DISCALIMER: Yada, yada, yada. Newsies belong to Disney. Phoenix, Salsa, and
Clue belong to me, though! Muah ha! Oh, and so does Crow! And Doctor
Reynald too! And Blackjack too!
A.N. Once again, thanks for all the nice and crazy reviews! I feel so loved! You guys are the greatest reviewers in da woild! I feel like having some big party for all youse! LOL! Oh well, I'll do the next best thing. UPDATE! Enjoy this chapter!
Sugar and Spice and A Little Bit of Vice
Spot could not stop talking about his child the next day. It felt a bit odd to him at first to be talking about such things, but he warmed up to it soon enough. He did not know what to expect, though, when he became a father. He had heard about the sleepless nights and endless feedings, not to mention the diaper changings. That did not appease him too much, especially when he was only seventeen years of age. Would he be a good parent when youth older than him still needed a parent of their own? It would prove to be quite a test.
Phoenix tugged on his hand and pulled him towards a baby room display in a store window. She rested her forehead against the glass pane and smiled. "It's decorated like Noah's Ark. That's adorable!" Her eyes rested on every single item made of ivory and she sighed. She wished she could provide her baby with such luxuries. Eager to marvel at other displays, she walked over to the other store window, but this one was advertising wedding decorations and accessories.
Spot's heart skipped a beat when he saw a simple wedding ring cushioned inside a blue, velvet box. Marriage. That was something else that had crossed his mind lately. He wanted Phoenix, but he did not want to marry her just because of the certain circumstances that recently arose. He wanted to marry her solely for love. "C'mon, babe. I wanna go tah Tibby's tah announce that we'se expectin a Spot Jr."
"I hope it's a goil so that youse don't give her a Dog's name."
"We'll just name her Dot then." They laughed and were about to cross the Brooklyn Bridge when they heard screams sounding from a distant alley. "Stay heah," Spot said quickly as he let go of Phoenix's hand and took off towards the noise. Phoenix paid no heed to his request and ran after him.
~~~
"Lemme go, ya bum!"
"Aww, dollface, what's the mattah? You aint in the mood tah play?"
The blonde girl glared at the newsie who was abusing her and spat in his face. "I wouldn't play wid youse if youse were the last man on earth and the entire human race depended on us. Yer a filthy rat! Lemme go!"
"I guess I'se just gonna force it outta youse," the newsie said, forcing the girl into a kiss. When he slid his tongue into her mouth, she bit down on it as hard as she could and kicked him in the knee. "Yer gunna pay fer that!" he yelled
"The only one that's gunna be payin is youse, Blackjack."
Blackjack did not even have to look up to know that it was Spot Conlon. "Well, if it isn't the mutt, comin out tah survey his territory. Don't worry, Spot. I'se was gunna let ya have her when I was done. I know how tah share."
Spot tapped the head of his cane onto his palm and gave the newsie his cool, intimidating look. "I coulda sworn I told youse tah never come back tah Brooklyn unless ya wanted me tah moider ya."
"Ya wouldn't hoit a fly. Why should I be afraid of youse?"
"I wouldn't hoit a fly, huh?" Spot raised his cane above his head and smashed it down on the other boy's head, causing him to fall back and huddle into a ball with loud moans. "When I'se make a promise, I keep it. Yer gunna be sorry ya ever came heah." Spot threw his cane aside and began kicking the newsie in the side over and over again, showing not the least sign of mercy. "Get up ya lousy bastard!" he yelled in rage.
Phoenix gasped. She had never seen Spot act so violently. Would he really kill someone? She felt sick watching him beat the fallen boy as if he were a worthless piece of meat and brought her hand to her mouth when she thought she might throw up. When she saw Spot reach for his cane, she could not watch anymore. "Spot!"
The Brooklyn leader looked at her sad face and felt ashamed all at once. She looked terrified of him and it broke his heart. He looked at Blackjack and then dragged the newsie to his feet. "Yer free tah go, but never step into me borough again. I might not kill youse, but alotta me boys will."
"That's a good, trained dog," Blackjack sneered, though he grimaced from the pain he felt. "Listen tah yer goil. Ya knows ya won't get any from that sweet thing if ya don't. Ya mind if I have me share?"
Spot answered by knocking his fist into Blackjack's cheekbone. "Ya even think of layin a finger on me goil and youse can forget what I'se said about not killin youse, cause I won't even sleep until I know yer dead and rotting!!!"
