Author's Note: The plot gets even thicker! Sorry I took so long getting this up, but I have been in desperate need of sleep. Please forgive me, and PUH-LEASE review!

Warning: They ain't mine, 'cept Brooke. This story is sad and angsty and everything else that makes fan fic tasty!

Title: Secrets Best Left Untold

Author: Neffie

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Chapter 5

Two hours later, a loud rumble of thunder awoke Specs. Pushign his glasses back up his nose, he looked down at the girl laying on top of him. His fingers gently brushed her light brown hair from her face, causing her to stir and whimper in her sleep. Her knotted brow and deep frown told Specs that her dreams were less than pleasant.

He gently eased himsely out of the bed, careful not to wake her. Stretching, he took a casual glance around the room. //That's funny// Specs thought to himself, //I could have sworn dat door was closed.//

A loud clattering came from downstairs. Slowly, Specs made his way down the staircase. What he saw was the last thing he expected.

Blink sat slumped against the wall, his blue eye staring blankly across the room. In his hand, he held a half empty bottle of whiskey.

"Kid, you okay?" Specs cautiously placed a hand on the blond boy's shoulder, only to have it roughly pushed away. Blink's face changed from intesne despair to barely contained rage. With a rough shove, Specs found himself pushed against the wall.

"Am I okay?" Blink sneered sarcastically in Specs' face. The smell of the alcohol on his breath was almost overpowering. "Youse supposed ta be my friend, ya dirty bastard!" Blink swung his fist at Specs, but his drunken state made his aim less than accurate. His knuckles drove hard into the wall as Specs moved out of the way. Cradling his injured hand against his chest, Blink's eye seemed to flame as he glared at Specs. "How could you do dis ta me?" his voice laced with anger and pain.

"What the hell are you talkin' about, Kid?" Specs backed away from Blink.

With a yell, Blink grabbed the corners of one of the small tables and knocked it over. "Don't gimme that! I may only have one good eye, but I know what I saw!" His voice became more and more hoarse as he continued, his emotions becoming harder and harder to control. "You think you are so smart and we're all so stupid!" With ragged gasps, Blink tried to bring his anger under control. "Lemme spell it out for you then, smart guy. I saw you and Brooke together in your bed. Ya didn't even have the decency to go somewheres where ya wouldn't get caught!"

Specs jaw dropped at Blink's words. "You saw what? You don't think that I… that she… that we… Damnit Blink what kinda person do ya think I am? I would never do anything like that to you or Brooke!"

"Oh yeah?" Blink snarled. "Then what exactly do you call what youse was doin'?" sarcasm dripped from his words. Specs felt his own rage building.

"You may have one good eye, Kid, but you sure as hell are blind to things around you!"

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

Now it was Blink who was pressed against the wall, looking into brown eyes blazing behind a thin pair of glasses. "You gimme a straight answer Blink… Do you really care about Brooke or is she just another game for you to play? For you to brag about to Mush and Race and Jack?"

"Of course I care about her! I love her!" Blink shouted. He seemed surprised at his own words. He had never admitted to loving anyone. His words seemed to break the tension through the tension between the two newsies. Silence filled the room as they studied one another. And then, by some unspoken agreement, they both placed their hostility aside.

Wearily sinking down into one of the chairs, Specs gestured to the seat beside him for Blink to join him. "Kid," he started, careful to pick the right words in order to avoid another violent confrontation. "Have ya taken a good look at Brooke lately?" Blink simply looked at Specs with question. Sighing, Specs continued. "I'll take dat as a 'no'. She don't eat, she hardly sleeps and she don't smile and laugh like she used to. Have ya seen what she's been doin' to her arms?"

"You mean that cut? She had an accident at the restaurant." Blink said defensively.

Specs shook his head and gingerly placed his hand on Blink's shoulder. "It wasn't an accident. She tried ta kill herself, Kid."

Before the blond boy could reply, a scream of "NO!" was heard from upstairs. Without a second thought, Specs was running up the steps to see what was the matter, Blink close at his heels. Flinging open the door to the bunkroom, they found Brooke sitting up in the bed, shaking with fear. Specs went to her and pulled her into his arms as she began to cry. As he tried to comfort her, her words were barely understandable. "I-I-I was dreaming and my grandfather wasn't dead at all. Instead he was here and he took me away with him and Blink let him do it. Blink found out the truth and said he could never love me." Her shoulders convulsed with sobs, she did not even notice Blink standing dumbstruck in the doorway.

He now realized that it wasn't Specs he had to worry about losing Brooke to… The only danger was Brooke herself.



CHAPTER 6 COMING SOON! Reviews make Neffie a happy girl and just might encourage her to hurry the next chapters more!!!