Writer's note: This is my first Newsies fanfic in 3 years, so you have no idea how proud I am of it! I've written at least 40 Newsies fanfics and it still is my most favorite fandom to write for. kisses Newsies It felt so good to write it.
Innocent eyes weren't so innocent anymore.
Les Jacobs had witnessed many things living in New York City, but never was his innocence lost until that night. It had been two years since the newsies strike of 1899. His older brother, David, had been accepted into a good college over on Long Island. He barely got to see his brother, but that was okay because Les still had Cowboy.
Les thought from the moment he first saw him that Jack Kelly had hung the moon. Jack seemed to show his affect back to the boy by watching out for him and treating him like a little brother. Many times he brought Les to Irving Hall, sometimes bringing him home around midnight.
Les knew he was safe as long as Jack was with him. He knew Jack would protect him from danger.
"Out a little late, aren't we, Cowboy," a mocking voice said.
Jack stopped short, putting a hand on Les' chest to keep him from going any further. "What do you want, Oscar?"
It was known on the streets through out Manhattan of the rivalry between the newsies and the Delancey brothers. They never ceased in hassling any newsboy they came across. It was petty, really, but the brothers didn't care whether they were too old to be doing such things. Besides, they weren't just after the newsies who hawked the headlines these days. They went after the former newsies, the ones who were around when the brothers worked for The World and Jack was one of them.
"I feel like playing," Oscar sneered, brandishing a knife that had seen better days. He flicked his chin to behind Jack and Les. "How 'bout you, Morris?"
A sickening crack answered him and out of the shadows sauntered Morris Delancey fitted with brass knuckles. "I say yeah."
Jack pushed Les off to the side toward some barrels. They were in an alley and telling Les to run either way would be futile. Oscar stepped foward, an arrogant swagger about him. "When we're through with you, Kelly, we'll have some fun with the kid." He suddenly lunged at Jack, but the taller man jumped to the side, catching Oscar's wrist and twisting it. Oscar growled painfully, and the knife clattered to the ground. Jack shoved Oscar to the ground, but found himself sprawled on his stomach a second later. He sucked in sharply, feeling somethnig like a razor poke his skin. It was the handle of Oscar's knife jabbing him in the stomach.
"You're gonna get it this time, Cowboy!" he heard Morris say over him.
Jack flipped onto his back, grabbing the knife as he did. Morris landed a shoed heel into Jack's face, laughing dumbly.
"Crack his dome, Morris!" yelled Oscar from behind them.
Les learned a long time ago not to interfere. He huddled between two barrels, frozen by the violence of the fight. The Delanceys had pulled brass knuckles out on them before, but never a knife.
Jack kicked out, pushing Morris backwards a few steps. He regained his balence and lunged at Jack, brass knuckles raised for a blow. In that moment, every persons' life in that alley changed forever. A sickening gurgle emetted from the back of Morris' throat. He collapsed in a heep in front of Jack, the old knife potruding from his belly.
Time stood still, and Les couldn't take his eyes off the scene. Jack was standing now, breathing raggedly and staring at Morris' limp form. An agonizing cry echoed horrifyingly through the alley as Oscar threw himself to his knees. He rolled his brother over, talking to him in frantic words.
A hand clamped on Les' shoulder, and the boy jumped, eyes wide in shock. "Les, get out of here!" Jack pulled the boy to his feet by the collar. "Go home! Now!" With a push on the back, Les stumbled blindly out the alley.
Everyone knew he had been with Jack that night, but when asked about it, Les didn't speak a word of what happened. He knew Jack would do anything to protect him, but he never knew it would go that far. Morris Delancey was dead, and Francis Sullivan was in prison for it.
Jack was still his hero, but Les wished at times that he wasn't. Jack wouldn't be in jail for protecting him then Les wouldn't have to live with the fact that Jack went to jail for him.
Innocent eyes weren't so innocent anymore.