Finch's POV:

He pushed me. I stumbled back and fell into the water.

Water. Ironic since I was afraid of drowning.

I kicked and waved my arms, trying to find air. I never learned how to swim. My lungs were burning and I was getting tired. I felt myself begin to sink and give up.

Someone jumped into the water and I tried to see who it was, but all I saw was darkness. I was pulled to the surface and gasped for air. Davey gave me a hand and I gratefully took it while my rescuer shook themself off.

I coughed and looked over to see both Jack and Spot were soaking wet. They were looking at me worriedly, but I was too tired to care.

"Ise can't swim," I managed to say before coughing some more.

"Gee, ya don't say," Spot remarked.

"Why the hell did ya push me?!" I yelled at him. "Ise almost died!"

I shivered and water dripped off my nose.

"How was I supposed to know ya couldn't swim?" he defended.

"Coulda asked," I replied but Jack stepped between us.

"That's enough!" he yelled and turned to Spot, "Spot, youse in or out?"

"I told ya before, Jackie Boy, youse need to show me what you're made of," he said.

"Seriously?" I shouted but Jack put his arm around my shoulder and steered me towards the way we had come. I wanted to give Spot a shiner so bad.

"Hey!" he shouted after us and I spun around. He threw me my hat and I caught it easily. For a second, I could've sworn he smiled at me, but I was probably imagining it. 

A grin broke on my face, maybe the King of Brooklyn wasn't so bad after all.

"Thanks," I said and resumed walking back to Manhattan soaking wet.

********** 

-time skip- 

After I had stolen some of the boys' old newsie clothes, I met with them by the circulation gate finally dry. My hair was a mess but since when did I care about that.

The day consisted of a lot of yelling and by the time we headed back to the lodge I had pretty much lost my voice. Kloppman treated us to soup which I had two helpings of and then wasn't allowed anymore. You can bet I stole some when no one was looking. 

Davey suggested I write a letter to the kids at the refuge and I thought it was a great idea! The only problem was my spelling was horrible, but I thought it was pretty good considering I'd never written a letter before: 

Dᴇᴇʀ Bʀᴀss, Hᴀʟғ Pɪɴᴛ, Sʟɪɴɢsʜᴏᴛ, Cʀɪᴄᴋᴇᴛ, Gɪɴɢᴇʀ, Gᴇᴀʀs, ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏʙᴏᴅʏ ᴇʟsᴇ, Iᴛs ᴍᴇ, Fɪɴᴄʜ. Hᴏᴡ ᴀʀ ʏᴀ? Isᴇ ᴅᴏɪɴɢ ɢᴏᴏᴅ. Tʜᴇ ɴᴇᴡsɪᴇs ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴇ ɪs ᴏɴ sᴛʀɪᴋᴇ ᴀɢᴀɪɴsᴛ Pᴜʟɪᴛᴢᴇʀ. I ᴍɪss ʏᴀ ᴀʟʟ ᴛᴀʀᴇʙʟʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀᴍ ɢᴏɴɴᴀ ʙᴜsᴛ ʏᴏᴜsᴇ ᴏᴜᴛ sᴏᴏɴ. Pʀᴏᴍɪsᴇ. Sᴏ ғᴀʀ Isᴇ ʙɪɴ ᴍᴀᴋɪɴ' ғʀᴇɴᴅs ᴀɴᴅ I ᴛʀɪᴇᴅ ʀᴏᴏᴛʙᴇᴇʀ. Iᴛs ᴅᴇʟɪᴄᴜs! I'ᴍ ɢᴏɴɴᴀ ʙʏᴇ ᴀʟʟ ᴏғ ʏᴏᴜsᴇ sᴏᴍᴇ sᴏᴏɴ. Wᴇɴᴛ ᴛᴏ Bʀᴏᴏᴋʟɪɴ ᴛᴏᴅᴀʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀʟᴍᴏsᴛ ᴅɪᴇᴅ ʙᴜᴛ Isᴇ ᴏᴋᴀʏ, ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ᴡᴏʀʀʏ. Isᴇ ɢᴏᴛᴛᴀ ɢᴏ ɴᴏᴡ ʙᴜᴛ I ʟᴏᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜsᴇ ᴀʟʟ. Yᴏᴜʀ ғʀᴇɴᴅ, Fɪɴᴄʜ 

I handed my work to Davey who corrected some of my spelling mistakes but said it was very good. I smiled and watched him fold the letter up before giving it to a boy who said his name was Short Stack. He apparently delivered all the letters as long as you gave him a penny. I made him promise not to read it and gave him my nickel. He grinned excitedly and said he'd deliver it as fast as he could.

