A/N: Okay, this chapter was uberly difficult to me. It was downright mean. I meant to have it up sooner, but, well, it just didn't want to be nice for me. But anyway, here it is!

Chapter Thirty-Six: Aunt Helen

Spot walked in the shadows all the way to Brooklyn, making sure to keep well away from highly used streets and alleys. He decided to check the old warehouse first, to see if by any chance Criss-Cross would be there. As he thought about the danger she was getting herself into, he felt worse and worse.

goddnit, Spot… he cursed himself. Why'd yas have ta go an' be a joik ta her…If I'se hadn't run her outta Brooklyn, dis nevah would be happenin'…Dey nevah woulda "killed" me, an' she'd be laughin' 'bout da whole incident…

Stepping slowly into the warehouse, Spot looked around and saw fresh tracks leading to the place where the Box was, and he felt his heart lift a little. Maybe she'd found all his notes. And hopefully the one in which he said he was alive. Thinking about the note, he suddenly realized that he'd said he'd be at Aunt Helen's.

"dnit Spot!" he cursed aloud and turned on his heel.

Skater kissed Skinner passionately as she let him pull her into the bathroom. She'd fallen in love with Skinner back when Spot had resided over Brooklyn, and they'd carried their relationship through even with their new leader. Hearing a groan over her shoulder, she looked back and saw Trigger lying in a bloodied heap on the floor.

"What da hell?" she asked, giving Skinner a confused look. Neither of them really liked Trigger, they'd both liked Spot better, but they'd learned to at least be loyal to Trigger.

Groaning, he managed to push himself up a little and looked around, cursing. "dnit…" he muttered. "Da dned chickens ran…"

"Triggah, are ya gonna jus' sit dere coisin', or are ya gonna tell us what happened," Skater asked, rather mad at Trigger for being such an idiot.

"I'se righ'! Kattie is Conlon's sistah!" Trigger said, glaring up at Skater and Skinner. "Now come help me up dnit! We'se got ta send people out lookin' for her an' Bittah!"

Skinner walked over and grabbed the leader's hand, yanking him to his feet as Skater leaned back against the doorjamb in surprise.

"B-Bittah?" she asked with a scoffing laugh. "She's woikin' against us? Yas must be drunk, Triggah…"

Skinner snorted a little in laughter too. Bittah wasn't the type to betray them. He and Skater would be more likely to do it. Because at least they'd actually known and liked Spot.

"You'se shoah?" he asked gruffly.

"goddnit! A coise I'se shoah!" Trigger yelled, pissed as hell. "Now send out a soich pawty an' track d'ose two goils down! Now!"

Skater sighed and walked out of the room, calling for Cards. When the other girl strolled out of the girl's bunkroom and into the hallway, she sighed.

"Call tagethah da troups. We's gotta foim a soich pawty foah Bittah an' Kattie," she said, rolling her eyes.

Cards quirked an eyebrow at Skater and laughed. "Bittah?" she asked, not believing it.

"Yeah," Skater replied, rolling her eyes. "I'se didn't believe it meself. But oh wells, what 'da great Triggah Jones' says goes."

Cards nodded, and laughing, gave a sharp whistle that caused heads all over the lodging house to shoot up. "Ta da great room!" she cried out in a voice that boomed.

Skater laughed as she saw Trigger and Skinner heading out and downstairs, along with the rest of the kids pouring out into the hall.

"What's goin' on?" Striker asked, coming up to Skater.

"You'se gonna see in jus' a minute," Skater replied, grabbing some bandages and peroxide for Trigger out of a cabinet. Everyone headed to the great room, and was quickly assembled within less than a minute.

Spot ran as fast as he could to Aunt Helen's banging on the door when he got there. "Is-Is me sistah heah?" he asked the kindly old lady who opened the door, fumbling over the words as he tried to breathe.

"Sweet Kat'rine?" the old voice said, the words seeming somehow filled with wisdom and the experience of years. "I'se afraid she's not, young Benjamin. I'se thought you'se said she was in Colahrado…"

Sighing, he put his head in his hand, feeling as though he wanted to cry. "She's back," he said, giving the old woman a look full of worry. "An' she's come ta Brooklyn ta fight foah me. An' I'se tryin' ta find her, but I'se can'!"

