Title: Silent Witness

Author/pseudonym: Pamela

Fandom: Newsies

Pairing: Kid Blink/a guest star :)

Rating: PG (will probably stay that way)

Status: New (for lists anyway), incomplete

Archive: Take it. Email me first

E-mail address for feedback: TheonlyASD@aol.com

Disclaimers: Newsies belongs to Disney.

Notes: still in the works, but I need the feedback---I've been working on this since the end of summer, but it's not clicking...all suggestions would be appreciated

Summary: As of right now, a friendship between Kid Blink and a girl with a rough past (yes, it's overdone, do I care?)

Warnings: none



Silent Witness No Longer
By Riser

Footsteps echoed through the front hall as the only daughter of Samuel Randall entered the house behind her father. She followed him into the study and sat in an armchair, waiting for him to start yelling. Lara was not disappointed, and she put down her handbag, watching calmly as her father began his usual Saturday-night tirade.

"Don't you understand what this deal means to me? If you could just be civil, Lara, maybe we wouldn't have to go through this every week!" Her father sat on the edge of the sofa, rubbing his temples. "I know that you don't do this deliberately, but we can't afford to alienate another client."

Lara winced at that, she knew her father brought people home hoping to sign a contract and that without them she might not enjoy the luxuries she had gotten used to. What she didn't understand, however, was why he insisted on parading her around like some kind of prize for the men he associated with. Lara would much rather be at the theater like the rest of her friends, not trying to make polite conversation with a bunch of dirty-minded old men.

Her father stood up then, and began pacing. Lara hadn't seen him this upset since her mother died the year before. "We made a deal, Lara. You spend Saturdays at home with me and have dinner with my clients, and I don't say anything about your … questionable activities."

Lara gave her father a dirty look. "I've been participating in these 'activities' since mother died. You know we can't afford to live like this without the extra income from my job." Lara was angry. "Mother's will held a legacy of debt and bad business deals. The money is gone, Dad, accept it. I took the job at the bookstore because I wanted to. I have no more desire than you to give up my lifestyle."

"It's just not right!" Her father's face was red with restrained rage. "I don't understand why any daughter of mine insists on holding such an insignificant position."

Lara sighed, "I like working at the store, Dad. I meet a lot of interesting people there, and it's much better than working for one of your sex-starved old rich men. At least I'm making money honestly and from hard work, not holding a job given to me as a personal favor from one of your 'friends'."

The argument was a recurring one, Lara was very young and beautiful and many of the men her father worked with had not-so-honorable intentions toward her. They had in the pasts offered her jobs as a secretary or personal assistant, which Lara had turned down mostly for the self-professed reason of "wanting to keep my lunch."

"Dad, this isn't healthy for either of us. We should be getting on with our lives, not trying to keep up a charade of financial and familial stability. I'm certainly old enough to be out on my own, and I've saved up enough money from my job to rent a small apartment in Manhattan. I'll be moving there next week." The look on the man's face was that of one with a broken heart.

"If you're sure…" He still had a hopeful light in his eyes, which was quickly extinguished by her next words.

"I love you Father, but neither of us can live like this. I've already started packing my things, and I'll start moving them out tomorrow." Lara was breaking her own heart over and over again as she finally said the words. She had to keep reminding herself of the constant fights and angry words that had led her to make this painful decision. She left the room, not allowing the tears that had welled up to fall.



PART TWO

The bell on the door jingled as Specs walked into the store. He flashed a bright smile in the direction of a customer as he passed, and tried to ignore the dirty look that he received in return. He always told himself that he was just as good as everyone else, but felt as disgusted with himself as the customer must have when he saw the dirt-stained trousers and scuffed shoes. Sighing, Specs continued to the back of the store where the fiction was kept. He scanned the shelves, searching for a book that he hadn't already read. He selected one with the outline of a pirate ship embossed on the cover, entitled The Silent Witness.

"Afternoon, Jim." Specs gave the money for the book to the clerk.

Jim smiled. Specs came into the store every week looking for a new book. "You won't have enough money to eat if you keep buying these things." He laughed.

Specs gave him a wry smile in return. "Maybe, but who needs food? Certainly not a newsie." His eyes twinkled.

Jim handed Specs his change, then looked over the desk toward a girl entering the back of the store. "Lara! This is your day off, why are you here?" Jim helped the girl with her coat. She was pretty, with dark hair and eyes that were slightly puffy, as though she was upset about something.

"One guess." Lara took a drink from the coffee Jim had next to the register. Even through the emotional haze, she managed to flash a smile to the older man she'd gotten so close to since her mother died.

Jim's face was clouded with concern. "So, you finally did it?" Specs found himself wondering what had happened to get the girl so upset, even though he knew it was really none of his business. Against his better judgment, he leaned in closer over the counter to try to hear their conversation.

