Author's Note: Here's the fourth chapter – and the third letter to Spot. It's short but it's to be expected. Next chapter should explain more about their relationship – and the kind of response Jack is getting from Spot. And I've decided to, at some point, write the Jack piece. I just figure I'll wait until this is done. Woot.

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Spot Conlon, Jack Kelly or any other character from the 1992 Disney musical, Newsies

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Not Here

Maybe in another time, another place, this might just have worked.
But not here.

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Liam 'Spot' Conlon
c/o Children's Aid Society Lodging House
61 Poplar Street
Brooklyn, New York 11201

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April 21, 1900

Spot,

That's not fair. I'm trying the best I can and that's the response I get?

Fine.

You want the truth? The 'fucking truth', as you so nicely wrote in your letter?

Fine to that, too.

Yeah, I love you. The more time I spend here, alone, the more I realize that. But what do you want me to do?

Do you want me to hitchhike my way back to you? Do you want me to come crawling back to the City and announce to the world – to the boys I've lived with all those years – that I'm a queer? Destroy what's left of Sarah and tell her that I want to be with a boy? That she could never be good enough for me?

That's why I can't do this, Spot. Yeah, I love you. So what?

Maybe in another time, in another place, this might just have worked.

But not here. Not now.

I love you, Spot.

And I'm sorry.

- Jack