Chapter 16

Race's eyes clouded over with anger as he watched his girlfriend stalk out of the bunkroom with Mary close at her heels. Turning towards Spot his eyes became even darker. "What the hell did you do that for?"

Tapping his cane against the floor a few times in thought, he tucked it safely in his belt loop. "I didn't do anything, I just had to set a few things straight." He replied with a shrug of his shoulders. "Besides, someone needs to show that girl she don't run this place."

"Yea, well I care about that girl a lot." Race all but growled, his fist clenching at his side trying to distill some of the anger from his body. "And if you do anything to hurt her, I will personally hunt you down and kill you."

Spot smirked, despite the glare he received from Race. "Relax Race, like I said I just wanted to show her who runs things around here."

Race shrugged off the arm Spot placed around his shoulder. "Well, you picked one hell of a moment to do that. Mary is upset because her and Blink got into a fight, and Nick is upset, because Mary I upset, and everything is a huge mess." Forgetting his anger for the moment, Race sat down on his bunk and placed his head in his hands. "And I feel so damn selfish because I'm worried about is y relationship with Nichole, when I should be worried about Blink."

Spot gave Race a puzzled look. "You and Nick have a relationship?" His voice sounding more shocked then he contemplated it to be. "As in she is now your girl?"

Race had to smirk at the confused boy. It wasn't everyday you got the leader of Brooklyn tongue-tied. "Yup, we worked everything out and things are fine now."

"And when exactly did this happen?"

"Last night after Blink and Mary locked us in a room together."

"Is that what they were doing, I thought they were just fooling around." Spot said eyebrows raised.

"Yea, fooling around with our emotions."

"But it worked, didn't it?" Spot pointed out.

Race nodded his head up and down slowly. "Yea, It did, and I'm very happy, but I still think we could have gotten together on our own without any help."

Spot's eyebrows wrinkled in doubt. "No, you couldn't. You two would have killed each other if you had the chance." He snorted.

"Fine, fine." Race held his hands up in defeat. "I admit it we would have killed each other, but everything is fine so there is no point in talking about that."

Race stood, and patted Spot on the back. "Now, that we got that out of the way, I need you to do me a favor, Spot."

The glint in his eye, caused Spot to raise an eyebrow questionably. "And what would that favor be?"

"Go down stairs and talk with Nichole. She is really upset, and you butting into this whole thing didn't help the situation."

Spot thought it over in his mind, then nodded his head solemnly. "Fair enough, I'll go down stairs and talk with her." His face lost all kindness and turned to stone again. Drawing his cane from his pants, he pointed it threateningly at Race. "But, I ain't saying sorry for something I didn't do."

Race raised his hands defensively, but smiled inwardly at Spot's attempt to be intimidating. "I never said you had to say sorry, just talk to her. You two seemed to be close...well, before she hit you."

"Yea, yea, but don't expect any miracles, all right?" With that said, Spot left and Race exhaled the breath he was holding.

Spot trudged down the steps with an angry stance. Why did he just agree to talk with Nick? There was nothing to talk about. What did Race expect him to do? Go down there, talk with her and say sorry for something he didn't even do? There was no point whatsoever in doing this.

His foot hit the bottom step and the aroma of hot soup touched his nose. The scent brought him to the kitchen, where Kloppman stood in front of a boiling pot. Spot turned up his nose and sniffed the air. "Hey, Kloppman, what are you cooking? It smells good."

Kloppman turned and smiled at the teenage boy. Removing his hat, he placed it on the nearest chair, then he turned his attention back to the soup. "Just some soup. Nichoel destroyed the kitchen looking for something to eat, so I thought it would be easier if I just made her something. I owe her for the cleaning the bunkroom."

Spot turned and looked up the stairwell, a confused look on his face. "She cleaned the bunkroom? It didn't look any different to me."

Kloppman shrugged, his back still turned towards Spot. "That's because you don't have to look at it everyday. The girls must have done something they were up there for quite sometime."

Spot nodded and began to leave, but instead he turned back around. Before he could say anything, though, Kloppman poked his thumb in the direction of the sitting area. "If you're looking for the girls, they're in there."

