Author's Note: So, the other day, I was just going through my day like any normal person would (not that I'm normal) and, out of nowhere, the image of a ton of Newsies crammed into a kitchen baking a cake popped into my head and four days later, this was completed! I know it's not the greatest, but I'm just happy to exists.

I hope you enjoy! Please leave a review if you liked it! :)

Thanks for reading!

Disclaimer: (I always forget to add these) If owned Newsies, I'd be famous. And, if I were famous, the world would be my erster. But, I don't own Newsies, so sadly, I suppose the world isn't my erster.

"Miss Pulitzer?"

Katherine looked up from her typewriter and saw Hannah standing in the doorway. "Yes?"

"I have a note for you," Hannah said, unfolding the crumpled piece of paper. " doesn't say much, and it's kind of...vague."

Katherine raised her eyebrow. "Who is it from?"

"I'm not sure," Hannah answered, handing Katherine the note. "It was left on the porch with no one there. It was signed...Crutchie, I believe."

Katherine nodded, a smile playing on her lips. "Alright. Thank you, Hannah."

Hannah gave the young journalist a smile before walking out.

Katherine set the note on her desk and read it. In careful yet shaky handwriting it read,

Katherine,

Intense baking session for Jack. Meet at the Jacobs'.

-Crutchie

She re-read it a few times, trying to make sense of it. "Intense baking session..." She whispered to herself. Finally, she shrugged and decided it was best to just go where she was told.

Katherine arrived at the Jacobs' household no more than thirty minutes later, with the note in her pocket. She knocked on the door, and, as she waited, she hoped that she had the right place; she'd only been there once before.

The door was answered by a frazzled-looking Specs who had flour smeared on his glasses. "Katherine's here!" He shouted over his shoulder.

"You've got a little..." Katherine trailed off and motioned towards her eyes.

"Yeah, I know," Specs sighed.

"Katherine!" Davey rushed in from the kitchen and pulled her in. "Thank goodness you're here! This is a mess."

"Yeah, what exactly is 'this?'" She asked as Davey dragged her towards the kitchen.

"It's an intense baking session," Davey said. "Okay, you know it's Jack's birthday, right?"

Katherine nodded.

"Well, we're throwing a surprise party for him, and, um," Davey took in a sharp breath and swung open the kitchen door. "It isn't pretty. Turns out Newsies aren't great at cake-baking."

Through the doorway was a small kitchen crammed with Newsies. In one corner was Crutchie stirring something and also covered in flour, and in another corner were Race and Romeo, each with an egg on their head. Mush was by the sink, rinsing off a plate, Les was standing on the counter, and in the center of it all was Sarah, looking very stressed (and wearing a chocolate-covered dress.)

Katherine blinked as she took this all in. "Um...wow. This is...intense."

Davey nodded and pulled Sarah up to the door. "Yeah. Um, this is Sarah, my sister. Sarah, this is Katherine."

Sarah offered a tired smile and held out her hand. "Hi, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise," Katherine grinned and shook Sarah's hand.

"Hopefully, you know something about baking?" Sarah asked anxiously. "Maybe I won't be the only one here with an idea of what to do." She sniffed and whirled around. "Racetrack Higgins, you'd better not be trying to light a cigar inside the house again!"

Race quickly tossed his cigar out the window. "I've no clue what you're talkin' about, Miss Jacobs." He smirked.

Sarah sighed and turned back around. "Sorry about that."

"I can't say I've baked too much in the past," Katherine said, remembering the burnt gingerbread cookies she'd made for Christmas at age twelve. "But, perhaps, I could help you get them in order."

"Hey, what are you pointin' at us for?" Romeo asked, feigning offence. "We's been angels!"

Sarah rolled her eyes and ignored him. "We've already baked two cakes, and the first one went downhill after someone forgot to take the cake out of the oven on time like I'd asked."

"Hey, I was preoccupied!" Davey exclaimed. "The egg-throwing fight had just spiraled out of control, and somebody had to stop it!"

"Well, I'll give you that," Sarah sighed. "Anyway, after that, I was taking our second attempt out of the oven when a sugar-high Les did a cannonball off the counter and ran right into me, hence the chocolate-covered dress."

Katherine nodded, stifling a laugh. "Well, that all sounds interesting. But, hey, third time's the charm, right?"

