Chapter 14

Hart's of Claddah

"Spot, Spot!"

A voice shouted through the warehouse late one evening. All of the Brooklyn newsies who were still up ran into the common room of the warehouse. There they found Hawk holding the trembling newsie called Robin. He was pale and the skin on his arms and face was littered with bruises. A small gash on his let temple was slowly oozing blood and he was clenching his stomach as I he would be sick at any moment. Spot pushed through the forming crowd to get to the 13 year old boy.

"Robin-Robin. I need youse ta calm down an try ta tell me what happened."

"-I-I was out-s-se-sellin-me p-papes." He passed to take a breath.

"Aoife get I'm some wata." Spot told her to which he hastily obliged. "You'se was sayin?"

"I-I was sellin-a-an I'se kknows I'se wa-wasn't sup-osed ta be d-dere, bt I'se to-took a short-shortcut a-an some guy from Queens s-starts s-soakin me."

At the end of his choked up take, Aoife quickly leaded down to his level and gave him a glass of water maneuvering him from Hawk's arms into her own rubbing comforting circles onto his back as he cried into her shoulder.

"There, there. It's okay. They're not going to hurt you anymore." She told the young boy.

"Robin." Spot sain also sinking to the boys level. "Do you'se know who did dis to you'se?"

"It was M-Matches." The boy choked out between sobs.

Spot nodded his head and got up. He began pacing, a fist to his chin and his eyes narrowed in thought. It was quiet except for Robin's sobs and the squeaking and creaking of the floorboards under Spot's weight.

"Spot, you'se know's it was Blade dat ordered dis ta happen." Ryder stated.

"Yeah I'se know dad I ain't stupid!" Spot shouted causing Robin to flinch in Aoife's arms, and some of his boys to jump back in surprise. No one expected their leader to snap so quickly at a thought everyone in the room was thinking.

"Spot." Aoife said harshly. "Please don't yell. Poor Robin is already scared enough."

"Yeah you'se is right. Hey, you'se okay kid?" Spot asked.

As if wanting to make his leader proud, Rory lifted his chin and stuck out his chest. "I'se is okay." He told spot with a brave face. Spot smiled at the boy, but quickly frowned again as Rory collapsed clutching his stomach with a mighty grunt of pain.

"Robin, what's wrong?" Aoife asked, suddenly more worried that she was before.

"M-my-OWWWW!" the young boy screamed before falling unconscious from the pain causing tears of rage and shock to come into Aoife's eyed.

"Bring I'm to a bunk! Someone's gotta check on in." spot ordered. Immediately Hawk easily scooped Robin into his arms and carried him upstairs followed by Spot, Aoife, and the rest of the newsies.

Once upstairs, Hawk placed Robin as carefully on his bunk as he could, and the boys except Spot, Ryder and Hawk (who Aoife learned later was Robin's older brother) left the room for Aoife to examine and tend to the boy. Carefully she dabbed a wetted cloth to the cut on his forehead-which thankfully was not as deep as it had looked- and she unbuttoned the small boys shirt revealing plenty of bruises along with something totally unexpected.

Aoife's eyes widened as she looked at the small boy's stomach and she began to feel sick. "Spot, Ryder, Hawk, you'd better look at this."

The three boys practically ran towards the bed and loomed over it each gazing upon Robin.

"Is dat-" Ryder started.

"W-what da hell?-" Hawk stumbled.

"Dose sick bastards!" Spot all but yelled as he spun around and flew his fist onto the wall.

Robins stomach as swollen, bruised, scratched, and bloodied. But one would not know the horror the young boy went through by taking a quick glance. When Aoife began to truly clean his cuts was when she realized that they had a pattern, as if the cuts spelled something, which they did.

Etched across Robin's stomach W-A-R-S-T-A-R-T-S-I-N-T-W-O-D-A-Y-S was written on his stomach.

"Why would Blade do this?" Hawk asked bending down to take his brother's hand in his.

"I'se told ya, because he's a sick bastard!" Spot yelled once again. "I'se can't take dis anymore! Blade want's a war, I'se know it. And he's gonna get one! Mark me woirds, he's gonna get a war. We'se is gonna go to dat hell hole he calls Queens and we'se is gonna give em everythin we'se got and-" But before could rant on anymore Ryder interrupted, trying to talk some logic into his leader.

