AN//: First, I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed, CrushedCoppelia, Nichole, and Olive Wednesday, as well as AmyraKobayashi, Fallingstar94, and huffle-bibin who put me on StoryAlert. It's nice to know that at least someone enjoys the story. Sorry this took me so long to get up, but I've been kinda busy lately. I do however; promise to have this story finished by May 18th at the absolute latest. (Hopefully it will be much sooner than that). Ok, all of that said, enjoy the story.
Spot stared at the door that Beth and Li had just disappeared through. 'Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!' he thought, banging his head on his desk repeatedly. 'I'm a moron. What was I thinking? I don't even like that girl, I just had to get Li out of my mind. Now, instead of THAT happening, I feel like a jerk on top of everything. How do I go and apologize to Li? How can I even face him after this? He looked so hurt; maybe he should have chased Li instead of that girl. Wait a minute…. Why did she follow Li? Were she and Li a couple? Was that why Li was upset? Not because he had been kissing someone else, but because his girl had been kissing his leader? Oh god. That's why Li could always get information about Manhattan, that's where that girl was from. And now, he had screwed up that relationship as well as look like an idiot for kissing a boy.'
"I'm a moron," he moaned onto the desk. "What have I done?"
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Li waved to Beth as she rode off in Stefan's protective arms. She had wanted to make sure her friend would reach Manhattan in one piece, so getting her a ride back seemed the wisest thing to do. She squared her shoulders and prepared herself to go face Spot. She had made her decision and now she had to live with it.
The walk to Spot's office was much shorter than she remembered it being, appearing before her like magic. She tentatively knocked on the office door, praying to whatever god might be listening that he wasn't there and she could put this off. "Come on in," Spot's voice floated through the door. She sighed and swung the door open; Spot hadn't looked up from the mountain of papers on his desk. She came in, shutting the door and placing herself in front of the desk as if she were a solider preparing to speak to a superior officer.
"Sir, I apologize for leaving in such a hurry this morning when you had left specific instructions to report to you."
Spot had looked up the minute he had heard her voice. "Li, I'm really sorry," he broke in, "I didn't know Beth was your girl. I'd have never brought her over here if I'd known. I didn't mean to cause any trouble between you and your girl."
Li was taken aback. She hadn't expected him to think that. "No sir, Beth and I are fine."
A look of relief broke out across his face, "Good, I never want to be responsible for wreaking anything between my friends and their girls."
Li's heart broke as she realized that Spot truly and completely only saw her as a 'chum'. Her stupid girlish daydreams were just that, dreams. She immediately changed her mind over telling him anything. Better that he never know and she would at least get to be near him. "Nah Spot," she said with a grin, and if it was forced, who would ever know? "Beth and I have the same great relationship we've always had."
Spot grinned back at her, and gestured for her to come to the desk. "We plan on having a newsies rally in Irving Hall, the one where that Swedish lady Medda performs. Harlem is in charge of security, but I want you to look out the layout and point out any flaws in their plan."
Li glanced down at the blueprint. "This is a nightmare," she deadpanned. "There are so many entrances and exits in this thing that there is no way to defend all of them. You boys need to pick someplace else or somehow this whole thing is going to be a disaster."
Spot shook his head, "Li, you're worrying too much. Harlem isn't as tough as Brooklyn, but they aren't soft either. They said they would defend it and so they will. Besides, even if someone comes in, it's not like they can really do something to all of the newsies in New York."
'It's not ALL of the newsies in New York I'm worried about,' Li thought dejectedly. "They don't have to get them all. If they can get the leaders of the strike they can stall the whole operation. We can't afford for that to happen, this thing has a momentum now that could be lost if there is a snag tonight. And I've just got a really bad feeling about this, like somethin' big is happening that we don't know about."
"You worry too much Li. This is where its gonna be and we'll all be fine. You can go on security duty with Harlem if it makes you feel better. Now go get ready, we leave in three hours."
Li knew a dismissal when she heard one. 'What would make me feel better is if Brooklyn was gonna be doing the security. I'm only one person; I can't make up for all of Harlem's deficiencies.' She shook off the feeling of apprehension that was gripping her; she couldn't let that feeling cloud her thinking. She had to keep her people safe, and the leaders of the strike if she could manage it.
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Li was on the rooftop of Irving Hall, watching the stragglers rush into the theater, anxious to be inside and seated when the rally started. So far nothing suspicious had happened, but she wasn't about to let her guard down. She carefully let herself in, hiding in the rafters as she examined the crowd, searching for troublemakers while keeping one eye on the stage. Jack, David, and Spot all climbed up onto the stage, Jack in the lead as he tossed one fist in the air crying, "Carryin' the banner!"
The newsies erupted in delighted shouts, waving their signs and just enjoying themselves. Li watched in quiet delight and amazement as Jack's charisma quickly permeated the crowd. "So, we've come a long way," he said, "but we ain't there yet and maybe it's only gonna get tougher from now on. But that's fine; we'll just get tougher with it. But also, we gotta get smart and start listening to my pal David," he brought David forward and placed an arm around the younger boy's shoulders, "who says 'stop soakin' the scabs'."
