Ch 20

Showcase

A/N Hey guys! I cannot begin to explain how sorry I am for not uploading in forever! I can go on with a list of excuses, but I don't want to keep you guys from reading any longer. You've waited long enough! Now this chapter is going to consist of a lot different POV'S to get a lot of character insight. So enjoy!

~*~ RECAP~*~

Meanwhile the fight in Brooklyn was heating up. Boys on each side were fighting with anything they could; broken bottles from the street, wooden planks, their fists. Anything they could.

Spot and Blade were at each other's throats, quite literally. Blade had Spot pinned to the ground, his hands clasped around his neck. Spot's oxygen was running low until he reached in his belt loop, pulled out his slingshot and hit Blade on the side of the head with it, causing him to tumble to the side. Grabbing his collar, Spot stood up dragging Blade with him, and punched his face, once, twice, a third time.

~*~ Spots POV before events of the last chapter~*~

The fight was getting out of control. I can honestly say that this was the worst fight I had ever been in. even though Manhattan had kept their word and backed us up in the fight, it was the least they could do after we saved their sorry asses in the strike. Jacky-boy and his newsies were all there, Racetrack, Skittery, Kid Blink, Much. All I could focus on now though, was the pathetic boy who I was repeatedly punching out. I had blades shirt collar grasped firmly in my left hand and I swing my right fist at his face two times, and then once again for good measure. I smirked when I heard a crack and his nose started bleeding. I couldn't let him get away with anything he had done in the past. Threatening Brooklyn and Aoife, hurting Nuala, stabbing Brooklyn in the back. Everything he had done, and now he was going to pay. I punched him in the stomach once more and shoved him to the ground before I kicked him in the stomach knocking the air out of him.

My boys were taking some hard hits. Queens had come prepared with clubs, bats chains all things street kids used in fights and I'm not proud to admit we were getting slaughtered. But blade's words were ringing in my mind. I had to get to the warehouse, but I couldn't abandon this fight. So I searched franticly around for the next person who would go for me.

I saw Ryder fighting with two Queens boys, but he was holding his own well. He was holding one boy up, his arm around his chest and when the other boy went to punch him, Ryder turned the boy he was holding to take the hit…a move I have seen Jack Kelly do often. I sharply whistled to get his attention. And quickly he punched the boy in front of him and made his way over to me.

"What is it?" he asked. He was panting and sweat was forming on his forehead.

"I'se think Aoif and Star are in danger. I'se needs ya ta go to the warehouse and help em alright?"

"Not a problem, do you'se know's what's goin on?"

"Blade. He knows hat we left dem alone."

"Shit." Ryder cursed under his breath. He gave me a curt nod and took off to the warehouse. I watched him run with all his might and one he was out of sight, I returned to the fight only to find Blade was nowhere to be seen.

About twenty minutes later, I heard two voices calling my name. I punched out the kid I was fighting and turned around to see Ryder and my sister running towards me hand in hand, but Aoife wasn't with them. I was glad to see my sister was safe, but I was worried for Aoife. I jogged towards them and Nuala embraced me in a hug. I wrapped my arms comfortingly around her and kissed the top of her head like I always do when she's scared or in trouble.

"Are you'se alright?" I asked her

"Yeah I'm fine." She said through pants. "But Aoife, she told me to go and get help, to find you-I don't know what happened to her. I think they got her. Matches was there at the warehouse."

I nodded my head and thought about what I was going to do next to find Aoife, but I didn't have to look very far.

~*~At the same time~*~

Aoife awoke to the sound of shuffling feet and distant shouting. Slowly she propped her elbows up on the dirty stone ground of the ally and lifted herself up. She brought her hand to the back of her head only to wince as her fingers grazed the bump on the back of her head. Suddenly the world was spinning and she felt dizzy and nauseous. Then she suddenly heard a noise at the opening of the alley. Through the night mist and the eerie glow of the oiled streetlamp, Aoife squinted her eyes and noticed a figure stalking towards her. She heard shuffling feet behind her and that was when Aoife realized how dangerous the situation had become.

