Only Time Will Tell
A Newsies Fanfiction by xFlipperx
Disclaimer: I do not own Newsies or any of the characters affiliated with the title, movie, plot, etc…

Chapter Thirty-Seven: You Got It, You Got It

Rookie had walked this road so many times -often under the cover of darkness- and yet she felt lost. She couldn't keep her fingers from playing with her hair, and she glanced over her shoulder every few steps. She moved with a usual haste, but often had to slow to take deep gulps of air. For whatever reason, she was overcome with emotion, on the verge of tears.

Was she doing the right thing? She wasn't sure. What would the Manhattan Newsboys think when they return to find her gone? How would Suave react when he found the note she left him?

No. She couldn't think about him. She couldn't care what he did.

But the others…She cared about them. She cared what they thought and how they reacted. She wanted so badly to turn around and walk straight back to the Lodging House. But she knew that she needed to get away for a few days. It was for her own good, and maybe one day the Manhattan newsboys would know exactly where she was and why. At least she had gotten to Jack first.

-Earlier that Evening-

"Cowboy thank goodness I found you…I need to talk to you alone."

Rookie was hoping that Jack would be one of the first newsies she saw. Unfortunately she had already passed Kid Blink, Racetrack, Bumlets and Mush, and she was agonizing over leaving what she now knew as her home behind. As she searched the streets for the Leader of Manhattan, she seriously considered staying within the bounds of what she considered 'the safety of Manhattan'. But as soon as she saw Cowboy, she remembered that she would return to the 'safety of Spot Conlon'.

"What's up, Rook?" Jack asked once he had pulled her aside.

"I just wanted to let you know that I'm leaving—oh gosh not forever, just for the weekend."

Jack looked at her reproachfully. "Wheah y'goin?" he asked her.

Rookie bit her lip and then replied: "To South Carolina. I'm hopping a train tonight, and I'll be back Monday."

"Why the hell areya goin' to South Carolina?" was Jack replied.

"I've been having trouble sleeping," Rookie replied, which wasn't a complete lie. "All these crazy dreams…I've just got to go back and make some peace."

"And you'll be back on Monday?" Jack clarified.

"Monday evening," Daisy said specifically. "I'll leave tonight, get there tomorrow afternoon. I know a few newsies down there, so I'll stay with them. Sunday morning I'll do what I have to do, then be on the evening train back here."

"Suave going with ya?"

"No, he doesn't even know that I'm going. But he knew that I've been feeling this way. I'm going to leave him a note. It's only a few days."

"Is everythin' all right between you two?" Jack looked at Rookie, who adverted her eyes and shrugged."

"It's been a little rocky," she admitted. "I think a little time away will do us good."

"As long as your back Monday evening." Jack's voice was firm. He was not being her friend with this statement. He was being the leader of the Manhattan newsies. Rookie nodded fervently, but Jack continued: "Any lata' than that wit-out a good excuse…and ya won't be welcome."

"I understand…you'll tell the boys?"

Jack nodded.

"And if I write a note to give to Suave, will you give it to him?"

Once again, the leader nodded.

From there, Rookie went quickly to packing. She grabbed mostly things she could put in her pockets, like her slingshot and the money she had been saving. She also grabbed her "Wizard of Oz" book. She was positive she wouldn't be selling with the Brooklyn newsies, so she might as well have something productive to do. She almost forgot her nightdress, and for a moment she didn't know what to do with it or how to carry it around. So she decided to wrap it around her book and carry it in-hand.

Rookie's note to Suave was short and very to-the-point. She told him exactly what she had told Cowboy and signed her name at the bottom. Nothing more, only what she considered Suave 'needed to know'. She walked over to Jack—who was waiting at the door of the bunkroom as a sentry on the lookout for the others—and handed the note to him.

"Thank you for this, Cowboy," she told him with a smile. "I really, really, appreciate it."

"Just be back Monday."

"I will."

"An' be careful, don't get inta any trouble, all right?"

Rookie nodded and shook Jack's hand. The last thing she did before she left was attach the leather leash she had gotten from her mother onto Bear's rope collar. She had grown out of her leather one earlier that month.

She thanked Jack one more time, promised him that she would be back on Monday, and then left. For Brooklyn.

Rookie sighed as she made her way into Brooklyn. Now, she was on the lookout. She had to be especially wary for Echo. She imagined that Spot had told his newsies about his visitor, but she couldn't be sure of how some of them would react. So she kept her head up and her tearing eyes peeled. She tightened her hold on Bear's leash and brought the dog closer to her body.

"Tiga!" Spot seemed to come out of nowhere, from behind some alleyway. He approached her. When he saw the tears shining against her cheeks, he took her hand and smiled at her. "Yoah heah now, you're safe."

