Now That Tomorrow is Here

Now That Tomorrow is Here

By Laces Kai

2nd Story in the Rain or Shine Series

 

 

May 1901

 

"Get out of here!  They still don’t know who you are!  Are you stupid!  If you stay much longer they’ll find out, you’re giving them too many clues!" An old man and a younger boy were standing at the edge of Little Italy in the shadows near a brick building after the sun set.

 

"But..." the boy started, but the old man cut him off waving his hands frantically.

 

"They’ll kill you!  They will, do you think they care!  You know they don’t.   They wouldn’t think about it for a second and what then?  What could you do then, nothing! You know why because you’ll be six feet under!"

 

The boy hesitated for a moment his eyes were glaring at the old man, but he took a deep breath and started walking backwards and then turned to run, tripping at first over his own feet.    He ran through the muddy streets, that had freshly made puddles, but he didn’t care.   The old man watched him for a few moments from the shadows and then he also turned but the opposite direction back into Little Italy without looking back.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

The Next Day

 

"I don’t want you to go back to Brooklyn, you’ve been here less then a month." Jack was frowning as Laces was standing over her bunk getting ready to leave to go to Brooklyn.

 

"But Jack, I was with the birds for almost a month, I haven’t been in Brooklyn for two months."

 

"But before then you were in Brooklyn for months!" Jack fought.

 

"Jack, I don’t want to fight about this I am going."

 

"No you’re not.   Spot won’t let you stay." Jack shook his head as he crossed his arms over his chest.   His voice had become that voice he only used when he was really mad at her or when he had really made up his mind.

 

"And what is Spot going to do, refuse to let me stay?  Kick me out of the lodging house!" Laces threw up her hands in frustration.

 

"He will." Jack nodded.   "You spend too much time in Brooklyn!  You could well be Spot’s girl and not mine!" Jack shot.   Laces stood there for a minute and then sat down on the bunk.

 

"You really don’t want me to go?" she finally said.

 

"I’m not letting you go," Jack confirmed.

 

"You would think that after all these years Jack Kelly you would learn I don’t like when you order me around." Laces looked up at him as he rested his head on the post.

 

"Someone has to order you around or you would run a muck.   Now tell you what, we’ll go pay a visit to Brooklyn.   I had to go over there this week anyway.   Spot and I have some things to talk about." Jack smiled.   Laces smiled back.

 

"So I can come?" Jack nodded at her question as Pixie came running into the room.   Laces opened her arms wide and hugged the little girl.

 

"Some boys out on the corner just got taken to the refuge!" she started telling Jack and Laces.

 

"Really?  What boys?  My boys?" Jack asked concerned.   Pixie shook her head.

 

"No, I didn’t know these boys," Pixie replied.

 

"What were they doing?" Laces asked as she tried to tidy up Pixie’s hair.

 

"They were playing poker and gambling." Pixie smiled.

 

"And none of my boys were playing?" Jack looked confused.

 

"Well maybe one was playing," Pixie said as she looked up at him.

 

"Really?  And which one and where is he now?" Jack asked.

 

"He’s downstairs.   He ran away quick.   The bulls didn’t see him," Pixie said.

 

"Pix, were you with this boy?" Laces suddenly asked.

 

"No," Pixie responded.   She was noticing the trap she had put herself into.

 

"You weren’t with this boy?  Out on the street, gambling? Without any of us knowing?” Laces stared hard at Pixie.

 

"No, I was watching from the window," Pixie said quickly.

 

"The window?" Jack shook his head, he didn’t buy it.   Pixie pulled away and smiled as she laughed a childish laugh.

 

"Yeah you can see everything that goes on in this city from that one window." Then she slipped out of the room.   Laces watched her looking concerned.   Jack turned his attention to her.

 

"She was out again, I think she was with Sand.   He likes to gamble and likes letting her tag along.   Snipes wouldn’t let her come, otherwise I would say him." Jack laughed a little.   Laces didn’t responded though she was still watching the door.

 

"Laces, what’s wrong?" Jack asked.

 

"Huh?  Nothing." Laces shook her head as she stood up.

 

"Nothing?  Lately you seem like something is bothering you, every time you talk with Pixie you get this face like you’re worried." Jack wrapped his arm around Laces waist.

 

"Nothing don’t worry about it." Laces smiled as she grabbed his hand and laced her fingers through it.   She kissed him on the cheek and then giggled.

 

"So we going to Brooklyn or what?"

 

"I would wonder what you would do if suddenly you weren’t allowed near Brooklyn for a few months." Jack smirked.

 

"I would go to Brooklyn anyway." Laces said in a matter of a fact way.

 

"That’s the problem with you, you don’t think about things!" Race came in pointing at Laces.

 

"I have a problem?  And all this time I have been worrying about you’re problem." Laces laughed.   Race grabbed his hat and playful smacked Laces on the shoulder.

 

"You better watch you’re step Racetrack or I’ll send my big strong boyfriend after you." Laces winked at Race.   Race grabbed his vest.

 

"I’m trembling!" He laughed as he sat down at his bunk to dump some of his coins into the tin cup he kept on his little table.   Jack and Laces walked out of the room.   The lodging house was full of newsies coming home from an early day of selling, the headlines had been very good that morning and now instead of selling the afternoon paper most boys had decided to take a half holiday or maybe a break between the evening paper and the morning paper.   Boys were running around the place and some were smoking and playing cards.   Out of the crowd just before Laces and Jack walked onto the street Snipeshooter came running over.

 

"Where you two heading?" he asked slyly.

 

"Brooklyn," Laces replied cheerfully.   Snipeshooter smiled brightly.

 

"Can I come along?" he asked.   Jack nodded and laughed as he whispered something to Laces.   Snipes followed them out the door and the three started their walk over to Brooklyn.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Spot was sitting on his perch watching carefully as Bottle Cap practiced his slingshot aim.   Some of the Brooklyn newsies were standing around debating if it was warm enough yet to be jumping into the river.   No one was saying much though, BC came strolling onto the dock.

 

"Hey Spot." She smiled brightly, ignoring most of the others on the dock.   The Brooklyn boys weren’t offended though, they didn’t notice anymore because it was a usual habit of BC’s to just greet Spot or Cap.   When Bullseye was around he would also get a hello but most of the guys never did get greeted.   Spot smiled at her lightly but keep his eye on the marble that Cap had shot at the nearest bottle.   It nicked the top of it and Spot shook his head lightly but said nothing.

 

"So what brings you around here BC?  You don’t look like you’ve been selling papers?" Spot grinned as he looked down at her.   She slowly climbed up to where he was and stood there staring at him a moment then looked at the water below.

 

"Spot, I’ve been meaning to tell you.   I ain’t going to sell papers anymore." BC shook her head.

 

"You ain’t?  Well then how you going to live?  I mean tell me if I’ve been wrong all these years but don’t ya need money to live?" Spot cocked his brow up a bit as he crossed his arms.

 

"Well, yeah you do.   But I ain’t going to sell papers anymore.   Spot, I get bored of doing the same thing for so long.   I’ve been changing for so long what I do that it’s just not me to stop?  You know what I mean?" BC asked.

 

"What are you going to do then?" Spot asked.

 

"I’m working at this little shop near the bridge.   I already got the job I started this morning," BC said trying to smile at Spot’s hard face.   He shrugged indifferently about it.

 

"If that’s what you want," he said.   She stared down at the river and looked sad, Spot acted like he really didn’t care still even with her.   She didn’t understand, she knew that he loved her, but there was something that kept him from showing anyone his true emotions.   Spot noticed her despair and in a gentle movement he grabbed her hand and slightly pulled her near him.   He kissed her lightly and then released her as if nothing had happened.   He was grinning though as he watched Bottle Cap.   BC stood there glaring at him, he did that sometimes, went into a sudden burst of emotion and then acted as if he didn’t.   She stood there swearing under her breath that one day she would make Spot Conlon show his emotions to her even if she had to beat him at his own game to do it.   She sat down on the nearest crate to watch Bottle Cap knowing that Spot wasn’t going to talk anymore about her new job.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Laces runs onto the dock and smiles and greets every boy she sees.   The boys all smile back and greet her sending comments about her lack of visits.

 

"Yeah well I don’t see you making any visits on me either!" she calls back to them.   She runs right up to Spot’s perch and jumps onto his lap.

 

"Afternoon Spot?  How are you?" She smiles brightly.   Spot glares at her before he pulls her cap over her eyes and pushes her off him.   Jack comes up right as Laces is falling and he catches her and places her on the ground.   Snipes distracts Cap from his practice and the two sit for a moment to talk.   Spot is glaring at Cap and Cap glares back for a moment before suggesting to Snipes that the move further down the dock.

 

"That wasn’t nice Spot.” Laces pulls the cap back over her eyes and pouts.   "No way to greet an old friend."

 

"You mean an old headache?" Spot smiled as he jumped down to shake hands with Jack.

 

"Me?  A Headache?  To someone with such a big head?  I didn’t think it was possible?” Laces laughed.   Spot ignored her and Jack and him spit shook.

 

"I couldn’t leave her.   She was demanding to come and stay." Jack grinned.

 

"She’s not allowed to do that." Spot shook his head.   Laces stared at him and then at Jack.

 

"You’ve talked about this before?" She put her hands on her hips.

 

"Maybe we have.   Now we really do got some things to talk about, so you girls talk." Spot winked at BC and Laces.   Laces was glaring at him and BC was trying not to laugh.   Jack pointed a finger at Laces and warned her.

 

"You stay out of trouble, just sit there and talk.   Got it?” Laces didn’t respond though and she sat down crossing her arms as Jack and Spot walked away from them to another part of the dock where no one was standing.

 

"Can you believe them?" Laces demanded.

 

"Can you blame them?" BC laughed.   "I got something I wanted to tell you." Laces was intrigued immediately and jumped to look at BC.

 

"What?  What happened?" She asked.

 

"Well it’s just that I am not going to be a newsies anymore that’s all.   I’m going to work in a little shop off the bridge," BC said.

 

"Why?  What’s wrong with being a Newsie?" Laces asked.

 

"Nothing, it’s just I ain’t use to doing something for so long.   I mean you know that before I settled down here I just kind of wandered and well I don’t like doing something for this long it don’t feel comfortable," BC replied.

 

"Yeah, well what did Spot think?" Laces squinted as she looked over to where Jack and Spot were talking.

 

"He said if it was what I wanted." BC shrugged.   "I don’t understand him sometimes."

 

"I don’t think anyone understands him." Laces rolled her eyes.

 

"FIGHT!" Someone called out.   Laces snapped her attention to where the shout came from as did BC, Spot and Jack.   At the end of the dock a group of boys was even forming as the shout rang, Snipes and another boy no one had ever seen before were taking jabs at each other.   The unknown boy took a swing at Snipes that got him on the ground and the boy took advantage and jumped on top.   Laces started running down the dock as Jack and Spot also started to walk down the dock, they weren’t in such a hurry.   Laces got down to the end of the dock and pushed through the boys.

 

"SNIPESHOOTER, YOU STOP THAT!" Laces said in a loud demanding voice as Snipes was the one on top at the moment.   But the two boys didn’t pay any attention to her and she would have gotten in the middle of them but Bullseye slid his arm around her waist that kept her from moving much.   Spot and Jack came over and easily pushed into the group and Jack grabbed Snipes and Spot the new boy.

 

"Everyone go on, there ain’t nothing to look at here," Spot ordered his newsies.   The newsies slowly went back to what they had been doing before the fight.   Cap stood next to Bullseye and Laces.

 

"Now about you two." Spot shook his head as he shook the kid in his hand a bit.   The boy glared at Spot but said nothing.   Jack was glaring at Snipeshooter he shook him a bit before letting him go.

 

"We’ll talk about this later," Jack said in a soft tone.   Spot nodded in the direction at the end of the dock where him and Jack had been before.   Jack nodded as Spot still clutching onto the unknown boy’s shirt collar started dragging him down the dock.   Jack followed but before he took more then two steps he turned around and whispered to Snipes.

 

"Make sure Laces goes no where near us." And with that he kept walking.   Cap fell in step with Jack and walked to the end of the dock.   Laces was trying to break free of Bullseye but he wouldn’t let her go.   Laces started searching with her eyes.   She skimmed the building corners that she could see near the docks.   She looked around the dock, then on the fire escapes.   Nothing she had stop struggling and then she suddenly looked onto the rooftops, there she was.   Filly stood staring down at the dock, she noticed that Laces had seen her.   But she didn’t mind, she was watching Spot and Jack.   Laces followed her gaze to the end of the dock.   Spot had let the boy go but Jack and Cap were covering his exit off the dock and the Spot looked annoyed about ready to hit the boy.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

"What’s your name?" Spot demanded as he leaned onto on the posts of the dock.

 

"I don’t have to tell you nothing," The boy spit back.

 

"Where are you from?" Spot asked losing his patience.

 

"I don’t know what you want from me, but I just want to go finish soaking that bum." The boy made a slight movement with his fist.

 

"Do you know where you are?" Spot was getting really annoyed by this point.

 

"Do I care where I am.   This could be Italy itself for all I care!" The boy rolled his eyes as he crossed his arms challenging Spot’s glare.   That’s when Spot punched the boy right in the gut surprising the boy and hitting him hard enough for him to stumble onto the ground.

 

"What the ‘ell did you do that for!" the boy demanded fiercely looking up at Spot.

 

"Let me try this one more time, what’s your name?"

 

"I don’t got to tell you a damn thing!" the boy said clutching his stomach as he stood back up defiantly running the back of his hand through his brown hair to get it out of his face.

 

"See that’s where you’re wrong." Spot hit him again but this time he aimed for the jaw.   The boy again stumbled back onto the ground.

 

"See you don’t talk to me that way, not around here.   You could get killed for talking to someone like that in Brooklyn." Spot shook his head as he stood over the boy.

 

"Look!  I don’t care if I am in Brooklyn and if you are the mighty Spot Conlon.   If you were I would have a few things to say to you, like get over yourself!  You ain’t some god and you too old to be playing.   Everyone knows, they’re just too afraid to tell you!  Spot Conlon’s become a wimp and everyone knows it.   He don’t know a good soaking from a cheap shot anymore.   He’s lost it!" The boy was still on the ground as he looked up at Spot with his green eyes bubbling with anger.   Spot stood there silent for a few moments, Jack knew that he was angry and Bottle Cap was just waiting for him to explode.   Spot stood there for what seemed like forever though and finally he kicked the kid and then moved back a little.

 

"Welcome to Brooklyn kid, I’m Spot Conlon.   The old leader of this place." He crossed his arms over his chest.   The boy got tenser and took his time to get up from the ground.   Nothing was said as he was lifting himself back up.   He gritted his teeth and still clutched his stomach that had new pain from the kick.

 

"What do you what from me?" the boy demanded.

 

"Well see here, you’re in my territory and you started a fight with a friend of mine.   I don’t know why I haven’t soaked ya yet.   Maybe it’s because I am trying to give you a chance to explain yourself, but you making me regret it and I can make you regret that," Spot warned in a low voice.

 

"My name’s Matt.   And I come from Little Italy," Matt responded standing a little below Spot’s eye level.

 

"Who sent you?" Spot got tense at the mention of Little Italy.

 

"No one sent me," Matt responded shaking his head.

 

"And what are you doing just wandering around Brooklyn?" Spot growled a bit.

 

"Taking a look at the scenery!" Matt replied grinning.   Spot glared at him.

 

"Don’t get cute with me," he warned taking his cane and pointing at him with it.

 

"I didn’t know I was in Brooklyn all right." Matt shrugged as he began to fiddle with the buttons on his white shirt.

 

"Haven’t you ever been around New York how can you not know when you’re in Brooklyn?" Cap said talking for the first time.

 

"I just got lost," Matt said getting defensive.   Jack walked away from his post and went up to Spot saying something softly.   Spot nodded and Jack walked back to where he had been standing.

 

"Where you heading?" Spot asked.

 

"Nowhere." Matt shrugged.

 

"And why did you start that fight with my newsie?” Jack asked.

 

"He was in my way," Matt responded indifferently.

 

"In your way!  You ran right through him," Cap shouted.

 

"He was in the way." Matt nodded again.

 

"Why were you running?  What are you running from?” Spot asked curiously.   At that Matt shot a glance at Jack and Cap who were further apart because Jack had moved and Matt ran right through them down the dock.   At that Bullseye let go of Laces and she smacked into Matt and he only stumbled a bit, but when he regained his balance Bullseye just tripped him.   And then grabbed his collar.

 

"I have a feeling that Spot wasn’t done talking to you." As he picked him up from the ground.

 

"I am getting a lovely view of the ground in Brooklyn," Matt mumbled.   Snipes was glaring at him as he helped Laces up from her fall.   Spot, Jack and Cap were walking down the dock and came to stand next to Bullseye who held on to Matt.

 

"I have a feeling you’re running from something," Spot said.

 

"I have to give you some credit, you can think!" Matt shouted as he struggled against Bullseye.   But Matt was younger, shorter and not as strong as Bullseye.   Spot shot him a look but kept going.

 

"So, I have an idea.   You stay in Brooklyn to hide from whatever you’re running from.   We make sure you stay safe if you help us with a little problem we’re having in Little Italy," Spot said looking straight at Matt.   Matt was staring straight back at Spot.   He looked a little nervous.

 

"How do I know I can trust you?" He squinted as the sun came into his eyes.   The boys laughed and it was Laces who answered his questioned.

 

"Well it depends on who you talk to if they tell you that Brooklyn and Manhattan are trustworthy or not.   But I can tell you one thing, I’ll make sure they keep their promise." Laces looked at the boy softly and smiled.   He didn’t smile back but looked back at Spot.

 

"And you are sure that if I am running from something that they can’t get me here?" Matt asked.

 

"No one gets into Brooklyn and stays unless they come through me." Spot nodded.

 

"Fine.   I’ll do it." Matt nodded.   Bullseye dropped him.

 

"But I don’t want none of this anymore, none of this soaking on me,” Matt started.   Spot snapped his head at him.

 

"Get one thing straight.   I make the rules, laws, and demands around here.   No one else does," Spot warned him his eyes getting dark.

 

"But I am doing..." Matt started.   Spot already was ready to send him flying into the water but Laces stepped in the middle of them both.

 

"Why don’t I walk him to the lodging house.   I had to pick some things up from there anyway," Laces offered.   Spot glared at her but shrugged.

 

"Fine, but Laces you be careful." Spot instructed as he turned, Jack also sent Laces a warning look but she ignored them both as they went to the end of the dock again.   Laces turned to Matt and smiled.   She looked at his face and shook her head.

 

"That’s going to swell.   When we get to the lodging house I’ll get you some ice for it," she said as she started walking.   Matt looked after her a minute and then followed her.

 

"What’s you’re name?" Laces smiled cheerfully.

 

"Matt," he replied.   She nodded.

 

"How old are you Matt?" she asked.

 

"13," he responded.   Laces nodded again.   She went on a little about how he would like it in Brooklyn and this and that.   Matt didn’t talk much he smiled a little while she talked.   He felt oddly comfortable around her and found himself enjoying her.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Filly came onto the dock and stood there for a moment unsure of herself because she hadn’t been on that dock when there were so many boys there.   She walked past them all though, slowly but surely and came up to Jack and Spot.

 

"Hey Filly, what are you doing in town?" Jack asked smiling.

 

"Oh just visiting." Filly nodded and then looked at Spot.   He looked confused and then he asked her.

 

"What’s wrong?"

 

"Nothing, I was just.   I was watching ‘im.   He was one of the boys that we’ve been watching from Little Italy," Filly whispered.

 

"Is he one of them?" Spot frowned.

 

"I don’t know." Filly shook her head.   "I have been following him for about two days now.   He left Little Italy after talking to an old man.   They shouted about things, someone wanting to kill him or would kill him when they found out," Filly said.

 

"Found out what?" Jack wondered.

 

"I don’t know.   They never said but he ran.   He’s been running around this city looking for a place to hide since." Filly shrugged.

 

"So do you think he’s bad news?" Spot asked.

 

"I can’t say much on it, but I do know he’s running from his past.   And well I can’t blame him I think we’ve all done that," Filly said and with that she turned around and walked away vanishing behind a building.   Spot and Jack looked after her a moment and then went back to talking.

 

"The boy has got a temper." Jack sighed.

 

"There’s something about him.   I just can’t place it.   I have a feeling about him though and I ain’t sure if it’s bad or good." Spot shook his head.

 

"I hope he isn’t too much trouble, but he is going to be trouble." Jack nodded.

 

"How do you know Kelly?" Spot demanded.

 

"Laces took a liking to him." Jack shrugged.   Spot nodded.

 

"I guess that would be a reason to think that he is trouble."

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Laces and Matt were about to enter the lodging house when someone started whistling.   Laces stopped opening the door and took a look around.

 

"Something wrong?" Matt asked as he also scanned the area.   Laces shook her head.

 

"No I guess I was hearing things." She opened the door and the two stepped inside.   Rick sat at his counter looking over the latest books and he glanced up to see Laces.

 

"If it isn’t Brooklyn’s sister." Rick laughed.   "Come back to keep Spot on his toes I suppose?"

 

"I ain’t staying." Laces shook her head.

 

"Spot said he wouldn’t let you." Rick nodded.   "I didn’t know if he could make you though."

 

"I am doing it because well, not because they told me to." Laces laughed.

 

"Of course not, well who is this?" Rick asked looking past Laces at the boy.

 

"This is Matt." Matt put out his hand to Rick.

 

"Afternoon." Matt nodded.   Rick smiled and shook the boy’s hand.

 

"Staying here?" Rick asked.   Matt nodded.

 

"For a little while, not having much of a choice."

 

"Most boys don’t their first night." Rick laughed.   Matt didn’t understand and Laces wasn’t paying that much attention.

 

"I’ll show you the bunkroom.   Rick can you bring me up a bag of ice?" Laces smiled sweetly.   Rick nodded.

 

"All right."

 

Laces smiled and walked up the stairs with Matt tagging along.   When they entered the bunkroom there was again the faint sound of whistling coming from somewhere.   Laces stopped and looked around the bunkroom, she didn’t see anyone there.   She let out a sigh and Matt also scanned the room.

 

"Is there something wrong?" he asked.

 

"No, nothing, I am just going to show you where you’re going to be staying.   This bunk here is empty, so you can have it all to yourself.   I think Jack might use it when he stays here and maybe some of the other Manhattan boys, but we can also find a place for them," Laces replied ignoring the nagging voice in the back of her telling her that there was something wrong but she didn’t know what it was.

 

"One little month and you forget everything we teach you," someone whispered.   Laces jumped and Matt looked at her oddly.   He wasn’t paying attention or was she hearing things, Laces didn’t know which of the two was true.   She again searched the room with her eyes frantically.   She saw nothing though and Matt frowned at her.

 

"I am going to go get some of my stuff ready, I am just going to be across the hall if you need anything.   Rick is probably coming up the stairs now with the ice for you," Laces mumbled as she walked out of the room across the hall.   Matt nodded and jumped onto the top bunk.   As Matt turned to look out the window that was near his bunk, there was a sudden movement.

 

"Critter would be so disappointed I think there would be a lot of yelling at this point." Chesa was leaning against the door frame of Laces’ room.   Laces spun around and glared at Chesa.

 

"I knew I wasn’t going crazy." Laces gritted her teeth mentally kicking herself for not noticing Chesa.

 

"I gave you solid clues, you knew I was here.   You just weren’t using you’re head to find me." Chesa shrugged as she walked into the room and closed the door.

 

"I was too, I searched the room," Laces responded.

 

"And let Matt see that you were doing so.   I mean you could have given away your cover like that," Chesa reprimanded.

 

"Well, I thought I was going crazy." Laces shrugged it off.

 

"Let me give you some advice kid, not like you have to take it I really don’t care.   But when in doubt look towards the sky for inspiration." Chesa sighed.   There was a moment and then Laces smiled.

 

"Of course, you always did like sitting up on the rafters of places." Laces nodded.   Chesa didn’t say anything more on the subject but instead jumped into a new topic.

 

"I went to visit Pixie yesterday, she still wants your answer," Chesa said.

 

"I said no," Laces responded.

 

"That’s not the answer she wants to hear, what did Jack and Spot say about the whole thing?" Chesa asked.

 

"They said it was my decision," Laces replied.   Chesa shook her head.

 

"You really aren’t very good at that, and to think you are Jack’s goyl and he’s only the best lair on this side of the mountains." Chesa shook her head.

 

"I am not lying." Laces crossed her arms.

 

"Sure you’re not.   Well I must be going.   I will be watching, so don’t get into any trouble." Chesa walked over to the window and crawled out of it.   Laces stood staring after her for a moment and then there was a knock at the door.

 

"If everything okay in there?" Matt asked.   Laces smiled and laughed.

 

"Fine, come in," she said as she scurried around the room to collect the things she wanted to take back to Manhattan because she could see that Jack was determined to keep here there for a longer while then her usual.

 

"Were you talking to someone?" Matt asked.

 

"No, just talking to myself.   You know when you’re trying to member something and so you start talking to yourself." Laces smiled as she wrapped up a dress that she had in her trunk.

 

"Yeah I guess.   So is this Spot really as tough as he seems.   Cause I wasn’t kidding about me doing him a favor I don’t think he should treat me like that." Matt crossed his arms as he rested his back on the wall.

 

"Look Matt, I like you, and believe me if I was in Brooklyn things I think would go a lot betta, but well I ain’t here.   I actually have to stay in Manhattan cause Jack and Spot have agreed to make me.   But Spot is doing you a favor and if that’s not enough he’s also the leader of Brooklyn, he’s tough and he’s tempered.   So don’t cross his path all right, I won’t always be around to make sure he doesn’t hurt you." Laces winked.

 

"I can take care of myself," Matt replied.

 

"I don’t doubt you can, but you’re small and scrawny and Spot can pound you into the ground." Laces shrugged.   "But that’s your problem.   Though it would be a shame if you got that pretty face of yours hurt.   I must say I would kiss you if you were older." Laces smiled.

 

"Kiss me?  If I was older?  Aren’t you going with someone?" Matt asked.

 

"Oh that ain’t never stopped her before." A familiar voice said from the hallway, Pockets came into the doorway arms out for Laces to jump into them.   She ran over and hugged the tall boy.   Pockets gave her a light kiss on the check and put her down.

 

"Now who is this?" Pockets asked as he looked at the boy.

 

"This is Matt.   Matt this is Pockets Harper," Laces introduced him.

 

"Nice meeting ya." Matt nodded.

 

"Laces, where’s everyone?" Pockets asked.   "And I thought you were ‘pose to be staying in Manhattan." Pockets frowned.

 

"Is everyone in on making me stay in Manhattan!" Laces threw her arms up in frustration.

