Alaurna Barrett looked around, confused, as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. Suddenly it all came rushing back, her brother's murder, the police yelling at her. Everyone calling her a murderer. She had fled to the city, leaving behind her lavish life for the streets. "Oh, God." she lowered her face into her hands and began sobbing.

"What the he...?" the voice broke off. She stiffened as a hand fell on her shoulder. "Hey, who are you?"

"None of your business, now please go away."

"This is my territory, and you're in it. What's your name?"

"Territory? Who are you?"

"I asked first."

"Then you get to answer first." She looked directly into his brown eyes. He was actually quite little, how he ever got "Territory" she'd never guess.

"Okay," he replied with a smirk. "The name's Spot Conlon."

"Spot? Like a dog, Spot?"

"Shut-up will ya and tell me your name!"

"I'm afraid that's impossible." She stood brushing dirt off her clothes.

"Huh?" This girl was getting annoying, Echo would like her.

"If I shut-up, I can't tell you anything."

He opened his mouth to say something.

"Okay, my name's Alaurna Barrett."

"What are ya doin' here?"

"If you must know, my brother was murdered and everyone thinks I did it." her eyes filled with tears.

"Did you?"

"No! My name was cleared."

"Okay, okay. Just askin'." Spot looked at her. She was pretty, with long, wavy red hair and bright baby blue eyes. "You wanna sell papes?"

"Pardon?"

"Jacky-boy, Cowboy, needs a new newsie, he just lost one." Honestly he didn't think she could do it, and she knew it.

"Alright, fine, why not?" she paused. "Who's Cowboy?"

Spot grinned and held out his arm. "I'll introduce ya."

Alaurna nodded and took his arm.

* * * *

Jack Kelly looked up as one of his boys came running up. "What are ya in such a hurry for?"

"Spot and some girl are here."

Rolling his eyes, Cowboy stood and walked after the kid.

* * * *

Alaurna raised an eyebrow as Cowboy walked in. Nervously she swallowed and before Spot could introduce her, she introduced herself. "My name's Alaurna Barrett, I would like to sell papes." She stopped and looked confused. Why was she here? She was from a rich family, she had a small portion of her life left, no matter what people thought, her name had been cleared. On the verge of running out the door, she got ahold of her fears.

Jack watched as different emotions played across Alaurna's face. Against his better judgement, he heard himself saying okay. "You can start tomorrow. Echo can show you the ropes."

"Who's Echo?"

"My girlfriend. You can stay in the 'girl' portion of the lodging house. It's in there." He pointed to a door.

"Thank you." She turned and walked through the door into total chaos.

One girl was jumping from bunk to bunk, screaming. (Echo: hehe, that would be me...) "Get that stupid thing out of here, this ain't funny!"

As far as Alaurna could tell the only thing chasing her was a fluffy gray kitten.

Another girl was laughing and yelling, "Echo, would you shut-up! It's just a cat."

Alaurna was shoved out of the doorway as Cowboy came in and grabbed the kitten, which meowed in pain. With an angry look she turned on Cowboy. "Don't hurt it, It's not it's fault God made it a cat!"

"Put it outside then."

"Is Spot still here?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"Then, NO!"

Taken by surprise by her defience, he turned back to her, "Why not?"

"Everyone knows dogs chase cats!"

Trying not to laugh, he sent her out with the cat anyway. Alaurna opened the door and sat the cat down. She went back inside and looked out the window just in time to see Spot chase off the kitten.

With a grim smile, she turned away thinking, this is gonna be fun.

* * * *

"Okay, now what?" Alaurna and Echo had already sold all their papes for the day. It actually hadn't been too difficult. After only being there for two weeks, she could probably sell them in her sleep. Selling papes was fun, but now she was bored.

Echo looked at her and shrugged. "You hungry?"

"No."

"Wanna get somethin' ta eat?"

"Sure."

Laughing they walked toward Tibby's.

