Disclaimer: I do not own Newsies or any of its characters, they belong to Disney. I own Emily, Mouse, Bandit, Vampire, Gunslinger, and Red.

(A/N: Hi everyone, here is the next chapter. :-) Sorry it took me so long to update, I was out of ideas and completely burned out on Newsies. Since the last chapter I have graduated with my Bachelor's Degree and I'm now in the Master's program. I'll keep updating the story as often as I can. Special thanks to everyone who reviewed, and added me to his/her favorite authors/stories list.)

"Hope is your survival.

A captive life I lead.

No matter where you go, I will find you.

If it takes a long, long time

No matter where you go, I will find you

If it takes a thousand years..."

-I Will Find You by Clannad-

"And I'se say we barge in dere and Morris and I get Emily back!" Oscar jabbed his finger into Spot Conlon's chest; his brown eyes burned with intensity. The only thing on the Delanceys' minds was rescuing their sister from the insane newsboy leader. It had been two days since Emily was kidnapped, yesterday the newsies had tried to come up with a plan but everyone found too many weaknesses (though they had found a spy). When Oscar and Morris had first heard of the Newsie War they thought it was amusing, let dem annoying newsies fight it out. When the war was over, there would be less newsies to contend with, and if the Delanceys were lucky, maybe Jacky boy would either move to another borough or decide it was time to move on to a new job. But no….These damn newsies had to drag their war into the Delanceys' lives and take their sister from them, again!

Spot slapped Oscar's finger away and growled in a low voice, "Don'cha evah do dat again. I'se didn't start dis war, Vampiah did. I got newsies in dere who are in just as much trouble as Emily! Probably in even more danger since Vampiah sees dem as throw aways…as…erm…"

"Pawns," Floaty suggested from the corner of the room where she sat hugging Tumbler in one arm, and the other she held Katrina. This war was taking its toll on everyone, especially the youngest newsies who had a hard time understanding the newsboy war. If trading a toy could make this war go away, then by all means, Spot would trade everything, anything, to stop it. But not Brooklyn. Never Brooklyn. Vampire would rule over the New York newsies like the blood hungry creature he was named after.

"Yeah, pawns. Every newsie in dis room is just a pawn, but youse sister ain't." Spot crossed his arms and stared at both the Delanceys, "So if we'se gonna rescue yer sister and our newsies, den we gotta see eye to eye on dis. I ain't takin' a chance of losing newsies to rescue someone whose in da least amount of danger."

Morris balled his fists, "Den we'se will get heh ourselves."

"Don't be an idiot, Morris!" Skittery exclaimed from his seat on the staircase. "Da Harlem Newsboys will catch youse both too! What makes ya think ya can barge in dere widdout somethin' happenin'? Cause yer last name is Delancey? Yer sister's last name is Delancey and look what happened to her!"

"Damn it Spot, we've been dancin' around dis for days now," Gunslinger crossed her arms, "Da time for tiptoein' is done. Now it's time for plannin' and movin'."

Spot stared, "Dat's why Jacky boy and I were up all night plannin'." He paused and looked at each newsie, "What's said heah and now doesn't go out dis door. Understand?"

Each newsie nodded, the tension was so thick in the air that Spot was certain he could have cut a hole in it. Oscar and Morris glared at him, the only thing holding the two brothers back were Mush, Cactus, and Riley. Blink stood a few feet away from Floaty with Pie Eater; Spot knew Blink had feelings for the Delancey's sister, an issue he'd address with the newsboy later. Floaty looked at him with complete trust and faith in her eyes and he knew if Sport were in this room, he too would be looking the same way.

"We need at least 15 newsies to act as decoys, ya gotta distract da Harlem newsies by goin' inta Harlem," Spot held up his hands when the newsies began to argue and point out that no borough, especially Harlem, was safe to enter at the moment. "Quiet! I know walkin' in dere is like tellin' Oscar and Morris to soak ya!"

"Real nice comparison, Conlon!" Oscar snarled while he leaned against the wall, Morris stood beside him, slamming his fist into his other hand.

Deys can save da bravado for Harlem, Spot thought to himself before he continued, "While da fifteen newsies distract Harlem we're gonna sneak into deys lodgin' house and try to free our newsies and capture Vampiah at da same time."

"Dat's your big secret plan?" Gunslinger crossed her arms, "Conlon, ya might as well kiss yer wife and kid goodbye. Youse will be dead, Floats will be in some factory, and Katrina – if she's lucky – will be given to da Delanceys sister. I got somethin' dat will work, if yer willin' to listen."

