The Curse of Love

By: Joker is Poker with a J

Chapter 7

Of Brooklyn and Disappearing

Summary: The year was 1504 and I was just a traveling artist, making my way in the world, trying to become famous. But, female painters weren't respected, even during the new age. The Renaissance. And my luck, not being good nor bad, led me to stumble on a grave disaster.

Note: just read

It seemed everyday that I told myself, 'Ok, today I'm leaving.' another two days would go by. Soon enough, two weeks had passed and all the newsies were buzzing about the upcoming party.

About five days before the party, I found myself walking to Brooklyn with Race, Jack, and Renegade in the pouring rain. Jack and Race's moods befitted the rain, but Ren and I giggled and laughed as we skipped around in it.

"Eeee!" Ren shrieked, as a carriage road by and sprayed water all over us. I giggled and ran over to Race, giving him a big wet hug.

"It doesn't mattah anymore, Lee. Ise already soaked to da bone." He grumbled, pulling out his last soaked cigar and staring sadly down at it. It really looked like he was on the verge of tears.

"Den why'd ya come?" I asked, loving the accent of the Newsies as it rolled off my tongue. I actually sounded as if I belonged there, and, with the way things were going, I was almost positive that I'd be here longer then I had first thought.

"Jackie-boy might need me." Was all he said.

Rolling my eyes, I ran ahead to wear Renegade was, staring off at the river beneath the Brooklyn Bridge. Yelling loudly, I jumped into a big puddle close to her spraying water on both of us.

She laughed maniacally at me. "Oh, it's on, Lee, it's on."

Giving a wicked grin, I ran ahead and stopped at the end of the bridge, staring at the part of New York City I'd never seen.

Brooklyn was definitely not a comfort zone. Its streets were dirty, and a few dark figures I could see hid in dark alleys. A few creepy guys hung out in front of what looked like a bar, and a smaller guy gave me a leer as my eyes swept around this desolate city.

"Pretty scary isn't it?" Race asked me, his voice right near my ear, making me jump. I looked into his sweet brown eyes, taking comfort in my new best friend's presence, and nodded.

"Brooklyn wasn't always so..." Jack stopped to think of a good word, "Bleak." He settled on. "It was actually very nice. But, a lot of gangs started up. Its not completely bad. This part just seems like it. Especially with the docks near." He shrugged. "Once we get to the Lodging House, you'll feel safer. No one messes with Spot Conlon."

I bit my lip, wondering how Jack could put his faith in a guy who was five inches shorter then him. Spot wasn't even that bulky. But, it was true that he did give me a safe feeling when I was around him. Not that I needed much protecting, but Spot was a better ally then enemy, no matter how much we squabbled, that much I knew was true.

We walked quietly through the streets, hurrying close behind Jack. Renegade's and mine's shouts of laughter forgotten on the bridge, where we had felt safe.

About fifteen minutes later, we came up to a building, squeezed between two others. It had a board above the door with 'Brooklyn Lodging House' scrawled on it. The front steps were occupied by one guy who seemed to enjoy the rain.

"Jack Kelly." He stated. "Spot said youse'd make an appearance."

Jack nodded at the guy, "Villain St. James." He greeted shortly, moving past him up the steps and into the LH.

Villain smirked at Race, his light brown-gold eyes sparkling, "Racetrack Higgins."

"Vill, youse still wit dat doll...whats-her-face...Gwen?" Race smirked.

The guy shot him a dark look, "No." His eyes slid past Race and to me. He gave me a once over, and then glanced at Race, "But, Ise lookin' at a new prospects."

Race's face went red as Villain stood up and held out his hand to shake, "Villain St. James. How do you do?"

His manner was polite, and I had to admit, with his dark brown hair and golden eyes, he was not at all bad looking. I smiled, "Aurelie."

Recognition flashed behind his eyes, and he went to a polite, indifferent mode. "Nice ta meet ya." He said and turned away to say hello to Renegade.

Race must have seen the put out look on my face, and pulled me inside, "Come on, Lee, let's get ya inside where its warm."

I nodded mutely, still very confused.

Inside the LH it was very warm. Boys milled around, chatting, laughing, laying on the floor, or leaning back in chairs. A few had a poker game going on, and Race actually left my side to go play. I stood there for a moment, feeling like a stranger peering in on a family.

In all my time in Manhattan, I had never felt so out of place. Jack's boys had welcomed me with open arms. The Brooklyn boys took one look at me, and skidded away. Inconspicuously, I sniff myself, wondering if I smelled and if that was the reason everyone was avoiding me.

A chuckle came from the corner, "No, it's not you." A voice said, and it was sweet, and it sounded as if the girl was singing rather then talking.

And it was a girl. She appeared out of the shadows of the corner she had sat in, putting a bookmark in the book she had been reading. Her hair was a light brown, or a dark blond. Her eyes were a sparkling brown, like warm chocolate and she reminded me instantly of Spot. The same nose and mouth, the same hair. Except hers fell down to the middle of her back.

"Miela." She said, smiling and sticking out her hand, "Mi for short." She pronounced it like 'my.' Her smile was warm, and I felt comforted instantly.

"Aurelie. Lee for short." I shook her hand.

"Yes, I recognized you the moment you walked in. Spot described you, but he didn't put justice to your beauty." Mi's accent was unlike the newsies and her eyes were gentle and warm and she utterly confused me. Just like her brother, I thought.

I had been told I was beautiful, but I wouldn't agree. I only ever saw the averageness of my looks. "What did you mean 'it's not me?'." I asked.

Miela smiled, "Spot's talked of you often in the last couple weeks. None of the boys want to talk to you, for fear of him getting jealous. No guy wants to deal with a jealous Spot Conlon." She laughed at some old memory that she was thinking of, and her laugh was like silver bells.

