October 1900

"Good morning, Amelia," Lily said, walking into her bedroom with a tray of breakfast food.

"Morning," Amelia yawned.

"Feeling better this morning?" Lily asked as she set the tray down at the foot of the bed and opened the curtains.

"Yeah," said Amelia, sitting up. "I felt fine after you left yesterday too. It's like I'd had the flu every morning…for weeks."

Lily hesitated. "And it's been happening every morning?"

"Mm-hm," Amelia said, taking a bite of toast.

Lily walked back to Amelia's bedside. "Amelia, when was your last cycle?"

Amelia froze, quickly doing the math in her head. "Oh no," she said, mouth full of toast.

"Want me to call the doctor?" asked Lily.

Amelia nodded.

December 1900

The snow fell heavily outside. Amelia stood in the powder room of their Gramercy Park townhouse, looking at herself in the mirror. Lily stood behind her, buttoning up her dress. She had tried to dress down as much as Glenn would allow her.

"What made me think this was a good idea?" she asked. "They're going to be there. They're all going to be there."

"I was thinking we should sponsor a Christmas party for some of the underprivileged kids in the city," said Amelia, one day over breakfast. "They won't have anything else."

"Hmm," said Glenn, looking up from his paper. "Not a bad idea. That's just the sort of good publicity our family could use. Say, don't the newsies frequent that Irving Hall? They used it for that ridiculous rally last year. That way all the newsies from all over can attend, and we don't have to waste money renting multiple venues."

"Great," Amelia sighed. She hated that he used charity to further his own agenda.

After all the plans had been laid, Glenn got it in his head to make an appearance. He thought getting his picture taken by a few reporters surrounded by those he helps would be priceless publicity.

And he wanted her to come with.

"You're doing a good thing, Amelia," said Lily, finishing the buttons. "The newsies don't get a Christmas. Tonight they'll be warm, fed, and entertained."

Amelia shook her head. "I just don't see why we have to show up," she said.

"Do you want me there with you?" Lily asked.

Amelia shook her head. "No, you should be with Race and the others. You work here too much as it is. You deserve a night off. I just wish I could have a night off from being a Vanderbilt. They're all going to be there. Penny. Henry. Baby. Jack. Skittery. Maggie. Blondie. Snipeshooter. Brooklyn. Spot." She closed her eyes. "Oh, please don't let him be there," she prayed. "I just wish I wasn't showing so much."

Amelia ran her hand over her small baby bump. As much as she was conflicted about having Glenn's baby despite still being in love with Spot, her heart was already filled with love for the baby.

"I haven't told anybody," said Lily.

"Thank you," said Amelia. "I'm hoping I can just keep my coat on and hide it."

"Darling, are you ready?" Glenn called from the hallway.

Amelia took a breath.

"Good luck," Lily whispered. Amelia walked out.

Amelia and Glenn walked out the door and into the carriage.

"Are you all right, darling? You seem nervous," he said.

"I'm fine," said Amelia. She'd never breathed a word about her friendship with the newsies to Glenn. All he knew was her brother was a newsie. The knot in her stomach tightened the farther downtown they rode.

Before she realized it, the carriage pulled up in front of Irving Hall. Amelia took a deep breath, preparing to face the worst.

"The poor girl is so nervous," Lily said, joining her friends at their table. Race put his arm around her, giving her a kiss.

"The Vanderbilts are coming tonight," Baby clarified for Maggie.

"No," said Maggie, bouncing Sofie on her knee. "Amelia will be here?"

Lily nodded.

"It will be good to see her," said Penny.

"Drinks, ladies," said Specs as he, Jack, and Skittery brought glasses of soda to the table.

Jack had three glasses in his hands. He set one in front of an empty seat.

"Who's that one for?" Baby asked.

"Spot's coming," said Jack. Baby looked at him, wide-eyed. "What?"

"Amelia will be here with Vanderbilt," said Baby.

"Oh boy," Specs sighed.

"Wasn't Spot in the refuge?" asked Penny.

"We busted him out last week," said Jack.

"How do you think he's gonna react to seeing her?" asked Maggie.

"It's been six months," said Skittery, shrugging.

"After six months, how did you feel about Maggie?" Penny asked him.

Skittery thought for a moment. "This could be bad."

"What could be bad?" Spot asked, sitting down.

"Nothing," said everyone at once.

Spot furrowed his brow, looking at all of them confused.

"Hello, Newsies!" Medda called out. "What's new?" The hall rang out with cheers. "Before we start with the merriment, the man who is sponsoring this party would like a few words." Medda gestured to Glenn, who was standing just off the stage.

"Let's go," Glenn said quietly to Amelia. "Why do you still have your coat on?"

