So this was written really late at night/early in the morning when my brain felt zombie-fied so sorry in advance about any spelling mistakes or anything.

Panda Bear-Yes, two happy couples! Number three will be coming alone as soon as I can make it. I am a bit crazy for staying up so late. I really need to change that. Usually the earliest I have to wake up is 7, which is nice. What do you do that you have to be up so insanely early? I'm glad I could cheer you up at the dentist's office and that you have no cavities. As a reward (and picking up on your hint) here's another chapter with songs included.

My brain can't think of any clever disclaimers. Insert clever I-don't-own-Newsies-songs-lyrics-anything-but-my-O C's disclaimer here.

"Ise think Ise is startin ta fall for ya," he finally said. That was all it took for Robin to run into Spot's arms and kiss him for all she was worth. Too startled to respond at first, he just stood there before finally kissing her back.
"So…" Spot said when they pulled apart.
"Ise sorry. Ise don't know what dat was." Robin blushed and looked at the ground.
"Ise think dat was youse tellin me how youse feel."
"Youse didn't mind?"
"No. In fact, Ise would be honored if youse would go ta da rally wit me tonight as my goirl."
"Ise would be glad," Robin responded with a laugh.


Laura nervously ran her brush through her hair again before tying it up with a blue bow. She looked in the mirror one last time before turning to Carey.
"You look beautiful."
"You can still come."
Carey smiled but shook her head. "Tonight is for you and Blink."
"What if it doesn't go well? I need someone there to bust my head if we start fighting." Laura looked so distressed Carey couldn't help but laugh. "I'm sure it will be fine. You are going to be performing. That should keep you two lovebirds from fighting for a little while, anyway."
Laura turned back to look in the mirror again, staring at her reflection. Slowly, a smile came over her face. If Blink had liked her before, just wait until he saw her tonight.


Blink stared as he watched Laura silently slip out the door. She had on a sky-blue dress with a matching bow in her long hair. One hand clutched her violin case and the other nervously held her skirt. He smiled as she walked up and wrapped her arms around him in a hug.
Pulling back to look at her face, he joked "Maybe we's can get through da night witout fightin." She grabbed his hand, shaking her head. They walked in complete silence to Irving Hall, holding hands the whole way.
Jack was already on stage talking to Medda and Spot. Laura was slightly surprised to see Robin standing next to Spot and holding his hand. She briefly wondered when that had happened, then put it from her mind.
"Are you nervous about playing tonight?" Spot asked as he walked up with Robin.
"Scared silly. Why did I let you talk me into this?"
He laughed. "You'll do fine."
"When do I play?"
"Jack will say a few words and Medda will introduce you. Then you come on and play a few songs. I will be with you until you go on." He wrapped Laura in a quick hug. Laura noticed a flash of jealousy cross Robin's face before she managed to quickly hide it.
"You and Robin?"
"Earlier today. I'll tell you the story tonight."


Laura peeked out from behind the curtain. The theatre was beginning to fill with teenagers. The only other girls in the crowd of boys were Robin and a girl Laura didn't know. She couldn't help noticing the nice dress the other girl was wearing. Laura assumed she was from a richer family and was friends with one of the newsies. She drew her head back in and picked up her violin. Shuffling through her music, she made a mental list of songs she would play. A shadow falling over her caused her to look up and see Spot with Jack Kelly and a woman.
"You must be Laura Mae," the woman said.
Laura ignored her. "Spot, I can't do this. I'm not ready. I've never performed for anyone but my parents and that was-"
"Laura, Ise believe in youse," Spot interrupted. "Youse'll be fine. Now, youse know Jack Kelly already. And dis is Medda Larkson, da Swedish Meadowlark." He pointed to the woman.
"Da greatest star on da vaudeville stage," Jack added. Turning to Medda, he added "Laura don't hear so good, so make sure ta look at her when youse talk or get Spot."
"How do you do?" Medda asked with a bow. "I've heard a great deal about you from Spot. He says you are the best fiddler this side of the bridge."
"Spot has a way of improving the truth." Laura jabbed Spot's arm.
"Naw, dat's Cowboy's job. Ise only tell da truth." Spot jabbed Laura back, which led to a small wrestling match. Medda laughed at the pair.
"Well, I look forward to hearing you play."
"Thank you."
"Laura, Ise know youse can do dis. Ise hoird youse play and youse is good. Dey'll love you."
"What if they don't?"
"Ise'll bust dere heads." Laura smiled and shook her head.
"…Miss Laura Mae Martin!" Medda's voice came filtering backstage.
"Dat's youse," Spot said. "Ise'll be in da front row watchin. Play good." With that, he shoved Laura towards the curtain and went to find his seat. Laura walked through the curtain and looked around. Seeing all the eyes on her, she almost turned around and ran offstage. Catching her eye, Spot smiled at her, and then nodded at the balcony, where Blink was hanging off. Blink waved his hat at her. Taking a deep breathe, Laura put her bow on her violin and drew it across the strings in a lively tune that had the newsies tapping their feet.


