Kickin&Screamin(HATTANS)

[Ace]

She had simply been trying to get back to the lodge house in time, she had heard Jack was making his way back soon and she wanted to surprise him, she wanted to see him. She had taken the shortcut through the alley and it came so unexpectedly. She saw the man leaning against the brick wall, a cigarette in his mouth and s mirk on his face. He spoke to her with a swooning tone,"Ace... well well if it isn't the little french Hattan girl with the fists of iron,"he had cooed and before she knew it he had her up against the wall, lit cigarette too close to her face for comfort. She had sloon a stream of curse words at him in french and squirmed against his grasp, he had siked her out, getting really close to her eye with the lit cigarette, but instead of burning her eye out, he switched his hand quickly and jammed the cigarette into her shoulder. She took it, with a slight whimper and spat in his face.

At that he pulled out a blade on her and chuckled,"I'mma send a warning ta Kelly ya heareh meh? Let him know we're comin, let him know yer jus da start and let him know, next time I come across yer pretteh blond head, I'll kill you,"he hissed in her ear before he took the blade and ran it down her side hearing her scream out in agony, hearing the tear of her shirt and skin and feeling the thick blood run from her wound as he pulled away and threw her to her knees. He listened to her curse more in french and he slugged her clear across the face and spat in her face before walking away from her, he had made his point.

She staggered down the street, pain seering through her side, her eye beginning to swell and bruise, she could feel it. She managed to make it into the lodge house and as soon as she did, she slumped into a seated position at the bottom of the stairs,'Someone... get Race, get whoever here is oldeh...please," she muttered not really knowing who was paying attention to her as she leaned against the wall and closed her eyes coughing slightly and holding her hand over her side as she felt the blood seeping through her fingers. She groaned and grabbed the kid who was walking up the stairs,"Did ya hear meh kid go get somebodeh," she demanded watching the little kid rush upstairs to go find her help.

[Racetrack]

In the lodge house the boys sat in the dorm room around a table playing poker. Cigars, coins, a pair of shoelaces, some candy and a couple bottles of boozes laid on the table. With Jack gone and on a Saturday evening, after dinner what better way to spend it then inside? As Race looked at his hand he became confident. His face remained straight as he didn't want his opponents know he actually had a good hand. This was going on for hours not, each time they folded they would raise the stakes higher. Racetrack leaned back in his chair as he looked to Kid Blink, it was his turn as he dropped his cards showing a 6,7,8,9,10 of Hearts. Race raised his eyebrow as it was finally his turn. The boy chewed on his cigar as he dropped his hand. "Full house boys, read em' and weep." Racetrack smiled as he put his hands on the goods about to pull them in when he realized Boots dropped his hand. "Royal flush next time Race."

Race could feel his blood boiled as he took of his hat throwing it to the ground. "Boots you's always rig the deck! I's mean you's won the last two games, you's and Mr. Deck dealah, Skittery are in this togethah You's split the profit it's bull..." Race yelled a little more calm as he heard shouting, then footsteps were coming fast. A boy busted in the room as he was breathing through every word. Race finally got what he was trying to say as he hipped up running down the hall and down the stairs.

Race's eye fell upon Ace, she was the one taking care of things when Jack left. Where the heck was Jack in a time like this. Race ran into the kitchen grabbing a towel. He didn't quite know what to do as he walked back looking at Ace. Race let out a breath. "Ace what da heck happened to ya's?" He asked as he helped her to the couch laying her down he saw the blood and boy was there a lot of it. Race put his hands on the side of her shirt, he didn't want her to go into shock as he tried to mend her. "Ace I's just gottah see da damage I's ain't pullin' no funny business." Race explained as he lifted the side of her shirt placing the towel on the wound, he dabbed the blood seeing how deep the cut was as he looked away for a moment and then looked around shouting. "Someone Help! Calls da ambulance!" Race said as he saw her sweating a bit, she looked to be getting pale. "Ace baby don't cha worry I's make sure you's go to Coney Island hospital, you's gunnah be fine." Racetrack tried to sooth her with uncertain words.

He applied pressure to her side as he used his sleeve to wipe away her sweat. To be honest he wondered who would do such a cruel thing to a girl. A girl, she may have had a mouth a times but still she was a female something to treasure not to hurt. His mind started to race a little faster as he thought about Harley, he hopped she was alright. "Ace what dey say? Who did it? I's kill em myself your life aint a gambol, it ain't ending like dis toots." Race said looking at her concerned trying to get an answer from her. "Where's da ambulance someone Help!"

