I'm sorry! It's not a new chapter - it just has a new bit at the end. Thank you for reading and for your patience :-)

Author's Note: Happy Strike Day! Sorry this chapter is so short - I just had this tiny little scene in my head and wanted to write something for the anniversary :)

She was good, he had to give her that much. The problem was it was a two person play and she'd made the mistake of relying on the wrong kid to help her. It hadn't taken much to get the poor bastard to spill his guts. Spot stood hidden among the throngs of tourists who seemed only too eager to part with their meager earnings. Lifting a few wallets here or there was nothing and he'd have had no trouble letting that slide given how many kids made their livelihood that way, but petty theft was not what Tay had in mind.

"The man says she's in there," Mouse explained as Spot eyed the filthy tent. It was temporarily taking up about half of the vacant lot beside one of the Brighton dance halls. A poorly dressed older man stood outside, trying to attract patrons from those passing by. Spot nodded tersely and lifted one of the tent flaps before stepping inside, nearly overwhelmed by the smell of incense and waited for his eyes to adjust to the dim interior that contrasted with the bright sunlight outside. Fabric that might have once been brightly colored hung over ropes stretched haphazardly across the crowded space, separating the tent into smaller, somewhat private rooms. Spot ignored the beckoning of one of the older women and scanned the room, peering into the smoky haze. Spot finally found Tay at a minuscule table in the back corner and without saying a word took a seat across from her. She appeared more resigned than surprised but Spot noticed she still took a quick look around as though trying to figure out the best way to escape him. He laid a coin on the table but Tay only pushed it back toward him with a irritated look.

"Who told you?" She kept her eyes down and her fingers worked over the thin stack of cards she held in her hands.

"You tell me," Spot answered. "After all, you're the one who can see into the future."

"If all you came here for was to make jokes, then just go away," Tay frowned. She set the cards down on the table but still refused to look at him. It was almost amusing to see her retreat back behind her typical false bravado considering it had never worked out for her.

"I paid my money so I think I'll stay right where I am," Spot replied easily. She was trapped, caught red-handed and he was going to enjoy having her right where he wanted. Spot had spent a long time planning for the moment he could regain the upper hand since that night she'd turned the tables on him and left him completely vulnerable.

"I don't want your money," Tay told him, eyeing the coin as it continued to sit on the table between them. She looked past him toward the partition. "I want you to leave. Now."

His hand twitched involuntarily as he fought the urge to backhand her across the mouth but the feeling passed as he forced his hand into his pocket and drew out a cigarette. He settled back into the chair and studied Tay with a bemused look.

"Shouldn't have invited me then," Spot smirked. He cupped his hand around the end of the cigarette as he lit it. He shook out the match and tossed it onto the floor. "Not loving the new look, by the way."

"I didn't ask you to come here," Tay answered, ignoring his comment about the kohl she had used to line her eyes. It wasn't something she normally did or agreed with but it was part of the act. Looking the part of a gypsy, whether you actually were one or not, meant more money.

"Sure you did, doll. You didn't really think Blue was gonna keep your little secret, did you? Didn't take much to get him to run his mouth so now you think I'm should do what, exactly? Let you steal my money and ignore what I told you about getting involved in this type of shit?"

"I didn't steal your money," Tay said as she picked up the nickel Spot had offered and placed it in his hand.

"You've always been a horrible liar, doll," Spot told her as he watched the smoke from his cigarette blend into the incense that filled the room. "Getting in to a place like this ain't cheap and I just happen to be missing more than the usual amount so you tell me what happened."

"What bothers you more, Spot? That I stole your money or that I broke some stupid rule?" Tay asked as she flipped through the cards mindlessly.

"A stupid rule, huh? That 'stupid rule' is there to keep you alive. I told you not to get mixed up with this fortune telling shit but you never fucking listen, do you?" Spot answered.

"I've listened to everything you've ever told me," Tay said quietly. She understood so much more than he gave her credit for. "But you were wrong this time. Nothing happened."