 

"Well you do spend too much time in Brooklyn, there ain’t nothing wrong with that I guess.   But well you’re much sweeter when you stay in Manhattan.   There’s just something about that place compared to Brooklyn." Pockets shrugged.

 

"It tougher here." Angel walked in.

 

"Angel." Laces smiled.

 

"I send this knucklehead to do something and he takes half the afternoon." Angel rolled her eyes as she looked at Pockets.

 

"I did not take half the afternoon, I was just taking a moment to catch up with Laces," Pockets replied as he wrapped his arm around Angel’s waist.

 

"Anything you need to tell me?" Laces asked.

 

"Cheeky and Candy they leaving next week on Tuesday, thought that Spot, Jack and you would want to be at the station.   Spades would have come to tell them but she was held up by business.   I think the bulls were on her tail pretty good.   I hope she doesn’t get caught." Angel shook her head.

 

"It’s been years since Spades was caught hasn’t it?" Laces wondered aloud.

 

"Yeah it has been.   Spades has gotten good at escaping the bulls.   We only use to get caught if you think about it to have a free bed for a few nights and constant food when the business was rough." Angel shrugged.

 

"What kind if business?" Matt spoke quietly.

 

“Ah, maybe one day you’ll find out kid, but we got to be going.   Nice seeing you Laces, make sure to stop by the place when you back in town." Pockets winked at her and he walked out with Angel.   Laces finished getting everything she needed which wasn’t much and then she looked at Matt.

 

"Something wrong kid?" Laces said.

 

"I’m not a kid you know." Matt crossed his arms as he stood up.

 

"Let me tell you something you better get use to the name.   I have." Laces laughed as she walked out of the room and Matt followed her.

 

"Who calls you kid?" Matt asked.

 

“All the guys, they won’t call you kid cause you’re just another guy.   You ain’t even as young as some of the others.   Which reminds me, that wasn’t nice fighting with Snipes just because you ran into him." Laces sighed.

 

"He was in my way and it wasn’t my fault that he felt like fighting, I ain’t one to run away from a fight," Matt said in a determined voice.

 

"You’ll fit right into Brooklyn," Laces mumbled.

 

"Brooklyn is gonna have to fit to me," Matt responded.

 

"Someone has sure got a big head," Laces mumbled.

 

"I don’t.   I have pride, everyone has to be proud.   Pride is what keeps you going through life.   If I let Brooklyn or Spot scare me I ain’t never going to get anywhere being here and then I guess I won’t get in." Matt shook his head.

 

"What did you say?" Laces was staring at Matt.

 

"I can’t let Spot or Brooklyn scare me?" Matt asked.

 

"No before that," Laces responded.

 

"I’m proud?" Matt grinned.

 

"No after that." Laces was still staring at him intently into his green eyes.

 

"Pride is what keeps you going through life," Matt said questioningly.

 

"That!  Where did you hear that?" Laces demanded.

 

"I guess someone in my family use to say it, or maybe a family friend." Matt shrugged.

 

"Oh." Laces nodded and grinned.   "It sounded familiar somehow."

 

"Yeah.   So you have your own room in this place?" Matt asked.   Laces nodded.

 

"I’ll give you a tour seeing as we have to wait for Spot and Jack to come back here anyway." Laces shrugged.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Jack and Spot had just parted with BC and Bottle Cap and Snipes dragged far behind the two.   There was a soft whistle and Spot nodded a bit in a swift movement and Jack smiled.   There was a clicking of heels and then Chesa stood next to them.

 

"Afternoon to you both.” Chesa smiled.

 

"I should have known it was you, didn’t expect it but you are the only one who really still whistles that song." Spot nodded.

 

"It’s the song I was taught to use.   Guess you really can’t teach an old dog new tricks.   But I had something to tell you both." Chesa said putting on a serious face.

 

"Anything wrong?" Jack asked looking stern.

 

"Nah, not really anyway.   You know how you three took in Pixie a while ago?" Chesa asked.

 

"Yeah.   Sure." Spot nodded.

 

"You never thought it was a good idea, did you?" she asked.   Jack shrugged.

 

"Guess we didn’t at the time, it’s all right now.   The kid is getting use to the life can’t say it would be any better in an orphanage though.   Those places are rough."

 

"Why?" Spot demanded.

 

"Well, Critter sent us looking for the real Pixie, if you two knew.   We found her and Laces told her about Peach’s Pixie and well she right out offered that Pixie be handed over to her.   She wants to take her in and give her a home and be a mother to the poor child," Chesa said staring at Spot and then at Jack.

 

"Life is tough on the streets," Jack started.

 

"We never thought that the lodging houses were the best place for a little girl." Spot nodded.   They were hesitant though.

 

"Laces didn’t want to let her go?" Jack finally asked.   Chesa shook her head.

 

"She knows it’s for the best though, you two know that too don’t you?  I mean the kid deserves the shot at a real home and a real place to live.   You got to talk to Laces.   I know she didn’t want to tell the both of you because she was sure that you would make her give her up." Chesa nodded slightly.

 

"I don’t believe she didn’t tell us." Spot shook his head.

 

"That’s why she has been watching Pix so carefully.   It makes sense now." Jack nodded.

 

"So Chesa, you playing being a bird still?" Spot asked.

 

"I don’t play, I find out things by habit and some things I suppose could be of interest to you and so if I have a moment I will tell you." Chesa shrugged.

 

"Yeah well do you know anything about the kid from Little Italy?  Or anything about the situation we havin’ with them?" Spot asked his voice growing softer as he continued.

 

"Haven’t heard anything I haven’t heard before from that part of town, murders of people that no one can even remember and money moving in and out of the cracks.   That’s about it.   About the kid though, I do believe that he is no real danger only because the goons don’t know who he is or why he ran.   He might have worked for them, but I don’t know.   No one of real power to kill or hurt him in anyway knows that he disappeared I even doubt they know who he is." Chesa shrugged.   She then walked away from them without even a goodbye.   Spot and Jack nodded for a bit.

 

"She always was one of the best, but they all were." Spot nodded slightly.   Chesa had given him more information then Filly had.   Of course had years of experience over Filly and sources that always came through with the information that was needed.   No one knew how or where the sources found out what they did, but they did and she always knew before everyone else, except for Critter and the others like them.

 

"So what are we going to do about Laces?" Spot wondered out loud.

 

"Pixie would be better off with a real home." Jack sighed.

 

"She thinks we’re going to make her." Spot nodded.

 

"We should.   But there is just something inside of me that doesn’t want to let go of the kid either."

 

"It’s for the best though.   We know it and so does she."

 

"Maybe we should just let her think about it a little while longer.   Or make her know that we know but we are going to let her make her own decision." Jack suggested.

 

"But what if she makes the wrong decision?" Spot frowned.

 

"Then I guess we figure it out from there?" Jack shrugged.   He knew that Laces would hate this idea of her own decision as much as them telling her what to do.   But she would resent them if they made the decision for her and he knew that if it came down to having to make the decision for her it would not be a pretty sight.

 

Meanwhile Bottle Cap and Snipes to distract themselves from the walk and things they were not sure they wanted to hear began to talk between themselves.

 

"I don’t like him." Snipes was shaking his head.

 

"Well, I can’t say I get the best feeling from him either but Spot has decided to take him in." Cap shrugged.

 

"Do something about it then, you use to tell Spot when you didn’t agree with something." Snipes sighed.

 

"If it was something of real importance maybe, but Snipes, this isn’t something that we should fight over." Cap shook his head.

 

"You’ve really turned yellow you know that, I don’t think you even belong in Brooklyn," Snipes mumbled.   Cap heard him and against his better judgment and without really thinking he took a swing at Snipes.   It hit him right in the gut, the most vulnerable spot to be punched in the stomach like that and Cap had hit it without intention and without aim.   Snipes grabbed his stomach in a quick reaction and leaned against the wall.   He let out a cry of pain and Jack and Spot turned around surprised.   Cap stood perfectly straight, not looking like he could have done anything.

 

"What happened?" Jack asked Snipes.   Snipes pushed himself with his elbows away from the wall and to standing position.

 

"I tripped," Snipes replied.   Spot and Jack looked skeptical for a moment and then turned back around to keep walking.   Cap and Snipes kept walking a little while in silence then Cap broke the silence.

 

"We still friends?" Cap asked.

 

"Yeah, I guess.   I would rather be one your side then against," Snipes mumbled.

 

"I wouldn’t have hit you," Cap replied.   Then he added in a darker tone.   "But never ever say that I don’t belong in Brooklyn.   I am Brooklyn born and breed and will always belong."

 

"You sure damn proved yourself." Snipes nodded.   Then they continued in silence until they reached the lodging house.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

"LACES!  ARE YOU READY TO GO?" Jack called up the stairs as soon as they entered the lodging house.   Rick laughed as Spot leaned against the door frame watching Cap and Snipes out of the corner of his eye as they walked in quietly.   Laces came to the top of the stairs and looked down at Jack with her arms crossed.

 

"Jack Kelly!  I ain’t going to respond to such a call."

 

"Aren’t you now?" Spot mocked.   Laces shot him a glare and then sighed as she walked away back into the bunkroom.

 

"Are you ready?" Jack asked after her.

 

"Hold your horses Kelly!" Laces called over her shoulder.

 

"So are we going to tell her we know Kelly?" Spot asked.

 

"I think if she hasn’t made her decision in a week we’ll tell her and ask her for her decision or give her our answer." Jack shrugged.

 

"Yeah, that would be the best way I could think of." Spot nodded slightly.   Laces came bouncing down the stairs and smiled brightly.

 

"Angel and Pockets came by.   The girls are leaving on the train next week.   They figured we would want to be there to bid them good bye.   Jack I should be here in Brooklyn for Cheeky and Candy’s last week." Laces looked at Jack making her eyes wide.   Jack shook his head though.

 

"They’re married anyway, they staying at the Rose, but they ain’t even really in the gang.   They just packing and stuff you would be in the way." Jack winked.   Laces frowned.

 

"I am never in the way," she responded.

 

"Never huh?" Jack sighed as he rolled his eyes.   "Well I tell you what you can come stay the two nights before they leave so you have some time with them.   All right, if that’s all right with Spot that is." Jack smiled.   Laces frowned at both of them.

 

"I don’t believe you both think you can tell me what to do.   I am going to stay here and you can’t do anything about it," Laces said as she started heading back up the stairs.   Jack went to grab her when she started running and he landed on the stairs instead of grasping her.   She ran over to her room and slammed the door shut.

 

"Looks like Laces is going to be bunking here tonight." Rick smiled lightly.   Jack turned to glare at him.

 

"No she’s not," Jack responded.

 

"She shouldn’t be.   I don’t like this." Spot shook his head as a thought entered his head about Laces motives for wanting to stay more then usual.   Jack lifted himself from the stairs and started storming up the stairs, he shook his head.   He had just started thinking that Laces really was getting better at listening to authority and not getting herself into messes, he was wrong.   He came to her door and went to turn the doorknob when he discovered it was locked.   He began to pound on the door.

 

"LACES KAI!  YOU OPEN THIS DOOR RIGHT NOW!" Jack started yelling.   Spot was behind him shaking his head.   Snipes and Cap were watching from the bottom of the stairs still.

 

"Kelly if you break the door, I am sure you will have to fix it.” Laces called back in a calm tone.

 

"Laces get out of that room this moment, you ain’t staying here," Spot called in.

 

"I don’t see you have a choice Spot," Laces responded.

 

"As soon as you come out of that room, I will walk you to Manhattan," Spot warned.

 

"Is that a threat?" Laces responded.

 

"What is going on?" Matt walked out of the bunkroom.   No one bothered to responded to him though, Snipes and Cap were to busy talking about Laces and Spot and Jack didn’t care to.

 

"Laces, come out of there.   We had a deal!" Jack called in.   There was no response.

 

"Laces!  I mean it if you don’t come out this minute I ain’t letting you come back to Brooklyn for a long time!" Spot warned.

 

"Is she locked in?" Matt asked causally.

 

"She locked herself in." Spot growled a bit.

 

"Then why don’t you get the key, doesn’t the caretaker got one?" Matt leaned against the post.   Spot and Jack stopped for a moment and stared at Matt who was shorter then them both.   He had a smirk on his face and the most careless air to him.   Spot frowned and called down to Cap.

 

"Get the keys from Rick!" he said.

 

At that moment Laces decided it was time for her to leave the room, but she wasn’t giving up.   She opened the window and climbed out heading out into the alley below.   She started running a bit, she stopped at the corner when she reached the main street and looked around.   She took a deep breath and started running towards the Irish Rose.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Spot and Jack opened the door with the key as soon as Cap threw it up to them.

 

"Now you’re in for it Laces," Jack said as he swung the door open.   Both boys looked around the room and didn’t see Laces.

 

"Laces?" Jack said.   Spot looked at the window and shook his head.

 

"She’s gone," Spot said.

 

"I don’t believe her." Jack sat down on her bed.   Cap came up the stairs and laughed when he saw the window opened.   Spot and Jack stared at him.

 

"What are you laughing at?" Spot demanded.

 

"You should know better then to try and order Laces around." He shrugged.

 

"I have a few things to tell that girl when she gets back here.” Spot sighed.

 

"I guess I’ll go back to Manhattan." Jack stood up.   "I’ll come back on Tuesday." That’s when they heard a loud thud from the hallway.

 

"What the…" Spot started towards the hallway.   Snipes was up against a wall kicking his right foot into Matt’s stomach.   Matt let go of Snipes and no sooner did Snipes go running towards Matt.   The two went sprawling down the stairs in a heap.   They landed on the ground with a loud thud and groans.   Neither got up and Spot and Jack came walking after them.   Jack grabbed Snipes by the shirt and put him on his feet before smacking him upside the head.

 

"What’s wrong with ya?" he demanded.   Spot glared at Matt who stood up by himself and glared right back at Snipes, not even noticing the deadly look that Spot was giving him.   Snipes rubbed the back of his head ignoring the pain in several parts of his body as he noticed Matt was still glaring at him.   Matt started towards Snipe again when Spot grabbed her shirt collar and snapped him back against a wall.

 

"We don’t fight with Manhattan boys." Spot gritted his teeth as he let go of Matt.   Jack glared at Snipes.

 

"We’re leaving now." He pushed Snipes out the door and nodded slightly towards Spot.   Spot stood there staring at Matt and then he walked up the stairs again and walked into his room closing the door behind him.   Cap stood on the stairs looking at Matt who sat against the wall near the door.   Cap took a deep breath and walked back upstairs towards the bunkroom.   Rick shook his head and walked out from behind his desk and knelt down next to Matt.

 

"Better get you some more ice, don’t mind Spot and Cap.   They are a lot alike, no matter what Cap thinks.   They’ll cool down, why don’t you sit up on the counter here while I go get some ice.   By the way, you got some nice moves on you.   Just make sure you don’t use them in here against one of Jack’s or Spot’s boys." Rick winked as he walked away to get the ice.   Matt slowly stood up and got himself on the counter.   Bullseye came walking through the front door whistling.   He stopped at the counter to sign in and noticed Matt.

 

"Well hello there, I don’t think I have met ya," Bullseye said his face with a small grin on it.

 

"No we haven’t," Matt snapped.   "Formally.”

 

"Ah, now don’t tell me you’re going to have hard feelings against that little incident on the dock." Bullseye placed his elbow on the counter next to Matt.

 

"Why would I, seeing as everyone is set on soakin’ me today." Matt shrugged.

 

"Spot really gave it to you, what did you do?" Bullseye asked as he saw new bruises forming on Matt’s arms and the swelling beginning in jaw.

 

"I didn’t do anything," Matt snapped.

 

"He got into a fight with Snipes and they fell down the stairs." Rick came over with ice.

 

"Oh, so where’s Jack and Snipes?" Bullseye said looking around.

 

"They went back to Manhattan," Rick responded.

 

"Jacky boy must have been mad if he was making Snipes walk all the way to Manhattan after falling down the stairs." Bullseye nodded.

 

"It was his own fault." Rick shrugged.

 

"Well kid, hope there’s no hard feelings." Bullseye shrugged and walked away up the stairs to the bunkroom.

 

"If I had hard feelings I’d probably get soaked by someone for ‘em." Matt groaned a bit as he iced his jaw.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Laces stopped before she arrived at the Irish Rose and scanned the area around her.   She sat down in the middle of the alley she was in and started to whistle loudly.   Then she stopped and called out.

 

"I KNOW YOU’RE THERE!  COME OUT!" Laces cupped her hands over her mouth to make her voice reach the rooftops.   There was nothing then Laces added.

 

"COME ON!" Laces whined a bit.   She then stood up and walked into the building and went up to the roof of the building she had entered.   When she came out on the roof she scanned the area and saw a figure slip out of sight in the building across from her.   She stood there for a moment debating weather or not to take the chance of jumping the distance between the two buildings.   She looked around for an easier way across then jumping she wasn’t one to love heights.   She then spotted a board that was stretched out across the two buildings.   She went over and took a deep breath.

 

"What are you going to do?" A voice suddenly said and a red head popped out from behind the small wall.   Laces took a deep breath and turned to stare at the person who she knew well.

 

"I told you I knew you were here, I was going to cross over there," Laces responded.

 

"Well, what did you want?” Matches stood arms crossed over his chest.

 

"I wanted to ask you something, but could you come over here.   I don’t like having to shout," Laces responded.   Matches frowned but walked over to the board and walked across it with no problem.   Then he stared at Laces.

 

"I had a favor to ask," Laces responded.

 

"I don’t like this, not at all." Matches shook his head decidedly.

 

"Listen to me please." Laces smiled brightly as she put her hand softly onto Matches shoulder.

 

"Fine, but no promises or nothing about what I’ll do for ya,” Matches responded.

 

"All right, this is a real simple favor, you don’t have to do anything.   Really, you just have to promise not to tell Spot and Jack where I am,” Laces said.

 

"NO!  There’s no way.   I love living, there’s no way, I value the light of day too much to not tell those two where you are." Matches shook his head.

 

"Come on Matches, you could say you lost me," Laces responded.

 

"No one would believe that.” Matches glared at her.

 

"Maybe not, well make up something, just don’t tell them please." Laces begged.

 

"I can’t do that Laces and you know it." Matches shook his head.

 

"Well what about you don’t tell them until tomorrow?" Laces asked.

 

"I can’t though," Matches refused.

 

"Ah, come on Matches.   Just pretend that I was running around the city until late in the morning and then you wanted to make sure that I didn’t leave before telling another bird to come watch me while you went to tell Spot and Jack where I was.   I know you can do that, people would believe you then," Laces responded.

 

"I know someone whose not going to be happy about this and if he comes around to yell at me Laces, I swear I will never do you another favor.   I shouldn’t even be doing this one, jeez.   If they ever find out that I helped you out, you better not pull any stunts.   Understood?" Matches pointed a finger at Laces.   Laces giggled and nodded.

 

"Of course, thank you so much Matches." She kissed him on the cheek before running back down the stairs into the alley.   Matches stood there shaking his head.

 

"I shouldn’t be doing this." He rolled his eyes as he watched Laces run and followed her swiftly keeping up pace with her.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

The night was late and Spot stood in the parlor staring out the window.   Every ten minutes he would whistle a few had responded.   No one knew anything about her and if it hit morning and she wasn’t found there was a search party that would be sent.   Spot was annoyed and paced around the room.

 

"Conlon, calm down.   The kid must be fine," Bullseye said trying to convince himself.

 

"If she was fine, someone would know where she was," Spot responded.

 

"Maybe one of them does know where she is, just hasn’t told the others," Bullseye replied.

 

"I don’t believe that girl, I swear." Spot shook his head.

 

"She’s done it before Conlon.   She’ll probably sneak into her room before the morning sun comes up.   I wouldn’t worry about it."

 

"All right, if anyone sees her, you bring her to me.   Understood.   That includes you BC.” Spot looked over at BC she sat near him, smiling in spite herself.

 

"Of course," She replied as she stood up.   Spot wrapped one of his arms around her as he stared out the window.

 

"She won’t be gone long," BC whispered.

 

"She better not be." Spot nodded.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Laces entered the Irish Rose cheerful with a large smile on her face to find the gang in the middle of counting.

 

"Is it counting day?" Laces frowned as she looked at the pile of cash on the ground and the bills in Spades hands.

 

"What in the world are you doing here Kid?" Spades demanded.

 

"Hello to you to Spades," Laces replied laughing.

 

"What did you do wrong?" Shady asked.

 

"Me do something wrong?  I come to visit you guys and you think that I did something wrong?" Laces put her hands on her hips.

 

"Laces, what kind of trouble are you in and are we going to get into a mess because we’re hiding you?" Blue frowned.

 

"So Candy, Cheeky how’s married life going?" Laces asked avoiding the subject.

 

"Oh nice try, avoiding the subject that just means that we’re right." Scorch smiled.   "But hey at least did you annoy Conlon to get him mad at you?"

 

“Scorch!” Spades frowned.

 

"What, I still don’t like ‘im.” She groaned as she started throwing her box of matches up in the air.

 

"I really wish I knew more about you," Stage said from the couch.

 

"Well why don’t I take this time to let you get to know me better.   Who knows when we’ll have such a chance again." Laces smiled as she sat down next to Stage and Tapper.

 

"Are you planning on staying here tonight?" Candy asked.

 

"Yeah I am." Laces nodded.   Spades shook her head.

 

"Are you going to tell us what you did wrong?" she asked.

 

"She’s staying in Brooklyn.   You didn’t want to go back to Manhattan.” Angel smirked.

 

"Maybe," Laces replied.

 

"For us?" Cheeky asked.

 

"Yeah you and that boy." Pockets laughed shaking his head.

 

“What boy?” Candy frowned.

 

"The new one, Matt was his name,” Angel replied.

 

"Are you in love again?  Poor Kelly." Blue shook his head.

 

"I AM NOT IN LOVE!  I love Jack," Laces responded.

 

"Then why would you stay for the boy," Vigor asked.

 

"I never said I was." Laces frowned.

 

"But Pockets did," Vigor replied.   Laces glared at Pockets.

 

"I could be wrong." He surrendered.   Laces started talking to Stage and Tapper as Spades and the girls finished counting the earning for the week.   This time when she opened the safe though she took out two piles of money and handed one to Candy and the other to Cheeky.

 

"There girls, don’t go using it all at once.   And now that you’re married don’t stay in the habit of making money the way we use to." Spades warned as she winked.

 

"Our goyls won’t need to do this anymore," Stage said as he kissed Candy lightly.   And Tapper put his arms tightly around Cheeky.   The couples went upstairs and Spades sat on her counter and Angel leaned on it while they talked, Scorch in her usual chair, Blue and Pockets were playing cards on a nearby table.   While Shady was lying behind the counter on a few boxes and Vigor was on the rug using a small trinket she had found to practice her snatching skills.   Laces sat watching them all.

 

"Things don’t change do they?" she pondered aloud.

 

"What are you talking about, we’re losing two members of our gang.   Doesn’t that seem like change to you?" Scorch demanded.

 

"Well yeah, but you all still do the same things," Laces responded.

 

"That’s because that what we’re use to doing, we’ll keep doing them as long as we feel like it.   No matter what changes.   But one day we won’t.   Change doesn’t happen overnight you know," Vigor grumbled.

 

"I guess not." Laces shrugged.

 

“Talking about things that don’t change, how come Conlon hasn’t been here yet to take you back?" Spades wondered.   Laces suddenly became very interested in Blue and Pockets card game.

 

"What did you do?" Blue looked at her through the corner of his eye.

 

"I didn’t do anything.   I don’t know why Spot hasn’t come around yet," She responded.

 

"His birds are very good, especially whoever they have watching you." Scorch nodded.

 

"There has to have been something that kept him.” Shady shrugged.

 

"Well, not like it bothers me." Scorch shrugged.

 

"It wouldn’t." Angel sighed.   "It’s been years you two should grow up."

 

"Never." Scorch shook her head.   Pockets and Blue finished their card game and the group headed upstairs and to bed.

 

"Stay in the room next to mine Laces." Spades pointed out the door and Laces nodded as she headed into the room and closed the door behind her.   She went over to the night table and lit a match to light the candle.   She sat down on the bed and stared out the window, Matches would be telling Spot soon.   She didn’t know if he would wait until morning to come over here or come in the middle of the night.   He had come in the middle of the night before.   The last time she had come here when she ran away, he came looking for her in the middle of the night not waiting until morning.   She smiled when she remembered that.

 

While she was staring out the window someone walked in.   She looked up and saw Pockets smiling down at her.

 

"Now, what is you’re sudden interest in this boy?" he asked as he sat down.

 

"You think I’m in love with him?" She crossed her arms.

 

"You were saying you would kiss him if he was older, but no I don’t think you’re quite in love with him.   His age wouldn’t have bothered you if you were." Pockets winked.

 

"I don’t know there’s something about him, I just don’t know what it is.   And I had a feeling that if I left Brooklyn that I wouldn’t be able to figure it out.   And then I was also afraid that Spot would hurt him if I wasn’t around to make sure he controlled his temper." Laces shrugged.

 

"I really pity poor Jack.   He really does love you, you know." Pockets put his hand on Laces shoulder.

 

"I know, but Pockets, I can’t only be there for him.   There are other people in my life," Laces responded.

 

"Yeah well still, I think you should learn how to show Jack you love him as much as I know you do," Pockets responded.

 

"Maybe I should.   I don’t want Spot to find me today, I think I’ll go back not tomorrow but the day after.   Do you think that would work?" Laces responded.

 

"He’s going to come here tomorrow and he’s going to be mad.   I just hope that whatever poor bird you talked into not telling him for a few hours doesn’t get killed." Pockets crossed his arms.

 

"I did not do anything of the sort," Laces responded.

 

"Whatever you say, I know you did.   It was a guy, wasn’t it.   You are a charmer." Pockets shook his head.

 

"Oh, go away Pockets Harper." Laces sighed.

 

"Right away.   Cause I do everything you ask." Pockets laughed as he got up and kissed Laces hand.   Then he walked to the door and stopped.

 

"Laces, can I ask you to promise me something?" Pockets asked.

 

"What?" Laces responded.

 

"Before you get married, to make sure we have one more kiss," Pockets responded.

 

"A kiss huh?  We really were good at kissing." Laces smiled remember the many times her and Pockets had kissed.   They had enjoyed it, it had always been one of Laces favorite things to do.

 

"Sure Pockets, but I don’t think I am getting married anytime soon." Laces laughed.

 

"Things change before you know it," he responded before walking out.   Laces nodded and stared out the window, she had decided she was leaving soon.   Leaving the rose and heading to Caroline’s.   It would have to be done in a way that the birds didn’t notice though.   She hoped that they would not see her leave and then it would take the whole day to try and find her in the morning.   She would be away from Spot for enough time that would make him believe that he wouldn’t be able to stop her from staying in Brooklyn.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Laces walked out of her room and crawled down the hall quietly trying to make sure that the floor would not squeak.   As soon as Laces got to the stairs a door creaked open.   Laces took a deep breath and stood very still hoping that whoever it was that had opened the door would not notice her.