[Jack Cowboy Kelly]

Ace was being brought to the couch and laid down and she winced here and there at Racetrack's actions but she kept her eyes on him and tried to focus on his lips and the words that leaked from his mouth. "Warnin... a warnin ta Jack... I dunno why though... I aint even sure Jack's comin back any more," she said between deep breaths as she placed her hand over his pressing down harder on her side.

As if clock work and as if perfect timing and almost as if the boy had a sick sense of empathy, he felt it though, he felt a tug on his heart, a sinking feeling in his stomach and as he had gotten off the train hitting New York he made no hesitation on rushing straight to the Lodge House. His cowboy hat on his head, his bandana around his neck blowing abit. He found the nearest horse, hopping on it and rearing it to go hearing a man holler for stealing his horse, Jack rolled his eyes, it was nothing knew the damn things always went back to their owners. He rounded the corner on the steed and halted it hopping off, smacking it on its hind end and he pushed his cowboy hat off his head, calmly walking into the lodge house just catching the last of Ace's breathless words. He stood in the doorway, his eyes looking to the couch and the aid that Racetrack was hollering for. He stepped more into the room and stood just behind Racetrack as he cocked his head, folded his arms over his chest as he looked down at the two,"Ya's dunno if who ain't comin back?" he said with his usual breath taking grin. At the sound of his voice Ace's eyes looked up at Jack and she bit her bottom lip hard at a loss of words. Jack looked down at her solemnly before looking to Race and gently moving the boy out of his way,"No ambulance needed, dat'll take too long, go find me some thread, some ice, more towels and a needle... umm and possibly someone wit good pain tollerance to hold her hand, oh and a bottle of liquor," he said as he pushed Ace's hand from her wound and he just ripped the bottom half of her shirt away from her skin to get it out of the way. He looked to Race and flipped his hair out of his eyes for a second,"Am I's not speakin English hereh? Go get da stuff before she goes unconcious" he told Race in a hurried manner as he looked back down at Ace, holding the fabric of her shirt to the wound now and he pushed her hair out of her face with his free hand,"I's sorreh darlin... I didn't mean ta be gone so long, yer gonna be alright I's promise," he assurred her with slight worry in his eyes.

[Racetrack]

The sound of Jack's voice filled his ears as he watched Jack walk over, he didn't like being ordered but since Jack thought he knew what he was doing Race didn't question. "You's know wheah all dat stuff is Jack but incase ya's don't remember I's gotcha." Race let Jack switch hands with his own as he ran into the kitchen. He grabbed a metal bucket of ice as he fulled it quickly, then he grabbed a handful of towels and placed them over his arm. Race then ran over to Jack as he put those few things down as he took flight up stairs. His eyes looked at the girls dorm as he dared to enter it was one of those times as Racetrack ran through seeing a couple of girls in their undergarments. He ran to Harley's bed. Race didn't expect to see her home it gave him relief as he held his knees bending over trying to catch his breath. "Harley I's needah needle and some thread." Harley was nifty he figured she'd have the supplies as she unsurprisingly handed him them. "Thanks Toots." Race said as he ran out blushing a little at the half dressed girls screaming.

"Boy the stuff I's get into god bless em'." Racetrack said as he ran down the hall grabbing a bottle off the poker table and Crutchy. Race help Crutchy get down the hall and the stairs as he made his way back to Jack handing him the rest of the supplies and push Crutchy forward lighting his cigar. "She can hold on to Crutchy's leg, he's can't feel it, deres ya pain tolerance Jack." Race said as he took a drag from his cigar taking a wet rag to Ace's forehead it would be sure to keep her awake.

[Jack Cowboy Kelly]

Jack looked down at everything and chuckled at Race for bringing Crutchy and shook his head abit,"If it were anyone else that would have been quite mean ta say Race," he muttered before he grabbed the bottle and twisted the lid off handing it to Ace,"Take a good swig before I do dis," he told her watching her down a good amount before he took the bottle back and he removed his hand from the wound and the fabric. He watched Crutchy just take her hand in his instead of using his leg and Jack breathed in before beginning to pour the alcohol straight into the wound. Ace screamed as she squeezed Crutchy's hand and Jack heard Crutchy curse abit under his breath at her death grip. He put the bottle aside after a moment, dabbed up the blood around the wound and threaded the needle quickly before he looked to Race,"Hold da sides of the wound togedda while I do dis," he said as he gestured to Ace's wound, his hand for the moment holding the two sides together until Race would trade him positions. He was ready to sew her up, the ice would be to make the swelling and iritation go away after he was done... the rest of the liquor she could share with him after this and he could listen to her lecture him, he knew it was coming but first things first.

