Hey all! So I know I have several other fan-fics going on right now, and none of them are dead or even dying, I promise! But this idea wouldn't leave me alone, so here it is! I hope it's enjoyed! This is absolutely NOT slash; it's just brotherly love!

Disclaimer: I only own the story line.

~Rosey

His Hero, His Brother

Les Jacobs curled up under his blankets, yawning as night continued to fall. He looked over at Jack Kelly-his hero-who was pulling up a chair to sit next to him. Les's family had gone out to a fancy dinner that night, but Les had a cold and had to stay home. Jack offered to watch Les while the Jacobs were out, and Les was thrilled. A whole afternoon with his idol! The near-ten-year-old had waited anxiously all day until Jack finally showed up around seven in the evening. Now, after an evening full of fun with his seventeen-year-old hero, Les was exhausted, but refused to fall asleep yet.

"I've had a great time with you today, Jack!" Les beamed as Jack took a seat by him.

"Me too, kid," Jack grinned, pushing his own hair out from his eyes.

"I wish you didn't have to leave," Les pouted. "I wish you were my real big brother, just like Davy!"

"Nah, I wouldn't be a good big brother," Jack gave a slight crooked smile and shrug. "Not like Dave."

Les's eyes grew wide and he shook his head. "Nuh-uh, Jack. You are already like a brother to me!"

Jack chuckled, but almost darkly.

"You are!" Les insisted, sitting up straighter and looking at Jack earnestly. "I love Davy, but you're, like, the second best big brother in the world!"

Jack sighed and shook his head, his confident expression flickering. "No, I'm not."

"Are too!" Les playfully threw his pillow at Jack. The older boy caught it, but just held on to it, not throwing it back. That's when Les noticed the look on Jack's face...a look of pain and sorrow and a little anger...A look Les had never seen on his hero's face before.

"Jack? You okay?" Les asked gently, his playful insistence turning instantly to worry.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm okay, kid," Jack forced a smile.

"Are you sure?" Les squirmed over closer to Jack, looking at him anxiously.

"Yeah," Jack nodded. But Les hardly failed to notice how the older boy was now holding the pillow closer, almost like an embrace or defense mechanism. Or both.

"You're lying," Les decided, crossing his arms.

"Improvin' da truth," Jack chuckled slightly, looking at Les from the side of his face.

"So what's wrong?" Les demanded in a pleading tone.

"It's a long story," Jack gave in, resting his chin on the top of the pillow.

"I'm listening."

FLASHBACK

Francis Sullivan raced through the streets of Manhattan, his heart pounding. He swerved around a corner and then turned, waiting for his little brother to catch up. Not two seconds later, Andrew Sullivan appeared beside his older brother, panting heavily. Andy was eight, Francis was eleven, but they looked so similar one might think they were twins. And, indeed, they were so close they might as well have been.

"Why are we runnin' from Daddy, Frankie?" Andy asked breathlessly, looking up at Francis.

"He doesn't love us anymore now dat Mama's gone," Francis replied, trying to keep the pain out of his voice. "So now it's just gonna be us."

"Like an adventure!" Andy cheered, suddenly much happier.

"Yeah," Francis nodded. "Like an adventure."

"Where we goin'?" the younger boy asked as they began walking again.

"Santa Fe," Francis replied, tightening the red bandanna his mom gave him around his own neck.

"Dat's a long ways away, Frankie," Andy stopped in his tracks, putting his hands on his hips.

"We'll ride a train dere," Francis went on, walking slightly ahead of his little brother.

"How we gonna get the ticket?"

"Buy it."

"How?"

Francis stopped and then sighed. Okay, so maybe he wasn't the best at thinking a plan all the way through. But he was good at making up plans on the spot, and he turned to Andy with a smile. "Become newsies!"

"But we wouldn't be able ta make all that money over night!" Andy pouted. "It would take months! Longer even!"

Francis sighed and crossed his arms. "Fine. I'll tink of somethin' bettah. But in the mean time, I'm starvin'. Let's get some food."

"Where from?" Andy asked, even though he was up for any plan for food at the moment. His stomach was growling almost as loud as his older brother's.

"We're gonna hafta steal it," Francis replied.

Andy gasped. "But it's wrong to steal!"

"It's also wrong to starve," Francis rose an eyebrow. "Come on."

So, dragging a reluctant Andrew behind him, Francis approached a food vendor.

END FLASHBACK

"It was my foist time to steal anythin', so they caught us real fast," Jack mumbled to Les, who was watching him with wide eyes. "Me and Andy ran away as fast as we could, but I knew dey was gonna catch me. So I told Andy ta hide and then I let myself get caught so he wouldn't be. I was in da refuge for a long time before I managed ta escape, and when I did I looked for Andy everywhere but I couldn't find him. I looked for him for five months before I became a newsie. I still look for him sometimes, but I know he's gone. Ain't never gonna see him again." Jack's voice trailed off and he held the pillow close to him, as if it was Andy himself. "If I hadn't left him...If I hadn't made him run away with me...If I hadn't stolen dat food...Maybe we wouldn't have been seperated."

Les blinked before shaking his head. "You let yourself get caught so he wouldn't be. You were stealing the food for him. You saved him from your father. You were a wonderful big brother and still are," Les mumbled, reaching out a tiny hand and putting it on Jack's shoulder

Jack cocked a smile before ruffling Les's hair. "Whatever you say, kid. Now get some sleep. Your parents would kill me if dey knew how late I let ya stay up."

Les nodded and squirmed under his covers, smiling as Jack brought them up to his chin. "I don't care what you say, Jack. You're my big brother and I love you."

Jack was silent for a moment before ruffling Les's hair again and smiling, this time for real. "Love you too, kid."

"Jack?"

"Yeah?"

"If you and Sarah got married, you'd be my real big brother."

Jack chuckled and turned out the light, leaning back against the wall. "You're right."

"So make a move already."

Jack laughed hard before sitting back by Les's bedside, his hands on his knees. "I'm glad we got your blessing, kid."

Les yawned again, blinking into sleep. "Good night, big brother."

Jack paused before smiling slightly. "Night, little brother."

And, as Les fell asleep, Jack knew he had finally found Andy.

Well? What do you think? Please, please tell me in a

REVIEW!

Seize the day!

~Rosey