Disclaimer: I do not own Newsies, or any of the characters. Just taking them for a short ride for my enjoyment.
A/N: hope everybody enjoys this short little one-shot. This is how I think the conversation between Jack and the governor could have gone.
Jack Kelly the seventeen year old Newsie strike leader stepped into Governor Theodore Roosevelt's carriage. This was the second time he had ridden in the governor's carriage, though the first time that he actually rode inside the carriage and his presence was known. Standing up in the seat, Jack held his hands up like a champion boxer, waving goodbye to the Newsies, and the crowd.
Once seated Teddy Roosevelt asked him, "Where would you like to go, son? Jack looked at the governor and as politely as a Newsie could, said, "The train station sir." "Where do plan on going once there?" Mr. Roosevelt asked. "Santa Fe sir," Jack responded, his cowboy hat in his hands. The governor looked over at the young man who had brought the city to a standstill, "Why do you want to go to Santa Fe, do you have family there?"
Jack looked at the governor, he had always told people his parents were there but that was a lie, so for once Jack told the governor the truth, "No sir, I don't have any family. I have always dreamed of going to Santa Fe, I want to be a real cowboy." The governor smiled at the boy, "So you are going to leave everything you have ever known behind, to go to a strange place where you have no family, have no friends, and have no idea how you will survive?"
"I've never needed no one before; I ain't never had a family. So what's it matter if I go?" Jack asked defiantly. "There is nothing wrong with following your dreams Jack. What is wrong is leaving unfinished business behind. These Newsies count on you. You're their leader, their friend. You do have a family Jack, it's those boys you left behind, and they need you."
Jack stared at the important man sitting in front of him, "So you're saying, that I'm important to me boys, that I've got to take care of them cause they depend on me cause they is my family?" The governor just nodded, Jack nodded back, Mr. Roosevelt told the driver to take them back to the distribution center.
When the crowd saw them coming back, a cheer went up. The Newsies cheering the loudest, Jack stood up and grab his bag, "Thanks for the advice sir, you're right, I've still got business to do here, and besides my family's here." Jack shook the governor's hand and hopped out of the carriage. Working his way through the crowd he made it to David, "So how's the headline." "Headlines don't sell papes, Newsies sell papes." David said, before spitting in his hand and holding it out to Jack. The two shake, Les comes running and wraps himself around Jack's legs. Then at last Sarah had finally pushed her way through the crowd. Jack smiled at her before pulling her to him and kisses her. The Newsies all catcalling and whistling. Together with his family Jack Kelly walked away to sell his papes.