Chapter 6

Two weeks later….

Spot, of course, came to the funeral. Right after Queens had vacated their spare room in the Brooklyn LH and gone back to their home territory it was held, and all who had known and/or respected River was invited. Spot, even though he was none of these things, was just present to be there for Fury, who hadn't been seen outside of the Queens LH due to preparing for the funeral. Although not very many newsies wore black minus the Queen (who wore it all the time), they all made a conservative effort to dress somewhat presentable. Even Racetrack Higgins had taken off time betting at the races to come, saying that since he'd known River as a kid and was good friends with Fury he felt obligated to come and support her. Spot couldn't help but feel slightly jealous as Race pulled her into a hug, but being good friends with him Spot let it slide. They were just friends and he couldn't hold it against either of them.

The Queen of Queens didn't notice Spot was at the event until she saw him leaving, and hurried over to meet him. "Going already?" she asked casually, smirking as she caught him trying to slide out the back door. "I would've thought you'd like to see me before you left." The King of Brooklyn snorted and turned to face her, face red. "Isa thought youse would be busy with everyone else. Deemed it best not ta intrude." Fury chuckled weakly and stepped beside him. "Well, I'm glad you came anyhow. So, you're going back to Brooklyn then?" Spot nodded, thinking he detected a hint of disappointment in her tone. "Yeah, why?"

Fury shrugged. "I was just about to tell you, one of my newsies is still over in your sick room. The one with the broken ribs? I was wondering if I needed to pick him up tomorrow. The doctor said he couldn't be moved until he got slightly better." Spot nodded, remembering the poor newsgirl lying in Brooklyn. "Isa send her ova as soon as Isa can tomorrow-"

"No, no, I'll pick her up!" Fury said hurriedly. After enduring a surprised look from Spot, she hastily explained, slightly red in the face. "It's just that we recently spotted a couple Harlem newsies on our border recently. My new second Beaver's pretty sure they're harmless, but just to make sure….." She let her voice trail off. Spot nodded in understanding. "Sure, I'll have err waiting when ya arrive." Fury broke out into a grin. "Thanks Conlon, I appreciate it. I might as well come and visit, as I don't have areason to come over into Brooklyn anymore." Spot sighed and nodded, saddened. "Yeah," he murmured, almost to himself. "No reason whatsoever."

$N$

True to her word, Fury did appear in Brooklyn the next day with an escort, whom she introduced as Beaver. Spot spit shook with the beefy boy and turned back to Fury, who smiled warmly at him. "So, Annie?" she asked, inquiring about the newsgirl who was coming home with them. Spot nodded, motioning upstairs. "Yeah, we'll get err' now. Hey Dusty!" he yelled up. "Get Annie, dere here!" A sandy haired boy appeared at the top, nodded once, and ducked into a small room off the stairwell for a brief moment and reappear again with Annie. The newsgirl squealed in delight, happy to see a familiar face, and tried to rush down the stairs towards Fury, but after almost tripping let Dusty gently lead her down. Spot smiled slightly. An' ta think almost a month ago we was all enemies here, an' now look at us. Friends all around and I'm fallin' for a da leader more dedicated ta err' borough than anyone in da world.

The very thought made him feel noxious. Fury was indeed loyal to her borough family and her territory, as leaders should be, but more than Spot would ever be. They were the only thing permanent to her, and she wouldn't give it up for anything- anyone- in the world. Period, done, end of story. She didn't have the time nor the interest to think of Spot as anything more than a friend.

That could change if you made a move, a voice whispered in his ear.

She's too smart! Spot objected to his nagger. She wouldn't even consider it, much less wait to hear me out!

You don't know until you try.

Says who?

Says me!

Face it, she's the one that got away. I don't have a shot at her!

Not according to Ink.

Well Ink might be wrong! He could have interoperated things into emotions that were never there-

And what if he was right? Then you'll have lost her forever, the nagger reminded him. Spot sighed, subconsciously shaking his head. He couldn't argue with himself. Watching silently as Annie, Beaver and Fury chatted, he waited until they were done before approaching. "Hey, uh, Fury?" Spot asked. "Can Isa talk ta youse for a second?" The Queen looked at him, curious and uncertain. "I guess so," she started to say, but Beaver cut her off. "Fury, we gotta get back soon," her second reminded her. "It's gettin' dark."

