Mush and Raindrop sat on her bed talking.

"So ya like it 'ere?" Mush asked, after he finished telling her everything that had happened in Manhattan since she left. Raindrop shrugged.

"I guess. Spot's real nice. 'e knows who I am. Says me bruddah's been loiking fer me." Mush nodded.

"Dat's what Jack said, aftah ya left. 'pparently dat's why Spot came, ta warn Jack, and Jack figuahed out it was yer bruddah." Raindrop nodded. Mush frowned at her.

"Hey, 're you'se awright? Yer actin' all weahd." She shrugged.

"I guess." Mush didn't stop frowning.

"Hey...Spot didn' do nuttin' ta ya, did he?" Raindrop looked up in surprise.

"Spot? No. Like ah said, he's real nice." Mush grinned.

"Dat's good. Hey, ya know, I really outta git back. It's gittin' late an' all. An' I don' t'ink Spot's real pleased dat I'se heah anyhow." He stood up and hugged her.

"An' if anyt'in' 'appens, 'r ya need us, let us know, awright?" Raindrop smiled.

"Ah coise. Same fer you'se, awright." Mush nodded, and walked out the door. Raindrop watched him leave. Not too much later sounds came from the bunkroom of the newsies going to bed. Soon Spot came in. He took off his shirt and shoes and such and climbed into bed without a word. Raindrop sat mystified at his behavior and finally got ready for bed. Spot lay awake for awhile.

Ya bum, ya didn' need ta act like dat. Now she t'inks you'se a real joik, an' da boys t'ink ya like 'er. Bettah make it up to 'er. You'se find sumpt'in'. Odd goil though. All closed up - can't tell what she thinks 'r nuttin'. Ain't even shoah no moah dat sumpt'in' hoit 'r. Real different from when she foist got heah. Dat foist week...acted out of touch wit e'ryt'in'...but like she was happy...'cept den she cried every night. Now she ain't cryin'...but she's still kepin' 'erself all boxed up fer some reason.

**************

She woke up as he was dressing the next day. He saw her sit up and laughed, being in an incredibly good mood.

"Ain't'cha jist shocked at wakin' up ta see sucha han'some guy dressin'?" Raindrop laughed.

"Ya ferget, I live wit thoirty boys, aftah dat, jist one ain't so immpresive no moah." Spot smirked.

"Yeah, but you'se don' live wit Spot Conlon." Raindrop looked around at her bed and the rest of her surroundings.

"Ya shoah on dat one? 'Cause if I don', I'd really like ta heah why I'se in 'is room." Spot grinned.

I'se shoah ya would." He laughed and walked out. Raindrop smiled and shook her head. Then she began to get ready for the day. She walked out of the room and saw Spot waiting for her. The rest of the newsies had already left. He grinned.

"Glad ta see ya. Got ta wond'rin' if you'se got lost in der, 'r sumpt'in'." She shoved him and he laughed.

They left the Lodging House and Spot stopped her from turning and going to the Distribution Center. He walked towards the docks and motioned for her to follow.

"Someone's in an awful chippah mood dis mornin'..." Raindrop said under her breath. Spot looked at her.

"Hmm?" Raindrop grinned.

"I'se jist wond'rin' what put ya in sucha good mood dis mornin'." Spot shrugged and grinned.

"Do I need ah reason?" Raindrop laughed.

"Coise not. You'se da infamous Spot Conlon, aftah all. Anyhow, I ain't complainin', yer a easiah ta like when ya ain't scowlin'."

"Ah," Spot said, "but ya ain't supposed ta like Spot Conlon, yer supposed ta be afraid ah 'im." Raindrop held up her hands.

"Hey, dat part ain't my fault, yer da one in da good mood." Spot laughed. They stopped walking. Raindrop looked around, and saw no one.

"What're we doin' heah?" she asked. Spot took off his cap.

"I'se teachin ya ta fight. Now, foist I wanna see what ya know awready, so gimme yer best shot." Raindrop looked at him doubtfully. Spot began reassuring her. Suddenly she grabbed a pail of water sitting on the pier and threw the water on him. While he yelled and rubbed the water out of his eyes she hit him in the jaw. Spot laughed and shoved her backwards, into the water. She thrashed wildly in the water after resurfacing.

"Spot!" she yelled frantically, "I can't swim! Spot! Help me!" She slipped beneath the water and then resurfaced several times. Spot dived in and grabbed her.

"Calm down!" he commanded, "Kick yer legs an' don' panic. If you go under, hold yer breath." He grabbed her shirt and swam to the dock. He helped her onto the dock and then climbed on himself. She leaned against a crate and coughed.

"Ya awright?" he asked, worried. She nodded weakly. He moved and sat beside her.

"I'se real sorry Raindrop," he started. She shook her head.

"Don' be. Ya didn' know I cain't swim." She grinned weakly. "'Sides, I didn' e'zactly hit ya fairly." She sighed. "Seem's I got a real problem wit watah." Spot looked at her. She laughed and told him about the water fight she, Race, Mush, and Blink had had. He laughed when she finished. She sighed and lay her head on Spot's shoulder, completely exhausted. He looked at her in surprise but didn't say anything.

