(A/N - Welcome to Coming Home! Before we start, I just want to let you know that there will be flashbacks in this story, and they will be all in italics. Thanks for reading, and enjoy!)

Jack's POV

I finished sketching the last political cartoon for the day, and grabbed my hat and coat to head back to the lodge house.

The walk from my office to the lodge house was only three blocks, so it was short, but the biting cold still got to me. Not only did the warm air wash over me when I opened the door to the lodge house, but also the warm feeling of my best friends. No, my brothers.

"Guess who's back?" I announced, walking into the main room. All the boys got up and ran over to me, slapping me on the back. Crutchie even pulled me into a hug.

"Wheres ya been, Jack?" Romeo asked.

"At work, Romeo." I replied. "I saws you this morning."

"Oh. Yeah." He remebered.

"Jack! Jack! Guess what!" Les exclaimed, pushing through the crowd.

"What?" I asked him.

"I sold on hundered papers all by myself today!" He exclaimed, showing me all the money he made.

"Good job, kid." I said, ruffling his hair.

"Les, come on. You need a bath." Davey called from the edge of the room.

"Do I have to?" He complained, not moving from where he was standing.

"Yes." Davey answered, walking over and grabbing him by his hand and leading him away to the bathroom.

Davey's and Les's folks had to move away for work or something about a year ago, but they didn't want to leave, so they moved to the lodge house.

I decided to stay here after I got the job because I couldn't leave the boys. All hell would break loose if I left, anyway.

I scanned the room to see who had already come back for the day. I was usually the last one back, but there were a few missing today.

"Where's Race?" I asked.

"In his room with Spot." Specs smirked.

"Yeah. We's all clear the floor when they's together." Henry joked.

"Those two make enough noise to wake the whole block." Albert snickered.

"I... goodnight." I studdered, running up to the top floor where Crutchie and I share a bunk. I threw my bag down and opened the door to the fire escape, and ran outside. I sunk down the wall to the ground, and watched the sun set. All I could think about was Katherine, and how much I missed her.

"Are you sure you have to go?" I asked her, tears steaming down my face.

"Jack..." She started, but I cut her off with a long, deep kiss. I could taste her tears. She pulled away, and said, "I love you too much to condemn you."

"Then take me with you." I responded instantly.

"Jack, you couldn't leave the other Newsies, and you know it. You would never forgive yourself, or me." She explained for the hundredth time.

"I love you. So much." I said to her.

"And I love you." She said, and pulled me into another kiss. We stood there, frozen in time, until she had to leave. As she pulled away, I could barely contain my sobs. I pulled her into a close embrace, drinking in the scent of her hair one last time. She pulled away and went to the car.

"I'll come back. Someday." She promised before she got in.

"For sure?" I asked.

"For sure." She smiled sadly, and got into the car.

"Jack?" Crutchie asked, pulling me out of my thoughts. I wiped the tears off my face, and stood up. "The boys are wonderin' when dinner is."

"Yeah. Yeah. I'm comin'." I responded.

XXX

Katherine's POV

I put my typewriter in a bag, then I opened my paper drawer and started packing that. I sat down in my desk chair and looked around my tiny apartment. I had been living in Philadelphia for a year now, and all I had in my apartment was a desk, a bed, and a bathroom. I always knew this was temporary, but this was still pathetic. I'm glad to be getting out of here.

I went back to packing my paper with the typewriter when I found an old newspaper at the bottom of the drawer. I pulled it out and unfolded it and saw Jack's drawing of me from two years ago, and memories came crashing over me.

I saw Jack walking down the street towards me, and a ran to him, arms open. He ran to me, beaming, and we crashed into an embrace, and he lifted me up.

When I pulled away, I just smiled at him.

"Guess what?" I said to him.

"What?" He asked.

"I got a promotion!" I exclaimed, and the smile he already wore got wider.

"Congrats, Kat!" He exclaimed, pulling me into a deep kiss. For a moment, the busy New York City street fell away. Then, it all came runshing back when he pulled away.

"Well, there's one more thing." I started. I didn't want to tell him, because once I told him, it would be real, and I would have to face it.

"What is it?" He asked, sensing my reluctance.

"Well... it's in Philadelphia." I said, and his smile disappeared.

"Alright, Katherine. It's ok." I reassured myself, pulling myself out of my memories and going back to my packing. Very soon, it would all be ok.

XXX

Jack's POV

We all sat down to a measly dinner of free stale bread from the local bakery that didn't sell. We were all laughing and talking when there was a knock at the door.

"Who could that be?" Crutchie wonderd our loud. "No one ever knocks."

I got up from my spot on the floor and went to the door, opening it. When I saw who it was, I could only manage one word.

"Katherine?"

(A/N - Thank you for reading my first chapter, and more should be coming very soon! Don't forget to review!)