~*~ Say When ~*~

"Unaware the stare from someone"

August

Naomi was surprised it was August already, though she tried her best not to think of the future. Things since their first walk in July had been blissful and as bright as the summer around them and the thought of Spot leaving nearly made her heart stop.

She knew she had come off this morning as withdrawn, but Spot didn't say a word as he ate his eggs and watched her clean up the dishes from her mother and sister; his electric blue eyes following her as she moved around and it seemed he was trying to figure out what was wrong with her. They hadn't talked about him leaving, she wasn't even sure he knew that she knew, but every time she met up with Jack it seemed more and more inevitable to her. How could Spot stay with her and her family when he could go back to being the King of Brooklyn?

Before she left, telling him she was going to run errands and conveniently leaving off that she was meeting up with anyone, he'd pulled her close and gave her a kiss that she'd likely not forget anytime soon. It made her wonder if he knew she was meeting up with someone and didn't want her forgetting about him which was silly because she could barely think of anyone else when he was around.

Stepping into Tibby's she immediately caught Jack's eye at a back booth and she walked briskly over and settled down across from him.

Jack leaned back and gave her a smile, "How's he doin'?"

"Better, though not in top condition. I'm worried." She gave a sheepish grin.

Jack raised an eyebrow, "About?"

Naomi sighed and glanced out the window, taking her time as she thought how to phrase her worries and looking at the people passing by. They were packed tightly as they made their way down the sidewalk past vendors and one or two newsboys. She watched as an upper class girl strode by with her beau, arm slipped through his as her maid trailed along behind. A teenage boy skulked behind them, definitely not part of their party with his ragged pants and rolled up sleeves. He glanced in the dining room at her before looking away and continuing on. Going the opposite way were two girls, a blonde and a brunette, arms looped and though they looked Naomi's age they wore the same grubby clothes as the newsboys except they had waistcoats and top hats on.

Naomi chuckled and Jack followed her gaze to see them as they entered the restaurant and took a seat across from an Italian boy with a giant cigar and the boy with the eye patch she'd seen often times near her apartment.

"That's Wicked and Joker." Jack told her, a small smile playing on his lips as they waved at him in unison before turning back to the other boys. "They use ta run with Spot in Brooklyn befoah t'ings fell apart. Been stayin' with us since he's gone missin'."

Naomi cocked her head to the side, "They just up and left Brooklyn?"

Jack nodded, "They're well known Spot-supporters. Wouldn'ta been safe foah them ta stick around."

She glanced over at the two pretty girls who had somehow gotten caught up in the crazy life of newsie politics before turning back to the matter at hand, "Spot and I…we've gotten closer and I'm just…worried he's going to hate me for going behind his back. Even if I'm trying to keep him safe, you know?"

The newsie stared at her, picked up his drink and glanced around before finally opening his mouth, "Ise undahstand but look, Naomi, ya seem like a nice girl and a smart one. I just think it's bettah if ya know now…Spot's not the best guy ta be gettin'…'close' ta."

"Why?" She asked, truly curious.

He leaned back, scrutinizing her with his brown eyes, "Spot's infamous for having many girls. He never stays with one."

For a moment she wanted to ask him about the Spot he knew the proud, stern leader of Brooklyn but then she remembered the bitter, angry boy who'd awakened on her couch snarling and she didn't want to know. Just thinking of him snapping at her put an ache in her chest because she knew his past was probably worse than she could imagine. Funny, how something as simple as being kind and caring could soothe someone with so much hate. "Well, I don't know him as you do. I'm not worried about being hurt." She told him, even while she knew that was a lie. She was worried about being hurt, but she also had begun to prepare herself little by little everyday for the time when, regardless of all the sweet, stolen kisses, he'd leave her for his city.

It was something she didn't understand, and yet when she asked him about it every now and then a spark would light behind those blue eyes and she knew she couldn't compete with it. Brooklyn to Spot was like nursing to her. It was something that was so much a part of them they couldn't do without it.

Except, she thought briefly and bitterly, Spot had a chance of being King again whereas there was no where that would take a girl who had no education in nursing. Looking away from Jack, she changed the subject from her thoughts, "Have you heard anymore from Brooklyn?"

At once, Jack's demeanor got serious and a wary look came into his eyes, "Things have gotten…a lot worse."

A sick sense of dread fell into the pit of her stomach, "How bad?"

His jaw clenched for a moment before he opened and told her, "Brooklyn's little civil war," he said that with a touch of revulsion, "is crossin' inta Queen's territory and that does not make their leader, Clash, very happy. Not to mention Lighter's disappeared. Things are just gettin' worse and I hope they don't start comin' across that bridge."

She nodded but had stopped listening, too caught up in her thoughts. Brooklyn was burning, so to speak, and there was nothing he could do about it. Things were getting worse and it worried her that Spot was going to jump in as soon as he was healed. What if things continued to worsen and he ended up the same as before, or…dead? Suddenly, being here and away from him was more than she could bare.

Standing, she put down some coins for her coffee that she'd been nursing before reaching out a hand to shake Jack's, "Thanks, Jack. I'll keep in touch. I need to get back." Without another word, she was out the door and heading down the street as fast as she could go without full out running.

"There ya are." Spot said the moment she came back, his voice as familiar to her now as her mother's or Bea's; his presence even more so.

"How was your day?" She asked him only half listening as her thoughts fretted over her secret.