"Not yet," Spot answered, "but it will. Guess it's a good thing you ain't gonna be doing this no more. You would have ended up in over your head, just like your brother."

"Don't you dare," Tay hissed.

"Oh, I forgot you don't really like to remember your dear departed brother wasn't exactly a saint," Spot said mockingly. "Is that what you're doing here, doll? Trying to make contact with the dead?"

"Don't be an ass." The cards fell to the floor as Spot grabbed Tay by the back of the neck, hooking his foot around the rung of her chair and pulling her right up against him.

"Do you want to do this here? 'Cause we both know if you try to fight me, you'll lose so stop playing this fucking game." Spot could feel Tay's entire body tremble as he leaned in close enough to see the way her pulse quickened in her throat. After weeks of icy silence he was almost enjoying the chance to get back to their typical back and forth. "Answer me."

"No," Tay finally told him through clenched teeth. Spot ran his thumb along the scar on Tay's cheek and took satisfaction in seeing her blush as he touched her. Since the day the strike had ended he had been so careful, waiting to see how long it would take until she came to him, never expecting it would take as long as it had. Because the truth was he really was miserable and it was her fault. With four words the balance of power had shifted and he still struggled to comprehend how he could have possibly been that stupid as to tell her the truth. For a month he'd waited until the opportunity that was now in front of him.

"Taking this from me ain't gonna get your money back," Tay pointed out irritably. "Just admit it, you didn't want me doing this 'cause you couldn't control me here. I'm not going back to selling papers."

"I know you ain't," Spot answered. Tay's eyes widened slightly and Spot couldn't help but smirk as he saw her shock turn to confusion.

"I don't understand," Tay admitted quietly.

"Don't play dumb, it don't suit you," Spot replied. He gripped Tay tightly by the elbow and lifted her out of her seat as he got to his feet. There was a split second where he could feel her grow tense, ready to fight him before it was gone and she allowed him to lead her onto the street.

Spot felt Tay's eyes on him as he led her past the crowded boardwalk and back onto the residential streets. Tay suddenly yanked him into a dead-end alley and he instinctively shoved her back away from him, pinning her against the grime covered brick wall. Spot pressed his body against hers, holding her in place as Tay struggled. Spot dodged her fists and pinned both of her arms down by her sides.

"Why are you acting like this?" Tay asked him. Her eyes searched his face frantically but Spot wasn't about to give anything away.

"You knew what would happen," Spot answered tersely. He knew she was holding on by a thread but he couldn't afford to let her see how torn up he was inside. They'd both been avoiding the inevitable for weeks and Spot hated the fact that he had no idea what he was doing. He was the one who was supposed to plan and manipulate but there he was, being driven to the extreme because of her. He didn't want to push her away but he was at every turn.

"I just thought…" Tay's voice trailed off into nothing.

"You thought what, doll? That anything would change?" He took half a step back and studied her with a look of mock sadness.

"You can't take it back, you know." Tay's smirk rivaled his own and he was stunned for a moment. He wasn't comfortable being caught off guard and it irritated him.

"Take what back? That shit about losing you? You think I actually meant that?" She'd managed to draw things out of him that he stubbornly refused to acknowledge and so he fell back on old habits, choosing to attack before she could hurt him.

A few locks of hair fell down into Tay's eyes but it didn't hide the look of pain on her face. He could see the tears beginning to form as she looked at him but he appeared stoic, unfeeling.

"You did mean it. I know you did."

"You really believe that, doll?" Spot asked as he leaned closer to her. The question hung in the air and the tears he'd seen were soon replaced by a look of confusion. He'd spent so much time placing doubts in her mind and lied to her so often that he knew it would be nothing to steer her towards disbelief. It killed him that telling her he'd lied, that his words meant nothing, was only the beginning. She had to go, that was all there was to it. He'd allowed her to be a distraction for far too long. He dropped his hold on her and began walking toward the street. "Let's go, I got places to be and so do you."

