chapter twenty-five

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Joan and Jack arrived in Brooklyn not much later, hopping on a milk carriage passing by, without being noticed. As they walked down the dock, the tension was big. Even though the Newsies got on with one another, and friendships were made, there was still a rivalry. ''Keys.'' I walked up to butters. ''Kelly?'' Jack tipped his hat and looked around in the hope to see Spot. The two of them were close, even after the strike. ''So, where's he?'' Butters looked at Joan, confused. ''Probably in his room.'' ''Who are you's talkin' bout?'' Joan had a big smile on her lips. ''Spot. Ain't seen him?'' You could see Butters taking in a deep breath. ''Joan..'' She shook her head. ''I won't hear it.'' She passed him, walking towards the room of the old king of Brooklyn. ''Wait here.'' She opened up the door to see Spot laying in his bed. She closed the door behind her and walked up to the sleeping man. 

Softly stroke over his face. ''Spencer?'' She smiled at his name. Imagining their future. Spencer and Joan Conlon. A small farm in the nowhere. A few cows and horses out in the back. She imagined Spot coming home from work. Opening the door, greeting her with a soft kiss on the head, and holding their child. She saw a happy family out it the west. Spot has a soft beard, she had longer hair. A girl on Spots lap. It seemed to real. 

''Joan?'' His eyes opened up and she was met by the deep eyes of her lover. ''Hey.'' His hand laid on her cheek and she sat down next to him. ''Where did you go?'' His smile faded. ''Ain't feelin' too good.'' She laid her hand on his forehead. ''You's freezing..'' He chuckled. ''That's normal.'' 

A knock on the door made both of them look away from each other. ''Keys?'' Joan smiled at Spot. ''Please don't run away.'' He took a deep breath in and nooded. Both of them standing up. ''It's just Jack and Butters.'' She opened up the door with a soft smile, stepping to the side to let Jack and Butters inside. ''Told you's I ain't lyin.'' She smiled at them as they looked past her. Then back at each other. ''Oh Joan.'' Jack wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a hug. She started laughing. ''He's home.'' Butters was the next one to hug her. Confused she looked at Spot, who gave her a sad smile. ''What?'' He walked up to the other men, neither of them looking at him, just straight at her with a sad expression. ''They can't see me.'' 

Joan could feel a knot inside her stomach. ''What to you mean?'' Jack looked at her confused. ''He's not here. Spot's gone, Joan.'' He looked at each of the three men in front of her, Spot nodding. ''He's right, darlin'.'' She shook her head. ''This is some kind of twisted joke.'' She grabbed Spots hand, pulling him next to her. ''Look, he's right here!'' She pointed at Spot, for the others, she pointed at an empty space right next to her. ''Oh, Joan.'' Jack repeated, again trying to pull her into a hug, which she denied. ''What the bloody fuck are you's talkin bout?!'' She felt her legs getting weaker until the world around her turned dark.


Joan felt a deep pain in her head, trying to open her eyes. ''Hey, slow down Keys.'' Butters laid a wet rag onto her head. ''Can you open your eyes?'' She did. She felt the soft fabric of Spots bed underneath her. As she opened up her eyes, she saw Butters sitting on the bed with her, Jack crouching beside it. Spot stood a little behind them, making her smile. ''Spot.'' She felt weak, her arms heavy. ''I'm sorry.'' He gave her a soft smile somehow appearing, where Butters sat earlier. ''I should've told you's earlier. Just didn't know how.'' His voice was soft, his cold hand touching hers. ''Fucking hell. Oh fuck. Fuck. Fuck.'' She felt the world around her turning again until a strong hand grabbed hers. She looked to her side to see Jack with a soft smile. ''He's really gone. I-..'' A  knot build itself inside of her stomach. ''I need to throw up.'' Butters jumped up, grabbing a bucket which stood around. Not much later she could felt everything emptying itself out of her stomach. Afterwards she threw herself against the pillow. ''I send for Kid.'' She looked at Jack again, feeling the tears coming up again. ''I really thought he's..'' She looked back to Spot who was giving her a sad smile and nod. ''I thought he's back. That he came back for me.'' 

The door swung open, revealing a sweaty Kid Blink. ''Joan!'' He ran up to the bed sitting down 'on' Spot, who appeared right behind Jack this time, not taking his eyes off her. She felt a warm hand grabbing hers. Somehow she managed to take her eyes away from the man she fell in love with, to see the one she broke. ''How's you feelin?'' His thumb softly stroke over her hand. A soft smile on his lips as his other hand turned the rag on her head so that the cold side was on her forehead. ''He promised.'' Tears started rolling down her face as she watched Blink going trough his hair with his hand. ''I know, darlin.'' 

''I will always be there. Just like I promised.'' She turned her head to see Spot next to Jack, coming closer to her. ''I ain't goin to grow old with you or get to be the one givin you's the family you have dreamed of. But I will be there, right beside you. Always on your side, just like I promised.'' Joan felt her heart dropping. ''You's goin to leave me now, ain't that so?'' She saw a tear rolling down Spots cheek. He crouched down beside the bed, his hand holding hers, right trough Kids. Blink started shivering. Joan could see goosebumps on his arm. A small smile appearing on her lips. ''I have to.'' She looked back at her true love. ''Promise you'll always stay around.''

''I promise.'' Spot and Kid said simultaneously.

Spot smiled at the man, holding the hand of the woman he dreamed of marrying one day. ''He will take good care of you. The way I never could.'' The tears kept streaming down her face. ''You will use this pain to push trough. You's got living to do.'' He was right, even if Joan didn't want to believe it. ''You promise you'll stay with me?'' 

''I promise.'' Again she heard multiple voices. All of the men answering her. 

Spot looked at her, hopefully. ''Promise me, you will do what you's dreamed of.'' She looked at him, drying her tears. ''I promise.'' 

She closed her eyes and suddenly, a cold breeze went trough the room. ''Close the window.'' Jack said to Butters, but Joan held him back. ''Don't.'' Knowing, it was Spots way of saying goodbye. Closing her eyes again she felt a warm touch on her wet forehead. ''Goodbye Spencer.''




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