Blackjack held his hands up in defeat and feigned a smile. "All right, mutt. Don't worry, I'se aint want nuthin tah do wid youse anyways." He turned his back on all of them and started to walk away. Under his breath, when he was sure no one could hear, he muttered, "I'll get youse fer this, Spot. Get ya where it'll hoit real bad."
* * * * *
Clue sat down next to Blink at Tibby's just as there food was being served. "Have any of youse seen Jack yet?"
Snoddy took a sip from his pop and shook his head. "He probably went sellin wid Davey when he noticed youse were gone. Davey always takes his time when sellin papes so they's won't be heah 'til most of us are already eating."
Clue sighed. Though selling with Blink, Mush, and Snoddy had been fun, she missed selling with Jack. But if she spent too much time with him, she might be blinded and unable to see him for who he really was.
"I think youse should talk tah him when he comes," Mush suggested, taking a bite out of a sandwich he had ordered. "He's changed a lot ever since ya came into the picture. He used tah be all floity wid the goils, but now he's like, devoted tah youse!"
Clue gasped when someone entered the restaurant then, but upon seeing that it was only Spot and Phoenix, she leaned back in her seat. "Should I ask him about it? I'se just don't want him tah be mad at me."
"If he really cares about ya," Blink replied, "then he won't get mad just because yer askin about his past." The restaurant door swung open again and Clue slid down in her seat, shooting Snoddy a questioning glance.
Snoddy looked back. "Ah, it's only Race and some goil."
"Okay, I have tah stop being paranoid about all this," Clue said. "I'll just go up tah him, ask him whether he's changed since those days of competing against Spot, and then everything will be fine."
Spot walked up to their table and beamed with pride. "Guess what, kids! Phoenix and me is parents now! There's gunna be a prince of New Yawk!"
Clue choked on the water she was drinking. "Seriously? Wow! That's uh, that's great I guess. Why would youse want a baby so early?"
"Well, we didn't exactly plan it, Clue."
"Oh."
As Spot and Phoenix laughed, Race approached the group with a wide smile on his face. "Spot, youse a father now? Congratulations!" He hugged the Brooklyn leader and laughed. "Remember, Race aint too bad a name fer a kid." A girl came from behind Race with a sly look about her.
"Is this why youse didn't want tah get back wid me, Conlon?"
Spot's smile dropped into a frown. "Crow, I thought youse were leavin yesterday?"
"I was, but I couldn't bring myself tah leave. And then I met Race and we totally hit it off. He invited me tah stay in Manhattan wid him 'til I was back on me feet and I couldn't refuse the offer." She glanced at Phoenix and then back at Spot. She could ruin this all with only a few sentences. "So youse doing things a bit backwards? I mean, when we'se were gunna get married, kids were the last thing on our mind. Now yer makin babies foist?"
Phoenix narrowed her eyes. "Heya, who are ya and what are youse talking about?"
"Oh, didn't you know, sweetheart? Spot and I go way back. We'se was engaged fer almost six months! I came over tah his room sometime this week and we'se had a little talk about how things were."
"What?!" Phoenix turned to Spot, expecting an explanation.
"Don't tell me youse didn't expect that," Crow continued. "I mean, even while we'se were engaged, Spot still managed tah save his charm fer all the ladies. He cheated on me a few times. He didn't know that I saw, but I did."
"Yer such a liar!" Spot yelled, attracting everyone's attention. "Why are ya even doing this?"
Race stepped in between the two in confusion. "Wait, youse were engaged? Damn! Why do I always fall fer the goils who are desperately in love wid Spot!"
The newsies roared into laughter, but Phoenix was not at all amused. She pushed both Spot and Race away and stood face to face with Crow. "As far as I know, Spot has never cheated on me and I don't think he will because he cares about me. I don't care about what he did in his past because me worryin about it aint gunna change it. What's done is done! Ya really thought that bitchin about how youse used tah be engaged until he dumped yer sorry behind was gunna break us up? I'se sorry that yer that stupid."
"It's yer life," Crow hissed. "If ya wanna ruin it, that's yer problem."
"Yea, well there's just a few other things I'd like tah ruin too, like yer ugly face!" Phoenix stepped forward, rising her fists, but Spot grabbed her around the hips and pulled her back.
"Crow, I thought we'se were friends. Friends don't go around doing stuff like this, they's never jealous, and they don't start fights wid pregnant teenage goils." He smirked and the others laughed, apart from Phoenix who only rolled her eyes and Crow who scowled. "If yer gunna be startin problems like this, then I'se can't be yer friend."
"Spot, how do youse even know ya love her? It can just be a flimsy feeling!" Crow crossed her arms and waited for him to answer that, waited to see what he would do under pressure. Everyone's eyes were on him.
