May 1899

"Ralphie," Spot shook his head. "You can't force her to do that."

"Trust me, it's what she wants," said Ralphie, lighting a cigarette. "She don't want to become a mother right now. Can you imagine tryin' to raise a kid in a joint like this?" Ralphie gestured to the tenement around them. "Is this any kind of place for a kid to grow up?"

"Did she tell you it ain't what she wants?"

Ralphie raised his eyebrow. "You really think she wants to be carryin' my baby?"

Spot frowned at him. "You don't really care about her, do you?"

"No one ever really cares about anyone else," said Ralphie. "Only themselves. I'm no different. Neither is Violet."

"Vi ain't nothin' like you," said Spot. "She does care about people. She just don't show it very well because she grew up with the likes of you."

Ralphie raised his eyebrows. "You're gettin' quite the mouth on, ain't you?"

Spot didn't say anything.

"I got some things in Vinegar Hill to take care of. Take her to Miss Connie's. She's got a lady there who takes care of this sort of thing."

Spot stared at him, stone-faced.

"Do it," said Ralphie. "Or you can find your own protection." With that, Ralphie walked out of the building.

Spot rubbed the head of his cane, considering his options. He followed Ralphie out the door, but walked another direction. He found Adelaide selling on a corner nearby. Fire stood down the block smoking, keeping an eye on Adelaide.

"I got her," said Spot to Fire, who nodded and walked off. Spot walked up to Adelaide. "Aide?"

Adelaide turned around and gave Spot a small smile. "Hey."

"You doin' okay?"

Adelaide nodded. "Spring is finally here," she shrugged. "It's nice to not be freezing all the time."

"Yeah," said Spot, sounding none too happy. "Look, I gotta ask you somethin'."

"Hmm?"

"Your baby..."

Adelaide's grinned sadly. "Yeah...you know, at first I was so depressed. I wanted nothin' but to claw it out of me, but now…I mean, sure it's Ralphie's baby, but I'm going to raise her...or him. If I really am stuck here forever, then at least I have a reason to go on, you know?"

Spot swallowed and nodded. "Yeah..."

"Sorry," Adelaide shook her head. "What did you want to ask?"

Spot shook his head. "Nothin'."

"You hungry? You want to get something to eat?"

Spot watched her. She looked so content. Though she didn't look happy, it was the happiest he'd seen her since she'd come to Brooklyn. He didn't want to be the one to burst her bubble, but it was unavoidable.

"Aide, Ralphie's gonna make you get rid of it."

Her grin disappeared. "No," she said. "He can't."

Spot nodded. "He can and he will."

"No. He can't take my baby from me!" Adelaide frowned. "I won't let him! I'll kick and scream and I won't hold still so they can't do anything to me!"

"They got shots they can give you," said Spot.

Adelaide furiously shook her head. "Then I'll leave. I'll get out of here."

"You know that ain't an option," said Spot.

"Please, Spot, you can't let him take away my baby," said Adelaide, tears coming to her eyes.

"What about Skittery?" asked Spot, hoping to convince her. "You think he's gonna want Ralphie's kid around?"

"I don't care," Adelaide frowned, fighting the tears in her eyes. "This is my baby."

Spot looked at her resignedly. "There's nothing I can do, Aide."

Aide shook her head. "Spot, please, no. Please, you have to help me convince him to let me keep the baby." Tears began to stream down her face. "Don't let me lose my baby." She began sobbing and hyperventilating

Spot sighed and pulled her into a hug. "Calm down, Aide, it's okay," he said. "I'll...think of something."

Aide sobbed with relief. "Thank you," she said. "Thank you, Spot. I promise, this is the last time I'll ever ask you to do anything for me."

Spot closed his eyes, knowing he was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Spot took a deep breath as he rounded the corner to Flannigan's. He knew that standing up to Ralphie like this would probably mean the end of life as he knew it. But at the same time, having the other newsies watch him do it would show them that he was someone to be followed. He knew he would need that reputation down the road if he were to ever leave.

Ralphie sat at his usual booth in the restaurant. Spot walked right in and slid into Adelaide's usual spot.

"You take care of it?" Ralphie asked.

"No," said Spot.

Ralphie snapped his head up and looked at Spot. "Why not?"

Spot shook his head. "You can't take her baby away from her, Ralphie. You've made her life hell, and this is the one thing that will keep her going. You take this baby away from her, and it will break her. More than you've already done."

Ralphie looked at Spot hard. "Get out this booth," Ralphie said, his voice low and dangerous. "Out of this booth and out of this restaurant."

Spot kept his expression neutral and slid out of the booth and walked outside.

He had one more idea.