"Paper! Paper!" Davey yelled from his corner of the sidewalk before running up to an older gentleman, "Evening paper, sir! Care to buy one?"

The man ignored him and kept walking. I let out a laugh from where I stood back towards the buildings.

"What?" Davey asked, frustrated, turning to me.

"Why don'tcha just sing 'em a lullaby? Maybe they'll buy one of your papers in their sleep!" I laughed.

"Oh really?" Davey asked, rolling his eyes before shoving the paper at me, "You try then."

I stood up more and just sent him a cheeky grin, "It would be my pleasure to show you how it's properly done, Jacobs."

I saw Davey roll his eyes once more and lean against the building, watching me.

I straightened my cap and walked to the edge of the sidewalk, holding the paper high and cupping my hand around my mouth for more volume in my voice,

"EXTRA! EXTRA! Trolley crash kills seven! You heard it here!"

A woman ran up and handed me a nickel before taking the paper and walking off.

I turned back to Davey with a wide grin, flipping the coin before catching it in my palm.

"Told you."

"That wasn't even true."

"Yeah it was I told her she heard it right here." I shrugged, walking back over to where he stood, "And she did."

"Yeah well my parents taught me not to lie." Davey crossed his arms.

"And mine taught me not to sleep on the streets." I retorted, sizing him up.

We stood there staring at each other for longer than really necessary. Both our arms folded over our chests and practically nose to nose if I weren't about seven inches shorter than him.

Davey went to say something else before Les ran up between us,

"I just sold my last paper!"

Davey sighed and pulled one more newspaper out of his bag, "I still have one left."

"Let me do it!"

Les snatched the paper out of Davey's hands before running up to a lady passing by. He drooped his shoulders and quivered his lip slightly, widening his eyes.

"Buy a pape' from a poor orphan boy?" He asked sadly, coughing inbetween for dramatic effect.

Davey and I watched in awe; though his was more of disapproval and mine was more of pride.

"Oh you poor thing! Of course I'll buy a paper!" The lady said, grabbing a coin from her purse and giving it to him, "Here's a dime."

She walked away and Les held up the coin, staring at it; dumbfounded.

"This is so much better than school!" He yelled gleefully.

Jack walked up to the three of us before giving Les a pat on the shoulder, "Not bad kid!"

"He's learned from the best." I said, nodding towards Jack.

"Eh, I try." Jack shrugged innocently.

"Well don't even think about quitting an education. As soon as Dad's back to work, we go back to school."

Jack and I stood more awkwardly, both not ever been to school a day in our lives.

"Hey, how's about we divy up the money? Then we'll find a place for you to stay for the night." Jack suggested.

"Oh, we've gotta get home." Davey said, grabbing Les's hand and beginning to walk, "Our folks will be waiting at home with dinner."

"You-You got folks, huh?" Jack mumbled.

"Doesn't everyone?" Les asked before Davey could finish stopping him.

The four of us stood awkwardly in painful silence. I rubbed my hand against my arm, staring at the ground. I could tell Jack was looking anywhere but at us.

"Our dad tangled with a delivery truck on the job. It messed up his leg real bad and they laid him off. That's why we had to find work." Davey explained awkwardly.

"Yeah, that um, that makes sense. Hey, sorry 'bout your dad." Jack said.

"Well, how about you two come home with us? Our folks would be happy to have you."

"Mom's a great cook!" Les said excitedly.

"Thanks for the invite, but, ah, I just remembered I got plans with a fella. He's probably waiting on me right now." Jack said quickly.

I went to go with my own excuse when Les cut me off, "Is that the guy you're meeting?" He asked Jack, pointing to a man on one of the fire escapes.

"What?"

The rest of us looked up before seeing Snyder standing there just as terrifying as always, holding a bat in his hands.

"Kelly!" He yelled pointing to Jack.

"Run for it! Go, go!" Jack yelled, shoving me away and motioning for the boys to follow.

We sprinted down the street as fast as we could, dodging whoever was on an evening stroll as well as carts and corner shops.

"Hurry up!" I yelled back at the three boys, skidding around another corner.

The four of us ran across the road. Les tripped on his boots and I ran back and quickly helped him up.

"Come on Les!"