Spot paused, "Gunslingah-"

"Spot, hear her out," Floaty exclaimed as she climbed up the staircase, Katrina was kicking and shrieking in her arms. For a tiny baby, she had a powerful set of lungs. Just like her daddy. For a small moment, Spot felt his chest fill with pride but that pride quickly transformed into fear…his brother holding onto his daughter and raising Katrina as his own….Spot felt sick. There were things he was willing to imagine, and that was not one of them.

"We gotta work togedda on dis," Gunslinger lowered her voice, "I ain't tryin' to step on yer toes, Spot. I want me newsies back and I want all da newsies home safely. Heck, I even want da Delancey's sister home to dem so they'll get outta our faces! What I don't want is for to be an unguarded henhouse. When the farmer's away the rattlesnake will play and I promise ya, dere's gonna be a lotta dead chickens. We gotta be da rattlers and let Vampiah and his mindless band of followahs be da chickens dis time."

Spot stared at Gunslinger; his ego had been standing in the way of rescuing the other newsies. He and Jack should have let the others in on their plan the previous night but they were tired, stressed, and afraid of what they'd find….Their friends in a factory or dead. His stomach twisted when he thought of poor Racetrack. Sure, Race was tough, but he had a soft heart. If he saw a newsgirl or a younger newsie being hurt Spot wasn't certain the gambler could hold his tongue. He swallowed and nodded, "Let's heah it."

"What is every person most afraid of?"

Spot stared, "Fire?"

"Thundahstorms?" Mush asked, causing the Delanceys to glance and snicker at him. The muscular newsie glared at the brothers, "It's a good fear, if ya get struck by lightnin' ya life is ovah!"

Gunslinger gritted her teeth and she was obviously becoming frustrated with all the newsies shouting and the Delanceys insults.

"Shut up befoah I send ya all out on a train ta Arizona and see how ya survive dere!" She stomped her foot on the floorboards so hard that the floor slightly shook and caused everyone to fall silent. Everyone stared at her, "As I was saying," she glared at the Delanceys in complete exasperation, "Everyone is deathly afraid of fiah. Dere's an old trick me fadda would use whenever a bar got too full of Johnny Ringo, Ike Clanton, and Curly Bill's men. He would shred papah and put it into glass jars and set da jars near da entrances and windows and he'd light matches and throw dem inside. Da entire saloon was full of smoke and it looked like da place was on fiah when it wasn't. I say we smoke 'em outta deys lodgin' house, our newsies lead da ones dat come out into a trap."

"What kind of trap?" Jack asked, "We don't have cages, Gunslingah."

"I'm gettin' to dat, Cowboy! Stop bein' so pushy like yer old man!" She snarled and backed off when Jack glared at her, pain and anger shining in his eyes. The Bronx leader sighed, "Sorry, Jack, I'se just tired of bein' da leader whose underestimated da most. As I was sayin', I'se got friends who are chimney sweepahs who know of empty buildin's deys use for temporary lodgin' house sometimes. We can lead da newsies into dose buildin's, get da sweepahs help to guard da newsies, while Spot and da oddas find our newsies, free dem, and stop Vampiah. What do you all think?"

"I'se say we got ourselves a plan," Mouse nodded, "I'se got friends who are masons who can help us too. Deys real strong boys and if any Harlem newsie messes wid dem I can't guarentee dem newsies will be in one piece."

"I'se like da plan and I'se think it will work," Jack nodded, "Waddaya say, Spot?"

Spot stared at everyone in the room for a long moment, "I'se say what youse say is what I'se say. I got one more part of da plan ta add on dough. Morris needs to help light da fires and lead da Harlem newsies to dese buildins and Oscar can go in wid us. But," Spot grabbed his cane and pointed the golden tip at the two brothers, "If youse two do anythin', anythin' at all dat makes me think I'se can't trust youse…den youse both will get soaked and will be trapped wid da Harlem newsies. Ya undahstand? I'se will make sure ya both don't see yer sistah."

"Don't threaten us, Conlon," Oscar sneered, "Incase ya forget yer da size of a match stick and we can snap ya in half."

"Try it," Spot growled and shoved his face close to Oscar's, "And youse will know why I'se da King of Brooklyn."

"I'se know yer gonna like dis," Vampire's voice sounded enthusiastic and excited…something Emily wasn't sure she was completely comfortable with. Over the past two days she had been cooped up in that tiny little bedroom and allowed outside only for bathroom breaks. Her meals had been brought to her by a short blond, freckled, newsgirl with wide blue eyes. She never spoke a word to Emily; she just delivered the food and ran from the room as if her feet were on fire.

