DISCLAIMER: These characters do NOT belong to me unfortunately. I tried to kidnap
them from Disney and was unsuccessful. Go figure. However, Runner and Mallory are
MINE, and so is Josephine, Aunt Patricia, and Daisy! Muahahaha! So take that, Mickey!!
OoOogles! I almost forgot Becca and Snap. They's mine too!! BleH! : ) Ah, the list
just goes on, there's Mr. Carter too of course. And Vixen...


A.N.
*Swims in the Reviews* Awww, this is so AWESOME you guys!!! I'd like to thank everyone
who made this possible...*tear, tear* Youse is all the best! I don't know how long
this story's going to be, but maybe one day we'll even get to break 200! WoWzeRZ!
THAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANK YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUSE!!!!!!!!!


~geometrygal: Muahaha, Evilness. *takes a bow* What can I say? A couple can't possibly
get together THAT easily! There must be twists, darlin'. Ah yes, SnaP. Well, she
won't die, as a matter of fact, she causes quite a bit of trouble in this chappie.
Thanks for the review!! w00t w00t! Read on and enjoy!


~Southern Spell: Yes, I'll admit Spot, Race, and Jack are big ol' JERKS in this story.
: ) But don't worry, they'll shape up....hopefully. Thanks for reviewing, new
reviewers rock my world!! Yeah!! Hope ya like this chapter!


~Apollonia: YaY! Mallory's in school now! w00t! Don't worry, I'll get back to
reading your fic ASAP. I wanna know what'll happen between Jack and Apollonia now.
Poor kids...Spot's dead. *cries* How evil of you! lol, jk. Spot's an angel now at
least...heehee.


~racesgurl52787: Runner quit smoking, Runner quit smoking! *dances around with an
unenthused Runner* Heehee. LOL! Charles a dork? Ouch, that was a hit below the belt!
Poor lad, now he's gone into some corner and is sulking. Muaha. Here's another
update for youse!


~Raeghann: You're the only one to notice the Catholic discrepancy, or at least the
only one to bring it up. Yes, he is Catholic and did make the vow of celibacy. His
father made the vow AFTER marrying and having a child with Mrs. Conlon...divorce
isn't smiled upon either...so let's just say the church let them stay together. : )
As for Runner himself, he made the vow when he was younger and as you can see by
his character (smoking, cursing, drinking, and all) he's not exactly the devout
type. lol. But I'll let you in on a little secret, Runner actually IS a virgin and
you'll find this out in a later chapter. Woocha! *dances with Runner* Anywho, here's
another update for youse! Enjoy! Ah, by the way, I added your story "Hourglass" into
my favorites folder so that I can read the whole thing in one or two shots over
Springbreak. : )


~Snuggles: Great minds think alike indeed! Muahaha! Alexander Blake, hmm? Wow,
that's a really cool dream you had there with Eric. So vivid too. My dreams are like
fragments of visions. lol. Aww, I've been thinking about marriage lately though.
*sigh* How does "Lily Conlon" sound to youse? Haha!


~Angel: Heya goily, why don't you come here and kick Snap for all of us!? Haha. No
one seems to like her anyways. The thing Race said about the roses is from "Sweet
Home Alabama" ~good movie. : )


~bottles: Becca's fear of...uh...meeting people? lol. Well anywho, it'll be revealed
in the Valentine chapter. No, the Valentine chapter is not coming out on Valentines as
ironic as that is...but in a few more chappies I guess. Hope ya like this chapter!


~Rhapsody: Ah, Spot and Jack finally fight in this chapter. Eeschk, I so do not
want to be at Tibby's then! Or actually...maybe I would. LoL! Yea, crazy Mallory.
She falls in love with whatever guy kisses her, haha. But she'll get over Jacky
boy soon enough if Runner plays his cards right. Voila~ another chapter I present to
youse!


~Deanie: Mallory attracted to guys with alotta power! LoL! Fun fun. Runner has some
kinda power I suppose...I mean, he can suck up real nice to his teachers. That's
worth something, right? Haha. Uhm...Mallory is only based on how shy I use to be
but she's not really shy anymore and I don't intend on writing myself in either. I
think the number of characters has a nice balance already, and too many twists! : )


~Shortie: Have you seen Dead POet's Society? The students call their poetry teacher
(played by Robin Williams) "Oh Captain, My Captain." yea...so anywho, live with the
Simpsons? Well thats a new one! Haha! Runner's comeback to Falcon having meaning?
*Runner laughs* Nah, the kid's been saying random crap like that all day. *sigh*
"Heya guys, has any of youse ever thought what life would be like if youse were born
a giraffe?" *crickets chirp...* Well, I guess not. Adieu Captain!