"Where are we going?!" Davey asked from where he ran right beside Jack, Les and I trailing right on their heels.

"No time to explain!" Jack breathed out.

We all climbed up a fire escape, one after the other, running across it.

"In here!" Jack yelled holding the all-too-familiar door open and nearly shoving us down the stairs inside.

He locked the door behind him, leaving the four of us to blindly feel our way through the corridor. We saw stage lights up ahead and followed to find ourselves on the second floor back stage.

"Okay, okay, we lost him." Jack said.

"Would someone tell me why I'm running?! I've got no one chasing me! Who was that guy?" Davey practically yelled.

I sighed and sat on one of the storage boxes, catching my breath, "That was Snyder. He's a real sweetheart." I wrinkled my nose in disgust, " He runs a jail for underaged kids called the Refuge. The more kids he brings in, the more money the city pays him. And all of it goes into his pocket."

"So do a guy a favor and stay away from both Snyder and the Refuge, a'ight?" Jack finished for me.

Davey and Les nodded.

"Hey, you up there, shoo! No kids allowed in the theatre!"

Jack and I leaned over the railing, grinning.

"Not even us Miss Medda?" Jack asked, laughing.

"Well if it isn't you two. How am I not surprised." Medda smirked, putting her hands on her hips before motioning to us, "Don't just stand there, come give me a hug!"

The four of us went down the steps and Jack and I ran over to Medda; each giving her a hug.

"Where you been keepin' yourself kid?" Medda asked.

"Never too far from you Miss Medda." Jack grinned.

"Boys, may I introduce to you Miss Medda Larkin." I held my arms out in presentation, "The greatest star to grace the stage. She also owns this place."

"Oh the only thing I own is the mortgage." Medda laughed, waving me off, "Pleasure to meet you two."

"A pleasure." Davey said, quickly shaking her hand.

He leaned over to where Les was standing, turned around and jaw dropped in shock.

"What's wrong with you?" Davey whispered.

"Are you blind?!" Les shouted, "She's got no clothes on!" He pointed to the two dancers in their frilly leotards and tights.

"Because that's her costume!"

"But I can see her legs!"

I practically snorted trying to keep a laugh in. Jack nudged my shoulder before laughing himself.

"Well step out of his way so he can get a better look!" Medda said, moving Davey out of Les's eye-range, "Theatre is not only entertaining, it's educational!"

The girls blew a kiss at Les before walking off and Les straightened to stand, eyes wide and a giant smile.

"Got your picture kid?" Medda asked.

Les nodded vigorously up and down.

"Hey, Miss Medda, we got a little trouble out on the streets. You mind if we hide out here a while?" Jack asked.

"Well, where better to escape trouble than a theatre?" Medda grinned, gesturing to the stage, "Is Snyder after you again?"

Jack and I nodded.

"Hey Jack!" Les said, running up to him, "Did you really escape jail on the back of Teddy Roosevelt's carriage?"

"What would the governor be doing at a juvenile jail?" Davey asked skeptically.

Jack took a prideful stride forward and walked circles around Davey, "It just so happens that he was runnin' for office and he wanted to show he cared for the orphans and such. So while he got his mug in da pape' I got my butt in the back seat and off we rode together."

"Do you really know the governor?" Les asked excitedly.

"Oh he don't." Medda cut in, "But I do. Say Jack, when you have time I want you to paint me some more of these backdrops. This last one you did was a doozy! Folks love it! And things have been going so well I can actually pay."

"Wow!" Les cried, looking at the backdrop of a forest, "You pictured that?!"

"The famous Jack Kelly has some good talent, huh kid?" I grinned, leaning against the wall.

"Don't get carried away here," Jack said, "It's a bunch of trees."

"You're really good!" Davey said.

"That boy's got natural aptitude." Medda chimed in.

"Jeez!" Les said, "I never knew no one with an aptitude!"

One of the stage managers ran over to us, "Miss Medda, you're on!"

"I am?!" Medda cried, "How am I doing?"

She began laughing as the stage manager just walked away.

"Ugh, tough crowd." Medda waved her hand in disapproval, "Kids, lock the door and stay all night. You're with Medda now."

Jack and I gave a thumbs up before pulling the Jacobs boys backstage as the show started.