Yes! I know it's been a long time! But please find it in your heart to review! it would make me so happy!

But Spot's moment of triumph was abruptly interrupted by the noise of newsies scurrying down the stairs. With the speed of lightening, Queenie released herself from Spot's grip, stood, straightened her hair, and waltzed her way into the kitchen, ready to start the day. Spot merely sat on the couch, his mouth wide agape with shock. Only Queenie would be embarrassed to be seen on the great Spot Conlon's arm. He shook his head at the outrage of it all.

"What's da word, Spot?" Jazz asked, plopping down next to his leader.

Spot looked at the boy and sighed.

"Hell if Ise know."

West sat down at the old, wooden table in his lodging house in Queens, looking around at the newsies celebrating around him. It was far past nightfall, but the party was just beginning. While technically they were rejoicing the return of their youngest friend, the real excitement was about their lost girl, Alex.

"Three more days," West muttered to himself, clenching his mug of water in his fist.

Everyone looked at the lone leader out of the corners of their eyes with pity. Their leader, always the strong and steady one, was slowly falling apart before their eyes. West grew paler by the day. He took to snapping at his boys and his temper was worse than ever. Alex usually worked to calm him, but without her in the house, West's behavior grew nearly out of control. Murmurings erupted about two weeks after losing the bet that he even took to drinking in the dark of the evenings. The boys could only pray that Alex would transform him into his old self upon her return.

"Only three more days!" Rusty said, raising his glass in a toast.

The room erupted in cheers.

"And Ise know-" he continued, standing on a chair "That wese gonna all show up in Brooklyn on Sunday ready to bring 'er home to a real party! Wese gonna show 'er a good time after what she did for us! Wese gonna show her what real men look like! Remind her that the world doesn't revolves 'round Spot Conlon!"

Again, West's newsies whooped and hollered at the top of their lungs, clinking their glasses together and starting to sing an off-key bar song.

"No!" West shouted, jumping out of his silent brood.

Instantly, the cheer and excitement was sucked from the room. Rusty looked around and chuckled uncomfortably, unsure of whether their leader was joking or serious.

"What are youse sayin', West?"

The boy stood to his full height, sighing.

"Ise said No. Youse aren't all comin' to Brooklyn on Sunday. Ise goin', and Bear's comin' with me. Other than dat, youse are all goin' to stay here."

Shouts of protests erupted.

"Hey!" he shouted over them in an attempt to quiet them.

They would not stop shouting their anger.

"Ay! Shut your faces 'fore I come 'n' do it for youse," Bear bellowed, silencing the room.

West nodded to him thankfully.

"Youse can't come. Ise sorry. Ise just don't want a fight breaking out on unfriendly territory."

A rumble of disapproval spread across the room. The leader sighed.

"Look, Ise gonna say dis and dat'll be the end of it. Do any of youse want to see Queenie hurt?"

A unanimous 'no' resounded through the room.

"And youse don't think dat they'd hurt Alex the first time they got da chance?"

Realization dawned upon the newsies, effectively quieting them all. Of course, it wasn't the real reason that West wanted to go alone. But it worked.

"Now all of youse go to bed at a decent hour tonight. Da sooner youse go to sleep, da sooner she'll be here."

Every newsie but Bear rushed up the stairs, ecstatic at the prospect of bringing Alex back sooner. When the last of them was gone, West sunk into a chair.

"Youse are such a liar, West," Bear said, laughing his deep laugh.

West looked at his friend.

"Youse aren't worried 'bout a fight. Youse just want her all to yourself."

Bear laughed when he saw the look on his leader's face. He knew that Bear spoke the truth.

"Am Ise wrong?" Bear asked.

His best friend shook his head.

"Now look, West, youse know dat youse been my best friend for a long time. And Ise not one to butt into ya business. But-"

He paused and looked up at West.

"What do youse think's gonna happen when youse get dere? Ise mean, youse really think she's gonna fall into ya arms and tell ya dat she loves ya? Youse think dat stayin' away made 'er love youse more?"

Sighing, West put his head in his hands, and was silent for a long moment. Bear stood, grabbed his cap and started to head for the door. Just before leaving, he looked at his pathetic friend.

"Ise love 'er, Bear. I loves 'er so much," West muttered.

Bear gave a breathy chuckle.

"Ise was afraid a dat."

With that, he retired to bed.