~Sami: Awww, a plead on behalf of Runner. Heehee. Well, I'll let the chapters unwind
on their own and see how you like it. Thanks for reviewing by the way, I Love New
Reviewers! YaaaY!!


~SportyChik425: Snap is an evil lassie, no one seems to like her anymore. Muahaha!
I don't know, maybe she'll lighten up or something...YaaaY, Mallory got in!!!
w00t w00t! Will she leave Jack? Hmmmm....*Runner holds his hand over her mouth*
Sorry, me no allowed to say...heehee.








*~*~*~*~*THIS CHAPTER IS DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF ONE FROM OUR NEWSIE FANFIC
BROOD WHO PASSED AWAY FROM PLUEROSIS. CRICKET, MAY YOU REST IN PEACE*~*~*~*




Just A Little Bet




~*~*~*~*~ Meandering through the hordes of restless enthusiasts that made up today's

crowd at Sheepshead, Charles cursed under his breath at the new ordeal that had been

laid before him by Webster. Valentine's Day was fastly approaching and apparently,

the man was under the impression that it would do Becca good to participate in the

social event. Charles agreed. Becca carried herself about as if she were of the

utmost fragility. She set herself apart from the masses all the time and sought out

solitude whereas others would have welcomed company with outstretched arms. Several

times he had attempted to initiate a meaningful conversation with her to gain her

trust in some way so that she might at least feel at ease with him, but his attempts

were all in vain. The girl only seemed to enclose herself all the more.




Which is why Charles wasn't looking forward to asking her to the dance this particular

day. For starters, he knew she was already taken and would instantly refuse to

accompany him on the basis that it would be wrong for her to do so. Then there was

the problem with her being introverted. He wondered if she was this shy with that

Race boy as well.




"G'day, lass." He had finally found her just outside the stable entrance, going over

a list in her hands to make sure she understood each task. "Are ye havin' fun there?

Work, work, work. That's all ye do."




Becca sighed in annoyance. "Talk, talk, talk. That's all you do!"




"Now don't start in on me, love. I was only pointin' out that ye should take time out

to do more pleasurable things. I'll assume that Webster's already told ye about the

Valentine's Dance? It's exclusively for the staff, and he'd like all to come."




"I don't do dances, Charles. I'd have hoped you knew me better than that."




"But considerin' how ye need to start openin' up more, I thought ye might like it."

He leaned his shoulder against the wall beside her and watched her take her eyes

off the paper for a moment to look at him. She appeared to be angered, or perhaps

she was merely contemplative-he couldn't tell either way. Her moods were never

readable to him.




"I...I don't want to go," she replied quickly, trying her best to do away with the

matter. Why couldn't anyone understand her personality? Why couldn't anyone just

leaver her alone? All those memories from her past, they would always chase her and

the only way to keep them at bay was to keep to herself.




"Ah, c'mon Becca. It'd be fun! It's a costume party!"




She looked at him again. Was that suppose to sway her decision, the fact that she had

to maraud about in a costume? "Don't give me a headache, please. Besides, it's

Valentine's Day, what makes you think I'd spend it with you?"




"Ye certainly have a way with woids!" He laughed and stepped closer to her with a

smile. "I won't pretend to know why ya so afraid of bein' yaself, but I'll offer ye

a chance to let loose for once. Ye can go to the dance foist, and then meet up with

Race later. How's that sound?"




"But I don't want to go, Charles!" she said again.




"So what are ye gunna do? Spend the day of Love in a stable with Race? Oh, I'm sure

he'll enjoy that, lass. There's nothing a man wants more than to spend Valentine's

Day with his goil in a place that smells like bloody horseshit!"




Becca turned on him. "How dare you say that, you bastard! You don't know Race! You

don't have any right to judge how he might act!"




"It doesn't take a genius!" he threw back at her. "Do tell, Becca, how many times has

he asked to take ye out somewhere? And how many times have ye refused? And how many

times more do ye have to say no before he finally gives up on ya relationship?"




Her eyes grew sad at the realization. Would Race really abandon her if she kept

turning down his suggestions? Did his constant visits to the stables bore him to the

point in which he would consider ending it with her? She sighed, diverting her gaze

to the floor in embarassment. "It's not that I don't want to go..."




