~*~Shout-Outs~*~

MargeryFastFingers: Thanks for the review Marge…and I know you love my story…who wouldn't? hehe. okay…anyways…how are you? I haven't seen you in, like, what? an hour? wow, that's a long time…freaky. I love you! adios mi amiga pequeña.

Dreamer Conlon: thanks for your review. I'm glad you like my story. It's good to see someone I don't know reviewing.

Heather: *cough*uarenothereandyouwillnevergetadam*cough* thanks for reviewing heather-dawn…u are greatly appreciated….although I'm sure brittney appreciates you more than I do…::coughcough:: ok…buh-bye!

A/N: thanks for the reviews. enjoy chapter 2!

Chapter 2

When Aslyn awoke the next afternoon she was alone. She usually didn't sleep this late, but she was enjoying being able to rest for a change. All the sleeping she had done over the past couple of days had given her time to relax and clear her head. She was feeling better about her situation now that she had met Spot. She felt protected for once, and she enjoyed his company.

She looked around her to see that she was laying in a double bed in a small, dingy, dimly lit room. On the wall opposite the bed, near the door, sat a small, beat-up desk, and on another wall was a tall chest of drawers. There was a large hope chest positioned at the end of the bed.

As Aslyn sat, taking in her surroundings, Spot entered from a small door in the corner of the room near the chest of drawers. His hair was wet, his shirt was unbuttoned, and he had a towel draped around his neck.

"Oh good, you'se awake," he said, smiling and throwing the towel onto the top of the chest. "Are ya' hungry?" He asked, handing her a roll and an apple that had been sitting on the desk. "it ain't much, but it's all I've got for nows."

"Oh, no, it's fine. Thank you. Spot?" Aslyn began as Spot started to button up his shirt.

"Uh-huh?"

"Thank you…for everything…really. But…why'd you save me?" Aslyn questioned, slowly.

She looked Spot up and down. He was short at only about 5'6", but well muscled. He had dirty blond hair, and fair, yet tanned, skin. As she watched him, he rolled up the sleeves on his shirt, revealing tight muscles in his lower arms.

"Why wouldn't I have saved ya'?" Spot replied. He smiled when he noticed Aslyn staring at him, but she only looked away.

"Really, Spot, why did you help me?"

"Honestly?" Spot said, arching his right eyebrow, "because you'se too damn pretty not to rescue."

"Spot!" Aslyn laughed.

Spot loved the way she laughed. Her eyes lit up, her cheeks grew rosy, and her smile widened. He couldn't believe that only a day ago she had tried to kill herself.

"And besides, you remind me of someone I use to know," Spot continued.

"Oh really? Who?" Aslyn asked.

"Me' si—"

"Spot?" A boy interrupted, poking his head through the door.

"What?" Spot demanded.

Aslyn noticed that his once dark blue eyes were now grey with anticipation and anger.

"Jack's here," the boy said, "says he's got good news for ya'."

"Tell him I'll see him in a secon' (*second)," Spot said.

Spot turned back to Aslyn once the boy had left, his blue eyes now bright and shining.

"You'd love Jack. He's great," Spot said, smiling, "you should come down and meet him."

"Oh, Spot, I couldn't…I look terrible," Aslyn said, looking down at her dirty dress and bandaged arms.

"You look fine," Spot replied, "but I'se got some old clothes you could borrow. If ya' don't mind dressing like a boy."

"No, I don't mind," Aslyn smiled, "thank you, Spot…for everything."

"No problem," he said, pulling some clothes from the bottom drawer of his chest of drawers. "Here, 'dese should fit ya'," he said, as he looked her over. "You can change in 'da bathroom." He pointed to the small door he had appeared from earlier.

"Thanks, Spot," Aslyn said getting up from the bed. She walked towards him, threw her arms around his neck, and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you so much!"

"You'se welcome," Spot said, laughing.

He smiled as she left the room. 'Dat girl is certainly something, he thought to himself, cryin' her eyes out one minute, and 'den smilin' and laughin' 'da next.

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"Well, if it ain't Jack-be-nimble, Jack-be-quick," Spot said, walking down the stairs of the lodging house.

