Disclaimer: I do not own Newsies. I also do not own the song "Don't Do Sadness" from Spring Awakening, Duncan Sheik owns it.
Don't Do Sadness
"Come on, Dave... you gotta get out of your house." Jack said, pushing David towards the window.
"Fine.." David finally agreed.
The two boys traveled down to the bottom of the fire escape and headed towards the lodging house. David stopped as soon as they got to the front of the building and stared at it.
"Come on, David." Jack said, gently grabbing his arm and tugging him into the building.
David reluctantly went in. This was one of the last places he wanted to be. After everything that had happened he didn't want to remember anything. He just wanted to be left alone in his own sadness and depression for the rest of his life.
Awful sweet to be a little butterfly
Just wingin' over things and nothin' deep inside
Nothin' goin', goin' wild in you, you know
You're slowin' by the riverside or floatin' high and blue
In the lodging house, the boys greeted David as normal as they could. Usually David was making his rounds with everyone. But ever since that horrible day, he changed.
And it wasn't for the better. Happy-go-lucky David barely left his house anymore. He couldn't bear to go to the places he loved so much. It brought him sorrow and too many memories.
David went straight over to a window and looked out at New York. He hadn't done that in a while and he looked happy; he was anything but.
"So, how is he, Jack?" Mush asked.
"I don't know... he seemed to be gettin' better but den he just spiraled." Jack answered, crossing his arms over his chest.
None of the boys knew what to do. They had always gone to David with their problems and he helped them solve said problems the best he could. But all of the problems the boys had didn't even come close to David's.
Or maybe cool to be a little summer wind
Like once through everything and then away again
With the taste of dust in your mouth all day but no need to know
Like sadness, you just sail away
flashback
"Hey Davey!"
David turned around to see Blink, Mush, and Race running towards him.
"Hey guys. Done selling?" He asked, as the three amigos joined him.
"Yeah, and boy was it hot." Race complained, as they started walking towards Tibby's.
Mush rolled his eyes, "It's only because you're wearin' five layers of clothes."
"Is it my fault dat I can't help how attractive I am." Race said.
"An' just how attractive is that?" Blink asked, standing next to David.
Race leaned over and hit Blink in the back of the head and they went into Tibby's laughing.
Later that day,
"Hey, why are ya up here all by yourself?" Blink asked.
"I dunno... just didn't feel like watching Jack lose to Race again." David said. "You wanna sit down?"
Blink sat down next to David and they watched the sun go down below the horizon.
"David, I have to tell you something."
"Okay, I'm listening." David said, turning to face him.
They sat in silence for a few moments until Blink leaned over and kissed David's lips. It was brief, but still so sweet.
"I thought you said you had something to tell me." David said, a little stunned.
"I did... but I couldn't think of a good way to word it... so I ended up doing that." Blink said, smiling sheepishly.
David smiled and scooted closer to Blink, who wrapped his arm around him.
'Cause ya know, I don't do sadness
Not even a little bit
Just don't need them in my life
Don't want any part of it
A few hours later, David had joined the boys who were talking about the strike.. again. David mentally laughed because they always talked about the strike. Even though it had been over and done with for a while now, they still talked about it like it just happened a few hours ago.
"And do you remember when Blink took down dat police man..." Snipeshooter said.
All of the newsies looked at him and then to David. David didn't have any emotion on his face, which was scaring some of them. They remember the day that Blink had died. David cried for days and days and none of them knew how to cheer him up. Blink was always the one that would help David when he was sad or depressed.
They continued to look at David until he coughed trying to hold back tears. He really didn't know how he could be crying because he was surprised he still had tears left. He missed Blink so much and he didn't know what to do about it.
I don't do sadness
Hey I've done my time lookin' back on it all, man it blows my mind
I don't do sadness, so been there
Don't do sadness, just don't care
flashback
David was in his kitchen washing the dishes when he heard the guys yelling for him. He set the plate he was cleaning back in the soapy water and walked over to the window. e had been thinking about meeting Blink later and was sort of in a love sick daze... which was probably why the dishes weren't their usual David type clean.
He looked down at the guys smiling. But they were far from smiling. They looked frantic and huffing trying to catch their breath.
