Disclaimer: I Don't Own The Newsies. But I Wish I Did.

Chapter 5:

Allison No More

Sighing Allison looked at her clock. "2:00 AM. Ugh I've been at this for hours and I still can't find you." She cried flopping on her back from where she sat on the floor. Reaching for her mug she gripped it and dragged it towards her. Lifting it up, she groaned at how light it was, signaling that it was empty of the coffee she had been drinking.

"Ise think that's yer 12th cup." Spot said as he tapped his cane on the floor noiselessly.

"Yay… lucky number 13." She stated getting off the floor and walking out of her room. Quietly she tiptoed down the stairs.

Grabbing the pot she poured the rest of the contents into the mug and set it in the sink to wash. Putting the mug in the microwave for 1 minute she pressed power and turned to the sink, rinsing out the pot. With a towel she wiped the water off the pot and placed it back where she got it. Going to the microwave she popped it open and grabbed her cup. The hot liquid warmed the mug and soon that warmth spread to her cold fingers. Tucking some sugar packets and cream into her hoodie pocket she walked up the stairs to her room.

Closing the door behind her she resumed her place on the floor next to Spot who had sat down while she was gone reading a news paper. Tearing open a few packets of sugar she poured the little crystals in the cup which was soon followed by some cream. Tossing the empty packages in the trash she grabbed the spoon from the napkin on the floor and stirred the liquid, watching it turn from black to a soft caramel color. Placing the spoon in her mouth she grabbed another paper.

"Lesh shee," She mumbled around the spoon. Sliding it passed her lips; she placed it on the napkin again. "1899… The World."

"Ya ain't gonna find nothin' in there about da strike or me so might as well toss it." Spot commented looking up from the paper he was reading. He almost looked bored with his chin resting on his hand that was placed on his knee as he sat Indian style.

Sighing she tossed the paper into the pile of lost causes as Allison likes to call it. Shuffling through some more papers she mumbled the names "The World, The World, The World, The Journal, The World, The Su-" Retracting the paper from the pile she looked at the front page. "The Sun." Looking at Spot she smiled. "Hey look, you're on the front page."

Looking over at it he smiled. "Yeah, that was right after me and my Brooklyn boys helped da Manhattan boys at their distribution center. It was a trap. One of me little boides told me." Pointing to a boy with dirty blonde hair and an eye patch, He started naming off the guys. "This here's Kid Blink. He told people he was born with out an eye, in truth he gots into a fight and it was damaged real good." Pointing to another boy with a cap on his head and a pink shirt, "That's Skittery," Again he pointed to a different boy. "Itey, Swifty, Specs, Dutchy, Racetrack, Les," Pointing to a boy in the middle of the group. "That's Cowboy, he was da head of da Manhattan newsies. His name was Jack Kelly or Francis Sullivan. Ise called 'im Jacky boy, just like you call your brudda. He was da strike leader along with this guy," He pointed to the guy next to Jack "That's David or da Walking Mouth as I like to call him." Smirking he went on. "Behind David is Mush, Snitch, Pie Eater, Boots, Snipeshooter, Jake, Snoddy, and the last one is Bumlets."

"Interesting names."

"Yeah, each newsie got a new name, ya know incase someone they didn't like or were running from came looking for 'em." Spot commented taking off his hat and placing it in his back pocket.

"How did you get your nickname?" She asked curiously looking at him through her bangs that fell in her eyes.

Rolling up the sleeve of his left arm he showed her a dark birthmark that flawed his near perfect bicep. "Went swimmin' one day after Ise just became a newsie and Ise didn't have a name yet. Took off my shirt the fellas saw this and started calling me Spot."

"Very nice," Allison laughed as she grabbed her cup off the floor and took a drink. The warmth of the liquid felt amazing in her cold room. Replacing it on the floor she stretched. Picking up the paper again she started reading the article. When she finished she put the paper into a new pile.

