Dove was running, running so fast, but he was faster. The black shadow was about to grab her. Closer and closer he came. She could feel his breath on her neck. She stopped short as he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back in to the shadows. Red eyes bore into her.

"Spot!" Dove woke up screaming, just like she had for the last five days. Mathew ran into the room, shirt barely on, hair standing on end.

"Vienne, it's ok."

But Dove just pushed him away and curled into the corner. Tears were gone, only silence was left, except for one word. Thomas entered the room and just watched his daughter sadly, the lively sixteen years old had left, the silent child had returned. Thomas heard his little girl say nothing but one word every night, but he didn't know what it meant.


Dove followed her father to the theatre silently the next morning. She was terrified to be left alone, but did nothing because of the stiffness she felt. The people milling around in the street set her on edge, but she only stayed so close to her brother and father. As they entered Medda's, Dove climbed to the top of the roof and sat by the chimney. She couldn't handle being in the building with all the strange men. She knew she would have to face the Newsies sooner or later, Whistler told her last night that they were really worried about her and wanted to see her, but she wasn't sure she was ready.

"Dove, it's me, Cowboy." She heard someone call the fire escape, glancing over she saw just Cowboy's head peeping over the top of the roof. Nodding, Dove brings her knees up to her chest, grimacing as she does so. Cowboy sits a few feet away, facing her.

"I'se know's you'se 'aven't been feelin' all t'at great, but t'e boys wanna see ya's real bad like. T'ey know's ta keep calm an' quite, t'ey wont come near if ya don' wan' 'em too." His brown eyes were pleading with her. She wanted so badly to go, but she wasn't sure that she could handle it. She looked up at Cowboy his eyes full of pity for his sister.

"Will ya come 'n see 'em? Please?"

Dove wanted to see her boys again. She nodded slowly and watched a small smile grow on Cowboy's face. He stood up real slow, and waited as Dove unfolded herself and stood, using the chimney as support. Cowboys hops onto the fire escape and offers his hand. Dove stares at his hands for a full minute before sitting down on the roof and slipping onto the fire escape. Jack drops his hands but doesn't say anything. It took three times as long to get to the lodging house then usual but they finally made it. Jack told Dove to wait outside for one second while he told the boys to behave. It was one of the longest minutes of her life. Finally Jack came out and opened the door for her to enter. Only some of the boys were there, the ones she was closes to. She became very aware of her bruises, even though only a few showed, she still felt like they could see all of them. Suddenly Rags, the little newsie she tried to save from the two scab over a year ago broke ranks and flung himself at Dove. Dove's eye grew huge, as the impact of the eight year old hit her. Pain radiated though out her body. But she just hugged the little newsies.

"I'lls soak t'e guy who hoit's ya!" He looked up at her, anger in his eyes. Dove tried to smile at him, Cowboy came and softly pulled Rags off of Dove.

Whistler walked into the Lodging House not long after Dove got there and pulled Jack aside.

"How's s'e doin?" Whistler looked at the young man that was leading the Newsies. Jack just shrugs.

"She aint talkin', she wont smile. I'se t'ought we'se was gonna lose 'er when Rags, ran up an' 'ugger 'er."

Whistler's eyebrows raise. "'ow was she?"

"She 'ugged 'im back an' I'se pulled 'im aways."

Sighing Whistler sakes his head.

"She wakes up in t'e middle of t'e night, screamin' Spot's name, but she's wont say 'nother woird." Whistler had spent most his nights outside Dove's window, incase she needed him. "'ave you'se seen Spot any where's?"

Cowboy shook his head sadly.


Whistler made his way across the Brooklyn Bridge. Spot had a few things to answer to.

He walked right into the Brooklyn Lodging House and up the stairs to where he knew Spot would be. The Brooklyn newsies that were there let Whistler by without question. Storming into the leaders room he saw Spot sitting in the open window, a bottle of who knows what, close by.

"Conlon, you'se better 'ave somet'in' to say for yourself."

Dove looked over the city form her roof. Her day had been long. She was tired but she couldn't help but feel like she did something wrong. The 'Hattan boys had welcomed her back with open arms, so why did Spot hate her? She looked toward Brooklyn tears forming in her eyes. Closing her eyes the tears fell, silently, unheard by by all but one.


Days went by and her wounds on her body healed, but the wounds in her heart and the terror would not leave so easily. No longer could she handle the men that went to Medda's, so her days were spent at home. It was about two months after that night in Brooklyn when Cowboy came knocking on her window. Dove slid her window open, letting Jack in the room.

"Hi ya Dove, 'ow ya feelin'?" Jack looks down at his quiet litter sister. Dove shrugs, sighing. "I'se was wondrin, would you'se wanna come to t'e loudgn' 'ouse durin' t'e day, so's you'se not 'lone?"

Dove bit her lip. It would be nice to be with the boys again, but what if,

"I'd make soir t'at t'ey would be'ave t'emselves."

Dove looks up into Jack's eyes and nods slowly.

So her days were spend with the Manhattan newsboys, she became their sister and they protected her, she knew that she didn't have to be afraid as long as she was with them. But her heart was still shattered at the loss of Spot, of how he must think of her.

Jack walked into the Lodging House early one day to bring Dove some lunch, she still wouldn't come to Tibby's with them, but at least the boys could come into the same room without her hiding behind something, so long as they called out who it was.

