Spark opened her eyes to what looked like it was going to be a beautiful day. The sun was rising, the birds were chirping, and she was snuggled next to Spot.
"Mornin' sunshine." He said. She was snuggled next to Spot?!
"Ahhhh!" She jumped.
"Someone was friendly last night." He laughed.
"I am so sorry." Spark blushed deeply. She was mortified.
"Nah, it's ok, it's warmer like that anyway." Spot said. "Just as long as Chase never finds out about this."
"No problem."
They looked up at the same time to the sound of someone running down the pier. Spot pulled out his cane and jumped down, Spark followed.
It was one of Jack's newsies, Kid Blink. The one with the eyepatch. He was carrying three bundles of what looked like papers.
"Has Jackie-boy come to his senses or are yous begging for me to come back?" Spot glared at Blink.
"Jack is back." Blink said. "And we need yous."
Spot pulled out his cane, examining it closely in a way that most newsies found intimidating (something the girls could never understand).
"I don't think I want to come back." He said in a calm but frightening tone. "Jackie-boy ruined it for yous. We can finish this strike right here in Brooklyn, just me and my boys."
"But-"
"I don't care about your plan! We don't need none of yous to help and we ain't givin' any neither." Spark knew Spot was angry if he couldn't even put an intelligent sentence together.
Blink stepped back at Spot's outburst, looking down uncomfortably. But he wasn't finished talking.
"Roselia had a plan too." He said softly.
Spot's attention snapped back to Kid Blink at the mention of Chase.
"What?"
Blink took a breath and faced Brooklyn's king.
"We're circulating these papes to all the sweatshop kids to see if they'll join the strike. It's Denton's article." He handed Spot a paper which he handed to Spark. "Rosie had an idea to stop traffic on the Brooklyn bridge. It's the main way to get into the city."
Spot turned and started climbing up to his throne.
"Go away, Blink."
"But-"
"I said BEAT IT!"
Kid Blink didn't need to be told again. He turned, a look of true despair on his face.
"Wait," Spark caught his arm. "I'll do something to help even if Spot won't."
He glanced up at the Brooklyn leader who was preoccupied at the moment.
"You won't get in trouble?"
"He doesn't own me. I can do what I want."
Blink lowered his voice so Spot wouldn't hear. "He doesn't try to beat yous girls, right?"
"No, he doesn't touch us, never. I'll be fine."
Blink thought for a moment and then resigned, sighing. "OK." He handed her two bundles of papers and went on his way back to Manhattan.
Spark exhaled deeply, looking down at the bundles of papers in her hands. She sat down in the middle of the dock and untied the twine and she read the article. The words, although plain and simple, touched Spark's heart in the deepest way. She had never cried reading a newspaper article before, but there was a first time for everything. It would be a crime to let such powerful words like these go to waste. The working kids of New York had to read this.
Spark quickly dried her tears and tromped up the scaffolding and crates where Spot was lounging.
"Could you get out of me way," Spot said to Spark. "You're blockin' the sun."
Spark rolled her eyes. "Read this." She thrust the paper into Spot's hands and jumped back down onto the dock, handing out more papers to the other newsies that were there that morning.
"Come on, fellas," Spark said to three of Spot's oldest newsies. "We're gonna finish this strike once and for all."
"But what'll Spot think?" One of them asked, looking up at the Brooklyn leader who was already enthralled in the article.
"It don't matter." Spark said. "What do yous think? Are you gonna let Pulitzer and Hearst keep beatin' us or are yous gonna fight with me?"
The three boys glanced back down at their papers. "Alright," one of them said.
"Makes no difference whether Pulitzer kills us or Spot does, anyway." said another.
Spark smiled. "Now you're talkin'. Come on, we gotta get the little ones up. Chase had an idea so brilliant I think it'll work."
Spark and the three newsies turned down the dock to leave.
"And where do yous think you're goin'?" Spot called from his throne.
The boys turned around, avoiding eye contact with Spot.
Spark, however, did not. She crossed her arms as Spot jumped down to them. "We're givin' this strike another shot." she said.
