Chapter Eleven

It was the day before Metal and Matts were going to meet Kicks to go over their plan. Carly was a mess and everyone saw it but she wouldn't tell anyone why. They something had happened because Spot hadn't visited for a month. Everyone, even Jack, was worried. He'd even tried to talk to her but all it resulted in was a bloody nose.

"Why do you hate him so much?" David asked, folding his arms as he watched her stacking the chairs.

"I just don't like him," she shrugged, yawning.

"So there's no reason?"

"No there's a reason. I can't tell you though."

"Why not?"

"Cause it's my business David, alright?"

"Why do you keep pushing people away?" he asked softly.

"Cause they always get hurt," she muttered, leaving him in the dark diner.

"Carly!" a voice yelled and she turned around.

"What now," she sighed, seeing Racetrack running after her.

"Spot's missing."

"What?"

"They can't find him. His Newsies have looked everywhere but nothing."

"He's gone," she whispered, tears filling her eyes, "But-."

"Carlotta!" She spun around and saw Metal. "Change in plans. Let's go."

"Where is he?" she growled, glaring at him, "What the hell did you do with him?"

"We had to make sure you wouldn't flake," he sneered. Her control was gone and she jumped at him, punching, kicking, causing him much pain as she could until she heard the all too familiar sound of a gun cock. She dropped the beaten metal and turned to Matts, holding a gun to Racetrack's head.

"Alright, alright," she muttered, taking two steps away from Metal, "Let him go Matts."

"I don't think I will," he smirked, yanking Racetrack by the arm, who looked confused and nervous at the end of a gun, "C'mon, let's go."

"Race, relax," she whispered, squeezing his hand. He didn't react but she loosely held his hand. "Why the change?"

"We're watching you."

"Like I need to be watched."

"You of all people need to be watched," Metal muttered, in pain, as they approached her 'office'.

"Go to hell." He shoved her roughly, into the building and pushed them to the basement.

"Sit," Matts growled and she laughed but he held the gun to Racetrack's head, so she sat, "Good girl." He leant closer. "Don't try anything."

"What makes you think-?"

"You don't want them to know who you are, do you?" he asked challengingly. She kept her mouth shut and he smirked before leaving them in the dark. Her eyes quickly adjusted and she saw Spot talking to Racetrack.

"Talk to her," Racetrack muttered. She couldn't make out anything else but heard movement and felt someone in front of her. She was staring down at her hands, refusing to look up.

"Carly?" She didn't respond and he knelt down. Slipping his hand under her chin, he guided her to look at him. They stared at each other and before she realized it, his lips were on hers. He pulled her up and she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. His fingers were tracing her spine and he lightly ran his tongue over her lips and she let him in. Lightly, she ran her thumb along his neck, sending shivers down his spine. When they pulled apart, they looked deeply into each other's eyes.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, burying her face in his neck, "I didn't mean to. I just don't want you to get hurt because of my mistakes."

"Carly, you're not making sense. What're you even talking about?" he asked softly, stroking her cheek.

"Can we possibly get out of here before you two get all lovey-dovey?" Racetrack questioned, standing.

"The door's bolted and has four locks on it," she sighed, and both boys stared at her but she was to busy looking around, "There it is."

"What?"

"Window," she grinned, carefully opening it, "You two go. I have to stay, just find a safe place and stay put."

"Carly, I'm not-."

"Spot, I can handle myself."

"I'm not leaving you."

"If you don't leave now, they'll kill you. Will you go, now, I'll see you when this is done."

"Carly," his voice was dark.

"Racetrack, just go, he'll meet up with you," she sighed. He nodded, climbing out the window and she faced a glowering Spot. "Wipe that look off your face Conlon before I do it for you."

"Who the hell are you, Carly?" Spot demanded, "You're sweet, you're cute, you're mad, and you hurt. I don't get it. You've got too many different personalities."

"Actually just two," she muttered quietly. He stared at her, confused and she sighed. Braiding her hair, she hid it under the hat she pulled out of her pocket and pulled off her shirt, flipping her inside out. When finished, she turned around but stares at Spot's feet.

