Disclaimer-(Checks around the house) Nope. Still don't have ownership of anything Newsies. Oh wait! (Holds up paper) I do have ownership of Robin, Carey, and Laura, so don't let Disney say otherwise. Now go read the chapter and review!
Laura slowly woke up, feeling weak and tired but better than she had since the rally. Looking around in the dim light, she could make out Carey sleeping on the other couch and Blink sitting in a chair with his head on the arm of the couch, fast asleep. She watched him sleeping, enjoying the peaceful quietness. Laura suddenly became aware that Blink was talking in his sleep. She paid closer attention, hoping to figure out what he was saying.
"Ise is gonna help youse. Ise promise nothing will hoirt youse."
Laura sat there, thinking hard. She remembered having a dream about a boy named Daniel trying to find a violin. It was a bit fuzzy, but it had felt so real; as if it had been her violin the boy had been trying to find. Suddenly she was 5 years old again, and her tenement building had caught fire. She was worried about her violin and a neighbor-a blond-haired boy her age-was offering to get it for her. He promised that nothing would hurt her…
Studying Blink's sleeping face, Laura saw the resemblance between the boy from her dream and the one sleeping in the chair. Leaning over, she softly kissed the top of his head.
Crutchy was opening the bedroom door to serve Snyder when he noticed a commotion at the bottom of the stairs. The front door was being opened and someone was coming in, waving a walking stick around. As soon as the door was wide enough, he pushed past and stormed to Snyder's door. A whole stream of people followed him. All the boys in the Refuge crowded in the hallway to listen as the man started yelling at Snyder.
"Governor Roosevelt, how are-"
"You were not given charge of these boys to steal food from them and hunt them down like animals! I expected better from you, Samuel Snyder. These poor boys are not here for you to punish like this!" Roosevelt kept talking, telling Snyder how many laws he was breaking and other such things. The boys started cheering when Roosevelt placed Snyder under arrest. Crutchy and Ten Pin high fived each other and started doing a little jig in the crowded hallway. They kept dancing out to the wagon to head back to Newsie Square.
Blink felt his hope starting to slip away. They had been waiting for a while now and nobody else had shown up.
"So, when's the others coming, Kid?" Mush asked.
"They ain't coming. Ain't gonna be nobody but us," Jack said before Blink could respond. He watched as Les started walking away from the group and Race followed him.
"When the circulation bell starts ringing, will we hear it?"
"Nah," said Race. "What if the Delanceys come out swinging, will we hear it?"
"No!"
"That a boy!" Blink walked over and put a hand on his hip. Everyone else followed him and looked out, watching for anyone that might come.
"When you've got a million voices singing, who can hear a lousy whistle blow? And the World will know!"
"Look!" cried Blink suddenly, pointing. A whole crowd of sweatshop kids were coming from all directions. He looked back out and could see Spot leading the Brooklyn newsies, Laura, Carey, and Robin just behind him.
"Brooklyn!" Spot yelled. Everyone started cheering and shouting at once as Jack made his way to the front of the crowd. Seitz came out and brought him and David in to see Pulitzer.
Blink made his way over to Laura and stood in front of her. She wrapped her arms around his waist in a hug. He hugged her back. "Heya, Spot."
"Kid," Spot said back with a nod. "Take good care of her."
"Ise will." Laura stood on her tiptoes and looked in his face. He smiled back and kissed her.
Spot watched as Laura and Blink kissed. Expecting to feel a twinge of jealousy, he was pleasantly surprised that it didn't bother him at all. A small hand grabbed his and he turned to Robin, kissing her head as he pulled her to his side. When he looked up, Jack and David were coming out of the gates. Spot started calling everyone over.
"Hey, fellas, they're over here!"
Laura watched as Blink left her and went over to where Jack was coming out of the gate. She had no idea what was being said, but she could tell everyone was hoping for good news. She watched as Jack picked up a young boy, who threw his arms in the air. The crowd started going crazy. Everyone looked happy. Laura saw Blink looking happy, waving his arms in the air. He ran over to her. "We beat 'em! We beat 'em! It's over!"
She laughed and kissed him as he picked her up and twirled her around. Nearby, she could see Spot celebrating with Carey and Robin. The five of them started hugging each other and patting each other on the back.
"Jack! Jack, it's the bulls. It's the bulls. Let me down!" Les's cries caught their attention.
"Down, Jack. Get down!"
Blink, seeing the wagon coming, pushed Jack away. "Hide, Jack!" He tried to pull his friend away, but was stopped by Denton.
