Title: The Lady In Mourning
Author: Pegapanther
Fandom: Newsies AU
Pairing: ?/Spot
Rating: PG
Status: complete
Archive: Yeah sure, just ask first.
Series/Sequel: Not quite sure yet
Disclaimers: I don't own 'em or make money off of them, but I can guarantee they'd have tons more fun with me!
Notes: A sort of memorial for the NYC thing.
Summary:  Special note for this slash group: the boys are package delivery boys, (like Dark Angel?) in this AU. And, I'm sorry if I had to make up some of the details, I wasn't there so I have to go by what I imagine would have happened in this case.


I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be doing. They're saying stuff that I should be concerned with, like dead and terror. How can I think of that when I just saw five of my friends leave with packages to the Trade Center? Boots had a couple of large envelopes, he left first this morning. Skittery and Pie Eater left shortly after with boxes for some of the offices. Davy, he had a present -- the wrapping depicted birthday greetings and balloons and the like. I'm not sure which buildings they were going to. Spot on the other hand told me. He had been transferred from Brooklyn for the day because the company was short of staff. Him and I, well, we're so in love we can't even stand not knowing where the other is -- just in case we don't return to each other, we'd like to know where to look. Are we sick?

They're telling me not to go any closer. I hadn't realized I was even going here. They look pretty concerned, I wonder why. There is no building one where Spot's supposed to be. There's smoke, lots of it. It's coming toward me. There is no building two either. They're gone and all that's left is smoke. They're leading me away. I don't know what I'm supposed to do. I must be babbling, they're telling me to relax, everything is going to be fine, to look at the island. That's where they're taking me. I'm not sure why they're wrapping me in blankets, I'm not cold.

The Lady looks sad, like she just lost a couple of brothers. I wonder if she knows how to cry. Crying, I hadn't thought of that. My face is wet but not from tears. They are wiping me down with warm water, putting a bottle to my lips. Thirsty. Hadn't realized how thirsty I am.

There are too many people here. Crying, injured people. Haven't seen Spot yet. Davy found me and he's here with me. I think he's talking but all I hear is pain. Never thought I'd *hear* so much pain. My head hurts. They got me a new cloth for my face. It was dry a while ago but it's wet again. Davy must have wet it. He's taking care of me, the way he tends to. The water on the cloth looks red. I'm not bleeding though. Am I?

Davy's looking at me weird, I guess I'm babbling again. Skittery and Pie Eater are here. They're really dusty. Davy's dusty too. Davy's arm is in a sling. Guess I missed that. I can see Boots over there, searching the faces. He's seen us, he's coming this way. He looks ok, compared to everyone else. I'm seeing too much at once. Everything is moving fast and it's all blurry.

Tell them to get that thing off my face, I can't breath. Davy, I feel ill, make them get it off my face. The bile burns my throat and smells horrible.

The lights are bright in the hospital. I'm in a hospital now? I must have passed out, I can't remember the trip here. Davy's beside me, Skitts and Boots and Pie are nearby, I can hear them talking. There's another voice but I can't place it. It's familiar somehow. I have to get up to see but Davy won't let me. It's amazing, the crying has stopped and I can hear now. Davy's going to get Spot. Did he say Spot?

Spot!

No one told me he was ok. I feel sick again, but happy. Spot's ok, he doesn't look hurt. Why is he crying? Why is he crying? Why is he turning away from me? Spot, what's wrong? He turned back, good. I was worried. He's still crying. I can't speak, why can't I speak? There was a mirror on the table, it's in his hands now. What's with the mirror Beautiful One? Don't cry...

I'm going to wretch again. No wonder he turned away, he hates me now, he has to! My whole head is wrapped in bandages. The top is bleeding, it needs to be changed. My face feels stiff, like when my hand got burned last month and I couldn't move it. I don't want him to look at me. I don't want anyone to look at me. My hands and arms are cut and burned.

They're telling me they found me under a big panel of red hot steel. I can't remember being trapped.

There are tubes all over and in me. Spot's holding my hand. What are they saying? It's supportive, that's all I can tell. Spot's kissing me gently and they aren't the least bit surprised. He's saying he loves me and they're patting him on the back and leaving.

Don't go, I didn't mean what I thought earlier!

Spot's still here, saying he won't leave me. The nurse is here to change my bandages though and she's making him go behind the curtain I'm so tired. So very tired. I have to sleep.