Fury rolled her fiery eyes and looked back at Spot expectantly. "Go on without me Beaver. This won't take but a minute, right Spot?" she informed him. Spot shrugged. "Yeah, sure. Won't take long." Beaver nodded to Fury, glancing at Spot suspiciously, but left with Annie anyways. Fury turned to Spot, smiling slightly. "Alright, you got me. What do you need?" The King smiled mischievously and took her hand, leading her up the stairs. "Ta show ya something!" he replied. "C'mon."

The two newsie leaders made their way up the lodging house stairs and Spot led her through an open window, where a fire escape was. "Watch ya head," the newsboy chuckled, helping Fury out onto the balcony and up an iron ladder, towards the roof. "Where are we going?" she laughed, the old fire in her eyes returning. Spot grinned smugly but kept going. "Youse'll see soon enough." He climbed the last ladder and hoisted Fury up on the roof behind him, smirking. He waved his hand across the horizon and the setting sun. "Here it is." Fury gasped in delight and placed her hands over her mouth. "Oh. My. Gosh," she whispered in shock.

The scene around them was magnificent, complete with a full view of the Bridge and the surrounding boroughs, the buildings around them standing tall in the New York landscape. Smoke from the factories rose up in the air and disappeared once the sun hit them, making the horizon look like something out of a picture book. "Ya like it?" Spot asked, a bit timidly (but not too much) once he saw the look on her face. Fury let her hands drop as she grinned at him. "It's great, I- When- How in world did you discover all of this?" Spot shrugged and sat down on the rooftop, motioning for Fury to sit down beside him. The Queens newsgirl did so, and they stared out across Brooklyn quietly, admiring the scenery.

"So," Spot began. "How ya doin'. With River's death an' all. Isa realized Isa nova asked dat yesterday." Fury looked down, acting like it was no big deal when it really was. "Your fine, really. To tell you the truth I'm kind of relieved. River was going to get himself killed sooner or later, no matter what he did or if the war had happened or not. I'm just glad that it's over and I can actually start to change Queens. Return it to its former glory days, you know?" Spot nodded silently. "Yeah, Isa figured youse would say dat."

"But enough about my plans," Fury suddenly said, changing the topic. "What about you, Spot? It's been a whole month since things in Brooklyn were, well, normal . I'll bet you're happy to return to your old lifestyle; selling papers, ruling your borough without opposition, chasing after pretty girls!" She laughed at her own joke, but fell silent once she saw the look on her friend's face. "Hey, that was a joke," she teased him, bumping him in the arm with her elbow playfully. "You're supposed to laugh, or at least tell me it was good or bad!"

Spot looked up at her, breathing out exasperatedly. "Actually, Isa ain't all dat happy right now," he admitted slowly. "I'm gonna loose someone Isa care about pretty soon, an' Isa can't do nothin' about it." Fury's jaw dropped and she bit her lip anxiously. "Did one of your newsies get hurt during the last fight?" she questioned hurriedly. "Are they alright? How long do they have-" "Fury, calm down, everyone in Brooklyn's fine," Spot consoled, trying to keep Fury from panic. The Queen looked at Spot quizzically. "Then who?" she asked, puzzled. Spot turned and looked her directly in the eyes, replying truthfully, "You."

Fury's jaw dropped immediately. "M-Me?" she stuttered, desperately wrapping herself around what Spot had said. Spot, meanwhile, had stood up and left her side on the roof, walking away some 5 feet and turned away. "Yeah, you," he muttered, crossing his arms and looking out over the darkening streets. Fury, finally managing to grasp the full concept of the situation, stood up as well, but stayed where she was regardless. "Why me then?" she whispered, her musical voice barely audible. "I'm not going away forever Spot, you know that. I'll only be one borough over-"

"But youse will be, even den," Spot interrupted, finally pivoting around and looking at her with a strained expression. "Ya have no reason ta return ta Brooklyn now dat da war is ova, ya said it youseself. Youse ain't gonna leave Queens for anything, ya too loyal for dat, more den Isa eva gonna be. I'll probably nova see youse for another year, if more. So yeah, Isa will lose ya Fury! Dere ain't no way around it!" The Queen of Queens stared at her friend in shock, never thinking she'd hear him say anything like this in her whole life. "Spot, it doesn't have to be this way," she pleaded. "Alright, maybe I don't have a reason to come around, that doesn't mean I can't-"her words were cut off as Spot took one swift step forward and kissed her square on the mouth.

