A/N: Next chapter! I just posted chapter 1 for my Racetrack story and a few days ago I did for my Skittery story. I really would appreciate if you would check them out. Quick side note, if you're in Manhattan and you, god forbid, can't get tickets to Newsies because its a lottery then go see Jersey Boys. I tried and failed to see Once and Wicked with my friend and we weren't able to so we went to Jersey Boys because the theather is close to Wicked's. I saw it and my mind was blown! I went for a matinee and saw Josepth Leo Bwarie and after getting my picture and playbill signed by him I asked him if he has any advice for a girl who wants to be on Broadway and he said if you work hard then it'll come. So I've been working extremely hard! not only when singing and dancing and acting but on this chapter, hope you like it. Review telling me how I did.

I do not own Newsies, I mashed together Santa Fe from the play and movie so it applies to Aggie's situation and I don't own either of them.

Aggie hurries back, as fast as her wobbling will take her, happy that Jack is still somewhat himself.

But that comment to Crutchy still bothers her. She hopes he still has the will to fight. But a tiny part of her knows he doesn't.

Aggie gets back before Medda but hears her coming up the stairs so she lies down and pretends to sleep.

Medda opens her door and finds her resting. She smiles as she takes off her boots as gently as not to hurt her, she covers her with a blanket, and turns out the light before closing the door and leaving.

Aggie opens her tear filled eyes. She has never thought that this would happen to her. That she would have a mother taking care of her and loving her like this. She never lets anyone do something like that for her. She is always independent and because of this, she has realized that it's okay to accept help from other people every now and then.

Aggie lies in bed thinking about how quickly Jack's manner had changed.

One moment he's teasing, like he always does and the next he's a pessimist. Aggie doesn't know what happened to him. She wonders what happened in The Refuge. Little does she know that Pulitzer has painted a target on the back of her head and Jack is doing everything he can to get rid of it.

She, again, gets no sleep without Kid Blink. Aggie gets up her usual time to make breakfast for Medda. After washing up, changing, and even eating, Aggie knows Medda won't be up for a few more hours so she leaves her a note saying, "I left to help the strike but don't worry I'll stay out of trouble. And my leg doesn't hurt too much anymore. I feel fine." Aggie writes improving the truth. She is going to help the strike and try to stay out of trouble but she doesn't feel fine. She feels the opposite but she shakes it off to join her friends.

There's also no rehearsal today but Aggie wonders if Medda might go to try and keep calm.

Aggie venters out into New York wearing a black skirt, white long sleeved blouse, black stockings, black boots, she ties a blue belt around her waist to keep the skirt from falling, and she has Skittery's walking stick.

She heads to the Lodging House but as she passes Newsie Square she finds the newsies picketing The World building shouting, "Stop the World! No more papes!"

Aggie goes to look for Kid Blink. She finds him yelling with the others and he has no picket sign.

She hobbles over to him and taps his shoulder. He smiles his trademark smile at her sending the caterpillars, in her stomach, that were in their cocoons to fly out as butterflies.

"How're youse feelin'?" Kid Blink asks his expression turning serious. Her bruised face isn't looking any better.

"I feel fine. I'm here to help." Aggie says with a pained smile. Her ankle is agonizing as she places weight to show she's okay to Kid Blink.

"Now why don't I believe that?"

"Blink, it's fine, c'mon. We should be chanting." Aggie says as Kid Blink searches her face. He sees the discomfort and places a soft kiss on her lips. It's just a moment longer than a peck and still makes Aggie feel amazing.

Just then people started to come out for the day's work so everyone's chanting becomes louder, "Stop the World! No more papes! Stop the World! No more papes!" The couple join them even though Aggie isn't dressed like a newsie.

Soon a horse passes by shoving some newsies into others, creating fights.

"Jeez, Race! Help me! I need some help!" David shouts trying to break up the fights.

"A'right! I ain't deaf!" Racetrack yells back.

Spot, Aggie, and Kid Blink also helps to break up any fights.

Aggie looks over at the scabs dressed as newsies and she sees Jack walking up freshly washed and in new clothing.

"Hey, Race, c'here." Spot says spotting Jack as well.

"What?" Race asks going to him. "Jus' tell me I'se seein' thin's. Jus' tell me I'se seein' thin's." He begs but Race gives him the honest truth.

