Marble felt bad about what she had said to Spot but she couldn't tell him the truth. She knew that he would over react if he knew what had happened and it would hurt him to know that he couldn't do anything about it. Marble's thoughts were cut off when someone grabbed her and dragged he into an alley.

She broke free and spun to see the Delancys, "Jeez, what is it with you two and muggings in alleys?"

"Dis ain't no muggin' liddle goil." She turned back around to see Beck and a bunch of his friends, "Ya see, dis heah is revenge."

She moved back when she saw the brass knuckles and walked right into the Delancy's waiting arms. Beck slowly moved up to her until he was only inches away. He reached forward and grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him. Marble stared at him with pure hate in her eyes.

"You knows goily, yous kinda poitty. In fact a soakin' ain't all yous gonna git tonite."

* * *

Spot was about to give up on finding Marble. She couldn't be that far ahead of him, she must have turned somewhere. He was turning back when he heard a scream. Spot whipped around the echo in the empty street kept him from being able to tell where it had come from. Suddenly he saw a grey streak bolt into an alley down the street then heard a yelp of pain and swearing.

Spot was there in an instant with his cane ready. He saw the Delancys holding Marble still while three other boys stood in a half circle around them. Beck was trying to dislodge Ashes from his neck where the cat was clawing and biting.

When the boys saw Spot they panicked and tried to run but the only way out was past him. He brought the cane up smacking one boy in the face then jerked it down and to his other side, hitting another in the groin. The boy doubled over and Spot kicked him into the wall. The last one took a swing at Spot while he was busy but he saw it coming and grabbed the boy's wrist, dragging him over his shoulder and into the wall.

Beck finally got Ashes off and saw all of his boys down and a very angry Spot, "Dis ain't what it looks like Spot, jist let me explain."

Spot lunged forward with his cane and knocked Beck's legs out from under him. He fell and his head rebounded off of the pavement. There was a small pool of blood forming but he was still conscience.

Sometime during the fight the Delancys had disappeared up a fire escape, leaving Marble crumpled up on the ground. Spot went to her after a solid kick to Beck's face.

Spot gently touched her, "Marble yous alroight?"

She jerked back with a panicked look in her eyes, "Marble it's jist me, Marble?" When she didn't respond he tried something else, "Maggie it's me, Ben"

When she heard her name Marble collapsed into his arms sobbing. Spot tried to comfort her as he picked her up. He gently cradled her as he walked back to the way he had come.

At the mouth of the alley Ashes joined him, "I wish yous could talk an' tell me what happened."

* * *

Marble had finally stopped crying but now she wouldn't let anyone touch her. Spot was so worried that he sent someone for Jack. He didn't know how that would help but he was getting desperate.

She was laying on his bed curled up in a little ball, staring off into space. Ashes had climbed onto the bed earlier and was sitting protectively by her head. If Spot tried to get close she would flinch back and the cat would hiss, so now he was sitting across the room watching them.

Spot jumped out of his seat when the door opened but instead of Jack it was Dutchy and his girlfriend.

Frick also came in, "I's couldn't find da Cowboy but I ran inta dese two. Mebbe dey can help."

Dutchy took a step towards the bed but Ashes warned him off with his claws.

"What happened to 'er?"

"I ain't sure. A coupla me boys grabbed 'er in an alley but I's don't t'ink dey did nothin' afore I got dere. She's been all scared an' won't let nobody near 'er since I's got 'er back heah."

Angela whispered something to Frick, who nodded and turned to Spot, "Da two a yous git outa heah, dis is goil business."

Spot started to protest but she gave him an angry glare and shoved him out the door, "If she does somthin' I'll tell ya."

The door shut behind him and he faced a room full of anxious newsies who were waiting for an improvement. When they saw tho look on Spot's face they decided not to question him.

It was late and the boys had to sell the next day so all of the lights on one side of the room were put out so they could sleep. Only Frack, Dublin, Twitch, Dutchy and Spot were still awake when Jack came. Race, Blink and Crutchy were with him, "I's couldn't make 'em stay. What happened?"

Spot stopped pacing for a second and gave him a lost and hopeless look. Dublin explained what they knew to Jack and the others.

The door opened once he finished and Angela walked out, "She's sleeping now so don't worry. We need to talk to you Spot." Frick came out and quietly shut the door behind her.

The girls lead Spot to the dark side of the room where nobody could hear them. When they started talking a look of shock came over his face but it quickly turned to anger.

"I'm gonna..." Frick's hand clamped over his mouth to stop him from yelling. She gestured to the sleeping boys around and hissed something into his ear. The angry look on his face faded into worry and he sank onto the foot on a bed. Angela sat next to him and put an arm around his shoulders and Frick knelt on the floor in front of him. Angela said something that made him look at her hopefully then she smiled at him and stood up to go.

Dutchy wrapped his arms around her, "What's goin' on?"

"I'll tell you outside." The group, including the boys from Brooklyn, left the building. A minute later Twitch came back in and laid down on his bunk, curling up into a ball and pulling the covers over his head. He was followed a little while later by Dublin, Frack, Race and Blink. The two Manhattan boys had decided to stay while Jack and Crutchy went to tell the others what was happening. Dutchy was walking Angela home then coming back for the night. All of the newsies found empty bunks, they didn't want to talk but they couldn't sleep. Everyone's attention kept wandering back to the door on the far side of the room. In there was one of their best friends, hurt, and there was nothing they could do to help. Seeing her broken down like that made them all uncomfortable but no one was surprised she had reacted like that. Being raped, beaten and left for dead in an alley as a child was enough to emotionally damage anyone.

* * *

Jack leaned back against the brick wall and took a long drag from his cigarette before handing it to Kid Blink. He nodded to Dublin in the alley across the street but he shook his head back. Race slipped down from the fire escape behind Jack. He pointed down the street to Boots, Specs and Spot, who were rolling dice on the sidewalk. They looked up and shook their heads. People were just starting to come out onto the street and beginning their mornings. Skittery and Dutchy came walking down the street together, passing Snipeshooter where he was poking around in the gutter, and sat down in front of a store just as the owner opened the door. Frick and Frack were sitting on a pile of barrels across the street sharing a piece of bread and Jake was sitting beneath them, sleeping.

The sun was coming up at the end of the street, flooding everything in a cheery golden light. The brick and cobblestones were heating up in the harsh sunlight. Mush came down the street and touched Blink's arm. They both crossed over to sit on a stack of boxes with Dublin. Racetrack took Blink's place next to Jack and absently shuffled a deck of cards. Snitch and Bumlets were having a mock sword fight with sticks on the corner while Pie Eater and Swifty were making a sword for Itey. They stopped for minute when a boy from Brooklyn looked down on them over the edge of a roof. He waved and disappeared again after signaling to someone down the street. Twitch came running around a corner and down the street until he had passed everyone then he turned and whistled. Everyone stopped what they were doing and watched the end of the road, more boys from Brooklyn materialized out of alleys and doorways. A pair of boys came walking around the corner on their way to work. The Delancys didn't notice a mob of angry newsies converging on them in the growing crowds until it was too late.