"Jack, it's over. No, no. You don't have to run." Blink pulled Jack out of Denton's hand and tried to run again. "Not anymore. Not from the likes of him. Come on, Come on." They followed Denton over to the wagon, where kids were starting to hop out of the back. At the very end, to everyone's surprise, Crutchy got out.
Crutchy put a hand on Snyder's back, stopping him before he got in the wagon. "Ah, remember what I told ya, Mr. Snyder. The first thing ya do in jail, make friends with the rats. Share what you got in common." As the cop made to close the door, Crutchy turned to him. "Officer, may I please?"
"Sure kid."
Crutchy passed his crutch off and slammed the door shut before locking it as everyone cheered. Taking his crutch back, he came over to his friends.
"You won't be seeing much of him anymore," Denton told them. "Say goodbye Warden."
They all started calling after the wagon. Crutchy heard Race yelling "Bye pooface!" He smiled as he turned to Jack. "Oh, Jack, you ought tah seen it! He comes stormin' into the Refuge waving his walking stick like a sword and he's leading in this army of lawyers and cops."
"Who comes stormin' in?" Jack asked.
"You know, your friend. Him! Teddy Roosevelt!"
Everyone followed Roosevelt's carriage as Jack climbed in and they started driving away. As the kids from the sweatshops followed it out of sight, Crutchy caught sight of Laura standing next to Blink and walked over to say hi. She smiled and gave him a big hug.
"Heya, Laura. How are ya?" Crutchy suddenly noticed Blink's arm around his cousin's shoulders and the happiness in her eyes. He looked back and forth between them, wondering just what he had missed. "Did Ise miss somethin here?" Laura nodded, wearing an impish look on her face. Crutchy pretended to think hard. "Didja grow?" She swatted at him. "No?" After several more suggestions, he shook his head. "Ise give up." Blink, who had been watching the cousins and laughing, finally held up his hand, which was currently holding Laura's. Crutchy laughed and congratulated them.
"We's got somethin ta show youse," Blink said, turning serious for a minute. He and Laura lead Crutchy back to the gate, where Carey was waiting patiently. As the trio walked up, she threw herself at Crutchy. He barely managed to keep his balance and catch the body flying at him.
After the group was finished hugging and kissing, it was decided that Blink and Crutchy would get some papers to sell and the girls would find some food and make a picnic. They would meet up later in Central Park to catch up. Blink leaned against a lamppost and watched the girls disappear into the crowd. As the circulation bell started ringing, the newsies started talking about selling places.
"Try Bottle Alley or the harbour," Mush suggested.
"Try Central Park, it's guaranteed," Race added.
"Try any banker, bum or barber," Crutchy piped up.
"They almost all knows how tah read." Blink finished Crutchy's sentence for him. Patting his friend on the back, they started walking to the distribution center to get their papes. David had just paid for a hundred when the sound of cheering came from outside the gates. Everyone turned to see Roosevelt's carriage returning, followed by the sweatshop kids.
Spot had stood off to the side during most of the excitement, happy with how things had turned out but not quite feeling part of the celebration, being from a different borough and all. Robin stood with him, holding his hand the entire time. When Jack came riding back through in Roosevelt's carriage, Spot managed to slip over and get himself and Robin a ride. They rode through the crowd to shouts from several newsies. Spot could hear Jack's girlfriend yelling bye and Jack yelling "Go back to Brooklyn ya hear!" He just smiled and waved, enjoying himself. When they drew away from the crowd, he leaned over to Robin and whispered "We's gonna start a whole new life togedder."
Crutchy walked with Jack and the Jacobs' behind the carriage. Blink, having too much energy, was behind them with a group of newsies, who were making up some kind of dance with their papers that quite frankly scared Crutchy a little bit. As they walked, Crutchy started telling Les and Sarah about his evil brilliance with the sauerkraut. They, in turn, caught him up on everything he had missed being in the Refuge. Blink, having tired of dancing, caught up to Crutchy.
"Heya, Crutchy," he said, putting a hand on his friend's shoulder.
"Heya, Blink. So…youse and Laura?" Crutchy looked at Blink, a questioning expression on his face. Blink nodded. "Wat exactly did Ise miss?"
"It's been a long week," he replied, laughter in his voice.
Awwww...three happy couples. Everyone say awwww with me. One, two, three...awwwwwww.
Anyway, so I'm thinking the next chapter will be the last chapter and kind of tie up loose ends. I'm kind of torn though. 15 chapters seems like a good number, but does anyone think there should be more to the story? Or should I end it next chapter and do a sequel? Let me know what you think in a review. Oh, and thanks to the people who favorited this story and followed and reviewed. You people make my day!