I could hear Skittery and Gabe calling out headlines long before I could see them. They stood on a cleared path, selling their papers to the people that passed by. I slipped into the crowd, moving toward them inconspicuously.

"Buy a pape, Miss?" Gabe asked, absently without looking at me. When I didn't answer, he turned his head to me. "Bel. Well good morning, beautiful."

I smiled sadly. "I need to speak with you."

He nodded, his features visibly changing at the tone of my voice. "Sure, just let me sell my last pape."

He quickly found a customer and said goodbye to Skittery before leading me through the crowd. We took up residence at the counter of a small cafe just outside the park. While we waited for our tea, Gabe sat in silence, warming himself over the nearby iron stove.

"Have you talked to Specs?" I asked quietly. Before he could respond, the waiter brought us our tea. I thanked him before turning to Gabe for an answer.

"What happened last night, Bel?" he finally asked, taking a cautious sip of tea.

"I'm not sure," I started, concentrating on the steam that rose from the cup before me. "One minute, we were engaged, the next, he was storming out the door."

"What were you talking about?"

I took a sip. "Steamer."

"Steamer?" He furrowed his brow. "What about him?"

"I want to take him in; to give him the benefits of life that he would never get being a newsie."

Gabe groaned. "You didn't actually say that did you?"

I nodded and he just sighed. "Oh Bel, you still don't get it."

"Get what?" I asked, confused by his implications.

"Honor , Belinda."

"Honor?" I was growing more confused by the moment.

"Newsies are proud of the life that they lead. There is honor in waking ever morning, earning a day's wages from a day's work. There is no one who can take that honor away. It is something that a person of your upbringing can't possibly understand."

I but my lip, slightly hurt. "Gabe, he is the brightest child that I have come across in my life. I lack the ability to give him the kind of education that someone with his intellect deserves. I should think that there is honor in giving a child ever opportunity possible."

Gabe sat silently as I spoke, nodding occasionally. "Did you explain that to Specs?"

"I tried," I mumbled with a frown. "He walked out."

"So try again." He winked and pushed me toward the door. "He should be in the lodging house."

I tried to protest, but he threw my cloak around my shoulders and pushed me closer to the door. "And this time, don't let him leave."

Once I was outside, I seriously considered turning back toward home, but somehow my feet had a mind of their own, carrying me down Duane Street. When I walked through the door, every set of eyes in the room turned to me. Most of the boys in the room, my students, greeted me excitedly. My attention, however, was drawn to the corner of the room where Specs sat eyeing me curiously. Before I could say a word, he stood, knocking over his chair, and trudged silently up to the bunkroom.

Jack, who stood behind the desk, motioning up the stairs with his eyes. I nodded and started after Specs.

"You boys stay down here," Jack commanded. "Let Specs and Miss Spencer talk."

I turned back and smiled at Jack who nodded and winked as I disappeared down the hall.

I barely opened the door to the bunkroom before Specs spoke. "Go away, Belinda."

"Sorry," I replied firmly, taking a few tentative steps. "I can't do that."

"Look, I really don't feel like getting into it this again." He dropped onto his bed and began absently straightening the books on his nightstand.

Ignoring his cold tone, I moved further into the room. "I need you to understand something."

"What?" he asked offhandedly.

"I see nothing wrong with being a newsie, Specs," I began softly. "I never have. It's just that one day these boys aren't going to be able to sell newspapers anymore. And when that day comes, they are going to need to know how to read and write. I'm sorry, but I couldn't live with myself if I didn't do something to help them."

Specs stopped moving, but said nothing.

"I haven't changed my mind about Steamer. He is a bright kid, and I think that he deserves every chance that he can get. But he deserves a better education than I can provide for him while he is working as a newsie, and I will do anything in my power to help him."

He still had no reaction to me. I could feel tears beginning to well up in the corners of my eyes. Refusing to lose control, I took a staggering breath. With a shaky hand, I removed the ring from my left hand and set in on the nightstand beside him. "I'm sorry."

As soon as my back was turned, the tears fell freely down my cheeks. Slowly, I started for the door, unwilling to turn back to see Specs reaction.

"Bel, wait."

I stopped in my tracks, unsure if I had actually heard Specs or if it was wishful thinking on my part.

"Please."

The second time, I was sure that he had spoken. Slowly, I turned, unsure how to react. Specs had not moved from his bunk, but he had picked up the ring and spun it on his finger. When he realized that I was facing him, he stood and walked toward me.

"Don't be sorry," he said softly, the cold tone absent from his voice. "I am the one who should be apologizing. I overreacted. It is an honorable thing, what you are doing for these boys."

