Chapta Fifteen

Disclaimer: I don't own Newsies.
A/N: Starting now, the Manhattan newsies become an allegory. An allegory of what? I won't say. But keep reading. Anyone who likes lots of romance will like this chappie and the next few. And now, you shall finally see the other side of Spot. Kind of.

QueeneyZ - Look who I've added in! Love ya!

In Queens
"Davey, get over here!" called Mush loudly. The team of newsies, which included Skittery, Jack, Blink, Bumlets and Boots stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, causing some angry passerby to shove themselves through and throw a number of rude words their way, only to have them returned to them. They were searching for their comrades, and Davey was leaning against a wall, kissing a young, black haired girl who was his new object of interest. Going by the name of Christine, she had abruptly caught his attention, and had accepted his sudden proposal of being his girlfriend. Jack and Sarah had long broken up, and luckily, Davey was not in the least mad.

He whispered something into Christine's ear that, from their place, the newsies could not hear, and it was either very funny or very inappropriate, because Christine doubled over with laughter and Davey started snorting. And you know it must be funny when Davey starts snorting, that and because Davey was Davey and Davey was not someone to say something very inappropriate... often.

He stumbled over, his hair tousled from his public make-out session with a grin as wide as the Mississippi river, and Christine headed off her own way back home. Her parents would not be very happy if they saw her traveling around with a parade of boys... But she'd be back.

"Bet ya can't wait faw dis ta be ova so ya can retoin ta ya mistress when ya get back," Mush commented, and Davey laughed loudly, because Davey does that.

(Me: I'm serious, people! Re-watch the movie during the restaurant scene after The World Will Know. He just bursts out laughing at the most random times!)

Jack patted his friend on the back. "Have you got a goil, Mush?" he asked, over the chatter of voices. Mush shook his head. "Not faw keeps, no," he said.

"Wha does dat mean?"

"Means shes a goil by day, goilfriend by night," he said, with a naughty twinkle in his eye, and the whole group shared shifty glances and snickers.

'Oh yes,' they all silently agreed, 'heis cool.'

Back in the Bronx
Spot was bored.

He and Natalie were doing nothing, again. It was around noon, maybe one-ish, and tonight, she had promised him blankets and pillows, so there'd be something to look foward to, but it was s l o w...

He sat, munching on some stored up sunflower seeds and flipping carelessly through books. In this house, you had to learn to enjoy reading, because that was the only thing these peeps did in their spare time. Wow.

A knock on the door raised both of the teens to their attention. Natalie looked at Spot, and Spot looked at Natalie, and there was more knocking.

"You get it," Natalie said.

"It's yer house."

"True, true... Okay, get upstairs. It might be thepolice again."

Spot ran to his all-too-familiar hiding place, and Natalie opened the door. But neither had much to fear, as it was Racetrack and Ali standing there.

Spot crawled down, whilst Natalie gave Ali and Race a hug. Spot nodded his greetings to the visitors, before pulling Race over and asking, "Ya goin' out wit her yet?"

"Yeah," Race replied mischievously, and Spot snickered. Typical boys.

Natalie closed the door with a thunk and turned to face her friends. "What're you guys here for?" she asked. Ali took a seat on the couch. From in the kitchen, Natalie's mother was clanging around pots and pans to make lunch.

"Natalie, remember how you went to the track a few days ago?"

Natalie nodded. "Yeah, in Brooklyn. So what?"

At the word Brooklyn, Spot looked up. "What was dat?" he asked darkly, his eyes drilling into her and narrowing. "You was in Brooklyn?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"Spot, shhh!"

"But--"

"Spot!"

"Remember how you said you saw a fight?" Ali tried to continue.

"Yeah, so what? What does this have to do with anything?"

Racetrack sat, silent. He had learned of the news earlier.

"Me n' Race was in a fight, wasn't we?" Spot asked. Racetrack nodded, but did not say a word. He was as deeply shocked as Andria had been at first. Hopefully, it'd wear off soon.

"Well..."

