A/N: Okay, MAJOR warning for this chappie! I have some…detailed words and I pretty much bash Sarah. It takes place in a night and two wonderful Manhattan Newsies come to the rescue. Enjoy! REVIEW TOO!

Disclaimer: Sadly, I still don't own the Newsies….and Whisper belongs to SpellBell and Catherine belongs to Margie Driscoll…two lovely writers!

Chapter Eight:

The Terrible Forgotten Secret

Rachel's POV:

Groggily, I picked my head up off the pillow. My head pounded and immediately I knew it was because of all the laughing and talking me, Catherine, and Whisper had done last night. Or was it tonight? It was dark outside, so I figured it was about midnight or early morning. Yawning I sat up, and looked around me. Catherine and Whisper were fast asleep on the cots we had arranged in a circle. I had felt closer to them already, since our 'girl talk.' I had never really had one before, being that I had grown up with only a father and then no one, until the Newsies found me, which wasn't saying much. It was awesome to be able to talk about the things that I wouldn't dare talk about, even to Jack, not to mention Race. I sighed deeply and stretched my arms up over my head. I missed Race, and Jack…and everyone else in Manhattan. Not so much Sarah…no definitely not Sarah. I wondered if Jack and the boys knew about Oscar and Sarah. I shook my head in disgust. To think that Sarah had always said she despised Oscar and now…she was dating him! I just couldn't believe it, after all I told her about him. I knew I had set myself up. I just knew it. Now, I couldn't take back the things I told her, and it was going to be my death. I was sure of it, because the things I told her about him, I hadn't even had the guts to tell Jack. It was the night after the rally and I just spilled my heart out to her. And now she had betrayed me, just like most people in my life. Sighing in frustration, I stood up and looked around the room.

"Bitch," I muttered, under my breath, thinking about Sarah and her betrayal. Sighing again, I opened the door and walked out into the hallway. Moonlight poured in from a window at the end of the hallway. Walking slowly, I made my way to it and looked out. The street below was deserted, except for a passing carriage pulled by two wonderfully white horses. The carriage stopped for a bit in front of the lodging house and then started on it's way again. I shook my head and leaned up against the wall, looking out at the sky. It was a cloudless night and it was truly beautiful. I crossed my arms and closed my eyes, trying to picture what my life would have been like if my parents hadn't died. I wouldn't have met Jack…or Race for that matter. Or anyone really….and definitely not Spot.

Spot…what was I to do about him? Over the course of our talk, I knew that I had become accustomed already to having him around, even though it had truly been only one day. I couldn't believe what Catherine and Whisper had told me, yet part of me wanted to believe it. I just…didn't know what to do. My mind was in a maze of hazy thoughts and I didn't even know how to begin sorting them. I heard a door open from behind me or so I thought, so I turned my head and saw Spot standing out in the hallway, eyeing me curiously.

"Whatcha doin' out heah?" He asked, walking towards me. His hat, cane, and slingshot were missing, so he looked…weird.

I shrugged. "I woke up and came out here….whys?" I asked, turning my attention away from him and back to the moonlit street.

"Because ya should be sleepin' afta all tha chattah ya did last night with me sistahs."

I laughed quietly, so as not to disturbed anyone. "Yeah, that was fun. I've nevah had a group of real girls ta talk to."

"Yeah, but ya had Sarah didn't ya?" He asked, rather uncomfortable for some reason.

I shook my head in disbelief and looked back at him. "No, Spot. I thought I had Sarah as one of my friends, but she betrayed me…bitch." I muttered under my breath.

Spot's eyes went wide. "Whatcha just say?"

"Bitch, Spot, because that's what she is. She betrayed the Manhattan Newsies, and me. I hate her for it."

"Why, because she dumped Jack?"

"NO!" I yelled, then quieted immediately because I realized that people were still sleeping. "Spot, she didn't dump Jack. Jack dumped her because the little whore cheated on him wit an archenemy…" I said, leaving it up to Spot to realize who it was. But he had a confused look on his face. "Think, Spot! Think real hard! Who does Jack hate over anyone else!"

"Um…honestly Rach…I don't know." Spot said, almost apologetically.

