Tibby's was complete chaos all the next day. Runners were in and out dropping off messages for Jack and the other leaders about everything going on across the city. The girls were back in Midtown but they weren't talking, some of Copper's boys had been caught and seriously beaten, the police had heard about what was going on and they were prowling the streets, but most importantly Spot was finally meeting with Skylar the next night.

Not all of the goings on were that important or that serious, "Marble, ya know dat Blink's me friend, but he ain't dat bright when it comes to goils. He'll hafta be beaten ovah da head to realize 'e likes her."

"Race you are completely underestimating how stubborn Pips is. She may realize it but she'll never admit to it. Face it, you're going to lose this bet."

"Dat sounds like a challenge to me. Hows about you an' me make dis a liddle bit more interesting, jist da two a us?"

"I'm listening." Marble handed the book she was writing bets in to Frick as she and Race settled their side wager.

The betting was pretty even on both sides at the moment but there was a twenty-four time limit if anyone wanted to change their bet so it could still go either way. Jack was taking a quick break for lunch and wandered by the temporary bookie, "Doesn't dis seem kinda wrong to ya? Bettin' on two of our friends like dis?"

Frick was thoughtfully silent for a second, "Naw."

"Oh, well den, put down five cents on Blink for me."

"Thanks Cowboy."

The door suddenly slammed open and Blink stormed in, "I can't believe dat liddle witch! Do ya know what she did?"

All signs of gambling had mysteriously disappeared and Race casually asked, "No, wha'd she do?"

"Aftah I left dis mornin' she took me whole bed an' soaked it in watah den left it outside. I went back dere jist a minute ago an' da t'ing's back inside, frozen solid. I don't know how dat liddle goil carried it, I could hardly move da t'ing afore it started meltin'." He didn't notice Mush casually covering a smirk as the whole room exploded.

Sympathy wasn't really expected but the laughter didn't make him feel any better, "It ain't funny." He tried staring all of them down but the humor quickly hit him, "Ok so it is funny, but she ain't gittin' away wit it. I's gittin' back at 'er taday."

Before the laughter had died he recruited Skittery, Bumlets and Snitch as partners it crime. They had nothing against Pips but they weren't going to pass up an opportunity for pranks when they had a perfect alibi, 'Blink did it'.

The four boys left and the gambling started again. A few boys rushed back to change their bets

* * *

That afternoon Marble, Blink, Race, and Skittery were sitting at a card table in the bunkroom playing poker. It was almost dark out when Pips came back with Dorry and Bit. She was exhausted from trying to keep up with a six year old while trying to ignore his sister's incessant raving on how wonderful Blink was. Bit tried going straight for her crush as they came in the door but Snitch distracted her for a few valuable minutes. Dorry was also easily sidetracked by Bumlets, who was playing with Ashes by his bunk. With her two companions gone Pips went straight to her bed, which just happened to have nobody near it. She was too tired to be particulary pleasant so she just flopped down without saying anything.

There was no warning as she hit the tripwire that ripped open the bottom of the old sheet hanging above her. An avalanche of slush fell from the worn cloth and covered her, bed and all.

She shot up with a screech, "Kid You're Dead!!"

"No, we's even." She stared at him open mouthed, eyes blazing with water dripping down her face, then abruptly turned and stomped into the bathroom to dry off. When the door slammed there was half a second of silence before the boys started laughing.

"Blink that was mean."

"I didn't see ya tryin' ta stop us."

"You saw the look on her face, I wasn't gonna miss that for anything." Marble got up still laughing, "Ok, now come on and let's clean it up."

"What? Aftah alla dat woik gittin' it in heah I ain't takin' it back out."

"Don't be an asshole. I'm not explaining to Kloppman why that stuff melted in here and I know you don't want to either. You've had your fun now clean it up."

"I don't hafta do anyth,"

"Blink! Now!" Jack's growl sent the boy running for a mop and a bucket while the others got dry sheets and changed the bed. By the time Pips came out of the bathroom everything was cleaned up and the card game had resumed. She went to bed warily and pulled the sheets over her head without looking at anyone. She didn't want them to see the smile on her face. It had been funny as soon as she was dry, and she already had the perfect comeback.

