The Newsboys Lodging House. I remember it like yesterday. I was younger then and a lot more stubborn. I thought that I didn't need anyone in my life. After all, I was Cleo Rourke, the best girl Newsies in all of Manhatten.

*flashback*

There was a dusty sign on the wall of the building I had passed every day now for two years. Since my mother and father had kicked me out, I figured this was as good a place to stay as any.

"Well, this is it," I said to myself. "Let's go meet these Newsboys."

The front room was larger than I expected it to be. It held two chairs and a sofa near the door. Across the room, a middle-aged man sat behind the desk.

"Hello! I need a place to stay. Can you help me out?" I said quickly.

"Well, we don't usually house girls, but you look like you really need a place to stay. My name's Kloppman." he said.

As he was explaining the rules of the lodging house, a group of boys entered the room.

"Heya, Kloppman. Who's the new girl?" said a sandy-haired boy with a patch covering his left eye.

"I'm Cleo Rourke. And you are?"

"Kid Blink, but you can call me Blink. This here's my best friend, Mush." He pointed to a skinny boy with hair that reminded me of the bush in front of my old house.

Before he could introduce anyone else, a boy wearing a cowboy hat that didn't fit him, a boy in a pink undershirt, and a cigar-smoking boy approached me.

"Hey, I'm Jack Kelly. This here is Racetrack and Skittery. Us five are all new here, too. So we'll watch out for you."

All I could do was gaze in amazement. I didn't expect it to be so easy. Even if I wanted to respond, I didn't have time. Blink grabbed my arm and pulled me upstairs. We walked into a room with about twenty unmade bunks. Most of them were already full of sleeping boys.

"Here. You can sleep in the empty bunk next to me."

"Thanks a lot. I think I'm gonna like it here."

"I think I'm gonna like you living here."

*present day*

That was 1894. We were thirteen and very naive. We grew up quickly, though. Blink adn I grew to be best friends. We were each other's first kiss and he helped me through tough times when I learned my sister had died. I was referred to as Patch because everyone considered me Blink's better half.

*1899*

I was ecstatic. My 'family' had just beaten the tight-wad we call a boss, Joseph Pulitzer.. Little did I know my world would be turned upside down on me that very day.

Everyone was going to Tibby's for lunch. By the time, we had all arrived, I was tired of partying and wanted to go home (for that was how I thought of the Lodging House). Suddenly, Blink came rushing and stopped at my table.

"Hey guys, come here. You too, Patch!! I got great news! I got a job as the World's headline writer's assistant!" he called out to us all.

"Wow! That's amazing!" I shouted because Tibby's was full of energetic (and loud-mouthed) newsies, "Why the real job?"

"The strike really shook me up. I decided I needed a steady job. Aren't you happy for me?"

"Absolutely."

At that point. the guys decided to interrupt our conversation and all congratulate Blink at the same time. Amid the pats on the back and cheers, something between us ignited. I don't know if it was our natural high or something deeper, but I suddenly found myself in Blink's arm. Our faces stood inches apart. He leaned in close and our lips touched. The kiss was quick but full of passion.

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry, Cleo! I never meant to kiss you!" he whispered to me.

I don't know what came over me, but the next thing I knew, I was running out of Tibby's and down the street. It was either that or break down and cry in front of all the guys and Blink. So I went with the easier option.

"What'd I do, Jack?" Blink asked as he watched me run away.

"Well, Kid, I think you just told her there's no way you'd every want to kiss. That it was all a mistake. That you wished it shouldn't have happened." Jack explained.

"She got all of that out of three sentences? I think I'd better find her and apologize. Thanks, Jack!

An hour later, Blink found me sitting on the lodging house roof.

"Go away! I don't want to talk to you." I cried as I watched him approach me.

"Come on, Patch. Just listen to me. I'm sorry about the way I acted. I shouldn't have kissed you."

"But you did."

"You're right. I know I made you uncomfortable in front of the guys. I just wanted you to know my response to it came out all wrong. It's just I couldn't imagine kissing you. You're Patch, my best friend."

"I see. You don't think of me in that way."

"Exactly. I knew you'd understand."

"Maybe you should think of me in that way."

He watched me as I got up and walked down the fire escape into the newsies' bunkroom. I had just realized why I was so angry at my best friend. After five years living together, I had grown to love him. I plopped on my small bunk and thought for hours. I didn't know what to do. All I wanted was sleep. Sleep would make all my problems go away.

