Spot could feel his shirt getting soaked through because of the rain. He put his head back and ran a finger through his wet hair. He was making himself sick thinking about all the things he could have done to save her. He sat down on the roof, against one of the walls near the edge, knees pulled up and head in between them and arms wrapped protectively around him. He tried to pull the images out of his brain of her lying there unconscious, instead he brought his thoughts to happier times. When they both had the world at their feet. His thoughts wandered to the summer before that, the summerof the infamous newsboys strike. He even managed a smile as he thought back to the day Jack showed up on his docks with the other two….
"That ain't good enough Jacky-boy….you gotta show me" Spot said staring at the trio long and hard. The four men bid each other farewell and Spot watched them retreat back to Manhattan. As they were leaving he saw Reader approaching, stopping to say hello to the three. Refusing to spit shake with Jack, like she always did. Spot chuckled to himself, always so concerned about getting her hands dirty. Her obsession with clean hands always confused him, especially because the newspaper ink would stain her hands daily.
"Heya Spot!" Reader said on her approach, wiping sweat from her brow.
"Youse make good money taday?" Spot queried.
"Like always, with my smile I pull in lots, you'se know that. Sometimes dey pay me a little extra to show off me legs," She said as she began pulling up her skirt and waving her foot in his direction.
Spots face turned red at the thought of that, "Readah! Youse wouldn't! You aint no hookah!"
Reader threw her head back laughing, "Spot youse must be pretty dense to think I'd actually do that."
"Jesus Readah dat ain't funny." Spot said seriously.
Reader continued laughing, "Seeing you react was definitely worth it." Spot just glared at her. "So uh was Cowboy here about da strike?"
Spot nodded, "Ya dey think dey can take down Pulitzah but Ise know better. Dose Manhattan boys are a bunch of sissies, dey ain't gonna accomplish shit."
Always one to challenge Spot, Reader circled him smiling, "So sure of dat Conlon?" She said poking a finger into his back, "Dey seemed pretty determined when I was dere earlier today."
"What were youse doin dere Readah?" Spot asked turning around to face her.
"Don't worry about it." Reader said with a smirk. She loved alluding to the goings on of her life, rather than outright saying it. It frustrated him endlessly therefore it was her favorite thing to do.
"Seriously youse ain't bein funny."
"I ain't tryin tah be, youse don't gotta know everything I do all day. ANYWAYS," she began, shifting the subject back to the strike, "I really think you should give those boys a chance, dey aint all hugs and smiles over dere."
Spot shrugged, "Youse are probably right. I'll keep some boidies in da area, watch em, see just how serious dey are."
"Good Connor," She said patting him on the face heading back into the warehouse.
Spot felt the warmth of the memory leave him as he heard footsteps coming towards him. He looked up and saw the nurse from earlier standing there, wringing her hands. Spot's stomach turned into a rock.
"Is she…..?" Spot couldn't even finish the sentence without feeling like vomiting.
"No, she's still…hanging on. I just wanted tah check on ya, make sure you hadn't jumped or anything." She said trying to lighten the mood. It didn't work.
"Well thank you." Spot said turning his back to her, hoping she would get the hint she was dismissed and that he wanted to be alone for the moment. He heard her retreat and breathed a sigh of relief. He brought himself back to his memories of her, the only thing, he felt, that was keeping him sane in the midst of all this craziness.
His thoughts drifted to the day he and the rest of Brooklyn was preparing to show their support of Manhattan.
He walked into the room he shared with Reader and saw her with her slingshot tucked into her back pocket.
"Where do youse think youse are goin taday missy?" Spot asked. Reader jumped at his words.
"Uh Ise goin with youse guys." Reader said sticking her chin out defiantly.
"No youse aint and youse are crazier den I thought if you actually expected me tah let youse go taday." Spot said reaching over to confiscate her slingshot.
"Fine." Reader said coking her eyebrow at him, "Have fun rescuing Manhattan big shot." Reader watched him retreat.
Spot returned that night past midnight due to the triumph at the distributing center. Celebrating went way into the night in Manhattan and he was exhausted. Spot stumbled into his room, just the light of a candle to light his way around. He wandered over towards Reader's side of the room, looking for something to sleep in. While there he glanced at her and noticed a bruise on her eye and cheek bone. Spot set the candle down and shook Reader awake.
"Did youse think I wouldn't notice da nice shinah youse got yourself." Spot said once Reader was conscious.
Reader yawned, "Can wese talk about dis tomorrow."
"No Readah we can't."
"Fine. I left with the second group. I told dem dat youse asked me to come with dem, dats it."
"And dey just let youse?"
"Yes Spot. Dey know better than to question dey're leadah."
"How could youse be so stupid? Youse coulda gotten yourself hurt real bad."
"Well I didn't, okay?"
"Okay. Just promise me something Readah"
"What Spot." Reader said sleepily.
"Don't do anything stupid like dat again."
"Alright. Now can I go back to sleep?"
"Yes." Spot replied. He blew out his candle and shook his head. 'That woman is gonna be da death of me' he thought.
Spot's thoughts were interrupted again. Not by a person, but an urge to pray. Pray to a God he thought long abandoned him. He honestly didn't know how he could survive without Reader. She was his family.
A/N Please read and review! I'm super excited about this story! Thanks a bunch guys!
-Nevada