Hey everyone! I'm back! Thanks soooooo much to my FIVE(!) awesome reviewers. You guys are amazing, I hope this second chapter satisfies. I'm not gonna lie, this chapter has some fluff. Super excited to see what you think!
Disclaimer: I still don't own Newsies. :(
Katherine smiled. Jack's words had defiantly calmed her. He was right. They were going to be fine. She glanced over at the time. Was it 3:30 already! Her article! She looked over at Jack and then back at the clock.
"Well, I guess I should work on my article, are you…" Katherine hesitated. She didn't really want to tell Jack to leave, but at the same time she didn't think she could work with him here, and it might be boring for him. Writing usually just involved her talking to herself as she typed, with the occasional throwing of paper, and scream of frustration.
"I could help you." Jack's voice cut through her mental debate.
"What!" she laughed, "Jack you have many talents, but I doubt journalism is one of them."
"Oh c'mon, seriously, I could help you write your article! I do know a thing or two about newspapers!"
"Selling them."
'Touché," Jack replied, "Please Ace!"
Katherine rolled her eyes. "Okay fine but I'm warning you it might be boring."
.
Katherine sat down at her typewriter, pulled out a fresh piece of paper, and took a deep breath.
"Are you gonna just sit there and stare at the paper?" Jack asked from his perch on the window ledge."
Katherine sighed in annoyance. "No, I'm not, and in the future please refrain from making obnoxious comments."
"Just askin'. " Jack shrugged as he pulled out a folded up piece of paper and a pencil from his pocket.
Katherine shook her head. So much for being helpful. She glanced over at Jack and involuntarily smiled. She really was glad to have him here, even if he wasn't being all that helpful. She had missed him.
Turning back to her work, Katherine typed a heading onto the page.
Trolley Accident, Two Killed, Three Injured: by Katherine Plumber
Katherine was glad that her editors were finally giving her a shot at writing something other then flower show reviews since her article on the strike, she just had to prove to them she could write front-page articles just as well as any man.
"What's your article about anyways?" Jack asked.
"A trolley accident that two people were killed in." Katherine replied not looking up from the paragraph she had just started writing.
"Sounds interesting enough."
"Well, let's hope it's interesting, or I'm doomed to never be on the front page ever again." Katherine replied still furiously typing.
"Oh don't talk like that, you're a great reporter."
Well it's true. She thought. She needed this article to wow, or else it was back to the social pages. She returned to her article with a sigh. Better get to work.
.
"Argh!" Katherine screamed as she tore up the paper and deposited it in the already overflowing trash bin.
"You alright there Ace? Jack asked looking up from the drawing he'd been working on for the past hour.
"Yeah, it's just I had this great idea in my head and, well, it's not turning out how I want it to. It's so frustrating!"
"I'm sure it will be great," Jack walked over to stand behind her. "Do you wanna take a break?"
Katherine sighed reluctantly. " I just need to finish one more paragraph…"
Jack grabbed the back of her chair, pulling her away from the desk. "No, you need to take a break, you'll never get anything done if you don't. Although you'll probably kill a couple more trees."
She glanced over at her typewriter. "Alright," she sighed, "I'll take a break."
Katherine sat down next to Jack on the window ledge. "What have you been working on?" she asked trying to grab thee sketch Jack held in his hand.
"No way!" Jack replied yanking the drawing out of her reach. "Not until it's done!"
"C'mon jack, let me see it!"
"It's not finished!" he said, neatly folding up the paper and slipping it in his pocket.
"Alright," Katherine gave in " But if I'm not allowed to see the drawing till it's finished, you're not allowed to read my article till it's finished."
Jack laughed, "You mean I'm not allowed to search through the trash bin and read all of the crumpled up papers?"
"Hey! I've written something!"
" Uh, I hate to break it to you, but not really. Is it always like this when you write something?"
Katherine shrugged "Sort of."
"Well then I'm surprised you ever get things done!"
" So, how have the boys been since the strike?" Katherine asked, eager to change the subject to something other then her lack of ideas.