 

"Is that you Laces?" Scorch called out into the hall looking at Laces.

 

"Sh, yeah it’s me." Laces nodded.

 

"’fraid Conlon is gonna come looking for ya ‘fore the end of nightfall?" Scorch walked over avoiding the floor boards she knew creaked.

 

"Maybe, I just need Conlon to understand he can’t boss me around." Laces crossed her arms.

 

"At least you getting smarter about it." Scorch laughed.

 

"Maybe I am." Laces shrugged.

 

"Well, I’ll tell you what, when he does come looking here I’ll distract him for you." Scorch got a look of pure evil on her face.   Laces laughed and worried at the same time about what Scorch was going to do to Spot.   They hadn’t liked each other for as long as she could remember and even for as long as they could remember.

 

"Thanks Scorch." Laces started down the stairs.

 

"Ah, and Laces go out the window in the kitchen.   If they’re watching you, they are just watching the front and you’re window.   And maybe the back, but if you come out that window you are in the dark and on the side they’re not watching." Scorch winked as she walked back to her room.   Laces giggled a bit and crept down the stairs towards the kitchen.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Matches sat on the fire escape across from the Irish Rose building, the moon was full and right above his head.

 

"Well, I think it’s about time Spot got put out of his misery." Matches shook his head, as he pulled the cigarette he had in his mouth out and took a deep breath before letting out a loud solid whistle.   Then he started a small tune quickly and sat there.   Soon enough someone popped a head above him.

 

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!" the girls demanded.

 

"Watching Laces, where else would I have been.   I can’t exactly take my eyes off of the kid, she kind of has a habit of getting lost," Matches responded as he put the cigarette back in his mouth.

 

"Yeah, sure.   Well?  She’s with Spades, God Conlon has been going up the wall.   Calling us almost every hour to see if we’ve found her." RB shook her head.

 

"Yeah, well.   We’ve found her, you better go tell him." Matches puffed out some smoke.

 

"Yeah, yeah.   He’ll probably come out here right now." Relic nodded and disappeared.   Matches stared back at the window and frowned.

 

"Would she?" he questioned softly to himself.   "She wouldn’t.” He shook his head.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

There was a light tapping on Spot’s window, Spot quickly went over and opened it.

 

"You’ve found her?" Spot demanded.

 

"Yeah, Matches has been following her all this time, she finally seemed to settle at Spades," Relic responded panting a bit.

 

"I am going to kill that goyl." Spot growled a bit.   He picked up his slingshot and stuck it in his pocket.   Then he grabbed his cane and threw his hat on before heading out the door.

 

"Ya welcome!" Relic called after him before she jumped down back into the alley to head to the nest for some rest.   Spot walked out of the lodging house and headed over to the Irish Rose, ready to bring Laces back to the lodging house if he didn’t decided to walk her over to Manhattan the minute he got her back.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Laces knocked on the door to her sister’s apartment, almost as soon as she knocked the first time the lights went on and Jim opened the door.   Caroline stood behind him in her night gown looking worried.

 

"Sorry to be here this late," Laces mumbled.   Caroline quickly made a fuss and pulled her in.

 

"Is anything wrong?  Are you all right?" she demanded as she hurried into the kitchen to make tea.

 

"Everything is fine, I was just wondering if you would let me sleep on your couch?" Laces asked as she sat down.

 

"Why?" Jim asked puzzled.

 

"Oh, I am having a bit of a disagreement at the lodging house," Laces responded quietly.

 

"What have you done to Spot?" Caroline frowned as she looked up from her tea.

 

"I haven’t done anything to Spot.   I just need some place to sleep, so is it all right if I spend the night here?" Laces asked getting defensive.   Caroline always had a certain respect for Spot and Jack.   And even though she loved her sister dearly, Caroline knew she was a handful and Spot and Jack had to deal with her.

 

"Of course you may stay, there is an extra cot in Scott’s room.   Feel free to sleep there tonight.   Here dear have this cup of tea you must be altered." Caroline brought her the tea and sat down for a minute.

 

"I am heading back to bed, good night Audrey." Jim yawned and walked into the room.   Caroline stared at her sister for a moment.

 

"You’re not going to tell me what happened?" she asked.   Laces shook her head.

 

"It wasn’t that important I just needed to get out of the lodging house," Laces responded.

 

"Does Spot know where you are?" Caroline asked.

 

"Spot always knows where I am." Laces nodded.   Caroline frowned but shrugged she stood up and put her hand on Laces’s forehead.   She then pushed her head back and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

 

"Goodnight, get some sleep baby sister," she replied before heading back to her room.   Laces frowned for a moment, it had been years since Caroline had called her baby sister, since anyone had referred to her as baby anything.   She sighed as she finished her tea and walked quietly over to the couch where she fell asleep quickly.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Spot arrived at the Irish Rose and walked in not caring if all the girls were asleep.   He walked up the stairs loud enough and to wake anyone who was trying to sleep.   All the girls came out of their rooms and stood in the hall when Spot came to view.

 

"Conlon?  Couldn’t this wait until morning?" Spades demanded.

 

"Where is she?" he demanded.   Angel pointed to the door next to her and Spades.   Spot walked over and Scorch softly made his hat fall off.   He didn’t notice as he walked over to the door that Angel had pointed at and opened the door.

 

"LACES!  GET UP!" he shouted.   He walked into the room to find it empty.   He walked back out.   The girls were still standing there, his hat was on the ground but he still didn’t notice.   Scorch had started smoking a cigarette.

 

"Where is she?" he asked again.

 

"She was there." Spades shrugged.

 

"She left, she wasn’t going to wait around for you to come and get her," Pockets replied.

 

"Where did she go?" Spot glared at Pockets.   That’s when Scorch dropped her cigarette right onto Spot’s hat.

 

"I really don’t know where she is." Pockets shrugged.

 

"Hey Conlon, weren’t you wearing a hat when you came in here?" Shady asked, as she noticed what Scorch was doing.   Spot ran his hand through his hair and suddenly scanned the floor.   He walked over and snatched his hat up from the ground to find that there was a scorch mark on it in the middle.

 

"I don’t believe you!" Spot glared at Scorch.

 

"What?  I didn’t do nothing," she replied.

 

"You did this to my hat!" Spot pointed to the spot that had the mark on it.

 

"Me, do something like that to the oh so powerful Spot Conlon, the one and only Brooklyn leader." Scorch threw her hands up and started waving them and mock bowing to Spot.

 

"You have always been rather jealous, seeing as you can’t even steal correctly.   Spades only took you into her gang out of pity." Spot gritted his teeth.

 

"Hey you two quit it and grow up.” Spades stamped her foot.   But neither Spot nor Scorch moved or stopped staring at each other.

 

"I can fix that scorch mark on your cap Conlon," Scorch offered.

 

"Right, I don’t trust you." Spot frowned.   Scorch pulled out her small match box that maintain in her pocket at all times and with a flick of her wrist had a flame going.   She held it up near Spot’s cap.

 

"SCORCH!  You put that match out right now." Spades glared at Scorch.   And Blue was walking over to her.   Spot and Scorch still didn’t move though.   Blue grabbed Scorch’s hand and blew out the match just before the flame caught her fingers.   Blue glared at Scorch and then at Spot.

 

"Conlon, I’ll help ya find the kid tomorrow.   All right, it’s late we ain’t going to find her now.   And I know that we shouldn’t have let her stay here, but Conlon, she trusts us, and it’s betta to have her here then somewhere ya wouldn’t be able to find her." Blue shrugged.   Spot let out a frustrated sigh.

 

"Why don’t you stay here tonight.   She might come back," Candy suggested.

 

"It is late Conlon.   You might as well." Angel nodded.   Spot shrugged and walked over to the room that Laces had been staying in.   Spades grabbed his arm.

 

"The next time you come storming in here, you be polite about it at least," she warned.   "It ain’t like you don’t know the kid’s safe if she’s here."

 

"She isn’t here still is she Spades?" He frowned.   She glared at him before she walked into her room and slammed the door.

 

"We’ll talk about this tomorrow." Blue looked at Scorch with a flicker of anger.   Scorch shrugged.

 

"I always wanted to set Conlon’s hat on fire." She walked back into her room.   Shady and Vigor crawled back into their rooms.   Stage and Tapper held onto their girls.

 

"You girls live strange lives." Stage sighed.

 

"We did." Candy sighed as they walked back into their own rooms.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

It was morning and Caroline was up making breakfast and Jim was getting dressed.   Scott jumped out of his room and noticed Laces sleeping on the couch.

 

"LACES!" Scott jumped on the couch and Laces stumbled a bit before opening her eyes.

 

"Morning," she groaned.   Caroline laughed.

 

"Aren’t we a ray of sunshine in the morning?" she called over.

 

"I never have been," Laces responded.   Scott smiled brightly.

 

"What you doing here?" he asked.

 

"Trying to sleep," Laces moaned.   Scott laughed and walked away and sat down at the table.   Laces sat up and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes before walking to the table and fixing her hair.   As Jim came out of his room there was a knock at the door.

 

"I wonder who could be here this early in the morning," Caroline said.   Jim frowned and walked over to the door and Laces jumped up and ducked behind the counter of the kitchen.   When Jim opened the door there stood a tall boy with Shaggy hair.

 

"Good Morning, I am sorry to be coming this early in the morning but I have reason to believe that my dear friend Audrey is here," he said.

 

"Yeah, she’s right there.” Scott pointed behind the counter not noticing the gestures that Laces was making as she was shaking her head.

 

"May I ask why you are looking for her?" Jim asked the boy.

 

"Oh, she knows why I am looking for her, don’t you Laces," the boy said.   Laces crawled out from behind the counter and smiled.

 

"Morning Crit." Laces waved.   Critter frowned at her.

 

"You here now." Critter pointed to Laces and beckoned her over.

 

"See you later Caroline, and I’ll come visit ya later Squirt." Laces followed Critter out the door and Jim nodded at her before closing the door.

 

"I don’t believe you." Critter shook his head.

 

"What?  I just didn’t want Spot and Jack to think they could tell me what to do." Laces shrugged.

 

"Audrey, this isn’t a game and you know it.   They’re in charge, you have to listen to them and you shouldn’t ever forget that." Critter shook his head.

 

"Ah, lighten up Crit.   They have never really told me what to do." Laces shrugged.

 

"Do you need me to come back around, I don’t want you to run a muck again.   You are so irresponsible.   Spot is probably very worried." Critter frowned.   Laces slumped a bit.

 

"Oh, and never ever do I want to hear that you talked my birds into not telling Spot something.   Wait until I get a hold of Matches, that boy is going to get it.” Critter growled a bit.   Laces cringed at the words.   He never did like interference with his birds.   She knew that he was angrier about her talking Matches out of telling Spot then about her disappearing for two days.

 

"I didn’t talk Matches out of anything," Laces replied trying desperately not to sound guilty.   Critter shook his head as he dangerously turned to face Laces.

 

"I’ve told you many times how bad you are at lying.   Don’t lie to me, not about my birds." Critter had a tight grip on Laces arm as he glared down at her eyes.

 

"Crit, it wasn’t his fault," Laces finally mumbled.

 

"I’m sure it was.   How he can let you talk him out of something is beyond me.   And you should know better." Critter let go of her arm and kept walking.

 

"I don’t want to go back to Manhattan," Laces replied.

 

"Why?  I can’t only be because you want to stay for Candy and Cheeky.   I heard Jack and Spot were going to let you stay the two nights before they left, you don’t need a week and you usually are one to compromise so there has to be something else that you wanted from this stay." Critter sent Laces a side look.

 

"That’s the only reason I wanted stay." Laces nodded.   Critter growled and shoved his hands into his pockets.

 

"Fine, maybe there is another reason," Laces ventured to say.

 

"It has to do with that boy, Matt." Critter sighed.

 

"How do you do it!" Laces jumped a little as she grabbed Critter’s arm.

 

"I, my dear, have my ways." Critter shrugged.   "Now, what is it about the boy?"

 

"There is something about him, I just think that him and Spot are going to have problems getting along." Laces grinned.

 

"And that worries you only because you don’t want Spot to hurt the boy?" Critter demanded.

 

"I don’t want him to hurt him." Laces nodded.

 

"But why?  What made you like this boy so much, hasn’t he only been around for a day?" Critter frowned.

 

"I don’t know, there is something about him." Laces shrugged.   Critter nodded in agreement.

 

"He might be trouble Audrey," he warned.

 

"I’m trouble," Laces responded carelessly.

 

"Maybe you are and that might be why I am warning you that this boy might be more trouble.   You don’t need more trouble, you need to grow out of it." Critter smirked.

 

"Never will I grow out of it." Laces winked.   They were standing in front of the Brooklyn Lodging House.

 

"Now, you stay here.   Understood.   I am going to go get Spot.   If you move from this spot before I come back here with Conlon I will make sure you are sorry Audrey Alexandra Kai." Critter gave her a solemn look before walking away.   Laces smiled as she stepped into the lodging house.

 

"Why Laces?  I thought Spot went to get you last night?  Where is he?" Rick looked behind her in search of Spot.   Laces laughed.

 

"Critter brought me back, he just went to go get Spot."

 

"So, there was someone to tame our wildcat?” Rick laughed.

 

"Tame?  There’s a wildcat around here?" Laces sounded shocked.

 

"LACES!" Bottle Cap stood at the top of the stairs.   Laces turned and smiled brightly at the boy.

 

"Don’t say a word about it Cap," Laces responded.

 

"How could you!  You’re supposed to be acting older and all you do is act the same age you were when you came here," Cap said as he walked down the stairs.

 

"Come on Cap, Spot’s going to give me a lecture, I know you don’t want to give me one too." Laces hugged Cap, he was almost as tall as her now.

 

"I wish you thought about things before you went and did them," Cap mumbled.   "No, I won’t lecture you on anything.   But I still don’t believe what you put poor Jack and Spot through, if I was Spot I wouldn’t put up with ya." Cap shook his head.

 

"Oh, yes you would.   Cause you love me." Laces ruffled Cap’s hair a little before running up the stairs.

 

"She is something else." Rick laughed.

 

"That she must be." Cap nodded.   Laces walked into the bunkroom and sighed.   All the boys had gone to sell papers, she looked at the window and saw Matches drop down onto the fire escape.   He tapped on the window and motioned for her to open it.   Laces frowned and walked over and pulled the window open.

 

"I TOLD YOU NOT TO PULL ANYTHING!" Matches glared at Laces.

 

"Sorry Matches, but I couldn’t let Spot think he had so much power over me.   This will remind him that I have a mind of my own and that he can’t tell me what to do." Laces shrugged.   Matches placed his hands on her shoulders and shook her a bit.

 

"Do you know that Critter O’Connell is going to kill me, he’s going to throw me into the East River and make sure that I drown in an attempt to get back to the dock because he would have tied me down to the bank with a barrel!" Matches said frantically.

 

"I’m working on him, so if he does throw you into the East River, he won’t tie you down and will let you swim back to the dock without drowning you.   I promise." Laces pried his fingers off her shoulders.

 

There was a long whistle from the outside and Matches pulled himself away from Laces.

 

"Spot and Critter are back," he whispered before jumping out the window and shutting it from the outside and disappearing the way he came.

 

“WHERE IS SHE?" Spot yelled downstairs.

 

"Calm down Spot, she’s right upstairs," Cap replied in a much softer tone.

 

"She better have not gone anywhere." Spot walked upstairs.   Critter and Cap followed behind him and Rick sat shaking his head.   Spot entered the bunkroom and saw Laces sitting on a top bunk near the window.

 

"YOU ARE THE MOST UNREASONABLE PERSON!  HOW COULD YOU!  YOU KNOW WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED!" Spot was yelling loudly and Critter walked in to silence him.

 

"Conlon, stop yelling," Critter commanded.   Spot shot him a glare, but softened his tone a little, but was still talking fiercely.

 

"Things have happened before, how could you just get up and disappear for a day!  You know what I could have thought.   I might have thought you were dead.   You could have been, we don’t know if there are still people out there who want you’re pretty little head dead.   Dead Laces, that means without life and you were running around the city with no one who knew where you were and no way to protect yourself." Spot sighed.   Laces stared out the window.

 

"I’m sorry Spot, but I wasn’t going to Manhattan and I still ain’t." Laces shook her head.

 

"Fine but you disobey one of my orders like this again, and I swear Laces Kai, that I will kick you out of Brooklyn for three months," Spot warned.   "And I will make sure that you are allowed nowhere near here."

 

"Fine Spot." Laces nodded.

 

"Now, about this whole thing Laces.   I have discussed with Spot the need of you having an escort around the city in case of any trouble that may come up.   We’ve both decided to ask Blue to do it." Critter informed her.

 

"What?   Why? Nothing is happening.   There isn’t anything dangerous going on," Laces whined.

 

"Stop you’re whining." Cap sighed.

 

"Blue has agreed and he is the only one we know of that you can’t charm talk into something," Critter finished.   Laces cast her eyes to the floor.

 

"Understood Laces?" Spot asked.

 

"Yeah, understood Conlon," She replied.   Spot nodded and walked away across the hall.

 

"Critter," Laces whispered.

 

"What?" Critter asked as he walked towards her.

 

"Is there something going on that I don’t know about?" she asked.

 

"There is always more going on that you don’t know about my dear.   Don’t start worrying your pretty little head about them now." Critter sighed.

 

"Please, don’t kill Matches." Laces sighed.

 

"I won’t kill him." Critter nodded.   "But I might hurt him." That’s when Critter walked out of the room.

 

"Well I promised you he wouldn’t kill you." Laces sighed as she jumped off the bed.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Critter walked down the street a little and then he slipped into the alleyway and climbed up the roof of the nearest building.   There he stood and looked onto the roofs around him and sighed.   He took a deep breath and whistled a long loud whistle and then four short ones that followed quickly after.   Someone crept out from behind a wall.

 

"Matches," Critter said in a parental tone.   Matches did not look up, but kept staring at his shoes, his head hanging low.

 

"And who’s with you?" Critter said staring behind Matches.   That’s when the second person crept out from behind the wall.

 

"Heya Crit." Sugar bit her lower lip as she tried to look at Critter.

 

"Of course, I should have guessed.   It would be either you or Dais." Critter shook his head.

 

"Now Crit, there ain’t nothing..." Sugar started.   Critter shook his head though and crossed his arms over his chest.

 

"Sug, go home.   Now," he added in haste.   Sugar stood there looking dumbfounded for a moment and then pushed her blonde hair out of her face and shot one last look at Matches with her blue eyes.   Then she took off running down the rooftops as best she could.

 

"I don’t believe you.   Did I teach you nothing?" Critter started pacing.   Matches leaned against the nearest ledge.

 

"Sure Crit, but the kid was just so set.   I couldn’t well break her heart.   She just wanted to stay away from Conlon and who could blame her he is more on the controlling side." Matches didn’t lift his eyes.   Critter was glaring at him and even if Matches wasn’t looking he well knew and shuddered at the thought.

 

"I’ve told you about that girl!  I have told you a million times, everyone knows and understands!  She can’t not be controlled.   Conlon needs control, she could get very hurt, there could be chaos, do you want everything to fall apart!  She could do that, she could make everything fall apart.   She almost has, many times because people like you let her talk you into things!" Critter was closer to Matches now and pointing at him.

 

"Crit, I was watching her," Matches whispered.

 

"That’s why she wasn’t there when Spot got there, that’s why she slipped away to Caroline’s and no one knew where she was for a few hours.   Lucky for you that Chesa was paying attention to her.   Otherwise we really wouldn’t know where she was.   What if something had happened to her, people in this town aren’t stupid they know how much power she has.   You know what kind of problems we’re having.   We don’t know what could happened, and with that Italy kid here." Critter was shaking his head.

 

"Crit, look it won’t happen again." Matches now looked up.

 

"It better not, if something ever happened to that goyl it wouldn’t be me killing ya," Critter said.

 

"I know, I understand." Matches nodded.

 

"Ya got a good heart kid, but Laces is smart she knows how to talk people into things, you just gotten toughen up a bit." Critter winked.

 

"What like you?  She would be scared of me then." Matches shook his head.

 

"She is scared of me, but only when she knows she should be.   Like the rest of you." Critter nodded as he looked out over the city.

 

"Do you think there will ever be no problems, nothing to deal with?" Matches suddenly asked.

 

"Yeah, sure maybe one day.   But then what would we do with our time?" Critter sighed.

 

"Maybe have some fun?" Matches shrugged as he put his hands in his pockets and stood up.

 

"Fun, maybe.   Now, I was nice compared to what Jasper is going to be." Critter looked at Matches.   Matches cringed.

 

"I knew there was a reason you were being so nice about it."

 

"Jasper is about ready to throw you off a building, or at least he was the last time I talked to him." Critter smirked.   Matches grabbed his cap as he bent it a little.

 

"Great," he mumbled.   "Just what I need.”

 

"I’m sure Jasper can’t be as bad as I can." Critter added darkly.   "Because if you would like I can fix it so Jasper won’t say a word."

 

"Nah, I better get going before Jasper has himself a kid over me." Matches started running.   Critter laughed and Chesa jumped up from the fire escape.

 

"The kid really is scared of you." Chesa nodded.

 

"Which one?" Critter frowned.

 

"All of them are, I guess." Chesa nodded.

 

"Someone has to keep them in line sometimes." Critter shrugged.

 

"So these problems, you think we’re going to get involved?" Chesa asked.

 

"We already are dear, we already are.   But I have a feeling we’ve just started." Critter put his arm around Chesa.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

It was early morning and the boys were at the selling docks in Manhattan, Jack was off in a corner talking with Blink.

 

"Jack, there have been more and more thugs around.   No one has been hurt, but they’ve been around.   They asking questions about someone.   They have started here, but I think they’re just trying to figure out if we have what they want," Blink said in a desperate tone.

 

"Who are they asking for?" Jack asked.

 

"No one really knows, they haven’t asked any of our boys.   I don’t even think that the thugs are sure of who they’re looking for." Blink shook his head.

 

"Then how do they know they’re looking for him, We need to find out more.   Jeez, Laces is taking this time from the birds.   They could be finding answers." Jack took a sigh of regret.

 

"She doesn’t know Jacky boy, She doesn’t really know why she can’t be in Brooklyn." Blink patted his friend on the back.

 

"They even got an Italy boy there now though, we ain’t sure if he plays a part though.   Not yet." Jack shook his head.

 

"Maybe if we told her, she would come back on her own and listen," Blink suggested.

 

"She’s Laces, she never has done it before not even when we’ve been at war.   She only thinks after she’s done something and even then she doesn’t." Jack shook his head.

 

"What about the baby?" Blink looked around and saw Pixie was playing with Sand.

 

"She’s been offered a home, I think we’re going to take her there." Jack followed Blink’s gaze.

 

"Does Laces know about it?" Blink looked surprised.

 

"She does, we’re not supposed to." Jack nodded.

 

"GET YOUR PAPES!" A loud voice boomed and Jack and Blink left their conversation without much thought and got their papers.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

"Rise and Shine!" Blue pulled open the curtain in Scorch’s room, and Spades stood near the bed as she pulled off the sheets.

 

"Ah, go away.   I don’t got to work today," Scorch moaned.

 

"YOU ALMOST SET THE PLACE ON FIRE LAST NIGHT GET OUT OF THAT BED!" Spades screamed.   Scorch fell out of bed and groaned as she blinked a few times.

 

"Ah lighten up a little Spades, I ain’t set nothing on fire in a year or two," Scorch mumbled as she lifted herself from the floor.

 

"Scorch hand me the box of matches." Blue held out his hand.

 

"What?” Scorch jumped.

 

"We should have taken them a long time ago." Spades nodded.

 

"I’ve had this box of matches for years, it’s the only thing I took from my parents.   The only thing I have to remind me of anything before this gang.   You can’t have it." Scorch clutched her pocket where she kept the box.

 

"Scorch, you almost set this building on fire, you know what that would have meant for us?" Spades glared at Scorch’s pocket.

 

"Look, I am sorry about that, but I didn’t mean to set anything on fire and nothing happened, can’t we let it be." Scorch shrugged.

 

"No, we can’t just let it be, tell you what, you dump the matches of the box into my hand and I’ll keep them for a while.   You can keep the box and one day I will give you the matches back." Blue held out his hand.

 

"What if I get new matches?" Scorch frowned.

 

"We wouldn’t know." Spades shrugged.

 

"What if I want to light a cigarette?" Scorch asked.

 

"You always have matches in that box, I know you.   But there are a few that you’ve never used, the ones that have been in that box since the night you ran away," Spades stated.

 

"You want those matches, you don’t care that I have matches, just that I have those matches?  The ones that I will never light?" Scorch sounded confused.

 

"Maybe you’ll remember to think before you light them, when you see that they’re not there." Blue shrugged as he held his hand out once again.

 

"Fine," Scorch mumbled as she took the box out of her pocket.   The box was worn from the years it had been thrown by Scorch.   She opened it carefully and spilled the few matches that were in the box into Blue’s hand.

 

"Thanks Scorch." Blue nodded as he set them in his pocket.   "Now, Spades here has a few more things to say to you but I got to head over to the selling docks, I have been asked to be Laces’s escort for a little while." Blue sighed.

 

"They afraid there might be trouble?" Scorch asked.

 

"There well might be." Blue nodded.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Laces was sound asleep in the morning when Spot came pounding in.

 

"WAKE UP!" he said loudly, she just covered her head with a pillow and ignored him.   Spot started poking at her when Matt passed the door, he was whistling a song.   Laces sat up.

 

"Where was that coming from?" she asked Spot.   Spot looked at her with a puzzled face.

 

"What are you talking about?"

 

"The song, someone was whistling," Laces replied impatiently.

 

"I don’t know, I think one of the boys was whistling in the hallway." Spot shrugged.   "Get up, we have to go sell papers."

 

Laces stood up and stretched, the song, had she imagined that one of the boys was whistling it.   Could it be that one of them knew it, the song that she hadn’t heard in years.   She got ready quickly and pushed the thought into the back of her mind.

 

"So you went to Caroline’s?" Cap asked as he joined Laces at the selling docks.

 

"Yeah, I did." Laces nodded.

 

"How’s Scott?" Cap asked.

 

“He’s growing so big." Laces smiled.

 

"Laces be careful around here and don’t try to get away from Blue." Cap warned.

 

"There is something going on isn’t there, something bad?" Laces whispered to Cap.   Cap shrugged.

 

"If there is, just promise not to cause more problems," Cap begged.

 

"You know what it is?" Laces titled her head a bit as she stared at Cap.

