David wasn't sure what had woken him so he froze for a moment, his eyes searching the pitch black room around him as he tried to put his finger on the sound he'd heard. The truth was he'd always been a light sleeper and the hardwood floor beneath him certainly wasn't helping matters any. Race seemed content enough to stuff his waistcoat up under his head and was out like a light but David was only able to catch sleep in fits and starts.

"Race," David whispered. He shook the sleeping form beside him. "Race!"

"What the hell, Dave?"

"Did you hear that?"

"Rats," Race mumbled as he turned over, clearly irritated at having his sleep interrupted.

"What?" David asked as he drew his knees up closer to his chest.

"Rats," Race repeated. "The place is crawling with 'em."

David listened carefully and heard the distinct sound of a conversation but he wasn't really sure about pushing the issue further with Race. David strained to hear over the sound of his own heart beating rapidly in his chest and was only able to make out a few scuffling noises followed by a distinct thump and then there was only silence.

"Let it go," Race warned. His voice was both cold and deadly serious. David figured it was decent advice but if he could easily let things go he wouldn't be in his current predicament.

It had started at the very beginning when David could have easily let Jack Kelly's questions about unions and strikes go unanswered but he hadn't. David had always had a pressing need to understand, to discover the logical conclusions, or least to question the authority of those who used their power for harm. Which was why he and Race were still in Brooklyn hours after Spot Conlon had returned and why he was laying in the dark, trying to understand everything that had happened earlier that day.


Seeing as how it was only his second time in Brooklyn, David hadn't yet learned how to deal with Spot and he was a small bit relieved to see that he wasn't the only one who seemed nervous. Tay had her fingers clenched tightly onto the crossbar she was seated on and her face was pale, causing the bruised places on her skin to stand out. Tay's eyes were bright with anger but there was something else, something about the look on her face that made David think she was almost relieved to see Spot approaching.

"Heard you was having a party," Spot said casually, his gaze focused strictly on Tay. David could have sworn he could hear the air between Tay and Spot crackle when their eyes met. "Bit rude, ain't it, doll? Celebrating before you even know how it turned out?"

"We weren't celebrating," David pointed out. "If anything, Tay actually seemed worried about you."

"Oh, yeah?" Spot asked without giving David a second glance. Before David could even comprehend what was going on Spot had Tay pressed up against one of the pilings with the tip of a knife at her throat. Race had taken a small step forward but stopped dead as Tay drew in a sharp breath when Spot pressed the knife closer to her skin. David remained frozen in place, unsure of what to do or even what to think. Spot's eyes were like two pieces of ice and although David had always been uneasy about Spot as a person, he truly understood in that moment why Spot was one of the most feared newsies in the city.

"You think I'm playing games, doll?" Spot asked.

"Spot," Race said carefully.

"This ain't your fight, Race," Tay told him without moving a muscle.

"She wants to play a game, Higgins," Spot replied without taking his eyes off of Tay. "Ain't that right, doll? So how's your friend gonna get you outta this one? Or maybe I oughta let Mouth decide instead, what do you think?"

"Stop it," Tay said quietly "Just let them both go home."

"You was the one who invited them here, doll."

"She really didn't invite us here," David tried to point out. "To be honest, Tay didn't even want us to bring her back to Brooklyn." David caught Race shaking his head out of the corner of his eye and fell silent.

"Imagine that," Spot scorned. "Since you two got so close earlier I tell you what I'm gonna do. It's your lucky day, Mouth. You get to be the one in charge for once. See, we got rules in Brooklyn and when a rule gets broken, someone has to pay. So, who's it gonna be? You or her?" Spot pocketed the knife but there was no sense of relief from the tension that had built from the moment he'd returned to the waterfront. David glanced back over at Racetrack but neither boy seemed to know what the next step should be. Tay hung her head down, appearing resigned to whatever fate was about to deal her.

It was so absurd that for a moment David felt he was watching a play or that he was dreaming. Was he really there? Standing on some dock in Brooklyn and being asked to decide the fate of some girl he'd only met a few hours before?

