Only Time Will Tell
A Newsies Fanfiction by xFlipperx
Disclaimer: I don't own Newsies, Disney does.
Chapter Thirty-Eight: About You Now

Rookie felt a bead of sweat roll down her forehead. Why was she so warm? She went to wipe it from her forehead, but she felt restricted. She opened her eyes and looked around. For a second, she had forgotten where she was. She realized whom the bare arm draped over her midsection and lower arm belonged to, and smiled.

She thought her initial reaction would be more surprised, more reluctant to his touch. But Rookie felt extremely comfortable (mentally, at least, she was a little sweaty on the outside), and so safe. She turned her head just slightly to find that Bear had moved to the foot of her bed, Spot had removed his shirt, and his chest and her back were almost touching. Her heart raced again, and the bead of sweat fell to the pillow. Rookie clasped Spot's hand in her own and leaned her head toward him.

"Yoah hair smells familiyah," Spot murmured. Rookie's heart skipped a beat. She felt Spot squeeze her hand, and then his face pressed against the back of her head. "Like lavendah…hmm I wondah wheah that could be from?"

"I'm sorry," Rookie mumbled. "I just needed to get my hair clean…I should have asked."

"Foggetaboutit Tiga," Spot replied, pressing his forehead to the back of her own. "I don't mind."

Is this really happening? Rookie thought to herself. She could feel her blood pulsing in her ears. This has to be going too far…'Just friends' don't do this.

Thankfully, Rookie was saved by a knock on the door. "Ya up, Spot?" a gruff voice from behind the door called.

"Yeah Jackson, I'll be out in a second," Spot called back, his face still buried in Rookie's hair. His hot breath on the back of her neck made Rookie more uncomfortable, so she let go of his hand and sat up slowly. Spot followed her movement, and Rookie could feel his eyes burning holes in the back of her head.

"Can I use the bathroom to get dressed or do you need to shower?" Rookie asked him, looking down at her fingers.

"Yeah I gotta showa, you can change in heah."

"Thanks."

Spot slid off his bed, grabbed the day's clothes off of a chair in the corner, and walked into the bathroom. When Rookie heard the shower start, she got off the bed and changed quickly into her day clothes, not knowing how long Spot took in the shower.

When she had dressed, Rookie sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. A comb, how could she have forgotten her comb? She shook her head as she pulled knots apart carefully. She got a whiff of the smell—Spot's lavender—and wondered why she never actually smelled the scent on the King of Brooklyn.

Probably because he doesn't want to get killed, she thought to herself with a smile. She heard the shower stop and quickly began to re-braid her hair.

As she braided and listened to Spot moving around in the closet-bathroom, she wondered what they were going to do today. Spot had said that it was a 'big day' today, and she could only wonder what was on Spot's mind.

"Ready ta go?" Spot asked as he walked out of the bathroom.

"Hmm?"

"Ta breakfast?"

"Oh, uhm…I…" Rookie couldn't help but feel nervous about going to breakfast with the Brooklynites. She couldn't help but wonder what the others thought of her staying in their Lodging House, and she was absolutely terrified of how they were going to treat her. Obviously Spot would cause physical harm to anyone who tried to hurt (physically or emotionally) Rookie, but she couldn't always be by Spot's side.

"You'll be fine, Tiga," Spot replied. "No one's gonna botha ya. An' don't worry. We's only gonna sell in the mornin', and then I gotta big aftanoon planned."

"Okay." Rookie's voice was small, and her volume was near silent.

Rookie and Bear walked over to Spot and the three walked downstairs. "Things woik a little differently heah. We get soived breakfast…but afta eating this crap you'll be missin' that nun cart you 'Hattaners got."

Rookie cleared her throat uncomfortably as she nodded. "Is it possible that I could give some of that for Bear?"

"Shoah, I'll arrange somethin'."

The Brooklyn Lodging House was rather large. On the top floor, besides Spot's room there were two separate bunkrooms, one large one for the majority of guys who boarded, and a smaller one for the girls. On the bottom floor there was a cafeteria-styled room. Two long tables reached nearly from wall to wall, bowls, utensils, and food were provided.

Rookie began playing with her hands as she and Spot walked into the room. Eyes moved from her to Bear, and back to Rookie. She looked to Spot, who was heading to the line for breakfast. She followed him closely. He took two bowls, and asked for two scoops in one of the bowls.

