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It was late that night before the Higgins children were finally settled down and in bed. Word had quickly spread to Manhattan that the oldest son of Spot Conlon was missing. The children had been frantic. First Pockets had dashed into the house, screaming the news that Sketch was missing, which made Sunshine faint. After she finally came around, she begged her mother to tell her that it wasn't true. When she was told that it was indeed true, she ran back to her room and didn't come out. She hadn't come out and now she was passed out, her face red and her breath coming out in quick gasps from the crying. Grabs, Fairy and Angel took it upon themselves to calm the others down, which they made sure to do.

But now they were all in bed. Bright Eyes was alone. Racetrack had joined forces with a few other men that evening to scour the surrounding districts. She had given him his dinner in a pail and told him to be careful. Racetrack had cast a worried glance at his children standing a few feet away from them, then fixed his brown eyes on Bright Eyes. "You be careful. Keep da kids safe." He whispered. Then he pressed her to him, kissing her quickly, but fiercely before shouldering his pail and walking away with the others. That group included Jack Kelly and Kid Blink to name a few.

Bright Eyes sat down at the table, placing her tired head in her hands. A few moments later, there was a cautious knock at the door. Bright Eyes lifted her head slightly. "Come in?" She asked quietly. The door swung open silently and the figure of Spot Conlon shone through the doorway. Bright Eyes leapt to her feet and ran to the figure. "Spot! Whatcha doin' here? Why aincha lookin' fer Sketch? Race an' da uddas went off widout ya." Bright Eyes said, ushering Spot to a chair and giving him a cup of coffee. Spot didn't respond but merely sat down and took the coffee silently. "I already went ta all da districts. It ain't no use. He ain't dere." Spot said softly.

"Oh come on Spot! You cain't seaich all da districts even if ya wanted too. You kin neva git ta all da knooks an' crannies in New Yawk! Which is where Sketch is probably hidin'. Did ya aleit da boys dere?" She asked. Spot nodded dejectedly. "Yeah I did. Everyone. Dey hadn't seen him." He murmured. "Oh Spot you know dat dis stuff takes time. Soon Sketch'll slip up an' you'll find him. He cain't stay away fereva." Bright Eyes reassured him. Spot scoffed. "You tink so huh? Lemme tell you sometin' Bright Eyes. I taught dat boy ta hide from da bulls. You tink he's gonna fergit how ta hide? No, I taught him too well Bright. I ain't neva gonna find him." He insisted. "Oh shut up Spot! Don't say dat! You know all da tricks dat ya taught Sketch! Use 'em fer cryin' out loud! Don't give up!" Bright Eyes said angrily.

Spot looked up at her from his coffee cup and to her surprise, smiled. "You always know how ta see reason doncha Bright? You always did do dat. I wish I was dat intuitive." He said with a smile. Bright Eyes shook her head in amazement. "You neva cease ta amaze me Spot Conlon." She said quietly. "I aim ta please." Spot retorted. They didn't speak for a short time, Bright Eyes sitting in silence, her blue eyes looking away from Spot as she pondered his words. Spot sat in silence, fingering his coffee cup. "How's ya holdin' up?" Bright Eyes looked over at Spot sharply. He was looking at her expectantly. She knew what he was talking about and she drew her breath in sharply.

"Yer gittin' off da subject Conlon. We ain't tawkin' 'bout, 'bout dat." She murmured. Spot eyed her and sat back in his chair. "I asked ya a question Higgins." Bright Eyes chuckled and looked at him. "You ain't Brooklyn no more. I don't gotta listen ta ya no more Conlon." She said sarcastically. Spot rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Come on Bright. I know yer hoitin'." He said softly. Bright Eyes shook her head. "Jest don't tawk 'bout it okay. I ain't gotten ova it yet. It still hoits too much." Spot sat up. "I kin help. I know what it's like. I've lost three kids too ya know." Spot insisted. Bright Eyes raised her hand. "No. I don't wanna tawk 'bout it. Please Spot. Don't." Spot raised his hands in the air dejectedly. "Fine, if dats da way you want it."

"Dats da way I want it." Bright Eyes retorted sharply. But after a moment of silence she broke out again. "Spot what's goin' on? What happened ta you an' me? What happened to our friendship? We ain't like we used ta be when we was kids. We cain't even tawk no more. Why?" She entreated. "I guess we grew outta dat." Spot commented. "Dats allotta bull Conlon! You don't grow outta friendships no matta what! An' if you do den it really wasn't one ta begin wit'!" Bright Eyes protested, slamming her fist on the table. "Well dere was anudda facta in wit' our little friendship Bright. If you recall." Spot said quietly. Bright Eyes raised her fist to strike the table again, but stopped, She slowly lowered it as she stared at Spot.

"I guess ya fergot huh Bright? We was in love at one point in time. Dats probably why. Don't git me wrong, if I had ta do it all ova again, I still woulda picked Blue, but do ya eva wonda what our life woulda been like?" Spot asked quietly. "Yeah course I do. We'd have killed each udda." Bright Eyes responded quickly. Spot shook his head and chuckled. "No you don't. You obviously don't rememba it da way I do. Da only time we fought was when it was ova sometin' dat I wanted ta do fer Brooklyn, not 'bout sometin' between us." Spot answered. "Dat ain't da truth Conlon an' you know it. You was actin' like a snob when we was tegedda, an' you know it. You was gittin all hoity toity 'cause ya caught me an' I wasn't 'bout ta stand fer dat." Bright Eyes said angrily. "An' den Race came along afta ya went ta Manhattan. Yeah I know da rest. Yer nine kids in da udda room tell da rest of da story don't dey Bright?" Spot sneered.

"Jest admit it Spot. You was jealous. Jealous dat I found someone an' you didn't. Oh you hid it really good Conlon. You was always good at hidin' yer feelin's but you hated dat didn't you? Dat someone like Race could come an' actually treat me like an equal an' low an' behold, marry me! You was jealous!" Bright Eyes retorted. Spot sat erect, his eyes blazing. "Yeah mebey I was. Mebey I had tought more dan once 'bout marryin' ya, but no, ya had ta fall fer Mista Gamblin' Racehorse!" Spot returned. Bright Eyes leapt to her feet. "It's Racetrack ta you Conlon! An' don't you eva say dat 'bout my husband again!" She said angrily. Spot leapt to his feet as well, his eyes blazing. "Ya know, I jest came ova here ta offa ya some comfort 'bout yer baby an' hope dat you had some comfort fer me 'bout my own kid, but dat musta been stretchin' it. I didn't mean ta git in a yellin' match wit' you of all people." Spot yelled. "Well if you hadn't insulted Race, we wouldn't be in dis predicament would we?" Bright Eyes retorted. "I don't care what you hafta say! I'm goin' home!" Spot yelled. "Fine! Go home! See if I care!" Bright Eyes yelled back.

Spot stormed towards the door, threw it open, but stopped and turned around, looking back at Bright Eyes' angry form. "Did you eva tell Race 'bout us?" Bright Eyes' anger melted somewhat as she stared at him. "No. You was gittin' inta powa, I didn't wanna tech dat." She said quietly. Spot stared at her, then smiled. "Danks, fer dat. Dat, dat was good of ya." He said uneasily. He turned towards the door once more, and stopped, turning around. "I really am sorry 'bout yer baby Bright. An' I didn't mean ta hoit ya. Not back den an' not eva. I'm sorry, sorry fer dat." Spot murmured, closing the door behind him. Bright Eyes stood in shock for a few moments, before sinking down in her chair, her head in her hands. Before long, the sound of muffled crying, echoed through the Higgins home, though none of the occupants was awake to hear it.

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