Later that day as night neared Jack pulled him aside and gestured for him to follow him. Curious Spot followed him quietly out of the boarding house and into a nearby alley. Spot watched in silence as Jack leaned on the wall and looked him up and down as if trying to decide something. And finally he nodded apparently coming to a decision, though what it was related to Spot didn't know. But Jack had clearly decided something.

"So, you're not actually a newsie" Jack stated.

"What makes you say that?" Spot asked surprised.

"You're not hard enough" Jack said.

"Say what, if I recall you had trouble taking me down, I'd say that means I'm plenty hard" Spot snapped defensively.

Jack gave a sad sort of smile to that, "Not that kind of hard. The bitter, trust no one kind. The kind that says you've starved and begged and seen the worst that man has to offer. It's a look you see in long time newsies eyes, everyone has a different story so there is some variation, but all of us have a bit of it in us, can't help it. But you don't, not really, oh you're haunted but its personal you haven't yet been screwed over by the whole world. You came to the lodging house and said you were a newsie but were just changing location, but I don't believe you."

"Well it ain't none your business either way," Spot stated with irritation and confusion in equal measure.

"True and not true. You may not like it, and in fact I know you don't. But I lead these people, so I make an effort to both get to know them and to watch out for them. And watching out for them means finding out if the newbie's mean harm for them" Jack replied with a shrug of resignation.

"Well yeah I don't like it. What right have you got to lead them? Nobody should led another person, it's not right" Spot said idealistically, still slightly sheltered in spite of his upbringing or maybe because of it.

"Well maybe in a perfect world or something no one would lead and we'd all live in sunshine and joy, but this ain't that world. Like it or not these people need someone to turn to, to lead them, to hold them together and to fight for them. And somehow it just became me, I didn't come here and ask for it and I didn't start out this way. And at times I really wish it wasn't me. I came here two years ago in the same position as you, the new guy trying to act like I knew what I was doing and the man in charge at that time called me on it and then showed me the ropes. See that's why leaders are needed to help the younger ones, to make sure everyone knows what's going on and how to get by. I'd probably be dead if he hadn't, and others would be if I hadn't. In this world leaders are needed, you'll come to learn that. And maybe come to lead to, I see the potential in you, a little" Jack said the last bit with a laugh.

"Oh yeah?" Spot asked looking intrigued in spite of himself.

"You're strong, and no I don't mean in the body way; I mean that you don't back down. And I can tell you don't like takin orders, which means you probably like givin them. Those be leadership qualities," Jack told him.

"I don't want to be a leader." Spot stated confidently. "You say you look out for all these people that they are your responsibility, I don't want that kind of pressure. I have enough problems just looking out for me."

"Well we'll see, you may find that you have no choice in it. That one day you wake up and everyone is listening to you and somehow without you knowing how, they've accepted you as their leader, and you just have to act the part. You can't let them down, and sooner or later they become your life, the city, the people and especially your boys, they will be all you have, and you'll find that you'll do anything to protect them," Jack said.

"Ain't you kinda young to be leadin them? Some look older than you" Spot said changing the subject since he didn't know what to say in response to Jack's startling statement.

"Yeah, I'm young, and I know fourteen is young to be in charge like this and I didn't want this, no more than you claim to. I was happy and busy just lookin out for me. But when Steel got was caught lifting wallets while selling and the cops threw him in the joint, well I had no choice. Steel led before me, and he was 18 so it was off to the real joint, we all knew he wasn't coming back, even if he did get out. So someone had to step up and take over. And it wasn't like they took a vote and I won. It just happened, without him there people starting asking me for advice and coming to me for things and before I knew it I was in charge" Jack said.

"Well, I don't know about all the leadership stuff you claim to see in me, I think you're seeing things, but it don't matter. How's about you just don't go dying or getting locked up and then I ain't got no worries about leadin" Spot said.

Jack laughed at this, his eyes shining with amusement. "You wait, I think one way or another you'll end up leading, maybe not even here, but somewhere I know you'll end up being forced into a position where you just gotta lead."

"You planning on making me leave?" Spot asked angrily.

"Nope, but I think you will. Don't ask me why, but I think your terrors are here and your other memories are here and I think that you'll end up being one of the ones who can't stay here. I've seen it many times, so sadly I kinda know the signs." Jack told him unhappily.

