Clarice smiled yet a few tears were slipping down her cheeks, looking back she had spotted Jack somewhere in the middle, the two had locked eyes with each other smiling as they did so.

The happiest moment of Patick Conlon's life he would say for the rest of his years was the moment they were introduced as Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Conlon to the crowd within the beautiful church. He was shocked at how many former newsies had actually attended and most of them had small families of their own started. It was a beautiful sight!

The wedding vows they made would stand the test of time, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, and that was the way it was supposed to be.

After the beautiful ceremony, they headed to Manhattan, Medda's was all theirs for the celebration, she'd surprisingly let them use the space for free, she'd always had a soft spot for the newsies, even if those cute kids now mostly had kids of their own. It was strange, but a good strange.

"Hi." Was all Jack managed to say when he finally was able to make his way to the beautiful bride.

"Hello, stranger." The newly wedded woman joked. "Long time no see." She smiled as the two shook hands, they were actually speaking to one another. "I take it you got my letter?"

He gave her a polite hug and smiled shyly. "I did, and I'm sorry how I behaved." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I feel like an idiot, but Sarah says that's because I am one and I'm starting to agree with her." He winked across the room at his wife who'd happened to look up at him at the same time from her conversation with her parents.

"I'm sorry too, I've learned to move past things and keep the past in the past. You didn't kill Tony, you just felt lost and betrayed by us moving on so quickly and you thought you were doing what was right." The beautiful bride smiled at her old friend. She hugged him once more before going back to sit with her husband.

"That looked like it went well." Patrick claimed his wife's lips with his own, knowing she'd be pulled in a thousand different directions that day as would he, but he was going to savor every second with her as he could.

"It went well, better than what I was expecting really." She smiled. "I knew Jack and I had to settle our differences, for better or for worse."

"I'm pleased it ended so well for you love." He squeezed her in a tight hug.

"You two are almost as revolting as I remember." Mush teased coming up behind the couple.

"Shuddup." Spot rolled his eyes, letting go of his wife for the moment, and slapping the other man on the back. "Thanks for coming." He smiled.

"It's my pleasure, besides you guys are family to me." He smiled as he hugged Clarice as they quickly kissed each other on the cheek simultaneously.

Spot nodded his head in agreement, for a pair of orphans, they sure had one heck of a family. "You remember the last time we all were here?" The ex leader of Brooklyn chuckled at the memory.

"Gee whiz, it was the  rally, if I can recall Blink and Race were over excited about seeing Medda." Mush laughed.

"Yes, followed by us getting arrested." Clarice half joked.

Spot rolled his eyes, "We were some gutsy kids."

"Hell yeah we were!" Clarice exclaimed, happily wrapping an arm around Spot.

"Remind me to not tell the kids that story until they are at least 25 so they don't get any ideas." Spot winked at her teasingly earning a smack on his chest.

"Oh, Patrick!" Clarice exclaimed, playfully rolling her eyes at the lad.

"Love you too." He kissed her forehead.

"I know you do." She winked back. Smiling as she took his left hand admiring the gold wedding band.

"Looks perfect there doesn't" He sighed feeling light headed out of sheer delight.

"Yes it's grand. I hope it stays there forever." She said glancing at her new wedding ring that had some tiny rhinestones along with her plain gold one attached to it.

The ring had been in his family a few generations, his mum had given it to him, with the key a few nights before she died as if she had some kind of premonition something would happen. "I will never take it off." He assured her.

"Good." She mumbled nestling herself in the crook of his neck. She was to pass the ring down to the next generations after she passed on.

"Sorry, Spotty, but you'll thank me later, I need to steal your bride a second." Annalies smiled at the lovely couple, she had a job to do.

"What's wrong, is everything alright?" Clarice said looking worried as ever. That girl was always anxious about something.

Pulling Clarice by a hand to one of the unused changing rooms Annalies shook her head and smiled pleasantly. "Nothing's wrong, we just need to have the mandatory 'ok, now you're married, so here's what to expect' talk."

"I want to hear, this you're making me nervous Mrs. Ballatt." Clarice teased.

