A/n: Alright, it gets kind of tough to write the Newsie speak, so I'll save that for the story. I don't know if I said this (other than trying to fit it into the summary), but I want this to be a Valentine's Day treat for everyone, so I hope to get it done by then. Right now, I just want to thank my great reviewers, xLittlexItalyx, Mickeygee and NarniaRulz. They helped me choose which Newsie to write about. So, here's Davey's tale fore you!

Disclaimer: I don't own the Newsies. I do own the characters you don't recognize that aren't listed on the IMDB website for the movie. I don't own the song, either. That belongs to the fabulous country band, Emerson Drive. The song is called "Fall Into Me".

David's Story

"I need you to know you can fall into me
That my arms are wide open
And will always be
Right here waiting, staying strong
Come and fall into me"

Emerson Drive

David Jacobs hoped he'd made the right decision. His fellow newsies had been ribbing him into spending a night at the lodging house since the strike finished over a year ago. He'd thought about it, and put off going through with asking his parents about it. That is, until Jack had relived him of the duty to do that by asking for him one night, when he came over for dinner and to spend some 'quality time' on the fire escape with Sarah afterwards.

Of course, his parents liked the idea. It gave them a chance to be alone, because Sarah and Les joined him, under the strict regulations that Sarah stay the night in the girls' bunkroom.

Jack had chosen, not only a week before Christmas, but the same night that some of the Brooklyn newsies would be joining them, being led by their leader Spot Conlon and his girl, Dreamer Coppoli. Dreamer was pleasant enough now, though he'd first met her when she was still upset about Spot breaking up with her. Now, she had a much happier appearance and almost always had a smile on. Spot wasn't as arrogant and had softened enough that, though he was still respected for what he could do, he didn't strike absolute terror into the hearts and minds of the other newsies.

David didn't mind this. He and Spot had begun to get along much better. What bothered David was that he didn't really know what to do with himself. He wasn't that much for poker, though he could see Spot (accompanied by Dreamer), Jack (from whom Sarah was never very far away), Race, and most of the others crowded over there. He didn't care for the company of the others around, who, like Kid Blink, enjoyed spending the whole evening recounting their exploits of the night before, and planning for similar activities that night. Les would be annoyed if he went over to keep an eye on the younger boys. Most of the girls were either sitting with (or on) their guys by the poker table, or huddled in the corner, gossiping about who was going out with whom. So, David had taken a seat at the window, to escape some of the clouds of smoke and shouts that filled the air towards the center of the room.

"'Ey, you'se mind if I'se join ya?" A female voice sounded over to David. It was familiar, but he couldn't place it. He looked up to see one of the Manhattan newsgirls, whose name he couldn't quite remember. She was pretty, with short, honey-toned hair, full lips, and wide, turquoise-blue eyes. Her lips were turned up in a slight smirk, but her eyes held no arrogance, only a soft kind of laughter.

Realizing that he'd been staring, David quickly replied, "Certainly!" However, his quick attempt at a cover-up failed.

"I'se know I ain't pretty, but ya don't gots ta stare at me like I gots t'ree 'eads!" She laughed, in a joking manner, but she'd meant what she'd said. She recognized him. He was Davey, a.k.a, the Walking Mouth, one of Jack's best friends, and the leader's 2nd in command. He wasn't hard on the eyes at all, what with his curly brown hair and matching brown eyes.

"Well, I guess turnabout's fair play, then?" He interrupted her thoughts with a chuckle, as she realized she'd been staring as well.

"Eh, I guess. So, why ya'se sittin' all da way ova heah, Davey?" She inquired, taking a seat next to him.

"I dunno. I just don't really feel like there's much for me to do. I'd hang out with Jack and the rest of them, but I don't do to well with poker. Not to mention," He added, with a bit of a grin, "If I have to witness Jack kissing my sister more often than strictly necessary, I will lose what little shred of sanity I have left," This left her laughing, "But, what about you? Why aren't you over there, talking to the other girls?"

"Who, me? Nah, dey don't really like havin' me around. I'se guess it's just 'cause I'se don't gossip like dey do. I'se don't really care ta hear about which 'a da guys is goin' fo' which 'a da goils, 'cept when it seems real. Like Cowboy an' ya sistah, or Spot an' Dreamah. An' den, I'se just 'appy fo' 'em." She smiled at him, and it seemed like she did that often. By this time, David was kind of embarrassed that he still couldn't remember her name.