Racetrack interrupted, laughing, "What are we supposed to do to the bums? Kiss 'em?"
The boys around him broke out into laughter as well when Spot chimed in, "Any scab I see, I soak 'em. Period."
"No, no. That's what they want us to do," David disagreed, "If we get violent, it's just playing into their hands."
"Hey look. They're gonna be playing with my hands, alright. 'Cuz it ain't what they say, it's what we say. And nobody ain't gonna listen to us unless we make 'em," Spot argued. The newsies began murmuring to themselves as their own arguments escalated, some for David's plan, while others agreed with Spot.
Before anyone could start to get violent, Jack broke in, "You got no brains. Why we starting to fight each other? It's just what the big shot's wanna see. That we're street rats! Street rats with no brains. No respect for nothing, including ourselves! So, here's how it's gonna be. If we don't act together, then we're nothing. If we don't stick together, then we're nothing. And if we can't even trust each other, then we're nothing."
Kid Blink called from the balcony, "Tell 'em Jack!"
Jack spoke to the assembled boys, "So what's it gonna be?"
Murmurs of agreement broke out as Racetrack replied, "We're with you Jack."
Jack turned to face Spot, eying the way the shorter boy looked away and appeared disinterested. "So, what about you, Spot?" he asked.
Spot looked back at Jack with a smirk spread across his features, "I say, that what you say, is what I say." Jack grinned at him and the two spit-shook, sealing the deal and their alliance officially. The newsies broke out into cheers, happy to have their unified leadership again. Then the curtains opened and the newsies cheered even louder as Medda entered, singing as she went and encouraging the newsies to sing with her.
"High
times, hard times
Sometimes the living is sweet
And sometimes
there's nothing to eat
But I always land on my feet
So when
there's dry times
I wait for high times and then
I put on
my best
And I stick out my chest
And I'm off to the races
again!"
Li crept away to continue patrolling the building, her instincts just couldn't stop screaming that something bad was going to happen, and soon. She vaguely listened as she heard Medda's voice cry, "Hello, newsies. What's new?" before continuing her song. Li had noticed a tall man enter the theater, almost radiating feelings of ill-health and unhappiness. She knew she had seen this man before, but couldn't seem to place his face.
"So
your old lady don't love you no more
So you're afraid there's
a wolf at your door
So you've got street rats that scream in
your ear"
Li crept closer, trying to reach the man and learn his identity.
" You
win some, you lose some
My dear, oh…
High times, hard times
Sometimes the living is sweet
And sometimes there's nothing
to eat
But I always land on my feet
So when there's dry
times
I wait for high times and then
I put on my best
And
I stick out my chest
And I'm off to the races again"
The man didn't appear to be doing anything yet, just watching the show with the rest of the boys. Still Li couldn't shake the feeling that his presence was cause for great alarm. She heard the newsies and singer begin echoing verses, but it was almost as if they were all very far away. Her whole awareness had been focused on the unpleasant looking man she was approaching.
"I put on my best!"
"I put on my best!"
"And I stick out my chest"
"And I sticks out my chest"
"And I'm off"
"And I'm off"
"And I'm off"
"And I'm off"
"And I'm off"
"To the races again!"
Li finally managed to get close enough to hear when Denton began speaking to her target. "Excuse me. Aren't you Warden Snyder? Bryan Denton of the Sun. How do you do, sir?"
Li could tell that Denton was obviously trying to stall as she suddenly recognized the name and man. She was torn now between telling Spot, or trying to check for a way to get all of the leaders out. She saw David's reaction as he suddenly saw Snyder. He frantically turned to Spot and whispered in his ear, pointing at the despicable man. That made up Li's mind for her. Spot knew of the danger, now she had to try and find a way out.
She raced through the theatre as fast as she could through the celebrating boys. She clambered back up into the rafters and out onto the roof. Her heart almost stopped when she looked at the view. It had changed immensely since she had last been up there. Now they were surrounded by mounted cops and the crib as well. Li felt trapped, like a mouse trying to figure out how to elude many, many hungry cats. Her gaze swept across the rooftop searching for anything she could use. Her eyes landed on some extra boards that were being stored up there. They looked long enough that she should be able to lay them across the alley and create a bridge to the next roof. From there, you could easily leap from roof to roof until it was safe to descend. With that thought in mind, she set up as many boards as were long enough before returning to the inside of the theater.
It was a mad house. She hadn't been gone even a full minute and already there was fighting everywhere. She grabbed as many as she could, telling them there was an escape over the rooftops. Word spread and many flooded towards the roof door as she frantically searched for Spot. She spotted David as he sent Jack to safety, he and several other boys standing in the way of Snyder.
Finally, her eyes lit on Spot, cane swinging and golden hair flying around him as he fought. She stood on the edge of the balcony railing and jumped down, making sure to land on two of the cops below her. She began punching and kicking her way to her leader, dodging and weaving between the dozens of arms in her way. She was only ten feet away when she again looked where she had last seen Spot and her eyes widened in horror.
