This is Chapter 8, sorry the last two were shorter than I expected, but this one is a little longer. Read and review!

I own Marty, nothing else. However, she is pretty cool so I'm okay with that, and maybe she will bring Spot along sometimes.

Contrary to my belief, the days flew swiftly by and Spot and I grew closer. I am unsure of where we stand, however- he has never called me "his girl" or any other possessive names. Although his lack of commitment bothers me a little, I don't see any reason to mind too much because he still hasn't shown any interest in another girl.

I realized shortly after our first kiss he started to give me special attention, like taking the Spot behind him in line. Each time I refused and noticed the hostility the other boys had toward me began to fade. I have even made some friends in the group, and different as they may be from the Manhattaners, I like them. Spot told me that I had earned their respect for not accepting any special treatment I was offered, and so did he.

I still have not talked to Jack; he would be proposing to Sarah in a matter of days and without a girl to give him advice. The Manhattan boys come to visit me every so often, just not all together. We wanted to avoid grabbing any unwanted attention. I always look forward to the days when they visit, as happy as I am here I still miss them more than I could have dreamed. They told me that the people from the city had searched the lodging house, and of course, found nothing.

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It was nearly two o'clock when I walked into the lodging house with Spot, and to my surprise Mush and Racetrack were standing in the entryway looking very uncomfortable. I gasped happily and caught them both in a big hug.

"Where have you all been? I have not seen you in nearly three weeks!"

"Yeah, well, it's been sort of crazy..." Mush said rubbing the side of his neck. I looked into the two boys faces and new something was wrong in Manhattan.

"I bet," Spot said knowingly. He knew something about Manhattan that I did not know.

"What do you know?" I demanded cocking my hip and crossing my arms. How dare he keep something about Manhattan from me? Spots eyebrows rose and he looked over to the two uncomfortable boys. I could read his eyes as if they were written. They said you're gonna tell her.

"Well, good news foist," Race said as he motioned for me to sit on the stairs. I refused at first, but got talked into it by Spots charm- stupid charm. I was about to burst and Mush and Race just looked at each other.

"Jack got engaged to Sarah." Yeah, tell me what I don't know.

"What is the bad news?"

"He stopped selling...fer good"

I stared at him wide-eyed and speechless. I can understand why he quit, I guess, he cannot support Sarah on a dollar a day. Still, it came as such a surprise because Jack loved the newsie life, the life of carrying the banner. He must have just found something he loved more, and I admired that.

"And you knew about this, didn't you Spot?"

He sighed and looked me square in the eyes.

"Yes, I did. I didn't tell ya because I didn't think it would be the right time. I didn't want ya to get yourself all upset," He said, his voice not showing an ounce of emotion, but I could detect his sincerity. He hates to admit it, and he actually never has, but he does care about me beyond infatuation. "I didn't see this coming, and I don't know why he quit neither, so don't ask."

"I don't need to ask, I know why already," I stated matter-of-factly.

"Why?" Mush finally rejoined the conversation. I could see the despair in his eyes and realized that the change in Jack was not just hurting me.

"Because love changes people, you know? It makes them do things they normally wouldn't do," I patted Mush on the arm. "And hurt people they would never dream of hurting."

Spot looked at me skeptically- as if he could not believe that someone would give up such a life so young to start a family. Then something else passed through his eyes, a softness that was barely visible.

"I tink dat you are right about this one, Marty." He looked at me with the same softness and then snapped his attention over to the boys. "So who is da new leada?"

"Actually, we don't have one. We aren't going to have anodder leada."

Spot kept his face cool, but I could tell it was as if someone had just dropped a bomb. He fiddled with the gold top of his cane.

"Who's gonna lead den?"

"We're all gonna take part, ya know, work togedda. Like a team?" Mush suggested, bracing himself for Spot's reaction. I looked at him and he just smirked.

"You Manhattanas, ya always have to be da rebels, bending the rules." Spot spit into his palm and shook hands with Mush and Racetrack.

After they departed, Spot moved to sit in a nearby chair. He rubbed his hands together thoughtfully and looked at the floor.

"What are you thinking about?" I asked, even though I had a good idea of what was on his mind.

"Ah, lots of tings, I guess."

"Such as?" I walked over and sat in his lap. He wrapped his arms around me and sighed.

"The idea about not havin' a leada, it's not good for me ya know? If my boys get any ideas..."

"You're a great leader, Spot. None of the guys doubt that. The whole city of New York fears AND respects you, that has got to say something, right?" Spot nodded and squeezed me tighter. He wasn't sharing everything with me. In addition, he was being abnormally humble about the compliment I just gave him, so there must be sometime else on his mind. We sat there in silence before I finally spoke up. "What else has you mind reeling?" I asked, tapping his forehead.

"You do." I tilted my head, trying to stifle a grin.

"What about me?" My face blushed and my heart beat faster. He smiled at his reaction and kissed me so intensely I though I would melt right there in his lap. I love him, I thought with a shock, and I knew I had to tell him. I unlocked our kiss and brought my lips close to his ear.

"I love you," I whispered like it was the most natural thing in the world. Who would have thought I would fall in love with Spot Conlon? Five years ago I was vocal about how much I hated him, and now here I was actually confessing that I loved him! My breathing stopped as I waited for a response, but I felt what I feared the most. He tensed up under me and he started to stand up.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothin'" He attempted to give me a trademark smirk, but it was pathetic.

"Spot, look, maybe I should not have…" I didn't get to finish my sentence, because he put a finger to my lips. He lightly kissed my nose and headed out the door without a word.