Kloppman stared through the doorway where she’d left. "Didn’t think I’d ever see her do that," he said quietly.

Suddenly she ran back into the room and jumped on top of someone, who uttered a muffled groan into their pillow.

"Blink! Blink wake up. C’mon you lazy little… get up!" Alex yelled.

"What is it," Blink said sleepily.

"We forgot to let Mush get some sleep. We left him in there all night with Maggie and forgot to take our own shifts!" she cried exasperated.

"Oh," Blink said sitting up. "Whoops?"

"Well, c’mon, we have to go in there," she said, grabbing his hand and pulling him, shirtless toward the door.

"Can I get dressed first," he asked.

"No," she said, not even turning around. She dragged him though the door and down the hallway. But when they reached the door to Maggie’s room, she stopped to listen. Alex silently opened the door and peered inside.

"You think we should wake them," Alex whispered staring. Maggie was snuggled in Mush’s arms and both were sound asleep.

"Probably," Blink said. "Mush’ll wanna sell today."

Alex walked over to the bed. She tapped Maggie’s shoulder. "Maggie?" she whispered. "Mush," she said a little louder when Maggie didn’t respond. Patience was obviously not one of her best qualities in the morning, because she got fed up and yelled, "Hey! Will you two wake up?!"

Their eyes both shot open at the same instant. "Alex," Mush whined, "can you show a little courtesy in da mornin’?"

Alex looked smugly at him, but started to smile when she saw his arms still around Maggie. She looked over at Blink who was desperately trying not to burst out laughing. "So Mush…"

Mush looked down at what they were laughing at and started to blush. "Wait, ya see, she was having nightmares…"

They of course believed Mush, but continued teasing him, then they eventually stopped.

"So Mush, ya gonna sell today," Blink asked.

"Yeah." He got up, said bye to Maggie, and he and Blink left the room. "Alex," Maggie said timidly when the door closed behind the boys. "Um, can we talk?"

"Sure Maggie," Alex said. "Whatever you want. She sat down on the bed next to Maggie. "So, whadda ya wanna talk about?" Alex asked, although she had a pretty good idea what it was going to be about.

"Um… First of all, how did you know that was going to happen," Maggie asked sullenly.

Alex sighed. She knew she’d eventually have to tell someone, but that didn't console her very much. "Well," she said, "I knew it would happen because… because the same thing happened to me."

Maggie looked up sharply. "You… what… um, can you tell me what happened?"

"I guess. Yeah, sure." Alex moved over so the pillow was between her back and the wall, and then started to tell her story.

"Well, there was the day you and I met," Alex started out. ‘The day before that was the day I tried to sell papers. I think that’s the first day you and Spot were together, right?"

Maggie frowned. "I think he found me the night before that."

"Okay then," Alex continued. "Two days before Spot found you was when it all started. I was at home eating dinner with my dad. All of a sudden, someone started pounding on the door, demanding that we let them in. My dad got up and opened the door, and this man just stabbed a knife through my dad’s heart," Alex said quietly.

Maggie had a flash that this was important to her somehow. For a brief second she remembered something about her mom, but couldn’t think of anymore. Seeing tears start to form in Alex's eyes, Maggie reached over and pulled her into a hug.

Alex sat there, breathing deeply and trying to calm down; she hated showing any weakness. She sloppily wiped her face and lay back against the wall, continuing with what she’d been saying.

"Well anyhow, the guy saw me and just smiled this evil grin." Alex shuddered remembering it. "He walked over and picked up the phone and called the cops. He told them that he’d found my dad and he thought I had killed him. Well, I didn’t know what to do," Alex shrugged. "I figured I could explain it to the cops. But they came and they wouldn’t even listen to me. So I ran."

"I kept running, but I knew I couldn’t keep it up for long. So one time when I lost them for a few seconds around a corner, I ran up to this guy, who happened to be Spot, and asked him to hide me from the cops."