"No, youse ain't seein' thin's. Dat's Jack. What's he doin'?"

"But he's dressed like a scabba!" Spot points out and Jack looks to the floor holding his papers in his new suit. His guilt is forcing him to look down at the ground.

"Jack? Jack, look at me, will ya? Come on, it's me, Mush. Look at me. What are you doin', Jack?" Mush begs hopelessly while the police hold him back but he doesn't struggle, he can't find the strength to. Aggie sees this and it breaks her heart to see Mush like this. He's usually so happy and carefree and now, it's like he's dead. Aggie looks at Jack with hate but a tear still finds its way down her cheek. She tries to be mad but she can't feel much because her heart is in a million pieces.

"This ain't happenin'. This can't be happenin'. What're youse doin' Jack? C'mon, what're youse doin'?" Kid Blink calls out also being pushed back by the police. Aggie can't bear to hear more, she put her trust in him before she even knew him. She leaned on him when she had nothing. She put her faith in him when she couldn't handle it herself. She feels betrayed by one of the closest things she has to a brother.

"Come on. What is this? Where'd ya get 'em clothes?" Boots asks also being held back as Weasel steps up.

"Mr. Pulitzer picked them out hisself. A special gift to a special new employee." He says clapping Jack's shoulder with a satisfied smile on his face. He has been tortured by these kids for years, now he has the upper hand. He has their leader, Jack, whose gaze remains on the ground.

"He sold us out!" Spot says outraged.

"Look at him in his new suit! Ya bum! I'll soak ya! Ya fink!" Race threatens.

"Hey, hey, hey! Let me gets me hands dirty. Come here ya dirty rotten scabba!" Spot shouts reaching for him and it takes all the newsies to hold him back as he continues to threaten Jack, "I'll murder ya! Youse dirty rat! Traita!"

Aggie just stares at Jack hopelessly.

Weasel notices this and says mockingly, "Aww. You wanna talk to him? Come on, come on. Sure. Go right ahead." Aggie knows he is enjoying this but she takes the chance either way and she walk up to him.

"Jack, why're you doing this? What happened ta the Jack I knew. My Jack." Aggie asks confused and hurt.

"I don't knows. What youse wanna do about it, Agatha?" Jack sneers her full name causing her to cringe. It breaks his heart to act this way but he needs to push Aggie away. If she thinks something is up, she won't quit until she finds out what it is. Which can lead to her being caught and put into a factory. He quickly looks over her hurt face and he sees Skittery's walking stick. He wonders why she has it and he feels enraged at the fact that he let someone hurt her like this. But he has a hard time looking over her face that he should've tried harder to protect. He can't help but wonder is there're anymore wounds over her covered body.

"I don't understand you anymore."

"Oh, so let me spell it out for ya. Youse sees, I ain't got nobody tuckin' me in at night like youse. It's jus' me, I gotta look out for myself."

"No it was you an' me. We had each other. You had the newsies, too. We'se a family." Aggie counter-argues, her voice breaking as she holds back tears.

Jack takes a deep breath to keep up his act and says, "Oh, what'd being a newsies evah give me but a dime a day an' a few black eyes? Ya knows, I can't afford ta be a kid no more, Agatha. For the fiost time in my life, I gots money in my pockets. Real money. Money, ya understand? I gots more on the way an' as soon as I collect, I'm gone, I'm away. Alright? Rememba our dream, Santa Fe?"

"I wouldn't go ta Santa Fe with the likes of you even if my life depended on it. And remembah when you used to say "Money is the world's curse" where is that guy? 'Cause I need him. I miss him. I love him as if we are blood." Aggie says her hurt turning into anger as she turns to leave. Her tears escape, running down her cheeks but she turns to him once more and and says nastily, "'Cause he ain't here, you're not Jack Kelly; you're Francis Sullivan."

Jack is cut deep by these words. He can't live having her think he abandoned her when she needed him the most.

As she turns again Jack grabs her arm and says, "Wait Aggie-" But she cuts him off by slapping him in the face.

He holds his face and Aggie's eyes widen as she realizes what she's done. She's ashamed at herself but then reasons that he deserves it.

With that she hobbles away crying at the loss of Jack.

