Disclaimer: I do not own "Newsies" or any of the genius associated to them. Disney owns them, no infringement intended. I am not making money from this in any way, I claim no rights to the characters mentioned from the movie, but I do claim the plot and the ideas surrounding this story. Don't steal, don't sue, and I'm sure we will all be grand friends. Disney owns Spot, Ireland owns herself, Mary, Alice, Marbles, and Snaps belong to me
A/N: This chapter is the first instance where it isn't in first person anymore. It actually changes to third person narrative a bit into it and then back to first person. I feel that it is pretty obvious where it changes because, for one, Snaps isn't swearing right and left in the thought pattern. Ha. Also I divided the sections so that there is a visual break between parts.
Warning: PG-13 (strong language and sexuality)
Chapter 9: Recollections
This was such a load of shit, pure and total horse shit. What the hell was I doing in some apartment with a bitch that just last night had made my brother look like a drunken jackass? I knew the answer, but I didn't like it. I didn't like it because it meant I'd made a mistake and I hated cleaning up messes. This was for her good, for my half-brother's good, and for the good of Brooklyn overall. Brooklyn needed Spot the same way Spot needed Brooklyn and I wasn't going to let some high-class whore butcher that with her nosy questions.
Spot would be more pissed than a horse stung by a hornet if he knew that I was here. Hell, he'd been pissed just because I had talked to the broad yesterday. He'd been pissed enough to go and get drunk off his ass. I wasn't going to see that happen again if I could help it, at least not because of me and not because of this dumb hussy.
She was looking at me with that little mouth hanging open like the dead fish on the wharves. That was something I wagered was against proper etiquette. Hell – this Alice girl looked like she would be a model on the front of a hoity-toity fashion magazine. I could tell she'd had some finishing school and had been taught to be a lady ever since she could blink those big brown eyes. Everything about her spoke of an upper class breeding, and I wondered how in the hell Spot had gotten himself in with this broad.
She looked like my relation to Spot was such a fucking revelation. I didn't bother going into the telling her the half-brother shit. She didn't want to hear it and I didn't want to tell it. I wasn't here to give her our genealogy. If I told her that and the story behind it though, with our mother being a whore, she'd probably faint right out of her damn chair.
"Yous all right?" I asked.
All the color had left her face and I wanted to make sure she hadn't fainted already and just not fallen out of her chair yet.
"Yes. Yes, of course I'm fine." She said.
She snapped right out of the hazy stupor she created and closed that little mouth with a snap. Already her hands were folded back primly into her lap. Her legs crossed at the ankles like a blushing virgin. What a load of shit. I was the only virgin in the room. I found it funny that she wasn't a virgin yet profanity made her blush. What a high class. She'd probably never had to be outside without shoes. With fair skin like that you knew that she hadn't gone out more than to go to a picnic or one of those high fangled tea parties.
"All right, before I start I want ta remind yous that if I'se here about ya asking any more damn questions or tell any of this ta anyone Is'll make it so yous'll wish ya weren't born."
I meant every damn word and her reaction was priceless. I swear her little face drained three shades of color.
"I understand."
It was like she'd never been threatened before. Maybe she hadn't, but Spot liked threats, though, so I didn't figure I was her first. I smirked with satisfaction regardless. First threat or not – I'd scared the shit out of her with it. What a good submissive little girl, maybe that was why Spot liked her in bed.
"Good." I said.
I looked up at the ceiling of her apartment to collect my thoughts. Though I had lived the story – I had to arrange it in my thoughts. It'd been awhile since I'd told it straight through.
In the back of my mind something whispered to me that this was one of the biggest mistakes of my life.
. : ^_^ : .
The streets of New York were already bustling though the hour was only a few past dawn. Azure skies of a promising spring hung above them laced with cotton candy clouds and a glittering golden sun. If you could judge a day by appearance – today looked very promising. Members many social classes strolled the streets of Brooklyn as the cries of newsies and clopping of horse's hoofs echoed against the towering brick edifices. The mass of humanity moved about the passages and byways established by the city and routine. There was little out of the ordinary. The whores mingled with the business men as both went to their own respective work. Street vendors sold their wares, bums begged for a crust of bread, and a man on the street corner called out against the devil and called for the saving of the souls of the damned.
