By the time I finished talking, my throat was parched and my lips dry. The light in the room had all but disappeared only the rays of Spot's kerosene lamp flickered over the walls and our faces. Spot was sitting on the edge of his mattress, hunched over the cigarette he was smoking as if there was a stiff wind that might blow it away.

Spying a half empty beer bottle, I drained it and set it on the floor after wiping my mouth on my sleeve. I caught the smell of smoke and other odors as the fabric passed underneath my nose. Making a face, I knew it was time to send these rags to the wash. My stomach kept flipping over as I waited for a response from Spot.

He had taken his cap off and flung it into a corner of the room, running his hands threw his ash blonde hair until it practically stood on end which was no small feat. There was an overflowing ceramic mug that he was using as an ashtray at his feet. Stuffing the cigarette into it he stood abruptly, hooking his thumbs into the edges of his suspenders and yanking them down.

I could tell he was angry by the jerky motions he was making and the sullen set to his chin and mouth. There was probably nothing I could do to distract him at this point. He sat on the edge of the windowsill and looked out on the darkened streets of Brooklyn.

"She's fucking pregnant…I can't believe she's pregnant."

"It's not yours Spot" I said and tried laying a hand on his arm. He shook it off and threw me an agonized glower.

"Do you know for sure or is she just saying that?" I felt heat flood my face and make my skin prickle. Cinder had told me that she and Spot hadn't been intimate since her return and that she and Spook most definitely had.

"I'm fairly sure that if she's telling the truth this happened when she was gone since you two haven't…erm…well…since she came back." Spot's face relaxed slightly and became thoughtful and I felt a giddy sense of relief that made me flush in embarrassment.

"This is just a lot of information to take in all at once. I didn't think that anything I spouted would be true when I picked up that nasty little doll." Sighing, I nodded and stood up from the chair I had moved to, stretching.

"Well the most important thing is that someone is threatening Cinder and that can't be allowed." Spot gave me a sour look and threw his hands up on either side of him.

"That's Spook's problem, if it's one of his newsies. It's ESPECIALLY his problem if it's his brat."

"Look I agree that Spook needs to deal with this but he isn't exactly aware of any of this. You weren't supposed to be told before him, I know that much." Spot's eyes narrowed and he heaved a rattling cough right before lighting another cigarette.

"Why the Hell wouldn't she tell me? It's not like it wasn't gonna be obvious soon anyways."

"Are you listening at all? Someone is harassing her who is from Harlem and even though she wants to be there she can't risk it. Not after this!" I lifted the doll and shook it at him with enough force that the little pin that had been fashioned as a knife fell out of the doll's stomach.

Both of us looked down, our eyes following its progress and when my gaze flickered back up, Spot's were already back searching for my own. He was clenching his jaw so tight I thought he'd crack something for sure.

"Everything is so complicated now. I wish that Cinder had never left Harlem." I was taken aback by the vehemence in his voice and watched him silently as he turned his head to stare into the night again. Moonlight hit his profile and I saw his shoulders sagging.

"Well, that's an awful thing to say."

"Is it? Then I wouldn't have to deal with any of this mushy crap."

"I see," I said shortly, standing up. Crossing my arms over my chest, I squared my shoulders and tucked my chin down. I didn't really know why I felt disappointed in him, but I knew that it was partly because I had hoped that he saw our relationship as different. Snorting sharply, I shook my head as a wry smile crossed my face.

"Stupid, stupid girl you are," I muttered to myself as I began gathering up my boots, cap and other things I had discarded throughout the afternoon. When I strayed near Spot to grab my scarf, he seemed to finally notice me again.

"What are you doin?"

"Going to bed like you should do as well, what does it look like?" I went rigid as he snaked his arms around my waist and pulled me against his side, laying his head on my stomach, burying his head into the folds of my shirt.

"You smell good," he said his words muffled.

"Hah! I smell like shit," I said as mirth filled my voice albeit begrudgingly. Even though I tried to stay angry it's hard when someone is hugging the life out of you. Extricating his face from my shirt, he looked up at me, his features softened for the first time this evening.

"Stay," he asked me not indicating whether he saw it as a command or a request. Either way I assumed he doubtless expected me to. I gave him a slight smile and pulled away from him. As much as I cared, I didn't want to get anymore attached to any of these kids since I was to be leaving soon.

"I really shouldn't Spot," I muttered even as I cursed him for the pleading look he sent me. Shaking a finger at him, I poked him on his sternum, pushing him in the opposite direction when I saw his hands move. My fingertip hit cold steel and I was suddenly overcome with the realization that even if I wanted to go home, I needed his damn key.

Tracing the fancy curls of the key I felt sad. I really was leaning towards staying here in this time if I could find enough people who genuinely cared. Spot captured my hand and kissed my fingertip as he looked up at my face.