"I guess it made sense at the time," Alex said after a quick breath. "I mean, the cops didn’t realize it. But anyhow, Spot pushed me against this building and started kissing me. When the cops came around the corner and didn’t find me, they asked Spot if he’d seen me. I hid my face so they couldn’t see, and when Spot said no, they left. I looked back up at Spot and kissed him cause he’d saved me. And uh, he was such a good kisser…" Maggie sighed when Alex said that, knowing exactly what she meant.

"Well anyhow… one thing led to another, and I ended up sleeping with him. On a park bench, which is very uncomfortable, let me tell you. I woke up in the morning and he was gone. For the next two days, I avoided the cops and after asking a bunch of people, I found out who he was and how to find him. You know what happened after that." Alex sighed. "So that’s how I knew it would happen to you… are you gonna tell me what happened with you two?"

Maggie sighed. "I guess it’s only fair," she said.

"Blink," Mush said as they were walking toward the Distribution center, "does Alex think I like Maggie?"

"Well no. We was just teasing you guys. Don’t worry about it," Blink said. "Out of curiosity, why do ya ask?"

"Well, ’cause of how I was holding Maggie and all," Mush said. "She was having really bad nightmares, and when I picked her up, she told me not to let go, cause othawise she wouldn’t be safe. Spot musta done something horrible to her. I just wanna go over dere an… well, do something ta Spot," Mush said angrily.

"Dat prolly ain’t a good idea," Blink said. "Spot has a tendency ta get mad when people try ta soak ‘im."

"I know," Mush said sighing. "But I just feel so bad for Maggie, and Spot does the same thing to othah goils, an’… well, I just don’t want Maggie to get hurt anymore."

‘Maybe Mush will end up liking Maggie,’ Blink thought hopefully. But his hopes were quickly shattered when Mush opened his mouth again.

"Didja see Alex this mornin’? Wow, she’s really pretty in da mornin’. An’ she’s bein’ so nice ta Maggie. She’s such a great person." Mush sighed in contentment.

‘Man, he gets an idea in his head an’ he won’t let go,’ Blink thought. ‘Well, Mush’ll eventually figure out how bad he and Alex would be together… I just hope it’s soon.’

"Okay," Maggie started. "There was the day you came into Spot’s room and we met. You told me all that stuff and I said I didn’t believe you, but I guess I started to after you’d left. Well Spot came back and convinced me it wasn’t true. So anyhow, a bunch of stuff happened that night, but not, um… I didn’t sleep with him. But I did the next night." She looked down at her hands. "And the two after that. And then yesterday morning he was gone, and Dice told me that he was kicking me out. I didn’t believe him until I found Spot…" But Maggie couldn’t get the words out.

"He was kissing someone, wasn’t he?" Alex asked sympathetically.

"Yeah," Maggie cried. "I thought he loved me. It isn’t fair." But Maggie could no longer talk, for the tears were falling freely down her face, so Alex put her arms around Maggie and let her cry.

Blink and Mush were sitting in a booth at Tibby’s with Race, enjoying their lunch. Snippets of conversation and bouts of laughter floated to their table, but the three were so engrossed in their own conversation that they didn’t hear anything around them.

Mush suddenly looked up and saw Alex hurry into the restaurant. She glanced around the room then walked over to their table. Mush’s heart started beating, and he tried to keep the stupid, lovesick grin off his face, as Alex got to the table and started talking to him.

"Mush? Can you to stay with Maggie for awhile," she pleaded. "I have to go to Brooklyn… there’s something I’ve got to do." Mush saw an angry glint in her blue eyes.

"Is everything okay," Mush asked, but Alex said nothing in response. "Shoa Alex, I’ll go stay with Maggie. Just don’t get hoit, okay," he finally said.

"I’ll try," Alex said darkly as she turned and headed out of the restaurant.

"Well," Mush said, watching Alex as she walked out of sight. "I guess I’ll see you guys later then." He too, got up and left Tibby’s, but turned and headed toward the lodging house.

Maggie looked up as the door to her room opened. Mush walked into the room and sat down on the bed near Maggie. Neither knew what to say, but Maggie finally conquered her embarrassment and spoke.

