Okay, I'm going to keep this short so you all can get to reading, but I want to apologize if something is off or doesn't seem quite right. It's been two years since I last touched this story...and honestly I forgot all about it. So if you are an original reader, welcome back! And anyone knew, lucky you! You missed the two year hiatus! So if anything seems out of the ordinary in the story feel free to review and tell me!

-Emily

After a few more minutes of discussion, mostly on Scrunch and High-Brows end, Braid retreated down the stairs and once more headed toward the door to begin her long run back to Manhattan. This had become a routine of sorts: run to Queens, report, offer a few words to her fellow newsies, run home.

Home? Braid thought. No, no this is my home. Queens is my home. 'Hattan...'Hattan's an act. Shaking her head at this thought, she turned the doorknob to be greeted with a slight breeze. Taking a step, she was nearly out onto the street when Fly emerged from behind and shut the door behind him.

"I know you have to get back, but would you walk with me? Five minutes, tops?" He asked.

"Five minutes. I can't risk getting caught...especially this close to the end." Braid agreed, taking the arm he extended and falling into step with her friend.

"So, you really think this thing is almost over?" Fly asked.

Braid shrugged. "Honestly? Yeah, I do. You all, yes Fly, all of you, went to far with Tweet. You should've seen the look on both Spot and Jack's faces, would've made a grown man cringe. I didn't tell High-Brow or Scrunch this, but you all got lucky the other night. Saved your asses, alright. Queens shouldn't even have been standing here right now."

Fly looked at her quizzingly. This definitely was not the girl who left on a mission how many weeks ago. The girl he knew then was quiet, timid. Yet now, looking at her, he could tell how much this experience had changed her, for better or for worse. She was strong, independent, even a little pig headed. While it was comforting knowing that he could trust her to take care of herself now in the streets, Fly wasn't sure he liked this change. His best friend was now someone he didn't know, and she didn't even realize it. Before the war, she would never have said two words to anyone, spare himself and Scrunch. Yet now...now she had every newsie in 'Hatan wrapped around her finger, and Fly didn't believe it was her acting. How could she not realize what she was doing? She was getting in to deep, and someone was going to get burned.

And it better not be her, I'll make sure it's not. One wrong move on those 'Hatan boys...war or not... Fly thought to himself. However, he immediately disregarded this. He was being dumb. She was on a mission, nothing else. She wouldn't leave him for a no good 'Hatan boy...would she?

"Fly? Are you okay?" Braid asked, slipping her hand into his as an act of comfort. Snapping back to reality, Fly blushed at the sensation of her hand in his.

"What? Oh...yeah. Yeah, I'm great. Absolutely fabulous. Why wouldn't I? I-"

"Fly, I'm your best friend. I know when something's bothering you. Now, spill." Braid said, cutting him off. Fly sighed and turned to face her, stopping dead in his tracks in the middle of the abandoned street.

"Whisk...you don't really like that 'Hatan bum...do you?" Upon hearing this, Braid smirked and leaned up on her toes, slightly pressing her lips against Fly's. The kiss was soft, and lasted less than a second, but to Fly it felt like forever. And even longer for Braid. After leveling down to her normal height, she bit her lip and looked down at her feet.

"Braid..."

"No, no I'm sorry... I don't know why..."

"Braid..."

"I'm just gonna..."

"Braid!" Fly asserted, catching her arm lightly as she went to leave. Brushing the piece of hair she was lightly twirling in her fingers, he caressed her cheek and kissed her again.

"I guess that answers my question, hm?" He said cockily, smirking as they pulled apart.

"I guess it does. But...what about my job? I-I can't just...oh my gosh...High-Brow...oh my...no...", Her breathing increased rapidly as she babbled on, caught in a momentary state of anxiousness.

"Hey, hey, don't you worry about High Brow. His plan with you and Mush is dumb anyway."

"But...but what about..."

"Whisk...I have been waiting for this moment since I met you. And...and now that it finally came...I don't want to lose it. I don't care what the stakes are...I want you to be my girl. If we have to hide it for now, fine. If you have to flirt with the bum-although I hate to say this-but fine. The point is...I like you. Love, maybe, hell I don't know. But I do know that I don't want there to be a day where I can't look at you, or even as much as not think of you. You're my everything, always have been. And...and...no dumb turf war is as important as what we could have...what we have! Braid...please." He placed the back of his hand on her cheek, and she looked up to meet his eyes-eyes that were burning with a passion she had never seen before. But, rather than be scared, she instead felt warm and fuzzy...and she liked it.

"Fly...I...yes, I'll be your girl. But...we can't tell people, at least not right now. It's not safe for you or for me. But...Fly, I've never done this before and it makes me sick to my stomach, but its good. It's definitely good." She smiled, her white teeth beaming. She took his hand in hers and leaned closer on his, feeling his warmth. Hand in hand, and in comfortable silence, the new couple began walking back toward the lodging house. It was no more than five minutes, but to the young lovers it was all they needed. For that moment, all of their troubles seemed to have washed away, forgotten about for another time. There was no turf war, here was no mission, there was no 'plan'. It was only them, the night sky, and the overlooking moon that seemed to guide the way. However, it soon came to an end, and Braid removed her hand from his, immediately feeling the cold air brush against it. For some reason, her stomach knotted, but she knew she had to go.

"I'll be back when I get more information, but if I don't leave now Jack will catch me out of bed." She said, a slight tone of pouting apparent in her voice.

"I understand. Just...be safe? For me, at least. I-I never liked this in the first place and now I hate it." Braid smiled and wrapped her arms around his middle.

"I promise. Keep the two dummies out of trouble? At least try to make my job easier?" She joked. Laughing, he nodded, and leaned down for one last kiss. Breaking away, she gave her new beau one last hug before turning and sprinting away into the night. Fly watched, desperately wanting to be there to protect her, but he knew his place was to stay where he was, in Queens. It was safer for both of them, anyway.

I will get you back here for good, my love. I promise. And with that, Fly watched as the shadow of his girl disappeared, and he retreated back into the lodging house for the night, his mind reeling from the recent happenings.

Okay, so that is it! Any review are helpful! And yes, after reading what I wrote a few nights ago when I found this and realized oh...I wrote this...I decided to pair her with Fly. Comments? Thank you all!