 

"I know what you’re thinking and I won’t tell you." Cap shook his head determined.

 

"No, I was just thinking when did you grow up.   When did he start trusting you so much?" Laces wondered aloud.

 

"He’s always trusted me, almost tried to teach me.   And even now, after he knew that I couldn’t he still keeps trusting me, teaching me more out of habit I guess," Cap said more to himself sadly.   "But Laces, Promise?"

 

"Look Cap, I promise to stay out of what I can, and not make things worse, as long as I can help it," Laces said as she kissed Cap on the forehead and walked away to get her papers.

 

"You and her brother and sister?" A voice said from behind Cap.

 

"What?" Cap spun around ready to attack.

 

"You and her, you like brother and sister?" Matt was leaning against the wall staring at Cap.

 

"We are as close as we can get for each other." Cap nodded.

 

"What we’re you two talking about?  Why is everyone so worried about her?" Matt asked.

 

"She’s just known to cause trouble." Cap shrugged and walked away.   Matt nodded and also walked over to get his papers.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Blue and Laces were walking near the bridge, neither had talked much all morning, but the silence was eating at Laces and she had to know more about things that was going on.

 

"Blue,” Laces started.

 

"What Laces?" Blue said looking down at her.

 

"Do you know what else is going on?" Laces asked as she took another paper from under her arm and held it up.

 

"Going on with what?" Blue said as he sold a paper to a man passing by.

 

"With Brooklyn and Manhattan.   There’s something more, isn’t there.   There has to be, no one has told me though and I haven’t noticed anything out of place," Laces mumbled.

 

"I ain’t informed of anything myself." Blue shrugged.   Laces glared at him though as she sold her papers.

 

"Come on Blue, I know you know.   You’re Blue O’Riley, of course you know what’s going on." Laces sighed.

 

"I ain’t telling you a thing, even if I do know.   So you might as well not waste your breath," Blue shot back at her.

 

"Why is no one telling me!  I have a right to know." Laces stamped her foot.

 

"You also got a responsibility to listen to what Spot and Jack say, I don’t see you fighting for that one." Blue winked at her as he moved a bit away.   Laces pouted, she needed to know what was going on.   It couldn’t have been that bad though she kept telling herself because if it was really bad then they would tell her.   They would have no choice but to tell her, she mumbled to herself.

 

"You minding Blue?" A voice said from behind her.   Laces spun around and saw Chesa sitting there.

 

"What do you want?" Laces crossed her arms.

 

"Well, someone is in a bad mood." Chesa shrugged as she twirled her hat.

 

"I don’t like having babysitters," Laces mumbled.

 

"Oh poor baby, maybe if you didn’t get into so many scrapes there would be no need for you to have so many." Chesa shrugged.

 

"Critter tell you to keep an eye on me?" Laces asked.

 

"Maybe he did, maybe he didn’t.   I could just be bored and like watching you because you are one of the more interesting ones to watch." Chesa shrugged.

 

"Do you know what’s going on?" Laces suddenly asked.

 

"No idea." Chesa rolled her eyes, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

 

"Right, you are a boyd and all." Laces nodded as she licked her lips.

 

"I ain’t telling you a thing if that’s what you getting at.   Not a word," Chesa said.

 

"Why not?" Laces whined.

 

"You don’t need to know.   Learn something kid, when there’s something you need to know people will tell you, when there is something that no one tells you it’s because it’s better for you or them for you not to know," Chesa said and with that she walked away and quickly disappeared.

 

"She has a point." Blue nodded and held out his hands for some of Laces’s papers.   He had finished selling his when she was busy with Chesa.

 

"Thanks," Laces mumbled.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Matt was selling with Cap that day and Spot was selling by himself.   He was near the docks when he heard a familiar whistle and he motioned his head for the docks and heard a response.   When he arrived at the docks there stood Jasper a familiar face.

 

"Hey Jasper what you doing out of the nest?  Critter decided to take charge again?" Spot joked lightly.   Jasper grinned for a moment and then went back to the solemn look on his face.

 

"Conlon, I don’t bring good news.   The problems are getting worse.   I don’t know if the kids should be over there." Jasper shook his head.   Spot lowered his head a moment and then looked at Jasper.

 

"What else has happened?" Spot asked.

 

"I ain’t really sure, but more and more of those characters are around Manhattan and some are starting to head over here.   I ain’t sure what they’re looking for.   No one has been able to find out.   But Daisy has been watching the old man, he’s nervous apparently.   Very nervous, getting ready to leave town," Jasper whispered.

 

"The one with the kid?" Spot nodded.

 

"That’s the one." Jasper nodded.

 

"All right, one or two more days, and then no more within the place.   Just in our usual spots.   They all know how to make a quick get away from our usual spots, right?" Spot asked.   Jasper nodded.

 

"They are fast about it too." Jasper nodded.

 

"Inform me if anything serious happens, as soon as it happens, understood?" Spot said his eyes shimmering.

 

"Ever stopped to think this might not have anything to do with us and we’re getting involved in a dangerous situation without having a need to?" Jasper replied.

 

"I think about it sometimes, but we keep doing it this way." Spot nodded determined.   Jasper nodded and walked away.

 

"But Jasper, anything bad happens they all pull out, quick.   I don’t care if we don’t get the whole story," Spot said after him.   Jasper started whistling and never turned back as he disappeared into an alley.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

"So what you running from?" Cap asked Matt as he sold his last paper.   Matt shot him a glare and shrugged.

 

"Things," he responded.

 

"What kind of things, I mean you can tell me you know.   I have a feeling we’re going to be living together for a while.   You might as well have someone to talk to," Cap responded.

 

"How do you know I would want to talk to you," Matt replied.

 

"I am just saying you could, I am a good listener." Cap shrugged.   "But I ain’t saying you have to.   I don’t care if you do or don’t."

 

"Right, you ain’t like the rest of these boys." Matt squinted.

 

"I am a Brooklyn Boy." Cap gripped his fists.

 

"No doubt, I see that.   But there’s something different about you." Matt shrugged.   "But whatever, I don’t care."

 

"I’m sure you don’t." Cap shrugged.   He wasn’t in the mood to deal with someone who had such an attitude, but Spot had told him to sell with Matt just to make sure there was nothing wrong with him and if something happened to him to get him out of there.

 

They sold in silence with a comment every so often, mostly a mocking each other or grinding each other’s nerves, never really trying to be friends.   Both of them were against it, Cap because Matt had tried to beat up one of his closest friends and Matt against Cap because he couldn’t figure him out.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

The day was ending and night was falling Blue left Laces at the lodging house watching her walk back into the house and then turning around and leaving again.   Laces stepped into the lobby and stared over at Rick.

 

"Evening Rick, how are you?" Laces asked.   Rick smiled up at her.

 

"He’s upstairs by himself.   Cap seems to have gone off somewhere," Rick responded.

 

"Who would that be?" Laces wondered out loud.

 

"The one you’ve been curious about lately," Rick responded.

 

"Oh, Spot isn’t around?" Laces bit her lower lip.

 

"No, he’s still out.   Hasn’t been back yet." Rick nodded.   Laces walked up the stairs and stared into the bunkroom.

 

"Matt?" she called in.   Matt popped his head up from one of the top bunks near the back of the room.   Laces stared at him and smiled brightly.

 

"How was your day of selling?" Laces asked.

 

"It was all right.” Matt shrugged.

 

"Is something wrong?" Laces asked as she took steps closer to the boy’s bunk.

 

"Ah, nah.   Just thinking about something that’s all," Matt responded.

 

"Well, tell me about it.   Maybe I could help you with whatever it is you are having a problem with," Laces responded.

 

"Maybe, I don’t think that you’re boyfriend and Spot would like it if you got involved though," Matt responded.

 

"They wouldn’t would they?  Then you might as well tell me cause I am bound to find out.   I have a certain habit of doing things they don’t like me doing." Laces smiled in her trouble making way.   Matt laughed.

 

"Well, I can’t tell you right now cause I was planning on leaving anyway." Matt jumped down from the bunk and laughed.

 

"Where are you going?" Laces demanded.

 

"Me, I am going somewhere." Matt shrugged and walked out of the bunkroom.   Laces followed him much like she had once followed Spot around when they had first meet.

 

"Where is somewhere?" she asked again.

 

"It’s a place that is somewhere." Matt shrugged.   Laces would not leave him alone though and continued on his tail and walked out of the lodging house.

 

"Where are you two going?" Rick replied.

 

"Somewhere!" Laces replied.

 

"Is that what I am supposed to tell Spot when he comes back here?  That you went somewhere!" Rick called after them but they were already out of hearing distance.

 

"Are you still following me?” Matt demanded when he turned around.

 

"I am not going to stop.   I want to know where you are going." Laces crossed her arms and continued to follow him.

 

"Come on, Isn’t Spot going to kill you over this or something of that sort?" Matt whined a little.

 

"Why don’t you want me to go?" Laces asked as she skipped up to be walking right next to him.

 

"I don’t want you to get hurt," Matt mumbled.

 

"What?  Why would I get hurt, what are you going to do?" Laces asked.

 

"I am going to do something I should have done a long time ago.   Maybe that way I would get rid of my problems," Matt responded.

 

"What is it that you should have done?" Laces asked.

 

"Something.   The less you know about it the better it is for you.   That way if anything goes wrong you can’t get hurt more," Matt responded.   "Even though it would be better if you just didn’t come all together."

 

"I am going to come now, you should learn something that if you tell me not to do something the first thing that I am going to do is to go and do it," Laces said in a determined tone.

 

"Is it now?  I will keep that in mind.   Maybe you should come with me," Matt stated.

 

"See now that ain’t going to work, because I already know that you really don’t want me to go with you and so I ain’t going anywhere.   You should just get use to the idea.   Don’t you think?" Laces demanded.

 

"Fine.   But if anything goes wrong and I ask you to run, you do it all right?” Matt asked.

 

"I don’t like the way you think you can order me around," Laces stated.   Matt stopped though and turned to Laces and put his arms on her shoulders.

 

"Please, promise me that if I say run you will run." Matt looked straight at Laces.   Laces nodded giving up to his intense look.

 

"Where are we going?" Laces asked.

 

"I still ain’t going to tell you, maybe if you don’t know you will give up and leave me alone,” Matt responded.

 

"Me leave you alone?  I don’t think so." Laces responded.   They continue to walk in silence for a long while and had Laces been any good at directions she would know where they were going by now.   But she still had no idea, nor was she paying that much attention.

 

"Laces, I need you to be real quiet all right," Matt whispered to Laces as they entered Little Italy.

 

"What are we doing?" Laces whispered back.

 

"You’re not talking and staying out of sight, understood?" Matt responded.   Laces nodded and kept behind Matt while he lead the way to a building in the center of the little village.   Once they arrived at the large brick building Matt scanned for an open window.

 

"All right, I am going in and I don’t want you to move from here," Matt whispered.   Laces said nothing in response and Matt figured that she understood.   He climbed up the worn wall that seemed to already have the bricks in a ladder formation, formed from many years of boys much like Matt climbing up them.   Laces watched quietly from the shadows below him.

 

Matt tapped on the window and a girl with dark night black hair that came flowing down opened it.   She ducked back inside as Matt climbed in and left the window open.

 

"Matthew!" She smiled brightly.

 

"Cammie." Matt hugged the girl.

 

"What are you doing here?  I thought you weren’t coming back.   Isn’t it not safe for you?" Cammie asked, her eyes wide with worry.

 

"Don’t worry about it Cam.   I came back to take care of some business." Matt shrugged as he pushed back his hair, a habit he had when he was nervous.

 

"What business?" Cammie stared at Matt as she crossed her arms over her chest.

 

"Ah, don’t look at me that way Cam." Matt sat down.

 

"You’re going to do something stupid.   That’s the only reason you came here to see me.   You can’t even just come to visit.   Do you at least have a plan?" Cammie looked at the mirror for a moment and fixed her dress.

 

"Well, I left without getting what I wanted," Matt said.

 

"Matt you aren’t going to try and kill them are you, that would be stupider then I thought." Cammie looked terrified for a moment.

 

"Nah, West talked me out of that one.   He said it would be plain stupid I would get nothing out of it, because well even if I did get them killed I would be killed and those guys would just keep working," Matt said.

 

"They would, and they wouldn’t think twice about killing you and you know it." Cam nodded.

 

"Well, that’s half the reason why he sent me away, you know.   To keep me from doing anything stupid that would make them know who I am and get myself killed." He smiled.

 

"So what are you doing here?  Not listening to West, I should get him to smack you around.” Cam glared at Matt.

 

"Don’t tell West a thing, understood?" Matt warned Cammie.

 

"Don’t use that tone of voice with me Matthew." Cammie frowned.

 

"Fine.   But don’t tell him please?" Matt made a long face.

 

"What are you going to do?"

 

"I’m merely going to expose up some things that some of our friends won’t like their friends to know." Matt shrugged.

 

"How are you going to do that?"

 

"Well, I’m going to do it by leaving notes, leading them to clues, things like that.   Nothing to expose myself too much." Matt shrugged again.

 

"In hopes that they will kill each other." Cam shook her head lightly swaying her hair.

 

"Come on Cam, no sermon.   I ain’t really killing ‘em, just doing to them what they did to my father." Matt stood up.

 

"But that won’t make you feel any better and you know it." Cam also stood up.

 

"Maybe not, but at least I did something about it." Matt nodded.

 

"And what would West say?"

 

"He won’t say a thing, cause he won’t know." Matt stared at Cam a second.

 

"I am not promising anything." She shook her head.   Matt took a few steps nearing her making the clear height difference more noticeable.

 

"But you’re a doll who will keep this promise for her friend Matt." Matt nudged her with his head as he rested it on her forehead.

 

"Stop it.   And don’t do anything extremely stupid.   If you don’t come back in an hour then I will go tell West," Cam warned.

 

"An hour and a half." Matt lifted his head a bit but still hovered over her.

 

"No, an hour.   That’s it." Cam pushed him away.   "Get going, the clock is ticking."

 

"Fine." Matt grumbled and walked out the door.   Laces had been hanging at the edge of the window and heard the conversation well.   Deciding she liked Cammie she climbed into the room.

 

"Hello," she whispered.   Cammie jumped and almost screamed, but Laces quickly put a hand to her mouth as a motion to silence her.

 

"Who are you?" Cammie asked.

 

"Laces Kai.   Please to meet you." Laces held out her hand.   Cammie looked like she had seen a ghost.

 

"What?  What did you say your name was?" Cammie stumbled over her own words.

 

"Laces Kai.   The last name sound familiar?  It does to everyone." Laces sighed.

 

“Well, what are you doing here?" Cammie asked.

 

"I was following Matt.   He is staying with the newsies in Brooklyn where I am staying and I was worried about him, which reminds me I was planning on following him." Laces said looking at the door.

 

"I don’t think that’s a great idea." Cammie shook her head.

 

"Well, I know it’s not but I am going to do it anyway." Laces shrugged.

 

"Do you know who he is?" Cam asked.

 

"He’s a boy who’s running away from this place because he doesn’t like his past.   Pass that I don’t know anything." Laces sighed.

 

"You don’t know his name?" Cam stared at Laces.

 

"It’s Matt." Laces nodded.   Cam nodded.

 

"I don’t think you should follow him, but I would feel better if there was someone who was watching him.   He is going to a building three away from here across the street.   It has a door that says "Pizza and Pasta" it’s a restaurant but in the back there’s a whole office and operation.   That’s where Matt’s heading.   I don’t know what you plan to do to get there, but be careful." Cam shook her head and Laces nodded heading out the door of the girl’s room.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

"Rick, why is it so quiet in here?" Spot frowned as he leaned on the counter and signed his name in.   He scanned and saw that Laces as well as Matt were already signed in.

 

"I don’t know." Rick shrugged.

 

"Isn’t Laces here, and Matt?" Spot asked.

 

"They were." Rick nodded not looking up from his paperwork.   Spot was glaring at him from his position on the counter, he had become tense all of a sudden.

 

"Where are they?" Spot asked his voice gaining his smooth silky tone.

 

"They went out, Laces following Matt.   They didn’t really say where they were heading." Rick shrugged.   That’s when there was knock at the door.   Spot frowned and walked over to it opening it.   Daisy stood there panting.

 

"Laces.   Matt.   In.   Little.   Italy." She panted.   Spot’s eyes grew wide.

 

"WHAT?" He pulled Daisy in and closed the door.

 

"Hold on." Daisy took a few deep breaths and then started again.

 

"Matt planning on getting revenge from some men who killed his father.   Laces is following him without really knowing where she’s going.   There’s this house where we followed them to in Italy, a young girl lives there around 12 if not 11.   She has long black hair, and the old man that Matt was with that first night Filly was watching him is named West and could maybe keep Matt from doing anything stupid.   He could get killed.   Cammie, the girl is going to tell West where Matt is, but in an hour.   That’s all I know, they could have found out more since I heard." Daisy took a deep breath.   Spot growled for a second and then whistled loudly.   Someone popped through the door.

 

"More from Filly and Matches.   Matches says they headed to a restaurant, "Pizza and Pasta" where business takes place in the back and Laces is going to try to get in.   And Filly says the old man is at his shop working on fixing a clock," Bookie reported.

 

"I am going to kill them both.   Someone told Jack?" Spot asked Bookie and Daisy.   Bookie took a deep breath before whistling loudly.   There was silence for a moment and then a response.

 

"Relic is going." Spot nodded.

 

"Send message for him to meet me there in front of the Italy with a few of his boys.   And Dais, see if you can locate Bullseye, Fists, Knuckles and Cap," Spot said.   The two birds were gone quickly.

 

"You didn’t send word for Filly?" Rick mentioned.

 

"Filly is a smart girl, she should know what to do." Spot shrugged and prepared his slingshot.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Filly sat watching West from across the street.   West was a older man, with dark skin and hair.   He was well built from years of hard labor and in his old age he had settled into his father’s clock shop where he loved fixing clocks.   Filly sighed as she took a deep breath and sent out a low long whistle.

 

There was a moment delay before someone sent a whistle back and Filly nodded.   She jumped down from her position and quickly ran down to the street and walked over to the clock shop.   She opened the door slowly and the little bell rang as she walked in.   West looked up from his work.

 

"Hello miss, can I help you?" West smiled.

 

"Yes sir, you may.   I am sure you know a boy names Matt." Filly stuck her hands in her pockets as she stared at West.

 

"Matt, maybe miss.   But I know a lot of men and boys with that name.   Does this Matt have a last name?" West asked.

 

"You know, I just meet him less than a week ago.   And well he ran away from here, and I don’t know his last name.   But I know you know him." Filly shrugged.

 

"You know I know him?  You sound so sure." West put his work down and stared at Filly.

 

"I do sir, I don’t have much time." Filly shrugged.

 

"What did he do?" West sounded worry as he cleaned his hands off, knowing that he would have to be leaving soon.

 

"Well, he’s at the Pizza and Pasta with hopes of gaining some kind of revenge." Filly warned.

 

"Why are you here to tell me this?” West frowned as he put on his coat.

 

"Let’s just say I am looking out for friends, and he’s with another one of my friends.   A very important one," Filly responded.

 

"And this friend might also get hurt?" West nodded.

 

"She might." Filly nodded.

 

"I have more questions, but that takes more time then Matt will take.   I’ll do what I can." West walked out the front door holding it open for Filly as she walked out.

 

"People are on their way to help with what they can." Filly nodded and ran off down the street.   West stared after her a moment.

 

"Either Matt has gotten really important, or that girl he’s with is a really important doll." West started on a quick pace towards the Pizza and Pasta restaurant he knew well.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Matt walked into the restaurant without noticing that Laces was following him closely and also walked into the place.

 

"Matthew!  We’ve been wondering what scrapes you got into boy.   We had some things for you to deliver." A big fat man in a suit walked over to Matt and patted him on the back.   He startled Laces who jumped a little and let out a small shriek.

 

"What’s with the Cookie?  She yours?" The man stared at Laces, looking her up and down.   Matt rolled his eyes and took a deep breath hoping that it wasn’t Laces or Cammie who had followed him.   When he saw Laces he frowned and shrugged.

 

"She’s got a thing for me, haven’t been able to let her down," Matt whispered to the man.   The man smiled.

 

"Well, she ain’t a bad looking cookie.   Ain’t you too young for her?” The man frowned.

 

"She doesn’t seem to mind.” Matt shrugged.   Laces didn’t say a word at any of this but decided to play the part of a lovesick girl and smiled and blushed as she stared at Matt.

 

"Well, Babydoll, you should head home and let Matthew here do his work.   Matthew, walk the doll home, don’t want a pretty thing like that walking these streets by herself.   And deliver this afterward." The man handed Matt a package that Matt instantly tucked into his jacket.

 

"Night Vince.   Are you expecting a return?" Matt asked.

 

"Nah, not tonight.   He needs some time to think about it.   You think you’re disappearing again kid?" The man laughed.

 

"Maybe, you know.   I got mes aunt and uncle in Coney and well they wanted me to go visit." Matt shrugged.

 

"Well, let me know kid.   So that I can at least be more prepared than the last time, send in one of your friends that I can trust." The man smiled and patted Matt on the shoulder.   Then he smiled at Laces.

 

"Don’t worry about this one breaking your heart doll, there are plenty of good looking men in this town." He laughed and walked away.   Matt grabbed Laces arm in a tight grasp as he pulled her out of the restaurant.

 

"I thought I told you not to move from that spot." Matt whispered through his gritted teeth.

 

"Let go of my arm, and tell me what’s going on." Laces was ready to claw her nails into Matt, he was hurting her arm.   Matt loosened his grip but did not let go.

 

"A lot of things are going on and I hope this will work, but now I am backtracked because I have to figure out where to put you." Matt shook his head and that’s when someone came walking up behind them.

 

"Matthew, you stupid boy." The voice said as he smacked Matt on the head.

 

"Ow, damn Cammie," he mumbled the last part under his breath, but West heard it nonetheless.

 

"You watch your mouth in front of the lady Matthew.   And may I know what in the world you are doing here?  And with that package in your shirt?" West crossed his arms.

 

"Come on West, just came back to finish some business." Matt whined a little.   Laces smiled a little.   West shook his head and then looked at Laces.

 

"You miss are in some trouble too from what I can gather.   Following this here numbskull on this stupid plot.   Now Matthew what were you planning on doing that wasn’t stupid?" West demanded.

 

"It was a perfect plan." Matt shrugged.

 

"How many times I got to tell you, it can’t be perfect.   Everything could go wrong.   Were you expecting this here girl to follow you?" West pointed to Laces.   Matt grimaced and shook his head.

 

"Ah, see that went wrong.   Were you expecting me to find out?" West asked.

 

"No, all right.   So a few things went wrong but it is perfectly planned," Matt responded.

 

"No, it can’t be.   And it wouldn’t be because you’re not doing it.   You’ll deliver that package and you will send one of your old friends to Vinny to take your job.   Send Louis, he’s got some sense and the boy will end up doing that kind of work.   He’s doomed to it, at least let him start out good.   Maybe he will climb.   But you are getting out, you understand me." West pointed a finger at Matt.   Matt shoulders were low and his head was hanging.

 

"Come on West, you can’t just expect me to not do anything about it." Matt sighed.

 

"Yes I can, and you will because your poor Mother would be turning in her grave.   She didn’t want you anywhere near this place, and your father wouldn’t want it either.   They don’t want you to get yourself killed for them." West grabbed Matt’s shoulders and shook him hard.

 

"All right, I understand." Matt whispered as he started walking away.   Laces started following him but West placed his hand on her shoulder.

 

"You’re not going miss.   Matthew once it’s delivered you come back to the shop.   I will know." West warned.   Matt didn’t respond but kept walking.

 

"Is he all right?" Laces whispered.

 

"No, he’s not.   But he has to learn he can’t do anything about it.   It’s not right and it’s not smart." West shook his head and turned around.

 

"Where are we going?" Laces asked.

 

"Back to my shop," West responded.

 

"But, what if Matt gets into something?" Laces asked.

 

"You have your friends watching him, I am not worry about it.   Otherwise I would follow him." West sighed.

 

"My friends." Laces echoed as she scanned the area, in the darkness though she was unable to see anyone.

 

"You must be a very important girl." West nodded.

 

“We should see Cammie," Laces suddenly said.

 

"Why? And how do you know Cammie?"

 

"She was going to get you if Matt wasn’t back in an hour," Laces responded.

 

"Ah, she always was rather soft on her boy." West nodded.   They switched directions a little as they headed towards Cammie’s house.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

A crowd of boys stood outside of Little Italy, and another small crowd was approaching them.   Jack came up to Spot and spit in his hand as he held it out.

 

“Been a while since we’ve meet like this." Jack sighed.

 

"I’m going to kill that goyl and him." Spot nodded.

 

"Do we know where to find them?" Jack asked.   Spot took a deep breath and let out a loud sounding whistle.

 

"They’ve left the restaurant.   There might actually be no danger." Spot frowned.   That’s when someone came down with a thud.

 

"Sorry.   That was a little loud.   But when you’re jumping down from a little lower then 2 stories then you kind of make a loud sound." Relic shrugged.

 

"Relic what is it?" Spot turned to her.

 

"Well, I was just coming to tell you there might actually be no danger.   The old man got Laces away from Matt and they’re heading to tell Cammie and then heading to the shop.   Matt might actually listen to this old guy, but Filly and Matches are watching nevertheless."

 

"You know I have some questions for that old man, maybe he could answer them." Cap sighed.   Spot nodded.

 

"We should find out some things."

 

"All right, so what do you want us to do?" Blink asked.

 

"We should head to the shop.   Relic where is this shop?" Jack asked.

 

"I will lead the way, but they shouldn’t be there yet." Relic nodded as she started walking quickly in front of the group.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Laces climbed up the building like she had before and tapped on the window that was now closed.   Cammie came to the window and frowned when she saw Laces but opened the window.

 

"Is something wrong did something happen to Matt?" Cammie looked suddenly pale.

 

"No, someone got West and Matt isn’t going to do anything anymore," Laces replied.

 

"Then where is he?" Cam asked.

 

"He had to deliver something," Laces responded.

 

"That’s what he wanted to do, are we sure that he’s not going to try anything?" Cam wondered aloud.

 

"Well, let’s just say someone will tell us as soon as he tries to do something," Laces replied.

 

"Well, I am going with you two.   Back to the shop?" Cam asked.   Laces nodded.

 

"Wait a minute all right, I am going to go take leave of my parents." Cammie walked away and popped her head out the window.

 

"Mama, I’m going to go visit West, and pick up Papa’s watch that should be done," She called out.   There was a murmured response from somewhere in the house and Cammie walked back in and closed the door behind her.   She grabbed a shawl and smiled at Laces as she climbed out the window.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Matt was in front of a large wealthy looking house where he stood staring.   Almost like he was trying to decide something.   He never would have guessed he had four pairs of eyes staring at him.

