brooklyn nights

chapter eleven

truth;

3rd person POV

Time past slowly, but Joan was able to fall asleep, her hand resting on Spots whilst her head was leaning against the edge of the couch with her sitting on the ground. After what felt like seconds, movement woke her up. She quickly got on her knees, looking at Spot who was slowly opening his eyes. A groan left his mouth as his hand shot up to his head, pressing against it. "Spot!" Joan wrapped her arms around the boy, pulling him towards her, not wanting to let him go again. "You's chokin' me." His soft voice said before Joan broke away from the hug. She looked at him before he laid his head down again. "What is wrong with you!?" She bursted out, slapping his chest with her flat hand. Tears streaming down her face. "What?" The boy looked at her confused with his hand still laying on his head, trying to stop the headache. "You could've died. Why did you's come back?" Her voice was shaking, a loud sob left her mouth as she threw herself onto the boy, her hands on his chest as tears stained his shirt. "They could have killed you. Do you get that? You's could've been dead!" She quietly whispered against his shirt as Spot started stroking over her head. His hand was softly going trough her hair as he tried calming her down. "I'm here Joan. I'm alright." She pulled away and looked at him with red eyes. Never has he seen her like this before. He realized in what state she was, as he wrapped his arms around her neck, pulling her into a tight hug. With all his strength, he held back his tears. "Why didn't you run?" Her soft voice broke showing how exhausted she was. "You's weren't with me. I had to get you." He placed a kiss on her hair as he continuously stroke over her back.

The girls breathing starting calming down as the door opened, showing a worried David and Denton. "Spot, Joan! Dear Lord, we've been looking all over for the two of you." David kneeled next to Joan, stroking over her shoulder with an soft smile. "The others are at the courthouse." Shocked, Joan looked to Spot, who was already getting up. He tumbled a little, Denton wrapping his arm around his waist to help him walk out. David and Joan followed after them, away from the building that used to be filled with joy. "How did you get away? Where's Jack?" Joan had her eyes focused on the limping Spot in front of her. She has never seen him as weak as this. "Medda hid me after they took Jack. It was crazy. Dozens of bulls attacked him, we had no chance. After Kid got attacked by some of them-." Joan quickly turned her head to face David, who was now looking at her. She again had tears coming up. She felt weak. "What's with Blink?" Her heart started racing and she felt like she was going to faint any minute. "He helped Jack outside but we were surrounded by bulls on horses. One grabbed Jack and Kid got him out but was then arrested. We couldn't do anything Joan. They were too many." His voice got quiet at the end and he had to take a deep breath. Remembering everything from the night before was hard for him. Luckily, Les staid at home that day.

"We're here. Let's get the boys out, we need to talk." Denton opened the door for them as David walked up to Spot, helping him up the stairs. Angry at his state, Spot pushed the boy away, holding onto the railing. With slow steps he made his way up into the building. Joan watched him, her heart breaking at the picture.

The group walked inside the courtroom to hear the judge talking. Spot pushed open the gates, walking inside. He hid his limp and put on a strong face. "Are any of you boys represented by council? No? Good, that will move things along considerably." With a quick move, Spot slammed his cane against a pillar. "Your honor, I object!" The newsies turned towards the boy, with a smile on their faces. "Spot. You made it!" Race jumped against the fence which separated them from the rest of the room. Annoyed, the judge pointed his gavel towards Spot who was walking to the group. He sent them an assuring nod and turned to the judge. "On what grounds?" Spot looked at him with a serious face, the pain slowly taking over again. "On the grounds of Brooklyn, yer honor." Everyone started laughing, making the judge ask for silence. "I fine each of you five dollars, or two weeks confinement in the House of Refuge." Everyone started arguing against the sentence, which made the judge even more mad. "And you young man. Get out of here before I have to get you arrested as well." Spot threw his hands in the air and walked back up to Joan and the others. A smile on Joan's lips made Spot grin at her, reaching for her hand.