Racetrack, Kid Blink, and few other newsies leave to find her and make sure she's okay and doesn't run into more trouble.

She wobbles until she trips over her skirt and she falls to the ground. She doesn't bother to get up as her ankle can't take that right now. She just sits there sobbing her eyes out, mourning the loss of Jack.

"Royal!" A voice beckons to her. She look up and finds Racetrack coming to her. He sits beside her and asks, "Are youse okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, Racetrack." Aggke says wiping away the tears.

"No youse ain't. Wanna knows how I can tell?" Racetrack asks and Aggie nods in response.

"'Cause youse called me Race-track not jus' Race." He explains and Aggie kind of laughs.

"I never realized I did that." She says plastering a fake half-smile on her sad face that Racetrack sees right through.

"Ha, see a lil dash of Race an' youse is feelin' betta fastah." He says and Aggie really does laugh at his wittiness creating a real smile on her face.

"Ey, 'ow 'bout we head ovah ta a place where youse can gets yer mind off things." Race says wanting to comfort one of his closest friends. Aggie nods and they stand. But before they begin walking, Racetrack hugs Aggie glad she's safe, beaten and heartbroken, but safe. He's never been one for public displays of affection, or affection really. This makes Aggie feel so special. She hugs him back tiptoeing to wrap her arms around his neck. She's smaller than him, but not by too much; about two inches.

"C'mon, let's go." Racetrack says.

That's when Aggie realizes he has the second thickest accent after Spot. Only his is Italian.

Without a word they walk towards the Brooklyn Bridge and Aggie knows exactly where Racetrack is taking her. But she keeps her mouth shut so she doesn't ruin Racetrack's surprise.

The two begin to laugh and joke the whole way there.

"Sheepshead Races, Race, I knew it, an' it was very nice of you ta bring me here." Aggie says and it's true because Racetrack always sold alone and then he came back with little to no money. He has trust issues and the situation with Jack hasn't exactly helped.

"Yep, I needs yer luck. I means youse always gets an royal flush so maybe if youse bets on a horse, we could win." Racetrack says half jokingly.

"I'm not lucky. I'm skilled." Aggie says and Racetrack laughs so Aggie hits his arm playfully.

"Excuse me!" She says giggling faking that she is offended.

"Come on, let's go inside." Racetrack says with a smile and they walk inside.

They look around and Aggie can't help but think how Racetrack is rather young, he's her age, 15, and he already has a tobacco and gambling problem. That's really bad. He makes money and then loses all of it by betting on horse right away.

But then she also thinks of the cheesy side of him that never misses the opportunity for a corny joke. Always trying to make people happier, she can't help but wonder what life was like for him before he was a newsie, or even what his real name is.

They head to the betting center and he wonders what horse to bet on. He only has two bits and Aggie does too.

"What horse should we picks?" He asks and she has no clue.

She remembers the month she had seen Kid Blink when she was younger walking past him. It was in late August so she choses number 8, because August is the 8th month of the year. She explains it to Race.

"Hey, maybe it's yer lucky numba. Let's go watch." He says and he takes her arm gently and leads her over to the edge.

He sits her down on the only avaible seat because of her hurt ankle and they wait eagerly for the race to start.

While waiting, Aggie actually finds two nickels on the ground.

"Okay, so maybe I am lucky." She says holding the coins up.

"Great. Youse thirsty? 'Cause I'se'll buy us somes beers." He says and Aggie nods dying of thirst after shedding all those tears recently.

She pushes that thought from her mind and tries to focus on how nice Racetrack is today. He's broken so many barriers, he's hugged her, he's trying to make her feel better, and he even took her to Sheepshead with him, a place he usually keeps all to himself.

When he comes back, Aggie drinks hers down rather fast and when she's a little over half way done she notices Racetrack staring at her.

"What?" Aggie asks raising an eyebrow.

"Nothing, jus' nevah seen a lady drink like dat." Racetrack answers.

"You should know by now I'm not a lady. I'm the belch master at the Lodging House." Aggie says burping and the two laugh. Then Racetrack looks off into the distance and when Aggie catches his gaze, he's looking at a girl who seems far more interested in the race that's about to begin, then whatever her family is saying. She notices Race and smiles at him. He does too and even waves.

