A/N - ::Pokes head back into room:: Sorry! I've had massive writer's block. Hopefully it's gone and I can update this and my other stories! Ok that's all. Wait I lied. I don't own Ninja, she is owned by King of the Wasteland. - A/N

"So you wanted to talk? Talk." I calmly squeezed past Spot which was hard to do with my belly and entered his room. I saw evidence that Pixie was indeed sharing the room with him and felt my guts twist. The room was also a pig sty.

I sniffed and saw Spot's eyes harden. He crossed his arms over his chest and cocked his head, lifting an eyebrow. I could do that as well, so I did. We stared silently at each other before I walked over to the rickety chair that squatted near his desk and brushed a pile of clothes onto the floor and sat down.

Christ that felt better. My feet had started to swell if I was on them for too long. Spot took two long strides and was immediately at my side, crouching down, elbows on his knees, hands hanging in between his legs.

"So what's the deal Spot? Why haven't I seen you?" Spot looked up at me, the morning light from his dirty window shining in his blue eyes. I resisted the urge to reach out and wipe a lock of his dark blonde hair out of his face. He really needed a haircut. He looked tired, oh so tired.

"Well you look better. You've been eating more?" I nodded but frowned at his misdirected question. He hadn't answered me on purpose. Spot nodded and a pleased look flitted over his face before he squashed it ruthlessly.

"Motherhood suits you. You're practically fucking glowing." I closed my eyes because I knew it to be true. Every day I looked in the mirror I saw how much being pregnant agreed with me. I opened my eyes and speared Spot with a single steely glance.

"It may suit me, but being a single mother does not. Where have you been? I haven't seen you in two months!" Spot stood up and turned away from me, his shoulder's tensing. I noticed the nice cut and quality of the cloth of the red shirt he wore, with the sleeves pushed up to his elbows. He had on black suspenders and new looking black pants. He wore the same polished boots he had worn when I saw him last.

"I've been busy. I haven't had time to see you. Besides you walked out on me the last time I came to see, don't you remember?"

"So much for your promise to win me back to Brooklyn? What the HELL was Pixie doing in your room wearing just a shirt? Have you pushed me aside already? Tell me, I need to know!"

Spot turned to face me and he looked uncertain. "A man has needs, Riot. She's just here to warm my bed." I stood up and pushed away from my chair, my chest a knot of pain, blinding white rage pulsing through me.

"And if 'I' were to take a man to bed? What would that mean then?" Spot's brilliant blue eyes cut me to the bone.

"That you were a whore and you didn't love me." I nodded and put my hands on my belly. The little Conlon was getting restless.

"Well then I think that answers my question. It's okay for you, and I'm supposed to live with it. Well GUESS WHAT! I won't! I won't you goddamned arrogant son of a b..." Spot cut me off by grabbing the hand I was using to poke him in the chest and pulling me flush against him. Tangling his other hand into the hair on the back of my head he pulled me to him and kissed me roughly.

When he pulled back we were both breathless, but I wasn't as angry, only resigned. Spot put his forehead against mine and breathed heavily for a few minutes, his eyes closed.

"Have you been living with another man?"

"No!" I snapped, pushing him away. "But you've been living with another girl! I consider that to be the same exact thing as what you said." Spot looked away from me, and I thought I saw shame on his face. But then his expression hardened once more.

"You left ME, or don't you remember? You walked away from ME, not the other way around."

"Because you were treating me like I was a pet! I wasn't allowed to roam free like the other kids and thats not fair. I need to feel free, not chained down." Spot stood way to stiffly as his eyes caught and captured my own.

"I didn't realize you thought I was chaining you down. I thought everything was fine. In fact..." He stopped and his mouth worked like he was going to continue, but then he just shook his head, his mouth turning up into a bitter smile.

"I have rules if you want to live here Riot, and if you don't want to live by them, then I guess by all means run away to Manhattan. But don't come here and act all upset because I started sleeping with a new girl since my old girl took off on me. Like the one before her."