"Oh yeah," Spot got into Spark's face but she didn't waver. "Who says? I don't recall givin' out orders." Spot had read the article and it was pretty good, but was it enough to beat the big shots? It was hard to say.
"Didn't have to," said Spark.
"And why's that?" Spot's icy glare froze the three older newsboys in their places.
Spark smirked. "Because the queen said so." She turned on her heel, pushing the three scared newsies along.
Spot gaped at them, watching them go. He was losing his power to a little girl. No, he thought, I'm losing to Chase. Spark was just the messenger at this point. Spot shook his head. It's not like he had a choice anymore. Chase had stolen his heart and his crown all in one go. Even from so far away her opinions affected him.
"Wait up for your king," said Spot, calling after the small group.
Spark turned and smiled. "Get the lead outta your pants then, will ya?"
It took about two hours for the newsies to circulate their papers to the sweatshop kids of New York. They had even gotten as far as Jersey in that short amount of time. It was hard to say whether the kids took their story to heart. And they weren't sure if anyone would join. But the strike put 5,000 children out of work. 5,000 reasons to try.
The Manhattan newsies returned to an empty square. The boys helped Chase out of the newspaper cart and lifted her up to sit on the statue. They were all exhausted and it wasn't even 8:00 yet.
"Think they'll listen?" Skittery broke the silence, voicing what they were all thinking.
"Yeah, why wouldn't they?" Chase asked.
"We're just kids. We have no business strikin' like this."
Chase kicked his shoulder with her good leg. "It's too late to back down now. This is war, do it or die."
"I'm not ready." he looked up at her a little nervous.
Story, who was standing next Skittery punched him in the arm. "Better to die than to crawl." She attempted to smile.
The group turned as they heard footsteps approaching. It was Kid Blink, back from Brooklyn.
Mush jumped down from his seat on the statue. "When are the others comin', Kid?" He asked anxiously.
Blink opened his mouth but it was Jack who spoke first. "They ain't comin'. It ain't gonna be no one but us."
"Have hope, Jack." Specs said. And a few other boys patted him on the back to cheer him up.
Story looked at David, his expression was almost hopeless.
She took his hand and squeezed it. "This ain't over yet."
He looked at her with a pained smile on his face.
"Ugh! Really, you guys." Chase scoffed. "You have to stay positive or we'll never win this!"
"Hey," Racetrack stopped her. "Hey, hey, look!" He pointed down the street.
People were coming. Not just a few people, hundreds. Hundreds of kids carrying picket signs and the papers the newsies had printed. Kids from the sweatshops and factories, kids from the laundry and the mills. The blacksmiths, the shoe shiners, the tailors. All of them came to support the strike.
"BROOKLYN!" Came a voice from another street. Spot Conlon, with Spark skipping beside him, led the Brooklyn newsies into the square.
"He's back." Story said, trying decode Chase's cryptic expression.
Without saying a word, Chase jumped down from her perch. She sauntered (as best as she could with the crutch) over to the curb where she met the Brooklyn leader.
"Spot Conlon," Her expression stayed neutral, just a hint of haughtiness in her tone.
"Chase Meyers,"
"You said you wouldn't leave me."
Calm as she was, everyone could sense Chase's anger. Faster than lightning, Chase raised her arm to backhand him. Just as quickly Spot caught her wrist and gripped it tightly. He grabbed a handful of her hair with the other hand.
Chase flinched, just barely, but Spot's move surprised her. She still stood strong, glaring up at him.
Spot was shocked himself. He had never laid a hand on Chase or any of the girls before. He didn't know what came over him.
The two of them paused, simply staring into each other's eyes. Tension high in the air. Spot could sense another emotion, other than loathing, in Chase's eyes. She looked hurt, and the unshed tears that sparkled in the corners of her eyes were another indication.
They were at an impasse. He could hurt her pretty badly if he really tried. And Spot knew she could do quite a number on him despite the crutch and brace. He'd taught her well, even though she'd never needed to fight. They were matched perfectly.
Spot's mouth turned up into a smirk. "Then I guess we're even."
Without waiting a beat, Spot entwined his fingers in her hair and brought her face closer to his and he finally kissed her beautiful lips.