"I'm really sorry, but what's your name? I know I should know it, but I can't remember right now." He asked politely. A small smile stayed on her face, but her eyes dropped a little. She didn't really expect him to remember her name, but she had hoped…

"Da name's Squirt. Da guys picked it up from my brodda, Dutchy." Her eyes perked up a bit more, "My real name is Hannah." David smiled back at her and then made the connection.

"You're the one who cut me in the distribution line all last month!" She laughed in reply, but nodded her head. Her smile had a mischievous note to it that he recalled seeing occasionally in Dutchy.

"Exactly, Davey boy," Squirt said when she was done laughing, "Guess I didn't make much 'a an impression, den?"

"No, no. Just haven't seen you around too often recently. You found someone else to cut?" David replied with a hint of humor.

"Mo' like Dutchy got mad at me fo' doin' dat so often. I'se can 'old my own in a fight, but I'se 'ate fightin' wit my brodda." Squirt quickly threw in the explanation, just so that she wouldn't be thought weak, since that was the other thing she hated. She could not let herself appear weak, or break in any way.

"Ah, well, that's too bad. I got used to seeing you, but I didn't think asking Jack where you'd gone would help." David shrugged.

"Yeah, askin' Cowboy would lead ta 'im teasin' us bot' an' askin' when we got togedda." She sighed and shook her head.

"So, is Dutchy your older or younger brother?" David asked, wanting to keep a conversation going, now that he had someone to talk to.

"'e's older, by about a yeah. I'se eighteen," Squirt then asked, "What 'bout you'se? I know you'se oldah den Les, but is Sarah yah oldah or youngah sistah?"

"She's older, but not by much. About the same distance as between you and Dutchy," Thinking the topic of family was going rather well, David continued, "So, how did you and Dutchy end up as newsies?"

Her reaction immediately told him this was the wrong question. Her cheerful face went blank, as though she'd applied a mask. The sparkle in her eyes disappeared and her smile became a pursed line.

"I'd rada not ansa dat, Davey, do ya mind?" Her voice was flat.

"That's perfectly fine, Squirt. I should've realized that it may not be an easy topic to talk about," He quickly replied, hoping he hadn't scared her away.

"It's… Its okay, Davey. Hey, by da way, t'ink ya could just call me Hannah? I'se kinda not dat big a fan 'a da whole 'Squirt' nickname, ya got it?" She eased a bit and smiled gently, but the spark in her eyes hadn't fully returned yet. Just then, Dutchy appeared, looming over his little sister.

"'Ey Squirt, 'ey Davey. What's goin' on?" He inquired.

"Hey, Dutchy," David replied.

"Nuttin' much ovah heah, Dutch. Why ain't 'ch ya at da pokah table? Did Race, Jokah, Spot, an' Cowboy clean ya out already?" The spark was back, now that Hannah was good-naturedly ribbing her brother. Dutchy just laughed slightly and hung his head a bit.

"Yeah, yeah, I'se guess. But dis is da last time! I'll beat 'em tomorrow night!" Dutchy insisted. David got the feeling that this was a conversation that happened often. Sure enough, Hannah's response confirmed it.

"Ah, you'se say dat ev'ry night, Dutch. Why don't you'se just give up an' stop playin wit dem? I ain't gonna be givin' ya money fa papes when ya get even dumbah and bet all ya money. Now you'se see why I don't play," The last part was said to David, who was silently laughing at the little family comedy sketch going on before him. That was when Dutchy looked over to him.

"'Ey, why don't you'se join da game, Davey? You'se just been huddled over here all night. Ain't 'ch 'ya gonna play at all?" The bespectacled boy seemed to find the choice a curious one.

"No, I don't think I should. After all, the only money I still have left on me is the money for my papes tomorrow. I gave the rest to my parents. Anyways, I was having a nice time talking to Hannah," He gave her a genuine smile, which she returned in kind. Though neither of them saw, Dutchy's eyebrows just about hit his hat brim. He quickly recovered, so neither of them had a chance to notice, then picked up Hannah's dark purple cap and ruffled her hair, which was similar to his.

This led to another comedic scene, where Hannah was simultaneously trying to fix her hair to lie flat again and chasing her brother around the room to get her hat back. This provided an entertaining distraction for all in the room, especially those who were losing at the poker table. The chase ended spectacularly, with Hannah finally tackling her brother to the ground and sitting on him until she got her hat back. Then, standing up, hat proudly perched on her head; she placed one foot on his abdomen and set her hands on her hips… until Dutchy pulled her down by that one leg with a small thud. The whole room burst into roaring laughter and some smattered applause, to which the siblings stood up and promptly took a bow.