"Well don't just stand here like an idiot, go say hi." Aggie whispers, "Say I'm yer sister so she doesn't get the wrong idea. Plus youse is like a brother to me."

He smiles and says, "Yea," his face falls, "but what do I have ta offah?"

"How 'bout a caring nature, a hilarious sense of humor, sweetness, you stand up for what you believe in."

"But-"

"Go talk to her or I swear I'll soak ya myself." Aggie says and he throws up his hands in defensive.

"Okay, okay, jeez. But I'll be back 'fore da race." He says and goes to her. Her family doesn't look too happy about it.

She looks at them and sighes, she thinks of Kid Blink.

Blink!

He has no idea where I am! He's probably worried sick, oh I'm so stupid! Aggie thinks but she attempts to shake it off coming up with the solution that Racetrack said he's go look for me before venturing off. And Kid Blink stayed put. Well that's what she hopes for.

He comes back with a big grin on his face.

"Guess who' got a date fer next week?" He asks and Aggie pretends to look like she's thinking.

"Is it Mush?" She jokes and he playfully slaps her arm.

"That hurt!" She says with a laugh to cover up the fact that it actually hurt because it hit her open cuts and fairly new bruises. But she doesn't want Racetrack to feel bad.

"Good. I'se was tryin' ta do dat." He says laughing too.

"And I knows you do. I told you didn't I? What I say? Whoo!" Aggie says and she has a tiny celebration.

"Youse is embarrassin' me." He says but he's holding back laughter as well.

Before Aggie can ask him about whether or not Kid Blink knew she's okay or not the race begins and so does her adrenaline.

They cheer and some random person cheer and spills some of his beer on her in the process. Racetrack punches the guy in the gut and he falls over spilling the rest of it.

Race takes her arm and ask, "Youse okay, Royal?"

Aggie's still laughing because she hasn't had this much fun in a while. She makes a mental note to hang out with Racetrack more often.

"I'll take that as a yes." He says now laughing as well.

The winner of the race is number 8.

Race and Aggie cheer and holler and hug each other.

"I told ya, youse is lucky!" He says as they head in to collect their money.

They leave with three whole bucks.

"Here, take half." Aggie says trying to hand him the dollar fifty.

"Nah, youse won it fair an' square." Racetrack says refusing the money and she pushes it towards him.

"Yea but if you hadn't brought me here I wouldn't have it in the fiorst place." Aggie says and he reluctantly takes the money.

They head home and begin walking as they laugh at the events of the day; Racetrack even points out Aggie's growing accent. They also joke about the man falling over drunk, Racetrack getting a date, which Aggie keeps teasing him about.

To reach Aggie's house, they must pass the Lodging House. It's dark by the time they get there when Aggie notices Kid Blink slumped on the stairs with his head in his hands.

He feels awful. Not only because of what happened with Jack, but because he can't find Aggie. He's incredibly worried about her being out there, injured and even though it's summer, it can get pretty cold out at night. The city's dangerous at night. The worst case scenarios are playing through his head and he can't stop them.

Aggie slowly limps over to him and she touchs his shoulder and whispers, "Blink?" Trying to get his attention.

"I'll leaves youse two alone." Racetrack says before awkwardly leaving.

Kid Blink looks up at her and his face immediately lights up and he embraces her in a bear hug. He's so relieved.

She hugs him back and Kid Blink kisses her and Aggie doesn't hesitate to kiss back.

"I was worried. I looked for youse all day!" He says and Aggie apologizes.

"Nah it's okay. I knows youse didn't means ta scare me." Kid Blink says releasing her enough to look at her face.

"Race was just trying ta get my mind off of-" Aggie begins but she is cut off by her own thoughts of Jack abandoning them and becoming a scabber. Betraying them.

"Hey, hey, it's okay." He says as he has noticed how choked up Aggie is getting. He strokes her hair and holds her close once more. Aggie takes a deep breath to calm down and she pulls away.

"C'mon. I'll take youse home." He takes her free hand and they start towards her place.

Aggie remembers Santa Fe and she wants to know what Kid Blink's perspective on that. If he would want to come with her or not; to start a new life.

"Hey Blink, you remember I told you 'bout a place called Santa Fe?" Aggie asks him and he looks at her thinking before nodding.

