Raindrop spent the next three days as she had the past nearly four weeks. Aside from when she sold her papes she was with Spot all day, and while she sold, Tricks was never far away. It didn't really leave her any privacy, but she spent most of her time thinking late in the night anyhow. It was the middle of the night. Jack was coming tomorrow, and she couldn't sleep. Spot turned over above her. Spot. He was one of the reasons she didn't want to leave Brooklyn. One of the biggest, really. It wasn't just that she liked him immensly, because she did. He was also one of the best friends she'd ever had. And he was fun, they were always joking around. Plus there was the Jonathon thing. He promised to keep her safe from Jonathon. Sure, she could fight with the best of Brooklyn, but Jonathon was different. And she was terrified of him.

Spot rolled over again. He just couldn't get to sleep. Not with knowing Raindrop might leave tomorrow. He heard her shift some more. Apparently she couldn't sleep either.

"You'se awake, Raindrop?" he whispered.

"Yeah." Came the quiet reply. He climbed out of bed and sat next to her.

"Can't sleep?" he asked. She shook her head.

"No...I keep t'inkin' about tamarrah."

"Are you'se goin'?" he asked. She shrugged.

"I don't know. I can't decide. Manhattan's great an' all, but I really like it heah." Spot grinned.

"Yeah, I know how ya must feel. I'se jist so wondahful, an' all." She laughed.

"Yeah, yer da greatest."

"Well, ya wanna know what I t'ink?" Spot asked. Raindrop laughed.

"Do I get a choice?" Spot grinned, shaking his head.

"Well, I t'ink ya outta go back. I t'ought about is awhile, an' ya should go back, ta at least try it awhile. Den if ya ain't liking it, you'se kin come back, an' stay heah." Raindrop looked at him.

"Dat ain't sucha bad idea." Spot grinned.

"Coise it ain't-" Raindrop shoved him before him could finish.

"Shaddup!" she cried, laughing. In a moment she stopped, and they sat in silence. Raindrop sighed. "I'se gonna miss ya, Spot."

"You too," Spot answered, both rather surprised the other had said anything.

That morning Raindrop woke up early. She gathered her things and put them in her bag. Spot climbed out of bed. He walked out of the room, and then returned in a few minutes.

"I sent Deer ta tell Jack you'se comin' an' ta not ta bothah leavin' Manhattan. I'll go wit ya." Raindrop nodded.

"Awright. When we leavin'?" Spot shrugged.

"A couple ah hours. I gotta sell today, but I don' want'cha leavin' right off." Raindrop nodded.

Two hours later she and Spot left. She nodded at the newsies as she left, pausing only to hug Tricks. Brooklyn itself was a lot like Spot. They only showed their tough side if they could help it. Nearly all of them was more or less going to miss her, whether they admitted or not. And the majority decided not. Raindrop and Spot walked silently across Brooklyn Bridge and towards Manhattan. Spot's thoughts raced through his mind.

She's really leavin'. Ya didn' evah really believe dis would happen, ya bum. Now you'se don' know what ta do. Almsot nevah gonna see 'er any moah. Dat's jist as well dough. She ain't int'rested in you'se. Friends, dat's it. Guess der ain't nuttin' ta do about it. If anytin', she'll remabah you'se taught 'er ta fight. She ain't so sad no moah, an' she kin fight, an' you'se had some good times. Ya went from cold strangahs ta being wit eachuddah all da time. Ya had fun, an' now it's ovah, an' life gonna go on jist like it always has. 'Sides. it ain't like da woilds endin'. Lot woise t'ings 'ave 'appened ta ya. Meanwhile, Raindrop was thinking just as much.

It'll be good ta see Mush again. An' Blink an' Race. Sumpt'in' jist sorta took evah me while I was in Brooklyn. Now I'se goin' home. Or is Brooklyn home? I'se gonna miss Tricks as much as I missed Race, Blink, an' Mush. An' all da uddahs guys in Brooklyn. An' Spot. I'se gonna miss Spot da most. 'e's always been so nice ta me. An' 'e's so funny an' all. We had a lot ah fun. An 'e taught me stuff I ain't nevah gonna ferget - jist like I ain't nevah gonna ferget him. An' his incredible eyes. An' da way 'e grins. She kicked herself mentally. Yer jist like all dose uddah goils aftah 'im. Yer a fool, an' it's a good t'ing yer leavin'.

At last they arrived in Manhattan. They stood outside Tibby's. Jack kept the newsies inside despite their eagerness to see her again. Spot looked at Raindrop with a blank expresion. She did the same. They stood looking at each other for a few minutes. Finally Raindrop slowly turned to go inside the resteraunt. Spot was about to leave when she whirled around and walked up to him.

"I nevah said g'bye ta Pierre," she desperatly hoping he would take her there one last time. Just to be with him one last time. Spot saw his chance and leapt for it. He shrugged offhandly.

"We kin go next week. I'll come heah ta get'cha an' we kin have dinnah." Raindrop nodded hiding her happiness.