* * * *

"Hey Echo!" They turned and saw Cowboy standing outside the door to Tibby's.

"Hi Jack." Alaurna called as she watched Echo run up to meet him.

"You comin' 'Laurna?" Echo was getting impatient.

"No, you go ahead, I think all enjoy my own company for a while."

"Sure?"

"Yes, GO!"

Echo turned to Jack. "Do you think she's okay? She's so sad all the time."

"Spot said her brother got murdered."

"What?"

"Don't tell anyone else, I'm not even supposed to know."

Nodding, Echo turned to watch her friend walk away.
_____ ______ ______ ______ ______

Sitting alone, watching her friends laughing and talking, Alaurna never felt so alone. She should have went over and joined in the fun, but she didn't feel like laughing. Today was her brother, Alex's, 11th birthday. She was so deep in thought, that she didn't even hear the door open, or see Brooklyn, Spot, and a handsome blond boy walk in and set down beside her. When she snapped back to reality, she saw Brooklyn's worried face. "Are you alright?"

"Of course, who's he?" she forced a smile and used the blond boy to change the subject.

"Alaurna this is Nick, Nick this is Alaurna."

"Nice to meet you."

"The pleasure's all mine."

Giving him a small smile, she thought, Yeah, Right! Nick was at least 6ft. tall, blond hair, perfect blue eyes. He was deffinately a pleasure to look at. (Echo: Oh yeah! You got that right!)

"Laurna? Earth to Alaurna?"

Alaurna blushed when she realized Brooklyn had been trying to get her attention.

"Sorry!" she said with a guilty look. "Did you want something?"

"Yeah, I was gonna ask you what you thought of Nick, but from the look on your face, you liked him."

"It was that obvious?"

Brooklyn nodded, "Oh yeah!"

"So what's his story?"

"Well, about 6 months ago, Echo and Cowboy broke up. She met Nick, they kissed a couple of times. Then Echo went back to Cowboy, and Nick left town." she looked at the frown on Alaurna's face. "Well, I better go, Spot's ready."

With a smile Alaurna comment. "Yeah, Don't want Rover to get anxious, he might pee on the rug." (Echo: hehe) Then she laughed, "When he's in a hurry it seems like he's a dog with fleas."

Giggling, Brooklyn turned and escorted her confused "flea-bitten" boyfriend out the door.
______ _______ ______ ______ ______

Nick walked along, humming softly. He had no idea why he'd come back. There was no real reason to return to New York.

After getting his heart broken once, you'd think he'd have learned, but here he was thinking about that girl from Tibby's, Alaurna. (Echo: Yes, our Nicky seems to be quite fickle, eh Psycho?) Her red hair, her bright blue eyes, her clothes, her face, her movements, she was obviously from a good family. He wondered what she was doing on the streets.

Suddenly he was brought back to reality when he tripped. That's when he noticed her, sitting alone on the pier. She looked so sad. Wondering why she was almost crying, he took a few steps toward her.
______ ______ ______ ______ ______

Alaurna had come to the pier to think. Who could have murdered her brother? He was only 10, how many enemies could a ten year old boy have? She suspected their step-mother, but could never prove it. After her father's death, Angelina Barrett had become cruel to Alaurna and Alex, but was she capable of murder. She looked up at the sky and saw it looked like it might rain. Suddenly something her brother used to say everytime she complained about the treatment they received popped into her mind, "It can't rain all the time, Cheer up Laurie. there's always a rainbow."

Tears ran down her cheeks unnoticed, until she felt someone's arms close around her. Frightened she looked up into Nick's warm concerned gaze. Alaurna relaxed into his arms, knowing he wouldn't harm her.

She cried until her sides hurt, until she couldn't have cried more even if she wanted to. Pulling back, she smiled shyly at Nick. "Hello."

"You okay?"

Alaurna nodded.

"Wanna talk about it?"

