(I have a new favorite song and in my twisted little head it seems to fit in with one of the scenes of this chapter. I am also a pathetic, weak little person and I just couldn't resist the temptation of sharing my new favorite song with everyone, so I did. I've done it before and will do it again so please don't comment on it (unless it is good of course). I know only maybe two or three lines fit and I changed a few words (one of 'em) but I like my strange music and the thought that some of you might like it too and the fact that it just might get the point across better than my awkward attempts at 'writing' AND my firm belief that life should have a soundtrack AND the fact that I made the main character a singer compelled me to put it in here and then explaining why I did it for no particular reason, I need more sleep. If you care the song is 'Dissolved Girl' by Massive Attack)

(Please disregard last author's note, she is very tired and has no control over what she says at the moment so it is in everyone's best interests to pretend that the last giant waste of time and space never happened. I'm sorry you had to see it.)

Jack and Dave came in early from selling to get ready for Medda's show. Neither of them wanted to go to the Jacob's apartment now that Sarah regretted breaking up with Jack, so they tolerated the comments from the other newsies as they dressed, and there were a lot of comments. Even Crutchy had something to say, "Hey Jack ya look real nice ya know dat, like a payin' costumer, for once."

"Pay? Jack don't know da meanin' a da woid."

"Shoa I do Snipes, like if ya don't shut ya mouth real quick-like yous gonna pay for it." The boy quickly got out of grabbing distance of Jack and kept his mouth shut.

It seemed like everyone was following his example because there were no more comments after that, that they could hear. When they finally finished dressing and started to leave a burst of laughter followed them out the door. Jack turned around for a parting retort and almost collided with Mush, Kid Blink and Frick. He jumped and they grinned.

"You don't expect us to miss opening night do you Jack-boy?" Frick reached up and patted his cheek then brushed past him and Dave to go down the steps.

The boys quickly filed out after her. The night was cold and irregular flurries of snow were drifting down. The crowds of people scurrying form work to home gradually thinned as they went until the streets were empty except for them and the lamplighters.

Frick was walking between Jack and Dave, teasing them about not having girlfriends while Mush and Blink were following a step behind, adding random comments. None of them heard the footsteps until it was too late.

A body barreled into Blink, sending them both tumbling down the road. They were rolling on the ground pounding each other before anyone could react and then they decided to stay away from the fierce battle unless it got too out of hand.

For a long minute Blink was on the more painful end of the fight but his opponent suddenly went almost limp and let themself be pinned roughly to the ground.

Blink raised his fist high then made an irritated noise and pounded it into the ground, "Dammit Marble! What da hell's wrong wit'cha?"

"I dunno, I guess I'm just gettin' kinda used to this position." She winked and he quickly stood up, blushing wildly, "Don't worry about, we're even now."

She held up a hand and he pulled her to her feet, "Marble I'm, uh, well I's really sorry 'bout earlier. I, I've been kinda, um, you know." He trailed off and cautiously met her eyes.

Marble was smiling up at him and filled in the blanks for him, "You've been concerned 'bout your friends, right?"

"Yea." He took the excuse but she kept smiling at him like she knew exactly what he was thinking, "What?"

She ignored the question and changed the subject, "We're still friends right, you're not gonna get all weird on me are ya?"

"No, we's foine."

"Good." She bounced up and kissed him on the cheek.

"Ew." He reached to wipe it off but Marble caught his hand, "Don't smudge it."

For first time he realized she was wearing lipstick. He grinned at her and by the time they rejoined the others he had the perfect story to explain what happened.

* * *

"So theah I am, beautiful goil in me lap an' I was 'bout ta take 'er to da bed in da next room but da door busts open. 'Er boy friend comes in, pissed ta hell an' drunk off 'is ass. Now ya can't blame me for bein' a liddle bit neovious, dis guy was a giant, looks like he can crush skulls wit his bare hands. Well he grabs me 'round da throat an' jist starts hittin' me. Aftah a second 'e changed his mind, threw me 'cross da room ta go lookin' for his gun. Dat was when I decided ta git outta dere." Blink was grinning at the huge crowd he had drawn before continuing and Marble slipped away with a sigh. She couldn't decide which was sadder, the story or the fact that they actually believed him. Next time she would be sure to leave less convincing marks.

Her good mood slipped away as she broke free of the awed crowd. Across the room Spot was sitting alone at a table by the bar with at drink in his hand and two empty glasses by his arm, he obviously hadn't been there very long. Marble was hit by a sudden wave of pity, but it didn't last because he chose that moment to down the entire glass. She glared at him angrily for a minute then stormed off.

Spot didn't see her, or much of anything else. He was trying to get as drunk as possible as fast as he could. He was convinced that Marble had left him for good and it didn't really occur to him that he should probably be sober when he was meeting a rival leader. He rested his head on the table and waited for Frack to bring him another drink, he was the only one who would still give alcohol to Spot.

