Lavenders green, lavenders blue (spot conlon love story)

Chapter 26- Madeup

I woke up the next morning and spit was already gone. It was cloudy, I could hear the wind hitting against the lodging house.  I had only just left the bedroom when Ike came pummeling towards me.  

"Woah there." I said putting my hands out to ease him.  

"Addy,  you gotta come with me" he said through heavy breaths. 

"What's wrong?" I asked scammed up and down his body for signs of injury but nothing, he just looked out of breath like he had just run a marathon.

"Come on" he grabbed my arm and started pulling me.  He dragged me down the stairs and into the main room where I saw racetrack standing.

"Race?" I exclaimed, now more confused than ever "what the hell is going on?"  

He looked at me with worried eyes.  "There was an accident, you're gonna have to come with me."  He went out the door and I shuffled after him.  

"What kind of accident?" I struggled to keep up with his ever quickening pace.  "Why won't anybody tell me what's going on?" I heard him take a deep breath.  

"After you left yesterday jack was a little more shook up than before, he went out and stayed out pretty late.  He went to a bar and got super wasted.  The boy was more tipsy than I ever saw before.  On his way back home probably around 3 or 4 am, he got into some argument with this man.  Jack threatened to punch him and well,  the other guy hit first.  Turned into a whole brawl.  Jack got soaked real bad."  

My heart was beating fast.  How could this have happened. It was all my fault.  If I hadn't argued with him in the first place.  If I hadn't been so damn stubborn.  None of this would have happened.  I clenched my fists.  "Is he...gonna be ok?"  I asked quietly.

Race took a few minutes before responding.  He was trying to think of a way to not get my hopes up,  but not make me too nervous.  In the end he just gave up and said what he though and what  everyone thought. The whole truth. 

"I dunno kid, I dunno"  

We reached the manhattan lodging house and the minute we got there I ran to jacks bed where race said he was.  I knelt down by it and examined my brother.  He was bloody,  I could tell that some of the boys had tried to wipe away the blood but it was very much still there.  He had big bruises on his stomach and the biggest bruise in his face.  His nose was bleeding and it looked like maybe a tooth or two was missing.  He was is the worst shape I had ever seen him.  Crutchie was sitting on the bad next to his.  He had been there all morning since jack was brought in.  

"Crutchie can you grab me a couple towels with  some cold water please" I asked and he got up to get it.  

"Jack?"  I said putting my hand on his "can you hear me?"  His eyes opened and he looked at me.  

"Hiya addy" he croaked.  I smiled 

"Hiya jack"  I brushed some hair out of his face "how ya doin?"  

"Not so great"  he said wincing in his stomach from talking "hey addy?" 

"Yeah" 

"I'm sorry"  

I was caught by surprise.  Jack apologized to me.  He actually did it.  This is the brother that I remember and love.  

"I shouldn't have freaked out at you.  I over reacted.  I'm sorry"

"It's ok jack"  I smiled "I'm sorry too. For arguing and all that"  

Crutchie entered with the towels.  I rolled up jacks shirt and placed one across his bruised stomach, and one resting on his bruised cheek.  "How are ya feeling now?" I asked 

"A little bettah"  he smiled. Just then Sarah came rushing in.  Jack smiled even bigger than before. He was head over heels for that girl.  She had A big look of concern on her face.  I decided to leave them alone and I left the room.  Sure enough leaning against the wall in the hallway in the most nonchalant way possible was spot Conlon.  He smirked when he saw me.  I sighed and leaned on the wall next to him.  

"What are ya doin here?"  I asked him leaning my head against the wall in hopes of some relief from my tired headache.

"I dunno, guess I just like the area"  he smirked and turned to face me his side now leaning against the wall 

I looked at him and rolled my eyes "oh cmon, ya hate comin to Hattan when ya don't have to" 

He shrugged "I guess I just had some special  Business ta attend to this mornin and ended up having to stick around". 

"Spot colon will there ever be a day in your life when you tell me the whole truth?" 

Spot sighed and crossed him arms "I didn't like that youse was sad when ya came back ta Brooklyn last night so I came here ta talk with jacky boy and I found him gettin beat by some old man" 

My eyes widened "so you.." my voice trailed off.

" I pulled the guy off him.  Brought jack back to the house, send race ta get Ike ta get you" 

"Do ya ever stop amazin me Conlon?" 

He took his hand to my chin and tipped it up till I was inches from his face "hope not" he said and kissed me sweetly.  Sarah came out of the room and closed the door behind her.  

"He's just fallen asleep"  she smiled "I think he's gonna be completely fine"  Sarah wanted to be a doctor.  She hasn't quite made the money to go to school yet but her parents have been saving for years. And Sarah has really picked up a skill to telling how bad an injury is, considering how long she's been around the newsies who seem to always have an injury.  If Sarah thinks jack will be ok then jack will be ok.

"Thanks Sarah"  I said.  Then crutchie came out of the room, "jacks askin for ya addy"  spot rubbed my shoulder then said quietly "I'll wait for ya"  I think he wanted to keep it under the radar.  Had to keep up his stone cold reputation.  Sarah smiled at me and gave my hand a squeeze.  "I'll see you later addy"  she went downstairs.  I walked into the bedroom.  

"Hiya addy" jack said in a tired slightly raspy voice 

"Hiya jack hows it rollin"  I leaned on the wall next to his bed 

"Listen I don't know how to do this so I'm just gonna say it,  I'm gonna ask Sarah to marry me"  I gasped and stood up straight 

"You're gonna..what?" 

"I really love her and I want to marry her"  

"But jack you're only 18, and she's 19, you're too young. You haven't even known each other that long!" 

"Long enough to know I want to spend my life with her!"  He did look happy,  and sure it's what he wanted.  

"At least wait a couple months to ask.  Wait until spring"  

"I can't wait that long."  He groaned 

"But what if Sarah isn't as ready as you are. Give it until may."

"April"  he said "and I need you to help make it perfect" 

"Ok" I turned to go "oh and jack?"

"Yeah kid?" 

"Your gonna make a great groom"  

He beamed "thanks kid" 

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Wow a new chapter? This is absurd

-Rory