Amelia sighed and let a stage hand take her coat. She self-consciously put her hand on her bump. She took a deep breath and followed Glenn onto the stage, putting on a fake smile.

"Good evening, newsies!" Glenn began his speech, but Amelia didn't hear a word of it. Her eyes scanned the crowd. She saw both familiar and unfamiliar faces. The unfamiliar faces looked at her indifferently, but the familiar ones all looked angry or surprised. She saw the Brooklyn newsies and the hatred in their eyes. Her eyes landed on a table near the middle of the room and they were all there. Baby, Jack, Penny, Specs, Lily, Race, Maggie, Sofie, Skittery, and…Spot. Her breath caught in her throat. He was motionless and expressionless as he locked eyes with her.

"Lily," said Spot, seeing Amelia. "Is it just me, or is she…"

"Oh my God, she's pregnant," said Baby, covering her mouth.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Penny asked Lily.

"She doesn't want me to," said Lily.

Spot's hand curled into a fist. He sat in silence, watching Amelia. He could feel the anger, hurt, and betrayal bubble inside him.

"You okay, Spot?" Jack asked.

"Fine." Spot stood up and stormed away.

Amelia kept her polite, charming outside, but was crumbling on the inside. He looked so angry. Of course, after what she did to him, who could blame him?

She only noticed Glenn's speech had ended, when he grabbed her arm and led her down off the stage amongst the newsies. "Just a few minutes so those reporters can get some good pictures for tomorrow's paper," he whispered in her ear.

He left her to go mingle and Amelia looked around, not knowing what to do. She stepped down off the stage, and right into the midst of the Brooklyn newsies. They were all glaring daggers at her. She wanted to run and hide.

"You got a lot of guts comin' here tonight, girlie," said Ice.

Amelia stuck her chin out. "You got a lot of guts talkin' to me like that."

Ice stood up slowly, facing her.

"All right, you two, cut it out," said Mikey, stepping in.

"No, let him stand there," said Amelia, smirking. "Let's see if he'll take a shot at an expecting woman." Ice clenched his jaw and walked off. "That's what I thought."

"What is wrong with you?" Mikey asked, stepping in front of Amelia.

"What?" asked Amelia. "He's a newsie, I'm a Vanderbilt. There's a pecking order in this world."

Mikey raised his eyebrows. "Wow. You just fit right in to whatever group you're with, don't you? Here I thought you might be one of the nice rich folks. Turns out you're just a stuck up bitch like that rest of them." He walked away.

Amelia felt like she'd been punched in the gut. She couldn't believe she'd said those things. She felt filthy from the inside out.

She looked over at her friends' table to see the girls motioning for her to come over. She walked over.

"Hi," she said, meekly.

Penny stood up and hugged her. "It's so good to see you!"

"Is it?" Amelia asked, unsure.

"Of course it is," said Baby, standing up to hug her.

Amelia shook her head. "I shouldn't have come."

"Why?" Penny asked. "What did the Brooklyn boys say to you?"

"Nothing that wasn't deserved. Or untrue. I should go."

"Please don't go so soon," said Baby.

"Little Sofie hasn't said hello to her Auntie Amelia yet," said Maggie, walking over.

Amelia smiled. "Look at her! She's getting so big!"

"Thank you for those baby clothes you had sent over. She's growing like nothing else," Maggie whispered. Amelia winked at her.

"Speaking of babies," Penny said, raising her eyebrows.

"Oh…yeah," Amelia grinned, putting her hand on her tummy.

"When are you due?" asked Maggie.

"Early May," said Amelia.

"Congratulations," Baby grinned.

"Thanks. It's the one thing I'm actually excited about." Amelia couldn't help but grin. Behind the girls, she saw Spot approach, but stop when he saw her.

The girls notice her staring past them, and saw Spot. They wandered away, leaving the two of them facing each other.

"Hi," she said.

Spot nodded politely. "Mrs. Vanderbilt."

"Don't call me that," Amelia said quietly.

"Why not? It's your name."

Amelia sighed.

"I see they busted you out of the refuge."

"Yep," was all Spot said.

"Did you get the coat I sent over?"

"Yep."

"Did it help?" Amelia wanted more than one-word answers.

"Don't know," said Spot. "I think it's still sitting in the refuge."

Amelia sighed. "Look, Spot, I'm sorry," she said. "But there was nothing I could do."

Spot shook his head. "Don't give me that. Don't. You and I both know that's a lie you told yourself so you wouldn't have to be poor."

It was like a swift kick to the gut, but Amelia knew he was right.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"I really don't care," said Spot, walking past her. "You made your choice."

Amelia felt the tears sting her eyes.

"Amelia!" Glenn called her name from the stage. She wiped her eyes and turned and walked back to Glenn.