Wow! This must be a record: two chapters up within a day hours eachother!! Hey you all, I hope you liked chapter three enough to read this one!!! (which you probably did if you are reading this right now). And I guess I can forgive you all for not reviewing chapter 3 since I didn't give you very long.  I hope I've kept your interest so far, because this is where it starts to get interesting. 

Ok, now for a couple of shout outs to everyone who's reviewed so far:

Patch: Hey girl! I know I keep saying that Kit will come, but I swear she will be here within the next few chapters!! Other things just keep coming up, ya know how it is [winks].  But seriously, any day now.

Daveydearest: I'm so glad you like it J. But we are still waiting for you to write your own!! Jk. Cheers to my most loyal reviewer! You and Angel are tied for the most reviews, so keep them coming! The winner gets a kiss from the newsies of her choice! (Now come on, who can resist that one??).

Crutchie: Now, ya see, this is how it works: I write a story (a brilliant, genius inspired one. Jk) and you once again try to beat me. But you know its of no avail. I will triumph!!! [laughs evily] muahahaha!! COME ON YOU OTHER REVIEWERS!!  You know that you want me to win!! So bring on the reviews! Lets show this Crutchie whose boss!

Angel: I'm so glad you like it! Now, hopefully you read what I said to Daveydearest: I've got connections and I can get the reviewer with the most reviews a kiss from the newsie of their choice-- you can't pass that up! So keep them coming J.

Kaylee: Thanks for reviewing!!! I'm glad you like my writing style, but I'm terribly sorry that I have to steal Race from you.  Hopefully you can forgive me and keep reading.

Lanen: Yay! I'm glad you are reading my fic. I hope I can keep you interested enough to keep reading!

Ok, now that I have thoroughly bored you with my shout outs, I believe I will let you read the story.

            By the way ----%% means everything in between those signs is a flashback. And italics are thoughts.

            Chapter 4:

            Race was walking through Central Park, papers in hand. As he walked, he couldn't help but imagine that Bitsy was with him, strolling along while he told her anecdotes about life as a Manhattan newsie.  But she wasn't really there. Where is she? he wondered.  He hadn't seen her all day, which was unusual because lately they had been spending every waking hour together.  Then he remembered: she had asked him to meet her over by the fountain today.  So that's where he headed, his pace increasing with every step out of anticipation.  As he turned the last corner, his heart fell as Bitsy gradually came into view.  She was not alone.  She and someone else were sitting on the grass, laughing together, when she leaned in and kissed him.  At this, Race ran up with a new found fury and tore the boy away from her.  Race only managed to choke out a betrayed gasp when he found himself face to face with—

            "SPOT!!" Race cried as he sat up in bed, drenched in a cold sweat.  Where am I? he thought to himself, when everything that happened yesterday began to come back to him.  Dat's right, I'se in Brooklyn. I hopes I didn't wakes up Bitsy, he thought as he slowly slid out of the top bunk to check on Bitsy.  But Bitsy wasn't there. At the sight of her empty bed, Race got nervous.  So he quietly opened the door and snuck out into the dark hallway.  He decided to head down toward the lobby to look for her, hoping that he was right. 

As he came through the doorway, he saw her delicate figure curled up on the worn, faded couch.  Smiling, he approached her and, not wanting to disturb her, but feeling as though a bed might be more comfortable, he gently lifted her up and carried her back down the hallway and into their room.  As he set her softly on the bottom bunk, she woke up out of her deep sleep just enough to look up at him and smile subtly before closing her eyes again.

            The next morning, Race woke up to see that Bitsy was already awake and out of bed.  After washing up and getting dressed, Race walked down the hallway and into the lobby where he had found Bitsy just hours earlier.  It was nearly empty, and Race assumed that all the newsies had already gotten their papers and begun selling.  Race decided to go take a look around the docks and see if Bitsy was there. 

            As he stepped out into the fresh morning air, Race couldn't help but notice that everything was surprisingly quite.  There weren't any boys diving into the river or smoking cigars while leaning on cargo boxes.  Then he spotted her.  She was sitting on the edge of the dock, looking out onto the river.  As he approached her, a board creaked, she turned with a start, but when she saw who it was, she smiled.  He was the one person she felt wasn't looking at her as a prize to be won.  Unlike Spot, she thought to herself.  But she was being unfair to him: he wasn't a bad guy, he just thought of all girls as potential one-night stands.  Then the scene from last night began to play in her head:

            ----------%%

Good, Race is asleep, Bitsy thought to herself as she climbed out of bed and snuck out of the room, quietly shutting the door behind her.  I have to figure out where I know Spot from.  If only I could just remember…, she said to herself as she crept down the hallway and into the lobby.  As she entered the lobby, she saw Spot sitting on a faded brown couch, seemingly deep in thought.  As she approached him, she cleared her throat to announce her presence. 

