A/N: Hi, so I know I have been posting randomly, but I'm going to try to update 3 times a month. Also, again, I'm sorry if I make any mistakes. Please tell me if I do, but anyway, please enjoy and leave a review!

Disclaimer: I do not own Newsies or any of its characters

Warnings: Cursing and mentions of drinking

I woke up to the feeling that someone was watching me. Opening my eyes, the first thing I saw was Jack standing beside my bed.

"What the hell Jack?", I said jumping out of bed, and in the process, almost falling flat on my face. Jack had a determined look on his face and I knew I wasn't going to like whatever he said next.

"Start'in right now, I ain't lettin ya out my sight when we's done sellin.", he stated, staring down at me. 'No way in hell was I gonna let this happen', I thought to myself.

Crossing my arms, and glaring right back at him, I said," Jack I ain't three, I's can take care of myself." I had taken care of myself long before Jack even knew I existed.

Jack got a look on his face that said 'are you serious?', before saying, "You's obviously can't racer. Look at ya self, you's can't even go one night without drinking." He had a point there, and I had told myself I was going to quit, but not like this.

"You's can't follow me around all day Jack!", I burst out, quickly getting irritated, and in the process,drawing the attention of all the boys in the room.

"I ain't, just when we's done sellin", he said, like that was any better.

I was about to say yell a string of strong words at him, but he said, "I ain't listenin, meet me outside the tracks when your done sellin", and with that, he walked away, heading out the door. I stood there stunned for a few seconds until Romeo snapped me out of it.

"You's comin race?", he said, putting on his hat and leaning against the wall, waiting for me. Grabbing my hat, I nodded and followed him out the door.

The whole day while I was selling though, I couldn't stop thinking about what Jack said to me.'If I really wanted to, I could go a night without drinking'. After all, if I was going to quit, I had to start somewhere. Banishing those thoughts from my head, I tried to focus on selling. And before I knew it, I was out of papes. It had taken me longer than usual to sell my papes today for some reason. It was already almost dark outside.

I went ahead and sat on a bench outside the racetracks, willing myself not to go in. It was pure torture. I could hear the cheers and boos of the crowd as the race made or broke their day. Sighing, I looked around for any signs of Jack and pulled out the flask I always carried around with me. Glancing once again for Jack, I quickly to a sip. Followed by a few more sips, until before I knew it, the flask was empty. Stuffing the flask back into my pocket, I waited impatiently for Jack.

After about thirty minutes, Jack finally showed up. Standing up, almost stumbling, and walking over to him, I said," Took you long enough. I've been sittin here listin to that for half an hour", pointing towards the racetrack.

Jack just rolled his eyes and stated, " Quit your grippin. I showed up, didn't I?"

I was just ignoring him at this point. "So what are we doin anyway. I could be winning money right now", I whined.

Jack stood there, crossing his arms, before saying, " Well, what do you usually do?" To answer him, I proudly spread my arms in the direction of the racetrack. Rolling his eyes once again, he grumbled, "Besides that. What else?"

'Go drinking', I thought to myself, but no way could I tell him that. "You don't wanna know", I said, settling on that.

Jack just stood there for what seemed like forever, before he got a look on his face I had seen too many times. He was determined about something.

"I knows what we's gonna do", he stated, already walking ahead of me, motioning for me to follow him. Running to catch up to him, I lit my cigar and said sarcastically, " I can't wait."

We walked for about ten minutes in complete silence. It was driving me crazy. Finally, I couldn't take it any longer, so I casually said," So, where are we goin anyway?"

Without even turning his head, Jack replied, " A bar."

This stopped me in my tracks. "You was the one tellin me I needed to stop and now your taken me drinkin?", I shouted.

"We's not drinkin", Jack said, finally looking at me, with a smirk on his face. I must have had a confused look on my face because Jack laughed and slung his arm around my shoulder. All he would say after this was, "You'll see."

We reached a bar, which to my surprise, I had never been to. Jack opened the door and walked inside like he had been here a million times before. Following his lead, I opened the door and was met with the familiar smell of smoke and beer. Jack had walked to the back, sitting down at a table I didn't even notice at first. Walking through the maze of chairs, tables, and drunk men, I sat down across from him and in the process, drawing the attention of a waiter.

"What can I get for you boys?", said the waiter, not even asking for our ID's. She looked like she was in her mid-20s, and she looked like she'd had had a drink herself.

I was about to say, 'the cheapest beer ya got', but Jack cut in and said," We's don't want anything right now, but thanks sweetheart." As he finished talking, he winked at her. She giggled before saying, "Alright but let me know if you need anything." She then walked away to the next table, stumbling a little.

Once she left, I looked back at Jack with wide eyes and grumbled, "What was that?"

Jack rolled his eyes and stated, "I think you've already had enough, race" I just gave him a confused look, pretending like I didn't know what he was talking about. Before I could say that, he put his hand up, signaling for me to stop.

Sighing, knowing that I was caught, I muttered, "Then what are we here for?" The whiskey I had drank earlier was already wearing off, I really needed a drink.

"Observing", Jack stated, as if that told me everything I needed to know. My temper was dwindling away real quick.

"Observing what?", I grounded out. Waiters kept passing us, carrying various drinks with them. It took everything in me not to grab one the drinks.

Jack sighed before leaning towards me and pointing at a middle-aged man at the bar. "You see that guy there? He used to be married with kids and everything", Jack said, as if I cared. I gave him a look that said exactly that.

Jack sighed again. His patience with me was going out the door real quick. "Used to racer, he used to be married with kids. Don't ya get it? Look at what drinking's done to him. His wife probably left and took the kids with her. He probably has nothing now", Jack explained.

"How do you even know this?", I questioned.

"That's not the point race. I'm tryin to show ya how your gonna end up if you don't stop now", he stated. I knew he was right, but I didn't want to admit yet.

"I know my limits Jack", I said flatly.

Jack snorted before catching me on my lie. "You and me both know that's a lie." Once again he was right. I never knew when to stop.

I looked down at the floor after that, trying not show how much this was bothering me. Instead of being defensive, I decided I might as well at least try reasoning with him.

Looking up at him, I mumbled, "Jack, I really am tryin to stop. You's don't know how hard it is",

Jack looked at me before he closed his eyes and put his head in his hands. He looked stressed, no doubt due to me. When he raised his head, I was met with exhausted and worried eyes.

"Racer, I'm just worried about ya. I mean, your my little brotha, how can I not be?", he said softly. Jack continued, sayin, "Racer, you know I'm going to be there for you while you get better, right?"

Finally giving up, I huffed before I mumbled with a sad smile, "So I guess I really am doin this, huh?" Jack got the biggest smile on his face and he reached across the table to pull my hat over my eyes.

"I'm damn proud of ya kid", he remarked, still smiling like a fool.

That night, we walked back to the lodge house laughing and joking. I was in one of the best moods I had been in a while. I knew what I was about to do was going to be hard, but Jack would be there to keep me in line. Though little did I know, the next few days were going to be some of the worst of my life.