"I’m sorry about last night. You know, kissing you and all…"

"Hey, don’t worry ‘bout it," Mush said. "I understand. You told me what happened ‘an it’s okay?" Maggie nodded and Mush paused before he spoke again.

"So how d’ya know Alex," he asked quickly.

"You really wanna know?" Maggie asked doubtfully.

"Yeah, shoa," Mush replied.

"Well, its kind of a long story," Maggie said.

Must gestured around the empty room. "I ain’t really doin’ anything."

Alex wasn’t paying attention to where she was going, she was so angry, so she kept running into people. They would yell at her or mutter under their breath, but Alex was so absorbed in what she was going to do, that she nether noticed nor cared.

Before long, Alex was across the bridge and in Brooklyn again. She found a few newsies and, after some threats, found out where Spot was selling. Alex stormed over in a mad rage, and when she finally found him, she didn’t waste a second before she walked up and punched him in the nose.

Spot stood, holding his face, and waited for the stars in front of his eyes to clear. When he was able to see again, he looked up into Alex’s face.

"What da hell was that for," he asked angrily.

"That was for not letting me sell papers," Alex replied smugly. She slammed her fist into his stomach. "That was for using me. And that," she yelled kneeing him in the groin, "was for Maggie."

In unbearable pain, Spot fell down on the ground and bit his lip to keep from showing how much he hurt. He barely noticed when a satisfied Alex turned and walked away from him, but when a few of his newsies walked up to him, he momentarily forgot his pain and started yelling at them.

"Go find that little slut and soak ‘er!" he yelled. "I want to see her back here, black and blue!"

Terrified of facing Spot’s anger, the three large newsies turned and ran in the direction Spot was pointing.

After only a block of running, they found Alex. One of the boys grabbed her and another helped pin her to the wall, while the third began punching and kicking her. But Alex was still angry, and with that as fuel, she managed to escape the grasp of the two newsies, and then kicked them all before turning and running back to Manhattan.

"It started when Spot found me knocked out on a doorstep," Maggie said. "Well, I’ll make this as short as I can, but anyhow, Spot and I got, um… well I fell in love with him," she said, hoping Mush knew what she was talking about.

"Yeah, okay, I know what cha mean, Maggie," Mush said, trying not to blush.

"Okay, so anyhow, Alex snuck into his room one day while he was gone. She was mad when he wouldn’t let her sell papers. But she came in and I was the only one there. We kinda talked, and she found out that I liked Spot, and she told me that Spot was just gonna use me and stuff. And then the next day I found a note saying that she was in the Manhattan Lodging house, and that I could go there when I left Brooklyn.

"Oh… so that’s why you’re here?" Mush asked.

"Not exactly," Maggie said grimacing. "I didn’t even remember the note until now. No, I was just running away, and I ended up here.

"What were you running away from," Mush asked her. "Um, unless ya don’t wanna talk about it."

"No, it’s fine. Alex was right, Spot used me and then kicked me out, that’s why I was running away. But I don’t think…" Maggie stopped and looked up a Mush. "Um, can I ask you to do me a favor Mush?"

"Of course, Maggie. What is it?"

"I think Spot actually felt something. I don’t think he wanted to kick me out, I think he did it to keep his reputation… can you go to Brooklyn with me tomorrow so I can talk to him and see if he still wants me?"

Mush wasn’t sure what to say. He didn’t want her to get hurt again, but he also didn’t want to tell Maggie what he knew of Spot’s reputation. "Okay, I’ll go with you," Mush finally said. "But we can’t tell Alex, I don’t want her to get mad at me."

Maggie nodded in complete agreement and threw her arms around Mush. "Thank you so much," she said, hugging him.

Blink looked up as the door to the bunkroom opened again, and gasped when he saw Alex. She had the start of a black eye, her nose was bloody, and numerous cuts were scattered across her face, marked mostly by more dried blood. Blink jumped up and dragged Alex to the washroom.

"What happened," Blink asked while he was washing her face.

"Well, I went to Brooklyn and I found Spot and punched him. Twice actually, then I kicked him in the, uh…" She gestured, and Blink winced in pain at the thought. Alex laughed. "Anyhow, I guess he musta sent his newsies after me, because three of them came up and started beating me up. That’s what happened."