3 hours, 4 cups of coffee, and 12 newspapers later she was practically ready to sleep on the floor.

"Ise think youse should go to bed." Spot looked at her, even with the coffee he saw how her eyes drooped a bit in tiredness.

"You gonna wake me up at 6 again?" Looking at the clock and seeing that it was already almost 5.

Smirking he looked away "I haven't decided yet."

"Punk," Allison commented as she took her mug to her bathroom and cleaned out the cup. Brushing her teeth she leaned against the doorway and watched him as he ran his hand through his hair. She could practically see the wheels in his head turning. She took this time to admire him. His strong build hiding under loose clothes. His hair that still shined; even after all those years. He was extremely handsome she'd give him that. Walking back into the bathroom she spit the toothpaste in the sink and rinsed the small brush. Yawning she stepped out of the room switching the light off as she went. "Goodnight Spot."

The King of Brooklyn just grunted in response as he continued to read the paper that had interested him.

Pulling down her blankets Allison laid down welcoming the warmth that the blankets promised. Taking off her glasses she put them on the night stand and turned to her side watching a blurry Spot as her eyelids slowly closed and sleep overtook her.

Taking a breath in Allison stretched turning over onto her stomach and looked at her clock. "12:45," she mumbled as she buried her head into her pillows to shut out the light from the windows. "Stupid mornings."

Grabbing her glasses she put them on and blinked at the news boy that was still sitting on the floor. "Have you been reading all night?"

"Yeah, got nothin' else bettah ta do." He shrugged moodily and she made a face at his back.

Sitting up she stretched and groaned a bit as her back cracked. As she sat watching Spot for a bit she gasped as she felt something slither down her shoulder. Turning to look at what it was slowly; she screamed and fell off the bed.

"JACK!"

Spot was on his feet quickly looking about ready to attack whatever it was that scared her. "What's wrong?"

An albino Burmese python sat happily its body wrapped around Allison's bed frame. Jack ran into the room and seeing the snake he smiled and walked over.

"Banana, bad snake I couldn't find you anywhere." He said as he picked it up.

"You lost your snake?" Allison gritted through clenched teeth. Spot looked at her seeing that she was seriously thinking about killing her younger brother.

"I didn't lose her, I just couldn't find her." He stated putting the yellow and white snake around his shoulders and turned to her its head in his hand. "Wanna pet her?"

Jumping back she ran into a pile of newspapers, which only made her trip and landed on her back painfully. "NO! Jack you get that thing out of here or so help me god I will kill you and that damn thing." She swore pointing to the door.

Deciding to mess with her he took the snake off his shoulders and held it close to her watching her try and squirm away from it. "DAD!" Spot couldn't help but laugh at her. He was practically doubled over clutching his stomach.

"Jack, leave your sister alone. Put Banana back in her cage now!" Their father yelled from downstairs.

"FINE!" Jack yelled back mumbling about never getting to have any fun; as he left the room he had to duck as one of Allison's shoes went flying at his head as her irritated scream filled the room. Slamming her bedroom door she crossed her arms over her chest and huffed turning around to find the newsie laughing. Already irritated she cuffed him upside the head, making Spot stop laughing both in shock and confusion.

"What the hell is so funny?!" She snapped as she stomped over to her bathroom and slammed the door. Spot blinked a few times; rubbing the area she had hit him.

"You can touch me?!" He yelled in confusion as he walked to the door but didn't dare go in.

"Obviously!" She yelled at him as the shower turned on apparently she was still pissed.

Spot paced the room as she showered thinking about this. No one had ever had the guts to hit him, no newsie that was for sure. Now this girl comes along and she can hear, see, and touch him? Growling he slammed his cane onto her dresser. No one was going to touch him, especially not this broad. He looked over as the bathroom door opened. She peeked her head out slowly.

"Leave the room or turn around." She demanded.