He finally looked up when it was announced that there was one more last minute act before Medda came on. He had a bad feeling about it, and for a good reason. The bizarre music that Marble always performed to started up as the curtains slowly opened.

She stood there in a loose black blouse and a long grey skirt. Whenever she moved it seemed to drift up, showing many brightly colored layers underneath. Spot hardly noticed as she started singing, never once looking at him. He knew she was pissed.

"Shame, such a shame, think I kind of lost myself again. Day, yesterday, really should be leaving but I stay.

Frack brought Spot his drink and stayed only long enough to say, "Wow, she looks pissed." An angry glare quickly sent him running.

Say, say my name, need a little love to ease the pain, need a little love to ease the pain. It's easy to remember when it came. 'Cause it feels like I've been, I've been here before, you're not my savior, but I still don't go. Feels like something that I've done before, I could fake it but I'd still want more."

Spot was staring at her longingly, feeling for all the world like a dirty old man stalking an little girl. She was dancing wildly to the fast music, letting her skirts billow in brightly colored waves and she looked so beautiful and happy and innocent that his heart ached for her.

Gavin shook his head, "She seems kinda pissed off." Spot jumped, he hadn't seen them come in and sit at his table, but he didn't dwell on it, she was singing again.

"Faith, made to fade, passion's overrated anyway. Say, say my name, need a little love to ease the pain, need a little love to ease the pain. It's easy to remember when it came. 'Cause it feels like I've been, I've been here before. You're not my savior but I still don't go. I feel like something that I've done before, I could fake it but I'd still want more."

Spot watched her until the music stopped and the curtains closed with the feeling that she was trying to tell him something important. She was obviously really mad at him but he didn't think she ready to leave yet and if she did she wasn't going fake it, she'd just go. Whether he was right or not the thought was comforting in a bizarre sort of way.

Spot turned to the other two boys feeling more confident and caught them sharing a look over the empty glasses on the table.

He quickly straightened himself out and got serious, ignoring the looks on their faces, "I heah Midtown's grown by two blocks since dis mornin'. Wanna tell me what'cha think ya doin'?"

"We're growing boys, we need our space."

"What about da guys ya stole it from?"

"All they have to do is work for me and they get all they need. I told them that and they're thinking it over."

"Didja mention ta Hawkeye dat yous stealin' his boys by any chance?"

"They don't belong to him they can go where ever they want."

"As long as it's towards you roight?"

Skylar smirked, "Doesn't hurt."

Both of the boys looked up as the band started and Medda came onto the stage in a flowing red dress with a low neck and a high front. They didn't see much after that as the tide of audience members crashed against the stage. They turned back to their business and didn't see Marble until she quietly slipped into the seat next to Spot.

He tensed up and glued his eyes to the table top. He was scared to see the look on her face, but as the silence dragged on he had to peek. She was sitting there not looking at anything and Spot could tell that she had been in a fight. He couldn't figure out why she was acting so strangely about it until he looked at Skylar and Gavin. He could see right through the thinly masked outrage on their faces, they thought he had done it.

Spot was shocked. He had never even considered hitting her, turning her over his knee maybe, but never hurting her.

He was about to deny anything whole heartedly but Jack suddenly appeared at the table, "Hiya Spot, Marble, enjoyin' da show?" Spot made a non-commental noise but Jack had already turned to the other two, "I's Jack Kelly."

"I'm Skylar." The boys shook hands and Jack looked at Gavin but the boy just made a distracted noise and waved, he was still studying the bruises on Marble's face.

"I jist stopped by ta ask dis beautiful t'ing for da foist dance."

Gavin looked up at him in mock startlement, "But we've only just met!" The tension that Jack had hoped to ease cracked easily as he and Marble laughed. Spot stared into his drink and didn't seem to notice but Skylar gave his brother an evil look.

"I'm sorry Jack, I just sat down. Do you want to join us?"

"You kiddin'? Wit alla dese loose goils heah I ain't stoppin' 'till I drop, or dey do." He winked at her then stepped back, directly into a girl. He struck up a conversation and had her out on the floor in under a minute.

Marble watched him go, feeling better, but again it was spoiled quickly, "What happened to you?"

She met Skylar's eyes and very firmly said, "I tripped."

His eyes went angrily to Spot as he asked another question, "What exactly did you hit on the way down?"

Spot growled back, "Yous suggestin' sumpthin' Sky?"

"You feeling guilty about something Spot?" The boys locked angry gazes and Spot started to lift his glass but Marble gently pushed his arm back down.

He gave her a searching look but her face was painfully blank of expression. Her hand stayed where it was, absently tracing patterns up and down his forearm with her fingertips. He smiled slightly and saw Skylar's jaw clench.