"Hey, Spot," Jack replied, as the two spit-shook.

"Lil' boids (*birds) have been chirpin' in me' ears, Jack, sayin' you got good news for me."

"Yeah. Medda's havin' a party tomorrow night. It's gonna' be a big, newsie blowout, if ya' will. She's invitin' all 'da newsies from all ovah (*over) New Yoik (*York)," Jack replied, smiling.

"Okay, well, tell her Brooklyn'll be 'dere," Spot said. He then turned to see Aslyn coming down the stairs dressed in his old clothes. "Oh, Jack, 'dis is Aslyn. Aslyn, 'dis is Jack. He's 'da leader of 'da Manhattan Newsies."

Jack took Aslyn's extended hand, and kissed it tenderly. "Pleasure to meet you," he said.

"The pleasure's all mine," Aslyn returned, blushing.

"Well, Spot," Jack said, turning to Spot, "looks like you have a date for 'da party tomorrow, heh?"

"Not so fast, Jack," Spot said, patting him on the back.

"What party?" Aslyn asked, looking at Spot.

"'Da newsies' party at Irving Hall. Every now and 'den our good friend Medda throws all of us newsies a big party with lotsa singin' and dancin' and food and drink. And all 'da newsies from all over New Yoik come and have a good time," Jack said, answering for Spot.
"Would ya' like to go wid' (*with) me?" Spot asked, smiling at Aslyn.

"Certainly Spot. I would love to go with you," Aslyn said, smiling back at Spot.

"Good. So, Jack, do ya' have any udder (*other) news for me?"

"No, Spot, 'dat was all. I'm gonna' head back ta' 'Hattan now. See ya' later," Jack said, waving as he strode out the front door of the lodging house.

Spot wrapped his arm around Aslyn's waist, as they both began to head back upstairs. Normally, Aslyn wouldn't have allowed a boy to touch her in such a way, but with Spot it was different. She didn't know why, but she trusted him. She trusted this boy that she barely even knew.

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"So, Spot," Aslyn began when she and Spot were back in his bedroom, "what's it like to be a newsie?"

"It ain't much," Spot replied, "just a few dimes a week and a couple a' black eyes, but hey, it's a living. And it's freedom—no one tellin' ya' where ta' go, or what ta' do or say. So, I guess it ain't 'dat bad."

"It sounds marvelous!"

Aslyn was lying on her stomach on the bed, resting her head on her hands, and facing the footboard. Spot was sitting in the desk chair, fiddling with his hat that he had placed on the end of his cane.

"Marvelous, heh? Well, it ain't 'dat great," Spot said, laughing.

"Oh, I think so," Aslyn said, smiling.

"Well, if ya' really 'dink (*think) it's 'dat amazing, why don't you'se come sell wid' (*with) me tomorrow?"

"Me? Sell papers?"

"Foist (*first) of all, 'dey ain't 'papers,' 'dey're 'papes.' And second of all, yeah, you can sell papes wid' me," Spot said.

"I guess so…but I really don't know the first thing about selling anything…certainly not 'papes,'" Aslyn replied.

"Don't worry. I'll teach ya'," Spot said, patting Aslyn on the back, "why don't we's go down to 'da docks now, so you'se can meet some a' 'da boys?"

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Spot and Aslyn sat on a pile of old, wooden crates on the docks overlooking the river. Spot had introduced her to most of the other newsies and now they were watching everyone have a good time.

"Spot?" Aslyn asked suddenly.

"Huh?" He replied.

"You never finished telling me who I reminded you of."
"Oh, right," Spot said, running his fingers through his hair, "I don't wanna' talk about dat right now." Aslyn noticed that his clear blue eyes once again turned to a defensive, untrusting grey.

"Oh. Alright," Aslyn said, looking away from him.

The two sat in silence for a while longer, watching the boys swim and joke together. Finally Spot stood up and began removing his shirt.

"I'm goin' swimmin'," he told Aslyn, "wanna' come?"

"No, thanks. I think I'll just watch," she replied uneasily.

"Your loss," Spot said, jumping from the crates and heading over to the edge of the dock.

