Part 2

Spot listened carefully and heard feet going down the stairs, he wasn't sure if Poison had left or not. He debated investigating or going back to his room, grabbing his stick and starting his shift selling papes. He could always take the afternoon addition… He sighed slightly, it was useless, he * had * to go investigate. He walked down the hall wondering what it was about Poison that made him so crazy. He'd had plenty of girls but…there was something about Poison. It could have something to do with the fact that she's dangerous. Not every guy's girl can poison him. Spot laughed softly at that thought and heard a squeak from the staircase. He hurried up slightly pulling out his slingshot unsure who it was in the staircase.

Poison started to get up, giving up on thinking of a way to explain what was going on. She'd try later, after she sold her papes. She heard Spot laugh softly and she turned cold. Why is he laughing? Is he laughing because he's glad to get rid of me? She quickly stood up and hit her elbow on the banister eliciting a squeak from her as she tried to keep quiet as she started down the stairs determined to get out of there before Spot found her.

"Poison?" Spot's voice floated down the stairs towards her. Poison stopped, she really had no choice in the matter. It was an unwritten rule that you always had to obey your leader. She straightened her back with her back still towards him waiting for the final blow to come. That he was glad that they were through, or something equally hurtful.

She heard him sigh and then footsteps started down the steps. She lifted her head up proudly. She would show no weakness.

"Poison?" he asked again closer, still she didn't answer, "Poison," he said with that tone that meant he was getting irritated. Great…an irritated, insulting Spot. Just what Poison needed to complete the morning from hell.

"What Spot?" she asked trying to sound as normal as possible.

Spot came down the last few steps so that he was right behind her. He put his hands on her shoulder and pushed her down so she was sitting on the stairs. Then he sat down behind her on the narrow staircase.

Poison turned so she was sitting sideways and then raised her eyebrow at him, "Well? Are you planning on staring at me all morning or are you just going to get the insulting done and over with?"

Spot gave her his patented smirk, "And why would I be insulting my girl?"

Poison blinked not believing what he had said. "I thought you hadn't heard me."

"Nah, I heard you, plus, I saw your shadows."

"Hades and Acid," Poison muttered sounding ticked. Then she picked up her fist and punch Spot in the shoulder.

"Ow! What was that for?" he asked glaring at her.

"For doing too good a job of acting," Poison informed him.

"Wasn't I supposed to * not * let them realize I was only acting?" Spot asked smirking even more. Poison glared at him then huffed slightly,

"You could have at least let * me * know," then she continued without letting Spot answer, "Some of us have to work, I need to get to the distribution office to pick up some papes." She said getting up again. Spot got up with her to,

"Wait a minute and I'll go with you," he said starting up the stairs without even seeing if she stayed around.

As soon as Spot turned the corner to head down the halls, Poison sighed and leaned back against the wall. She stuck her hand in her bag without looking and pulled out her cigarettes out sticking one behind her ear to light as soon as she got outside. Spot came back holding his walking stick and came down the stairs kissing her on the cheek on his way by,

"Come on," he said taking her hand. He had noticed the cigarette behind her ear and knew that this morning hadn't been one of her better ones.

"How about after we sell our papes we go over to Queens?" he asked as they exited the lodging house and turned towards the distribution center.

Poison didn't say anything for a few minutes, lighting her cigarette and blowing the smoke out into the morning air.

"It would probably be a good idea, I don't feel like getting into a fight back at Da Bridge, maybe I'll just stay over in Queens, Soaker'll share her bed for the night," she said talking more to herself then Spot.

They waited in line and each bough 100 papes, as Poison was turning to go to her normal spot in the warehouse area Spot called out after her,

"Sell with me?"

It wasn't often that he offered to sell with someone, he liked to work alone. Said he got his thinking done during his selling time. Poison hesitated before answering,

"That sounds nice," she said.

~*~

"Manhattan mother killed by corpse!" Poison called out in the noisy street. She only had 3 more papes to sell and she would be done for the day. People looked over at her when they heard her headline and she prayed they'd come and buy her papes. She sighed in relief when a few people came over to buy papes from her. She sold her last one and headed over to where Spot was stationed a little ways down. He was leaning against a wall waiting for her,

"Ready to go?" he asked as he slid his arm around her waist.

"Yep," Poison said, all she wanted to do was relax for a little bit. Lately she had begun to wonder where she belonged. She had friends in Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn…but which were the ones pulling her?

Spot and Poison walked towards Queens talking idly when Spot suddenly changed the subject,

"What was going on this morning?" he asked. She had been afraid of this…how was she supposed to explain her poisons were more important then him. She stopped right where she was in the middle of the street and only crossed at Spot's prodding.

"They took my bag," was all that she said.

"So why didn't you nick it back?"

Poison closed her eyes and opened them again,

"Too dangerous…my bag holds my poisons, if one of the packages got damaged there could be a lot of problems and the symptoms that are supposed to appear may not appear…"

"So basically your bag is more important then me," Spot said annoyed and took his arm from her waist just as they entered Queens. Poison nodded her head yes,

"I have too much invested…it's part of my livelihood into it…what else was I suppose to do?"

Spot opened his mouth to retort when a familiar voice rang out.

"Poison!"

Poison glanced up and saw her friend Dragonfly coming towards her.

"How's it rollin' Dragonfly?" she asked spit shaking.

