Chapter 48:

"Well well look what we got here boys. Unless my eyes are tricking me I believe this is the little Manhattan girl."

Fire looked at the five men that stood before her. "Your not suppose to be here this is off limits to you Key!" Key gave a little laugh.

"Oh and what are you gonna do about it babe? Run and tell your boys? You wont run fast enough. Beat us up. You wont last a second." Key grabbed the collar of Fire's shirt. "Make sure they get this message." Key threw Fire against the wall and her little eight year old body fell to the ground lifelessly. "Finish her off boys."

"But Key she's eight." Another guy said.

"She's their weakness." Key walked over to Fire. "If she's gone they loose their strength." Key handed a knife to the guy. "You'll go down in history as the guy that helped defeat Manhattan and Brooklyn."

Mush opened the door and saw Fire sitting on the bed her arms wrapped around her knees. Fire looked up at him.

"What did key mean when he told one of his newsies I was Manhattan's strength?" Mush stopped unbuttoning his shirt and looked at Fire.

"When did he say that?" Mush asked.

"When I was eight. After you all ditched me. I ran you know. And I ran into them on Manhattan territory. He wanted his newsies to finish me off but the guy wasn't able to he only pretend I guess. I wasn't totally unconscious and I herd every word up until I lost enough blood to fill a bear's belly. He said 'She is their weakness…. If she's gone they will loose their strength' I never got that."

"It means we all loved you and wouldn't be able to function knowing that you had died. We did become weaker a tiny bit after you left. We had a fight with them, Harlem. We came so close to loosing. Brooklyn lost their leader. Spot has this long scar that runs down his back. Key got him after killing Dash. King has this limp, barely noticeable. He broke his leg and it never really healed right. You think you mean nothing to us but you do Fire. I know you don't believe this and it sounds unbelievable. When you left A part of all of us went with you and its still missing. Your not back yet."

"How did a little girl touch u all so much. Its not believable."

"I don't know. All I know is what I felt. Every time you smile it felt like there was no wrong in this world. Every time you laughed it felt like my life was full. That all I needed to live was your laughter. Every time you called my name I felt important. Every time your arms wrapped around my waist … God Fire. Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why didn't you run back to me? Why did you keep running forward? I Stayed up at nights waiting for you climb trough the window. I went to central park I would look up into the tress hoping to see you sitting in the branches. You were suppose to return."

"Don't blame me. I only did the one thing I was taught. To run. Run from everything. Spot ran from me. I ran from all I cared and loved. I swore to myself I would never care or love for anyone again."

"Why?"

"It only leads to pain. Pain that hurts more then having your skin ripped by a knife. More then having your father light your arm on fire."

"So you run from us because you love us."

"No I don't love you! I don't love anyone. I gave that up a long time ago. I gave up loving every loving thing even myself."

"Then why are you running away?"

"Because I cant stand the sight of you." Fire stood up and ran out the door.

***5 hours later***

"Where is she?" Spot asked.

"Gone. She's gone forever. Even in her body returns its not her. Why did we ever want her to come back." Mush sat down and put his face in his hands.

"Shut up Mush.!" Dolly yelled. "What if she's hurt?"

"Dolly lets all just go to sleep. She'll be here in the morning." race put his arm around Dolly's waist and led her up the stairs. Mush watched all the couple walk away. Hand in hand, Arm in arm, How ever they went.

"Fuck you Fire," Mush whispered. "Why do you do this to me? Why? All I have ver done is try to show you how much you mean to us and how much I love you. I made one mistake, a huge mistake and now you hate me more then before. God why must I love her?"