A curious pair stood watching the whole scene. Both were folded against the brick surface with a cool ease that spoke of their obvious hidden mirth to the fat man on the soapbox. They kept a careful distance from the preaching, not wanting to be sold salvation, but close enough that they could exchange scathing reviews to each other. The girl's wide dark eyes glistened as she looked at the bunch of other church parishioners standing around the shouting man. Some handed out tracts and other handed food. The crowd for those holding food was far more substantial than those holding the paper pamphlets. Some were young. Most were old. However there was one fairly pretty little thing that the girl took notice of readily and turned to the boy beside her on her left.
"How do ya like the dame over there, Conlon?" She turned her head towards him casually. Both arms were folded neatly across her chest.
"Which one?" The gray newsboy cap shaded his cerulean blue eyes as he leant upon his cane as much as the wall.
"The pretty one." She indicated with her words and a short swift jerk of her head. "The one with the white thing on her head."
"I'se seen better." He scoffed with a superior air and jingled some change in his pocket. "We'se need to buy some more papes. There's plenty of time to sell some more."
"Damn the papes." The girl said. "Ya never wanna do nothing but work, Spotty."
"Ya gotta work to eat, Snaps."
"Ya got enough money to eat for a week. All work and no play makes Spot a dull boy."
She watched her half-brother casually in wait for a response. Her eyes followed his as he caught sight of a voluptuous young woman in a scandalous dress walk by the group of street preachers. A smirk instantly plastered itself on her face. She knew Spot's habit of not taking harlots better than anyone, but his sexual hunger didn't escape her. It was clear that he needed to get laid.
"Anyways - looks to me that yous ain't interested in food at all."
The sly comment brought his attention to the girl at his side. He swiveled his head. Blue diamond slits stared her down menacingly. Snaps didn't recoil. She didn't even flinch. She was used to her brother's tactics. Instead she looked at him as lazily as a large cat and smirked satisfactorily. His tightly wound reaction just proved her point.
"What's that supposed ta mean?"
He challenged and she looked at him innocently. They both knew that she had gotten the first reaction. He forcibly relaxed himself. She nodded her head towards the last of the harlot's vibrant colored dress as it disappeared into the swirling mass of more muted, conservative colors.
"How longs it been since ya had a good, hard lay?"
"This question is coming from a virgin."
Spot scoffed at her abstinence though it was not something of which he disapproved. He had enough to worry about without keeping track of his sister's romantic life. Besides, who would be stupid enough to fuck Brooklyn's sister on a whim?
"So it has been a long time. What's the matter, Spotty? Can't get anyone to say 'yes'?"
Snaps quirked an eyebrow as she returned the jab. It was a good guess that he hadn't felt the warmth of a woman since he had ended his relationship with Ireland a few months earlier. Spot's clear eyes roamed the streets though Snaps statement had been a little too close for comfort.
"I can get whoever I want."
His eyes landed on the girl Snaps had pointed out among the street missionaries. Her brown hair was pulled back modestly under a white cap, but a few curls had escaped around her heart shaped face. She was plain, that was to be sure, but she wasn't ugly. Even from where he was standing he could see her large eyes wide with innocence and he smirked. She probably hadn't even been alone with a man – let alone been touched by one. Snaps followed his gaze again and saw his smirk. The wheels in her head began to turn rapidly.
"I bet ya couldn't lay her." She pointed with her eyes and Spot's brow furrowed in question.
"What?"
Spot unfolded from his place on the wall. This way he stood taller than his half-sister who remained comfortably reclined on the bricks. Her gaze was as relaxed as her posture. Unlike the majority of the other newsies under him – Snaps had never developed a healthy fear of her leader. Perhaps this was due to the fact that she'd known him before his name meant anything to the group of ruffians. Even now as he stared down at her she remained cool and collected.
"I bet that you can't get the preaching broad in the sack before the trees in Central Park start changing their colors."
Spot regarded his sister for a moment. She looked back at him openly, tongue tucked into her cheek. Then he turned his focus to the girl across the street from them. Her face was turned into a kind smile as she handed out the tracts in her hand. A girl with virtue would undoubtedly be a different challenge from the looser girl he seduced, but there was an appeal in this challenge he didn't understand. Perhaps it was the desire to attain the unattainable or simply his physical hunger which motivated his decision; whatever it was he turned back to his half-sister with his face twisted in a knowing smirk.
