Chapter 17- Jo's POV

                                    

                                          
     "What're ya gonna do?" Spot asked me. We were all in Tibby's after selling papes half the day. We were all still celebrating over winning the strike. 

        I sighed. "Well, I'm gonna just... wing it, I guess. Maybe he'll understand with him and Sarah bein' together now." Spot nodded. I was so glad he was being understanding about this. "Wish me luck," 

        I walked over to the table Jack was sitting at.  "Hey, Jack," I got his attention.

                          
        "Ay, Jo. What's up?"
                          
        "We need to talk. Please." I asked.
                          
        "Alright. What is it?" He got up from his chair.
                          
        "No, not right here," Blink and Davey were both sitting at the table with him. I didn't want them knowing yet.
                          
        "Over here," I pulled him over into the corner. 
                          
        "What's wrong?"
                          
        "Don't go freakin' out on me, ya hear?" He nodded. I took a deep breath. "Me and Spot are togetha'. And I'm goin' back to Brooklyn with him." 
                          
        His expression changed quicker than I'd ever seen it. "What?!" he yelled. Everyone in the building turned to us. He grabbed my hand and pulled me outside. 

        "You said you wouldn't freak!" 
                          
        "That was before I knew about... that! When did this happen?" he asked.
                          
        "Honestly, I got no clue. It just came out of nowhere."
                          
        "I don't approve of it. You're not going' with him." 
                          
        "Why not?! Jack, I can do what I wants. You're not my fatha'! I just wanted to let you know that I was leavin'."
                          
        "I'm ya brotha'! That's good enough!"
                          
        "You're not even my real brother! Ya just picked me up off the street. And for that, I'll be grateful to ya foreva'. But Jack, if ya love me, you'll let me go," I started to tear up. "I knows ya want what's best for me. And Spot is what's best for me. Jack, he loves me and... I think I love him. Please. I can't go unless I have your blessin'. Please."
                          
        "I don't want ya to get hurt."
                          
        I wiped my face with the heel of my hands to get rid of the tears. "I won't. Please, Jack. Please."
                          
        He sighed. "I- I don't know. I don't want ya to get hurt."
                          
        "Jack, Spot is my Santa Fe. Will you really take my Santa Fe away from me?"
                          
        He looked at me; I hit a button. He sighed again. "Fine. I've seen the way he looks at ya. I can tell he likes ya. A lot. Ya can go,"
                          
        I started to smile. "But," he hurriedly said. "We have to agree on some stuff."
                          
        "Okay."
                          
        "First, ya get your own place."
                          
        "Of course! Do ya really think I'd live with him? I'm fifteen, Jack. They have their place as we do, but there's an extra room. That's where I'll be stayin'. It's on the first floor. Theirs is on the second. It's a betta' set up than ours."
                          
        After we talked a little more and set a few more things down, he agreed. I was overjoyed.
                          
        "Thank ya," I hugged him. "I love ya, Jackie."
                          
        "I love ya too, Josephine."
                          
        We walked back into Tibby's and Jack went straight to Spot. He talked to him for a second, pointing his finger out at him, which sorta worried me. Thankfully, to my relief, showing there weren't any hard feelings, they spit-shook. Jack turned around to me and nodded. Then he sat back down.
                          
        I ran to Spot and threw my arms around him.
                          
        "I's guessin' he agreed due to the threats he just made," he said.
                          
        "It took some convincin'. That's for sure. But, yeah. I'm so happy right now. I don't know what to do." I laughed. 
                          
        "Well, you know, ya could always kiss me," he smirked.
                          
        I hit him on the arm, laughing. Only Spot. "Ha, ha. Very funny." I smiled. We hugged each other again.
                          
        "Ooohhh Spot and Jo are gettin' friendly again," Mush taunted.
                          
        "Oh shut up, Mush. You're just jealous that ya don't have a girl like Beauty here." Spot snapped. I was surprised, to be honest.
                          
        "So it's official?" Kid Blink asked.
                          
        "Yep." I smiled.
                          
        "Have ya kissed yet?" Mush asked.

        "Ooh!"

        My face felt like it went red. "None of ya business, Mush! Keep ya nose where it's 'posed to be!" 
                          
        The fellas chuckled. "I'll take that as a yes." Mush taunted.
                          
        We walked to the table Jack, Kid Blink and David sat at. Spot pulled up two chairs and we sat with them. Spot yawned and stretched, his arm suddenly finding its way around my shoulders. I couldn't help but hold back a laugh and hope I wasn't blushin'.
                          
        That boy was really something.
                          
        A few hours later, we all left Tibby's. Just a few of us were left. Sarah and Les had already gone home, so I said goodbye to them then. Race, Blink, Crutchy, Davey, and of course, Jack, stuck around. Spot and me were about to head to Brooklyn, but I was saying my goodbyes first.
                          
        Of course, I would come back every now and then. But, probably not as much as I would want. I knew that it was going to be a long while before I could see any of them again.

        "Bye, Davey," I hugged him. "I's glad I got to meet ya and work with ya. Even if ya were a pain in the backside sometimes," I smirked.

        "I'm glad I got to meet you too, Jo."

        "Crutchy," I hugged him. "Youse an amazin' fella. Don't change, alright?" 

        "I won't, Jo," he smiled. His eyes were glassy due to the tears he was holding back. It made me tear up.

        "Race," my voice quivered the smallest bit. I hugged him a little longer than the two before him. We had been close since the day Jack took me in.

        "Ya betta' come see us again soon."

        I laughed a little. "Ya know I will, Race. While I'm gone, I only gots one thing I wants ya to do."

        "What?"

        "Try to quit smokin'. The stuff smells horrible," I laughed.

        "Yeah, yeah," he laughed. 
                          
        I hugged Blink next. "Blink, you're amazing. Thanks for everything." 

        "No problem, Jo. Come back soon, yeah?"

        "Yeah."

        I stood in front of Jack for a second before I hugged him. I started to cry a little as I jumped up and hugged him.
                          
        "I love ya. Thank ya so much. I ain't eva' gonna be able to tell ya how grateful I is to ya." I said.
                          
        He sniffed. "I love ya too. Ya will always be my lil' sista'. No matta' what."

        I squeezed him tighter. "And you'll always be my brotha'." I let go and took another look at them all. "See ya all soon," 

        I turned away and took Spot's hand as we started walking away. We got a few feet down the road when he stopped. "Wait," he said.
                          
        "What?"
                          
        "I don't wanna make ya feel like youse gotta come with me. I don't want to take ya away if ya don't wanna go,"

        "Yes, I'm gonna miss everyone but I wanna come with ya. I do." 

        He smiled. "Well then, let's get goin', my queen." 
                          
        I smiled widely. "I'm ready, my king." With Spot, I knew my future was gonna be bright. He was my future. My heart, my love, and my future was going to be nothing without him. I was his queen, and he was my king. 

        Until the end of time.
                          
A: Wow, I can't believe how the time has passed as I've written on this fanfic; and now that it's the end, it seems weird! This was undoubtedly one of my favorites to write! But, I couldn't have done it without my readers! Thank you guys so much for the encouragement, and especially for reading this! I feel like there's so much more to say, but all I can say is thank you!! Much love! Don't forget to Seize The Day!~K.