A small smile pulled at the corners of my lips. "Honor? So you did talk to Gabe."

Specs shrugged, a broad smile creeping across his face. He took a few steps closer until he was only a foot away. With a devilish grin, he took my hand and kneeled before me.

"Specs, what are you doing?" I asked, my eyes widening.

He held the ring in his free hand. "Doing this the right way. Belinda, will you marry me?"

I smiled and nodded as he slid the ring onto my finger. He quickly stood and wrapped his arms tightly around my waist. "And don't try to give it back this time, huh?"

I pulled back with a teasing grin. "Don't do anything to make me."

"You've got yourself a deal." He leaned forward, covering my lips with his gently.

The kiss was broken when we heard a noise in the hall behind the closed door.

Specs raised his eyebrows and walked over to the door. Opening it, he found Jack and the boys crowded by the keyhole, all trying to look innocent.

"Busted," Specs teased as Jack led the boys into the room.

Jack ignored Specs' comment, holding out a hand. "I hear that congratulations are in order."

The boys looked between the three of us as Jack and Specs talked. Steamer moved toward me and pulled at my hand. "What is going on, Miss Spencer?"

"Well kid," Specs answered. "Miss Spencer and I are getting married. What do you think about that?"

Steamer smiled brightly, but his confusion soon returned. "Will you be Mr. Spencer?"

Jack, Specs and I cracked up. I smiled down at Specs. "Well that is an idea."

He narrowed his eyes at me, standing up. "Oh, ya think so huh?"

I shrugged and he wrapped his arms around me, leaning in for another kiss. Jack cleared his throat beside us. We jumped apart and smiled as Jack began to usher the boys out of the room.

"Steamer," Specs called. "Can you wait a minute?"

The young boy returned to face us. "Whattya need, Specs?"

"We gotta ask you something, kid," Specs began, lifting the boy onto a nearby bunk so that they were eye to eye. "What would you think about coming to live with me and Miss Spencer?"

"What do you mean?" Steamer asked, obviously confused.

Specs took a deep breath, flashing me a smile before he continued. "You are a smart kid, Steamer. We want you to some live with us and go to a proper school."

"Like a family?" Steamer asked quietly.

I nodded. "If that is what you want."

An excited Steamer threw his arms around Specs' neck.

"I think that was a yes," Specs said with a smile, pulling me into the hug with his other arm.

The three of us headed downstairs. All of the newsies had returned from selling and were congregated in the lobby. Jack sat on the stairs, blocking the only avenue to the bunkroom so that the boys couldn't go upstairs.

"What're y'all just sittin around here for?" Specs asked cheerfully "Haven't you heard? We have a wedding to plan."

"Newsie style!" Jack added, earning a cheer from the boys.

Gabe was the first to approach us, shaking hands with Specs before pulling me into a brotherly hug. "It's about time. Congratulations. I'm rally happy for the two of you."

"I'm glad," I said, pulling back slightly. "Because I want you to walk me down the isle."

He kissed me on the forehead. "I'd be honored, kiddo. Now go find your fiancé."

I looked to my left, where Specs and Steamer had been, only to find that they had vanished into the sea of newsies. With a smile, I set out to find them, accepting hugs from the boys as I searched.

"There you are. All set," Mrs. Paige said as she fastened the veil in my hair. "You look beautiful, dear."

I moved to the mirror in the small room. My breath caught in my throat when I saw my reflection.

As soon as she had heard the news of our engagement, Mrs. Paige has retrieved my mother's trunk from the attic. Now I stood before the mirror in the dress in awe. It was as if I were looking at a photograph.

"I look just like her," I murmured.

"You look beautiful," Gabe called from the doorway. "The minister says that it is time."

Mrs. Paige kissed me on the cheek before slipping out the door to her seat. I peaked out the door at the crowd of newsies in the church. Specs stood in the front, wearing a fine grey suit that Jack lent him.

Gabe offered me his elbow. "You ready?"

I took a deep breath and nodded.

"Do you, Benjamin Cooper, take this woman to be your wife to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?"

The boys in the church chuckled slightly at the use of Specs' real name. He just smiled and looked into my eyes. "I do."

"And do you, Belinda Spencer, take this man to be your husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, til death do you part?"

"I do," I replied, my voice shaky from joyful tears.

The minister smiled down at us. "I now pronounce you husband and wife."

"Kiss her!" Jack called out, joined by calls from the other newsies.

Specs looked at the minister, who nodded, and turned back to me.

"We did it," he whispered before pulling me into a gentle kiss.