6

The Trial/Morning After

Alley woke with the worst headache imaginable. It was late, midnight maybe 2 in the morning. She couldn't remember much of what had happened…Then it hit her like a ton of bricks. She was in a cell at the refugee the one place in the world she dreaded more then death. She closed her eyes the pain was just to much.

Meanwhile Spot was in hysterics in the boys grouped cell.

"Shadow you were supposed to keep an eye on her."

"I hope to God she isn't here. Damn it."

"Spot please calm down."

"Do not tell me to calm down Race." Spot sat down in a huff.

"There was blood on the road, and I hope to God it wasn't hers." He buried his head in his hands. Shadow walked up to him and sat down next to him.

"You know she can hold her own Spot. I'm just as scared as you are for her. We just need to calm down. Figure out how we are gonna get our butts out of here."

"You're right Shadow." He looked up into his friends face.

" What are they going to do to us?" came O' Reily's voice.

"I don't know O'Reily. I don't know."

"Spot do you think that they might have gotten her. Alley I mean."

"I don't know she was the first out. I hope they didn't but I don't know. I just don't know." "I should have followed her out."

"No O'Reily it's okay. Shadow I'm sorry I yelled at you. I'm just well never mind."

"Is the mighty Brooklyn Leader afraid."

"Racetrack Higgins I swear if you don't shut up I will strike you down so hard you won't know what hit you." Race stepped back.

"Look sorry Spot, but I'm all out of sorts too."

"I know."

"Well we can't do anything right now. I think the best thing is sleep. We'll worry about it later." The boys drifted off into restless, uncomfortable, uneasy sleep.

They were woken up by coppers coming in the holding block. "Get up!" They all got up and were taken to the courts.

Alley was woken up handcuffed and escorted to the courts.

The boys were the first to go in. The judge fined them 5 dollar each and Denton came just in the nick of time to pay their fines off. The moved away from the judge to holding until Denton could pay the clerk.

Alley was brought in next. It was obvious that she was hurt pretty badly. She said nothing but kept her head low.

"Miss Trinity, You know you broke the orders of your probation." The people who were standing around watching gasped.

"Yes sir," came her voice. She sounded weak and sad.

"Well I'm in good spirits today. How much money do you have on you."

"Money sir?"

"Yes Miss Trinity. How much do you have."

"Two dollars sir."

"Well your fine is much more then that, but--"

"I'll pay the rest," came Denton's voice.

"Alright pay the clerk 28 dollars sir. Men uncuff her. Alley give the clerk your money." She walked to the clerk and handed the clerk the only money she had. It would take her days to make that up. She walked back to the judge head still hung low.

"You know I'm being awfully generous to you Miss Trinity. I should put you back in the Refugee you are a harm to society. A murderer."

"I'm not…I'm didn't do it. I didn't kill my parents. I didn't know how."

" You didn't know how! You do know how to kill now don't you."

"Yes sir." She bowed her head lower a single tear feel down her check stinging her as it did. She winced in pain.

"One more condition Alley. You have twenty-four hours to decide to go back to work and give up this charade or go back to the refugee."

"I can't turn my back on them. I…I won't."

"You are free to leave." She turned her back on the judge.

"Twenty-four hours Alley remember that." She could fell the tears coming as she slowly walked in the direction of the boys. She managed to mumble a thank you to Denton. She didn't look at the boys as she passed. She ran as Spot tried to grab her hand to bring her to him to hold her. The crowed mumbled insults at her as she ran.

She ran out of the court house and down the road stopping in her favorite alley in Manhattan. She collapsed on the ground crying. Another fine birthday present for her. Twenty-four hours to decide on something that could change her life and her friends. Happy Birthday to me she thought. A few minuets later she was out cold.

The boys were now listening to Denton tell them that he couldn't be with them anymore. The boys were shocked, David most of all was angry. Spot had left to find Alley but he wasn't having any luck. David decided they would get Jack out of the refugee.

Spot walked aimlessly through Manhattan then crossed the Brooklyn bridge to go to his alley away from home. He sat on the ground deep in thought. Alley's hurt, she needs us. Why did she just run? I wouldn't blame her if she choose to go scab. I wouldn't blame her. She must be so scared. So many things were running through his head that he didn't even notice Dust, Shadow, and O'Reily at his side.

"Spot what ya thinking'? I hope you aren't angry with us." Dust's voice penetrated he thoughts.

"No Dust I'm not mad at youse. I'm mad at myself. That's all. And as for what I'm thinking that's my own."

"Sorry."

"Don't be." O'Reily sat against the wall of the alley.

"Spot why do you blame yourself for what happens to Alley. I mean I know we all blame ourselves, but---"

"O' Reily, it's hard to explain. But I promised someone I'd look out for her. And when she gets hurt well I feel like I've let them down. I mean I know I haven't but I feel like I have."

Shadow and Dust smiled. "O' Reily you came to us when we were all twelve. We have an unbreakable oath that we all took when Alley first joined us. You didn't know our leader then. He wasn't sure about her at first, but he came to love her more then anything in this world. What she's been through inspires us all to treat her right. To treat other people with respect even when they don't treat us with it. She became the reason we fought. The reason we sold papes. The reason we do a lot of things. Some of us the reason we even live.

When she gets hurt we want to be the ones hurting not her."

"I see so it's something that I can't really understand, but I've been with you for five years now. I've come to know her. To think of her as more then just another newsie more then just a sister, a friend. I just don't think you should be so hard on yourself, Spot."

"That's for me to decide O'Reily." Spot got up and walked out of the alley and headed for a walk around Brooklyn just to think. He thought of what the judge had made Alley decide and her knew what she would do. She'd hold true to her name. She'd always be loyal to them at the risk of her own skin. He knew but he was scared stiff. Quite frankly he was scared to death, but of course he couldn't show it to the rest of his Newsies. He had to stand strong. Only Shadow and Dust knew what he felt truly. All was out of his control now…

a/n: Again the only people i own is well anyone that wasn't in the movie. I don't own spot :hugs her invisible spot doll: Oh i wish i did. I hope you enjoyed this chapter please review. and read my prequel. it's gotta catch up with this i promise it will. it just takes alot more time to write, but don't worry i'll be updating that soon too. goodnight. i need sleep. i'll do my homework before class in the morning.