"So I'se see you'se couldn't ave gotten away like you're friend huh?"

Aoife immediately recognized that voice. How could she ever forget it?

"Nuala will find help." Aoife bravely said sticking her chin out at Blade who now stood in front of her. She took in his image and felt pride, but also worries. Lia was no doubt the cause of his bloodied nose and bruised eye, but then she thought of how Liam must have looked. "She'll find Liam and he'll beat you."

"I'se wouldn't be so sure about dat. You'se see, your liddle friend is bein taken care of right now. She'll never make it ta precious Spot."

"Mac an saol Ísle soith!" she swore at him.

"Now, now, dere's no need for insults here, sweetheart."

"Don't you dare call me that! I'm not anything to you."

"Ohh right, you'se is probably only lettin Liam call you dat. You'se are, after all, his girlfriend, am I correct?" Blade said in a mockingly manner. He had spat out Liam's name with such malice that Aoife wince, and she hated herself for blushing at the question.

"N…No. I'm not." She stuttered trying to cover up the fact that Liam was in fact courting her. But she did not want Blade to know that. She didn't want him to know the Liam had a soft spot for her. That would just lead to trouble and Aoife wanted to avoid as much trouble as she could.

"Oh well, better for me!"

So much for avoiding trouble, Aoife thought to herself.

Blade then dragged Aoife up by her arm and shoved her deeper into the alley yelling to the few newsies that were there to keep watch. No one could come help her or hear her scream. She figured Blade had snuck out of the fight to meet up with the newsies who had brought her there. She was scared. She remembered the awful things he had done to Nuala and her heart began racing in fear that the same thing would happen to her. She began to shake and struggle again.

Blade simply pulled her up towards him and slapped her across the face. The blow knocked her onto the ground and with an involuntary cry, she landed on her shoulder on the cold stone and he climbed on top of her.

"No…No…NO!" Aoife began to scream as Blade's hands roamed across her body, up and down her arms moving to her shoulders and down her sides. "GET OFF ME." She kneed him in the groin and he stopped. She used all the strength she had to push his body off her and get up. She ran to the opening of the alley only to remember it was being guarded. With a burst of bravery, she turned around and ran the other way past Blade who was starting to recover from the blow Aoife gave him. As she ran passed Blade, he made an attempt to reach out and grab her ankles, but Aoife swiftly jumped over his reaching hands and continued out of the alley ignoring the yells she heard behind She got to the end of the alley and ran out into the street deciding to take a sharp turn to the left. She had only been in Brooklyn for a few weeks and did not know the city very well, epically not in the dark. She ran, her feet pounding the pavement, using the sounds of fighting boys being her guide. She looked back to make sure no one was following her.

~*~Aoife's POV ~*~

I could tell I was about a street to the boarder of Brooklyn and Queens because the sound of shouts and angry cries filled the ar. I was running on the side streets trying to keep out of sight and not get caught. I was getting close and was hiding behind some milk crates at the opening of an alley when a stray alley cat hissed and ran past me. Startled I backed up but clumsily tripped over a crate and fell backwards landing hard on my back, my knees dangling over the edge of the crate and my hat now lying on the ground next to me. The black cat looked at me with evil yellow eyes and ran off crossing my path.

Bad omen right there. I thought to myself.

Grumbling quietly to myself I swung my legs over the crate and sat up picking up my hat, clutching it in my hand as I stood and marched out of the alley. Trying to figure out where I was going to go next I didn't notice a large figure coming up behind me. A hand grabbed a fistful of my hair, which hurt like crazy, and wrapped an arm around my mouth. I would have kicked him, but even the slightest movement was excruciating. Curse long hair…

I tried to scream as the boy holding me dragged me out of hiding and he shoved me in the middle of a circle of newsies. I looked up and standing a few yards away from me was Liam, looking beaten and bloodied but strong as ever. The gang was behind him and I also saw some boys from Manhattan as well as Ryder and Nuala. I breathed a sigh of relief when I realized that she had gotten away safely.

