A/N: Sorry I was gone so long everyone. I was on vacation. But I'm back now!
In response to your reviews...
Guestanewone: I'm glad you liked it. More is on its way!
NightWish373: Hahaha, yeah, Medda is awesome.
Jean-Moddalle: As always, thank you very much :)
Viola: Racetrack is in this chapter, don't you worry! I'm so glad you liked Kid! I'm not so great at writing girl talk and I wasn't exactly sure where that conversation should go because Rois hasn't had a prominent female figure in her life since her mother and that was a while ago. So its more Medda noticing things about her while Rois is a little closed off but her usual sweet/sarcastic self.
Jaywing25: I love you enthusiasm! It makes my life! Your reviews always make me laugh :) They're getting super close, but both have never really had a relationship like this before so neither are really aware of where its heading, but both have a couple ideas and hops for where they want it to go. I'm so glad you love it! Let me know what you think of this chapter.
Succulentie: It was your favorite chapter!? That's awesome, thank you. I'm glad you love the protective/fun/teasing aspect of their relationship. I really just feel that if your going to be with someone, you need to be able to be yourself and have fun with them. Rois and Spot, despite all their hardships and responsibilities, are just kids and they need to be able to feel like it every once in a while. She's adamant that she can take care of herself, but Spot's protectiveness is going to get the better of them sometimes as it already has. He cares about her, and Spot isn't used to caring about girls, so that might come into play as well. As for Czech, I was thinking about doing a little one-shot for you about him or from his point of view about things in Brooklyn. Anyway, let me know what you think of this chapter.
Emmalicious: Medda is back in this chapter my friend!
FluffyMarshmallows: Ohmygosh, your review was so sweet! Welcome to the group! I update sporadically, but I do update as often as I am able. I try to respond to all reviews but I appreciate everyone who takes teh time to stop and tell me what they think. Its super encouraging and makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. So stick with me! BTW, Your username is adorable :)
"We have a lot to talk about you and I."
"Hmm… let's see what we have," she said, her voice strangely musical as she flipped through the dresses hanging from the racks. Rois nodded dumbly, still amazed by the extravagance of their surroundings. Most dresses were flashy and short, covered in rhinestones and glitter. The various chairs around the room were fancy and new with large plush cushions and golden trim. In the corner was a large intricately designed dressing screen.
She was amazed.
Medda smiled at her softly, watching as the girl Spot had brought finally relaxed. The stiff posture she'd been sporting giving way to a more relaxed curve of her spine as she tentatively reached out, soft and gentle, an almost childlike smile gracing her delicate features as her fingers grazed the velveteen dresses her girls used in the Christmas extravaganza.
Medda watched the girl. There was a stiffness to her, an alertness not seen in people who hadn't had to fight through the worst aspects of life. She was sweet, if a bit quiet. Her hair was unusually short and unevenly cut, just an inch or so above her shoulders. Her hands were red and raw like most working-girls' but they lacked the blackened tint and ink-stains of her newsie friends. When the girl picked up on Medda watching her, she lifted her eyes and stared directly back at her, steel in her eyes..
She wondered where Spot had picked her up. He wasn't known for keeping girls around, though they never seemed to linger far from him either. He was a handsome kid after all, with those fierce blue eyes and that silver tongue.
She could see how this one was different, how she might have caught his eye. She was sharp eyes and steel wrapped in a pretty package. "I've never seen so much pink in one place," the girl laughed, catching Medda's eyes on her. A very pretty sweet package.
The singer smiled, and looked at her. "Violet," Medda said with a strong nod.
"What?" her eyebrows furrowed.
"It's your color, darling," Medda smiled, holding up a deep purple skirt. "Or," she thought, "maybe red?"
Minutes later she had three dresses and four skirts with matching blouses piled in her arms as Medda ushered her behind the dressing screen to try each of them on so that she could see.
Racetrack whistled as Spot strode into Tibby's diner. The newsie King only smirked sauntering over to the cluster of Manhattan newsies with his usual swagger.