Race spoke up. "Whoa. We ain't got five bucks. We don't even got five cents." Kid and some other boys backed him up as Racetrack walked up to the judge, leaning against his podium. "Hey, yer honor, how 'bout I roll you for it. Double or nothing?" Again everyone started to laugh. The mood was lighter than before which made Joan keep the smile on her face.

"Your honor, I'll pay the fines. All of them." Denton and David walked past Joan and Spot, walking towards the boys. "You alright there, boys? Where's Jack?" A few nods went trough the group as an answer for David. "Look, we've got to meet at the restaurant. Everybody. We have to talk." Everyone agreed, confused. The judge against slammed his gavel against the table. "Pay the clerk. Move it along." As Denton walked to pay, Jack was brought in. "Jack!" Joan pushed herself past Denton to wrap her arms around his neck before being pulled away by one of the officers. "Oi. Get your dirty hands off 'er!" Spot limped towards the girl, his cane in the air ready to beat the man holding her. She got set free and grabbed Spots hand, stroking over it with her thumb. "Heya fellas! Joan, you's lookin' rather beaten." He laughed a little, earning the girls middle finger. "Hey, Denton. I guess we made all the papes this time. So, how's my picture look?" He had a big smile on his lips as Denton walked up to him with a sad expression on his face. "None of the papers covered the rally. Not even the Sun." Everyone started muttering. "Case of Jack Kelly. Inciting a riot. Assault. Resisting arrest." Joan turned towards the judge with an annoyed look. "That's bullshit." Spots grip around her hand got tighter as he pulled her backwards to make her stay next to him. Footsteps came closer and a gasp left Joan's mouth. "Judge Monahan, I'll speak for this young man." Jack rolled his eyes, turning towards Snyder. "You two know each other. Ain't that nice." You could tell that the judge wanted this to be over, so he gave a signal to Snyder for him to continue. "Just move it along, Warden Snyder." The old man had a small smirk on his lips as he saw Jack. "This boy's real name is Francis Sullivan. His mother's deceased. His father's a convict in the state penitentiary. He's an escapee from the House of Refuge where his original sentence for three months was extended to six moths for disruptive behavior."

Joan turned away from Jack, facing Spot, who was as shocked as she was. "Why would he lie?" The two of them blocked out everything else going on and just focused on themselves. "He's probably got a good reason, don't you's get your head all fuzzy, princess." He stroke over her cheek and gave her a soft smile.

"I ask that the court order his incarceration until the age of twenty-one, in the hope that we may yet guide him to a useful and productive life." Snyder pushed out his chest and turned towards the judge. "So ordered." Joan turned towards the scene, letting out a loud scream. "No! You can't do that. Snyder, he's a lunatic!" Joan stumped towards the man who was still wearing a devil smirk on his lips. "You's goin' to reject that Snyder. I'll kill you for what you did to them. You'll die, you hear me!?" In process of jumping on the man, the girl got pulled back by an officer who placed her next to Jack who was looking at her with a small smile. "And I order you to a 3 dollar fine for interrupting an ongoing case. Pay the clerk!" The judge slammed his gavel against the wooden underground. Denton walked up to the clerk, paying all the fines and then walking out, David following behind him.

Spot and Joan heard steps coming closer, as they turned around, they saw the group of newsies. Most of them had bruises on their faces. Kid walked up to the girl, touching her cheek which still had dry blood on it. "I told you, you'd get hurt again. God damn it, Joan!" He raised his voice which cause the girl to flinch. Spot limped in front of her, raising his cane towards Blink. "At least she didn't run when it got serious. That was what I was worried about and you just proved me point." He grabbed Joan's hand and pulled her with him. She took one last look behind, Race looking after her with an broken look. But he knew that Spot was right. Most of them ran. He saw Spots limp, shooting a questioning gaze at Joan, who just gave him a sad smile. "He's right." Mush pushed himself past Kid and walked outside, everyone following after him. "C'mon Mush. Spot's just confused. We had to safe ourselves." Kid Blink tried to argue against Mush, who was clearly on Spots side. "No Kid, we had to safe Jack. But we failed, again." He ran down the stairs, toward Tibby's. Race patted Blinks shoulder, nodding towards the others.