By the time Spot and Storm made it back to the lodging house everyone else was there. Spot went right to his room, mumbling something about being tired. Storm just shrugged her shoulders and walked over to a poker game that was just being started. The other players were Shooter, Bear, Tags, and Suave. She trusted these guys and they in turn, would protect her bacuse to them she was a sister.

"Heya fellas," greeted Storm as she sat down. "Deal me in Tags." Tags was a tall, gangly guy with honey-colored hair and emerald green eyes. He nodded once and started dealing. Tags didn't like to talk much but once he was fired up about something it was hard to get him to stop.

"So wherea were you and Spot durin' da rain," asked Bear. Bear was tall and muscular with dirty blond hair and hazel eyes. "I raise ya 2 cents Tags."

"Dey was practicin' fightin' or a liddle somethin' else," smirked Shooter as he tossed in a coin. "I see ya raise and I raise ya t'ee." Shooter was a short and skinny guy with copper curls and huge bright blue eyes.

Storm blushed at his remark. "Shud up Shootea. And I see ya 5 cents and raise ya 5."

"She didn't deny it, guys," chuckled a handsome black haired and brown- eyed Suave. Suave could sweet-talk any female, whether a preppy high class lady or an untrusting street rat. "I fold." He threw down his cards and leaned back.

"Whadya got fellas?," asked Storm. Tags had one pair of eights. Bear had two pair of tens. Shooter laid down a full house. "I t'ink I win." He reached for the small pile of money triumphantly.

"Not so fast, Shootea," smirked Storm as she laid down a straight flush in hearts. All the guys groaned at this but they played a couple more rounds before calling it a night. Storm won most of them but Suave and Tags managed to win one each.

~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~

~Man she's taking 'er time~, thought Spot as he lay awake in his bed. He had tried to sleep but he couldn't get the memories of the afternoon to leave his mind. Spot had never told anyone except Jack his secrets. ~I never even told Cat all of it. She tried to ask several times but I would always slip around it.~

Finally Spot heard a set of soft but determined footsteps headed his way. Quickly he rolled on his side and feigned sleep. The door opened and in walked Suave.

"Spot! C'mon, get up. I know yer awake," he said.

"Suave?! What are ya doin' in me room?," asked Spot, not at all happy about Suave's appearance in his room.

"Look, I know...," started Suave. He stopped and looked out the door before closing it tightly. He took a deep breath and faced Spot again. "I know something is going on between you and Storm. She isn't... she isn't like da rest, Spot. Storm won't jist go wid ya and share yer bed fer a few weeks den go 'er seperate way. If...ya want ta get involved wid 'er like dat ya better treat 'er wid respect and expect 'er ta want more den Cat or anyone else. I'm askin'...dat ya not hurt 'er. I feel like she's me sister and ya gotta respect dat, too."

"Suave, I t'ink ya said all ya need ta," said Spot calmly. "'Sides, Storm won't appreciate ya talkin' 'bout 'er like she can't defend 'erself. She might try ta hurt ya if she found out."

"Actually," said Storm as she opened the door and stepped inside the room and closed the door again. "I t'ink dat I can speak fer myself and protect myself. I don't appreciate being talked about behind my back." She turned to Suave. "I'm glad ya care but I don't need yer 'elp. Ya can leave now. I gotta talk ta Spot." She turned to Spot's bed.

Suave looked doubtful but he didn't want Storm to be mad at him so he left the room quickly.

Suave's quickness in leaving made Spot burst into laughter. That is until he noticed Storm's glare. His laughter turned to coughing instantly. When he was done Storm walked up to him and slapped him.

"Ow, what was dat fer?"

"Ya bastard. 'Ow dare ya talk ta Suave about me like dat and make 'im t'ink dat something's going on between us. Da whole gang will know soon."

Spot felt an ache in his chest at her words. And then he felt anger.

"So what if dey t'ink something's going on? I don't care. Ya'd jist be another one of me goils."

Spot laughed a joyless laugh and turned over on his other side to go to sleep.

"Ugh! Spot Conlon, yer a bull-headed bastard and ya don't care 'bout my feelings or opinions. Ya don't care if all of New Yawk t'inks I'm anuddea slut of high and mighty Spot Conlon. I'm goin' back ta Manhattan tamorrow. Ya can't stop me. I'm going back ta all da people dat really care about me. I hate you, Spot Conlon."

Storm started packing right away. Spot listened to her pack most of the night and felt his heart break with every sound. She hated him. Him, Spot Conlon, the guy who had every girl in New York in love with him couldn't get Storm O'Brien to love him. She hated him. No girl had ever told him that. He heard the unmistakeable sounds of sleep claiming her. He sighed. It was going to be a long night. He got up and left the room. He went up to the roof and sat down on the edge. He pulled out a cigarette and started smoking it.

