Disclaimer: I do not own newsies or any of its characters, Disney does. Floaty, Trench, StarGazer, and Bullet belong to Dimensionaltraveller, Chancy aka Clarisse belongs to me.

(A/N: Hi everyone! BrennaBerr, thank you so much for the great review. Thank you all so much for the story/author adds and for adding my story to your favorite stories list, and story update list. :-) OK, This chapter needs a little bit of explaining. I wanted to find a way to get Spot and Floaty closer together in a short amount of time, so I decided to bring Floaty's uncle's men out of "retirement." But don't worry; they won't be in the story for too long. :-) Also, near the end, Floaty finally reveals one of her reasons she's afraid to love someone.)


Floaty was still in shock, Spot kissed me. For a long minute she thought she was dreaming; but why dream of an annoying boy kissing her? She had always said she wanted to fall in love with someone like Jack; someone who was a little immature (alright, more than a little), but could become a man when needed. She wanted to love someone who wouldn't be afraid of her uncle, or whatever influence he may have. Most of all, she wanted someone to love her for her, not for the man she worked for; and it strangely seemed that she was getting what she asked for. I didn't ask for a man who thought he was king of the world!

No. Spot could like her all he wanted and think of her as his queen or destined wife, or whatever it was he saw in her. But she would still look for the man of her dreams: Mature but boy like, strong and cunning, and kind and caring. Were there any men in the world that fit her description? Floaty doubted it, something like that would be considered fiction.

"Ya know, your dinner's gettin' cold," Spot commented as he bit into his hamburger. Floaty glanced down at her meal, a hot dog and French fries. Not exactly a healthy meal before bed, but it was food within her price range. Plus, it tasted good.

"Thanks," she muttered and from the corner of her eye she saw a familiar blur with brown hair walk through the door of Tibby's. Turning, she was shocked to find Clarisse walking in with one of her uncle's henchmen, Bullet. What's she doing with him?

"What's the mattah?" Spot inquired, staring at her as if she had a fly on her face.

"Nothing," Floaty muttered, she didn't want to drag Spot into the danger of her uncle's world. A world she thought she been permanently separated from. I should have remembered, when something seems too good to be true, it's because it is. The day her uncle had promised to stop having his men chase her, was the day Clarisse had moved into the boarding house. To Floaty she had seemed….A little stupid, and a want to be princess, but when she wasn't in her 'I want what I want' mode, she was a very kind person. Kind because she had to be.

"Ya didn't like the kiss?" Spot almost seemed heartbroken, but Floaty knew his ego was in the process of becoming bruised. To avoid this she smiled.

"The kiss was amazing," she was being truthful on this too.

"The best one you've ever gotten?" Spot smirked, a confident look in his eyes. Floaty glanced behind him to find Jack had a death grip on his hamburger, which now resembled an overstuffed sandwich since he had squeezed the life out of the poor thing.

She paused and thought of a line Racetrack's old girlfriend had told him once, "Don't bet on it, Romeo."

Spot raised his eyebrow, and Floaty glanced away and towards Clarisse. She was shocked to find the girl staring right back at her. Floaty glanced away and towards Spot, only to find him staring at Clarisse.

"Don't look over at her!"

"Why not? You're eyes are practically comin' out of their sockets starin' at her."

"Spot, do you know one of the reasons why I can't be Brooklyn's girl?"

"No, why?" He looked back at her, clearly startled.

"Have you ever heard of Trench Antoni?"

"Ya mean that real powerful criminal the papes are talkin' about? Yeah, he gives good headlines." Spot took a bite of his meal and swallowed, "Why?"

"He's my uncle….And that girl, over there, is my watcher from what I can figure."

Spot dropped his hamburger, his eyes wide, "What?"

Floaty shook her head and stood up, "Sorry, Spot. But I've gotten you into danger; she was outside when you kissed me. If that winds up going to Trench….I don't want to think about what will happen."

