I paced anxiously across the lodging house. I wasn't sure why I was pacing, except that I just couldn't sit still. I was silently wondering what to do. I had broken whatever sort of friendship I had been forming with Spot, and now my brother knew who I was, but I couldn't speak with him because of what Jack did, not to mention that instead of listening to Manhattan or Brooklyn, everyone was listening to me. I had had at least three leaders by today asking what I was going to do. I told them that I would tell them when I knew.

Oh my god! I groaned, Ladders glancing up at me with concern. Spot, I had totally lied to him. He had asked me on several occasions if the boys in Queens knew and I had denied it every single time. I couldn't believe I had just told him that I hadn't lied.

I was so wrong. I had just destroyed any chance of an alliance because I couldn't admit that I lied.

I nodded, finally coming to a decision. "I am going to Brooklyn," I stated aloud.

Several boys stared at me.

"Why?" Ladders asked, breaking the silence.

"I need to talk to Spot," I told him, before opening the door. "If anyone comes by, tell them I am not here."

I shut the door behind me and began walking off towards the direction of Brooklyn. I wasn't sure how I was going to apologize, only that I had to, and pray that he understood.

I paused outside the door to the lodging house, realizing suddenly that I hadn't tucked my hair up since I had left my hat back in the lodging house, which explained the weird looks I was receiving on the streets.

I knocked on the door and stood, rocking back and forth on my heels as I waited for someone to answer the door.

His second opened the door and blinked in surprise. "Crown? Can I help you?"

"I hope so. Do you know where Spot is?"

Midway paused, seeming like he wasn't going to answer, before sighing and responding with. "Try the Brooklyn Bridge."

I blinked in surprise but nodded. "Thank you." As I turned and walked down the stairs, I began thinking. What on earth was Spot doing on the Brooklyn Bridge during the evening? I shook it off and made my way towards the Bridge.

I stopped at the end of the bridge and smirked, finding Spot watching the sunset. I rolled my eyes and walked along until I had reached him.

I leaned against the railing with him. He raised an eyebrow, but said nothing, instead taking the cigar up to his lips and taking a drag.

"Watching the sunset Conlon?" I asked. "Never thought you could be soft."

"I'm afraid to disappoint." He leaned forwards slightly over the railing. "Did you come here for a reason? Or just to make fun of me?"

I sighed slightly. "I need to apologize."

He rolled his eye. "Damn right you do."

I raised an eyebrow but continued. "I am sorry I lied about not telling the boys, but I didn't trust

you either, what made you think I would tell you?"

He sighed and placed his head in his hands, handing me his cigar. I took a quick drag as he asked. "Nothing really, I still can't believe that all of them didn't let it slip. Did you threaten them all or something?"

I passed him back the cigar. "Leave them out of this," I replied. "They did nothing wrong, and no I did not threaten them. I grew up with the lodging house knowing about me."

He threw his hands up in annoyance. "Why did you threaten me?"

I twisted and turned to face him. "You are kidding me right?" Great, here we went arguing again, all this stupid tension between us because we couldn't agree on simple little things. "Why would I trust you with my biggest secret? I needed to keep you from going and telling everyone who I was. Do you know what would happen to me if the wrong person found out about me? I would be thrown into the refuge for good, and I'll be screwed if I go there again."

"You don't even know what the refuge is like." He muttered.

I walked towards him, enraged, and shoved him backward. "I was in the refuge at nine and molested by Snyder. I was beaten, abused, and put through things you couldn't even dream of. So don't tell me that I am making these things up."

He turned and faced me, anger and another emotion I couldn't place. "Why are you so infuriating?"

"It's a talent." I barked back.

Here we were again, face to face, the both of us angry and ready to kill the other. This tension was going to drive us both insane.

I paused. "Look, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have lied to you. It was wrong and I won't do it again."

He sighed slightly, his gaze flickering down to my mouth, before glancing back up at my eyes. Oh no, I realized, it wasn't hate tension between us. It was a different kind of tension. I stepped ever so slightly closer.

"Spot!"

The two of us jumped apart like we had been electrocuted, our cheeks turning pink.

Midway came jogging up, only pausing slightly at the fact we refused to make eye-contact. "Are you two okay?"

"Fine," Spot said. "What's wrong?"

"Jack is at the lodging house, he wants to talk to you."

"Why?" Spot demanded. "What does he want?"

Midway shrugged. "He wouldn't tell me."

I glanced at Spot out of the corner of my eye. His cheeks were as pink as mine. I would have laughed if Midway hadn't just interrupted us.

Spot groaned. "Fine, I am coming."

Midway nodded and turned, beginning his jog back to the lodging house.

"I'm going to head back to Queens, I guess," I told him.

He paused, thinking. "Why don't you come with me?"

I shook my head. "I think I'm the last person Jack wants to see. I decked him in front of everybody. I don't think that's a good idea."

"All the more reason for you to come." He suggested.

"Okay. I'm coming."

We walked together on our way back, awkward silence between us, most likely over what had happened on the bridge. We were so close to kissing, and then interrupted. Did I want to kiss him?

I froze slightly. Oh god. I wanted to kiss him. This was not good. Oh no.

"Are you coming?" Spot asked.

I realized I had stopped in the middle of the street. "Nothing," I replied meekly.

We walked into the Brooklyn lodging house and I stared at Jack, glaring so much that he started to squirm nervously.

"Jack."

"Spot."

"What do you want?" Spot asked, stepping closer to me.

"I want you back in the strike. Katherine had an idea and we are going to print a newspaper, but I need the support of Brooklyn and Queens to continue."

"What makes you think that I would help you after that stunt you pulled? How did you even know?" I asked.

"I know there is nothing I can do to say sorry. I just had a secret revealed to me and now I know how you feel," He paused, stepping closer. "A boy at the refuge told me when I went to see Crutchie."

Lion. He had told Jack. Lion wouldn't have done it on purpose. He had no way of knowing. I groaned. "Goddamnit Lion," I swore under my breath.

Jack looked nervously between the two of us, eyeing the tension between us as if it was visible. "So will you rejoin the strike?"

I hesitated, feeling Spot's gaze on me. "Fine."

"Whoa, just like that?" Spot asked.

I paused, before turning and muttering to him so low that no one could hear me. "There is only one boy in the refuge who know who I am, and he wouldn't have told Jack on purpose. I'm not forgiving Jack, I'm putting it aside so we can get justice. If we stop now, they are never going to listen to us again."

Spot nodded in understanding. "Okay. I'm in."

Jack played nervously with his hands. "Katherine came up with an idea. She wants to publish our own newspaper, one that convinces the other working kids in this city to have a chance to strike too."

"Okay. But where are we going to print it?" Spot asked.

"There is a secret place that Pulitzer would never think we would use. We are meeting there in an hour, and you need to bring as many boys as possible."

I nodded. "Okay. I'll be there. I have to run to Queens."

Jack and Spot nodded as I turned, heading out the door, picking up a jog towards Queens.

Oh my god. I had a crush on Spot. I was so screwed. Ladders was never going to let me hear the end of it.