Racetrack found me on Blink's bunk mumbling something about love and how sleeping would make m troubles go away. The newsies took me to the hospital where I was diagnosed with the common flu I recovered in two weeks time. The second I could stand, I left New York. I traveled the country, selling papes at every newspaper I encountered. I even came into a large amount of money gambling at a track in Chicago. I used every trick Race has taught me. Oddly enough, the horse's name was Patch. But the whole time I was battling my ever-present feelings for Blink.

I was not only stubborn but very stupid. I thought leaving would solve everything. The only thing it proved was I really counted on the Newsies and Blink. So on day, I returned.

*1902* It was my dear friend Blink's birthday! Can you believe that? I picked Blink's birthday to make my return to New York. The carriage dropped me off at Medda's because I heard they were throwing a party there. They immediately noticed me. Racetrack was the first to approach.

"Hello miss. I'm Racetrack Higgins. Who might you be?"

I hadn't realize I had changed so drastically. They were used to a girl dressed in an old pair of pants and a shirt that was stolen from Blink. They knew me as the short girl with hair that constantly had people mistaking me for a boy. Now, my hair reached all the way down to my waist. For my return, I had chosen a very simple green dress that was my favorite. Now that I thought of it, I had changed a lot.

"I'm Pat. I cam here to wish an old friend happy birthday," I quickly lied, wanting to have a little fun.

"Oh, you're here to see Blink. He left early and won't be back until later this afternoon."

I made a quick decision not to run and find him. I wanted to talk to all my old friends once more. The rest of the party was spectacular. I met all my old friends again, although they thought they were meeting me for the first time ever.

I could feel my friends subconsciously fighting over who gets to make a move on me. After all, I had witnessed them do the exact same thing ever day when I was last here. The party was fun but all I wanted to do was find someone who would recognize me no matter how I changed.

"Hey, Race. Come her for a second."

"What's up, Pat?"

"Where did Blink say he was going to be? I want to talk to him now."

"I think he said he'd be back at the Newsies Lodging House. Would you like me ta take you there?"

"No, I think I remember the way."

Race jsut looked at me as I wlked out of Irving Hall, confused and amazed all at the same time. Fifteen minutes later, I found myself climbing the fire escape like it was routine for me. Some idiot always leaves the second floor window open, so I stepped right in.

"Who's there? Show yourself!" a voice cried.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come here. I'll leave."

"If I didn't know better, I'd say I knew you from somewhere. You look like a girl I once knew."

I suddenly recognized the boy as my old friend, Spot Conlon. He wasn't the punny little boy I remembered his as. Before I had time to reply to his statement, Racetrack came into the room.

"I see you've met our new friend. So, Pat, do you want to spend the night here? There's an empty bunk above mine."

"No, Race," Spot said, "I think she'd rather have her old bunk next to Blink's."

"But, Spot, she never stayed here," Race said.

"Am I the only one who recognizes Patch anymore?" Spot yelled.

"You're hallucinating, Spot. Patch left two years ago. Don't you remember what it did to Blink?

"Can't a girl return?" I quietly asked.

"Patch? Patch! Is that really you?" Race exclaimed.

"I'm back!"

"Who's back?" Jack questioned as he and the rest of the newsies entered the house to see Race pick me up and hug me.

"Patch!" Race cried.

"Where is she?" Jack said as his eyes glittered with excitement.

"Right here." Race replied, his voice getting a little louder.

"No one's here but us and Pat." Jack yelled back.

"Actually, that's not my real name. My real name is Cleo. Cleo Rourke."

"Oh my god! Patch!" Mush screamed as he and the others caught on. "You sure have changed."

"Yeah, I have. Now, can you boys please help me find Blink? I need to talk to him badly."

"I can take you to him, " a voice creid out.

I turned my head to find Skittery advancing towards me. He grabbed my hand and pulled me downstairs and out the door.

"What's the hurry, Skits?"

" We have to fix a two-year-old problem. Since you've left, Blink has done nothing but work. He never comes around anymore. It was like when you left, his heart went with you. He's told me the story a million times. How he abused you. He thought you'd always be there. He thinks he's the reason you left."

