1There's 2 more chapter after this one.

Chapter 69

"SHIT! Conway! Conway! Hurry! Bring Buddy!" Sally yelled. Shortly afterwards Buddy and Conway came running down the hallway. Even though Fire had only been there a couple of days they had both taken a liking to her. Conway open up her cell as quickly as he could. Buddy slid across the floor to where Fire was laying.

"This girl is going to die any day now. Look at her. Just look at her. Do they really need to set a hanging for her? She'll probably die before the hanging." Buddy still want looking up he was trying his hardest to revive Fire you laid on the floor lifeless. "She needs the hospital. There isn't much I can do for her. Conway call her family. They need to say good-bye."

"Her hanging is tomorrow," Mindy said. "Which way do you think is better for her?" Buddy looked up at her.

"This girl right here is dying a very painful death. I wish I could put her out of her misery." Buddy looked down and Fire. "I love this girl. She has kept high spirits, of course every now and then she's upset but who wouldn't be. I am not gonna shoot her though that's up to the family and her."

"That's treating her like a fucking dog!"Mindy shouted.

"Mindy you can't even imagine the amount of pain she is. Holy shit she's bleeding. Fire sweety open your eyes. Fire Please open your eyes. OPEN YOUR EYES!" Buddy took his sleeve and wiped Fire's mouth. "Her family better get her soon. At that point Conway came back down the hallway.

"They are all on their way here. Keep her alive. Her husband picked up the phone it was so sad. I didn't want to tell him. I herd her little boy in the back. I can't believe that judge is so stupid." Conway knelt down next to Fire. Fire's eyes opened slightly.

"I wanna be hung," She forced out. "I want them to see me die, I want them to have to deal with the fact that they put an innocent girl to death. Don't let me die here."

"You're a brave little girl." Buddy added. At this point the door flew open and in came all of Fire's newsie family.

"King what are you doing here? Why are you here?" Fire tried to it up but she had no strength.

"To see you Fire. God you huge. In a good way." Fire gave King the evil eye and motioned to Conway to help her sit up. Mush sat next to her and kissed her.

"God Fire I don't know how to say good-bye."Mush put his arm around her and Fire rested her head on his shoulder.

"Then don't. Because I will truly never be gone if you love me." Fire grabbed Mush's hand. "I love you Mush And I wish we had more happy days together. But life isn't fair and there's nothing we can do about it. But please Mush try to remember the good more then the bad. You meant so much to me. Even when we fought you made me feel special because Mush I new in the back of my head you didn't have to marry me."

"Fire the day I married you was the happiest day of my life. But I thought you hated me which I totally understood so I hated you back for hating me. But when Spot told us we had to get married I tired to hide my smile as much as I possibly could. When you left I though of you everyday and then when I saw you that night you reentered all our lives, I knew you were the one for me but I was scared to love you, scared I would get hurt or I would hurt you. I want you to forgive me.

"I forgive you because I was scared to." Fire kissed Mush again. Mush reluctantly stood up and let Spot sit down.

"Fire I'm gonna let you in on a little secret. The only reason I was mean and scary as a leader is because of you. Without you in my life I felt so empty. I should have taken better care of you. I should have been there for you. If I never ditched you, you wouldn't me in this mess at all. You probably wouldn't be sick. If I could do it all over I would have taken you with me. I was a kid Fire and I didn't know any better and I wasn't ready to play daddy. I admire you so much Fire. You were twelve and you didn't play mommy you were mommy. You are more mature then any of us standing here. You did the hardest thing a mom could do. You gave up your son so he could have a better life then you thought you could give him. And I hope that if I have a daughter she turns out to be just like you."

"Not the sex part though or the drinking," Fire laughed. "Spot You were the best big brother God could have given me. Spot you made me feel so safe all the time. Even when you weren't there all the lectures you gave me is what kept me going. Someday I was gonna be better then daddy and not be a whore. Because of you I loved Mush." Spot kissed Fire on the forehead and hugged her. It seemed like he was never gonna let go, but then he did and it was Books turn to say good-bye.

"I really didn't know you for that long so there's not really any touching stories to look back on but I can say I wish you were going to be around to help me be a new mom. I see how mush you son loves you and I wish that my new child will love me that much."

"Books your gonna be a great mother I can tell by the way you dealt with me. And anyway you don't have to be the bad guy that's what Spot is for. It's fun Books. Your gonna love it." Fire placed a hand on Books' belly. "Tell my niece I love her."

"How do you know?"

