Ch. 3

After Jack was finished talking to Sarah, he came plodding down the stairs, a contented smile on his face.

"Must've been some kinda talk, Cowboy." Gospel said, grinning.

"Dat it was, Gospel, dat it was." They started on their way back to the Manhattan lodging house and after awhile Jack questioned, "So, what'd ya wanna talk ta me about, Spot?"

"Nothin' Jacky-Boy."

Jack looked at him, a grin on his face, "Den why'd ya join us, Spot?" Jack asked, in exasperation.

Spot smiled, he enjoyed confusing Kelly, "Priss, got it right, I guess, Jack."

Jack smiled, "Ha! I knew it! Ain't dat sweet."

Spot shrugged, "You breathe a woid about it to anybody and I'll kill ya, Cowboy, an' dat ain't a threat. Besides, I'll get over it soon and dat'll be dat."

Jack shook his head softly, "I won't say a woid."

They reached the Lodging House and Jack broke off, "Well, good night fellas. See ya around, Spot."

Bite Size walked with him, "I'm stayin' in Manhattan for awhile, Jack."

Jack nodded, then looked to Spot, "What for?"

"I want her ta sell wid Glory. Look aftah her." Spot said softly.

Jack laughed, "Yeah, Spot, you'll get over it real soon."

The next day as Glorianna made her way down to Newspaper Alley with David she felt sad and bereft. Spot had left last night. She didn't realize how much she actually enjoyed seeing Spot everyday; teasing and picking and fighting with him had become second nature to her. His eyes, his hair, his smirk, all were second nature to her now, even though it had only been a little over a week. This fact made her feel all the more idiotic and depressed.

What was I thinking? Falling for Spot Conlon that way? Fact one, he hates me, fact two, he thinks I'm a rich, prissy, spoiled idiot, fact three, he's the most insufferably overbearing and egotistical boy I've ever met, fact four, he probably already has a girl or two, or three…. She sighed softly and then realized that David was talking to her, "Huh?"

"I said, what's the matter, Glori? You look like you lost your best friend."

"Oh, nothing, David. I'm fine. I'm just not a morning person, I guess…" She lied softly.

David knew it was something else, she was usually perfectly fine in the morning, but let it go. If she didn't want to talk about, he was going to make her. Besides, he figured he already knew what it was about and there wasn't really anything he could do to get Spot back to Manhattan.

As they reached the other Newsies, Glorianna felt a spark of hope. For there, standing with Jack and her brother, was Bite Size! Spot wouldn't leave without her would he? Certainly not. She began to scan the sea of faces for Spot, but sadly saw no trace of him.

"He ain't heah." A soft voice said. Bite Size had seen her come up, saw her scanning the crowd and figured she was looking for Spot. She had a theory that Glori felt the same way for Spot as he did for her, and she was going to test it.

She looked over and into Bite Sizes' soft, grass green eyes, "I…uh…who? What do you mean?" She stumbled.

"Spot, is who I mean. He ain't heah. He left las' night wid Gosp."

"Then why aren't you with them?" She asked, softly. Looking up at Jack and her brother who had come to stand with them.

"I needed a change a scenery for awhile," She lied smoothly. She figured Spot wouldn't want Glorianna to know the real reason, "I'm a liddle sick a Brooklyn an' all da guys dere. I figure'd maybe you and me could sell ta'gethah. I ain't never really been aroun' annuder goil before, 'cept a few nice ones dat sell in Brooklyn, an' all a Spot's goils." Truthfully, Bite Size preferred it that way, she wasn't much for socializing with females, they all looked down on her anyway, and most of the ones in Brooklyn were jealous of her relationship with Spot.

Glorianna smiled at her, feeling a bit better about the day then she had earlier, she wasn't one to stay down long, "Okay, Bite Size, that sounds good."

"Call me, Bites. Now, we need anudder name fer you. I mean, Glorianna is good an' all, but ya need a Newsie name. I mean, who knows when da fella's ya hidin' from may decide ta try an' find ya."