"David.. come on... it's Blink.. hurry!" Skittery managed between gasps.
"What about him?" David asked, oblivious.
"He's.. he's.." Mush said.
"He's okay isn't he?" David asked, coming back to reality.
The boys didn't answer him; they just stared up at him, still huffing. David ran down the fire escape and joined the boys on the street.
"He's in an alley down by de lodgin' house." Race said.
"Jack stayed wit' him, but it's not lookin' so good. We gotta hurry." Spot said, starting to run in the direction of the lodging house.
All of the boys followed him, David praying that Blink was okay. He didn't know what he would without him. He couldn't even begin to think about life without Blink.
When they got to the alley, they saw Jack and the whole newsie crew huddled around in a circle. David ran over and burst through everyone until he stopped at the sight of Blink. He was lying on the ground, bloody and bruised.
Jack looked up at David mournfully, "He's still with us Dave, but he was beat real bad... and it looks like someone took a club to him... I don't think he can hold on much longer..."
David fell to his knees beside Blink, tears falling from his eyes.
"Blink... Blink..." David said, taking Blink's hand and shaking it gently.
"Hey Davey..." Blink managed, coughing violently.
David watched in horror as blood came up with each cough. He couldn't think of who would do this.. or who could do this.. it just wasn't right.
"Hey... do you know who did this to you? Did you see them?" David asked, rubbing Blink's hand with his thumb.
"I saw.. Morris, I think... and maybe Oscar... and there were a few more.." He whispered.
"Blink don't leave me.. please don't leave me." David sobbed.
Blink's right hand came to rest on David's cheek. "Hey, it's gonna be okay. You're gonna be okay." Blink said.
"No I'm not, I can't live without you.. please just don't leave me!" David cried, tears falling onto Blink's hand.
"Just remember, that I love you... and I'll always be here." Blink said.
"I love you too, Blink.. so much." David said, watching the smiled fade from Blink's face.
He watched as his uncovered eyelid closed and he felt Blink's hand fall from his face and land on his leg. He looked on as Blink too his last breath.
David started to cry and fell on top of Blink. He was sobbing uncontrollably repeating the words, "No... please no..." The newsies gazed on with tear stained cheeks. Everyone lost a good friend that day, but David lost something more.
So maybe I should be some kind of laundry line
Hang their things on me
And I will swing 'em dry
You just wave in the sun through the after noon and then see
They come to set you free, beneath the rising moon
All of the boys stared at David, waiting for him to react.
"It's okay guys." David finally said.
"Dave.. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought that up." Mush said, looking down at his feet.
"It's alright. It was brave of him though.. to try and.. save Jack..." David said, before he started crying.
Jack got up and patted David's back. "It's okay Dave.."
"I miss him guys, so much. Sometimes I can't stand it and I just..." David trailed off.
"David, just don't do anything stupid okay. We're all worried about you." Spot said, resting his hand on David's shoulder.
David just shook his head and sat in silence.
'Cause ya know, I don't do sadness
Not even a little bit
Just don't need it my life
Don't want any part of it
David walked home by himself. He didn't want anyone to escort him even though they fought and fought with him about it. He just wanted to be left alone. It had only been three weeks since Blink had been gone and he couldn't bear it. He just got so frustrated with everything and he didn't have anyone to tell him that it was going to be all right and that he was loved.
When David got home, he checked all of the rooms and found that no one was there. He did find a note on the table saying that they had all gone out for dinner and would bring him something back. He smiled at his family's kindness but realized they didn't need to bother bringing him anything back.
He walked into his room and shut the door. He got into his dresser and pulled out a pistol. He remembered when Jack gave it to him to hold onto because Kloppman would find it and wouldn't let him keep it.
He held onto the gun firmly in his left hand and dug deeper into his clothes and found Blink's eye patch. He smiled as he held it in his right hand, caressing the rough material with his thumb.
As he stood in the middle of his room he remembered the first time he met Blink, their first kiss, the great times they had together and the last time he saw him. He was smiling a sad smile as he brought the gun up to his mouth. He looked at it for second and then stuck it in his mouth and pulled the trigger.
I don't do sadness
Hey I've done my time lookin' back on it all, man it blows my mind
I don't do sadness, so been there
Don't do sadness, just don't care