Thanking Kloppman, he headed in the way he directed. Sure enough, the closer he got the clearer the two voices he heard became. Stopping, he listened to the conversation.

"If you hate Spot so much, why didn't you just hit him?" Mary asked, a hint of annoyance in her voice.

Nichole sighed, and rubbed her eye roughly. "Because, if I hit him it would have only led to more conflict, and there is already enough of that going around."

Spot took this time to step out of the shadows and speak up. "If you kept your mouth shut for more then five minutes, then maybe all this conflict wouldn't be going on."

Nichole, who had her back turned towards Spot, turned around and glared at him. "Damit, Spot, why the hell are you listening in on our conversation." Standing she began to push him backwards out of the room. "Why don't you take your ass back to Brooklyn?"

Spot grabbed her by the wrist and brought his face inches from hers. "Will you clam down. I came here to talk with you, not to fight."

Her eyes darkened and searched his with confusion. "Talk about what?"

Spot returned her glare, not knowing how to answer her question. He still didn't know what Race wanted him to talk to her about. He covered up his ignorance quickly, though. "I came down here to talk about everything that has been going on."

Glaring into his dark eyes, NIchole crossed her arms and smiled knowingly. "Race sent you down here, didn't he?" She asked, her smile growing as Spot's eyes flickered with recognition. He cleared his throat, and turned away.

"Nobody tells Spot Conlon what to do. I do what I want, when I want, and if I want to talk to you then I will."

Even Mary had to raise her eyebrows at his poor excuse for lying. Standing, Mary gave Nichole a pat on the back. "You guys can figure this out yourself, I'm going upstairs and going to bed."

"Mary don't you think you should eat something? You haven't eaten all day."

Mary shrugged off Nichole's concerned. "I don't really feel like eating, my stomach is kinda doing flip-flops right now. I'll see you tomorrow."

After Mary left Nichole turned and gave Spot a murderous glare. "What's the hell is the matter with you! You upset her even more then she already was!" She screamed, balling her fist ready to give him another black eye. "She already had enough things to worry about without you starting even more crap!"

Any protest Spot tired to yell was interrupted by Kloppman's entrance into the kitchen. "Will, you keep you voice down girl!" Placing the two bowels he held on the table, he glanced at the two, sensing the tension between them. "What's going on here? You two aren't starting any trouble are ya?"

Both Spot and Nichole shook their heads.

Kloppman gave them a leery glance. "Good, now sit down and eat, and when you're finished washed them bowels out, I got enough things to worry about in the morning to be washing dishes."

Spot and Nichole both complied to Kloppman's command, and sat down, neither talking until Kloppman's grumbles faded into the distance.

"So, Spot talk." Nichole said bluntly shoving a spoonful of soup into her mouth.

Spot picked up his own spoon. "What is there to talk about." He sighed at her expression. "Okay, fine, you were right. Race did send me down here to talk with you."

Nichole raised an eyebrow. Was Spot getting soft on her? "Wow, the great leader of Brooklyn actually admitted he let someone else make a decision for him. Bravo."

Spot knew she was only trying to get a rise from him, so he ignored her comment. Sitting back in his chair he asked. "So, you and Race are together now?"

Nichole looked up at him. "How the hell did you hear about that?" She asked the surprised tone in her voice quite evident.

"I'm Spot Conlon I know everything that goes on here."

Nichole finished her last spoonful of soup before answering. "You know, if you weren't so damn aggronant we might be able to have a decent conversation." Picking up her empty bowel, she stood and walked into the kitchen. Spot followed close behind her.

"You still didn't answer my question." Spot pushed leaning on the counter trying to get a look at her face. She gave him a sidelong glance and placed her clean bowel into the sink.

"Yes, me and Race are together." She glanced at the bowel Spot held out to her as if it were a piece of garbage. "What do I look like, you maid? Clean your own damn bowel."

Shrugging, Spot cleaned his bowel, then followed Nichole back to the sitting area. "Your lucky, Race cares about you very much."

Now she was positive of it. Spot had gone soft on her. Sitting in her previous spot, she grinned. "I know, and I care about him too."

