"Oh you'll be fine," Topsy said with a smile.
Spot frowned as he took the ice off and looked in the mirror. The area around his eye was turning quite a nice shade of black and he cursed, putting the ice back on. "I can't believe her," he muttered.
Topsy just smiled and sat down. "We really ought to go get something to eat," she said.
He looked at her, "I ain't goin' anywhere 'til dis shinah goes away," he said. "It's embarrasin'," he added with a pout.
She threw him a look and sighed, "Well ya hafta eat and I suggest dat ya get over yer embarrassment," she said, moving towards the door. "Bittah an' Shootah are probably dere already an' I haven't de slightest idea where the place is, so yer gonna hafta come with me," she added as she grabbed the ice from him, threw it on the table and dragged him out of the lodging house. For such a petite girl she had quite a grip and Spot barely gave a fight.
He led her to the restaurant with some hopes of seeing Bitter. He found that he only liked her more after their fight and hoped that she liked him. He knew he couldn't tell anybody about his feelings, it would ruin his image.
They made it there in no time and Topsy ran off to sit with some of her new friends. "Heya Illusion," she said, "mind if I sit down?"
The girl nodded, her sapphire eyes clearly not interested in conversation. She played with her chestnut hair as she stared out the window, as if she was waiting for someone. "Sad ya missed Dutchy last night?" Topsy asked. She nodded and continued to stare out the window.
Topsy looked out to where she was staring and saw two familiar looking characters coming closer. She got up and excused herself as Shooter and Bitter walked in, both looking quite distressed and beat up. "Jesus, what happened?" Topsy said, going up to her friend. It seemed as though all attention turned upon them as they told the story. Spot had come up behind Bitter and wished he could just hold her as she told her part, a bit teary-eyed. "We'll get 'im back," Spot said loudly when the two girls were finished.
Bitter and Shooter looked gratefully at Spot and sat down to eat something, being completely famished.
Spot and Topsy joined them and after they had finished eating, they accompanied them to the lodging house to get cleaned up. Bitter's head swarmed and soon found herself walking slower and slower. Spot looked at her concerned, "Bittah, ya ok?" he asked, seeing her begin to slow.
"I'se fine," she said, feeling dizzier by the moment. She put out an arm to steady herself. Spot shook his head, "Ya ain't," he said, and without waiting for her argument he picked her up and walked quickly to the lodging house.
"Damn head wound," Bitter muttered, too weak to argue with Spot. He laughed, but it was short-lived, Bitter soon turning quite pale. She didn't remember anything after that, for darkness consuming her.
* * *
Sunlight shone in Bitter's eyes as she woke. A pair of concerned blue eyes stared at her as she pushed herself up. A hand held her down. "Rest," Spot said, more in a soft way then a command. She let her head hit the soft pillow again.
Bitter almost laughed as she took in his black eye that she had given him. "How long have I been out?" she asked.
"A whole day, de goils' were worried 'bout ya an' wanted ta stay behind 'til ya woke up, but I made 'em go an' sell," Spot said, sitting back in his chair which he had pulled in from another room.
Bitter nodded and looked around her. She was once again in the side room that she had stayed in after her first fight with Trick. She felt her cheek and Spot watched her concerned, "Dat cut's healin' well," he said, to make her feel better.
She frowned, "I'se gonna get dat dirty bastard one of dese days, I almost pounded his face in yesterday," she said with a touch of pride.
Spot smirked and let out a short laugh. "I'm suah ya did, but he, or rather his goons, beat ya an' Shootah pretty good too," he said.
She just crossed her arms and shot daggers at Spot with her sparkling, green eyes. He tried to stop smirking, but couldn't help it.
Bitter finally brushed it off and asked after Shooter. "How's Shootah doing?" she asked, concerned.
Spot sighed, "She's got some nice shinah's an a black eye, but otherwise she's fine," he said. "She'd be worse off if Trick had used dat knife of his on 'er," he added, with a scowl on his face.
Bitter nodded in relief, she wasn't a big fan of knives herself, but she knew that Trick was pretty skillful with one from what she had seen so far. The thought reminded her of the fights she had witnessed and participated in when she lived in Chicago, she grimaced thinking of how the loser looked afterwards, it wasn't pretty.