Awright. I'll be in da Lodgin' 'ouse." They turned at the same time and walked away, never looking back, but both considerably happier than they had been.

Raindrop walked into Tibby's and was greeted by a loud bunch of hellos for the impatient newsies who had been waiting. Mush, Race, and Kid Blink all jumped up and hugged her. She returned the hug, somewhat unsure. She was used to Brooklyn. And Brooklyn did not hug. Her last exhange with Spot was how Brooklyn acted.

Skittery and Swifty pushed together all the tables they could and everyone sat down. Every newsie was either bursting with news to tell her, or had hundreds of questions to ask. Most often, both. Raindrop sat down somewhat taken aback and rather unsure. The rest sat down as well, and Jack calmed them down, asking questions one at a time. Raindrop answered them as best as she could, feeling incredibly nervous without Spot or Tricks. Being nervous only made her act more like a Brooklyn newsie. At one point Les asked her why she had decided to come back. Raindrop shrugged.

"Spot t'ought it would be da best t'ing fer me ta do. So I did." Mush, who had been listening silently, jumped up. Hurt splashed across his face, as on Blink and Race.

"Oh is dat it? Do ya do ev'ryt'in' dat Conlon orders ya ta do, like some slave?" Raindrop looked at him in shock.

"Coise I don'. 'e ain't me mastah." Race laughed bitterly.

"Why don'cha jist go back ta Brooklyn. Ya don' belong heah anymore. Yer one ah dem - ah lousy walkin'-demon wit'out ah heart." Raindrop looked at him in horror and anger. Then her face turned to stone.

"Dose lousy walkin'-demon's is some ah me best friends. You say dey ain't gotta heart, but dey'd nevah do dis ta own ah deir own. Dey'd nevah do dis ta anyone. An' right now dey seem a lot moah carin' den you'se." Race stood and tried staring her down. Raindrop glared back. At last Racetrack turned and stormed out of Tibby's. The room was silent. Any newsies not looking at the floor trying to avoid the situation were staring at Race throughly shocked. A few directed their glares at Raindrop. Mush looked torn. Blink stood up and touched his shoulder, but Mush turned and shrugged him off. He silently walked out, leaving in the opposite direction. Raindrop looked at Blink.

"I expect you hate me as well," she said expectantly, her voice sad and bewildered. Blink shook his head.

"Mush don' hate ya. An' neiddah do I. You'se jist real different. And it hoit Mush when Jack said ya didn' want ta come back. Mush blamed Spot fer dat. An' Race jist flat out don' like Brooklyn," he hugged her. When he let go she turned.

"I'se goin' fer a walk. I'se gonna be back latah," she quietly informed the group. She walked out and headed for Central Park.

Racetrack stormed furiously through New York. He tore down streets he had been down thousands of times, ignoring any greetings called to him from newsies and shopkeepers. Sweat poured off him as he tried to outrun what he had just done. At last he collapsed in a remote corner of Sheepshead Races.

What have I done!? Insultin' one ah yer best friends jist 'cause she ain't quite da same. Did'ja really expect 'er ta be? Ain't her fault ya don' like Brooklyn. Yer wrong an' ya know it. Race put his face in his hands and sat for a long time. He felt horrible about what he had said, and rather guilty as well, but those feelings were overcome by an incredible hatred for Spot Conlon that just kept growing inside of him.

Mush walked through the busy streets of New York to Irving Hall. He went inside and found Medda sweeping the floor. He told her everything about Raindrop he knew. When he finished they sat in silence for a few minutes. Then Medda spoke.

"I can see why you care for her so much - she sounds like a very special girl. And I can see why you would want Spot Conlon away from her. But you must remember, Raindrop is a smart girl and she won't let herself get into any situtations she would not be happy with. You have to trust her. But it could also very well be that she cares for Spot. If that's true then there's nothing you can do about it. Whether he feels the same way or not is hard to determine. In which case, there's nothing to do but wish her the best, be the best friend you can to her, and watch Conlon. She can think he's wonderful, but the boy is dangerous and should not be trusted." Mush nodded.

"T'anks Medda." He stood up and walked out. Medda watched him leave and smiled to herself. Mush was a smart boy and she knew anyone who meant so much to him was special indeed.

Raindrop walked towards Central Park. On the way she met up with Mush.

"Hey Mush," she said uncertainly. He turned and smiled.

"Hey Raindrop. What're ya doin' around heah? Why ain't ya back at Tibby's?" Raindrop shrugged.

"Needed some time to meself." Mush nodded and turned to leave. Raindrop stopped him.

"I can t'ink latah. I want ta see you'se. I'se missed ya so much..." She gave a small smile. Mush grinned and hugged her.

"I'se missed you'se too." They walked to Central Park and spent a good hour talking.

A young couple walked down a sidewalk. Suddenly they were shoved aside by a boy who was thrown out of a store. He picked himself and glared at the two, eyes bright and a vicious look on his face. He turned and ran down the street seeming to be looking for someone, or something.