[Racetrack]

Racetrack smirked at his mean remark. Race was just a little irritated at the moment, after all who would need to show the Manhattan Newsies a lesson? The question stumped Race as he wondered looking at Jack. His eyes looked to Ace and her wound. "Not mean Jack, Just honest." Race explained as he put out his cigar as took the side of Ace's wound and held it together. Race looked away, his stomach couldn't handle feeling the wound it was bad enough he had to look at it but touching it was a different story. Race looked away as Jack started to sew the wound. He could head Crutchy's fingers cracking and the discomfort in both Ace and Crutchy's groans. Still puzzling him Race looked to Jack. "Jack I's don't get it. Who's would wannah teach us a lesson uh? You's got some enemies in New York?" Race assumed it might have something to do with Jack.

Race racked his mind thinking of the last weeks current events outside of the news boy's life. Then it clicked. "Jack I's got into a fight wit dis kid, he was young about my age talking to Harley bothahin' her. You's think it could be him?" It would make some sense but that boy was always in the bar he wouldn't just take out a newsie and return so frequent, after all the boy could barely walk half the time let alone hold a knife. "Jack I's don't think it was him, he's ain't a Newsie dats for sure but maybe he might have somethin' to do wit dis uh'?" Race brought to Jack attention.

[Jack Cowboy Kelly]

Jack sewed her up as quick as he could noting the look of discomfort in Race's face when he looked away from the wound. When he was done he pushed Race's hands away from the wound and handed him a clean towel to wipe his hands off with. He listened as Racetrack spoke and he wiped his hands off on another towel before running a hand through his hair and pushing the supplies aside as he got up,moved Ace's feet and sat on the couch putting her legs over his lap as he grabbed the liquor bottle and took a swig before handing it back to her."It could beh...I dunno though I got enemies everywhere Race what kinda question is dat?" he chuckled abit trying to make light of the situation as he always did, though he knew it was serious, in the back of his mind he knew he'd have to journey over to Brooklyn in the morning and talk to Spot about this, he knew Spot would probably be surprised to see him back, most everyone would. He looked to Racetrack for a moment and tilted his head before looking down at Ace,"Ya remembeh what da guy looked like Ace?" he asked as she handed him the bottle again. He was disappointed to see her shake her head in response, but he knew she was probably too shaken at the moment to recall such things, he'd ask her again in the morning, probably let her sleep up with him tonight to keep close eye on her wounds and her condition,"I'll hafta look into it Race, prolly go see Conlon tomorra tell him what happened, he'd be interested to know our newsies are bein targetted now," he explained airily.

[Racetrack]

Race took out his comb and ran it through his hair slicking it back. He couldn't think as much now, if it was his fault Ace got stabbed he wouldn't forgive himself. The thought of it made his cringe as he light back up his cigar. Spot would like to know. "Jack you's act like Spot Conlon doesn't know already, come on its Spot." Race said taking a drag of his cigar as he walked to the closet putting out a blanket. Race walked back draping it over Ace as he wiped her hair from her face again and walked back to Jack. Targeted, maybe it wasn't just Hattan it could have been all of the Newsies in general, this was more like it, Race didn't like thinking about being at fault even if he was, he couldn't deal with the luck. It probably was his luck after all. Racetrack reached in his vest pulling out a small bottle. He took a swig and then a drag of his cigar and looked back at Jack. "If you's want I's come wit ya to Brooklyn tomorrah Jack." Racetrack looked down as he spoke feeling a bit guilty at this time.

[Jack Cowboy Kelly]

Ace looked up at Race when he draped the blanket over her and she smiled at him. But she sat up cringing at the pain and she shifted her position, crawling under the blanket and popping her head out on the other side resting her head in Jack's lap now instead of her legs. Jack looked down at her and ran his fingers through her hair as he sighed and watched her close her eyes and she took his other hand in hers holding it as she breathed in and out slowly, he could feel her body relaxing, she was about to fall asleep. He looked at Race and squeezed Ace's hand abit in comfort,"Yeah, ya's should come wit meh and maybeh tell Spot bout yer run in wit da boy ya roughed up, he may know somethin and if he don't, Dove will or even Baby... but don't feel like anythin is yer fault Race, I see dat look, it aint yer fault, one boy getting beat up isnt a trigger fer hurtin a goil as a warnin ta da newsies... its gotta be somethin biggeh den dat," he said. He looked up when he saw Harlequinn slowly walking down the stairs, she stopped halfway down the stairs and she looked over at the group. Jack smiled at her,"Ya doin well Harls?" he asked her recieving a nod and a smile from her as he watched her eyes drift to Race. "Race, come lay wit meh please its late, I's can't sleep," she said. Jack looked to Race and raised an eyebrow in an impressed manner and grinned,"I's don't mind it, jus' make sure ya aint buggin da udda goils in da dorm, or actually it best ya take her ta da boys dorm, at least dey wont care," he told Race as he grinned and looked over winking at Harlequinn who just looked over at Race and blushed abit. Jack looked down at Ace half asleep now,"Sides, I gotta get dis lass upstairs and ta bed in meh room so, I'll see ya in da mornin Race and we'll go see Spot," he said before picking up Ace in his arms trying his best not to hurt her or wake her as he headed up the stairs and looked to Harlequinn,"Be nice ta him, I know ya can be a heartbreaker, dont do dat ta him," he whispered to her and she nodded as he went up to his room and closed the door behind him.

