King of the City (Bellarke Edition)

Chapter 1

Early 1900's

The streets of New York were full of newsies. Every morning you could hear them calling out the headlines. They were a rugged group of boys, mostly orphans and runaways. They were seen as delinquents by many, but they were a family, most just trying to make enough money to be able to eat that week.

Bellamy Blake was the leader of the Manhattan group, his sister Octavia Blake, the only girl newsie to their knowledge was the girlfriend of Lincoln Trikru, the leader of Brooklyn. The two groups spent alot of time together, fought alongside each other and protected each other. The world was full of drifters, that was no different in the world of the newsies. They would come and go, all looking for a good place to sell.

Jasper Jordan and Monty Green were the youngest of the bunch, always goofing off and getting into more trouble then anything. Bellamy and Lincoln the oldest of the group, both 21, became the leaders, they were always the first to break up a fight or come to defend the younger ones, it just seemed right.

Nyko and Miller were Lincoln and Bellamy's right hands, they weren't far apart at anytime.

Octavia was Bellamy's little sister, his sole responsibility. He raised her on his own, they never had enough, but they didn't starve either, and that was a miracle. When she met Lincoln he knew that was it, he defended her like Bellamy did, put himself in harmsway to protect her, treated her like royalty, he was everything Bellamy hoped she would find.

Being a newsie wasn't bad, the pay was crap, but for a group of teenagers it was ideal. They were free to do and please as they wished. No one telling them no or to be home at a certain time. Hell, half of them never had a home. The majority of them slept in boarding houses or in old warehouses down by the docks.

Female newsies were unheard of with the exception of Octavia, most the women and girls worked in shops. The ones who didn't, didn't work at all. The guys were rough and tumble, it was no place for a girl. That was their opinion, they weren't welcome and they knew it.

....

"Where are we headed Murphy?"

"Another mile and we will cross the state line into New York, Bellamy Blake is an old rival of mine, we parted on good terms, he should take us in." John Murphy replied.

He was a well known for being a mouth piece. Always had an opinion on everything and had to voice it.

"Will we be safe there?" the voice behind him sounded small and scared. He turned taking in the 18 year old senators daughter. The day before running through his mind.

*Flashback*

He was selling his papers for the day and found her out back of the mansion she once lived. It was the high end of Jersey City, her mother having too much alcohol in her system worked her over pretty good. She had a black eye and bruised cheek, some scratches along her neck. She usually came out to meet him in the mornings to buy a paper. When he didn't see her he made his way back to the kitchen and there she was sitting with her back to the wall. He stepped on a leaf causing her to shoot to her feet. She winced in pain.

"John, I didn't hear you come up, let me get your money for the paper"

"Are you okay?"

There was alot of things he overlooked, but this wasn't one of them. She may have came from a wealthy neighborhood but she treated him as her equal, they were friends and that meant alot to him. He's done alot of bad things and made alot of stupid choices but if it was help she needed, he was going to give it to her.

"I will be" she replied. Her crystal blue eyes threatening to let the tears fall.

"If I can do anything, let me know"

"Can you make me disappear? Get me out of here?" she asked, he would've thought it a sarcastic answer had he not heard the hope in her voice.

"Is that what you want? This life isn't the welcoming sort, I imagine it's alot different then what you are used too. Girls aren't really liked in these parts either, especially ones with your status." Her eyes moved to the ground, all the hope gone.

"I'll tell you what, if you are certain you want to runaway meet me in front of deli on liberty ave. at midnight" She nodded acknowledging she heard him, her mother's voice was fast approaching and she was scrambling to get inside before her presence was missed.

He finished his day as normal and headed to the boarding house, he packed what he needed and grabbed an extra set of clothes for the girl.

He stood in the alleyway next to the deli, he could hear the chimes of the clock in the next building signaling it was midnight. Still no movement on the street. A few more minutes passed and he let out a sigh shoving off the wall and stepping into the street.

She wasn't coming, he couldn't blame her.

Just as he went to turn towards the boarding house he heard footsteps approaching.

"John , it's me Clarke. I've never been to this part of town before, sorry it took me so long" she stopped next to him, a small pack thrown over her shoulder.

"Well, well. And here I thought you were a no show. Let's get you changed."

"I just put this on" she replied confused.

"Yes and you look like you don't belong. I grabbed clothes and shoes, I guessed a seven, close?"

"Yes" she replied. He ushered down the alleyway and handed her the garments,

"Hurry up get dressed, before anyone realizes who you are" she made quick work of the wardrobe change and slipped on the shoes. She turned around and he handed her a hat.

"Pin those curls up and make them stay. You need to look and act like a boy for this to work" he stated seriously.

She did as she was told, the second she faced him he rubbed dirt on the bruised cheek and down the sleeve of the shirt.

"There, we will stick with Clarke as your name, could be a boys name too, we are going to visit some of my old friends, should take a day or two, work on lowering the tone of your voice, remember your a boy now"

A woman who until yesterday let her golden curls hang loosely. Who wore elegant gowns and never wanted for anything. A woman who now stood in front of him looking like a young boy. He met her eyes, she trusted him.

"You will be safe, you have my word, keep working on the voice, you still sound like a girl" he said pushing past her.

"and try to keep up, some of these areas aren't the friendliest"