"Ahh, Spot Conlon. Say hello to the King, Aoife darling," Blade said sweetly, yanking me off the ground roughly by my arm.

My vision swam at the sudden movement and I blinked a few times, looking up to see Liam in all his rugged proud newsboy glory, looking pissed, bleary-eyed, and something like relieved to see that I wasn't maimed, dead, or somewhere in the middle of those.

"Liam!" I yelled. He looked down and yelled my name as well. I began to get up but was held back as a pair or arms snaked around my waist and through my hair again. I knew those arms. Blade was desperate and was going to use me as one last strike against Liam.

"Let da goil go, Blade, we got ya beat." Liam said calmly and confidently.

Blade pulled my head back and tightened his grasp around my waste to show he meant business. I tried my best not to make any noise, because that would just make me seem more vulnerable and him more in control of this. I did not want that. If I was going to be part of Brooklyn, I had to be strong. For Liam. But unfortunately a little, high pitched, "agh" slipped out. Ryder moved to charge at him, but Blink quickly stopped the action, knowing it would make my situation worse. I did not know Blink very well, but I did know he did not like to make bad situations worse. I tried not to stare as his bad eye was showing…and it looked bad.

"Ah, ah, ah." Blade growled, the arm that was around my waste relaxed a bit as Blade went to go grab something. He got out his infamous blade and slipped it up to my neck, resting the sharp blade against it. This was so bad. "Come any closer and da goil here get's it. Ya got me?" he warned.

They all looked to Liam for guidance, and he looked a bit stricken, but only I could tell from the look in his eyes. My eyes were watering slightly as Blade's grip on my hair tightened.

"Now youse is gonna give me what I'se want." He called out to his boys and they gathered around us all looking relatively pleased with the change of the upper hand. I looked over and saw Ryder holding onto Nuala's hand. I was glad she got out okay. Jack looked darkly at them all, Skittery held up a bruised up Mush, and Blink was tying a rag around his eye in place of his missing eye patch as they watched. But nobody looked angrier than Liam, who kept his eyes on Blade the whole time.

"We'll give ya whateva." Jack said stonily. A new tone for him. "Just let da goil go."

Blade seemed to think for a minute, which was odd for a guy like him, who normally wouldn't seem to think about anything. He turned his glare from Jack who had spoken up to Liam who was getting rather impatient. Then he said, "You've got plenty o' goils here in Brooklyn, but she's different ain't she? You'se would do anything for her, but I'se is havin somethin else in mind. I'se is thinkin, a trade and you wanna know who I'se like?"

Out of nowhere, Matches appeared in the circle of newsies and grabbed Nuala something along the lines of how Blade was holding me minus the knife, and pulled her away from Ryder despite his cries of protests.

"I'se like dat spitfire sista of yours Spot."

"No!" Liam, Ryder and myself all shouted. I tried to elbow Blade, but I only managing to make my skull scream in agony. I closed my eyes tight as Blade pulled me closer pulling my head back; Blink yelled something like, "Just let her go already!" I wasn't afraid for myself, in that moment. I was afraid for Nuala and the boys. I was afraid for Ryder and Jack and my friends who could be attacked right now just because I was too stupid to be paying attention to my surroundings. But especially for Liam, I knew what Blade was doing. He was proposing a trade, up for Brooklyn and I knew which one Liam would choose. Blade then shoved me to the side into another newsies grasp so he could walk over to Nuala.

"We'se ave had some good times huh?" Blade said to Nuala who was still being held by Matches. He ran a finger down her cheek, smiling.

I gazed over to Ryder to find he was seething with anger. Any moment now I was sure I would be able to see smoke rising from him. Liam's hands were balled into fists and he too was shaking with anger.

"Get yer hands off me." Nuala said angrily.

Before anyone could do anything, Blade backhanded her so hard that she stumbled in Matches grasp.

"DON'T TOUCH HER!" Ryder yelled. He almost got away from the hands holding him back, he was so angry.

"Ah! I'se see da lovely second in command of Spot Conlon's has a thing for his sista!" Blade laughed and then walked back over to me taking me captive in his arms once again.