"He's right, Skits. I left because I couldn't stand being near him. After that day at Tibby's when he kissed me, I knew that there was no chance he could feel for me the way I felt for him. I loved him, Skits!

"I never knew. God, I see why you left. Things have changed a lot. Blink lost that job as an assistant to the headline writer. Anyway, we're here so I guess I'll let Blink explain it himself."

We had stopped in front of a fairly clean building with a bright blue sign in front of it. It read: The New York Journal I couldn't believe my eyes. Blink was working for William Randolph Hearst?

Skittery led me to the distribution office window and pointed to a boy on a bench.

"Go talk to him. I'll met you at Tibby's for dinner," he whispered.

I nodded and watched him until he was out of my view. With a sigh, I turned my head to look at my old best friend. He had grown taller and a bit more muscular. I didn't even notice his eye until he looked up at me.

"Blink! My god! Your eye, it's better!"

"Do I know you? You seem very familiar."

"It's me, Blink. You're better half."

"Patch!"

I'd always dreamt of this moment. We'd run into each others arms amd embrace each other forever. Of course, that didn't happen. All either one of us could do was stare at each other. Finally, I broke the silence.

"So what's with the eye?"

"I saved up and had all the scar tissue removed. I keep my patch on most days because my eye still is sensitive to light. Plus, it helps me sell papes. What's with the high society look?"

"I won a horse race in Boston. Earned millions. It was amazing. Guess the horse's name."

"I don't know."

"Patch."

"No way! So are you coming back to the Lodging House?"

"If some other girl hasn't filled my bunk, I will."

"No one could take your place. Come on!"

By the time we reached the Lodging House, it was well past midnight. So we did what we always did. Thank god Kloppman never thought to lock the windows to the bunkrooms. We found our bunks and quickly fell asleep.

*the next day* I awoke to the sound of Kloppman yelling. It was time to "carry da banner." I got up and took a long shower. When I was done, I walked right out in just my nightshirt, figuring everyone had left. Boy was I wrong!

"Holy s--t, CLeo! Put some clothes on!" Blink screamed.

"Sorry, I thought everyone had left."

"The Journal doesn't open until an hour after the World. I always sleep in. I shoulda mentioned it to you. Why did I think you'd know? I must be an idiot. I mean, you've been gone for two years. How could you know?"

"Blink, you're babbling."

"Sorry, It's just the sight of you in your nightshirt kind of shook me up."

"Oh?"

"You look mighty different then last time I saw you in a nightshirt."

"Really?"

"Yeah, you look..."

"What?"

"Sexy."

"Shut up." I yealled as I launched a pillow at him.

"No, I'm serious," he replied as our fight calmed down. "You look great."

"Thanks. I'm not the little girl everyone overlooks anymore, am I?"

"No, you're not. Come on! I think I'm going to return to the World today. I want my old life back."

I should have told him how I felt, how I still feel, for him right then. The moment was gone, though, and I was being shoved out the door. When we got to the World building, all the newsies were still in line to get papers. They all looked happy to see Blink return.

My life was normal again. I should of known something was about to happen. That night, we all went to Medda's to celebrate the return of Blink. We were listening to Medda's performance when Mush wandered over to our table.

"hey, Blink, Betsy's here. Have you met Betsy yet, Patch? Come on, I'll introduce ya!"

"Cleo, wait..." Blink started but I was already gone with Mush.

We walked up to a very pretty lady. She looked quite similar to myself, now that I think about it. She had short, brown hair and wore a dirty blue dress.

"Hi, I'm Patch. And you are?" I said while extending my hand.

"I'm Betsy, Blink's fiance." she calmly stated.

"Fiance?"

"Yeah. Anyway. could you tell him I won't be coming to lunch at Tibby's tomorrow." she said and walked away.

"All right. I guess." I called after her.

I slowly walked over to Blink, coldly staring at him the whole time. He just looked back as if nothing big had happened.

"Your fiance won't be coming to lunch tomorrow," I called as I walked past him and through the door.

The second I got outside, I broke into tears. I was in love with a man I could never possibly have! Suddenly, a hand tapped on my shoulder. Skittery had come out to check on me.

"Hey. Looks like you need a friend," he whispered.

"Why didn't you tell me, Skits? I never would have found him again if I had only known."

" I couldn't find it in my heart to tell you. Plus, I knew you were the only one who could get Blink to come back. Do you know the whole story about Betsy?"