"I'm not experienced in giving this talk, it's my first time, so, yeah, anyway, what do you know about well, what husbands and wives do in bed?" The pregnant woman blushed.

"Oh yes, I know a bit, Spot and I are waiting for the right time." The bride winked at her Matron of Honor.

"Define a bit, because I thought I knew something too, and boy, I was," she swallowed thinking back on the memory, "surprised."

"Well making love is a natural thing, when it happens it happens and I think after being with Patrick for three years I think I'm ready." Clarice blushed, thinking about it made chills spread down her spine.

That was too vague for Anna's liking. "I know you've grown up around, boys, so you know they have a bit of different parts down there correct?"

Clarice rolled her eyes. "Obviously." She giggled "And luckily I didn't see what was in between. Despite sleeping in a room full of boys." She said bluntly as if it was nothing.

"Well, when a man gets, lets say, excited...Um well, that gets larger." Her face was the shade of a summer sun ripened tomato.

"I think I get the idea Anna, it's alright." She reassured, feeling a bit embarrassed.

"And, it goes inside." Anna gulped.

"I know about that and I heard it hurts the first couple times but for how long before it doesn't?" She asked.

Annalies took a deep breath of relief, she'd expected a mini meltdown, like she had done when she'd gotten this talk. "Thank God." She whispered all embarrassment leaving her. "Yes, it hurts, for me, around the 4th time or so, it didn't hurt anymore, but I will admit, he always seems to get more pleasure out of it than I do. It's lovely, but I'm being honest when I say, it was months before I actually felt the pleasure like he does. I guess we finally figured that part out."

"Well thanks for all your advice, if you didn't tell me all of this, I wouldn't have a clue what to expect as a girl, I guess you're more slightly educated than I am, coming from a rich girl, no offense." Clarice regretted saying that. As she looked down in shame.

"Only because I got married first dear, when Florance told me, I freaked out, I was so terrified of thinking about something going inside me and well." She was blushing again. "I didn't even have a brother, so I had no idea what anything looked like until I saw him naked. I was shaking, I was so scared."

"I've only seen my twin naked once but he still had his underwear on," that was a frightening feeling. "But I think I'll be fine." She reassured herself knowing everything was going to be okay.

"Don't worry, I know Patrick will be as gentle as he can. One thing Louis and I learned along the way is to say something when something doesn't feel right or makes you feel uncomfortable. There are some things that Louis just can't stand, and I'm so glad I know that."

"I understand how it works now, Patrick said he'd go at my own pace and would wait until I was completely comfortable with anything." She smiled at the thought of making love, though she has never thought about doing it until now. Clarice Conlon has never felt the desire to, until that moment.

"Unfortunately, men are ALWAYS eager to make love, but you two've been together so long, I'm sure Patrick has his way of coping with that already." Annalies giggled thinking about how Louis would always be a mushy mess when he knew the answer was no.

"Oh I have no doubt, I grew up with them, hearing them talk about that particular subject, and it always made me cringe."

"Did my husband talk about it frequently?" Annalies asked out of curiosity, maybe she could discover something and surprise him.

Clarice bit her lip for a second to think. "Hmm, not in particular but he would talk about you whenever he got the chance, everytime you were mentioned there was a gleam in his eye, and he talked about how you were gonna be the girl he would marry." She smiled thinking of the memory from when she was 15.

Annalies nodded her head and smiled softly. "I know what gleam you are talking about."

Clarice gave it a thought trying to remember. "He would always mention that your father wouldn't let you see him and sometimes he'd get upset talking about you, he was worried you weren't going to be his girl, but as far as the gleam in his blue eye goes, it was a passionate loving one."

"He's a mess, but I love him for it. Now, you go find your groom back unless you have any other questions."

"I think I got the idea now, thanks for the talk." Clarice winked as she was escorted back to her husband who was talking with a few Hatten boys she hasn't seen in years.

"Clarice!" They all seemed to notice her at once and they took turns embracing and congratulating her.

"Wow, you've sure grown up!" David grinned.

"Thanks Dave, that's what everyone says these days." She grinned hugging him.