Laughing, both Dutchy and Hannah came back to the window, where David was chuckling and shaking his head at them.

"You guys do that often?" He asked them, smiling all the while.

Dutchy swung his arm around his little sister's shoulders and replied, "Yeah, at least once a week."

Hannah looked up at her brother and gently elbowed him in the ribs, "'Ey, don't bring me down so 'ard next time!"

"Me! You'se was da one who really tackled me!" Dutchy argued then leaned in to whisper something to her, "I don't t'ink ya really needed ta show off fa Davey. I t'ink ya already got 'im; 'ook, line, an' sinkah."

"Why don't you'se go flirt wit da goils, see if any 'a dem'll take ya comp'ny!" And, with that, she shoved him off in the direction of the gossipers on the other side of the room.

"What was that about?" David asked her, as she sat back down and watched Dutchy amble over to the poker table instead with a sigh.

"Ah, nothin' Davey. 'e's just teasin' me again," She added, with an irritated grumble, "An' if 'e loses any mo' 'a 'is money at dat pokah table, I'll personally soak 'im!"

They spent the rest of the night talking about this and that. Finally, when everyone else was heading up to bed, they began to follow.

"'Night Davey," Hannah said, as they began to part ways.

"'Night Hannah," He replied, "Oh, and Hannah," She stopped in the doorway, looking back at him and waiting, "Just to let you know, if you have anything you want to talk about, I'm here. I'll listen."

Her face broke into a grin, "T'anks, Davey. I may take you'se up on dat sometime." She went in the girls' bunkroom, and David left for the boys' sleeping quarters, with a small smile on his face.

He'd really enjoyed talking to her. She was animated, funny, caring, and seemed to be a generally happy person. Even as he thought about this, though, he couldn't help but remember her reaction to the question about how she and her brother became newsies. He knew some of the kids had some pretty heartbreaking stories, but he'd never heard Dutchy and Hannah's story.

The second he stepped into the room, Dutchy approached him.

"Squirt an' you'se get along well?" It was as much of a statement as a question.

"Yes, Dutchy. Hannah is really nice. Funny, too," David replied, being entirely honest about his opinion of the girl.

"Davey, I know yer a good guy, but realize I'se speakin' as a big brodda heah. Ya know 'ow it is. If Squirt's comes ta ya 'bout somet'in, an' she sounds serious, it ain't no joke. She may seem like lots 'a fun, but she's still a goil, an' she needs ta talk sometimes," Dutchy's serious attitude had worried him, until his tone changed to a bit more of a teasing one, "An' if ya hoit 'er, not only am I gonna be soakin' ya, as 'er big brodda, but ya can count on it dat Cowboy, Spot, Mush, Specs, even Crutchy will join me. Not ta mention what Dreamah and some 'a da odder goils will do."

"Don't worry, Dutchy. You're looking a bit too much into this. After all, I… I just met her!" David defended himself.

"Yeah, kid, you'se just sat in a room full 'a ya buddies an' ignored most 'a dem fa a goil ya just met," The blond reminded him, before turning away to hang out with Specs, but not before David thought he heard him mutter, "I'll be damned if it don't come ta anyt'in'."

҉ ҉ ҉ ҉ ҉ ҉

David spent the night peacefully, and had fun the next day. On the distribution line, he let Hannah cut him and joked around with her. He even went off to sell with her, leaving Les and Jack to fend for themselves. Jack and Dutchy exchanged a raised eyebrow, before heading off to hawk their headlines.

It kept on that way for the next week. Jack invited David over to the lodging house on Christmas Eve, and Hannah convinced him to come. They'd grown really close over the course of the week. Hannah told David things about her that only Dutchy knew, and even some things that her brother had no clue about. David was a willing listener, and answered questions about his own life readily. She seemed to become a closer friend to him than even Jack was. What surprised them both was that they had actually found a friend in each other that they could just be silent with, and it wouldn't feel awkward.

Dutchy and Jack watched them over the course of the week and became convinced that they were slowly beginning to like each other, maybe even fall in love. That was when they came up with a plan…

҉ ҉ ҉ ҉ ҉ ҉

It was Christmas Eve, and, once again, the Jacobs kids were visiting the lodging house. The 'halls' had been 'decked' as much as Kloppman and the newsies could get it, with some red bows on the banisters, the ever-rare Christmas tree in the main room, and, thanks to Jack and Dutchy, a sprig of mistletoe by the window. Snow was falling outside, making the streets appear like a Christmas card, and leading Jack to joke with Sarah about having to stay the night.

