Chapter Twelve: Nothing Left To Hide

"C'mon. Just up this way."

Kate held on to Jack's hand nervously and they ascended a long flight of stairs. Then, Jack stopped.

"Wait...ya gotta close your eyes." Kate gave jack a questioning look, but complied and shut her eyes. Jack waved his hand in front of her face to make sure she wasn't cheating. "Okay," he said. "Come on."

Slowly, he led her up a few more stairs when they came to a large metal door. As it creaked open, obviously worn by the weather, a light gust of cold air shot past them, making Kate shiver. Jack shut the door behind them and led Kate a few more steps.

"Now..can I open them?" she asked.

"Alright...now."

Kate gasped in surprise when she discovered a million stars twinkling in front of her. She looked around to find that she was on the roof of the theater, which was vacant except for her and Jack, explaining the gust of cold air. The entire New York skyline was lit up, giving the appearance of thousands of Christmas lights.

"What a view," she exclaimed. She walked over near the edge and peered down below, to find several newsies still lingering about the theater.

"Yeah, I come up here sometimes...ta think. It's usually pretty quiet," said Jack. He walked over near her. She shivered as another brisk wind swept across the roof. An awkward silence passed between the two, when they both finally spoke at the same time.

"Kate-

"Jack-

They both laughed at each other. "Go ahead," said Kate.

"No, no, you go ahead," replied Jack. "I can wait." He lazily kicked a stray pebble around on the roof.

"I just wanted to say thank you, for everything," she began, as she sat down on the ledge of the roof.

"Nah, don't worry 'bout it," interrupted Jack. He wasn't very good at receiving compliments, yet Kate continued.

"No, really, I mean it, Jack. Three weeks ago you guys could've just left me on the street. I wasn't looking for help, but, god, I'm glad I ended up with you guys."

Jack joined her on the ledge. "Can I ask you a question?" Kate nodded. "What made ya finally leave da theater that one night I found ya?"

Kate took a deep breath and sighed, avoiding Jack's gaze and looking towards the Brooklyn Bridge. "I don't really know. I guess..." She paused, trying to gather her thoughts, and said "You ever have the feeling that you're slowly starting to lose hope...in anything? Like nothing matters anymore?"

"I have," Jack replied, cutting himself off. He didn't like bringing up his past to anyone, and didn't want to trouble Kate with the details.

"I guess after three years, living in one room, talking to no one but the customers and Archie, I just lost hope in everything. I began to believe I was what Archie said I was."

"An' what was that?" inquired Jack. He looked at her, but her gaze had had not diverted from the skyline.

"Nothing."

She paused. "He told me that I was nothing...that, without him, I wouldn't have a chance of survival on my own. He told me that I belonged to him alone, that I was his property...I began to feel that I wasn't even alive anymore. I...wanted to die, like you wouldn't believe. I just wanted someone to take the pain away."

Jack felt a stab of guilt run through him. He wished he could have found her sooner.

"But none of the customers knew," she went on. "Archie would punish me if I ever gave a bad performance on stage."

She ran her hand along the ledge, its cold, icelike touch running through her fingers. "I had it better than some, though," she continued. "I mean, the other girls had to take customers every night...Archie...kept me for himself..."

A wave of realization finally crept over Jack. She wasn't running from just the beatings. It was so much more than that. The distance she first maintained with all of the newsies, the wary trust. The true seriousness of her situation dawned on Jack, and he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Kate...why didn't you tell me?" he asked, his voice inflected with concern, perhaps even a trace of anger. After all he had been through with her, he had just discovered the tip of the iceburg.

"I didn't know what you'd think of me," whispered Kate, trying to keep her emotions down. She turned away slightly, trying with all of her might to keep calm. "I didn't want you to know that I...was a who-

"You are not a whore!" Jack shouted. Kate turned around suddenly and caught Jack's eyes, burning with conviction. "What he did ta you was not your fault! Ya know dat, don't you?"

Kate once again attempted to steer her gaze away from Jack's, her thoughts confused and broken. Am I nothing?, she thought. Jack firmly grabbed her shoulders and made her look at him.

"Please tell me ya don't believe a word dat he told ya," Jack said. Kate shut her eyes, trying to think, fighting against the years of neglect and abuse. Jack shook her and said "You are not his property. Not anymore! Never think dat you're nothin'!" He gently took Kate's face into his hands, his eyes searching Kate's, pleading, for some sort of recognition.

Her voice wavering, Kate said "How can I be anything more...why do I even matter!"

Unable to hold back any longer, Jack instantly leaned towards Kate and passionately placed a tender kiss on her lips. Her lips sent a warmth into Jack's entire body, as she felt the same effects from him. Emotions went reeling through her mind at a lightning quick pace, confusing her thoughts and turning everything upside down. Jack pulled back slightly, resting his forehead against hers.

"I have loved you...from the moment I first saw you," he said, strongly. "Everythin' about you...is like...magic." He delicately smoothed back her hair from her face. "From your eyes, to your smile...to even your temper," laughed Jack. "No matter what the past, I love you for what I see 'ere right in front of my eyes," he finished, softly kissing her forehead as she began to cry.

Jack reached up and smoothed away a tear that was traveling down her cheek. "What?" he pleaded. "What's wrong, Kate?"

Kate brought her hand up to her face and placed it on top of Jack's. She shook her head and said "Nothing! Nothing's wrong!" she exclaimed. "No one's ever said anything like that to me...and, oh god, for the longest time, I've wanted to hear you say that...wanted to tell you that I felt the same way, but I was afraid of being found and taken away. I didn't want the dream to end." She took in a deep breath, taking everything in, the tears freely falling down her face. Was it true?, she thought. Could he really love me?

"And now...you're here, telling me that you love me, making everything right. And I'm scared, Jack. I'm scared that I'll be taken away from all of this, from you." She looked directly into Jack's hazel eyes, questioning the difference between reality and fate.

"No one...will ever take ya away from 'ere. I swear to you, I promise ta keep ya safe, no mattah what. Do ya trust me?" Jack wiped away the remaining tears on Kate's face, as she sniffed softly, relishing every moment Jack's hand graced her face. As the last tear vanished, Jack caught Kate's gaze, and their eyes locked, and in that moment, she knew that she had nothing to hide. A stray piece of hair flew across Jack's forehead, and Kate tenderly pushed it aside.

"I trust you," she said, nodding her head. "I've trusted you from that moment on the bridge. I just never thought I'd be brave enough to tell you that..." She stared into his eyes, feeling stronger, and weaker at the same time.

"Tell me what?" asked Jack.

"That...I love you, too," she said.

Jack felt something in his heart that he had never felt before. Yes, Sarah had said that she loved him, as had many other girls, but his heart had never raced this fast before. It was like he was excited, scared, and nervous at the same time. The feeling of happiness inside of him had not been paralleled by anything in his life so far.

"It's good ta hear you say dat," replied Jack, as he tenderly caressed her cheek. She leaned foward and wrapped her arms around him, burying her head into his shoulder. He hugged her back, protectively, and kissed her on top of her head. As they broke apart a few moments later, Jack took her hand in his and helped her up off the ledge.

"C'mon," he softly said. "We'd better get back to da lodgin' house. Dey'll be waitin' up for us." Kate nodded, following Jack down into the theater and out into the streets. Neither of them said a word on the way home, simply enjoying the touch of each other's hand in their own. They walked like that the rest of the way into the lodging house, as they crept silently to their room. A few of the boys saw the couple pass through, but nothing was said. For the first time in a long time, their leader, brother, and friend passed by them with a certain smile on his face that, they hoped, would remain there for a long time.