Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Chapter 1:
You Want The Good News or The Bad News?

“He’s back!” Crutchie shouted from a low fire escape just below Jack’s “Penthouse.” Crutchie squinted into the dark, it looked like Race had returned with something other than a day's wage. Crutchie’s jaw dropped.
“Aw geez, Race! Why were ya gone f’so long?” Jack sighed sitting up from his resting place on the fire escape.
“Heh, yeah, about that…” Race trailed off, “eh, do you wanna hear the good news or the bad news?”
“Let’s start with the good news,” Jack suggested as he made his way down the fire escape ladder.
“Well, Jack, I’m glad you asked. I actually sold twenty extra papes,” he replied boastfully.
Jack chuckled as he passed an astonished Crutchie, not even seeing what he was gawking open-mouthed at.
“O’course ya did,” he laughed sarcastically as he finished climbing down his last ladder. “And how didja-?”
He cut off sharply as he turned around to see that Race had been tailed by seven little girls with ragged clothes and dirt smudged on their little faces.
“Who the heck ah these guys?!” Jack exclaimed in awe.
“Uh, yeah, that’s the bad news…”
“And we ain’t ‘guys!’ We’re girls!” A little girl with short black hair huffed, stomping her foot.
Jack raised his eyebrows at her.
“Ya sure ah,” he chuckled, then turned his attention to Race with a sarcastically sweet voice, “ya wanna explain why you brought a buncha snotty little girls back here Racey?”
“Look, it’s not like I wanted ‘em okay?”
“I didn’t ask if you wanted ‘em Racetrack! Where’d they come from?”
“Well,” Race began, “there was this lady on the corner, she dint look too pretty, an’ I think she was drunk…”
“That’s Ms. Hannigan,” interrupted a little girl whose hair looked like a red fiery explosion of red curls, “she’s an awful lady!”
“That’s right cuz she’s the reason I’m now a fada of six!”
“Seven!” A few of the girls shouted.
“Whatever!” Race yelled.
The girls jumped back a bit and Race went on with his story.
“So this lady, she’s all, ‘hey, I’ll buy twenty papes from ya if you’ll sign these.’ An’ she gave me some fancy looking pieces o’ paper. So I signed them right away.
Then she told me I hafta come to this old buildin’ cause I signed. Then she gave me these!”
He gestured to the girls behind him.
“Let’s see these fancy papers,” Jack said as Crutchie came up behind him and looked over his shoulder.
Race handed over a small stack of contracts and Jack snatched them out of his hand. He looked over them, skimming over a few words. Each one of them had conditions and rules and the name of a girl. Duffy, Tessie, Pepper, Molly, Kate, July and Annie. Jack looked at Race in utter shock.
“You idiot! These ah adoption papers!” He smacked the boy across from him in the back of the head.
Race snatched the pages back.
“No way! This ain’t legal!”
“Legal or not, you’s got yerself seven little girls now. Unless ya wanna try an’ give ‘‘em back?”
“No! Please don’t take us back!” Shouted the red haired girl.
“Look kid, we’s got bigger problems than some kids who ain’t got folks,” Jack said unsympathetically.
“But Miss Hannigan’s a horrible person! She makes us clean all day and makes us eat this mush stuff, and she hates us! Please!”
Jack raised his eyebrows.
“Annie!” The oldest girl shouted, “these guys have more problems than us! They don’t even have food to eat everyday.”
The red haired girl, Annie, apparently, made a pouty face, sticking out her bottom lip and crossing her arms.
“Then they know how it feels to have a crumby life!”
Crutchie cocked his head.
“Hey, Jack, it’s gettin’ late. Can’t we just sleep on it?”
Jack rubbed his face and groaned.
“Fine. But in the mornin, Race, you’s gonna be in for it.”
He jabbed Race’s chest with his index finger and walked off.
“Fine then, see ya in the mornin Jackie.”
Race rolled his eyes and sauntered off. The girls stood and looked at the remaining boy who stared at them sympathetically. The oldest girl, who seemed to be no older than thirteen, had her arms around one of the older ones, about eleven or twelve, and the youngest, sixish, who both seemed timid and quiet. There was another who looked about six, who was holding the ten year old redhead’s hand, and the remaining one had her arms crossed and looked nastily around the alleyway.
“Hey, I’ll find you a place to sleep,” Crutchie offered.
all but the redhead and the grumpy one smiled.
“How’re you gonna do anything with that?” Asked the grumpy one pointing to the crutch under his arm.
“You’d be surprised whatcha can do in these streets, even with a crutch,” he winked, “come this way.”
The girls followed him further into the alleyway.
“What ah ya names?”
The oldest girl spoke up.
“I’m Duffy, this is July and Kate, that’s Pepper, Annie and the little one holding Annie’s hand is Molly.”
“It’s very nice ta meet all of ya,” The boy smiled genuinely.
He led the girls to a fire escape below the one him and Jack normally slept on. He crumbled the few blankets they had taken with them and a few newspapers together, creating a semi-soft surface for them to sleep on. Molly and Kate, the youngest two looked like they’d fall asleep any second, Annie and Pepper were still scowling and crossing their arms.
“You can stay here for tonight,” Crutchie said sleepily.
“This place stinks.” Pepper groaned.
“Yeah, that’d be Mush,” Crutchie chuckled.
“Ya eat mush too? I thought ya didn’t have food around here.”
“Uh, no. Never mind…”
Duffy helped Crutchie get Kate, July and Molly to bed, and then she went to bed herself. Annie eventually went to sleep alongside Molly.
“You gonna go to sleep too?” Crutchie asked the remaining girl.
Pepper stubbornly stared at the newspapers at her feet.
“I know this place isn’t the best,” the boy admitted, “but ya gotta go to sleep. It’ll be a long day tomorrow.”
“I ain’t tired.”
“Alright,” Crutchie complied as he sat back on the fire escape.
He figured he’d better stay up and keep an eye on them especially if Pepper was still awake. She looked like the kind of girl who’d get into trouble.
The crippled boy started whistling a tune he and Jack would sing before the strike happened. Pepper sat down stubbornly and crossed her arms with an angry grunt.
The night went on. It got colder and Crutchie made sure each of the girls was warm by readjusting their blankets and the sparse newspapers. He watched over them as the old gray moon climbed in the sky. Pepper’s eyelids grew heavy but she fought to keep her tired little eyes open.
The little whir of a buggy grew and then faded back down the street. Down below them, Romeo and Albert snored softly. A dog barked, then the barking grew louder.
Crutchie was just about to doze off when, next to a still-waking Pepper at the other end of the fire escape, there was the rustling of paper and a startled gasp. A figure sat up and inhaled shakily. The boy sat up in concern. The figure sniffled and wiped her damp cheek on the back of her nightgown sleeve.
Pepper rolled her eyes, what a crybaby.
“Molly?” Crutchie asked.
The girl jerked her head in the direction of Crutchie. A little sob escaped her lips.
Crutchie stood up and rushed to her, as fast as his leg would provide anyway. He sat down next to her.
“Hey, hey, what’s the mattah?” He breathed gingerly.
Pepper furrowed her brow. This stupid older boy was being unusually nice to all of them. Molly hiccuped.
“I’m scared. I ain’t neva slept outside. And I heard a dog barkin’ and it woke me up…”
“Hey, it’s ok, I’m here. Nothin’s gonna happen to ya s’long as I’m here.”
Pepper slowly unfolded her arms and looked at the other sleeping girls around them.
“P-promise?” She sniffled.
“For sure.” When Jack said that it always made him feel better. Maybe it worked with little girls too?
She scooted closer to him and wrapped her little arms around his middle. His eyes widened for a second then he hugged the girl back. She continued to cry quietly as Crutchie rubbed her back comfortingly.
He hummed softly at first then started singing. The tune was the same one he was whistling before, he changed the lyrics around a bit for Molly as he sang.
“Little girl,
don’t you cry,
no, don’t shed anotha tear,
when tomorrow comes I promise I’ll be here.
You’ve got all ya friends beside you, so that you don’t have to fear.
It’s alright,
I’m right here,
Don’t be afraid.”
He carried the melody quietly until her breathing was slow and quiet. He laid her down gently on the bed of newspapers and covered her with a blanket. And, to his surprise, when he turned around Pepper had fallen asleep too. She was leaning against the railing and snoring quietly. He adjusted her to a more comfortable position before giving her a few of her own makeshift newspaper blankets and drifting off to sleep himself.

Chapter Text

The next morning the sun came up and Jack was already awake and a block and a half away from his “Penthouse” in a phone booth hurriedly punching in a number.
“Pick up, pick up, pick up. Pick. Up.”
He repeated that, growing more frustrated as the other side of the line beeped vacantly.
“Operator.”
“Finally- uh, Davey- er I mean, Jacobs’s household please.”
“Do you have an address?”
Jack fumbled with a small slip of paper and read off Davey’s address.
“Alright, putting you through…”
Thank goodness Davey’s dad had started working again so they could get that phone, if Jack couldn’t get ahold of him he would probably strangle Race himself before actually assessing the problem.
“Come on Dave pick up, pick up. Pick up!”
The receiver clicked.
“Hello?”
It was Les.
“Hey! Kid, I hafta speak to ya brotha. It’s important.”
“Well how come no one eva wants to talk to me?” The boy asked indignantly.
“I ain’t kiddin around Les! I need to talk to him now.”
“Gee, fine. But I wanna hear all about whateva’s goin on lata.”
Jack heard Les yell for his brother as he fiddled nervously with the phone chord.
“Jack? It’s five in the mornin’! What on earth do ya want?”
“Davey, I wasted a nickel on this phone call to tell ya, you had betta get ya ass ova here before I march down there and drag it here myself.”
“What! Jack, what’s goin on?”
“I’ve got seven new problems Dave, and you had betta pray to ya god that you ain’t gonna become number eight!!!” He slammed the phone back on the receiver.
“What was that about?” Les asked.
“I don’t know but we gotta get down there fast,” his brother responded, already putting on his vest.
Jack sighed before stepping out of the phonebooth and jogging back to the alleyway.
When he got back the girls were standing by the gates with Crutchie and Race, who seemed to have caught the attention of all the other boys.
“How the heck didja get seven new daughtas in one night Race?” Albert was practically yelling in bewilderment.
“Yeah, ya know ya can’t afford any of ‘em right?” Mush piped in.
The girls’ eyes went back and forth between each newsie as they spoke. Crutchie stood behind them with his hand on Kate’s shoulder.
“And even if ya could, whatcha gonna do with ‘em?” Ike asked.
“Yeah, you can’t trade any a those for Coronas,” Specs agreed, gesturing to the group of girls.
“Ey, we ain’t tradin them for nothin!” Crutchie shouted.
“Look, it’s not like I wanted ‘em!” Races cried over him, “little things just got dumped on me!”
Jack stood back, his arms crossed, surveying the scene but too tired to really do anything about the uproar. The group of boys began yelling over each other, only snippets of conversation audible. Jack sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.
He should be at work right now, drawing a new political cartoon for The World, but instead he was dealing with seven little girls, and about a dozen boys who acted like they were even younger than them. He probably would’ve gone back to sleep if Crutchie hadn’t seen him standing to the side.
“Jack! There ya are! Why don’tcha help me convince the guys we ain’t gettin rid of these little girls?”
“No way! How’re we supposed to keep ‘em around? I can barely pay to keep myself alive!” Race retorted.
The boys all began yelling again.
“Hey-” Jack said quietly at first, “hey! HEY!”
The boys went quiet.
“I’d like to hear myself think, thanks.”
“Oh, here we go again, Jack’s thinking,” Race sighed.
Crutchie elbowed his ribs and he made a disgruntled “ouch!” But then he went quiet.
Jack stared at the ground, gears turning in his head. Surely they could pool together enough money to take care of the girls. They’d have to sell at least an extra paper each, and Jack could save up some money, his new job did pay a bit better than selling papes, so… that would be about half a dollar more pay for the girls. Hmmm, what’s fifty divided by seven?
“He betta be careful or he’s gonna overheat,” Race commented snarkily.
“Shaddup Race!” Finch yelled.
“Yeah, leave him alone!”
“Why you gotta be like that?”
“Let him work it out!”
The boys again divulged into yelling. Jack groaned and turned around, preparing to bang his head into the wall until he forgot about his problems when…
“Hey! Look, it’s Davey!” Specs shouted.
Jack looked up.
Sure enough, Davey was running down the street toward them, Les following close behind.
“Thank God, finally someone who knows what he’s doin’!” Race sighed in relief.
Jack shot him a look and he backed away with his hands up.
“Dave, what took ya so long?!” Jack shouted.
“Jack? Whadaya mean, I got here as quick as I could!”
“Yeah! Me too!” Les cried.
Jack rubbed his face.
“Look, it’s been a long day.”
“It is six a.m. Jack,” Davey said, deadpan.
“You don’t know what I’ve had to deal with ok?!”
“Well if you’d tell me-”
“I don’t have time fa this Davey! Race just became mudda of the year and I’m up to my neck in problems. I should be at work now, but-”
“Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute!” Davey shouted to get Jack to stop rambling for just a second, “what on earth are you jabbering about? Mudda of the year, what’s goin’ on?”
Jack let out a disgruntled whine and took off his hat, beginning to rumble it up and wring it in aggravation. He paced a small circle, his head tilted up to the sky as if cursing God himself for this burden. When he finished his upset circle, he put his hat back on and looked at Davey and Les who were staring at him in utter confusion. Not a single one of the other newsies made a sound. They just watched their leader as they tried to untangle the knots in his head.
“Racer has been blessed with seven orphan kids,” Jack said in mock bliss, he had a begrudging smile on his face but he spoke his words between clenched teeth.
Les and Davey kept looking at him in confusion.
“What?” The older brother said, furrowing his brow and leaning back slightly, folding his arms.
“Oh, ya don’t believe me?” Jack said, raising his eyebrows, “they’re right there in the back, all seven of the snotty little things, about yer age too, Les.”
Les’s face lit up.
“Y’mean I can finally hang out with some kids my age?” He beamed.
Jack threw his hands up in the air and rolled his eyes.
“Gee, I’m glad someone’s got somethin ta be happy about.”
The rest of the boys parted to make way for the little girls standing timidly in the back. Les’s face went from anticipation to utter disappointment almost as fast as his brother’s expression went from confusion to shock.
“You weren’t kiddin,” Davey murmured in awe.
“They’re all stupid girls?” Les shouted in dismay.
“Hey!” Pepper exclaimed.
“Hey, calm down,” his brother told him.
“You finally get some kids my age and they’re all girls!” The little boy crossed his arms and stared at Jack with a pouty lip as if this were all his fault.
Jack furrowed his brow and shook his head in exasperation.
“Oh!” He exclaimed, his words gushing with sarcasm, “well, I’m sorry, maybe next time Race goes to pick up some mo’ orphans I’ll make sure he hits an all boys place.”
Davey stepped between the two of them and put a hand on Jack’s shoulder, pulling him aside. The boys began to talk quietly behind them, a few of the girls also piping in.
“Jack, is there any place for them to go? Any place at all?”
“Nah, if they did they wouldn’t be here.”
Davey looked this way and that, down the street as if searching for someone who might be willing to actually take the girls in, knowing that nobody in the city had the room or money to care for half a dozen extra girls. He gestured for Jack to come further off to the side with him and they began brainstorming solutions.
Annie walked up to Les in a huff.
“So, what’s so wrong with girls anyway?”
“All you do is play dolls and braid each other’s hair. It’s boring.” Les folded his arms and directed his pouty face to the sidewalk.
Crutchie was too busy bickering with the other boys to notice Les and Annie and sort out the situation. The arguing boys and girls grew a bit louder around them.
“We don’t only play dolls, dummy!” Annie shouted, “We do lots of stuff.”
“Like what?”
“Like running and playing games and stuff,” she said, lifting her chin slightly as if she clearly had the high ground.
“I don’t want to play girl games! They’re stupid and sissy, like girls.”
Annie’s glare hardened.
“How do you know?” Her fists were clenched at her sides and she was staring him down.
“I’ve met girls before and they’re all stupid wimps.”
That did it. Annie launched herself at Les, pinning him to the ground. She punched him right in the nose.
“Ouch! Get off of me!” Les yelled as he tussled with her.
That got the whole group’s attention. Jack and Davey whirled around and looked astounded, the rest of the boys and girls backed away from them, not knowing how to handle the situation.
“How do you like this game?” Annie yelled.
Les rolled over and grabbed Annie’s arms, keeping them from hitting him and doing more harm. The two of them tussled and scratched and flailed and crawled over each other. Jack and Davey rushed over, pulling to two apart.
“Hey, hey, hey!” Davey cried, grabbing his brother, “that is no way to treat a lady.”