"Ad you'se." he said to me. "Youse could ave been fun. You'se a pretty little t'ing." Blade rasped making my skin crawl. His breath warm on my neck, the hand holding his knife slid down over my arms. "Pretty name too, what's it mean again? Beautiful, radiant?"

"Get off o' her!" Liam called, taking a charge toward us.

"At least my name doesn't mean dark one." I said loud enough for only him to hear. Kieran, although a beautiful strong name had an evil meaning.

He growled putting his knife back up to my neck. I cranked my aching neck back more to protect it from getting cut. "Alright! I'se is here ta make a proposal. I'se give you back da girls, when you'se give me Brooklyn and step down from king."

"That will never happen!" I heard Nuala yell. She was quickly silenced by a tug of her hair and out of the corner of my eye I saw Jack and Blink holding back Ryder from beating Matches to a pulp.

"Well what do you ave ta say?" he asked in a mocking manner to me spinning me around to I faced him. He still held his blade pointed at me.

"I think you need to get over yourself. You're not all that great and powerful. You're just a coward that has his rats do your work for you. Liam will never give you Brooklyn."

~*~ Normal POV~*~

There wasn't a sound except for Aoife's and Blades breathing both was ragged and short. Most of Brooklyn and even Queens had expected Blade to attack her, but he stayed where he was, staring back.

Bloods muttered 'Bitch' under his breath, raising his fist slightly but then stopped. An idea came to his mind. He grinned, knowing a way to make Liam even madder. "Well then, what would you say if I did this?" Blade pulled Aoife close and kissed her hard and rough, claiming her lips in a possessive kiss. Aoife tried to wriggle away but it was no use, he was too strong.

"Damnit, Shatter! Get thehell off her! I'll kill ya!"

Aoife fought away and punched him hard in the face. Everyone had jumped up shocked but Blade had grabbed hold of Aoife's wrists before she could get away.

"Who the hell do ya think ya are? Don't ya ever touch her again! I'll come after ya myself! Dirty Bastard-get offa her!"

Aoife turned and looked up at Liam who was being restrained by four Brooklynites, two on each side. When she turned her gaze back to Blade she was shocked to see his cheek was already a little purple where she had hit him.

"You'se got a choice Conlon." Blade said once again turning Aoife to face the crowd, his arm across her chest, his blade at her throat. "It's Brooklyn or you're girls. You choose."

"Don't do it Spot." Nuala pleaded with her brother.

"I'se will barter for the life of the girls," he said simply.

"No Liam!" Aoife yelled as she tried to get away from.

Liam stepped forward and spit shook with Blade's free hand not meeting Aoifes sorrow filled gaze. She wished all of this was just a dream, that she would wake up and it would all be over. She knew how hard Liam had worked for Brooklyn, and now he was giving all that up just because of her. Liam held out his infamous gold tipped cane. Whoever had the cane was the leader. That was just fact, and nobody could believe Spot would just let it all go. With his free hand Blade grabbed the cane and brought it close to his person.

"Alright, it's done, now give me da girls." Spot said.

Blade snapped his fingers and Nuala was roughly shoved at Ryder's feet. Quickly he swiftly scooped her up into a loving embrace.

"Now Aoife." Spot said.

"Youse know, I's think I'se is gonna keep er a liddle while longer. She would make a beautiful queen you know."

"You mac an saol Ísle soith! We shook on it!" Spot yelled, realizing he had been foolish to trust Blade with his girls life.

"Well, I'se think by now you'se should ave known not ta trust me."

Before Spot could attack Blade, he snapped his fingers and at least thirty Queen's newsies rushed in from the shadows and began to fight round two with Brooklyn and Manhattan. All hell broke loose. Newsies were fighting with anyone they could with anything they could get their hands on- wooden planks, broken bottles.