[Racetrack]

Boy Jack Kelly must have been a mind reader, or in this case he just knew Race very well. To a T actually. Racetrack crossed his arms as he listened to Jack, he nodded in agreement, maybe Jack was right one kid getting hurt shouldn't cause something like this to happen. There was no logical explanation for why a man should stab a girl, they were weaker in strength, especially someone as small as Ace. Race shook his head. "You's right Cowboy, I's means there must be something up. No mans should hoit a goil, it ain't right." Race said getting a little angry as he looked up seeing Harley. When she asked him to lay with her how could he resist? Race took his hat off and took her hand in his lacing together their fingers together.

Race agreed he didn't want to go back into the girls dorm not after earlier Harley might get mad at him. As Jack told Harley not to basically hurt Race he smiled Spitting on his hand giving Jack a shake before he walked up stairs with Harley. The boys dorm was a bit smelly, and not as clean as the girls but Race kept his sleeping area somewhat clean. He walked over sitting on his bed as he fluffed the pillow. Race took off his hat putting it and his cigar on the night stand. Then he started to unbutton his shirt. "Make you's self comfortable gorgeous." He said to Harley as he progressed getting in his underwear.

[Harlequinn]

She followed Race to the boy's dorm as they tip toed passed sleeping boys. She wore a nightgown that fell a little bit passed her knees and when he told her to make herself comfortable, she crawled under the blankets of his bed and scooted over making room for him as she looked up at him. She hadn't been aware that the boys slept in their underwear, but she bit her bottom lip and then reached over taking his hand in hers and gently pulled him down to lay beside her as she let go of his hand and wrapped her arms around his waist,"I's feel safe witchu... you protected meh da udda night at da pub, ya make me feel special, I like bein round you..." she whispered softly as rested her head against his chest.

[Racetrack]

Race finally finished getting undressed as he laid down beside Harley. The boy put his arm around her giving her better access to his chest. Race hold her tight as he looked down at her and smiled. "Aw Harls, It's nothin' I's means You's always through me a line when I's hoirting." Race admitted it was true when ever he was broke or his luck was just plain off, Harley would find a way to make everything seem alright for the most part. He wasn't quite sure if it was her way of saying thank you. "I's feel safe wit you's too Harls, as long as I's around you's don't needa worry about a thing. Everything will be alright." Race gave her his word as he rubbed her back lightly.

[Harlequinn]

She looked up into his eyes and she brought a hand to his hair running her fingers through it before lying her hand on the side of his neck,"Race I..." she glanced down slightly, a few of her curls toppling into her face. She wasn't sure quite how he saw her, they were close and she cared deeply for him but they weren't an item... though she wanted to be,"Race I realleh like you... I wanna be witchu, but I undastand if dat aint what you want..." she muttered softly as she looked back up to his eyes and absently played with the back of his ear with her fingers of the hand that lie on the side of his neck as she got silent now.

[Racetrack]

The thing was he had a bit of a thing for her too. Racetrack was never so care for, On occasion Ace would spot him, Jack would but those were more like strong friendships, Harley barely talked to him before the other night at Tibby's but she made it a point to take care of his bill and kept him company. Race never met a girl like Harley she was classy and sweet and seemed to care for him. The words circled his ears as she basically gave him the proposal of dating her. Racetrack smiled and put his fingers on her chin lifting her face so their eyes locked. "Harls I's wouldn't imagine being wit anyone else but you's." Race smiled as he kissed her forehead lightly. "You's my lucky charm goil, and I's wouldn't be happiah with any othah goil, Yes Beautiful, I's be wit you's" Race smiled as he leaned in kissing her lips slowly as he pulled her closer playing with her hair a little as he did.