"What about Race?" David asked stupidly. He felt as though a fog had descended on his brain and his thoughts were so addled he didn't realize how dumb the question was until he heard himself ask it.

"He already had that part taken care of by Finn," Tay explained. She glanced over at David. "Just tell him you choose me."

"But you didn't do anything wrong," David argued. "And neither did we so whatever this rule is, we didn't break it." David was growing more flustered by the minute and he couldn't believe how Race was simply standing there, letting it all happen. The fact was he had no idea what Spot had in mind for either one of them and he was pretty sure that he wouldn't handle it well no matter what. But being forced to choose Tay and admit his own cowardice in one breath was too much to think about. He was beginning to better understand why Tay had claimed running was easier than dealing with Spot.

"Tay's right, Dave," Race said as he pulled David off to one side by his shirtsleeve. "This ain't our fight."

"What?" David asked. "Look, I don't even know what is going on but whatever it is, it isn't right to just let her face him alone. How can you watch this and not even say anything?"

"She chose this life." David was stunned by Race's ambivalence and couldn't quite grasp the idea that Race would willingly let Tay sacrifice herself.

"Let's go, Mouth, I ain't got all night. Tick, tock." The words hung in the air as David panicked while trying to come up with a better solution to a problem he wasn't even sure he understood.

"You made your mind up the minute you heard I left and the only one who don't know it is Jacobs. If you're so fucking interested in rules, then the person who broke the rule should pay and that's me," Tay spoke up.

As Spot turned back toward Tay the edges of his mouth curled up into a smirk, so sharp and dangerous that it reminded David of stories about wolves and innocent children who strayed too far into the woods.

"Ain't I taught you that it's rude to interrupt, doll?"

"Add it to the list," Tay answered. Seeing the way Spot looked at Tay caused David to panic and volunteer for something he would have never dreamed of.

"I'll pay," David interjected. He spit in his hand and stuck it out. "Deal?"

"No," Tay said forcefully as she stepped between David and Spot. Before David could protest she turned to face Spot. "I'm sorry, okay? Whatever it is this time, I'll do it. Just please leave him out of this."

"Gotta say I'm impressed." Spot reached up and carefully brushed a lock of hair out of Tay's eyes. Her gaze was unwavering but David noticed she flinched when Spot's fingers grazed across her cheek. "You must have shown him one hell of a good time 'cause I didn't think he'd even think about it. Maybe Kieran had the right idea."

If it was possible for someone to look more broken-hearted than Tay in that moment, David had never seen it. David managed to catch a glimpse of the tears that had begun to run down Tay's face just before she stormed away with Spot following close behind. David turned toward Race but the other boy was staring up into the night sky and seemingly ignoring the whole situation.

"I told you," Race said without looking at David. "That ain't our fight."


"Why does he call her doll?"

Race sighed deeply as though he seemed to be giving up on the idea of getting any rest that evening. "It's just a nickname."

"Why does she stay?" The silence following the question was so long and drawn out that David almost repeated himself. David heard the rustling of material as Racetrack shifted the waistcoat he was using as a pillow before settling back down.

"She's in love with him," Race finally explained in a defeated voice. David was a bit stunned to hear Race's answer. It was just too foreign an idea to even think about anyone loving Spot Conlon. A door slammed shut and interrupted David's train of thought. He almost immediately dismissed Race's advice and sat up straight, peering into the dark to see if he could discover anything. A darker shadow moved through the room, sidestepping the sleeping figures scattered over the floor. David's curiosity led him to follow the figure out into the night air and down below the docks to where he saw Tay run straight toward the water's edge before she stopped. Her breathing was ragged and though he wasn't sure she was crying it was clear she was upset. David felt a bit ashamed at himself for daring to eavesdrop on such a private moment. The moonlight caused an eerie glow over the rocky shore and David tried to stay within the shadows to avoid detection as he watched Tay pace back and forth. After a few moments her breathing grew calmer and she stared out over the river before dropping down to the ground, sitting cross-legged and drawing lines in the sand with the tips of her fingers.