Despite the lack of money, everyone found a way to give everyone else something. Race's gift for everyone was a bit of a harmonica concert-turned-dance, where Melody (one of the other female newsies) added with her own present of singing. Hannah and Dutchy added more to their normal comedy routines, giving the gift of laughter. Sarah had fixed up some of the younger newsies' clothes, to keep the cold out a bit better. Les gave some of his better marbles to Boots and Snipeshooter. As for David, he got the picture from the strike from Denton and had it framed, to be put in the main room.

Many of the gifts were just little, personal things. Sarah gave Jack a new bandanna, which she made herself. Dutchy slipped his sister the money he made on the poker table that night (because Jack's present to everyone was that he was going easy on them).

David had noticed, in their times spent making up headlines, that Hannah's hands were likely to freeze out there soon enough. So, he took some of the little money he'd set aside for Christmas presents and bought her a new pair of mittens. When he pulled her aside and gave them to her, her eyes practically filled with tears.

"Davey, ya didn't 'ave ta do dis," She insisted, trying them on, "Ya should'a used da money fa ya fam'ly."

"My parents told Sarah, Les, and me to keep some of our money to use for Christmas presents," He replied, smiling at her reaction.

"Well, den ya should'a used it fa presents fa dem, or fa Jack. Ya shouldn't'a done dis fa a goil ya barely know," She kept on trying to make it sound like he'd bought her a diamond, for crying out loud!

"Hannah!" She looked up from her dithering when he said her name almost forcefully, "I did it because I wanted to, and because you're as much of my best friend as Jack is, maybe even more. My family will be fine with what they got, and Jack… well, he's a little wrapped up in Sarah, so my permission to date her should be present enough." This caused the blonde in front of him to laugh.

"'ere, let's move away from dis noise, and I'll give ya my present," Hannah took him by the hand, mittens still on, and lead him into the kitchen. When they got there, to his surprise, she didn't produce a package for him, but turned to face him.

"I'se know its a little differ'nt den normal, but I'se gonna tell ya somet'in fa ya present," She said seriously. Remembering what Dutchy had told him, David just looked at her and waited while she thought about how she was going to say this.

"You'se asked a question 'a me last week, 'bout how me an' Dutchy ended up wit da newsies. Well, afta talkin' wit Dutch fa a while, I figured I'se gonna tell ya," She took a deep breath to steady herself and then dove into the story, "Dutch an' I was raised by a dad dat hit us, an' a ma who was always out, sellin' 'erself so's dat we could 'ave a roof an' some food. Dutchy was a newsie foist, when 'e was only eight. 'e 'ated it, 'cause dat meant 'e 'ad ta leave me alone wit dat scum we called 'fadda.' I'se 'ad ta learn ta defend myself. One day, I was tryin' ta fight 'im off, an' Dutch walked in from sellin' 'is papes early,"

She shook her head and took another deep breath, "I ain't seen Dutch 'alf as mad before or since. Da closest I'se evah seen 'im ta dat level 'a angah was when Blink broke up wit me 'cause I wouldn't go ta bed wit 'im. At nine yeahs ol', 'e tried ta soak our dad. An' 'e did real well, too. Roughed 'im up quite a bit. We ran upstairs an' hid on da fire escape. 'e even tried ta beat down da door… 'til Ma came home," Hannah ducked her head and took the longest pause so far. David moved closer to her, and reached out a hand. She took it and held on tightly, as though he was the only thing tacking her down to the present.

"She came in an', so fa as Dutch an' I know, she nevah knew what 'it 'er. Da scum ran from da door an' sta'ted soakin' 'er. But, I'se guess Ma 'ad 'ad it wit da bastahd. Undah 'is blows, she managed ta get a gun out from undah 'er skoit. An'… she shot im'. But, 'e'd already landed too many good punches on 'er. Dutch an' I ran towards da front room. Dere, we saw somet'in' dat I'se still see in my nightmares. Our fadda, lyin' on da ground, blood pourin' outta 'im. But worse, was our ma, leanin' 'gainst a chair, gaspin' fa breath. She 'ad bruises, mo' bruises den when 'e usually 'it 'er, colorin' up 'er face an' arms. We ran ova to 'er, fast as we could. She told us ta run, so's dat we wouldn' be split up an' sent ta odder fam'lies. She told Dutchy ta take care 'a me. She told us she loved us, an' told us ta go. I'se can still 'ear 'er, late at night, when I can't sleep. Dutchy an' I ran upstairs, an' took what we 'ad, we grabbed clothes, money, an' we ran. Dutchy knew most 'a da odder newsies lived 'ere, so 'e led me. Kloppman took us in, an' we'se been newsies evah since," She looked up at David, and, for the first time, he saw tear tracks on her cheeks.