Gavin could see the signs that his brother was about to explode so he offered up a new subject, "So Marble, do you work here?

She nodded, grateful for the change, "I sing three nights a week and work backstage for two, the weekends are mine."

Skylar couldn't resist flirting with her in front of Spot, "Well I guess that means I'd have no reason to come here on weekends then, would I?"

Marble just smiled, it was working so well that it was almost embarrassing. She was making both of them jealous and neither of them could hide it. Spot was glaring wildly and she could feel his arm tensing up under her hand. And Skylar was even better.

He kept glancing from Spot to her and the look of disappointment on his face made it impossible to miss what he was thinking. He thought she was just another helpless girl stuck in an abusive relationship the she couldn't get herself out of and he was just the one to save her from it.

Marble was almost laughing at them when shouts broke out across the room and a table went flying into the air. The leaders in Spot and Skylar had them halfway across the room to break it up before most people even knew something was happening. Even Jack was making his way though the crowd to where Copper, who had appeared from nowhere, was trying to stop it from spreading.

Marble was turned around in her seat watching, even more amused than before, as three boys tried to pull Kid Blink away from someone. From where she was sitting it looked like Pips' friend from Brooklyn, and considering how drunk and angry Blink was the boy was holding his own very well.

She turned back around as Gavin sank back into his chair, "What's wrong with that guy."

"Girl."

"He get dumped?"

"Naw, he thinks the other guy is after her. He's been acting weird about her all day. They'll get togethah eventually, but right now they're still too stubborn to admit they like each other."

"Ah." They watched as the two boys were dragged apart, still fighting to get in a few more punches. Gavin shook his head and casually restarted the conversation, "So, how long have you and Spot been together?"

Marble sighed and frowned a little, "It seems like forever."

He gently took her hands in his, "What really happened to you?"

Her frown deepened, "I told you I fell."

"To get marks like that the ground must have had fists."

"And right hard ones at that."

Marble was prepared to evade anymore questions but Gavin suddenly changed the subject, "How long have you worked here?"

"A little over a year."

Her confusion at the question was clear when he met her eyes, "Is this all you've done?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?" His eyes moved away and hers followed.

They were looking down to where Gavin had turned her hands over and was tracing the newsprint stains with his finger. Their eyes moved back together and she calmly answered, "Yes."

His eyes narrowed slightly but she just smiled sweetly. Without any warning she pulled her hands away and stood up, almost hitting Skylar, "I suddenly feel like dancing, wanna join me?"

He looked slightly startled but he took her arm with a grin, "I'd love to."

It was all Marble could do to not laugh, he really was making it too easy for her. Gavin might have been a little bit suspicious but Skylar perfectly willing to believe anything she said. She smiled up at him with real delight shining from her face and he held her close as a slow song started up.

Skylar's womanizing side wouldn't let him pass up a chance to flirt, "I really had no reason to come here tonight, I knew what Spot was going to say and it won't change what I'm going to do."

"Then why are you here?"

"You."

Marble looked up at him with wide eyed innocence and shock, "What do you mean, me?"

"When I saw you the other night you were so beautiful and I knew you were too good for someone like Him." It was so corny that she had to advert her eyes in mock embarrassment to keep from laughing, "I know you don't want to admit it but everyone can see he hurts you. Don't deny it, I saw the way both of you were acting before. Please let me help you." He was sweet, she had to give him that, but he was so clueless that she was having trouble keeping a straight face even looking away.

She took a minute to collect herself, which he took for thinking, then she looking up at him with the most sincere look she could manage, "Would you really help me get away? Then, maybe, take care of me afterwards?"

He gently cupped her cheek in his hand and she remembered how god awful cute he was, "Of course I would."

The look in his eyes was starting to get very distracting. She gulped hard and started to feel all warm and melty inside. Before Marble knew what was happening his lips were almost brushing hers. In the one split second she had to pull away the only thought in her head was 'God he's hot.' Their lips met and everything exploded.

It took two very large men to pull Spot off of Skylar, who slowly stood up with a smirk on his face, looking remarkably unhurt.

Marble on the other hand was furious, "What is your problem you drunkass bastard! You ignore me all this time, completely taking me for granted but once someone else pays a little attention to me you go crazy."

"A liddle attention! He was all ovah ya an' you let him do it!"

"Oh shut up, jist shut up. This is what you wanted isn't it? You practically said it the other night. First you tell me to get someone else and when I do you blow up. I'm sick of your crap! You can't expect me to guess what you want. Nothing gave you the right to ask me to do it in the first place."

"But you're my," She backhanded his face sharply and hissed, "No Spot I'm not yours, I'm mine."

She turned and stalked out of the building with Skylar smugly at her side and Gavin a few steps behind. The two of them had only understood half of what she said. To them it was just a nasty break up, to Spot it was realizing that one stupid request had just lost him his best friend.