Race stared into the cold, unreadable eyes of the girl across the table from him. She had been sitting across from him for the last hour and she had won every hand. Race laid down his cards and once again lost to a full house. He shook his head as this mysterious girl took his money again. The thing that puzzled him the most about her was her expression. It didn't matter if she had just won five dollars or lost it, her expression never changed.

"You're a good player," Race conceded.

She shrugged. "T'anks." Once again her expression showed nothing. She gathered her money and put it in her pants pocket. She grabbed her hat from the table and put it on. She turned to Spot. "T'anks for lettin' me play, Spot."

Spot nodded. "Sees ya tamorrah?"

The girl shrugged. "Maybe. 善ends on if me uncle lets me out." Spot nodded. She then left the Brooklyn Lodging House.

Race had been watching the entire exchange. "Who is she, Conlon?"

"We call 粗r Alley Cat. I don't know her real name or where she lives." Spot sounded indifferent, but it could have been because he was tired. It was getting late.

"Dat ain't like ya, Spot. Ya usually know everythin' 礎out somebody by da second day. How long she been sellin'?"

Spot scratched his head as he thought about it. "Um. . .off an' on for 礎out a month now." Race puffed on his cigar. "All I know is dat she lives wid her uncle."

Race took the cigar out of his mouth. "Somethin' ain't right." Race grabbed his hat. "Well, 創ight." Spot nodded, and Race left.

*****

Caitlin entered her uncle's study. "I'm home, Uncle Joe."

Joe looked up from the paper he was reading. "How was the museum today?"

"It was good. Am I going to be allowed to go back tomorrow?" She really hoped he said yes.

The old man thought about it for several minutes before he gave his answer. "You can go tomorrow, but after that you need to catch up on your studies."

Caitlin nodded. "Yes, Sir. Good night, Uncle Joe."

"Good night, Caitlin." Caitlin left the study and headed up to her room on the third floor of the mansion.

*****

"It was weird. Spot usually knows Ev'rything about his newsies, but all he knew about dis goyl is she lives wid her uncle. Dey call her Alley Cat." Race was sitting in the front room of the Lodging House trying to explain to the few Newsies who were still up and Mush and Emily what happened that night and about the girl he had played against.

"I think it's only bugging you because she beat you." Race looked at Emily, who was sitting in the floor playing with her and Mush's daughter, Anya. "That's it isn't it, Anya? Uncle Race is mad because he lost." The baby cooed and swung her arms at her mother.

Race smiled at Anya. "Dat ain't it, Em. Somethin' jus' don't seem right."

"You're jus' paranoid, Race." Mush looked at his new pocket watch. "Ya ready ta go, Em?"

"Yeah." Emily picked up Anya. "G'night, Boys."

"'Night, Em!" They all said in almost perfect unison.

She took Anya's hand and made her wave goodbye. "'Night, Uncles!" They all waved to the baby. Emily smiled to herself as they left the Lodging House. She really had grown to love the Newsies over the last year since she and Mush had married to keep her from marrying the man she had been betrothed to. The small family stepped out onto Duane Street. A cool, late fall wind hit them, and Mush pulled Emily and Anya close to him. They had walked several blocks before Emily said anything.

"I have a feeling that Race is smitten with this girl, and that's why she's bugging him."

Mush shook his head. "I think dat he's jus' paranoid. It ain't like Race ta like somebody after one time a seein' 'em. He ain't like me. I liked ya from da moment I saw ya."

Emily laughed. "And you used to sell newspapers lying like that? We drove each other crazy when we first met."

Mush got a wicked grin on his face. "Dat's because you were so difficult an' confusin'. One minute ya couldn't keep your hands off me. Da next ya wanted nothin' ta do wid me. That would drive any man insane." He knew what he was doing. He was enticing Emily into a fight; even though it was a harmless, playful fight, he still enjoyed it.

"Me?!. It was all you. You played with my mind."

Mush looked hurt. "I did not." He thought for a brief second. "Ya know what? You're still difficult."

Emily put a scowl on her face. "I am not." She gave a fake exasperated sigh. "Don't argue with me! Just kiss me, Derek Meyers!" Mush smiled and pulled her closer as he kissed her. They broke apart when Anya lightly smacked her father in the head. Mush gave his daughter a kiss on the cheek.

"I love ya too, Sweety."

*****

"Fifty papes," Alley Cat said as she slapped down her two bits. She was handed her papers, and she walked to the end of the Brooklyn distribution alley. She was thinking of ways to improve the horrible headlines. "You'd think that with all of his money he could hire a good headline writer," she said to herself.

"Who ya talkin' 'bout?" She jumped as a boy asked her a question.

She turned to see the boy she had soundly beat in poker the other night. "Ol' man Pulitzah."

The boy nodded. "I'm Racetrack Higgins."

"Nice ta meet ya." She started to walk off.

"Wait!" She turned around. "Ya want someone ta sell wid?"

Alley Cat looked Race up and down. "I think I can handle it."

Race shrugged. "Well, fifty papes is a lot."

This time Alley Cat shrugged. "Maybe ta you, but I've been a Newsie for two years. I can hawk 'em wid da best of 'em." She shrugged again. "Besides if I don't do so hot, I can always sell 'em back."

Race nodded. She started to walk off, and Race started to follow her. He didn't say anything until it dawned on him that something didn't quite coincide with what Spot had told him.

"Ya been sellin' for two years?"

She gave him her usual indifferent look. "Yeah. So?"

"Well, I find dat funny 'cause Spot says ya've on'y been sellin' for a month."

In that instant her indifference faded. He expression almost showed fear. "Well, dat's. . .not. . .true," She stumbled over her words. "I've been sellin' for two years. Jus' not in Brooklyn." She swapped one of her papers for a penny as a man passed them. After she had finished the transaction, she turned to Race. "Race, right?" He nodded. "I remember I told ya I didn't want ya sellin' wid me. So are ya hard of hearin'?"

"I ain't sellin'. I'm jus' walkin' wid ya."

Alley Cat's expression was once again indifferent. "Either way, I'd wish ya'd jus' leave me alone."

Rae stopped walking. "Fine, I'll leave, but I ain't done. I'm gonna get ta da bottom of your story, Alley Cat." With that he turned on his heel and started to leave. The entire time he walked off he called out headlines She had never thought of.

*****

Caitlin stared out of the window to her private room in the World Building. He Uncle Joe had decided that she had to concentrate on her studies more, and she couldn't get that done at the mansion. The tutor was running late, as usual.

She had been watching the Manhattan Newsies hawk the headlines and horse play in the square. She had often heard her uncle complain about how the Newsies had cost him thousands of dollars. He especially had a hatred for one called Jack Kelly.

Caitlin went back to reading her history lesson. She would have to ask Spot why Jack Kelly was hated so, but she would have to do it with out letting him know who her uncle was. What would they think if they knew she was Joseph Pulitzer's niece?

*****

"Race, Alley Cat's on'y been sellin' for a month wid me. You're jus' upset 'cause she beat ya da othah night." Spot released the sling shot, and a marble flew across the dock, taking out a bottle.

"It ain't dat. Why does ev'rybody think it's dat?" Race took the sling shot and marbled that Spot handed him. "I'm tellin' ya, Conlon, some thin' about her doesn't quite add up." He released the sling shot and watched the marble miss its target.