$N$

At first Fury was in shock, too stunned to say anything. The Queen felt her whole body go rigged, yet slowly and surely she relaxed and began to kiss back. She enjoyed it, for about a minute, but then fear crept into her heart. Fury suddenly tensed up and jerked away, stepping back and looking off in denial. Spot looked at her perplexed, his beautiful blue eyes blinking, confused. "Watt is it?" the King asked, cocking his head. Fury turned completely around and ran her long fingers through her glossy black hair, shaking her head. "This is wrong, Spot," she said, breath staggered and shallow. "I can't do this."

Spot stared at her, more stunned than anything. But slowly Fury saw the blank look disappear off of his face and be replaced with an annoyed expression. "Watt da ya mean, ya can't?" he demanded. Fury bit her lip, debating on whether to go through with this argument or let it drop. "That's just it Spot, I can't. There's too much at stake here, can't you see that? What about my own borough, huh? I can't juggle two lives!" "Isa not askin' ya too-"

"But you are!" Fury snapped, cutting him off and turning around to face him, the flames in her eyes leaping around wildly and her faint Italian accent stronger than ever. "First it will just be a day, then a few, and then a week and pretty soon I'll be spending more time here then there and who knows what could happen then! I won't give up the only remaining family I have left Spot. It's not an option." Spot's face drained of all color and he fell back on one foot weakly. "An' yet it is when it comes ta me," he muttered angrily, looking away emotionlessly. The Queen's heart sank and she reached to put a firm hand on Spot's shoulder. "Look Spot, I'm not saying we can't still be friends-"

"Just go," he said dully, still refusing to meet her gaze. Fury blinked; "What?"

Spot whirled around and pushed the Queens newsgirl back furiously. "ISA SAID GO!" he yelled. "Get outta here Fury, an' don't come back!" Fury stepped back, at first surprised at his reaction. But nevertheless she retreated and finally walked away, swinging herself down onto the fire escape to leave. She then took a deep breath and said "You know Spot, I really would love you." She sighed. "If only I could." Then the Queen of Queens ducked down and disappeared from Spot's sight.

$N$

Spot never actually saw Fury leave, but when he felt the battle-hardened atmosphere that he'd begun to associate with heart leave the roof he knew she was gone for good. The King cursed himself for being so stubborn and for not letting her stay, but there was nothing he could do about it now. Fury was gone now, back to her own territory with her own family. Without him. Oh, Spot was so ashamed of himself! Perhaps a walk would clear his head. I mean, if it worked for his subjects, why not their leader?

Climbing down the fire escape, Spot made his way towards the front door, hoping that no one saw him. But even this wish wasn't granted; Ink, who had been chatting with Bowler by the stairwell, spotted the King and called out to him. "Hey Spot, youse ok? We saw Fury come around her a minute ago all mad an'-""Isa goin' for a walk!" Spot announced, cutting his second off shortly. "Isa be back soon, don't wait up!" And with that he slammed the door in Ink's face.

At first Spot wanted to go up the street, but after realizing that Queens was in that direction Spot immediately decided that the Brooklyn Bridge was a much better option. He turned down the lane and trudged down towards it, feeling even worse than he had before. After some time of pondering the recent events, Spot found himself somewhere in the middle of the Bridge, where workmen had been replacing some of the steel bars, leaving a large gaping hole in the railing. Spot stopped to inspect it, curious. How come none of his birds had told him about Bridge repairs? Or maybe they had, but with the war and his feeling for Fury in his life in the past month he had forgotten about it. Whatever the case, it was most odd-

"Well boys, look watt we got here!" a rough and cruel voice rang out from behind the King of Brooklyn. "An all alone Spot Conlon-with no biords or even a Fury around ta save him. Dis is an unexpected surprise!" Spot whirled around to find 7 Harlem newsboys circled around him, weapons drawn and aimed at Spot. From behind all of them stepped up a burly brown haired boy with an ugly red scar trailing down his neck and a gun pointed at his head, smirking evilly. "But a welcome one."

Spot clenched his fists and pulled out his slingshot, ready to fire. "Spike."

$N$

A little short for my taste, but with school starting tomorrow I wanted to get one last chapter in. I PROMISE I will update as fast as possible, please be patient. BTW, my challenge still stands on naming the song Fury sings in previous chapters, so if SOMEONE could take me up on that I'd greatly appreciate it!

Verreax- thanks for the review and apologies for not replying sooner. I hope you continue to like this story (or book by the looks of things)!

Newsiesluva- I'm glad I'm so predictable when it comes to Anthony Higgins, he IS one of my favorite characters (besides Spot and Sarah). Again, sorry for not getting back to you immediately, and I continue to await your awesome reviews!

So, with that out of the way… review?

Rellimmes