"Don't go breaking his heart."

"I don't plan on doing that anytime soon." Yawning, she stood and stretched. "Well, I'm going to bed. I'll see ya tomorrow Spot."

Spot simply nodded his head, and she left jumping up the stairs two by two. Reaching the bunkroom she checked down the hallway, and sure enough the door was still closed and she was positive, Blink was on the on the other side. Heading straight for Race's bunk, she gave him a kiss and sat down and removed her shoes and socks.

"Mary, you okay?"

Poking her head over the edge of Blink's bunk where she lay, Mary nodded. "Yea, why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know." Nichole shrugged. "I thought maybe something Spot said may have upset you."

Mary's head disappeared as she rolled onto her back. "Nothing Spot said upset me, I told you my stomach was bothering me."

"From what?"

"I don't know. It's probably this thing with Blink, I'm just worried I guess."

"Yea, well laying there smelling his pillow isn't going to get you two back together." Nichole replied frowning. "You have to get up and go in that room and talk with him."

Eventhough this was one of the worst days of her life, Mary had to grin at Nichole's logic. "I wouldn't be talking, weren't you the one laying on Race's bunk smelling his pillow."

Race, who had been laying behind Nichole listening to there whole conversation, took the liberty of cutting in. "Is that what you did here all day by yourself?" He asked, his arms wrapping around her waist. "Sit here and sniff my pillow, wishing I was here?"

"You smell good." Nichole shrugged. Turning she wrapped her arms around his neck, returning the embrace. "Besides, I missed you."

Mary rolled her eyes, knowing the two were kissing below her. "You wouldn't be kissing her if you knew what she said about you earlier, Race."

Race finally broke away from the heated kiss, licking his lips and grinning slyly at Nichole. "Oh, and what would that be?"

Mary smirked. "She said you didn't qualify as a man."

Nichole grinned and Race stared at her with mock anger. "Ohh, I don't, do I?"

Nichole burst out laughing as he lie down, pulling her on top of him. "Well, maybe you can help me become a man."

Raising her eyebrows she kissed him softly, and gingerly rested her forehead against his. "I don't think so, not yet anyway."

Rolling to Race's side, Nichole jolted the top bunk, with the bottom of her foot. "Hey, Mary. Blink qualifies as a man now, doesn't he?"

There was the small ruffle of blankets then a groaning reply. "Shut up, and go to sleep, Nick."

HR

The morning came too quickly for the newsies, but it couldn't come quick enough for Nichole. Today was the day Race was going to talk to Blink and she could wait to see him and Mary happily together again. Even after their cheerful conversation last night, she knew Mary wasn't as happy as she was on the outside. Something was bothering her and it went way beyond her and Blink's argument. But, she wasn't going to let Mary's bad mood, put her in too. It would only bring the fact that she knew something was wrong to Mary's attention.

Blinking the sleep from her eyes, Nichole turned and grinned at Race, who slept peacefully beside her. Removing his arm that was draped across her waist, she slide from the bed. Her eyes scanned the room of sleeping boys before her glance returned to Race. Grinning like a wild man she overturned the mattress, sending Race's body stretched across the floor.

"Time to get up, Race."

Jumping over the bare bed, she stood over Race and pulled the blanket from his head. When she didn't receive a reply, she placed a knee on either side of his waist and sat down on his stomach, obtaining a groan from Race.

"What are you doing, Nick? It's to early to get up."

"No, actually it's time to get up." Nichole said reaching for his pocket watch, shoving it in his face. "See, it's almost five-thirty, the time you always get up."

Settling back on his stomach, she bent down, covering his lips with her own, biting down softly on his bottom lip. Giving him a sleepy grin, she stood. "Come on, get up. You have to be ready when Blink comes out of that room."

Sighing, Race threw the blanket off his body, and stood. "I'm up, I'm up." He groaned. "Don't make this a morning ritual, except maybe the kiss, that would be okay."

Nichole punched him lightly in the shoulder and followed him into the washroom; the other newsies stirring quietly behind them.

"Five years of doing this and I still ain't use to waking up." Race mumbled, leaning over the sink, splashing a handful of water over his face. Nichole pulled herself up on the sink to the left of Race.