“She ain’t no lady!” Les screamed, trying to wriggle free from his brother, “she’s a crazy girl!”
Annie, who was being held back by Jack, had stopped fighting to get out of his grasp and folded her arms. She stuck her tongue out at Les.
“Hey, there’s no use in fightin’ each other,'' Davey protested, turning his little brother around and kneeling to look him in the eyes. “Tell her you’re sorry.”
“No way! She started it!” Les pointed at the girl.
“I didn’t start it! You’re the one who said girls are stupid!”
There was a chorus of agreement from the rest of the girls, some of whom were giving Les nasty looks and cracking their knuckles.
“Alright!” Jack shouted, getting the girls to quiet down.
Everyone looked at him waiting for him to speak. He pushed Annie over to Davey and gently told him to keep her and Les away from each other so they wouldn’t start another mini brawl. He then turned to the rest of the kids.
“Newsies,” he addressed them, then remembered they were in mixed company, “a-and orphan girls, Davey and I were talking and, we don’t know what we can do for ya.”
The girls looked at eachother and murmured amongst themselves quietly.
“We don’t have a home to take ya, and no food. So we’ve gotta part ways as soon as possible.”
The girls began to protest.
“Hey-” Jack started, trying to quiet them, “hey- we’re doing the best we can here okay? Would ya quiet down!”
Just then, a certain reporter came strolling down the street.
“Jack? You’re late! My father said if you don’t get down there soon he’ll-” she noticed the group of girls, cracked a smile and gasped in delight, “Oh my goodness, who are these little angels?”
She crouched down and looked each of them in the eyes.
“Not what I woulda called ‘em,” Jack scoffed.
Kathrine chuckled.
“They’re adorable! Where did they come from?” She stood up and looked at Jack.
“You can ask Race that question.”
The young woman looked at the boy with the cigar in his mouth expectantly. Race shot Jack a “what the hell” look and then looked at the reporter with a sigh.
“It would seem,” he started, nervously twiddling his thumbs, “that I accidentally adopted half a dozen orphan girls.”
Kathrine’s eyes widened in disbelief at not only the situation, but Race’s utter stupidity.
“Yeah, he’s a real wise guy, huh?” Romeo piped up.
“Ey- would ya shaddup?” Race retorted, taking off the other boy’s hat and whacking him with it.
Kathrine laughed. She tried to stifle the laugh behind her hand, but her laughs only grew.
“Oh, so ya think this is funny now do ya?” Jack said, crossing his arms.
“I’m sorry,” she said between chortles, “but you boys have really outdone yourselves this time!”
Jack leaned back and rolled his eyes.
“And here I was expecting a little sympathy!”
Kathrine slowly stopped laughing.
“Sympathy, Jack?” She smiled, “you’ve hit the gold mine!”
“Gold mine?” Jack furrowed his brow and looked at his girlfriend in utter disbelief. “If this is a gold mine then I’m the king of France.”
She laughed again, which was starting to get on Jack’s nerves a little. It was a good thing he liked her, or he probably would’ve gone off on her by now.
“Jack! Look at them!” She said, gesturing to them as if it were obvious. “If you get them out there selling papes, they’ll sell them like they were practically giving them away! It’s just like you always say, younger sells more papes, and they are small, orphaned, and not to mention adorable!”
She chuckled and smiled at the girls. Jack looked at her, brow furrowed. He hadn’t even considered the thought.
“They ain’t cut out fer sellin’ papes.”
With that, the gates to the circulation opened and Wiesel shouted his regular “papes fer the newsies!” The boys filed away, all but Crutchie, Davey, Jack and Les.
“Not cut out for it?” Kathrine repeated, “what do you mean?”
Jack shrugged, “I don’t know, j-just look at ‘em! They won’t last a day.”
“How can you say that without giving them a chance, I bet they’re tougher than they look- and, I mean- Les helped sell papers before the strike and he did just fine!”
“Les ain’t like them, ok?”
“So you’re saying just because they’re girls, they can’t sell papes?”
“That’s not what I said.”
“That’s what you meant though, isn’t it?” Kathrine fired back.
Jack paused, looking at her, his lips moved soundlessly. She stared at him expectantly.
“N-no,” he finally blurted out.
“I think they can do it,” she turned to the girls, “what do you say? Do you think you girls can sell papers better than these stupid boys?”
The girls cheered a resounding “Yeah!” And Kathrine smiled. She turned to Jack triumphantly.
“What about you? Is the famous Jack Kelly ready to get his rear end handed to him by a bunch of girls?”
Jack stared at her and shook his head gently.
“You really are somethin, y’know that?”
Kathrine raised a brow.
“So I’ve been told. Now, let the girls do their thing, you have to be at work, my father’s gonna blow his top if you don’t get in there soon.”
She straightened his vest and kissed him on the cheek.
“I’ll hold down the fort while you’re gone. Now get out of here before you get fired!”
She pushed him down the sidewalk, but he turned and grabbed her hands, looking into her eyes.
“Ya sure I can’t get another one a those before I go?” He pointed to the cheek she hadn’t kissed.
She laughed, “I’m serious! Go!”
She pushed him away and down the street before turning back to the girls.
“Alright, looks like it’s time to seize the day.”

Chapter Text

Kathrine had helped split the girls into groups and put each group with a -mostly- capable newsie. Annie went with Davey and Les, July and Duffy went with Albert and Specs, Kate and Molly went with Crutchie, and, since nobody else would take them, and since this whole mess was Race’s fault, Pepper and Tessie went with Race. Kathrine also made Romeo go along with Race because she didn’t trust him alone with two little girls. Kathrine had to leave to go to work for The Sun, but she sent them off with a heavy dose of advice and patronization.
“I dunno what Kat was talkin’ about,” Race said, standing in line with a very whiny Tessie and a disgruntled Pepper. “I ain’t a bad babysitter, I don’t see why she had to tell me all these rules and things. I can handle a couple girls.”
Pepper rolled her eyes so big they might have rolled out of her head.
“Hey- watch where you roll those eyes. I’m gonna be an amazin’ babysitter!”
“I don’t need a babysitter.”
She stuck her nose in the air and folded her arms.
“Well too bad ‘cause yer gettin’ a babysitter wetha ya want one or not!”
“Oh my goodness, oh my goodness,” Tessie said nervously as she heard the two fighting.
Pepper rolled her eyes. She didn’t really have a comeback, so she just folded her arms and pouted.
They shuffled to the front of the line, and Race smirked at Weisel.
“Hiya Weasel.”
Weisel rolled his eyes.
“Racer.”
“So, I been thinking…”
“I guarantee you that whateva you’s been thinking I don’t care.”
“Last night I had a thought,” he continued, putting his hands out as he painted a visual picture. “Since I’m a fada now, do I get some sorta paternity leave or..?”
“Buy the papes or move along!” Weisel shouted, his face growing red with anger.
“So that’s a ‘no’ then?” Race sighed, “alright, let’s see a hundred and fifty then.”
Race slapped down his money on the cash box.
“You’d better be good at sellin,” he turned around and looked at Tessie and Pepper, “I don’t usually get nearly this many.”
“A hundred and fifty papes for Racetrack,” Weisel said.
Oscar counted out the papers and handed them to Race who gave a third of them to Tessie and another third to Pepper. The girls stuffed the papers into their sacks.
“Alright, go nuts,” Race said, gesturing out into the streets.
Romeo grabbed his papers and walked up behind Race, eyeing the girls over his shoulder as they hesitantly wandered out the circulation gate into the busy New York streets.
“Ey, Race, you can’t just send ‘em out theya all alone!” He said, smacking Race’s shoulder with the back of his hand.
Race lit his cigar casually and tucked it in his mouth.
“Lighten up, they can handle themselves.”
He smiled and closed his eyes blissfully folding his arms and humming happily at his job well done. Romeo looked worriedly from the two girls walking out into the streets to Race, still happily smoking his cigar. Pepper stepped into the street which was crawling with people making their morning commutes, and black and yellow buggies beeping their high pitched horns. Pepper flinched back as a blueish buggy zoomed in front of her. She shook her fist at the car as it zoomed away making a little “beep beep” that unintentionally censored whatever she had just shouted at the man driving the car. Romeo made up his mind and grabbed Race’s wrist, dragging him back to the girls.
“Ey, what gives?!” Race cried as he was dragged down into street by a determined Romeo.
Crutchie was having a far better time taking care of the girls he had been assigned, Kate and Molly.
They were the two youngest girls, ages six and seven, and they already trusted and knew Crutchie the best compared to the other Newsies. Molly held his free hand and walked by his side, meanwhile Kate walked close on his other side, minding his crutch.
“This is one o’ the best spots to sell,” Crutchie said, leading them towards Central Park, “the air is cleaner here cause o’ all the trees, and there’s lots o’ folks who’ll buy.”
He led them down a path, and scooped Molly up, standing her on a bench.
“There! Now ya can see the whole park!”
Molly beamed and looked out at the park, standing on her tippy toes. She had never been to a real park before, whenever Miss Hanigan let them go outside, it was only for a few hours, and she made them stay in front of the building where she could make sure they didn’t run off. And now she was in a proper park, standing on a bench like she was on top of the world!
“Wow! There’s so many trees!” She said, bouncing gleefully.
“I wanna try!” Kate said.
Crutchie smiled. He never knew how fun it was to hang out with little kids, they were so sweet.
“Alright, come here,” he said, reaching out his arms.
He lifted the young girl up onto the bench. She brushed a lock of her dirty blond hair out of her face and looked over the park, glowing with delight. The two girls squealed with laughter and jumped up and down on the park bench. A sweet smile spread across Crutchie’s face like butter. He was delighted to see the girls were having a good time.
He chuckled, “I’m glad you’re having fun, but we got papes to sell! Are ya ready?”
The girl’s giggles quieted and they stopped jumping up and down. They nodded their heads together in determination, still giggling a little bit.
“Alright,” the boy continued, “you’re already in the perfect spot, now you just need to get people’s attention. Just stand up tall and shout that you’ve got papes for sale! I’ll show you.”
Crutchie stood a few paces away from the girls on the bench.
“Papes! Getchyer papes here!” He looked over his shoulder at the girls, “and you can talk to specific people too. You want ‘em to be able ta read. So pick a rich lookin person, er one wid glasses.”
He caught the eye of a well dressed man.
“Excuse me sir, can I interest you in ta day’s paper?”
Much to the girl’s disdain, the man brushed him off, but he was not discouraged. He saw a bespectacled woman in a lovely velvet blue dress.
“Mornin’ papes here,” he said, showing the woman, who ignored him.
Finally, he caught the glance of a portly man checking his pocket watch.
“It’s a good headline ta day sir, I promise ya don’t wanna miss this.”
“Alright,” the man mumbled lazily as he fished a nickel out of his pocket.
Crutchie exchanged the man’s money for his paper.
“Thanks a lot sir,” he said with a smile and a tip of his hat.
He turned back to the girls.
“And that’s how ya do it.” Crutchie said, tossing his nickel and catching it again with a flair.
The girls looked in awe at him and then at each other with the utmost enthusiasm. You could practically see stars in their eyes. The two of them chattered excitedly. Crutchie beamed.
“Ya wanna try?” He asked with a raised eyebrow.
“YEAH!” The girls exclaimed in unison.
On the other side of town, Specs and Albert were showing Duffy and July the ropes as they walked along a cramped, dirty back alley.
“It’s pretty simple actually,” Specs said, “you just gotta make y’self seen and let ‘em know you’s got papes f’sale.”
Albert stepped over a trash bag and came up beside Specs, making it difficult for all four of them to all walk together.
“Well, theya’s mo’ to it than that, but I guess that’s the basics.” Albert said smugly as he leaned on Specs’s shoulder who rolled his eyes and shoved him away. Albert had always been into pro strategies for selling papes. For example, the current “shortcut” they were taking to Bottle Alley. He tended to overcomplicate things, and cheat people in an attempt to be the best. However, he had never gotten close to Jack’s record. They came to the end of the Alleyway and piled out.
“You girls ready?” Specs asked.
Duffy looked at July who nodded shyly.
“We’re ready!” She smiled.
“Alright, let’s hit the streets!”
Specs gestured for the girls to follow him, and the four of them took off into the bustling alley. Specs waved a spare paper around in the air, hoping to get someone’s attention while Albert shouted at the top of his lungs over the vast ocean of people.
“So,” Specs shouted above the noise, “what do ya girls like ta do? Any hobbies..?”
“I like doing the other girls’ hair. Like braids and stuff. I also like making bracelets if we have string,” Duffy said excitedly as she waved her own paper around in tandem with her new friend.
There was a pause as the boys waited for July to answer. The girl shuffled her feet nervously and stared at the pavement below her worn out shoes.
Albert got finished selling his first pape and looked over at her.
“How ‘bout her?”Albert asked, pointing to the remaining girl.
Duffy looked at her younger companion.
“Oh! Yeah, July doesn’t talk much. She’s shy. But she’s a really good singer. Aren’t ya, Jules?”
She chuckled shyly and shrugged her shoulders.
“I don’t suppose we could hear?” Specs smiled, trying to seem friendly. He put a gentle hand on July’s shoulder, “you don’t gotta be shy ‘round us. We’s not gonna make fun o’ ya.”
July shook her head and closed up like a little clam. She hunched her shoulders and tucked her arms into her chest.
“That’s alright, if she don’t wanna sing she don’t gotta.” Albert said, patting his four eyed friend on the back, getting him to take his hand off of the girl’s shoulder.
“Alright.” Specs agreed, and the four of them continued to attempt selling their papes.
Meanwhile, Davey was inside the circulation trying to keep his brother and Annie from fighting again. He knelt to the ground, getting on Annie’s level.
“Here ya go,” he handed her a stack of papers, “now, we just have to sell all o’ these by the end of the day.”
Annie took the papers from Davey’s hands without taking her glare off of Les.
“I can do that easy.” She boasted.
Les took his papers from his brother without breaking Annie’s stare.
“You never even sold a paper before!” He retorted.
“Yeah, but if you can do it, it can’t be that hard.”
The girl folded her arms and lifted her nose in the air haughtily. Les looked exasperated, his mouth was ajar in utter shock and offense. He inhaled to say something back to the bratty redhead, but he was interrupted by his brother.
“Hey! We ain’t gonna sell anythin’ if you two keep fighting like that!”
“She started it!” Les shouted.
“I don’t care who started it! I want you to stop it!”
The two ten year olds pouted and folded their arms while a few of the other newsies started staring. Davey smiled bashfully and waved at the boys, then turned back to the two kids, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration.
“Look- neither of you like anything the other person is saying, and if you both agree to stop fighting you won’t have to hear it anymore. Does that sound good?”
“Yeah, but she’ll still be wrong,” Les said.
Annie’s face got as red as her hair as she glared at him.
“The only wrong one is you!” She shouted.
The two began to divulge into fighting again. Annie went so far as to push him. Les pushed her back and it became a full on kitty fight. The boys who had been watching made brief eye contact with Davey before shoving each other out the circulation gate hurriedly.
“HEY, HEY, HEY!” Davey shouted, grabbing Les and Annie by the arms, pulling them apart and standing between them, “If you won’t quit fighting I’m gonna call Jack over here to deal with you!”
Davey wasn’t a very commanding person, he knew the kids wouldn’t stop fighting if he told them to, but Jack meant business. It was easier to use him as a threat.
Les immediately stopped fighting to get free from his older brother’s grip, his eyes were wide and he was ready to cooperate. Les had been yelled at by Jack before, he was scary when he was mad. Annie, who didn’t know what it was like to be yelled at by Jack, didn’t give in so fast. She continued fighting for a little while longer until she saw how scared Les looked and she conceded. Davey was honestly surprised that had worked so well.
“Okay,” he said, breathing a bit heavily at the effort of keeping them apart, “let’s go sell some papes. And I don’t want anymore trouble from either of you.”
The kids folded their arms and made nearly identical pouting faces as they followed Davey out of the circulation.
Meanwhile, Romeo dragged a reluctant Race along a less busy street, Tessie and Pepper trudging along beside him.
“I don’t wanna sell papers!” Tessie whined.
“Yeah, hard knock life, kid,” Race scoffed as he finally pulled his sleeve out of Romeo’s hand, “the sellin’ should be easy fa you, people eat up papes from little kids like you.”
“We’re not that little,” Pepper shouted.
“Yeah, yeah,” Race said, “just keep up. Watch and learn. You’ll be sellin good as me in no time,” he said as he strutted forward down the street.
“Katherine said Jack was the best at selling papers.” Tessie pointed out.
Race stopped in his tracks. He inhaled and pursed his lips in frustration without turning to face the girls.