"I just know." Race sat next to Fire.

"Thanks." Race hugged Fire. "If it wasn't for you I would have lost a lot of poker games and bets. I also wouldn't have Dolly. Your like a little sister to me. And I know you don't deserve any of this and you deserve better then this. You've been through a lot girl, more then any of us have yet you've been able to stay strong. I wouldn't be able to smile at all if I were you. I love you Fire Ice. Keep me with good luck up in heaven."

"Racetrack I can't thank you enough for helping me escape horrible times and letting me tag along with you to racetrack and everything. If it wasn't for you I don't think I would laugh as much and enjoy life as much a si do today." Race hugged Fire one more time before Brass sat down.

"Like said once before I know I gave you hard times and it was just cause I was jealous of you. Your beautiful, the guys all loved you, and amazing. All the Shit you have been through yet you seem to still be one of a kind. Even when you were covered in dirt you still manage dot look beautiful. And you were also shorter then a lot of the guys so I found that unfair. I remember looking at all the guys when you walked in and how their faces all lit up and at that moment I wished I could be you."

"Brass I spent a lot of my time hoping that one day we could be friends because I needed someone with your toughness to help me fight a lot and protect me. I am so regretful I couldn't swallow my pride and talk to you about this whole thing before." Brass and Fire hugged and Brass stood up and Loons took her place.

"We never got that close even though you seemed like a pretty cool girl Fire. We were totally different. You were a tough ass girl who wouldn't laugh. And I was a wacked out girl who laughed at everything. But I want you to know I counted you as a sister and if you ever needed my help I would have been there in a heart beat. I felt a connection with you when I found out you were beaten. So was I Fire. I always wanted to talk to you and share my pain that I couldn't share with anyone else. So if I ever need to complain to someone, can you promise me you'll ne listening in heaven?"

"Loons I promise you I will listen. If I can I will talk back and trust me Loons everything will be okay. And remember that I know what you went through and remember you also got Spot who saw and herd beatings go on and had to take care of me. He's a good guy. Loons if I had know earlier that you were beaten I would have went after the person myself. You're my sister to." Loons hugged Fire and then Jack sat down.

"Well evil little villain," Jack took a deep breath and rubbed his eyes. "I don't know how to say good-bye, maybe cause I don't want to admit this really happening. All those times I made you go away or made fun of you or whatever thing I did I apologize. It broke my heart when Spot had to leave you. You touched my life more then I thought you would. The Lodging House was so empty without you and I needed some little girl to follow Mush around with those big dopey eyes. And I know nothing will ever be the same again because I will never hear you laugh again or see you smile again and those dopey eyes following Mush around will be gone but I want you to know Fire there wont be a day that goes by that I wont thank God for letting you enter my life."

"Jack I don't even know what to say to you. You were my other big brother. I wanted to be with you and Spot all the time. You were the brother I got to fight with. But every fight we had you made me feel more loved. And you helped me to realize my dad was wrong because we could fight without you hitting me and I knew you never would hit me because you loved me just like I loved you. And I still do." Fire leaned over and hugged Jack. She kissed him on the cheek and he kissed her cheek. Jack stood up and Blink sat down.

"Watching everyone speak to you I have been trying to think of the perfect thing to say. And to tell you the truth I have no clue what to say because your gonna die and I am gonna feel this big empty spot in my heart and life. Fire I have this spot for you that no one can ever fill. Central Park I will never be able to enter again. Since I lost my little sister when I was younger my goal was not loose you and sped as much time with you as possible. You became family so quickly to me and to see you go broke my heart. I carved your name in our favorite tree to climb. I did it today so everyone would know that Fire Ice had been there."

"Thank you Blink. That had to be one of my favorite things tog o. I loved when you would take me to climb trees. It gave this sense of freedom that I never got to feel. And I remember how you believed in me to climb the biggest tree there and how safe I felt climbing it knowing you would catch me if I fell. Just thank you for giving me that confidence and freedom." Fire hugged and kissed Blink and he stood up. King sat down and just looked at Fire for a couple of seconds.

