A/N-SOOOOOOOOOOOO sorry I haven't updated this, or really any of my stories. Things have been a little hectic lately. But the marching band season is finally over, as is first quarter. YAY! I was actually supposed to be in New York right now, cause my dad and I were going to go see Wicked(we had the tickets and everything), but then my dad injured his back and couldn't sit for the long car ride(about five hours), so we didn't get to go. And that made me really angry. So I'm gonna express my anger by writing. I also have carpal tunnel now(and it sucks a lot), so don't expect too many updates cause I can't write(like physically cannot write using paper and pencil), and typing is a tid bit difficult to do. But I can type better than I can write so I'm not sure how this chapter is going to turn out. Hope for the best!

CHAPTER SEVEN: A LITTLE HELP

Spot made his way to Manhattan through the ever-falling rain. The rain though, at the current moment, was the least of his worries. How could she? He mused to himself. Who am I kidding? Who was I to control what she did? She was playing me all along; I was just her pawn, her toy. I fell for my own trick! Mentally, Spot kicked himself in the head, hoping to be kicked back into reality. Too long now had his mind been set on Aurora, it was time to turn it in another direction. This was a time for action, not mourning and remorse. The Brooklyn Bridge loomed into Spot's view through the haze, a sigh escaping from his lips. How would Jack react to the news? They were good friends, of course, but a war like this...things would get hot fast. It wasn't just an ordinary borough war. Those wars had rules, expectations. This was a gang war to the highest extent. Who knew which gangs Fist and Donovan would call to their aid. The Crypts? The Dead Rabbits? The Plug Uglies? The Monk Eastman Gang? Even the Five Points Gang was a possibility.

The rain had lightened up as Spot approached the lodging house. With just a second of hesitation, he pushed the door open forcefully, surprising the newsies sitting inside.

"Wheah's Jack?" he demanded gruffly.

"'EY! SPOT!!" Racetrack exclaimed from his game of poker. "Ya up foah a round?"

"Not today Race. I needs ta see Jack."

"He's upstaihs, probably on da roof or somethin."

"Thanks" Spot stepped over the little boys playing marbles on the floor and thundered up the stairs to the boys bunkroom.

"Well, well. If it isn't Spot Conlon. What brings you'se to ouah lovely home?" Spot turned to see Blink lying on a top bunk, cigarette hanging from his mouth.

"Ya don't want ta know Kid. Is Jack on da roof?"

"Shoah is. Ya might not want ta bothah him though. He's wit Scorch."

"My barging in on him will be da least of his worries in a moment Kid."

"Woah, big happenins in Brooklyn?" Spot only nodded at this remark, before climbing through the window, gaining access to the fire escape. From his position he could hear the faint sounds of talking coming from the roof. Deeming it safe to climb, Spot made his way to the roof, finding Jack holding Scorch tightly to him, playing with her hair and saying something softly in her ear. Spot cleared his throat, receiving annoyed looks from the couple.

"I gotta talk ta ya Jack" Spot demanded.

"Now?" he asked, the annoyed look still in his eyes.

"Now."

"Sorry babe" Jack said apologetically to Scorch.

"You'se said we'se was gonna have some private time togethah" she spit out, jumping up. "Yoah jus lyin ta me, like ya always do!"

"No, I'm not!"

"Don even staht wit me Jack Kelly" Scorch stormed towards the fire escaping, calling Spot an "insensitive bastard" as she passed.

"Dis bettah be important Spot" Jack said angrily, pulling a cigarette from his pocket.

"Fist and Donovan want Brooklyn" Spot replied nonchalantly.

"WHAT?!?" Jack exclaimed, the unlit cigarette falling from his mouth to the wet roof. "Yoah jokin."

"I wish" Spot sat down on the edge of the roof, Jack joining him. "I just found out taday."

"What'ah ya gonna do?" Jack asked, getting another cigarette.

"I dunno" Spot stared down at the alley bellow them. "We need yoah help."

"I can't ask da boys ta do dat. Dat's like committin yoah own murdah."

"We helped you'se durin da strike."

"But dat wasn't as intense as a gang war. Who knows who dey'll call ta help dem."

"Ya think yoah da only ones I'm asking ta help us?" Spot shook his head. "We'ah gonna have to call a truce between all da boroughs. We need all da help we can get."

"What makes ya think da othah boroughs will help you'se?"

"Do you'se think dey'll want ta see one of da borough's fall inta da hands of a gang? I know I wouldn't."