"She's his fiance. What more could there be?"

"He doesn't love her, you know. She just needs money and her father figured marriage was the only way. He practically told Blink he'd kill him if he wouldn't marry Betsy. The poor kid was heartbroken because you had jsut left. His will to fight was gone so the marriage was set.:

"I think I need to talk to Blink. I mean, I got him into this mess, I have to get him out."

"He's in the room next to the bunkroom at the lodging house. He and Betsy live there."

"If he lives there, why'd he sleep in his old bunk last night?"

"I think he wanted it to be like old times again."

"I have to go. See ya later, Skits."

After a quick hug, I began to run back to my home. I rushed upstairs to find Blink laying, not in his new room, but on my bunk. I just stood there and watched him sleep. I guess I must have started to cry because Blink woke up.

"Cleo, is dat you? What s'matta?"

"I want my old life back."

"You have your old life. You're back here and we're together again."

"Not in the way I want us to be."

"What d'ya mean?"

"It's nothing. Never mind."

"No, tell me. I can take it. We have to start being honest to one another sometime."

"I love you," I mumbled.

"What did you say?"

"I love you," I yelled.

"But, that can't be. You love Skittery. I've seen the way you act around him. He's always holding you."

:He's comforting me while I cry about you. He's been there for me when I couldn't confide in you."

"But I love Betsy."

I started to laugh.

"What's so funny?"

"I trusted Skittery, and he lied to me. He said you were only marrying her because her father was threatening you. I guess it's partially my fault. I thought I'd come back and you'd realize you loved me back. Foolish dream," I said as I backe dup to the door.

"Wait. Don't leave."

"You probably won't see me again. Goodbye. I'll always love you."

I walked out of the room with tears in my eyes. The lodging house started to blur so I sat down on the stairs until I could see again. It felt like a few minutes but it had to have been a few hours. I was so exhauseted I had passed out. Jack shook me until I woke up.

"Hey, Patch! Are you okay?"

"No, I'm not. Thanks for letting me stay here again, but I'm leaving tomorrow morning."

"Why? We just got you bakc in our lives."

" I came to talk to Blink and after I achieved my goal, I realized I couldn't stay here any longer."

"You love him, don't you?"

"Yes."

"That explains a lot. Like the fact you never dated any newsies even though we all made plays for you. What'd he say to you?"

"He said he loved Betsy now."

"He doesn't love her. He despised her. She made him leave the newsies. He only let her control him because you were gone."

"Why would my disappearance have influenced him in any way?"

"He loved you. You were his whole world. He didn't realize it until you'd left. Didn't anyone tell you how he acted when you left?"

"Race and Skits sortof told me."

"He didn't eat for days. He just slept all day. He kept telling us, 'She'll come back, she wouldn't do this to me.' He almost died, but luckily, we got him to a hospital."

"He said he loved me? Like as his girl?"

"yeah, that night after you left, he told me if you ever came back, he'd ask you to be his girl."

"Wow, I never knew."

"Listen. Why don't you talk to him? Betsy is staying at her father's house."

That's all it took for me to realize I had been given another chance to win Blink back. I ran up the old, creaky stair to find the bunkroom empty. Discouraged, I walked into the adourning room.

It looked just like the bunkroom but it was exceptionally bare. There was a old bed with a very thin mattress. The dresser held a few shirts and pairs of pants. On top of it were two pictures, one of five young kids who grew up to be the best newsies the World had ever seen and the other of an eighteen-year-old Blink and his best friend.

I took the pictures over to the bed and was staring at them when someone entered. It was Blink. He has just gotten out of the shower. I would have said something but I was enjoying the sight of him in only a towel way too much. Finally, he turned around and saw me.

"Cleo!"

"Hi, Blink. Sorry, I forgot this was your new room."

"It's okay. What are you looking at?"

"You're only wearing a towel."

"Oh, let me go change."

"No, it's okay. We have to talk. Now. I'll get straight to the point. I was having a talk with Jack and he said you loved me once."

"That was before you crushed me by leaving,"

"I've realized that was the biggest mistake of my life. I left the only good thing in my life. I should have stayed here. Jack told me you almost killed yourself. I want you to know I thought about doing that same thing every day I was gone. I'm so sorry. My leaving screwed up both our lives. But I wanted to ask you a question. Do I have at least a tiny chance with you?