“Emphasis on the word ‘was,’” he said, “if you recall, Jackie don’t sell papes no mo’, so yer lookin at da best employed newsie in Manhattan.”
He turned around and tipped his hat with a flourish.
“Well, technically…” Romeo started to say, but he stopped short when he saw the glare on Race’s face.
Race sighed as he walked back towards the rest of the small group.
“Look, the point is, we ain’t gonna get rid of’ these papes by sittin around and lollygagging. So let’s just get at it ok?”
The girls and Romeo reluctantly followed Race for a few more paces before Tessie began whining again.
“It’s too hot out here!”
Race made a “seriously?” Face to the street in front of him before turning to the girls and Romeo.
“I sweah- if I hear one mo’ complaint out o’ you…”
“You’ll sell us?” Pepper scoffed, “please do, this whole thing is a total bust.”
She stopped walking and took off her newsboy’s bag and dropping it on the dirty city sidewalk. She had a defiant look on her little face. Tessie came up and dropped her bag on top of Pepper’s. She folded her arms grumpily and looked at Race. Romeo watched the scene play out in front of him in total shock. His eyes widened and he looked up at Race, completely unsure of what to do. Race’s eyes were wide and he was seething.
“Hey, lets just take a moment to calm down a little…” Romeo said, trying in vain to calm Race a little.
“Maybe I will!” He shouted in rage, “but I don’t think I’d really get much for ya! You’re hardly worth anything! A couple o’ dumb girls that ain’t got nothin goin fer ‘em, my life would be so much better if ya didn’t even exist!”
Pepper’s face turned bright red in anger, and she fumed but had no response. Tessie’s eyes filled with tears and she looked at him, slack jawed. Race was still seething and glaring at them, seemingly at his wit’s end. Romeo stared at him with wide eyes.
“Whatever!” Pepper burst, “we don’t wanna stick around anyway! This whole thing is stupid! You’re stupid!”
The older girl turned around with a huff and began walking down the street. Romeo couldn’t be sure but he swore he saw her wipe her cheek with the back of her sleeve as if wiping a tear. Tessie looked at the two older boys for a second, then back at Pepper, and at the boys as tears built in her eyes. She let out a sob before turning and running away with Pepper. Race continued glaring at the girls as they left, but under the glare, Romeo swore he could see a bit of regret. Race shook his head, hardening his facial expression and turning away.
“Who needs ‘em?” He shouted, his voice breaking ever so slightly, “Come on, Romeo. Let’s go.”
He gestured for Romeo to follow him as he walked off in a rage.
“Race, hold on!” The other boy shouted after him, running to his side.
Tessie followed Pepper to a bench on the side of the street. The girls sat down, Pepper pouted and Tessie continued sobbing.
“Would ya quit yer bawlin’?” Pepper spat, “suck it up! No one has eva loved us, and no one eva will, so get ova it!”
Tessie tried to wipe her tears away, but those tears were just replaced with more as she continued hiccuping and sobbing.
A few blocks away, and across Central Park, Crutchie, Molly and Kate were having a great time selling papers.
Kate ran up to Crutchie and Molly excitedly. She was beaming and her eyes were sparkling.
“I sold another one!” She exclaimed.
“You did not!” He teased, looking shocked.
She nodded her head vigorously. Crutchie’s jaw dropped.
“No way! You’re sellin’ like you’s just givin ‘em away!” He exclaimed, his enthusiasm equal to hers. He ruffled her hair and she giggled.
“Crutchie!” Molly shouted joyfully, “I just got a whole dime for one!”
“Wow, the two o’ you are regular newsies!” The boy replied, “look at that, yer almost done too!”
“Yeah!” Kate said, holding up her dwindling stack of papers, “I just got seven left!”
“And I’ve just got five!” Molly echoed.
“Wow, you two are gonna gimme a run fo’ my money!” The newsie laughed, “tamorrow we oughta getchya mo’ papes!”
The girls looked at each other and giggled. Crutchie surveyed the park that was now a little more empty, as it usually was this time of day. It was getting hot outside, and people preferred to come around the park in the morning or around sunset when it was cooler.
“Hey, it looks like it’s starting to clear out a little, whadaya say we try the harbor? That place is usually pretty crowded this time of day.”
The girls nodded happily.
“Alright! Let’s go then!” Crutchie gestured for them to follow him as he started hobbling down the path in the direction of the harbor.
Back at Bottle Alley, Albert was climbing a lamp post.
“Ya gonna break ya neck, Al!” Specs shouted from the ground.
“Hold on, I got an idea!”
Specs pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration.
“What’s he doing?” Duffy asked.
“Being Albert,” Specs sighed.
Albert got to the top of the lamp post and began waving around a paper.
“Papes fa sale! Getchyer papes!” He shouted.
Specs face palmed. He was drawing attention, but if he managed to actually sell anything without breaking a bone, Specs would be very surprised. The bespectacled boy looked around the alley. It was beginning to clear out a little after the morning rush. It was still crowded, but there was certainly not as much business.
“Al!” Specs shouted up to his friend.
“What is it?” He asked, still watching the streets and waving around his paper.
“There’s not enough business for four newsies around here! We gotta split up!”
“Whadaya mean? There’s only two o’ us!”
Specs rolled his eyes and gestured to the two girls beside him.
“Oh, right.” Albert slid down the lamp post, “okay, I’ll take that one and you can take the quiet one. How’s that sound?”
“Duffy and July,” Specs reminded him of their names.
“Whateva,” Albert said, “you should try selling ‘round the Bowery, and I’ll stay here with Ducky.”
“Duffy!” The girl shouted.
“Tomato, tomahto!”
Specs rolled his eyes and then turned to the younger girl.
“Does that sound ok, July?”
July nodded.
“Ok,” Specs turned back to Albert and leaned in threateningly, “Keep an eye on her, and if anything happens, I will tell Katherine it was you.”
“Alright, alright, relax!” Albert said, defensively putting up his hands.
“Okay,” Specs said, laying off a little and turning towards July, “come on, I’ll show you to the Bowery.”
July looked back at Duffy worriedly. The older girl gave her an encouraging nod and smile. She bit her lip and followed Specs.
“So, July, how are ya likin’ selling papes?” Specs asked his young companion as they walked out of the crowded Alleyway.
She merely continued walking next to him in silence. He tilted his head and looked at her a bit worried.
“Hey, you don’t have to be so shy around me, I don’t bite.”
“Okay…” July said finally as they rounded a corner. It was a bit difficult to hear her over the cars and people walking the streets. Nonetheless, the boy smiled at that response, it was the first word he had gotten a word out of her, that was a win in his book.
“Great,” he uttered, smiling softly, “so how many you got left?”
The girl held up her stack of papers, it looked almost untouched. The boy furrowed his brow.
“Wait, you’ve sold at least one, haven’t you?”
July shook her head shamefully.
“Hey, that’s alright, I’m sure someone will buy from you at the Bowery.”
“I haven’t tried to sell any…” the girl hung her head.
Specs’s eyes widened with realization, he stopped in his tracks and knelt to be on her level. He put a hand on her shoulder.
“I know it’s hard putting yourself out there, but you need this money to eat. I need you to try and be brave, okay? You think you can at least try?”
July looked at him hesitantly for a moment. He was wearing a bitter smile, and he had a feeling about him, like he truly cared what happened to her. July had never had anyone look at her like that other than maybe the other girls, and even then, it was rare. The girl cornered her resolve and nodded with a determined grin on her face. Specs’s face lit up.
“That’s the spirit! I know you can do this.”
July gave him her first genuine smile.
It was a wonder that happy moment wasn’t spoiled by Annie and Les bickering on the other side of Manhattan. Davey could have sworn that all of New York could hear them yelling at each other with how loud they were being as he walked between them in some sort of sorry attempt to keep them from biting each other's heads off.
“Well, if you’re so much better than me, then how come I’ve sold more papers than you?” Annie argued around Davey from his left side.
“I’ve sold way more papes than you!” Less shot back from Davey’s right.
“Have not! I have less in my stack!” Annie reached around Davey and waved what was left of her papers in Les’s face. Les smacked away the papers.
“But I’ve been a newsie longer than you!”
“Other days don’t count!”
“Do too!”
“Does not! I just started!”
“You snooze, you lose!”
Davey rubbed his face and groaned as the two of them argued.
“That’s no fair!”
“Life’s no fair!”
“It should be!”
“GUYS!” Davey finally shouted.
The two immediately stopped and looked at him, glaring and crossing their arms. He pinched the bridge of his nose.
“You have been fighting fo’ an hour and a half, and if you keep it up this is gonna be a long day. So, if you could please…”
“Well, she started it!”
“Again! I don’t care who started it!” Davey shouted.
They went silent, surprised at how snappy he was all of a sudden. He sighed.
“Please, for my sanity, stop-”
“I have an idea!” Annie interrupted, “let’s see who can sell the most papers!”
“What?! Wait, no, don’t-”
“You're on!” Les responded.
The two ran off down the street, shouting how they were gonna beat the other one in their little competition. Davey looked up at a clock on the corner. It wasn’t even noon yet. He groaned.
“It is going to be a long day…”

Chapter Text

Romeo came around the corner to see Race sitting on the sidewalk, his back against a building, puffing furiously at his cigar. He frowned and dared to gingerly walk closer.
“Race..?”
“What?” The boy with the cigar snapped.
Romeo jumped back slightly.
“Look, I-I get that yer frustrated, but don’t you think you were bein a bit hard on the girls?”
“No, I do not.” Race folded his arms and turned away stubbornly.
“Race, they’re just kids.”
“Yeah?” Race shouted, getting to his feet and taking the cigar out of his mouth, “well so am I! I didn’t ask fo’ this!”
Romeo stared at him, mouth slightly agape. Race paused, then turned away quickly, hoping Romeo didn’t see the tears beginning to build in his eyes.
“I just… those girls… they’re too much. I’m not cut out fo’ babysittin’. That’s all.”
Romeo put a gentle hand on the boy’s shoulder.
“Maybe you could tell them that.”
Race paused, almost like he was maybe considering the idea.
“No. No, that’s stupid. I’m not talkin’ to some little girls about my feelin’s.”
Romeo sighed.
“Ok, but would ya at least apologize?”
“No!” Race shouted, turning around and looking at him stubbornly.
“Race, if you make those girls sad and Katherine finds out, she will neva forgive you!” He shouted finally.
Race stared at him for a moment. Romeo was right, and that made him angry. He groaned and tossed his head back. He stared up at the sky that was mostly obscured by skyscrapers and criss-crossed with a few clothes lines. He finally brought his head back down and looked at Romeo with a sigh, sticking his cigar back in his mouth.
“Yer right,” he said begrudgingly, and then he added, “besides, I should probably make sure those girls are ok… just cause I’m responsible fer them, or, whatever.”
Romeo smiled, knowing deep down the real reason Race wanted to go make sure they were ok.
“Aw, quit yer smilin,” he said as he walked around Romeo toward where he saw the girls went.
“Well? Are ya comin’ o’ what?” He asked over his shoulder, a sense of urgency in his voice.
Pepper sat on the bench, hugging her knees to her chest. She stared broodily at a puddle in front of the bench. She quickly blinked away the tears building in her eyes. Tessie sniffled next to her, tears slipping freely down her cheeks. People stared as they walked by the two girls, some in concern, others in confusion or even annoyance.
“Hey! Watch it!”
Tessie looked over at where the voice had come from.
“Sorry, Miss,” Romeo said, tipping his hat and daring to leave a wink at a disgruntled woman as he ran past her, just behind Race.
The boy with the cigar raced up to them urgently as if the world was ending and he had to tell them how to save it. He was going so fast he slipped on the puddle in front of the bench and landed in a heap on the ground.
Tessie watched him, her eyes open wide, forgetting to cry for a moment. Pepper merely scowled and rolled her eyes.
“What do you want?” She said, crossing her arms and turning her head away from him.
Romeo caught up as Race stood and wiped the muddy water off of his slacks.
“Well excuse me if I just wanna make sure the girls I’m in charge of are ok!” Race said as he stood up straighter, “y’know, you’re both a real pain in the-”
Romeo elbowed him in the ribs.
“Ouch! Ok, ok!” Race sighed and looked up at the two girls. Pepper scowled at him and Tessie didn’t know what to make of the situation, still staring as if someone had frozen her in place.
“Look, I’m sorry.” Race began.
Pepper scoffed in disbelief and looked away again. Race inhaled as if to tell Pepper off, but Romeo put a hand on his shoulder and he merely sighed.
“I undastand if ya don’t forgive me… that was a real jerk move. I shouldn’t a said any o’ that. I was just upset cause…”
He groaned and looked at Romeo who nodded once as if telling him to go on.
“Ok, fine. I was kinda stressed out,” he admitted, then he added quickly, “Just a little! And I shouldn’t a taken it out on you. Cause I know how it feels to have someone say somethin’ like that to ya. I know ya don’t think I get it, but you’d be surprised. I don’t got parents neither, ok? I know what it’s like to not get loved, so you ain’t special.”
Pepper tilted her head as he spoke. His words sounded genuine for the first time. It was by no means eloquent. Definitely not the best apology ever given. But it was genuine, and he said it in his own unique “Race” way. Pepper smiled and chuckled.
“Well, neither are you!” She shouted, then she sighed and lowered her voice, “I guess I was kinda stressed out too.”
Tessie nodded sadly.
“I’m scared,” she said, more tears coming from her eyes now, “I neva been out on the streets alone.”
Race chuckled.
“You ain’t alone!” He laughed, “I’m here, and Romeo and Pepper too.”
“I guess,” Tessie laughed, sniffling and wiping away her tears.
“I don’t even know why you’s cryin!” Romeo laughed, ruffling her hair.
“She’s always cryin,” Pepper teased.
“Am not!” Tessie laughed.
Race rolled his eyes fondly.
“Are too!” Pepper said, jokingly poking her in the ribs.
“Stop it! That tickles!” Tessie laughed
“Ey, get yer mitts, off o’ her,” Race laughed.
He picked up the older girl, who giggled and flailed her arms and legs. He slung her over his shoulder casually and took a puff on his cigar.
“Put me down!” Pepper shouted, trying to sound mad, but she couldn’t stop giggling.
“Did you hear somethin?” Race asked, turning to Romeo who was standing beside Tessie and holding her little hand. The pair snickered as Pepper continued flailing but Race held her securely on his shoulder.
“I didn’t hear anything,” Tessie said between fits of stifled laughter.
“Ah, alright. We betta get goin if we’s gonna sell these papes! I just found a bunch lyin on this bench!” Race chuckled as he shifted Pepper on his shoulder like she was a stack of papers.
“Hey!” Pepper said, starting to get angry now, “you can’t sell me!”
“What the- Oh! What are you doin there?” Race chuckled as if he had just noticed his stack of papers was actually a little girl.
He set her down on the ground and she put her fists on her hips.
“I’m gonna get you back for that!” She laughed, punching the older boy in the arm.
Romeo scooped up Tessie and put her on his shoulder, following close behind Race and Pepper as they continued walking down the street.
“I like this kid,” Race chuckled, rubbing his arm, “hey, have you ever had a smoke before?”
Pepper shook her head.
“But it sounds fun,” she said eagerly.
Race took the cigar out of his mouth and held it out to the girl, but before he could finish saying “have a puff of this,” Romeo snatched it out of his hand.
“Absolutely not.”
“Aw come on!” Race and Pepper cried in unison.
Meanwhile, in the streets beside Central Park, Molly was asking Crutchie for another paper.
“Anotha one? But I just gave ya one!”
“I just sold that one!”
Crutchie’s eyebrows raised.
“Already?” Molly nodded and Crutchie shrugged, “alright. I’ve only got a few of my own left. Here ya go.”
Molly giggled in delight. “Thanks, Crutchie!” She said as she ran down the street, weaving playfully between the streetlights and balancing on the curb.
Then the crippled boy felt a tug on his sleeve. He looked down and behind him to see Kate on the pavement behind him.
“Really? You too?” He asked, exchanging the dime she had been given for another paper.
“Yep! Selling these is so easy!” She said with a smile before skipping off.
Crutchie chuckled. Jack was right, younger does sell more papes. Those things were going like hotcakes! He supposed it might’ve also been because they were girls, meaning Katherine was also right.
He watched Molly approach a wealthy looking woman in an art deco style maroon dress. The woman made a remark on how “absolutely adorable” she was and gave her a quarter. Crutchie smiled fondly as he watched Molly stare at the quarter in awe. He almost forgot he was supposed to be selling papers.
“Crutchie! Crutchie! Look at what I got!” She said excitedly, as she ran up to him.
“Is that a whole quarter!?” He said, genuinely impressed and surprised.
“Yeah!” She giggled.
“Way to go!”
He ruffled the girl’s charcoal colored hair.
