Author note: Thanks for the messages, you guys rock!

Spot didn't make any movement as he stared intently at me, trying to read my serious expression.

"What do youse mean?" he asked, sitting back down in the seat across from mine. I bit my tongue,

"I-I'm going back…" I said, looking away from my eyes. Spot glanced out the window, and then shook his head.

"Youse can't."

"But I-"

"I said youse can't!" I glared fiercely at him, trying my best not to explode.

"You don't get to chose for whether I stay or go," I said coolly. Spot sighed and put his head in his hands.

"Scout needs you," he said.

"Yeah, well, if it weren't for me then she wouldn't be dying!"

"It ain't yer-"

"Only if I'd stayed in that cell then this would have never happened!" I nearly screamed, causing people to stare strangely at me.

"If you'd stayed in dat cell then you'd be dead!" Spot hissed.

"That's my point. I could already be with my family if you hadn't showed up." Spot shook his head,

"Youse don't get it do you? You, you alone, changed everyone's life…"

"What are you talking about? You guys barely even know me; I haven't even been here that long."

"And I've never seen me cousin as happy as she was earlier." I sighed and rose from the table, and headed for the door.

"Sage," Spot called, running after me. I walked swiftly out of the door and into the pouring rain. I had left the warm blanket back in the chair because it wasn't mine.

"Sage, youse hafta come back with me. Scout could wake up any minute now." I ignored his voice and kept on walking. I shivered a bit, and coughed slightly.

"C'mon Sage, youse is gonna get a cold." I turned around and faced him,

"Why don't you just leave me alone?" I asked, trying to stare him down.

"Because youse need us-"

"I don't need anybody!" I turned back around to walk away, but Spot grabbed hold of my arm and turned me to face him.

"Quit bein stupid," he said, letting go of my arm.

"Don't you have newsies to order around?" Spot flinched,

"And I thought I was da cold one." I shrugged,

"Bye, Spot?"

"How are youse gonna pay for a ticket, huh? Youse ain't got no money!" Spot called out.

"I'll manage," I replied. Spot stayed where he was, in the middle of the street, watching me. I soon stopped and turned to face him.

"Listen," I started. "Things will go better the second I leave, and you know it."

"No, yer wrong! Youse have friends here. What do youse have in California, huh?"

"A past." Spot shrugged,

"Fine. Go. Leave…Not like I care." Spot turned around and began to walk away. I sighed and examined the ground. Dammit…I thought.

"Spot!" I called out. Spot stopped and turned around.

"I need to find myself…"I said.

"Den find yerself here…In New York." I glanced at a man who rushed by me. I walked up to Spot, who was squinting his eyes so he could see through the rain.

"I won't stay long," I whispered. "I can't." Spot nodded,

"I understand. But at least for awhile. Okay?" I nodded, and looked away from him.

"Do you think I'll be able to find him? My uncle I mean."

"What? Why would youse want to?" Spot asked.

"No reason," I lied. "I was just wonderin." Spot smirked,

"C'mon, youse is gettin sick." He turned around and led me back to the Manhattan Lodging House, not saying a word.

We entered, completely soaked. Spot went behind the front desk and grabbed two towels, tossing me one. I wrapped it tightly around me and followed Spot back upstairs and to Scout's room.

Jack was awake now, and Les was at his side.

"Sage," Les said, running to me. He wrapped his little arms around me and hugged me tightly.

"Glad to see you're feeling better, Les," I said, patting his head. Les grinned, but soon frowned as he looked towards Scout.

"Will she wake up?" he asked, looking up at me.

"Hopefully," Spot said from behind me, holding his hat tightly in his hand. I dried off as much as I could, and sat down at the end of Scout's bed.

"C'mon, Scout. You can make it through," I told her unconscious body. Jack nodded, and gripped Scout's hand tightly. Les rubbed his eyes to keep away his tears. Spot sat on the other side of the bed and stared at his cousin.

"She can pull through," he said.

"Glad to see you have at least an ounce of hope left," I told him. He smiled briefly, but then returned his attention back to Scout.

"Where did youse two run off to?" Jack asked, eyeing us suspiciously.

"For a coffee," Spot said truthfully. Jack nodded,

"And I don't get one." I laughed slightly and shook my head. I then began to cough again. I covered my mouth with my hand so I didn't pass the germ.