"Look goily; youse ain't da boss of me!" Spot snapped as he gripped the cane till his already pale hands were almost pure white. "What gives you the right to even lay a finger on me?!?" The mirror attached to her dresser started to shake along with the pictures on her walls; slowly at first then it become more forceful with his anger. Various objects fell to the floor with a crash. Newspapers flew every which way. Obviously Spot had more power then they expected.

"KNOCK IT OFF!!" She yelled her temper starting to get the better of her again and she threw the door open and walked out, a fluffy white towel hung around her.

"WHAT'S WRONG WITH YA?!?!" The boy yelled as he quickly turned around.

"Hey, I told you to leave or turn around, I gave you fair warning!" She pointed out to him as she picked up the wooden jewelry box off the floor careful not to cut herself on some glass that broke from a picture frame the low melody hung in the air around them. She seethed with anger to find the lid of it had been broken off in the fall. "YOU BROKE IT!!" Flinging open her drawer in a huff she quickly grabbed her undergarments and a pair of plain black leggings. Next she walked over to her closet and yanked a deep purple tunic dress with elbow length sleeves off a hanger that fell to the floor with a clatter only adding to the mess. Stomping back into the bathroom she slammed the door again, the music box still clenched to her chest.

Sighing Spot calmed down a bit seeing the sadness that she tried to hide in her eyes. Looking at the mess he made he growled again and disappeared to the attic.

Allison sat on the bathtub fully dressed now fiddling with the broken box. 'This is just not my day.' She thought as she blinked back tears as its soft music filled the room. Sniffing she stood up and walked out of the door expecting to be faced with Spot. Luckily for her, he was gone. Grabbing a pair of socks out of her opened drawer and a wool cap from the post of her bed, she plucked her high top converse off the floor and walked out of her room not even caring to look at the damage the ghost had done. Closing the door quietly behind her; Jack came from his room.

"What was all that yelling about?"

"Nothing booger leave me alone." She stated quietly.

"Is that mom's jewelry box?" He asked with wide eyes.

Nodding she walked down stairs ignoring her brothers calls to come back. Placing her shoes and socks next to the stairs and her hat on the end of the stair rail, she peeked into her fathers study.

"Daddy?" She called and walked in.

"Hey princess," Seeing his daughters distressed look he dropped his papers on his desk. "What's wrong?"

"My jewelry box broke in the move." She held it out to him. The music starting to play again as the lid slipped to the floor. Cringing as it hit, she picked it up. "Is there a way to fix it?"

Taking the box from her gently he looked at it and nodded. "I think there is." Holding his hand out for the lid he instructed her to put on her shoes and sock and grab a jacket.

Nodding she left the office and sat on the stairs slipping her socks on and then her shoes. Plucking her jacket off the rack by the front door she turned and slipped her cap over her still wet hair. Slipping her jacket on her father came out and smiled warmly at her as he threw a scarf around his neck and grabbed his trench coat.

"JACK!" he yelled up the stairs.

"What?!"

"Your sister and I are leaving for a bit, Nancy's in the kitchen if you need her!"

"Kay!" The boy yelled back as they left.

The trip to the hardware store didn't take to long and soon Allison found herself sitting on the living room floor as her father fixed the box. The soft music from it floated gently in the air. Leaning on the coffee table she watched anxiously as he screwed in the last screw.

"There we go." Robert stated happily handing her the wooden trinket. "Good as new."

Smiling she took it gently, the tune no longer playing and stood up. "Thank you Daddy." She kissed him on the cheek and hugged him. Turning she started to walk out of the room.

"Allison," She turned and looked at her father. "That's the music box I made for your mother isn't it?"

Nodding she gave him a sweet smile and headed up to her room. Opening the door she sighed and closed it again. "Damn it Conlon." She cursed and set the music box on her bed. She quickly cleaned her room replacing picture frames and odd knick knacks back in there place. Reminding herself the next time she goes out to buy new frames.

