Come Sail Away * Spot Conlon Love Story *

Chapter 12: Standing Up

Spot's POV:

"Hey Spot, could you'se slow down a little?" I whipped around and glared at Racetrack.

"No. Keep up." I turned back around and continued walking quickly. The others kept trying to talk to me, but I'm not in the mood. It's my fault she's out here. She could be hurt. I know she is here in Queens. Queens is the closest burrow near Brooklyn. They are also the craziest.

"Spot, she'll be fine. She's a tough goil," Race said. I know he's right. She is the toughest girl I have ever seen, and probably one of the toughest people I'll ever know. But she is all by herself. And the newsies from Queens always travel in packs.

We walked for another half an hour. Now we have been out here for an hour and a half looking. We are deep into Queens and there is still no sign of her.

"Maybe she isn't here?" Mush says.

"Yeah, you'se might be right. We'se have searched all ova tanight. Dis is just wasting time now. I'se say we split up and search-"

I tuned Race out for a second. I saw something in an alleyway. I walk closer and squint to get a better look. I could only see a form on the ground, but it looked human.

"Shit!" I yelled. I raced towards the body, praying that it wasn't her. Anyone but her.

I ran over to the body and crouched down beside it. I flipped them over so I could see their face. To my horror, it was Kat. Her eyes were closed and her face was littered with bruises and cuts. She was barely breathing.

"MUSH! Run a head ta Hattan and tell ya boys ta get ready! Kat needs help, fast!" Mush nodded and immediately scrambled off. I looked over at Kat's body and cursed myself. This is all my fault.

I picked her up into my arms and began to walk back through Queens as quickly as possible. Race and Blink followed right behind me. I could tell they were just as upset as me. This is all my fault...

———————————————————

"You'se think she'll pull through, Specs?"

"She'll be fine. I'se no doctor, but tis ain't life or death. I'll have ta check on her when she wakes up ta see what hoits, but I'se think she'll be fine." I remained sitting on Kat's bunk looking at her helpless form in front of me. I heard Specs and I was glad she was going to be ok. But I am just so mad at myself for starting this. If it wasn't for me, she'd be fine right now.

The newsies started to slowly leave one by one. I remained sitting next to Kat, holding her hand. I felt a hand on my shoulder, but I didn't take my eyes off of her.

"I'se sorry fa yelling at ya earlier tanight. I'se was just worried 'bout her. She's my best friend," Race said. I nodded, but kept my gaze on Kat. He knows I'm ashamed. "Dis ain't ya fault. She's told me 'bout you two so I'se knows she really likes you. Whateva ya fight was 'bout, she'll forgive ya." I ignored Race's comment. He walked away, leaving Kat and I alone.

I dropped my head down in shame. I shouldn't have yelled at her. Now she's hurt and I'm to blame. We just started dating and I already got jealous. Why was I so jealous?

I think I really like Kat. But I'll need to prove it to her. Once she wakes up, I'll make sure she knows I like her. I'll do something special for her. Then I'll ask her to be my girl again. Hopefully, she says yes.

Kat is just so...amazing. I've never met a girl like her before. She would make a great leader in Brooklyn. Hopefully she still wants to be my girl. And maybe she'll even want to help me lead the Brooklyn newsies...

Kat's POV:

Shooting pain erupted in my skull. I groaned, trying to pry my eyes open. My whole body ached. I pried my eyes open to be blinded by light. I slowly got used to the light and began to make out shapes. The first person I saw shocked me.

"Spot?" I croaked out. Spot snapped his head up, shocked. A smile broke out on his face at the site of me.

"Thank god you'se awake," he said. He bowed his head and kissed my hand which was gripped in his. I blushed before realizing I was in the lodging house. How did I get here?

"Did you'se rescue me?" He looked down and smiled sheepishly.

"Yeah, I'se guess I'se did. Race, Blink, and Mush came along too," he answered. I smiled the best I could. He cared. He really cared. "I'se wanted ta apologize. I shouldn't have gotten so jealous. If I'se didn't yell at ya, then you wouldn't have gotten hoit."

"Don't blame ya'self Spot. I'se know you'se didn't mean it. Plus, I'se don't feel too bad. I'se had woise," I said with a chuckle. He laughed too as we stared happily at one another. He began to lean down towards me and-

"KITTY KAT, YOU'SE ALWIGHT!" I jump slightly at the sudden scream from my best friend and groan when he hugs the daylights out of me.

"Ya know I'se hates it when you'se call me dat," I chuckle. His voice alerted Mush, Skittery, Kid Blink, and a few more newsies  as they ran up their stairs and into the room. Spot stood back a little bit so they could come say hello to me.

I am so happy to be back. I look around and see all my friends who will always be there for me. But with that thought, I remembered Jack. The one person I thought I would never lose. He betrayed his own blood, all his friends...that isn't my brother. I don't know who that guy is anymore.

"Aye guys! Listen up!" I yelled. They all immediately went quiet and looked at me intently. I sat up a bit so I could get ready for what I was about to say. "I'se know we'se were planning ta carry on wit dis strike. We'se still can. We'se don't need Jack. We'se can do dis without him. I'se know that because we'se are stronga den any oda company in New York. We'se been being treated like dirt fa too long. Tomorrow, we'se are gonna finish dis strike. And Pulitzer and Hearst are gonna pay."