"But Jacky says ya have nothin' to do with yer uncle!"

"Jack told you about him?"

"He said ya had an uncle, but he never said who he was. Look, if yer gonna let Miss English Rose and yer big bad uncle ruin whatever happiness you have, then why bother runnin'? It don't matter what they want. What matters is what you want."

What I want is for my life to return to normal! What I want is for you to leave me alone, and stop spreading this ridiculous rumor that I'm 'Brooklyn's Girl.'

Floaty sat back down, most of all what she wanted at the moment was a full stomach.

"Sides, ya told me and many others ya were done with runnin'. And I got news, Clarisse there, she ain't one of your uncle's people, she's me second in command." Spot smirked and crossed his arms.

"What?" Floaty stared at him, her eyes wide and jaw hanging open.

"Ya know, keep it open like that and flies may decide to make a nest in there." Spot smirked. "I sent Clarisse….Chancy, to follow ya. She's real good at pretendin' to be someone else."

"Wait a second; Clarisse has been in the boarding house for a year!"

Spot smirked, "Yeah, because she used to be a factory girl, now she's a newsie. I just didn't want ya to know that."

"Spot Conlon! You have your newsies spying on me now? And what is 'Chancy' doing with Bullet?"

Spot looked over at the two, "From what I can see, she's robbin' him blind."

Floaty turned in her seat and had to place her hand over her mouth to muffle a laugh; Bullet and Chancy were kissing, and obviously Bullet was having a great time. Chancy was having a good time robbing the man blind; she took his wallet and pocket watch. Maybe she's not so bad after all.

Floaty turned, "Why do you have her following me?"

"Brooklyn's gotta protect his property."

"Property?" Floaty stared at him, any feelings she may have had for Spot or Chancy flew out the window. "You know what, Spot? Thanks for dinner, and if I were you, I'd be telling all the newsies to correct that little mistake you made earlier by calling me 'Brooklyn's Girl.' I'm Pulitzer's Messenger Girl; get that through your mind." She growled and reached into her skirt pocket and placed six cents down on the table. She walked out of the restaurant with her head held high. She would never be romantically involved with a man who considered her property; already she was having to cow-tow down to an egotistical newspaper tycoon who saw her as a belonging since she was in his debt. Floaty refused to take that from two men.

"Floaty wait!" She heard Spot calling after her, but ignored. Instead she started to jog towards the boarding house, and then her jog increased to a run. The moment she entered the door she wished she hadn't. Standing in the lobby ahead of her was Star Gazer, her uncle's second in command.

"Go away! You know what Trench said, leave me be!"

Star Gazer raised an eyebrow, "I take you've had a bad night?" He sat down in one of the wooden chairs in front of the fireplace, "Well good, because that makes two of us. Your uncle is livid by the fact you're dating that snot-nosed brat, Spot Conlon. He's been yelling in my ear all day, 'Do something about this! I will not have my niece dating street garbage; one day she will come around and see herself as the special and privileged person she is!'" He pushed a strand of his dark brown hair behind his ear.

"I'm not dating Spot Conlon," Floaty growled, "And even if I were, it's my business, none of his! I do what I want, see who I want, and speak the way I want. Now leave before I call the police." She crossed her arms and glared at him.

"Not until the problem is solved."

"Just leave!"

"I will in a few minutes," he replied. Star Gazer had long dark brown hair and high cheekbones, his skin was a light shade of brown and he talked with a thick Spanish accent. From what Floaty knew about him he was born in Brazil to his mother, a Brazilian beauty, and his father, some kind of explorer. He brought Star Gazer back to America, dumped him in middle of New York, and returned to his explorations in foreign lands. Somehow Star Gazer and Trench met, and the rest was history.

Floaty paused as she thought about his words, "What are you talking about when you say 'not until the problem is solved'? You had better not be trying to harm Spot!"

Star Gazer just shrugged.