 

"If he makes one move he’s not supposed to, you run to the shop and I’ll fix it," Critter whispered to Chesa as they watched him carefully.

 

"You know, I thought we were going to stop being boyds.   And ain’t Matches and Filly over there," Chesa whispered back.

 

"They’re good, but I don’t want them involved in this.   This could just get ugly." Critter shrugged.

 

"You were always overprotective when things got too intense." Chesa nodded.

 

"They may have seen a lot, but they really haven’t seen as much as us.   And you know it.   This could just get plain messy and there ain’t no use in them having to do something we can do." Critter shrugged.

 

"What if things get worse what then?" Chesa said back.

 

"Then we call in Hunter, South, Cricket and Blaze.   They’re all still around and always just a whistle away." Critter sighed.

 

"They got lives now though, should they really be doing this?" Chesa whispered.

 

"We’ll talk about this later Chesapeake." Critter gritted his teeth.   He knew they had lives, South and Cricket had finally decided that they really did like each other and had recently gotten engaged and were planning their wedding.   Blaze was still around, she would disappear much like Chesa did at times, but not as frequent.   And well Hunter had a family the only one that was really settled down.   Critter pushed the thoughts out as he watched as Matt finally took the steps forward towards the building.

 

"All right, you watch for my signal." Critter crawled away towards a window were he could see better into a room where he had discovered earlier would be a good place to watch.   He knew who lived in the house, one of the most prominent members in New York City’s very own Mafia, and he knew what room the man used for business.

 

Critter had been involved in the Mafia before, so had Chesa and they both knew how messy the situations could get.   Years back when the birds first started that’s when they had dealt with the Mafia it had been years and for the first time since then they were back in the little city within a city where the inner workings of the Mafia happened.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

"Matthew!  My dear boy!  You have not come to us in a long time!" A tall man who was well built stood up as Matt walked into the office.

 

"Yes sir, I know.   I have been out of the place.   I might be leaving soon, my aunt and uncle wish me to move in with them on Coney." Matt nodded.

 

"Coney, huh?  Well I will miss you my boy.   I don’t know if we can trust another boy, you are one of the best we’ve ever had.   You would have gone places in this world my boy." The man patted Matt on the shoulder.   Matt nodded.

 

"Yes sir, I know and I thank you for everything you have done for me.   But my uncle and aunt are set and it would be minding my mother’s last wishes." Matt nodded.

 

"And yes, that would be for the best my dear boy.   Well what have you brought for me?" The man asked.   Matt hesitated for a moment and then pulled out the package from his vest.

 

"Ah, thank you my boy.   Here for your trouble and maybe for a going away gift." The man handed Matt a bill and Matt thanked him a few times before walking out.   He walked down the hall and out the door sighing and running his hand through his hair.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Spot, Jack and the rest of the group stood outside the small Clock shop that belonged to West awaiting the arrival of West and Laces as well as Matt.   As soon as three dark figures came walking up they braced themselves in case that the shadows were trouble.   When they stepped into the light though Spot and Jack were the only ones who still maintained their stern and cold faces.   Laces tried smiling at them but that just made them give her a very stern look.

 

"Well what is this?" West motioned with his hands at the boys.

 

"We’ve come in case there was any trouble.   We’ve been informed that there won’t be any most likely and told that we could find her, and Matt here," Spot stated.

 

"Ah, yes the girl’s friends.   I remember now, I must say you really must be an important girl.   Who’s in a lot of trouble." West nodded as he went to open his door.   Spot and Jack quickly positioned themselves on either side of Laces both placing their hands on her shoulders.

 

"Evening." Laces sighed.

 

"We will talk about this later," Spot growled under his breath.   Jack frowned as he pulled Laces to the corner of the room.

 

"I want you to sit there and I don’t want you to move.   And don’t even open your mouth to tell me I shouldn’t order you around.   I swear Laces Kai if you move from that spot without me telling you to I will give up and just stop damn caring about you."

 

Laces sat down speechless and stared after Jack with big eyes as he walked away.   Spot also ignored her by only glancing at her ever so often as they talked with West and Cammie.

 

"West, the girl.   Do you know her name?" Cammie whispered as Jack and Spot walked towards them.

 

"Ain’t it Laces?" West shrugged.

 

“It’s Laces, or I think that’s what they call her.   But her last name, it’s Kai," Cammie replied.   West snapped his head to look at Laces who was still shocked and following Jack with her eyes.

 

"Oh Lord.   She can’t be can she?" he whispered.

 

"Matthew, he doesn’t know.   He can’t know.   She doesn’t know either though," Cammie replied.

 

"West, we have to know if these guys are looking for Matt." Spot came over to West and Cammie and Jack soon joined them.

 

"What guys, Spot,” West replied.   West had a very good memory and had been introduced to every newsie as soon as they entered his store.

 

"The Mafia, are they after the kid?" Jack asked.

 

"Why would you think that?" West sounded surprised.   He didn’t think that Matt would trust anyone with his life story, how would these boys know that Matt thought the Mafia might be after him.

 

"These thugs have been edging around Brooklyn and Manhattan ever since that kid ran from here.   There have been some problems with Little Italy that started a few weeks ago in the Bronx," Spot replied.

 

"What kind of problems?"

 

"Well they have been crowding around the edges of our cities.   And well they started beating up on some of the kids in the Bronx, that’s how we found out there was trouble at all.   Then there was this kid that ran from here, like his life depends on it.   He ran around the city for a few days and then ended up at Brooklyn." Spot shrugged.

 

"Beating kids up in the Bronx.   How do you know that the people who beat these kids up are from here?" West demanded.

 

"We have our ways to know.   But they also dress like Italy boys.   They look like they belong here," Jack stated.

 

"Of course.   Were they young?" West asked.

 

"Not that young, around their twenties.   Big guys," Spot said.

 

"And they are edging around Manhattan and Brooklyn?" West asked.   Spot and Jack nodded.   Cammie slipped away from the boys and went over to Laces.   Meanwhile, the Brooklyn and Manhattan boys lounged around the clock shop.

 

"Laces?" Cammie whispered as she sat up on the counter.

 

"Hello Cammie." Laces sighed as she watched Jack and Spot with her eyes intently trying to read their lips.

 

"Do you really know what they are talking about?" Cammie glanced at her eyes moving with Spot’s lips as he responded to something that West had said.

 

"The something that has been wrong for at least a week now.   I understand that there is something wrong.   I just don’t know what it is." Laces shook her head.

 

"Maybe it’s better if you don’t know what it is." Cammie shrugged.

 

"No, if something goes wrong I can’t help.   I can’t help a bit if I really don’t know what’s wrong.   The only thing I can do is stay out of the way." Laces shook her head again.

 

"Maybe that’s what they want.   They want you to stay out of the way.   They don’t want you to get hurt.   Your friends seem to care about you, you seem to be a very important girl." Cammie smiled.

 

"Would you like to sit around waiting for your friends to get hurt?" Laces asked in a whisper as she stared at Jack.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Matt was in the hallway of the tall man’s house when he was called back.   The man stood at the doorway of his office.

 

"My dear boy, there is one more thing I would like to ask from you.   To deliver this before 11 o’clock tonight.   Exactly at 11 would make it all the better.   There is going to be trouble in this town for the next few days, try to stay away from the lower tavern part of town my boy.   We wouldn’t want you to get hurt before you join your aunt and uncle.   Here is some extra cash to pay for your trouble." The tall man handed Matt another package and some more cash.

 

"Is there business problems sir?" Matt asked.

 

"Yes, someone has back stabbed us again my boy.   If it’s one good thing you learn from this business it’s not to hit people when you don’t think they’re looking.   We’re always watching Matthew." The man nodded.

 

"Don’t forget to wear clothes that you can throw away sir." Matt nodded.

 

"Ah, you would have been a wonderful man for this town, made lots of money and a name for yourself.   But maybe it’s all for the better.   Maybe you’re too good, and mean to make your fortune another way." The man smiled sadly and walked back into his study.   Matt continued down the walk as he read who the package was for.   He was horrified to find out it was addressed to West.   As soon as the butler opened the door Matt ran down the street quicker than his feet were meet to carry him and so he keep tripping over his own feet.   As his feet pounded on the dirt ground, dirt swirled under his shoes and his coat flapped hard against the wind.   The streets were dark, expect for the small light that shone from the street lamps and from the insides of shops, and homes.   The moon was out and plenty of stars for anyone who wanted to see them, but no one was very inclined to look at stars that late in the evening in New York City.   There was either something to do or sleep to be had.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

"Something is wrong Crit," Chesa said as she started sprinting after Matt down the street.   Critter quickly picked himself up and also started running after Chesa and Matt.   Across the street Filly and Matches also started running after the boy.   Filly from the rooftops and Matches down on the ground.

 

The four birds followed him to the clock shop, Filly, Critter and Chesa meeting on the rooftops and Matches panting against the inside of an alley wall as he watched Matt enter the place.

 

"Critter? Chesa?" Filly mumbled.

 

"Something has to be wrong?  Why would he run?  Someone should have stayed Critter.   We shouldn’t have all run." Chesa shook her head.

 

"The guy called him back for something, handed him another package to deliver at 11 o’clock.   But it’s almost 11 now and he would have to deliver it why would he come back here." Critter shook his head.

 

“No one was following us.   Do you know what’s going on?" Filly asked.

 

"We better get in there and find out." Critter crawled down from the roof.   Chesa and Filly followed.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Matt stormed into the clock shop, everyone looked up the newsies ready for a fight, West worried, and Cammie and Laces scared.   Matt panted a bit as he leaned against the nearest clock display.

 

"What did you do?" West automatically asked.   Matt shook his head trying to regain his breath.

 

"Did you do something stupid?" Cammie walked over to him as she scanned over for any injuries.   Matt shook his head again and began to try and talk.

 

"I got...  he gave… I have… there is…" Was all that Matt could spurt out inbetween his breathing.

 

"Come on now spit it out." Spot hit at the floor with his cane a bit.

 

"Crit’s here." Cap announced he was sitting at the window and watching carefully the shadows in case anything happened.   Critter and the rest of the birds walked in.   Critter didn’t talk he just went up to Matt that was finally catching his breath and pulled out the package that he stored in his right pocket.

 

"Matthew don’t tell me you did what I told you not to." West voice had an angry tone.

 

"He didn’t.   The man he was talking to, Mr.  DeMarco, he handed him this package to deliver to someone at 11 o’clock but it’s already 11 so he hasn’t delivered it." Critter held it out to West.   West took it from his hands and stared at the package a moment before dropping it.

 

"Is something wrong West?" Cammie quickly picked up the package and read who it was addressed to.   She looked pale and Blink quickly went behind her and supported her.

 

"What’s it say West?" Matt finally asked.   West shook his head as he took the package and opened it carefully.   He read the contents to himself and shook his head.

 

"I’ll be back." He sighed.   "No one leave this shop," he commanded.   Critter smirked.

 

"I’ll be on the rooftops," he said before slipping out.

 

"And I’ll be around." Chesa nodded and gave a warning look to Filly and Matches not to stir from the shop before she also walked out carefully sliding into the shadows.   West gave Spot a look.

 

"No one else will move, those two though were going to leave whether or not you wanted them to." Spot shrugged.

 

"Keep those three in here at all costs." West pointed at Matt, Cammie and Laces.   Spot and Jack nodded.   West walked out of the shop tucking the package deep into his coat.

 

"West, wait!" Matt called after the man, but West didn’t turn around and Matt tried to follow him but was pushed back by Cap who stood near the door.

 

"You’re not going anywhere.   Sorry Matt." Cap shrugged stood there.   Matt glared at Cap.

 

"Since when do you think you can tell me what to do?" He demanded and stood up pushing Cap back.   Cap fell back a little and Matt was going to push past him but Cap took his hands and grabbed Matt’s shoulders and rammed him against the counter.

 

"Cap!  Don’t hurt him!" Laces cried as she ran over but Skittery carefully stood in her way.   Cap held Matt down and Matt punched him several times.

 

"Bottle Cap quit it, and Matthew you move towards that door again, and I will personally make sure you can’t get up for a few hours." Spot warned as he gave Matt and Cap a harsh look.   Cap let go of Matt and walked away, Matt sat on the counter.   Cammie walked over and tilted her head so it was resting on the side of his head.   Matt rested on her head and they whispered to each other carefully.

 

Laces was in Skittery’s arms where she remained for a little while.   Skittery held her tight as he talked with her.

 

"Laces you really should learn not to run off," he was saying.

 

"Skitts come on, this ain’t no time for a lecture.   And you don’t give very good ones anyway." Laces groaned a bit but was grateful for the attention, since Spot and Jack were still ignoring her enough to make her worry.

 

"This is the perfect time for a lecture, look around you.   This is what happens when you run off, and how could you come into this part of town this late at night.   You know that it ain’t the best part of town, Laces." Skittery shook his head.

 

"I didn’t know where we were until Matt climbed into Cammie’s window,” Laces whined a little.

 

"You really didn’t know you were in Little Italy?" Skittery asked.

 

"No." Laces shook her head.   Skittery spun her around.

 

"When this is all over, I am making you sell with me.   Which means yes, you are coming back to Manhattan and I am teaching you directions." Skittery shook his head.

 

"Great," Laces mumbled.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

West stood in a nearby alley to his clock shop watching carefully the shadows that moved slightly.   Two men came near the alley and grinned as they saw West.

 

"West you were one of the best of this town.   It always did puzzle me that you did not become one of us.   But you always were loyal to whoever you worked with, weren’t you? Unless you decided you worked for yourself and you were one of us in your mind, and your power and skills grew," The taller man said.

 

"Look here though, Vincent and Tony, I haven’t ever worked by myself.   You know it, and I am always loyal.   Tony, I worked for you when you started out under your father, and Vincent, I helped you with a job a long time ago," West said casually.   The two men nodded and looked down at their shirts for a moment.

 

"Then tell us who are you working for now?" Vincent asked.

 

"What you think I’ve done, I was working for someone.   But again I’m loyal." West glared at the darkness.

 

"It’s great you still got some of your morals about you, West.   But really now, this guy he wants you dead.   He wouldn’t have bothered otherwise with trying to arrange this." Tony shook his head.

 

"He screwed up he wanted me to get blamed, but that’s how everyone works." West nodded.

 

"So when you’re still alive, he’ll think that you ratted him out anyway, either way you’re dead and disloyal,” Vincent stated.

 

"I should have learned when it happened to Greg," West mumbled.

 

"But you’ve got more brains than Greg, you don’t owe money to no one in this town." Vincent nodded.

 

"What does he want?" Tony demanded.

 

"Money, and maybe to finish the job he started years ago." West mumbled.

 

"So it is the man who killed Greg.   But how didn’t he finish the job?" Tony asked.

 

"The boy, he let the boy live.   We made a deal when the kid was young and his mother was killed by Marcus, I took the kid in and raised him.   But at 13 the kid had to be tested to see if he could be in with us, be one of us and work under Louis, but I didn’t want the kid stuck in this city.   And that kid has got a hot head on his shoulders, he has wanted revenge for his parents death ever since he was seven.   I told him I didn’t know who did it, but he went about his own ways trying to find out, he thinks it’s you two that plotted their death.   Which I let him think because well, I don’t want him to try anything stupid with Louis.   The kid would be dead in the blink of an eye, but Louis he wants the kid and he wants the money that he thinks that Greg was hiding.   He thinks that the kid knows where it is." West sighed.

 

"The kid, does he know where the money is?" Vincent asked.

 

"No, there is no money.   If there had been, Greg wouldn’t have stayed here." West shook his head.

 

"Why ain’t the kid far from here, I was surprised to see him tonight, he said he was leaving.   I am sorry to see him go, he’s got your morals and all, a great kid might have made quite a name for himself in this town." Vincent sighed.

 

"He doesn’t belong here, like his father he was here but he wasn’t meant to be.   I sent him away he came back tonight with the plan to try and get you two to fight each other." West shook his head.

 

"Yes, the kid would have fit into this town." Tony nodded.

 

"It high time we get a new ring leader, don’t you think Tony?" Vincent frowned.   Tony nodded, and the two stared at West.

 

"It’s time to pick sides." Tony sighed.

 

"Fine, you know what side I’m on.   But there are kids, that need to get out of this town.   Nothing can happen to them.   Any of them." West shook his head.

 

"Why are there kids?" Tony asked.

 

"The boy, he went to Brooklyn where he stayed.   A girl followed him here and with the girl came half of Brooklyn’s and Manhattan’s newsies," West said.

 

"Brooklyn?  Wasn’t there something that went on with those kids before in this town, a few years ago," Tony asked.

 

"Yes." West nodded.

 

"Those are the kids that are everywhere, that know everything." Vincent scanned the area but he saw nothing.

 

"We could use them.   All of them," Tony stated.

 

"But they could get hurt." West shook his head.

 

"They could get hurt even if they don’t help us, ain’t there boys searching for the boy anyway.   I’ve seen them." Tony sighed.   West nodded.

 

"Fine, what do you want them to do?" West asked.   Then the whispering and plotting began.   Critter was near in the shadows and he shook his head.   This shouldn’t be happening, this wasn’t the type of thing that he wanted Spot or Laces involved in.   There was nothing that could be done now though, they were in Little Italy and there was no way out that wouldn’t attract attention from where they were.   Chesa was near by also listening and shivered as she remembered the last situation that had been so similar.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

West walked back into the clock shop with Vincent and Tony behind him.

 

"What’s going on here?" Jack demanded.   All the boys had their arms ready for a fight and were standing up straight as soon as then men walked into the shop.

 

"Settle down.   These are my friends," West said sending a side glance to the fuming Matt on the counter.   "They are going to explain something to you all."

 

"I don’t want to hear anything from this scum, what do they have on you West?" Matt was ready to pounce but Cammie was clutching to his arm.   And next to her stood Blink prepared to grab Matt if he made any sudden movements towards the men.

 

"Matt, cool down kid.   We didn’t kill your parents.   Tell you the truth we didn’t even know your parents.   They were around when we were still messengers like yourself," Vincent said.

 

"But, no it has to be you two.   No one else could have." Matt shook his head.

 

"No, there is someone else.   No one would ever actually lead you to him.   Everyone is afraid of him." Tony shook his head slowly.

 

"West is this true?  Who killed my parents?" Matt demanded.   West looked at the floor for a moment.   The room was still, the air even seemed heavy and haunting.   All eyes were directed at the men and Matt or at the floor.   The newsies didn’t make a sound but fidgeted being uncomfortable, no one felt like they should be included in this private conversation.   Many of the newsies withdrew to their own memories and experiences of losing their parents and fell to their feelings of anger and loss.   As the mood grew more and more intense, the silence tore at Laces who tried to stay concentrated on Matt and his motion and face.   That would keep her from falling into the mental withdrawal that the others had fallen into, she herself refused to enter such a state of mental thought where she could once again feel feelings she dreaded and despised.

 

"Louis, he plotted and carried out the murders of your parents, Greg and Elizabeth Kai," West said.   As the last word Kai sounded in the room the newsies stood puzzled and Laces felt her knees go weak.   Skittery was still behind her and he held her steady.   She was beginning to lose the color in her face and her breathing got faster.

 

"Is something wrong with Laces?" Cammie asked, noticing and knowing well enough that Laces had finally discovered that Matt and her were indeed related.

 

"Matt, what’s your last name?" Skittery asked for Laces.   Matt looked puzzled for a moment but shrugged.

 

"Kai," he responded.

 

"And your father he had a brother?" Spot asked.   Knowing Laces’s family story by now, he knew what her one relation to this boy could be.

 

"Yeah, he did.   They were rich at one point but his brother lost all the money because of my dad and so they stopped talking and went their separate ways." Matt cocked his head to the side looking more bewildered.

 

"And do you know if that brother had any children?" Jack asked.   The puzzle was already finished in all the newsies heads, and West and Cammie understood.   But Matt had yet to understand fully what the questions were leading up to.

 

"Yeah, he had three I believe.   But the oldest, a boy, died in a street brawl or something.   And the other two were girls."

 

Laces gasped.   And Matt looked at her a moment.

 

"That’s how you knew that song.   It has to be, my father use to hum that to me when I was young.   When things were all fine," Laces said.   Matt stared at her.

 

"You, you were the little one.   I never met any of you, but I heard about you from my dad sometimes.   He talked about you all, about Bryan and how proud he was of him.   Then he would talk about how Caroline was such a little lady, but he always loved telling stories about you and the scrapes you got yourself into.   Audrey." Matt shook his head.

 

"Audrey Kai, you’re the girl who was in the papers when your father died, and when that street gang was after you," Vincent said.

 

"She was, if only it had stopped there," Spot mumbled under his breath.   "We might be in the papes now too."

 

"What’s going to happen now?" Cammie asked.

 

"There’s been too many problems around here lately," Tony started.   "Tonight is the night we’re going to stop all those problems."

 

"But, not with Laces here.   And Cammie, and some of these others.   This isn’t their fight, they could get hurt." Matt shook his head.

 

"They can’t leave anyway.   They would get hurt leaving, they might as well stay and help us out.   We heard the Brooklyn boys were here," Vincent said.

 

"They are here." Spot stepped forward a little.

 

"We were around a few years back when this town saw you and your boys for the first time.   You have ways to know things, things that no one is suppose to know," Tony said.

 

"And what if I do?  That last time we got involved here we came out hurting more than we would have liked." Spot’s shoulders were tense and his posture was straight and stiff.

 

"Again you can’t leave anyway.   We were wondering if you wouldn’t mind helping us.   We’ve heard about the fights you boys have been in, both Manhattan and Brooklyn.   Kings of the streets," Vincent said.

 

"You can’t assure us no one will get hurt." Jack shook his head.

 

"No, but it’s the same chance you’re taking if you don’t fight." Tony shrugged his shoulders.

 

"No, it’s not.   Looking for a fight gives us more chances of getting hurt.   We’re always very good at hiding," Spot stated.

 

"I’ve never heard of Spot Conlon running from anything," Cammie stated.   Spot tilted his head and gave Cammie a piercing glare.

 

"I don’t run.   But I won’t let anyone else get involved," Spot stated.

 

"We won’t let you fight by yourself," Bullseye stated.

 

"You can’t do it by yourself." Bottle Cap shook his head.   Spot gritted his teeth.   And Jack smiled.

 

"We run into fights more than anyone else I know anyway Conlon.   Usually it’s running after someone but we might as well." Jack gave Laces a side look.

 

"Fine.   My boys can fight, but only the ones that want to.   No one has to," Spot said.   The boys all mumbled for a moment and then Bullseye smiled and spoke.

 

"Brooklyn boys don’t know how to say no to a fight."

 

"And Manhattan is in too." Jack nodded after making sure with each of his boys.   That’s when Chesa fell from the ceiling.   Everyone looked puzzled, except for Spot, Jack and Laces.

 

"I don’t like this Conlon." Chesa shook her head as she stared straight at Spot.   Spot nodded.   He knew she wouldn’t.   He knew Critter didn’t.

 

"Chesa you don’t have to do anything," Spot stated.

 

"I don’t like this.   I never said I wasn’t going to do it.   And you know Critter," Chesa said.   For a moment Chesa looked older, much older than she actually was her eyes got a weary look that was worn and torn.   Her face was pale and her hands trembled, but all only for a moment and then she jumped out of the nearest open window and climbed up the wall onto the rooftops.   Spot took a deep breath, not many understood what had happened between Spot and Chesa, but most understood it was something that wasn’t spoken about.

 

"So what do you want us to do?" Spot asked, as if nothing had happened moments before to interrupt everyone’s train of thought.   Filly meanwhile whispered something to Matches and slipped out quietly and quickly.   She slipped into the shadows and ran to the end of Little Italy.   As the newsies and the Mafia planned together how to overthrow the giant of the underground world of New York.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Filly ran as fast as she could, she stopped every so often to catch her breath and whistle.   The warning whistle that wasn’t used often between the birds.   When she heard responses she would whistle a tune that meant they were in Little Italy and they gave them most of the information they needed.   She kept going though until she was right outside his window.   She took a deep breath, and then looked out into the city.   She stopped for a moment to think about what she was going to do, she didn’t know if she was doing the right thing.   Bringing someone back after so many years, but she had to after seeing Chesa she knew that there was only a few birds who knew what they were going into and he was one of them.   Filly knocked on the window softly in three taps.   That was an old code no one used anymore because well the birds didn’t live anywhere but the nest now.   But back then, when it was just those few they had still lived in little places around the city.

 

Hunter came to the window, he looked worried.   He hadn’t heard that noise, those three taps, in so many years he still knew how to respond to them.   He tapped on the window twice and then turned to put his coat on.   Beth stood staring at him, her hand over her large stomach.

 

"Where are you going?" she asked sounding worried.

 

"I’m going up to the roof baby," He responded softly as he took her chin in his hand.

 

"Are you going to do what they ask?" Beth asked.   She had never been a bird, but she knew and understood some of their communications.

 

"Maybe.   They don’t use that code unless there’s something really wrong.   I ain’t done nothing in years, I don’t know what they could need my help with.   It’s probably just some question that Critter sent them to look for an answer for." Hunter kissed Beth lightly.

 

"If you do what they ask, will you come back before you leave?" Beth asked.   She had a gut feeling there was something wrong.   Hunter had the same feeling, and he shook his head.

 

"If there is something wrong, where they need me, I’ll go help them and be back as soon as I can be.   Don’t worry.   Lock the door." Hunter kissed Beth again and then walked out the door and went up to the roof.   There sat Filly looking a bit guilty.

 

"What is going on?" Hunter asked as he stared at her.

 

"We’re in deep." Filly sighed.

 

"Did Critter send you?" Hunter asked.

 

"Well, only sort of." Filly fiddled with her hands.

 

"What do you mean only sort of?" Hunter asked crossing his arms.   He was now sure there was something very wrong.

 

"We’re in Little Italy.   We’re helping to overthrow some guy named Louis that’s the big shot in the underground workings of that town," Filly said.

 

"Why?  Why are we there?  Why would we get involved there again?  Doesn’t Critter remember what happened last time?  How could he let this happen?" Hunter lost the color from his face and went pale.

 

"Laces followed the new boy there, who turns out is the missing Kai.   The last one.   Thank God.   But he’s connected to the Mafia, and his parents were murdered by them.   That’s a long story, but Laces and him ended up in Little Italy, Matt, the boy with the intention of getting revenge.   The birds followed and Critter and Chesa came too, even though we didn’t know at first.   Now they’re nervous, real nervous.   And no one can really leave Little Italy, too much risk that they could get hurt or killed." Filly finished.

 

"Damn this all.   You can never get out of this game.   So many things have happened since the last time I was there." Hunter shook his head.