"What do you mean?" Spot asked.

"I mean this place holds too many memories for you, and not good ones. I think once you are in a position to leave you will" Jack informed him.

"You seem awful interested in me leaving" Spot commented.

"No, I'm not. Actually I think I'd like you to stay. I don't find people who ain't afraid to speak their mind to me too often, and the hero worship gets old fast, it gets boring. I think I could grow to like you. You got good sense, even if it is a little bogged down by naivety. But all the same I'm gonna help you, and maybe someday you'll help me" Jack said.

"Oh yeah? You're gonna help me, how?" Spot asked.

"I'm gonna show you the ropes, including maybe a few of the ones it takes to lead, since I figure some day you'll need them" Jack said with a grin.

"Who says I need help?" Spot asked defensively.

"I bet you don't even know where to get the papers" Jack kidded him with a kind smile.

Spot looked irritated and embarrassed and muttered "I'll figure it out."

"And you plan to figure out all the selling techniques and the good spots and all the other inside newsie info that others know and will be using" Jack said in a teasing manner.

"I'll figure it out" Spot repeated, but this time with a touch of humor in his voice, as though realizing that Jack wasn't trying to be cruel.

"Maybe you would maybe you wouldn't, but its not really good to risk it 'cause trust me the other boys won't be kind if you sell on their turf. I'd rather avoid that drama, so I'm gonna save you the trouble" Jack told him.

"Why?" Spot asked suspiciously.

"Because once, someone did the same for me and saved me by doing so. You don't know what's out there, and believe me it ain't pretty. Besides, like I said you wind up in trouble with the others boys and I'm the one who will have to sort it out." Jack stated matter of factly.

"I don't like owing people something," Spot said unable to hide the suspicion in his voice.

"No one does, but you don't owe me" Jack told him calmly.

"Then what are you getting out of it?" Spot asked fighting to keep his voice even.

"I dunno, we'll see. You ever figure I might just want to be your friend?" Jack asked.

"No" Spot stated.

Jack laughed and rolled his eyes and his new friend's behavior. Jack grinned and said "Well you wait, you might be surprised."

"I doubt it" Spot said.

"Look, either way, I'm the best around and I can show you how to be the best too. And I can show you all you need to know, I know my stuff" Jack claimed confidently.

"Oh yeah? You'd show me all the things it takes to be the best? I doubt it, then I'd beat you out for things and I doubt your willing to let that happen" Spot stated.

"Actually I am, we ain't in competition actually, not the boys in the same house. Like I said we all have our own turf to sell so we ain't stealing customers from each other. And 'sides as I said, I don't think you'll stick around here. You got somethin about you kid, and I think you have what it takes to be good, and maybe even the best. You might get better than me and that's fine, I don't mind, it ain't like that here" Jack said.

"And I'll owe you nothing?" Spot asked with disbelief.

"Nothin" Jack promised with a nod.

"Fine" Spot said and spit on his hand holding it out.

Jack laughed and spit on his hand and shook Spots hand saying "You're really something, I dunno what, but I like it."

*SJ*SJ*SJ*

Spot laughed at a comment that Jack made about the man passing by. Much to his surprise he had found that Jack was great to be with, that he made him laugh, something few people could do. He was easy to talk to and could be quiet when it right to be. He also was a great teacher and Spot knew that he'd taught him every trick he knew to sellin papers. And he had taught him the paths of the city, the hiding spots, the spots to stay clear of and taught him how to make do and get bye. In the year they'd spent together Jack had basically taught him to survive. And now he understood what Jack had meant about the new kids needing a leader to look after them; he knew he would be much worse off if Jack hadn't taken him in.

"Headlines are bad today," Spot stated, only to get Jack's predictable response.

"Hey now, headlines don't sell paper's newsies sell paper's" Jack said with humor knowing the other boy had only said that to get a rise out of him.

Spot grinned, "Oh right, I forgot," he teased.

Jack rolled his eyes, "Besides they ain't that bad, all that Spanish tension stuff is keeping people interested."

"I 'pose you're right, could be worse" Spot stated. "We've almost sold them all today, 150 not bad."

