Well guys, here's the last chapter! I really hope you enjoy it just as much as you've enjoyed the rest!

A Dream Called Santa Fe

Jack stared into Jess's eyes, and his mind flew in every direction at once. The strike was over; he no longer had anything holding him here. Santa Fe had been a dream of his as far back as he could remember, and here he was: finally with the chance to go. Why, then, was he hesitating? He knew the answer, even before he asked himself the question: Jessica Flynn, Newsies' Princess…Sweet Dream.

As he looked at her, he realized just how much he really did care for her. Yes…as much as Mush, Race, Boots, Blink, and the others might laugh at him for it, he couldn't lie to himself anymore: he was in love with Jessica Flynn. How could he walk away from her now? Then he saw Denton come and stand beside her. She broke her gaze with Jack to smile up at him.

That would be how he left her…she had what she had always wanted. She had wanted her father back just as much as Jack had wanted Santa Fe, and even though she had said she would consider coming with him once she found her father, he knew he couldn't tear her away from him now…not now that they had just been reunited. "We've both got what we want now," he whispered, and, with one last look at her, Jack headed for the carriage and climbed in to sit across from the Governor.

Jess turned back from her father and saw Jack in the carriage: he was leaving. Tears sprang instantly to her eyes, but she smiled through them. Why should she be upset? This was his dream, after all! He would be happy in Santa Fe, and that was all that mattered to her.

"You love him," a voice said behind her.

Jess turned to see her father smiling down at her with a knowing gleam in his eye. She shook her head. "It don't matter. He has Santa Fe, and that's what will make him happy."

"I know he asked you to go with him," Denton replied. "Why aren't you?"

"My family's here," Jess said with a small smile. "You're here…I go wherever you go."

Denton sighed. "You know, Jess…I have a hard time believing you didn't have anything to call 'family' while you were looking for me. I think you've had a family all along, but you got too wrapped up in what you took the word to mean to see it."

"What do you mean?" Jess asked.

"I mean that 'family' doesn't always have to mean people who are related to you by blood. Sometimes the strongest families have no blood between them at all. What is it you wanted when you thought about finding me?"

Jess bit her lip. "Well, I guess I just wanted a place to belong…a place where I felt safe."

"Did you feel safe with them?" Denton asked pointing at the Newsies. "Did you feel like you belonged with them?"

"Sure I did," Jess answered. "I always did."

"And I'm guessing a lot of that had to do with Jack," Denton smiled.

Tears sprang again to Jess's eyes as she nodded. "He always treated me like a princess…I always felt safest with him."

"Jessica…" Denton said putting his hands on her shoulders. "Now that we've found each other, I will always be there for you, but I don't think you'll be happy with me. You need them, and they need you."

Jess beamed at her father and hugged him tightly before running back to the Newsies. "Hiya fellas!" she cried happily. "Guess what…I'm still a Newsie!"

There was a general round of cheers following this statement, but Race, Mush, and Kid Blink were not satisfied. "Why aren't you goin' with Jack?" Race asked.

"Yeah…don't ya love him?" Blink pressed.

Jess nodded as several tears escaped her eyes. "Yeah I do…I love him more than anything, but I ain't ready to leave home just yet. I got my family here…you guys are my family, and I can't just leave ya. I just wish he woulda stayed," Jess ended bitterly.

Jack settled himself down in the seat across from the Governor. "Thanks for the ride, Governor," he said.

"Not at all, my boy," he replied. "May I ask where you're off to?"

"I'm goin' to Santa Fe, sir," Jack replied. "I've been wantin' to go for as long as I can remember."

"That's a long way from home," the Governor pointed out. "Are you quite certain that you're willing to leave everything here behind?"

"I don't have anything here to leave behind," Jack said.

"Are you sure?" the Governor pressed. He looked pointedly through the crowd.

Jack followed his gaze and saw Jess standing beside her father with a small smile gracing her face. To anyone else, she would've looked fine, but Jack knew her too well; she was crying through that smile.

"It seems to me as though you're throwing away quite the treasure," Roosevelt said quietly.

"She has her family now…she don't need me," Jack whispered, trying to keep the tears from his own eyes.

Roosevelt was silent for a moment, then, "What is so special about Santa Fe?"

"I'm sorry?"

"What about Santa Fe is so alluring to you?" he clarified.

Jack was momentarily stunned by the question. "I'll be free out there. There'll be nobody chasin' me or judgin' me for my past. I can start over…"

Roosevelt nodded slowly. "Tell me boy…the man who was chasing you: where is he now?"

"In jail," Jack replied with a smirk.

"I see. So, no one would be chasing you anymore. What about your friends? Did they ever judge you for your past?"

"Well, no," Jack muttered. "Nobody cares when you're a Newsie. And those guys were great about not pryin'."

Now, the Governor leaned forward. "And as for starting a new life…don't you think you could do that with this young lady?"