Aslyn's heart began beating faster as she watched him swim. Although he was of a fairly small stature, he was well muscled and seemed strong. She watched him dive off of the dock, and her heart leapt to see his body arch and curve into a diver's form. She didn't know how he could make her feel this way since she had only met him two days ago. She stole a glance at the Brooklyn Bridge and remembered the night he had saved her. He had been so concerned and compassionate then. Now, seeing him with the newsies he led, he seemed demanding and cynical. He was a completely different person around her than he was around the other newsies.

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That night, Aslyn lay in her bunk, unable to sleep. Spot had offered to let her stay in his room, but she opted for sleeping in the bunkroom with the boys. It didn't bother her. What bothered her was Spot—the way he became a completely different person around his newsies and the way he made her feel. She needed him—to feel his presence around her. In just a few days, she had grown to trust him more than she had ever trusted anyone in her life.

Her desire to be near him was overwhelming, and she slowly rose from her bunk and crept quietly out of the room. She tiptoed down the hallway and stopped outside Spot's bedroom. What am I doing, Aslyn thought to herself, I can't just barge into his room unannounced. Can I? In the end, her need to see him overwhelmed her, and she pushed opened the door.

Aslyn silently crept to the side of Spot's bed and crouched beside it. She waited there for a few moments, watching him sleep. His lips were parted slightly, and his breathing was steady and calm.

"Spot?" Aslyn whispered. He didn't stir.

"Spot?" she whispered again, a little louder this time. His eyes fluttered open quickly, and he stared at her in disbelief for a moment.

"What are you'se doing here?" Spot asked groggily.

"I can't sleep," Aslyn said, "Can I sleep with you?"

"Of course," Spot said, still groggily, as he scooted over in the bed and pulled the covers down for her.

Aslyn noticed that Spot wasn't wearing a shirt and suddenly she felt very uncomfortable. What am I doing, she asked herself again, why am I here? But as she lay down next to Spot, Aslyn's uncertainties left her. She was suddenly overwhelmed by a rush of emotions. She felt safe and secure lying next to him, but she also felt her heartbeat quicken as it had on the docks.

Spot rolled onto his side so that he was facing her. In the moonlight coming the window, Aslyn could see his eyes shine a vibrant blue.

"Why couldn't ya' sleep?" Spot asked.

"I guess I was thinking about too much," Aslyn answered, looking him in the eye.

"What were ya' thinkin' 'bout?" he asked.

"You."

"Hm…why was ya' thinkin' 'bout me?"

"I was thinking about what you said earlier—how I remind you of someone. I was just wondering who I remind you of," Aslyn said.

"You remind me of me sister, Emma," Spot answered. The blue in his eyes suddenly seemed clouded with pain and sadness.

"What was she like?" Aslyn asked, snuggling into Spot's side.

"I don't really 'member (*remember) much about her," Spot said.

"Why not?" Aslyn asked. She had told him everything about her past, now she wanted to know something about his.

"She died," Spot said, "Killed herself—like you tried to. Dat's why I was out there—on da' bridge—that night. Dat's where she died—same night, seven years ago. I was ten and she was fifteen. And you—ya' just 'bout scared me ta' death when I saw you sittin' up on the railin'…I thought for sure I was seein' Emma's ghost."

"Is that why you saved me—because of Emma?" Aslyn asked.

"I guess so. I guess I figured that even 'dough I wasn't able ta' save her, I could still save you." Spot wrapped his arms around Aslyn and pulled her close to him.

"I'm sorry Spot," Aslyn said.

"Sorry for what?" Spot asked, looking into her eyes.

"I'm sorry about what happened to your sister. And I'm sorry that I remind you of her."

"Don't be sorry 'bout 'dat. That's one of da' 'dings I like about ya'," Spot said, giving her a quick squeeze.

With that, Aslyn drifted off into a dreamless sleep. Spot, on the other hand, was left to himself with thoughts of Emma running wildly through his mind. I coulda' saved her, he scolded himself, I shoulda' been 'dere sooner.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed chapter 2! Chapter 3'll be up soon…I hope. I'm sorry if the story is kinda' Mary Sue-ish. I'll try to work on that. Please review! Bye!