"It's Cowboy." A call sounds in the empty house, and he listens for a tap, the sign from Dove to tell him where she was, but he heard nothing. Walking though the house he stated to get worried, she never left the house without him or one of the older boys and they were all at Tibby's. Opening the kitchen door he found Dove sitting on a chair crying.

"Doves, whats wrong?" Jack was by her side in a flash, sitting beside her.

She nothing, only shook her head. Jack grabbed the note pad she kept close and handed it to her, asking her to write it down. Slowly she began to write, Jack's eye grew hard at what he saw.

"I'll's be back soon, Dove." setting her lunch on the table Jack set out for Brooklyn.

"Spot!" Jack roared the moment he saw the leader. Spot turned just in time to see Cowboy's fit as it hit him square in the jaw. "W'at are you'se t'inkin'? Hu? I'se didn't do nothin' w'en you'se stated ta date Doves but t'is!?" Jack was beyond mad. Spot just leaned against the crate he had stumbled into, waiting for Jack to beat him to pulp. Jack shoved a piece of paper at him. Taking it, Spot recognized Dove's writing.

"I'se told you, if you'se hoit 'er I'se was gonna soak ya."

Spot didn't hear Jack's threat, he sank down to the dock, just looking at what Dove had written. Spot hates me. Three words that stopped him in his tracks.

"I'se can't face 'er Jacky-boy, I'se let 'er get hoit." Spot looks over the water. Cowboy grabs the front of his shirt and brings him eye level, "You'se lis'en and you'se lis'en good. I'm tryin' me 'ardest not's ta saok ya good, but I'se swear, if you'se hoit 'er's any mor' I'se give ya a soakin' you'se neva' foirget."

Spot looks into the rarely mad eyes of Jack and feel the hate coming from them, "Jack, I'se hoit 'er."

"Nows you'se killin' 'er."


Dove sat on the roof of the lodging house. She hated being alone, but the boys were rambunctious and she wanted them to have fun today. She hated being alone because then she remembered. She remembered why she wasn't at Medda's, why she shied away from people, why Spot hated her. Her heart ached for him, for his protection, for his love, but she knew that he couldn't want her now. She should just stop thinking about him, but that hurt so much. The pain started to roll down her cheek. Soon the pieces of her heart poured out of her eyes. She buried her face in her arms and wept.

"Why you'se cryin'?" a voice asks softly beside her. Dove jumps at the voice. Spot takes a step back."I'se sorry Dove, I'se didn't mean to scares ya."

He looks at his girl, she was so fragile, why had he let her out of his sight! Her eyes were filled with grief, pain, and brokenness, it broke his heart to see her like this.

"I'll goes, I just cause you'se pain." He turned to leave.

"No, Spot don't!" were first world she had spoken in two and a half months. Spot stops, but doesn't turn around.

"I'm sorry." Dove whispers. Spot tilts his head but doesn't turn around.

"For what's?"

"For not being able to fight him off."

Spot turns around and looks at her, a shocked look on his face. Her head was bowed, and the tears were gathering.

"I know that you have a reputation to keep up, and that I sully it, I'm sorry."

Spot heard what she was saying but he couldn't understand.

"I know that you have to watch over your boys, and that I might have distracted you." She started to fiddle with her sleeves. "I just wanted you to know I'm sorry for everything, thats all. You can go now." A few tears slip down her face, but she would let him go, she couldn't ask him to stay. Spot just stood there and looked at her. Finally he began to walk. He stops a few feet in front of her.

"Dove's you 'ave nothin' to apologize fo'."

Dove nods her head, "It was my fault, I'm sorry."

"Dove lis'en ta me, It was not your fault, do ya hear me? It was mine, I'se let you'se get hoit, I's left ya alone, It was my fault."

Dove started to shake her head, "No, it was mine.I made you angry and pushed you away. I ended us." Dove turned away from him the tears taking over.

"W'at do you'se mean? Ended us." Spot stood ridged, eyes beginning to lighten in fear.

"I can't ask you to come back, I know thats why you left."

"Dove, I -"Spot took a step forward but Dove whirled around.

"No! Because I didn't have attitude this happened. The King of Brooklyn can't be with a used, broken and worthless girl. That's why you didn't come, because you hate me." Spot watched his world fall apart. Dove stood there with her arms wrapped around her waist, tear falling freely and eyes full of heartbreak. Spot felt tears come to his eyes for the first time as he watched Dove stand there, broken, before him thinking he hated her. So Spot did the only think he could think of, walking up to her he kissed her. Spot wrapped an arm around her waist and held her neck with the other.

He pulled back and rested his forehead on hers.

"Dove I'se could neva' 'ate you. You'se me world. I'se didn't come 'cause I couldn't bear ta see 'ate in ya eyes 'cause I left you'se alone and let ya get hoit." gentle Spot lifted her chin so he could see her. "Dove, I'se love you."

Dove looks into his light blue eyes and saw pain and fear that matched her own. Tears were gathering in them as she looked at him.

"Dove," His voice caught in his throat, "can you'se forgive me fo' lettin' you'se get hoit?" Dove watched as the King faced his demons. "I'se shouls -"

Dove lifted herself up on her toes and cut him off. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she deepened the kiss. Spot held her close, kissing her, trying to show her how much he missed her. Dove tasted tears but she wan't sure if they were her's or Spots.

"Promise me you'll never leave again?" Dove looks up at him, begging him to take her back.

"Neva'"

Yay, they're back together! Ok everyone one more chapter!