"But Spot, we'se jst can't just barge into Queens, dat's just what dey want! We'se gotta plan and stragetize-" But Spot was busy arguing to know what Ryder said after "But Spot we'se can't."

"The hells I can't. I'se is the damn leader of Brooklyn and we'se is gonna do what I'se says. And what I'se say is we'se go ta Queens-" By this time Hawk had joined in the argument taking Spot's side wanting nothing more at that moment to personally rip Blade's head off for doing what he did to his brother.

"Will everybody just calm down?"

But Aoife's efforts were useless. No matter how hard she tried to calm the boys down, they seemed to just get louder. He yelling had increased immensely, and Aoife was worried that a harmless verbal fight would soon turn ugly, but she did not need to worry for much longer.

"What's going on?"

The small meek voice from the doorway seemed to stop everything. Everyone in the room turned to the door to see a disheveled and tired looking Nuala leaning on to the doorframe or support while clutching her still sore side.

"Cad é atá tú suas?" What are you doing up? Spot asked a stern yet worrying look in his eyes.

"Buachaillí labhairt i ndáiríre os ard." Boys talk really loud. She replied a slight annoyance in her voice.

"Ryder, takes er back ta er room, an make sure she stays dere." Spot ordered but not before Nuala had carefully made her way to Robins bunk. Tears came into her eyes and her lip started to tremble as she gazed at the 13 year old boy. She thought this whole war was stupid. None of the boroughs were getting anything they wanted, and people were just getting hurt. She didn't even understand what had caused this war, but she wanted to help put an end to it.

"Come on Starlight." Ryder said as he placed her arm around his own shoulder to support her and walked out of the room.

"Ryder, no. I want to stay there with my brother. He needs me, I want to help."

"Nuala, listen ta what your saying!" Ryder said as they started the walk down the hall to Nuala's room "Blade already hurt you once, what makes you think dat he won't do it again! He's got you'se hurt so bad you'se is havin nightmares an screamin in you'rs sleep!" Ryder yelled as he placed her onto her bed.

"Ryder, you think I don't know what happened to me! I was violated; the last pure thing was taken from me by someone who I would want nothing more than to see dead! Please help me to help Spot, he needs it!"

"No, Starlight. I ain't gonna let you'se get hurt. I'se love you an I'se don't know what I'se would do if I'se lost you. I almost did once. If he gets his hands on you'se again, you'se might not be so lucky. I'se couldn't live with dat."

Nuala was taken aback by Ryder's words. He had said he loved her. Words that she had longed to hear were ringing in her head, and she couldn't help but to repeat them back to him."

"I won leave you, just as long as you don't leave me. Dillon I love you."

She had called him by his real name. Ryder looked back in shock, but a love filled look in his eyes."

"Nuala," he said tucking a lose brown curl behind her ear. "I will never leave you."

The two leaned in slowly and as gently as one could, pressed their lips together in a soft kiss.

To Nuala, it seemed like every bad memory that Blade had given her was being melted away, and the comforting passionate sensation that Ryder brought to her suddenly took over. Ryder was giving in quickly, all thoughts he previously had of him and Nuala never being able to be together were slowly drifting from his mind. Maybe it could happen?

Later that evening when Robin was cleaned and peacefully sleeping, Spot called a meeting with his council.

"Alright boys." He started. "Something must be done bout dis Queens problem. We'se jut can't sit back while they'se beat up our guys. We'se gotta come into dis will full force ta show Blade what happens when he messes with Brooklyn!"

A cry of approval erupted from hi boys but a quiet voice from behind Spot sized it all.

"How did this war start?"

Spot whirled around and saw Aoife standing there, nervously playing with the end of her long braid.

"Aoif- I'se told ya ta go ta bed."

"I couldn't sleep Nuala was right- you boys do talk loud. Spot I want to know what is going on why does Blade hate Brooklyn so much? And why does he want a war?"

"Aoif I ain't tellin you'se anything you'se don't need ta know anything, an it's better if you'se don't. now go back upstairs."

"No Spot I won't! I am sick and tired of being in the middle of this street war and not having a single clue what the hell is going on or what is going to happen!"

All the boys gasped at Aoife's sudden outburst. Never in the dew months she had been there had the boys ever heard her use a profanity, or even raise her voice the way she did.