Kid Blink nodded, "Your right, Bites. I'se feel stupid fer not commin' up wid one before now. I guess it's jus' sorta hard ta get it t'rough dis head a mine, dat me sistah is a Newsie."

"How about, Violet?" Jack asked, "Cause a 'er eyes."

"How about, Sunshine?" Mush said, "Ya know, like 'er hair."

"Which one da you like, Glori?" Blink asked her.

"Well, I like both of them." Glorianna replied, though she didn't really think either fit her.

"Alright, den you can 'ave both a dem!" Blink exclaimed, "Sheesh…ya so spoiled." He teased.

She grinned at him, "Ahh….hush your mouth, Kid!"

"Alrigh, I like Sunshine, makes sense. Miss Sunny, ya sellin' wid me. We'll see da rest a you guys latah." Bite Size stated.

The two sold together in perfect harmony. Though they had very little in common, they enjoyed each other's company profusely. Bite Size had been a little skeptical at first. To her Glorianna seemed rich and prissy and a complete waste of time, but truthfully, Glorianna was smart and funny. Bite Size enjoyed talking to her about things and listening to her. She understood things that the guys just couldn't, because, well, they were guys.

Glorianna was happy with Bite Size as well. They had been selling together for two weeks and were having a wonderful time. They had quickly become the closest of friends. To Glorianna, Bite Size, was like the sister she had always wanted but never got and to Bite Size, Glorianna was the same.

The two were currently on their way back to Tibby's after a long day of selling when suddenly Bites stopped and stared, "What in da heck are dose two guys doin' back?" She growled menacingly.

"What two guys?" Glorianna asked softly.

"Damn Delancy bruddas. Shoot! I gotta tell Spot 'bout dis."

"Spot? Why?" Glorianna questioned softly.

"Never mind, come on, I don't want dem ta see us."

But it was too late, the much detested brothers were already on their way over. Bite Size's first instinct was to run. She should've listened to it.

"Well, well, well, if it ain't da mighty Spot Conlon's liddle lap dog, Bite Size," Oscar said.

"Yeah," Morris agreed, whistling twice in quick succession, "C'mere doggy!" He patted his hip with his hand, "You'se a good doggy, ain't'cha?!"

Bites remained silent, staring at them with unabashed hatred, her whole body stiff.

"And who's dis ya got wid ya?" Morris asked, starting to walk towards Glori who stood a bit behind Bites.

Glorianna backed away one step, but then her natural pride and bravado struck in and she stood firmly, "Who are you and what do you want?" She asked in a loud voice.

"Aw…listen ta dat, Osca'h, she don't know who we is?"

"Is dat so? Well, maybe we could give 'er a special introduction." Oscar answered, grinning menacingly.

"You stay away from 'er!" Bite Size growled.

"Oh…and what are you gonna do about it, Lap Dog?" Morris asked, grabbing the girl's shoulder.

"Hey!" Glorianna yelled, moving towards Morris.

"Not so fast, goily!" Oscar said, grinning as he grabbed her around the waist. She began struggling instantly, kicking and scratching and squirming.

"We's need a liddle privacy," Morris growled, as he and Oscar dragged the struggling, writhing girls into the nearby alley.

Glori bit Oscar's hand and he backhanded her. Glori's whole head went dizzy and she saw stars. He backhanded her again, then two more times. It was hard for her to stay focused. Somewhere in the background she could hear Bites screeching obscenities and the sound of struggling, but her head felt fuzzy and thick.

She felt herself being shoved to the ground and felt the cold, evening air brush her chest as her shirt was ripped open, then reality became all too clear.

She let out an animal-like scream and began twisting and kicking. She landed a good one in the side of Oscar's chest, but he shrugged it off easily and hit her again, this time with his fist. She almost blanked out right then and there…maybe it would've been better if she had. For he now held her small, delicate wrists in one hand and reaching the other hand over to grope and squeeze her now bare chest.

The feel of his hand there was the most violating feeling Glorianna could ever remember and she let out a cry of pain and humiliation.