"Well just follow my lead okay? I want you to see its amazing qualities as well." Aggie says.

"Okay, I trust youse." He says and she looks into his eye.

"So we finally got a headline.

"Newsies Crushed As Bulls Attack!""

Guess that everything you heard about is true." Aggie sings referring to how hard it will be to strike. She wants to point out why he should some with her to Santa Fe.

"So you ain't got any family

Well, who said you needed one? Ain'tcha glad nobody's waiting up for you?

When I dream on my own

I'm alone, but I ain't lonely

For a dreamer, night's the only time of day

When the city's finally sleeping

All my thoughts begin to stray

And I'm on the train that bound for Santa Fe

And I'm free

Like the wind

Like I'm gonna live forever

It's a feeling time can never take away

All I needs a few more dollars

And I'm outta here to stay

Dreams come true

Yes they do In Santa Fe.

Where does it say you've gotta live and die here?

Where does it say a guy can't catch a break?

Why should you only take what you're given?

Why should you spend your whole life livin'

Trapped where there ain't no future Even at fifteen

Breaking your back for someone else's sake

If the life don't seem to suit ya

How bout a change of scene?

Far from the lousy headlines

And the deadlines in between." She sings getting Kid Blink's attention.

"I wanna go. I-I-I want you to come with me. Please." She says and Kid Blink isn't sure.

"I don't know what to say." He says truthfully. She does make a valid point.he thinks.

"Then maybe you need more persuasion." She says and then continues her melody.

"Santa Fe

Are you there?

Do you swear you won't forget me? If I found you would you let me come and stay?

I ain't getting any younger

And before my dying day

I want space

Not just air

Let 'em laugh in my face, I don't care Save a place I'll be there

Just be real. Is all I'm asking

Not some painting in my head

But I'm glad I got a dream called

Santa Fe."

When she finishes, they are in front of Medda's and Aggie takes Kid Blink's hand waiting for his answer.

"I don't knows." He says still unsure and her heart sinks just a bit that he didn't immediately say yes after her trying to convince him.

It nearly kills Kid Blink to say no.

He loves her and he can't imagine spending his life with anybody else.

Yet he believes he will mess things up, that he'll make a mistake and lose her forever. Or that she realizes she can do better than him. He loves her and will never let her go, but he doesn't know if she feels the same. His whole life is here and if, god forbid, the end comes, Kid Blink doesn't want to even be in the same state as Aggie because every time he would see her, his heart will break a little more.

When she looks down at her feet he notice her sleepiness.

"Hey, Aggie, Youse looks so tired. Youse okay? When's the last time ya slept?" he asks her and she answers, "I haven't slept since I left the Lodging House." She answers. She doesn't want to say it but she can't lie to Kid Blink.

He becomes worried about her and he hugs her. Aggie returns the hug as she lays her head on his chest but both lovers absolutely savor the moment. They try to hang onto each other for as long as they can. But the both know it can't be forever. They soon kiss. Their kiss is their escape from reality. The fact that they lost their leader, are dirt poor, one may be leaving for Santa Fe eventually but for now, they are the happiest two people alive. Soon they release each other from their kiss and embrace but Aggie won't let go of Kid Blink's hand. She thinks the reason he won't come with her to Santa Fe is that she's changing and he doesn't like it. She's wearing dresses now, she's moved out of the Lodging House, she's picking up the accent, etc. She feels like she's no longer herself.

"That's when I last slept too 'cause youse ain't wid me." Kid Blink says giving her hand a squeeze.

She looks at him, into his eye and says, "Then stay with me tonight. Please." She whispers practically begging. She wants to spend every last minute she can with Kid Blink. She feels as if he's going to leave her soon. Kid Blink nods and says, "Yes of course I will."

"Go up that fire escape ta the second floor," she points to where he's supposed to go, "and I'll let you in, in a minute. I just need to see if Medda ain't asleep. An' I'll bring us some food." She says and Kid Blink nods and he heads up to her bedroom window.

He waits there patiently and he thinks about if he should really go or not. He feels so confused. He isn't going to let her walk out of his life; he shouldn't. Sure, he doesn't deserve her, or so he thinks. He wants to be with her for a long time. He just doesn't know is she reciprocates this feeling.