"You always have."

"But I thought you loved Betsy."

"I was lieing to you so that we wouldn't do something I just can't do. She's not the one I love though. You are."

"You love me?"

"I have for two years. I don't think I'll ever stop."

By this time, I was crying but I stopped as soon as he pulled me into his arms. His lips met mine in a very soft kiss that quickly deepened into something I had longed for since two years ago. Our bodies slowly laid down on the bed and the kiss got deeper than I thought was possible.

"Are you aure you want this?" Blink whispered as he pulled away from me a little.

As an answer, I pulle him back towards me.

*the next day* I had heard the boys getting up and forgot where I was for a second. A cool breath hit my arm and I turned my head to see Blink watching me.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," he said.

"Hi. I should get up before the boys find us together. I mean, you're an engaged man after all."

"Let them fins us. I have no regrets. Do you?"

"No regrets here. Go take a shower. I'm going to sleep a little more."

He got up and walked into the adjoining bathroom. I, feeling a sudden chill, covered myself in blankets. Suddenly, someone burst into the room.

"Hey Blink! It's Jack. Have you seen Patch around? She came up here yesterday to talk to you and she never returned to the bunkroom."

"Morning, Jack. I'm right here," I replied.

"I take it your talk went well," he said, acting pretty calm for the huge surprise he had just gotten.

"Very well."

"Are you going to sell papes today?

"Yeah, yeah. I'm getting up. Go away."

A half-hour later, Blink and I started towards the World distribution center. We didn't speak the obvious question because we both knew the answer. We couldn't be together any longer.

"You still have to marry Betsy, don't you?" I asked quietly.

"Yes, but I love you, not her. I wish I could break the engagement, but..."

"I don't want you to risk your life for me. We should stop this now."

"We should. It would be the right thing to do, but I don't want to do it."

"We have to, but I guess we could wait until tomorrow. Let's just have one more day of happiness."

And that's what it was. Our last day of happiness. We spent the morning selling papes together like usual. It felt like we'd never left each other's side. The rest of the newsies noticed the change in us, too. As Mush said, "This is the first time in months I've seen the famous Kid Blink smile."

We ate lunch at our own private table at Tibby's. Skittery pulled me aside as soon as I had finished eating.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"I know, me and Blink, we can't be together but we agreed to one day of happiness together. Tomorrow, everything will return to normal."

"Let's go for a walk," he said as he held Tibby's front door open for me.

"Okay. I'll meet you back at the World, Blink," I called to him. "So, whet is it you want to say?"

"I'm very proud of you. You're handling this situation very nicely. Just don't let Betsy find out."

"We weren't planning on it. Everything will be okay."

"You're not going to leave us again, are you?"

"No way. This is my life and I'm never going to leave it again. I'd rather die."

"God, I love you."

"I love you too, James."

"You know, you're the only one I let get away with calling me that."

"Dat's because you know witout me you're nuttin' !" I said, easily slipping into my 'newsie accent. "I have to get back to my day of glory. See you later!"

"Count on it."

I guess I was a little distracted with my situation. I failed to see the three figures approaching me until it was too late.

"Morning, Patch, you little slut," Betsy said, "Couldn't stand me being happy, could ya? Had to make a play for my man, didn't ya? Well, my buddies here, Oscar and Morris, are going to make sure you realize the error of your ways. Go ahead, boys."

"The Delancey brothers started to approach me. I tried to cry for help. but they had pushed me into an alley. I held them off for what seemed like eternity. Eventually, they overwhelmed me. They would have killed me if Spot had not finally heard my cries for help. But, luckily, he did.

As he ran to my aid, the Delancey brother rushed off to find Betsy and tell her I wasn't dead. Spot rushed after them, but quickly came back to check on me.

"Are you all right, Patch?"

"I can't stand up. So you could say, no, I'm not all right."

"Come on. We have to get you to a hospital."

He picked me up and carried me to the nearest hospital he could remember. Once we were inside, I let myself slip into unconsciousness.

*later* I awoke to a funny sight. Blink was in a chair next to my hospital bed, sleeping and holding my hand. Spot and Jack were leaning on each other as they slept on a sofa. Mush was sleeping upside down in a chair. Race and Skittery were both pacing on seperate halves of the room. No one seemed to notice I had reawakened, so I just watched my six best friends for a while.

