Spot and Birdie became good friends fast, and spent every day together, joking around, selling their papes, and talking on the docks in the evening.
One afternoon, while Spot was walking back to the lodging house, he noticed a man near the docks, crouched behind crates. His eyes narrowed and he became suspicious. He quickly went into the lodging house to warn the other newsies of the suspicious character. He walked into his room that he shared with Birdie to find her, but she wasn't there. Spot shrugged and assumed she was with Marbles. He went to the other Brooklyn newises in the lodging house and said,
"Deyre is a weird lookin' guy outside, and it looks like he's waitin' for someone to come outside. So all of youse be on yer guard and make shoah to warn all da udders." The other newsies nodded and returned to their card games. Spot went into his room and flopped down onto the bed. He lay down, his hands under his head, staring up at the ceiling. He didn't know what had come over him. He felt so happy all the time. Not happy, actually, he felt a strange feeling whenever he was with Birdie. He wasn't quite sure what kind of feeling it was. Spot sat up abruptly. No...it couldn't be. He was in love?
Just then Birdie walked into the room and said laughing, "Hey what's da matta Spot? You look like youse just seen a ghost!"
Spot shook his head and grinned. "Naw, I was jus tinkin."
"tinkin' about what? me?" joked Birdie.
"Uh...no....coise not....I uh.....well....so where 'ave ya bin?"
Birdie looked puzzled that Spot seemed so unseasy when she asked him what he was thinking about, but replied, "Ova at Medda's. She was tellin' me dat I've got real talent. She wants me ta perform ova deyre sometime for da newsies! Isn't it great?"
Spot smiled weakly, "Yeah, great."
"Well, I'm goin' down ta meet Mush and de uddas in Central Park, you comin'?"
"Nah...you go ahead. I gotta do some tinkin' on my own." replied Spot.
Birdie waved goodbye and headed down the stairs. Spot sighed and looked out the window. He knew he loved Birdie, but he just didn't want to admit it. C'mon, you know you do. What? What are you talkin' about? You know exactly. You feel like you're in heaven when you're around her. Your heart leaps at the sight of her beautiful face. Yeh? so what? You know what.
Spot shook the idea out of his head. He looked at himself in the mirror, fixing his hair when he felt a huge pang.
"BOIDIE! I FORGOT TA TELL HER ABOUT DA GUY!" Spot grabbed his slingshot and cane and raced down the stairs, forgetting his hat. Shoving someone on the stairs out of his way, Spot's heart pounded and he prayed that nothing had happened to her. When he came out of the lodging house, he looked around the docks. The guy was no where to be seen.
Spot, breathing heavilly, set off towards Central Park to make sure Birdie had gotten there safely. As he was walking, he passed an alley way where he thought he saw two shadows, one of them struggling. He went in to take a look, and to his horror, he saw the same man from before, holding someone, putting his hand over their mouth. Spot looked at the victim, and gasped. It was Birdie! Her eyes were bright with fear, and she was trying to say something. Spot glared at the man, and said,
"Let her go." The man grinned and said,
"NOT A CHANCE! THIS LITTLE GIRL HAS SEEN TOO MUCH! I HAVE TO KILL HER! JUST LIKE HER PARENTS!!!!!" Spot felt anger boil up inside of him and raced to the man, punching him hard in the face. Birdie was thrown to the ground, getting knocked out. Showing no mercy, Spot clawed at him with his bare hands, and used his cane to whack and hit and bruise the man any way he could. Spot finally stopped when the fiend had collapsed to the ground.
Spot took a moment to catch his breath, then saw Birdie lying on the ground. He ran over to her and turned her over so he could see her face. She was still unconscious. Spot picked her up, and continued out of the alley way, kicking the almost dead man who lay on the ground. Spot spat at him and took Birdie back to the lodging house, up the stairs, and into his room. He locked the door so no one would barge in and crowd around her. He lay her on her bunk and sat down next to her, brushing her hair out of her face.

After what seemed like hours, Stephanie awoke to feeling a wet cloth on her forehead. Her eyes fluttered open and saw Spot, looking down at her. His eyes were blank and menacing as usual, but she could see concern in his eyes as well. She smiled and said, "What happened?" Spot laughed and said, "Yeh didn't rememba anytin'?"
'Well, I remember, walking out of the lodging house, and then I felt someone grab me as I made my way past the docks. I was dragged into an alley, and he covered my mouth. Then you came!"
Spot grinned, "Yeah, dat's me. Always to da rescue."
Birdie sighed and sat up. She looked out the window but felt Spot's hand touch her cheek. Her eyes looked at his hand,but her face was still turned away. Gently, Spot turned her face towards his. Their eyes met, and Birdie's heart pounded faster. Spot leaned forward and kissed her. Birdie then said,
"thank you."
"What? for kissing you?"
"No. for saving my life. But that too."
Spot laughed and hugged her tightly. He whispered in her ear,
"I love you."
He then kissed her on the cheek and walked out of the room silently. Birdie sat stunned on the bed. She looked at the ground, and looked up towards the door. She quickly got up and raced to the door, ignoring the fact that she was so dizzy from getting knocked out. She ran down the stairs and saw Spot walking alone on the docks.
"SPOT!" She yelled out. Spot turned and saw her. She ran up to him and threw her arms around him and kissed him. He looked surprised but happy.
"And what was dat for?"
She smiled and before she could say anything her legs gave way from being so dizzy. Spot caught her. Stephanie looked up at him from being held in his arms and said, "I love you too."

Part 4