Disclaimer: Do I really need to put this here anymore? You all know I own zip.

Shout~Outs (Yay Plural form again!!!)

Slick ~ The lone reviewer lol...its my review page, be as conceded as you want its all good. I'm worse than you are with my away messages lol. You don't have the only review today thou...my story got more popular hehe. And alright I came through with my end of the deal, you hafta update your story now!!! (Even though you already updated and I didn't lol) And we all know you're the only on that matters *wink wink* lol

Falco ~ I luff Spot, Race, Skits, Dutchy, and especially Specs too. Splash, whole different story and I'm not too fond of Jack but hey I'll work with it XD

                                                           Living Spirits

                                                             Chapter 4

My papes were resting on my shoulder. I was too busy talking to Specs to notice the person sneaking behind us. As he grabbed me and threw me to the ground, I noticed his scar. It was oddly shaped as if a blade was weaved from his nose to his ear. Soon after I saw it, Specs came to my defense. The attacker then turned his attention to him. As they were fighting I jumped back on my feet, not at all fazed from the previous fall. As I spun the man around I saw the glimmer of silver that he held in his hand. Before the straight razor blade had penetrated my skin, Specs cried out in warning.

          "Splash..." I felt the cold hand on my shoulder shaking me gently, and I instantly jumped out of bed, banging my head off of the bunk above me in the process. The room immediately broke out in laughter. Specs tried to hold his back as he asked me if I was ok. He didn't hold it back very long though.

          I rubbed my forehead trying to wake up and ease the pain at the same time. 'What a horrid dream' I stood up beside Specs who obviously still found the situation highly amusing.

          I smacked his arm somewhat harder then I wanted to, "Why'd you hafta scare me like dat?" He acted surprised and hurt but then gave up the act and just smiled. "I'se sorry." I looked at him skeptically. "I'se sure you are."

          All the way to the Distribution Office, my friends joked about my 'smashing' time that morning. I smirked and grinned after each comment. At least it wasn't Race talking about pokah.

          When I finally reached the line of Newsies waiting for papers, I realized I didn't know how many to buy. I didn't worry too much about it though, I'd be able to pry it out of somebody by the time I reached Weasel.

          "'Ey Mush, how many you t'ink I can sell taday?" I gave him a sly grin. I figured I'd try Mush first being he was right beside me, and because he seemed oblivious to half the things around him.

          "Aw, I dunno Splash. I'se jus stick ta da usual 60. It doesn't look like dere's a lot fer us ta improve upon taday." That's all I wanted to hear. "Thanks Mush."

          By the time I reached the counter, Weasel was visibly irritated. I decided although I might have fun, that I was just going to buy my papers and leave. I learned later that it just wasn't going to work that way.

          I slid my money over and asked for my 60 papes. No sooner were the words out of my mouth than Morris had his greasy face up against the bars. "Looky who decided ta show deir face. I'se t'ought you was gone fa good."

          I grabbed my papers in a hurry before I got even more frustrated. "You know, you should jus be glad you'se face is still recognizable. Da next time I'se fightin' you won't be as lucky." I then shot my patented Hayley death glare and walked away. ' Why did I say that? I hope Splash actually beat him up once.'    

          As I was walking down the steps, Dutchy popped up behind me and wrapped his arm around my shoulder. "Nice one. You'se want a sellin partnah taday?" I rolled my eyes and laughed. I turned my head just to see Specs walking off with his papers. I then turned back to Dutchy. "Sure, why not."

          We sold about half of our papers working on headlines based from our own imagination alone, when we stopped to take a break. "So why were you so jumpy dis morning?" I looked over at him hoping he was joking around but he wasn't. I sighed and came back with "Jus' a bad dream."

          "Common Splash, I know bettah, somet'ings wrong. Wouldcha please jus tell me, I'se your best friend remembah. I'se worried about you, so is Specs. You know 'e loves you moah den anyt'ing. You jus haven't been you'se normal self fer awhile."

          'Specs loves me? That would explain a lot.' I thought about it for a moment. It made sense why he had been the one to find me then. Why I had the dreams with him in them. Why I had felt I should go to him all the time. Splash must have been his girl. 

I then focused my attention back to Dutchy. I could tell this wasn't easy for him to bring up and that I couldn't avoid it as easily as I had with Spot. I took in a few deep breaths before answering.

          "I was jumpy 'cause of a bad dream. It was about dat guy." I shuttered as I retold the dream to him. It wasn't very pleasant to go through the first time. I sat silent for a moment before I started the next part. The part I didn't know I knew.

"See he's been afta me again. Well sorta..." I paused while I thought about how to say this. "He's not out ta get me, he's out ta get...er...somebody I know. I'se jus been stallin' him from findin' dat somebody. Now he's gettin' closer ta findin' who he's lookin' fer. I don't t'ink I can hold him off anymore."

          Dutchy looked even more confused than when I had first started. To tell the truth so was I. That might've been ok if somebody else was telling the story.

I continued telling him how Splash had walked several alleys out of the way to make sure nobody was following her anywhere. I said that she wouldn't talk to most of her friends in case she was being watched. I also talked about how she meant to disappear for a while. I guessed that when I was found was when her disappearance ended.

I knew I wasn't making much sense to him but I didn't really know what I was trying to say either. I was just retelling the scenes that were developing in the back of my mind. I wasn't sure how they got there but I figured telling him about them might help the situation.

          "I jus didn't want any of me friends hoit, so I stopped da guy every time he came close ta findin' him. I stopped tawkin' in case he might use me othah friends ta get me out of his way."

I don't know how he managed it, but he seemed to understand what I was getting at. It was a good thing considering I could feel my eyes swelling up with tears. "I'se sorry."

          The next I knew Dutchy was holding me and I was openly crying into his chest. I was still processing what I had said. 'Who am I protecting?' Dutchy continued trying to comfort me but I needed to figure everything else out for myself before I could feel better. 

          "Once he finds who he's lookin' fer, dey'll be dead an' since I know to much, so will I."