 

"What happened?" Filly asked.

 

"We don’t have time to talk about it now." Hunter shook his head.   "There’s going to be blood tonight.   We better go make sure none of it is ours."

 

"All right." Filly just nodded.

 

"Any one of you perch around here?" Hunter asked for a moment.

 

"Yeah, I think Firecracker might be around here." Filly nodded.

 

"Signal her here," Hunter commanded.   Filly did so quickly and Firecracker came running out from the side of the building and was there in moments.

 

"What?" She asked as she caught her breath.

 

"Do you know where the bombshell bar is?" Hunter asked.   Firecracker nodded slightly.

 

"Good.   Go there, ask for Virginia, tell her that there are interesting birds in Italy," Hunter ordered.   Firecracker nodded and was off.

 

"Where’s the next one perched?" Hunter asked.

 

"We go down a little further and Outsider should be around there," Filly stated.   Hunter started off and Filly followed down alleys and through abandoned buildings, a way to Little Italy that she hadn’t ever taken.

 

"Whistle when we’re at her perch," Hunter whispered at one point.   Filly nodded took a deep breath and whistled loud.   Outsider fell from the stairs of a nearby building.

 

"Anything wrong?" she asked.

 

"You go to 33rd street and the fourth building down the street, four stories up the only window with red curtains tap on it 4 times slowly.   Then when they open the window, say Little Italy again," Hunter instructed.   Outsider just nodded and was off in a moment.

 

"Only one left.   Where is he?" Filly asked.

 

"Here." Hunter crossed the street and knocked on the door slightly.   The lights of the small home came on dim and then there was a shuffle and someone came to the door.   A tall young man with ruffled brown hair that was trim and business cut came to the door.

 

"Can I help you?" The man asked his eyes readjusting to the light.

 

"Only sometimes," Hunter responded.   The young man’s eyes went large and he smiled slightly.

 

"Hunter?" The man sighed.

 

"Cricket, busy?" Hunter asked.

 

"What’s going on?" Cricket asked.

 

"Italy, they in too deep." Hunter sighed.

 

"Man.   Oh man.   It’s been years, just a second." The door closed and about five seconds later, Cricket was out wearing an old cap and looking like his old self.   The three moved quickly through a few more alleys and then reached the edge of the Little Italy.   In the shadows they stood until two young woman came from opposite directions.

 

"Well if it ain’t the Bombshell of the South and Cautious Blaze." Cricket sighed.   The girls smiled.

 

"Cricket!" South shouted.

 

"That’s me.   I thought you swore to forget me South." Cricket laughed.   South hit him lightly in the shoulder.

 

"Yeah well, I never thought I would be going back in there either.   Not like this." South shuddered for a moment.   Cricket nodded and put his arms around her shoulders out of a habit that he thought had died years ago.   Blaze smiled softly and gave Hunter a knowing look.   Hunter nodded and Filly stood admiring the group, the group that had started it all.   The legends of legends, the ones who knew more about what went on in the city than any one person would want to know.   The moment again only lasted a second, something that seemed to be a trend with the birds and their moments.

 

"Well where are they in there?  And what the hell is going on?" South demanded as she fell out from Cricket’s shoulders.

 

"There all in the small clock shop," Filly started.

 

"Tock’s Clock Shop?" Blaze asked.   Filly nodded.

 

"And what are they doing here?" Cricket demanded.   "I thought Conlon knew better."

 

"He does.   It’s that girl again, and apparently the last one of the Kai’s." Hunter sighed.

 

"I should give that girl a piece of my mind." South shook her head.

 

"Everyone else has," Filly mumbled.   "Anyway, there seems to be problems with a man named Louis and now we are caught in the middle of some kind of Mafia war," Filly stated.

 

"Wonderful, blood spill and danger.   Those were two things I was planning on doing tonight." Blaze shook her head.

 

"Well ready gang?" Hunter asked as he looked each of the old birds in the eye.   Each nodded carefully and slowly.   Blaze held out her hands and South and Cricket took one each, as they held their hands out to Hunter.   Hunter took them and the three of them held hands for a moment.

 

"Everyone be careful," Blaze said softly.

 

"Don’t make a sound." Cricket nodded.

 

"Stay out of sight," South added.

 

"And remember how fast you can run," Hunter finished and they broke their links.   Filly again just watched from the shadow, it was as if she wasn’t even there.   The four split off and headed in different directions and Filly stood dead still.   If Hunter had not grabbed her arm as he walked passed her taking her with him then she might still be standing there.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

"This is going to be very dangerous." Tony reminded all the boys for the millionth time in the last half hour they had been talking.   Vincent had gone over the plan for the second time again, making sure everyone understood where they were supposed to be and when.   Hoping that things went according to plan, but there was no one to know for sure where everyone of Louis’ boys were going to be.

 

"We heard you the first time you said it was going to be dangerous." Bullseye shook his head.

 

"And we ain’t stupid." Blink nodded.

 

"Before we get started though I want to make sure of one thing," Spot said.

 

"What is that?" Tony asked.

 

"That she is put somewhere safe.   Somewhere where she can’t hear, see, or get involved and hurt in anyway," Spot stated.   Jack nodded in agreement.

 

“I would also feel better if there was someone with her," Jack added.   Everyone stared at Laces, she was still sitting on the counter, staring at their faces.   They had ignored her for the whole night, Spot and Jack had.   The other boys had stood near her and even talked to her but Spot and Jack had given her the cold shoulder all night.   She smiled as they stared at her, she knew the look, the look both of them wear was that of pure determination.   She shook her head slightly though, she was not going to allow everyone else’s life to be in danger and her own to be so well protected.

 

"I can’t just wait.   Without knowing anything.   What if something goes wrong?" Laces stated, in a much quieter voice then she would have liked.

 

"You will not be anywhere near any of this." Spot gritted his teeth, his face glowering at her.   Laces was shaking her head, she couldn’t deal with that.   She searched her head quickly looking for something, something she could say that would convince them she couldn’t stay locked up in a safe place while they could die.   That’s when Critter came crawling back into the window and Hunter walked through the door.   Chesa came falling out of the ceiling beams, and South came walking down the stairs.   Blaze came through the backdoor, while Cricket came up through the cellar door that was on the ground.   Everyone except Jack and Spot looked surprised at the people entering the room.   As soon as the doors were shut again, Spot smiled and Jack grinned a careless grin for a second.

 

"Who else is going to be helping?" Hunter asked without a bother to introducing himself.   Tony and Vincent still stared at all the people who had walked in.   Hunter took off his hat and waved it in front of the men’s faces.   Vincent shook his head and nodded.

 

"What do you mean?" he asked.

 

"It can’t possibly be you two against Louis," Hunter responded.   Vincent again looked astounded.   Tony answered this question though.

 

"No of course not.   We have the support of our gangs."

 

"Where can we find them?" Hunter asked his patience was growing thin.

 

"You haven’t possibly notified them yet of what’s going on." Blaze provided some explanation to the questioning as she noticed that Vincent and Tony were beginning to look nervous, and it was past experience that it was never good to have nervous Mafia men.

 

"No we haven’t had time, nor do we see it very safe at this moment," Tony started.

 

"So tell us where to find them and stop wasting everyone’s time," Hunter growled a bit.   Vincent nodded.

 

"Do you know where The Pizza and Pasta place is?" He asked half excepting them not to know what he was talking about.

 

"Of course we know." Hunter nodded.

 

"Go into that place." Vincent stared but Hunter just nodded and turned to leave.

 

"I know where it is now." He opened the door and left.

 

"And what about you?" Blaze asked looking at Tony.

 

"Go to the left of this small book shop named Heart…" Tony stated but Blaze just nodded and was always off before he could finish.

 

"Who are?" Tony stuttered as he watched Blaze disappear into the dark.

 

"The ones who know everything." Critter shrugged and then turned to Spot.

 

"We spotted a few of the thugs already heading this way, there aren’t too many yet.   But soon there will be, so I suggest moving out of this place.   It’s too small, too easy to find all of you," Critter stated.

 

"I need to know is Louis still using his same place?" South asked.   Tony, Vincent and West all nodded without saying a word and South just climbed back up the stairs.

 

"How many of these boys know the songs?" Chesa asked as she glanced around at the faces.

 

"A few of them," Spot responded.

 

"Make sure those few are listening." Chesa smiled a bit.

 

"We need to get her out of here.   Now," Jack said nodding towards Laces.

 

"Ah yes, our wonderful trouble maker." Critter glared at Laces.

 

"I’ll take her somewhere she can’t be hurt." Cricket smiled a soft smile as he walked over to Laces.   He slowly placed his arms around her and lifted her.

 

"Be a doll and don’t fight about it," Cricket whispered.   Laces hated being called a doll by anyone, but for some reason she was calmed a bit by Cricket and his voice.   She also didn’t mind him calling her doll.   He carried her upstairs and out to the roof.

 

"We’ll be around.   And we’ll do as much as we can.   But I warn you we’re going to try at all cost to stay out of it," Critter whispered the last part to Spot and Jack.   And with that Chesa and him jumped out opposite windows and there was a silence.

 

"We better get out of here.   Those men are probably getting closer," Bottle Cap finally said.   The boys started shuffling their feet and were out of the small clock shop in no time.   Matt lingered a moment and whispered instructions to Cammie before he also joined the boys and Cammie climbed into the basement of the clock shop carefully.   The boys moved away from each other and walked along the shadows.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Cricket carried Laces across a few rooftops and then he finally stopped and placed her on the ledge of the roof with a clear view of a few alleys that were beneath her.

 

"You will be able to see everything that’s going to happen from here.   It’s the perfect spot to watch these things from.   Believe me I should know, but I need you to make me a promise." Cricket had a hold of Laces’s shoulders and was looking at her with a curious grin.

 

"What kind of promise?" Laces asked, looking at his eyes in search of where she knew them from.

 

"That you’re going to be a good girl and not move.   Because I could tie you up and that would prevent you from moving.   But if you could promise me on the memory of Bryan that you won’t move, I know you would have listened to him." Cricket smiled at this and then shook his head.

 

"What?" Laces was shocked that Cricket knew her brother’s name.

 

"It’s just I know you wouldn’t listen to your brother anymore then you listen to any of them.   You would drive him insane." Cricket laughed at this.

 

"How do you know my brother?" Laces asked.

 

"Ah, I forget how you must not remember me." Cricket nodded looking sad for a moment.   "My name is Thomas Longfellow.   I was one of your brother’s closest friends.   But no one has ever called me Thomas, you knew me as Tommy.   But called me Cricket, that’s what all my close friends call me." Cricket winked.

 

"Are you going to stay here?" Laces asked smiling widely.

 

"For a little while.   And when I move, I probably won’t tell you.   Never forget that there are eyes watching you, but don’t for any reason think about going down there.   Stay out of the way Laces, this is something that you shouldn’t try to help.   Understood baby doll?" Cricket asked.   Laces nodded and then looked like she was going to ask a question but didn’t.

 

"Wondering why I call you baby doll and it doesn’t bother you?" Cricket smiled.   Laces looked surprised but nodded.

 

"How did you?" Laces started.

 

"You didn’t even like it as a baby, but you always let Bryan and I call you baby doll.   You told us it didn’t bother you when we called you that." Cricket smiled.   Then there was movement in the shadows and Cricket moved quickly behind Laces and Laces moved her eyes to watch the grounds below.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

"We’re going to be responsible if any of these kids die today," West mumbled to Tony and Vincent.

 

"Well, sometimes people are just meant to die." Vincent sighed.

 

"We shouldn’t be putting them at risk." West shook his head again as he sent a look at Matt who was near them.

 

"They have done these types of things before.   They know how to handle themselves." Tony shrugged.   Tony and Vincent were trying not to think about the possibility of these kids dying on their behalf, all for power of underground criminals.

 

The shadows moved in a second, and there was whistling from all directions.   So some of the boys were prepared when they were jumped from the back, and some just weren’t.   The fight began in the dark damp alleys of Little Italy where it was hard to truly tell who was on the good side and who was on the bad.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Laces watched the fight from the rooftop, she watched the shadows roughly throw each other against walls and heard the groans and hollers of all the boys and men below.   She could hear the chains rattling, and the impact of brass knuckles against a hard brick wall, there was the constant clatter of the tin trash cans that were crashing against flesh and surface.   With every movement she spotted or every sound she heard she would jump or flinch.   She couldn’t tell what side was winning , more than anything she wanted to run down and help.   She wanted to be in the mist of the action, see who was winning, instead of sitting on the sidelines.   But she had some sense, she keep reminding herself that if she did go down into the alleys she would get knocked out before she could help anyone.   After a while she turned to Cricket, but he wasn’t there anymore.   He had left her side when the fighting began but she hadn’t noticed.   Now she was alone on the rooftop watching her friends get hurt beneath her and she couldn’t do anything about it.

As dawn came on to the town, there was suddenly slight movements and in moments there were more thugs and these came with weapons.  Coming from both directions, someone like Laces who had an overview of the scene could tell one side was coming to defend her boys and the other side came with the sole purpose of destroying them.  Laces had her heart in her throat the thought of there being weapons lead her to believe that someone would get hurt, or even worse get killed.  She started to get up but there was a voice that stopped her. 

“You won’t help any.  Besides you should get ready to run.” South was standing besides her and staring down at the fighting below. 

“Where did?” Laces started but South shook her head. 

“Don’t ask stupid questions.  Don’t get up and try to go down there.  We’ll make sure they get out of here.  As soon as there is one gun shot you lie down on the ground, understood?” South gave Laces a piercing look.  Laces nodded. 

“Then Cricket will come and get you and he will make sure you get out of here.  Don’t ask stupid questions then either.” South commanded before she started to climb down the fire escape.  As soon as she was half way down the first gun shot was heard.  And before Laces even thought about it she was down on the ground behind the small ledge she had been sitting on.

The commotion was raging down below her, but she hid her head under her arms to keep herself from listening and acknowledge the mayhem that was happening around her.  Laces was hiding from the world at that moment it was the only way she could think of to handle the situation, to handle her friends getting hurt and how she could keep herself from trying to do something. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As the first gun shot was fired, the birds, the original birds were well into the fighting area now.  They were hidden and not actually fighting, but they were ready.  There was a plan and it was simple enough.  Make sure each of the newsies was out of that area as soon as possible without getting them shot.  They had brought the reinforcements for the Mafia, it was time for the boys to get out of there.  When the game started with guns it was high time the boys were gone. 

Spot and Jack were fighting side by side and when the first shot was heard, you could see the blood drain from their faces.  As Spot threw another punch the sweat on his forehead came dripping down.  Jack clenched his jaw tighter as hit another guy in the jaw.  The boys were fighting well, but Jack and Spot both knew they were no match for guns.  Where there were guns, there was sure to be death. 

One of the men with the guns was walking towards Matt, holding his gun steady at him and ready to fire.  Matt was starring at the gun in pure horror, he had lived in this town his whole life.  He had seen dead people, he knew what went on in the under work of the most powerful men of New York.  But never had he ever had a gun pointed at him.  His impulsive nature was taken back a step and he was unable to move or react to the man with the gun getting closer and closer to him.  Snipes and Cap were watching though and both came to the rescue, Cap by using his well trained fists that connected well with the man’s skull from behind and Snipes by taking a nearby stick that he just happen to aim at the man’s stomach.  Yes that man was unable to shoot Matt and by that point very unable to stand.  Cap and Snipes stood grinning over the man for a moment and then looked at Matt.  Matt smiled weakly. 

“You three, out of here now,” Critter commanded at them.  “Down that alley.  Matt, you should know the fastest way out of here.  And don’t you dare think about being mouthy right now.” Critter hit some guy over the head fiercely when he said that.  The three boys looked at each other a moment and then started off running down the alley. 

There were plenty more guns fired but most of the bullets you could hear hit objects rather then people.  Every so often there would be a groan of pain from someone somewhere, but Laces only buried herself more under her arms when she heard the cries of agony from below.  Finally Cricket was at her side, he didn’t even try to get her up he picked her up and swung her over his shoulder before he took off running.  When he finally stopped he set her down on the ground and put his hands over his knees as he caught his breath. 

Laces surveyed him for a moment, his clothes were now dirty and his hands were scrapped.  He wasn’t that bad off though compared to some of the boys Laces had seen beat up before. 

“Was everyone...” Laces started but was not allowed to finished. 

“No stupid questions.  We’ll talk later.” Cricket shook his head before he stood up again and started down the fire escape.  Laces sat for only a moment wanting to scream, that wanting to know if her friends were still alive was not a stupid question.  But she thought that she had better not scream anything.  They walked the rest of the distance to Brooklyn.  As soon as they walked into the Brooklyn Lodging House Laces saw the answer to her question, there sprawled across the table of the parlor was Bullseye his shirt drenched in blood and Hunter standing over him pushing a rag that only seemed to be dripping with more blood into his shoulder.  Laces felt her knees give out and all the color in her face was gone, she would have fallen had Cricket not been behind her to hold her up.  He walked her over and she stared at Bullseye. 

“You were a good girl for once in your life and did what you were told.” Bullseye smiled weakly, Laces felt tears rushing to her eyes.  Bullseye wasn’t weak, she had never in all the time she had been in Brooklyn once seen Bullseye badly hurt and he just wasn’t ever weak. 

“Ah don’t cry, this ain’t nothing.  I’ve been in worse situations then this.” Bullseye cringed as he said that and Laces looked up for a moment.  She noticed Spot and Jack standing near Hunter they were also pale and looked worn and tired.  The rest of the newsies, even the Brooklyn boys that hadn’t gone to fight were all in that one room.  Cricket didn’t let go of Laces, but she just stood there staring at Bullseye, he was dying everyone in the room knew he was.  The blood was everywhere, and Laces choked at the thought that all that blood belonged to Bullseye.  Laces suddenly walked away from Cricket and threw herself next to the table, she held Bullseye’s hand in hers and began to stroke the hair away from his face. 

“Did I ever tell you the story about this boy I once knew that acted all tough but was really just goofy.  He was tall, about your height and had this grin that could make you smile from a mile away.  But he was tough, tougher than nails.  Never did see anyone that could beat him in anything.  Of course he was from Brooklyn.” Laces went on for a while, all the time she had tears rolling down her cheeks but her face didn’t fade once and she keep her eyes focused on Bullseye.  He smiled at her every so often and told her not to worry but she kept on telling him the story. 

“So what happened to this boy?” Bullseye whispered at the end of Laces’s talk.  She sighed. 

“He left a legend for all to know that he was one of the best Brooklyn boys ever seen in this century,” Laces said and as she said it Bullseye closed his eyes.  “One of the best, and everyone loved him.” Laces finished and she knew that Bullseye wasn’t going to open his eyes again.  There was a small whimper and Laces looked up to see Pixie sitting on the couch. 

“Pixie what are you doing here?” Laces said in a soft voice before she stood up and carried Pixie out of the room.  No one stopped her and no one followed her.  Laces carried Pixie upstairs and put her into bed. 

“Laces, is Bullseye dead?” Pixie asked her eyes red from crying.  Laces smiled softly and remembered something her father had said before he became the man she now bitterly remembered. 

“He is dead in body Pixie, but we’ll always remember him won’t we?” Laces asked.  Pixie nodded. 

“He died like my mom did, but I don’t know who would want to shot Bullseye.” Pixie had tears again. 

“Some people are just bad baby, I wouldn’t worry about it.  Bullseye knew we loved him,” Laces said as she hushed Pixie’s tears again.  She kissed her goodnight and then pulled the covers up around her and walked away.  In the hallway she stopped and as she took a shaky breath she whistled softly. 

“Finally figured it out?” Chesa asked from the end of the hall.  Laces nodded. 

“She shouldn’t have to see things like that.  Friday I’ll take her to the real Pixie.  She deserves a home where boys won’t come home hurt or dead.” Laces choked at the last part.  Chesa nodded, she herself had been crying downstairs.  Laces then lost it and crumbled to the ground in a heap before beginning to cry uncontrollably.  The boys downstairs heard it, they knew it was bound to happen.  Laces had seen things, things no one should ever have to see, but the difference between her and the boys was that she still had strong feelings about it all.  Spot was unable to move from Bullseye’s side, Bottle Cap also stood there shaking his head with tears rolling down his cheeks.  If Laces had been in the room then the boys would have comforted her and made sure she was okay, but she was upstairs and no one was able to move.  No one that is except Cricket, he jerked himself away from the scene.  He was avoiding tears, Bullseye lying there reminded him of things he had fought hard to forget.  A life he had lived so long ago, something he had fought to forget when he was a bird and even now that he wasn’t.  He had even thought that if he stayed away from everything to do with the birds the memories would fade away.  But that didn’t work because those kind of memories just don’t fade away, and no one can just ignore the fact that they were once a legend.  Cricket climbed the stairs he found Chesa also sitting on the stairs crying, he stopped and he knelt next to her. 

“Chesapeake, remember sometimes we die young only because we weren’t meant to be old,” Cricket whispered as he wiped away her tears.  Chesa nodded as she crawled back into the room where Bullseye now was drenched in his own blood and cold.  Cricket took a deep breath, it had been so long since he had comforted Laces, the last time he had even spoken to her and cradled her was when Bryan died.  She didn’t even understand death then, she just thought Bryan left without saying good bye.  He walked into the hall and saw Laces curled into a ball near the door to the bunkroom, she was trying to breath through her sobs, Cricket almost smiled thinking that this young woman that was in a heap on the ground looked exactly like she did when she was a baby and was in a heap on the ground.  The difference though shot a sharp pain through Cricket, even though she still looked like the little girl she was now dealing with more than her fair share of the bad of the world.  Things he wished now more than ever he could have protected her from, Bryan’s little Audrey should never have seen that dead boy downstairs.  She should have never seen the dead he knew she had seen, the violence, she shouldn’t have had to experience the harsh cruelty of a world he even once believed to be good.   He now had the tears he had been fighting against the whole night falling off his chin.  He quickly shook his head, and bent down and lifted Laces from the ground.  He walked into the nearest room and set her on the bed. 

“Baby doll it’s okay.  Stop crying.  Would Bullseye want to see you cry?” Cricket whispered these things softly as he held Laces, held her like he used to when she was the baby he had loved so much.  As she sobbed into his chest she shook her head and buried herself in his shirt.  Cricket hugged her harder and smiled softly. 

“I know you’ve seen too much of these things baby doll, I know the world hasn’t been nice to you.  I know you don’t know how much more you can take, but you watch the world crumble around you and you still stay standing.  There’s a reason for that, there’s a reason you didn’t die tonight, a reason that Pepper and James didn’t get a chance to kill you.  You are meant to survive all this baby doll, I know the world may seem like it hates you right now but it wouldn’t keep you around unless there was something it wanted you to do.  Maybe, just maybe you were put here to help these boys deal with this harsh world.  Maybe your smile brightens their day, strengthens their hopes, or renews their faith that the world just might have some good in it.   There has been times when life doesn’t seem worth living, but we have to keep going baby doll, no matter what is thrown at us we just have to learn to bat and hit it with all we got.  When someone throws something at you, just toss it right back,” Cricket whispered this to her, he had picked up the advice from several places and some he had even made up himself.  He too had seen more than his fair share of tragedy, all street kids did.  Even though Cricket wasn’t a street kid, he had become one, even though he had money, and never went hungry he saw crime, death, violence and harsh realities when he was young and thus became a street kid by choice.  Street kids became hard and cold, they keep their cool and didn’t let anything faze them that’s what Cricket had wanted and never had he gotten it. 

Laces’s sobs began to soften and she lifted her face from Cricket’s chest.  He was handsome even if there were a few tears that had escape from his gray dancing eyes. 

“I don’t remember much about my childhood.  I think I forgot it on purpose, but there are a few things that just stayed with me.  I fought to forget everything to do with Bryan, people were right when they use to say that I just thought of him as some long lost friend, that just left one day.  I tried to forget everything, but every so often when something bad happened I would find myself wishing with all my heart for a pair of strong arms and this.  I wished for you or for Bryan, and I get my wish when something like this happens.  The world is terribly ironic.” Laces shook her head.  Cricket smiled softly, he knew the world was terribly ironic.  He stroked Laces hair softly. 

“Are you going to be okay baby doll?” Cricket asked.  Laces had tears streaming down her face again. 

“Sooner or later, I really hope so.” Laces was shaking now again, her tears coming closer together.  Cricket held her tighter and they stopped talking.  Laces cried herself to sleep, and she was only truly asleep when the sun was rising again.  Cricket tucked her in carefully and walked back down the stairs, everyone was still where he had left them the night before.  Rick, the caretaker of the place was moving slower and looking older as he finally cleaned Bullseye’s body up.  Cricket also noticed that Spades gang was now there, the girls all crying and Blue standing near Spot.  There was a knock at the door and Critter moved to get it, Cricket of course followed with Hunter. 

Tony and Vincent stood at the door with West each looking rough and bruised from the night’s activities. 

“What the hell are you doing here?” Critter growled under his breath so that the room full of mourning newsies would not hear him. 

“We came to offer our deepest regrets that one of the boys was killed last night.” Tony sighed. 

“Your regrets don’t bring him back,” Hunter spat at them. 

“No, they don’t.  But we did win,” Vincent said. 

“I think you better leave and never let us catch you near these boys ever again,” Cricket threatened. 

“We will leave them alone, but we wanted to offer them this.” Tony held out his hand that had an envelope in it. 

“What is it?” Critter asked. 

“It’s money, for the funeral.  A nice one at that.  Everything is already arranged.  West will aid in any of the proceedings.  He is after all more connected to them than we are.” Vincent sighed.  Critter took the envelope and then closed the door. 

“So they felt bad this time?” Chesa stood on the stairs. 

“They should.” Critter fumed a bit. 

“Chesapeake they didn’t know us the last time, we were helping do anything.  We were in the wrong place at the wrong time.  They may be killers but they still feel bad when something that wasn’t planned happens, well most of them do anyway.  ” Hunter calmed her. 

“Always in the wrong time and wrong place.  That’s the life of a street kid.” South nodded as she leaned against the hallway wall. 

“That’s what we were supposed to teach her not to do though,” Blaze whispered as she walked out behind South. 

“Who was at the door?” Spot came out of the parlor looking worn and older than he usually appeared. 

“Our friends.” Critter gritted his teeth.  Spot nodded, he understood. 

“What did they want?” he asked. 

“To give us this.” Critter pushed the envelope towards Spot.  Spot took it and opened it.  There were a few papers all indicting the place where the boys could go to pick the coffin, the cemetery that they could go to use, the whole deal.  There was also some money for any other expenses they would come across. 

“They always send their condolences when it was an accident.” Matt looked over Spot’s shoulder to view the letters.  Spot didn’t stop him, if it was because he was too tired or there was something else that stopped him no one ever really knew.  The sun was well in the sky now, but the day was dark and gloomy what seemed to be the trend for days of mourning and deaths. 