“Alright, I’ve got two papes left, you want one?” He asked.
The girl nodded eagerly and he happily gave the newspaper to her. She skipped off again and Crutchie shook his head fondly. Then he remembered he was supposed to be selling papers too. He came to and looked around for someone to sell to. He stopped a tall man in a fedora and a gray suit.
“Excuse me sir, may I interest you in today’s paper?”
The man waved him away with a grunt. Crutchie furrowed his brow. He hadn’t sold a paper in about an hour which was rare for him, especially after the years of pointers he got from being Jack’s closest friend. He tried another man with a violent green suit that almost blinded the boy, but no luck. He wasn’t about to give up that easily though. He asked a woman in a blue dress, then a man who was taking a swig from his hip flask, but nobody would buy from him.
“Can I try?” A little voice came from his right.
He looked over.
“Oh, sure thing Kate,” he said, leaning over on his crutch to give the girl the last paper, “good luck kiddo.”
She smiled and ran off into the street, stopping a woman with a very fancy purple hat, who bought the paper right away. It was settled. Katherine was right. These girls were a gold mine.
Albert was thinking the same thing as he leaned up against the lamp post he had nearly broken his neck trying to climb up a second time, as if he didn’t have a care in the world. He was sort of upset he had gotten the oldest girl of the bunch, she wasn’t quite as cute as any of the others, if he had one of the younger ones, they would be able to sell those papes like they were giving them away. But he supposed she would have to do.
“Alright, listen Muffy…”
“Duffy!” The girl corrected him, getting a little upset with him messing up her name.
“Right, right, whatever.” He said, waving his hand dismissively, “how’s about you go out there and sell, and if ya run out, I’ll give ya some o’ mine.”
Duffy furrowed her brow.
“Ok…” she said suspiciously, as if she could tell what he was planning.
“What’s the problem? Scoot,” he said, shooing her away.
She rolled her eyes.
“Ok.”
She had sold a few papers on the way to Bottle Alley, and once they got there she had actually sold quite a few. Now that specs and July had left, she only had about five left, but Albert’s pile hadn’t seemed to decrease at all yet. She’d have to keep an eye on him.
Back at the lamppost, Albert had found a comfortable spot on some crates leaning against the wall of a building, his hands laced behind his head. This would be easy!
Duffy spotted a short man with glasses and a mustache.
“Excuse me sir! Would you like a copy of today’s paper? I’ve only got five left!”
“Sure thing dear,” he said kindly, “eh, how much?”
“Just a nickel, but anything extra means a lot,” she said with a smile.
“Alright.”
The man fumbled around with his coin purse for a minute and fished out a dime.
“There you are dear,” he said, placing the coin in her hand and taking the paper.
She nodded her head.
“Thank you sir!”
She then spotted a taller man with a top hat.
“Sir! Would you like a paper? I’ve only got a few left, better get one when you can.”
He sighed.
“No, thank you, I only read the New York Sun.”
“I promise it’ll be worthy read if you just make this one exception.” She said.
“Is that so?”
She nodded.
“There’s this great new cartoonist. His name’s Jack Kelly. Only seventeen, but you couldn’t tell from these drawings.” She said, displaying the page with one of Jack’s drawings on it.
The man raised his eyebrows, adjusted his monocle and looked more closely at the paper.
“Hm… it seems The World may be worth the read today… alright.”
The man fished a nickel out of his suit pocket and exchanged it for a paper.
“Thank you sir,” Duffy said, nodding to him.
It went like this for the next three papers. Albert was right about her selling papers so easily, but not because she was a young orphan girl, she was just clever. She sold her last paper to a well read woman who had a copy of Oliver Twist poking out of her handbag. Duffy had spotted it and, gathering that she was a reader, offered her the paper.
She walked back to the last place she had seen Albert to see he was still there, and, to her dismay, was taking a nap on a pile of crates. Her face grew red with anger as she marched up to him.
“I can’t believe you!” She shouted.
The boy jumped and fell off the crates he was napping on.
“Agh, what..?”
“You were using me!” Duffy said, putting her hands on her hips as if she were a mother telling off her slacking son, “I’m not your servant!”
He smiled and stood back up as if the whole thing was a silly misunderstanding and she was confused.
“Hey, what’s gotten into ya? I didn’t use ya.”
Duffy raised an eyebrow.
“Ok, I know it looks bad, but… um…”
The girl rolled her eyes as the boy in front of her fumbled with his words, struggling to come up with a cover story.
“Ok,” Duffy said, getting him to shut up, “I’m gonna save you the trouble of trying to come up with a cover story. You are a horrible liar. Using me was wrong and unfair. Besides, I’m pretty good at selling papers. Maybe instead of exploiting me so you can sit back and take a nap, we could work together to maximize sales.”
Albert went silent, his mind went blank as a sheet of paper as he stared at the girl. She was smarter than he thought.
“Well? What do ya say?” She asked, sticking out her hand.
Albert looked at her hand, then up at her. He sighed.
“Fine.”
He spit on his hand and looked at her expectantly. She wrinkled her nose.
“Boys are disgusting.”
“Ey, if you want to do business, this is the price.”
Duffy rolled her eyes, spat on her hand, and shook hands.
Meanwhile, Specs was still trying to get through to July.
“Do you have a favorite… um, flower?” He asked. It had to have been the sixteenth or seventeenth “what is your favorite…” question he had asked her in the last five minutes. All he was getting were one word answers.
The girl nodded.
“Daisies.”
“Oh, daisies are nice,” Specs said, shoving his hands in his pockets.
There was an awkward pause as they continued walking towards the Bowery.
“Uh, do you have a favorite…” but he couldn’t think of anything. He had asked every question he could think of. He sighed, “ok, how ‘bout this, I’ll tell ya a bit about myself, would that be ok?”
July nodded.
“When I was your age, I lived in my aunt’s house. My parents died before I can remember, so my aunt took me in. My aunt thought of me as a burden, to be fair she already had four other kids she had to feed, I was just extra. I got the idea she didn’t really like me. I was always second to the rest of her kids, so I decided to leave. I decided to become my own burden. I became a newsie. I was very shy back then. Selling papers all alone on the street was incredibly daunting, but then I realized I had to if I wanted to keep on living. It was a scary realization, but I found out that putting yourself out there doesn’t end nearly as bad as you think it will. I made a lot of good friends, and I started to love my life as a newsie. I wouldn’t give it up for anything.”
When Specs finished talking he smiled down at July who was watching him intently and listening to his every word now. He chuckled a little.
“Do you think you can be brave for me?” He asked.
The girl looked at her shoes, then up at the boy nervously.
“I-I” she stuttered, then she paused to take a deep breath, “I think so.”
That was the most words he had ever heard the little girl string together. He beamed and patted her on the back.
“That’s all I need.”
Across town, Annie was selling another paper.
“Leaping lizards! A whole dime!” She said with a big grin. That grin became a smirk as she turned to look at Les, “how many have you sold, Les?”
Les scowled at her.
“None of ya business.”
“Wait! You still haven’t sold another, huh?” She seemed almost shocked. Then she laughed out loud.
He glared at her as she fell into a fit of laughter.
“Shut up!” He shouted.
But Annie just kept laughing.
“I said shut up!” He yelled again, shoving her.
She teetered back but kept her balance.
“Make me!” She shouted, pushing him back.
Les pushed her harder, and she punched him, so Les punched her back. The two divulged into another fight.
Davey came back to their meeting spot after selling another paper and was dismayed, though not entirely surprised, to see that the two were fighting again.
“Hey! Hey! Les! Annie!”
He grabbed the two by the arms and looked at them. Les had a noticeable bruise on his cheek now, wether it was from earlier and was just starting to show through, or if it was from just now when Annie punched him, no one could say. Annie had a black eye with the same mysterious origins as Les’s bruise.
“Look at yourselves! You gotta stop beating up on eachother!” Davey scolded.
“She started it!” Les argued, “she always starts it!”
Davey sighed. He didn’t know much about this little redhead, but his brother, he did know.
“Les, would ya come ova here for a minute?”
He took his brother by the arm and dragged him down the sidewalk and out of earshot of Annie. As they walked over, Les looked over his shoulder and stuck his tongue out at the little girl. Davey stopped walking and knelt down to Les’s eye level. The boy turned to look at him with a glare still on his face. His older brother sighed.
“Look, I know she can be a pain sometimes, but that doesn’t mean you have to be.”
“But she…”
“I know! I know. But when you retaliate it only escalates things! Can you promise to try and control yourself?”
“Fine,” Les sighed.
Davey smiled and patted his brother on the back.
“Thanks kiddo.”
Les laughed.
“When will you ever stop calling me kiddo?”
“Never ever, little brother.”
“But I’m ten years old now!”
Davey laughed.
“Is that so? I don’t think you eva told me that,” he said sarcastically as he stood up.
“Shut up,” Les laughed as they walked back over to Annie.
His older brother chuckled and put his arm around him.
“Ok, Annie we should get…”
Davey’s smile faded as he realized the girl he was talking to had vanished.
“Les, where did Annie go?”
Nobody knew the answer to that question. Not even Race, who was a pretty big know-it-all. As he and Pepper walked down the street, Romeo and Tessie close behind, he didn’t have a care in the world.
“Pep, hows about ya sell to that fella right ova there,” he suggested, getting onto her level and pointing across the street to a portly man in a navy suit. Pepper smiled at him in determination.
“Sure thing!”
“Atta girl,” Race said, taking his hat off and putting it on her, “go get em.”
He crossed his arms and watched Pepper run across the street towards the man. Romeo came up beside him and let Tessie off his shoulder.
“Oh my goodness, oh my goodness,” she said as she watched Pepper race across the busy street.
“Ey, don’t worry about her, Tess, she’s a natural. Just watch and learn.” Race said, patting the girl on the back.
Tessie nodded and watched. Pepper sold the paper easily and came running back. She smirked at Race and tossed the nickel in the air, it gleamed in the sun and then she caught it.
“That’s how ya sell a paper!” She said boastfully.
“Bravo!” Romeo said, clapping his hands.
“Alright, what’ve you got Racetrack? Are ya gonna let a little girl sell more papes than you?”
Race raised his eyebrow and laughed.
“Oh, is that a challenge? Alright. Romeo, any papes left?” Race asked, holding out his hand.
“Just one left between me and Tessie.” Romeo responded, handing him the paper.
“Alright, watch this,” Race said as he walked out into the street.
He spotted a young lady wearing a fancy sage green dress.
“Well, hello there miss,” he said, removing the cigar from his mouth for a moment, “may I interest you in a paper?”
He gave her a little wink. The girl flushed slightly before getting a hold of herself again.
“Oh, I’m… not interested. Thank you though,” she said, trying to walk away.
“Hey, hey, hold on just a second,” Race said, moving in front of her and walking backwards as she continued, “I just couldn’t let such a beautiful girl walk away without offerin her a paper. And it would be lovely to have just a nickel from you. I could throw in a kiss if that’s not enticin’ enough?”
The girl stopped in her tracks, her face perfectly flushed. She chuckled, trying to shake off the flustered feeling.
“Fine, if I give you a kiss and a nickel for that paper, you’ll leave me alone?”
“Couldn’t be simpler,” Race winked, “that is unless you want more than just one kiss.”
The girl rolled her eyes and leaned in, giving him a little kiss on the lips. On the side of the street, Romeo’s eyes widened and he covered Tessie’s eyes.
“Hey I wanna see!” Tessie argued, pushing away.
Pepper wrinkled her nose and pulled Romeo’s hand over her eyes willingly.
While they were still close, the girl slipped the paper out of Race’s hand and replaced it with a nickel. She pulled away and walked off, looking at him from over her shoulder and leaving him with a little wave.
“Hey! I’ll be here everyday!” Race called to her, waving back.
Race jogged back over to the three who were still standing on the sidewalk.
“And that is how it’s done.” He said, bowing and putting his arms out with a flourish.
“Yeah, I’ll just do it my way,” Pepper said.
“Ey, Race just stole that one from me,” Romeo said, elbowing Pepper gently.
“Whateva,” Race laughed, “Hey- hows about we all go to Jacobi’s so long as we’s done sellin. I’m starving.”
“I could eat,” Pepper said.
“Oh, yeah!” Tessie agreed
“So it’s settled,” Romeo nodded, and the four of them walked three blocks up to Jacobi’s.
“Ok, Albert,” Duffy said, “if we’re gonna be partners, we’re gonna have to divide up these papers equally. It’s not fair if you give me all the papes and you just sit back and relax.”
“Alright,” Albert sighed, and he counted out ten of his twenty papers and gave them to her. “What’s the strategy here?”
She took the papers and surveyed the streets.
“The wealthy people or anyone wearing glasses can almost always read. And the richer they are, the more likely they are to pay for the papers.”
“Yeah, yeah, basic newsie stuff. I’ve been doin this job for years, I’ve figured that all out by now.”
“Ok, but have you ever noticed how the rich people usually walk on the sidewalks or ride in buggies? They don’t wanna get their fancy clothes dirty! So if we stick to the sidewalks, we should maximize sales.”
Albert tapped his chin thoughtfully.
“That makes sense, but how are we gonna stand out in a crowd?”
Duffy thought about this for a moment, then turned to Albert.
“How would you normally stand out?”
The boy grinned.
“Get up high.”
Duffy smiled back.
“These crates will be perfect!” She beamed, “then we don’t have to climb down from a lamppost whenever someone buys a paper.”
“Good point! Y’know, you may be a regular newsie.”
The girl nodded.
“Thank you. Now let’s get selling! We’re already behind!”
Those next few minutes went by in a flash, they sold every paper they had and exchanged tips all the while.
“How many we got left?” Albert asked, waving around a paper in his hand.
“You’ve got the last one.”
“Wow, your tricks really work, girl.”
“I know it.”
A well shaven man in a blue button up and khaki slacks walked up to the two of them.
“Oi! Can I get me yer last paper?”
“Sure thing,” Albert said, hopping off his crate and handing the man his paper, “that’ll be a nickel.”
The man handed him a nickel and walked off with his new paper. Duffy hopped down next to Albert.
“Way to go, partner.” She said, offering him a handshake.
“Nah, that was all you, Duffy,” he said, shaking the girl’s hand.
She paused, her face going blank.
“What’s wrong?” He asked.
She cracked a smile.
“You remembered my name!”
“Yeah, well… whateva. It’s not that hard to remember. I had to get it eventually with you always correcting me and all. Anyway, I’m starved, whadaya say we grab a bite to eat?”
“Sounds good,” Duffy said with a smile.
Over at Jacobi’s, Crutchie was treating Molly and Kate to dinner. The sun was beginning to dip behind the buildings leaving long bars of amber light on the floor of the restaurant.
Molly took a bite of her club sandwich and closed her eyes savoring the taste.
“This is so good!” She exclaimed, her mouth still full.
“Mhm!” Kate agreed, a few crumbs still stuck to her face.
“I’m glad,” Crutchie beamed.
A bell rang at the back of the restaurant as the door opened and a few familiar faces stepped in.
“Ey! Racer, Albert, Specs, Romeo! Ova here!” Crutchie said as he saw them.
He waved them over to the table he was at with Molly and Kate.
“Kate, Molly!” July and Duffy said in unison as they ran over to greet the girls.
“Oh my goodness, oh my goodness!” Tessie said as she ran over to meet with the other girls.
Crutchie laughed as all the girls sat down around him. The boys and Pepper followed them shortly. Race sat down and Pepper went right next to him.
The girls chattered excitedly about their days and laughed together. A few of them even sang a song that Annie had made up.
“Hey, how was the sales today?” Crutchie asked.
“Oh, it was great,” Specs said as he sat down, “July over here’s a little timid but she sold a couple all on her own and she did great. How about you guys?”
“Molly and Kate are regular newsies,” Crutchie said, jokingly elbowing the girls he was praising, “they sold em so fast it made my head spin.”
The two girls giggled.
“That’s great.” Specs beamed at the two youngest girls, then he turned to Albert and Duffy who were still busy sharing new selling points and strategies, “how about you two. Hope he wasn’t too much trouble, Duffy.”
“There was a little at the beginning, but we figured it out. We’ve actually been giving each other pointers. We started a partnership.”
“Really?” Specs asked, a bit surprised, “it really has been a day hasn’t it?” He laughed.
Pepper, Molly and Kate started singing along with the other girls.
“Don’t really care as long as they’re mine!” They all sang in unison.
The bell rang at the back of the restaurant a second time and Katherine stepped through as Jack held the door for her.
“Oh, hi girls!” She shouted enthusiastically as she ran up to the table, “how did it go? Is this everyone? No one got hurt did they?”
Jack chuckled as he walked up beside his girlfriend and looked at the singing girls.
