One roll of the dice, One flip of a knife

Chapter seven: Leadah

By: Ambrlupin

Rated: M

Summary: Race has gotten himself in way over his head on the wrong side of the bridge. Can Spot Conlon get him out of it? Or will Manhattan blood be shed on Brooklyn soil? (Friendship or slash, however you want to look at it)

Disclaimer: if I did own newsies would I settle for not making money of it? Nuff said.

A/N: Second newsies fic! Hehehe, this is what happens when I read too many Spot and Race centric fanfics. -smile- hope ya like it!

For those of you who read 'For Brooklyn' there might be cameo appearances from the ever wonderful Docks, Shorty, and Ace...we'll just have to see. Red IS in here, though.

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Red walked down the streets of Manhattan, hands in his pockets. His mind was a flurry of thoughts, swirling over his head, in and out. Memories of when Spot was a child, memories of a forgotten time.. Briefly he wondered what had went wrong, what he had done.

The truth was, he hadn't done anything wrong. He had raised the little hellion to the best of his ability, and even though Spot was being a royal you know what, there was pain there, deep in his eyes. Too deep for anyone else to see, too hidden.

But he was slipping, losing grip fast. His defenses were falling, either that or his boys knew him better than Spot could ever imagine. Because they knew something was wrong.

"Im sorry, Reddy." Docks murmurred as they stood on the edge of the bridge, "Spot just...isn't himself."

"No kiddin." Red muttered, running a hand through his hair, "I want you to watch him for me, all right?"

The other's eyebrows shot up, "Woah, woah, BACK UP. You want...me to spy...on Spot Conlon! What if he catches me!"

"Well, you do have dat lovable personality. Use it." He grinned, turning to leave. It really didn't bother him that he had been kicked out of Brooklyn, it bothered him because he couldn't keep an eye on Spot.

"Hey, Leadah?"

Red froze, "Don't call me dat, Docks."

Docks shook his head, "Right now, you're the only leadah Brooklyn has. What's back there," He jerked a finger behind him, "aint Spot."

"No..." He shook his head, "It's just...something I should have taken care of a long time ago, that's all. Its my fault all this is happening, that he is like this."

"Is it because of Race leavin heah?"

The elder turned a little, eyebrow raised. "You weren't here when dat happened, Docks. How do you know?"

The newsie grinned, "Like you said, I have my loveable personality." His face fell though, a split second later, "Just go, all right? I'll keep an eye on Spot for ya."

"How do you know about Race?" He asked again.

Docks shook his head, "Ill be your spy, Leadah, but I aint gonna tell you everything."

Wasn't that just a good thought? A spy who wouldn't tell you everything?

But it was the best he could have done at the time, and...Looking back on it now, it wasn't that bad a call. Sure, Docks was a little slippery at times, but everyone was. And one thing was sure. He would spy on Spot for him, and even if he said he wouldn't, he would tell Red everything.

"Ill be your spy, Leadah, but I aint gonna tell you everything."

He was such a liar.

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"Hey, Race...Are you sure you're okay?" The Bronx leader asked for like the thirtieth time since they had met. "You really don't look good, man."

"Im fine!" The poker player snapped, "Im just tired, that's all!"

Yeah, tired, woozy, nauseous, and many other things that all pointed to the face he was not fine, but why would he let such a stupid thing stop him? He had to figure out what to do with Spot, had to find out what was going on in that midget's brain.

"You're shorter than he is!" Ace chuckled, and Race realized he must have said that last part out loud. "Really, Race, what is going on? I thought you two were friends!"

'Yeah...I thought we were too.' The other thought as he leaned back against the wall. It would be dark soon, and that was when they would move, finding another place to stay. They couldn't keep in one place, that would only make it easier to find them.

"Race...?"

"Race...?"

"Drop it." Race snapped, arms crossed. He saw Ace's face fall and immediately regretted his harshness to the other. He hadn't really been the nicest of people ever since the leader had found him, and Ace was only trying to help...

But he was finding it quite hard to not think about Spot, and the way his mind was processing information- at a slower than normal rate- Spot was all he was going to be thinking about for a while yet.

"Race...?"

He heard the phantom voice in his head again and closed his eyes wearily, letting himself go, letting himself go back to a time in which he remembered little of his past, and nothing of his future. To a time where Brooklyn was secure under Red, and he...he didn't have a care in the world.

Spot blinked down at him, poking his shoulder for nearly the eighth time. "What are you doin?" He asked, a large cap pulled low on his head.

Race yawned, hand coming up to protect his eyes from the sharp sun. "Im takin a nap, kid. What's it look like?"

Indeed he was, right underneath the docks, a few feet from where the water met the earth. It was cool down there, and did a fairly good job of giving him privacy and keeping the light from his eyes. Most of the time.

"It's the middle of da day, Race!" He whined, kneeling by his side. When he whined, his lower lip stuck out just a little, giving him a cute little pout. "Come on! Play wit me!" He gave the other another jab in the ribs. "RAAACEEEEEE!"

Race groaned as he jerked, mostly by instinct, to get away from the poking. "Im tired, Spot, go bother someone else!" He said it sharper than he intended, and far too accusing.

When he opened his eyes, the kid was gone. He should have gotten up then and there, to find the other and apologize, but he didn't. He just sighed happily and lowered his hat to block the rest of the sun.

He would find him later, he decided. After his nap.

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The Brooklyn lodging house was as quiet as the grave.

Soon after Red had been escorted out, the newsies began to come to the conclusion that they were going to either have to bite their tongues and wait it out, or they were going to be hurt, thrown out, or worse.

And most of them didn't wish to take such a risk.

"Where's Spot?" Docks asked as he came back from dropping Red off, his hands in his pockets. He shut the door behind him softly, walking in towards a group in the back corner.

"Sleepin." Flip answered as he bent to wrap another length of bandage around Shorty's upper arm, which was sporting a nice gash. Blood was clinging to his hands and as he wiped a strand of hair from his face, some smeared across his forehead.

"What happened?" He exclaimed, grabbing a seat so he could sit next to his best friend.

"I yelled at him." Shorty said it calmly, without the anger and fear that he was feeling entering his voice. "I shouldn't have done that, but he shouldn't have thrown Red out either."

"Quiet." that was from Flip, who gently tied the bandage off. "Wouldn't want him to hear ya, Shorts. Ya gotta stop gettin on his bad side, this is twice I've had ta bandage you up."

"Leadah said he is gonna try and take care of it on his end." Docks whispered, leaning so close their heads were almost touching. "Trust him, and stop causin trouble."

Shorty blinked wide-eyed at him, and it was due mostly to the title. However, he didn't need to ask to who he was referring to, that was all too clear at this point. He paused, and then nodded once. "All right."

Flip wiped his hands off on a towel. "Dat's good ta hear. Where is he getting dis help?"

Docks grinned, leaning back a bit. He crossed his arms and shut his mouth, eyebrow raised a bit. "Wouldn't you like ta know."

Instead of playing along, which is what would have happened in the past, Flip just met his comical gaze with a stern one. "I do, cause im tired of takin care of those who get on da bad side of Spot and his new knife."

Checkmate on that one.

Docks winced a bit, and let the forced cheerfulness fade from his face. He ran a hand through his hair, "Where else would he get help?"

No one needed to say it. The only place Red would find anyone willing to help out when Spot was being a royal pain in the behind...was Manhattan.

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okay, guys, this is the last one I have for right now- cause, well, I have to write the others/ -grin- shouldn't take TOO long.

But now, use that nifty button and drop me a line. I get lots of reviews...and ill hurry and write faster.