"Feedin your girlfriend a lil' extra, Spot," one of his newsies remarked. Spot handed her the two bowls and then smacked the commenter on the back of the head.

"Watch yoah mouth, Sawya," he snapped. "Keep yoah nose to yoahself." Sawyer grumbled an apology and Spot turned his attention back to Rookie. He took the bowl with less oatmeal in and the two of them went to the head of the farthest table.

The two ate in silence. Rookie ate half of her bowl so Bear could have the rest. She glanced around the room and down the table she was sitting at. It seemed as if no one was paying attention to them, so she looked to Spot. "Can I just give her the bowl?" she asked him.

"Yeah, go ahead," Spot replied. "That'll be her bowl for the weekend."

"Thanks, Spot."

Rookie placed the bowl on the floor in front of Bear. Not at all curious about this new food, just purely excited that it was new, the pup stuck her muzzle right into the bowl.

"Does she need wata or anything?" Spot asked.

Rookie shook her head. "She'll lap up from puddles or I'll get her a glass for lunch, but thank you for asking." Spot smiled and looked down at the dog. Rookie watched him, and suddenly his expression changed into a hard glare and his head turned up. She watched him carefully. Whoever he was glaring at, Spot held his glare for almost half a minute before looking down at Bear.

"I think she's done," he stated. Rookie looked down and saw that Bear was presently licking the residue off the bowl. "Ready ta go?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," she replied uneasily.

Spot raised his eyebrows at Rookie and shook his head. "C'mon Tiga."

Rookie and Bear followed the King of Brooklyn out of the Lodging House. Rookie focused on the back of Spot's head, trying not to look at anything or anyone else. She didn't want to start trouble, and she certainly didn't want to make Spot's life any tougher.

"We just have to be careful around…you know…my old place," Rookie said quietly. "I know they think I'm dead, and the chance of running into them would be slim to none…I just don't want any accidents."

"Way aheada ya," Spot replied. "We's goin' to the park this morning. That way we get lots of customers, and afta we do our sellin', theah's a lot to do." Rookie nodded, impressed with Spot's planning.

Selling went easier than Rookie expected. The only trouble occurred when Rookie recognized a few people, but Spot was able to sell them papers while Rookie hid behind a tree. It only took them until ten-thirty to sell all their papers. Rookie had sold twenty, while Spot sold fifty. The two of them decided to grab lunch at a local delicatessen, and then would return to the park to sit and enjoy it by the pond. They both got sandwiches, and drank a glass of water at the delicatessen.

"We don't usually eat lunch," Rookie commented as she broke her sandwich in half to share with Bear. "This is like a treat for us, right Bear?" Out of the corner of her eye, Rookie noticed Spot look over as she handed her dog a sandwich.

"You guys don't each lunch?" he questioned.

"Not usually, it can get a little too expensive."

"How much are ya sellin'?"

"Not enough." Rookie shook her head with a smirk on her lips.

"So how are ya affordin' it now?"

"I've got a few extra pennies on me."

The two continued to eat in silence while Bear lay down at their feet. Rookie looked around the park. Her eyes grazed the area; over the pond and the faces of the people. A few were familiar, which sparked her interest. She no longer felt the tug of homesickness in her chest. There was nothing to miss about that life anymore, there was nothing she could possibly miss.

A couple Rookie recognized from the Pulitzer's many gala's and parties were walking down the path in front of her and Spot. Rookie couldn't recall exactly who they were—neither their individual names nor their surname—but she didn't want to take any chances. She turned her whole body away from Spot and set her focus on Bear.

"You all right, Tige?"

"Fine—I'm uhh…I recognize that couple," Rookie replied. "I doubt they'd remember me, but I just want to make sure, you know?"

"I know."

Rookie wondered if she sounded pretentious or conceded, figuring that this couple she hardly knew would recognize her. But she couldn't help it. She had been a pretty big name when she was Brooklyn Pulitzer, and both her 'kidnapping by newsies' and 'death' had been a well-known, published topic. Rookie didn't want to risk being brought back to a life she despised, away from all the freedoms she had come to know and love. The people she had come to know and love better than she had ever known or loved her mother and sister.

Once the couple passed without incident, Rookie leaned back onto the bench and sighed in relief. She looked to Spot, who held her eye contact for a few seconds.

"What?" Rookie asked.

"Just that yoah still so afraid of bein' found."

"It's always somewhere in the back of my mind, you can definitely say that I'm more than a little paranoid."