"Liam Ba mhaith liom tú a insint dom nó mar sin cabhrú liom Dia beidh mé saoire agus teacht ar ais riamh."

"What did she say?" a newsie whispered to Ryder.

"She said she wants Spot to tell her everything or she would leave and never come back.

"Okay fine. I'll tell ya." Spot said. "But just a warnin, it ain't gonna be pretty."

Aoife took a seat on a crate giving Liam the proof she wasn't scared. He took a deep breath and began his tale.

"when Nuala and I foist came ta Brooklyn, we'se spent da first few months livin on da streets, stealin an pickpocketin just ta survive. Den, we'se meet Ace." Spots eye's filled with admiration as she spoke about the past leader of Brooklyn. "He was da greatest, he taught me everythin I'se knows about bein a newsie, about usin a slingshot. He was…da best leada eva. And if you would believe it or not, Blade was once a Brooky. We'se was pretty good friends, we'se would go sell papes togetha, an sometimes his a bar once in awhile-but den one day dat all changed. "

"Now da leader of Queens at dat time Coin, he was a rough boy, almost as rough as Blade."

"Dats probably where he got if from." Ryder pointed out.

"Well one day Blade an I was out sellin, and we was soaked by dese two goons from Queens. Dey told us dat if we betrayed Brooklyn and went to be Queen's newsies dat Coin would give us all da money we could want to start a new life. Now I'se knew it was a bluff-but dat stupid boy Blade didn't. The dumb kid wanted to fall foar it, but I dragged em back ta Brooklyn. As soon as we'se told Ace, he was furious and marched himself right ova ta Queens. Soon a street fight broke out and Ace and Coin was goin on one on one. But den a shot broke out. Now havin a blade in a street fight was one thing, but no one eva' brought a gun ta one. But dat bastard Blade did. Went traitor on Brooklyn and shot Ace in da back. He died in my arms, but not before he gave me his cane and appointed me da new leader of Brooklyn. Coin, Blade and Queens was all thrown out of Brooklyn but not before some of dem was caught by da bulls, Blade included. He went in but f course broke out. Rumor says he was so mad at Coin dat he shot I'm da same was Coin had told him ta shoot Ace. Blade appointed himself as the Queens leader, and from dat day on, he swore vengeance on me and Brooklyn, wanting the borough to himself."

Spot finished his tale and looked up from his dry cuticles to see Aoife staring back at his with wide eyes.

"Oh God." She breathed out.

"Don't say I'se didn't warn ya." Spot said getting up from his own crate to walk over to Aoife's.

"Now I'se want you and Nuala to stay out of dis. Blade is dangerous and he already got his hands on one of you'se, and dat's one too many for me. "

"But Liam, don't you see, I'm involved now, I want to do anything I can to help."

"You can help by staying out of this."

Aoife stood up, and swiftly walked up the stairs turning to go to one of the empty rooms. Liam followed closely behind her and stuck his foot out to stop the door slamming in his face.

"Aoife, come on, you'se know dis is for your own good! Blade already got his way with my sista, I'se don't know what I'se would do if he got you'se too! An what if he does an I'm not dere ta protect ya!"

Aoife hung her head down not saying anything because, well, she did not have anything to say.

"Aoife I want ya ta promise me dat you'se and Nuala are gonna stay here when day fight day comes."

"Yes Liam, I promise."

~*~somewhere in Queens~*~

"Are you'se sure?"

"Yeah, Blade. Spot has the girls staying at the warehouse when da fight is goin on."

"Good work, an I thought I'se would have ta expose ya."

Echo hung his head in shame. He had wished that he could do the right thing. He had never wanted his spy work to go this far, and he should have known better than to let it get this far, but Blade bribed him and with more money coming his way, he could finally get out of the paper business and get a real job, and maybe a wife. But never did he think he would end up getting people hurt. He knew Blade's plans were big, and he knew, nothing good could come out of this fight.

If only he knew how right he was.

A/N Well that's another chapter written and done. Sorry if it seemed a bit redundant in some parts, I'm kind of having some writers block and I know what I want to happen in later on in the story, I just don't know how to get there. Any advice? Anyway, thank you all for the reviews! Emador, I would love to build a snowman together, and Percyjacksonfangirl11, I am very glad I got to inspire you with when to read chapters. Happens to me all the time. Lol. Please don't forget to review/follow/favorite. Please! Thanks for reading!