The Worst Way to Retaliate, a newsies fanfic

((A/N: Lyrics belong to My Favorite Highway, Newsies belongs to Disney. I own nothing.))

Don't hesitate to break my back,
Oh, you're a heart attack,
You are everything I lack.

I glared out over the dirty water, ignoring the calls and splashes of my fellow newsies, who were playing in the harbor. I didn't play in the harbor. Why? Because I'm Spot Conlon, that's why. The greatest newsie in all of New York. People were scared of me! Ya here that? Scared of me! Well, that and I didn't know how to swim. But I wasn't going to be sharing that little piece of information with anyone.

I reached down, checking to make sure I still had my cane. It was mostly out of habit, I knew it was still there, it was always there. My head snapped up, and I scanned the docks. Everyone had grown silent all of a sudden, I could actually hear the water lapping up against the docks support beams. And then I saw the reason for the sudden silence. Mary Teegan, in the flesh. I can't believe she had the nerve to show up here. I could feel my face get hot, and I leaped down from my perch, glaring around at the newsies who clearly wanted to watch the fireworks.

"You lookin' at something?" I sneered at the nearest boy. I smirked inwardly when his face paled, and he stuttered an answer, before one of his buddies took pity on him, knocking him into the water. The noise began again, everyone talking at once, and splashing back into the water.

"Well, well, if it isn't little Mary, here to pay me a visit." My smirk was confident, daring her to come back with a smart retort.

She just rolled her eyes at me, placing her hand on her hip. "What's the matter, Spot, didja miss me? How longs it been now. A week?"

I glared at her, gritting my teeth. I don't know what it was about her, but just hearing her speak infuriated me. "Not nearly long enough. So what do you want?"

"Tsk, tsk, Spot. Can't I just come pay my good friend a visit when I feel like it?" She asked, mock innocence in her voice.

I crossed my arms over my chest, not bothering to answer.

She shrugged at my silence, "Guess not. Well if you must know, I'm not here to see you at all. I'm here to see Maze."

She moved to get past me but I blocked her path. What the hell was she here to see Maze for?

"Why?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at her.

She raised her eyebrows at me, crossing her arms over her chest, mirroring my own stance. "None of your business."

She's so lucky she's a girl. If she'd been a boy, she'd have a permanent imprint of my fist in her face right now.

If you feel the need to take my pride,
Or, cut me down to size,
Well, cough up the truth and run and hide.

"Oh, yeah, that's funny, because last time I checked, this was Brooklyn. And in Brooklyn, everything is my business."

"My mistake, I must'a missed the coronation, I bet you looked all cute in your little crown too. Now if you'll excuse me…"

She brushed past me. Let me repeat that… She brushed past me.

That girl drove me absolutely insane. I was clenching my fists so tightly my knuckles cracked. I stalked off towards the lodging house, not bothering to look back. Maze and I were gonna be having a long talk tonight.

My boys knew Mary was off limits. Not because I liked her or anything. No. Just because I said so. I don't know what Maze thought he was doing.

Truth was I'd had a thing with Mary at the end of last year. It didn't end well. I guess our personalities were a bit too strong.

But you refuse to let me stay,
I was not meant to bend this way.
I could tell you I love you, but it won't be the same.
The way that it ended means there's no one to blame.
But you weren't made to make me sing.

"Maze!" It was an hour later, and I was back at the docks, "Get over here!"

Maze exchanged glances with a few of the newsies around him, before making his way warily over to my side.

"Yeah, Spot?"

I pulled my cane out, twirling it slowly in my hand, enjoying the way it was making him squirm. Its not like I was actually gonna hit him with it. But he didn't know that. "I hear you've been making friends over in Manhattan." I looked away from him, pacing a few steps away.

"Uh- I don't know what you're talkin' about, Spot."

I tuned quickly, snapping my head around to look him in the face. "Whaddya mean ya don't know what I'm talkin' about?" I covered the distance between us in three steps, putting my face inches from his, "I'm talkin' about Mary Teegan. She's off limits."

"Mary- Spot, I didn't even talk to her."

"Don't lie to me, Maze." When most people get angry, they raise their voices. Like the volume will help get their point across. Not me, when I was angry my voice got quieter. It seemed to be more effective. And it was effective this time too. Maze's face drained completely of all color. I love power.

"I- I aint lyin', Spot. I swear. She didn't even talk to me. As soon as you left she took off. Honest, Spot, I'm tellin' the truth."

I studied his face for a moment, before turning away. I paused at the edge of the pier, speaking without turning around, "Stay away from Mary, Maze, she's off limits."