"Well ya should know now that ya nevah gotta worry 'bout that. No one's gonna find you, an' if they do, ya gotta hell of-a lotta guys ready ta protect you."

Rookie nodded, acknowledging the fact. Spot reached over and put a hand on her knee. Rookie looked up, making eye contact with him again while he told her: "I would nevah let ya get taken away again. Evah."

Rookie placed her hand on top of the one Spot had placed on her leg and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Thank you, Spot," she said. "No one could ever ask for a better friend. There is just no one like you…"

"I know that," Spot replied with a sly smile. "An' I'm just so great that I gotta an idea that yoah gonna like."

"Oh really?"

"Really really."

The two stood up, Rookie took Bear's leash, and the two set off for the first real activity of their 'big day'. Spot lead the way with Rookie a step behind, following him like a puppy. Once they had reached a certain pathway, though, Rookie had the tiniest inkling of where they were going.

He couldn't have remembered—it was so long ago, Rookie thought doubtfully to herself.

But Spot proved her wrong, and proved what a spectacular memory he possessed. At the edge of the park was the stable where some carriage horses and riding horses were kept. It was mostly a spot for 'richies' who could afford to ride around the park or keep their horses away from their own property.

"We don't have enough money to ride…" Rookie said.

"I know," Spot replied. "But I know one-a the hands an' he said he'll let us just look around and pet an' feed the horses an' that stuff—I know how much ya love 'em an' all that."

Rookie blushed and thanked Spot. Her mind was boggled over how he could remember such a minute detail about her. It might have come up in conversation once, maybe twice, about how much Rookie loved horses. To remember that she loved them, to know that taking her to see them would probably be the best thing to do with her, showed Rookie how much Spot cared about her.

Her chest tightened as she watched Spot meet with the stable hand he knew. She couldn't believe that he would pull strings for her to see something that she loved. Well, she could, but a part of her hated to see him do it. She knew she cared about him, at this point it was futile to even try to deny it, but she still felt the tiniest bit of loyalty to Suave. She felt that somehow—even though so far, their relationship had been completely platonic—that she and Spot were doing something very wrong.

But those feelings and those fears melted away as they entered the barn. It was not the cleanest, most beautiful place that Rookie had ever seen, but to see the horses was wonderful. Spot grimaced at the smell, but Rookie had become so accustomed to it that it no longer phased her. Being around the horses made her miss her uncle, but it also made her feel completely relaxed. The gentle nickers and the occasional whinny soothed the tightness in Rookie's chest.

When it was time to leave, it was around two o'clock. Rookie wanted to ask what was next on the agenda, but she had lost herself in memories. Her uncle's plantation—how it was before the fire—kept replaying over and over in her mind. When she thought of the plantation, she thought of Dawson. She thought of him before his 'transformation' into Suave. Brooklyn really loved Dawson, but Rookie. Rookie really loved—

Rookie looked over to Spot and bit her lip. When Spot looked over to her, she turned her head away.

"Do ya know how to swim?" Spot asked her.

"Not at all; I was never taught."

"I'll teachya ta-night then, when no one's around."

"I'd rather not," Rookie said with a shake of her head.

"'Scuse me?"

"I'd rather not learn how to swim, because I won't learn how and I'll drown and I'll die."

Spot laughed and shook his head. "Like I'd evah let ya drown. Don't ya have any faith in me at all?"

"Of course I have faith in you, Spot," Rookie quickly recovered. "It's me I don't have any faith in."

Spot 'pft'ed and shook his head again. "Oh Tiga, Tiga. What am I goin ta do witya?"

"Keep me safetly on dry land, please-and-thankyou." Before Spot could respond to that, Rookie quickly added: "So what are we up-to next?"

"What doya wanna do?"

"I still like the park, if you don't mind?"

Spot agreed. The two walked around almost the entirety of the park, until they returned the entrance that pointed them back to the lodging house. While passing a shop window, Rookie looked in and caught the time. It was just about three-thirty, and it would take them about a half an hour to get back to the house.

"Will anyone be back by now?" Rookie asked.

"Ya gotta be a little sociable, Tiga," Spot replied.

"I would love to be sociable and friendly," Rookie replied. "It's just a known fact that I'm not the most well-liked 'Hattaner to ever walk the grounds of Brooklyn."

"I know, but prove it my fellas, an' they'll foahgive and foahget. Ya just gotta prove that yoah trustworthy."

