I don't own Newsies- but I will own Spot Conlon!

Reflection

I knew what'd happened soon's as I saw his face. Crushed, forlorn, desparate and hurt, the boy was another victim, maybe evens one'a the last- goin' by how's Sarah was actin'. I pitied him then- knew how he felt after all-first hand too. Broken, crushed 'n lost- of course I knew. Hell, everyone knew, Kid, Race, Boots, Skittery, even Mush- he used all'a us afteh all.

An' we could'n help it- Jack, Cowboy's a charmer- when he goes aftah someone, he make's 'em feel like da wo'ld. All his attention centred on you- can't help feelin' somethin' that we'se call love foah the guy.

We was all used to it by nows- hell Race has a betting ring goin' for the newest conquest. But hell, we was all warned, we's all knew the risks we was gettin' in if we wanted to get, y'know, involved. O.K., maybe I wasn't wa'ned, but hells, at least everyone else was warned afteh all.

Only one who was'n was 'Mouth. An' it looks like Jack's goin' after his sista. I feel foah the kid, we's all do. We's all been used by the 'cowboy'- we's all still love the cowboy.

'Specially Kid. Kid's been in love wid the cowboy foah evah. Kid's known Jack longest too- evan befoah Jack's famous escape from the Refuge. He'sa one dat introduced me to Jack- Manhattan head newsie intr'aducin me to 'is second command.

Kid Blink could smoke the Cowboy's ass, an' all the ol' newsies know it- but Kid could'n hurt Jack. None'a us could. Not even Race- 'n Race is pro'ally the only one who could even land a punch'a him. He may like Jack, but he loves Kid, 'n Kid won't lettim touch Jack. Aftah Kid pretty much completely lost it, 'cause'a his thing foah Cowboy. Race took ovah, Race's like the glue off'i all. He holds wha's left off us togetha, an' he'sa one we's all trusts. Not like we's got any choice, he's'a only one who can hold the Manhattan newsies togethah- 'cause I loves Brooklin', an' I ain't leavin' it-wid Mush here's half the time, why would I'se?

I'se got no need ta go to the place run by the guy who screwed us all in a few yeahs. Unlike da rest'a us, Jack grew up rich. Took 'im months ta get da accent right- 'cause when his fadduh got stuck in jail, he ended up on da streets- at da tenda age'a fourteen

Ignore me if I'se sound'in sarcastic, but da boy's spoiled- he ain't know'in what its like to be poor- don't even know what hung'ah really is. Not like da rest'a us, we'se growin up on da streets y'know. Jack's lots like Mouth really- 'cept Mouth was differen', in 'is own way-'cause Mouth nearly got what we'se all think's untouchable.

Mouth was differen'. Nah, scratch dat, Dave was differen'. He lasted long'ah than anyone, since Jack's foist. We'se all thought they'd be one'sa the foah'evah kinds- well, mebbe not foah'evah, but... at least we'se thought they'd be togethah foah a while- 'mean, he stuck wid Davey long'a than a week, then he started followin' Sarah's walkin' foah a while. It was at the rally that we knew that Dave knew too.

'Course Davey knows we'se behind 'im too. We got's close after I christned 'im at Brooklyn. 'N since me, Kid, Mush 'n Race are all old friends, gettin' close ta one'a us means bein' close ta all'a us. So we'se told 'im in our way while Jack was up wid Medda- Kid, Mush, Race 'n me, we'se talked to him, 'twas difficult to get away from the act, even foah a minute, but he needed the boost. But y'know, even when Cowboy was singing too Sarah, it was only hurt that shone in his eyes. It wasn't until court dat 'e realised how much Cowboy really did'n love 'im.

I knew what Mouth'd done as soon as he an' Denton walked in, that bastahds arm around him. I couldn'a help it then, my hands fisted an' foah the first time in yeahs I realised I could pro'ally kill 'im- both'a 'em- Denton an' Cowboy.

None'a us really liked Denton afteh we got close ta Dave, we knew what the man wanted, an' none'a us wanted him ta get it. The fact that he did makes me wanna hurt 'im. Hells, if it weren't for the magnified betrayal on Dave's face when Denton left we'se all would'a soaked 'im as soon as dat reportah told us he was out. As it was, we'se all thought it was bad enough dat Jack didn't realise wha Dave did foah him.

An' it was afteh dat, afteh Dave fell asleep oveh in Brooklyn wid me, Mush, Kid, 'n Race around 'im that Kid told me sometin that I'se thinkin might be true.

"You love 'im don't's yah Spot?"

Sky blue eyes met Kid Blink's solitary eye in shock as the younger boy shook his head in denial. Smiling lightly, the curly haired boy beside him stroked the Brooklyn leader's cheek lightly.

"Don't'se say what isn't true when we'se wid you Spot, we'se knows you, 'member? 'Sides," Mush turned to look at the sleeping teen that they were gathered around. "We'se all knew this'd happen. An' I think I loves 'im a little too- if you don't mind sharin' the two of us."

The Irish teen looked at the two faces before him, then turned away, a troubled frown on his face. Then Race, ever the wise one, opened a new topic.

"So, what's we goin' ta do about dat Denton?" Black eyes flashed dangerously. "'Cause Jack Kelly sure ain't doin' nut'in...."

Am I in love wid da Walkin' Mouth? Is it possible?

Blue eyes slid over the sleeping figure before Spot Conlon let himself fall asleep in his partner's embrace. His hand wrapped around Mush's, who held the key around his neck- a key to the most important item in the world.

Well, even if it is, I got's Mush, and I'se got time- we'll figure some t'in out.

--owari--

Author's notes:

ano, this is my first Newsies fic….. Ano, please review, and be kind while you're at it?