"Hey, could you guys stop pacing for awhile? You're giving me a headache," I finally said.

"You're awake!" Skittery shouted.

"Yeah," I replied, "and now so's the rest of the hospital."

"How are you doing?" Blink asked, yawning because he had just woken up.

"I'm okay. A little sore though."

"Who did this to you? I know the Delanceys aren't smart enough to think up a way to get you while you're alone. So help me, I'll soak 'em," Spot said.

"I, uh, don't remember," I said, trying my best to lie. I mean, it would break Blink's heart to know who made the Delanceys do this to me.

"Come on, Patch. We always could tell when you were lying to us. Tell us. We'll understand. Please?" Jack pleaded.

"I can't," I mumbled, "It would hurt you guys too much."

"Fine. But know, when you need to, we're here to talk to," Mush said.

"I know."

We would have kept talking but the doctor chose that moment to come in. He asked everyone to leave us alone so we could talk in private.

"Hi, I'm Doctor Stanley. You've been in this hospital for a month now. We thought you would never wake up from your coma. You suffered a few bruised ribs and a broken wrist. The wrist is almost healed," the doctor said.

"So why'd you make my friends leave?" I spit back at him.

"They left because I have some private news to tell you. News I don't think they know."

"They probably do. I tell them everything."

"Cleo, you're pregnant."

"What! I can't be pregnant. I never.. oh no."

"I hope you know who the father is. He should support you."

"Oh, I know who's child it is. There's a problem. He's engaged to another woman."

"Well, can you support yourself?"

"I think I can find a job. I've been saving up money. So I can use that too."

"That's good. I don't like to see girls your age living on the streets with babies."

"Well, when can I go home?"

"Right now if you're ready."

"Thank you, Doctor Stanley. Goodbye."

I grabbed the few possessions of mine that had been brought to the hospital. The boys expected me to come home, but I just couldn't. What was I supposed to do? There was a restaurant down the street so I decided to stop in and eat. It surprised me to see all my friends inside. Then, I realized I had walked to Tibby's.

"Patch! Come sit down!" bellowed a brown-haired newsie.

It took me a second but I realized he was the Brooklyn newsie I'd helped out a few months ago. He remembered me?

"Hi. Gunner, right?"

"Yeah. I can't believe you remember me."

"I have a way with faces. How are you doing?"

"I'm fine. How are you and Blink? Still his girl?"

"I was never his girl. We just had a thing for one day."

"Just a thing?"

"Yeah. He's engaged."

"I'm glad. I really couldn't picture you with that freak."

"What did you say?" I cried, my voice getting louder by the second.

"I couldn't see you with him."

"No! You called him a freak!"

"Well, he is. That patch isn't for sympathy. He's hiding something. He doesn't deserve a girl as perfect as you."

"And I suppose you do?"

"Yes We're so compatible, it's uncanny."

"We have nothing in common, Gunner. Nothing."

"And I'm sure you think you're better off with Blink."

"Well, every second that very thing is becoming more and more clear. Unlike you, I can stand to be around Blink. In fact, I look foward to seein ghim. You call him a freak? But I ask you, what would that make you? See, when I look at you, I see a nice-looking boy who seems to be hiding something. Now that I've spoked to you, I've realized you're hiding the fact that you're really just scum inside which is where it counts the most. Now, Blink, I look at him and see a handsome man who has the most captivating smile humanly possible. When he's ina room, the mood rises. He has the power to cheer up anyone. Even if they just lost everything, he can make them laugh. And the eyepatch? I'd forgotten about it. I haven't seen it for years. For your information, though, he doesn't really need to wear it. He had his scar tissue removed a long, long time ago. My one wish is that people could see him for how he truly is. He is the most beautiful person I've ever met. He can't possibly refuse a friend, or even a stranger, in trouble. The last thing on his list of priorities is himself. You label him a freak, but there's absolutely nothing freakish about him. I walk down the street every day, selling my papes, and see at least ten regular, ordinary people wearing eyepatchs. Just because no one in our small group of newsies except him has an eyepatch, a small piece of leather, he's branded a freak. I think you're wrong. You're the one who's a freak!"

I guess I hadn't realized it but halfway through my speech, I had begun to yell. As I finished, Tibby's erupted with shouts and applause. A red blush spread up my face as Gunner stormed away. As I went to sit back down, I noticed him. There was Blink, silently staring at me across the room with tears in his eyes. I faintly smiled at him.