"What have you done with him?" Floaty growled, wishing she hadn't run out of the restaurant. Stupid, stupid, immature move! I tell everyone I'm no longer running, and what do I do? I run instead of talking it out! I hate my temper!

"Let's just say Mr. Conlon is going for a swim," Star Gazer stood up, smirked at Floaty and handed her a small pouch filled with coins. "A gift from your uncle, later on this week I'll return with a carriage to come and get you. No more running, Emmalyn. It's time to be a big girl and come home."

"Trench-"

"You uncle."

"Trench said my life was up to me now, he'd have no part of it any longer!"

Star Gazer looked at her for a long minute and laughed, "For an intelligent young woman, you are naive! My employer, your uncle, is a criminal Emmalyn, and a powerful one at that. I think you should stop running and get your head on straight; these street rats will be poor, penniless, and homeless all their lives. You'll be rich, powerful, and you'll never have to work a day in your life thanks to your uncle. He's a respectable man." He turned and walked out of the boarding house, still laughing.

Floaty's heart pounded, they were throwing Spot into the ocean! She prayed he was still alive. But at which harbor? Trench lives in Manhattan….No, that's too close, he'd realize I'd go after Spot and try to save him. Trench is sarcastic and Spot calls himself the King of Brooklyn…The Brooklyn Harbor.

Floaty ran out of the boarding house and straight to the Manhattan Lodging House, she startled Kloppman and Jack who both stood in the lobby talking to one another.

"Jack! I have no time to explain, Spot's in danger. I think he's in the Brooklyn harbor, actually in there. I'm not sure! I'll explain later!"

Jack jumped, "Newsies, Spot's in trouble! Get your bums down here!" He shouted, he looked at Floaty, "We'll take all the Manhattan Harbors and we'll follow ya to Brooklyn!"

Floaty nodded, then turned, and ran. I'm never going to make it in time on foot! She panted and looked around the street; a man was turning away from his horse to go into a saloon. She untied the horse's reigns from the hitching post and jumped on top of the animal's back and rode off towards Brooklyn. Her heart pounded and she could think of was poor Spot trying to hold his breath and struggle towards the surface of the water. Please don't die, Spot!

The horse skidded to a halt in front of the Brooklyn docks minutes later. Floaty had arrived just in time to see a metal chain slipping off the docks and into the ocean. Two of her uncle's men were walking off the dock laughing and slapping one another on the shoulder.

"That boy tried, but he didn't make it too far!" One howled in laughter.

"He cursed us enough to put a drunken sailor to shame!" Laughed the other.

Floaty wanted to wait until they were gone, but knew time was running out for Brooklyn's King. She took turns hopping on each foot as she pulled her boots off to avoid the loud clunking on the docks when she ran. She shrugged out of her clothing, wearing nothing more than her camisole and unmentionables (underwear). Taking a deep breath, Floaty sunk into the shadows and crab walked past the two men who had paused at the base of the docks to take a long draw from their flasks. She ran towards where she saw the chain and knelt down; the metal chain was still sinking into the ocean, she noticed however it didn't go straight down but seemed to be attached to something.

Leaning forward into the moonlight she saw it was attached to a piece of the sunken ship that had taken her and Spot from Ireland to America. She guessed Spot was somewhere down there. Taking a deep breath, Floaty dived into the ocean and swam down towards the ocean floor. She found the heavy metal chain resting in the sand and gripped hold of it. After almost a minute she surfaced for air, took a deep breath, and plunged under the water again. She swam and followed the length of the chain halfway out of the harbor. She soon found Spot; the ocean water caused his body to float, and the only thing holding him to the ship was the length of chain tied around his ankles, hanging from the tail of the chain was a heavy wooden crate labeled 'Machine Gears.'