Just then, a crash came from the kitchen and someone shouted, "Les!" A moment later, Crutchie came up behind Sarah and said, "We're gonna need a new bowl."

Sarah rolled her eyes again and glanced at Crutchie. "Is anyone hurt?"

"Les scraped his knee, but he doesn't seem to be bothered by it." Crutchie responded.

Sarah let out a breath and looked back at Katherine. "We'll see if third time's the charm. Now, I've got a broken bowl and a ten year old to clean up." With that, she headed towards the mess.

Katherine chuckled and looked at Crutchie. "This is something, all right."

"Sure is," Crutchie grinned. "There's been two separate food fights involving both eggs and flour."

Katherine laughed and shook her head. "Tell me, though," She said with a smile. "How have you managed to keep Cowboy away from all of this without him knowing something's up?"

"Medda's got him...preoccupied." Crutchie replied.

Jack sighed and set his paintbrush down. Wiping the sweat off his brow, he called, "Hey, Medda, how's this? I added more trees, like you asked, and touched up the grass."

Medda walked over to where Jack was standing in front of an incredibly detailed backdrop of a forest. She glanced out the window, hoping for a Newsie to be standing there with a signal. Since there wasn't, she looked back at the painting. "It looks great, Jack, wonderful," She said. "But, um...would you mind adding birds? And maybe a river?"

Jack sighed and shook his head. "Medda, could I do it tomorrow? Don't get me wrong, I love doin' this for you, but, I been at this for hours! I don't think I's ever spent this much time on one backdrop, and the boys is probably wonderin' where I am. It's nearly suppertime!"

"Oh, Jack, it shouldn't take long," She said, glancing at the window again. "I promise, I'll let you go after you paint the birds."

Jack put his head in his hands. "I guess if it's for you."

"Aww, you sweet boy," Medda grinned, patting him on the back.

Jack picked up his paints and began painting the requested birds. After a moment of silence, he asked, "Hey, quick question. Is there anything... big happenin' today?"

"What do you mean?" Medda questioned.

"Oh, I dunno," Jack said with a shrug. "I just felt like maybe there was a holiday or some kinda event goin' on today, but I could be wrong."

Medda frowned and shook her head. "Not that I know of." She lied.

"Yeah," Jack looked down and sighed. "That's what I thought."

An hour had passed at the Jacobs' household and, while the cake had successfully made it the oven, things still weren't looking great. Les had snuck some more sugar, and his sugar rush seemed to have gotten twice as strong, while yet another food fight had broken out between the older boys. No one was really sure how it started. All anyone knew was that they'd split into teams this time, with Race and Mush as Team Captains.

And, at this point, Katherine was at her wits' end. After having been tackled by Les, had multiple eggs and clumps of brown sugar thrown at her, and had had to confiscate Race's cigars, she no longer found the whole concept funny.

Finally, Katherine stepped up onto the dining room table and shouted, "HEY!"

Everyone turned their attention to the journalist on the table. Sarah put her head in her hands and muttered, "Mom's gonna kill us, David."

"Yeah, I know," Davey muttered back with a sigh.

"Listen up, boys!" Katherine commanded. "Mush, give Race his shoe back. Specs, clean your glasses, it's getting ridiculous. Les, step away from the sugar, and Romeo, stop flirting with Sarah. It isn't going anywhere,kid. Now, is this what I should expect from the Kings of New York?! Running around the kitchen like animals?!"

"Yes," Race mumbled.

Katherine shot him a glare. "No! Guys, come on! You guys can successfully lead a strike all across New York against one of the biggest newspapers in the nation, but you can't throw a surprise party?"

"Yes," Crutchie mumbled this time.

Katherine gave a determined smile. "No, we're going to get organized, and we are going to make this party so great, it'll be newsworthy! Now, the cake is baking, but you can't have a cake without frosting! Crutchie, Specs, you guys are in charge of frosting making. Sarah can help you, since she's the only one here who knows what she's doing with this cake. Race, Romeo and Mush, you guys are in charge of decorations. Can I trust you guys with balloons?"

Race and Romeo each shrugged. "Maybe." Race said.

"It's your mistake," Romeo giggled.