"Ya nevah know. Maybe she has been selling for two years." Spot shrugged. "But, if your hunches are as good as your marble shootin', I wouldn't bet anything." Race glared at Spot as he shot another marble that Race had missed and hit it in the middle.

Race snorted as he started to walk off. "I'll see ya 喪ound, Spot."

"銭ay. Ya comin' ta da pokah game tanight?"

Race turned and looked at Spot. "I wouldn't miss it." He left to head back to Manhattan. He knew that Alley Cat was hiding something, but he wasn't sure what. It wasn't that he wanted to let everyone know she had been lying, but he wanted to know the truth about her. He was intrigued by her. What could have happened to her to make so indifferent and cold toward everybody?

*****

Caitlin climbed out of her bedroom window and onto the steeply sloping roof. She dropped her bag to the ground. She walked over to the trallice and began to slowly climb down. If she was right, her uncle was in a meeting with his two assistance at that very moment. They wouldn't be done until long after she was back from her poker game in Brooklyn.

She silently hopped to the ground, grabbed her bag and began to run for the gates. She could stop off on the Lower East Side to change into her newsie clothes, but that would be a full run the entire way. Caitlin groaned as she climbed over the gate. She wasn't looking forward to the long run she had ahead of her. Why did her uncle have to live on the Upper East Side of Manhattan?

Caitlin stopped off at the World Building and used the keys she had taken from her uncle's coat pocket when he wasn't looking to open the gate to the distribution alley. She hid behind a stack of crates that were there for the next morning's distribution and quickly changed clothes. She shoved her fancy clothes into her bag and took off running for Brooklyn.

She made the run to Brooklyn in a record time for her -- twenty minutes. She slowly walked to the Brooklyn Lodging House. When she entered, a poker game was already in session. Spot walked over to her and smiled.

"Glad ta see ya could join us, Alley Cat."

"I almost didn't. My uncle isn't lettin' me out a da house for da rest of da week. I'll probably get it if he catches me." She shrugged at that. Race was right. She was rather indifferent about things that should matter.

The current poker game ended and she joined in on the next one. That was when she noticed that the dealer was Race. She didn't say anything as she looked at her cards. Her eyes were totally unreadable. They played in silence for the next two hours. Alley Cat won every hand.

When Race was finally broke, he stood up from the table and nodded at Alley Cat. "T'anks ta you, I'll be havin' Weasel spot me fifty, but dat ain't nothin' unusual." He lit his cigar and headed out of the Lodging House.

Over the next three weeks Race tried to talk with Alley Cat as much as he could, but he never found anything out. She was always just as distant as she had been the first time he talked to her. It was now four days from Christmas and the mystery behind Alley Cat was driving Race nuts.

He arrived to the Lodging House rather surprised to find that Emily had everybody decorating the house in some way. Jack was busy hanging mistletoe over the doorway that led into the main room. Race unconsciously stopped in the door and looked at Jack.

"What's goin' on here?" He pointed at the front room that he barely recognized. Jack looked up at the mistletoe and smiled. He bent down, licked his lips and planted a wet kiss on Race's cheek. "Ugh! What'd ya do dat for?! Ya gone sick in da head, Jacky?!" He was basically yelling. Everybody stopped and looked at the two newsies standing under the mistletoe.

"I kissed ya. Ya are under da mistletoe after all." Everybody laughed as Jack went to help Emily wrap the banister in garland. Race wiped the drool from his cheek.

"Why is dere a mistletoe in a NewsBOYS Lodgin' House, anyway?"

Emily walked over and handed him an ornament. "You never know when it will come in handy. Besides, it's tradition, Race. Now go put that on the tree." She motioned to the ornament. Race did as he was told. Much to Emily's surprise the boys started singing Christmas carols, and much more to her surprise they were actually very good singers. She walked up behind Mush and placed her chin on his shoulder and sang into his ear. He turned around and gave her a quick kiss. The singing momentarily stopped for them to groan at the now happily married couple.

It only took them another hour to finish decorating the front room. Emily smiled as she looked at the finished product. She was pretty sure that that was the first time the Lodging House had been decorated. She was standing by the door when it was knocked upon. She opened the door to find ten lovely upperclass young ladies around her age standing on the front step.

"Can I help you?"

"Yes," a middle aged woman said from the back of the group. "This is a caroling group that is put together by Mr. Pulitzer to sing to different charities, and this Newsboys Lodging House is on the list."

Emily nodded and moved so the girls could enter the Lodging House. She showed them into the front room that was full of Newsies, about thirty that night. "They want to sing to you guys." Emily made her way over to the stairs where Mush was standing. Race was behind them, and only in a slightly better mood.

The girls started singing "Joy to the World". Specs leaned over to Jack and whispered in his ear. "It fits dat carolers sent by Pulitzah would sing 遷oy ta da WORLD'." Jack had to suppress a laugh as the song continued.

The last song started and Race made eye contact with a girl in the front row. When he did, he recognized the same indifferent stare. Alley Cat? Race slowly started to work his way through the group of Newsies. He stopped right in front of her and watched her. It took her a moment to notice him, but when she did, the indifference faded and fear took over. She finished singing the song and was trying to leave the Lodging House before the others. She wasn't quite fast enough. Race grabbed her hand and made her stop her quick exit. She turned to look at him.

"Would you let go of me?" Race looked shocked to hear that her New York accent was gone.

"Alley Cat?"

The middle aged woman that was obviously their chaperon came up to Race. "Sir, would you release Miss Anderson?"

Race looked at Caitlin with puzzlement in his expression, not to mention anger. She was high society! Race was ignoring the request of the woman.

Caitlin made her first attempt to explain anything. "It's not what it looks like, Racetrack." She didn't say anything more because Blink interrupted her explanation.

"Kiss her, Race!" Race and Caitlin both looked at him in shock. "You're under da mistletoe. Ya gotta kiss her. Tradition."

Race rolled his eyes. "I still don't see why we gotta 疎ve one of dese in an all boys Lodgin' House."

"For instances like dese," Jack pointed out.

Caitlin turned to her chaperon. "Miss Cuthbert?"

She didn't look too happy with the entire situation. "Kiss him, Caitlin. This will be the only time he will ever kiss an upper class girl." That statement angered most of the Newsies, including Caitlin. She turned back to Race and gave a weak smile. She wasn't looking forward to this, and neither was Race.

Race turned from staring at Jack to look at Caitlin. He shrugged, and then slowly placed his palm on her cheek. Caitlin momentarily closed her eyes as he touched her. Race leaned in and gave her a gentle kiss that was suppose to be a quick one, but when they did kiss there was a spark of electricity that both felt with a sudden jolt. The kiss deepened, but only slightly. Caitlin broke the kiss a moment later when Miss Cuthbert cleared her throat.

As soon as the kiss was broken, Miss Cuthbert took Caitlin's arm and pulled her out of the Lodging House. Caitlin looked back at Race as she was pulled out of the front door and into the snow covered street. Race slowly moved to shut the door, but he never stopped staring at her.