I didn't wait for his response, but stepped off the dock. Instead of heading back to the lodging house, I turned towards the bridge. I would have to skip selling the afternoon edition, but I didn't really care. I had some business in Manhattan.

As I walked, I ran the possible reasons why Mary had shown up in Brooklyn. I believed Maze, I don't think she was here to see him. Maze was too scared of me to try and defy me. If it had been Cutter, I wouldn't have had a problem believing it. But Maze? Nah, it wasn't like him.

And Maze had said she'd taken off, right after I left. That didn't make any sense. Unless she'd come to see me. I sighed, shoving my hands into my pockets. Sometimes I think my pride really got to my head. I have to wonder though, if maybe she had been there to see me.

I can't say that I'd be upset. I stopped my steps halfway across the bridge. What was I doing? Was I going to just storm into Manhattan, and demand she tells me why she had been in Brooklyn? Yeah, that would go over well. I turned back to Brooklyn, I needed the money from the afternoon sales anyway.

Wide-awake you keep me up in bed,
I've got a hundred different things running through my head,
It's hard to fall asleep when all your dreams are dead.

I lay in my bunk that night, staring at the ceiling. It had to be well after midnight, but I couldn't fall asleep. I just couldn't get Mary out of my head. I couldn't stand the way she argued with me. The way she always had a smart remark to shoot back at me. The way she ignored me. It drove me insane.

And at the same time… I loved the way she argued with me. She was the only person I knew who actually challenged me, made me think. And I loved the way she always had a smart remark. She was so freaking witty, it was amazing. And the way she ignored me… Well, that did drive me insane. Because I didn't want her to ignore me. I wanted her to think about me as much as I thought about her.

And I know you think about me too,
Or I'm assuming in the back of your mind if you do,
Subconsciously you're hoping I'll come back to you.

I flipped over onto my side, trying to find a more comfortable position on the thin mattress. Maybe she did think about me though. I mean, she had randomly shown up in Brooklyn today, for no apparent reason.

Maybe she had wanted to see me. Maybe.

You refuse to let me stay,
I was not meant to bend this way.
I could tell you I love you, but it won't be the same.
The way that it ended means there's no one to blame.
You weren't made to make me sing.

I made my way across the Brooklyn Bridge, for the second time in a week. This time I was planning on making it the whole way across, though. I entered Manhattan, looking up at the sun to try to gauge what time it was. The sun was almost directly above me, it was almost noon. I'd most likely find Mary eatin' lunch. It was the last Friday of the month, and I know a lot of the Manhattaner's tried to eat at Tibby's on the last Friday of the month, when they could afford it.

I headed right to Tibby's pushing through the door, and scanning the crowd for newsies. I saw Jack and a few others sitting along the back wall, but no Mary. I was about to leave when Jack caught sight of me.

"Hey, Brooklyn! You comin' to eat wit us, or are ya just gonna stand there?"

"Yeah, Sure." I answered making my way over to their table. Might was well get lunch while I'm here.

I was just sitting down, when the door swung open again, and in walked Mary. With Maze's arm around her shoulder.

Son of a-

I hate to be the one to pick a fight,
But you see I know when I'm wrong,
And I know when I'm right,
It's a challenge to be strong when you're so weary and trite.

I was out of my seat and across the restaurant in two seconds.

"What the hell do you think you're doin'?" I asked, my cane back in my hands again. Maze swallowed hard, and opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by Mary.

"Just what do you think you're doing, Spot Conlon? I can be here if I want to be here."

"Mary, stay out of this," I spat out, glaring at Maze. "Outside. Now." I couldn't even form full sentences I was so furious.

"I thought we talked about this, Maze. I thought you were gonna stay away from her."

"Oh, come on, Spot." He said, finally finding some words, "What's the big deal? It's not like you're seeing her anymore."

Don't hesitate to say you need the space.
Well it seems that you have found somebody else to replace
The melancholy feeling that I have to embrace.

Mary pushed out the door after us, stalking up with her arms crossed over her chest. "Spot, back off. It's none of your business who I'm seeing."

"Who says this is about you?" I shot back. My head was actually buzzing.

She rolled her eyes at me, "Oh, come on, you know this is about us. We're over, Spot." Her eyes softened for a minute, "Look, Spot, what we had didn't work. You and I both know that. I think it's time for us to move on."

I swallowed, glancing away from her, and back at the diner. Great, we had an audience. All of Jack's boy's were standing with their noses pressed up against the window, watching our little show.

Wonderful.

So I did what any self respecting newsie would do. I walked away.