"Not good either, with us 200 should be easy." Jack replied giving him a confident grin.

"Watch out!" Spot cried as a little girl crashed into Jack's legs nearly knocking him over.

Jack steadied himself and looked down to see what had run into him. The blond haired child had fallin over and Spot saw the beginnings of tears in the small girls blue eyes.

"Well little lady, where might your ma be?" Jack asked after kneeling down to the child's level.

"Mama gots lost" the little girl told Jack solomly.

Spot smothered a laugh, and Jack looked up to meet his eyes. "Yes, I'm sure it was her mother who got lost." Spot drawled sarcastically.

Jack shook his head at the other boys antics, and then helped the little girl up and brushed as much dirt from her dress as he could. "Well what your name be princess?"

"Annie" she told them shyly.

"Well miss Annie, hows about we go find that lost mother of yours?" Jack asked kindly.

Annie nodded and gave a sweet trusting smile.

After searching for awhile Spot noticed a frantic woman talking to a policeman, and got closer to over hear the woman sobbing about her little girl wandering off. With a mile he dodged between the crowd to get back to Jack and Annie. "Found her! She's with a police officer just thru the crowd."

A flash on concern and panic almost flashed through Jack's eyes and his expression went dark for just a moment, shocking Spot as he'd never seen Jack look that way.

"Good job, why don't you take her over to them. I'll wait here" Jack stated his voice distant.

"You aren't coming?" Spot asked confused.

"No, I don't like police." Jack stated in a voice that made clear he didn't want questions and wouldn't answer.

Spot gave Jack a confused look but nodded. "Alright miss Annie, lets get you back to your mama." He took the little girls hand and felt a pang in his heart of loss, which he shoved aside as usual. "Back in a jiff."

Annie's mother hugged him, sobbing as she thanked him for finding her baby. It made his heart hurt in good and bad ways to see a mother who loved her child so much. He was truly glad for little Annie, but it was hard to contain the bitter feelings that seeing this scene brought out. He patted the girls head and told her to stick closer to her ma and left quickly to head back to Jack.

That was odd, Jack was acting off. I mean none of us like the cops but to ditch the girl to avoid them. I hadn't seen that coming. But his face, I don't know how to ask him and not piss him off. Spot though to himself as he made his way back.

Spot was trying to think of how to cheer Jack, even though he couldn't figure what brought his mood down. He noticed out of the corned of his eye a guy with a cowboy hat like Jack's, and saw the red bandana sticking out of his back pocket. The guy already had a blue one round his neck, and Spot figured no one really needed two. As he passed the man he quickly slipped it out of his pocket and disappeared into the crowd before the man even noticed.

Jack waited in the alley near where he'd left him, he was leaning up against the wall clearly lost in though.

"I'm back, the little one's safe with her mama." Spot announced to him.

Jack startled, as though he hadn't noticed Spot come back. "Good work, sweet little thing like that needs a good home." Jack said almost to himself.

Spot sighed, not liking this angsty distant Jack. "I got you somthin to get your mood up" Spot told him.

Jack looked surprised, then intrigued "Well my mood's fine, but…"

"No, its not" Spot interrupted, "And I won't ask since you clearly don't want me to, but don't lie to me, not me. Say you don't want to talk about it, tell me to mind my own business, but don't lie and say nothings wrong."

Jack looked at him seriously and nodded. "Right, my bad. I'm just, I don't want to talk about it, not right now. Someday, since its you, I'll tell you. Just not now."

Spot gave a small smile and pulled out the bandana, "For you, so you can be a step closer to a real cowboy."

A real smile blossomed on Jack face seeing it, he laughed taking it and quickly tying it around his neck. "What do you think?"

"Fits" Spot stated happy to see the other boys mood improved.

"Thanks" Jack gave him a one handed hug that made Spot feel happy, but a different happy than he expected. His thoughts about his reaction to Jack's hug were scatted on Jack's next words.

"Sorry about the little girl" Jack softly said not meeting his eyes.

"What do you mean?" Spot asked suspiciously.

"You always look sad when you see little girls like that, its only for a moment but you sorta look like you might cry." Jack looked uncomfortable saying this.

