So...this is one of the hardest chapters I've ever written. I hope you like it. And don't kill me when you get to the end. Please.

Me-Thanks for reviewing again. I think you'll find many changes between what I read you then and what I have posted now.


One day, almost a week later, Jeans was standing outside the lodging house staring morosely at the rain streaking by. She was, frankly, bored. Even the most exciting things get boring after a while. She wished something exciting would happen.

Now, most of us, when we wish for something exciting to happen, do not get our wishes granted right away, but Jeans did.

A hand touched her shoulder and Spot asked, "You want to go with me to see Selene?"

Jeans came alive. "I'd love to!"

"When can you be ready?"

"Is now soon enough?"

"Perfect."

They started off. In spite of the rain, Jeans was feeling happy. She was going to see someone she didn't get to see very often, and she was walking through Brooklyn with Spot Conlon. How often did that happen?

So, naturally, she began singing. Very quietly, though, so as not to disturb anyone (especially not the person she was walking with). Finding he made no objection, she sang a little louder. It was a jaunty Irish walking song, and was excellent for passing the time.

Soon she found they were in the alley that lead to Selene's house. Disreputable looking people were standing about outside the bar looking bedraggled and sick.

Jeans sensed Spot go rigid by her side as soon as he saw them, and he took her hand and pulled her after him faster than normal.

At the end of the street Spot turned the opposite of the way they should have gone.

"Spot? Isn't this the wrong way?"

"We'll circle back around. I don't want them knowing where Selene lives." His mouth closed in a tight line, and Jeans swallowed whatever comment she had been about to make.

They were standing in front of Selene's door eight minutes later before she could get her nerve up enough to talk to him again. "Spot...those people back there might not have had anything to do with what...with what happened to Selene's husband. It was probably only a chance drunk that -" She took a step back as he rounded on her.

"Jeans, they're selling the stuff. They know what it does to people, they know the suffering they cause."

"But maybe - "

"I know what I'm talking about. My dad was a drunk. My mum left us when I was five. I took Colleen and beat it as soon as I could. I wasn't leaving my sister to grow up with a drunk in control of her life."

"So you took control of it instead."

"Yes!" The one word was quiet, but had undertones of steel. Jeans looked away.

Spot relaxed his 'iron face' and sighed. "I'm sorry, Jeans. I shouldn't take my anger at my dad out on you. Quits?"

"Quits. I'm really sorry I brought it up. I...I didn't know."

"Hey. There wasn't no way you could know." Suddenly Spot closed his eyes and groaned. "I told you Dash's real name, didn't I?"

"Yep!" Jeans grinned impishly.

"Save me life and don't ever let on you know it."

"Kill you? The great Spot Conlon? Surely not!" And whistling arily, Jeans dodged the mock-punch Spot aimed at her and knocked loudly at the door.

There was no answer. The two looked at each other, and Spot tried the handle. It was unlocked. They went in and Spot called, "Selene? Dolly?"

There was a noise from the far room, and a weak voice called, "Slingshot?"

Spot moved faster than Jeans would have thought possible. He was kneeling by Selene's rocker in less than two seconds. "What happened? Where's Dolly?"

"I sent Dolly out two hours ago like normal, but she usually only takes a half an hour, an hour at most. I know something's happened to her. I started to go look for her, but I only made it down the steps when I fell. I crawled back in here, and I've been sitting here worrying for almost an hour."

Spot stood up. His hand clenched on his cane and he turned to Jeans, more angry than she had ever seen him. "You have your knives?" He spoke quietly, but he clipped off the ends of his words sharply.

Jeans nodded, touching the one at her hip.

"Good. Selene, we're going to go find Dolly now, but we'll be back in less than an hour." He grabbed Jeans' hand and strode down the hall.