"You’d think I was the only sensible one around here," Blink muttered under his breath.

"Whadda ya mean," Alex said, wincing as he touched one of her cuts with the washcloth.

"I just told Mush this morning that tryin’ ta soak Spot was a bad idea, an’ now you go an’ do it." He paused. "Can I ask why you did," Blink said curiously.

"It has to do with Maggie, but I don’t think she’d want me telling people," Alex said. It’s kinda personal… wait, Mush wanted to beat up Spot?!" Alex said suddenly when she realized what Blink had said.

"Yeah… why?"

"Oh nothing," Alex lied. " I just didn’t think he was that stupid and reckless." Alex though for awhile. ‘I guess there’s hope for those two after all.’

Blink finished cleaning Alex’s face, and they left the washroom and headed out to Maggie’s bedroom, knocking before they walked in.

Mush and Maggie looked up as the door opened. They both gasped when they saw Alex, even though she looked much better than she had earlier.

"What happened Alex," Maggie said jumping up and running over to her.

"I was walking around in Brooklyn and a couple of newsies just came and beat me up," Alex lied, not wanting Maggie to get anymore hurt.

"Oh that’s horrible," Maggie sighed. "You mean that some of them just do that for no reason?"

"Well, yeah," Alex said, but this time it was the truth. "Anyhow, I’m gonna spend the night in here with you, okay?"

"Oh, I thought Mush was gonna stay here," Maggie said.

"Okay, that’s fine. You don’t mind, do you, Mush," Alex asked, sending him a pleading look. ‘I really hope he and Maggie work out,’ she thought. ‘That girl needs someone who really likes her.’

Mush saw the look, but took it the wrong way. ‘She must be tired, and she’s relying on me to do this. Well, I won’t let her down,’ he thought. "Sure Alex. I’ll stay in here tonight," he said, smiling at her. Alex smiled back and Mush absolutely melted. ‘She’s so pretty,’ he thought grinning.

Blink saw the look on Mush’s face and sighed unhappily, ‘Man, I wish he would just get over Alex,’ Blink thought. "Well, c’mon Alex," he said. "Let’s go in an’ go ta bed. You sellin' tomorrow," he asked Mush.

"Yeah," Mush said nodding. "But I’m gonna sell with Maggie. I’m gonna start teaching her tomorrow."

"Okay," Blink said. "Then I’ll get you up in time." He and Alex walked out of Maggie’s room and closed the door behind them.

"I thought we were going to Brooklyn," Maggie said confused. She sat back down on the bed next to Mush.

"We are, but I couldn’t say it in front of Alex," Mush said. "So… uh… where do you want me to sleep exactly?"

Maggie blushed a deep crimson and looked down. "Well, I was thinking the same way as last night," she mumbled. "I’m afraid I’m gonna have nightmares again, and the way you hold me reminds me of something…"

Mush, worried about the same thing, replied, "okay then." He moved over right next to her, but stopped, unsure if he should just pick her up, or what to do. He finally just lay down with his head on the pillow and opened his arms. "All right, c’mere."

Maggie lay down and snuggled into his arms, feeling better the instant he wrapped his arms around her. She sighed and soon fell asleep, emotionally drained from all the talking and thinking about Spot that day.

Mush looked down at Maggie, and satisfied at seeing a smile on her face, put his head back down, and he, too, fell asleep.

Back to her normal self the next morning, Alex moaned and complained the whole time she was getting up.

"What happened to that girl I saw yesterday," Kloppman teased.

"It was a fluke," she mumbled into her pillow. "Now put a sack in it and let me sleep s’more." But she had to get up when Blink launched himself on top of her. "What are you doing," she yelled, rolling over.

"Payback for yesterday," Blink said grinning. "Luckily for you, I’m to nice to drag you out of the room without a shirt on."

"I should hope so," Alex grumbled. She threw the blanket off of herself and walked with Blink to Maggie’s room, dragging her feet the whole way.

Blink opened the door to Maggie’s room, and he and Alex walked in. They stopped and stared at Mush and Maggie for a few moments.