"Give it a chance. What have ye got to lose?"




"I suppose I could try..."




"Great!" he exclaimed, overwhelmed by his victory. "Now all we've to worry about is

our costumes! What do ye suppose I should go as?"




She glared at him. "Go as a jackass, Charles. You wouldn't even have to wear a

costume to go as that." Her smile having broken the intentional insult, she allowed

a light laugh to escape her lips as the boy playfully pushed her aside.




* * * * *




"Lucas, I was under the impression that I didn't have to live on campus if it was

my wish not to!"




Runner hadn't heard the question though. With Mallory's hand in his, he pulled her

through the halls of student masses in search for the room that appeared on the

girl's schedule as her first class. Being a Junior at St. John's, he wasn't too

accustomed with the new remodeled Freshman quarters and couldn't quite find his

way around. "Are you sure this is the class you're in? I don't even think this room

number exists!"




"Lucas, I don't begin my classes today! We have orientation today!"




"Here it is!" He stopped before the door to classroom #164 and folded the schedule

to place back in his pocket. "So, you ready to go in?"




Mallory sighed. "Lucas! You haven't listened to a single word I've said all day!

You're always in a rush and it's driving me crazy! You didn't even let me say goodbye

to Jack this morning because you were in such a hurry! The letter I received says

that I start classes in the fall, the schedule is just to give me an idea of all

the subjects I'll be needing to cover during the summer when I'm assigned a private

tutor. Today I have orientation with all the other new students and you not paying

any attention to me is making me late!"




Runner opened his mouth to say something in defense, but decided against it. He

figured he should be a bit more understanding with her this morning, but he just

couldn't control his happiness and it seemed as if that mistake made him oblivious to

her needs. "I'm sorry," was all he could think to say. He thought to mention that

orientations were always held at noon, but it didn't seem the appropriate time.




"I'm so nervous," she said then, gripping his hand harder as if she only found

strength in him. "I don't like the idea of being on my own in a place where I know

no one! I don't even have a uniform yet and I feel like everyone's looking down at

me. And what's worse, you didn't tell me I had to live in the dormitories!"




"Well, I didn't think you'd care..."




"Didn't care!? Lucas, you know how close me and my father are!"




"You'll still be able to see him after classes and on the weekends," he tried. "It's

not like you live on seprate ends of the continent, Mallory. You're only a few minutes

away from him." All right, he admitted he was being extremely selfish now. In his

pursuit to keep the girl all to himself, he was only cutting her connections with

the only people she had ever loved and befriended.




She pulled his arm around her waist and leaned herself onto him. "I'm so scared. Do

I have to live with roomates then? What if they don't like me?"




"Well, let's find out right now if they do!" He pulled her off again down the halls,

which were near empty now as classes were beginning to start, turned a few corners

that made Mallory lose her sense of direction, and led the girl outside to an area

of the campus she hadn't seen before. The recreation fields upon which the

dormitories were situated, four buildings in total. "The dorms are seperated by class.

Underclassmen stay in the first two, upperclassmen in the last. I think they'll start

you in the tenth grade so you'll be staying in the Auberette House."




He opened the front door for her and then followed behind, allowing his eyes to

adjust to the different lighting. "We can stop by my friend's room; she's on an

arranged absence because she has a fever." Motioning for her to follow, he navigated

a small passageway with doors on each side, one of which he stopped at and knocked

upon.




The door swung open. "What do y- Lucas!" The blonde in the doorway had a face that

brightened ten times more upon seeing the boy before her. "What brings you here?"




"Samantha, can you do me a favor? This is my best friend, Mallory, and she's pretty

much new around here. Do you think you can show her around the place maybe?"




"Sure thing," Samantha replied, her eyes never once leaving Runner's.




"All right, thanks." He turned to Mallory and smiled. "I should be getting to class

before Father Romanik writes me up again for detention. I'll see you at lunch, okay?"




Mallory glanced at Samantha in uncertainty. Something about the girl wasn't right;

the way she looked at Runner made Mallory feel on guard for some reason. She pulled

him to the side out of the earshot of Samantha and whispered to him. "Do you really

have to go?"




"Would you rather I give Romanik one more thing to complain about to my father at

his parent/teacher meeting this evening?"




"But that girl...I don't think she likes me..."




"Who, Samantha? She's practically my sister! You'll be fine, don't worry."