"What?" asked Natalie, growing anxious.

"This was the kid you saved."

At first, neither Spot nor Natalie knew what she was talking about. Spot looked curiously at Natalie. What kids had she been saving in her spare time?

But then it hit Natalie. The racetrack, the fight. The poor kid who had been laying there, ready to die. The knife, the yelling. She had seen Racetrack before. She had even seen Spot before, but more importantly, she had seen Racetrack before.

It had been him.

He rolled up his pants to show her the scar from the knife. Color returning, to his cheeks, he walked over to her and smiled.

"Thanks," he said.

"Y-You're welcome..." Natalie said, a grin on her face, mixed with a bit of surprise.

Spot stared. She was the one who had thrown the rock! He had thought she was the kind of girl that did nothing but sat at home and cooked. But she had saved his best friend's life. Natalie started laughing, nervously, and he caught a glimpse of her eyes. Not bothering to look before, he saw something in there he'd never seen in anyone else's before - a mix between happiness, freedom, and love.

"You... You were da one who threw da rock?" he asked, barely believing what was playing itself out in front of him. Natalie looked at him, her laughter becoming sweet and happy.

"Yeah, yeah, I did!" she cried, as if she couldn't believe it herself. Race and Ali smiled.

Spot looked at the three. It suddenly occurred to him what he had been doing wrong his whole life - taking people for granted. 'You never know what you've got til it's gone,' his mother had once told him. And this was semi-true. Racetrack had almost been taken out of the world in front of his eyes, but he was still here, thanks to the young girl that stood before him. He had taken her for granted all those times they had fought over stupid things, like where the blankets were or for her to make him food.

I'm such an asshole.

The thought lodged itself into his brain and clamped down. And the bad thing was, it was true. He had been an ass to her, and now she probably didn't like him.

And that was bad. Because, now, more than ever, he wanted her to like him.

Desperately.

Putting on his best face, he said to her, "We should have a party."

There was a silence, as they contemplated this. Ali checked her watch. "It's early enough," she said, looking down the street towards her house. "We can have it at my house, in Race's room, cause I think your parents would mind, Cappie."

Natalie nodded. "Mom," she called, "Can me and Spot go to Natalie's house?"

"Sure, dear. Be back by suppertime."

The four trotted out the door, but they could not roam the streets as freely as they normally would - Spot and Race were still being searched for, and Spot's face had been shown to every bull in New York, so they knew who they were looking for. Once reaching Ali's house, they took off their shoes and coats, and Ali called, "Mom, I'm having some friends stay for a few hours."

"Okay, dear."

They retreated to Race's nicely done-up room, where Spot looked around in awe. "Race, ya lucky bastad. Ya stayin' in here!" he asked, looking at the ceiling. Race gave him a punch. "Yeah, I am."

Cappie smiled at Checkers. "You let him have the guestroom?"

Ali looked at her. "Why? You aren't letting him stay in your guest room?"

At this, Spot stared. "Ya... Ya have a guest room!" he cried, and Natalie smiled sheepishly, "An' ya makin' me stay in the attic!"

He reached out and pinned her against a wall, smiling. Natalie grinned. "Yeah, so I did," she laughed, "Whaddaya gonna do about it?" She was starting to take his accent.

The room fell silent, and Spot looked at her, his eyes drilling into hers.

"I should punish ya," he said slyly, his emotions taking control of him, before realizing what he said and backing up. Race and Ali sent each other looks - they knew what was going on.

Spot had a crush.

But Natalie had no problem with this. She laughed the whole thing off, but as she was against the wall, her mind pleaded, "Kiss me, will you?" She knew she'd never say it, though, and that if her parents ever found out she had a crush on him, he'd be out, but it was worth the risk. The scene replayed in her head as she sat down, his blond hair free from it's hat and blue eyes scanning her. She could've sworn, had he stayed there a bit longer and not said a word, she would've kissed him.

But it was only a crush, she reminded herself.

Only a crush.

A/N: Awww! R & R, and you'll see much more!