It took Mush and Emily coming up behind him to snap him from the trance that he was in. Mush was carrying little Anya. She was bundled up in a warm blanket and winter clothes. Race smiled at the little girl. Mush slapped Race on the shoulder.

"Well, congrats on da kiss, Race." Mush then turned to everybody else. "G'night, Guys."

"Night, Mush, Em." They all said in unison. The goodnights had become routine over the past year. They all waved goodbye as they walked out the door. Race absentmindedly shut the door behind them and walked into the front room. Everybody was staring at him with ridiculously large grins on their faces.

"What?"

"How was the kiss?" Blink asked. He had taken the place of Mush when it came to being girl crazy ever since Mush had married Emily.

Race scratched his head. "Confusin'." He walked up the stairs without another word to anybody else. That was Alley Cat. He knew that much. He now knew her real name was Caitlin Anderson. Why had she been singing with the charity group from The World? He uncle must work for The World, but who could it be. He would have to in a high position if she was considered upper class. Race undressed and crawled into his bunk earlier than normal. He wasn't tired, but maybe this way the others would leave him alone so he could think.

*****

Caitlin sat in her room and stared at the walls. She was really confused and scared now. Racetrack had recognized her. He knew that she wasn't what she really said she was. He had thought that all along, but she knew he never would have guessed that she was upper class. At least he didn't know that she was Joseph Pulitzer's niece.

She touched her lips. When she did that, She could still feel his lips on hers. He had kissed her, and she had kissed him back. It had all be due to tradition, but why couldn't she stop thinking about him? She fell back on her bed and let out a frustrated sigh.

She knew that she was going to have to find away to sneak out tomorrow and see him. She had to explain everything to him. She didn't want to, but she had to. And she had to find him before he reached Spot. She was dreading the meeting that she knew she couldn't avoid. She couldn't stand him, and now she was going to have talk to him. She had no choice, and what was worse she was going to have to make him swear that he would never tell a soul.

She let out another sigh. "I'll just tell him that my uncle works for The World. I won't tell him about Uncle Joe, and I won't have to tell him about my past." She nodded and crawled into her warm bed.

*****

Race exited the Lodging House with all of the others the next morning. He was determined to find Caitlin as soon as he could. He wanted to find out the truth. He didn't have to wait long though. He was about a block from the Lodging House when he heard someone call his name.

"Racetrack?!" He turned to see Caitlin standing at the entrance to the alley. He stopped and walked back to her. None of the Newsies had noticed this because he was bringing up the rear of the group.

"Caitlin?" He stopped and leaned against the wall. "What are ya doin' here?"

"I came to explain everything." Race noticed that her accent was the same as it had been last night. Race crossed his arms and waited for the explanation. She started to walk further into the alley. Race followed. She almost acted like she didn't want to be seen.

Race stopped about fifteen feet into the alleyway. "I'm not goin' any further till ya tell why you were wid those upper class goyls?"

She sighed and looked rather upset about something. Race couldn't tell if it was because she was having to explain her situation to him, or because she had gotten caught last night. "I. . .," she started. "My uncle works for The World. He made me go on the caroling outing. I didn't want to."

"So why are ya actin' like a Newsie?" Race crossed his arms again. "Ya like da idea of slummin' it?"

Caitlin glared at him. "No. I was a Newsie for two years before my uncle took me in after my mom died. Look I thought I would let you know that I'm not 壮lummin' it. I love being a Newsie, and that I only do the upper class duties when I'm forced to." Race looked like he didn't believe her. "I know you don't believe me, but I'm telling you the truth. Please don't tell Spot. I still want to sell with him."

Race didn't agree to not tell Spot. He wouldn't, but he wouldn't let her know that. "Who's your uncle, Caitlin? He mus' be pretty high up at Da World if ya have ta do the charity work. So who is he?"

Caitlin glared at him. "I don't have to tell you that. It's none of your business."

"Ha! It is my business. If I don't find out ev'rything I want ta know I could easily tell Spot about da real you, and he hates high class people more dan I do."

Fear crossed her face. "You said you wouldn't tell!"

"I didn't. I let ya think dat I wouldn't tell."

"Ya know what, Racetrack? I don't care if ya tell. Go right on ahead. Spot will believe me." Race glared at her. She was standing in front of him with a determined look on her face. She was dressed in the fancy clothes of the upper class. Her brown hair wasn't pinned back in anyway and it moved freely in the cold December wind. Her cheeks and nose were pick from the wind. Race had never noticed it before, but she was really beautiful. "And if you tell, You will regret it for the rest of your life. I will make you so miserable. . . ."

She had been talking the entire time Race had been taking in her beauty. He had totally blocked her out, and all he wanted to do, now that he was listening to her, was shut her up. He took a step closer to her and kissed her. He was holding on to her arms so that she couldn't escape. She began beating on his chest, but after a moment the beating stopped an she rested her hands on his chest. She leaned into him and began to kiss him back. Race released her arms and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer. They kissed for what felt like an eternity. Just as fast as he began kissing her, he stopped. He took several steps back. They never broke each others gaze. Both were in total shock. Caitlin recovered first.

"Why did you do that?" She was angry, but she wasn't sure if she was angry at him for kissing her, or at herself for kissing him back.

It took Race another minute to recover. "I did it ta shut ya up." She gasped at the reason. "An' I'd love ta do it again." He took a step closer to her, but before he took the next step she took off running down the alley. Race stood there bewildered. He could kick himself for saying that out loud. He didn't know what had made him take the sudden change in how he felt about her, but he suddenly wanted to kiss her again, and not stop. He turned around and headed to the distribution alley. "Dis goyl can't be good for my health," he said to himself as he went to catch up with the guys.

*****

Caitlin sat down at the desk in her private room in the World Building. She was relieved to see that she had beat her uncle in. She had left early to say that she wanted to walk that morning. Reluctantly, Pulitzer let her. She sighed as she got her books out of the bottom drawer of the desk. She began flipping through her notebooks when she suddenly started smiling. She wasn't sure why for several minutes till she heard a voice in her head.

羨n' I'd love ta do it again.' Caitlin shook her head as she found the assignment that she was suppose to have finished before the tutor arrived.

"And I want you to do it again, Racetrack," she said as she opened her algebra book. She wasn't sure what had made her change her mind about Racetrack Higgins, but she liked the change. True he was aggravating, but he was so cute with his cigar and less than believable poker face. The rest of the day she couldn't quit smiling because all she could think about was him.

*****

It was Christmas Eve and Race hadn't seen Caitlin since the day in the alley. He hadn't been able to stop thinking about her. He was really beginning to think he cared for her more than he would admit. Why the sudden change in his feelings still baffled him, but he wasn't going to argue. He liked her. He was beginning to think that everyone had been right about the fact that her secrecy had only bugged him because she had beaten him at poker.

Race was running his fingers over the money in his pockets. He had about five dollars saved up. He usually kept that much back so that on Christmas Eve he could go to the races. It had been a ritual of his and his fathers when he was younger. They would go to the tracks on Christmas Eve and bet on the horse with the Christmasiest name. It never won, but it was fun. It was tradition. Kind of like the mistletoe thing for Jack. He had continued to go to the races every year after his father had been arrested.

Race was passing a ladies clothing shop when he noticed a pair of tortoise shell hair clips in the window. They were different shades of brown. Race looked at the clips for several minutes before he entered the shop. The woman that was dressed very plainly stepped from behind the counter.

