Modern AU

What once was the beautiful blue summer lake was now frosty white, and full of ice. Thick, snow stuck to everything it touched, making the park into a winter wonderland, and, right behind that landscape, were the tall, silver buildings that reached up into the sky. Yes, that's right. Winter had once again come to New York, and our favorite boys, and the girls decided to spend the day at the ice rink in Central Park. Crutchie was sitting on a nearby bench with a large hot coco with a candy cane. He sipped at it slowly with a smile as he watched his friends lace up their skates before heading out onto the ice. He was sitting alone, until Feister slid behind him and whispered, "If ya see Mush, I'm not here."

"Can't you roller skate?" Crutchie questioned.

"The ice is more dangerous," Feister replied. "It could eat ya alive, just ask the people on the titanic."

"But the people on the ti-"

"Exactly," the smaller girl cut off. "You could fall and get ice burn, not to mention the tiny show offs that could push past ya. Oh, and of course there's always the chance that a limb could get cut off! Have you seen how sharp skates are?" Crutchie chuckled to himself. While all those statements were true, knowing Mush, he was going to get Feister onto the ice, even if he had to carry her there. Meanwhile, Romeo was looking mindlessly around. He saw families, friends, and all kinds of different people, but there was one person in particular he was hoping would be there. "You comin' on the ice Rome?" Race asked as he walked up to the younger boy.

"I need to...adjust my skates," Romeo replied. "They feel a little lose."

"If this is bout Juliet," Race began, for he knew all about Romeo's little cute romance with Juliet. Race just hope they don't die in some tragic way like in the story. "She'll be here fore ya know it. And, a little word of advice-"

"Oh, good job Racer," Albert cut off. "Give the poor kid some messed up advice that'll ruin his life later on."

"Says the guy who hasn't made a move on a little freckled face, blue eyed beauty," Race shot back with a smirk.

"Are we gonna play some puck or what?" Albert asked changing the subject as he tightened his grip on the hockey stick. His face also turned a deep red, but if anyone asked, Albert would blame it on the cold. By this point however. Romeo had slipped away from Race and Albert. The little newsie walked right up to her and said, "It is East and Juliet, is the West." it was a corny thing to do, sure, but corny never stopped Romeo.

"Would you rather skate lover boy, or be a complete sap?" Juliet asked as she placed a hand on her hip. Before Romeo could answer, Mush walked by with Feister slung over his shoulder. Bright side, she wasn't wearing any skates, so Mush was completely safe from getting cut open. Down side, Feister didn't look happy in the slightest. "Don't mind us, as you were," Mush replied as he walked past Romeo and Juliet. As Mush walked away, Feister looked up and said, "Break his heart Julie, and I promise, I'll break your pretty little face!"

"Don't listen to her!" Mush called back. "It's just an empty threat."

"I'll show you empty threat!" Feister replied as she struggled to get out of Mush's grip.

"Anyways..." Romeo started. "May I take you on a magical, icy ride?" he asked with the show winning smile.

"Why not," Juliet shrugged. And with that, the two of them made their way to the ice. Just as they were about to step onto the ice, Davey glided by, holding onto one of those things that little kids used to help keep their balance. The rather tall boy was hunched over and looked like a newborn baby deer trying to walk for the first time.

"Don't judge me," Davey said as he slowly slid by. "Someone has to keep an eye on Les, and I don't trust any of you guys to be responsible adults."

"I think Les is doin' just fine," Romeo replied as he gestured to where Les was skating around the rink. Backwards. Davey grumbled to himself as he tried to get his speed up. Of course he was wobbly seeing as one, the ice is slippery, two, Davey hasn't been ice skating before, plus the fact he isn't the most agile. Luckily, the tall boy regained his balance. Until Sniper crashed into him.

"Don't worry!" Sniper called from the ground. "Davey broke ma fall!"

"And I think Sniper broke my spine," Davey groaned from where he laid.