"To what do I owe the pleasa'?" Race joked, taking his hat off in a mock bow. He wasn't a tall boy. Clocking in at about Spot's height, but he was stockier, more broad shouldered with short dark hair that curled under his hat and brown eyes. He was famous for spending every spare penny at the sheepshead races, losing every bet he could manage.
Spot inclined his head slightly in reciprocation. "I was in the neighborhood," he answered smoothly, sliding the booth aside Racetrack and Skittery. Mush and Crutchy were spaced out on the opposite corner of the booth fighting over the couple fries in the basket in the middle of the table.
Cowboy sat next to them, nudging Crutchy over a bit to create space. He was missing his usual red bandana tied around his neck. "Glad ya could join us," the brown-eye borough leader grinned.
Kid Blink snorted, leaning over the top of the booth by Jack's head as he looked at Spot, "That's some jiggery-pokery, right there," he laughed.
Kid had a big mouth.
And a small brain if the grin that spread over his face as Spot's freezing eyes settled threateningly on him was any indication. "Came strolling into town with a pretty lil' skirt on his arm. Funny too. What accent did she have, by the way? Was'at irish? Sounded different."
"'Ey, Blink," Race laughed, "Might wanna shut your trap 'fore Conlon shuts it for ya."
Blink gulped as the table burst into raucous laughter. Spot smiled slightly. The Manhattan boys were a breath of fresh air sometimes, a little less rough than his Brooklynites and always up for a laugh. They were wild and unkempt, no order or rules to speak of. He wanted that sometimes.
Others, he couldn't stand the chaos. Jack was their friend before he was their leader and the kind of chaos that let loose simply couldn't be allowed in Brooklyn. And Spot loved Brooklyn, no matter how harsh the streets or the people
It only made them tougher, smarter, stronger.
Brooklyn was home. Brooklyn was him. He couldn't imagine leaving.
"What'cha say, Spot," Jack grinned, spinning his glass of water in his ink-stained hand. "Who is she?"
"Calm yourselves," Spot replied coolly. "Her little brother's one a' my newsies. I was just walkin' 'er ta Medda's- they're playin' dress-up for the mornin'."
"Gotta new showgirl ta look forward too?" Racetrack grinned hopefully.
Spot fixed him with a look and said shortly, "No." The fact that their interest angered him so much was a clear indicator he had gotten much too close to the girl than was good for him.
"Oooo, that touched a nerve," the half-italian, half-irish, but all-american almost giggled into his glass of water. It took Spot a lot of effort not to roll his eyes at the gambler.
"How long ya stayin'?" Jack asked.
"Few hours," Spot shrugged indifferently. "Gotta be back for the evenin' edition."
"Brooklynites need a babysitta'?" Jack teased. Spot made his boys nervous, all except Racetrack and Kid Blink, at least, but he knew Spot better than most. They took up leadership around the same time, albeit under very different circumstances. Both had done their time in the refuge. Similar ghosts chased after their heels, so despite their differences, their many differences, they were friends of a sort, tentative allies.
Spot didn't rise to the bait, "Nah, but the goil does."
She didn't, but it made the Manhattan boys laugh and the less they knew about his lil' irish girl meant the less the other boroughs knew, and that'd keep her safe.
"Legs and Bait still runnin' 'round for youse?" The Manhattan boys were particularly fond of his youngest newsies. Manhattan was their most common run, seeing as the manhattan boys rarely fought. They were good-timers, antagonizers, hit-and-runners. They didn't hold a guy down and keep him there like Brooklyn or Queens. Spot supposed they were just nicer.
Out of all the kids, Legs and Bait were here most often, running messages to Jack and Race. Spot nodded.
"Send the little bugger back once in while, will ya?" Skittery asked in his usual grumpy manner, "The kid cleaned me outta marbles an' I need 'em back."
"'E beat ya fair and square, Skitts," Mush teased.
"Fair and Square, my ass, Mush."
"Legs didn't cheat," Race said as if the mere idea was preposterous.
"Comin' from the cheata' 'imself!" Skittery laughed loudly, the others joining in even as Race loudly defended himself over the jingle of their voices.
Maybe, just maybe Spot missed the Manhattan boys a little when he was in Brooklyn. Just maybe.