“Look, everythin’s fine,” he said calmly, putting his arm around her as she counted everyone.
She paused and looked at him.
“I know, I just want to double check.” She tried to turn back and count the rest of them, but Jack took her hand and led her out to an empty space between the tables.
“Calm down, Kat,” he said, smiling at her lovingly and spinning her.
“Jack,” she laughed.
“Dance with me,” he requested.
She bit her lip and tossed her head back, rolling her eyes, but when she looked back at him she couldn’t say no.
“Fine,” she laughed.
The newsies and the girls watched the two dance from their table. A few of the boys whistled and cheered as they began to dance. The girls continued singing, providing them music to dance to. Jacobi brought around the newsie’s usual (water) and took Race’s orders for everyone. Kathrine laughed as Jack dipped her and some of the girls even started dancing around them as they continued singing. Kate and July held hands and spun around while Crutchie danced with Molly. Duffy dragged Pepper up with her to dance. She argued that she didn’t want to go up, but once she started begrudgingly singing and dancing, she actually had a lot of fun. Everything was perfect for a few minutes as more newsies trickled in. Some of them learned the song and started harmonizing with the girls. Those perfect minutes didn’t last long though.
The bell dinged at the back of the restaurant again and Davey and Les came running in, but instead of looking happy and being ready to join in on the fun, they seemed troubled. The music and dancing stopped immediately. Katherine looked up and saw the worry on Davey’s face. She rushed to him.
“What’s wrong? What happened?”
“Annie’s missing!” He and Les shouted in unison.

Chapter Text

Annie watched Davey take his kid brother aside to give him a talking to. She smirked. He was gonna get it now. Davey whispered so Annie couldn’t hear him. She groaned and teetered from her tippy toes to her heels and back again. She looked around, the buildings were beginning to turn an amber color in the light of the setting sun. People were coming out of offices and calling down cabs to try and beat the rush home. Annie idly kicked a pebble off the sidewalk.
It was a known fact that Annie had a tendency to wander off. She had several escape attempts back at the orphanage, none of them successful of course, but the thought was there. And she hated this whole paper-selling-thing. It was hot outside, and the papers were heavy. She especially hated Les. The reason she had always wanted to run away was to find her real family. She had so many images in her head of them. Her real parents. Her home. Collections of art and ashtrays. Closets of clothes made specially for her. All tucked away in a house hidden by a hill. She had been thinking about sneaking off all day. And here was her chance.
The little redhead pulled her newsie’s bag off her shoulder and set it on the ground, her eyes still fixed on the boys, making sure they didn’t see. She kept her eyes on them as she backed around a corner. As soon as she was out of their sight, she took off down the alleyway. Finally free! She giggled and congratulated herself on her clever escape. Once she was a good distance away, she slowed to a walk. And walked out the other side of the alleyway. She flounced out into the busy street, her arms swinging proudly and with a satisfied grin on her face. She walked by a few fruit stands where a woman in a little plain blue dress was packing up the extra apples and pears for the day. Annie gave the woman a nod, and the woman returned with a confused wave.
The girl stuck up her chin and grinned more proudly than she ever had. Her parents could be anywhere! Just around this corner! Or that bend! And she would find them soon. She’d be home! She clutched the silver locket around her neck and looked around. She’d know them when she saw them. A young man and woman, one of them with a silver locket of their own. She bet that the mom had pretty red hair to match hers, and the dad would have her eyes. She didn’t really care how they looked as long as she had them though.
As she got lost in a daydream, she didn’t even notice a man in a blue vest and cap coming up behind her.
“Hey!” He shouted, “girl! What are ya doin out in the streets at this hour?”
Annie gasped and whirled around. She saw the cop and, without a second thought, darted across the street. It was still busy as people were coming home from work. She dashed between two men deep in conversation, then slid between the wheels of a buggy being pulled by two Clydesdales. She sprinted off, dodging a little buggy beeping wildly at her, and finally made it to the other side of the street. She glanced behind her to see the mustached cop blowing on his whistle and struggling to even make it between the two men on the other side. She grinned and darted off into a nearby alleyway. She turned left down another alleyway until she made it to a dead end. She sat down on some steps and breathed heavily, still smiling at her quick escape. She looked up at the stars beginning to come out overhead. She sighed and curled up on the step as a cool night breeze overtook the alleyway.
She shivered a little as she looked down at the pavement below her. She started devising a plan in her head. Maybe she’d search Brooklyn first thing tomorrow morning. Brooklyn was a big city, so it made sense to start there. She wondered how long it would take to search the whole city. How big was Brooklyn? She knew it was one of the largest cities in the world. It was most likely that her parents were there.
As night fell, she thought. She thought about her plans. She thought about the size of Brooklyn. The size of Manhattan. The hopelessness of this plan and the whole situation struck her like lightning. Her thoughts had always been so set on running away, she had never even begun to realize how impossible it all sounded. Hours passed.
She pulled her knees closer to her chest and whimpered a little. She was being such a baby. She sniffled and swallowed a sob.
“Don’t be so stupid,” she told herself, “don’t cry.”
She squeezed her eyes shut and hugged her knees harder. She heard another whimper, but this time, it wasn’t coming from her. She looked up. Across the alleyway, shivering between a few crates in a pile of crumpled newspapers, was a dog. It was a shaggy dirty thing, a mutt with a long yellowish coat, badly stained with dirt. If Annie didn’t know any better she’d think it was a big old living mop. She tilted her head and stood up. She walked across the street toward the dog. The dog cowered as she came closer and crouched, just a few feet away.
“It’s ok, I won’t hurt ya,” Annie said, holding out a hand.
The mangy thing flinched at her hand, but then hesitantly sniffed it.
“That’s it,” Annie grinned, “see? I’m nothin to be afraid of.”
She backed away a little, allowing the dog to crawl out of his little hiding spot. He limped toward her, refusing to step on his front left leg.
“What’s wrong boy? Are ya hurt?” The girl asked in concern.
She noticed a string tied around his tail, dragging cans behind him. Clumps of fur were missing all over him and there were bloody patches on his dirty fur. Annie’s eyes widened as she saw the state of this dog. A little gasp escaped her throat.
“You poor thing…”
It was a shame Annie hadn’t gotten to the alleyway sooner. She could’ve totally beaten up whoever did this to him. She gently stroked his head.
“Guess it's just you and me then, huh?”
The dog lifted his head up and licked her cheek gently. Annie giggled and continued stroking him.
“Let’s see what we can do about this huh?” She said, scooting around him to get a better look at his tail.
The dog flinched as she worked to untie the knot.
“Hey, don’t worry, boy,” she said, taking the string off of his tail and setting it aside, “there ya go. See? All betta, right?”
The dog wagged his tail and almost seemed to smile at her. Annie smiled back and stood up.
“Well, I’d love to stay, but I gotta go find my parents.” She said, trying to ignore the immediate doubt that she felt in the pit of her stomach as the words left her mouth.
She walked off, but the dog just followed her. She looked over her shoulder and rolled her eyes.
“Ey- look, I know I helped ya and all, but I gotta get goin now.”
The dog stared at her dumbly, his big pink tongue dangling from his open smiling mouth.
“Ok?” Annie asked, searching for some semblance of understanding in the dog’s vacant expression.
“Ok.” She said, seeming satisfied as she began to walk off again.
But the dog only continued to follow her. Annie groaned as she heard the padding of his paws behind her. She turned around and put her hands on her hips.
“Dumb dog,” she said, “why are ya followin me? Go away, would ya?”
She crouched down and looked him in the eyes.
“I ain’t gonna feed ya!” She said, “don’t got a scrap on me, why don’tchya let me be, huh?”
The dog merely licked her right across the face. She giggled and patted him on the head.
“I guess you can follow me for a minute if ya really want.”
On the other side of town, Katherine was losing it.
“You lost her!?” She yelled at Davey and Les, completely exasperated.
“We didn’t lose her, she ran off!” Davey said defensively.
“Yeah!” Les agreed.
The girls and some of the newsies began to gather around.
“Where didjya lose her?” Molly asked, nervously fumbling with the hem of her skirt.
“We didn’t lose her!” Davey repeated.
“But where did she run off?” Duffy piped up.
“Down on 14th, but-”
“Well, that’s where we’re going,” Crutchie said as he hobbled around the rest of the group.
“I’m coming with you!” Duffy said, trailing right behind him.
“Hey! Hold on, you can’t just go out there!” Jack said, stopping his friend by placing a hand on his shoulder.
“Why not? What else are we supposed to do?”
Jack stuttered.
“Exactly. We’re going.”
Jack put his hands on the crippled boy’s shoulders and looked at him in concern. The last time he had spent a night away from him, he was locked up in the refuge… he didn’t want to lose his brother again. Crutchie kept a determined look on his face, but he could see the internal battle going on in Jack’s eyes. Jack sighed.
“Just… be careful… please.”
Crutchie nodded.
“I will.”
Jack pulled him into a tight hug. He pulled back and looked Crutchie in the eyes.
“You look around 14th. We’ll send a few mo’ groups ta look fer her around the same area.”
“Okay.” Crutchie said with a determined nod.
The crippled boy and Duffy went out the door together and Jack turned to the rest of the group who were squabbling in panic.
“Hey,” Jack said, but they kept on talking.
“Hey!” He said, raising his volume.
Pepper saw him struggling and whistled loudly. The crowd quieted quickly, looking at Jack. Jack raised his eyebrows.
“Thank you,” he said with a nod to Pepper.
She crossed her arms and nodded back. Jack turned back to the crowd.
“Alright, here’s the plan, we’re gonna send a group to go look around Washington Street, who wants ta go?”
Molly’s hand shot up.
“Okay,” Jack said, looking at the young girl, “you can’t go alone though.”
“I think Davey and Les should go, seeing as they’re the ones that lost her,” Katherine said passive aggressively as she shot the brothers a venomous, angry-mom expression.
“Okay, okay, we get it,” Davey said, putting his hands up. He turned to his brother and Molly, “let’s get goin’ then.”
Jack tipped his hat to Davey as they left.
“Hey, good luck.” He said.
Davey gave him a meaningful look and nodded before turning and following Les and Molly out the door. Jack turned back to the group again.
“Okay, we should send one more group to look around…” he pinched the bridge of his nose as he tried to jog his memory.
Before he could think of another street near fourteenth, Katherine piped in with a panicked look on her face.
“Jack, what if they take her to the refuge?”
Annie walked carelessly down the street, the dog walking happily behind her. She searched the streets for a comfortable bench they could rest on for the night. She actually felt a lot better about her whole situation now that she had a friend. She straightened her bright red cardigan and smiled, but her smile quickly faded as an ominous truck pulled up close to them. A truck with the words “Dog Catcher” written on the side. He must’ve been sweeping the streets one last time before heading home. Most dogs would probably come out a bit later at night anyway. Annie sped up and beckoned for the dog to move a bit faster too, but with his limp “faster” was going to be hard to achieve.
“Come on,” she hissed as the dog hobbled feebly behind her. She hoped the dim light from the street lamps didn’t illuminate her furry companion.
The truck stopped short as the man driving saw the hairy mop following the red headed girl. He hopped out of the car with his net, but before he could get too close to the dog, Annie bolted between the two of them.
“Wait!” She shouted, putting her hands up.
“Look, kid I’m just doin my job, wouldjya move please?”
“But that’s my dog!” She blurted before she could think.
“Your dog?” He asked, raising an eyebrow.
She paused.
“Y-yes! Well, he’s my father’s. My father, he’s blind and he needs this dog to show him where to go. Without him my dad can’t find work. We’ll starve, sir!”
“Alright, what’s his name?”
“Uhhh, Sandy.” She said quickly.
“Sandy, huh?”
“Yep, that’s his name alright. Isn’t it Sandy?” She said, patting him on the head.
“Ok. Prove it.”
Annie looked up and tilted her head.
“How?”
“Call him. Go walk down the street a little ways and call him over to you.”
Annie looked at the man, and then at the dog then back at the man.
“Right. Easy. I can do that.” She bent down to look at the dog, “Alright Sandy, I need you to come to me when I call your name ‘Sandy,’ okay?” She said, putting extra emphasis on the name as she spoke to him.
The man raised his eyebrows at her, nonverbally asking her to get on with it. So Annie walked across the street and stood on the pavement on the other side. She cupped her hands around her mouth and called.
“Sandy!”
The dog didn’t move. She bit her lip and looked at the man who seemed unimpressed. Annie hurriedly continued. She patted her legs.
“Here boy! Come on! Come on please?”
Nothing. She sighed nervously and took a deep breath.
“SAAAAANDY!!!” She called loudly.
The dog’s ears perked up and he hobbled over to her.
Annie’s face lit up.
“That’s it! Come on Sandy!” She beamed as the dog got closer.
She knelt down and gave the mangy thing a big hug once he reached her.
“Yep! That’s good old Sandy!” She said, petting him with a smile and looking up at the dog catcher.
“Alright,” he sighed, scratching the back of his head, “now hurry on home, okay? Ya don’t wanna be around this neighborhood at this time.”
“Oh I will,” Annie said, still beaming.
She patted Sandy on the head and skipped off down the street.
“And-hey!” The dog catcher called after her.
She turned around.
“Once you get enough money, make sure ta take Sandy to a vet. He don’t look so good. And, make sure to keep him inside, looks like a raccoon got to him or something.”
Annie nodded.
“Yes sir!” She said as she waved and rounded the corner.
Crutchie and Duffy sped down to 14th Street.
“Does she usually run off like this?” Crutchie asked.
“She’s tried to before. She wants to go out and find her parents. I keep telling her it’s a bad idea but she doesn’t listen…” she responded, nervously stroking one of her twin braids, “I should be responsible for her, and all the other girls but… I’m not very good at watching after them.”
Crutchie looked at her apologetically.
“Aw, I’m sure you’re like a big sister to them.”
“Not a very good one,” Duffy admitted, “Annie is the one who usually takes care of all the girls. Whenever Molly gets scared in the night she stays awake and talks to her. All us other girls just complain. We even tease her.”
The crippled boy frowned as he saw the sadness in the girl’s eyes grow.
“Hey- that’s what siblings do. Sometimes they’re a pain. What matters is how much they care. If you were really a ‘bad big sister’ you wouldn’t be out here looking for Annie right now.”
Duffy eyed the ground for a bit then looked up at her friend with a small smile.
“I guess you’re right.” She chuckled, “I just really hope we find her.”
“We will.” He said, putting his arm around the girl and giving her a little side hug.
They arrived at 14th Street, but there was no sign of her. But they kept searching.
“Do ya see her?” Les asked, wringing his hands.
“No…” Molly sighed worriedly.
“Don’t worry so much, we’ll find her.” Davey assured his brother.
Les crossed his arms.
“I-I’m not worried!” Les snapped quickly.
Davey raised his eyebrows at his brother.
“Alright! Alright. Don’t get all crabby,” he put his hands up defensively.
They rounded another corner and looked around, but there was still no sign of the little redhead.
“Oh, we’ll never find her!” Molly cried.
“Don’t say that, she’s somewhere around here. It’s ok.” Davey said, patting the girl on the back.
But it didn’t seem like that assured Les. The little boy marched forward and looked down an alleyway. Then he marched up to a barrel and looked inside. Still nothing. He groaned.
“She’s gotta be somewhere!” Les shouted.
This might’ve normally gotten some sort of snarky remark from Davey about his little brother being so worried about finding the girl he supposedly hated, but he decided he’d better keep his mouth shut, and he rushed forward to help his brother search.
Meanwhile, the girl they were desperately searching for found a nice park bench decided to rest for the night, her new friend Sandy acting as a nice little blanket.
She yawned as the dog curled up next to her, his head resting on her chest. She patted him on the head. This might be her life for a while. They’d begin their search in the morning, and travel around, finding a comfortable place to sleep each night. Soon enough they’d find Annie’s parents. The journey would be long and hard, but at least she had a friend now. And for now, they were happy and safe sleeping on a park bench in the middle of Manhattan. Or so she thought.
Only a few minutes into her sleep, she was yanked from her dreams by a bright light.
“Ack!” She shielded her eyes with one of her hands and Sandy whimpered.
Two police officers stood over her, each with a flashlight in hand, and they were shining them right on her.
“What gives?” Annie whined in exasperation.
“Sorry, miss, but what you’re doing on this little bench is called loitering, and it’s actually illegal.” The first officer said, without an ounce of an apologetic tone in his voice.
“What?” Annie asked, “but I ain’t doin anythin! I’m just tryin to get some sleep!”
“Wait a minute,” the second officer said, “isn’t that the little girl who keeps running away from the orphanage down on sixth?”
“Holy smokes, I think you’re right.” The first officer responded, “We better bring her back.”