‘Man, I really hope those two end up together,’ Alex thought. ‘It would be so good for both of them.’ She felt a twang of jealousy, wishing that she could have someone, but after what had happened with Spot, she was afraid of being in a relationship. ‘Please, I hope Maggie doesn’t end up like me.’

But when Blink looked at the two, he didn’t know what to think. ‘I know Mush likes Alex, but there way he has his arms around Maggie… I dunno, I think he’s not completely in love with Alex like he thinks.’ Blink looked over at Alex. "So should we wake them up?"

"Yeah, but you’d better do it," Alex grinned. "Yesterday they got kinda mad at me."

"Gee, I wonder why," Blink teased. We walked over and shook the two awake. "Ya ready to sell, Mush?"

"Not really, but oh well," Mush mumbled with his eyes closed. He yawned and rolled over, then sat up. "Maggie, I’m gonna leave so you can get changed, okay? I’ll be back in ten minutes."

"Okay," Maggie said, her head still on the pillow and her eyes still closed.

Blink and Mush left the room, and Alex sighed looking down at Maggie. "You gonna get up?" she asked as Maggie started to go back to sleep.

"Hmmm? Oh yeah, right," Maggie said. "I don’t have anything to wear though."

"Well you get out of bed and I’ll go grab some clothes for you," Alex said.

"Okay fine, I’ll get up."

"Good," Alex said, leaving the room and closing the door behind her.

Maggie rolled out of the bed and sat down on the floor. "Man, no one should get up this early," she muttered.

After finally making up her mind to stand up, Maggie put her hands on the ground and pushed her self upright. She stumbled over to a door she hoped was a bathroom, and, satisfied that is was, Maggie walked in and leaned over the sink. She turned on the faucet and after she splashed ice-cold water on her face, she was immediately awake. Not finding a towel, Maggie wiped her face dry on the shirt she was wearing.

Maggie heard the door open, so she left the bathroom.

"Okay, here’s some clean clothes Maggie," Alex said, setting them down on the bed. "You get changed, and then Mush’s gonna teach you to sell I guess. So I’ll see you tonight, okay?"

Maggie nodded and Alex left the room. Maggie walked over to the bed and looked down at the clothes. "You know, I never wore pants before this week," she said quietly to herself. "Oh well, I guess they’re not as bad as I thought."

Maggie pulled off the pants she’d been wearing and put on the clean ones. Then she took her shirt off, but before she could get the new one on, the door started to open. Maggie grabbed the shirt and held it up against herself as Mush started walking in the door.

"Oh my god, I’m sorry, Maggie," he said, turning around and closing the door.

"It’s okay," Maggie said. She quickly pulled the shirt on. "It’s okay now, you can turn around." Mush turned around, and seeing his red face, Maggie started to laugh. "Geez, you act like you’ve never seen a half-naked girl before," she teased.

"Well, never one so… never mind," Mush said, turning red again. ‘I can’t believe I almost said she was beautiful!’ he chided himself. ‘Well, I mean, she is, but I like Alex! And she’s just as pretty as Maggie…'

Maggie gave him a funny look, then started laughing. "It’s okay Mush, it’s not like I’ve never had a guy see me… um, so anyway, now what?"

"I dunno. Alex and Blink think I’m gonna teach you ta sell, so I guess we’ll get a few papers an’ sell ‘em while we walk to Brooklyn. You still wanna go?"

"Yeah, I still wanna go," Maggie answered.

"Okay then," Mush said. He opened the door again and they both walked out. They got outside the lodging house and saw some of the newsies already selling.

"Well, I guess we’ll just get ten or twenty and we’ll sell ‘em on the way ta Brooklyn," Mush said.

He led Maggie to the distribution center. When they got to where the newsies got their papers, Mush pulled a dime out of his pocket and placed it on the counter.

"Just twenty today," he said, sliding the coin under the bars.

One of the workers slid a thin stack of newspapers back under the bars, and he picked them up.

"So, to Brooklyn," Mush asked.

"Sounds good," Maggie answered smiling.