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Race and Albert's game of hockey was cut short, due to the fact that more people were coming onto the ice and (for once) they made the smart choice to stop before someone got hurt. Romeo and Juliet looked like a cute and innocent little couple as they skated around the rink hand in hand. "Who knew a thirteen year old would have more game than you Albie," Race teased with a smirk. Only to see Albert wasn't paying attention to him, and instead was watching a blue eyed girl. "If you can go to Homecoin' with her, then you can ask her to be your girl," Race added while nudging Albert before skating away.

Meanwhile Jack had slipped and fell way more than Katherine, who found this funny. Of course, Jack didn't think it was funny. Mush and Feister on the other hand were well...it was entertaining to watch Feister skate to say the least. The weird thing is though, she knows how to rollerblade, which is the same as ice skating. So the science why she can't skate didn't make sense. Davey was still using something to help him skate around, while Les was skating on the inside of the rink. Which we all know where the fast skaters are. And quite frankly, Davey had to wonder how a ten year old was better at this then he was!

Finch was admiring the pigeons that were watching from the snow covered trees, while Specs was cleaning the fog from his glasses off. Henry was taking a break from skating. He sat next to Crutchie with a hot coco in his hand. Kid Blink, Elmer and Tommy boy were throwing snow at each other while skating around the rink. Buttons was pulling Sniper up from yet another crash. While the twins were charming the ladies. Obviously it wasn't working, but that didn't stop them from trying. Jojo was third wheeling Romeo and Juliet, who didn't mind the older boy's company. But Romeo was getting annoyed with Jojo's presents. And of course, there was Brooklyn skating flawlessly around the rink. She was lost in her own world when she crashed into someone. She shook her head and tried to say something, but she was cut off before she even opened her mouth. "Hey there beautiful."

"Oscar," Brooklyn replied quietly. One of the few things Brooklyn knew while living in Lower Manhattan was that Oscar was bad news, and she should stay away from him (and Morris) at all costs. "If you'll excuse me, I'll just go." when Brooklyn tried to skate away, she was blocked by someone else. Her blue eyes soon saw it was the other half of the Delancey brothers. "Morris," Brooklyn said in an unpleasant tone. "How lovely," she mumbled while getting up.

"We just wanna talk doll face," Oscar smirked.

"I don't really want to talk," Brooklyn replied. "So if you could just move out of the way." but, the no good brothers blocked her way. At that point, Brooklyn didn't know what to do, she wasn't tough like the boys or Feister. Plus, this was her first encounter with the Delanceys, so it was kind of nerve wracking.

"Aw, she's such an innocent little girl, ain't she Oscar," Morris said with a smile that Brooklyn didn't like the look of.

"I'm not that little," Brooklyn corrected trying to put up a tough act. But it obviously wasn't working, she was much smaller than both of them, and it didn't help Brooklyn's nerves that she was standing on ice. "What was that thing Feister said?" Brooklyn thought. "You're only small if you let them treat you like that," she remembered. "I could take both of you down before you even blink," Brooklyn added trying to sound confident. This only made the Delanceys start moving toward her, so she backed away. "I'm serious. Stay back or-"

"Or what?" Morris taunted. "You'll hit us?"

"Is there a problem here boys?" Brooklyn sighed in relief when she heard that familiar voice. The tall boy had skated in front of her, to keeping some distance from the Delancey brothers "Did they hurt ya, Fun Size?" Albert asked while glancing back toward Brooklyn.

"Don't worry Red," Brooklyn replied with relief in her voice. "They didn't do anything." Albert nodded before looking back at the Delanceys. He held his hockey stick with a tight grip in both hands. If the worst came, he'd have to use it. "Good," Albert said as he glared at the no good brothers. "Cause if they did, they'd have to answer to me."

"I'm shaking in my pants Dasilva," Oscar mocked.