Soon she opens the curtain and lets him in. She is now changed into her boy clothes, long johns, because she wants to show him that she's still somewhat the little newsie he fell for before the strike. Before this whole mess.

"Hey," she says as she helps him in.

"Now there's the Royal I remembah." Kid Blink says and he hugs her around her waist. Truth is, he loves her no matter what, whether in boy clothes or in girl clothes, whether or not she picked up an accent, whether or not she's going to remain a newsie afterwards, etc. All those external characteristics mean nothing to him, as long as she still the same inside, which she is.

She giggles and says, "I brought food."

They sit on her bed beside each other to eat and she begins the quiet conversation with her talk with Medda and how she didn't mention the fact with Jack and his turning. She improved the truth a little.

Then she asks, "How are things with the strike? The time with Race was like a little break but now back ta reality." She doesn't mention how the kiss made her feel like that as well.

"Well Spot stepped up foirst ta volunteer as leader so he gots the job an' Denton abandoned us afta the rally, he's been forced ta move."

She looks down losing hope and whispers, "Why does everyone have ta leave?"

"I won't evah leaves youse, ya knows that." Kid Blink says siting next to her.

She faintly smiles and says, "I knows." But she can't help but think about his answer to coming to Santa Fe with her. She now feels bad about mentioning Santa Fe at all.

They lie down to sleep but she turns to him and says, "'Bout before, I'm sorry for dumping all that on you. Whether it not you wants ta come ta Santa Fe with me."

"No, it's okay; I'm honored youse asked me. Besides I now have a answer." Kid Blink says and he pauses to take a deep breath as Aggie's breath gets caught in her throat.

"Well?" She asks with hope in her eyes, both of them.

"Yes. Yes I'se go wid youse 'cause-" He pauses hesitating of whether or not he should say how he really feels. But he can't keep it in any longer and he finally says, "-well 'cause I loves youse."

"Really?" Aggie says flabbergasted. He nods and she sits up and places her head in her hands and asks, "Why?"

"Why'd youse mean?"

"Why? I'm not the same, I'm changin'. It's strange. I don't understand how you can love somethin' as messed up as me. I don't knows how ta say it." She says tripping over her words.

He sits up and takes Aggie's hand but she can't bring herself look at him. "Aggie," he addresses her but she doesn't look at him, "Aggie." She finally looks into his eye holding back the tears. That's another thing about her that's changing, she's becoming more vulnerable and she doesn't like it.

"I loves youse 'cause yer beautiful, youse can stand up for yer-self, yer kind but when someone messes with someone youse cares 'bout then they bettah run, yer amazing at pokah," as he says this Aggie lightly chuckles, "yer a fighta, a soivivah* but youse still see hope, like somethin' amazin' is jus' outta reach. I could go on. But I thinks I got me point across, that I loves youse."

(survivor)*

She smiles and embraces him. He returns the favor and Aggie whispers, "For sure?"

"For shoa. The changes, they're part of youse now an' I likes them. Youse is beautiful in eidda a dress or trousers. I don't care if youse sounds smart or if youse has an accent. I don't care if youse stays a newsie or not as long as I gets ta see youse." He says as he pulls away still holding onto Aggie's shoulders.

"Great, now I'm cryin'." Aggie says wiping tears away. "I'm not as strong as I used ta be."

"But if youse was as strong as youse used ta be then maybe youse nevah woulda let me inta yer life." Kid Blink says.

Aggie smiles and says, "Yer right. Like you always are. That's one of many reasons why I love youse. Yer sweet, always knows what to say. You can spin yer words into sentences with ease. Yer thoughtful, you are always think in' of others. You can make me laugh and smile even on me worst days. I love yer smile, and I'll admit it, youse are quite the lookah."

"Really, even with me eye patch." Kid Blink says solemnly.

"I love it. I shows character. A character that I really like."

Kid Blink smiles and the two kiss. They kiss for a while and it becomes more and more passionate every minute.

Kid Blink gently lays her down and is now on top of her while their lips never part.

The two make love that night.

It helps wash away all of Aggie's bad memories of her father taking advantage of her and replaces them with this amazing one of her and Kid Blink. The boy whom she loves.

The fall asleep in each other's arms almost exactly like they did back at the Lodging House and they both find sleep.