A/N-I already know that you guys are going to murder me for this chapter. One, it's not as long as you, or I for that matter, would like it to be. Two, it'll leave you thinking what the hell is this author on? Well, when I wrote this it was 1 in the morning, so I believe lack of sleep might have been a factor. Don't worry, no more chapters like this are to come, this is a once in a life time thing that is kinda...yeah. I even considered re- writing it but then I decided I would use it to my advantage. And right now I'm laughing because I know what's coming next and you guys don't. Muahahaha! I bet now you're anxious to find out just what I have in plan for this story. Well, I'll just say it's about to take an...unexpected turn. :-D I'm so evil. I have another 8 days of school left so don't expect any sudden updates. I will try, however, to get up the next one, which I'm looking forward to writing so much, as soon as school ends. And now, the bizarre chapter!
CHAPTER FOUR: NIGHTIME TEARS
Aurora's icy gaze stayed fixed firmly upon the figure standing above her. Just how long had he been standing there? Listening in on a conversation she didn't particularly wish for him to hear. Aurora fumed to herself for a little while about how much of an asshole he was. No consideration, or respect for that matter, for people's privacy at all. He thought he was such a big shot, being leader of the Brooklyn newsies and all. He thought he could get away with anything.
"Aww, I didn't angah you'se, did I?" Spot asked with a smirk, sitting on the end of the sleeping pad where Aurora's feet lay.
"How long have ya been listenin?" Aurora asked through clenched teeth, determined not to look at Spot.
"Long enough ta pick up some interestin facts about you'se Bandit. Like you'se been da only person known ta survive Donovan's wrath. I'd hoid stories of coise, but I had no idea dat it was you'se. And now heah ya ah, in da flesh. Yoah jus full of surprises, ahn't ya? What next? Ah ya actually da Queen of England?"
"Wouldn't dat be nice" Aurora mused. "Den I could ohdah my guards ta remove ya from me sight."
"Why? I thought we weah friends Aurora" Spot pouted, although Aurora's gaze never shifted from the water stain on the ceiling that she had taken a sudden liking to.
"Theah ya go wit dat friends thing again" Aurora sighed. "Lemme tell ya Spot. I'm not too good wit people. I don't really have dat many friends."
"Den let me be one of da honahed few."
"It ain't dat easy Spot!" Aurora exclaimed, shooting up and looking Spot square in the eye. "Ya seem ta caeah about me, and dat's swell, it really is. But da thing is, I've nevah had anyone caeah foah me da way ya seem ta. Even Fist would have let me leave. But you'se...ya wanted me ta stay. Or so ya said ya did. And da truth is Spot, I don't know how ta handle dat. I don't even know if I should believe that ya really want me ta stay. Perhaps it's all jus a lie...perhaps theah's some othah reason..." Aurora trailed off, breaking eye contact with Spot, and turned her attention to the scar on her hand, which she was running her fingers over.
"Stop" Spot said shortly, placing his hand over Aurora's. "Leave if ya want."
"I thought..." Aurora said in shock. Was he suddenly changing his mind?
"Maybe ya thought wrong" Spot snapped back, interrupting her. He removed his hand from on top of hers, this time it was he who avoiding eye contact. "Maybe I thought wrong. I thought dat liven a life ya earned might have changed you'se in some way. But I guess I was wrong. I seem ta be wrong a lot when it comes ta you'se. I thought dat maybe ya'd be able ta look beyond yoah past, and accept me as at least a friend. But as it seems, theah's a lot moah ta yoah past den I could have evah guessed. Moah then I'll probably evah know...or want ta. I don't know what it is dat happened ta make ya so suspicious of people, and so unable to trust people, but whatevah it is only you'se can change it. Foiget about da bet, it doesn't mean anythin really. Do what ya want. I was wrong ta stop ya in da foist place, and I won't evah try ta stop you'se again. I can't stop you'se, and I don't think anyone can...evah" Spot finally turned to look at Aurora, surprised to see tears welling up in the corner of her eyes. No...this couldn't be. Aurora couldn't be crying. That was impossible. That just ruined everything about her that he ever believed. Did...did he do this to her?
