A/N: Here is chapter ten, although a bit earlier than I expected. I was in a real good writing mood tonight, imagination flowing and everything.

Kinda disappointed though, I sorta neglected my other story I've been writing on fictionpress. I gather I'll just start writing it again when I finish this one.

But, uh, I don't know how many people are reading this (If you are and haven't reviewed, PLEASE do so! They make me happppy!), but I will be either making a sequel or another newsie story. I guess it depends on how well I tie this one up.

Either way, I hope you enjoy reading thissss, and review please telling me how much you do/don't, andd that's about it.

Oh, and I just wanna say that what you guys say is what I say.

Chapter Ten

By the time I stopped running, if it hadn't been for not crossing over the Brooklyn Bridge, I would've figured I ran right on into Manhattan by this point. Settling in an alleyway, I gently lowered myself between two large dumpsters. Okay, so it wasn't the greatest place in the world, but I counted my luck. Hopefully no thugs would find me, or bulls would ship me off to the refuge for merely "sleeping" on the streets. My eyelids slowly closed, and I sat there resting for a while.

By the time I came around again, it was still dark out. I mentally slapped myself - I had not meant to doze off. I sat there for a while thinking, wondering what I was going to do with myself. Head back to the Bronx? Maybe Queens? Or Staten Island, I had never been there. Manhattan and Brooklyn were definitely out of the question. And then I wondered; would they send people to look for me? Would Spot or Jack be worried?

Would Spot even care?

Questions piled in my mind, and I sat there stroking my arms until a noise shook me out of the trance. Someone was here. Who? My entire body tensed, and I lifted myself up slightly, peering over the dumpster to my right, the one that was in front of the alleyway entrance. At first, the figure had a large shadow, but as they came closer it shrunk. In fact, it shrunk until it was maybe four feet tall. Mumbling insane things to myself, I stood up completely. "Who's 'dere?"

The person that stepped out of the shadows was the last person I had expected to see. Squinting to make sure I wasn't crazy, I ran up to the little girl and knelt to her height. "Hannah Beth, what in God's name are yoah doin' here?"

Hannah Beth wrapped her arms around my neck in response, and I hugged her back for a few moments before she finally spoke. "I'se couldn't stay 'dere, so I'se left. I'se is real good at rememberin' routes, so I'se followed dah one we walked to 'Hattan. I came back tah look foah you."

Sighing as quietly as I could - I wasn't used to this? Who would be? - I picked her up in my arms. "Well you'se will be safe with me, a'ight? We'se are gunna go back to 'Hattan. Jack must be worried sick."

"Mamma, what was you'se doin' sleepin' in dah alley?" I froze mid-step. Mamma? Did she just call me Mamma? Did I look that old?

"I wasn't, uh, sleepin 'dere babe, I was restin'. Yoah see, I'se is goin' on an…an adventure." I replied, bending over to grab my small knapsack of things. Hannah Beth hugged her arms around my neck as I broke out of the alley, and started heading in the direction of the Brooklyn Bridge. But then I stopped. How would I explain this to Jack? I was just chilling in an alley in the middle of the night, and happened to come across Hannah Beth?

"Mamma," Hannah whispered into my ear sleepily. "I wanna come on yoah adventure, mamma."

And then it came to me! Spot always had birdies, everywhere, every time of the day. Even night. Doing a once around twirl, I glanced at rooftops, the shadows, everywhere.

"A'ight, you'se can come out now," I yelled out, waiting a bit impatiently. "I know you're dere."

It could've been a few moments or a few minutes, but eventually someone did show up. Out of the shadows of another alley, the figure approached us. Once close enough, I recognized the birdie as one of the two who weren't on the mission with the orphanage. Cassette. Cocking his head to the side, he raised an eyebrow. "In all respect Miss Lollipop, but what are you'se doin' out heah?"

"I can't explain that now," I told him, shifting my arms. I was pretty sure Hannah Beth was sleeping. "I need yoah to relay a message to Jack foah me. Jack Kelly."

After a moments hesitation, the birdie nodded. "A'ight, I need you to tell him that Hannah Beth is safe with his sistah, not to look foah us, I'm plenty capable on my own. And, uh, Ise'll hear if anything goes wrong or happens, and I'll be there if I'm needed." I think that was it… "Oh! And don't follow me. 'Kay?"

Cassette physically showed his worried face, probably thinking that some little girl with another little girl on her hands wouldn't be able to last on the streets for even a night, but he didn't say that out loud. "A'right," he did say, though. "Anything tah say to Spot?"

"Uh, yeah, actually," I said, thinking of something suddenly. "Tell him thanks for turnin' me off befoah I could be added to the list of girls hearts he's broken."

