Among the extra scenery, old moth eaten costumes, dusty rafters and fraying ropes stood Locket. Her blond hair had been curled and pinned back so it fell in spirals around her face, which had been covered in makeup and heave rogue. She wore a dark blue dress that hugged her body and dipped down in the front providing customers a teasing view of her sun kissed skin. She fiddled nervously with the locket that she kept around her neck, having refused to remove it even after Meddas order too. She had been working in Irving hall for a month or so and yet she still got nervous every night before she preformed. She didn't particularly like prancing about the stage for the men who sat in the seats below drinking and eyeing her body. Yet money was money and she made more doing this than selling papers during the day. As the musical intro to her song started she took a deep breath and stepped on to the stage. The bright lights blinded her and made it so she was unable to see the audience. She smiled and started to sing her voice filling the room and causing the men's eyes to snap forwards towards the stage.

"My lovey-dovey baby… I boo-hoo-hoo for you …I used to be your tootsie-wootsie… Then you said toodley-doo" she sang doing a twirl her and there and moving her body in questionable poses. The men cheered a few calling out crude remarks mostly pertaining to her body though she ignored them and started in on the second verse.

"I miss the hanky-panky… Each nighty-night till three… Come back, my lov…" she was suddenly interrupted as someone grabbed her from behind and drug her from the stage. She flailed her arms and getting a good look at her kidnapper slapped him harshly across the face.

"Spot Conlon what the hell are you doing!? You just ruined my number!" she screamed as he carried her out the stage door. No one even tried to stop him knowing it would result in a black eye or worse. He tossed her to the ground once they were outside and glared at her.

"I aint gonna have no girl of mine whoreing herself," he snapped his eyes turning a dark blue and practically piercing into her soul. However Locket wasn't about to let him get away with calling her a whore, she jumped up and stood in front of him glaring right back at him.

"It aint like I'm sleepin' with them… I'd be getting paid a hell of a lot more if I did though," just to annoy him she paused and pretended to actually consider the thought of doing just that. Spot looked almost ready to kill her for even proposing the idea but she shrugged and continued on her rant before he could say anything. "Besides it aint like being a newsie gets me money so I'm just finding a way to get some that isn't illegal. So if you don't like it… don't come around here," she said coldly not afraid to stand up to him. Sure, she didn't like working there, but he wasn't going to tell her what she could and couldn't do.

Spot waited for her to finish her rant before pushing her against the cold brick wall and kissing her deeply. He could feel her body relax and was somewhat relieved she hadn't fought back or slapped him again. "Go back in and were over," he whispered hoping the kiss had convinced her to see his side of it, for there was no way he was going to beg her.

Locket pulled away from him and ran back inside much to his surprise. Turning his back to the building he walked away with his head held high. He didn't want the relationship to end but he refused to ruin his image any more than he already had. He'd let his guard down and allowed some of his feelings to show yet she had still just pushed him away. He groaned and took off his cap running his fingers though his dirty hair. He stumbled and almost fell forward and someone jumped on his back.

"I wanted to change out of that dress," Locket whispered as she spilled off his back and smiled at him. She grabbed his hat and placed it on her own head. "Walk me back to the lodging house?"

Spot gave a small nod and put his arm around her shoulders and led her back to the lodging house never again mentioning her previous place of employment.