"Not too bad, been hearing some nasty rumors that you and Spot broke up though," she said looking sideways at Spot who was still not looking thrilled. When he realized he was being looked at he relaxed, now was not the time to discuss what was more important.

"But I see that's not true," she said smiling at her friend. Poison smiled back and responded,

"Nope not true!" at least not right now

Dragonfly looked at Spot for some kind of reaction. He was acting odd…like he did around the Brooklyn newsies. Not like he did around Poison.

"Nope, just a rumor," Spot said, putting an arm around Poison and smiling. Dragonfly couldn't quite put her finger on it, but something about the exchange seemed fake; forced. She eyed the two suspiciously, then continued,

"I'm almost done selling, are you two going to come back to the lodging house?"

"I am, I'll probably be staying there too," Poison said.

"No your not," Spot said, then quickly amended what he said, "we need to finish talking about that…subject from before."

"Right then, I'm not staying here tonight, just coming to visit," Poison said brightly. She didn't want to get into a fight in the middle of the street in Brooklyn, especially when the only weapon she had was a dagger coated with poison. She shifted her bag on her shoulder and then decided to put it down. She took her bag off and put it on the ground in the middle of their group before joining in on the conversation.

Dragonfly was certain there was something up, she knew it actually, Poison was * never * that bright unless there was something up. But how was she going to figure it out!?! If only she could just figure it out…the silence dragged on for a few more minutes.

"So how's Race?" Poison asked Dragonfly.

Dragonfly smiled widely and began to tell all the nice things he'd done for her lately. Internally Poison sighed, that would keep Dragonfly occupied…she let her mind wander back to her dilemma; stay in Brooklyn or move over to Queens…

Spot gritted his teeth, he knew why Poison had asked how Race was, and he was glad. But listening about Race like this wasn't his favorite activity. He glanced at Poison and saw she was somewhere else. He bent his arm a little and flicked her ear. Next thing he knew he was laying on the ground. Poison stared at him looking shocked.

"Oops…" she muttered holding out her hand to help him up. He reached up and grabbed it and jerked quickly so that she fell too.

"So the mighty Poison falls," Spot said smirking.

Dragonfly noted the comment and filed it away. He was usually a lot nicer to her then this. Something big had happened…something that had damaged both their prides most likely.

Poison got up by herself not even bothering to help Spot back up and stooped down grabbing her bag.

"I'll sell the rest of your papes if you want D-fly," Poison offered.

"Thanks!" Dragonfly said smiling, good, now she could try and get the answers out of Spot. Poison took the papes and headed a little ways down to hock her papes.

"So, what happened," Dragonfly said turning to look at Spot who was still sitting on the street.

"What do you mean what happened? I got soaked," Spot said irritated.

"I mean between you and Poison."

"Nothing more then usual," Spot said shrugging.

Dragonfly sighed fine, if that's how you want to play; we'll play that way she thought grimly.

"Fine, don't tell me, but I'm sure I'll hear what's going on between you two anyways," Dragonfly said casually.

Spot was starting to get angry, he * said * there was nothing wrong between him and Poison, and now she was saying he didn't have a lid on the rumor mill! She was getting close to getting soaked, no matter if she was Poison's friend or not.

Spot glared at her wrapping his hand around his walking stick to be able to pull out if necessary, like she kept up the insults.

Poison glanced back at the two people she had left down the block and frowned. It didn't look too good. Spot looked like he was going to pull his walking stick out and beat Dragonfly over the head with it. Not that she didn't think D-fly deserved it, she probably did, but with the bulls around not such a good idea. Poison resolutely turned away from them to finish selling the papes.

~*~

The walk over to the lodging house had been a silent one, not the companionable silence either, it was uncomfortable for each one of them, but they each in turn refused to back down. When they reached the porch Moods and Specs were cuddling on the bench. Poison looked away, not so long ago that had been her and Spot. He didn't understand he'd been leader so long…he didn't have to worry so much where the next meal was going to come from.

Spot eyed the couple on the porch and glared at them. Did they have to be so obvious?

Poison turned towards Spot,

"Look we'll continue the conversation tomorrow after distribution, I just want a girls night, alright?" she told him kissing his cheek to keep up appearances.

"All right, but I'm gonna stick around for a little bit, I have some people to talk to here," he said heading towards the door. Poison sighed rolling her eyes as he pushed past.

"Rude much?" she muttered.

Moods was eyeing Dragonfly and Poison curiously,

"How'd you piss him off?" she asked.

"Let me guess you wanted to do something he disapproved of," Specs said. Poison snorted in amusement,

"You could say that."

Behind the girls the sound of a wagon coming up the road made them turn. They expected to see Race getting off the wagon. It was the one he usually rode on with a few other newsies that headed for the races in Sheepshead. This time though he didn't hop off…he wasn't even there. Dragonfly looked puzzled and slightly worried. Poison was puzzled too; he was usually always coming in especially since he had Dragonfly for his girl. Where was he? He only missed coming home when it was raining and there wasn't a cloud in the sky!

~*~

Race stumbled down the street towards where Silk usually was this time of night. Please be there sweet cheeks…he was aching all over, he leaned against a wall and promptly lost his lunch. He knew what it was and was just hoping that Silk's was still there. He got back to his feet unstably and continued to trudge towards Silk's area.