"Your husband said he thinks you should look into psychotherapy, although he called it mind doctoring."

"I would but I don't think I have the smarts or confidence to go to college, besides I'll be away from my family, I'd get too homesick." Clarice had been doubted one too many times before. A frown appeared on her face.

"Most of the time, you would just need to find someone to study under, it's not all formal like normal doctoring. I'm sure there are people over in Brooklyn, you should look around."

"You know what I will, thanks for the advice." She thanked him knowing he had brains, it wasn't that Clarice didn't but she just second guessed herself too often.

"Anytime, just let me know what I can do to help." He kissed her on the cheek before going to find his sister and brother-in-law.

"I've always thought he was smarter than he lets on, I'm glad he got over his tongue tie." Spot snorted.

"I've always felt the same way, he's too smart for his own good sometimes." She giggled while taking a sip of champagne.

"Never. I wish I had half a brain up here." Spot grumbled good naturedly.

"Oh but I remember hearing about how you threatened the boy saying you had a brain too, more than just a half of one if I recall correctly." She raised an eyebrow, of course she wasn't there to witness it but she's heard it brought up several times.

Spot smiled at the memory. "Poor kid, didn't know anything back then about anything outside of books, I could smell it." Shaking his head he hugged his wife. "I'm just lucky I know how to do the basics."

"Me too." She replied to her husband.

The reception lasted into the night well after 11:30, by the time midnight rolled around everyone had left Irving Hall and the newly wedded couple had headed back to their new apartment.

"How tired are you?" Spot kissed Clarice's lips tenderly with her still in his arms after they crossed the threshold the proper way as newlyweds.

"I'm barely tired." She noted feeling some kind of internal urge that was definitely new, making her squirm a bit in her husband's grasp, she felt strange.

He carried her all the way to their bed and didn't release his hold on her sitting on the edge of the bed and brushed his nose against hers. "I love you." He whispered, not sure what to expect. He knew she'd mentioned in the past that even after they were married, she wasn't sure how ready she'd be and he planned on letting her dictate when that would be. He was going to do his best not to ever make her feel pressured.

"Um, I think I'm ready to- you know." Clarice interrupted nervously. Not knowing what her husband's reaction would be. 

His eyes locked with hers, desire so strong it took the girl's breath away. How could such a short phrase have such an effect on him? He felt like there was electricity thruming through his veins. "You're sure?" His voice was already husky and raspy.

The girl merely nodded, "I've been waiting too long, I think I'm prepared enough." She whispered softly as she kissed him.

He engulfed her lips as if she were the oxygen he needed in his lungs to keep on living. He fumbled trying to blindly undo some of her countless buttons as he continued kissing her deeply.

The girl had done the same to her husband until the two were half naked down to their undergarments. Feeling the tension and nervous in the girls mind but she was ready and prepared as he continued to kiss her passionately.

Spot knew he needed to slow himself down a bit, his Queen deserved nothing but the best, and begrudgingly, he'd been hearing for months how he did NOT want to take his wife. He let his lips travel to places they'd never been welcome before, leaving memories of his love for her as he gently caressed her tan skin. "You're so beautiful." He whispered, feeling her shiver with what he hoped was delight as his lips brushed against right below her belly button.

Clarice gasped at his touch, this was an unusual feeling but it felt good letting out a slight moan followed by mumbling something in Italian. Though her King wouldn't understand what she was saying, that made him seem more eager for her. Things started to move forward and a bit faster and before the night was over, both were in complete bliss, sweaty and exhausted for sure, but boy they'd figured this out fast.

"Wow." Was all Patrick could whisper, his voice a bit hoarse from calling her name...hopefully the neighbors were heavy sleepers. He'd never imagined he'd be quite so well, vocal...He'd heard men teased for that before, but well, he couldn't seem to control it. He kissed his smiling wife's neck as she cuddled in closer against his muscular chest.

"That felt good." She'd moaned loud enough for the neighbors to hear, hopefully they were sound asleep and not disturbed by their, well.... Nevermind. She began sleepily whispering in Italian against his chest, although it still hurt, it was starting to feel good, it was a weird sensation at first but she had gotten used to it soon enough.
 