"Stop complaining and wash up."

"I don't see how you are so awake this early. That is not normal." Race replied wiping the water from his face.

"Well, today is the day that Blink and Mary could possibly get together, and everything will be fine. So, I have something to be happy about."

The familiar wake up call of Kloppman filled the room, and then the groans of sleep deprived newsies. Nichole grinned and threw Race his comb. "Looks like the others will be up soon."

A gasp escaped her lips when Race grabbed her waist, dragging her into a stall with him. Grinning, he pinned her body between his and the wall. "I thought that maybe we could get some time alone." He whispered cupping her face in her hands, and placing his lips over hers in a feathery light kiss. Snaking her arms around his neck, she locked her hands behind his head, and deepened the contact, pulling him closer to her.

A sound soon interrupted their intimate moment. Sighing in frustration, Race leaned his head on Nichole's shoulder trying to regain his breath. "We are never going to get anytime alone."

Nichole gave him a look, before turning and reaching up trying to lift her body to see over the wall that divided the stall. Race stood behind her, hands outstretched ready to catch her if she fell.

"Nick, why don't you just walk out and knock on the stall door?"

"Because that's the easy way." Nichole huffed, finally succeeded in pull her body up just enough to peek over the edge to the next stall. She almost fell back to the floor when she saw Mary below, crouched in the corner. Her face scrunched up in concern. "Mary, you okay?"

Startled, Mary's head shot up in the direction the voice came from. Stumbling to her feet, she quickly swiped her hands over her cheeks, drying her tears. "I...I'm fine I...I just need sometime alone." Mary choked through the unshed tears that clouded her eyes. She barely finished her sentence before she shot out of the stall and back to the bunkroom, shoving past numerous half-asleep newsies.

Race tugged on her shirt, getting her to jump back to the floor. "What's the matter with Mary?" he asked, doing very poorly in hiding the urgency in his voice.

Sighing, Nichole walked out of the stall, ignoring the stares she received from the occupants of the washroom. Race followed, waiting anxiously for her answer. Falling onto Race's bunk, Nichole sat, shaking her head.

"I knew there was something bothering her other then her fight with Blink." She rubbed a hand vigorously across her forehead, her anger evident in her harsh movements. "Why didn't I just ask what was wrong last night? Then maybe she would be so upset."

Race rubbed her back soothingly. "It isn't your fault. You did everything a friend could do. Besides, she was fine last night, you could have never known anything was bothering her."

"That's just it!" Nichole exclaimed, rubbing her eyes, refusing to show any emotions physically. "She was upset last night, she just covered it up so I didn't push anything. I should have though, I should have sat her down and forced her to tell me..."

"Nichole, will you shut up and relax." Race interrupted her ramblings. "Just relax and don't worry about it. Mary and Blink will work everything they need to and if something is bothering Mary I'm sure she will tell you in time."

Curling up beside Race, Nichole sighed heavily. "Be lucky I love ya so much or I would have beat the crap out of you for telling me to shut up." She mumbled against his shirt, causing him to chuckle.

Mary wring her hands together nervously, her eyes twitching from the door in front of her to the descending stairs only a few feet away from her. She knew she could back down now, that would only be running from her problem and she was tired of running. She had to face reality and deal with her problem at hand.

Ohh God, I wish Nichole was here to give me another one of her pep talks.

She inhaled and exhaled a shaky breath. Raising her hand she gave the door three hard taps, hoping the shaking in her hand didn't reflect in her knock. She stood back patiently, resisting the incredible urge to run away and hide. The door seemed to open in slow motion and it seemed like hours passed before Blink appeared before her.

Mary breath caught in her throat at just the site of his disheveled look, that, if possible made him even more good looking to her. Snapping from her daze, she cleared her throat, and straightened her stance.

"Uhh, Blink I need to talk with you. It's very important."

Giving her a look over he seemed to think about it. Running a hand through his mused hair he nodded and opened the door wider. Mary cautiously squeezed through the space, her back against the door frame, avoiding any close contact with Blink's body.

The door closed quietly, leaving the noise of the bunkroom behind the two.