"Youse need to get outta those wet clothes," I heard Spot say. I shook my head,

"No, I'm fine," I lied.

"No youse ain't," Jack said, placing his rough hand onto my forehead. He instantly pulled it away.

"Yer burnin up!" he said, looking at Spot. Spot immediately placed his much softer hand onto my forehead.

"Youse is burnin up. Youse need ta get outta those wet clothes." Spot then got off of the bed and walked over to Scout's dresser. He pulled open the bottom drawer.

"Look through these," he said, pointing down at the skirts she had. I didn't think she'd even own a skirt, I thought, walking up to the dresser. I pulled out a brown skirt that looked as if it were never worn. Well, in Scout's possession, it probably hasn't been.

Spot then opened the middle drawer to reveal boy's shirts.

"She don't have any fancy goil shirts," Spot said, smirking. I shrugged and pulled out a dark blue shirt, almost like one of the shirts I saw Spot wearing one day, but darker. I left the boy's and walked into Scout's washroom, drying off and then changing. I didn't need to change my under garnets, since they weren't too wet because of my thick outfit.

Scout's skirt fit perfectly, and I had already expected for the shirt to be a bit loose, since they were so loose on her. I had to admit, boy's shirts were way more comfortable than a girl's shirt. I wonder what it was like to wear pants.

I wringed out my hair and pulled it up into a messy bun, some strands of my hair falling loosely in my face. I shrugged, not wanting to mess with it. I placed my shoes beside the door and walked back into the room barefooted. It felt kind of weird wearing a skirt with a boy's shirt, but then it again it also felt comfortable.

I sighed and plopped back down onto the end of the bed. Jack gave me a short smile, and turned back to his beloved Scout. They belong together; I wish they would realize that… I thought.

"Sage," I heard Les say. "Are you sick?" I gave him a weak smile,

"I believe so," I told him truthfully. Les bit his bottom lip,

"Your not gonna end up like Scout, are you?" he asked, glancing at the brunette lying in the bed. Spot instantly sent Les a stern look. Les took the hint and shut up, not wanting to cause any bad luck. I yawned and began to wonder what time it was.

"Does anybody know the time?" I asked. Jack pulled out a small pocket watch from his pocket.

"Its six," he said, placing the pocket watch back into his pocket. I nodded and held back a cough. A lot of good that did. I covered my mouth and let it come out. Somebody placed their hand on my shoulder and I looked up at Spot.

"Youse okay?" he asked. I sniffed, and nodded.

"Yeah, I'll be fine." I didn't notice how sore my throat felt up until now. I swallowed, and felt the soreness in my throat. Great, something else to keep from Spot.

A few hours passed by slowly, and it became dark. My eyes were droopy, and I was close to just pushing Scout off the bed and falling asleep. I glanced at Jack who was napping, again. He had just returned from carrying Les home. He said that Les's family was worried sick.

I then looked over at Spot who had his eyes closed, not making a move. I wasn't sure if he was asleep or not. He sat at the windowsill again, and Jack lay back in his chair. I walked over to Scout's closet, to find a few, thin blankets stacked up. I grabbed some of them. I took the first one and placed it on Jack, who in return pulled them tightly over his head. I shrugged and walked over to Spot. Asleep or not, he had to be cold. He didn't even change his clothes after we got back from the outdoors.

I placed a blanket on him, and waited for him to come up with some smart remark about being too tough for a blanket. I was surprised to hear him speak politely,

"Thank you, Miss Matthews." He still had his eyes closed, but I knew that he was awake.

"Uh, you're welcome," I said. He pulled off his hat and ran a hand through his still-damp hair. Mine was dry now, and was still up in a bun.

"How's Scout doin?" he asked. I glanced over at her form,

"The same." Spot sighed and I yawned.

"Maybe youse should get some sleep," he said. I shook my head in protest,

"No, I need to stay up for Scout." Spot chuckled,

"Sleep, Sage, or I'll nail yer eyes shut." I smiled, and wrapped a blanket around my shoulders. I sat quietly on the other side of the windowsill (yeah, it's a pretty big window) and leaned my head against the glass. Spot sat on the other side and stared quietly out of the window, watching the rain hit the glass.

"Pleasant dreams," he whispered before I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.