She started to shake her head, then nodded. Maybe she would feel better if she told him. With a weak smile, she told him her life story. "And now all the money, properties, whatever will go to her because my dad thought she was a good person before he died."

Almost in tears himself, Nick pulld her into his embrace, she cried herself to sleep in his arms. He picked her up and started for the lodging house.
______ ______ ______ ______ ______

Alaurna and Nick spent all of their time together, Echo watched them as they laughed adn talked, she barely noticed when Jack came up beside her.

"Having second thoughts?"

"No! I'm so happy for Alaurna though. She's been through so much, it's easy to see she's happier now."

"Nick looks happy too."

Echo nodded and put her arms around Jack's neck, "Love's a powerful thing."
______ ______ ______ ______ ______

Yawning, Alaurna sat up as Jack proceeded to shake her.

"Okay, I'm up!"

"Some old guy's here to see ya."

"Old guy?"

Jack shrugged.

Alaurna got dressed and stepped out to see who had invaded her sleep time.

An old man in an expensive suit stood up as she entered. "Alaurna Barrett?"

"Yes."

"My name's Albert Walz, I was your father's lawyer."

"Is there something you wanted?"

"Um, yes. I regret, (the look on his face wasn't the least bit regretful) to inform you that your step-mother, Angelina, has passed away."

"Darn," she rolled her eyes. "So what?"

Alaurna figured everything now belonged to her step-mother's family.

"Angelina died of a heart attack at the reading of your father's will, a month ago, it took us that long to find you."

"So."

"So, everything is yours. Your father left it all to you."

Hardly believing her ears, she looked up. "Pardon?"

"It's yours, the money, property, stocks, bonds, everything." He smiled knowing exactly what she was thinking, he himself had hated her step-mother. "Just sign this and I'll transfer everything to your name."

"Got a pen?"

Grinning, he handed her one.
______ ______ ______ ______ ______

A few hours later, Nick walked into Tibby's, he knew everyone would be there. Taking a deep breath, he walked up to Alaurna. Then he called for silence.

The room errupted in screams, laughter, and yells as he proposed to Alaurna. She looked at him and for a moment he feared she'd say no. "I know I don't have much, but I love you 'Laurna. I ..." Gently she placed her finger over her lips.

"Actually you have everything." While tears ran down her face, she replaced her finger with her lips.

"I know I can't give you the kind of life you deserve."

Alaurna rolled her eyes. "Would you shut up? You've given me more than anyone. You gave me my rainbow back, you stopped the rain. I don't need anything else." Smiling playfully, she added, "Besides, I'm rich, my dad gave me everything."

His eyes widened and Alaurna feared he was going to faint.

"Of course I'll marry you, I love you!" She laughed and threw her arms around his neck and kissed him.
______ ______ ______ ______ ______

They were on their way to Alaurna's mansion, when she told the driver to stop. Nick looked out the window of the carriage at a cemetary. "Strange place for a honeymoon."

Laughing, Alaurna took his hand and lead him to a grave. "Alexander Barrett." he read out loud. With a sigh, Alaurna laid a single peace rose from their wedding on the ground. "Oh, Alex, I wish you could have been here. You were right you know," she smiled up at her husband, "it can't rain all the time. I found my rainbow." Laughing, though tears misted her eyes, she stood.

"Ready Mrs. Richardson?" Nick asked. Nodding she took his hand. "Let's go home." Looking up she swore she saw a rainbow.


Okay, that's all, it's over! Disperse! *Echo sniffs and glares a little* Man, why do there have to be people around?! I think I'm gonna cry... that was so sweet. Awwwwwwwwwwwww.... Well, go on, can't a girl cry in peace?! lol Oh, by the way, any typos are my error, I typed this whole thing out, they're my fault. But since I know how horrible I am about the typos I fixed some errors in her spelling and changed her to he everytime she called Nick that... I figured that'd make it even. :)

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