“No! I don’t wanna go back there!” Annie screamed, sitting up and attempting to get away from the officers.
“Ey- not so fast.” The first officer said, grabbing her by the arm before she could get away.
She screamed and kicked.
“No! No! Don’t bring me back!”
The officers dragged her away down the street, and Sandy hobbled as quick as he could after them, barking and yapping. He jumped up and locked his jaws on Annie’s cardigan. He growled and yanked on her cardigan. The officers pulled back and a piece of the fabric ripped off.
“Sandy! Sandy!” Annie yelled, trying to kick either of the officers as they continued dragging her away. “Don’t let them take me back!”
Sandy tried to run after her, but he couldn’t go fast enough with his hurt leg. He howled and barked until Annie was out of sight, and even then he didn’t give up, he pumped his three working legs as fast as he could as he barked.
“Sandy!” Annie yelled.
“Hey, calm down,” the first officer said soothingly.
“No! No! I won’t go back!” She thrashed and fought in their grips.
Memories of the cold tomb she roomed in just two nights before flashed in her head. Her knees ached when she remembered kneeling to clean the floors as Miss Hannigan yelled at her. She felt the sting of tears forming in her eyes during all those sleepless nights, no one to hold her, or comfort her. She couldn’t go back- she wouldn’t go back.
She dug in her heels and fought with the strength of someone twice her age, nevertheless she ended up at that same horrid building.
“No!” She shouted, “I won’t go!”
They officers stopped and looked up at the building. It seemed almost like a ghost town. All the lights were off and not a sound came from it. Usually, the sounds of little girls filled the walls, but it seemed almost desolate and abandoned now. The officers brought the screaming little redhead up the steps and to the door. They paused, both their features suddenly overcome with confusion. Annie almost didn't notice why they were confused- then she looked up.
There was a for sale sign on the door.
The officers shared looks.
“I guess there’s only one other place we can bring her then…” the second officer shrugged.
Katherine and Jack ran side by side down the street. Katherine couldn’t remember the last time she had run so hard, but Jack did. It was the day Crutchie was taken away. He still hadn’t forgiven himself for that. He had abandoned his best friend. But he wasn’t doing that again. Not today. Instead, he ran even faster and harder to get to Annie. He would save her. This time it would be different. He wasn’t letting another kid go to the refuge on his watch.
“Wh- where is the refuge?” Katherine asked breathlessly.
“It’s close,” he looked over at his struggling girlfriend, “just a few mo’ blocks, ya think ya can make it?”
Katherine was panting, but still gave him a smile.
“Fo’ sure.”
Jack chuckled.
“Alright, come on.”
The pair turned into an alleyway and sprinted even faster now. They were going so fast, they nearly tripped over what looked like a big dirty mop. They came to an abrupt stop just before hitting it. Jack let slip a word that Katherine slapped him in the arm for. He put his hands up defensively and the pair looked down to get a better look at what they had almost tripped over.
“It’s a dog?” Katherine asked mostly to herself.
“Looks like it,” Jack confirmed.
Without warning, the dog began barking at them in a complete frenzie. Katherine tilted her head at the dog, but Jack had already continued on.
“Come on, Kat, we don't have time to worry about some mutt!”
Katherine shook her head and came back to her senses.
“You’re right,” she said, and began to follow him but the dog jumped in front of her and began yapping again.
“What’s the matta with that thing?” Jack wondered aloud.
“I don’t kn- woa!”
The dog suddenly began pulling on Katherine’s skirt.
“Jack- I think the dog wants us to come with him…”
“Kat- we don’t have ti- agh!” The dog jumped up on him.
And that’s when Jack noticed it.
“What the…” he bent down to get a better look at the dog, more specifically what the dog had in its mouth. Jack reached for the red piece of fabric, and the dog let go.
“That’s from…” Katherine started.
“Annie’s jacket!”
The pair locked eyes, both slack jawed. The dog barked and ran ahead, still yapping his head off. He looked back, expectantly at them and they ran after him.
“The refuge? What’s that?” Annie demanded as the officers continued to drag her.
“Just a place for ya to rest yer little head for a while.” The officer said as they came to the steps of the refuge.
Annie dug in her heels a second time.
“I don’t want a place to stay! I wanna go home!”
“I’m not going! I’m not!” Annie shouted, “let me g-”
But she stopped short as she heard a familiar barking.
“Sandy?” She asked.
“Annie?!” Jack and Katherine’s voices echoed down the street.
The officers stopped dead in their tracks and looked toward the voices. Sandy hobbled as fast as his three good legs would carry him around the corner, and Katherine and Jack followed close behind.
“Hey! Let her go!” Jack yelled at the officers, catching them so off guard that they did exactly what he said.
Annie ran to them, forgetting all the misfortune she had gone through after meeting them. All she knew was that they were here to rescue her, and for that, she couldn’t be more grateful. Katherine knelt down and wrapped the little girl up in a motherly hug Jack knelt with her and Sandy hopped around, barking excitedly. When Annie finally pulled away from Katherine’s embrace, Jack turned her to face him.
“Hey, are ya okay? You’re not hurt are ya?” He gushed as he examined her face for any sign of injury. He then moved on to her arms, rolling up the sleeves of her cardigan and checking her arms.
“I’m ok, really,” Annie beamed, still so happy to see the three of them, “leapin’ lizards, that was a rescue!”
Jack looked up into her little freckled face and chuckled. He ruffled her hair.
“Yeah, well, I ain’t lettin ya get away that easily.”
Annie giggled, and Sandy jumped up on her, licking her face happily.
“Sandy! Hiya boy!” She giggled.
Katherine and Jack smiled fondly.
The officers came up the the reunited group.
“Excuse me,” the first officer said, “are you the girl’s legal guardian?”
Jack looked up, almost a bit startled that the guards thought he was old enough to have a ten year old kid.
“Uh- no, but I know him,” he responded as he stood up.
“Well, it’s our job to make sure that kids like her aren’t loitering around private property. You and her legal guardian better keep a closer eye on her.”
“Sure thing,” Jack said, tipping his hat.
He turned to leave, but the second officer stopped him.
“Hey, aren’t you that Kelly kid?”
Jack stopped abruptly.
“Uh… who?” He asked, trying to play dumb.
“That kid who ran the strike. You broke outta the refuge too! Made all the headlines!”
Jack chuckled nervously as he turned around to face them again.
“You must be thinkin’ o’ someone else…”
“Hey- we ain’t lookin to arrest ya kid,” the first officer assured him, “what you did was some real gutsy stuff. My oldest daughter looks up ta you like a hero. She worked in that old meat packaging facility. Now them kids have got safer places to work and betta wages cause o’ you.”
The officer patted him on the shoulder.
“Ya better get this girl home though,” he said, “she needs her rest”
Jack gave a sort of shocked half smile.
“Uh, th-thank you, officer… it means a lot.”
“Yeah, yeah, git goin’ wouldja?” The officer chuckled, shooing them off.
Katherine smiled at Jack as he walked alongside her, Sandy and Annie who was now holding her hand. Katherine elbowed her boyfriend.
“You don’t usually get along with cops.”
“I’m just as surprised as you are,” Jack laughed.
They walked along the street back toward Jacobi’s together.
“So, I made a new friend,” Annie piped in.
“So I’ve seen,” the older boy sighed, “I’m sure we can find a nice home fer him wid a family that’ll have the money ta feed him an’…”
“What? No! But Sandy’s mine!” Annie protested.
Jack pinched the bridge of his nose.
“Aaand you named him…”
“He’s the best dog ever in the world! Please can I keep him please, please please?”
“Oh, come on, Jack, can’t you see how happy he makes her? If you can afford half a dozen new girls, then you can afford the dog,” Katherine added.
“Wha- you’re sidin’ wid her?” Jack exclaimed, looking appalled at her.
She merely laughed and bumped him playfully with her shoulder.
“Come on Jack! Will you at least think about it?”
The boy sighed.
“Fine. I will sleep on it,” he conceded, then he quickly added, “but don’t expect me to change my mind so easily!”
But the girls were already cheering. Jack groaned, but then chuckled fondly.
Soon they made it back to Jacobi’s where everyone was standing outside waiting. Davey, Crutchie, Les, and Duffy seemed to have come back after about an hour of searching in vain. As soon as Les, Molly, Duffy and Crutchie saw the four of them arriving, they ran to meet them.
“Annie!!!” Molly shouted as she ran as fast as her little legs could go.
She leaped forward and wrapped her arms around the red haired girl who nearly toppled over, but was able to reciprocate the hug with minimal injury. Crutchie, Les and Duffy crowded around her as well.
“Annie! I’m so glad you’re okay!” Duffy exclaimed, grabbing both of her hands, “You’re not hurt at all are ya?”
“No, I’m o-”
“Don’t eva run off like that again!” Crutchie shouted worriedly.
“I won’t… I’m sorry I worried everyone,” Annie said earnestly, hanging her head.
“Aw, we’re just glad ta have ya back kid,” the crippled boy said, putting a gentle hand on her shoulder.
Annie smiled then looked over at Les, who had been standing there looking at her, but remained silent.
“You weren’t worried about me too, were ya?” She asked crossing her arms.
“N-no way!” The boy gushed.
He paused and glared at her, then his expression softened and he sighed.
“Maybe I was… just a little worried,” he finally admitted.
Annie tilted her head and then smiled just a bit. By then, the rest of the newsies and the girls had walked over to meet them, and Sandy wanted to show how excited he was to meet everyone. He jumped up and down and barked wildly.
“Woa, who’s this mutt?” Pepper asked.
Annie giggled.
“I met him in an alley. He was all beaten up and had cans tied to his tail, so I took ‘em off for him and now he follows me everywhere,” she announced proudly, “he’s the one that led Katherine and Jack to me!”
“I love him!” Molly cried, giving the dog a big hug, to which Sandy responded by giving her a big doggy kiss. She squealed with joy, “what’s his name?”
“Hey, we’s all glad yer back, but, we oughta get back,” Jack said.
Annie chuckled and stood up, beconning Molly to follow her.
“How ‘bout you guess what his name is?” She suggested.
Molly stood and walked alongside her, tapping her chin thoughtfully.
“Um… Fifi!”
“That’s not a name for this mutt,” Pepper laughed.
“Oh, how about Champion?” Duffy asked.
“Nope!” Annie said.
“Ooh! Ooh! Tiger!” Tessie piped in.
“Tiger?” Scoffed Pepper, “kittens would frighten him!”
Everyone laughed.
“How ‘bout…” July started.
“Rover?” She said in perfect sync with Specs, the two looked at each other and laughed.
“Not Rover,” Annie giggled, “his name’s Sandy!”
She affectionately patted him on the head.
“That’s the perfect name!” Molly squealed, hugging the dog again.
The group laughed and expressed their agreement.
“Hey, do ya want me ta take a look at Sandy?” Elmer asked Annie, “he doesn’t look like he’s walkin so good…”
“Do you know anything about taking care of animals?” Annie asked skeptically.
“Sure, I sell papes around this vet clinic, just cause it’s on the other side o’ town as the church. That sista Clark jus won’t stop pesterin me ‘bout comin ta church.”
Annie laughed.
“So ya think ya can take a look at him?” She asked hopefully.
“Sure thing!” Elmer laughed, tussling her hair.
“Yeah, yeah,” Jack interrupted, “that’s real sweet, but can we just focus on gettin to bed as fast as possible right now?”
There was an uproar of protest, from everyone except Katherine who stifled a snigger when she saw the irritation on Jack’s face.
“Hey. HEY!” Jack shouted, and everyone quieted down, “we’s all got work in a few hours! I recommend if ya want any sleep tanight, ya get to it!”
The newsies groaned and each went off to thier respective sleeping places, but not without a few goodbyes to the girls. Specs ruffled July’s hair as he walked off, Race playfully nudged Pepper and tipped his hat to Tessie as Romeo gave them both a little wave, and Albert shot a playful remark at Duffy before turning to leave. The rest of the boys also waved as they left, wishing the girls a goodnight, until it was just Jack, Katherine, Crutchie, Davey, Les and the girls. Davey sighed and nudged Jack.
“So, we all good for today?” He asked.
“Yeah, we got it all covered,” Jack assured him as he patted him on the back, “thanks fo’ the help taday.”
“Sure thing,” he replied, then he turned to his little brother, “hey, Les, you ready to go?”
Les was locking eyes with Annie still, but they weren’t quite glaring at each other. It was almost like they didn’t know what to make of each other. Les looked up.
“Yeah, just a second,” he said, then he turned back to Annie and put out his hand, “… sorry for being mean to you today… see ya tamorrow?”
Annie looked at him then at his outstretched hand. She sighed and unfolded her arms to shake his hand. She chuckled.
“Yeah. Tomorrow,” she said with a half smile.
Les nearly started beaming, but he held it together in front of her. Then he rushed down the street towards his and Davey’s house.
“Come on, Davey, let’s go,” he exclaimed as if his older brother was the one slowing him down.
Davey and Jack shared a look before he finally laughed it off and followed his little brother.
“I guess I’ll see you tomorrow too,” Katherine said as she kissed Jack on the cheek and turned to leave.
“Hey, yeah, and tell ya dad I’m gonna need a day off soon, cause apparently I’m the one who’s gotta help take care o’ these kids. Race just left me wid ‘em!”
“I’m on it!” She assured him.
Jack turned back to Crutchie who had Molly on his shoulder now and July holding onto his crutch rather than holding his hand.
“Alright, let’s get ‘em all ta bed before they pass out, huh?” Jack suggested

Chapter Text

Jack groaned and sat up. Molly and Crutchie were curled up against him and Sandy was laying stretched out on his lap. Sandy yawned and sat up. He looked at Jack with a big dopey grin, his tongue hanging out.
“Agh, get this fleabag off o’ me-” the boy said, shoving the dog aside.
Annie, who had previously been laying on Sandy, sat up and scowled at Jack.
“Ey- I’m tryin’ ta sleep here!” She shouted in protest.
“Yeah, well, ya mutt was sleeping on me, I probably got fleas now.”
Pepper sat up and took the hat Race had given her off of her face. She scoffed.
“Ya already had fleas!”
The girls who were awake giggled, and the rest of the girls began to stir as well.
“Hey-” Jack said defensively, “ya know what, I don’t gotta let ya sleep up here.”
With that, the morning bell rang. Jack groaned and stood up. These girls were taking a lot out of him. He had no idea how hard it was to wrangle a bunch of little girls, they might be harder to control than the boys.
“Alright,” he sighed, “let’s get to work.”
The girls began to protest.
“Ey- ya wanna eat taday o’ not?” Jack shouted.
The girls quieted quickly and started filing down the ladder. Jack sighed and watched them make their way down.
“What are we gonna do with ‘em, Crutchie?”
There was no answer. Jack turned around.
“Crutchie?”
His friend was still lying on the ground, fast asleep. Jack chuckled.
“Crutchie, come on,” he said, leaning down and shaking his shoulder, “it’s time ta go.”
The crippled boy rolled over.
“Already?” He groaned, “I’m so tired.”
“I know the feeling,” Jack chuckled.
When they all got down to the circulation, the girls were overjoyed to meet back up with their newsie friends. The boys crowded around and greeted the girls.
“Hiya, kids! How’d ya sleep?” Race asked enthusiastically, scooping up Molly and putting her on his shoulder.
Molly giggled.
“Jack didn’t keep ya up all night sketching did he?” Specs joked.
Everyone laughed.
“Hey, Elmer,” Annie said, walking up to the boy, Sandy tailing just behind her, “Didja think you could check out Sandy now?”
“Hey, sure thing, kid, I actually stopped by the vet taday and got some o’ these,” Elmer responded, holding up a roll of bandages.
The girls crowded around and cooed and gave the mangy dog scratches.
Jack smiled and walked up to Davey and Katherine who were there to help reign in the girls.
“I just don’t understand,” Davey said, tapping his chin thoughtfully, “I thought the refuge got closed down.”
“That… was the plan…” Jack said solemnly, “some guy swooped in and bought up the place before they could demolish the building, he had enough money to buy out anyone who protested.”
“That’s right!” Katherine remembered suddenly, “I think there was an article about that in the sun a few weeks ago. It was right next to one of my stories. I remember wishing I could’ve scooped up that story before they did… who was it who took over the place again?”
“Don’t remember, but whoever it was, they’s got a lot o’ dough.” Jack replied.
Annie stood up and cocked her head at them.
“You talkin’ about that place they tried to shove me in?” She asked.
“Yeah,” Les confirmed, “sure am glad ya didn’t end up in there.”
“Gee, I am too,” the redhead agreed, “speaking of, something pretty weird happened.”
“What?” Davey, Les, Jack and Katherine asked in unison.
“Well, the bulls recognized me and tried ta take me back to the orphanage, but it was completely abandoned.”