"You're-."

"Yeah."

"And you-."

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"It was how I was brought up," she told him softly.

"Why're you back," he growled; her eyes snapped to his and both were glaring.

"To find someone," she snarled, "Revenge. Ever heard of it?"

"You've killed eight people. Eight innocent people-."

"I have a reputation."

"Why didn't you take-?"

"Because he's your friend, I wouldn't have been able to live with myself."

"Why didn't you just disappear again?"

"No one persuaded me."

"Persuaded?"

"Its how Badge," but she stopped, feeling her voice about to break.

"You're trying to get Jack," he stated, "What'd he do?"

"He killed my best friend," she snarled, glaring with all the hate in her body. He took a step back and she looked to the side. "God I'm so different."

"Carly-."

"I mean before I met you, and Badge, I could hold everything. I was untouchable but then I meet Badge and he makes me realize that what I did was bad-."

"Carly-."

"-Then you and you make me feel so different. Not I feel and I can't stop it and it's so hard to do that while you're holding a gun to a guy's head who's begging you not to do something because he's got a family and-."

"Carly!" he yelled, shaking her shoulders and she stared at him, feeling tears burning trails down her cheeks, "This isn't you."

"Yes it is, they made me-."

"But you didn't choose it. Carly Jack didn't kill your friend."

"How do you know," the growl inching its way back.

"Your friend died when Kicks first appeared?" she nodded, "He was with David all day and playing poker with us all night until Kicks came."

"I can't breathe," she gasped, almost falling back but he caught her, pulling her closer, "I-I've been chasing the wrong guy?"

"Carly, in and out, c'mon," Spot soothed.

"I can't figure you out," she muttered, after she stopped hyperventilating, "You're supposed to hate me, why're you being so nice?"

"I couldn't leave you if I wanted to."

"Yes you could."

"Nope," he shook his head, smiling slightly, "Cause I love you. Whether you're Kicks, Carly, or someone I don't know about. I love you and I'm never leaving."

"Oh my God," she whispered slowly, wide-eyed.

"Carly?"

"I love you too."

"You do?"

"I do," she smiled, kissing him hard and he laughed when they pulled apart, "Now what're we gonna do?"

"No idea, you?"

"Oh, I have a few," she smirked. She ran up the stairs and stood, staring at the door. She glanced over at Spot who was staring at her, intently. Taking in a deep breath, she kicked at the bottom of the door and it broke under. "C'mon."

"Carly, wait," Spot hissed and she turned to face him, "What're you doing?"

"Leaving, c'mon," she whispered, ducking under the broken door, "We only have so long before the come." That seemed to get Spot moving. He followed her through a route he didn't recognize and they exited through the back in time to hear a yell as things crashed around. "Run!"

"Jesus Christ," he muttered as they broke out into a sprint. They darted through multiple alleys until Spot jerked her towards another building, closing the door behind them, and she slid down the wall.

"What the hell is he doing here?" a voice yelled, sounding somewhat terrified. Spot and Carly froze, seeing David, Jack, Racetrack, Mush, and Kid Blink, staring wide-eyed.

"Fuck my hat," she whispered standing again. An elderly man walked in and dropped the books he was carrying. "I need help."

"Like hell you do." The Newsie shrank back under both Spot and Carly's glare.

"In case you've forgotten who I am," she snarled, stepping closer, "You better keep your mouth shut before I make you and if anyone has anything to say, you better hope to fucking hell I don't get angry cause I am not in the god damn mood." The room was silent and she peeked out the door. "If they ask, I'm not here and I never was-."

"What makes you think-?"

"They'll kill you if they find out. What about your family, think about them," she growled at David, whose eyes suddenly lit up.

"You b-," but there was a loud pounding on the door.

"You keep his mouth shut or he'll die," she told Jack then she turned to Spot, "Meet me at the bridge."

"Brooklyn?"

"No Harlem, yes Brooklyn," she growled before glancing at a furious David, "Bring him." Sot nodded as the door was almost knocked down but when it finally fell, she was gone.