Kloppman ordered us all to bed and we pretended to obey. We actually started to play jacks and marbles along with a game of poker. I have no idea where the cards had come from. Race won, of course, but it turned out he had been cheating and a pillow fight began.

I grabbed two pillows and no one dared come after me. Alliances were formed and Crutchie and I teamed up.

"Watch out!" I yelled when Race and Albert tried to ambush us.

"Take that!" Cruthie exclaimed. Even though his hits didn't really hurt anyone the boys fell to the floor dramatically and pretended they were dying.

Jack had made a fortress on one of the top bunk beds. We all surrounded it at the end and attacked him.

"Ahem," someone cleared their throat behind us and we all spun around to see Kloppman. One of the younger boys accidentally threw his pillow at him and he laughed and grabbed a pillow, joining the fight.

When the war was finally over, I collapsed in exhaustion on the floor and ended up falling asleep.

************* 

Brass' POV:

Ginger had been sent to the cellar. She had come back terrified and clung to Slingshot with tears in her eyes. I knew he cared about her more than he wanted to admit because he gave her a hug when he thought I wasn't looking.

Half Pint had tried to comfort her as well and I found myself standing awkwardly watching the three of them. A knock at the window startled all of us and I opened it, hoping it was Finch.

Disappointment filled me when I saw it was just a boy. He was covered in sweat and grinning at me. I helped him into the room and let him catch his breath.

"Youse Brass?" he asked me.

I nodded, "Who wants to know?"

"I'm Short Stack," he said as he dug into his pocket. "Ise got a letter for youse."

"From who?" Half Pint ran over excitedly.

"Some goil named Finch," the boy shrugged and handed me the folded paper.

I took it hesitantly and he tipped his hat and climbed back out the window. Everyone gathered around me eagerly, wanting to know what she'd said.

I cleared my throat and awkwardly unfolded the letter.

"Dear Brass, HalfPint, Slingshot, Cricket, Ginger, Gears, and everybody else," I began and everyone smiled when their name was called.

"It's me, Finch. How are ya?" I laughed quietly, I could almost hear her voice. "Ise doing good. The newsies and me are going on strike against Pulitzer." I paused, "Strike?"

"Keep goin'!" Slingshot yelled, annoyed while leaning over my shoulder trying to read it. 

"I miss youse all terribly," I smiled sadly, "and I'm gonna bust youse out soon. Promise."

"She's gonna bust us out?" Half Pint asked excitedly.

I didn't answer. "So far Ise been making friends and I tried rootbeer."

"She's drinkin' beer!" Ginger shouted scandalized.

"No! Now quiet!" I yelled and continued reading, "It's delicious! I'm gonna bye all of youse some soon."

"Ise want beer," Ginger pouted and I groaned in frustration.

"Ise went to Brooklyn today and almost died," I continued before rereading shocked, "Almost died! What?!"

"But Ise okay," SlingShot read over my shoulder, "Don't worry." He glared at me, "Yeah Brass, don't worry."

"Ise gotta go now but I love youse all," Cricket snatched the letter from Slingshot and read the last part, "Your friend, Finch."

She handed the letter to me, looking disappointed. For a second, Finch had been back, almost with us. But then, we remembered, Finch was gone. She was free, and we were stuck in this stupid hell, with only a piece of paper to make us smile. 

"I miss Finch," Half Pint whispered sadly, "She tells the best stories."

I tucked the note into my pocket and announced that we should all get some sleep, wishing I was a good storyteller so I could make him smile. Finch would know what to do, if only she were here. 

*************************** 

A/N: So hope you enjoyed! And sorry it took me so long! I have bad wifi so it wasn't loading.  

Question of the chapter: would you rather have an umbrella or a sombrero? (Sorry it's random but it's the first thing I thought of.) 

How are you feeling today? Good? I hope you are and if not that's okay. I hope you feel better soon.  My grandpa made french toast so here you go *hands you french toast and syrup* Enjoy, my friend! 

Bye for now! 

-Scribbles (Just Scribbles :P)