“That is weird,” Davey agreed, “hey, Annie, where’s the orphanage, exactly?”
“Sure, it’s The Hudson Saint Home for Girls on Hudson street.”
Sandy jumped up and licked Annie’s face, and the girl giggled.
“There ya go, good as new,” Elmer announced gleefully, “I cleaned out all the cuts and bandaged ‘im up fo’ ya. Ya should be good to take off that brace once the leg’s all healed up too.”
“Leapin’ lizards! Thanks a lot!” Annie squealed in delight.
Katherine bent down, giggling with Annie and the rest of the girls as she pet Sandy.
“What a good boy,” she grinned, then she turned to her boyfriend, “so, Jack did you think it over? You gonna be a total killjoy, or are you gonna let the girls keep him?”
The girls and Newsies looked at Jack expectantly. He froze for a moment, put his hands up as if he didn’t know what to do with them, then he groaned and leaned his head back.
“Fine,” he said, failing to stifle a grin, “you can keep ‘im.”
Everyone cheered and gave Sandy celebratory scratches. Jack laughed.
“Okay, okay, but ya still gotta go ta work!” He shouted.
They all groaned and started walking to the circulation. Annie happily walked alongside her furry friend, and the girls and Les crowded around them.
“Ey, Jack, while ya do that,” Davey said, stopping him briefly, “Kat and I are gonna do some investigating ‘round the orphanage.”
“You’re gonna investigate?” Annie asked excitedly, “can I come too?”
“Ooh, me too! I wanna come, I wonder what that place looks like without that old hag Hanigan around anymore,” Pepper said, wiggling her fingers around spookily.
The girls giggled.
“I wanna come too!” Molly shouted.
“Oh my goodness, oh my goodness,” Tessie shouted excitedly.
“Yeah, can we all go?” Duffy asked.
“Well, the more the merrier,” Katherine shrugged.
“Well, they made a lot o’ extra money yesterday…” Jack admitted, “I gotta say, yer all a regular bunch o’ newsies. What the hell, have at it.”
The girls cheered.
“I wanna go too!” Les piped up.
“Alright, little brother,” Davey chuckled, taking off his hat and ruffling his hair.
“So I guess we’re heading to the orphanage then,” Katherine smiled.
“You don’t have work taday?” Jack asked.
“Nope, I got a day off,” his girlfriend smiled, “but I know for a fact you did not.”
“Why ya gotta call me out like that?” He laughed, “Okay, I gotta go, but I’ll see ya later.
Katherine’s boyfriend leaned in and gave her a kiss before heading off. Katherine and Davey then led the girls and Les to the Orphanage.
“Uh, Hudson Street, right?” Davey asked.
“That’s right,” Annie affirmed, “right down this way.”
They walked down the crowded, dusty road. Katherine took up the rear, holding Molly’s and Kate’s hands, just in front of them was Tessie and July, then Les, Annie and Sandy walking side by side, and in front of them was Pepper, and Duffy. Davey took the lead, looking this way and that, making sure everyone stayed together, and keeping an eye out for anyone who might know something about the orphanage.
“Oh my goodness, oh my goodness,” Tessie mumbled nervously.
“Would ya quit saying that?” Pepper shouted back at her.
Tessie fumbled with her hands nervously.
“Katherine?”
“Yeah, what’s wrong sweetie?”
“I’m scared… I don’t wanna go back to the orphanage.”
Katherine let go of Molly’s and Kate’s hands and walked forward, putting her hand on Tessie’s back.
“Aw, Tessie, there’s nothing to be afraid of, it’s just a building.”
The girl looked up at her with her big brown eyes.
“I don’t know how to stop being scared. I wish I was brave like you…”
Katherine blinked.
“You think I’m brave? Why do you say that?” Katherine chuckled.
“You went out to save Annie and brought her back.”
“And you know what?”
“…What?”
“I was scared the whole time. In order to be brave, you have to be scared in the first place.”
Katherine squeezed the little girl’s shoulder. Tessie looked at the ground for a moment and then up at Katherine.
“I guess that makes sense… okay, I can try to be brave.”
“Atta girl.” Katherine smiled, giving her a little side hug.
They promptly came up on the orphanage. Davey took aside a man passing by.
“Excuse me, sir, do you know anything about this building or its owner?” He asked.
The man shrugged.
“Beats me, kid. The old hag who owned the place wasn’t much of a people person, unless those people happened to be good-looking, single men. She didn’t like her neighbors much. I own the place just down the way,” the man pointed down the street at his building, “but I never knew her that well. Maybe ask the realtor, he should be in there somewhere.”
The man started walking off towards his own building.
“Oh, thank you sir!” Davey said politely, waving as the man left.
“Don’t mention it, kid.”
The group walked up to the orphanage. The more faint-hearted girls shivered under its shadow. It towered up over them, windows all shuttered and doors locked. Pepper kicked the wall of the ominous building.
“I hate this place,” she spat.
Katherine frowned at the sight of all the girls staring at the building. They deserved to see the place they grew up in with joy in their eyes. She walked towards Davey.
“Can we make this quick? I know the girls were eager to investigate, but it looks like this place is freaking them out.”
“Yeah, yeah, hold on, I’m gonna go look for the realtor.” Davey said, heading up the stairs to the door.
“I-I’m comin’ too!” Tessie announced.
Katherine looked at her in surprise.
“You don’t have to if you don’t want to, sweetheart,” Katherine assured her.
“No, I wanna be brave,” she said stubbornly.
“I’m comin’ too!” Pepper and Annie said in sync.
“Me too!” Duffy shouted.
“And me,” July said.
“It’s just a stupid building,” Kate said, “it can’t be that scary.”
Molly nodded. Katherine raised her eyebrows.
“Alright then, guess we’re all going in then.”
Davey nodded and they all pressed on inside. It was eerily familiar, and yet completely different from what all the girls remembered. They remember polishing that railing, and washing those stairs. The ghostly sounds of memories echoed through their heads as they looked around at the abandoned building. All the rugs and furniture had vanished and the place looked bare. They didn’t dare make a sound, it was almost a sacred place where they couldn’t speak, lest they disrespect the memories of this place. It wasn’t just a bitter feeling in the pits of the little girl’s stomachs. Sure, they hated that place. They were bullied and mistreated there, but that’s where most of them had grown up. They remembered playing with each other, dancing and singing along to the radio, braiding each other’s hair, and comforting and lifting one another up when they were scared. If the girls had been fully honest with themselves, they would say that they missed the orphanage just a little.
They made their way to the top floor and into Miss Hanigan’s old office. The girls had memorized every crack in the floorboards, and each one that would squeak if you stepped on it in the wrong spot, they remembered the peeling paint of the walls. In the office, they found a well-dressed, portly man standing there, inspecting the room.
“Excuse me, sir?” Davey said, breaking that sacred silence, “are you the realtor for this place?”
The man nearly leaped out of his skin.
“Good god!” He cried as he whirled around, he sighed a breath of relief before continuing, “oh, apologies, children, I didn’t hear any of you come here! Yes, I am the realtor.”
He tipped his top hat and a smile spread under his well manicured mustache.
“How may I help you?”
“Uh, we were just looking for some information,” Davey explained, “do you know why the owner of this place decided to suddenly pack up and move?”
“Ah, you mean the lovely Miss Hanigan!” He beamed.
“I wouldn’t call her lovely,” Pepper scoffed under her breath.
Annie and Les sniggered at her comment and Katherine put a finger to her lips, kindly reminding them to be quiet.
“Yes, do you know why she left?” Davey asked.
“Well, that one’s a bit tricky,” the man explained, “she put the house up for sale in a real hurry. Sold every bit of furniture, then the morning I sealed the deal with her, she handed me a whole stack of cash and took off in a fancy lookin’ car with two real raunchy characters, a man, her brother I presume, a fellow she called ‘Rooster’ and this slender ‘Hotel’ woman. Heaven knows what their real names are,” he chuckled, “Unfortunately, that is all the information I have on her though. I wish I could help more.”
The children all looked at each other in confusion. This was all news to them. Katherine’s reporter instinct kicked in and she began scribbling down everything the man had said.
“Excuse me, sorry,” she piped in, “you said she went out in a fancy car. Did you manage to catch the license plate number?”
“‘Fraid not, miss, but I can tell ya that the car was a shiny, new, convertible Horch, and it was painted red.”
“And what day did she leave?”
The man thought for a moment.
“It was March fifth, I think. Just a day or two ago.”
Katherine wrote this all down.
“Thank you, Sir. I didn’t catch your name?” She said, looking up from her notepad.
“Humphrey Baliff, Miss,” he replied, shaking her hand, “uh, say, you all aren’t from a paper are ya?”
Davey and Katherine looked at eachother.
“Uh, well, yes, actually,” Katherine explained, “I write for The Sun, and these guys are newsies for The World, but we’re just asking around because these girls used to live here. We’d like to know why it was suddenly abandoned.”
“Ah, I see,” Humphrey said, nodding his head. He looked at the children, “so they’re all… um…”
He fumbled around, not wanting to say the word.
“They’re orphans, yes,” Katherine affirmed.
“Oh, I’m very sorry to hear that, d-do you all need a place to stay, or..?” The man asked awkwardly.
“They’ll be alright,” Davey said, “we’re just figuring some things out.”
Davey looked at the girls who were all looking a bit glumly at the floor now.
“Um, thank you for the information though, Mr. Baliff.”
“Sure thing, and if ya need anything, I’ll be right here until this old place is sold.”
“We’ll keep that in mind, thank you,” Davey said, tipping his hat, “come on, lets go.”
Davey ushered everyone out and into the street again. The girls and Les all sat on the stairs and the railing outside the building. Davey sighed as he looked out at the street.
“Okay,” Katherine explained, reviewing some of the notes she had taken, “so, Miss Hanigan doesn’t like people all that much, unless she can flirt with them, apparently. She seems to have a brother and friend with a lot of money, she probably left the state or something just a day after Race accidentally adopted these kids. Also, the names Rooster and Hotel are important somehow? I don’t know, but I think I’ve heard of a man named Rooster before…”
“Well, this Hanigan character illegally made a minor adopt seven little girls, we gotta find her. And, honestly Kat, we probably oughta find a better place for these girls to stay. Is there anyone we can talk to about this whole mess?”
Katherine put away her notepad and looked at Davey.
“I don’t know,” she sighed, “I can write a story on this, maybe we’ll get some attention that way, but technically and legally, Race is their father, he did sign the papers. I think if we find Miss Hanigan and get the authorities involved, we can get these girls a better home, until then… I guess we just keep them around.”
The kids pretended that they hadn’t heard Davey and Katherine talking. The girls didn’t really want to stop being newsies. They like hanging out with the boys and messing around.
“Well,” Katherine began, “should we try asking around at some of these buildings?”
“It can’t hurt,” Davey agreed.
They must have knocked on every door on Hudson street, but no one knew what had happened to Miss Hanigan. It was like she vanished. They all split up and knocked on every door near the orphanage, Katherine used all of her best reporter skills, and they talked to all the men Miss Hanigan had ever flirted with, but still, nothing.
At the end of the day, they all trudged back to Jacobi’s to meet the other newsies for dinner.
They came in and sat solemnly at the empty seats without saying a word. Jack came up to his girlfriend and put an arm around her.
“No luck?” He asked.
“Nothing,” she groaned in frustration, shoving her notepad into the pocket she had sewn into her dress.
“Ey, don’t worry ‘bout it, Kat,” Race said, “if we neva find the lady, we never find ‘er.”
The boy leaned on the counter and puffed on his cigar without a care in the world.
“Besides, there’s gotta be worse things than takin’ care o’ a couple o’ girls.” He teased, ruffling Kate’s hair.
“Yesterday mornin’ you woulda said somethin’ very different,” Romeo said.
“Ah whateva,” Race retaliated, smacking him in the arm, “I’ve uh… gotten used to ‘em is all.”
“Aww, have they grown on you, Race?” Elmer teased.
“Ey, shaddup, wouldja?”
Race stood up and glared at Elmer from across the table.
“Come on, Race, we know ya got them all somethin,” Specs piped in, “why don’tchya give it to ‘em already?”
Race’s face went slightly pink and he groaned, sitting down again. The girls perked up and looked at Race, wondering what exactly he had gotten them. He stuck his hand in his pocket and pulled out a handful of penny candies. The girl’s eyes lit up and they began to chatter quietly in excitement. Race pulled the candies back slightly and glared at the girls.
“Ey- not one word outta any o’ ya. Got that?”
The girls nodded obediently and he put the candy on the table.
“Oh boy, I ain’t neva seen this much candy before!” Molly squealed happily.
“Leapin’ lizards!” Annie shouted excitedly as she eyed a piece of chocolate.
Les leaned on the table, trying not to look like he really wanted a piece of that candy. Annie looked at him out of the corner of her eye and slid him a little hard caramel. Les looked at the candy and then at Annie who was smiling to herself. The boy smiled and ate his candy.

Chapter Text

The following morning, the morning bell rang, and Jack woke up with Sandy’s head resting on his stomach again. This time, however, Sandy wasn’t the only one cuddled up against him. All the other girls had curled up around him and each other to get warm. Pepper’s head was resting on him alongside Sandy, Annie was curled up against him just next to Pepper and Sandy, hugging Molly and Duffy. On his right was Crutchie, Kate, July, and Tessie all cuddled up together. Jack might have been annoyed if he had woken up like this a day or two ago, but now, he just chuckled fondly. They were all fast asleep despite the fact that the morning bell had rung.
“Hey,” he said softly, hoping to gently coax the group awake.
Not a single one of them stirred. He laughed and shook his head.
“Everybody up!” He shouted finally.
The others began to wake up, and a majority of them groaned.
“Five mo’ minutes!” Pepper whined as she rolled over.
“Okay, but ya not allowed ta use me as your pillow anymo’.” the oldest boy laughed, “Come on.”
he nudged Pepper’s shoulder.
“Nooo…” she groaned.
Duffy sighed and rolled over.
“I don’t wanna work today.”
“Me neither,” Annie’s muffled voice said as she spoke into Molly’s back.
“I’m ready to wake up!” Molly said, pushing Annie’s arm from around her middle and standing up.
“Me too!” Kate agreed, standing up.
Sandy barked and sat up excitedly, wagging his tail furiously in Pepper’s face.
“Ack-” she shouted, “knock it off ya lousy mutt!”
Crutchie yawned and reached for his crutch, and Jack started sitting up, further ruining Pepper’s chances of getting any extra sleep. She whined a final time and sat up.
“Fine, let’s go.”
When they got down to the circulation however, the gates weren’t open. And all the boys were standing around, and chattering away with each other. Katherine stood off to the side, talking to Race and Albert. Jack approached her with a confused look on his face.
“What’s goin’ on? Why ain’t the gates been opened?” Then, he got a better look around, “hey, wait, is that Brooklyn?”
Jack pointed to a group of Newsies in signature red shirts.
“Read the headline,” Katherine instructed.
Jack looked up at the sign, but only found himself with more questions than answers.
“Oliver Warbucks Holds a Fundraiser for the Workin’ Children o’ New York?” He read aloud, “Who in the hell is Oliver Warbucks?”
“He’s a rich business man who lives in a mansion in New Jersey. He heard about the children’s crusade, and has been organizing a fundraiser to show his support,” Katherine explained, “you and the rest of New York get a little break to enjoy the festivities!”
“Wait- a-and ya fada’s ok wid all this?” He asked, dumbstruck.
“Warbucks bought him off, can you believe it?”
Jack raised his eyebrows. Someone who can pay off the most powerful, rich man in Manhattan had to be wealthy.
“What’s this guy do for a job?”
“All I know is that he’s an industrialist and, recently, a philanthropist.”
“Philanthropist is right,” Jack laughed.
A few of the other newsies began to gather around.
“Hiya girls,” Race said cheerfully as he walked up.
“Race!” The girls cheered.
The boy had quickly become the girl’s favorite newsie since giving them those penny candies. They crowded around him like he was a celebrity, Pepper even climbed up on his back.
“Hey, hey, calm down, theya’s plenty a me ta go around,” he laughed.
Jack and Katherine chuckled before continuing their conversation.
“So, wait, when does this fundraiser start?” Jack asked.
“Any minute now.”
Almost as if on cue, a very fancy, luxury Isotta-Fraschini and a huge truck piled up with boxes pulled up to the circulation. The bustle from all the newsies stopped almost instantly. A woman stepped out of the backseat and stood in front of the group of children.
“Hello children!” She said cheerfully, her bright smile rivaling her lovely yellow dress.
Race leaned over, “that can’t be Oliver Warbucks…” he whispered to Jack who promptly shushed him.