"Can I help you, Sir?" Race looked around the shop for a moment before he realized that she was referring to him.

"Uh. . .yeah. I was wonderin' how much dose clips in da widow are?"

The woman nodded. "Those are the best clips we have. They are rather expensive." The lady pulled them out of the window and looked at the price tag. "The price for these combs are four dollars and fifty cents."

Race scratched his head. He was really torn. He felt the five dollars in his pocket, and the memory of his father holding him up so he could see the horses as they raced around the track flashed through his mind; but just as quickly as that memory flashed in his mind, so did the picture of Caitlin wearing the clips in her hair. In his mind she looked beautiful with them in her hair. He took out his five dollars and handed them to her.

"I'll take da clips." The woman took the money and walked over to the counter. "How much does it cost ta 疎ve ya wrap 粗m?"

"Fifty cents."

"Could ya wrap 粗m too?" The woman nodded and a few minutes later Race walked out of the shop with the first Christmas present he had ever bought. The thing that puzzled him was that he had bought it for a girl that didn't even like him.

He placed the small wrapped box in his coat pocket. He decided that he would keep it there till he saw Caitlin again. He knew he wouldn't see her tomorrow, but he was sure to see her shortly after Christmas.

Christmas Day was one of the favorites of all Newsies because they didn't have to get up at five in the morning to sell the papers. The distribution alley didn't open till noon, and then they bought half of what they normally did since no business were open on Christmas.

This Christmas was no different. Race bought his twenty-five papers and ventured out into the city to try and sell them. He had his few regulars that bought from him that even ventured out to buy from him on Christmas. He had only been selling for an hour when the one he liked the most came up to him.

"Merry Christmas, Mrs. Minekey!" Race said as the elderly lady approached him.

"Merry Christmas, Vincent!" She handed him two bits.

Race looked at the amount in his hand. "But, Mrs. Minekey, da pape is only a penny?" He questioned her generosity.

"I know, Vincent, but it's Christmas." She took the paper and winked at Race. She was the only regular customer he had that knew his real name. And she only knew it because he used to be her neighbor when he was little.

"Thank you!" Race couldn't contain his shock.

"You're welcome. Use that to buy your sweetheart a gift." Race didn't have the heart to tell her that he really didn't have one, so he agreed and stuck the money in his coat pocket.

After he had finished selling, he started back to the Lodging House to choke down one of Kloppman's less than appetizing meals. It wouldn't be much, but it was food. When he arrived, he found he was the first one back, but he also found that he wasn't smelling Kloppman's burnt potatoes. He entered the kitchen and was surprised to find Emily cooking.

He walked up behind Emily and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "You're da best sistah a guy could ask for, Em."

"Merry Christmas to you, too, Race!" She laughed as Race dipped his finger in the mashed potatoes and tasted them.

"Ya still can cook." He sat at the table and they began to talk. "Um. . .Em, can I ask for your advice 礎out somethin'?"

"Sure. What's the problem? Does it have to do with that girl from Brooklyn?"

Race smiled at her back. "Yeah. Ya see I think I'm really startin' ta care about 粗r. She's beautiful an' ev'rything, but she ain't ever been real nice ta me. An' when we kissed da othah night, and den da next day, I felt somethin'. And den yesterday. . . ."

Emily interrupted him. "You kissed her? That's great!"

Race shrugged. "Yeah, 祖ept she ran away both times. Anyway, yesterday I bought her a Christmas gift, an' I'm not sure if I should give it to her."

Almost as if she had been listening at the door, Caitlin entered the main room to the Lodging House. "Hello? Is anybody home?" Emily and Race looked at each other funny as they started for the front of the building. Race stopped short, causing Emily to bump into him, when he saw Caitlin.

"Caitlin? What are you doing here?"

She shrugged. "I snuck out to see you." She was being indifferent, but it was almost as if she didn't want to be indifferent.

"Really?" She nodded. Emily cleared her throat. Race remembered that she was behind him. "Oh, Caitlin, dis is Emily. She's Mush's wife. Em, dis is Caitlin. Ev'rybody calls her Alley Cat." Both girls nodded and said their hellos.

Emily leaned forward and whispered in Race's ear. "Now is the time to give her the gift." She then looked at Caitlin. "It was nice to meet you, but I have a pie baking, and I have to check on it before it burns." Caitlin smiled as Emily left the room.

Race walked over to Caitlin and smiled. "Ya wanna sit on the couch?" She nodded and followed Race over to it. "I know dat dis may seem a little forward, but I. . .uh. . .I have a gift for you."

Caitlin's face lit up. "You do?" And then just as quickly her expression sank. "I don't have anything for you."

"It's okay." Race pulled the small box out of his coat pocket. "When I saw this, I thought of you. It ain't nothin' fancy, but. . . ." He trailed off.

Caitlin opened it and slowly lifted the box lid. She saw the two clips and smiled. "Oh, Racetrack, they're beautiful! I love them!" She opened the clips and put them in her hair.

"I thought you'd like them to keep the wind out of your hair." She nodded.

"They're perfect!" Before she gave it another thought she kissed him very quickly on the lips. She then realized what she had done and quickly moved from the couch. She walked over to the counter and leaned on it. She kept her eyes down on the floor.

Race sighed. "I'm glad you like them." He looked at her and was very confused. "When I kissed ya da other day, ya kissed me back an' den ran. An' now ya kissed me. What is wid you? One minute your bitin' my head off, an' da next you're sneakin' out ta come an' see me? I don't get it." He sighed again. Girls never made much sense to him. He had never been like Mush and Blink which girls just came easy to them. "I mean I really care about ya, but you obviously don't know what ya feel for me." Race looked up panicked. He had never meant to say that out loud. Caitlin was now staring at him.

"I do care about you, Race, but I'm not sure of what to do next." She walked back across the room and sat in the chair closest to him. "You just aggravate me so much that I could scream!" She looked down at her hands. "What do we do?"

Race shrugged. "I don't know. An' for da record, you drive me crazy!" She laughed at his statement. He reached out and took her hand, gently pulling her to the couch. "Dis might not solve a lot, but how 礎out we take it one day at a time?"

Caitlin nodded. "I'd like that." She looked him in the eye. "How do we start?"

"Like dis. . . ." He trailed off as he kissed her. Their kiss was interrupted when some of the Newsies came in.

"Way ta go, Race!" Blink called from the entryway.

"An he ain't even undah da mistletoe!" Jack commented.

Race broke the kiss and laughed. "Hey, Jacky, what's wid you an' mistletoe?"

Jack shrugged. "A Christmas tradition." Mush entered a moment later carrying Anya.

"What'd I miss?" He asked as he handed his daughter to Jack, who was becoming rather skilled at holding the baby.

"Race got himself a goyl." Jack cooed the answer to Anya. She smiled and swung her arms near Jack's face. After Caitlin had been introduced to everybody, dinner was ready. Caitlin said that she was going to have to leave before she was missed. Race walked her to the door and much to his surprise she kissed him before she left.

*****

"Do you like your presents, Caitlin?"