"Sh…" the old woman soothed, stepping out her door and putting a gentle arm around Spot's shoulders. "It's gonna be a'ight. You'se jus' let yer Aunt Helen take care of yas."

He nodded and let her steer him gently inside, biting back tears at the thought of his sister. "I'se jus' wanna see her one last time. Tell her I'se sorry," he said, looking up at his "Aunt Helen" as they called her.

Manhattan was a place that kids went for a doctor when they were hurt, but in Brooklyn, their source of medical aide had long been the old woman that stood before Spot. He and Criss-Cross had met the old woman when a goon had attacked Criss-Cross, and beaten her badly only a week after she'd joined the ranks of Brooklyn. Spot had been crying as he'd carried his already-beloved sister back to the lodging house, afraid she'd die, when all of a sudden Aunt Helen had appeared out of her door and taken the two children inside. Criss-Cross had stayed at her house for two days before she'd walked out looking good considering what had happened.

"Calm down, Benjamin," Aunt Helen soothed, pushing him lightly into a chair, and quickly making him some mint tea with a practiced hand. Setting it in his hands, she said kindly, "Drink dis, it'll help. An' let me get a good look at dat arm…"

Spot nodded, immediately obeying. Holding his arm out to her, he took a sip of the tea, finding it immediately calming. He also felt it clearing his mind a bit, making his thoughts sharper instead of dulled by panic.

"What if she gets hoit cuz of me?" he asked worriedly as Aunt Helen stripped off his old bandage and rinsed his healing shot wound off with a mixture of herbs that numbed the pain and cleansed it.

"Benjamin Conlon, t'ink clearly wit' dat head of yers. She's yer sistah. You'se taught her how ta fight an' win. She's ain't gonna get hoit," Aunt Helen replied, the edges of her face scrunching up a bit as she gave him a surprisingly toothy smile. Her bright green eyes twinkled as she thought about the fiery young Conlon girl.

Spot sighed and drank some more of his tea as she put an herbal balm on his wound next. "I'se can' help it," he stated, remorse tinting his every word. "I'se love her ta death, an' if she gets hoit cuz a me…"

Aunt Helen sighed and wrapped her arm back up in a clean bandage that smelled of lavender. "You'se gonna worry yerself ta death, an' then when she's comin' lookin' foah yas, I'se gonna have ta say, ''E died a worry 'bout ya', an' t'ink how bad she's gonna feel then."

Laughing, Spot grinned at Aunt Helen, finishing off the last of his tea. "Well den, I'se guessin' I'se outta be goin' an' tryin' ta find her…T'anks Aunt Helen." Smiling still, he walked out the door, heading for the lodging house, remembering good times with his sister.

A/N: So…You thought? I hope you thought "Wow, that was amazing! I'm gonna review!" PLEASE say you thought that! And anyway, if you have any questions that need to be answered in the next chappies, put them in your review! cough HINT cough Damn, I've still got this cold…Anyway, it's time for the –you guessed it- Shout Outs!

Shout Outs for All My Wonderful Reviewers: (don't you wanna see your name on this list?)

Angelfish: I love Ivy! In my mind she's one of the most awesome characters I have. I'm thinking I might right a story simply devoted to her. And they'll meet…eventually…I think…lol But I'm glad you can't wait! I'll try to get the next chapter up fast. There's another surprise in it!

Kryscrossed: Glad you liked it! And I'll try to post again soon! These long breaks in between chapters are so cruel, considering we're going into the climax. lol And your question –believe it or not- is actually going to be answered! lol

Bittah: Alright! Alright! I'll give you action! lol And thanks for lending me the characters in the first place. I'm going to be using them a couple more times.

Skater: Yay! I'm glad they aren't boring! And I'm sorry I didn't have this chapter up sooner…Forgive me?

Air: Yay! You reviewed! And I'll try to update faster! But I definitely will if you review again!

Anyway, night all! And I'll try to update soon. Please review!

Criss-Cross