                                                ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A Week Later

It was the day of the funeral everyone was dressed in as much black clothing that they owned, which in some cases wasn’t even really black clothing it was just really dirty clothing.  All the arrangements had been made, it was going to be a beautiful ceremony that cost enough money to sustain every Brooklyn and Manhattan newsie for almost a year. 

The priest was talking slowly about the idea that all the newsies should be rejoicing that their young friend was now in a better place and was watching over them.  The priest finished and the ceremony had finished but everyone still stood there. 

“Poor young souls.” The priest shook his head as he walked away from all of them.  Laces sat down and stared at the grave, Caroline and Cricket stood behind her.  Spot was fighting tears and Cat was standing near him with her arm hooked in his.  Blue and Critter stood behind Spot, the silence was maintained for a few moments and then Laces wiped away her tears and stood up and walked away.  Cricket motioned to stop her but she walked pass him and straight out of the cemetery.   Slowly but surely everyone went their separate ways out of the cemetery. 

Laces had walked to a small street where there were small houses and she sat down on a bench watching the people pass by her in a hurry.  No one paid much attention to her though, she let a few tears fall but she wasn’t really thinking about crying.  She was trying not to think of anything actually, she was staring down at the sidewalk beneath her when she noticed shoes that seemed to be standing right in front of her.  She looked up and there stood Matt staring down at her. 

“You doing okay?” Matt asked. 

“How did you know I would be here?” Laces whispered.  Matt sat down next to her and shrugged. 

“My dad use to tell me about his brother, about your family.  I knew where you lived, even if I have never been here.  I just kind of knew that you would come here.  Everyone went their separate ways, and even though I didn’t know Bullseye that well I still feel bad, it was my fault that he died.” Matt sighed.  Laces shot him a look before she spoke again. 

“You think it was your fault?”

“Yeah, if I hadn’t gone back looking for revenge then you wouldn’t have followed me.  Then Spot and Jack wouldn’t have followed either.  And all the boys wouldn’t have been in Little Italy that night.”

“It wasn’t your fault.” Laces shook her head.  “It was mine.  It’s always my fault.”

“That’s a pretty idea, maybe it’s a Kai thing huh?  Trouble follows us around?” Matt smiled a little.  Laces smiled and laughed.  

“Maybe, I think everyone I ever met would agree.”

“Are you going to be okay?” Matt asked staring at Laces carefully.  Laces nodded. 

“I’ve been through a lot, I really wonder what’s left that will really shake me.” Laces looked sad and even old for a moment. 

“I know what you mean, we’ve both probably seen our fair share of this world.” Matt shrugged.

“So what are you going to do now?” Laces asked. 

“I don’t know.  I was figuring to stay around here in Brooklyn.  Maybe become a newsboy.  After all, I just found the only family I got left in the world.” Matt sighed.  Laces nodded and smiled.  

“You’ll fit in just fine here in Brooklyn.”

                                                ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Spot, BC, Cat and Critter stood in an alley near the lodging house.  Cat was trying to coax Spot into coming inside the lodging house and having a cup of tea.  Spot wouldn’t move though. 

“Caitlin just leave him alone will you,” Critter snapped.  Cat stared at Critter a moment, and then at Spot. 

“Patrick if you just,” Cat whispered again.  Spot shook his head.  

“I’m not going to have no tea Cat, I ain’t never liked tea.  Why don’t you go inside and make yourself and BC some tea.”  Spot stared at the ground he was holding BC’s hand.  BC kissed Spot on the cheek and then walked away from him and Critter, she slipped her hand into Cat’s and led her away also.  As soon as the girls walked around the corner Spot violently climbed up the fire escape onto the roof of the lodging house.  Critter followed quietly.  Spot sat on the edge of the roof and glared at the city of New York.  Critter sat down and took out the cigarettes that he had in his back pocket and handed one to Spot. 

“Here have a smoke, it’ll help your nerves.” Critter sighed as he lit his own cigarette.  Spot started smoking, he was tense, he was angry and what he wanted most was to go beat the life out of the guy who had shot Bullseye. 

“Spot, you can’t win this one with your anger,” Critter finally said.  Spot snorted. 

“What would you know Critter?  Not like you ain’t solved all your problems with your fists.”

“Now see here Spot Conlon, this ain’t no normal battle between street kids.  Bullseye was killed by men more powerful than you know.  It ain’t safe and you know it.  All I am telling you is to not do nothing stupid.  You got a girl, a sister, your newsies and Laces to think about.  You can’t go running off and getting yourself killed because you lost your head,” Critter said in a stern voice, his patience was running thin.  Spot was silent for a little while as he puffed at his cigarette, he was thinking things over before he said something else.  Spot was impulsive but he knew better than not to think about what Critter had said.  As Spot threw the last bit of his cigarette over the edge into the alley below he turned and looked at Critter. 

“What’s wrong with you and Cat?” Spot asked.  Critter’s eyes got harder and he gave a stone smile. 

“Don’t worry about it Spot.” Critter sighed. 

“I’ll ask her and she don’t keep secrets very well.” Spot shrugged.   Critter growled and shook his head. 

“I’m not in love with your sister.” Critter shrugged. 

“What do you mean you’re not in love with my sister?” Now it was Spot’s turn for his eyes to get cold and hard. 

“When I left, when I didn’t feel like being a bird anymore.  When the fun was gone and the memories wouldn’t go away that’s when I went looking for your sister.” Critter sighed. 

“But,” Spot was about to begin but Critter shook his head. 

“You were having those dreams more often, the ones about Fiona.  I wasn’t sure what else I could do for you and I knew your sister was still alive.  I knew Caitlin was still alive, I had known for years she was because I had heard the name and seen her when you first came to Brooklyn.  I didn’t know she was your sister then, but later I knew.  So I went looking for her.  Spent almost a year looking for her and when I found her I started getting to know her making sure she was your sister.” Critter sighed.  “I fell in love with her because I was looking for her, because I needed to find her.  It was the idea of her that I was fancy to I suppose, but I am not in love with your sister.”

“Did you tell her all of this?” Spot asked. 

“I told her I wasn’t in love with her.  I didn’t want to hurt her Spot, she’s one of the sweetest girls I’ve ever meet, but she knew.” Critter shrugged.  “Things change everyday Spot.”

“I know.  Jack and I have decided,” Spot stated. 

“Have you?” Critter looked surprised. 

“Our time is up.  We can’t handle much more of this and we know that after this our boys are going to start going.” Spot sighed. 

“So who have you decided?” Critter asked.  “Cap hasn’t agreed has he?”

“No, Cap won’t do it.  It kills me and I think it kills him to know he can’t do what he was meant to do.  That new boy, Matthew Kai.  He’s perfect.” Spot nodded looking out onto New York. 

“And Jacky boy chose Snipes?” Critter asked.  Spot nodded again. 

“Well have you two decided when you’re leaving yet?” Critter asked. 

“No, well be around until we’re needed.” Spot shrugged. 

“It’s going to be tough to stay around without Bullseye.”

“I know.  Believe me I know.” Spot stood up.  “I better go make sure the girls are okay.  And maybe see if Laces is back.”

“Yeah.” Critter nodded but he didn’t move with Spot.  Spot went downstairs and Critter sat there still. 

“So you and Cat Conlon aren’t together anymore?” Chesa sat down next to Critter. 

“Are all of you here?” Critter rolled his eyes a bit. 

“How long have you known us?” Hunter came and sat down too. 

“And when have you known us not to be around?” South and Cricket popped up from behind the ledge of the building across from the lodging house. 

“You all right Crit?” Blaze popped out of the window below Critter. 

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Critter nodded. 

“So we really are done and over with?” South asked. 

“What do you mean we’re done and over with?” Cricket stared at her. 

“She means, that now even Spot and Jack are leaving.  That means that our time is over, we’re just going to be a story now.” Hunter sighed. 

“We get to be a story.  Legends.  Us, some rusty street kids who were in the wrong place at the wrong time only once in their entire lives.” Chesa laughed a little. 

“Maybe twice,” Blaze whispered.  There was silence for a few minutes and then Cricket grinned. 

“Well, not all of us are rusty street kids.”

“No, you two are the rich kids who wanted to be rusty street kids.” Hunter laughed. 

“Yeah I suppose so.” South smiled. 

“Well South want me to walk you home?  I think it’s time we head out.” Cricket smiled. 

“Yeah.  I had better change back into the dreadful dress.” South rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, I should probably make myself a bit more presentable.” Cricket nodded. 

“So you two going to ignore and forget us again?” Blaze asked. 

“No, I’m over that.” Cricket winked.

“Yes, I think it’s high time we start seeing each other more often.” South laughed as her and Cricket walked away. 

“Those two are something else.  They belonged together, but both were trying so hard to forget everything about those days that I think they forgot how much they liked each other.” Blaze smiled. 

“They’re not the only ones.” Hunter mumbled.  “Blaze, want me to walk you home.  I just need to stop by the nest before we leave Brooklyn.  I need to talk and check up on Filly.”

“Yeah.  I would love to see the nest again.” Blaze nodded. 

“You two going to visit right?” Hunter stared at Critter and Chesa.  They both nodded and Hunter and Blaze walked away. 

“So the wedding is off?” Chesa whispered. 

“Yeah it’s been off for a while.  We just didn’t want to tell anyone yet, there was too much going on.” Critter nodded. 

“Crit,” Chesa squeaked a little.  “Do you still think, think that it wouldn’t work out?”

“We have tried haven’t we?” Critter did not look at Chesa. 

“Critter.” Chesa jumped down on the latter of the fire escape.  “O’Connell look at me.”

Critter grinned his winning grin and stared at Chesa.  Chesa laughed. 

“Of course the grin.” Chesa kissed Critter on the cheek.  “So do you still think that we wouldn’t work out?”

                                                ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Spades’ gang was sitting in their building in the main sitting room. 

“We should have been there!” Shady said for the millionth time that afternoon. 

“Shady we didn’t know what was going on.” Spades rolled her eyes. 

“We should have known, what are the birds for anyway.” Vigor crossed her arms. 

“Girls, there was nothing we could do.  Even if we had been there.  All we might have been able to do is get shot ourselves.” Angel shook her head. 

“I feel so bad leaving the day after tomorrow.” Cheeky sighed. 

“The world has to keep going.” Candy drew a shaky breath. 

“Blue you all right?” Pockets asked as he shifted his weight and held Angel’s hand. 

“Yeah.  Fine.” Blue nodded absent mindedly. 

“Blue, you sure?” Angel asked looking worried. 

“He’s worried about Conlon.” Spades sighed. 

“Well Critter is with him,” Angel said.  Everyone nodded. 

“I’m a little worried about the kid to tell you the truth.” Angel sighed. 

“Laces is a big girl, she can take care of herself.” Pockets shrugged.  Everyone looked at him in shock and disbelief. 

“Laces has never been ever to take care of herself when something like this has happened.  She walked off all by herself,” Vigor stated. 

“You would be surprise that kid is stronger than I think we give her credit for.  But I think that I am worried about her being off by herself too.” Spades sighed. 

“Well, you girls all packed?” Scorch asked Candy and Cheeky.  Both girls nodded. 

“Spades do you really think we should be leaving the day after tomorrow.  I mean with everything that has happened?” Candy asked nervously.  Stage and Tapper didn’t say anything, neither would be too happy if the girls decided they needed to stay longer but they knew they needed to be supportive. 

“Candy, Cheeky, you two are ready to go.  You don’t belong here no more.  I wouldn’t worry about nothing, we can take care of things here.  Really.” Spades smiled slightly. 

“We’ve all had a long day, I think maybe we should think about getting some sleep,” Angel suggested. 

“Yeah some sleep.” Pockets nodded.  The group started heading up the stairs everyone except for Blue and Spades they stayed behind, Spades sitting on the counter again and Blue holding her tightly. 

“O’Riley did you notice?” Spades asked softly. 

“Notice what?” Blue asked, he had noticed a lot of things that afternoon.  He was having trouble keeping them all straight. 

“Cat Conlon, she wasn’t wearing her ring.” Spades sighed as she placed her head on Blue’s chest. 

“Her ring?  The ring that Critter gave her when he asked her to marry him?”  Blue was surprised. 

“Yeah.  What do you think that means?” Spades asked. 

“Well, to tell you the truth I never thought they were in love.” Blue shrugged. 

“You still worried about Conlon?” Spades asked noticing the way Blue was taking the fact that Critter might not be getting married to Cat. 

“Yeah.  I can’t help it.  You know that Critter and him don’t always see eye to eye on things.  I just feel like I should make sure he’s okay,” Blue said. 

“Conlon should be fine.  He has a lot of people, but you know what though we’ll go see him tomorrow to make sure.” Spades smiled. 

“So Cat and Critter won’t get married, I wonder if that means Chesa and Critter are finally going to try again.” Blue laughed. 

“Those two always did belong together.” Spades nodded. 

“Do you think Bullseye was happy with what he had done with his life?” Blue asked. 

“Maybe.  Are you happy with what you have done with your life?” Spades asked. 

“No, I want to marry you before I die.” Blue smiled slyly.  Spades and Blue kissed for a moment and then Blue asked Spades.  “What about you?”

“I think I am happy with what I have done with my life, but I don’t think I would feel that I was done.” Spades shrugged. 

“Bullseye was a wonderful person when he was alive, I think that is what really counts.” Blue smiled a bit. 

“I feel horrible for thanking God that it wasn’t Conlon that was shot.” Spades let tears slip again. 

“I don’t know I can say that I don’t feel the same thing.” Blue nodded.  He lifted Spades and carried her up the stairs. 

                                                ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The Manhattan newsies were walking back towards Manhattan as the sun was steadily lowering back behind the horizon.  Jack, Blink and Skittery were leading the group. 

“Jacky boy, I don’t know how much longer I want to live in this type of world.” Blink sighed.  Jack looked over his shoulder skimming around looking for Snipes.  Snipes was a few people back walking along side Sand. 

“Well to tell you the truth I think I am leaving soon.” Jack sighed. 

“You’re leaving us?  What are you going to do?” Skittery asked. 

“I ain’t too sure what I am going to do yet.  That’s why I ain’t leaving now.  I have to know what I am going to do because I think I want to settle down.” Jack smiled slightly. 

“Settle down, with a girl?” Blink asked.  Jack nodded. 

“With Laces?” Skittery looked surprised, like he was trying to grasp the idea of two people he never ever saw growing up suddenly settling down. 

“Yeah.  I mean if she wants me.” Jack sighed.  “I still get the feeling sometimes that she doesn’t love me as much as she loves others.”

“She loves you Jacky boy.  I wouldn’t worry about that.” Blink shrugged. 

“How are you so sure?” Jack asked. 

“We just are.” Skittery nodded. 

“And who is going to take charge here in Manhattan?” Blink asked. 

“I want Snipes to, but Spot and I want to train the boys taking over, without letting them know.”

“Who is Conlon going to put in charge?” Skittery asked. 

“Matt,” Jack replied. 

“The new boy?  The Kai?  Conlon is going to let the new boy take charge of Brooklyn?  Has he lost his marbles?” Blink looked stunned. 

“No.  I think the boy is perfect too.” Jack nodded. 

“What do you mean?” Skittery asked. 

“Matt is like Spot, a lot like Spot.  He belongs in Brooklyn.” Jack laughed. 

“Yeah I guess.” Blink nodded. 

“I don’t believe that all these things are changing.” Skittery sighed. 

“Things are meant to change.” Jack nodded. 

                                                ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Laces and Matt walked back into the Brooklyn Lodging House and into the kitchen.  Buttercup, Cat and Caroline were all sitting there with Spot. 

“Laces Kai, where in heavens name have you been?” Caroline asked looking pale. 

“I’ve been around.  How are you doing Spot?” Laces walked over and sat down on the ground next to Spot.  Spot looked down and smiled at her. 

“You stay out of trouble?” he asked.  Laces laughed weakly. 

“I had someone with me, I wasn’t sitting in Brooklyn by myself.”

“Well I’m glad that you finally getting some sense into you.” Spot winked at her then turned his attention back to the other girls. 

“Caroline, I think we have failed to introduce you to the last remaining Kai.  That there is Matt Kai, your cousin.” Spot sighed.  Caroline looked at Matt a moment. 

“My cousin.  Matthew Kai, where have you been hiding all these years that your parents have been dead?” Caroline whispered.  Laces smiled slightly. 

“That’s my sister for you, nice and blunt about her questions.”

“I’ve been in Little Italy working for the Mafia.” Matt shrugged as he jumped onto the counter and smiled in such a reckless way that Laces shook her head sighing to herself that he would fit in. 

“Is that why all of you were in Little Italy?” Cat asked.  Spot and Matt got a dark look together. 

“I was taking care of some business.  It was all an accident.” Matt licked his lips lightly. 

“We were helping out a friend.  Bullseye knew what we were going into, we all knew what we were getting into,” Spot said in a finished tone that told everyone never to talk about the subject again. 

“Maybe you children should get some sleep.” Cat sighed as she stared at her brother’s cold eyes.  Laces looked around the room in a quick glance. 

“Where are there children Cat dear?” she asked slyly. 

“Audrey you’re still a child,” Caroline stated. 

“In what cruel world would I still be considered a child after seeing so much of what I have.  I’ve probably seen more dead bodies then both of you.  I’ve probably seen more blood, felt more violence than you ever will.  I really don’t think I’m a child anymore.” Laces sighed.  There was silence in the room. 

“Laces are we taking Pixie home tomorrow?” Spot sighed after a while.  Laces just nodded then she stood up. 

“Where’s Cap?” she asked.  Spot cast his eyes down to the table and shrugged. 

“I haven’t seen him since this afternoon.  Caroline, Cat, would you like some of the boys to walk you home?” Spot asked. 

“If you could spare them.” Caroline nodded. 

“Of course we can.  FISTS!  KNUCKLES!” Spot hollered out.  Two boys came running in looking half asleep. 

“Yeah Spot?” They both said in unison. 

“Can you walk my sister and Caroline home please?”

“Sure.  Ladies.” The boys helped the girls out of their seats and they left the kitchen. 

“Patrick, please drink some of that tea.  It will calm your nerves,” Cat said as she kissed her brother on the cheek. 

“Yeah sure Kitty.” Spot nodded softly. 

“Laces sweetheart, don’t go running off anymore.” Caroline hugged Laces.  Then the girls left.  Laces got up and left the room in search of Bottle Cap.  Matt got up and followed her, Spot and Buttercup were left alone in the room. 

“I think I am going to head home too Spot.  I’ll just get Bull, I mean I’ll just get one of the boys to walk me home.” Buttercup’s eyes filled with tears again.  Spot stared at her a moment and then helped her up and embraced her. 

“We’ll be okay one day.  I know we will,” he whispered.  “Matches will walk you home.”

“Are you sure?” Buttercup asked.  Spot nodded and whistled loudly.  There was a loud thud from somewhere near the window and then Matches poked his head through the window and smiled. 

“Need something Spot?” he asked. 

“Can you walk BC home for me?” Spot asked.  Matches nodded. 

“No problem.” Matches opened the door and waited for BC to say good bye to Spot and then walked her home.  Spot stood in the kitchen for a moment and looked down at the cup of tea his sister had prepared him.  He sighed and picked it up like he was going to drink it then poured it down the drain. 

“I don’t need me nerves to be calm,” Spot said to the empty room before walking out. 

                                                ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Laces, Cap and Matt were sitting in Spot’s room.  Laces had found Cap sitting in the dark of Spot’s room just a few minutes before. 

“Cap are you all right?” Laces whispered as she sat down next to him. 

“Laces, Spot can’t take much more of this,” Cap responded.  Laces stared at him, that wasn’t the answer she was waiting for. 

“What do you mean?” she stuttered out. 

“People grow out of this type of thing.  Spot has to be pretty done with this by now, how many people do you think he can watch die?  How many of his friends do you think he can stand losing to hunger and violence of these cruel streets?” Cap sighed. 

“I don’t know.  I really don’t know.  But what about you Bottle Cap?  How are you?” Laces shivered at the words Cap had said, she had thought about it.  About how tired Spot and Jack were looking lately, how they seemed worn and worried more than usual.  How they even were starting to look older and she had thought that they were ready to leave.  But like anything that scared Laces she pushed the thought to the back of her mind and didn’t voice it often. 

“Me, I’ve seen things.  Things that made me lose sight of what I was supposed to be, but I can’t do anything about that anymore.  I lost another boy that I grew up with.  I am going to miss him, but I guess he wasn’t cut out to grow out of this.  Or that’s what some people say, that’s why some of us die young, we weren’t meant to keep living.” Cap shrugged. 

“We are all part of a game, played by a player bigger than us, who knows more, and who never loses,” Matt whispered.  Cap and Laces looked up they had both forgotten he was in the room. 

“That’s what my ma use to say to me.” Matt sighed.  Cap and Laces nodded.  There was a crack of light into the room and all eyes were cast to the doorway.  There stood a little girl, her hair waving down in curls and her eyes big and red. 

“I had a bad dream,” Pixie choked out as she started to cry again. 

“Laces, if you don’t mind I’ll take care of her,” Matt said as he stood up.  Laces stared at him a moment and then nodded. 

“Come on baby doll.  I’ll tell you a story about a prince and princess in a far away land,” Matt whispered as he lifted Pixie carefully and carried her back across the hall. 

“Where is Spot?” Cap asked. 

“He’s right here.” Spot entered the room. 

“Hey Conlon.” Cap nodded.  Spot sat down on his bed next to Cap and Laces. 

“So what are you two talking about?” Spot asked as he stretched himself out on the mattress. 

“About you,” Cap responded.

“Of course.  Who else would you two talk about.” Spot sighed. 

“We have plenty of other people to talk about, but at the moment we were talking about how we think you’re going to leave,” Laces said.  Spot turned on his side to stare at the wall. 

“Conlon?” Cap whispered. 

“Are you going to leave?” Laces asked. 

“You two should really get some sleep.  We are taking Pixie into Manhattan tomorrow.  And Laces maybe you should think about staying in Manhattan for a little while.  If I was Jacky boy I wouldn’t think you were too in love with me.” Spot sighed. 

“If you think I should Spot.” Laces nodded and stood up and walked out of the room. 

“You ain’t going to leave too soon.” Cap looked hopeful before he walked out.  “Sleep well.”

                                                ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Laces walked into her room and Matt was sitting on Pixie’s little bed still telling her his story.  He smiled at Laces as she walked in and Laces threw herself on her bed. 

“So you see baby doll, the prince was willing to do anything for his princess,” Matt kept saying.  Laces soon also fell asleep listening to Matt’s story thinking that he reminded her of her brother.  When both girls were asleep Matt stood up and walked out of the room and into the hall.  He sat on the stairs, Cap came up behind him. 

“So you staying in Brooklyn?”

“If Spot lets me stay.  I ain’t too sure how much he likes me at the moment, after all it’s my fault that his second man died.” Matt buried his head in his hands. 

“It ain’t your fault.  We all make mistakes, but it ain’t your fault that Bullseye died.” Cap sighed. 

“But if,” Matt started. 

“No, that don’t help believe me.  There wasn’t a day that went by for a while where I didn’t sit by myself and say that if I hadn’t been such a know it all a that one day I wouldn’t have gotten beat up and taken to Pepper’s.  If I hadn’t looked for Laces, she never would have found me.  If she would have never found me than they wouldn’t have gone looking for me, and then maybe just maybe Peach wouldn’t have died.  Pixie would still have a mother.” Cap lit a cigarette. 

“Was that the thing in the papes about the pick pocketing gang?” Matt asked.  Cap nodded. 

“Pepper’s pick pocketing gang.”

“That wasn’t your fault.  You didn’t know you were going to get beat up,” Matt said.

“I shouldn’t have been out by myself.  Spot had specific orders for no one to be out by themselves.  But I was too good for orders.” Cap shook his head. 

“You even said we all make mistakes.  I shouldn’t have gone back to Little Italy looking for trouble, West told me never to go back into Little Italy or he would skin me alive.” Matt shook his head.

“That was your mistake.  And things happened.  It wasn’t your fault that Bullseye died.  Believe me.” Cap shook his head as he took another puff at his cigarette. 

“I guess you’re right.” Matt nodded. 

“Well, welcome to Brooklyn.  I think that you’ll fit in well.” Cap patted Matt on the back and then passed him his cigarette. 

“Thanks.  That means a lot.” Matt nodded taking a puff at the cigarette.  Spot was standing staring at them through his doorway.  He smiled lightly and then went back to bed.  Maybe it all was going to work out after all, just maybe the world was going to be okay for a little while. 

                                                ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It was midday before Laces, Spot and Cap were ready to take Pixie to Manhattan the next day. 

“Have you told her yet?” Cap asked Laces who was standing in front of the mirror fixing her hair into a ponytail. 

“No, I think she might already know though.” Laces bit her lower lip. 

“Do you want me to tell her?” Cap asked as he shifted his weight a bit. 

“Well,” Laces stepped back and then turned to look at Cap.  “No, I should tell her.”

“I’ll come with you then.” Cap nodded.  Laces smiled and walked out into the hall and cupped her hands over her mouth.

“Pixie!” she called and from the stairwell a little girl came flying through the hallway.  Pixie stopped and her golden curls fell around her apple shaped face.  Her eyes twinkled and she smiled innocently as she looked up at Laces.

“Sumthin’ matta?” Pixie mumbled through the candy she had in her mouth.

“Who gave you sweets?” Laces asked as she walked back into her room knowing that Pixie would follow. 

“One of the boys.  He brought me some.” Pixie shrugged thinking nothing of it.  Laces shook her head, if the Brooklyn and Manhattan boys spoiled her to much, they positively pampered Pixie. 

“Pixie, you remember Spring and the girls telling you that your mommy named you after one of her closest friends?” Laces sat down on the bed and held out her arms for Pixie.  Pixie climbed onto Laces’s lap and Cap closed the door standing near the bed post. 

“Yeah.” Pixie nodded. 

“Well, I’ve met her.  She offered to take you in and give you a real family and home.  At first I didn’t want to thinking that you belonged with us.  But last night I noticed, I really noticed that you should live in a real home and not on the streets like the rest of us do.” Laces looked down at Pixie.  The little girl was about 7 now, still rather small for her age like many street children tended to be.  Pixie understood what was going on and she got a glazed look as Laces kept talking.  Laces shook her head, Pixie no matter how sweet and innocent she still looked on the outside was already a street kid at heart. 

“We’re taking you to her now, and I want you to know that we still love you and are going to still see you, but you’re going to live with her now in a real home.  You’re going to go to school and you’re not going to sell papers for a living like we do.  Do you understand?” Laces asked. 

“Yeah.  I get it.” Pixie jumped off of Laces’s lap and walked out of the room into the bunkroom across the hall.

