to escape the prison on wheels.

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"Oh, God! I didn't think he'd attempt to kidnap Jack right now! Not with all these police around!" Lucinda shouted as she watched the newsboy being thrown in the back of a black coach. She looked beside her and jumped when she noticed Lillian was gone. She spun around, then looked up as an officer on a horse rushed by her. Lily had climbed atop the wagon most of the strike breakers had come on when Patrick Sullivan's coach began to pass she jumped onto the roof.

"Lillian..." Lucinda whispered, "You're going to get yourself killed!" She ran after the coach, however the two horses were ten times faster than she could ever be. She tripped over a raised cobblestone and crumbled onto her hands and knees. The shock phased her for a moment, when she looked up the carriage and Lillian had vanished into the night.

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Lillian was not sure where the burst of courage or insanity had come from, however it had led her to jump onto the roof of a moving coach. Something she had never done in her life. Her heart pounded wildly with fear as her fingers clutched the luggage rack of the coach for dear life. She was on the roof of the box on wheels, Patrick Sullivan (an ugly man with a sour voice) had not yet taken notice of her. She had to find a way to get into that carriage and save Jack. But how?

The coach hugged a corner tightly and for a moment went onto the two left side wheels. Lillian's body slid halfway off the carriage, her hands slipped down the bars and she found herself hanging from the side of the carriage. Tears began to fall from her eyes, if she fell she could be run over! Worst yet, she'd never see the newsboy again. The thought of never seeing him again for any reason (let alone being kidnapped by his father) made her heart ache and her stomach queasy. Whatever the feeling was, she didn't like it.

"Put on your thinking cap, Lillian," she muttered to herself and looked at the side of the carriage. She was pressed against a glass window. Glass. Glass was breakable! She tightened her grip on the side of the luggage rack and heaved herself up as far as she could then pushed away from the side. For a moment her body hung in mid air, her feet having no support terrified her. Instead she focused on drawing her knees up to her chest. She poked her feet out and as she swung forward she unbent both her legs in a powerful kick. The glass shattered and she flew into the window.

"What da hell?!" Jack shouted.

"Jack?"
Lillian looked up from small and narrow floor, Jack was squatting against one of the seats in the corner of the coach. He was staring warily at her, his eyes narrowed into slits. When they passed a lit street lamp his face lost its mistrust.

"Who ah youse?"

"Cowgirl," Lillian replied, "I saw your father shove you into this carri---coach---and I decided to come help you."

"Awright, how do youse suppose we'se gonna get outta heah?" He questioned.

How to get out of the coach? For a moment her mind went black, she stammered and looked around, then at the hole in the window she had literally flown through.

"We're going out through the window," she replied as she turned onto her stomach and pushed herself to her knees. She needed to get the broken glass out of the window frame. She recalled seeing her father doing this once many years ago when he helped a young girl from her apartment window. She untucked her blouse and felt her face heat as she blushed hard. She was glad for the duster covering what the blouse was not; she shrugged out of the shirt and buttoned her duster.

Lily glanced back at Jack, who was staring curiously at her, "Youse bettah hurry up, cause I'se gotta feelin' we'se gonna be at da train station soon."
Lillian balled her fist and wrapped the blouse around it. She set her hand on the frame of the window and knocked the glass off, the shirt protected her hand as she cleared the jarred pieces of glass until the frame was smooth and safe.

"When he stops we'll jump out."

"Can't."

She turned, "Why not?"

Jack lifted his wrists and ankles, both were bound.

"Who....Tied you?"

"I'se did. It was eidda tie up me own ankles and wrists or have a nice large hole in between me eyes."

Lily forced herself onto her feet, the moment she was able to stand the carriage began to slow. She was knocked into the news boy's lap. She blushed in humiliation but pushed herself off him and onto the seat. He thrust his wrists as her and she quickly began working on the knot.

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Patrick pulled back the horse's reigns when they arrived at the train station. He could hear the sounds of shrill whistles behind him. If he didn't hurry he and his son would not make it back out west. He couldn't afford that. Those jewels for his for the taking and damn if he was going to let some blue-belly bull take his fortune from him!

He jumped off the running board and was about to open the door when Jack tumbled out followed by another figure.

"What the hell?" His eyes were wide with shock. The person, a young woman, turned and hit him. He grabbed hold of his nose, "You're gonna pay for that!"

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Lillian grabbed hold of Jack's arm and helped to pull him to his feet. He looked over at her and his eyes widened in recognition, "Lillian Snydah?!"

