What happened right after and before the ending of the Strike. In those precious moments. Here is my take.
"Now Mr. Kelly would you please send in my daughter."
Pulitzer had one other concession up his sleeve and it had to do with Katherine. Jack smiled as he walked out of the office. A whistle on his lips. They had won, and now it was his job to tell the Newsies of New York what had happened in that gilded office of Pulitzers.
Jack saw Katherine down the hallway and practically sprinted to her side. "Katherine." He called out. "Hold up. Joe. He wants ta see ya. Says he has some final business before calling this strike to a close."
Katherine's eyes darkened as her brows knit together. "What could he want with me right now? What's this about Jack?"
"Look all I's knows is that he asked me to get yous." Jack responded sheepishly.
With a final look to Jack, one that said she didn't think this could possibly end well, she turned on her heel and marched off. Confidently she walked up to those big mahogany doors that she knew all to well. What could he want? What on earth was there still to talk about? Jack was the face of the strike, not her. She had nothing to do with it. Well that wasn't exactly true. She had written about it, supported those boys and it was her suggestion that had finally put an end to all of this. Katherine was just as much a part of this as any of them. Now it was her turn to face her father. All this ran through her head before she placed her hand on the door. Giving it a shove, it yielded for her. She remembered when her mother would bring her into this very office to see her father countless times. Lately, however this same office had been a different sort of place. One that hadn't been very welcoming, again partly due to her. However, she was not going to back down. Katherine had written a darn good article and it was high time her father acknowledged that. Acknowledged that she had talent, like so many others stated. She was going to be King of New York, whether blessed by her father or not.
Standing there in the middle of his office was bringing so much of this up. Her father stood with his back to the door, looking out on Newsie Square. One arm bracing himself on the window frame. She cleared her throat.
"Katherine. I taught you better than that. It's a vulgar sound." He sounded beaten, but there was still that authority in him.
She wasn't about to apologize. Katherine no longer needed to be under his thumb. Although if she really thought about it she did seek his approval. In everything. Katherine look down at her feet, her fingers entwining together. One toe making circles in the carpet. It was as if Pulitzer had been waiting for her to speak.
"You wanted to see me?" At that Pulitzer turned from the window. Back-lit, he folded his arms as he began.
"Yes I did. Before I go down to announce with Mr. Kelly that this strike is over, I have a few concessions for you."
"Concessions? What concessions? Do you mean that I need to do something as well?" Her head shot up. She stayed right where she was as she tried to study her father's features.
"Yes darling. There will be a compromise of our own." He strode over to his desk and sat down. Katherine continued to look uneasy. Whatever his concessions were she didn't think they'd be to much. She knew that she too had to compromise, although she didn't want to.
"Firstly. You will move back home immediately." He gave her a look that said there would be no arguing.
Katherine tried anyway. "Move home? Give up my apartment? My independence? For what? Just so you can turn me into a society girl? We've had this discussion father. That's not the life I want!"
Pulitzer took it all in stride, this outburst of Katherine's was to be expected. It's part of the reason he wanted her to move home in the first place. "That may be. Not the life you choose or want. It's also not the life I'm offering."
Now it was Katherine's turn to give him the look. One of skepticism. Her brows knitting together as her eyes turned into slits. Did she just hear what she thought she heard? Was her father really compromising and not just demanding her to be the good little society girl? No it couldn't be. Not with this man, there was something up. Something else he wanted to control.
"Please sit down." Katherine plopped down, her temper just barely under control.
"I want you to move back home so that you will be under my protection." He stated flatly. It was true. He hopped she saw that. He truly meant everything he was saying to her.
Crossing her arms Katherine replied back. "I've done just fine on my own for this long."
"It's only been a matter of months. However, you and I need to compromise my dear. Your Mr. Kelly taught me that. I can't just go about demanding, especially my family to do things, without conceding something as well. I have an idea. One that I think you will agree to. I will not force you into society, and will hire you on here. In exchange for moving back home you may work here as a full fledged reporter. No flower shows or Vaudeville. A reporter with a regular beat. You've got talent. I wouldn't be a newspaper man if I didn't acknowledge talent when I see it."
Katherine sat in silence listening to the entire speech. Listening intently to every detail. Could she really have heard correctly? She was utter shock! Her father was praising her and offering her a job at The World. One of the biggest newspapers in New York. His newspaper.
Pulitzer continued. "To take this offer and also be a part of ending this insidious strike you must move back home. Will you accept?"
Katherine thought about this for a minute. This was everything she ever dreamed of. Working alongside her father, writing hard hitting news stories. The only concession was moving back home.
Expectorating into her hand she tentatively moved it over the desk.
Pulitzer screwed up his face. "Come now Katherine. Not you too?"
Katherine gave a wry smile. "But of course father."
Sighing "Last time you will ever do this." he raised an eyebrow at her.
"Oh Alright." Katherine said with a laugh. Pulitzer expectorated into his hand and they shook on it.
That night, after the celebration in newsies square. After Jack had kissed her multiple times in front of everyone, Katherine still couldn't sleep. She was to excited. The exuberance of what they had accomplished that day still very much on their hearts and minds. She did eventually tell Jack what she had to compromise with as well. He congratulated her, after all she was the newest reporter for The World. Katherine didn't think it all bad. She was actually thrilled, but tended not to show how much around her father. He had to know of course, but that didn't mean she had to except it all. She playfully moped about the house. Saying how dull and dreary and how she missed living on her own. This was not over yet, not in the least, but it wasn't forever. Katherine didn't mind all that much.
Smiling she drew her blanket closer. The chilly night wind playing with her hair. It lifted it up as soon as she would tuck a stray piece behind her ear. She stared at the moon. A mixture of dreamy expression and thoughtfulness ghosting across her face. Katherine wondered if Jack was looking at the moon as well. She wished he was. A strange feeling over took her and she suddenly knew that as she was looking at the moon and thinking of him, he was doing the exact same thing and thinking of her. The moon could be their way of communicating and it would forever be now in her mind.
"A penny for your thoughts." Joseph had seen his daughter sneek out the front door. Having stayed up late reading by the fireplace in his study.
His words startled her out of reverie.
"Oh nothing and everything." She stated. "Thank you daddy. Thank you for everything. For not being the horrid news editor and for listening to Jack and the other newsies. Thank you for showing them what a leader really does. "
"Couldn't sleep from all the excitement eh?" Pulitzer said with a smile.
"Oh father. You could try the patience of a saint!" She teased.
"That is what your mother is always telling me. Now its time that both of us were in bed."
Sighing back into the dream like state of the night "Just a few more minutes? I'm working out a post story for you for tomorrow." It was true.
Pulitzer shook his head. His daughter was just like him. "Sure, but not to late. You'll never be able to write that article if you don't get sleep."
With that Pulitzer slowly walked back into the house. Finally finished getting ready for bed he laid his head down on his three satin pillows in utter contentment. Katherine was back where she belonged and working for him and the strike ended for the best on both sides. Yes he would sleep soundly tonight.