Author's Note: Hey hey hey ladieeeees! Hey hey hey ladieeeeees! And men… I suppose. Those who are interested in Spot Conlon romances. Well, the heart wants what the heart wants… goodness, it's getting quite awkward now. I think I'll just shut up and go sit quietly in the corner…
But first an announcement!
This chappie is told from half-Bell, half- Spot POV. X Spot fangirls cheer loudly x And why am I giving Spotty's side of the story?
Well, it is my story, so I guess it's simply that I can. So there.
Anyways, this has been fun, but I get the feeling I'm boring you all. Nothing personal, I get it, you want to read the story and here I am, rambling on, and on, and on…
I'll just go with my former plan: shut up and go sit in the corner whilst you read the chapter I slaved over for hours…
I am so very hurt. x dramatic sniff x BUT I SHALL GO ON! JUST AS YOU GO ON TO READ THIS CHAPTER!
Until next time,
-V
Review Responses:
MysteryGirl: Lol, I'm glad I have such dedicated fans already! Trust me, I have some aces up my sleeve that are deliciously surprising… stay tuned, MysteryGirl!
Joker is Poker with a J: Yes, yes, I know… short chappie, long update time. Sue me! But anyways, thank you for the compliments(: I hope you enjoy this chappie a bit better; I'm attempting to write longer chapters and be more descriptive with my writings. Please continue reading and reviewing!
FlyingBoppers: Bwahahaha! Goodness, you're review made me laugh! Literally! I started cracking up quite loudly, and my friend thought I was crazy- until I read her the comment, at which point she started LOLing like there was no tomorrow… Seriously, it made my da- oh, right. You're not talking to me. I see how it is… Well, I'm not talking to you either! Hah, how you like them apples? Oh, wait…
Maryarin: Lawdy, I still can't believe that Maryarin- the author of Gravity, one of my gems in my treasured Spot x OC collection- is actually reviewing my story! And it sounds like you're enjoying it too, which is a huge happy-boost for me(: Thanks so much for taking an interest in a fellow Spot admirer's stories!
SilverShoes17: Yes, I'm not a fan of the 'damsel' image, especially for Bell- she's not someone to rely on the prince to save the day. She'd most likely grab the bastard's sword and start chopping up some dragons herself… But as far as that chapter went, Bell was unable to really separate imagination from reality; the physical pain blocked her ability to comprehend the control of her own body. Almost like an awake-coma of sorts. And I love weaving the relationships in this Fic- they're all so fun to bond together!
TheFlyingSeal: Hehe! You show Oscar, you teach him for getting ballsey with my Bell XP And yes! DAMN MY WRITER'S BLOCK TO THE DEEPEST CIRCLE OF HELL! Also, your characters finally get into the story after this chappie… though they may or may not have changed boroughs… if you have concerns/complaints, feel free to PM me.
DiAmOnDsrBlUe: You get the biggest fan award(: I can't fathom my appreciation for your enthusiasm, it's helped me pull through my remaining writer's block and conjure up this chapter!
Sarah The Phoenix Trainer: YES. Thank you for the addition. Don't hate me, but it might be a bit before we see her… I just need to get past a few key plot points, then we'll be good.
DISCLAIMER: Ditto to the last few disclaimers… The OCs besides Bell Brooks and a few others belong to their respected owners- you know who you are- and er'rthang else is Disney's. Danka.
WARNING: Contains cursing, suggestive themes, and comments that may be considered offensive to religion or race. I myself have no issues with said peoples and do not mean any intentional harm to them or any of their affiliates. Double danka.
Chapter 4:
Remembering the Puppy in the Window
It had been almost nine summers ago.
We'd both been young, young enough for us to run around the city barefoot during the summer and have rich folk coo and murmur in our wake. In all honesty it was probably the last happy memory I had of Spot- or as I called him so lovingly back then, Damien.