The sun beat down on them both as Spot led Tay up out onto the bridge. Her eyes never left the ground and he noticed she had only hesitated for a split second before climbing the stairs to the walkway. It was sweltering but Tay's skin was pale and she kept her arms wrapped tightly around her body as though she was freezing.

"What the hell, Conlon?" Race called irritably as he approached Spot and Tay. "You forget how to tell time or something? It's past one."

"I know what time it is," Spot answered. He reached back and pulled Tay forward to where Race stood. "Here."

"Here?" Both of Race's eyebrows shot straight up and he looked from Spot to Tay and back again. "What the hell do you mean 'here'?"

"You're taking her."

"I'm taking her?" Race repeated.

"What are you? A fucking parrot? Yeah, you're taking her."

"OK, I'll play along," Race said with a look of concern. "Where exactly am I taking her? For how long?" He turned toward Tay but she just kept staring at a point on the ground in front of her. "Did you know he was doing this?"

"Take her wherever the hell you want or don't, I don't give a shit. She ain't welcome in Brooklyn no more."

"Christ," Race swore under his breath. "She ain't a pape or a fucking deck of cards, Spot. You can't just give her away."

"Why are you really doing this?" Tay asked Spot quietly, choosing to ignore Race for the moment.

"All you ever done is talk about how much you hate it here, how much you want to leave. So fucking go," Spot answered dismissively. If he stood there much longer, seeing the look of utter despair on her face he knew he was going to buckle. There were rules in Brooklyn and when one of those rules was broken, someone had to pay. Spot Conlon didn't have feelings and he certainly couldn't take the chance that anyone would find out that wasn't true. He didn't really believe Tay would ever tell anyone but he knew that if he let her stay he'd end up admitting so much more. His thoughts scattered as Tay grabbed the front of his shirt and drew him to her, kissing him forcefully. She tasted sweet with a hint of peppermint and it wasn't long before he was kissing her back. After a moment, Tay pulled back away, her face flushed but her eyes were bright with anger.

"Remember how you asked me if I would ever forgive you? Because of this, I will never forgive you." Before Spot could even gather himself together enough to respond Tay had stormed off in the direction of Manhattan with Racetrack close behind.

"He hates me."

Race rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and tried to focus on the voice coming from the end of his bunk. The room's other occupants slept through the interruption and Race thought briefly of rolling over and pretending he hadn't heard anything. Instead, he sat up and felt the bed sink a bit as Tay took a seat at the other end.

"How the hell did you get in here?"

"Fire escape."

"I thought we agreed that you'd keep to the girl's lodging house." Race stretched his legs out in front of him and prepared himself for yet another foray into Tay's chaos. It was a bit of a relief that she was at least talking after the first weeks when she maintained a stubborn silence no matter how many questions he asked.

"It's too quiet there."

"C'mon," Race said while pulled his suspenders up over his shoulders and reached through the darkness for her arm. Tay avoided his grasp and curled up along the end of the bunk instead. "You can't stay here."

"Why ain't you leader?" Tay asked.

"What?"

"You're older than he is and you been here longer so why ain't you leader?" The bunk shifted slightly as Tay rose and Race watched her shadow step closer to Jack's bunk. He snatched at her hand but ended up with nothing but empty air.

"You're gonna wake everyone up."

"If they can sleep through that, then I doubt any of 'em is gonna wake up 'cause of me," Tay answered as she peered up into Blink's bunk. He was snoring loudly and between that and Snaps constant snapping of his fingers Race figured it was a miracle anyone got any sleep around the lodging house. Of course it helped that most of the newsies were too exhausted by the end of the day to be bothered by a few kids snoring or talking in their sleep.