"You just went all straight-faced on me, what's going on in that noggin of yours?" I attempted a smile and shrugged, breaking away and letting my hair hide my face as I bent over and picked up my cigarettes. Spot stood up and grasped my upper arm, both of us moving towards his door.

"Why won't you stay with me?"

"Because I shouldn't, that's why. Really Spot, I'm not one of those girls that you wax sentimental on while you're foolishly blind over them and then when something goes wrong it's all mush and nonsense." Spot tilted his head to one side and a corner of his mouth went up.

"Oh I get it, you're mad because I don't want to deal with thinking about Cinder having a baby. If you were me would YOU want to think about that?" I pursed my lips because I knew he had me there. Of course I wouldn't, I was too young for that. But unfortunately in this day and age that was a common side effect of engaging in sexual activity. Hell it happened in the time period I came from with an alarming rate even though condoms and birth control were every day things.

"Well…No, you're right about that. But that's what happens when you...mmmph…" Spot laughed outright and I knew that if there had been more light in the room my cheeks would have huge splashes of red across them.

"You got a point Riot, you afraid?" My mouth gaped open and I looked up at him in shock.

"Afraid of what having a baby or…"

"The mmmph?" The bastard, he was laughing at me! I elbowed him in the gut and turned to wrench the door open but he stopped me, wheezing laughter erupting from him as he held his stomach with one hand. Kissing me, he took my chin gently in the fingers of his other hand.

"I know what I want for Christmas," he said solemnly even though I could FEEL him vibrating with unshed laughter. Glaring at him, I pulled away and escaped down the hallway tossing a 'Not bloody likely' over my shoulder.

"Goodnight princess," I heard him hiss softly, his voice warmly mocking me. Then the dull 'click' of the door catching shut and I didn't hear anything else until I went to the girl's room.

I didn't remember falling asleep but I must have since the agitated screeching from a cot near mine had me sitting bolt upright and staring wildly around. Bookworm sat on Cinder's cot, holding her down by her shoulders as the girl thrashed about.

"What the HELL is going on?" I snapped, disconcerted as I made my way over to them. Emotions was standing by a window she had opened, smoking with her back to us. It made the room frightfully cold but I didn't ask her to shut it.

"Nightmare," Bookworm said to me grimly. Cinder was taking awhile to snap out of it. Even now, as she woke up, sweat dripping down her face and soaking the threadbare shift she wore to bed she was still mumbling under her breath.

Duck returned from filling a bowl with water and taking a rag, soaked it and dabbed Cinder's face. Sprite sat on her cot, wrapped up in her blanket, rocking back and forth. Her eyes looked hunted and I shook my head slightly at the obvious emotional trauma that a lot of these kids had endured.

"They were trying to take my baby, I wouldn't let them but they said they were going to take it." Cinder grasped the front of my nightgown and I patted her back while inwardly rolling my eyes. So much for keeping THAT under wraps for the time being.

The rest of the girls were bug-eyed and looking at each other. I helped Bookworm get Cinder comfortable again and went back to my own cot. Nobody said anything but the tension in the room was thick.

"Well what the Hell," Emotions tossed out into the darkness before coughing and rolling over pulling her blanket up over her head as she did so. I would have laughed but I was too tired. Even so sleep was a long time coming and the pearly gray light of dawn had already started to seep across the sky when I managed to close my eyes. I had a feeling I wasn't going to be the only girl not making the morning edition.

I was right of course, Emotions didn't make it out that morning but we both went straight to the DC for the afternoon one and I gave her a wan smile as I made my way to my spot. The general store was slow, and I was enjoying hawking my wares and listening to the old men discuss news of the day when a hand on my shoulder had me spinning around, one hand on my shillelagh.

Spook gave me a crooked grin above a moth-eaten scarf wrapped around his neck, a dark cape pulled low over his face. I was not happy to see Jinx with him as well, a cap yanked down over the other boy's red hair, his brown eyes boring unfriendly holes into me.

"Great," I said casting a prayer to the heavens as Spook motioned for Jinx to grab my papers and with a hand at the back of my neck, led me down a side street that would take us out of the protective inner circle of Spot's extended domain.

"Just goddamned wonderfully great."

A/N – Sorry everyone for the delay, I had a really bad case of writer's block and every time I sat down to try to write it didn't happen. I know what's going to happen now (even though my mind changes constantly) so I'll try not to let it go so long again.

Raeghann – Sorry, here ya go! Don't die please.

IrishStorm – Thanks I'm glad you like it. :D

WolfxAngel – We'll see ;D

Elyse – I think it's safe to say it IS Sassy, but she may have help.

QuietOne364 – Thank you, glad you like it.

EtoileBrilliant – Heh yes I realize I made Riot sort of a doofus in the last chapter which wasn't my intent at all. She does manage to get herself into a lot of trouble though doesn't she.

Dimonah Tralon – I'm glad you liked your character. Yeah Spot's pretty quick, sometimes too quick. He always struck me as someone who was always thinking and plotting whenever I watched Newsies.