"I know you're there," Tay said suddenly and David nearly swallowed his tongue in surprise. He was about to step forward when he saw a second person emerge from the shadows. As Spot took a seat beside Tay David noticed he gathered the loose ends of Tay's hair ribbon in his hand. Spot twisted the material between his fingers in what may have seemed like a nervous gesture if it had been anyone else. Tay dropped her head down and drew her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around herself. She looked so small and defeated that David began to further regret not stepping up for her earlier.

"I'm sorry." If David was surprised before, it was nothing compared to what he felt when he heard those words come out of Spot Conlon's mouth. Part of him wanted to run and wake Racetrack just so he could have a witness to the unimaginable. David realized he'd underestimated Tay. The pieces of their relationship were beginning to click into place although David had to admit it was still appeared to be a convoluted mess from the outside. Long minutes seemed to tick by until Tay raised her head up and looked straight at Spot.

"Good. If you ever say anything like that about Kier to me again, you're gonna find me the exact same place you found your mother," Tay told him.

David tried to process the new information but his head spun. It was kind of difficult to imagine Spot in any kind of family situation and David was well-aware of certain rumors that suggested Spot had simply appeared one day, born out of the streets of Brooklyn like some kind of god or demon depending on your perspective. Finding out that Spot had a mother was almost as interesting as finding out that Tay knew enough about Spot to use it against him. His stomach turned as he imagined how Spot would react to Tay's statement and he regretted not heeding Race's advice. He certainly didn't want another repeat of the events from earlier that evening.

"You threatening me?" Spot asked. His hand fell back to his side and David noticed there was something off about the question. It was almost as though Spot wasn't angry about the threat, but instead was intrigued.

"Yes," Tay admitted quietly.

"Well ain't you just full of surprises lately." Spot reached up and held Tay's chin in his hand, staring evenly into her eyes. "Tell me something, doll. How are you gonna drown yourself when you're terrified of water?"

"I'm not scared," Tay answered shakily. She got to her feet and faced the river defiantly. The waves lapped against her bare feet as she slowly stepped closer, staring out steadily over to the city lights of Manhattan as she walked. By the time the water reached her calves Tay's whole body was visibly shaking. At first it seemed that Spot wasn't going to do anything and David felt an inclination to go running after Tay.

"Anna," Spot said in a low voice. "Stop this."

Tay didn't turn but instead took another small step forward, causing Spot to rise to his feet rapidly and wade in after her. Spot pulled her back against him, his arms wrapped around her as Tay slumped forward, her body racked by tears. Spot half-carried her back toward the edge of the water and collapsed alongside her as he was still holding her tightly.

"You said you wouldn't," Tay said accusingly. "You promised me." Her arms broke free of Spot's hold and she began striking at his shoulders and chest. "Why are you like this? Do you know how much I hate you?"

"I know," Spot answered as he let Tay's rage rain upon him. They were mostly glancing blows but Spot didn't try to stop her or defend himself in any way. Tay eventually exhausted herself and knelt in the wet sand, staring down at her hands.

"I thought they were going to kill you," Tay admitted.

"I know," Spot said again. He covered Tay's hands with his own and rubbed gently at the tips of her fingers.

"I can't watch you do this anymore. How much blood are you gonna shed for this stupid city?"

"Do you really want to me to answer that?"

"No," Tay breathed. She brought her gaze level with Spot's before astonishing David by reaching over and pulling Spot to her by his collar. There was the briefest hesitation before Tay kissed Spot forcefully, holding on to him as if for dear life. Only a moment before she'd been expressing her hatred and rage but David was beginning to get the idea that Tay and Spot's relationship often bounced between love and hate with no concern about how it appeared to those on the outside. Suddenly, Race's answer from earlier that evening made perfect sense. David made his solitary way back to the warehouse with his mind still reeling from all the things he'd seen and heard that day. At least it'd kept his mind off of the strike.