“I am Grace Farrell,” the woman announced, “Mr. Warbucks is very busy, and, unfortunately, couldn’t make it today.”
A confused whisper swept through the crowd of children.
“But!” Ms. Farrell continued quickly, “the fundraiser is still happening. Mr. Warbucks is happy to show his support for the young workers of New York, and so, we will be giving out canned food, clothes, blankets, and serving brunch all provided by locals.”
With that, the crowd of children cheered. Ms. Farrell beamed at all their happy little faces. The circulation gates opened and let the truck and Isotta-Fraschini in. Several people got out of the Franschini and the truck and began setting up tables all around the circulation. It was like nothing any of them had ever seen before! Ms. Farrell conducted the whole thing, making sure everything went just right. A table for canned food right there, one for blankets and clothes, and another one for serving brunch. The children rushed in towards where they were serving food immediately.
A group of Manhattan newsies almost ran smack into the Delanceys, who did not look very happy… then again, they never really seemed all that happy.
“Oh great, theya back…” Finch sighed.
“We musta been up wind from ya,” Race teased, “othawise I woulda known yous was back.”
He gestured to them with his cigar as he spoke and then tucked it back in his mouth.
“Where’s ya been anyhow?” Elmer asked, leaning on a pole and getting in the brothers’ personal space.
Oscar took an abrupt step forward, making Elmer flinch back and put his hands up defensively.
“We was doing community service…” Morris mumbled.
“Community service?” Race asked, stifling a snicker. Finally, he burst out laughing and the rest of the boys joined in.
“Ey- shaddup!” Oscar shouted, taking a step forward similar to how he had just scared Elmer off. This time, however, it didn’t affect any of the boys, they merely kept laughing.
The girls stood there in confusion, still clustered around Race.
“Hey, nitwits! What’re ya doin wid a bunch a snotty little girls?” Morris asked finally.
Race stopped laughing abruptly and glared at Morris. He took his cigar out of his mouth.
“Ey, they ain’t snotty little girls,” he snarled, coming closer to Morris, “these a the best newsies in New York.”
The girls looked at each other in awe, smiling about how Race had stood up for them. When they looked around, the rest of the boys were also staring the Delanceys down. They stood there for moment, eyes locked before the boys decided to be on their way. Race scooped up Molly and put her on his shoulder. He tucked his cigar back in his mouth and tipped his chin up as they walked away. The rest of the newsies took off with the girls as well, some of them grabbing the girls’ hands, others scooping them up just like Race had.
They walked over to the brunch table and their eyes instantly lit up. There were flapjacks, scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, sausage, fruit, scones and more all piled up high on the table. Ms. Farrell noticed the hungry stares of all the children.
“Grab a plate and dig in!” She invited them.
She didn’t need to tell them twice though. Everyone in the circulation gathered around the table like a pack of hungry wolves and took every last scrap of food they could get. All the girls sat around Race who took a seat on a stack of newspapers. Conversations started. There was excited chatter all around the circulation. There were kids from every sweatshop, factory and slaughter house in New York, and they were all eating together, talking together, playing together and just existing the perfect symphony of peaceful chaos that ensued when good friends got together. A few girls from a cotton mill were braiding each others’ hair, some of the younger newsies from down in the Bronx were playing tag, and some boys and girls from the sausage factory down the street were playing marbles. Albert, Duffy and Elmer were sharing selling points while Les and Annie told each other jokes and fed Sandy bits of sausage, and a few of the Manhattan newsies and the remaining girls listened to Race tell a story.
“So I told Pulitzer,” he said, “if’n ya don’t lower the prices again, I’ma give ya the ol’ right and left.”
He made punching motions when he said right and left, although he punched with his left fist first and then his left, but everyone was too interested in the story to notice.
“You neva talked to Pulitzer!” Elmer objected, chucking some of his hashbrowns at him.
“Sure didn’t,” a rather short boy in a sleeveless red striped shirt added as he walked past.
Race’s face instantly lit up.
“Heyyy Spotty!” He said, standing up excitedly.
Spot stopped in his tracks and groaned.
“Hi Race…”
The boy with the cigar smirked and set down his food. He walked up to Spot and stood just behind him.
“C’mon, Spotty, wontcha turn around and hit us with those sparkly brown eyes.”
Spot sighed and turned around to face him. He crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at him, his eyes anything but sparkling.
“There he is!” Race smiled.
He put an arm around the Brooklyn boy and turned to the girls.
“This hea is the leader of the Brooklyn boys, like Jack, but in Brooklyn, and wayyyy betta.”
Spot put his hand up as a half-hearted wave.
“Spot, these a my girls… sorta… they’re um… adopted… long story.”
“That’s… great,” the other boy responded, brushing the arm off his shoulder, “well, I gotta go…”
“Wait!” Pepper shouted, “how’d ya know Race neva talked to Pulitzer?”
“He was there when Jack talked to Pulitzer. Race wasn’t.” Albert explained, his mouth still full of toast.
“WOA!” The girls all exclaimed in unison, crowding around Spot.
Race was shoved out of the way, with a confused and upset look on his face.
On the other side of the circulation, Katherine was lugging an unwieldy cardboard box over to the table designated for clothes and blankets. She wobbled a bit as she struggled to hold the large box on her own. She stepped on her skirt and began to trip. Ms. Farrell ran up and caught the box just before it and Katherine fell.
“Woa! Careful!” She exclaimed as she caught the box.
The girl wobbled a bit and then looked around the box to see her rescuer.
“Oh!” She said in relief, “thank you!”
“Sure thing!”
The two of them carefully took the box over to the table and set it down.
“You sure have a lot of things to donate, huh?”
“Oh, yeah,” Katherine responded, as she opened the box and began pulling out dresses, shoes and skirts, “there are a few girls that just became newsies recently, and I wanted them to have some of my old clothes I’ve been holding on to. I didn’t think of all the stuff I had been keeping and didn’t need until I heard about this fundraiser.”
“Well, I’m glad you decided to help,” Ms. Farrell smiled as she helped her unpack her box, “these are just darling!”
“Oh, thank you,” Katherine replied, “none of them fit anymore, I thought they might like them.”
“Oh, I bet they’ll love them.”
The girl smiled.
“So, what’s this Oliver Warbucks like?” Katherine asked.
“Well, most people think he’s strict, all business, you know? But, under all that, he’s really quite kind.”
“Really? How so?”
“Well, he doesn’t show it much, but he does really care about others. This fundraiser for example, some people might think it’s all just for show, but he really does care about this cause.”
“Wow, I didn’t realize you were so close to him. What’s your relation to him again?”
“Oh, I’m just his secretary.”
Ms. Farrell blushed slightly and smiled at the ground.
“Well, I’m sure he really appreciates you, ‘just a secretary’ or no,” Katherine offered kindly, “I had no idea he cared so much for the less fortunate children of this city until today.”
“Oh, yes. He’s actually thinking of adopting. If my memory serves, he wants a ten-year-old.”
“Well, I hope he’s prepared. They can be a handful.”
They laughed together for a spell and finally finished sorting out the clothes. A group of children appeared quickly and began looking at all the clothes. For a majority of them, clothes, shoes and blankets without holes in them were a luxury. They all began trying on the shoes and hats that had been donated, several of them ran off joyfully with new clothes and blankets. Soon, seven familiar faces appeared at the table.
“Hi, girls!” Katherine smiled, “I’ve been sorting through my old things and I found some things that I think would look just adorable on you. Oh- hi, Spot?”
“Hi Kat,” he chuckled.
The girls had begun looking through the clothes and holding them up to themselves and each other excitedly.
“I didn’t take you for someone who liked little girls all that much,” she laughed.
“Most people wouldn’t,” Spot said, “but I had six little sistas.”
Katherine’s eyes widened.
“Oh.”
“Yeah. Besides, these girls grow on ya pretty quick.”
“Spot! Check out what I found!” Pepper held up a red blouse, “it’s Brooklyn’s color!”
“Oh, you’d look good in that,” he said encouragingly.
Pepper beamed and put it under her arm.
“Seems like they think you’re the bee’s knees,” Katherine observed.
“Oh- yeah, I guess… it’s no big deal though…” he replied, although Katherine could tell he was glowing with pride.
A familiar boy with a cigar shoved his way through the crowd and inserted himself into the conversation.
“Hey, hi, hello, it’s me, Race. I’m hea too.”
“Race! Look! Spot said red looks good on me!” Pepper said excitedly.
“Oh- well isn’t that great?” Race said, wrinkling his nose and smiling insincerely.
“Sure is!” The girl smiled, not noticing Race’s insincerity.
“I wanna try on red too!” Molly piped in.
“Ooh, me too! Is there anything else?” July joined.
“I wish we was Brooklyn girls,” Annie asserted.
Spot chuckled and folded his arms as he watched them happily. Meanwhile, Race watched, his arms crossed similarly, but his expression was sour. Katherine and Ms. Farrell exchanged nervous looks about the tense situation unfolding in front of them.
“You go have fun, I’ll hold down the fort here,” Ms. Farrell urged Katherine.
“Thank you,” she responded with a kind smile.
Katherine went off to the fire escape where Jack was sitting on the bottom stair sketching something.
“Hi Jack,” she sang happily as she came up to him.
Jack looked up to see who had addressed him and smiled instantly as she graced his eyes.
“Hello, beautiful,” he beamed, “whatcha doin’ ova hea? Ya all done sortin’ out all that stuff ya brought?”
“Yep, thought I’d come to see you. What are you drawing?”
Jack held up his sketchbook and showed her a picture of the circulation bustling with happy kids.
“Another masterpiece.”
“Aw, I’m just catchin’ up on work,” Jack said humbly as he tucked the sketchbook in his back pocket. He stood up and walked closer to Katherine. He cupped her cheek in his hand and gave her a quick peck on the lips. She smiled uncontrollably as she normally did when Jack kissed her. Katherine pulled away and put up her index finger as she thought of something.
“Speaking of work,” she began as she took out her pen and notepad, “I should really get to it.”
She poked him playfully in the chest with her pen and began to turn away.
“Oh come on,” Jack whined, “we neva get to spend time tagetha.”
“We can still sit by each other, I just need to get this written or I’m gonna forget all the good details.”
“Ya know how ya get when ya start writin’. Ya go into a daze and don’t come back fo’ nothin’ until ya done,” the boy sighed with disappointment.
Katherine blushed.
“Do I really do that?”
“Yeah, ya do,” Jack laughed.
“I’m sorry,” Katherine laughed sympathetically, “I know we don’t have much time to spend together now, but we’re always working, and now we have seven girls to take care of…” she sighed, “but it’s date night tonight. We can spend time together then.”
“Fo’ sure?” Jack asked.
“Fo’ sure.” Katherine chortled.
She gave him one last kiss.
“But, hey! In the meantime you could always spend time with Crutchie. You two haven’t spent much quality time together since the strike.”
“Good idea,” Jack said fondly.
“I love you,” Katherine smiled as she waved over her shoulder and walked away.
“Love you too,” Jack replied softly.
The couple parted ways and Jack began searching for his brother. He walked through groups of bustling kids, searching until finally he found him sitting off to the side on a stack of papers, smiling and watching the festivities. Something Jack had always admired about Crutchie was that, despite his bum leg, he could enjoy things his own way, and didn’t tend to waste time feeling sorry for himself. He was smiling and having just as much fun as everyone else. Jack smiled fondly and came over to him.
“Hey, looks like ya havin’ fun,” he commented.
“Hey! Jack! How’ve ya been?”
Jack chuckled and sat down.
“Good, hey, I ain’t been seein’ ya a lot lately.”
“Yeah, I guess we’s both been busy.”
“What’ve ya been up to?”
“Same old, same old, besides takin’ care o’ the girls. You?”
“Just workin’.”
“I haven’t heard anythin’ about your job.”
Jack turned to him.
“I really haven’t told ya anythin’?”
Crutchie shook his head.
“Well, have I got the story for you!” Jack laughed.
Meanwhile, the girls were still enjoying Spot’s company, sitting on a stack of crates barraging him with questions while Race stood bloodily off to the side.
“So, what’s it like leading the newsies of the biggest city in New York?” Pepper asked.
“Well, you’s gotta be the toughest around.” Spot replied.
“Did you eva kill someone?” Molly asked, totally awe-struck.”
“Uh… I’m… not gonna ansa that…”
“Well, do you beat up bullies?” Annie asked.
“Oh yeah, you want some tips?”
“Yeah!” They all said in unison.
Spot got up and started showing them the proper fighting stance. The girls riveted their eyes on him.
“You wanna keep ya feet apaht like this, see? And ya gotta keep ya hands up when ya ain’t punchin’ so’s ya can block the otha guy.”
“Yeah, yeah, that’s real nice,” Race interrupted, laughing casually, but a bit too hard to be convincing. “Hey, Spot, you’d got a lot o’ stuff to get done ova in Brooklyn, maybe ya should go back home and figure out that uhhh… stuff.”
Spot looked at him in confusion, the. He looked at the girls and back at him with a look of realization on his face.
“Ah, yeah, ya right… I gotta get back,” he said, shooting a wink towards Race.
The girls all shouted in protest.
“Hey, but be nice ta this guy, alright? He’s smattah then ya think, and he’s tough.”
“Not as tough as you,” Pepper scoffed.
“Eh… I hate to admit it but…” he hesitated and looked at Race.
Ah, what the hell? He thought with a sigh.
“He’s tougha.”
Race’s expression went blank as all the girls looked at him in awe. Spot rolled his eyes and laughed.
“I’ll see ya lata, ya nitwit,” he said, punching Race in the arm and leaving.
The girls continued staring at Race while he stared at Spot.
“The coolest boy in New York said you were tougher than him!” Kate shouted.
Race smiled shyly, which is an unusual sort of smile for him.
“Yeah, I guess he did…”
The festivities were wrapping up, all the blankets and clothes had been taken, as had the food, not a single crumb remained. Papers still needed to be sold, headlines needed to be read, so it was off to work with all the newsies. Katherine waved goodbye to the girls and they thanked her for their new clothes. She kissed her boyfriend goodbye and was off to type her story on the fundraiser.
Jack and Crutchie spoke excitedly about anything and everything as they walked to the line for the circulation.
“Usual, a hundred papes fo’ Jack,” Weisel said just before realizing, “hey- wait, dontcha draw fo’ The World now?”
Jack stopped in the middle of reaching into his pocket for the money.
“Oh- god, that’s right,” he laughed, “I better…”
Before he could finish that sentence though, he remembered all the times he had with the Manhattan boys before, and how many times must be to come.
“Actually, y’know what? I don’t need a desk ta draw. I’m taking the day off and goin with these guys. Gimme a hundred fo’ old times sake.”
Crutchie beamed and wrapped his free arm around Jack.
“Good ta have ya back anotha day.”
“Aw, shaddup.” Jack laughed.
Meanwhile, Race was happily wrangling the girls to the circulation line.
“Do you have any candy left?” Kate asked.
“Oh- and I want fighting tips from the toughest boy in New York,” Annie added, balling up her fists and swinging a few punches into thin air,
“I really like your hat, Race, but I feel bad for you not havin’ one, so I gotcha this from the table ova theya.” Pepper said, offering Race a hat.
“Gee, thanks, Pep,” he said genuinely, almost overwhelmed from all the attention he was getting now.
Suddenly, a boy in bright red caught his eye.
“Hey, guys, I gotta go, but I’ll be right back,” he said, beginning to back away “you stay right theya, it’ll be quick.”
“Ok,” a few of the girls responded, and they all shrugged their shoulders as Race ran off towards the leader of the Brooklyn boys.
“Hey! Hey, Spot, wait!” He said breathlessly.
Spot turned around at the sound of his name.
“Aw great,” he groaned, expecting more teasing, “Whadaya want?”
He folded his arms and looked at Race.
“Well, excuse me. I just wanted ta say thank you!”
“Fo’ what?” He asked, genuinely confused.
“For talkin’ me up back theya. Those girls they-“ he groaned, “I hate ta say it, but they’re great. I like to see ‘em lookin’ up to me and all… it’s just… thanks.”
Spot paused, then smirked and rolled his eyes.
“Aw, whateva, don’t mention it.”
“No- really it was very nice of you, in fact, I don’t even think I’ve eva seen you do somethin’ that ni-“
“No- really. Don’t mention it,” Spot snapped, “cause if ya tell anyone else I said that, they won’t find ya body ok? Can’t have the boys think I’m soft all of a sudden.”
Race put his hands up.
“Alright, alright, no one needs ta know!”
“Good. They betta not,” he replied pointedly, poking Race in the chest.
Spot walked away, calling for his boys to follow him. Race eased a bit, his posture softening. A smile spread on his face and he tucked the cigar back into his mouth before sauntering off back to the circulation line.