“Maybe she’ll grow out of it when she goes to live with Pixie,” Cap whispered as he watched Laces eyes follow Pixie with a hungry look. 

“No, she’s seen too much of the streets.” Laces shrugged.  There was nothing any of them could do to change that cold look that Pixie had, that all of them had.  That cold attitude that sometimes consumed them and controlled their actions towards others, no one could grow out of that.  It was the pure belief of knowing the world was cruel, cold and hard and never gave any breaks to those on the bottom.  That would never go away, not for a street kid. 

“Ready to go?” Spot asked.  Laces and Cap nodded.  “The kid ready?”

“Yeah.  I’ll go get her.” Cap walked into the bunkroom and came out holding Pixie’s hand.  She had said her good byes and told everyone that they had better come visit her or otherwise she would never speak to any of them ever again.  The boys had teased and laughed at her a little before she went and everything seemed like she was only going to Manhattan for a little while and coming back.  But deep down in everyone’s hearts they knew, that they might not really see the little girl ever again.  As they walked outside into the bright sun of the new day Pixie looked up at Spot. 

“Are we going to stop in Manhattan?” Pixie asked.  Spot smiled and nodded. 

“If that’s what you want to do kid, but we can’t take too long.  All right?”

“That’s fine.” Pixie nodded.   Cap walked next to Pixie playing with her as Spot and Laces led the way. 

“Laces, Kid, are you all right?  I haven’t really talked to you since all of this happened.” Spot said in a soft way.  Laces nodded, she hadn’t really run to anyone this time.  When Bullseye died Cricket ran to her, but Laces hadn’t run to anyone.  She had stayed by herself, she had closed off.  Spot had noticed but was too busy with his own emotions to try and pry Laces for hers. 

“Yeah.  I’m fine.” Laces nodded.  Spot frowned, it wasn’t like Laces to be cold and conserved with him. 

“Laces, are you sure that you’re okay?” Spot asked again pushing softly on the subject.  He had never noticed just how much Laces had hardened since she had become a newsie.  She had once been soft hearted, open, naive and all around sweet.  She was still those deep down, but now she had the outer shell of a street kid like everyone else Spot knew.  Laces had been that way for a while, it’s just that she had never been that way to Spot.  He hadn’t seen it happen. 

“Spot, I said I was fine,” Laces said that in a softer voice than she had before as if she was trying to conserve her steady voice. 

“I’m sorry Kid,” Spot said. 

“Sorry for what?  Spot Conlon ain’t never sorry for nothing.” Laces sighed, knowing that for the first time since she had met Spot she had been defensive with him. 

“Sorry for that night.  Jack and I were mad, you know how we get when we’re mad.  It’s just that you don’t think when you do things sometimes.  And well we care about you, all of us do.  We don’t want nothing to happen to you ever and sometimes you do things that could get you killed,” Spot said.  Laces looked down at her shoes, remembering that night, remembering how cold Jack and Spot looked at her only on occasion.  She shivered slightly at the memory, they had never been that cold.  Just like she had never been this cold. 

“Things happen.  Spot Conlon doesn’t apologize for nothing,” Laces repeated like she was trying to convince herself that Spot was tougher than he was letting on to be at the moment. 

“Laces, Kid, I just said I was sorry.  I just apologized, you know how much I love you.  You can’t possibly think that I hate you?” Spot asked as they walked along the Brooklyn Bridge. 

“Spot, just leave me alone about it,” Laces snapped.  Spot grabbed her wrist though, softly, but with a good grip. 

“No Laces Kai.  You may be a street kid and I might have just noticed, but you’re my kid sister even if you don’t have my blood.  And I ain’t going to have my kid sister walking around being tough in front of me.” Spot gave her a look where his eyes sparkled for a moment with pure emotion and then faded. 

“You think I’m tough?” Laces whispered.  Spot laughed and let go of her. 

“You’ve always been tough and impulsive.” Spot shook his head.  “Otherwise you wouldn’t be a Brooklyn girl.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Jack was lounging around the parlor room of the Manhattan Lodging House with Blink and Skittery who were also very restless.  The city had been quiet, almost too quiet for the last few days and it was making all the newsies too restless for their own good. 

 “Cheeky and Candy leave tomorrow don’t they?” Blink asked. 

“Yeah they do.  I still don’t believe that some of Spades’ girls are married and leaving.  Leaving New York.” Jack shook his head. 

“Do you think that you would ever leave New York even once you get married?” Skittery asked the two boys.  Blink took a deep breath and shook his head. 

“I don’t think I would leave New York.  I might one day, I ain’t too sure though.” Blink sighed. 

“I would like to go to Santa Fe.  I don’t know how well I would take to living in the country though compared to the city.  I think I would love it, but I have a feeling that my wife is going to be a city girl.” Jack smiled a bit at the thought of Laces trying to live on a ranch in the middle of Santa Fe. 

The front door opened and in came bounding Pixie right into Jack’s arms. 

“JACK!” Pixie laughed. 

“Well hello baby.” Jack smiled as he patted Pixie’s head and then put her down. 

“Wow, don’t we feel loved.” Blink sighed. 

“Yeah, I know who is Pixie’s favorite.” Skittery nodded.  Pixie giggled and ran over to both boys. 

“Jack was just closer to the door,” Pixie defended herself.

“Wait does that mean I’m not your favorite?” Jack asked. 

“You’re my favorite.” Laces jumped a little to kiss Jack on the cheek.  Jack grinned and placed his arms around Laces’s waist.  Cap and Spot sat down on the nearest chairs. 

“Did you ever think life was going to be like this back when you were a kid?” Cap suddenly asked Spot as they both watched Pixie play with Blink and Skittery. 

“I was young when my parents died.  I never thought life was going to be easy.” Spot shrugged. 

“Has it gotten better? I mean since your parents died, has your life gotten any better?” Cap asked.  He had never really asked Spot that kind of question, actually no one had really ever asked Spot that kind of question.  Spot sat there looking at Cap for a moment then around the room, he stared at Laces for a little while. 

“I don’t know.” Spot finally sighed.  “I lost my parents and siblings, I lost my baby sister, I’ve gone hungry, I’ve gone without somewhere to sleep at night.  I’ve been in the worse place in this city and lived.  I’ve seen more people die then I would have wished, I’ve seen things and heard things that no one should have to at my age.  Then again, I’ve had a freedom that no family boy has.  I’ve had power that no kid could ever really gain, I’ve had people come into my life that are full of life, wisdom, strength and all of them are young.  I wouldn’t be able to tell you if my life has gotten better.  I wouldn’t worry too much about it Cap.  I’ve watched over you since you were a small tyke, I ain’t going to stop any time soon.” Spot winked. 

“I’m not a little tyke anymore.” Cap smiled slightly as he sat up straight, sitting as tall as Spot if not a little taller. 

“Of course you are.” Spot kicked Cap’s chair a little and Cap slid down the chair. 

“Spot, I think it’s time we go.  Pixie is waiting for us,” Laces suddenly said.  Spot and Cap looked up and Spot nodded standing up.  Cap also stood up and Pixie lost her smile a bit. 

“You boys will come and visit me?” Pixie asked Jack, Skittery and Blink.

“Course kid.  And we’ll make sure the other boys come too.” Blink laughed.  Pixie nodded and looked happy again as she jumped onto Cap’s back. 

“Well off we go,” Cap said walking out the door. 

“Laces you staying in Manhattan?” Jack asked. 

“Tomorrow after Candy and Cheeky leave, I will come back with you to Manhattan.” Laces smiled. 

“All right.” Jack nodded. 

“Good, I can finally teach you those directions.  I don’t believe you’ve lived in New York your whole life and you still don’t know how to get around the place.” Skittery shook his head. 

                                                ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A brick building that went about 10 stories up and had old white washed type paint on around the edges of the windows that made it look faded and worn stood before Spot, Cap, Laces and Pixie.  The real Pixie was waiting inside, making tea for the party.  She had prepared a room for the little pixie and everything was ready for the new lifestyle to begin. 

“Are you sure you don’t want me to stay in Brooklyn Spot?” Pixie whispered as they stood there looking at the building.  The little girl had a tight grip on Cap’s hand and her eyes were wide. 

“Pix, it ain’t that we don’t want you to stay.  It’s just it’s better if you got a real home.” Spot sighed, he was rethinking the idea too.  He had gotten rather attached to the little girl in Brooklyn, but he reminded himself Brooklyn wasn’t going to be his much longer. 

“But I ain’t good at school.  I’m better at selling papes with you!” Pixie was getting nervous now and Laces and Spot were rethinking their decision.  That’s when Cap stepped in. 

“Pix darling, everything is going to be all right.  You will go to school and get better at it, I know you can do that.  Now come on, we don’t want to keep her waiting anymore now do we?” Cap pulled at Pixie and the group walked into the building.  Cap knocked on the door holding Pixie’s hand tightly in his soft but firm grip. 

The real Pixie answered the door and smiled brightly at the little girl. 

“Well if it isn’t my name sake?” She smiled as she bent down to look closely at the little girl.  “You really do look a lot like your mother, can’t say there isn’t key points of your father’s though.  He was a handsome man.” Pixie shook her head fighting the tears that were coming to her eyes. 

“Well I suppose that mother of yours never called you by your Christian name?” Pixie stood up straight as she lead them all inside her small home. 

“Christian name?” Pixie squeaked not really understanding. 

“Well of course, you couldn’t have possibly believed that your Christian name was Pixie?” The real Pixie smiled because she knew that the little girl probably did truly think her only name was Pixie. 

“Peach never mentioned another name,” Laces stated. 

“Yes, but she has one.  Emily Marie.  That’s your Christian name.  You’re mother loved that name, it was the name of her mother.” Pixie smiled. 

“But my name is Pixie,” Pixie stated. 

“Your nickname is Pixie.  Just like mine is Laces,” Laces said. 

“Well then what’s your Christian name?” Pixie asked. 

“Audrey Alexandra Kai,” Laces responded, the name sounding weird from her own lips.  Very few people called her by her real name and she herself never called herself that name. 

“I like it.  Why don’t we call you that?” Pixie asked.  Laces smiled and shrugged thinking in the back of her mind, because I don’t like my past but there was no need to tell Pixie that. 

“Tell you what, you can start calling me that.” Laces smiled. 

“All right, maybe I will.” Pixie nodded smiling. 

“Will you three stay for tea?” the real Pixie asked. 

“We would love to but,” Spot shook his head. 

“Some of our friends, you know that run with Spades.  They are heading west tomorrow,” Laces stated. 

“I understand.  Feel free to stop by at anytime.” The real Pixie smiled. 

“I’m sure we will.” Cap patted the newly found Emily Marie on the head. 

“You be good now.” He winked at her and gave her a kiss on the forehead.  Spot gave the little girl a hug and then Laces gave her a hug.  The three were walking out the door when the real Pixie whispered to Laces. 

“You did the right thing my dear.” And with that the door closed behind them and the three started their long walk back to Brooklyn. 

                                                ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The Rose had been silent and still most of the day, but as soon as the sun had begun to set it had come alive with preparation.  First, just the initial packing that had to take place before Cheeky and Candy could leave.  Then there was just preparation for the night’s festivities, no one ever left New York City without some kind of big farewell.

“Scorch get some candles out and about the place, we need more light.  But for God’s sake be careful not to burn the place down will you?” Angel was shouting as she dusted above the book shelves, that as far as any of the girls knew had never actually been cleaned. 

“Have Pockets and Blue come back with the drinks?  Or what about Vigor and Shady with the food?” Spades was calling out over the staircase. 

“Would you all quit the yelling already?” Scorch moaned as she lit another few candles. 

“We’re back!  We got ourselves a decent amount,” Blue said as he rolled in two large barrels that could only be filled with the bar liquor that many of them were used to drinking.  Pockets came in rolling another two. 

“The boys will bring more of their own too, so we figured that should be enough.  We don’t want anyone too drunk.” Pockets grinned as he thought of all the people he had once seen drunk. 

“Shady and Vigor back yet?” Blue asked. 

“God, you sound like if our job was easy.  Stealing plates of food from the Brooklyn Banquet was no easy task.” Vigor sighed as she walked in holding three trays of sandwiches and other small types of food. 

“Yeah, just to get enough food we had to make a few trips, and even then we employed some of Conlon’s birds to carry some.” Shady added as she walked in holding a platter of turkey slices.  RB walked in holding breads and butter and then Sugar walked in holding cheese platters as well as a bowl of fruit. 

“God girls, you don’t think they’re going to miss any of that food?” Blue asked. 

“Not like they were going to eat all of it to begin with.” Shady rolled her eyes as she began to place the plates on the counter that for once didn’t send dust spiraling when something was placed on it. 

“Yeah I suppose they weren’t.  Sugar and RB, things all worked out with everyone knowing?” Blue asked taking advantage of the information that one of the birds could provide him with. 

“Yup.  We’ll all be here.  Probably quite soon too.  By the way, Spot, Laces and Cap are heading over here already,” RB said as her and Sugar walked out of the building. 

“Let me tell you that I still think that’s creepy how they know what’s going on all the time,” Stage said. 

“Well it’s a talent that will be useful in life,” Chesa said as she fell from the ceiling and into the middle of the room.

“Oh hello Chesapeake.  How was your day?” Spades asked as she moved more furniture.  Stage just stood gaping at her. 

“Will they never stop coming and going as they please?” he asked. 

“Will you ever understand us?” Chesa asked as she looked over the room.

“You moved all the breakables and anything of slight worth right Spades?”

“Chesapeake, I love this city, but I know it’s full of crooks.  I am one remember.” She sighed. 

“I know, just making sure.  Some people suffer short term memory loss.” She laughed as she looked over at Pockets.  Pockets shrugged at her suggestion and lifted the beer barrel up onto one of the small tables. 

“Seems to me you’re almost ready for the people that are going to begin arriving.” Chesa smiled. 

                                                ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The night sky was shimmering with the sparkle of the evening stars.  Spot, Cap and Laces were approaching the Irish Rose. 

“Now Laces, don’t drink more than you know you should tonight.  We know what happens when you do that,” Spot suggested.  Laces rolled her eyes.

“Now, Spot,” she started. 

“Wait, you know what Laces.  Why don’t you drink as much as you please,” Cap interjected.  Spot glared at him and Laces laughed. 

“Even the young one knows not to tell me to do something.” Laces sighed. 

“Well, if he was in charge of making sure you didn’t die he wouldn’t joke with you in such a way.” Spot smacked Cap lightly on the back of the head.  The three walked into the Irish Rose, all the girls were running around the main room, Spot smiled and Cap leaned against the nearest wall to watch the finishing preparations.  Laces bounced over to the counter she always sat at and lifted herself to sit in-between the two large barrels of alcohol.  She rested her head lightly on one of them and watched the girls run up stairs to change into clothes that weren’t covered in dirt. 

“Now ain’t that a pretty picture of where you sitting.” Pockets whistled as he came over and smiled at Laces. 

“Why wouldn’t it be?” Laces smiled back. 

“Let’s see, the last time I remember you and a lot of drinks there was one great big fight.  Between, oh dear me who was it between.” Pockets stared at her a moment pretending like he was trying to remember. 

“Oh, it doesn’t matter you silly boy.” Laces playfully kicked him and he winked as he ran off to carry something for Scorch. 

“I hear people.  Lots of people.” Cap smiled, there hadn’t been a celebration in a while.  The people started flowing in and the dancing, drinking, gambling and talking as does at everyone of the street kids get together.  The birds were crawling around every corner, and not just the new birds but even the old.  Critter and Chesa were together on the old couch and Cat Conlon was wandering the libraries talking with Spades.  Matt was playing games with Sand as he chased him around the main room.  Race was conducting the usual poker game, Skittery was trying to out drink Fists, South was sword fighting with Les, and everything was normal.  As normal as these kids got, everyone was having a great time, there were smiles on every face, something rare and almost nonexistent in the harsh world these kids existed in.  They were there though, the smiles, the hope, the joy everyone was there just happy being happy and taking care of each other.  It got later and later, the younger kids had fallen asleep on the couch, people were beginning to leave.  The night was getting too late, it was getting too dark, and no matter how safe and how warm the Rose was, everyone knew it was getting more and more dangerous outside and so in groups everyone began departing.  Some a little less coordinated, with a little less money, or with sore toes but with a sense of warm familiar strength of being happy. 

Soon, the only ones left were the old group, a group of young adults dirty, tired and worn but there they were.  The entire group of old birds, Spades’ gang, Spot, Cap, Jack and some of the Manhattan boys, Laces, and Matt.  It was quiet as they sat, staring at each other, and Blue calmed the fire that was slowly dying down. 

“What time does the train leave tomorrow?” Critter asked. 

“10 in the morning.  You all don’t have to come to the train station.” Candy sighed her voice getting shaky. 

“Not come to the train station.  Right, like I would let you leave this state without me annoying you just one more time.” Laces smiled. 

“You don’t annoy us.” Cheeky was getting teary eyed. 

“Don’t start those tears.  It ain’t tomorrow you and there is no reason to be crying on such a beautiful night.  Look at those stars.” Skittery smiled at the girls. 

“Besides my girls don’t know how to cry, none of this sappy stuff just because you went and got married.” Angel rolled her eyes.  Everyone laughed.

“Yeah you heard her, none of this crying.  Spades’ gang doesn’t cry.  We’re the toughest and slickest girls in ALL New York, and now in the whole wide West.” Spades smiled at herself thinking her gang was gaining new land. 

“Just don’t keep doing what the gang taught you to do huh?  You got families to think about now and there ain’t no need to look for unwanted trouble,” Blue warned them. 

“Of course not.  Why would we look for unwanted trouble.” Cheeky smiled in an angelic way.

“That right there, that smile is why you would want unwanted trouble.  Because you still think you’re a cute little seven year old who can get away with it.” Spot laughed. 

“Were we ever really seven years old?” Hunter sighed. 

“When I was seven I thought I was all grown up.  I had my own responsibilities.” Blaze smiled. 

“I don’t think I was ever that small.” Critter frowned.

“Come to think of it, neither do I.  You’ve always been Critter, bigger, stronger, and easier to anger.” Blue shrugged. 

“Yeah, I can still beat you up.” Critter winked. 

“It’s getting later.  And we all have to get up early tomorrow morning.” Blaze said in a motherly tone.

“You all really don’t have to come,” Candy said. 

“Now, you’re making us think you don’t want us there.” Cricket laughed.

“NO, of course we do, but we don’t want to make you come,” Cheeky said. 

“Now, in all the years you’ve known me when in heavens name have you made ME do anything?” Spades crossed her arms.

“Well, there was that time that…” Scorch started and Pockets hit her.

“I thought so.” Spades glared at Scorch and then the group laughed. 

“Until the sun brings us together again.” Hunter smiled.  And then the birds spilt, almost instantly. 

“I still hate it when they do that.” Candy smiled. 

“Well, I think it’s rather a habit.” Spot nodded. 

“Ladies, goodnight.  Or good morning as you may see it.” Jack winked and walked out the door with Laces on his arm, who was half asleep already.  The rest of the group muttered their good byes and streamed out towards the Brooklyn Lodging House. 

                                                ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Morning came sooner then many of them hoped it would.  If the night lasted forever, change would not occur, things would not have to change and the world even though harsh and cruel that they knew would remain forever the same to them.  But no the sun rose, and change did come and their world was never the same as was meant to happen.  The stream of newsies that had come in late last night was ready to leave early in the morning and headed out without so much as a word to each other. 

They arrived at the Rose, which looked still and sad drained of the energy that had dwelled there the night before.  It was just a building, but that had been the building that had seen those girls grow, it had known there joys and their pains and now it would never seen them again and for some reason it looked and felt sad that morning like it knew.  The boys walked in quietly and carried the bit of luggage the girls had and the gang came out, standing in a pack for their last time.  Each girl in the same outfit they wore everyday, nothing changed, not even on the day that was called change, each one refused to accept it completely.  Everyone knew it was there, change, that it would happen, but they would defy it until the last possible moment and then they would move on with their ever changing lives. 

The group walked quietly to the train docks, passing streets and alleys of memories.  Everyone was playing out scenes, scenes of days past.  As they passed the first alleyway that Spades ever hid in, or the rooftop that Pockets first kissed Angel on.  Or the doorway where Blue watched the fire rage at the Rose from.  Or the Market that Shady stole her first fruit from.  Everything was still there, in their minds, they saw their young selves run around playing their games, games they still were playing today.  Walking to the train yards that morning was like walking down memory lane.  There were tears, laughs, and smiles. 

As they arrived the boys lifted the bags into the train that had already arrived and was scheduled to leave in a very short time.  The clock was being obnoxiously loud, Candy and Cheeky stood there in front of the train starring at the gang, at the boys, at everyone.  Then the tears began, only for a spilt second because as the story still says Spades’ gang NEVER cried.  If the tears lasted for longer than that spilt second they were very well hid by the hugs that instantly began.  Whispers of encouragement, of praise and of farewell were said.  And before anyone knew it, before anyone understood the girls were on the train and the others, they were left in the dust and steam of the train that was long gone in front of them. 

The group remained standing there, as another train pulled in and left again.  Once that crowd was gone, Shady spoke first.

“So, Spades.  Want my daily earnings now?” She sighed as she twirled her hat. 

“What, you haven’t even gone out yet Shady.” Angel looked puzzled.

“Not to you know ruin the moment, but train yards are really good for business.” She pulled out a wad of cash handing it to Spades.

“And your girls sure have gotten better.  I barely saw her slip her hand into back pockets.” Critter smiled.

“I can hear headlines.  We better run if we’re going to catch the morning pape,” Skittery commented.

“Run, you don’t know how to run.” Snipes smirked.

“Don’t know how to run do I?” Skittery went to kick Snipes and Snipes took off running. 

“Well I guess we’re off.” Spot smiled a bit.

“See you girls later,” Jack nodded.  The two started to move off and Cap and Matt followed.  Laces though still stood there. 

“Aren’t you coming?” Jack asked. 

“No.  I don’t feel like selling papers.  I think I’m just going to walk around for a little while.” Laces shrugged. 

“You can’t walk around Brooklyn.  You know that.” Spot rolled his eyes preparing himself for another fight.

“I would walk with her but I have to get back to work.” Buttercup sighed. 

“Don’t worry about it.” Laces started.

“I’ll walk with her.” Cricket winked. 

“You won’t let her sweet talk you?” Jack gave him a critical eye.

“Audrey sweet talk me?  Never.” Cricket laughed.  Jack and Spot gave each other a look but shrugged.  Critter was still in town and besides, Cricket was a bird, birds didn’t know how to lose people.  The boys walked off and Buttercup went back to work.  The birds scattered and Spades’ girls headed to a day of work. 

Cricket stood with Laces for a second.

“So what you thinking about baby doll?” he asked her finally. 

“Me, change.  What about you?”

“Growing up.  For some reason, I’m getting this nagging feeling like it’s high time I decided to.” Cricket shrugged.

“You are grown up.” Laces smiled.

“Maybe to a squirt like you.” Cricket laughed. 

“I’m no squirt.” Laces frowned.

“Sure you aren’t.  What change you thinking about?”

“Jack and Spot are thinking about leaving.  I know they are even though they haven’t told me.” Laces shrugged and the two began walking. 

“They have been doing this for a while, longer than anyone else.  Their time is over.  They are legends, legends shouldn’t still be leaders.” Cricket sighed. 

“You’re a legend.” Laces nodded.

“And it’s high time I grew up from that legend.  Maybe make new ones.”

“Maybe.  What’s going to happen to me?” Laces wondered out loud.

“You’ll grow up one day too.  You don’t have to grow up just because the boys are.”

“But, I’ve never been a newsie without them.” Laces looked confused at the mere idea of that.

“You’ll learn, and then it will be like you always were a newsie without them.” Cricket put his arm around her.

“I always thought that things would change, but maybe not until tomorrow.” Laces looked at the sky, the sun was way above their heads now, slowly edging its way to the end of the day. 

“Well there will be change tomorrow too.  And you’ll be ready for it.  I promise.  I’ve got to get going, I’m planning on growing up today.  And maybe some tomorrow too.” Cricket patted Laces on the head and gave her a kiss.

“But, Brooklyn by myself?” Laces questioned.

“You’re never by yourself, and besides we’re at the lodging house.” Cricket laughed.  “BE good?” He winked and was gone. 

Laces shook her head as she looked at the Brooklyn Lodging House, it almost looked smaller.  She remembered the night she had ended up on the steps this place had looked big and scary.  It had been dark and gloomy, but now it was small, small for so many boys and so welcoming and warm to her that she just laughed and walked in. 

                                                ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The sun was going down, taking with it another day, bringing another chance for change.  Jack and Spot were standing on the Brooklyn Bridge together alone.  The other Manhattan boys had gone home and Matt had disappeared long ago to visit Cammie. 

“So it’s really happening?” Jack asked. 

“I guess it is.” Spot nodded.

“When we started out, did you ever imagine we would get this far?” Jack asked.

“Hell Jack, I didn’t ever think I would be the leader of Brooklyn.  I was a shrimp.” Spot grimaced at remembering.

“But you did.  And man were you a cocky little shrimp.” Jack laughed.

“You weren’t all that modest about Manhattan either buddy.” Spot hit Jack in the shoulder.

“We thought our power would be so great that it would last forever.” Jack nodded.

“And it has.  Forever, It’s been an eternity in the world we live in.” Spot shrugged.

“And now, our time has ended.  Today is gone.  So we’re not letting the boys take over we’re making them.” Jack pulled out a cigarette.

“Well.  Our day is gone.  Today it’s over.  And well no one would challenge us.  No one would beat us, today trained us too well.” Spot also lit a cigarette.

“So, we dare tomorrow to come, but we have to push it along.  I never thought we would have to do it.  I thought our day would end in the middle. That it would suddenly just be over.” Jack smiled.

“It is suddenly just over, because tomorrow has come.  Our time is done, a new day must begin.”

“And we’re ready and willing.”

“I just hope everyone else is.”  Spot nodded thinking to Matt and Laces.  Jack nodded remembering all his boys.

“Spot how long do you think that we’ll be legends?” Jack asked. 

“US?  Maybe until tomorrow, or the next day, or the next week or who knows someone might write about us and then maybe forever.” Spot nodded.

“I hope they spell my name right.” Jack nodded.

“Maybe add a few pictures in.” Spot laughed.

“The sun is setting, I better be heading back to Manhattan.” Jack nodded.

“Until tomorrow Jack.” Spot nodded and the boys headed the opposite directions of each other.  The sun finished setting and New York City was the same as every night.  The same but a little different, because that’s how change happens, one moment something is there and after each new moment a piece of it is gone or grown.  Tomorrow brings a change, little or big, it brings a change. 

 

~*~ The End ~*~