~She's leaving,~ thought Spot regretfully. ~I can't stop 'er. She'll probably never come back either. Boy, I blew it. She'll never trust me again.~

~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~

Storm jerked awake and looked around the room frantically. She realized it was just a dream and started to calm down.

"Spot," she said as she got up and looked at his bed. It was empty. "D*** it, where are ya?"

She left the room searching for him. It was the middle of the night so she couldn't just call out to him. She looked everywhere except the roof. Storm was afraid of heights. Especially when on the roof. When she was 7, one of the older kids, Brynt almost pushed her off of the roof of the orphanage.

Storm knew he must be up there so she took a deep breath and started up to the roof. She opened the door at the top of the steps. Since it was still dark she could just barely make out the outline of a figure sitting on the edge. She knew it was Spot.

"SPOT! Get away from the edge!," yelled Storm suddenly.

So suddenly that Spot jumped and almost fell off. He slowly turned toward her after he regained his balance.

"Storm? What are ya doing sneaking up on me like dat? I could've fallen off and hurt myself. Most likely would've been killed. Why are ya up here?," asked Spot a little shaken.

"Get away from the edge!! Now!," yelled Storm frantically.

"Storm, calm down. I've sat here millions of times before." Spot got up and walked closer finally noticing her paleness. "Storm, yer as pale as a ghost. What's wrong?"

Before he knew what was happening he felt a pain on his left cheek and his head was snapped to the side from the force of her punch.

"D*** ya! Don't ya ever scare me like dat again!"

"Storm, calm down. If ya don't da whole 'ouse will wake up and come running. Let's go get some sleep. We got an early day tamorrow if we're getting ta Manhattan in time fer da mornin' edition. We'll talk about dis later when ya've calmed down some."

"Ugh! Ya should've fallen. Maybe ya would've gotten some sense knocked inta ya."

Storm turned and almost ran back to their room. Spot followed slowly and thought about what had happened.

~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~

Storm woke up an hour or two later. It was still a while before dawn but she was ready to leave. She thought briefly of going by herself but decided against it. Spot would hate it if she left like that. He would come and yell at her in Manhattan for a day or so. Besides she didn't wanna chance anything happening.

"Spot, get up!," whispered Storm. She shook him gently and was about ready to pull him off the bed when his arm reached out and he grabbed her. He pulled her close and started kissing her. He whispered her name against her lips and held her like that until she pushed at him. His eyes shot open. He jerked away and stared at her.

"Okay. That was an interesting way ta say good morning," said Storm trying to lighten up some of the tension. "Now let's head fer Manhattan now."

"Storm...I ...it's too early yet. Dey will jist be starting to get awakened by Kloppman when we get dere," said Spot as he regained his composure.

"Dat's okay. Kloppman will like da extra help getting everyone up. Either ya come wid me now or I go alone."

"I'm coming. Will ya jist give me some time?"

~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~

"We're 'ere," said Storm with false cheer. "Ya can go back now, Spot. Ya'll be back in time fer da morning edition and all."

"No...uh... I gotta talk ta Kelly anyways. Leader stuff, ya know. I'll sell 'ere taday and den go back ta sell da afternoon edition in Brooklyn," said Spot quickly.

"Oh, well, okay. C'mon den," said Storm as she led the way inside and up the stairs. They ran into Kloppman on the way up and he was all too happy to oblige the extra help. The three split and woke up different sections of the room. "Boots! Skittery, Skittery!"

When everybody was finally up and getting ready, Storm sat down on Digger's bed and waited for her. While she was waiting she happened to overhear Mush telling KidBlink about this girl he had met. Her name was Tessa. ~Good job, Mush,~ she thought. ~I knew ya would ferget me.~

Digger came in from the washroom and walked up to Blink. She wrapped her arm around his waist and laid her head on his shoulder. Blink looked down at Digger and smiled. He wrapped his arms around her and held her.

Storm couldn't help but feel jealous. She looked away from them and found herself looking at Spot. He was watching Blink and Digger, too. He looked as if he was jealous too. Spot Conlon, jealous?...Of love?? That was unusual. She didn't realize she was staring until her eyes met clear blue- grey eyes that could only belong to Spot. Suddenly Storm remembered their first kiss. Startled by the course her thoughts had taken, she looked away from Spot and got up to talk to Digger.

Spot watched her walk up to Mush, Blink, and Digger. He watched Blink and Digger together and couldn't help but feel jealous and wish that he could find that kind of happiness. He had seen that jealousy and hope from Storm's eyes just now, even across the room from her. He could tell she wanted what Blink and Digger had. ~Too bad I blew it 'fore we 'ad a chance.~

~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~

Hey...this is the second chappie of the day!!!!!! Woo!! Look at me go!!!!! lol...I think I'm still excited from my getting my permit....lol....Oh well...Please review.