"You've grown up so much. I remember this little girl running around the lodging house singing at the top of her lungs. All my dates use to like you better then me. You are seriously the last person I ever thought I would see in here. I finally get to see you after all theses years and its just to say good-bye. Fire not a day went by I didn't think of you. I prayed for you every day and hoped that you were out of that house. And I am sorry for any pain you have had. Its my fault Spot didn't take you with him. I told him that a little girl couldn't live in the Lodging house, it was to dangerous with all the territory wars and everything. He fought me so hard but I wouldn't let him win. He was gonna stay with you but I convinced him that he needed out of that household. So everything Spot did was under the influence of me. I received a letter that night you ran away. Someone said they had spotted you and I went out looking for almost a year but them I got a job offer and I spoke to that person and they said it might not have been you it was night and you pretty far away. I never told the boys because I didn't want to worry them and I figured if you were out they'd come across you. I made stupid choices."

"No you did exactly what I what I would have wanted you to do. King, oh my God King. Thank you for everything. Thank you for never giving Spot a problem when I followed him to poker games even some newsie parties. Thank you for excepting my and making me feel loved." King kissed Fire on the forehead and cheek and stood up. Kloppman sat down next to Fire.

"My daughter. You are my daughter. I have a picture of you and people ask me who that is and I say 'my daughter Fire Ice.' I have never thought of you anything less then a daughter. So no father should have to out live their daughter. You were and always will be in my prayers. I love you Fire."

"Thank you for being a father. I always use to ask God why you could have had me and why I was with my parents. I wanted you to adopt me. I use to dream about you coming into my house picking me up and you, me, and Spot just walking out the door and never going back. I love you Daddy." Fire hugged Kloppman and kissed his cheek. Finally Dolly made it to the front of the crowd. Fire looked at Dolly. Dolly was holding Jimmy and smiling with tears. Dolly handed Jimmy to Fire.

"Mommy!," Jimmy yelled and wrapped his arms around Fire's neck. "Mommy I went do da bafroom awl by meself doday. No help."

"No help from Daddy or anyone? Wow your such a big boy." Fire kissed Jimmy's cheek/

"Where you been?"

"Here."

"Why?"

"Mommy's in trouble."

"Why?"

"I'm being blamed for something."

"Why?"

"Daddy will explain when your older."

"When you coming back?"

"Mommy is going to go to sleep for a long time tomorrow Jimmy. I can't come back. I'm not allowed. But remember that mommy is always gonna be in your heart, Right there." Fire pointed to Jimmy's chest. "And your always in mommy's heart. Okay."

"Why dey take you away from me?"

"They don't like mommy."

"But I like Mommy."

"I know but they don't like Mommy."

"Dey stupid basserds. Dat's what Daddy says." Fire looked up at Mush then smiled back at Jimmy.

"Yes they are." Fire kissed Jimmy's cheek again. Dolly sat down next to Fire. "Mommy's gonna miss you Jimmy."

"I love you mommy." Jimmy hugged Fire around the neck again.

"Okay I have to say my good-bye." Dolly wiped her eyes. "If it wasn't for you I don't think I would be alive today. You saved my butt so many times. Like now. I found comfort in you and you went threw horrible stuff to but you always made sure you put me first and why I will never understand. I love you Fire and I will never forget you because you are my hero."

"I love you to Dolly. If it wasn't for you I would have died along time ago and would had made even stupider decisions if that's possible. You gave me strength to go on and you're my hero." Dolly hugged Fire and when the hug was over Fire tired to hand Jimmy to Dolly but Jimmy wouldn't let go.

"No leave Mommy!" Jimmy screamed

"Jimmy you have to go." Fire patted Jimmy's back

"NO!"

"Mush help," Fire said.

"Come on son let go of Mommy. We need to leave." Mush grabbed Jimmy's waist.

"My Mommy. Day can't take her." Jimmy held on tighter.

"Jimmy remember Mommy is always gonna be with you. They aren't ever gonna separate you and me as long as you love mommy. Just keep loving mommy." Fire tried to pry his hand off from around her neck. "Jimmy take mommy's necklace." Fire undid her necklace and showed it to Jimmy. "As long as you hold onto this, Mommy will always be there."

"Mommy promise?"

"Yes I do. Now do Mommy a favor and let go." Jimmy let go of Fire and gave her one last kiss before Mush picked him up. Conway locked the cellar door behind them and Fire watched her son looking over Mush's shoulder waving good-bye to and she waved back and then she saw a tear rolled down his cheek and she knew it was all over.

next day

Fire walked with her hand tied in front of her and her head was held high. She could see the Conlon family in the crowd and all her Newsie family, her real family. She saw the judge and the officer which arrested her and all of her father's friends. She wouldn't show fear in her eyes, that's what they wanted She felt the rope slide over her head and tighten around her neck. Then she smiled at her Newsie family and the floor opened and Fire Ice Conlon was now just a memory.