"I don't know any moah" Aurora blubbered, surprising both Spot and herself. "I thought I was protecting myself from moah hahm, by closin myself, by shelterin myself, but doin dat jus caused me ta loose someone who woulda been a true friend ta me. You. Yoah right Spot. I am a horrible, dishonest, goil who doesn't desoive ta even be sittin heah besides you'se. Look at me. I'm cryin. Last man who made me cry was Uncle Giorgio. I vowed ta nevah cry again aftah dat, I vowed ta nevah put myself in a position wheah I could get hoit. So much foah dat. And I suddenly don't know what ta do any moah. Foah da foist time in my life, I'm confused" before Aurora could stop him, Spot pulled Aurora into his arms and warmth overtook her. This was the feeling she had been longing for since that night. The feeling of being needed.
"It's ok" Spot whispered into her ear, brushing her hair out of her face, and stroking her face with his hand. "It's ok."
"Spot..." Aurora mumbled softly, snuggling closer to him, enjoying being held in his arms yet again.
"Mmm?" he replied, still gently stroking her cheek.
"I have a confession to make. Ya know when I told ya how ya needed ta be caeahed foah, needed, and loved?"
"Yeah."
"Well, da reason why I saw it so well in you'se was because it was a look dat I saw every time I look in da mirror. You and me Spot, we both need ta be needed."
"Mmmhmm."
"Ah ya even listenin?"
"What?"
"Nevah mind" Aurora closed her eyes in defeat, resting her head in the nook under Spot's chin and soon drifting off into sleep. Spot, however, stayed awake, pondering what Aurora had just admitted to him. Of course he had been listening. He always listened, it was something he did. But now he was confused. Why had Aurora suddenly broke down in tears, confess her need to be needed? He racked his brain, going over their conversation again. He couldn't think of anything he said that would set her off, but suddenly he didn't know any more either. Sure, he was happy to be holding Aurora in his arms again, but it didn't feel right. The Aurora he held now wasn't the Aurora he was so infatuated with. Something he said had to have bothered her, something more than she admitted. He couldn't count on the fact that she would tell him what it was, because the chance that she'd wake up in this mood was slim to none. No, actually, make that no chance at all. He looked at Aurora, now sleeping peacefully in his arms. He could take her now...but no. That was wrong. Spot Conlon was beyond taking advantage of girls. That was for slime balls. Of course, he'd have to figure out what it was that made her cry. Another wager, but this time it was with himself. And perhaps...just perhaps...he could find a way to make her feel needed.
CHAPTER FOUR: NIGHTIME TEARS
Aurora's icy gaze stayed fixed firmly upon the figure standing above her. Just how long had he been standing there? Listening in on a conversation she didn't particularly wish for him to hear. Aurora fumed to herself for a little while about how much of an asshole he was. No consideration, or respect for that matter, for people's privacy at all. He thought he was such a big shot, being leader of the Brooklyn newsies and all. He thought he could get away with anything.
"Aww, I didn't angah you'se, did I?" Spot asked with a smirk, sitting on the end of the sleeping pad where Aurora's feet lay.
"How long have ya been listenin?" Aurora asked through clenched teeth, determined not to look at Spot.
"Long enough ta pick up some interestin facts about you'se Bandit. Like you'se been da only person known ta survive Donovan's wrath. I'd hoid stories of coise, but I had no idea dat it was you'se. And now heah ya ah, in da flesh. Yoah jus full of surprises, ahn't ya? What next? Ah ya actually da Queen of England?"
"Wouldn't dat be nice" Aurora mused. "Den I could ohdah my guards ta remove ya from me sight."
"Why? I thought we weah friends Aurora" Spot pouted, although Aurora's gaze never shifted from the water stain on the ceiling that she had taken a sudden liking to.
"Theah ya go wit dat friends thing again" Aurora sighed. "Lemme tell ya Spot. I'm not too good wit people. I don't really have dat many friends."
"Den let me be one of da honahed few."