* * *

It was almost lights out and the newsies were running out of card games when the last boys came in. Frick had taken Skittery's place and Mush had joined in so the game was full of good natured insults and arguments.

"That's complete bullshit Blink, where do you come up with this stuff?"

"I ain't kiddin' Frick. Da goil was all ovah me. She wanted ta git hitched roight dere so I could move inta 'er mansion dat night. Ask Mush, he was dere."

"He's lyin'. He was following 'er around all day an' almost got arrested fa stalkin'. I sweah it was da dog ugliest goil I's evah seen."

"Ya said she was cute!"

"I said it ta shut ya up."

"I'll shut you up." Blink started to get up in mock anger and Race reached up and pulled him back down without taking his eyes off of his cards.

"So Marble, I heah ya saw dese guys, Skylar an' Gavin. What're dey like?" Frick elbowed Racetrack but it was too late.

Marble smacked her fist into the table, "I swear to the lord above I saw God with me own two eyes and he was walking down the street in Midtown. There were blazing chariots and a fanfare of angel's trumpets. Flowers were sprouting from their footsteps and women swooned. Swooned I Say!" She took a deep breath and picked her cards back up, "They were both really hot, I didn't notice anything else."

Frick sighed and looked at Race, "Never do that again."

Blink sat up straighter and puffed out his chest, "I bet dey ain't nuthin' compared ta me."

By the time they stopped laughing everyone at the table had tears in their eyes. Mush wiped the moisture from his eyes with a grin, "I nevah knew yous was dis funny Blink. Oh wait a minute, were ya serious?" He was overcome by another fit of chuckles.

Blink pretended to pout, "I really meant it."

Marble was laughing so hard she had to clutch her sides and couldn't even see through the tears in her eyes, "Stop, it hurts."

Race reached over and patted Blink's back, "Dat's ok buddy, don't feel bad." He suddenly raised his voice to a shout, "Who took Blink's pills, da boy's flippin' out again."

"Shuddup."

Frick was gathering up the cards to deal again when Spot came in. Marble got up with a smile but it faded quickly when she saw the look on his face.

"We's gotta talk."

"Alright." Marble unsurely looked to Frick to see if she understood but the other girl just shrugged.

"Outside." Spot took her by the arm and led her out to the fire escape.

"Ok, dat was creepy."

"Yup." Frick dealt out another hand and they pretty much forgot about it when Race accused her of dealing off of the bottom of the deck. (It's cheating, for those of you who don't do it)

The fight was quick and ended when Frick offered to take it outside. Race used the wimpy excuse of being a lover not a fighter and not wanting to hurt a girl. "Good wuss out dere Race."

"Hey! I ain't got no problems fightin' yous Blink."

"Didn't you just say you won't hurt a girl?"

"Hey!"

"Yea Race, what happened ta bein' a lovah, not a fighta?"

"Ya know damn well when I say I's a lovah dat don't include guys. I don't know 'bout oddah people heah, but don't worry Mush, I ain't gonna tell nobody 'bout ya."

The other two started laughing, but for Blink it quickly became a dry hack. When it didn't stop the others got worried, "Hey Kid, are you alright?"

He was nodding even as he doubled over. Race caught him before he fell. Frick was there to help him back into the chair, "Breathe, just breathe. Mush go get him some water or something."

All activity in the room had stopped and everyone was watching with helpless concern.

When it finally stopped Race and Frick helped him into a bed. Mush came back with some cough syrup but it was a long time before he had the strength to drink it.

Once he had his breath back he grinned up at Frick, "I guess dat's what I git for t'inkin' stuff like dat 'bout ya."

"Ugh! Pig." She punched him good naturedly in the arm.

Before the noise in the room had a chance to resume there was a loud clatter out on the fire escape. They all looked up in time to see Spot tumble down the last step onto the landing then spring to his feet and disappear down to the street. Marble was after him in a second but stopped by the window, screeching profanities after him. He was long gone when she finally stopped.

There were at least five minutes of dead silence before she came in. Marble stood there looking down for a minute longer the looked up with tears streaming down her face, "I Hate That Goddamned Son Of A Bitch!"