"I know I'll love it," Emily forced a smile onto her face, when really all she wanted to do was to pull her hands out of Vampire's clutches and run away in terror. But with the blindfold blocking her vision, Vampire's hands wrapped tightly around hers, and Bandit following so closely behind she knew escape was not an option at the moment.

"Ta da!" Vampire let go of her hands and pulled the scarf off from around her eyes. Emily found herself staring at a medium sized bedroom with two bunks in the corner, a nightstand, and an open trunk full of clothing. In middle of the room was a small square table with a half melted candle atop it; two plates sat on each side of the table with a hamburger, some French Fries, and a pitcher full of water and two glasses beside the candle. The Harlem leader pulled a rickety chair out for Emily and motioned for her to sit down.

Visions of poisoned food haunted her thoughts or of Vampire staring at her like Barbossa had leered at Elizabeth Swann while she ate her meal in the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie. Instead, she focused more on playing shocked and happy.

"Wow, you did this for me?" She forced her eyes to widen, "This is…so…so amazing and romantic….I don't know what to say." Emily carefully sat in the chair and prayed Vampire would let her roam freely and instead of keeping her cooped up in that damned room.

"Ya said all ya needed too…" Vampire squatted down beside her and leaned his face towards hers. Emily's eyes widened and her heart raced in terror, the insane newsboy leader wanted to kiss her. He warned her the other day he wasn't going to wait around forever. She meant to hold still and allow the kiss, but instead drew back. Vampire's eyes narrowed, "What da hell's da mattah? What I ain't good enough now?"

From the corner of her eye, she saw Bandit's sadistic smirk, and watched as he whispered to another newsie. She guessed he had commanded the shorter boy to go get some rope.

"No, that's not it at all," Emily talked faster than she ever had in her life, "I…It's just….I wanted our kiss to be while we were dancing. You know….like Romeo and Juliet dancing and romancing where no one sees them and they slowly embrace and kiss?" She gave a tiny smile and hoped Vampire would buy that. At the moment it was all she could think of. Her grandmother's memories had remained with her but at the moment they were of no help to her.

Vampire stared at her for a long minute and Emily was almost certain she was about to kiss her life goodbye. Instead, the newsboy smiled and put his hands over hers, "Ya want our kiss to be special an' romantic….I'se remembah now ya were always secretly romantic. Aftah dinnah I'se will tell Bandit dere to scram and we'se will be Romeo and Juliet for a while." He reached up to her hair, "Why put it back inta a pig's tail, Emily? Yer hair always looked so much bettah down," he pulled the barrette out of her hair and stroked his fingers through it as the black locks fell onto her back. He pulled a few strands over her shoulders and smiled.

"Now ya look just like ya used too…." He stood and sat down at his seat. He glared at Bandit when the newsboy gave a disgusted sigh and rolled his eyes. "Bandit if ya don't wanna be heah den go guard da door or somethin'! I ain't havin' dis special night ruined by youse attitude."

"It ain't me, Vampiah, whose gonna get burned by dat witch. It's youse!" The newsboy snarled and left the room.

"Ya like dis room, Emily?"

"Yes, it looks comfortable and much more…um…cozy."

"Dat's good, cause it's our room now. I'se wanted to give ya some time in yer own room to gather back some of ya memories before I'se brought ya in heah." He ate a french fry and pointed at the chest. After he swallowed he continued, "Dat chest has youse and I'se clothin' in it. I'se been savin' and buyin' pretty skirts and blouses for ya. When I'm da King of New Yawk, youse won't have to sell papes, I'll make it a rule dat each newsie has give me two cents each day and dat will be for youse. Ya can go shoppin' and do whatevah ya want. Me queen won't have to lift a finger, unlike me brudda's wife."

Emily shifted; she was already uncomfortable being so close to him. But when he talked about Spot and his wife, she wished the Earth would open up and swallow her hole. Vampire hated his brother to the point Emily wasn't certain that he'd hold the Brooklyn newsie captive, as he said he would, and not just kill him out right. She couldn't understand how a brother could hate his older brother so much that he wanted him dead. How did that happen? It couldn't have started with her grandmother, she was certain of that. She knew her grandmother well enough to know she'd never have allowed two boys to fight over her.

"When yer queen," Vampire put a hand over hers, "I want us ta marry and have a baby."

"M…Marriage, a ba…baby?" Emily's mouth went dry, her brain took a vacation, and her heart skipped a beat. SAY SOMETHING GOOD NOW OR HE'LL GO OFF LIKE A FIRECRACKER! A small voice shouted at her from the back of her mind. She forced herself to smile, "That sounds…great….I'm so glad that you're the right one for me, Vampire. I've always dreamed of having a family." I've never dreamed of being so sickly sweet before, she thought as she blinked rapidly and fought back tears. She had to escape…yet she wanted to help Torch and help to free the captured newsies. But….To be trapped and to be forced into…motherhood….She couldn't deal with that. She couldn't and she wouldn't.

