For Brooklyn 2
By: Ambrlupin
Chapter Twelve: To save Spot.
Summary: Spot is being forced to leave New York, but how will Brooklyn take it? How will Red...? One thing is for sure though. No one is going to let him go without a fight. (Sequel to For Brooklyn)
Disclaimer: No. I. Do. Not. OWN. Blah.
A/n: SECOND half of my first Newsie fic. -smile-
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"You don't get it, do you? Spot isn't just a newsie of Brooklyn. He is Brooklyn. He is the air that you breathe, the ground under your feet, the sky above your head, everything you see he has bled to protect, and you will, BY GOD, SHOW HIM SOME RESPECT!" - Red.
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Spot stared up at his sister in complete shock and utter confusion. He willed her to leave, practically begging her with his eyes. He hadn't forgotten what had happened to her the last time she had tried to stand up to father for his sake.
He would never get the screams out of his head.
He pleaded with everything but his voice, even as she came down the stairs, her hands relaxed at her sides, chin lifted proudly and shoulder's straight. Her eyes met with her little brother's, met and held. She shook her head a little, but Jake was too drunk to even notice.
"Father?" She said politely, bowing her head a little, "Mother is asking for you. She says the police will come to investigate if you continue making such noise down here. She wondered..." She licked her lips a little, "If you would come back upstairs and lie with her, after all, it is so early and we are leaving later today."
Jake's eyes flashed, and a chill ran up Spot's spine a second before he backhanded her to the floor, towering over her with his belt still looped around his wrist. He jerked her to her feet by her hair, and the younger had half a second to cry a sharp, "Don't hit her!" before Jake let his fist connect with her stomach, doubling her over with a sharp yelp.
Spot was ignored, probably not even heard over his sister's pleas, voice drowned out and overpowered. He laid an open handed smack across her face, coming away stained with blood from her split lip. "Foolish, insolent, child!" He screamed, face red with fury, "Do you know nothing! Your brother has made it IMPOSSIBLE for us to leave now!"
She looked up, eyes slightly wide as she gazed at Spot across the dirty floor, the question burning just behind her eyes. Had he really done something? And if he had...What was it? He kicked her in the ribs and she gagged, head bowed so that her long hair fell around her face.
"I apologize, father." She whispered, "I was wrong and you were right."
Jake Conlon snorted as he strode past her and up the stairs. He turned at the top, so that the light framed his large body, snarling cruelly down at his own blood. And then he slammed the door and locked it with the dead-bolt.
Caroline wiped the blood off with the back of her hand as she half-crawled toward her brother, pulling a hair pin from inside one of her boots. She leaned over him, fiddling with the chains around his wrists.
"Are you okay, Matt?" She murmurred. "Im sorry I couldn't come sooner."
Spot stared, wide eyed as the chains fell off and feeling returned to his aching fingers. He winced as he pulled his arms around and started to massage them. "Why are you doing this, Caroline?"
She sat against the wall and stuck the pin back into her shoe, hiding it under the stocking, close to her skin. She crossed her arms around herself, shivering. "Why shouldn't I? You are my brother, are you not?" Her eyes grew cold and hard, "Or have you denounced me as you have father?"
Spot couldn't answer that one, so instead he looked down at the floor, asking a question of his own. "So...How is mom doin?"
"The same."
"Still denying my existence?"
"Of course."
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Ace stood at the edge of the Bronx, his men in a ring around him. He had told them what he had done, and the events leading up to such a decision. They mostly supported him, gave him their well-wishes and asked him to call on them if he needed any help.
He smiled and thanked them, hoping this would not be the last time he ever stood in his city again. He had grew up in the Bronx, bled in the Bronx, and would hope, one day, to be buried there as well.
"So, this is it?" A low voice asked in anger, "You're just going to walk away?"
Ace turned on his heel, heart thumping as the men parted to allow the co-leader entrance. He was tall, a little taller than Ace, and a few years older as well. His hair was dark brown, nearly mahogany, with a slight wave to it. His eyes were slightly lighter, near chestnut in color, and they were usually warm and jovial.
Now they were as sharp and cold as ice.
"I told you what happened, Munch. I thought you understood." He didn't want to fight, and especially not with Munch. The newsie had been a brother to him, a replacement if you will, for his late brother, who gave him the leadership in the first place. When all seemed lost, and Ace had been standing alone between the Bronx and their enemy, Munch had come up out of the crowd to stand next to him.
"I understand." The other snapped. "I understand you basically handed us over to anyone who cares to hop the border and come here!"
The newsies exchanged alarmed glances, backing up a little. "Joey..."
"Don't 'Joey' me!" Munch cried in rage, taking the last few steps to go toe to toe with Ace. "Don't you DARE address me like that! Not when you turn around and do this! I trusted you! WE TRUSTED YOU!"
Jack, who had accompanied him from Manhattan, made a move to step in between them, but Specs grabbed his arm and drug him back. He shook his head, just as Munch reached out and slugged the Bronx leader in the jaw.
Ace jerked back, but his feet stayed planted to the dirt. He turned his head, taking a soft breath. "I know I deserved that. Heck, I probably deserve a hit like that from each of you." He looked around at the group, "And probably more than one, too. Be that as it may...I am not abandoning you, never will I abandon you. But I gave them my word, and what leader would I be if I didn't honor my word? I know...I wouldn't be the leader you all would need, or would even want. So, I ask you, to wait for me, to trust in me. If I fail...Then I will leave and you will never see me again, I give you my word on that."
All was silent, no one even daring to breathe. Then, with a huff of anger, Munch turned and stalked away, turning his back on Ace. Jack and Specs exchanged a look, even as Ace bowed his head, turning on his own heel as he stepped over the border.
And didn't look back.
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Red was sitting on his bed, legs drawn up to his chin as he stared off into space, the glittering key sitting in his palm, catching the rays of the sun as they drifted in through the window. Now that he thought about it, he knew this day would come.
Sooner or later, he knew Jake Conlon would try and get Spot back. He knew it, but he chose to ignore it, try and forget there was ever a man named Jake Conlon, and that he had anything to do with his leader.
It almost seemed like everything had fallen apart after they had returned from Queens.
"Im sorry, kid." He whispered to the empty room, "Im sorry I couldn't help you when you needed me the most-"
The door banged open, startling him so much his head slammed upward, his neck protesting with a sharp and immediate stab of pain. Ace stood there, arms crossed and with a stern look in his eyes.
"Be sorry later." He told him as he threw a bundle of clothes at his head. "Get dressed, we have to get you ready to save Spot."
Red pocketed the key and caught the clothes one handed. He looked down at them in surprise, "How is me putting this on going to help Spot?"
"That's for me to know and for you to find out." The leader came in and fingered a lock of his long red hair, a frown on his face. "This wont do either." He grabbed Red's arm and literally dragged him off the bed and down the stairs, depositing him in a chair.
"What are you DOIN!" The elder practically shrieked, "First ya tell me to change, then ya drag me outta my room! Will you make up your mind!"
Ace snorted as he picked up a pair of scissors, halting all activity in the room. The Manhattan and Brooklyn newsies who were not out selling crowded around them, chattering like mad as Red eyed the other in horror.
"What do you think you're doin wit those?"
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Wells, coming next week, its down to one day a week, until i can get more chapters done. Tell me, which day do you guys prefer?
-smile- im sorry, but cross your fngers and hope i get them done fast!
and as always, review!