I sat at one of the tables in Medda's theater, stroking Quicksilver's fur. I watched as Jack, David, and Spot bickered on the stage. Earlier, Jack had explained the basics of the strike and what we should do.

But the newsies from different boroughs fought amongst each other in the mezzanine seats. They didn't trust each other. Grumbling, I got up from my seat and jumped onto the stage with Quicksilver on my heels. She slunk to the back of the stage and into the shadows. I let out the shrill whistle and everyone instantly quieted. I saw Spot smirk out of the corner of my eye.

"Ya got no brains! Why're we starting ta fight each odda? It's just what da big shots wanna see! Dat we's street rats! Street rats wit no brains." I yelled, my voice carrying out over to all the newsies assembled. "No respect for nothin', including ourselves! So here's how it's gonna be. If we don't act togedda, den we's nothin'. If we's don't stick togedda, den we's nothin'. And if we's can't even trust each odda, den we's nothin'."

"Tell 'em, Arrow!" Blink called. I momentarily scowled. After what happened, the kid still had nerve.

But at the same time, another newsie shouted out from one of the seats in the balcony. They were probably from the Bronx or Queens because they were the boldest next to Brooklyn, but Brooklyn knew better than to mess with me.

"Why's should we listen ta you'se?" he yelled. "You'se not even a boy!"

"So? Why's dat matta?" I replied, motioning with two fingers down by my side for Quicksilver to come up next to me. She trotted up to my side and I was satisfied to see that the newsies that didn't know I had a wolf let out shrieks of fear and tried to get away. Funny they didn't realize that there were more of them than there were of her. 

"I's can soak anybody just as well as any a you boy newsies." I shouted, but the comment was aimed more at everybody than the random newsie. 

He-You know what? Let's just call him Random.

Random crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Prove it." he dared. 

I smirked back at him. "Gladly."

In the blink of an eye, I whipped out one of my newer arrows, notched it, and let it fly to Random's head. But I purposefully aimed about a centimeter higher than his head so that it flew towards his cap instead of his head. The arrow flew through his cap, and hooked it, pegging it to the wooden beam he stood in front of.

I shouted a warning to everyone assembled. "Dis is ta prove how close ya all will be ta death if ya mess wit me. An' me pet will not hesitate ta join me in soakin' ya."  

He turned around and yanked my arrow out of the wood. The newsies waited with bated breath to see what his reaction was. He calmly and carefully wove the arrow out of his cap and tossed it back down to me. I caught it with ease and stared him down*.

Finally, he smirked. "You'se would make a good borough leada someday." he remarked. The newsies around him cheered in agreement, shoving him around.

Amid the laughter and cheers, I hear Race shout to us, "We're wit ya, Arrow."

I nod and turn to Spot. "So, what about you'se, Spot?"

He smirks at me. "I say.......dat what you say.......is what I say."

He spits into his hand and holds it out for me to shake. I copy his motions and shake his hand. The others cheer and their cheering gets louder when the curtains open and Medda appears.

I hop off the stage and sit back down at the table. Spot joins me-or rather, sits down next to me and puts his head in my lap. Not that I'm complaining. 

I stroke his hair as he relaxes, earning a few contented sighs. When I try to stop, he mumbles incoherently and grabs my hand and prevents me from doing much of anything.

"Spot..." I grumbled.

"Ya know, you'se ain't complainin'." he replies. "Ya only fakin' it." 

He kisses my hand, then lets go of it, letting it rest on his chest. I push his stray hair out of his face and lean down, pressing a kiss to his forehead.

"Ya missed." he remarked, frowning.

I rolled my eyes and kissed him again, this time on the lips. "Happy?"

Before he could answer, David nudges me and points frantically towards Denton. I see he is occupied with distracting someone. And that someone is none other than the crooked warden Snyder.

I nudge Spot. "Spot, get offa me."

He grumbles and refuses to get up. I sigh, and push him off of me. He rolls off with an indignant, "HEY!" 

"Spot, focus. Snyder's here." I said gravely, tilting his head up and looking him in the eye. His blue eyes go wide and he immediately shoots up and looks around for Jack. Once he does, he turns back to me.

"Graceful, get ta Brooklyn. Ace an' Mac'll go wit ya." he tells me. "Be safe, 'kay?"

I shake my head. "I ain't leavin' witout ya." I stated stubbornly.

Spot shook his head and motioned for Ace and Mac. They ambled over.

"Ace, Mac, take Arrow back ta Brooklyn. Make sure she doesn't get caught." Spot ordered. His newsies nodded in understanding and gently steered me out.

"Spot!" I cried, straining against Ace's grip. "Spot, no!"

Spot smiled sadly, tipped his hat, and disappeared into the crowd. Ace and Mac steered me out of Medda's theater. I whirled on the two newsies and glared at them once we were outside.

"Okay, since ya gotta watch ova me, at least let me watch what happens ta Spot." I pleaded. They shook their heads.

"Sorry, uh, Miss Grace." Ace replied. "When Spot says ta do somethin', we do it or else we's get punished. An' when we's get punished, we's end up not bein' able ta do anythin' fo' a week or two."

"At least let me know if he's okay."

They shook their heads again, and I frowned. I looked down, thinking. Then I snapped my fingers, my eyes bright.

"Hey, we's can go up on the roof! Den, when we see dat it's safe, we's can go ta Brooklyn." I suggested. "We's just gotta be faster dan Spot ta beat him ta Brooklyn."

They looked at me skeptically, but then shrugged. 

"I guess dat's fine." Mac said. 

We up to the roof of the theater and saw Spot run out. Some Bulls tried to grab him, but he quickly backed away, yelling, "I'm innocent! I'm innocent!"

I inwardly smiled, then saw him slip away and run off to Brooklyn. I cursed. I didn't think he'd be able to leave so quickly. I whirled around and dashed down the stairs with Ace and Mac on my heels. We ran through the streets in silence, each one of us hoping that we would reach Brooklyn before Spot.

But, no such luck. When we's reached Brooklyn, Spot was worriedly pacing on the dock. We slowed as we reached the dock, and Spot looked up to see us panting and sweaty, a look of pure anger on his face. 

He stalked over to us, gripping his cane tightly. 

"Where were ya?" he almost yelled at me. I flinched. "I thought ya had been taken by da Bulls!"

He turned to Ace and Mac. "An' you'se! I's told ya ta take her back ta Brooklyn! An' what'd ya do? Ya let her do whatever!"

They flinched as he raised his fist, preparing to punch them. Oh, no. I couldn't let them get maimed because of me. This was all my fault. If I hadn't stayed back to watch Spot, we wouldn't be in this mess.

Spot moved his fist and it seemed as if time had slowed. I saw his fist slow down, and ran in its path before it could connect to his newsies' faces. Time sped up again as I found my place in front of the Brooklynites, and I felt Spot's fist connect with my face. I crumpled to the ground, clutching my jaw in pain. I hadn't thought about where Spot would hit me, but I realized that it was the same side that I had gotten hit when I fought Mac. The very side that Mac had hit me on.

*Kinda ironic, considering how I'm in a lower position than he is, and I'm staring him "down".