:( I feel kinda sad. I only have two more chapter left, and the last one is rather short. I'll wait a few days to post it though.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart if you have read or reviewed this story. It means so much more than you could possibly understand to me!

Chapter 9: Still in Brooklyn

Alley's view

They left. David and Boots. And Blink. Blink left me. I would have killed to be able to go back to Snoddy. I wanted to see Snoddy, even if it meant never seeing Blink again.

I sighed. Sunset came and I feel asleep in my new bunk.

Snoddy's view

"Where is she?" I yelled at David when the three of them entered the lodge house.

"I left her back in Brooklyn," David said.

"You 'left' her?" I spat out. "How could you just leave her?"

"Well-"

"In Brooklyn!" I spat.

"Snoddy," Jack said. "She's with Spot."

"She doesn't know Spot!" I yelled.

"She doesn't need you!" Blink shouted back.

I screamed, out of pure anger. "Without me she would be dead in that alley!" Blink opened his mouth to argue. "Think before you say stupid things, Blink!!"

I bolted towards the roof. I needed Al.

* * *

Alley's view

I had been in Brooklyn for 4 months. The hot summer day had melted into cool fall evenings and then into colder, practically winter days.

Let's not beat around the bush: I missed Snoddy. I missed all the Manhattan newsboys. The Brooklyn newsies, while just as cute, were not as loud and goofy and loving as the boys back in Manhattan.

By, the second week I was having sleeping problems. I would wake up in the middle of the night sweating and screaming. The boys and Spot decided to move me in the bunk between Rust and Tape. They thought that would solve things.

It didn't. I kept waking up. There were nights when I would sit on the bunk, holding my knees to my chest and gently rocking back and forth, back and forth.

Spot, Tape, and Rust all tried to find out what the dreams were about. I wouldn't tell them that some of them involved the Delancey's hurting me, other's involved Snoddy not finding me and leaving me to die in the alley, others involved Snoddy dying.

I was kind of okay for the first three weeks. I sold papers. It was no big deal. But, I could already feel the aching feeling in my gut.

Then, one day, I walked to the office and turned back around. I told Spot that I couldn't sell papers that day. I went to the warehouse and fell asleep.

I sold papers for a week after that. But, it was so hard. I sold with Spot, or Tape, or Rust. And, they usually ended up selling more than half of my last papers for me.

I figured I was doing them all a favor when I stopped selling papers. I stayed at the warehouse. I swam sometimes, but mostly I didn't want to do anything but go back to Manhattan. The newsboys kept telling me to be patient, that Blink promised he was coming, and that meant he would.

I wisely kept my mouth shut about most things.

A week after I stopped selling, Spot told me I was moving.

"Back to Manhattan?" I asked.

"No," Spot said. I was moving into his room. I slept on the other bunk on the opposite side of his bunk. I told him that he didn't need to do that, and that I didn't want to wake him up all the time. That I was gonna be too high maintenance. He insisted. That night I woke up crying, sweating, and screaming. The dream had involved the Delancey's killing Snoddy and Race. I woke up panting and Spot walked over to me. He helped me sit up and began to rub my back. I began to rock slowly. Back and forth, back and forth. "Stop it," Spot grumbled, still half asleep. I shook my head and continued to rock. Finally, Spot took me in his arms and forced me to lay down. I struggled and tried to keep rocking. "Don't bother to fight," Spot mumbled wisely as he pressed his face into my shoulder. I suddenly stiffened my body. I felt like a rock. I woke up that morning, not screaming or crying. Spot was holding me still.

The only time I would wake up without screaming or crying was when Spot was holding me. When I would wake up, Spot would sheepishly and tiredly say, "You was crying" or "you was panting".

I didn't like Spot like that. But, he was sweet and the only thing that could put me to sleep.

Snoddy's view

I wanted Al to come back to Manhattan. I missed my selling partner. The women tend to buy from you more if you're with a girl, makes them think you got a sister/wife/child/girl to support too.

That wasn't the only reason I wanted her to come back. Those Brooklyn newsies, they got a rep for being rough with the girls. If any of them touched a hair on her head, I would…

I tried every day to go back to get her, every day. But, Blink would say, "No. Don't bother. I'm going tomorrow" or "I'm going the day after tomorrow. Be patient."

He never went. I pushed him to go; I offered to go for him. He brushed me off, insisted that he would do it.

I needed her to come home.

She needed to come home.

Blink's view

I told the boys I would get Alleyway tomorrow. I told them that every day.

I didn't want to get Alleyway, because it would be harder to say good-bye the second time. I was a coward. I would have to see her again and I didn't want her to hate me.

Spot's view

Alley-Girl needed to go home. She needed to see Snoddy. She was so depressed- couldn't sell papes. She barley ate a thing- half a cup of a coffee and a piece of bread a day. I begged her to eat more. She couldn't sleep. I would hold her long into the night, trying to calm her down for her to sleep long enough. Sometimes it would work and she would sleep. But, rarely it didn't work and she would spend the whole night crying into my chest. I never let go of her. Not once.

Jack Kelly's view

Blink and Snoddy didn't talk anymore. I told them to just go get the girl, but they never did.

None of them bums ever listen to me.

And they call me their leader.

Alley's view

"Heard it's your birthday," Spot said simply as he stood in front of me. I continued to hug my legs to my body as I nodded dimly. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a five dollar bill. I took it from him and looked at it. I handed it back and shook my head sadly.

Spot sighed and sat next to me. He placed a warm hand on my back. "If I could give you anything for your birthday, what would you want," he asked softly.

"I would want to go back to Manhattan," I said. "And see Snoddy."

Spot nodded dimly. "I think I can arrange that." He crossed the room and exited.

I stood up and walked over to the window seat. I hugged my legs to my body, pressing my knees to my chest.

"Al?" I heard a familiar, missed voice say a moment later.

I turned around and a huge smile crossed my face. "Snoddy!" I exclaimed, seeing the familiar, cute boy for the first time in so long. I crossed the room and embraced him with a tight hug. He hugged back. His warm body felt long needed.

"I missed you," Snoddy admitted shyly, as he glanced at my smiling face. I nodded and told him I missed him to.

Spot suddenly appeared, leaning against the doorframe. "First time I've seen that smile in months," he commented, smiling at the sight of me finally happy. "Take her home, Snod," he said. Snoddy nodded. "But, let me talk to you first."

"Okay," Snoddy said. "Get your stuff together, Al, while I talk to Spot." I nodded.

Snoddy entered back into the room a few moments later. His expression was tougher and rough around the edges. "Al." he said, obviously disappointed. "Spot just told me-"

I sighed. "Spot just told you that I haven't been sleeping, eating, talking, or selling papes. Right?"

Snoddy nodded and took me in his arms firmly. "Why?"

"I'm not happy here."

"Come back to Manhattan."

"Don't have to tell me twice."

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BTW: Be VERY beautiful like lightair50, who added this story to their favorite's list! :)