Suddenly, Oscar and Morris's faces flashed through her mind. Don'cha worry Em, Morris was smiling and pulling her grandmother into a hug, We'll always get ya outta trouble no mattah what happens. Her grandmother's memory filled her heart full of hope and Emily knew she could survive this. Soon she would be back with Oscar and Morris, the newsies would escape, and everything would be alright. She had to believe that. She had too and did.

Racetrack heard loud coughing and looked over at Red; the newsgirl was finally starting to wake up. Her curly blonde hair was matted full of dirt and her bowler cap was halfway falling off her head.

"Red, can ya heah me?" Race asked.

"Racetrack?" She looked over at him, "Sport? Oh Lord….How long have we been here?"

"Race just graced us wid his presence two days ago," Sport replied, "I'se been heah for two and a half, ya been heah for four. We weren't sure youse were gonna come around."

"I'm fine, it's my newsies I'se worried about." She frowned, "I was just made leadah of Queens. One minute I'se was talking to me second in command, Warrior, da next someone hit me from behind. What's goin' on?"

"Harlem and da rest of New Yawk are at war," Sport replied, "Deys been kidnapping us left and right. Until Spot and Floaty get heah, deys holdin' us. But if Spot ain't here by tomorrow afternoon Vampiah, bein' da kind and generous good Samaritan he is, is gonna 'donate' us to da steel meel."

"If he sends us to dat mill he's signin' our death certificates!" Red went a shade paler, something Racetrack had thought impossible. She leaned her head against one of the beams holding the floor up. "Why is all dis happening?"

"Vampiah blames Spot for Emily Delancey's disappearance. Big kicker is, Emily's back and Vampiah has her. After he takes ovah New York he wants to make her his Queen. Right, Race?"

Racetrack nodded, "Right."

"Dat guy is sick in the head!" Red shook her head, "All dis over a girl! Spot ain't gonna give in is he?"

"We are talkin' about da same Spot heah, right?" Sport snorted, "Spot's not gonna give up no mattah what. Knowin' him he's probably awready got Floaty and Katrina in hiding."

"Yeah, and one of youse is gonna tell us where dat is," exclaimed the shadowed figure of a burly newsboy. He and several others walked out of the darkness and into the dim candlelight. Racetrack swallowed, he recognized one of the newsboys as Bandit, Vampire's second in command; he was slapping a stolen nightstick into his hand. The burly newsboy was slipping on a pair of brass knuckles, his green eyes boring into Race's. Race swallowed and understood the unsaid threat perfectly: Tell us what ya know or yer dead. The only problem was, he knew nothing.

"We got no idea where Spot would hide Floaty," Sport swallowed, "So why don't ya just leave us alone?"

"I'se brought water for youse all," a shorter Asian boy smirked and dumped the glass's contents over Sport's head, "Woops. Guess ya go anudda day without water…unless ya tell us where Floaty is."

"We'se don't know!" Race replied.

"We know nothin'!" Red exclaimed and Race glanced over at her again, another newsboy was pressing his blade against her blouse.

"Hey, leave heh alone!" Race struggled against the ropes holding him in place as the newsboy cut off the buttons on Red's blouse.

"Hey!" Bandit snapped at the newsboy, "Vampiah said we'se can do anytin' but dat." He turned back to Racetrack and squatted down in front of him. Race tried to lean away, but the Harlem second in command grabbed the Manhattan newsie's chin and tilted his face upwards. "Tell us what ya know or youse ain't gonna walk for a while."

Race glared at Bandit and spat, "Even if I'se knew I wouldn't tell ya!"

Bandit's eyes seemed to catch on fire, his face turned red, and he snarled as he wiped the spit off his face. He motioned for the newsboy with the nightstick to walk over and Race bit his lip when the black weapon was swung towards his legs.

"564 Century and Vermont Street!" Sport shouted, "Dat's wheah he hides Floaty when deys trouble!"

Race opened his eyes as the nightstick brushed by his pant leg, his heart raced and he gasped inwards. Bandit smirked and motioned for the other Harlem newsies to follow him. Race leaned forward gasping.

"You just got Floaty killed!" Red exclaimed, tears in her eyes, "You shouldn't have said anythin' Sport! How could ya?"

"Relax," Sport smirked, "I'se just sent dem to a very grumpy blacksmith and his apprentices, and trust me when I'se say deys hate late night visits."