Author note: Ello readers! Here is this wonderful chapter!

I felt a sharp pain in my stomach as I opened my eyes. Everything was blurry, but as I glanced around the room it became clearer. I wasn't at the Brooklyn Lodging House; I was somewhere else.

Maybe I'm dead. I blinked a few times to make sure I wasn't dreaming. I wiggled my fingers to make sure I was able to move them. What happened?

Everything soon replayed in my head. Being kidnapped, the fighting scene, and the knife. Spot trying to help me – wait, where's Spot?

I immediately jolted up, which was a horrible idea. The pain in my stomach increased, and my head began to spin. I looked around the room. There were beds lined up with other people in them. Where was I?

I then noticed the chairs in front of the beds, and the chair in front of mine had somebody in it. I couldn't tell who it was because their head was hanging with a cap pulled over their eyes. They had their elbow propped up on the side of the chair with their head in their hand.

I squinted my eyes, but my head was just going crazy. I pulled the sheets away from my stomach to see that I was wearing a boy's shirt and a skirt. The shirt seemed to be a bit familiar, but the skirt looked alien to me.

I hesitantly pulled the shirt up slightly to see my stomach wrapped tightly in bandages. The bandages were stained with blood from my wound. I traced my fingers over it slightly, but winced at the pain. I quickly brought the shirt back down when the person in front of me began to move.

The person looked up, and I came face-to-face with a familiar newsy. Well, if it isn't Mr. Brooklyn himself. Spot stared at me for a few minutes before jumping up from his chair and running to my side. Wait a second…I looked back down at the shirt, and then at Spot. This was one of his shirts…interesting.

"Sage!" Spot exclaimed. I stared at him for a minute.

"Where am I?" I asked.

"Hospital," was all Spot said. "How do youse feel?"

"Like I was stabbed," I told him. Spot smiled slightly.

"Well, youse were. Youse is stupid, ya know that? Jus' so damn stupid!"

"Gee, thanks," I said. I leaned back against the wall.

"Youse didn't need ta save me," Spot said. I closed my eyes and smiled.

"Yeah I did," I said. "For once in my life I had to save you."

"Youse scared us, ya know? Youse been out for 'bout three days."

"What happened after I blacked out?" I asked.

"Well, da bulls finally came and began ta arrest everyone until we started ta explain things to 'em. Dey couldn't find yer fadder, uncle, or his goons. Dey disappeared. So den we brought youse here."

"Damn it!" I cursed out loud. "For once I just want my uncle to get caught!" I clenched my fists together. Spot nodded,

"Yeah, well, youse don't know how scared Scout was. I mean, she was freakin out." Something in Spot's voice made me laugh. Maybe it was the fact that he was lying and using Scout as an excuse.

"Where is everyone?" I asked.

"Dey is at da Lodging House. Dey stopped by everyday; and look, dey bought youse flowers," Spot said, pointing to the flowers on the nightstand beside my bed. Just as I was going to speak, Dr. Grey walked into the room.

"Sage," he said. "I wasn't expecting you to wake up so early." He walked over to the bed and smiled down at me.

"Can I leave?" I asked. Dr. Grey tilted his head to the side.

"Not so early," he said. I shook my head.

"I can't afford all of this. I still owe you for the pneumonia."

"You've already paid me," Dr. Grey said. "With your mother's inheritance." I raised my eyebrows in confusion. How come everyone but me knew about that?

"I am the only person who doesn't know about this, and it's my money!" I said. Spot laughed and looked up at Dr. Grey.

"Is she gonna be okay?" he asked. Dr. Grey looked at me for a minute before replying,

"Yeah, she'll be okay." Spot grinned at me,

"Youse is still stupid," he said. I stuck my tongue out at him, which made him laugh.

For the next few days everyone came to visit, bringing flowers and other gifts. Scout even brought a picture of herself and put it in my locket. Then she decided that there needed to be another picture, and to my amazement she brought one of Spot.

Everyday Spot would help me out of bed and help me walk around the room. I was capable of walking, but the pain from the wound made my legs a bit numb. I even met the other patients, who seemed to be quite nice.

I still couldn't explain why I did what I did. I guess sometimes you just have to do what your heart tells you.

Spot kept asking that stupid question: "Why?" What was I supposed to say? "Oh, you died in my dream from a knife, so I couldn't let that happen because I love you." Yeah right, like I'd ever tell him that.

Dr. Grey's nurses changed my bandages everyday, and cleaned to wound; which stung like hell!

After about a week of staying in the hospital, Dr. Grey finally decided to release me.

"Yes!" I exclaimed. "Freedom!" Dr. Grey shook his head and handed Spot a piece of paper. Spot brought me a change of clothes, so I slowly changed in the washroom. When I came out Spot and Scout were waiting for me.

"Ready?" Scout asked. I nodded and swung my arm over Spot's shoulders for support.

People gave me awkward stares as we walked down the street to the Brooklyn Lodging House. I was quite sure if I could call it home again, but I decided it'll have to do.

For the next month my wound healed slowly, and I became accustomed to walking on my own. Spot was always at my side though, making sure I didn't fall.

I didn't know how long it took for my wound to heal completely, but the scar would always remain. I wasn't finished yet, I still wanted my revenge. So, until the day I finally got it, I will remain here in Brooklyn.

Two Months Later

I scribbled down a few more things in my journal as someone entered my room.

"Hey Sage, youse comin or not?" Scout asked as she stood in my doorway.

"Yeah, I'm coming," I said, scribbling down a few more things. Scout rolled her eyes and left the room.

Spot and I are still just friends; I guess neither of us want to admit it to each other. The past few months have been a bit awkward, but I'm getting used to everything.

"C'mon, Sage, we's gotta go!" Scout called.

I guess I don't have much of a choice but to go.

-Sage

I closed my journal and got to my feet. I quickly ran out the room and smiled at Spot as he leaned against the banister.

"Goin somewhere?" he asked. I rolled my eyes and grabbed his hand. I began to pull him toward the staircase, but he yanked me back, and I turned towards him. Before I could ask what he was doing, he leaned in and filled in the empty space between our lips.

It was shocking, actually. I had to ponder through my head to make sure this wasn't another one of those rule things, and when I was sure it wasn't, I willingly kissed him back.

Scout stared at us from the bottom of the staircase.

"C'mon youse two, we ain't got all day!" she said. Spot and I pulled away and laughed. I then turned around and pulled him down the staircase.

"Are ya sure youse wanna do dis?" Spot asked from behind me.

"Positive," I told him. Scout grinned as Spot and I walked out of the Lodging House.

"Make sure youse two meet us at da distribution center," Scout called as she and the others walked in a different direction. I wasn't quite too sure why she was here, but whatever.

Spot and I walked out onto the docks and stared down at the water.

"Are ya sure?" Spot asked again. I stared down at the water longingly and nodded.

"Yeah, I have to," I told him.

"Alright," Spot said, shoving his hand into his pocket. He brought it back out and stared down at the object.

"The past is the past," I said as Spot dropped the key into the river. We watched it sink to the bottom.

"Hey youse two, we's got papes ta sell!" Dice yelled as he walked towards the distribution center. Spot and I laughed as we joined the other newsies.

There is much more to life than meets the eye, and this was just the beginning to mine. The book of my childhood burned into ashes, and now it's time to begin a new one; and everyone knows that every book begins with chapter one.

The End

Author note: Yep, that's the end…of "The Bloody Streets of Brooklyn." There is going to be a sequel, so give me time to think up some more stuff for it. I do have an idea, but I need some more. So I gotta go think…in my: "THINKING CHAIR!" Haha, bye!