Spot stiffened, shocked that he'd made such an error. He'd let his guard down around Jack too much. He'd never meant for Jack to see that. He paused unsure what to say, he'd just said no lies. He found that he wanted to trust Jack, wanted him to know the real him. Spot then looked up and saw the fire escape latter leading up to the roof. He gestured to it, and Jack looked confused but nodded and gave him a boost up to reach it.

Once they were on the roof he settled down at the edge and waited for Jack to take a seat. Taking a deep breath, "I had a little sister about that age."

Jack winced, "Had?"

"Yeah, my pa drank all the time, and well his temper wasn't good sober. I always tried to take the blows for her, but that time he was real bad, ma and he were fighting and after he was done with me and I couldn't move he started on her. Just kept kicking her till she didn't move." Spot told the story his voice heartbreakingly emotionless and empty.

Jack scooted closer and put his hand on Spot's shoulder and squeezed it, trying to convey comfort to the smaller boy. "What happened to him?"

"Nothing, damn cops believed him that it was an accident, that she fell down the stairs." Spot snapped fury and pain in his voice.

Jack sat silently, not knowing what to say. He thought about telling Spot his own story, but this didn't seem the right time, to lessen this by comparing his own pain. Jack was unsure what to say, I'm sorry just didn't seem enough. But in the end there was nothing else he could think of. "I'm sorry."

"Not hardly your fault" Spot stated sadly.

"No, but I didn't mean to make you talk about something that hurts this much" Jack told him solemnly.

Spot nodded, "Yeah, I know. But I wanted to, I wanted you to know, just you."

Jack gave him an intense look and then smiled. "I won't say anything, its our secret."

*SJ*SJ*SJ*

It was six months later that Jacks own secrets started to come to light.

Spot was finishing up selling the last of his papers when Jack suddenly grabbed his shoulder.

"I think we need to leave now," Jack said suddenly, with a hint of panic in his voice.

The panic made Spot look up instantly and follow Jacks eyes to a well dressed man who had the coldest eyes he'd ever seen.

"You know that guy?" Spot asked.

"Kinda" Jack said edging away from the man, clearly hoping not to be seen.

But his hope was in vain, since right then the man looked up and spotted Jack. Upon spotting Jack, amazingly, his eyes both actually got colder and also got this look of insane sick glee.

"Sullivan!" the man yelled.

"Now I know we need to go" Jack yelled and took off, assuming that Spot would follow.

Which he did, running after Jack through the maze of buildings and alleys. After running for what seemed like miles, Jack finally slowed down to a walk, panting he peered around the buildings corner.

"I think we lost him, or at least I haven't heard his voice for awhile. 'Sides the old bastard's too heavy to keep up with us for long" Jack stated tensely.

"Who was that?" Spot questioned.

"His names Snyder, and you should stay clear of him. Even the kids he doesn't specifically want should be careful around him, you never know. He would like to have us all if he could, that would put more money in his pocket, which is his only goal in life; that and to make us all miserable" Jack snarled though it was clearly not directed at Spot.

"I'm still unclear as to who he is" Spot said irritated.

"He's in charge of a kid's jail hereabouts, the refuge," Jack said.

"And he wants you? Why?" Spot said.

"Yeah, long story, I don't want to go into it right now" Jack said and started walking, in the direction of the lodging house.

That felt like a blow to Spot, who had shared all his secrets with Jack. Even knowing this couldn't end well he couldn't keep from asking. "Why did he call you Sullivan?" Spot asked suspiciously.

"No idea" Jack said, but Spot could see the lie.

"Don't lie to me, I've told you before I don't want lies between us," Spot said.

"Look I don't ask you your business, so you don't ask me mine" Jack yelled.

"I've told you everything, all my secrets and you still won't let me in! Why won't you just tell me, are you so scared of telling me the truth" Spot asked coldly. "I'll see you later; I've got better things to do than waste time with a cowardly liar."

"You do what you want," Jack said unhappily, his eyes showing he was torn.

Spot waited a moment hoping he would open up, but as Jacks eyes shuttered up and he turned away Spot lost his temper. "Oh believe me I will." He shook his head at the stubborn boy and stormed off.

Spot turned and, as quickly as he could without appearing to run, he took off. Once he was out of sight he did run, although he wasn't totally sure what he was running from.