At this, Cassette chocked back laughter. Raising his eyebrows high, he didn't oblige. "A'right, I'se can do 'dat. Might get soaked foah it, but I can do it." He took a breath in. "Yoah know, me and some of dah boys had a bet goin' on."

"Yeah?" I asked, somewhat interested.

"Yeah, we'se was bettin' on how long it would take foah you to melt the King of Brooklyn's heart."

Snorting, I responded tightlipped. "I'd start countin' yoah money now then, huh?"

"Nah," he said, turning to run off. "Neither of you ain't dead yet. You'se got all the time in the woild to fall in love."

I snorted louder.

"Oh, befoah you go off, take this," Cassette handed me a loaded gun, and I carefully took it from his hands. "Could help yoah if yoah run intah difficulties."

I had been walking for a few hours now, my arms sore of carrying Hannah Beth. Luckily, we only ran into trouble twice. The gun Cassette gave me quickly turned them away. Ever since we parted ways, I had been thinking about what he said. I hated myself for it, I mean why did Spot deserve to be the center of my thoughts? The bastard was an arrogant, pigheaded Brooklyn leader with a short temper and haughty attitude.

Simply put, he didn't deserve my thoughts, or even a second worth of my time. I couldn't help it, though.

That damned brat had a way of making me stop and think twice about everything.

Grumbling to myself, I took into consideration how far we had gotten in such a short amount of time. We had made it across the Brooklyn bridge, all the way through Manhattan, and were now on the border of the Bronx. Luckily, I knew people in the Bronx and they knew me. I was friends with their leader, and even knew one of the bulls by name. Charlie. Long story, for another day.

Figuring this was the perfect place to rest for the rest of the night and early morning, I settled behind a large abandon building. A few people walked along the street, but paid me no mind. Too many people were homeless in the Bronx. I wouldn't sleep, instead I let Hannah Beth cuddle up next to me and get the sleep she needed. When she woke up, we would get some breakfast or lunch, depending on the time, and we'd set off to the leader's house; Beatle.

He would give us a place to sleep for a while, he owed me a favor anyway. Hannah Beth was so cute when she slept that I almost dismissed her new nickname for me. Almost. I was not ready to be a mother. Ah, but then again, I guess I really didn't have a choice in these circumstances, did I? I couldn't help thinking how much easier this would be if she hadn't run off. I wouldn't even have to find Beatle, I would be on the run day and night with almost no breaks.

But I needed more breaks because carrying that little rascal took a lot out of me.

Speaking of, Hannah Beth began stirring in my arms. Opening her eyes, she rubbed them while looking up at me. Too cute. "Mamma?" Moment killer. "Where awah we?"

"We'se in the Bronx, babe," I told her, standing up.

I held out my hand for her to grab, which she did, and we started off down the rode. The sun was out, and more people were flooding the streets. I recognized a few newsies who were hawking headlines, but none of them had seen me yet. Only a matter of t-

"Skye?" a voice from behind me bellowed, and I almost jumped out of my skin. "Skye Sullivan, is that you?"

Grinning ear to ear and squeezing Hannah's hand when she tightened her grip, I spun around to meet eyes with Beatle. Talk about luck! "Oh deah me, it is!" he yelled louder, engulfing me in a hug. "Where's yoah been? We'se been missin' yoah! And who is this…whoa goil, yoah shuah been busy!"

"Oh, come off it Beatle," I responded, laughing despite his accusation. "I found her when two thugs were tryin' tah take advantage of her. She's from the orphanage."

Beatle and his second-in-command, Ghost, were the two people that I told basically everything to. Well, I did when I was in the Bronx living on the streets for a while. The Bronx was one of the places I stayed the longest in. Anyway, they knew everything about the orphanage. Things Brooklyn and Manhattan didn't. Things even Spot and Jack didn't.

Answering his question, I didn't meet his eyes. "I'se been in Brooklyn, yoah heard they were targetin' Brooklyn? Well, we'se set up a plan. Once it was put intah action, I'se split. Hannah Beth managed tah find me, so I took her with. Little thing kinda grows on me…'cept she keeps callin' me her 'mamma'."

Beatle got a huge kick out this, but choked back his laughter to get other questions out. "Brooklyn, yoah say? How did Spot treat ya?"

"Let's not get intah Spot Conlon right now, a'ight?"

"What about 'Hattan, you see yoah brother? Francis, wasn't it? Jack Kelly."

I nodded solemnly, and we began walking together. Hannah Beth strayed to my side, semi hiding behind my legs. It would've been cute if I wasn't worrying about tripping over her. "Heya Beatle," I said guiltily. "Yoah know I wouldn't ask yoah a favah unless it was urgent, but since I got this goil with me, I needa a place tah stay for a couple days. Just 'till I find out what I'm gunna do. I'se thinking 'bout lookin at apartments and jobs in 'dis area or maybe in Staten Island…"

"Say no moah, of course you'se is welcome in my home. You're like a sistah to me, dollface."

