Author's Note: I'm baaaaaack! Here is the next chapter finally. It's pretty angsty, so if you don't like that sorta stuff, how on earth did you get through the first 6 chapters??? Anyways, on with the show!!

This chapter is dedicated to the endlessly kind FictionHobbit and her wonderful farm of Newsies!



Title: Secrets Best Left Untold

Author: Neffie

Chapter 7

A cold wind blew across the bridge. Spot Conlon, leader of the Brooklyn newsies, stood in the moonlight looking down and the shivering and half naked girl at his feet who was trying in vain to cover herself with what was left of the torn garments. His two aides standing like sentinels on either side of him, their eyes searching the darkness for the first sign of trouble.

"Angel," Spot spoke promptly, with the voice of a leader, to the tall Hispanic boy on his left. "Go to Manhattan. Tell Blink what happened. We'll meet you both at Medda's." Without a word, Angel was gone, running off into the shadows with the ease of a night predator.

"Trigger," Spot now spoke to the redheaded, clearly Irish boy on his right. "Gimme your coat." The boy immediately complied, shedding his jacket and handing it to his commander.

With slow and deliberate movements, Spot stepped towards Brooke, who was pushing herself further away with ever step. Finally she was pressed against the side railing. "Jus' calm down, goil. I ain't gonna hoit cha. Jus' take it easy." Spot spoke in a calm, gentle voice to her, one that was surprising coming from the tough leader of Brooklyn. He approached her as he would an injured and cornered animal, with much caution. Unfortunately, Spot had had far too many experiences with violent attacks on his bridge, sometimes even finding his own newsies in situations much similar to Brooke's.

As he placed the coat around her trembling shoulders, Brooke's eyes never once left Spot's face. She didn't have any real reason to fear him. Although she had never spoken to him directly, he had always tipped his hat in a gentlemanly manner to her when he would come in every so often to have lunch with Jack. From what she had been told by the Manhattan newsies, Spot Conlon had a great sense of honor, but would turn dangerous in the blink of an eye if you crossed or threatened him or his boys in anyway. Blink had been full of stories about the famous leader during the strike, how he had charged into the brawl, leading his newsies like King Arthur and his knights. But even knowing that, Brooke was still left shaken by her attack and, combined with her recent nightmares and reoccurring flashbacks, it was hard for her to let her guard down even the slightest bit.

She flinched at the sudden presence of a cool hand at her cheek. "That's quite a shiner ya got dere." His words were a vast understatement; the entire left side of her face was already bruising a dark, ugly shade of purple. "Can youse walk?" he asked her.

Using the railings on the side of the bridge for support, she unsteadily tried to find her feet. Her attempts failed as her knees gave way underneath her, only to find herself being held by Spot. "I guess dat's a 'no' then, ain't it?" he chuckled, trying to lighten the situation. "I guess we'se a'gonna have ta carry you to Medda's if we expect to get there before dawn," he stated as he tried to shift her weight to be able to carry her more easily.

"No!" she finally spoke. Spot looked at her in surprise and questioningly.

"P-p-please. Just t-t-take me home. I just want to g-g-go home," she stammered. "Please Spot."

For a long, silent moment, Spot simply looked at her, trying to decide what he should do. Finally, he gave a heavy sigh. "Fine, I'll take ya home. I never could refuse a lady." Brooke closed her eyes in relief. "But, I'se gonna have to let Blink know where ya went, you got me?"

"I understand." With that she leaned her head against his chest and concentrated on containing her tears instead of the long walk to her apartment.

When Angel, one of Spot's right-hand boys came bursting into the lodging house, interrupting Dutchy's latest joke, everyone had known immediately that something was wrong. Very, very wrong. Although everyone had questions, Angel went directly to Blink, pulling him aside and whispering a few words to him. Blink's face had gone pale and his eyes met Specs', before turning and following Angel out the door without so much as a word of explanation.

Stopping only to grab his hat Specs headed toward the door after them. He held up his hand to stop Jack who was rising from his chair, along with a few others newsies who were anxious to help out their friends in any way. "No, Cowboy," Specs said firmly. "This is something that has to do with me and Blink. No one else. We'll let you knows somethin' as soon as we can." Then he was gone out into the autumn night air.

Soon, the three of them, Kid Blink, Specs and Angel were sitting at the bar at Irivin Hall, anxiously awaiting Spot and Brooke's arrival. Angel was a newsie of few words, he had simply told them that Brooke had been attacked on the Bridge, but they had found her in time, and that Spot was bringing her to Medda's, which was the safest place.

Kid Blink had his hands wrapped tightly around a glass of whiskey. His features were set in a deep frown of worry as he stared into the glass of dark liquid, his mind running through some of the worst scenarios imaginable.

Specs was pacing back and forth with his arms wrapped tightly around himself. //If only I hadn't let her leave the lodging house this morning. If only I had skipped selling for the day and offered to go with her to Brooklyn. I knew that it was dangerous for her to go by herself.// he scolded himself.

Angel was sitting calmly nearby, observing the two boys and wondering what it was about the girl that they had found earlier that was so special that they were so worried. His thoughts were interupted as Spot came in and Blink jumped from his stool. Brooke was nowhere in sight.

"Where is she?" Blink demanded, grabbing Spot by the front of his shirt. He quickly let go when he saw the warning in Spot's eyes and saw the same deadly look on Angel's face, who had moved to stand behind his leader. "Sorry," he said quickly, running a hand through his messy blonde hair.

"Good to see you too, Kid," Spot said gruffly as he straightened his shirt and placed a hand reassuringly over the key that was ever present around his neck. "You're goil insisted dat I take her home. I'm not too surprised, if youse show her da same manners dat you just showed me." Spot quickly downed Blink's untouched glass of liquor. Before he even finished swallowing, Kid Blink and Specs were rushing out the door.

"Yeah, you're welcome Kid." Spot said with a half-smirk on his face.

The two newsies were out of breath when they reached the door to the small apartment behind Tibby's.

Blink pounded on the door shouting Brooke's name while Specs leaned against the wall trying to calm his heart's beating. With a soft creak, the door opened slowly.

They stepped carefully inside and took a look around. The oil lamp on the night stand was lit brightly and the room was neat and tidy as always, not a single sign of struggle.

Specs made a slight choking noise and Blink turned to see what he had found. His jaw dropped open.

Through the doorway of the tiny washroom, there was a quickly spreading puddle of blood on the floor.



AN: Mwahahahahaha!!!! You expected happiness??? From ME?!?!?! Ah well. To Be Continued!!! Hopefully I'll have the next chapter up a hell of a lot sooner.