Jack shook his head. "She wants nothin' but her dad. She's got that now…she don't want me."

"It seems to me as though she chose her old way of life," Roosevelt said pointing back at the crowd.

Jack looked just in time to see Jess running off to meet the other Newsies. "She went back…" he breathed.

"Jack," Roosevelt began, "you said you've dreamed of Santa Fe for longer than you can remember. Is it possible that you never really wanted to go to the place itself at all? Is it possible that Santa Fe simply came to represent the idea of freedom and new opportunity for you? If you want my opinion, I would run back to that young lady and never leave her."

"But sir, I don't-"

"Let me ask you this," Roosevelt interrupted. "Imagine leaving right now and going to Santa Fe. When you get there, she won't be there nor will she ever be. You may get to the land you've always dreamed of, but will it be what you dreamed? Is Santa Fe enough anymore, or is that young lady Santa Fe now? Can you imagine being without her for the rest of your life?"

Jack was immediately taken back to those few days when he had thought Jess was with David. He remembered how hurt he had been and how empty everything had been without her. The Governor was right…Jess had become Santa Fe! "Turn around!" Jack cried. "I wanna go back!"

Roosevelt simply smiled and gave the order to turn the coach around.

"Hey Davey, save some papes for the rest of us!" Jess teased as David ordered one hundred papers.

"Don't worry, there's plenty left," he laughed. "I won't take 'em all."

The boys laughed, but suddenly they all heard cheering coming from the square outside. Then someone saw the carriage. "It's Jack!" Race yelled.

"He's back!" Mush cheered.

Everyone took off for the carriage while Jess simply stood rooted to the spot. He was coming back…he wasn't leaving! Tears of joy began to shine in her eyes as she began to push her way through the boys in an attempt to get to Jack.

Jack stood in the carriage and scanned the crowd. He finally spotted Jess trying to push her way towards him, and he leapt down and began to do the same. "Guys let me through!" he called over the din.

"Boys, please move! I need to get through!" Jess cried as well.

When they were within arm's reach of each other, Jack seized Jess's arm and pulled her to him in the tightest hug you can imagine. He could feel Jess's tears through his shirt even as his own tears fell into her hair.

"I thought you were leavin'," Jess sobbed. "I thought Santa Fe was everything to ya."

"I did too," Jack whispered back. "But then I realized somethin'." He leaned closer to her ear and began to sing.

Don't take much to be a dreamer.

All ya do is close your eyes.

But some made up world is all you'll ever see.

Now my eyes is finally open.

And my dreams they's average sized.

Jack cupped her cheek in one hand and secured the other around her waist.

But they don't much matter if you ain't with me…

Without giving time for a second thought, without even a chance for her to speak, Jack leaned in and kissed her with everything he had.

The boys immediately erupted in cat calls, whistles, and cheers of joy; they had been waiting for so long to see this moment.

Jess, after being in a state of shock for a moment, kissed Jack back with every ounce of emotion she could muster. It was the most wonderful feeling in the world.

When they pulled apart, Jack did not let go of her. "You are my Santa Fe, Jess," he said seriously. "You are all I'll ever need to be happy…I love you."

More tears leaked out of her eyes at his words. "Oh Kelly…I love you too!" She threw herself into his arms, and he picked her up and spun her. "You're my family now," she whispered when he finally set her down again.

"And I ain't never gonna leave you," Jack replied kissing her again. When he pulled away, he glanced up and saw David looking at them with a smile as big as any of the other boys. "So how's the headline today?" he asked.

"Headlines don't sell papes," David began. "Newsies sell papes."

Jack smiled; he knew there would be no more problems between himself and David. As Jess pushed herself closer to his side, Jack couldn't have been happier he had stayed in New York.

Everyone began to clear out of the buying area to go back to work. Race and Allie had disappeared off to the track, Spot and Kara had climbed into Roosevelt's carriage for a ride back to Brooklyn, Claire had managed to talk David into selling in her area for the day, and all the other Newsies had split off into groups to head back to their usual selling spots.

Jack flung an arm around Jess's shoulders. "So Sweet Dream," he began, "where d'ya feel like sellin' today?"

"Hmmmm…I don't know," Jess sighed with a gleam of mischief in her eyes. "But wherever it is…" she seized his cowboy hat and set it on her head, "bettcha can't catch me!"

"Jessica Flynn you gimmie that back!" Jack yelled as he tore after her across the streets of New York. As her laughter floated back to him on the air, Jack Kelly knew one thing for certain; he was definitely living the dream he had once called Santa Fe.

The End

Again, I want to thank you all for joining me for this story; it's been a lot of fun. I hope the ending suited you and that everything turned out the way you had hoped. Your reviews have meant so much to me, and I'm glad that you all enjoyed my story. Thank you!

Don't forget, there will be a collection of one-shots coming, and I will take ideas. Either leave them in a review or PM me your ideas/suggestions; I will try my best to write them all. Until then, keep carryin' the banner!