Stop actin' so surprised about everyt'in'. Ya dope, ya outta know dat if ya act like ya did dis mornin' da she's gonna go along wit it. Didn' need ta shove 'er in da water when she cain't swim dough. Yer actin' like ya nevah liked a goil befo-I don' like er dough. Not Raindrop. Jist cause she's real nice, an' poitty, an' all...jiminy, Conlon, ya do like 'er. Spot leaned his head back against the crate. It wasn't that he'd never liked a girl before, there had been scores of them, it was just...Raindrop was different. He wasn't really sure how, but she was. They sat in the sun for awhile, fighting to sat awake.

"Hey Spot," Raindrop finally said, "Kin we go back ta da Lodgin' 'ouse and change? 'Cause I'se soaked t'rough, an' I'se gittin' cold." Spot looked at her, and then himself. She was right. He stood and held out a hand to help Raindrop. She took it and they walked back to the Lodging House. On the way they passed Tricks. He stopped and looked at them, surprised. Last he had known Spot was in a foul mood over Mush coming to see Raindrop and he had been somewhat jealous, whether he realised it or not. Raindrop had still been rather edgy around Spot, as if she wasn't sure whether he was safe or not. Which, technically, he wasn't. But now they were laughing and talking like old friends. Sopping wet as well. Tricks shook his head. It was better not to even speculate.

Spot grabbed some clothes and left after making sure Raindrop had spare clothes. She changed into her blue dress.

"Hey Spot! You gotta comb around 'ere?" she yelled.

"In da chest!" he yelled back. She opened the chest and picked up the comb which was lying on top. She unbraided her hair and combed it. She left it down, to dry faster. While she dressed she thought back on the morning.

Sumpt'in' definaitly up wit Spot, I jist can't figgah out what. Last night 'e acted real upset about sumpt'in', an' den dis mornin' 'e's actin' like 'e's me best friend an' known me ferevah. Dat jist don' make any sense. I guess I ain't got much room ta complain dough, since I like 'im a lot more like dis. I like 'im alot...an' it ain't so hard no moah, being wit'out Mama an' Papa...like I'se gonna be okay aftah all. She walked out of the room to where Spot was waiting.

"What now?" she asked. Spot shrugged.

"Git sumpt'in' ta eat an' latah sell papes." Raindrop frowned.

"Eat? Awready?" Spot laughed.

"I'se takin' ya somehwere else fer lunch, takes awhile ta git der." Raindrop grinned.

"Well den, let's go. Wit all dat swimin', I'se starved." Spot laughed and began walking. Raindrop caught up to him and they began talking as they walked. "So how'd ya become a newsie?" she asked. Spot shrugged.

"It's a long story, an' ain't da greatest one eiddah." Raindrop looked at him.

"I gots time." Spot shrugged again.

"Awright. Ya see, well, I used ta have a family. Me muddah Lydia, me faddah Howard, an' me sistah Corrine. Me sistah was five, I guess. I'se about seven." He smiled, remembering.

"Me sistah was real sweet. Cute, ya know? Well, I guess we's poitty well off, from what I remembah. Me faddah had dis cane, an' I loved playin' wit it...dat's where I got it," he said, indicating the cane by his side.

"I spent most ah me time in da streets. Dat's wheah I met Tricks. I'se known 'im ah long time. 'e taught me how ta use ah slingshot. I'se runnin' around somewhere one day an' a fiah started at me 'ouse. Me sistah an' me muddah got trapped an' me faddah went in ta rescue dem and da roof fell in. Da only t'ing I got left from den is me cane. I'se playin' wit it dat day."

"I'se real sorry, Spot," Raindrop said quietly. Spot shrugged and laughed.

"Don' be. It 'appened a long time ago, an' I'se bettah off now den evah." They turned down a street and into a part of New York Raindrop had never seen before. Spot grinned. "Welcome ta Little Italy." He walked over to a small cafe and they sat down. The manger came over to them. "Buon giorno...Conlon? That is you, no?" Spot grinned.

"Heya Pierre, good ta see ya again." Pierre laughed.

"It's been awhile, no? Now, what can I get the two of you?" Spot shrugged.

"Da usual. Jist some spaghetti." Pierre nodded and left. Raindrop looked at Spot quizzically. Spot grinned.

"Didn' I tell ya? Me muddah always loved Little Italy, an' we came heah a lot before da fiah. I'se known some ah da people around heah for yeahs." Soon their food arrived. After lunch they went to the circulation office and got some papes. Spot saw Tricks and sent him with Raindrop to keep an eye on her while she sold. Then he went to sell on his own. Late in the afternoon she finished and she and Tricks went back to the pier to wait for Spot. After awhile Tricks went swimming with some of the other Brooklyn newsies, and Raindrop sat watching the sunset. Spot finsihed selling and returned to the docks as well. He saw Raindrop sitting alone, her hair dry and hanging down her back.

She's goigious... he thought. He walked over to her and sat down. She turned and grinned.

"What took ya so long? You'd t'ink ya nevah sold papes before, ya took so long. I'se been waitin' ferevah." Spot laughed.

"Well, ya know, da fact dat I 'ad at least twice as many papes as you might 'ave sumpt'in' ta do wit it." He looked back out over the river. Raindrop looked at him thinking how incredible he looked with the sun on his face, and hating herself for thinking it.

That night Tricks taught her poker. They were all up much later than usual that night. When Spot and Raindrop finally went to bed they climbed in without changing. Spot was just drifting of as Raindrop spoke.

"'ey Spot, I 'ad a real great time ta day." There was silence for a few minutes.

"Yeah. Me too."