I knew he was referring to Cinder, and I would have responded in anger if the baby hadn't chose that moment to start kicking and squirming around. My face lit up and I walked forward and took Spot's hand and placed it on my belly. He jerked his hand once, as if to pull away, then left it there when he felt a sharp kick. Joy lit up both of out faces and he smiled widely at me.

"Is that...Is that the baby?" I nodded and Spot put both of his hands on my belly, pressing lightly to feel more of the baby's movements. We shared another honest smile and he leaned forward and kissed me on the lips so lightly I barely felt it.

"We'll figure this out Spot, I promise." I said quietly. Spot just put his arms around me and held me close, and it made tears gather in the corners of my eyes to once more feel his heat and smell him so close.

"Don't cry, mo ghrá ." I loved it when he spoke Irish to me and I let the tears stain the front of his nice, new shirt because I knew I had more questions to ask that he wasn't going to like. Then the door flew open and Pixie stood there, a frown on her face, Declan standing behind her.

"What the hell is this?" Pixie snapped. Spot ignored her and focused on Declan, his posture stiff as a board.

"Didn't I tell you to knock?" Pixie flipped some of her black hair over her shoulder and narrowed her green eyes at me and Spot.

"I sleep in this room too y'know," she spat, looking at me in the eyes with a smug grin on her face. I would have punched her but Spot was now directing his ire towards Declan, who stood with an unreadable look on his face, his dark blue eyes fairly sparking as he looked at me.

"What do you want Moody? I thought we hammered out the details already. I'm sort of busy." Declan smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"Are you okay lass? Why are you crying mo chara?" His tone was gentle as he evaded Spot's question, his eyes only on me. I pulled away from Spot and gave Declan an encouraging smile.

"Nothing! Everything's fine. I didn't expect to see you so soon again." Declan inclined his head and nodded.

"Aye well as to that, I knew you'd need an escort back to Manhattan. 'Tis not really safe for you to be out walking around in your condition on your own, not with people knowing that you're the mother of Spot's wee one." I gave Spot a confused look and he swore under his breath.

"Ah I see you haven't told the lass? She doesn't know the danger she's in? Spot, really..."

"ENOUGH! She shouldn't HAVE to know, she's safe in Manhattan." Spot was actually shaking with anger, his eyes boring into Declan's who still stood with such a nonchalant air that I knew there was going to be a fight if it wasn't defused.

"Spot. SPOT! Look at me! What is going on?"

"Spot's friends with Nicky Paternelli now. Where d'you think he gets the guns from?" I gasped and moved away from Spot a little towards Declan at Pixie's pointed words. Spot stood with his fists clenched, and shot Pixie a look of such pure venom, that the girl actually cowered.

"Nicky 'the Knife' Paternelli? Is she telling the truth? Spot he works for the Italian's..." Spot held up a hand and stared at Declan now.

"Yes well there won't be a problem with the Italians if the Irish get them the money they were promised. The guns have already shipped haven't they?" Declan nodded slowly.

"Aye and the money should be in my hands tomorrow morning. There shouldn't be a thing to worry about," he added, speaking to me. My face had gone white I was sure and my hands were shaking. Spot was getting messed up in what was going to become the Mafia. I knew that soon the mobsters people remembered like 'Lucky' Luciano, Dutch Schultz, Meyer Lanksy, Bugsy Seigel, and Al Capone would be on the scene within the next fifteen, twenty years. Spot needed to get out, and now.

"Why...Why are you helping them? They don't like the Irish."

"Money, Riot. It's all about money. I need money for you and the baby." Spot shrugged, such a helpless gesture coming from a normally strong young man that I gulped and had a hard time swallowing.

"I never asked for any money," I whispered, taking a step towards him. Spot's eyes found mine, and I saw such a sudden determination in them that I swallowed hard yet again.

"I'm going to get a cut of this money, and we'll get a place, just me you and the baby, and then..."

"And then?" I whispered again. Spot tried to project his feelings from his eyes into my own, not liking that we had an audience.