Caitlin looked up at her Uncle Joe. "Yes. They are all lovely." She looked back down at the book that she was holding. "I'm just not in the Christmas mood, Uncle Joe. I always think of Ma during Christmas. It was her favorite time of year."

Joseph Pulitzer nodded. "I know. I miss her too." He was trying to sound sad, but was not succeeding.

Caitlin looked up at him. There was no emotion in his eyes. Her eyes began to spark, in one of the rare moments that she showed any emotion around him. "You do not! You never cared for her. If you did, you would have taken her back when Pa left us instead of disowning her. It wasn't her fault that he lied to her about his wealth. It wasn't her fault that he abandoned us for that blond whose family owns oil wells in Texas! If you cared at all, you would have come to us when we needed you!" Caitlin took a long breath before she said anything else. "If you cared, you would have come to get me as soon as she died. Instead you let me live on the streets for two years! I had to sell newspapers to survive!" She opened her mouth to continue her tirade, but Pulitzer stopped her.

"You listen to me, Young Lady! I came to get you as soon as I heard. As for you selling newspapers? You could have gone to an orphanage."

Caitlin shook her head. "No I couldn't have. There were no orphanages in our small upstate town." She set the book down and stood up. "Merry Christmas to you too, Uncle Joe." She said that with as much contempt as she could. She really wished that she had never been found by her uncle. Joseph Pulitzer was a cruel man with no feelings for anything except his money.

*****

Race had just bought his papers and was walking back toward the Lodging House on his way to sell near the Brooklyn Bridge. He had been having some really good luck over there. He was wondering if he would see Caitlin at the poker game in Brooklyn that night. He hadn't seen her since Christmas, and that had been almost a week. He stopped walking when he heard someone call his name from an alley a block from the Lodging House.

"Racetrack!"

He turned to see Caitlin leaning against the wall in her usual newsie garb. He walked over to her and saw that she was wearing the clips he had given her. He kissed her on the cheek when he saw her. "Mornin', Caitlin." She smiled as he whispered her name in her ear.

"I was wondering if I could take you up on your offer to sell with me." Race noticed that she wasn't talking in her phony New York accent. He liked her better with out it.

"Ya sure can." Race held out his hand, and she took it. "Where ya been da last week? I've missed seen ya at da poker games. Although I ain't missed losin' to ya."

Caitlin gave him a playful shove with her shoulder. "My Uncle's kept me inside. I only get to go out when I'm with him. He's making me spend more time on my studies." She wrinkled her nose.

Race smiled at her. She was really cute when she wasn't being indifferent. They talked the entire way to the Brooklyn Bridge. Race loved watching her talk. She was really showing emotion. She wasn't cold like she was when he first met her.

By lunch time they had both sold out. "Ya wanna go ta Tibby's wid me?"

She looked at her pocket watch. "Um, I better not. I have to be back to my uncle's in an hour. I have more studying to do. I'll see you at the poker game tonight though."

She started to walk off when Race stopped her. "I'll walk ya ta your uncle's place." It surprised him to see what looked like fear cross her face.

"Uh. . .no. I'll. . .uh. . .walk myself." She walked back over to him and gave him a quick kiss. "I'll see ya tonight!"

Race shrugged and let her go. He was wondering why she wouldn't want him to walk her to her uncle's. He thought they were seeing each other, and he thought that he was suppose to walk her home, but he wasn't sure. Race shook his head as he walked to Tibby's. "Dis relationship stuff is confusin'," he said to himself.

*****

For the next few weeks, Race only saw Caitlin when she managed to get away from her uncle, whose name he still didn't know. She was at every poker game and she managed to sell about three times a week. She had even snuck out and come to see him at the Lodging House a few times. He really cared for her and knew he was falling for her and fast.

Race had finally decided that he was going to find out where her uncle lived and who he was. After the poker game that night, he said his good byes to her on the Manhattan side of the bridge, as usual. He let her get about a block away before he started to follow her.

He followed her for close to twenty minutes till she reached a mansion on the Upper East Side. He looked at the gates that she was climbing. The initials JP were in the center of each gate. JP?

Race followed her lead and watched as she climbed up the trallice to a window. He watched her enter and waited about two minutes before he followed. He reached the window and tapped on it. He could see Caitlin jump through the curtains.

She slowly opened the window, and was surprised to see Race kneeling in front of it. "Race?!" She exclaimed quietly. "What are you doing here?"

"Are ya gonna let me in? Or are ya gonna let me sit out here on da roof freezing?" She moved aside and let him crawl in the window. As soon as he was in the room he answered her question. "I had ta know where your uncle lived."

"And. . .and now that you've seen it, could you please leave?" She kept looking from Race to the door.

"Nope. I have a few questions I wanna ask ya foist." Race leaned against the window sill.

"Fine. Ask and then leave." She was getting more and more frantic by the minute.

"Whose your uncle?"

"My uncle is my mother's brother." She said sarcastically. She knew that wasn't what he meant, but she wanted him out. "I answered your question. Now, would you please leave?"

"Dat wasn't da answer I was lookin' for." She sighed in frustration. "I wanna know who he is, an' why ya've never told anybody about 訴m. Who is dis guy dat ya can't tell ME about him?"

She looked at the door and at back at Race. "I can't. I just can't." She jumped when she heard someone knock on her door. "Hide!" Race did as she said and laid down beside the bed. "Come in."

The door opened and Race listened closely to the voices. "I'm turning in now, Caitlin."

"Okay. Good night, Uncle Joe." Race heard the door close a moment later.

Uncle Joe? Race thought about it for a full thirty seconds before he made that connection. Uncle Joe. JP. Her uncle was Joseph Pulitzer. He stood up looked as if he was ready to kill her. She looked at him. Guilt crossing her face.

"Your Uncle is PULITZER?!" He practically yelled. Caitlin nodded. She was a hot tempered person, but she couldn't seem to get mad. She wanted to, but she couldn't. She had no right to be mad. Race on the other hand did.

And he quickly found that he had no problem voicing his thoughts. "Why didn't ya tell me?! I would 疎ve understood. I mean I now know why ya gotta hide da fact dat ya sell." He raked his hand through his curly hair. "God, Caitlin! Pulitzer!" He almost didn't know what to say. "I thought ya cared about me?" This question through her for a loop. "I mean I'm new at dis relationship stuff, but I thought dat ya told da person ya cared about ev'rything. I watch Jack tell what evah goyl his wid ev'rything dat's goin' on in his life. Mush even told Em ev'rything when deir marriage was a sham." He began pacing the room. Caitlin didn't know how to respond to what Race was saying. "God, Caitlin, I love ya, an' I want ya ta be able ta tell me ev'rything!"

Caitlin slowly covered her mouth in shock. She was trying to suppress the smile that was creeping across her face. Race had just told her that he loved her, and she didn't even think he realized it. He was still off on his tirade. She walked over to him and stopped him from pacing. Before he could continue to yell at her, she kissed him. Race only paused a second before he returned the kiss. When she broke it several minutes later, Race looked puzzled, happy, but puzzled.

"Why'd ya. . . ."

She interrupted him. "To shut you up." Race looked even more puzzled. "I love you too, Racetrack." Race now looked completely shocked.

"Ya love me?" He asked and then he realized that she had said 奏oo'. "Too? But I nevah said dat I . . . ." He trailed off as she nodded.