Sitting on her bed Indian style she didn't bother taking off her shoes. It was warmer in her room with Spot gone, much warmer. Looking at the clock she was surprised to find that I was near 5 in the evening. Cleaning took longer then she expected. She picked up the music box again and adjusted her sitting arrangement so that she was leaning against the headboard of her bed her feet crossed at the ankles in front of her. Opening the box she hummed the tune closing her eyes.

She sat like that for a bit and then got up not closing the box and sat at her desk. Turing on her laptop she waited patently till it started up, she typed in her password and then clicked on the internet when she was ready.

"Spot Conlon." She mumbled to herself as she typed it slowly in the search engine. Sighing she leaned forward her chin in her hand as she moved the mouse across the screen. Mumbling curses and a few rude gestures at her computer she leaned back. "It's like he never even existed. I can't find shit on him." Typing a few more things in quickly she found something that she thought looked promising. Clicking on it she read it out loud to herself. "Theodore Conlon also known as "Spot" is still missing. It has been 2 weeks since that Brooklyn youth has been seen. Friends are still hopeful," Biting her bottom lip she continued to read this small article. "Printed July 23, 1904 by Bryan Denton, this Denton guy was sure involved with the newsies."

Shivering a little she looked at the goose bumps that formed on her arms. 'Well Mr. Grouchy is back.' She thought as she kept her eyes trained on the screen in front of her.

"Allison," He spoke softly. "Look I'm sorry about yer music box. I didn't mea-"

"Theodore."

"Huh?" Stepping closer to her he peeked over her shoulder.

"Your name… its Theodore," Sighing she watched him nod. "Did you remember?"

"Remembah?"

"That your name was Theodore. According to this article that I found you've been missing since July 9th 1904."

Thinking Spot sat down on her bed. "Yeah, I remembah me mudda named me Theodore Richard Conlon."

"Theodore Richard Conlon." She rolled the name around her tongue before smiling. "It suits you in a strange why."

Grunting he pulled out his cane rolling it around in his hands then tapped it noiselessly on the wooden floor. "Listen, Ise been thinking," She swiveled around in her chair and looked at him her arms and legs crossed. "'Bout our fight, ya got guts kid, and a whole lota spunk. It takes a brave person ta hit me let alone back talk me, and youse did it without even thinking." He paused there and looked at her with his steel blue eyes. "Though I'm still confused on how you can even touch me."

Shrugging she blinked as her contacts started to dry out. "Think of it this way. If I can see you and I can hear you, I can touch you. Because even though you're body is gone to me you're a solid form. Almost, like you're alive. Even though you appear and disappear out of thin air."

Nodding the teen's eyes narrowed in concentration "So to youse I'm just like yer fadda and yer brudda?"

"Yeah basically," She picked at her nails. "Sorry I hit you by the way. If you haven't already figured out I'm afraid of snakes."

Shrugging his shoulders he got back to the point. "So anyway I decided on somethin'"

"What's that?"

"Yer newsie name," He threw her his famous smirk as she eyed him curiously. "I was gonna call ya Spunk but I changed my mind, from now on I'm gonna call youse Spirit, on account that you can see us."

"Spirit," she said quietly nodding. "I like it."

His eyes seemed to lighten as she said this. Swiveling around in her chair she clicked for a new tab to come up on the internet window. Typing in the search engine Spot leaned over her shoulder again to look making a chill run down her spine. He smirked as he notice her shiver a bit. "What are ya doin'?"

"Do you think you can point out the dock you and your newies would be at on a map of modern Brooklyn?"

Looking down at her he raised an eyebrow. "I can try. But why would youse wanna know?"

"Because Mr. Conlon, tomorrow I'm going on a field trip." She said practically throwing his own smirk over her shoulder at him.

(A/N): Sorry that it wasn't up sooner today. I kept changing parts of it because I wasn't happy with a certain scene. Anyway I hope you all liked this chapter. Hopefully it's starting to be more interesting. Please tell me what you think. =] Happy Holidays! A big THANK YOU to all my Lovely Reviewers!!