Jack smiled "Good, really good. That's all because of you of course."
"No, if it hadn't been for you the strike would have never happened! I could have never lead that strike, I'm not half as brave as you are!"
"Nah," Jack shook his head " Stupid, yes. Crazy, yes. But I'm not that brave. It's one thing to stand up to you sworn enemy, it's another thing to stand up to your father."
It was Katherine's turn to smile. "Thanks, but I still believe the strike couldn't have happened without you."
"Let's call it a tie."
"Deal," she said with a nod, "So, why did you come to visit me anyways?"
Jack shrugged " 'Cause I missed you."
Katherine smiled and leaned her head against Jack's shoulder. " Next time I'll leave the window unlocked."
"Thanks Ace." Jack leaned in, his lips brushed her cheek, and his hand pushed her hair away from her face. She grabbed at him, pulling him closer. The kiss was slow and gentle. Jack's hands were tangled in her hair, her hands rested softly on his shoulders. When they finally broke apart Jack sighed.
Katherine blushed "I better get back to work."
.
"Finished!" Katherine proclaimed. It had taken three hours, and about thirty sheets of paper, but she was finally done.
"Can I read it?" Jack asked, hovering over her shoulder. Katherine nodded in response and handed him the paper.
She watched as his eyes scanned the page and he started to smile.
"Wow Ace, this is really good! Them newsies at the sun are sure lucky. This'll be the easiest headline to sell ever, everyone will want to read it!"
"Thanks." Katherine replied feeling proud of herself. "Now let me see what you drew."
Jack took the paper out of his pocket, gingerly unfolded it, and handed it to her. It was a picture of her. She was sitting at her desk, typing on her typewriter her eyes deep in concentration. Underneath in Jack's messy handwriting was scrawled To my ace, the best reporter out there, I know your article will be amazing because everything you do always is. With love, Jack.
"I don't even know what to say," Katherine replied, "This is beautiful, thank you."
Jack smiled shyly, " I'm glad you like it."
"What do you say we get some dinner?"
Jack grinned, "That's the best idea I've heard all day!"
.
Katherine searched through the meager contents of her kitchen, hoping to find something suitable for dinner. All she came up with was some leftover chicken and some bread. "I guess we could make sandwiches."
"Sounds like an excellent idea to me to me." Jack replied with enthusiasm. Katherine laughed as she assembled the sandwiches. It was Jack. He probably would have been fine with just having bread for dinner.
.
"That was amazing!" Jack said staring down at his empty plate.
"Oh please, it was leftover chicken and bread." Katherine replied depositing the plates in the sink.
"Good leftover chicken and bread!"
Jack absent-mindedly glanced up at the clock. "Is that really what time it is? God, I better get back, the boys are probably wondering what happened to me!"
Katherine sighed. It was getting late. "Alright, as long as you promise to visit tomorrow."
"Defiantly," Jack said, making his way onto the fire escape. "Goodnight Ace."
"Goodnight Jack." She smiled. And with that Jack disappeared down the fire escape.
Jack never did notice though the curious woman with tightly curled red hair, and a pair of spectacles resting on her nose, watching his descent, from her apartment across the street.
.
Hannah nervously knocked on the door to Joseph Pulitzer's office, her hands shaking slightly. "Enter" a voice came from the inside. She pushed open the heavy oak door and stepped inside.
"Oh hello Hannah, what is it?" Pulitzer asked, not bothering to look up from what he was working on.
"Hello Mr. Pulitzer, it's just I wanted to tell you, well, last night, there was someone climbing down your daughter Katherine's fire escape, just though you should know."
Pulitzer stopped writing and stared at her. "Really, how interesting, and who exactly was this on the fire escape?'
"It was that newsie, Jack Kelly, sir."
Pulitzer's eyes filled with anger "Thank you so much Hannah, I will defiantly be taking care of that."
Bit of a cliff hanger there! Anyways please keep the reviews coming, they are what inspires me to keep writing this stuff. And defiantly feel free to tell me any ideas you have. Constructive criticism is welcome! That's all for now. Over and out,
-Dream Unique