Aoife though had had enough. With a sudden burst of anger she lifted her elbow and jammed it into Blades side causing him to double over. Once free of his grasp she kicked his wrist a few ties and eventually he let go of the cane. She called out to Liam who was currently fighting a much larger newsboy than him and she threw his cane to him before quickly moving out of the way. No matter how much she wanted to have it out with Blade, she knew Liam would do a better job.

"Get Nuala and go somewhere safe." He told Aoife after he swiftly caught the flying object and used his newly returned cane as his weapon and bashed a newsie in the head with it.

"She ain't yours, and she ain't never gonna be!" Spot lunged forward, tackling Blade. They rolled around for awhile Spot trying to unarm Blade of his knife. Eventually Spot sat on top of him and repeatedly hit Bloods over and over again in the face. Then he attempted to slam his wrist on the ground until the knife finally fell out. Spot slid the knife away from Blades reach. Blade had seized this opportunity and had punched Spot a few times in his arms; numbingly them almost until Spot couldn't use them. Blade tried, but couldn't get anywhere near Spot's face. Spot wasn't letting him recover and punched him in the nose. If he didn't break it before, it was certainly broken now.

Grabbing Blade by the collar of his shirt once again, he roughly pulled him up forward so they were looking at each other face to face.

"Go now." Spot said before letting Blade drop to the ground. For good measure he placed a foot on his chest trapping him there. "I'se is gonna maybe be nice and not send my boys afta you'se if you get outta here now. Face it Blade, you'se lost. I'se would neva give up Brooklyn. I'se is always gonna defend er, and dere's nothing you'se could do about it."

Blade sneered at Spot from his position on the ground. "Maybe I'se can't. But I'se always ave boys on my side. And da thing about me is dat I'se is not weak like you. I'se don't ave soft spots, unlike you." And with that Blade sharply whistled as a signal for something.

Spot quickly looked up and began franticly began looking to see if Aoife had gotten out safely. He didn't see her at first, so he figured she was somewhere safe, but as he continued to search, he found the result of the whistle. Nuala was being cornered against an alley wall by Matches, a knife getting dangerously close to her. But Spot knew he wouldn't have time to reach her. But still he tried, but as soon as he got up, something happened that made even Spot Conlon watery eyed.

Ryder had been fighting hard. He was bleeding, bruised and sweaty, but he did not stop. He had been fighting for a few minutes before he heard a sharp whistle cut through the air. Looking up, he saw Nuala, a knife pointed directly at her, and he knew Blade had commanded that. Without thinking, he ran to her and pushed here out of the way, but not before he felt a sharp pain penetrating his shoulder.

Ryder cried out in pain as Matches knife plunged into his shoulder and with an even bigger cry as he took the blade out. He slumped slowly to the ground, his hands pressing into his would to try to stop the bleeding.

"Ryder, NO!" Nuala shouted. In a fit of rage she lunged herself at Matches, knocking the knife out of his hand and kicking and punching as much as she could. I wasn't until Jack made his way over to her and took over soaking Matches. Nuala looked over to where Ryder was and quickly made her way over to him tears forming in her eyes. She knelt down and gently laid Ryder down resting his head in her lap as she tries ferociously to stop the bleeding. She took off her hat and pressed it onto his wound her hands shaking all the way.

"Ryder, Ryder. Stay with me." She said. "Stay with me Dillon, I know you can." She wiped the sweat off her forehead smearing his blood on herself, but she didn't care.

"Nuala-." Ryder stuttered.

"Shhh, don't try to talk. Don't worry, we're gonna get outa here." Nuala said.

"No- Nuala- I j-just need ta say-if I'se d-don't ge-get another ch-chance. T-that I'se l-love you." Ryder stumbled out. His face had gotten extremely pale and he was trembling all over.

Nuala couldn't help the tears as they flowed down her cheeks. She bent down and kissed him as passionately as she could without hurting him. Even though his lips were bloody and cold, they still tasted sweet to her. Ryder pulled away and started to cough. Every time he took a breath he winced and slammed his eyes shut crying out in pain.

"Help! Help!" she cried desperately trying to get someone's attention. Pretty soon Spot was behind her hugging her telling her she had to get away. He tried to pull her up off the ground, but she refused to let go of Ryder.