"You still can't stay here, so c'mon," Race prodded. He caught hold of Tay's sleeve and led her up the rooftop, making sure to grab a cigar along the way since he didn't believe for a moment that Snipeshooter wasn't waiting for his next chance to swipe one. The stairs were narrow and dark, leaving Tay to follow along blindly in Race's footsteps until they reached the cool night air up on the open roof. The lights from the streets below the space criss-crossed with shadows and Race noticed a few leftover mattresses and bits of clothing strewn around from when the newsies would try to escape the heat by sleeping up there.

"Do you think I oughta jump?" Tay asked with a crooked smile. She ran her hands over the ledge that separated them from the street and Race felt a shiver run down his back.

"No," Race told her as he stepped over alongside her, "but I do think you need to tell me what is going on."

"You never answered my question," Tay pointed out. "Why aren't you leader, Race?"

"Too old," Race answered shortly. "Now you answer my question."

"Nothing is going on," Tay told him.

"Sure, kid," Race grumbled. He stuck the cigar in his mouth and chewed on the end while trying to figure out how to best approach the problem. He knew whatever it was that had happened with Spot must have been huge. He'd thrown Tay out once before in Race's recollection but he'd never gotten the details so that incident was another mystery. But seeing how controlling Spot was, particularly when it came to Tay, Race knew the issue must have been incredibly serious for Spot to ban her from Brooklyn altogether. Only a few months earlier Spot had nearly torn the city apart trying to get to her, but since the day he'd passed Tay off to Racetrack there had been an eerie silence and no word had been sent from Brooklyn. It was almost as though she had never existed. Tay worked her hands back and forth over the edge of the bricks and stared down toward the street below. He'd always known her to be fairly quiet but there was a nervous energy about her that night that made him uneasy with silence.

"Have you seen him?" Tay asked without looking at Race. She added quietly, "I know you still sell there."

"No," Race admitted. What he neglected to tell her was how many times he had attempted to meet with Spot and how each and every request had been pointedly ignored. The racing season was quickly coming to a close and he knew time was running out because traditionally, once winter set in his access to Brooklyn would be cut off. "Have you tried to go back?"

"No," Tay answered harshly. "That's just what he expects, ain't it? For me to come crawling back on my hands and knees. Well I ain't giving him the satisfaction."

"Maybe if you tell me what happened I can help fix it but I can't do this empty-handed, kid."

Tay slumped down against the wall and her face fell into shadow as she sat cross-legged on the ground. Race tugged one of the thin mattresses over and gestured to the place next to him as he took a seat. He was a little surprised when Tay shifted over to sit next to him. He'd offered a spot on the mattress out of a sense of politeness but figured Tay would avoid being that close since she'd always been so particular about personal space.

"There's a group down near Brighton that runs a fortune-telling scam," Tay began to explain in a hurried voice. It was as though she believed the quicker she talked, the easier it would be to deal with. "You gotta buy in so you can have a place at the table and then at the end of the day they split the money. It takes two people 'cause you gotta reel 'em in so I had Blue go in with me, but he just ran his mouth to Spot. I'm done with selling papers, Race. I tried telling that to Spot but he told me not to get involved in Brighton. Acted like I'm some child that can't figure things out on my own. I wanted to teach him a lesson, so I stole his money. Don't look at me like that, I do it all the time. He's got so many damn rules I can't even keep them all straight and then he shows up and acts like I did it on purpose, like I wanted to get caught, like I knew what would happen but this time he…I just…I'm sorry, Race."

"Hey," Race said kindly, "you don't have to apologize to me, kid. Or to Spot. I mean, all you did was try and find a new way to earn money, right? Don't sound so bad to me. I been thinking myself what I'm gonna do now that the strike is over and like I said, I'm old. This selling papers bit is getting tired." He tried to add a measure of humor to the conversation but Tay only sighed.

"So what are you gonna do?" Tay asked. Race didn't believe that he'd gotten anywhere close to the heart of the issue but if Tay needed a break to talk about less pressing matters, so be it.

"Not sure," Race told her. "Got a couple offers to work for some of the boys out at Sheepshead running numbers and such."