"How does it feel, brother?" Morris asked, laughing. He had one hand around Bite Size's mouth and the other was around her waist. She continued to struggle and kick at him, to bite at his hand, but none of these actions helped. She just wasn't big enough or strong enough. However, when it finally struck through her mind just what it was that Oscar was planning to do to her new friend, she felt a surge of strength, she couldn't let him do that to Glori. Spot would never forgive her. She slammed her foot down hard on Morris' and then twisted her body around quickly so that she was facing him. She kneed up quickly, just as Spot had always taught her, and got Morris where the "sun don't shine".

As he bellowed in outraged pain she ran full force and knocked Oscar off of Glorianna. Oscar swung hard then and punched her square in the cheek. She felt to the ground with a soft thud.

Glorianna struggled to her feet, her head fuzzy and throbbing, one eye starting to swell, her lip bleeding, her shirt ripped open, and her pants half falling down. She picked up a large board that was lying on the alley floor and held it like a baseball bat,

"If you make one more move towards either of us, you shall regret it." She growled

At that moment, with that look in her eye, the two brothers knew she meant it, with a cocky grin Oscar said, "We'll finish what we stahted latah Sweet Thing." Then the two took off.

Glorianna slumped to the ground, dropping the board to her side. Bite Size crawled over to her and threw her arms around Glori's slumped form, "I'm so sorry!" She cried softly.

Glorianna shook her head, "No, no, Bites…it's not…it's not….your fault." She whispered, then fell back down to the ground in an unconscious heap.

Bites gave a soft cry of alarm and pushed Glori over on to her back. She quickly tied the two halves of her shirt front together and pulled her pants back up. She tried to wake her, but it wasn't happening. Glorianna was blacked out; dead to the world.

Bite Size dragged her to the corner and covered her with broken boards, "I'll be right back," she whispered softly to Glorianna's prone form, then stood slowly, her own cheek throbbing and ran to the front of the alley. She looked around, scanning for someone she knew, anyone who could help. The street was mostly empty; the sun was setting. She ran out and turned the corner, they were close to Central Park and she remembered Jack mentioning selling there today.

When she got there she saw him and Davey laughing and talking.

"JACK!!!" She screamed hysterically, "IT'S SUNNY!!"

Jack didn't need any more prompting, he quickly ran after Bites to the alley, Dave following.

"Who did dis?" Jack asked angrily. His eyes were hard and full of anger, his lips tight.

"Da Delancy Bruddah's." Bites answered softly. She was feeling guilty and worried. Spot had asked her to look after Glorianna and look how well she did it.

"I thought they left…" David said softly.

"Well, apparently dey's back." Bite Size huffed.

Once at the lodging house, Jack carried Glorianna up to the room and laid her on a bunk, "David, go get Kloppman an' tell 'im what happened." Specs, Bumlets, Boots, and Itey were also in the room.

"Specs, Bums, you go find Kid Blink an' bring 'im ovah heah. Boots, Itey, I want you'se two to run ta Brooklyn an' fetch Spot." (Fetch…Spot?…hmm…hehehe, uh…no pun intended, of course…)

Specs and Bumlets ran down the stairs to find Kid Blink, as did Boots and Itey; for once neither objected going to Brooklyn.

Kloppman came up and doctored Glorianna's face, cleaning the blood off, while Jack had Bite Size retell the story piece by piece.

About fifteen minutes later Specs and Bumletts arrived with Kid Blink and Mush.

"Aw, geez! Glori!" Blink moaned softly when he saw her, and sat by her side on the bed.

"Is she gonna be okay, Jack?" He asked, his voice full of sorrow.

"'S'far as I know…"

"Way ta reassure us, Jack." Bite Size mumbled.

Blink turned to Bite Size who was looking at the floor, "They hurt you too, sprout?" He asked softly, though anger resonated in every inch of his face, and the flat, harsh sound of his usually jovial voice.

She nodded slowly, looking up at him, "I tried ta help 'er, Kid, honest…" She said softly, her eyes tearing.

"Aw, Bites, I knows ya did, I knows." Kid Blink answered softly, taking her into his arms and hugging her gently. He released her slowly and turned to his sister, "It's gonna be okay, Sis…" He said softly, his tone gentling.