"I know it's love cause whenever I look into Phoenix's eyes, I wanna be a better person. I wanna make any sacrifices I have tah just to make her happy. But most of all, whenever I'se wid her, she steals a piece of me heart, and that has everything tah do wid love."
Crow could only glare at the happy couple as Phoenix pulled Spot down for a kiss amidst the hollering their friends made. She had once known that feeling too, and still did. She groaned loudly and exited Tibby's with a slam of the door, bumping into a tall newsie on her way out. She did not bother to excuse herself and he stared after her dazed.
"Oh my god, Blink! Jack's heah!" Clue's eyes widened and she ducked under the table. "Oh no, I aint ready tah talk tah him!"
Jack strode to the area where most of the newsies were gathered and shook his head. "What was up wid that goil?"
"Who knows," Spot shrugged. "Jacky, guess what! I'se gunna be a father!"
"Whoa!" Jack looked from Phoenix to Spot and grinned. "Spot Conlon's gunna be a responsible father? Are youse serious!? I can't believe this! I'se better be the godfather, Conlon!" Someone caught his eye then and he arched an eyebrow in bewilderment. "Clue, what is youse doin under the table?"
The girl climbed to her feet and gave him her innocent smile. "I was just tying me shoes, Jacky!" When there was no longer a show to see, the Manhattan newsies went back to their eating and talking amongst themselves. Jack and Clue were seated at a table alone, away from the others.
"So who did youse sell wid today?" She could tell Jack was disappointed when he asked that question. They had always sold together.
"Uhm, I sold on me own. I just wanted tah be by meself."
Jack looked at her and sighed. "Clue, is something wrong?"
"No, why would youse say that?" She bit her bottom lip and pretended as if she were looking at the menu for Tibby's.
"I knows when sumthin is botherin ya. Like the other night when youse were worried that I was gunna leave ya. I just get this feelin that youse gots sumthin ya wanna say."
Clue sighed. "Well, actually.."
More to Come!!! If you read this chapter, it is now your sworn duty to REVIEW!!! Muahahahahha!!! MMkay, maybe it's not your 'sworn duty', but how 'bout a little bit of serendipity? :gives them puppy eyes look: All I want is a few REVIEWS. Tell me if ya liked this chapter. PUH-LEEEEASE? C'mon everybody, let's SUBMIT like never before!!! WOOHOOOOOOOOO!
A.N. Once again, thanks for all the nice and crazy reviews! I feel so loved! You guys are the greatest reviewers in da woild! I feel like having some big party for all youse! LOL! Oh well, I'll do the next best thing. UPDATE! Enjoy this chapter!
Sugar and Spice and A Little Bit of Vice
Spot could not stop talking about his child the next day. It felt a bit odd to him at first to be talking about such things, but he warmed up to it soon enough. He did not know what to expect, though, when he became a father. He had heard about the sleepless nights and endless feedings, not to mention the diaper changings. That did not appease him too much, especially when he was only seventeen years of age. Would he be a good parent when youth older than him still needed a parent of their own? It would prove to be quite a test.
Phoenix tugged on his hand and pulled him towards a baby room display in a store window. She rested her forehead against the glass pane and smiled. "It's decorated like Noah's Ark. That's adorable!" Her eyes rested on every single item made of ivory and she sighed. She wished she could provide her baby with such luxuries. Eager to marvel at other displays, she walked over to the other store window, but this one was advertising wedding decorations and accessories.
Spot's heart skipped a beat when he saw a simple wedding ring cushioned inside a blue, velvet box. Marriage. That was something else that had crossed his mind lately. He wanted Phoenix, but he did not want to marry her just because of the certain circumstances that recently arose. He wanted to marry her solely for love. "C'mon, babe. I wanna go tah Tibby's tah announce that we'se expectin a Spot Jr."
"I hope it's a goil so that youse don't give her a Dog's name."
"We'll just name her Dot then." They laughed and were about to cross the Brooklyn Bridge when they heard screams sounding from a distant alley. "Stay heah," Spot said quickly as he let go of Phoenix's hand and took off towards the noise. Phoenix paid no heed to his request and ran after him.
~~~
"Lemme go, ya bum!"
"Aww, dollface, what's the mattah? You aint in the mood tah play?"
The blonde girl glared at the newsie who was abusing her and spat in his face. "I wouldn't play wid youse if youse were the last man on earth and the entire human race depended on us. Yer a filthy rat! Lemme go!"