Realizing she was crying, she gave a little laugh, took her hand from his, and wiped her face with her sleeve, "Now ya see why I'se don't like tellin' da story. Ah, I prob'ly look a wreck. I 'ate cryin'. Makes me look weak, an' a goil newsie's got 'nough trouble from da Delancy brodders wit out lookin' weak."

David stopped her hand, and took it again, "You know, you don't need to be strong with me, Hannah. It's okay to just let go once in a while." He smiled at her, fully appreciating now what it must have taken her to tell him this and to act so cheerful most of the time.

The caring look in his eyes was all it took, that and the gentle, comforting pressure of his hand on hers, to make her really start to cry, as she hadn't before anyone but Dutchy. The reaction surprised David a bit, but he pulled her into a hug and silently willed her to cry into him.

They stood that way for what felt like hours, but could only have been a few minutes. When Hannah finally pulled back, blinking away the last of the tears, she was smiling more sincerely than he'd ever seen her. Silently, they agreed to head back into the main room, where it sounded like Race and Melody had started up the music again. Not too far away, Dutchy stood, seemingly waiting for them to return. David, with his arm still around Hannah's shoulders, nodded with a new respect toward the blond newsboy. She smiled at her brother and he gave a small smile in return.

They went to their usual spot over by the window. They sat in silence, Hannah recovering a bit from the ordeal of retelling the story and David both trying to comfort her and fully digest the story of the amazing young woman sitting next to him. Of course, neither of them recalled what hung above that very spot.

"'ey, Jack! What 'ave we got 'ere!" Boots yelled over to the leader. Jack looked away from Sarah only to see David and Hannah sitting beneath the little sprig of mistletoe he and Dutchy had hung earlier as carefully as more privileged children hung their stockings.

"Well, well. You'se two know da tradition," He commented with a smirk on his face. Sarah giggled quietly at her brother. David looked up at the innocently offending piece of greenery, then back at Hannah. She shrugged, biting her lower lip a bit. He was nervous. After all, he'd never kissed anyone outside his family before.

Race, who was taking a break between songs, watched the hesitation between the pair and called out, "Ah, come on, Davey! Give Squirt a kiss!" Dutchy smiled at his sister's predicament, but knew this was what it would take to give her a push in the right direction.

"I'se guess we 'ave ta, Davey. Aftah all, I ain't one ta break traditions," Hannah whispered to him. Now realizing that he had, not only her permission, but maybe the only opportunity he'd have to kiss her, he took the chance. He slowly and gently put his lips to hers, as he'd (unfortunately) seen Jack doing to his sister (too) often.

He suddenly felt more alive than he ever had before. It was like a spark that had been buried for all his seventeen years was finally unearthed. He wanted to give everything he had to keep that spark lit, and to fan it into a blaze.

Hannah, who had been kissed before, had never felt something so real as what she felt when she kissed David. The kiss was both gentle, yet searing; passionate, yet stable. This was exactly what she had always looked for, what the fairytales she'd read as a child had described.

When they finally broke apart, they looked at each other as though through brand new eyes. In him, she saw that spark, and a reflection everything she was feeling, in his eyes. In her, he saw a beauty that had always been there, but that she was only now allowing to shine through. Smiling, he leaned in for another kiss.

They were oblivious to everything else. To the cat-calls echoing around the room, to Dutchy's proud smile at the young woman his sister had become, to Jack and Sarah's amused smiles. It didn't matter to them, because they'd found the most beautiful Christmas present of all in each other. The present that no one can buy, no matter if they were even as rich as Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst themselves.

A/n2: Well, I got David's story written! Yay me! Now, once I save it, upload it, and do the dishes, it's time for this writer to get to bed. If you've seen my profile, you'll know that Race's story is up next. Hopefully, that will be done by Friday/Saturday.

Review if you'd like, but be gentle. I wanted to get this out, because David was requested. Oh, and reviews make me want to write faster, by the way!