Disclaimer: I don't only any of the characters used in this story EXCEPT for Diablo. The rest belong to Disney.

The lyrics belong to Jet. The song is called "Fool Of Everyone".

Take my photo off the wall
If it just won't sing for you

Jack took the crumpled newspaper in his hand, caressing his fingers over the crinkled photo and article.

"Why do you care, Jack?" David asked as he saw Jack grieving.

"Because I loved her, Davey…" Jack said blankly.

"What? What are you talking about?"

"I loved her."

"Jack…Come on, what about Sarah?"

"I…I don't know…"

"You're sick…You're worse than a scab, you know that? You fell in love with a prostitute, Jack!"

"What's ya point, Davey? Love don't care about crime or nothing. It don't have boundaries…"

"Thank God she's dead…"

Jack whirled around to face David, placing his hands on friend's shoulders. His thumb was pressed uncomfortably against David's collarbone. A non verbal threat.

"Love don't care about death either…And it sure as hell don't care about the opinion of a queer," Jack growled as he shoved David against a wall. He moved his thumb so it slightly pierced his windpipe. "So keep ya biased thoughts ta yaself, and get the hell outta my life, ya got it?"

David's upper lip twitched, his face snarling.

"Did ya hear me, Dave?"

"I heard you…"

"Then leave."

Jack released the pressure he had put on David's body and took a step back. David stared at him, looking startled.

"What's the matta! Leave!"

David started to go, but turned to look at Jack.

"You know, I thought you were different. I thought you actually cared about my family…About…me…"

His hand inched towards Jack's face. Disgusted, Jack swatted it away.

"Get outta here, ya gay shit!"

'Cause all that's left has gone away
And there's nothing there for you to prove

The train's smoke smothered the rays of the sun when Jack arrived at the tracks. He watched as people boarded the train for Santa Fe, careless and happy. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. His ticket was damp from the sweat on his palms.

"Are you going now, Jack?"

"Yeah…Sarah…I am…Look, I'm…I'm sorry about all the trouble I've caused."

"I…don't go…Please," she pleaded.

Jack glanced at Sarah. She looked exhausted and overwhelmed.

"Sarah, I gotta go…" Jack answered.

"Jack…I need you…"

"No, ya don't. Ya don't need a cheata. Ya need someone who'll treat ya right. Not me."

"But I love you, Jack…"

Jack didn't respond and took a few steps closer to the train, without looking at Sarah. He knew her begging face would pull him back, like a magnet. So, with a lethargic-apathetic attitude, Jack stepped onto the train that would alleviate his problems.

"Santa Fe, my escape

Can you shape the life I'm livin?

Can you let me be forgivin by 'em all?

You're the only thing that's real

You're the one breakin' my fall

So help me out

And sure as hell, with no doubt

I'll know what life's about…"

Oh, look what you've done
You've made a fool of everyone

"Jack…"

"What Blink?"

"This story. This story bumped us ta the second page!"

"What?"

"Read it!"

Kid Blink tossed the paper at Jack.

"Young prostitute dies during illegal drug trade…" Jack whispered; his voice cracking.

"Ya knew her, didn't ya, Cowboy!" Racetrack asked angrily.

"Race…" Jack breathed.

"Aw God! It's true then, ain't it!" Boots shouted.

"Boots…Listen ta me for a sec…" Jack said.

"Ya hear that, guys? Jack told Boots ta listen ta 'im…" Mush's usual light-hearted tone had changed.

"Mush!" Jack barked.

"Jack; ya just…Drugs, Jack? Come on…" Skittery muttered.

Oh well, it seems like such fun
Until you lose what you had won

"Oh…Jack…" Diablo muttered.

"Mmm?"

"Don't stop…"

"Oh God…"

"Jack…"

"Diablo…"

Their words echoed through the alleys, bouncing off the walls of apartments and becoming tangled in clotheslines. If Jack's libido wasn't so strong, he might have actually thought about Sarah. If he wasn't so potent he might have thought about the other newsies.

