Authors note: All newsies are proporty of Disney with the exception of Echo (Chris), Brooklyn, Matt (Sketch), and Shadow (one of Spot's birds). You want to borrow any of those people (for some strange reason I can't comprehend), e-mail me, ask. Chances are, I won't have a problem with it, unless you take them without permission.

Friends for Life
By: Echo

I walked down the street talking to Jack, Dave, Race, and Les. Jack hadn't been to happy about me being a newsie at first, his excuse was that I was a girl. I managed to change his mind by pointing out that Brooklyn was a girl newsie. He didn't have much of an argument.

Woah, maybe I should slow down for a minute and explain some stuff, like who I am. My name is Echo... well, my nickname anyway. My real name is Christina Collin. I have long, straight brown hair and green eyes. I'm kind of tall, 5'8 or 9. I have lived in the Oklahoma territory almost all my life, up until my parents died, that's when I came to New York. My friend Brooklyn and I had met in a robbery attempt, by her, and she stayed with me and my family for a while and then went to Brooklyn, where she met Spot Conlon. So naturally, I came here. Now that all that is out of the way you can go back to the story.

They were all laughing at one of Race's jokes but my attention was diverted when I saw a boy running across the street, knocking people down, and causing a lot of commotion. He had blond hair, blue eyes, and was just about my age.

I was going to ignore him and keep walking when I saw a policeman chasing him, knocking down the same people, who were probably pretty annoyed by now.

Without thinking, I dropped my papes, ran across the street and wrapped the older man in a bear hug, stopping him in his tracks. "Tony!" I yelled cheerfully.

He started cursing and tried to loosen my grip on him, but I didn't let go until I saw that the boy had ran out of site. I started to apologize as the man started to turn around. "I'm so sorry. I thought you were someone I knew, I guess I was wrong."

He glared at me. "Yes you were wrong. Now, by any chance, did you see where that stupid kid went?"

I nodded and smiled politely. "Of course. He turned around and went back that way." I said as I pointed the way he didn't go. The officer stared at me suspiciously for a few seconds but then turned and went the way I had pointed.

A few seconds later the guys walked up. "What was dat all about?" Race asked.

I smiled. "Oh, nothing. I was just helping out some kid that seemed to be in trouble."

A few seconds later Les walked up and handed me a note. "Some boy asked me to give this to you." He explained. I smiled and thanked him as I started to read the note.

"Chris,
Long time no see! Thanks for helping me back there, I guess you've been doing it so long it must be a habit by now. It took me a while to recognize you, you look a lot different. But it's obvious you're still the same as when you were ten. I have to go finish a fight in Booklyn with some guy named Fido or Rover or something. Maybe you can come cheer me on and then we can get some lunch and talk about the past few years.
Your Friend,
Matt"

I stared at the note. "Rover?" My eyes grew really wide when I realized who he was talking about. I handed my papes to Jack and explained as fast as I could. "Here take these...I have to go to Brooklyn to talk to a um... friend."

I ran as fast as I could to Brooklyn and when I got there Spot and Matt were already fighting. Spot threw a punch at Matt, but I ran up and grabbed his hand before it actually connected, and stepped inbetween them. Spot glared at me but Matt smiled. "Hey Rover! I've got an idea, you and one of your friends against me and mine!"

I held Spot back and turned around to face Matt. "Are you crazy?! Or just suicidal?! What is the matter with you?! Don't you ever use that pea-sized brain of yours?! What in the h-world were you thinking?!"

He laughed. "You almost slipped that time." I glared at him and he put on his most innocent face. "Why are you mad at me?"

It took all I had not to deck him right then and there. "Why am I mad at you?" I said quietly and laughed. "You just started a fight with my best friend's boyfriend.... among other things."

He stared at me in confusion for a few seconds until he realized what I meant. "You aren't still mad about that are you? You were ten years old!"

"Nine." I said coldly.

"What?"

"I was nine, you were ten."

He nodded. "Yeah... but what's all this stuff about your best friend's boyfriend? I thought I was your best friend."

"A lot of things change in six years."

He laughed. "I noticed. After all, you are in New York now. Ironic isn't it? You, of all people, in New York, the girl that swore she would never leave that stupid little town. How are your parents?"

I glared at him. "Doesn't matter."

He looked me straight in the eye and knew the truth in no time. "Oh Chris, I-"

I looked away. "You should go now."

He blinked. "But, the f-"

I looked at him again. "I don't care if you finished the fight or not! GO!"

"I guess I was wrong, you have changed." He said in a hurt voice and walked away.

