This fanfic is about the many adventures that occured between the time Mary Faber became an orphan on the streets of Cheapside to the time Rooster Charile was killed. Sorry for the spelling problem but Jackie talks in a cockney accent here and it's a bit hard to spell. Thanks and please review.

I'll tell ye the streets of Cheapside, London ain't what you'ed think. Not thats you thinks there any good to begins with, but they ain't no palace thats for sure. When your an onphan in Cheapside ye relies on 'er friends for justs about everything. That and begg'en is an orphans life.

Me life wasen't always sleep'en in suwars, nay. I use to live with a real love'en family. It was me dad, me mum, and me little sister Penny. I thinks I even had a grandfather who did someth'en in the church. Now days I'm even lucky gett'en within spit'en distents of the churches in London. But with I was just the we age of seven me father got ill. Soon Mum was putt'en damp clothes over 'is sweat'en forehead to keeps 'im with the liv'en. But thats just wasn't enought, nay. Before I new it the man known as Muck was dragg'en me poor father down the stairs. 'Is feet dangle'n all lifeless like. I blubbered and bawled but Mum told me only the love'n Lord could bring back me poor Father.

Not long after me little sister Penny came ill. She worst then dad. Then Mum could not even get up to help quentch Penny's poor thirst. They only lasts about three days after that. Old Muck came back again and threw me mum and Penny in the cart. Then he picked me up and said someth'en along the lines of "There, there, Missie, there, there. Old Muck will see ye soon."

'E placed me down on the hard dirt road and road of into the distands with me mum and Penny. I feels chills running down me spine even now just think'en about some man just a choppen away at me sister and mum.

I coulden't bear the thought that me family was gone. So I runns and I runns till me lungs hurt and I fall hard on the cobbstones. I puts me dirty thumb in me cry'en mouth, but I don't cares. I sits there for a long while before a girl comes and steals me clothes late in the night leav'n me with noth'n more then a ragged shirt. Even took me underclothes she did.

I puts on the shirt be'n all I have, even if it is many sizes to big and mine much too small for 'er fuigure.

"Look at me," exclames that vile girl, "I'm readdy for the bleed'n Derby, I am."

"Let's go," says a hushed voice at the end of the ally.

"Stoof i, Charlie. Oi'm not done with me little toi-let."

I shivered and shook in that corner due to the bitter cold. I could hear the others laught in the distance. I was just think'n, how many could there be? Then that girl who stole me clothes tells me to come on. And what am I to do but come, me be'n all shiver'n in the cold and such.

I gets up and follows her and the others. At least eight or nine in all. They runs thought many streets until they reaches a area with a wee bit of straw under a brige. Then they all sits down and the leader looks up at me. 'E wears a dull blue vest and a tattered shirt and pants. 'Is red 'air is long. Bit over 'is eye brows, it is. But 'e just sits there sharpen'n 'is shive on the hard stone rocks that makes up the brige.

"Well come 'ere," 'e says, "We ain't gona bite ye."

I approched them all careful like. Then sat down close to the boy who just adressed me.

"Well whats ye name?" asked a girl with dirty locks of golden blond.

"M-mary," I managed to get out of me own mouth.

"Well ello Mary," said the leader. "Oi'm Charlie Brewster, but bests you call me Rooster Charlie like alls the others."

"Ello," I said in a soft like voice. I hugged me knees real close like and was ready to start suck'en on me thumb.

"And this 'ere," continued Rooster Charlie as 'e patted the back of a large fellow, "is our very own Hughie the Grand."

Hughie raised 'is hand as if to say hi. I could tells by just look'en at 'im that 'e was all brawns and no brains.

"Oi'm Polly", said the blond girl. She could only be no mores then a year older then me own immortal soal, be'n just a wee bit bigger then me self.

"What about the girl who stoll me clothes?" I asked reffering to the girl with tangled brown hair now wearing blue.

"The name's Betty," she said with a kind like smile as if the whole still'en thing never took place.

"Yes, and over here are Emily, Judy, Nancy, and our young Tim," said Charlie gester'n his hand towarrds the three girls and a small boy.

I looked at 'em all closely like. Judy appired to be about me size and maybe a year younger them me. In 'er lap sat the small boy no more then three years. Both had a mop of sandy brown hair and dark blue eyes. I could tells by just sight they were siblings. I remebered me own sibling, Penny. 'Er 'ard and cold body be'n thrown on a table and cut up.

Emily had nice fine red hair. Not as red as Charlie's that's for sure but stills considered red. A few faint freckles lined her face and she gaves a weak smile trie'n to light up her light brown eyes. I could tell she was me own age although she was larger then me own self.

Nancy was at least the age of ten maybe eleven. She, along with the thin shirt on her back, owned lovely green eyes and dark brown hair. She sat beside that Betty how appired to be the oldest girl among us, with 'er chest area larger then us all. I guess about thirteen or so.

Oi'm sure I was I sight in me self. Me dusty yellow hair falling to me bum and me pale skin show'en all over.

"I gots some bread," announced Charlie, "from todays begg'en."

There were a few wispers of joy as he took out two small rolls and set them on the rocks. Then he took his shive out of his vest and tried to cut up the rolls all even like until there were nine peaces in all. Then 'e covred 'is eyes with 'is hand and turned around away from the food. Betty scooted a bit closer putting some dirt stains on me close. Then she picked up a peace of bread.

"Polly," Rooster Charlie said and the bread was handed to the girl with the blond 'air. This went on and on. Next was Timmy, Judy, Hughie, then one for Betty 'er self. Next came Charlie then Emily. Then he turned around and picked up the remaining peace.

At first I thought he would stuffs it all in 'is greedy mouth. But instead 'h 'anded it to me.

"There ye go Little Mary," 'e said, "First meal on the streets, eh? Don't worry, 'r apart of old Roster Charile's gang now."

I nodded me head up and down like and took a bite. When all was said and done and the last bits of day were 'ide'n behind the near by 'ouses we all settled down in the straw. I lay next to Emily and beside Hughie the Grand. When the sounds of crickets and snores entered the cool air I begans to cry.

"Don't be sad, Little Mary," said the deep voice of Hughie, "Ain't no need for cry'en."

"Yeah," agreed Emily who was also awake, "No need for sniffl'en 'ere."

I wipped away the runn'en tears and laied on me back. Water dripped down on us as I fell asleep. Maybe just maybe I would live after all.