The next morning Dutchy couldn't get Marble out of bed, "Marble ya gotta git up. You need money, especially dis time a year."

"No I don't. I don't think I'm going to be a newsie anymore, maybe I can join the circus."

"Come on, don't do dis, jist git up, please."

"Leave me be, you need to go to work. Angela's expecting you."

"Foine, I'll bring ya sumpthin' ta eat latah." He left the room whit many worried backwards glanced and went to tell Kloppman to let her stay in bed.

It wasn't long before the old man came up the stairs to wake everyone up. His concern for one particular newsie wasn't going to stop him for doing his job but he used sharp jabs with a broom handle more often then shouts to hurry up slackers. Marble pulled a blanket over her head and waited while the boys got ready. Even after the noise had stopped she stayed like that until she was certain they were all gone.

She finally pushed down the blanket to get a breath of fresh air and there was Frick sitting on the next bed, waiting, "So, what happened?"

"Nuthin'."

"Right, you're lying here crying because of nothing."

"I'm not crying."

"You stubborn little brat. Am I going to have to go ask Spot what happened?"

"Don't you dare go to dat bastard and get his self-righteous little version. He's a prick and that's all dere is to it."

Frick sighed and quietly asked again, "What happened?"

"Ya wouldn't believe it. The little shit actually wants me to try to seduce Skylar! Son of a bitch gets jealous if another guy even looks at me and now he wants me to pretend to be in love with someone else so I can spy for him. If anyone else had asked me to I woulda been fine with it, like it's a game, but that over protective asshole wants me to do whatever it takes to trick the guy. He actually said that! Do whatever it takes!" She savagely punched her pillow the fell onto it, "It's not even going to work. He actually thinks the guy will be fooled by me throwing myself at him, just because I'm 'Spot's girl'." She sat up violently, "That arrogant little dick! I bet he doesn't even think I'd be able to do it any other way."

She got up and started pacing angerly, "He's so damn self-absorbed! Like the whole world revolves around him. Sky's only after Spot, of course if Spot asks me to do it I will, I'm only good enough for anyone else because I was Spot's first, Spot Spot SPOT! God he makes me so mad!"

Frick was looking at her with a dangerous smile, "You know how to get even with him?"

Marble gave her a questioning look, "Do it. Do it so well that even he thinks you aren't kidding around. He'll think it's his fault you changed sides and he won't have any idea what's going on. It'll drive him crazy."

Marble actually laughed, "That'd take the little asshole off of his little self-imposed pedestal. I'd love to see him down here in the mud with the rest of us common folk." She suddenly sighed and sank down onto the edge of her bed sadly, "He really has no idea how much of a jerk he is sometime, does he?"

Frick put an arm around her shoulders, "They never do, dear."

* * *

When Pips saw Marble and Frick coming out of the lodging house she was running for her life. She didn't think she was being followed anymore but it was better to be safe than sorry. She skidded to a halt in front of the two startled girls and took a minute to catch her breath then started laughing.

They shared a confused look, "Pips what did you do?"

She snickered and motioned for them to follow her into an alley, whit many quick glances back down the bustling street.

After one more deep breath she grinned, "Last night I broke the clasps on Blink's suspenders. When we got to the Distribution Center this morning as he was going up the loading ramp they gave out and his pants dropped in front of everyone. I laughed so hard I almost died. He's been chasing me since then."

Marble smirked, "Why's depantsing him the foist thing ya thought of?"

Frick interrupted Pips' train of thought before she realized exactly what the question implied, "Hey, if your going to pull any more childish pranks like that you're definitely going to have to include me. I owe that boy a lot of torment."

"Uh-oh I think I jist became da most mature person here, that's never a good sign."

"No Marble dear, you didn't become mature, we're just sinking to your level."

"Well if this is my level I guess I'm going to have to help you two get him, aren't I?"

"Yup, but right now all I'm worried about is what he's going to do to me, he knows I did it."

"Well consider this your first lesson in professional pranking, never let then think it was you, always have a scapegoat."

"You do dis often Frick?"

"What? You think Frack and I left England because we wanted to come here? Ha!"

"And that's lesson number two, never trust people who answer questions with questions, they're up to something."

Frick grinned and they got down to some serious plotting.

* * *

Marble was sitting with Ashes on the cold roof watching the sun go down. As good as getting back at Spot sounded she wasn't sure she could actually go through with it. She was angry enough to do almost anything to him but that was the problem. The only reason she was angry was because he had asked her to do exactly what she was about to do to get back at him, which didn't make much sense to her.

She was almost sure she loved him and that he returned the feeling, but right now she was having some doubts. Not knowing was making her crazy. All Marble had to decide was did she love him enough to get mad at him and go make him pay, or was there so little left between them that she should just go have a good cry then abandon him to whatever happened. She sighed and looked at the quickly sinking sun. It was a confusing decision but if she waited much longer it would be made for her.

* * *

Spot was restlessly pacing up and down the empty bunkroom. He had made sure that all of the boys had other places to be that night. The only ones there with him were Dublin and Angel, sleeping in her bunk. All he could do was pray that Marble showed up before Skylar and Gavin did, but with each passing minute the sour feeling in his stomach grew. His legs were getting shaky and his head was throbbing and if he had eaten anything that day he might have thrown up. If she didn't show up he was terrified that he would never see her again.