"Two against one is unfair ya know," another voice added. Brooklyn smiled when she saw her brother had come up to settle things with the Delenceys. She just hoped it wouldn't result in a fist fight

"Make that threeee - WoAH! OoWwW...I hate ice skatin'," a third voice mumbled in pain from the fall. Albert and Mush were quick to help Feister up, who was wobbly on her feet and had to lean on them for support. "I'm good," she said to the boys. To the Delanceys, Feister said, "You really should know by now you mess with one of us, you mess with all of us. You may think Freckles is fresh meat for you to pick on, but I promise you, if you mess with my sister, you'll be answerin' to my fist."

"I'm so scared of someone who's shorter than a-" before Morris could finish. Feister tried (key word tried) to launch herself at the younger Delancey brother. But sadly, Mush and Albert held her back. "At least lemme whack 'em like a pinata with that hockey stick of yours Gingerbread!"

"Yeah, I don't think so," Albert said. "As entertain' that would look," he thought out loud. That's when the Delanceys made a quick escape out of the rink.

"Yeah! You better run ya cowards!" Feister yelled as Mush and Albert continued to hold her back. Once things had calmed down, Feister was let go. Which wasn't the smartest idea seeing as she's not the best at skating. "My butt has gone numb with bruises thanks to you," she said while the boys helped her back up.

"Thanks for doing that," Brooklyn said with a smile on her face.

"Course sis. There was no way I was gonna let Al here have all the fun runnin' those suckers off," Mush replied while lightly punching Brooklyn's shoulder.

"Anytime Fun Size," Albert replied with a smirk.

"I really need to teach ya how to be tough," Feister replied with a little wink and a smirk. "Sides," she skated over to Brooklyn's side (without slipping) slung an arm around the older girl and said, "Not only are ya a part of the family, but us girls gotta look out for each other, or somethin' stupid like that."

"Yeah, somethin' like that," Brooklyn replied, mimicking Feister's accent. The dark haired girl smiled just as a tiny kid skated right in between them. Causing the girls to fall onto the ice.

"That's it!" Feister screamed. "Someone's losin' a limb today! I'm lookin' at you, ya little runt!" The young boy's mother gave a disapproving look to Feister, who continued to glare down the little kid. "Get your kid under control and maybe there wouldn't be a problem lady!" Feister added in her usual "don't mess with me" tone.

"Sorry to say ma'am, but she does have a point," Brooklyn piped up. "If your kid, who I'm sure is a very nice boy-"

"What she's tryin' to say is, tell ya kid to stop bein' a show of cause our friend here has two left feet when on the ice," Albert interjected. "Sides, there's plenty of space around the rink for the little runt to skate round."

"Teens today," the woman said with the disapproving mom look. "Maybe if the girl with the loud mouth didn't hang around you ragamuffins-"

"Ok! That's it!" Feister exclaimed. "No one insults these boys but me lady!" before anything could happen, Mush quickly picked Feister up by the waist and slung her over his shoulder. "Well, this has been fun, but I'm gonna go cool off this little firecracker," Mush said. "No funny business," he added while pointing at Albert with the protective brother face before skating away.

"That was...interesting," Brooklyn said as she processed what just happened.

"That's New York for ya," Albert said as he slung an arm around the shorter girl. "Ya never know what kind of crazy people you'll meet."

"Can't argue with that logic," Brooklyn replied with a tilted head.

"Enjoy that while ya can Bertie," Race said as he skated past. "It's the only thing in life you'll ever get right."

"And I would enjoy your life while ya still have it cause Imma kill ya Racetrack middle name I don't know Higgins!" Albert exclaimed while clenching the hockey stick tightly.

"Later sweetheart," Race said to Brooklyn with a playful smirk. He sent her a quick wink before skating off just as Albert started to chase after him. All the while Brooklyn watched the two boys play the game of cat and mouse around the rink. "LOOK OUT!" two voices yelled. Brooklyn turned around and just before she could process what was happening, Davey and Sniper had crashed into her. "My bad," Sniper groaned.