"Well..." Jack lit the cigarette, taking a long drag. "Dammit Spot, yoah in a tough spot."

"Ya think I haven't noticed dat by now?"

"Who ah ya callin ta help you'se?"

"Everyone who will" Spot took the cigarette from Jack's hand, taking a long drag himself. "We already gathahed Brooklyn all togethah in da main weahhouse. I came ta you'se right aftah I hoid. We'ah gonna get all da othah's dat we can."

"Ah you'se worried about any boroughs joinin wit Fist and Donovan?"

"Only one..."

"Five Points?" Jack asked tentatively. Spot nodded, handing the cigarette back to Jack.

"So...ah ya gonna help us or not?"

"I dunno Spot...it's a dangerous situation."

"People ah gonna get hoit, but we needs you'se. I'm countin on you'se ta help. If you'se guys help, da othahs won't hesitate ta join."

"I gotta talk ta da boys" Jack blew a puff of smoke from his mouth. By now, the rain had stopped, and a little bit of sun was peaking from behind the clouds.

"I ain't gonna beg ya Jack. Think it ovah" with that, Spot stood up and made his way towards the fire escape.

"Wait, Spot!" Jack called, himself getting up and rushing over to Spot. "We'ah in."

"I knew I could trust ya Jacky-boy" Spot said with a small smile. He spit in his hand, offering it to Jack, who did likewise. After a strong handshake, the two leaders made their way down to the bunkroom.

"Heya guys" Kid Blink said upon their entering. "Everythin alright?"

"No Blink. Call everyone upstaihs. I got an announcement ta make." The one-eyed newsie took one look at Jack's face, surprised to see such a fierce look, and jumped down from his bunk, rushing to the stairs.

"Everyone get yoah bony ass's upstaihs NOW!" he hollered. This was followed by the thundering sound of twenty or so newsies rushing upstairs.

"What's amattah?" "What's da rush?" "Everythin ok Jack?" and other comments of the genre ensued when the boys got a look at the faces of Spot and Jack.

"SHUT UP!" Spot bellowed, silence instantly sweeping over the bunkroom. "We'se got a little problem ovah in Brooklyn, and Jack has been so kind as to assure me dat you'se guys will be moah dan willin ta help us out."

"Coise we ah Spot!" Racetrack piped up, cigar dangling from his mouth. "What's da problem?"

"The gangs of Black Fist and the Whyos have joined togetha wit da intent of prying Brooklyn from me cold dead hands."

"WHAT?!?!" Mush exclaimed from the back of the bunkroom. "Dey can't do dat!"

"Dey already did Mush" Jack said calmly. "Jus as Spot helped us durin da strike, we'ah gonna help Spot now, when he needs us."

"But dat's two gangs!" Snitch shouted angrily. "Ya can't expect two borough's ta take on two gangs!"

"No, ya can't" Spot replied. "And it's not jus two gangs. Fist and Donovan will most likely recruit everyone dey can to help dem. Which is why we'ah gonna do da same."

"Dis is insane" Skittery muttered from the lower bunk he was lounging in.

"Guys, I know dis sounds stupid. But my loyalties lie wit Spot. If anyone of you'se disagree wit my decision, feel free ta leave. Now." The boys crowding the bunkroom looked around, seeing if anyone had the guts to walk.

"Good" Jack said, pleased to see everyone remained. "What now?" he asked, turning to Spot.

"I need you'se guys ta go ta the Brooklyn weahhouse, MY weahhouse" Spot ordered, authority present in his voice. "Twitch and Smoke ah in chahge, listen ta what dey say. Don talk ta anyone ya see on da way theah, we don know who's in, and who's out."

"And what ah we, horse shit?" the gaze of the room shifted over to the doorway, where Scorch stood, along with ten other girls.

"You'se guys stay heah" Jack ordered. "We don want you'se gettin hoit."

"Cause we'ah too fragile, right Jack" Scorch shot back angrily.

"No" Spot interjected. "We need you'se goils. Go ta da weahhouse too. Talk ta Riot or Luna. Dey'll tell ya what ta do."

"Thanks Spot" Scorch spat, glaring at Jack.

"Alright. I need you'se guys ta head ovah theah now" the silence of the bunkroom suddenly became filled with noise, as the boys, and girls, discussed what had just happened.

"Wait" Spot said, grabbing Jack's arm before he walked away. "I need yoah help foah one moah thing..."