Spot raised his eyebrow, seeming to take note at her inattention as she set down the basket she carried and moved over to grab a glass of water, "Hot." He replied as he watched her take a long, greedy gulp.

She set the glass down, "Usual for August." Was her lame comment as she leaned against the counter and waved a newspaper like a fan, the urgency to get home to him beginning to fade away and a feeling of foolishness taking its place as she stood here in front of him, whole and well.

"Wanna ansah somethin' foah me?" He suddenly asked, startling her from her thoughts.

"Ask away." She said, turning away from him to glance out of the window for Mortimer, who'd been strangely absent the last two days.

It was silent for so long, she found herself rounding to meet him. He seemed satisfied with this and finally asked, "Who ya been seeing?"

"Just a friend." She replied, perhaps too quickly while diverting her eyes.

He stood up from the table so suddenly she flinched at the loud scrape of his chair on the floor. Striding over, he stood in front of her, their gaze level with one another as his blue eyes pierced her green ones. "You've been givin' me dat ansah since May. If ya keep seeing them, then they must mean somethin' to ya."

You mean something to me was her immediate thought and for once it didn't surprise her. The last four months had flown by, but with every day she spent talking, laughing and teasing him she knew she was only falling harder for him. It wasn't how her mother had fallen for her father, describing it as 'like being hit by a train. You're crippled with the feelings.' But rather, Naomi felt like it was being put in a pot of cool water while the flame slowly began to bring the pot to boil and you don't realize it till the water begins to bubble over you.

She'd known it, of course, since they'd kissed but though things hadn't progressed as much as some would think of two young adults living in such close quarters, she knew her feelings were real. Her mother had been right about one thing; Naomi knew she'd never be the same after Spot left.

Right there was where reality usually kicked in because she knew Jack was also right. Spot Conlon was going back to Brooklyn the minute his arm was better and he wasn't going to look back.

"He doesn't mean anything to me." She responded, eyes widening when she realized her mistake.

Something flashed across his lightning blue eyes and was gone just as fast and he took a step back from her, "Well." For once, it seemed as if he had nothing to say.

One more step back and she watched as he pulled up the mask that she hadn't seen in quite awhile. He'd been so open with them lately, laughing at the jokes Bea told and talking to her mother about her job as a nurse; especially since he'd held her and kissed her. He'd even woken up earlier than her this very morning to cook her eggs just as she liked them.

"Spot." She started, stepping towards him.

He shook his head, "Its fine, Naomi. Ya don't gotta tell me. Keep ya secrets." He turned away from her and crawled out the window with the fire escape, climbing up them with an ease that surprised her given his injury.

"He's Jack." Naomi told the empty apartment, wishing she could tell him and at the same time glad she hadn't. She knew that Spot wouldn't have liked her going behind his back, not even if she was trying to protect him.

Across the street, Lighter chuckled as he lightly tapped his stolen and ill-won cane. He couldn't believe that after all these months, Spot Conlon's luck had finally run out and things were catching up with him. After spending two months fighting others in Brooklyn for possession and title of king, Lighter had left Midnight in his place to find out exactly where Spot was.

Of course, his first thought had been Ruckus. The strange, gawky boy Spot had kept as a bird and a secret spy among his own newsies for quite some time. He'd thought Ruckus would know exactly where Spot was, but after tailing him for a few weeks it turned out he knew no more than anyone else.

Lighter's patience had paid off though because he knew there had to be someone who knew even the tiniest of information.

It seemed Ruckus along with those insufferable twins had taken notice of the pretty, raven haired girl who'd come to visit Jack every few weeks. After just two meetings, Ruckus had once again become a spy and she was his target. But, it hadn't ever paid off until today.

Funny, how one small girl had managed to get away from one of Spot's birds not once, but twice after he'd started following her and if Ruckus wasn't following her, then he couldn't lead Lighter to her. Poor kid was losing his touch because he was so focused on finding the former king of Brooklyn he hadn't paid the least bit of attention on see if anyone followed him.

So, with the help of Wicked and Joker here they all were. Lighter could see the twins on the right side of the girl's apartment building, leaning casually as if they were only out for a stroll; below him, in the alley across from that same apartment building stood Ruckus, scrutinizing the entire perimeter of the structure before them.

Bingo, he thought. Spot's luck really had run its course because just as he grew antsy, the second floor window on the left opened and a figure climbed out and made its way fast up the fire escape. Once they were on the roof, they stopped and even from this distance Lighter knew that person. His light, brown hair nearly blonde in the summer sun was longer, his arm was in a sling, and he'd filled out with the consistent meals but there was no mistaking that stance, the arrogant swagger as he paced back and forth.

A whistle from below had Lighter tearing his eyes from his foe and looking to see Ruckus crossing the street, the twins moving at a right angle to meet him on the sidewalk and follow him up the fire escape.

If things were as he thought, that Spot didn't know the girl was seeing his Manhattan friend, then these three fools were about to rat her out and knowing Spot Conlon…he'd be out of there faster than you could say 'Brooklyn'. On the street alone with an injury would be the perfect opportunity for Lighter to exact his revenge.

Except as he watched the four on the roof, he glanced down and noticed a pretty face peeking out of the open window on the second floor, looking skyward as if expecting something to fly through her window and a brilliant plan began to slowly form in his mind.

A/N: See? Didn't make you all wait too long! Hope the little outside POV caught your attention! Leave me a review and tell what you think!

Truly,

Joker is Poker with a J~

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