"It ain't dat easy Spot!" Aurora exclaimed, shooting up and looking Spot square in the eye. "Ya seem ta caeah about me, and dat's swell, it really is. But da thing is, I've nevah had anyone caeah foah me da way ya seem ta. Even Fist would have let me leave. But you'se...ya wanted me ta stay. Or so ya said ya did. And da truth is Spot, I don't know how ta handle dat. I don't even know if I should believe that ya really want me ta stay. Perhaps it's all jus a lie...perhaps theah's some othah reason..." Aurora trailed off, breaking eye contact with Spot, and turned her attention to the scar on her hand, which she was running her fingers over.
"Stop" Spot said shortly, placing his hand over Aurora's. "Leave if ya want."
"I thought..." Aurora said in shock. Was he suddenly changing his mind?
"Maybe ya thought wrong" Spot snapped back, interrupting her. He removed his hand from on top of hers, this time it was he who avoiding eye contact. "Maybe I thought wrong. I thought dat liven a life ya earned might have changed you'se in some way. But I guess I was wrong. I seem ta be wrong a lot when it comes ta you'se. I thought dat maybe ya'd be able ta look beyond yoah past, and accept me as at least a friend. But as it seems, theah's a lot moah ta yoah past den I could have evah guessed. Moah then I'll probably evah know...or want ta. I don't know what it is dat happened ta make ya so suspicious of people, and so unable to trust people, but whatevah it is only you'se can change it. Foiget about da bet, it doesn't mean anythin really. Do what ya want. I was wrong ta stop ya in da foist place, and I won't evah try ta stop you'se again. I can't stop you'se, and I don't think anyone can...evah" Spot finally turned to look at Aurora, surprised to see tears welling up in the corner of her eyes. No...this couldn't be. Aurora couldn't be crying. That was impossible. That just ruined everything about her that he ever believed. Did...did he do this to her?
"I don't know any moah" Aurora blubbered, surprising both Spot and herself. "I thought I was protecting myself from moah hahm, by closin myself, by shelterin myself, but doin dat jus caused me ta loose someone who woulda been a true friend ta me. You. Yoah right Spot. I am a horrible, dishonest, goil who doesn't desoive ta even be sittin heah besides you'se. Look at me. I'm cryin. Last man who made me cry was Uncle Giorgio. I vowed ta nevah cry again aftah dat, I vowed ta nevah put myself in a position wheah I could get hoit. So much foah dat. And I suddenly don't know what ta do any moah. Foah da foist time in my life, I'm confused" before Aurora could stop him, Spot pulled Aurora into his arms and warmth overtook her. This was the feeling she had been longing for since that night. The feeling of being needed.
"It's ok" Spot whispered into her ear, brushing her hair out of her face, and stroking her face with his hand. "It's ok."
"Spot..." Aurora mumbled softly, snuggling closer to him, enjoying being held in his arms yet again.
"Mmm?" he replied, still gently stroking her cheek.
"I have a confession to make. Ya know when I told ya how ya needed ta be caeahed foah, needed, and loved?"
"Yeah."
"Well, da reason why I saw it so well in you'se was because it was a look dat I saw every time I look in da mirror. You and me Spot, we both need ta be needed."
"Mmmhmm."
"Ah ya even listenin?"
"What?"
"Nevah mind" Aurora closed her eyes in defeat, resting her head in the nook under Spot's chin and soon drifting off into sleep. Spot, however, stayed awake, pondering what Aurora had just admitted to him. Of course he had been listening. He always listened, it was something he did. But now he was confused. Why had Aurora suddenly broke down in tears, confess her need to be needed? He racked his brain, going over their conversation again. He couldn't think of anything he said that would set her off, but suddenly he didn't know any more either. Sure, he was happy to be holding Aurora in his arms again, but it didn't feel right. The Aurora he held now wasn't the Aurora he was so infatuated with. Something he said had to have bothered her, something more than she admitted. He couldn't count on the fact that she would tell him what it was, because the chance that she'd wake up in this mood was slim to none. No, actually, make that no chance at all. He looked at Aurora, now sleeping peacefully in his arms. He could take her now...but no. That was wrong. Spot Conlon was beyond taking advantage of girls. That was for slime balls. Of course, he'd have to figure out what it was that made her cry. Another wager, but this time it was with himself. And perhaps...just perhaps...he could find a way to make her feel needed.