Katherine hesitated and said, "Good enough. Les and I will wrap presents and Davey, you can head down to Medda's, and give her the signal. Pick up Jack and bring him here."

"But, what if I get there early?" Davey asked.

"Take the longest route there that you possibly can," Katherine answered. "Stall, walk really slowly, do whatever if takes, just in case.

"Now," She commanded the room. "Are you going to throw a party like boys, or are you going to throw a party like men?"

"Men!" The Newsies shouted.

Katherine grinned. "That's what I thought."

Davey leaned over to his sister and whispered, "I told you she'd help."

"Now," Katherine looked at the crowd of Newsies. "Let's go!"

Jack painted on the last wing of the last bird and grinned with triumph. "There we go," He said to himself. Then, he called, "Hey, Medda, check this out! I finished the birds!"

Medda walked in, but instead of looking at the backdrop, she kept looking at the window. A Newsie still hadn't arrived with the signal, and it was starting to get dark outside.

"Am I done?" Asked Jack hopefully.

Medda surveyed the painting. It was complete, of course. But, still, it wasn't time. "This looks fantastic, Jack," Medda said honestly. "If you could just add a-"

Suddenly, there was a tapping at the window. The artist and singer both turned to see a blushing and sweating newsboy knocking on the window furiously.

"Davey?" Jack asked, squinting.

Medda sighed and mumbled, "It's about time." Then, louder, she said, "You know what? You don't need to add a thing. It's perfect, Jack, perfect! Now, you really should get going, it is getting real late." With that, she led a thoroughly confused Jack Kelly out of the theater.

"Alright, then," Jack muttered, opening the door. Then, to Davey, he said, "What was that about?"

"Erm, the door was locked," Davey replied sheepishly.

"Well, thank you so, so much," Medda smiled, patting Jack on the back. "You were a real big help."

"It's my pleasure, Miss Medda," Jack said with a tone of unsureness.

As Jack walked out, Medda leaned over to Davey and whispered, "Some signal!"

"Well, we should have discussed it beforehand!" He whispered back. "I didn't know what to do!"

"Why didn't you just come in?" Medda asked sharply, still whispering.

Davey sighed. "Because, I was supposed to give a signal."

"Crutchie, stop eating the frosting."

"I'm not eatin' the frostin'! Specs, did you see me eat the frostin'?"

"No."

"See, Sarah?"

"Then, how did it get on your nose?"

"Oh...that's strange. Gee, I really do wonder how on Earth frostin' got on my-"

"Crutchie."

"Yeah, okay, I'll stop eatin' the frostin'."

Jack and Davey walked through the streets of Manhattan in the setting sun. Davey was fiddling with his hands nervously as he walked. "So," He said, turning to Jack. "I haven't seen you all day! How was your day?"

"Oh, you know," Jack sighed, putting his hands in his pockets. "The usual. Nothin' special. Now, uh, you wanna tell me why you and Medda was actin' so weird?"

"What?" Davey let out a high chuckle. "We weren't acting weird! What are you talking about?"

"Well, for one thing, Medda kept me there all day 'til you showed up at the window, poundin' it like a dork," Jack smirked.

"Hey!" Davey shoved Jack with an embarrassed grin.

Jack laughed and shoved him back. "Seriously, though," He said, still laughing. "What was that about?"

"The door was locked, I told you!" Davey exclaimed. "I was just trying to get her attention!"

Jack looked Davey straight in the eye. "So, the fact that Medda had me keep addin' stuff to that backdrop and that she didn't let me go 'til you came around has nothin' do with each other?"

Davey stared Jack right back in the eye. He'd never been a great liar (quite frankly, he was awful at lying), but he knew that now, he was either going to make it or break it here. I'm gonna make it. Davey thought. Then, keeping his voice as steady as possible, he answered, "Nope."

Jack nodded, his face falling a bit. "Alright, then."

Davey nodded, too. "So, Jack," He said, scratching the back of his head. "Do you want to come over to my house for dinner maybe?"

"I was plannin' on headin' up to my penthouse," Jack replied, glancing in the direction of the Lodging House. "I just need some air."

Davey felt panic rise through his chest. "But," He stammered. "You've been gone all day!"

Jack glanced at Davey, eyebrow raised. "Look, maybe another time. I'm tired tonight."