"Yeah, an' we'll take care of dose Deleancies for ya…" Mush growled in uncharacteristic ferociousness.

"You bedda believe it…"

They sat and watched over her for the next forty-five minutes or so, talking softly amongst themselves. Boys came in and out, checking on her, and then leaving to eat and take care of other things. It had been silent in the room for a good five minutes, everyone lost in their thoughts, when they heard a loud clamoring up the steps to the bedroom, "Awright, what in da hell happened!" Spot said angrily as he entered the room, "I 'ave Itey and Boots heah, tellin' me dat Priss' an' Bites 'ave been messed up an' I…" He stopped suddenly as he saw them. Bite Size's face had darkened and swelled and bruises were showing up on her arms and neck. Glorianna lay in the bed, her face swollen and bruised horridly, her ripped shirt tied in the middle. He knew instantly what the Delancies had tried to do to her.

He made a growling sound in the back of his throat and closed his eyes for a minute to gain control. The guys looked at him and then at each other strangely for they had never seen Spot this upset.

"Bites, are you okay?" He asked finally, opening his eyes, which were glittering in an angry, cold and dark, blue gray brilliance.

"Yeah…I'se fine…" She said softly. Her voice cracking, "I'se so sorry, Spot!" She wailed suddenly, "I knows what ya wanted me ta do, an' I failed, I'se so SORRY!!" She began to cry hysterically and Spot took her into his arms, "Ahh, Bites…." He whispered softly into her hair and cradled her in his lap. He looked up at the other guys in the room, "Fella's, can I have a moment alone wid, Bites. You guys'es look like ya could use somethin' ta eat anyway."

They all nodded and shuffled out of the room accordingly. Kid Blink was hesitant to leave his sister, but a look from Spot's hard eyes and the fact that he hadn't eaten all day was enough to convince him to leave his sister's side for a bit.

"Now, what's dis about you'se bein' sorry?" He asked, once her crying had stopped.

"Well, you'se told me to watch out aftah Glori an' I promised I would! An' look at what a fine job I'se did! She's all beat up an' Oscar Delany almost…" She couldn't finish the horrible phrase.

Spot squeezed his eyes shut, "Aww, Bites…dat ain't ya fault. None of it is! So stop blamin' ya'self. Dere woin't nothin' ya could do. Besides, in da end ya's got 'im off a her, right? Right."

She looked up at him, "You ain't mad at me?"

"A coise not! You ain't blamin' ya'self?"

She shook her head.

"Good." He looked over at Glori's still form and sighed, gently brushing a stray hair out of her face, "I'se gonna kill Oscar an' Morris fer dis…"

"Ya know, Spot, she really is a great goil." Bite Size said softly.

Spot grinned, "Yeah, I know."

"Well…then…" She said motioning towards her.

"Aw, Bites, leave it be, leave it be." He said softly, looking away from her.

Bite Size shook her head, "Ya think it's gonna go away, Spot, but it ain't. She's different from da rest of 'em and you know it. I don't see what da problem is or why ya's tryin' ta get ovah her so much…"

Spot shrugged, "Why don't'cha go ta Tibby's an' get somethin' ta eat, some ice for dose bruises..." He said, changing the subject and flipping a coin to her, "My treat."

Bite Size nodded and turned to leave, then with a last thought murmured, "It ain't gonna go away, Spot. We all saw da look on your face when you'se saw Glori layin' like dat. Feelin's like dose don't jus' go away, Spot…" She said, then went through the door and left.

Spot sighed and pulled the chair closer to Glori's bed, staring down at her still form, "I know dey ain't jus' gonna go away…but I'se still hopin'…" He whispered softly. He had been thinking about her a lot the last two weeks. In fact, she was practically all he thought about. He had pretty much fixed the problem with Rooster, but things were still shaky. However, that fact didn't stop him from trying to come up with excuses to visit Manhattan. He hadn't come up with one as of yet and his current reason for being there wasn't what he had had in mind.

He reached over and caressed her cheek softly. She made a soft whimper of pain and backed away from his hand. Spot sighed again and said softly, "Priss…wake up, Priss." She continued to lay in blissful unawareness.