Floaty swam to the surface and took in another deep breath before sinking back down into the ocean. She kept a tight grip on the chain and used it to pull herself down to Spot. Glancing up at him she felt her heart tear in half at finding his lips and face blue. Please God, if you let him live, I'll do anything! Please, don't let him die! She began working at the knot of chains around his ankles and curses suddenly filled her mind when she couldn't get the last knot undone. When her chest began to ache and her vision blurred, she knew it was time to swim back to the surface, but Spot didn't have enough time for that! She tugged and pulled at the knot until it finally came loose and sent Spot's body floating towards the ocean's surface. She pressed her feet against the upturned bottom of the ship and propelled off of it, she was sent forward quickly and only had to kick a few times until she reached the face.

Floaty reached the surface and coughed and focused on breathing for quick moment, she turned and found Spot; she swam towards him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Come on, Spot, you're not the King of Brooklyn for nothing. You're tough, and your strong, you're not going to die on me!" She began swimming back towards the docks, pulling Spot with her. She glanced around; she didn't see the newsies anywhere. Damn! They must have still been on their way; she had arrived so quickly because she stole a horse. When she finally made it to the short ladder of the docks, Floaty paused; there was no way she could get him up there. Turning, she eyed the shore and swam towards it. Once her feet hit the bottom she looped her arms under Spot's shoulders and pulled him onto dry land.

"Spot!" Floaty shouted, he didn't move. What do I do? What do I do? What was that old seaman's trick father taught me? She glanced up at the stars and suddenly she remembered. Bending she pressed her lips to Spot's and exhaled into his mouth a few times, then knelt beside him and pressed repeatedly on his chest. "C'mon, Spot, c'mon!" She begged, she was almost certain he was going to die when a gurgling noise came from his mouth. He coughed and Floaty quickly turned him onto his side as he retched up the water that had filled his lungs and stomach. She pounded on his back, "That's it, Spot, that's it!"

When he slumped and his body relaxed, Floaty rolled him onto his back then knelt in front of him and pulled his head into her lap. She looked down at him, her expression filled with fear and concern.

Spot stared up at her, "Are you an angel?"

Floaty shook her head, "No…No…Spot…It…It's me, Floaty."

"Fl…Floaty?" He stared at her for a long moment, "Ya pulled me outta there?"

She nodded, sniffling and wiping tears from her eyes. "Are you ok?"

"Who were those guys?"

"They work for my uncle…"

"Yer a hazard," he a commented.

The comment had stung, but it was true. She was a danger, because of who her family was.

"But one worth keepin'," Spot smirked, "Thank ya." He remained lying down for a few minutes more. "Why did ya save me? I thought ya hated me."

"I don't hate you, I was being stupid and letting my temper do the talking."

"I see, but I want ya to know yer no longer Floaty. You're Angel," he smiled, "Me angel…Brooklyn's angel. Ya saved me life."

"It wasn't me alone, Spot. I had help. A lot of it."

"Floaty!" Jack and a group of newsies, both Manhattan and Brooklyn, shouted as they ran over. "Ya found him!"

Floaty nodded.

When the newsies got close enough, they turned the other way.

"What the hell?" Spot muttered.

"Um…" Floaty blushed. Spot sat up and turned, his eyes widening. He stared at her up and down as she crossed her arms over her chest and blushed.

"Will you look the other way?" She snapped.

"And miss out on me reward for livin'? Nuh-uh," he replied, taking his fill. Floaty blushed harder, her unmentionables were stuck to her, as was the camisole, and they gave room for little imangination. Finally, Racetrack came over with her clothing and tossed it to her. Floaty glanced around darted behind a stack of crates. She pulled her camisole and undergarments off.

"If anyone looks I'll throw you into the harbor!" She threatened as she pulled her blouse and skirt on. She was completely relieved when a young woman with long black hair ran over and handed her a pair of underpants.

"Thanks," Floaty smiled.

The girl nodded, "It's nice to finally meet the girl who won our leader's heart. I'm Alley by the way."

