Penny walked out of the couturier's, wrapping her arms around herself against the chilly air. She looked around, checking to make sure everything was clear, and her eyes landed on Skittery, waiting on a bench across the street. Walking over to him, she smiled a little and actually meant it.

"Are you planning on waiting for me every day?" She laughed a little. He stood up and she stood on her toes to kiss his cheek gently. "I'm a big girl, I can walk home on my own."

The look on his face told her he wasn't in the mood to joke around. "What?"

"I went to talk to Elise today."

"Oh?" Penny's face went a little pale. "Well... that was nice of you... you know, she misses everyone from Manhattan."

"She told me about what happened yesterday."

Penny felt much colder all of a sudden. "I... something happened yesterday?"

"Penny." There was a flash of something in Skittery's eyes that scared her. She dropped onto the bench and put her face in her hands.

"I don't know what to say, Skittery."

"You lied to me." He sat down beside her, shook his head. "You didn't just not tell me. You lied to me about it." His face was cold, angry. "I don't like bein' lied to, Penny. 'Specially not by you, and about somethin' like this."

"I'm sorry." Penny didn't even look up.

"Why?"

"It's my fault."

Skittery's heart stopped for a moment when she said that. "Penny... why the hell would you think somethin' like that?"

She turned her face to him, eyes swimming. "I wasn't paying attention. I wasn't smart. I was alone, wasn't someplace where somebody could see me, like I'm supposed to be. I wasn't fast enough, strong enough, to get away." She sniffled. "I just gave in and let it happen. It's all my fault, Skittery. I'm so sorry."

"No, no, no..." Skittery put his arms around her, though she tried to fight him off. He drew her to his chest, still struggling, and held her there until she stopped and slumped against him, crying. "It's not your fault. It's their fault. You had nothin' to do with this, darlin'."

Penny buried her face in the folds of his shirt, clinging to him. It felt good not having to pull away from him. "Skittery, I can't handle this anymore."

He sighed and cupped her face in his hands, wiping her tears away. "Don't worry, Penny. Me an' the boys, we'll take care of this." He smiled a little and kissed her forehead. "For now, let's go get somethin' to eat, you gotta get some food in you. Then we'll get you home and you can go to bed. You look beat, baby."

Skittery walked Penny home and kissed her goodnight, then headed over to the boys' room for a moment.

"Hey, Spot."

"Hey, Skittery, what can I do for ya?" They spat in their palms and shook hands, a practice that no one could ever explain, but one that all newsies did anyway.

"We got a problem."

"What, you an' me?" Spot straightened himself, ready to fight. Despite his soft spot for his female newsies, Spot Conlon was a boy who loved to fight. If someone had a problem with him, he'd sooner settle it with his fists than his mouth.

"No," Skittery said, shaking his head. "It's Penny."

Spot's eyes went dark with concern. "What happened?"

Skittery and Spot walked over to the window and climbed out on the fire escape so they wouldn't be overheard. Skittery explained the previous day's events to Spot, who stood and nodded, clenching his teeth and holding a white-knuckled grip on the railing.

"I'm gonna kill those sorry bastards," he muttered when Skittery finished.

"Yeah, you an' me both." Skittery leaned against the cold brick. "Look, if you see these guys, don't let 'em get away. Tell your boys the same thing." He cracked his neck and his knuckles, longing for the chance to ram said knuckles into the McKennons' faces one more time. "I'm done with those two fuckin' with my life an' my girl. It's time we do somethin' about it."

"And we will," Spot replied, as they headed back into the lodging house. "We'll all keep a lookout for 'em."