Spot watched for a moment, his thoughts on what Bite Size had said to him. Why do ya try an deny it so much? Maybe she feels da same, Spot thought reasonably. Sure, maybe she does feel da same, but in da end she'll want a rich fella, jus' like ya Muddah did. Glori's too good fer you, she's used to a different life and eventually she'll want it back and dat means she'll want someone else.

Spot sighed once again, he didn't want to end up like his father. His father had worked himself to the death to try and make his mother happy, and how had she repaid him? She'd left him. She had been a Lady too, used to a better, higher way of life than Spot's father had been able to provide. She refused to work and Spot's father had tried so hard to please her; so had Spot. He remembered working in the sweatshops when he was real young, trying to earn enough so that his mother could have whatever she wanted. When she left both he and his father had realized it didn't matter how hard they worked for her, she would always look at them as lower class, even though they were her son and husband. She had said in the note that she was going back to Boston where she had fled from and that she would claim being a widow. She said that no one would want another man's son and that having Luke with her (Spot's real name…at least in this story J ) would make it hard for her to find a new, wealthy husband. The last thing she wrote had been her trade mark saying, "You want me to be happy, don't you?" Yeah, that's all he and his father had ever wanted, but no matter how hard they worked for her, it had never been enough.

He had wished then, like he had many times before, that he had left with his older brother, Sean, when he'd had the chance. Sean had left when Spot was real young and had offered to take him with him. Spot remembered how angry he had been at his brother, "How could ya jus' leave dad and ma like dat?" He had yelled. Sean had just shrugged his shoulders, "All Ma cares about is 'erself and all dad cares about is, Ma. But you an' me, Luke, we got each oder…dat's all we got…" He had been right, and Spot wished more than ever that he had taken Sean up on his offer. Than maybe he could have escaped all the pain and misery living with his folks had caused. At least it would have been four more years that he would've gotten to spend with his beloved older brother.

Glorianna blinked her eyes open and glanced slowly around her, feeling disorientated. She glanced over and saw Spot sitting in a chair next to the bed. He had his elbows resting on his knees and his hands hung between his legs. His expression was one of the saddest she had ever seen. She reached out her hand to him, wanting, in some deep part of her, to comfort him and make it so he never had a look that sad on his face again.

Spot felt a soft touch on his knee break him out of his reverie. He turned and found himself staring into the beautiful violet eyes that he was beginning to treasure so much.

They stared at each other for a long moment until Spot finally broke the silence, "Welcome back ta da land of da livin', Priss…" He said softly.

It all came streaming back to her and she let out a soft cry of alarm, sitting straight up in a quick, jerky motion, "Where's Bites?! Is she okay?! Where am I? What are you doing here?"

The action made her hastily tied shirt gape open. Spot looked away quickly, but not before he caught a glimpse of the beauty of her curved form, he also saw the bruises that marred the perfect, soft, alabaster flesh of her chest, and that made him even angrier.

Glorianna looked down and quickly pulled her shirt back together, feeling all the more humiliated. She laid back down and squeezed her eyes shut.

"Bites is okay, she's ovah at Tibby's wid da rest of da guys eatin' some dinnah. You're at da lodgin' house and I'm heah because dey went and got me cause a Bites. I had ta check on 'er." Spot said, ignoring the fact that it had been Glorianna they had said was in danger, not Bites, and that, much to his shame, he hadn't really even thought much of the fact that Bite Size was with her until he saw the sassy, tear stained orphan sitting by Glori's bedside.

Glorianna felt tears rise up and fall unheeded down her cheeks. As if her day hadn't been bad enough she needed yet another reminder that Spot cared nothing for her; he was only there for Bite Size.

"Aw, Glori, don't cry. I knows it must've been rough…"

"YOU KNOW?!" She cried angrily, "How would you know anything about it?! How would you know how it feels to have someone's hands on you…to. . . know that there isn't a thing you could do about it!! How would you know?!"

Spot turned quickly towards her in his chair, "Awright, awright, so I don't knows how it would feel! I'm sorry I said anythin'!"