Spot looked up, surprised to see that Bitsy wasn't asleep.  It was obvious that she wanted to talk to him, so he motioned her outside and onto a bench so as to not disturb the sleeping newsies inside. 

How am I going to do this? Bitsy wondered, wanting to get information that could spur her memory, but not seem as though that was her purpose.  So she decided to just start some conversation which would hopefully lead to his past.  "I hope I'm not keeping you from sleeping," she said, hoping this would get Spot talking so she wouldn't have to pry as much.

Ha, like I'se go ta sleep dis early! Spot thought to himself as responded, "No, I'se gunna be awake for anudder hour at least.  But I'se curious, whadda ya see ins 'im?"

What on earth is he talking about?? Bitsy wondered, thinking to herself,  Him? Who… oh!.  "Oh, no. Race and I aren't together. He is just a good friend of mine and he is helping me find a girl that I was friends with before she came here. Or, supposedly came here," Bitsy replied, surprised that Spot would think that she and Race were together. But that comment spurred some doubts, Well, are we just friends?.  But her thoughts were cut short by Spot.

"Ya know, if Race isn't you'se type, I'se may know someone who is," Spot whispered as he slowly leaned in and kissed her.  I'se wonda why da hell Race hasn't taken advantage of dis opportunity yet! She is one a da most beautiful goils I'se eva seen!! I'll bet she ain't bad in bed neida. But if she ain't his, den she's unclaimed territory, Spot thought to himself as he slowly began to make his move.  She didn't pull away, so he took that to mean he could keep going.

Why not, thought Bitsy. Race and I aren't officially anything. Hell, I don't even know if he wants to be anything, she was silently debating as Spot began to kiss her more and more passionately.  And it's not like I'm a stranger to one-night stands- and Spot obviously doesn't want a relationship, she thought, trying to convince herself that this was alright.  But then an image of the way Race had looked when they first met- so utterly stunned by admiration- came up in Bitsy's mind.  The thought of that look stabbed though her when she realized what she was about to do. 

"I can't," Spot heard Bitsy say while he took a quick breath and was about to go in for more.  At this, he stopped, sat back and bit and looked at her.  "It's Race, ain't it?" he asked, although he already knew the answer.  She nodded.  "Well, we'se can just talks if ya want," he said with a smile, half joking.  But Bitsy agreed, so Spot decided to tell her a bit about his past. 

He began with a joking air of refinement, "Well, let's see. I'se was born a rich scab ta a rich moda and foda…," then seeing she was serious, he started over. "No, I'se lied. Me moda and foda wasn't poor, but dey wasn't rich neida. We'se wa pretty happy, till me foda gots sick and died. Me moda was heartbroken, and couldn'st woik, so I'se offad ta get a job as a newie. I'se supported us, barely, but it was enough ta get by on. Me moda, she neva recovad from da sadness 'dough, and a couples a years ago she died-" Here he stopped and looked down at Bitsy, who was leaning against him with her head on his shoulder, and was amused to see that she had already fallen asleep. So, not wanting to leave her out in the cold or disturb Race by walking into his room, he picked Bitsy up and carried her into the lobby and laid her down on the couch. Then, after one final look at the girl who had resisted his charms, he walked up to the main bunkroom.

-----%%

As Race got within feet of her, Bitsy jumped up and hugged him.  At this, Race was a little surprised, though pleased and he hugged back.  "What was dat for?" he asked with a little laugh, and she replied as she held her arms around his neck, "Just for being you." And Race, having recovered from his surprise, decided he liked this change that had come over her and to go with the mood.  As he slid his hands around her waist, he jokingly stated, "Well den, I'se must 'ave just fallen inta a little bit of luck 'ere."

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Hopefully you all liked it. But don't worry, there is still more conflict and fun stuff to come (don't think that everything is just Peachy-Keen yet!). Please review, I really want to know what you are thinking, and hopefully that will help me with the next chapter so I can get it up sooner! Can't wait to hear from you! – Racesgurl