His restless pacing finally stopped at the top of the stairs. He listened anxiously for the sounds of someone coming. It actually wasn't too long before he heard footsteps quickly creaking towards him.

The look on his face froze then hardened when Dublin came out of the darkness, "They're here."

Spot felt cold all over, it was too late, "Tell dem ta come up."

"But da deal was outsi,"

"I don't care 'bout da damn deal! Dey's comin' ta me or nuthin'."

Dublin only hesitated for half a second. That look hadn't been in Spot's eyes for a very long time, the last time he saw it five grown men had ended up in the hospital and two almost died.

Spot paced back towards his door but stopped and turned before he got there. He stood looking dangerously relaxed, waiting. He could hear the footsteps coming confidently up the stairs.

Everything was flooded in blue moonlight from the windows and there was an ominous tone to the air. Dublin came into the room and strode to Spot's side and two more boys followed him. They stopped with only a moon beam between them.

It was easy to tell who was who. Skylar was the taller one with dark brown hair and piercing blue eyes. He gave of confidence in waves and seemed completely unshakable. Gavin on the other hand seemed like a shadow of his brother. He had darker hair and eyes and a more youthful face, he was a slimmer version with intelligence shining from eyes.

Spot quickly sized them up and decided that if there was a problem having a brawler like Dublin on his side wouldn't help much against these two. They had the self-assurance of a pair who knows from experience that they can't be beaten. That only took half a second to see and they were left staring each other down in the dim half light.

"You wanted to see me Conlon?" Skylar had a deep strong voice that echoed his irritation.

Spot knew damn well that he had insulted him but he didn't care, Marble wasn't there and it was their fault, "Yea."

Sky's eyes narrowed, "Don't play stupid games with me, what do you want?"

Spot shrugged indolently and Sky took an angry step toward him. His sharp gaze suddenly went over Spot's shoulder. His eyes got wide and his jaw slowly dropped, he completely forgot that he was mad.

"Spot you didn't tell me you had friends here." He spun around to see Marble standing in his doorway, but for some reason he wasn't happy. In fact, under any other circumstances he would have killed her.

* * *

When Spot had asked Marble to help him he had meant for her to get Skylar interested, that was it. Maybe open a few buttons, wear a little make-up and charm him the same way she did everyone else. He hadn't expected, or even wanted her to do anymore than that.

Now she was standing there like she had just come from a quick romp in his bed. Her hair was tousled prettily and she was wrapped in one of his shirts. Only one button was done, right below her breasts, so she wasn't exposing herself completely, but anything that could ever be called cleavage was plainly visible. Her clean white panties were also open to the world through the open shirt, everything else was pale smooth skin.

Spot gaped as Marble smiled beautifully and came to him, "Why don't you introduce me to your friends?"

He turned back to the others with her by his side, suddenly confident that he could handle anything they threw at him, yet strangely uneasy about the look in her eyes. Dublin was standing with his hands thrust into his pockets, eyes on the floor, trying not to laugh. Spot deserved this and he loved seeing Marble getting back at him. Gavin was staring straight ahead red faced, but Skylar was looking her up and down with open admiration.

Spot's voice was tense as he spoke, "Marble dis is Skylar an' Gavin, da two we's been hearin' about."

"Well hello." She held out her hand for Skylar to shake but when he took it he kissed it gently. Marble felt Spot's arm tighten possessively around her waist and his entire body tensed up, she smiled.

"Spot you should have told me you had a beautiful girl waiting for you, I would have understood and come some other time."

Spot's face hardened but he was very gentle as he kissed Marble's cheek and whispered into her hair, "Go back ta bed, I'll be roight dere."

Her eyes were hot and angry when she looked up at him but she was playing a submissive, obedient girlfriend so she managed a sweet smile and a small wave for the others. She turned and went back to the room, hips swaying and shirt hiking itself upwards.

Once the door clicked shut all of the boys relaxed. Not even Spot was comfortable seeing that much bare skin being flaunted. (Remember what decade this is people) He looked up to see a small smirk still on Skylar's face and he had a sudden irrational urge to kill all three of them right there for seeing Marble.

It passed quickly and he was his usual cocky self again, "If ya can't see I's got sumpthin' important ta take care a so lets make dis quick."

"No need, I can see you're a busy man. Let's find another time to do this, when you're a little less.......occupied. We can talk then."

Both of them wanted a short delay to plan their moves. This meeting had been organized quickly and neither boy was comfortable leaping blindly into something, they needed time to think. It was quickly agreed that they would meet at Irving Hall the next night and get down to business.

The brothers left as quickly as they had come and Dublin followed them out to the street. Once they were out of sight Spot spun and rushed to his room.

He was talking before the door was all the way open, "Marble I's so glad ya showed. I so sor," The room was empty.

Marble hadn't been able to get the window all the way shut on her way out so a frigid wind was coming in. Spot slowly shut the door and sank to the floor with tears in his eyes, terrified the he had lost her for good.