"I don't think I'll ever get through to Echo, though," Rookie replied. "Not after-" Rookie stopped and shook her head, remember that she had never ratted Echo out for attacking her when Manhattan invaded Brooklyn. So instead she covered with: "Well, I'm sure you remember…"

"Yeah I remember," Spot replied his voice dropping in volume. "Echo…She's a completely different story, Tiga. We's been friends a long time. I gotta get t'rough ta her before anyone else does."

Rookie let the subject drop there. She bit her lip and looked away from Spot. Her chest tightened as they neared the Lodging House. She didn't want to socialize, not with Brooklynites. She couldn't help but feel that everyone had some secret vendetta against her. Whether it was because she was a Manhattan newsie or it had something to do with her friendship with Spot. Or both.

When they got back to the Lodging House, there were a few newsies out and about. Rookie recognized them, but couldn't identify them by name. As Spot walked over to them, she fell a step behind him and tightened her hold on Bear's leash. Spot began talking easily to the three newsies who were lounging on the front steps. Rookie watched warily, until one of them finally turned to her.

"Ya know, we don't really bite unless prah-voked." From listening on the conversation, the brunette who had addressed Rookie was called 'Tap'. Her statement seemed friendly enough, so Rookie cracked a smile and shook her head.

"My nerves are a little obvious, huh?"

"No shit." Tap's reply was joined by one of the guys, Brew, and Spot.

"Relax, kid," Brew added. "Ya seem like a pretty nice goil, no need ta be so tense."

Rookie smiled at them and murmured "Thanks." She pushed a hair behind her ear and slowly became more active in the conversation. The topic was sales, and how they had gone down in the past few weeks. Rookie confirmed that sales in Manhattan had taken a slight plunge as well.

"It's those fuckin' da-livery boys," Brew commented. "Why go out an' get a pape when one's delivahed to yoah front door?"

Rookie looked over to Spot as Brew made that statement. She thought—just for a moment—that she saw a change in Spot's demeanor. Something just didn't seem right. But in the next moment he was back to himself.

Around five o'clock, Tap, Brew, and the other newsie Rookie didn't catch the name of all had to return to 'carrying the banner' for the evening edition. When they left, Spot and Rookie made their way to Spot's bedroom. As soon as they had made it up the stairs, Bear leaped right up onto the bed and put her head between her paws.

"Someone's comfortable," Spot said with a smirk, shaking his head.

"Do you want me to tell her to get off?" Rookie offered.

"Nah, let 'er get some rest."

Rookie stifled a yawn, envying Bear's ability to simply lie down and sleep wherever she pleased.

"Ya tired?" Spot observed.

"A little," Rookie replied, letting the yawn release itself.

"Take a nap wit yoah dog."

Rookie raised an eyebrow at Spot's suggestion. "What do you mean?"

"I mean lay down an' take a nap if ya wanna," he replied. "If I's gonna teach ya how ta swim tonight yoah gonna need ta be fully awake."

"About that whole 'swimming' thing, Spot…"

"Don't worry yoah head off, Tiga. Take a nap, I'll wake ya befoah dinna."

"Are you just trying to get rid of me for a little while."

"Ya got me," Spot smirked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Knew it," Rookie replied, her tone completely serious. But despite their teasing of each other, she did give in to the luxurious call of an afternoon nap. It was a special treat that could hardly ever be utilized, and this was her weekend to relax, so she decided to take advantage.

"I'll getcha in a few hours, okay?" Spot told her. "Ya won't be distoibed."

Without opening her eyes or moving her head from the pillow, Rookie raised a 'thumbs up' to the King of Brooklyn. Her hand fell back to the bed with a thud. She heard Spot chuckle as he walked away from the bed. The door closed, and Rookie was left in complete silence, in complete relaxation.

Author's Note:

All right, so I hope that this chapter was a little more satisfactory than the last. It was just that I was just getting back into the story and I needed to 'reconnect' with the characters and the plot and all that jazz.

A HA-UGE thank you to my wonderful reviewers who have stayed faithful to Rookie and Spot and the rest of the gang despite my huge hiatus! Xx-Twitch-xX, X-Screescree-X, 3, Mushspotgoil, and Myst. S, you and all my non-reviewing-readers are SO WONDERFUL. I love you, Rookie loves you, and Spot loves you.

Title Credit goes to: "About You Now" by Miranda Cosgrove

As always,
xFlipperx