Author's Note: I just got the Newsies DVD today! ::does happy dance around the room:: Anyways, here is the next chaptah!

You Want A Disclaimer & Warning: See the previous chapters…

Title: Secrets Best Left Untold

Author: Neffie

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Chapter 4

Specs took Brooke by the hand and led her to the bunk room upstairs. Her silence and submission frightened him. Tremors racked through her violently with each passing chill. In the dryness of the lodging house, Specs could see that not all of the moisture on her face was due to the rain, tears were streaking down her face.

"Brooke," Specs said firmly, placing a hand on either side of her face. "We gotta get yas outta dese wet clothes, alright? Ya gonna die of pneumonia if we don't." Her eyes finally focused on his and she nodded, still without a word.

Fingers numb with cold fumbled with the buttons, Brooke made many failed attempts to unbutton her blouse. Seeing her difficulty Specs helped her with the task. Her skin was frigid and clammy to the touch, her lips tinted blue. "Goil, youse crazy walkin' around on a night like dis! And without a coat ta boot! What were youse thinkin'?" he scolded as he helped her out of her skirt. He quickly found her a clean shirt to pull on. There was no shame or embaressment between the two during this. They were the closest thing that either of them had to family anymore and treated each other as such.

It was quickly apparent that Brooke was still chilled. Thinking on his feet, he had her slide into his bunk. She looked up at him, puzzled, as he laid down next to her and pulled her close to him, wrapping a blanket around the both of them. "Body heat," he quickly told her, "it's da fastest way ta get ya warmed up." Satisfied with the explanation, she relaxed into his embrace. Snuggling deeper into the covers, Specs softly broke the silence. "What's wrong Brooke? Why did you come here?"

Brooke took a deep breath before answering the question. "Specs… Today, at the restaurant…" She paused for a moment, as if she had to gather all of her strength to speak her next words. "I didn't break a plate."

Specs looked at her knowingly, his dark brown eyes filled with sadness at seeing his best friend in such obvious despair. "What did happen?" he prodded gently, though he feared he already knew the answer.

For a long, silent moment, Specs thought that she was refusing to answer the question. Until she let out a choked sob and buried her face in his chest. "There's so much that all of you don't know about me. And I'm scared to death that if any of you were to hear the truth…" another sob tore from her throat, "Blink wouldn't be able to look at me, much less ever love me… and neither would you for that matter."

Placing one hand under her chin, Specs tilted Brooke's face up to look at him. "Hey now, that's just crazy talk," he wiped the tears from her cheeks. "We've all got a past of our own, and our own demons. Dere ain't no shame about it."

Allowing her barriers to fall, Brooke went on to tell Specs about her mother and father, and her childhood spent in solitude. He sat and listened with quiet understanding. When she reached the part where she went to live with her grandfather, she turned red with shame. "He would… do these things and then tell me that it was because I was a bad girl, and that if I told anyone, they would know how wicked I was. I've never told anyone… until now."

Specs had felt his blood boiling at hearing the things Brooke's grandfather had done to her. When she spoke of the things her grandfather had told her in order to keep her quiet, his whole body tensed with barely controlled anger. Brooke felt this change in Specs and quickly scooted away from him as best as she could in the small bed, eyes wide with fear. She misunderstood the target in which his anger was directed. Realizing this, Specs quickly forced himself to calm down and with slow and gentle movements, he took both of Brooke's hands with his own. "Brooke, I want ya ta listen ta me very carefully, alright? NOTHING you're grandfather did was your fault, ya hear me? Youse did nothing wrong ta deserve somethin' like dat." Seeing the doubt and residual fear still in her eyes, he added, "And me and Blink and all da otha bums around here are nevah goin' ta think any less of ya. Ya hear me? Nevah. And if I evah lay eyes on da bastard, I'll kill 'im, I promise you dat Brooke."

"You don't have to worry about that. He died last week. Cousin Bill and I just received the telegram yesterday morning. The very mention of his name caused all the memories to come back. I had worked so hard to forget the time there. Remembering it all again, I felt so dirty. I felt like everything I had now was a lie, and I wouldn't live a lie. That's why I…" Brooke almost choked on the words. "I took a straight razor and tried to slit my wrists."

"Aw, kid…" was all Specs could say as Brooke's tears began to fall anew. Sadly, her confession had not surprised Specs in the slightest.

With nothing more to be said, Specs pulled Brooke close against him once again and held her until she fell asleep in his arms. Sure that she would be okay for the rest of the night, he closed his eyes, allowing himself to doze for a few minutes, emotionally drained from the conversation. Neither of them heard the front door to the lodging house open and close.

Blink took off his coat and hung it by the door. Worrying about Brooke's strange behavior had made it impossible to concentrate on his hand at the poker game. He had come home to try and get some sleep. The rain pounding on the roof drowned out the sounds of his footsteps on the stairs. Reaching the top of the stairs his hand hesitated at the doorknob as he briefly pondered heading over to Brooke's apartment instead. Justifying that it was too late at night for such a visit, he swung the door of the bunk room open.

He stood in silent shock at sight that awaited him.



Author's Note: Got ya interested yet?? PLEASE REVIEW!!! Chapter 5 coming soon!!!