"Yes you did. You said, and I quote, 賎od, Caitlin, I love ya, an' I want ya ta be able ta tell me ev'rything!'" Race looked shocked, and then he smiled.

"I guess I did, huh?" Caitlin nodded as Race pulled her into another kiss. Caitlin moved one of her hands from around his neck and began to unbutton his vest. Race broke the kiss and looked at her questioningly. "Ya sure ya wanna do dis?"

Caitlin gave him an wicked grin. "Oh, yeah!" Race smiled and began kissing her again.

*****

Race woke up the next morning to Caitlin shaking his arm.

He rolled over and mumbled, "Come on, Kloppman, lemme get five more minutes. I swear I'll get. . . ." He trailed off as he fell back asleep.

Caitlin tried shaking him again. "Race? Race?" He groaned and slowly opened his eyes. He almost looked shocked to see that he was laying beside her.

"Mornin', Sweetheart." He smiled and gave her a quick kiss.

"Good morning. Now get out!" Race was baffled. She looked like she was a deer about to get shot by a hunter. "My uncle will be here any minute. You've got to sneak out and fast!"

Race sat up and pulled on his pants. He quickly found his suspenders, shirt and vest. He went to the window. He looked around and couldn't find his jacket. The next thing he knew it was hitting him in the face. Caitlin was tying her wrapper when someone knocked on her door.

"Just a second!" She hoped that her uncle didn't walk in, and so did Race. She ran to the window and gave him a quick kiss. "I'll see you at lunch." Race smiled and kissed her one more time. "I love you."

Race gave a crooked smile. "I know." He winked at her letting her know that he loved her too as he slipped down the trallice.

Caitlin watched as he ran across the front drive and climbed the iron gates with no problem. 選 feel like Juliet,' she thought as she walked calmly to the door. She opened it to find her Uncle Joe waiting in the hall.

"I heard you talking to someone," he looked unhappy. In that brief moment Caitlin could have sworn that she had just been caught.

"I was talking to myself." She was hoping that he couldn't tell when she was lying. He looked at her almost as if he didn't believe her.

He dismissed the fact that he had sworn he heard her talking to someone. "I'll be ready to leave in twenty minutes. Be ready. I don't want you walking to the office again. Is that understood?"

Caitlin nodded and closed the door as he began to walk away. She understood one thing and that was how the newsies hated him so much. He was horrible. He wanted everything to be done how he expects and no other way. Boy, was he going to have his hands full with Caitlin.

*****

Caitlin had managed to convince Pulitzer to let her go for a walk during her lunch break. She told him that she would be taking the trolley car to Central Park and that she would be back within the hour. Caitlin exited the World Building and smiled. She hadn't totally lied. She would be back within the hour, but she wasn't going to Central Park. She walked across the square and looked at Tibby's. It was full of newsies. She wondered how long they had been there. She entered and was greeted by her newsie name. Everybody still called her Alley Cat, but only Race called her Caitlin. She found him sitting with Blink, Mush, Skittery, and Jack. She slid into the booth beside him and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

She looked at Mush. "How's the job hunting going?"

Mush shrugged. "All right, I guess. Dis town doesn't like hirin' ya if ya worked in a factory, unless ya go ta another factory." He took a bite of his sandwich. "At least we still got some money from da lawsuit. Mrs. Thomp. . .uh. . .Miss. Callahan, got all da families good compensation for 租eir pain an' suffering'." Mush was still having to correct himself when it came to calling Mrs. Thompson Miss Callahan. After the accident, Emily had gone to Mrs. Thompson and told her about her husband kissing her. It later came out that he had had several affairs over the ten years of their marriage. She filed for divorce and won half of everything he owned. She had represented herself, of course.

"Well I'm sure you will find something." Mush nodded. He was watching Caitlin and Race. She didn't seem as indifferent as Race had first mentioned. She seemed to be a kind girl with a lot of spirit. She had to have a lot if she could be Race in poker without cheating. Caitlin took a bite of the food Race offered her. Mush smiled. He was happy that Race had finally found someone. Maybe he should have them come over for dinner one night. Mush shook himself from his thoughts when he realized that he was thinking like he and Emily were an old married couple. He was not going to let them end up like the Jacobs. He snapped from his thoughts when Caitlin said something else.

"I heard that "The World" needs a new headline writer. You could apply for that. I'm sure you could make up some really good headlines."

Mush nodded. "I could, but den it would make your job too easy." Mush was then bombarded with several groans and protests.

"How'd you find out 礎out da job openin'?" Jack asked.

"Uh. . .my uncle works for "The World". He told me this morning." Caitlin looked at Race. She gave him a look of gratitude for not saying anything. He returned the look with one that said he wouldn't tell unless she wanted him to. She kissed him on the cheek. Everybody smiled at them.

Everybody continued to talk for the next thirty minutes. They didn't see what Race had seen nearly a month ago. Caitlin was nice and funny. Sure she didn't like talking about her family, but most newsies didn't. No one realized that she was the upper class girl Race had kissed just under the mistletoe that night. She looked totally different than she did when they saw her. Caitlin suddenly looked at Race's pocket watch and nearly gasped out of fright.

"What's wrong, Alley Cat?" Jack asked as she suddenly paled.

"I. . .uh. . .I have to go." She gave Race a brief kiss before she started to scoot out of the booth. Race looked at the others. They were as puzzled as he was.

"Caitlin, where ya goin'?" He was scooting out of the booth right behind her.

"I have to get back, and I'm running late." She was almost running for the door. Her skirts weren't letting her move very fast.

"Ya have anoddah thirty minutes." Race was right behind her. He stopped only long enough to toss the money for his lunch to Bill Tibby. "T'anks, Bill." He followed Caitlin out of the restaurant. She was only a few yards in front of him. "Caitlin?!" She stopped. Race ran up to her with his left over papers in his hand. "What's da big rush?"

Caitlin sighed. "I told my uncle that I was going for a walk in Central Park. I have to leave now so that when I come back, it looks like I was really at Central Park." Race was only shrugging. "I love you, Racetrack, and if I'm going to continue to see you, I can't let my Uncle Joe see us together." She gave him another kiss, but this one was longer than the one that she had given him in Tibby's.

"I wish ya could just be like us. Ev'rything would be a lot easiah den." He gave her a brief kiss. "Go on ta Central Park. I'll see ya tanight."

Caitlin gave him a puzzled look. "Tonight? But there isn't a poker game tonight. Why would you see me tonight?"

Race got a wicked smile on his face. "I need ta practice my climbin' skills, an' I think your room is a good height ta practice climbin' ta." Caitlin shook her head as she started to walk off. She turned back to him after several feet.

"I look forward to seeing you tonight then." She gave him a wink that he returned before he went back into Tibby's.

*****

Race watched Caitlin as she slept with her head on his shoulder. He knew that their relationship was moving fast, but he couldn't help it. He loved her and would do anything for her. He now knew what Mush felt with Emily. Sure they had hated each other in the beginning, but now they were unbelievably happy. The same was almost the same with him and Caitlin. She had been so cold and indifferent in the beginning, but now it was as if that had never happened. She still hadn't told him how she ended up living with Pulitzer, but he decided to give her time and she would tell him. Wouldn't she? Race shook the doubt from his mind. He kissed her on the forehead and squeezed her to him before he drifted off to sleep.