"No, I'm not leaving without him."

"I'm not asking you too. Some of da boys are going ta take him and you'se to the warehouse. Now get and be safe!" Spot ordered.

With one last hug Nuala turned and looked at the two Brooklynites who were asked to carry Ryder back to the warehouse. The two boys picked Ryder up, each putting one of his arms around their shoulders and Nuala helping. They sneaked away from the fight and started their journey.

New yells were heard in the distance, and someone had called out "Harlem!". Inwardly Spot smiled. Harlem had come to back them up in the fight, and now he knew that he had Queen's beat. Next to Brooklyn, Harlem was the toughest borough. If you had them on your side to fight, you had it in the bag.

Spot turned back around ready to finish this fight once and for all. He thought things would not have gotten any worse when he had to save his love and his sister, but this definitely topped it. Blade had planned to kill his sister and he knew why. If he couldn't have Brooklyn, Blade would take away everything from him instead. But the act of courage Ryder displayed had left Spot forever in his debt. But now he was going to end this. If only he had seen what was behind him. Taken by surprise, Liam was shoved forward his head dazing him from being slammed on the stone ground. He turned around and came face to face with Balde's blade.

"Ready to finish this Conlon?"

"Took da words out of me mouth." Spot said landing a punch to Blade. Blade lunged at Spot and pinned him to the ground. Surprising Spot, Blade pulled out a spare knife from his boot and held it erect. Spot brought his hands up and grasped them around the hand with the knife it, struggling with all his might to keep the knife away from him."

Aoife was watching from the sidelines. Spot had whispered to her "Folaigh, fanacht i bhfolach agus nach teacht amach do rud ar bith." Pretty much telling her to hide and stay hidden. But when she had seen Ryder take the hit for Nuala, she could not simply just hide. She got out from hiding and made her way into the fight again. She looked around franticly trying to find Liam and eventually she did; only Blade was on top of him threatening to plunge a knife into him, and she knew nothing good was going to happen. She started towards them but tripped over something. Looking down at the ground she discovered an abandoned sling shot. Remembering earlier that evening when Liam showed her how to use it, she grazed the ground in search of anything that she could load. She stumbled upon a few large sharp pebbles and some larger shards of glad from a broken bottle and picked them up. She loaded a rock into the elastic of the slingshot and tried to remember what Liam had told her.

~*~ Aoife's POV~*~

"Come ere." He had told me on the rood just hours before all his happened.

I did as I was told and stood in front of him he loaded the slingshot yet again and put it in my hand, his hand over my own. He repeated the gesture with my right only this hand held the elastic taught. He leaned closer to me, our bodies were practically touching.

"Now." He whispered to me. "Bring your elbow down."

As I loaded this slingshot, I remembered to lower my elbows below my ear, just as he had done.

He gently moved his right hand from mine to lower my elbow so it was parallel. "An open both eyes." I turned my head a look of confusion on my face. "You'll see twice as good." I turned back, this time with both eyes open, and stretched back the elastic tight.

Opening both eyes, I got a clear view of my target as it slowly stalked its prey.

"Good." He whispered in my ear sending chills all over. "Now focus, breathe. Think about what you'se gotta do." He instructed as he maneuvered my hands to aim at a bottle. "Inhale, and release."

I knew what I had to do. I had to hit Blade, and I could not miss. This was going to be Liam's only chance as a distraction and Beidh mé damanta if I let anything happen to Liam. I took a couple of deep breaths, took aim, and let my pebble fly.

At his command I let go of the elastic and was satisfied as I was rewarded with the sound of breaking glass.

Everything seemed like it happened in slow motion. One second I had my eye on the stone and then I didn't. Worried I had missed my target I began to load and aim another shot, but them to my surprise just as Blade was beginning to get his knife, closer to Liam's chest he rose it back up, bringing his hand to clasp around the spot I had hit.