"I guess I'se just gonna force it outta youse," the newsie said, forcing the girl into a kiss. When he slid his tongue into her mouth, she bit down on it as hard as she could and kicked him in the knee. "Yer gunna pay fer that!" he yelled
"The only one that's gunna be payin is youse, Blackjack."
Blackjack did not even have to look up to know that it was Spot Conlon. "Well, if it isn't the mutt, comin out tah survey his territory. Don't worry, Spot. I'se was gunna let ya have her when I was done. I know how tah share."
Spot tapped the head of his cane onto his palm and gave the newsie his cool, intimidating look. "I coulda sworn I told youse tah never come back tah Brooklyn unless ya wanted me tah moider ya."
"Ya wouldn't hoit a fly. Why should I be afraid of youse?"
"I wouldn't hoit a fly, huh?" Spot raised his cane above his head and smashed it down on the other boy's head, causing him to fall back and huddle into a ball with loud moans. "When I'se make a promise, I keep it. Yer gunna be sorry ya ever came heah." Spot threw his cane aside and began kicking the newsie in the side over and over again, showing not the least sign of mercy. "Get up ya lousy bastard!" he yelled in rage.
Phoenix gasped. She had never seen Spot act so violently. Would he really kill someone? She felt sick watching him beat the fallen boy as if he were a worthless piece of meat and brought her hand to her mouth when she thought she might throw up. When she saw Spot reach for his cane, she could not watch anymore. "Spot!"
The Brooklyn leader looked at her sad face and felt ashamed all at once. She looked terrified of him and it broke his heart. He looked at Blackjack and then dragged the newsie to his feet. "Yer free tah go, but never step into me borough again. I might not kill youse, but alotta me boys will."
"That's a good, trained dog," Blackjack sneered, though he grimaced from the pain he felt. "Listen tah yer goil. Ya knows ya won't get any from that sweet thing if ya don't. Ya mind if I have me share?"
Spot answered by knocking his fist into Blackjack's cheekbone. "Ya even think of layin a finger on me goil and youse can forget what I'se said about not killin youse, cause I won't even sleep until I know yer dead and rotting!!!"
Blackjack held his hands up in defeat and feigned a smile. "All right, mutt. Don't worry, I'se aint want nuthin tah do wid youse anyways." He turned his back on all of them and started to walk away. Under his breath, when he was sure no one could hear, he muttered, "I'll get youse fer this, Spot. Get ya where it'll hoit real bad."
* * * * *
Clue sat down next to Blink at Tibby's just as there food was being served. "Have any of youse seen Jack yet?"
Snoddy took a sip from his pop and shook his head. "He probably went sellin wid Davey when he noticed youse were gone. Davey always takes his time when sellin papes so they's won't be heah 'til most of us are already eating."
Clue sighed. Though selling with Blink, Mush, and Snoddy had been fun, she missed selling with Jack. But if she spent too much time with him, she might be blinded and unable to see him for who he really was.
"I think youse should talk tah him when he comes," Mush suggested, taking a bite out of a sandwich he had ordered. "He's changed a lot ever since ya came into the picture. He used tah be all floity wid the goils, but now he's like, devoted tah youse!"
Clue gasped when someone entered the restaurant then, but upon seeing that it was only Spot and Phoenix, she leaned back in her seat. "Should I ask him about it? I'se just don't want him tah be mad at me."
"If he really cares about ya," Blink replied, "then he won't get mad just because yer askin about his past." The restaurant door swung open again and Clue slid down in her seat, shooting Snoddy a questioning glance.
Snoddy looked back. "Ah, it's only Race and some goil."
"Okay, I have tah stop being paranoid about all this," Clue said. "I'll just go up tah him, ask him whether he's changed since those days of competing against Spot, and then everything will be fine."
Spot walked up to their table and beamed with pride. "Guess what, kids! Phoenix and me is parents now! There's gunna be a prince of New Yawk!"
Clue choked on the water she was drinking. "Seriously? Wow! That's uh, that's great I guess. Why would youse want a baby so early?"
"Well, we didn't exactly plan it, Clue."
"Oh."
As Spot and Phoenix laughed, Race approached the group with a wide smile on his face. "Spot, youse a father now? Congratulations!" He hugged the Brooklyn leader and laughed. "Remember, Race aint too bad a name fer a kid." A girl came from behind Race with a sly look about her.
"Is this why youse didn't want tah get back wid me, Conlon?"
Spot's smile dropped into a frown. "Crow, I thought youse were leavin yesterday?"