"Jack…"

But Jack didn't think. His mind was buzzing from the ecstasy of Diablo's tongue in his mouth, her hand on his chest, her legs straddling him. There wasn't time for thinking, which would just ruin the fun. Ruin the sex.

When the two finally finished, they sat, panting.

"Jack, we gotta talk…" Diablo announced suddenly.

Jack's mind was still blurry from the intensity of the climax.

"Wh-what?" he slurred.

"We gotta talk."

"Oh…Uh huh?"

"I've let you go without paying me for two weeks now…"

Jack squeezed his eyes shut and re-opened them. He didn't have the money.

"You don't have to pay me or anything, Jack. I like you. A lot. But you've been my only customer for awhile now…"

"Yeah?"

"I don't have much money Jack…"

"Oh…"

"But I have…prescriptions…"

"What?"

"Drugs. I can sell them and all, but you gotta sell them for me in Brooklyn."

"What? Why?"

"I can't go over to Brooklyn…Something happened there a few years ago…"

Jack raised his head abruptly.

"Was it Spot? Spot Conlon?"

Diablo looked away.

"Did he hurt ya?"

"No, nothing like that…He'd just…God, Jack. He'd kill me if he knew my…job."

"He ain't ya brothuh, is he?"

"No. No."

"Well…Whateveh. I'll help…"

"Thank you, Jack."

"I love ya, Abby."

Give me back my point of view
'Cause I just can't think for you

The air was frigid and the wind was harsh as Jack strolled through Brooklyn. He shook his head and shivered, then took a right onto a vacant street. The wind blew stronger and bit him like a rabid animal. He leaned against a wall, waiting for someone to show up.

"Hey! Jacky boy!"

Jack's throat went dry and adrenaline shot through his body. Spot couldn't be here. He couldn't see Jack selling drugs.

"Heya Spot!" Jack greeted as Spot approached him.

"What are ya doin' here in Brooklyn?"

"Just…uh…walking…"

Spot raised an eyebrow at Jack, his eyes illuminated with skepticism.

"Right then, Jacky boy…"

"Hey…"

A new voice interrupted the tense conversation, and Jack jumped. A figure was standing in the shadows, unmoving. Spot looked fiercely at the person, then glanced at Jack.

"Ya know him, Jack?" he asked.

"Sorta…"

Spot watched as Jack stepped into the shadows and began talking with the person. A few minutes later, Jack was back, a dollar bill in his hand.

"Whoa!" Spot exclaimed. "A dollah? What'd he buy from ya!"

"Nuttin, Spot…Nuttin…"

I can hardly hear you say
What should I do, well you choose

Jack stood up, sighed, and got off the train. It occurred to him that he'd never leave New York. Sarah's face lit up as she saw him, and she lunged at him, forcing him into a hug.

"Jack!" she gasped, wiping tears from her eyes.

"Hiya Sarah…"

"You came back!" she shrieked with a smile.

"Not for ya…"

"What?"

"I didn't come back for ya, Sarah…"

"Jack…What?"

"Davey told ya about Diablo, right?"

"Who?"

"Abby. Abby Banks, right?"

"Oh…Yes…"

"Did he tell ya why she died, Sarah?"

"No, Jack."

"I was in Brooklyn; sellin' drugs for her…She said she couldn't go there because of Spot. Well, she showed up that night, I don't know why, but she did. And Spot flipped. Yelled at her, hit her. And I got pissed…"

"Yeah?"

"And Spot and I started fightin'…Turns out that he was her brothuh."

"Mm-hmm?"

"Well, we weren't watchin' her. The guy I'd sold her drugs to, well, he found that she'd overpriced them. But she didn't. I did. And while Spot and I was fightin', he killed her."

"Just for that?"

"The drug world isn't friendly, Sarah."

"I see…"

"Sarah…The thing is…"

"You don't love me anymore."

"Yeah…I'm real sorry, I…"

"It's alright Jack…"

"Thanks."

"No…It's alright, you can go. To Santa Fe."

"What?"

"Get out of here, Jack…Please, just leave."

"Sarah…Ya just…"

"Go!"

And he did.


Oh, look what you've done
You've made a fool of everyone
A fool of everyone
A fool of everyone