A/N: I truly love writing this story. I know I haven't written in a while, but I really do have a great explanation. I just spent a year in Ecuador and I had to go to internet cafés for internet. I never had time or money to be on the internet for a long period of time, but now that I'm home I will be finishing this story and hopefully doing a sequel.
Please, READ AND REVIEW!
Chapter 13:
As fall faded into winter, and then winter into spring, Melody existed. Nothing more, just existed. The mornings were simple: pull herself out of bed, scrub down her body and then head to the underpaying 9-5 job she had gotten just to help pay rent. The evenings were also simple: she would come home, make dinner, on some nights she would even eat a little, and then go to bed.
Life seemed to just pass her by.
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Spot leaned against the railing of the train, letting the wind whip through his hair and his shirt blow open. The smells of the New York air slowly became stronger as did the smile spreading across his face. He let his eyes fall shut and his mind wander.
The drama after he had left Emma at the altar had practically chased him out of town. Emma's family and half the town thought he was an uneducated, disrespectful, disgraceful man. Multiple threats had been made on his life; Emma's father was definitely not happy.
But Spot didn't care.
Because, for once, he was happy and he was living his life the way he wanted to.
He was going to find Melody; he was going to spend the rest of his life with her.
He could imagine her; every part of her. The last times he had seen her she had started wearing her hair down. The long blonde locks flowed down her back. Her large blue eyes would meet his, sending shivers down his spine. A slender nose sat stubbornly above round pink lips. Her smile could make him feel lightheaded and her kisses would blow his mind.
He let his mind travel lower down her body, paying close attention to the curves. When he finished at her toes, he slowly opened his eyes and he glanced at his watch; 45 minutes. 45 minutes until the train arrived in New York. Then he would find her and he would never let her go again.
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Later afternoon sun streamed through Melody's bedroom window as another squeal of excitement rang from Kes.
"I can't believe today's the day!" she said excitedly.
"Yeah," Melody said, pulling the straps of her dress up and adjusting the bodice before looking in the mirror, "Kes, you had to pick the ugliest dresses."
Kes giggled and said, "Sorry, I told Race he could pick the design and I could pick the color."
"Well, the color is nice," Melody turned in the mirror watching the blue fabric flow over her body. Melody couldn't believe that Kes was getting married. Of course she knew they would eventually get married, but she hadn't expected it so soon.
One morning, about a month earlier, Kes had bounded into Melody's room announcing her wedding date. Melody was happy for Kes, but it was a bittersweet feeling. Kes was going to marry the man of her dreams. Melody, who was not marrying the man of her dreams, decided to give Race and Kes some space and had moved into a small one bedroom apartment with Jack. She got the bedroom while he slept in a small curtained off space of the living room.
Inevitably she and Jack had become closer friends; even brushing the borders of something more. Some of the winter nights had been record breaking cold and one of the easiest ways to keep warm was body heat.
Kes and Race were taking bets as to when Jack was going to propose to Melody.
That particular morning Melody had been startled awake by Jack wrapping his arm around her and whispering, "How are you doing?" in her ear.
She had shrugged and said, "My best friend is getting married, how do you think I'm doing?"
He had smiled and rubbed her bare shoulder gently before pulling her close and kissing her forehead gently, "Don't worry, you'll fall in love and get married."
"Sure," she had sighed before letting his hands roam farther down her body.
Truthfully, there was only one man she wanted to marry, and he was probably married to another woman right now.
She hadn't heard from Spot since she had gone to see him. It had been months, and she was sure she would never hear from him again. He had found a wife and would start a family. He would live his life without her. Living her life without him seemed impossible.
Kes leaned over her shoulder, pulling Melody out of her thoughts and said, "You're beautiful."
Melody turned and hugged Kes tightly, "No, you're beautiful."
A soft knock on the door caused them to pull apart and Jack entered saying, "Five minutes you two."
"We'd better get going," Kes said, grabbing Melody's hand.
They made their way down to the small dinner hall in Jack's apartment building where all the Newsies and their friends were seated in small pews.
Melody squeezed Kes' hand before walking down the aisle, Jack by her side.
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Spot jumped off the train, swinging his bags over his shoulder before heading out of the station and towards the Brooklyn Lodging House.
As he passed Newsies selling their papers he waved, but didn't stop until he reached the Lodging House. He bounded up the stairs and threw his bags on his bed.
Heading back down stairs, he ran into some of his old Newsies.
"Spot," one boy, Vinnie, said surprised, "What are you'se doin' 'ere?"
"Where's Melody?" Spot said breathlessly.
"Melody?" some of the boys repeated, looking confused.
"We don't know," Vinnie said, "Bud Faith might." He turned to the other boys and ordered, "'Ey, boys, go 'n find Faith."
A few minutes later a small red-headed girl was in front of Spot, wringing her hands nervously and saying, "Melody mentioned a few weeks ago that she was going to Kes and Race's wedding. She should still be there, the reception started about an hour ago."
"Where's the wedding?" Spot asked.
"Jack and Melody's apartment," Faith said quietly, "133 Thatcher Street."
"Thanks," Spot said quickly before running out into the early evening rain and heading towards Thatcher Street.