Race awoke when he heard Caitlin's muffled scream. She was laying on her stomach with her face buried in her pillow. He gently shook her shoulder. "Caitlin?" He shook her shoulder a little harder. "Caitlin?" She woke up and rolled into his arms as she cried. She sobbed into his chest. "Shh. It was only a dream, Sweets. It was only a dream." Race smoothed her hair and kissed her head.

Caitlin dried her eyes and looked up at Race, tears still filling her eyes. "I wish it was only a dream," her statement was barely a whisper, but Race heard it loud and clear.

"Ya wanna tell me 礎out it?"

She shook her head, but her answer was totally different. "Yes. I need to tell someone. I haven't told anybody this. Not even the police." The mention of the police had Race's full attention. What could she have to say that involved the police?

"Okay." He noticed that she was in no rush to tell her. "Take your time. I 疎ve all da time in the world for you." Caitlin gave a small laugh to his very sweet comment. If he had said it at any other time, she would have been a puddle on the floor, but not then. She had too much on her mind. It had been on her mind for the last ten years.

"Two years ago, I was living in Albany. It was just my mom and me. It had been that way since I was about six when my dad ran off with a blond oil heiress from Texas, but that's another story. My mom had been seeing this really great guy. She loved him so much. He treated me like I was his daughter. I was beginning to love him like he was my father. He treated my mom like she was the world. Anyway. . ." she paused to swallow hard.

"Take your time, Cait." Race gently said. His voice was soft and full of love and compassion.

She nodded as she closed her eyes against the memories that were flooding her mind. "They had been courting for a year when he proposed. I was so happy for my mom. She had finally found someone that loved her. . .us. It was a week before the wedding and he had moved in." She paused again to take a deep breath. Race didn't say anything this time. He was just patiently waiting for her to continue. She slowly began again. "It was late one night, and I wasn't feeling to good. I was walking down the hall past their room when I heard my mom say something. She was begging him not to hurt her.

"I peeked in their room and watched as he had her pinned down on the bed. He was holding a knife to her throat. He was saying that he was going to take what money she had and he was going to kill her. She told him to take the money, but not to hurt me. I'm not exactly sure why he wanted our money. We didn't have a lot, but it was enough for us to have a comfortable life in the small town. He forced her to get out of the bed and get the money from the safe." She gave a small, ironic, laugh. The topic was no where near funny, so this really puzzled Race. "Ma never trusted banks, so she kept all our money and valuables in a safe in her room. If she had kept everything in the bank she would have lived another day.

"She gave him the money and as he closed the bag he backed her up to the window. He opened the window and shoved her out. We were on the second floor of our house. She didn't survive the fall. I screamed the second he shoved her. He heard me and pulled me into the room. He told me that if I said anything of what I had seen to anybody, I would end up just like my mother. I agreed and stuck with his story that it was suicide. I was on the streets with in the week. He took the money and left. I'm not sure where he went, but I didn't have anyway for me to keep the house, so I ended up living on the streets and selling papers in the town."

Caitlin hadn't realized that she had been silently crying until Race wiped away a single tear from her cheek. He dried her eyes wit his thumbs as he held her small face in his hands. He kissed her briefly, but that single kiss told her that everything was going to be all right. She finished her story when he broke the kiss. "Uncle Joe found me two years later and brought me here. You know the rest of the story." Race nodded and pulled her close. He rubbed her back as she laid her head on his chest. It didn't take her long to fall back asleep. She felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off of her shoulders.

*****

Race suddenly felt like he couldn't breathe. He opened his eyes to find that he was totally covered by the blanket on Caitlin's bed and his pillow was missing. He found his pillow a moment later when it landed on his face. He began to panic till he felt Caitlin hug him and the pillow to her. He was really confused, but he figured she had a good reason for trying to kill him. Didn't she? His question was answered a moment later.

"Miss Caitlin, ya hafta get up. Ya ken your uncle doesn't like ya ta be late," the maid said in her gentle Scottish brogue.

Race listened as Caitlin groaned. "Rosalyn, I'm not going to the office today. I'm not feeling to well. Tell my uncle that I'm staying in bed."

Race couldn't tell what was going on outside of the covers, but he soon found out. "Ya don't have a fever."

"I'm not sick in that way, Rosalyn. I have womanly problems if you know what I mean."

Race was blushing under the covers. He then heard the maid laugh. "I ken what ya mean, child. I'll tell your uncle and I'll be back in to check on you in an hour."

"Thank you, Rosalyn." Race heard the door shut a moment later. Caitlin began uncovering him. When he was out from under the covers, she saw that he was still bright red. "That was a close call."

Race nodded and kissed her. "Are ya really feelin' okay?"

Caitlin laughed. "I'm fine. I just want to sell with you, and that's the only way to get my uncle to leave me alone long enough for me to sneak out." Race looked unbelievably relieved. "Now get dressed, and I'll meet you at the Lodging House around nine." Race nodded and quickly dressed. He gave her one last kiss before he climbed out the window and made the mad dash for the fence.

She smiled as she climbed back into the bed. She was going to relish the extra couple of hours of sleep before she has to meet Race. Caitlin pulled the covers up to her chin and found it was very easy to fall asleep. She had slept fairly well in Race's arms the last two nights, but she hadn't slept soundly since he mumbled in his sleep. It was endearing, but highly distracting.

Caitlin woke up an hour later when Rosalyn woke her to see if her 層oman problems' were doing any better. Caitlin confessed that she really didn't have that dreaded condition at that moment. She just didn't want to have to work on her studies. Rosalyn smiled. She was very fond of Caitlin. The dear girl had been through so much in the last two years, and her cold uncle wasn't helping any. She left Caitlin to relax.

Caitlin wasted no time in getting out of bed. She showered and dressed in her normal newsie clothes. A half hour later she was sneaking out her window and making the same mad dash for the gates that Race had a short time ago.

*****

"Where ya been, Race?" Blink asked as soon as Race walked through the gates to the distribution alley.

Race shrugged. "Caitlin's." Why lie? They all knew where he had been for the past two nights in a row.

"Dat's two nights now. Kloppman's gonna give up your bunk if ya don't start stayin' back at da Lodgin' House," Jack teased as Race bought his fifty papers.

"He will not, an' you know it." Race lit the cigar that he had in his vest pocket from yesterday. Race sat down and started reading the headlines. They were horrible, but nothing could bring him down, not even the guys teasing him about where he had been the last two nights. Race was unbelievably happy.

"Ya wanna sell wid me?" Race looked up at Blink. They were usually selling partners.

"Not taday. I'm meetin' Caitlin around nine." Blink let his head slump down a little as he mumbled his 租at's fine' and started to walk off. Race grabbed his papers and took off after Blink. "But dat ain't for another couple a hours. . ." he trailed off.

Blink's ever present grin returned. "Great!" He put his arm around Race's shoulder and they started out of the distribution alley.

Jack watched his friends leave together. He wasn't looking forward to selling alone again, but he had been doing that since David had gone back to school from his Christmas break. He followed everybody else out of the alley and began calling out the headlines.

