Author's Note: Well, it's been a while, and I regretfully inform you that this chapter is a tad shorter than the previous ones, but its a chapter none the less!! And it also introduces a situation that is potentially life threatening to one of our dear characters!!! ah!!! Thank you so much for your reviews! You guys are so awesome!!

Disclaimer: I am the owner of Sinker, Trip, and Speed :D and no! not the drug!

The rain poured down heavily the next day, which did not improve Sinker or Blink's attitudes. Both were hurt and both were, due to the fact that they were soaked to the bone and barely selling any papers, kind of agitated. They had snapped at each other so often during the day that it was a miracle they hadn't killed each other. Of course, there were still a few hours before sunset, so they still had time.

"This is ridiculous," Sinker muttered, really wanting to just throw her papers in the mud and curl up, comfy and warm, with Blink in bed. But that would never happen, so she resisted the urge.

"Well no one's gonna buy ya food if ya don' sell the papes, so stop complainin'," Blink snapped. "Oh wait, you'se Spot's goil now, he'll buy ya anythin' I 'spose."

"Shut up!" Sinker yelled, this time actually allowing herself to throw down her leftover papers.

Blink sneered, which looked odd on his usually cheery face. Underneath it all though, was a tone of pain when he softly said, "Ya know, I thought that kiss meant somethin' ta ya…"

Sinker gulped and clenched her fists. "It did mean somethin' ta me! But ya had ta go bolt up the stairs with Tramp!"

"Her name's Trip," Blink yelled, "And you'se the one that showed up with Spot."

"Did it ever occur to ya that maybe I didn' wanna go with Spot?" she shouted, nostrils flared, as she turned on her heel and began marching in the direction of the Lodging House, mentally slapping herself for letting that little detail slip.

Blink stood in silence as the water pelted down. Sinker hadn't wanted to go with Spot? What did that mean? He knew what it meant. It meant he had royally screwed up. Sinker's figure was slowly disappearing through the dreadful sheets of water that were raining down. "Sink!" he called out, dropping the papers he still had into a puddle, loping after the girl.

"Don't talk ta me," she ground out once he had caught up to her, easily matching her stride.

Blink took a deep breath, obeying her request a little over a minute before bursting. "Whaddaya mean ya didn't wanna go with Spot?"

"I'm sorry, but I don't feel obligated to answer your question," she said in a well-mannered way.

"C'mon Sink, tell me," Blink pleaded. "I mean, we sleep together."

Sinker's face turned red before she corrected him. "No Blink, you and Trip sleep together, we simply share the same bunk."

Blink's face burned now too, but at least he had got her to make some sort of a joke. That had to be a good sign. "Well, yeah, that's what I meant," he admitted sheepishly, scratching the back of his head shyly.

They walked in an awkward silence for a block or so, before Blink asked again. Sinker shrugged. "I—we—er—we kind of have a deal, is all," she explained.

Blink raised an eyebrow. "What kind of deal?"

Sinker shook her head, "It's stupid. I pretend ta be his goil, and he, uh…let's me borrow his books…" So it wasn't the best lie ever told, but she hoped it would work.

"Spot reads?" Blink asked incredulously.

"Oh, yeah!" Sinker exclaimed, a bit too loudly. "But, uh, don't bring it up with him, he feels it, er, takes away from his…manly image."

Blink nodded in understanding, about to say something, but Sinker, who had become suddenly angry again, cut him off. "Why do you care anyway? Shouldn't ya be more worried with Trip?"

Blink stared guiltily at the ground, "Look, I…I don't like Trip…I…like you," he whispered the last word.

"I'm sure ya give that line ta every goil," Sinker muttered.

Blink stepped in front of her, blocking her way, a serious look on his face. She tried to side step him, as they had arrived at the Lodging House, but Blink placed his hands on her shoulders, effectively stopping her. "No," he said. "I don'."

Sinker knew she shouldn't have, but she just couldn't help snapping, "Oh, sorry, I meant to say 'every goil ya wanna get in bed'."

Blink sighed, he felt at a loss. But then, in a last desperate attempt, he did the first thing that came to mind. And the next thing he knew, he had Sinker's neck cradled in his hand and was kissing her deeply.

"Are ya serious?! Have ya seen the weathah Spot? I ain't goin' ta 'Hattan in that," Trip protested, gesturing to the rain streaked window. "Can't ya send Speed? He actually likes the rain."

Spot glared at her coldly. "Speed is out sellin' papes, like a newsie's 'sposed ta."

Trip rolled her eyes. "I already finished sellin', and so have you," she reminded him

They were lounging in Spot's room, or rather, Trip was sprawled out on Spot's bed lazily, her feet dangling off the side ("Don't get mud on me bed!" Spot had shrieked when she had originally plopped down, sounding a lot like a girl.). But Spot was once again pacing back and forth, it helped him think.

"I want ya ta go get Sink and bring her back tomorrow mornin', aftah the rain's stopped," he instructed Trip.

"You'se insane if ya think I'm actually gonna make the trip ta 'Hattan when its like that outside," she snickered.

Spot turned on her with such a cold look in his eye that it sent a shiver up Trip's spine. She had seen the look before, but it had never been used against her. She gulped, and was a little surprised that a glare was able to make her do something she really did not want to. But she realized that maybe it also had to do with that hideous emotion known as love, which seemed to have Trip in a chokehold.

Trip diverted her eyes to the old wood flooring. She stood up and went to the door. Before slamming it, which she fully intended to do, she warned Spot, "I still think she likes Blink."

Spot smirked. "That'll change."

In the end, Trip didn't slam the door, she shut it quietly, slowly twisting the door knob to avoid any excess noise.

She arrived in Manhattan with a runny nose and a cough. She highly doubted Sinker was going to change her mind and go after Spot. Especially when Trip came upon Blink kissing her.

That is until Sinker pulled away and slapped Blink with an audible THWAP. Trip felt a little sorry for both of them. They could have been a sweet couple. She wiped her nose and strode up to the pair. Blink had a shocked, wide-eyed expression plastered on his face, and Sinker looked ready to smack the newsie again. Neither of them got to explain their actions, though, because Trip stepped up, yelling out, "Hey!"

Blink gulped, quickly averting his gaze, and Sinker's eyes transformed into slits, murder glinting in the hazel color. It wasn't hard to tell how Sinker felt about the approaching Brooklynite. And Sinker wasn't in the mood to hide her feelings either.

"Trip," Blink uttered in greeting.

Trip nodded at him, which he didn't see because his head was still ducked, then she spoke to Sinker. "Spot wants ta see ya."

Sinker grimaced, "Well I don' wanna see him." She proceeded to storm rudely into the Manhattan Lodging House, but Trip and Blink merely followed her.

"We'll leave in the mornin'," Trip coughed, and when she saw Sinker about to argue, she ended with, "I don' think ya have much of a choice, he'll come get ya hisself if ya don' go."

Sinker snapped her mouth shut, ringing out her watery cap, and stomped up the stairs, trying to rid herself of the dread lying in the pit of her stomach. What Trip said was true. She didn't have a choice. And once again, Sinker felt trapped.

Author's Note: So, a considerably shorter chapter, but one that will end up being very important! Reviews rock! and you guys rock! so you guys and reviews go hand-in-hand! I'm glad we've determined that! Now leave one...please :D