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Melody sat by herself at a table, watching Kes and Race whisper lovingly to each other as they danced. There were other couples dancing as well, including Dutchy and his fiancé, Mush and Julie and David and his wife.
Jack plopped down next to her, making her jump.
"Hey Mel," he said taking a quick drink of beer, "Why are you sitting here all by yourself?"
Melody shrugged and said quietly, "I'm just," she paused, shrugged again and finished, "not in a celebratory mood."
"Thinking about him?" Jack asked, catching her off guard.
"Am I that obvious?" Melody said with a smile.
"A little," he said, "It's obvious to anyone who knows what happened."
She looked out at the crowd again, "I'm always thinking about him."
"Then just stop," Jack said softly, "Melody, why can't you realize that if Spot was stupid enough to leave you, then he doesn't deserve you."
Melody looked up at him and said, "Gosh Jack, you're making me blush."
He smiled and said, "Come dance with me."
"Jacky, no," Melody groaned as he pulled her up onto the dance floor, "Jack!"
He pulled her close to him and started dancing wildly with her around the room. Her bursts of laughter could be heard across the room, making Kes smile.
Jack pulled her into weird dips and spins, crashing into tables and chairs.
Melody allowed him to push her up into a strange lift before they both crashed to the floor, laughing and trying to get up. Melody made it to her knees before another onslaught of laughter hit her and she slouched down, giggling. It only took her a moment to see the boots standing in front of her face. Her gaze made its way up the boots, up long legs, over a lean, muscular chest, and to confused blue eyes.
Melody froze.
Even though there were still people laughing behind them, Melody and Spot stood in silence, staring at each other and ignoring the world around them.
Finally Melody croaked, "What are you doing here?"
"I," Spot paused, "I… I'm not sure. I wanted to find you, to tell you I left Emma, but I guess you're with Jack now. I," he paused again fumbling for words, "I guess I'll leave you two alone then."
He turned and walked back out into the rain, leaving her standing alone.
Melody stared after him. The words she had wanted to say were finally coming clear in her mind. He had thrown her off guard, and she, not expecting to see him, hadn't been able to form a clear sentence.
Jack leaned on her shoulder, pulling her back to reality, and said, "Was that Spot?"
Without a moment's hesitation Melody pulled out of Jack's grasp and ran out into the pouring rain. It took a few moments for her eyes to adjust to the dark, but she soon spotted him. Running up to him she hit him and threw herself in front of him.
"What's wrong with you?!" she yelled.
"What?" Spot asked, confused.
"Why did you just leave like that? I haven't heard from you in months and one night you just show up and then mysteriously leave again? That's not fair Spot!" Her voice slowly got louder until she was shouting at the top of her lungs, tears spilling down her face.
"Melody, I came to see you, but you're with Jack, I don't want to get in the way of that," Spot said calmly, "You were happier in there than you'd ever been with me."
"So you just decide to leave? Spot, you have no idea what's going on with me and Jack," she hit him again.
"Stop hitting me!" he yelled, "Look, Melody, you and Jack are together now, I shouldn't get in the way, I'm sorry I even came." He turned to leave again, but she rain in front of him, hitting him again. He faced her and bellowed, "What's your problem?!"
This time he regretted yelling at her. She stood in front of him, tears running down her face; her wet hair was plastered to her cheeks and shoulders and her dress was soaked, dripping water into the puddles. She looked completely destroyed.
"You," she paused, a sob racking her body, "You are supposed to fight for me."
"What?" he asked softly.
"You just make judgments and think I'm with Jack, but in reality, you're supposed to fight for me," by the end her voice was a near whisper and her eyes were focused somewhere behind him.
"Melody," he tried to touch her, but she pulled away.
"If you truly loved me, you would have fought for me," she said quietly.
"Mel, I do love you," Spot said, trying to touch her again.
At last her eyes focused on his again and she said, "Then why didn't you fight for me?"
The pain, anger and longing in her eyes rendered him speechless, so he just stood there as she walked back inside.
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Melody walked right into Jack's open arms and he hugged her closely, even though her wet clothing soaked through his own clothes. He led her back to their apartment and into the bathroom where he wrapped a towel around her, trying to help her dry off.
She surprised him by pushing the towel away, standing up and pressing her lips to his.
Pulling away he said, "Melody, are you sure-," but she cut him off.
"Jack, just shut up," she pulled him down to kiss her again and this time he kissed her back.
She pulled his shirt off and had started working on his buckle when the bathroom door slammed open and a fist smashed into Jack's face, knocking him away from Melody.
"Stay away from her Jack," Spot said coldly from the door.
In one sweeping motion he grabbed Melody, pulled her as close as she could get to him and thrust his mouth to hers. Melody felt herself go lightheaded with the intensity of the kiss and her knees collapsed under her, leaving her clinging to Spot for support.
When Spot pulled away he breathed deeply and said, "Melody, I left Emma. I couldn't marry her because I'm in love with you. You are the one and only woman for me; I want to spend the rest of my life with you."
Melody, still trying to catch her breath, stared back at him, shocked. She gasped for words, trying to make her body catch up with her mind, but it wouldn't go fast enough.
Finally Spot said, "Fine, if that's not good enough, I don't know what is," and he walked away, leaving her speechless in a bathroom while Jack lay unconscious and bloody on the floor.
A/N: Read and Review!