"I was, but I couldn't bring myself tah leave. And then I met Race and we totally hit it off. He invited me tah stay in Manhattan wid him 'til I was back on me feet and I couldn't refuse the offer." She glanced at Phoenix and then back at Spot. She could ruin this all with only a few sentences. "So youse doing things a bit backwards? I mean, when we'se were gunna get married, kids were the last thing on our mind. Now yer makin babies foist?"
Phoenix narrowed her eyes. "Heya, who are ya and what are youse talking about?"
"Oh, didn't you know, sweetheart? Spot and I go way back. We'se was engaged fer almost six months! I came over tah his room sometime this week and we'se had a little talk about how things were."
"What?!" Phoenix turned to Spot, expecting an explanation.
"Don't tell me youse didn't expect that," Crow continued. "I mean, even while we'se were engaged, Spot still managed tah save his charm fer all the ladies. He cheated on me a few times. He didn't know that I saw, but I did."
"Yer such a liar!" Spot yelled, attracting everyone's attention. "Why are ya even doing this?"
Race stepped in between the two in confusion. "Wait, youse were engaged? Damn! Why do I always fall fer the goils who are desperately in love wid Spot!"
The newsies roared into laughter, but Phoenix was not at all amused. She pushed both Spot and Race away and stood face to face with Crow. "As far as I know, Spot has never cheated on me and I don't think he will because he cares about me. I don't care about what he did in his past because me worryin about it aint gunna change it. What's done is done! Ya really thought that bitchin about how youse used tah be engaged until he dumped yer sorry behind was gunna break us up? I'se sorry that yer that stupid."
"It's yer life," Crow hissed. "If ya wanna ruin it, that's yer problem."
"Yea, well there's just a few other things I'd like tah ruin too, like yer ugly face!" Phoenix stepped forward, rising her fists, but Spot grabbed her around the hips and pulled her back.
"Crow, I thought we'se were friends. Friends don't go around doing stuff like this, they's never jealous, and they don't start fights wid pregnant teenage goils." He smirked and the others laughed, apart from Phoenix who only rolled her eyes and Crow who scowled. "If yer gunna be startin problems like this, then I'se can't be yer friend."
"Spot, how do youse even know ya love her? It can just be a flimsy feeling!" Crow crossed her arms and waited for him to answer that, waited to see what he would do under pressure. Everyone's eyes were on him.
"I know it's love cause whenever I look into Phoenix's eyes, I wanna be a better person. I wanna make any sacrifices I have tah just to make her happy. But most of all, whenever I'se wid her, she steals a piece of me heart, and that has everything tah do wid love."
Crow could only glare at the happy couple as Phoenix pulled Spot down for a kiss amidst the hollering their friends made. She had once known that feeling too, and still did. She groaned loudly and exited Tibby's with a slam of the door, bumping into a tall newsie on her way out. She did not bother to excuse herself and he stared after her dazed.
"Oh my god, Blink! Jack's heah!" Clue's eyes widened and she ducked under the table. "Oh no, I aint ready tah talk tah him!"
Jack strode to the area where most of the newsies were gathered and shook his head. "What was up wid that goil?"
"Who knows," Spot shrugged. "Jacky, guess what! I'se gunna be a father!"
"Whoa!" Jack looked from Phoenix to Spot and grinned. "Spot Conlon's gunna be a responsible father? Are youse serious!? I can't believe this! I'se better be the godfather, Conlon!" Someone caught his eye then and he arched an eyebrow in bewilderment. "Clue, what is youse doin under the table?"
The girl climbed to her feet and gave him her innocent smile. "I was just tying me shoes, Jacky!" When there was no longer a show to see, the Manhattan newsies went back to their eating and talking amongst themselves. Jack and Clue were seated at a table alone, away from the others.
"So who did youse sell wid today?" She could tell Jack was disappointed when he asked that question. They had always sold together.
"Uhm, I sold on me own. I just wanted tah be by meself."
Jack looked at her and sighed. "Clue, is something wrong?"
"No, why would youse say that?" She bit her bottom lip and pretended as if she were looking at the menu for Tibby's.
"I knows when sumthin is botherin ya. Like the other night when youse were worried that I was gunna leave ya. I just get this feelin that youse gots sumthin ya wanna say."
Clue sighed. "Well, actually.."
More to Come!!! If you read this chapter, it is now your sworn duty to REVIEW!!! Muahahahahha!!! MMkay, maybe it's not your 'sworn duty', but how 'bout a little bit of serendipity? :gives them puppy eyes look: All I want is a few REVIEWS. Tell me if ya liked this chapter. PUH-LEEEEASE? C'mon everybody, let's SUBMIT like never before!!! WOOHOOOOOOOOO!