It was already dark out when Spot started heading towards the lodge house. Though being winter of course it was dark in the early afternoon. It was also freezing out so he decided to take the back way through the alleys to get back to the lodge house faster. As Spot walked on he saw someone laying in one of the doorways found in the alley. That someone looked liked they were gonna spend the night in that doorway as well.

"You'se got a place to stay kid?" Spot was feeling generous even though he wanted nothing more than to be inside.

"Go away," he said.

"I'll take that as a no. So come with me to the lodge house." Most people wouldn't say that Spot a nice person, but he would never leave someone out in the cold during winter time. Not after spending several days in it when he was younger.

"I aint going anywhere with you'se." The kid got up and started to walk away, though not very fast.

Spot caught up to him very quickly and grabbed his arm. The minute Spot touched him, he could feel his shaking. "Hey, I aint gonna hurt you kid, but it's gonna get colder tonight."

When the kid turned to look at me, I noticed that he was a she about my age. "I'm not some lady of night, so I aint gonna go anywhere with ya!" She yanked her arm out of my grip and started to walk further down the alley. The girl only made it about two feet from me before clasping.

"Damn it!" Spot quickly walked over to her and picked her up. "I wasn't gonna hurt ya, just make sure you had a warm place to say." With that Spot carried the girl quickly to the lodge house.

Soon it loomed in front him. As Spot came closer to the door another boy was coming towards the lodge house from the other direction. Without question the other boy opened the door for Spot and he was able to walk in without any trouble. The minute he was through the door Spot started to yell as he walked up the steps.

"Thomas. Thomas I need you."

A man in his late thirties came from a backroom to see Spot carrying a girl in his arms up the stairs. "Take her up to your room Spot." Looking at the boy who came in behind Spot, "Tiger go get some extra blankets from the closet." Then Thomas followed Spot up the stairs to the door on the left.

Spot gently laid the girl down in the only bed in the room, letting Thomas look over her. "She was trying to sleep in the doorway. I don't think shes stayed someplace warm for a while. She was shaking when I touched her and then she just collapse."

"Looks like your right. She has a high fever. I don't think shes had anything to eat either. You can see her bones," Thomas said pointing to her ribs, as he was checking the girl for cuts or burses. "If she makes it through the night there is a chance that she will pull through." Both Spot and Thomas turned when the door to the room opened. It was Tiger bringing in the extra blankets.

"Bring them over here Tiger." Quickly Tiger did what was asked of him. The three piled the extra blankets onto the girl. "Someone should stay with her to make sure she is okay."

"Its my room Ill watch the girl." Spot spoke while pulling over a chair to be closer to the bed.

"Come and get me if ya need to." Thomas put his hand on the young man before leaving. Tiger quickly followed and closed the door as he went.

Spot looked up when he heard coughing. Rising from his chair, he went to the door yelling out for Thomas to come up stairs. Turning he went back to the bed to see if the girl had woken up.

Coughing while looking around franticly the girl tried to free herself from the many blankets. Upon looking at Spot, her look became frightened. "Ise said that I wasn't gonna go with ya," she spoke while coughing.

"You are safe here. No one is gonna hurt." Thomas spoke as soon as he came into the room. "Try not to speak as well. You had a very high fever and a cold." After putting down a cup of water and an envelope, Thomas put his hand over the girl's forehead.

"It seems that your fever as broken some. You are not in the clear but things are looking up for you."

Thomas then picked up the envelope and poured some of its content in the glass of water. "Drink this. It will help with the fever and cough." Then he handed the glass to Spot so he could help the girl sit up so, she could drink it without spilling any down the front of her. "Try and get some sleep." The girl just nodded at Thomas before he turned around and left the room.

The girl looked quickly to the older man leaving and then to the one from the alleyway. Spot seeing that she was still scared spoke to her, "I was telling the truth that I was not gonna hurt. You'se in the Brooklyn Newsies lodge house. I'se Spot, the leader of the newsies here. Who are you?"

"Mary," starting to cough again.

Smiling at Mary, Spot replied, "Get some sleep now Mary." And with that she closed her eyes again and falls fast asleep.