"Oh." Was the only word I could find to say.

She looked over my shoulder, and smiled slightly. Turning around I saw Jack and Spot come out of a small room. Spot kept glancing in our direction, as if we were about to suddenly disappear.

Trying to ignore the slight flutter in my stomach, a feeling I associated with being somewhere new surrounded by new people, I looked around the LH.

It was surprisingly tidy. Very, very tidy. There was not a speck of dust or dirt. None caked on the windows, like in most buildings in New York, nor were there any on the floor, or counter tops. I assumed it was because of Miela. She must be picky about things being clean.

"Clean isn't it?" Mi asked me, smiling.

"Yeah. You must keep these boys in line." I said, giving a small laugh.

"Me?" She asked with a snort, "No way, Spot's the clean freak. But, shh, don't tell him I told you." She winked, and then jabbed me slightly in the ribs, and nodded her head at her brother.

Spot had turned from Jack and had started his way toward the corner in which his sister and I stood. As he got closer, his blue eyes locked with mine, and I suddenly felt weak in the knees. The air around me thickened and I was dizzy just by the look in those lightning blue orbs.

I wanted to snap out of this daze he put me in. It wasn't fair. I'm sure he could have any girl, and I believed that he had had many of them. I just didn't want to be one of them. Used, and then tossed aside. But, he made me feel absolutely...damn, there wasn't a word that described what I was feeling. It was like I was floating away from reality. I didn't trust this, though. I didn't want it and I didn't trust it.

"Finally gracing us with your presence?" Miela asked sarcastically. Folding her arms across her chest.

Spot gave a smirk at her, then turned to me, "Ise see youse brave enough ta come ta Brooklyn, Lee."

One of my eyebrows rose. "There's very little that I'm afraid of, Conlon." My voice was a tad bit icy, but I was a brave person, and fear was a personal insult.

"Thats what I like about youse." He said in whisper for only my ears. It was then I realized that Mi had drifted off, and we were alone in the corner.

I was slightly taken aback. Was he...hitting on me?

He must have seen the confused look on my face, because he gave a chuckle, and I noticed his eyes were warm and sparkling. My heart gave a pull toward him. It pulled so hard, it actually hurt. I gasped, putting a hand to my chest and leaning over.

"Lee? Youse okay?!?" He asked, bending over, too.

I waved him off, gasping for air, "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine."

"You sure?" He asked, his eyes anxious.

I nodded, straightening up, waiting for the pain. When I was sure there was none, I sighed. "That was weird." I mumbled to myself.

"What happened?"

Shaking my head, I moved to sit on a nearby couch. I kept my hand on my chest, scared that the pain might come back. It had felt like it was trying to rip out of my chest. It was uncomfortable.

"Lee? Tell me what happened." Spot demanded, putting his hands on his hands and looking oddly like a clucking mother hen.

I raised my eyebrow again, something I found that I did a lot around this guy, and shrugged. "Dunno. My heart just gave a twinge of pain." I shrugged again, and leaned back.

The blue-eyed boy studied me, then sat down beside me and heaved a sigh.

"Tough being King?" I asked sarcastically.

His eyes were closed, so I watch him while he smiled a crooked smile at my comment. "Sometimes. Youse know why Jackie boy came here doncha?"

He looked so relaxed, I thought. Sitting down and taking a break isn't something it looked like he did often. "For Mi's party, right?" I asked.

He nodded, "Yeah...and somethin' else..." He trailed off, opening his eyes and meeting mine. I couldn't decipher any emotions, he just looked into mine searchingly.

I cocked my head, "What?" Concerned stabbed at my heart as I thought of any of the newsies in trouble.

"Ya see...a few of me newsies are..."He looked around a moment, and then satisfied that no one could hear, he continued, "Disappearin'."

"Disappearing?" I said, shocked, and unconsciously leaning toward him. "Just your newsies?"

He nodded wearily, and he looked much older then seventeen. Almost like a hundred.

Leaning back, I exhaled, "Woah. What you gonna do?" I asked, pushing down the sudden urge to lay my head on his shoulder. Where did that feeling come from.

"Dunno, yet. Me and Jack were planing on setting out one of me boys as bait and then following." Spot turned his head, "Whataya think?" He asked.

"You want my opinion?" I asked, shock coloring my voice.

He smirked at taking me by surprise. "Yeah, youse opinion."

Shrugging, I replied, "Well, I dunno. I've never been in such a situation..." I trailed off, thinking of the places I'd been. I'd never been in a situation like this because I tended not to get close to people. Nobody trusted somebody after knowing them a few days, and that's usually the time I gave people to get to know me. Except that one time...

Spot sighed, "Ok. I thought you'd be more help."

"Hang on, I'm thinking." I told him, waving my hand at him. His brows furrowed as I closed my eyes.

The last kidnappings I had ever heard about was in the late 1600s and early 1700s while I was still in Europe. It wasn't just any kidnapping though, it was girls who were kidnapped and sold as brides.

Throughout history, children were kidnapped and mainly used for two reasons. One, children kidnapped from lower and middle class were used as slaves. Reason number two was for ransom. Children from rich families were often kidnapped for money.

The Newsies didn't have money, so that ruled out option two. Which left one. Someone was had to be kidnapping newsies to use them for work. But why not hire them?

Someone didn't want to pay wages...My thoughts trailed off, and I looked up to see Spot staring intently at me.

"I think I figured it out." I said.

"Good, 'cause it looked like youse was looking through files in your head." He said, then, "Step into my office." He got up and opened the door that I had seen him and Jack emerge from earlier.

I got up and followed him in, aware of the many pairs of eyes following me. My eyes caught Race's and he shook his head a fraction of an inch, and then I was in the office.

a/n: hope you liked please review.

Joker Is Poker with a J