"Let's go talk in private," he mouther to me.

I got up and left the restaurant, accepting the praise which was thrown at me. A few minutes later, he joined me outside.

"Hey. What's up?"

"I want to thank you for that thing you did in there. No one has ever stood up for me like that before."

"I only said what I believe in and I thought that I had to say it. I mean, where did he get off calling you a... a... I can't even say it."

"A freak."

"Yeah. That's the word. So was this all you wanted to do? Thank me?"

"No, I wanted to officially invite you to my wedding."

"Your wedding?"

"Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?"

"Yeah, tomorrow."

"Oh, um, yeah, I'd love to go. I just have one question. Do you want to marry her?"

"Of course."

"So, if you could have anyone else in the whole, wide world, no worries attached, you'd still want her?"

We sat there for a long time just looking at each other. Then, he finally answered my question.

"No. I wouldn't want her if I could have you."

"But you said you still wanted to marry her?"

"The only way I can get out of it is if I'm forced to marry someone else. I decided long ago that that wasn't going to ever happen."

"So you wouldn't think twice about leaving Betsy if the situation came up?"

"No, I wouldn't. What's with all the questions?"

"What can I say? I'm curious, always have been. See you tomorrow!"

"Bye."

Blink returned to Tibby's as I went to ask Medda if I could spend the night. The newsies were all waiting for his return.

"So?" Boots inquired.

"So what?" Blink innocently replied.

"So did she kill you?" Jack said. "I had a fifty cent bet she'd hit you in the gut."

"I guess you lost. She seemed quite happy for me," Blink announced.

"That's odd," Skittery said.

The boys all returned with Blink to the lodging house. Me, on the other hand, I took a small detour and stopped at Betsy's father's house on the East Side. She flung the door open as I approached.

"I thought the Delanceys killed you, slut," she cried out to me as I climbed the front porch stairs.

"Nopw. I'm still alive to plague you. Are you going to invite me in?" I asked sweetly.

"Come in."

The apartment was well furnished. I assumed her father didn't have any money himself. It seemed he did have quite a bit of money that he didn't wish to share with her.

"I came to talk to you about the big day tomorrow."

"What about it?"

"Well, I have a few questions for you."

*the next day* "Where is she, guys?' Blink nervously said. "It's not like her to miss this even if she was mad at me."

"I don't think she's coming," Race whisphered, sorry to disappoint his friend.

"I guess this is it. I expected a miracle or something to happen. I never thought I'd actually have to go through with this."

Suddenly. there was a knock on the door.

"It's her!" Blink cried.

Crutchy opened the door to see th minister.

"Hello. Which one of you is Kid Blink?" the minister asked.

"I am."

"Congratulations, young man. I have come to tell you I'm granting your request to not use your names in the ceremony. Plus, I also wanted to ask one of your boys to escort the bride down the aisle. Her father didn't show up."

"I'll do it," Skittery said.

Everyone but Skitteyr walked to the altar. On cue, the bridal march began to play. On sight of his bride, Blink leaned over to his best man, Jack, and said, "Gosh, she's a lot prettier than I remembered. I just wish she hadn't wanted that dress with the thick veil. I would've liked to have seen her face."

The ceremon went as planned. Blink even managed to spit out 'I do' before one of the guys was forced to hit him. Finally, the priest said, "You may kiss the bride."

As Blink slowly lifted the bridal veil off the bride's face, he got the shock of his lifetime.

"Patch?!?!?"

"Come on, don't you want to kiss your wife?"

"I married you? But what happened to Betsy?"

"I gave her a reason to not marry you."

"What was that? I mean, she already knew you loved me."

"I informed her of all the scandal involved in marrying the father of some other woman's child."

"But I don't have any... oh my god. You're pregnant?"

"Due in seven months."

"I'm having a kid. Hey fellas, I'm having a kid!" he yelled out. "I can't believe this. My life is perfect."

"Nothing stands in the way of fate." I said.

*present day* And nothing ever did stand in our way. On June 15, 1903, Alexis Jamie O'Kelly was born. (Alexis after Blink and Jamie after Skittery). We had two more girls and a boy. I just wanted you to know my family so that one day, in history class, you can say I knew the most successful owner of the New York World, Alex O'Kelly.