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Chapter 10: Back in 'Hattan

I left with Snoddy about an hour later. I thanked Spot and he told me to visit. I said I would.

Snoddy and I walked back to the Lodge house. I was greeted by a group of familiar, cute, loving, happy newsboys.

"You grown?" I asked Boots, as I crouched down in front of him.

He nodded proudly. "Almost as tall as Snipeshooter!" He bragged.

"Almost," Snipeshooter, his best friend, reminded him.

"I'm still taller than both of you!" Les reminded them. I kissed all three of them on the forehead.
"She kissed me," the three of them whispered together, awe-struck.

The newsies and I laughed at their innocence.

I moved on to David. "If I kiss you," I asked. "Are you gonna have the same reaction?"

He nodded shyly. "Probably." I smiled and kissed his cheek. He crouched next the three young boys and whispered, "She kissed me."

I smiled and laughed.

Blink's view

I spotted Alleyway on the other side of the room. I walked over to her and put a hand on her shoulder. She turned around to face me and I immediately kissed her fondly on the mouth. She shrugged me off.

"Stop!" She muttered as she brushed me off.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Four months." She said coldly. "You left me for four months."

"I was gonna go get you tomorrow." I said quickly.

"You said you would be back to get me SOON." She said, not able to hide the hurt in her voice.

"I did not," I argued.

"Yes! You did!" Boots said.

"Yeah," Dave said. "You promised her that you would get her soon."

I shot them looks that could kill.

"See," she whispered.

"I'm sorry," I said.

And she turned her back on me.

Jack Kelly's view

Alley turned her back on Blink, trying to hide her bruised feelings with a false smile.

Blink had told me how close the two of them had become during their week in Brooklyn. And, seeing by the hurt look on her face, I didn't doubt it.

Snoddy's view

Alley sighed and asked, "Can I sleep in the bunk room from now on?" Jack shot her a questioning look. "Get your mind out of the gutter, boy!" She exclaimed. "It's just I slept with the newsboys' room, and then in Spot's room, in Brooklyn. And, I don't be alone if the-" She cut herself off.

"If what?" I asked, my fingers brushing her back tenderly.

"I'll tell you later," She said, looking me straight in the eye. I nodded, believing her.

"Sure," Jack said. "You can stay in the bunk room. There's an extra bunk between Blink and Snoddy. It can be yours."

She nodded her thanks. She suddenly yawned. "I'm gonna get washed up." She hugged most of the boys again. "It's so nice to be back."

She ran upstairs to the washroom and I waited a good 45 seconds before chasing after her.

I found her in the washroom, her face wet. I handed her the towel and said, "You had something to tell me?" She nodded as she wiped her face. "What did you want to tell me?"

"Nothing," She answered quickly.

"There was something," I argued. "Why aren't you sleeping at night?"

"Dreams," she said simply.

"What dreams?" I asked.

"The ones about the Delancy's. Or you not finding me. Or you dying. Or you and Higgins dying." She answered, emotionlessly.

I watched her face. "Why didn't you tell Spot to bring you home?" I asked.

"I didn't want to require anymore maintenance. I was just another useless pain in his side." She answered.

I took her hand. She sighed. "What about Blink?" I asked.

"I'm mad at him," she said.

"Talk to him." I said. "Give him a chance."

"He had four months worth of chances."

"Maybe you should find out why he didn't use them," I suggested.

"Okay." She whispered.