"What are the odds?"
He narrowed his eyes ever so slightly. It wasn't a dramatic gesture, but enough to let her know that he was serious about the proposition. Inside she felt the surge of victory already. Her brother didn't stand a chance.
"If I win, yous'll pay my board for a year. If yous win, I'sell pay yours."
She leaned one shoulder against the wall so she was turned towards him more. Digging into her pocket she fished out a cigarette. In a deft move she lit a match against the bricks and began to light her smoke. Spot reached out and pulled the offending stick from her lips before she could complete the lighting task.
"Girls shouldn't smoke." He said and pocketed the unlit fag.
She sent him a murderous glare before digging out yet another cigarette. Swiftly she lit it before he could take it away. Holding it firmly between two fingers she kept him from procuring it as he had the previous. It was his turn to send her a murderous glare.
"Well Conlon, ya up for it? I bet ya that ya can't bed the mission broad."
She tipped her head towards the group and Spot looked through the crowd towards the girl. For the briefest instant an overwhelming chance of failure washed over him. The weight was crushing. He pushed the self-doubt to the side quickly. He had no time for it. It wasn't quickly enough for Snaps not the noticed. His hesitation was well noted by his half-sister.
"Whatsa matter Spotty? Don't think ya can do it?"
She crossed her arms over her chest and looked at him mockingly. His head spun back towards her. Relative or not – he was her leader and he deserved some respect. Someday he would teach it to her, but not today, not right now. Right now he had a decision to make. So in his traditional nature of being unable to back down from a challenge – Spot made his choice.
"Ya got yaself a bet."
He spat in his caneless hand and extended it to her. She returned the gesture and clasped his hand firm in her own. Already she wore a victorious smirk and he sent her a warning glare with his penetrating eyes. Snaps didn't even flinch. She had won this round.
Pulling back his hand he wiped it unconsciously on his pants and pulled his hat off of his head. Running his fingers through the dirty hair a few times before pulling the cap low over his eyes – he made she he was as presentable as possible. With that Spot made his way through the throng of people which filled the New York street to the evangelistic crowd. The entire time his mind was focused on his prize. As he got closer to his target noted more clearly the features of her face.
She was plain. There was nothing outstanding about her. She did nothing to help herself cosmetically like the girls he normally took. Her eyes were wide and brown which was nothing too astounding. Her hair was brown too with an under-cast shadow of red that shone in the light of the morning sky. Most of it was covered with her white cap to modestly conceal it from open viewing. The round cheeks were flushed prettily in the warm spring day, and Spot could see a few freckles across the bridge of her upturned nose as he stood before her.
"Pardon me, miss." Spot took off his hat respectfully and she looked at him openly but without curiosity.
"Could I have one'a those?" Spot indicated with his eyes to the pamphlets that she held in her hands.
Her hands were small and delicate, but the looked like they had seen hard work. Was she a scullery maid or a factory worker? Her eyes were wide with hope and life as if she were ready to conquer all of Brooklyn, possibly all of New York, for her cause. No factory worker could have that much hope. But if she were a maid how had she managed to take time off for such things as street evangelizing?
"Oh." Her small cupid bow mouth formed a perfect circle and she looked down at her hands and then readily extended to him two sheets of paper. "Of course." She smiled warmly, and Spot smiled in return.
It was one of his rakishly wry grins that he reserved only for occasions such as this. This was a smile he knew made most girls swoon. However her expression didn't change a bit. Could it be possible she was so naïve that she didn't even realize that he was flirting with her? This was a twist he wasn't accustoming to and he leant on his cane and looked briefly at the pamphlets. One was on how to become "saved," the other was an advertisement for a church.
"When's the next service?" Spot asked.
He drowned out the sound of the shouting preacher and the bustle of the street. It was his habit to do this. Anyone who lived in New York long enough learned how to do this with some mark of efficiency.
"We are having a prayer meeting this Saturday." She answered informatively.
She seemed genuinely excited at the prospect of a new convert. Her voice was strong enough to be heard but he could tell that she was forcing it to be so. The natural tone of her voice would be much softer. Also her words weren't inflected with the local accent, but he couldn't place the intonation of her speech.
"It will be at 5:00 at this address." She pointed to the flyer in his hand that directed him to the church.