*****

Rosalyn entered Caitlin's room around eight-thirty to see if she was enjoying her day of relaxation to find that Caitlin was gone and her window was open. Rosalyn ran out of the room and down to the study where the only phone in the house was. She picked it up and asked the operator to connect her to "The New York World".

A moment later a woman answered the phone. "The New York World. May I help you?"

"Yes ye may. This is Rosalyn MacNeil. I need ta speak ta Mr. Pulitzer right away. It's an emergency." Rosalyn was beginning to panic.

"I'm sorry, but Mr. Pulitzer takes no calls."

"I'm his housekeeper, an' hie wee niece is missing."

"Hold on and I'll connect you."

"Thank you." Rosalyn only waited a moment before Pulitzer picked up the line. "Mr. Pulitzer, Miss Caitlin is missing. I went inta check on her, and she was gone."

She hung up the phone a moment later.

*****

Pulitzer set the phone down and looked at Don Seitz and Jonathon. "That was my maid, Rosalyn, Gentlemen. My niece is missing, and I have a pretty good feeling that she is roaming to city. Both of you form search parties and find her." Pulitzer ordered as he looked out the window.

"Yes, Chief," Seitz said as he and Jonathon left the office.

*****

Caitlin looked at the headline on the front page. She shook her head as she ran the options of improving through her mind. She was thirty minutes early to meet Race, but she was so excited about selling with him that she didn't care how long she waited in the cold for him. She turned around when she felt someone tap her on the shoulder.

"Race!" She turned to see Don Seitz.

"What are you doing out here?" He looked her up and down. "And what are you doing dressed like a street rat?"

Caitlin's expression iced over. "Look, Mistah, I ain't who ya think I am." Caitlin turned back around, hoping that he would believe her and go away. She had no such luck.

Seitz grabbed her arm. "You are who I think you are, Caitlin Anderson, and you're coming with me. You have a lot of explaining to do to the Chief."

"Lemme go! My name's Alley Cat. Lemma go! I ain't done nothin' wrong." She was trying to pull her arm free from Seitz crushing grip. Don Seitz was pulling her down the road. As they passed a side street, Snipeshooter saw them. He dropped his papers and ran to find Race.

Race had just walked away form Blink when Snipeshooter ran up to him. He was trying to catch his breath. "I saw Seitz an'. . . ." He was having no luck spitting out his information.

"Calm down, Snipes. What did ya see?" Race was really puzzled. Sure Snipeshooter was a hyper kid, but he usually didn't get that worked up.

Snipeshooter took a few deep breaths. "I was sellin' near da Lodgin' House an' I saw Seitz pullin' Alley Cat down da street."

Race looked at him in disbelief for a second. "Ya sure it was Caitlin?" Snipeshooter nodded. Race handed him his papers. "Oh Shit! He uncle found out she's been sellin'." Race took off toward the world building. He nearly knocked Blink down as he passed him.

Blink spun around as he watched Race run by him at full speed. Snipeshooter was right behind him. "Hey, Snipeshooter, what's wid Race?"

"Alley Cat got caught sellin' wid her uncle."

Blink nodded. He knew her uncle was someone that worked for "The World", but he didn't know who. "Okay. I'll go round up Jack an' da others. You follow Race and see exactly where her uncle works in the World Building. Wait for us out side when ya know." Snipeshooter took off after Race while Blink went in the other direction.

*****

"What in God's name are you doing selling newspapers, Young Lady?" Pulitzer was trying his best to keep his temper under check, but he was losing the battle fast.

"I was doing what I had done for the last two years. I was doing what I love!" Caitlin was sitting in one of the plush chairs in Pulitzer's office.

Pulitzer nodded. "I see. Seitz says you thought he was somebody named Race? Would you like to tell me who that is?"

Caitlin shook her head. "Not really. It's none of your business." Pulitzer gave her a look that said it was his business. "Fine. Racetrack is one of your much hated newsies."

Pulitzer paced in front of her for several minutes. "Is he your selling partner?"

Caitlin gave an indifferent shrug, but as much as she tried she couldn't be indifferent about Race, not even to her uncle. "He's that, and a lot of other things, Uncle Joe. I love him."

"You do not! How can you love someone that's not from your same class."

"I do love him, and he is from my same class. I've been a part of his class for the last two years." Caitlin crossed her arms in a defiant manner. Then a thought popped into her head. She knew that she would only be doing more damage by carrying through with it, but she had to get her uncle's goat. "When I said he was more than my selling partner, I meant he's my lover. . . ." She let the sentence weigh heavy in the air.

Pulitzer turned from the window that he had been looking out of. "That's right, Uncle Joe, he's been sneaking in my room for the last two nights now. He gets there by climbing the trallice." The looked on Pulitzer's face was one of shock and horror. "Does it bother you that one of your lowly newsies has been sleeping in your house?" She knew she was being bitchy, but she loved it. She was acting exactly how she had felt like acting for the last two months.

*****

Race ran into the World Building and barely stopped to ask the receptionist where Pulitzer's office was.

"On the top floor." Race waved that he had heard her and kept running. "Hey! You can't go up there!" She turned to see Snipeshooter staring as if he had just found out that the world was round. He then turned and bolted out the door.

Race barged into the office to find Pulitzer staring at Caitlin as if she had just told him the most unbelievable news. Pulitzer then looked at Race as he stood a few feet away.

"Is this Racetrack?" Caitlin leaned forward in the chair and looked at him.

"Race?!" She got up and ran to him Race hugged her tightly. "How'd you know I was here?"

"Snipeshooter saw you an' Seitz, an' found me ta tell me." Race released her, but kept her held close to him. "Well, Joe, I guess ya found out your niece's secret. So whatcha think?" Race was unbelievably nervous, but he didn't let it show.

"I think that you did it, so you could say you've been with an upper class girl." Race looked from Pulitzer to Caitlin in complete puzzlement.

Caitlin shrunk against him. "I told him about the last two nights." Race gave a quick grin and kissed her on the top of the head. He let go of her waist and started to walk over to Pulitzer.

"Ya know, Joe, I was thinkin' an' I bet dat you don't even care what happens ta Cait?" Race said as he looked up at Pulitzer.

"I do. That's why she will no longer be selling newspapers, and she'll no longer be seeing you."

Race just shook his head. "Dat won't happen, Joe. Ya see I love her, an' she loves me. Nothin' can keep us a part. Not even you. Ya can try, but we will always find a way around you. I stood up ta you once, Joe, and I ain't scared ta do it again."

"Neither are we." Race and Pulitzer turned to see Jack, Spot, Snoddy, Skittery, Blink, and close to thirty other newsies start to file into Pulitzer's office. Jack slipped his arm around Caitlin's waist. Race smiled.

"It looks like your beat again, Joe. So, why don't ya let her go wid us, an' you jus' forget she ever existed. Dat would make her really happy. It would make all of us happy." Race walked back over to Caitlin and pulled her to him.

Pulitzer thought about it as Race and the others slowly started to back out of the office. "Don't ever come crying to me for help, Caitlin, because you won't get it."

Race kissed the top of Caitlin's head. "I wouldn't want it any other way, Uncle Joe." She looked up at Race and gave him a brief kiss as they left the office.