During their hushed conversation, Samantha looked on with an amused grin. What on

earth was Lucas Conlon doing with a girl? 'Today's gossip certainly should be

interesting,' she thought.




* * * * *




Spot swept the hat from atop his head and passed a hand through his hair with an

exhausted sigh. Papers were getting harder and harder to sell each day. It seemed

as if no one cared about the world anymore. People were too caught up in their reign

of materialism to care. "So how was Mal's foist day?"




"Ya never gunna give up, are ya?" Runner had a feeling he wouldn't. The Brooklyn

leader had a perserverance unmatchable to any across the state.




"Of coise not." Once inside Tibby's, Spot nodded at the shouts of greetings he

received from the Manhattan boys and slapped hands with a few who sat nearby.




Runner would've done the same but when his eyes fell on a sight snuggled farther back

in a deep corner of the restaurant, he knew the present happiness would quickly be

extinguished by hate. "Uh, Spot. Didn't youse say something 'bout Snap bein' ya

goil?"




"Yea, why?"




"If she's ya goil, what the hell is she doin' makin' out wid Jack?"




Spot, wrenched free from his distraction, followed the line of sight his younger

cousin pointed out. "That Bitch!" His hands clenched into fists, he marched off

clearly infuriated, shoving away any who stood in his path until he finally approached

the table where Jack and Snap sat together, the girl currently tracing the outline

of the Manhattan leader's ear with her tongue.




"Ya mind explainin' tah me what the fuck is goin' on heah?"




The couple instantly pulled away from eachother; Snap was the first to speak. "Spot!

What is youse doin' heah?!"




"I kinda commute back and foith, but cut the shit, Snap. What gives ya the idea youse

can give ol' Jacky-boy heah a lap dance when youse was beggin' me for some last night?

Ya never told us youse were a lil' whore, sweetheart."




Snap glared at him. "Aw, Spotty, ya didn't think youse were that good in bed, did ya?

What's a goil tah do when the man she's sleepin wid aint got what it takes tah make

her wildest dreams come true?"




"Shut ya damn mouth!" He yelled at her, pointing an accusing finger in her face.




Jack stood up suddenly in one quick motion that made those who were seated around

jump up and back away from the fight they knew was coming. "What gives ya the idea

youse can talk tah me goil like that, Conlon?"




"Ya mean the same goil who I'se was screwin' until two in the mornin' last night?"




Jack balled his hand into a fist and threw a hard blow to Spot's lower jaw, making

the Brooklyn leader fall back to the ground, droplets of blood now splattered on his

lips. "Ya Bastard!" Spot was on his feet half a second later and lunged forward

in an attack that brought him and Jack to the floor in a tangled heap of kicks and

punches.




"Ya ever come near me goil again, Spot, and I swear I'll kill youse!" Jack, now

standing, dragged the boy to his feet and slammed him into a wall. "I don't wanna

heah no more shit about youse takin' her tah bed, ya got that?!"




Spot punched him in the gut and smacked his face with the gold top of his precious

cane. "Ya aint gotta worry 'bout that one, Jack. I aint into the habit of takin'

sluts tah bed anyways." He threw a disgusted look at Snap and proceeded to exit

the restaurant when he was tackled from behind by Jack. This time they crashed into

a table, dishes, glasses, and fragment of a partially-eaten hamburger flying through

the air in a haphazard freefall.




"Stay outta Manhattan, ya heah me?! If I see one of ya scum walkin' this way again,

woids can't describe the agony I'll put 'em through! From now on, Manhattan aint gots

nothin' tah do wid Brooklyn no more!"




"That's fuckin' fine wid me!" Spot dodged one of the boy's swings but didn't see

the second punch that soon connected with his right cheek bone. "That's it! Youse

aint woith me time, Jack! I'se outta this damn hellhole!" He shoved his former best

friend away and barged out, slamming the doors so hard that one of the glass panels

shattered into useless shards.




* * * * *
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!!! Finally I wrote another chapter! It's
been a hectic week for me, lassies. Guess what, though!!! This Wednesday, I am
auditioning for a part in my school's production of "South Pacific". I hope to at
least get in the chorus, memorizing all those lines is something I really don't have
time for. And according to fanfiction.net myth, Reviews=Luck. So how 'bout sending
me some Good Luck by Submitting those REVIEWS!!!!! w00t w00t!!! C'mon, don't be
shy! Send them on in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. Love Ya All!