Davey bit his lip. "Please?" He asked pathetically.

Jack shook his head. "Davey, what the heck has gotten into to you?"

"Nothing!" Davey answered quickly. "You just seemed a little...set off, like something was wrong. I was just trying to help out."

Jack sighed. "Alright, I guess I am a bit set off," He confessed, much to Davey's relief. "It's kinda childish, I'll admit, but, I guess I'm a bit ticked off that no one remembered my birthday."

Davey feigned surprise the best he could. "Wait, that's today?"

Jack nodded. "Yeah, and, well, I know there's more important things goin' on, and it ain't like I was expectin' gifts or anythin' like that. But, a 'happy birthday' woulda been nice." He said this last part with a frown.

Davey's heart raced. "Well, now you've gotta come for dinner!" He exclaimed, feeling like his good-lying streak was going to break any second. "Think of it as a birthday dinner!"

Jack shook his head. "Nah, you don't have to do that. Besides, how was you supposed to know it was my birthday? It's the other guys I'm ticked at, since, well, we's all known each other for years, and I remember their birthdays."

"Please, Jack?" Davey asked again, his panic at a peak. "We'd be happy to have you."

Jack grinned sheepishly. "I guess so," He obliged. "I ain't stayin' long, though."

Davey let out a huge breath. I just successfully lied. He thought to himself in shock. I guess that's the 'thrill of the theatre' Medda's always talking about.

Suddenly, he looked up and saw just how close they were getting to his home and felt a pit in his stomach. "Uh, Jack," Davey said, the words spilling out of his mouth before he could give them a second thought. "We've gotta pick something up first."

"What's that?" Jack asked.

"Lettuce," Davey answered, almost instinctively.

Jack looked at his friend as if he'd just spoken an alien language. "Lettuce?" He echoed.

Davey nodded, internally cringing. "Yes, we really need lettuce." There was an awkward pause before he added, "Is there a problem with that, Mister Kelly?"

Jack shook his head slowly. "I got nothin' against your lettuce-related needs, Mister Jacobs." He said the last two words as if impersonating the way Davey hadsaid "Mister Kelly."

Davey nodded. "Right then. Let's get some lettuce."

While Jack and Davey were on an epic hunt for lettuce, everyone at the Jacobs' were trying to pull things together. Katherine and Les were wrapping the last of the presents in newspaper, Crutchie, Sarah and Specs were frosting the cake, and Race, Romeo and Mush were decorating, and had somehow managed to only pop 5 balloons.

Tying a bow around Crutchie's present, Katherine smiled and said, "This is all looking quite nice."

"Jack's gonna love it!" Les exclaimed proudly.

"Did we wrap all the gifts?" Katherine asked, surveying the pile of boxes in front of them.

"I think so," Les answered, checking the tags. "Yeah, we did. You know, I think we deserve a bit of frosting for this-"

"Slow down, kid," Katherine chuckled, turning his head away from the direction of the kitchen. "Your brother and sister would kill me if I gave you anymore sugar than you've already had."

"Aw, please?" Les begged, giving her his best puppy-eyes. "I'm not jumping off the counters anymore!"

"And, I'd like to keep it that way," Katherine said, ruffling Les' hair.

Suddenly, they clearly heard footsteps from the end of the hall.

"Wait, is that them?" Katherine asked.

"We ain't finished with the cake!" Crutchie called. "We's only frosted half of it!"

"Our banner only says 'happy birt.'" Mush said flatly.

The footsteps got closer.

"It is them!" Sarah whispered nervously.

"But, the cake-"

"No time, Crutchie!" Katherine exclaimed, running into the kitchen and pushing him, Specs and Sarah out.

"Hey, but the banner-"

"Too bad!" Katherine shouted. "It's too late to go back! Just smile and shout sur-"

The doorknob clicked and turned, and the door opened.

Jack and Davey walked down the hall, Davey holding his lettuce.

"So, Dave, you never said what that lettuce was for," Jack said.

"Um, salad," Davey answered. "Birthday salad."

Jack laughed. "Birthday salad?"

"It-it's a family thing!" Davey stammered. "A Jacobs tradition!"

Jack shook his head and grinned. "Alright, then, I won't judge." Then, he paused and appeared to be listening for something. After a moment, he asked, "Is that shouting?"

