I don't own Newsies.... But I do own Trouble and Jameson.
This is dedicated to Ally... my fellow loser.
Mush glanced sideways at Trouble. Long time no see. Boy had she gotten pretty. Last time he saw her they were both just south of four and a half feet. Time sure does fly. Her used to be dirty blonde hair was now pure blonde. Must be from all the sun beating on her head all day long. Her hazel eyes hadn't changed much. She had only grown a foot. Although Mush hadn't grown much more than that. A whole two years had gone by and Trouble had managed to become even more beautiful than when she left.
Mush winced every time someone mentioned the day Trouble left. It had been his fault. Jameson, Jack's girlfriend, as of two months ago, and one of his very best friends, tried to tell him it wasn't his fault. But everyone knew it was. It was midsummer. The year was 1887. Mush was out on a date with Trouble. Everything was perfect. It was their one-year anniversary. Actually, they hadn't gone steady for a whole year. They kept falling in and out of love. Anyways, in walks this girl all huffy, obviously something was wrong. She walked right up to Mush and started yelling at him that he had better start helping her with their son or she'd have him killed. Mush, horrified sat there and stared, dumfounded. Trouble on the other hand got up from their table and left so fast Mush didn't have any time to react to either woman. Kid, Jack, Racetrack, and Jameson had been nearby and witnessed the whole thing. They tried to console him. Then, when they realized Trouble wasn't coming back to the table they went out to look for her. No one could find her. Actually, Jack and Jamie found her. But they swore they wouldn't tell a soul where she was going and would keep in touch. Mush was absolutely devastated. And then, come to find out, it wasn't even his kid. It was some kid from Queen's child. Mush swore he would never date another woman after he knew Trouble was gone for good. And he upheld his promise.
And now, two years to the day later, here he is, sitting at a table, at Irving Hall, with Trouble. He hadn't explained what was going on the night she left, but he had some idea that Jameson had done that for him. But he could tell that she was interested in him again. Mush had been out of the dating game for quite some time. Actually he had been quite clean. As Racetrack put it "Jamie's taken over your position as being the one who's got someone in their bed every night. Although it does always seem to be the same person as where you had a different person every night. I think that Jack should just stop paying for a bunk. I mean he does always wind up in Jamie's anyway." At that point Jamie clamped a hand over his mouth. Mush had also stopped drinking and smoking. And now, after two years of abstaining from sex, he was getting antsy. But he didn't want to risk getting back together with Trouble.
Mush contemplated all of this while Trouble droned on about life down in Boston. Just then, as if Jameson, who was always nearby, sensed Mush was troubled, she popped over and asked Mush if she could have a word for a moment. As the two walked to the back of the hall, Jack slid into Mush's' seat to chat with Trouble. Mush snickered as he thought about how Jamie and Jack always worked together to save everybody's ass. "What's going on?" Jamie demanded. "I want to get back together, but I got that itch. And I can't very well try to seduce her now! It's out first date in two years. I want to do this right. I don't want her to slip through my fingers again." Mush explained with a sigh. Jamie thought for a moment. For once she had a lack of ideas. "I'll have a chat with Jack and Race and see what we come up with. That's the best I can offer at the moment. Just don't do anything stupid." Jameson advised. She sauntered back and dragged Jack away from Trouble by the bandana around his neck.
Mush walked back a moment later and continued to talk with Trouble. And he did as Jameson told him. So he stopped worrying about everything and enjoyed just sitting there, shooting the breeze with Trouble. Across the room Jameson and Jack had begun to think of a plan to help Mush, but never finished it. Spot had burst in to tell them that Dave was beaten up two alleys over and he needed some help. Mush would have to fend for himself. Good thing he didn't know it.