Blink watched as Laura finished her final song and took a bow the thunderous applause. He felt a moment of sorrow that she couldn't hear how much everyone liked her playing, but it quickly passed as Jack, David, and Spot took the stage.
"So, we've come a long way," he started when everyone had quieted down, "but we ain't there yet and maybe it's only gonna get tougher from now on. But that's fine, we'll just get tougher with it. But also, we gotta get smart and start listening to my pal David, who says 'stop soakin' the scabs.'"
"What are we supposed to do to the bums? Kiss 'em?" Racetrack asked as everyone laughed.
"Any scab I see I soak 'em. Period." Spot added.
"No, no. That's what they want us to do. If we get violent, it's just playing into their hands." David told them.
"Hey, look. They're gonna be playing with my hands, alright. 'Cuz it ain't what they say, it's what we say. And nobody ain't gonna listen to us unless we make 'em." Laura shook her head at Spot as everyone started arguing among themselves. No, she thought. Listen to him Spot. Listen to him.
"You got no brains," Jack yelled. "Why we starting to fight each other? It's just what the big shots wanna see. That we're street rats! Street rats with no brains. No respect for nothing, including ourselves! So, here's how it's gonna be. If we don't act together, then we're nothing. If we don't stick together, then we're nothing. And if we can't even trust each other, then we're nothing."
"Tell 'em Jack!" Blink yelled from the balcony.
"So, what's it gonna be?" Jack asked. Right away Race said they were with him. Turning to Spot, he asked "So, what about you, Spot?"
Spot looked into the crowd. Laura, who had come out from backstage, nodded her head at Spot, silently telling him to agree. Robin, sitting next to Laura also nodded, calling out "Listen ta him, Spot!"
"I say…" he said slowly, "that what you…say is what I say."
The two leaders spit-shook their hands as Medda came on stage as the newsies jumped to their feet and cheered.


Spot came off the stage and sat down between Laura and Robin. Robin immediately leaned in and kissed Spot's cheek. Spot kissed her back and watched Medda, singing with her, Robin joining in. Laura just looked around, watching as Blink joined in the excitement, waving his hat around and cheering.
"High times, hard times
Sometimes the living is sweet
And sometimes there's nothing to eat
But I always land on my feet."
Laura smiled as Blink hung off the balcony with one arm. Catching Spot's eye, she pointed in Blink's direction and Spot shared in her amusement. She turned back to Medda, making a note to see if Medda could teach her some new songs to play.
"So when there's dry times
I wait for high times and then
I put on my best
And I stick out my chest
And I'm off to the races again!"
Blink somehow managed to get from the balcony onto the stage. Looking at Racetrack, they both took an arm on either side of Medda and started dancing with her.
"Oh… High times, hard times
Sometimes the living is sweet
And sometimes there's nothing to eat
But I always land on my feet
So when there's dry times
I wait for high times and then
I put on my best
And I stick out my chest
And I'm off to the races again!"
Blink grabbed Laura out of her chair and dragged her on the stage with a laugh. She smiled as she spun around and kept dancing with the crowd around her.
"I put on my best!"
"I put on my best!
"And I stick out my chest!"
"And I sticks out my chest!"
"And I'm off!"
"And I'm off!"
"And I'm off!"
"To the races again!"


As everyone cheered, Laura looked around and saw Snyder entering the building. Remembering some of the Manhattan newsies talking about him (not very nicely, if she remembered correctly), she went over to Spot and pointed him out. Spot quickly tried to drag Robin out of the building, although she refused to go without a fight.
In all the confusion that ensued when the whistle blew, Blink found Laura looking a little lost. Grabbing her shoulders and turning her around, he yelled "Where's Spot?"
She pointed behind him, where Spot was trying to drag a screaming Robin out. Holding Laura's hand, Blink dragged her over to Spot, who finally let Robin go and turned to Laura.
"Quick Laura, get out. It's the Crib. If you get caught, you could go to jail."
"Listen ta him Laura. Ise don't want youse ta get hoirt. Go wit Sarah." Seeing one of the younger newsies in trouble, Blink took off after that, leaving Laura with Spot.
"What about you?"
"I'll stay and fight."
"Then so am I." She stared at Spot with a defiant look on her face, daring him to make her leave.
"Fiddle, Ise only gonna say dis once. Ise want youse ta leave now! If youse don't, Ise had nothin da do wit dat and Ise ain't responsible for anythin dat happens ta ya." She nodded and turned to look at Blink. She was surprised to see him in a crowd of newsies helping the younger ones get out of the fight.
"If Blink is going to fight, then I'm staying to help. You can't stop me!" With that, Laura took off into the crowd, joining a crowd of newsies in front of Medda's swing in an attempt to stop Snyder. The defiant look never left her face as she stared him down. Pulling out a slingshot, she aimed and starting firing into the crowd.


Having managed to get some of the youngest newsies away from the cops and the crib, Blink went looking for Jack, running into him on the stairs.
"You all right Jack?" he asked. Not waiting for an answer, he started pulling his friend. "Dis way!"
They managed to get outside, only to find they were surrounded by cops on horses. The two boys turned around to run back inside and were stopped when Jack was grabbed from behind. Blink tackled the man from his horse to the ground, yelling at Jack to leave it. Standing up again, Blink was surprised to see another cop, who took advantage of that surprise to throw a punch that knocked the teen down, allowing him to be dragged away.
Laura happened to run out of the building, slingshot in hand, in time to see Blink take a punch to the face. She quickly loaded her slingshot and hit one of the cops dragging him away. He let go of the arm he was holding to grab his neck. Laura ran at him and tackled him to the ground, throwing punches left and right. The cop still holding Blink's arm grabbed the other arm, keeping Blink captive. He fought as hard as he could to get away, to no avail. He could only watch in helplessness as the Delancey brothers came up behind Laura with clubs, enjoying the moment too much for Blink's liking. Seeing Laura slumped on the ground knocked out, he starting yelling up a storm, finally being silenced by a blow to the head that brought total darkness.

Yeah, that was long. I had to fit everything in. I'll stop talking now so you can review...