I started to walk back to Manhattan but Spot grabbed my arm. "Why did ya stop da fight?" He asked angrily.

I jerked my arm away. "That's none of your business!"

He glared at me coldly. "It is my business. It was my fight, not yours."

"It doesn't matter anymore. It's over, forget about it." I said as I walked back to Manhattan to get my papes from Jack.

~*^^*~*^^*~*^^*~*^^*~*^^*~

The next day I was selling my papes and realized it was almost noon and that I was supposed to meet Jack at Tibby's. I sold my last paper and started to walk there but when I was about two blocks away Shadow, one of Spot's 'boids', stopped me. I rolled my eyes. "Look, I supposed to meet Jack at Tibby's and if I don't hurry I'll be late. Can't this wait?"

He shook his head. "Nope, Spot Conlon himself told me ta tell ya dis as soon as I found ya."

I glared at him. "Oh, so Spot told ya huh? Well then I don't care." I said as I started to walk off. (Author's note: In case you are completely dense and haven't noticed yet, Echo REALLY doesn't like Spot.)

Shadow grabbed my arm to get my attention and pointed across the street. I looked and almost stopped breathing when I saw Matt laughing and talking with the Delanceys.

I walked across the street and pulled Matt into an alley. He motioned to Oscar and Morris that it was okay and then turned to explain. "Look Chris, I know you don't like them... but I had no idea! You see, I came here and I met those two and I just kind of um... became friends with them. Naturally, all of the newsies hated me after that, but by the time I figured out that you were a newsie too..... there was nothing I could do about it! Look, if you guys would just give them a chance..."

I glared at him. "I, and all of the other newsies, have a very good reason not to like those two. And the day that the newsies start being civil to the Delanceys, or the other way around, is the day hell freezes over."

He looked down at the ground. "I guess that means you don't consider me a friend anymore, right?"

"Right." I said and turned to walk away. I hadn't gone two steps when he put his hand on my shoulder and stopped me.

"Then you're the only one. You've always been like a sister to me, and this won't change a thing. If you ever need me, I'll be there. I understand how you feel, but the fact that we're enemies now doesn't change the fact that we used to be friends. Chris, just please, don't hate me for this.... I couldn't live knowing you hated me."

I looked at the ground. "You know I could never hate you, even if I want to." I turned around and hugged him but stepped back when I realized what I had done. "I have to go."

He smiled and walked out of the alley. I stood there and stared at the ground for a few minutes until I decided to walk to Brooklyn to see if Brooklyn was there before I went to Tibby's. I was already late so I figured a few more minutes wouldn't hurt, and I needed someone to talk to. I looked around a little but didn't see her so I started to walk across the bridge. When I was almost to the other side I saw Spot standing against one of the rails. "Ya talked ta yer friend yet?" He asked coldly.

I kept walking and ignored him but he started to follow me. "I's just wonderin' cause if ya have, den ya'll know why I started dat fight wit 'im."

"Go away Spot." I said quietly through clenched teeth.

"Ya have talked ta him. I guess I don't have ta tell ya what a creep he is den."

I spun around and glared at him. "Yes I have. And I don't care what you or anyone else thinks, I think he's better than you and all of your newsies put together!"

Spot glared at me and stepped forward. "Dat may be so, but I will fight 'im again. Except next time, you won't be dere ta but in, an' one a us won't walk away.... an' I promise ya, it won't be me."

"Don't be so sure."

He stepped even closer, only centimeters from me now, and looked at me more coldly than I had ever seen him look at anyone. "Ya think he can win?"

I shrugged. "Yeah, I do.... an' even if he doesn't win... you'll have me to deal with after it's over."

"Dat sounds like a threat."

"Oh, you're smarter than you look!" I said mockingly.

"Go ahead an' laugh while ya still can."

"Oh, I'm scared now." I said sarcastically.

He backed off a little. "Ya should be. Cause when I play, I play for keeps. An' when ya help dat scabba', not even Jacky-boy'll try ta save ya."

I shook my head and turned away. "I don't need his help to beat you."

"Oh yeah? Is dat what yer gonna tell yer fadda when ya see 'im? 'Sorry dad, but I was just too stupid ta know dat I couldn't win, guess it must run in da family.'Dat is what happened ta him, right? He got hisself killed during a bank robbery cause he was too stupid ta know not ta try an' stop da guys."

I turned around and decked him. "Bad dog, no biscuit!" I said angrily and walked back to Manhattan.

Part 2
Friends for Life Index
Back to Newsies Fanfic
Back to Brooklyn and Echo's Newsy Junk