Lara stared contemplatively at the murky depths in the cup, thinking quietly. "I guess it was the best thing for both of us, and I thought I was ready for it," she started. Her dark eyes glittered in the dim light of the shop. "I didn't know it would hurt this much." (GET YOUR MIND OUT OF THE GUTTER!!! LOL---Pamela)

/Bang/ Specs leaned over closer, and knocked over a display. Jim and Lara jumped at the noise, and Specs was chagrined at the stricken look she gave at the disruption. His face flushed and his mumbled apologies were quickly drowned out by the sound of the door slamming behind him when he ran out.

Jim watched Lara to see how she would react to the intrusion, and was surprised to see her start choking with laughter. "Who was that?" The sadness was gone from her face, replaced by the happy and relaxed features Jim had come to love.

"Him? Just Specs." Jim picked up the book Specs had forgotten in his haste to depart. "He comes in here every so often and spends his money on another one of these. Poor kid can't really afford them, so don't tell him I give him a little friendly discount," Jim winked.

Her eyes lit up with mischief. "So that’s where all that extra money has been disappearing to!" She picked up the book. "I may just have to go and give that Mr. Specs a piece of my mind!"

Jim just laughed as she ran out the door, skirts flying, to catch up with the boy.



PART THREE

Specs wasn't expecting to see the girl again, much less the same day. He heard her calling after him and slowed down so she could catch up with him, wondering briefly how she had learned his name. Out of breath, she handed him the book. "You forgot this." She tucked an errant strand of dark hair behind her ear, and looked up at him.

Specs took the book, and his face began to turn red again. "Ahem," he cleared his throat nervously, "thanks." She smiled a little, and then rewarded him with a grin as she watched him fidget. "I'm sorry I was listening in on your conversation. It was wrong of me, and I'm sorry."

Lara's face fell slightly with the memory of the day's events, but she continued smiling at the flustered young man. "All is forgiven. My name is Lara." She stuck out her hand, and Specs took it.

"Andrew, but just call me Specs." He gestured unnecessarily to his glasses. He glanced around at the empty street and looked back at her. "It's getting dark, perhaps I should walk you home?"

Even though she was only a block from the apartment she'd rented from her uncle earlier that day, the offer of spending more time with this attractive young man and getting her mind off her troubles was not to be turned down. She let go of his hand, which she hadn't realized she still held, and nodded hesitantly.

Specs took off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders, thinking to himself that the cold night air could give her a chill. They began walking to nowhere in particular, each thinking only about the other.

************

Samuel Randall cradled the glass in his hand and gazed at the amber colored liquid thoughtfully. "What did I do to deserve this, Becky?" He looked up to the sky, begging his dead wife to help him. Samuel stood up and paced to the bookshelf, running his fingers along the spine of an old Tennyson. "What went wrong? Doesn't she know how much I love her?"

Shards of glass showered across the wooden floor as the glass slipped from his numb fingers. There in the middle of his study, Samuel Randall, one of the most powerful men on the West Side, curled up into a ball and cried like a baby.

**************

Lara smiled as she bid farewell to her new friend and walked up the steps to her new apartment building. She fumbled for a moment to find the key to her room, before letting herself in and setting her handbag on the ground near the door.

"What are you doing?" She asked herself. "Have you forgotten why you are here? Sitting here pining over a boy you've only just met, while you're spending your first night alone in an empty room."

She smiled and imagined Specs' beautiful grin as he said goodbye. "Well, maybe it's not so bad here after all." She laid on her bed and allowed herself to drift off to sleep.

****************

The Newsboys Lodging house was run by a kindly old man named Kloppman. For only a small amount of their daily profits, the boys were given a warm bed, meals and someone to talk to. Talk they did, whether they wanted to or not. Kloppy had a way of forcing the boys to open up. This time though, even Kloppman couldn't get Specs to talk about the reason behind his distracted expression. His sudden reticence irritated the other boys, who soon devoted their waking hours to forcing Specs to talk.

Drops of soapy water splashed over the sides of the washbowl as Jack scrubbed his face. "C'mon Specs, what is it?" Specs ignored him.

"Specs, talk to me, pal!" Racetrack hovered near the silent boy, jumping up and down like a baby robin. Specs started to laugh at his friend, but soon regretted it as the straight razor he was using scraped against his bare cheek. Cursing inwardly, he picked up a towel from the counter and swatted Race with it before holding it to the stinging cut.

"Leave me alone, I'm trying to get ready here." Specs flashed a scowl at the small Italian before his normal self-satisfied smile returned.

Jack finally came to his defense. "Guys, leave Specs alone. If he don't want ta talk, then he don't hafta." He unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt and ran his hand through his hair before tying his trademark rope around his waist and slinging an arm around Spec's shoulders. "He'll tell us sooner or latah, you know what a big mouth he has!"

Specs didn't dignify that remark with a response as he huffed out of the bathroom with more than twenty curious boys following closely behind.



PART FOUR SOON