A/N: Thank you so much for all the reviews. Hope you enjoy this chapter. Will try to post more often. :-)
"It sure is comin' down out there," Specs said, taking a bite of his sandwich. The newsies were all huddled in Tibby's, watching the snow fall outside.
"And I'm not looking forward to walking uptown," Adelaide said as she picked a fry off of Skittery's plate.
"Guess you'll have to stay around here a little while longer," Skittery grinned as he puts his arm around her.
"Oh, too bad," she grinned as she leaned in. He met her halfway and kissed her, slow and sweet.
"Gross, Aide," Tumbler complained, but they ignored him.
"Get used to it, kid," Specs said. "Just be glad Mush don't have one of his girls here."
Skittery pulled back an inch and turned to Tumbler. "Just wait 'til you're older," he said. "You'll find some girl and you'll want to hold her hand and buy her lunch and kiss her all the time."
"Nope. Girls are gross."
Adelaide chuckled and ate the fry she had stolen.
Suddenly, Boots burst into Tibby's, everyone to jump. "Ralphie Valentini's on his way here!" he said, his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath.
Adelaide stiffened and pulled away from Skittery.
"Here? Now?" Jack asked, standing up, sounding panicked.
Boots nodded. "He's got Spot Conlon and Snipeshooter with him too."
"Snipes?" Tumbler perked up.
"Oh, god," Adelaide whispered. She didn't have time to be angry or self-righteously vindicated at Snipeshooter's involvement. Ralphie Valentini was coming. He found her. Should she run? How close was he? Did she have time to get a few blocks away? She needed to get Tumbler out of there - she could not let Ralphie take him away. She needed to get out of there. She didn't know what Ralphie would do if he found her.
"Aide," Skittery put his arm around her, "you okay?'
"Why's Valentini headed here?" Race asked.
"I don't know," Jack said, sitting back down. Adelaide could see his hands shake. "Everyone just act normal. No one do anything stupid."
"We're here for you, Jack," Blink said, giving him a nod.
"Aide?" Skittery repeated.
"Mikey," She looked up at Tumbler. He looked up at her, looking as scared as Adelaide. "Run. Get out of here, okay? Run out the back and go to the lodging house. Don't leave until Skittery comes to get you."
"Not without you," he said.
Adelaide heard the bell over the door ring behind her. She had run out of time.
"Run!" she whispered.
Tumbler grabbed his hat and ran out of back of the restaurant.
"Aide, what's going on?" Skittery whispered.
Adelaide looked over at him, wishing she had told him more about what happened in Brooklyn after she'd gotten kicked out of her home and before they had run away to Manhattan.
"Jack Kelly." Ralphie Valentini's voice was like ice on the back of her neck. She grabbed Skittery's hand and he gave hers a squeeze.
"Ralphie Valentini." Jack nodded. He spit in his hand and held it out to Ralphie, who looked at it, disgusted.
Ralphie stood taller than most of the newsies in the restaurant. Despite the air of cruelty that emanated from him, he was handsome. Not the sort of butterflies-in-your-stomach, smile-that-makes-you-feel-all-warm-inside handsome. More magnetic, charismatic, objectively good looking handsome. When he smiled he seemed like the nicest guy in town, but when he glared, the receiver felt that death was eminent. Despite being at least 22, he looked only 17, and he'd been running the streets of Brooklyn for as long as anyone can remember.
Jack looked from Ralphie to Spot. "Heya, Spot."
Spot spit in his own hand and shook Jack's hand. "Heya, Jacky-boy."
Jack looked at Snipeshooter. "We were worried about you."
Snipeshooter shrugged nonchalantly, but avoided eye contact. "I can take care of myself."
Jack nodded. "So what can we do for you fellas?"
"Oh, I came to reconnect with an old friend." With that, Ralphie turned and trained his eyes on Adelaide. She squeezed Skittery's hand. Ralphie slowly walked through the restaurant and stopped in front of their table. "Hey Addie," he grinned. "Long time, no see."
Skittery frowned. "How do you two…"
"Oh, Addie here and I go way back."
"Please don't call me that," she said quietly.
"Aw, why not?" Ralphie traced his finger down her cheek, and she flinched at his touch. Ralphie chuckled. "No gratitude…you're forgetting who kept you out of the whorehouses."
Adelaide couldn't take a good breath. Her hands shook, and her heart pounded in her ears.
Ralphie smirked and Skittery stood up, drawing himself up to his full height which was still an inch shorter than Ralphie.
"Can I help ya?" Ralphie raised an eyebrow at Skittery.
"I could ask you the same thing."
"Skittery," Adelaide tugged on his hand, surprised he would talk to Ralphie so brazenly.
Ralphie looked down at her once more. "You and I got some unfinished business."
Adelaide could feel every eye in Tibby's watching, each of them wondering what was happening.
"What do you want from her, Ralphie?" asked Jack.
"She's comin' with me."
"Oh come on, Ralphie, she's one of us."
"She was never anything but mine."
Adelaide bit her lip, trying to hold tears at bay.
Skittery clenched his fists, and Adelaide became afraid that he'd be stupid enough to punch not just any North Brooklyn street gang leader, but THE North Brooklyn street gang leader.
"Skittery, sit down, please," Adelaide begged, putting her hand on his arm.
"Listen to your girl," Snipeshooter piped up from behind Ralphie.
Spot rolled his eyes and smacked Snipeshooter in the back of the head.
Skittery stared Ralphie down before Ralphie smirked and turned around. "Time to go," he said to Adelaide.
"Please," she shook her head. "Don't make me leave."
"He can't make you leave," Skittery said.
But Adelaide knew that he could. Ralphie could knock Skittery out with one punch and throw her over his shoulder. She had no doubt Spot could take on the rest of the newsies with his cane, if any of them were dumb enough to stand up to a Brooklyn boy.
"He's right," shrugged Ralphie. "I can't. But if you wake up one morning and your brother is gone...you'll know you made the wrong choice."
Adelaide stood up. "You stay away from Mikey."
Ralphie smirked. "There's that old spark." He shrugged. "Your choice."
At this point, Adelaide would almost prefer being thrown over his shoulder and dragged out of there. She looked over at Skittery, who was looking at her.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I have to go."
The look Skittery gave her broke her heart. "Don't leave, Aide."
"She has to," said Ralphie. "I already got one of my boys following little Mikey to your lodging house."
"I'm coming," her voice cracked.
Skittery pulled her close and held her tight. She buried her face in his shoulder, knowing it will be awhile before they were so close to me again.
"This isn't fair," Jack said.
"It also ain't fair that my pop beat my ma to death before putting a bullet in his brain," said Ralphie. "But that's life."
"Why do you always gotta be so grim?"
"Part of my charm," Ralphie smirked. Ralphie snapped his fingers, said, "Spot," and pointed at Adelaide.
Spot nodded and stepped forward. He grabbed her arm and pulled her away from Skittery.
"Spot!" yelled Jack.
"Let her go," Skittery said. "She's goin' willingly."
Spot barely had time to take a step before Skittery landed a punch right on his jaw.
Then all hell broke loose.
