WOO! NEW CHAPTER!

Slightly: Oh, joy.

You know what, kiddo...You're fired.

Slightly: You can't fire a muse.

...-sigh-

"Ain't she gorgeous?" Racetrack sighed. I tossed back the rest of my soda, irritably.

"Well, gee, I can't really say, considering I'm blind," I snapped.

"Sorry, Bits, I forgot," he apologized, guiltily.

"I wish I was so lucky," I said snidely.

Although I couldn't see, Medda was undoubtedly prancing about in some frilly dress that clashed with her hair and waving around giant feather fans. There was no doubt that she could sing, but being in a room with a hundred or so half-drunk men and teenage boys while some Vaudeville used her feminine wiles on them was not my idea of fun. I sighed and fished in my pocket for some change. Feeling the edges of the coins, I determined that I had twenty-five cents. I grimaced. I needed that for buying papers tomorrow. I put the money back in my pocket.

"Buy you a drink?" Instinctively, I looked up, seeing nothing.

"Depends. What's the catch?" I asked.

"Putting up with Spot Conlon's ego," Race interjected. I grinned. So, I was finally meeting the famous Spot Conlon.

"I think I can handle it," I said.

"Why doncha' come sit at my table?" Spot suggested, taking my hand. I stood up and he led me to another table. He called for a waiter and ordered two more sodas. "So, Jack told me you just showed up. Your accent's different. Where you from?"

"Around," I said, noncommittally.

"How does a blind girl get 'around'?" Spot asked skeptically.

"Wasn't always blind," I said quietly. That's right. Lay on the drama.

"Oh," he replied, and he left it at that, undoubtedly inferring some sort of accident or something. I didn't correct him. It was a lot easier to just let him think I had a freak accident than to tell him I went back in time and the time-traveling screwed up my senses. Go figure.

"Well, so how'd you end up with the boys from Manhattan?" he asked, breaking the somewhat uncomfortable silence. I chuckled.

"Dutchy. Saved my life, no joke. Runaway carriage almost killed me," I said with a grin.

"Dutchy? No kidding? Who woulda' thought he was the heroic type," he mused.

"Go figure."

"Well, so, you wanna see Brooklyn sometime?" he asked. I raised an eyebrow.

"Or, well…hear it, I suppose…" he muttered. I chuckled.

"Sure, I'd like to hear Brooklyn," I said.

"Well, how 'bout tomorrow? You cross the bridge and I'll show you the best parts of Brooklyn money can't buy," he offered. I grinned.

"I'd like that."

Don't blush. Don't blush. Don't blush!

The audience seemed to be a little louder, so I said, "Is Medda done? Is the show over? Are we going home?" I pleaded.

"Yeah, she's done. Let's go find Race," Spot said, taking my hand. He led me over to Racetrack.

"Wasn't that great?" Race exclaimed. I rolled my eyes.

"Oh yeah. I was overcome with joy," I said sarcastically. Racetrack ignored me. "Let's go home," I sighed. My eyes were heavy, I could barely keep my eyes open. And then I realized it didn't really matter, so I just shut them. "If I fall asleep," I mumbled, "don't abandon me in the middle of Manhattan."

"'Course not," Race chuckled. "I'll carry you home."

And then I fell asleep.

Gryffindor's Newsie: I feel your pain, Griffy. I am so lacking in updates, it's not even funny. But I promise I'll try harder!

Unknown-Dreams: Wow. That review was so...eloquent.

Nosilla: Yay for even more story progressions!

koodles4you: KOODLES! OMG I almost forgot about you! -pets- I looovee you!

Dreamless-Mermaid: Tell me about it. HOT NEWSIES! WOO! But actually, I can't even decide. I'd probably go insane if I couldn't say anything. But probably being mute would be better.

Swinn: YAHOO CAPS LOCK!