"You ok?" Spot asked, seeing her grimace and daze in and out.
Bitter gave Spot a strange look and muttered, "Yeah, just remembered something," she said.
"Like what?" Spot asked.
"My past is none of your business, Spot Conlon, so don't ask again," she said angrily, a dangerous glare in her eyes.
Spot decided to lay off, knowing he would somehow find out later. Maybe Topsy knew something, the two of them seem to be close, he thought to himself. He made a note to ask her later. "Anything I kin get ya? Ya hungry or something?" he asked.
Bitter wondered why he was being so considerably nice and not his usual egotistical self. She nodded, "I guess I'se hungry, considerin' I haven't eaten in a while," she said.
"I'll go get us something ta eat," he said and got up to leave. "Rest, an' don't ya dare get outta dat bed," he said and closed the door behind him.
She sighed and let her eyes close, hoping it would help the pain in her head go away.
* * *
Topsy rested her head on the table, trying to smile. Shooter looked awful and she was extremely worried about Bitter. She had never seen someone look as pale as Bitter had the day before. Shooter held some ice to her blackening eye and picked at her food. Neither of the girls' talked while they ate. They had gotten rid of their papes quite easily and normally that would make any newsie happy, but it only gave them more time to worry and go over the events of the day previous.
Shooter threw the ice down onto the table and watched it shatter into a million little pieces. Topsy flinched a little and looked at Shooter with concern. She was staring out the window in a daze and Topsy turned to see where she was looking at. Spot was out there, buying some fresh fruit and vegetables from a stand. Topsy smiled and got up, Shooter following her.
They approached him quietly and Topsy tapped him on the shoulder, putting on a small smile, hoping for some news of Bitter. Spot turned around quickly and sighed when he saw the two girls looking at him, eager to know of Bitter's condition.
"How is she?" Topsy asked, concern in her deep blue eyes.
A smile quivered at Spot's lips and he said, "A lot bettah, you kin see her after dinnah."
Shooter frowned, "Why can't we see 'er now?" she asked.
"'Cause she's worn through and she don't need you two talkin' her head off," he said with a smirk. With that, he grabbed the items he had bought and walked away.
Topsy sighed, "Well, at least we know she's ok," she said. She turned to Shooter with an infectious smile.
"What?" Shooter asked, smiling as she saw Topsy grinning.
She shrugged and then whispered, "We'se just gonna hafta eat dinner early."
Shooter laughed at this and put her arm around her friend, "I guess we will," she said and the two headed off.
* * *
Spot chopped up some of the fruit and vegetables, keeping an eye on the door to make sure no one went to bother Bitter. He put two plates on a tray with a glass of water and headed carefully to Bitter's room.
She opened her eyes as the door creaked open. The smell of fresh fruit and vegetables made her stomach growl and she sat up carefully. Her head ached, but she ignored it while she ate, trying not to eat too fast, the last thing she needed was a stomachache on top of things.
They ate in silence and when they were both finished he took away the tray and plates. He came back with a pair of fresh clothes. "I thought ya might wanna get out of those dirty clothes," he said.
Bitter smiled and eased herself out of bed. Her head swarmed and Spot caught her as she fell. "Maybe you should wait until you can stand on your own," Spot said.
Bitter shook her head, "No," she said. "You can jist help me, it'll only take a minute," she said.
Spot nodded, not wanting to argue with her. He grabbed one of the shirts. She held her arms up and looked at Spot. He nervously walked over to her and helped her ease out of her shirt. His insides went crazy as he touched her soft skin. He tried not to stare as he put a clean shirt on her.
She started to pull her pants off, but was too weak to finish. Quickly, but gently, Spot pulled them off and grabbed the other pair of clean pants. He helped her put her graceful legs into the pants and pulled them up slowly. Just touching her a little made him want her even more, but he fought those feelings and watched her as she lay back down, closing her eyes, to block the pain in her head. He has a soft touch, she thought to herself before sleep overwhelmed her.
* * *