"Didn't you used to have some friend of yours that was a runner?"

Race felt his throat grow tight as he realized who and what she was talking about. He wondered how much she knew or remembered about the kid Race had introduced to Kieran before things got really bad. It turned out to be a case of mistaken trust as the kid had only helped Kieran fall further into debt and Race had avoided him ever since.

"Nah," Race said easily. "He's long gone. You know how it is, people come and go all the time."

"Spot told me about Kier trying to sell me," Tay explained. "I thought maybe that kid would know more about it since you weren't there and told me you didn't know about what happened."

Race felt the conversation was teetering on the edge of a razor and it was difficult to determine Tay's feelings. There had been a time when he could have read her like a book but she'd spent too much time with Spot, learning how to hide her true feelings under a mask, for Race to know what her intentions really were.

"Is that what happened? You got into another fight about your brother?" Race asked. He spat the chewed bit of cigar out and pulled a box of matches out of his pocket. He struck a match and cupped his hand around the flame as he held it to the cigar. He relished the bitter, burnt taste and let it soak into his lungs for a few moments before exhaling.

"Oh, Race, if only it were that simple," Tay told him. She snatched the cigar from him and he couldn't help but laugh as she tried and failed to smoke without coughing. She handed it back to him with a look of concern. "That's horrible, how do you smoke those all the time?"

"Bad habit," Race grinned. The smile slipped off his face as he remained determined to get to the heart of why Tay had been so carelessly been thrown off by Spot. "So, it's not about your brother, it's not about stolen money, and it's not about your new career as a fortune-teller. Want to tell me what it really is or should I just take another guess?"

"I don't want to go back, you know, so if this is you trying to fix things again, just forget it. I don't ever want to see him again," Tay frowned. She pulled a hand rolled cigarette out of her bag and reached down to the box of matches Race had left on the mattress.

He raised an eyebrow as she lit it and tilted her head back up toward the sky. "Those are better?"

"Something to do," Tay said with a shrug. She kept her eyes on the stars above and seemingly ignored Race as he studied her profile. The shadows made it impossible to see her expression but Race noticed she quickly raised her hand, wiping away what Race assumed were tears.

"Look, kid," Race said gently.

"Please don't," Tay urged quietly. "I know it's my fault, Race. I stayed. I stayed no matter what and who know what the horrible thing is?" Tay's voice caught in her throat and she let out one bitter laugh edged with tears. "I still love him."

Race had no answers and it angered him that yet again there was nothing he could do. There were so many things that he wanted to mend and yet all he felt capable of was a few sarcastic quips or a bit of bad gambling advice. Maybe that was why he'd never been interested in being leader. It had nothing to do with age and everything to do with the fact that he couldn't deal with the numerous burdens of those around him. A companionable silence washed over them both and Race wasn't even sure how much time had passed before he began to feel his eyes droop and he stubbed out the cigar, tucking the stub into his pocket for later. At some point Tay's head had dropped down onto his shoulder and he shifted to one side so she could lay down. He pulled another mattress up alongside hers and lay on his back, gazing up at the night sky.

"He used to read to me," Tay told him in a drowsy voice. "I'd wake up from these awful nightmares and he'd be reading one of those dumb rags to riches stories. He'd just read it out loud 'til I fell asleep again." Race crossed his hands behind his head and waited to see if Tay would provide any more insight into her relationship with Spot. For a moment he'd thought Tay had fallen asleep but as she turned away she told him, "He wasn't always like this, you know."

Author's Note 2: Thank you so much to xxWickedWench for the review! I like that line as well and I'm trying to construct a proper chapter where I can address that idea so please forgive the trash above :) I had this idea bouncing around in my brain and Spot just does not want to play along - he's such a little jerk sometimes, lol! We'll see where it goes from here and I cannot say thank you enough to xxWickedWench for the review! I very much appreciate readers and/or reviewers! It means so much so thank you!