Since she lacked an accent – it could be that she'd had private education. Her nature was much more demure than that of most on the streets. Was she of a higher society than his?
"Will yous be there?" Spot asked.
He moved in a step closer. He dropped his tone to a more seductive note due to his closer proximity. The girl wasn't even phased by it. Her face lit in a cheery smile.
"Of course. I'm always there when the church is open." She seemed entirely oblivious to his blatant flirting and Spot was growing slightly frustrated.
"Are ya now?" Spot lifting a single eyebrow. Now that was an interesting fact "Could I have your name? I'd like to know what to call ya when I see ya at the church this Saturday."
"Mary." she said. "And yours?"
"Ya can call me Spot." He gave her another heartbreaking grin. She reciprocated, however her smile was much more innocent in intention than his.
The nickname didn't seem to puzzle her in the slightest. Her lack of response made Spot believe that she had come across others like him. Could she be of some breeding and still understand the need for nicknames in the street?
"Then I will see you this Saturday, brother Spot." She said and Spot replaced his gray cap on his head.
"And Is'll see ya then too, sister Mary." He said, carefully imitating her farewell.
With a nod of his head he turned on his heel and melting into the crowd. Snaps was still standing on the wall watching him and he could tell she was smirking. Instead of returning to her side he went towards the distribution office. Selling a few papers would be a good way to clear his head. Stuffing the pamphlets he'd gotten from Mary into his pockets he exhaled heavily.
Somehow he knew this wasn't going to be easy as he would want it to be.
. : ^_^ : .
I could be out on the streets having a good time before the afternoon edition came up for sale, but no. I was unloading all this shit about a bitch who fucked with my smartass half-brother to an ungrateful bitch who fucked up my half-brother. Somehow in all of that I felt guilty.
"What happened next?" Alice asked.
One good thing about being a newsie was that I was one hell of a storyteller. Her question was appreciated, all breathless and curious, but it annoyed me. Interruptions annoyed me. Interruptions like taking an entire day off selling to talk to an idiot broad all the things she needed to know to leave my half-brother alone.
"Ya got anything ta eat around here?"
"Of course."
What a regular lady; a hostess – born and bred. In a few moments I had a glass of warm milk in front of me with some thick crusted bread on a plate. It wasn't exactly a great meal, but it was something. I'd gotten one hell of a good free meal off of her yesterday anyway. With a deep drink off of my glass I relaxed back against the chair again. I took my time biting into the bread and chewed it slowly. Swallowing in an exaggerated fashion – I looked at her lazily. She had a plate with the same fare as I had, but she wasn't eating like me. What a lady.
"So ya want ta know what happened next?"
I asked even though I knew the answer. She nodded. I smirked. The broad was practically begging. As much as I enjoyed this position of temporary power, I knew that I had to tell the rest of the story, and that was not something I looked forward to doing. It didn't get prettier. I focused my thoughts, and then according to Spot's ramblings, my spying, and my genius story telling abilities I began to tell more of the story.
I couldn't help but think if newspaper printed bits of this story that the papes would be a hell of a lot easier to sell.
A/N: *cheers* Yeah! Some of the Spot/Mary mystery has been unraveled. *dance* Yay! Happy time! This chapter was almost… fluffy! *collective gasp* Man I am hyper.
Fox: Oooh, vacation. Now that is a good excuse! Ha. It's okay, I don't hate you or anything JUST DON'T LET IT HAPPEN AGAIN! Alice is an annoying character for me to write, actually a lot of these characters are just annoying, but you know, I don't mind. Ha. Did you have a good time on your trip? Where did you go? Thanks for the review!
Ireland O'Riely: I love you, you know that? You always review so faithfully and they are always the best reviews I get! You're so funny! Ha. Woo hoo for the award for angst! I would like to thank my mother and my father because without them – I wouldn't be here today. No seriously, I wouldn't. HA. I'm actually getting over my Blind Spot funk and have written a bit on a new chapter for it! *gasp* I know, I know, I haven't updated since February! AGH! I'm so bad….
Thistle: Well, not the whole story, but a good little snip of it! I tried not to take too long, but I love cliffhangers. Just ask Ireland. Ha. Well I'll try and have my next update up as soon as possible! Thanks for the review love!
Angelfish7: Well honey, you got to hear some of the story! Here is some more candy-corn for reviewing and there is more where that