"Damnit! Oscar, Spot! It's Oscar! I told her everything about my past and everything about Oscar and she swore she hated him! Now she's wit him and I'm scared they'll both come afta me!" I yelled in frustration then hit the wall with my hand. "Damn her! I hope she becomes a tramp! Oh, wait she already is a tramp!" I then screamed in frustration and slide down the wall until I was sitting against it, looking up at the moon and wondering why my fate had landed me here. All this was going on around me and I was in the midst of it all. My parents were dead because of me. I had to be shipped to Brooklyn away from the only family I've come to known, all because of me! And now I've risked the lives of the Brooklyn Newsies because of my stupidity!

"Rach, calm down." Spot said, reaching out his hand to me, but I hit it away. I didn't want to be comforted, I just wanted everything to be alright. I just wanted to be at a real home, with a real family. I didn't want to become attached to Spot, because I knew that I'd have to let go sooner or later. But inside of me I didn't want to let go. I had feelings for Spot, whether they be weak now or growing. I didn't give a damn. I pounded my hands to the floor and closed my eyes. I could hear the other Newsies getting up and running up the stairs, but I didn't care.

Flashback: I was walking down an alley at night, hurrying to get back to the Manhattan lodging house. I knew Oscar was somewhere near but I didn't look out for him. Suddenly, I was tackled from behind and pinned to the ground by two strong hands. Suddenly, they pushed me over, so that my back was on the ground. I looked up into Oscar's face as he smiled cruelly down at me. "Dis time ya won't get away." He sneered and grabbed my wrists into his right hand and pulled them up over my head. His other hand unzipped his pants as I screamed in terror. He smacked my face and I could taste the sweet taste of blood on my lip. I still screamed, as loud as I could, and he kept hitting me and hitting me and I just kept screaming until I could hear voices of the bulls from nearby. Quickly, Oscar got up and looked down at me. "Any word of dis and ya can say goodbye ta Jack." He said before running off.

Suddenly, just as it had begun, it was over. I was being shaken by Spot whose eyes were so wide, I thought they'd pop out of his head. "Rachel!" He screamed in my ear.

"Let me go!" I screamed, throwing his hands off me with force. I back away from him until I reached the window wall. I could see the rest of the Newsies standing behind Spot with wide eyes and frightened looks on their faces.

"Rachel, ya were screaming and yelling for help!" Spot said helplessly, trying to come closer.

"No, get away! Just get away!" I yelled and I heard a door practically being wrenched off the hinges as Catherine and Whisper came running towards us.

"SPOT!" Catherine yelled, pushing him out of the way as she and Whisper bent down beside me. "What happened?"

"Her eyes rolled back inta her head and she just started screamin' and everytin'." Spot said, worriedly, running a hand through his hair.

"Rachel!" Whisper said, shaking me. I looked at her with dead eyes. Nothing was happening around me, that I was certain of. It was all just a terrible nightmare. The flashback that I refused to believe happened. It couldn't have happened, could it?

"Rachel…" I could hear Ricky's pleading voice. "Say sometin."

"Help me…" I said, then looked at Whisper and Catherine who both looked at me, slackjawed. "Please, just help me…"

"Rachel," Catherine said, taking one of my hands in hers. "What happened?"

"Tell us Rach, why do you need help?" Whisper said, looking at me with concern. I grabbed her shirtsleeve and pulled her close so that I could whisper in her ear. Catherine, almost knowing I wanted her to hear, bent close to me too.

"He hurt me…I can't get away from him…I just can't. He hurt me…I'm so scared." I whispered and then released her sleeve.

Knowing what I was talking about Whisper and Catherine exchanged frightening glances.

"Wha's happening? Wheah is she?" I could hear a familiar voice coming closer and looked up to see Jack running towards me, with only his undershirt and pants on. "Rachel." He exclaimed, kneeling down to me. Catherine and Whisper, being as understanding as they can, stood up and moved away a bit to give me and Jack privacy.

"Jack," I said meekly looking up at him with beaten eyes. "I'm so sorry…I meant ta tell ya." I said, then heard another voice and looked up.

"Let me thru!" Race said, running towards me and Jack. "Rach!" He bent down and quickly kissed me on the forehead. "Rach, what happened?" He asked, taking my hand in his and kissing it quickly.

"Race," I said, touching his cheek with my fingers. "I'm so sorry…so sorry…I didn't mean ta….honestly I didn't."

"Rach, ya talkin' mad now. Tell us, what's wrong?" Race said, barely getting through his words, he was all choked up.

Jack turned my face towards his. "Rachel, what happened? Did anyting happen ta ya that we need ta know about?" He asked worriedly.

I smiled. "You're all so worried…and I'm so sorry…I can't do this anymore…" I said and with that fainted into Race's arms.