"You can't be here while this deal is going on. Once it's over, I'll come for you, I promise."

"But we still haven't talked about freedom..."

"DAMNNIT RIOT! I'll give you whatever you want to get you back, don't you understand that? I'm making a deal with the FUCKING DEVIL to get you back!" Spot's angry roar made me wince and I turned towards Declan who grasped my wrist gently and pulled me towards the door.

Spot held a hand out in a pleading gesture, but then grabbed it away, and his face turned to stone.

"Be careful...Please..." Spot just nodded and turned away, standing with an arm braced on the edge of his window, and looked out of that instead of at me. Declan walked me down the stairs and outside onto the busy street while I was in a daze.

This was a whole new ball game, Spot playing around with the Mafia. This was beyond dangerous. I also had no doubt that he wasn't going to see the money he was expecting from his cut, and they'd rope him into something else.

I didn't know what else to do but pray as I walked with Declan at my side, casting me anxious glances every once in awhile. When we reached Manhattan, he stopped outside the lodging house while I tried to clear away the cobwebs of worry.

"I still meant what I said, lass. I'll take ye to Ireland and take care of you. I'll treat the babe like it's my own, I promise."

I looked up into Declan's yearning face and smiled sadly. Declan took my hand and held it so hard, his strong frame trembling as I leaned forward and kissed him lightly on the cheek.

"Declan you're involved with the Irish rebels, that's no better." I couldn't tell him that there would be such a fight over Ireland in the next century and so many people would die. He'd think I was insane if I told him I was from the future and could tell him how hard the Irish would fight, and how many on both sides would die.

"Let me take you to dinner tonight at least. I'd like to...Spend some time with you before I leave if I could."

I thought back to Spot admitting that he was using Pixie and fought back more tears. God how tired I was of crying! It seemed like being pregnant made my emotions ten times more magnified. Hanging my head so that my long black hair hid my face, I nodded finally. What harm would it bring to see the man for the short time he was in New York?

Declan leaned forward, and taking my chin between his thumb and forefinger, he kissed me sweetly, and smiled softly at me before he turned away with a wave and a "I'll see ye tonight".

I watched him walk away until I felt someone brush against me, and saw Ninja, one of Angel's little pickpockets standing at my side. She smiled up at me and I couldn't help but smile back. She was such a little sneak, and loved nothing more than sneaking up on one of the older boys and scaring the almighty hell out of them. I was glad she hadn't done that to me this afternoon, my nerves couldn't take it.

Ninja took hold of my hand and stood with me silently for a few minutes before grinning, and running away.

She was so small, I couldn't tell her age, and she had never offered it. She was somewhere in-between 8 to 12, with brown hair that fell to her chin, that was usually hidden behind a black cap that was too big for her, and grayish blue eyes. I saw her accost Racetrack, who yelped and chased after her, but Ninja was way too fast and spry to get caught. Her spastic laughter drifted up the street and it kept the smile on my face.

Sighing deeply, I wrapped my shawl more closely around myself and went inside to get out of the cold. My feet were killing me, and I had to get ready to go out with Declan. I felt so weird about doing so, but my mind kept jumping back to Spot and his 'needs' as he had called them and my spine would go rigid.

He couldn't blame me for going out and having a good time...Could he?

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TRANSLATIONS - I use and online translator so if these are wrong let me know and I'll fix them, I promise.

mo ghrá - My love

mo chara - My friend

SHOUT OUTS!

King of the Wasteland - I hope your character was okay, it was just a short introduction and I sort of gave her some characteristics I hope you don't mind, like her hair and eyes and such.

I definitely agree that Spot and Pixie both need to be taken down a notch, and you never know, that could happen. Thanks for the ideas! :D

Blockheadwriter - I'm so glad you like my story! I am trying to pack a lot of emotion into it so I'm glad I'm doing a good job. Hope you keep reading :)

And I can't forget Ealasaid Una who sent me a PM and got me moving again.