"You're an angel" Spot yawned, pulling her closer as they were both starting to drift off to sleep. It was well after 3 in the morning and speaking for himself, he was worn out, not that he'd admit that to anyone. "See you in the morning wife." He added before finally drifting off into a dreamless sleep.

"Same to you my dear husband." Clarice copied feeling restless as she began to yawn, cuddling up to her husband.

The next morning, well a few hours later, Spot found himself being awakened by a very excited wife. He grumbled sleepily and buried his face in the pillow.

"Good morning." She said sweetly cuddling deeper into his embrace, "I was thinking we should visit Tony." The poor girl hadn't visited her brother's grave in years.

His ears perked up, this was different, she'd been avoiding that visit a LONG time. "Ok." He mumbled sleepily, not realizing she wanted to go NOW.

"We should go now, we have so much to tell him, but let' not mention what happened last night." She joked hoping he'd agree, she was finally ready to visit her brother's grave for the first time since he'd been burried.

Spot had personally visited a few times, especially when he didn't know what to do with Clarice, but she didn't need to know that. "What if I want to tell him how his baby sister moaned loud enough to raise him from the dead?" He teased, starting to feel more awake.

"You testa di cazzo, you're not telling him a thing!"

"Why do I feel like that's not a very nice thing to call a guy?" He grumbled letting go of her to roll out of bed and get dressed.

"You'll find out sooner or later." His wife noted getting up to get dressed for the day.

"I'm going to make friends with someone who speaks Italian just to figure out exactly how you insult me." He huffed faking annoyance.

"Ask Blink, he'll know." She laughed knowing Blink's family was also Italian, he just wasn't born in Italy like her and Race were.

"I always forget he's Italian. I will ask him." Spot nodded his head with finalty.

"Everyone forgets, it's alright." The newly wedded couple had finished their routine before crossing the Brooklyn Bridge to the cemetery in Manhattan.

Once they found Race's grave, the couple stood next to the cookie cutter white cross gravemarker. Spot kept a tight grip on his wife, the poor girl was shaking.

"It's okay, he's here." He whispered. "Nothing to be scared of." His lips brushed her forehead, assuring her that everything was going to be ok.

As the couple stayed in silence continuing to stare at the grave, there was a cold winter's chill in the air that was different from all the others. The couple cried silently but occasional whimpers could be heard from the girl.

"I promised ya Tony that I'd take care of her. And I promise ya again, she's my heart and soul, I'll take care of her till my dying breath." Patrick hugged Clarice hoping upon hope that he could be all that she needed him to be.

"He's doing a great job at taking care of me too, you won't believe the things we've done so far," Clarice exclaimed hoping her husband didn't mention the unthinkable things they did the previous night.

"Tell your parents that they made a beautiful child who's grown into a stunning woman." Spot pecked her cheek.

"I guess this one is right, afterall I am stunning." She laughed, retorting herself to kicking at an unusually shaped, lump of snow. The gravesite looked older than the last time she'd been there, the dirt from the burial was now gone, it was now covered with glistening snow, suddenly the snow began to fall out of the sky glistening as each individual snowflake fell on the couple.

"Thanks Tony," Spot chuckled. "Maybe we should head back in case it decides to snow harder."

"Then that means he'll be angry." Clarice giggled knowing her brother had triggered the snowfall to occur. Maybe it was a warning.

"If we don't get something to eat soon, I'm gonna be angry." Spot grumbled and as if to agree, his stomach growled loudly.

"Maybe we should go to Tibby's. I heard some of the fellas are going to be there for some sort of reunion." Clarice notioned as they got up walking towards the entrance of the cemetery.

"Can I at least tell THEM how enjoyable last night was, no details, just that it was awesome?" Spot let a whine slip into his words and pouted at her, hoping she'd think it looked cute.

"Okay fine, but we are NOT giving out details!" His now furriated wife pointed her finger at the Irishman.

He held up his hands and laughed at her fiery spirit. "Got it, no details!"
"Good." She replied knowing he kept his word, NO DETAILS!