Sighing loudly in relief, I hugged Beatle again, only this time tighter. "Thank you so much Henry," I whispered, using his real name.

"Don' thank me Skye, I owed yoah a favah anyway, didn't I?"

Hannah Beth seemed to relax once we were settled in Beatle's spare bedroom, and he introduced himself properly to her. Beatle was real good with kids, had to be since he was the leader of the Bronx, and some of the newsies were younger kids. The spare bedroom wasn't anything fancy, but by all means was it a step up from what I guessed both of us were used to: a small bed in the corner by a window, a small desk to the side with a lantern on it, and a small chest at the foot of the bed for clothes.

Beatle was too kind.

Cassette walked timidly back into the Brooklyn lodging house after making his morning stops (including Manhattan today), and didn't like what he heard when he walked in. Gulping, he climbed up the stairs and entered the bunkroom.

"Where is she?" Spot was asking the rest of the newsies, his voice dangerous and everyone cowering. "You can't tell me none of you'se idiots don' know where she is!"

Thinking about biting his tongue, Cassette decided against it. "I have a message from Lollipop." his voice came out stronger than he expected, and every head turned towards him, including his Leader's. Now, don't get him wrong, Cassette had to be strong - he was Spot Conlon's second-in-command and best birdie!

"I'm waiting," Spot growled, gripping his cane until his fist was white.

"She gave me a message foah Jack too, which was 'Hannah Beth is safe with me, I'm capable on me own. If anything goes wrong, I'll be theah.' 'Dat sums it up."

"And you didn't follow her?" Cassette dully noted that Spot was losing control of his famous temper. This wouldn't be good.

"I did at foist, but 'den she told me not to follow her anymoah. I ain't gunna follow her if she ain't partah Brooklyn no more, Spot."

"You said she had a message for me," Spot pushed, leaning against a bed frame. Everyone was still watching and listening intently. Sunny and Candy, amongst a few others, looked extremely concerned and worried. Candy was near tears.

"Uh, Spot, I don' think the message should be said in frontah ev-"

"Cassette, if you don' fuckin' tell me what she said, I will soak yoah until yoah can't see straight."

"A'right Spot, she said, 'Tell him thanks for turnin' me off befoah I could be added to the list of girls hearts he's broken'." Cassette crossed his arms hesitantly, waiting eagerly to hear Spot's reaction. Lollipop had been the first person to ever defy Spot, and also the first girl to cause this much havoc in his life. For that, everyone would always be fond of her. After all, it took a real somebody to change the tough leader of Brooklyn.

"Fuck," Spot cursed, shoving aside Cassette and storming out of the bunkroom with his dignity still intact. How could it not be? He was Spot Conlon. Before he was out of site, Cassette ran after him, almost forgetting to relay Kelly's message. "Spot, wait," he yelled, coming to a stop at Spot's room. "Jack said he wants tah have a meetin' with yoah today. As soon as possible. It's 'bout Lollipop and Hannah Beth."

Spot turned around casually, his face void of any emotion as always. Cassette took notice to how well Spot could hide his emotions behind that familiar mask, he had been doing it for years now. "Tell Kelly I'll be there," he told Cassette, running a hand through his hair. "And Cassette?"

Cassette met his leader's eyes in response to his name. Spot tipped his head in what Cassette thought was an exhausted movement. "'Tanks."

"Yoah know Spot," Cassette began, pressing his luck. "We'se can all tell you wanna care foah her, you'se know we won't think any less of yoah if you let yourself care foah her. She wants to be cared foah too."

Spot's face softened for a split moment, but hardened just as quickly. "Did I ask yoah opinion, Cassette?" he asked haughtily, glaring hard. "And I don' think nothing of her but help in savin' me boys. Got that?"

Cassette sighed in resignation, leaving Spot standing in the doorframe of his room. He'd realize it eventually, Cassette knew. Nobody was giving up on either of them quite yet, and with good reason.

Laying down on his bed, Spot stared angrily at the ceiling. What gave his boy the right to give him advice? He didn't need advice! There was no way he was going soft for some goil, not now, not ever! Sure, he kissed her, but like he told Skye, it meant nothing to him. Why should it? He was the King of Brooklyn, he could have any girl he wanted at any time he wanted!

But when he woke up to find her missing, he couldn't begin to explain the worry that coursed through him. It still coursed through him. What if she was hurt? What if they caught her? What if she found someone else to kiss?

He would never admit it out loud, but after laying there for a while, he began thinking that maybe Cassette was right.

A/N: What will happen next! Has Spot really finally begun to realize that his feelings towards Skye are special? And could he beee feeling jealousy? Find out in chapter eleven! And review your thoughts! I love you all.