"I got some things to take care of," said Ralphie the next morning, walking through the dividing sheet. Spot looked up at him as he was tying his shoes. "Addie's gonna sell with you. When you two run out of papes, I want her to work the crowds. Make sure she gives you the money."

Spot nodded. "Sure."

Ralphie walked out of the tenement.

Spot finished dressing and stood up. "Aide?"

No answer.

He stepped toward the sheet and moved it aside an inch and peeked in. He saw Adelaide's back to him.

"Aide, we gotta go."

"I'm coming." Adelaide sat up and began pulling on her shoes.

Spot walked out of the tenement and waited for her in the alley. Moments later, Adelaide walked out of the building, pulling her coat on. If Spot's heart hadn't been hardened by the streets of Brooklyn, it might have broken at the sight of Adelaide. There were dark circles under her eyes from lack of sleep, and her eyes were puffy from crying. She kept her eyes low.

"Ready?" he asked.

Adelaide glanced up at him and nodded.

"Hey," he lightly nudged as they walked out of the alley toward the distribution wagon. "You know, we still gotta get you the new Frank Merriwell."

"Okay."

Spot grew worried – and he hated that he cared enough about someone to worry this much.

They bought their papers and headed to Park Slope.

"I'm sorry about Skittery," he said.

"What's done is done."

Spot grabbed her arm and turned them down another street. Enough was enough.

"What are you doing?" Adelaide frowned. Spot didn't say anything, just dragged her through the street. "Spot, where are we going?"

Spot just said nothing.

Soon, they approached the Brooklyn Bridge.

"Heya, Spot…Addie," said Blade. "Where you two headed?"

"If Ralphie wanted you to know, you'd know," said Spot.

Blade nodded as he watched Spot drag her across the bridge. They got about halfway over – well out of Blade's eyesight – when Spot let her go.

"Go."

"What?!"

"Go. Get out of here."

Adelaide blinked.

"He needs you," said Spot, nodding toward Manhattan.

Adelaide looked back toward Manhattan and then back at Spot.

"Ralphie will kill you for this."

Spot shrugged.

Adelaide took steps toward him and pulled him into a hug.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Spot nodded and gently pushed her away. "Go."

Adelaide turned and bolted across the bridge.

Spot sighed as he watched her cross the bridge. He knew no good deed went unpunished. He slowly headed back to Brooklyn with two things on his mind. One: He hoped Adelaide got to Skittery before she got dragged back to Brooklyn again. Two: he was going to get jumped on the way home.


Adelaide had never run so far so fast before. She didn't stop running until she got to the Newsboys Lodging House. She yanked open the door.

"Where is he?" she asked of the newsies who were in there.

"Aide," said Specs, standing up.

"Where is he?!"

"Upstairs," Specs pointed toward the stairs, still in shock at seeing her.

Adelaide ran up the stairs into the bunk room.

"Aide!" Tumbler jumped up and ran to her. Adelaide fell to her knees and hugged him close.

"Are you okay?" She pulled back and cupped his face, looking him over.

Tumbler nodded. "I'm fine. But Skittery…" He turned toward the bunk Skittery was lying on.

Adelaide stood up and walked over to Skittery. He was lying on Specs' bottom bunk.

"Skittery," she whispered, kneeling next to his bed. His face was bruised and one eye was swollen shut. His torso was haphazardly bandaged. Purple and blue bruises covered any part of him that wasn't bandaged.

"Aide," he whispered before even opening his good eye.

Adelaide sniffed, tears falling down her cheeks. "Hi," she whispered, running her fingers through his hair.

Skittery managed a small smile. "He let you go?"

Adelaide shook her head. "Spot helped me get out." Skittery's smile faded. "I'm sure they'll be here before dark to take me back."

"Run," Skittery whispered. "We got friends uptown. They can hide you."

"I'm not leaving you."

"Aide." He took her hand.

"No. I'm staying right here."

Tumbler sat down next to Adelaide on the floor and settled into her side. She put her arm around him, and holding Skittery's hand with her other. She leaned against the bunk, resting her head against the mattress next to Skittery's.

"Ralphie said you didn't want to see me," said Skittery.

"He lied."

Skittery nodded.

"He also said you two share a bed…"

Adelaide swallowed. She didn't want to confirm that for Skittery, but she couldn't lie to him.

She heard Skittery sigh heavily.

"He hasn't…done anything," said Adelaide. "He just…I don't know what he wants anymore."

"It ain't hard to guess."

Adelaide was quiet for a few moments. "You know that I love you, right? Nothin will ever change that."

"I know."

They sat in silence for a while, holding hands, their heads barely touching.

"He's quiet," said Skittery after a while.

Adelaide looked down at Tumbler sleeping against her side. "He's asleep," she smiled.

"He needs it. He hasn't been sleeping good since you left."

"Poor boy," Adelaide said softly.

"How come you never told me about Ralphie?"

Adelaide swallowed and looked down. "I dunno. I guess I just wanted to forget all about him and everything that happened over there. I was 11. Tumbler was three. Ralphie promised us food, clothing, shelter, and protection if we went with him. But he owned us." She ran her hand over Tumbler's hair, brushing it out of his eyes. "There was no way he was ever gonna let us go; that's why we had to run away."

She turned her gaze back toward Skittery.

"Did he ever hurt you?"

Adelaide shook her head. "I thought he was going to sell me to a brothel once. But now he says he had just gotten me a job as a house girl. I don't know what to believe."

Skittery reached over and ran his thumb along her cheek. "Please run away. I got savings in the floorboard under my bunk. Take it and get you and Tumbler outta here. Take a train to Boston. Philadelphia. Atlantic City. I don't care. Just tell me where and I'll meet you there once I'm healed up."

Adelaide shook her head. "Ralphie would kill you."

"It would be worth it if you were safe from him."

"Don't talk like that." Adelaide rested her forehead against his. "Just promise me we'll be together for good one day. And all of this will just be in the past."

"I promise," said Skittery.

"Aide," said Jack, walking into the bunkroom.

Adelaide looked up. Jack stood at the foot of Skittery's bunk, utter defeat on his face.

"Time to go," he said.

"They're downstairs?"

Jack nodded.

Adelaide took a deep breath. "Tumbler." She gently shook her brother. "Mikey, wake up." Tumbler groaned and sat up. "I gotta go, kiddo."

"No," said Tumbler, holding onto her.

"I have to." She stood up and pulled him into a hug. "I love you." She brushed the hair away from his eyes. "I want you to remember that, okay? I love you."

Tumbler hugged her tightly. "I love you, Aide."

Adelaide closed her eyes and held him tight. "You take care of Skittery for me, okay?"

"I will. I promise."

Adelaide sniffed, trying to keep her tears at bay. She pulled away and turned back toward Skittery's bunk.

"Aide…" Skittery tried to get up.

She softly shushed him, gently pushing him back onto his bunk. "Rest."

"What are they gonna do to you?"

Adelaide swallowed. "I'll be fine." She leaned down and gave him a kiss on the corner of his lips. "I love you too. You remember that, okay? No matter what happens."

"Run out the fire escape," said Skittery. "We got friends uptown. He won't find you there."

Adelaide shook her head. "If he doesn't find me, you guys are going to pay the price."

Skittery sighed. Adelaide stood up straight and exhaled. She walked past Jack and down the stairs.

Blade and Fire stood waiting in the lobby.

"Time to go home, Addie," said Fire.

Adelaide hesitated on the stairs before walked the rest of the way down, keeping her chin up.

"You're in for a treat when you get home," Blade smirked.