"I'll explain later, run!"

Jack grabbed hold of her hand, "Not widdout youse, c'mon!" He ran from his father towards an alley way formed by the train station and its small house for the station's employees.

Lily's heart pounded as she ran with the cowboy, they had almost reached the mouth of the alley when a piercing pain went through her right shoulder. She opened her mouth to cry out, but her breath caught in her throat. A piercing pain then made itself known as she began to collapse.

"Lillian!"

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Patrick turned when he heard the shout, he stifled a curse when a man dressed in black followed by an army of bulls rushed towards him. He darted over the rails just before a train rushed past.

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Jack's heart pounded, "Lillian!" He knelt to the ground beside her, and turned her onto her back. He wiped the last of her make up off with his sleeve and stared at her. Her face was so pale, even her freckles were pale. Her eyes fluttered open.

"Lillian," he whispered, "Just stay wid me, ok?"

Her hazel eyes were glazing with tears, "I'm....I'm sorry....Jack....I....I...I just..."

"Youse saved me life, twice," he replied softly, "You have no reason ta be sorry. It's me who should be sorry, not youse." How could have ignored her for so long? After the way he had treated her why would she have risked her to life to save him? Why? He had gone out of his way to ignore her, yet here she was.....She had rescued him from his father and even taken a bullet that was most likely meant for him. Guilt poured into his heart as he stared down at her, his stomach twisted when he lifted his hand to find it coated with blood.

"S....S....Sorry, I co...Couldn't save you....From....M...My father..." She stammered.

"LILLIAN?!"

Jack looked up and found Warden Snyder staring down at them, his face had lost all its color at the sight of his daughter.

"Me fadda...He..."

"I know what he did, and you helped him," the warden snarled.

"No! I'se did not help him, youse take dat back! It ain't true!" Jack shouted in anger and in hate, he stood and turned to run, but two hefty police officers blocked his path. He turned to the mouth of the alley way, but a small ocean of blue stood waiting for him.

"Take him to the refuge," Snyder growled before he slipped his arms under his daughter's shoulders and legs. "Get an extra coach, my daughter needs a hospital!"

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Lucinda ran into St. Mary's hospital in downtown Manhattan, her heart pounded. It had been hours since she last saw Lillian, she was on her back to the Lodging House when David Jacobs caught up with her and told her what he had seen. Lillian had been shot.

"Excuse me, but I need to know about Lillian Snyder," she exclaimed to a passing nurse.

"Don't know da name," the woman shrugged.

"Please, she has freckles, and light red hair, she was wearing a duster and a cowboy hat-"

"Oh yes, her. She's in a private room with her father. It's down da hall, Melinda! Where are the bandages?" She bellowed out.

Lucinda ran down the hallway and pushed curtains back of each room she ran across. Finally she found Lillian's. Her heart skipped a beat finding her young friend lying in the hospital bed asleep. Warden Snyder sat at her bedside.

He turned around his seat, "What do you want?"

"I...I'se a friend of hehs..."

"Young lady, my daughter does not befriend street trash," Snyder sneered, "I highly suggest you return to wherever you came from before I have Office McTeeny arrest you."

"But -"

"I am being very generous, which is not something anyone should expect of me during a time like this," he growled, "I shall count to three...One...Two..."

Lucinda turned and ran. This night was cursed! It was supposed to have run so smoothly. Damn, double damn!

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The next day while Snyder was in court Lucinda sat at Lillian's bed side. It was time for her to tell the truth, even if the other girl wasn't yet awake.

"Lillian, I lied to you about Amanda Hearst being my sister....The truth is....I'm an only child....And I am Amanda. I changed my name and my father helped me stage my death when I was 15. I had gotten involved with a dangerous boy....Alexander Busby. He's not who you and your father think he is....he's not...." She paused and glanced at her pocket watch, only half an hour until the judge ruled about the newsies and Jack's sentencing. She'd have to be there to maintain her identity as Pretty.

She took a deep breath, "You see...The grave you dug up was nothing more than an empty grave...But only I know that....Since my father is dead now....You know now too, I know you will not tell anyone. When you awaken, I promise to tell you of my past and show you the contents of that trunk you dug up...." She paused and gently squeezed the other girl's hand before taking her leave. She hoped the other girl would wake up soon. The only way she'd be able to arrest Warden Snyder is if Lillian helped provide the evidence, and at his trial took the stand against him....

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(A/N: Lily is not down for the count. She's very stubborn and will be back on her feet in the next chapter. :) )