I smiled and loaded the slingshot with a shard of glass again for another round. I followed the same instructions and this time I hit Blade's hand cutting him deep. He cried in pain as he went to hold his hand. Given the opportunity, Liam kicked Blade off of him and disarmed Blade's knife from him. He kicked him on the ground before he looked up and noticed me. He got up and ran towards me, bleeding and sweaty.

"Come on Aoif, you'es is goin home. You'se just saved my life and dat's enough excitement for one day."

"No Liam." I said. "I have come this far in the fight and I want to finish it with you."

"Aoife get home! Nuala and Ryder are on deir way's to's so you'll meet up wif dem."

But before I could argue anymore, I noticed Blade had gotten up regained his knife and was getting close to Liam, a little too close for comfort.

"Mura bhfuil tú é a thabhairt dom beidh mé a chur air."

"Liam, watch out!" I yelled hoping he would sense the danger he was in. Quickly he turned around and tried to block Blade's hit. But it all came so fast. Before anyone knew it Liam's arm was open and bloodies and long gash coming from his triceps to his elbow. He screamed in pain and his eyes started t water, but he did not give up. I don't think Liam Conlon would ever give up. Swiftly and surprisingly gently he pushed me out of the way and charged at Blade with rage and energy I had never seen him with. The fight was intense and I wanted to interfere, but I knew this was his battle, and he would want to finish it. The two boys were throwing punches at each other, Liam's were a little thrown off considering he had to hit with his left hand the whole time. When the pain in his arm got too much he had to result to kicks so he could nurse his wounded arm.

The boys were fighting and fighting, moving closer to the edge of one of the docks and I began to worry. Soon Liam was on the ground and I was afraid that this was going to be the end, but as Blade charged at him, Liam stuck his legs up into Blade's stomach and kicked him off sending him over the edge of the dock down into the cold water below. Blades yell got fainter and fainter and soon was silenced with a loud splash. And it seemed like tie had stopped. At the sound of the splash everyone had stopped fighting to look at Liam who was kneeling down looking over the edge of the dock. Slowly he began to stand up, his hand still clutching his arm. He stood regal and with more power than I have ever seen him and he shouted the four word I bet he had longed to say for a long time.

"The war is over."

It seemed that every newsie Brooklyn, Harlem, Manhattan and even most Queen's erupted in shouts of victory and joy. And I have never been happier or more proud.

~*~ Spot POV~*~

I had done it. We had done it. This damn stupid newsie war was finally over and the last time I had seen newsies this happy was when the strike ended. My gazed paned around the battlefield. It seemed no one was hurt too bad, just a few scraped and bruises, and then my gaze turned to Aoife. The beautiful woman had saved my life today, and now that this was over, I could do what we have wanted to do for awhile. I took a few shaky steps towards her, but I was losing strength. I was shaking and losing a lot of blood. The last thing I remember before blacking out was Aoife running towards me.

A/N YAYYY! After God knows how many weeks I finally got the chapter out! Once again I am SO SORRY for not updating sooner. I can honestly say that I have never been so busy in my life before. My shop opens this week and I have had weekend rehearsals for five hours as well as school rehearsals for six. Ugg. Please believe me when I say I was going to upload at the beginning of the week, but I had an unexpected death I've had to cope with so please cut me some slack. But for my devoted readers I have tried to make this chapter the best. At a whopping 6015 words and 20 pages on my word doc. I think I completed the challenge. So yeah what do you guys think of Ryder? Will he make it? What will happen to him? And Spot, well it looks like he defeated Blade in true Lion King fashion! Yayy! So let me know what you think. Please review/favorite and follow, for the sake of injured Ryder! And here are the Irish translations:

Mac an saol Ísle soith!- Low life son of a bitch.

Folaigh, fanacht i bhfolach agus nach teacht amach do rud ar bith- hide stay hidden and don't come out for anything.

Beidh mé damanta- I'll be damned.

Mura bhfuil tú é a thabhairt dom beidh mé a chur air- if you don't give it to me, I'll takr it.

So thank you so much guys for sticking with me and being so patient! You guys are the best and I will try to upload as soon as humanly possible! Thanks again!