Without you
The seeds root
The flowers bloom
The children play

Snatching some assorted flowers from a yard, Blaze hurried to Bumlets' grave. Spring was definitely upon the city now. Trees were starting to show their leaves again, flower gardens were popping up around the city, and children had long since shed their winter coats, the weather way above freezing now.

Kneeling at his grave, Blaze placed the flowers by the headstone, then sat back on her heels. "I miss you, Bums. Dere ain't a day dat goes by dat I don't think about ya. Da Newsies are doin' alright. Jack and Autumn. dey's talkin' about gettin' married. Can ya believe dat? I thought dey'd never get hitched, but Jack finally decided it was time to give up bein' a Newsie, and find some other job. He don't know who is gonna be da next leader though. Nobody knows. He said it might take awhile before dey left, cause he's gotta find da right person foist ta take over."

Sighing, Blaze sat down on the grass and stared at the headstone. "As for me. I'm. doin' okay. I know ya told me ta smile and all dat, but. it ain't exactly da easiest thing ta do. I'm eatin' though, like I promised, and if I don't da goils shove food down me throat anyhow. Everyone's startin' ta move on.but me, I don't wanna. I ain't never gonna forget you, or stop thinkin' about ya."

In the distance Blaze heard the sounds of a baby crying and remembered the day she had approached Bumlets with an idea. She remembered that day so well - the day she finally had some sort of plan - some sort of way to go on after Bumlets left her. If she had his child, she'd be able to hold onto him in some other way. She'd have a reason to live, and someone to bring her joy when she thought about Bumlets and his memory.

~~~~

"I love you, Bumlets. I want dis. I want dis almost as much as I want you ta live. If yer not gonna survive, how am I gonna live? How am I gonna go throughout life widout you? I want to share dis wid ya. I want to tell yer child how great ya are. Dere's a million reasons why I want a baby. yer baby."

"But Blaze. a baby? How are ya gonna take care of a baby? We can barely afford food for ourselves, let alone another person. I can't give you dat kind of responsibility. And what if you get sick, den how ya gonna have da baby?" He shook his head wearily, not willing to put such a burden upon her.

Blaze took his hands in hers, her eyes focused on his. "I'll find a way. Others do it, so can I. I'd find any way possible just to look into dat kid's eyes and see you, see something dat reminded me of your face, or da way you smile, or dose gorgeous eyes of yers. Da doc said dat lots of people don't get sick even when bein' around someone wid what ya got. I have dat chance. I gotta take it. I'll have someone to love, to take care of, to raise, dat would be ours. I won't. I won't be alone."

Bumlets saw how serious Blaze was, and how much she ached for this to happen. How could he turn her down? It wasn't like he didn't want to show her how much he loved her, and he had wanted to show that physically for some time, but he still was weary of giving her the added responsibility of a child. Could she honestly fend for herself and the baby once he was gone? What choice did he have? It could make her happy, but what if it made her even sadder? What if a child only reminded her of how much she missed him, and she took out that pain on their baby? But a child could be the reason she went on, and all he wanted was for her to smile again. There were so many what-ifs. Bumlets needed a plan of his own. He'd ask one of the girls that was closest to Blaze to promise him to watch her take care of that baby. It was the only way to make sure things didn't go the wrong way. How could he deny her the very thing that might help her survive?

On the other hand, how could he go on, knowing that she was about to have his baby, and he wouldn't see the child grow up? Could he live the rest of his short life knowing that? Would it only increase the pain that he already held onto? He knew it would. There was no way around that pain. He'd be creating a life that he never would be able to see, for surely he wouldn't live another nine months, but which price was greater; his pain for the rest of his short-termed life, or the pain Blaze would carry throughout the rest of her own?

Looking into her eyes, Bumlets knew his decision. "Alright. We can try," he nodded.

Hugging him tightly, Blaze reached up and kissed his cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too," he smiled, his cheeks burning at what they had just agreed on. All the sudden he felt his palms sweat and his voice momentarily decided to leave him.

"So dis means we're gonna." he began, unable to pronounce anything remotely pertaining to what making a baby entailed.

"Yeah." Blaze nodded slowly, her own cheeks flushed. Biting her lip, Blaze rested her head against his shoulder. She had thought the caring for a child part through thoroughly, but not the part where they actually made the baby.

"I mean, only if yer ready to." she started.

"I'm ready," Bumlets interjected and blushed, his answer coming quicker than he had wanted it to.

"Lights out!" Kloppman called from the doorway. "Come on girls, back to your bunkroom."

"We'll, we'll talk about it more tomorrow, okay?" Bumlets whispered.

After hugging him tightly, Blaze kissed his cheek. "Okay. G'night."

"Night sweetheart." Reluctantly, Bumlets watched her leave the room.

~~~~

"I promised da goils I'd be back in time for dinner. 'cause dey still say it's still too dangerous for me ta be out dis late in dis part of town," Blaze frowned. "So I guess I better be goin' before dey send out a search party like last time."

Slowly standing up, Blaze gave the ground one last long look. "I love you. Nothin's ever gonna change dat. People say dat it's supposed ta hurt less wid time, but I think it hurts more. I'll be back soon."

Brushing the unwanted tears away from her eyes, Blaze started the journey back home.