Davey took in a sharp breath and listened. There was no denying that there was indeed shouting coming from was indeed Davey's home, and the voice that was shouting was unmistakable.

"It sounds like Katherine," Jack said, raising an eyebrow. "Is she at your place, Davey?"

Davey bit his lip. "No. Must be Sarah. Maybe Les is acting up or something."

Jack listened again and said, "No, that's definitely Kath."

Dave paused in front of his front door. "Well, maybe we should leave them alone," He suggested anxiously. "Give 'em privacy, you know? Let Sarah or Katherine or whoever this...shouting female is sort this out herself."

"We should go in and help," Jack retorted. "Besides, it's your house. Don't you wanna know who this shoutin' female is?"

Before Davey could say another word, Jack turned the doorknob and opened the door.

"Surprise!" Came an immediate shout from Crutchie as he stumbled out of the kitchen. He was followed by Katherine, who shouted "surprise!" angrily. Next came a very surprised Specs, and an equally startled Sarah.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the room, Romeo let a balloon that he was blowing up out of his mouth and it flew across the room, promptly hitting Specs in the face. Mush looked around, shrugged, and held up their not-even-half-finished banner and cried, "Happy Birt, Jack!"

Jack glanced at all of them, taking in the scene. Davey, who looked like he was going to be sick, gave Jack a shaky grin and said, "Surprise?"

Jack looked at Davey, then burst out laughing. Hesitantly, Davey started laughing too, and Crutchie joined in.

Katherine swatted Crutchie lightly. "It isn't funny!" She frowned, her voice cracking. Then, after a pause, busted into laughter herself.

Soon, the whole room was in a fit of laughter.

"'Happy Birt?" Jack asked in between laughs, pointing at Mush. "What is this?"

"What's it look like?" Race questioned, still laughing. "It's a surprise party, you nitwit!"

Suddenly, Les scrambled into the room and shouted, "Wait, did I miss it?!" He made eye contact with Jack and shouted, "Surprise!"

The room burst into even more laughter.

Soon, things calmed down, and now, they were all eating the half-frosted cake. Les had somehow managed to find the bowl with the rest of the frosting, though, and was now just eating straight from that, much to Sarah and Davey's disapproval. Jack, with a cake-covered fork sticking out of his mouth, was unwrapping gifts. His jaw dropped open when he tore the paper off of the one in his hands, and Katherine reached over and caught the fork that fell out of his mouth.

"A new sketchbook?" He asked in awe, turning the book around in his hands. "Who got this?"

Crutchie raised his hand sheepishly. "Sorry, it ain't too big."

"Are you kiddin'?" Jack looked up at Crutchie. "This is amazin'! But, Crutch, how much did you spend on this?"

Crutchie shrugged. "That don't matter. We've all been sellin' extra papes this week to get the money for these things."

Jack smirked. "You didn't have to do this, you know." He motioned at the party around them. "Seriously. All I was expectin' today was a 'happy birthday' from you, not all this."

"But, you deserve more than that," Katherine said, putting her hand on Jack's shoulder.

"Yeah, Jack," Davey agreed. "Look at all the stuff you do for us."

"Plus," Crutchie said. "We're family and this is what families do. They celebrate each other."

Jack smiled. "Thank you, guys. You didn't have to-"

"No, stop it with that," Race cut him off. "We spent forever on this, so stop complainin' and enjoy it."

Jack laughed. "Okay, calm down, I will!"

He opened the rest of the gifts, and soon, things began to settle down. Les finally crashed, and he'd fallen asleep on the couch, leaning on the shoulder of an also-sleeping Race. (Which meant that Romeo and Mush would definitely be using the paints Katherine had gotten for Jack to paint a mustache on Race.)

On the other end of the couch sat Jack with his arm around Katherine. Davey, Crutchie and Sarah sat in the chairs surrounding it, telling Jack all about their first attempts with the cake in detail.

Suddenly, Jack said, "I made the right choice, you know."

"What?" Davey asked.

"I was just thinkin'" Jack continued. "If I woulda gotten on that train a few months ago, how different would things be? We'd be doin' all this 'happy birthday-ing' through letters, and that wouldn't be fun at all." He smiled. "Santa Fe definitely couldn't beat this birthday."