Li saw the man headed at Spot, the nightstick he was swinging soaring dangerously close to him. She frantically fought her way to him, he didn't even know the man was behind him; he was too busy with the two men in front of him. 'No, no no!' she screamed in her mind as the bat was raised again. 'Not him!' Everything seemed to slow down as the bat arched upward. Li broke from the pack, throwing herself in front of the descending nightstick, desperate to shield Spot from the blow.
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Spot turned just in time to see the danger he was in, he raised his arm to shield himself from the worst of the blow, when suddenly, something was blocking him. At first all Spot knew was someone with dark hair was shielding him, when the nightstick cracked against his protector, sending them sprawling at his feet. His eyes widened in horror as he saw that it was Li at his feet. Li had jumped in front of him, protected him. Spot's fury knew no bounds as he looked up at watchman holding the nightstick. That bastard had hurt HIS Li, and now he was going to pay. Spot whipped his cane around to hit the constable in the head, sending him crashing to the floor before he hit the now unconscious man a few more times, just for good measure. Once he was sure that the man wasn't going to be getting up anytime soon, Spot ran to Li. He gently propped up the other boy, once again dismayed to find how light he was.
"Li, Li, can you hear me? Li? Say something would ya?" Spot called frantically. Li stirred, grinning weakly before a grimace of pain shot across his face. "I'm good Spot," he said scrambling to his feet, "This thing ain't over yet."
Spot looked concernedly at his friend but nodded as Li grabbed his wrist and pulled him away from the worst of the fighting. "We stick together from now on. How am I supposed to protect you if you wander away?" Li asked exasperatedly, massaging his now very bruised shoulder. "Deal," Spot grinned.
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The two stood back to back, easily fending off all of the would-be attackers. Things were going brilliantly well when they heard "They got Jack!" Spot and Li tore off towards the cry, knowing the disaster it could be if Jack was caught. Li was concerned for Jack, but she knew that if it were a choice between saving Spot or Jack, Jack would be the one who fell by the wayside. Besides, from the looks he and Davie had been giving each other, he would find a way to save Jack.
She reached the stairs and stopped dead. There was no way they could save Jack. He was being lifted above the rest of the crowd on the stairs. The policemen already had him moving at a fast pace, soon he would be taken into custody and then it would just be a matter of rounding up the remaining boys. She knew that many of the boys had escaped through the roof passage she had left for them, now she just had to get Spot up there.
She grabbed his sleeve as he turned towards Jack. "We can't save him now," she yelled, "all we can do is retreat and regroup! You've got to come with me. If they get you, David, AND Jack, this strike will be over before it got properly started. At least one of you has to get away."
He looked like he wanted to argue, but allowed her to pull him away. Li breathed a sigh of relief as she began leading him up to the balcony seating and from there to the roof. They had reached the top of the balcony when two of the crib ambushed them. Li punched one and was grappling with the other while still trying to talk to Spot. "No," she cried as he rushed forward to help, "you get out of here. You can't be caught. I'll be fine, just get to the roof and get away. Now GO!!!"
Spot turned to do as he asked, hating himself when he heard a cry of pain. He whirled and raced back to Li. The second man had gotten back up and hit him on his injured shoulder. He was down on one knee, still holding off one of them when Spot barreled into the second man.
'I'm running out of energy,' Li realized in a panic. 'I've got maybe five or six more moves and then they can easily get me. How am I gonna protect us both?' She looked up, smiling slightly as Spot whirled his cane around, beating down the man who had hit her. She threw off her attacker and went to grab Spot again, desperate to make him leave. She had grabbed him and pulled him to face her when his eyes widened in horror.
A white hot flash of pain tore down her back in a ribbon of fire as it trailed from her right shoulder to her left hip. A scream ripped out of her throat as she clutched at air, falling hard onto the stairs.
Spot leapt over him, cane swinging and connecting repeatedly with the attacker; Li had just enough presence of mind to turn her head and see what happened. The man was holding a bloodstained knife in one hand as he tried to hold off Spot with his other. Finally Spot landed the final blow, sending the man over the balcony railing and onto the unfortunates below.
Spot didn't even wait to see if the man was alive before sprinting to his friend's side. "Oh shit Li, he got you," he said, examining the cut, "I don't think it's too deep, but we've got to stop the bleeding." He didn't even stop to ask her before he had ripped off the remains of the shirt and began wadding it up along the cut. Suddenly he stopped moving entirely. "Li….." he said slowly, almost in horror. She turned her head and suddenly realized that her breast bindings had come off as well and he was holding them in one hand, horror stricken. Li's face turned red, as she desperately tried to cover her chest. However the movement pulled at the skin of her back, stretching the cut even wider. She screamed again in pain, Spot's panic-stricken face the last thing she saw before her world went black.
AN//: Yeah, kind of a horrid place to leave it huh? But my muse has hit a bit of a rough spot and now I have to figure out where to go from here. I'll get it up as soon as possible. Please review and let me know what you thought. Thanks! ;)