"It's nice to meet you," Floaty smiled, Alley returned the smile then walked away so Floaty could have her privacy. When she was completely redressed she stood up and walked out from behind the crates. She hadn't gotten very far when Spot suddenly scooped her into his arms.

"Spot! Put me down, I don't even know why you still like me after that! I almost got you killed!"

"You saved me, it was ya uncle that tried ta kill me," Spot retorted. "Jacky-boy, from now on Floats stays in Brooklyn."

"Uh, Spot, there ain't no way," Jack shook his head. "Pulitzer would go crazy, and Floats would lose her job."

Spot scowled, "Yeah, so?"

"She's the one tellin' us Pulitzah's every move?"

"Damn," He muttered, "Well then, she's just gonna hafta leave early in the mornin' I guess. She stays wid me from now on."

Jack paused, "Spot…"

"Don't worry, Jacky-boy, I got a way to get her to work on time." With that he carried Floaty towards the Brooklyn lodging house, an old structure across from the docks that looked ready to cave in. He carried Floaty up into his room and carefully set her on the bed.

"Spot…"

"I'm gonna take a shower and warm up as much as I can," he commented as he began to unbutton his shirt. He set his cap (which he had found on the way back to the lodging house) down on the bed. "That was a brave thing ya did, Floaty. Ya didn't have to risk yer own life to save mine, but ya did. I owe ya."

"You owe me nothing."

"I owe ya me life. You're stayin' here from now on, understand? No arguin'. Chancy will bring yer stuff in the mornin'. Ya belong to me now." Floaty glanced down at his hands, she knew they were shaking because he was terrified and cold.

"Spot, we should talk about what happened…"

"There ain't nothin' to talk about. All I know, is that when yer uncle's trial comes up, I'll gladly speak against him."

Floaty nodded, "I'm sorry."

"Quit apologizin' for somethin' that wasn't your fault."

"It was my fault," She stood. "If I hadn't run out of the restaurant like that –"

"They woulda gotten hold of me after I walked ya home." Spot snapped, "So quit feelin' sorry and start gettin' ready for bed. Alley a left a nightgown for ya over the doorknob."

Floaty flinched when he threw his door open and slammed it shut behind him. She took hold of the old and worn nightgown and quickly changed. Laurie's going to be worried. I'll stop by the factory tomorrow and let her know I'm alright. A few minutes later, Spot walked back in.

"C'mon, I'll show ya to your new room."

"Spot…."

He turned, "Yeah?"

"Thanks."

He stared at her puzzled, "For what? It's me who need ta thank you, remember?"

She shook her head, "Thank you for not giving up on me."

He smirked, although he tried to appear confident and untouchable the expression on his face shouted that Spot Conlon was not invincible. "I knew ya'd come around sooner or later."

"Wait, come around? I'm thanking you for not giving up on me as a friend."

Spot paused then chuckled, "Like it or not, Floats, you and I are more than friends now. Why did ya think I brought ya to me bedroom and let ya stay there while I bathed?"

She frowned. Spot was giving a show of power: Showing all his newsies she belonged to him.

"After all that's happened tonight, you're still going to play this game of yours?"

Spot smirked, "It ain't a game, Floaty, it's a matter of the heart. Get used to it, until ya see things me way, you're stayin' in Brooklyn."

"Spot Conlon! You nearly died today…."

"Yeah, I did, and ya saved me. I heard ya shoutin' at me not to die, I know ya have feelin's for me, and I'm gonna be here waitin' for ya to admit that."

"Spot…" she warned, after today she wasn't sure if she'd ever admit she loved anyone. Love meant it would hurt when the person you loved died and yet love also meant happiness. The concept of love was just as confusing to Floaty as Spot was.

"Yes, I will join the newsie strike."

Floaty paused and stared at him, once again he had shocked her into silence. How was it that he was able to surprise her so easily? She sighed in confusion and followed the newsie king to her new room.