On the very last day of summer, Damien had taken me down to the docks of Brooklyn one last time. We'd wiled away the dwindling hours of remaining sunshine swimming in the river, splashing each other playfully back and forth, and having races around the docks. We climbed out when the sun dipped low on the buildings, creating long, slanting shadows across the pavement. Damien and I, desperately trying to preserve every last drop of summertime, took up our perch atop a large stack of crates and watched the sun set together.
It was there, sitting so peacefully amongst the worn old nets and mildewed planks, talking and laughing so easily with one another, that I realized just how much I cared about Damien.
Up until the day he became King of Brooklyn, Damien had always been on my side. He'd looked out for me; a guard dog of sorts. But, yet, he was still full of childlike innocence; which every child has a right to. So he was more like a puppy than a dog, really. I could see it already… Damien Conlon- the guard puppy.
No… Damien Conlon- my guard puppy…
I watched as her chest rose and fell, thankful for each intake of breath she took in her slumbering state. Every time an inhalation was slightly delayed, though, my heart would almost stop in my chest and I'd clench my hand tighter around her cold, milky-white fingers until she resumed breathing normally.
This had been going on for the last two days- the sleeping girl would fall behind on her breathing, I'd panic for an agonizingly long moment, then she'd resume her intake of air, leaving me to breathe out softly in silent thanks. Wolfy, my trusty lieutenant had tried half-heartedly to coax me out of the small bedroom a few times with promises of beef stew, fresh bread, and other miscellaneous food items I'd usually jump at the chance to get my hands on.
But right now, no food- or anything for that matter- would be able to take my mind off of this young woman currently sleeping snugly in my bed. Inside, I knew Wolfy knew that, but it didn't stop him from worrying about my general well-being- that was just how Wolfy was. He always felt better when he knew all members of his 'pack' were healthy and mentally sound, otherwise he got nervous and rather annoying…
My head shot up as my eyes began to drift closed. No, I thought earnestly, shaking my head violently as though to clean water out of my ears, Bell. Remember Bell.
I glanced down at said slumbering maiden and felt my breath catch in my throat; she was practically a different person since I'd last seen her.
Sure, it had been six years, but why did she look so wildly different to me? I'd remembered her hair being shorter, her skin not quite so pale or so smooth, and her body had definitely been far less… shapely, to say the least.
I felt a hot blush creep over my cheeks as I wrenched my eyes away from her curvy figure, instead focusing on her little cold hand in mine. It was the left hand- the right was currently wrapped tight in a sling because of a painful fracture found in her shoulder from getting slammed into the wall by that good-for-nothing bastard Oscar.
Instantly I felt the familiar wave of protective fury wash over me. I clenched my jaw, though it hurt like hell- the idiot had thought it'd be funny to sucker-punch me when I'd gone over to check on Bell. He hadn't been laughing when I'd decked him right in his non-existent balls, sending him scampering away with his tail between his legs. He'd tried to hurt her.
He'd tried to hurt Avery. My Avery.
"Don't worry, Bell," I mustered a tired smirk, though I was talking mostly to myself. "Oscar won't be bothering you anymore."
"He… won't… be?"
I looked back at Bell- who, in my mini-reverie, must have awoken- to find her staring at me with heavy-lidded hazel eyes. The breath just about deflated my lungs, I stared at her with such unmasked surprise.
"…Avery?"
The pretty brunette flinched at the use of her name. "Don't call me that."
I wrinkled my nose in surprise, grasping her hand in mine gently. "I thought you loved it when I'd call you by your first name."
"Not anymore."
Now it was my turn to flinch- though it was inward- as I snapped back icily, "I haven't seen you in years, just saved your sorry ass, and let you sleep for two whole days in my bed. Why can't I call you by your real name?"
And then Avery turned those big, accusing, hazel eyes on me and said with a voice like daggers,
"Because I don't know who the hell you are, and I don't think you know who I am either, Spot Conlon."