Glorianna began to cry even harder and Spot felt like the biggest jerk alive. He quickly pulled her, and she came willingly, blanket and all, into his arms, allowing him to cradle her on his lap, "Shhh…shh….it's okay, it's gonna be okay, Glori. I won't let anyone hoit ya evah again. Evah, ya heah?" He whispered softly into her hair, "I'll kill dose damn Delancies for ya if dat's what you want…"

Glorianna sniffed softly and rested her head on his shoulder, "It was so awful, Spot! He was grabbing me and pulling at me and there was nothing I could do! I could hear Bites crying and yelling and I couldn't help her. I was so frightened!"

"I know, Glori, I know…" He whispered softly, kissing her temple lightly.

He rocked her in his lap for awhile, both of them silent, "You gonna be okay, Priss?" He asked softly.

"Yeah, I guess…" She whispered back, "Thanks, Spot."

He nodded and set her back on the bed gently. She pulled the blanket around her tightly and stared at him for a moment, "Why are you being so nice to me?" She asked softly.

He grinned at her, "Who knows, maybe I jus' got a soft spot for cryin' goils."

"Can I ask you something else?"

"Sure."

"Why did you look so sad earlier?"

He frowned a moment, his first reaction was to clam up, but then he glanced up at her eyes and decided to confide in her, "I dunno, I was thinking about me mudder an' stuff. I guess dat always makes me sad…"

"Oh…thinking about my mother makes me sad, too."

"Why's dat?"

"Well, she died when I was real young. I never really got a chance to talk with her, to learn about all the things that mothers are supposed to teach daughters. Mikey raised me, really."

"Yeah? My brudder kinda raised me too. How'd ya mudder die?"

"Giving birth to my baby brother. They both died." She said sadly.

Spot nodded again, but didn't comment.

"What about you? What happened to your Mother?"

Spot looked at the floor, "She took off when I was about nine, I ain't seen 'er since."

"Oh…I'm sorry."

"Why? It weren't your fault." He said in a defensive tone, he didn't want anyone pitying him, especially her.

"I know, I just…I sympathize…I know how hard it can be to lose a loved one."

"Yeah, well, she didn't love me, so I don't know why I even bodhered lovin' her."

"You can't help who you love, Spot." Glorianna whispered, looking into his blue eyes intently.

"Yeah, dat's prob'ly true…" He whispered back, seeing something there in the blue-violet depths of her eyes and feeling a spark of hope flare up in his chest.

"Aw, GLORI! Thank goodness you'se awake!" Blink said loudly, entering the room quickly and breaking the moment. He ran to the bed and swept her up into a huge, tight embrace.

"Easy, Mikey, easy…" She whispered against his neck.

He pulled back and frowned at her, "I'm sorry, sis. So, how ya feelin'?"

"Okay, I guess."

"Ya shore?"

She nodded slowly.

"We're gonna pay back dem, Delancies, sis, don't you worry. Me an' Mush an' Jack an' Spot."

Glorianna looked at them curiously, "Spot?" She asked, surprised that he would fight for her.

"Yeah," Spot said, maliciously, "Nobody hoits me Bites and get's away wid it."

Glorianna nodded, feeling stupid all over again, "I don't want you guys to get hurt." She told Kid Blink softly.

"Ahh, don't worry 'bout us, Glori. We can handle it. Besides, dose bastards desoive it aftah what dey did ta me liddle Sistah!" He growled. He looked at her face and saw the worried look in her eyes, "Why don't you get some rest, Glori, an' please…try not ta worry 'bout it, kay? Da Cowboy's been beatin' dose Delancies for longer 'n I can remember!"

She nodded, "Alright, Blink…" She said slowly, though inside she felt a tight knot of fear. She knew what the Delancies were capable of, she was walking…well, sitting proof, "Just be careful, Mikey. You are all that I have got in this world."

Kid Blink looked at her lovingly, "Aw, dat ain't true, Glori, ya got da Newsies too, we're all family."

Glorianna smiled, "I'm glad."

"An' don't worry, I'se always careful." Blink said, a large and ever so charming smile lighting his features.

She raised her brow at that, but didn't comment.