Rookie smiled at him and nodded her head. "I hope so."

"Hey, when has I evah steahed ya wrong?"

Rookie looked up at him and he shook his head. "Foggetabout that," he told her, and then squeezed her hand. "Now c'mon, ya gotta be tired."

"Exhausted."

The two walked to the Brooklyn Lodging House slowly. They walked close together, with their shoulders constantly bumping into each other. Every time they did, Rookie smiled just a bit. She felt so safe with spot, and any physical contact with him affirmed that feeling.

When they reached the Lodging House, there was no one outside, and they met no one on their way to Spot's bedroom. "I told 'em to give us some space," Spot explained as he opened his door. "So's ya wouldn't feel uncomfortable, all right?" Rookie nodded and thanked him. "Ya probably need some sleep, right?"

Rookie nodded her head. "Anywhere I can change?"

Spot smirked. "Oh Tige, I won't look." Rookie was incredulous.

"My batroom is right theah, I was only messin' wit-ya. You can take a showa if ya need to."

Rookie glared at Spot and shook her head. She unwrapped The Wizard of Oz from her nightgown and then slipped into what Spot called his bathroom. It was a tiny, five-by-five-foot closet with a standing shower and a toilet. Closing the door behind her only made her feel claustrophobic, and the tiny shower didn't make her feel any better.

She stripped down and turned on the water. It was freezing cold, but felt good in contrast to the extreme heat of the summer day. Originally, she was only going to run her hair through with water to get the oil, but she discovered a small ledge with a bar of soap on it. She picked it up and sniffed it.

Lavender? She thought to herself with a smile. Spot uses lavender soap? Well, she knew Spot liked to live in the lap of luxury, or at least pretend like he did. She ran her hands over a few times until it lathered, and then ran her soaped fingers through her hair. She washed off all the suds left on the soap and replaced it back on the ledge.

After the soap was rinsed out of her hair and she had pulled out every knot, Rookie turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. She looked around but did not find a towel so used her shirt to dab herself dry. She then wrung out her hair in the shower and shook out as much loose water until it was only damp. The claustrophobia was setting in, so she quickly braided her hair and slipped into her nightdress.

When she walked out of the bathroom-closet, she quickly surveyed the room while Spot stared outside the window. There was only one bed.

Oh God, Daisy thought to herself. This is going to be…interesting at the least.

"Tiga ya look like a goil!" Spot declared when he had turned around. Rookie looked to him and glared, throwing one of her shoes at his head. Spot moved a step to the side and caught it with the hand that wasn't grasping his cane.

Rookie sighed and looked down at her damp shirt. "Anywhere I can hang this?" she asked. "I kind of used it as a towel…"

Spot chuckled. "Ya coulda pokedya head out and asked me foah one." Rookie didn't reply, she just shrugged. Spot looked around the room briefly. "Ya can hang it over the bed post."

Rookie did just that, and then turned and faced Spot. "Thanks again…I need this."

"I know," Spot replied. He paused and watched Rookie try to stifle a yawn. "All right, it's time foah you ta get some shut-eye. I's only got one bed but ya can sleep on one side, I'll sleep on the otha and the dog can sleep in the middle."

Rookie nodded and walked over to the bed. "Which side do you prefer?" she asked him.

"Yoah the guest."

Rookie picked the side closest to the wall, and then had Bear jump up next to her. Spot walked over to the bed. Rookie felt so odd looking up at him, knowing that he would join her in bed. Her heart raced, and she watched anxiously as Spot climbed in besides Bear.

"Night Tiga," Spot said quietly. He reached his hand over the pup, extending it to Rookie.

Rookie took his hand and squeezed it. "Night, Spot. And thanks…for everything."

"Sleep good, we's gotta a big day tomarra."

Big day? Rookie thought to herself as she let of Spot's hand and placed it on Bear. What does that even mean?

"Already asleep?" Spot asked.

"Oh, no," Rookie quickly replied. "Sweet dreams, Spot. See you in the morning."

Author's Note:

Ahhhh-hahaha…..I am SO sorry it's taken forever to update. I do have a good excuse though. My summer was filled to the brim. There were vacations, and I had shoulder surgery, and then when school started, ahh I've been focusing on senior year, you know? So I kind of lost interest but I believe now I'm back and I'm going to try and update as much as possible.

Thank you to every reviewer and 'favorite author'-er and 'favorite story'er and 'story' and 'author update'-er. You have no idea how much I appreciate you guys. This fanfiction wouldn't exist without you guys.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Title = "You Got It, You Got It" by Paramore

Always,
Flipper