Wow, I haven't been on here in forever! Well I've been catching up on reading some fics and going through files on my computer and thought to myself "Hey, I still have stuff to publish for this story" so here I am.

Did ya miss me?

Morning on the day of the rally.

Another warm, summer morning. Another breakfast on the roof for Jack and Sarah. This time, however, they had actually planned to meet each other on the roof. When Sarah climbed up the fire escape with her basket full of food, she smiled joyously as she saw Jack already sitting at the table. He held his hat, rotating it slowly in his hands.

"Good morning," Sarah greeted him, taking him out of his trance. She set the basket on the table as she sat across from him. She began to unload it, taking out the milk, bread, jam, and other food items.

"Morning," Jack replied. He took the glass of milk and bread she offered him, sitting in silence and returning to his trancelike state.

"Are you all right, Jack?" Sarah asked, placing her hand on his wrist cautiously. Again, he snapped back to reality.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he replied, his tone mostly carefree, though there was a small amount of sadness in it. "I'se just thinking about my mother." He leaned back in his seat as Sarah studied his face.

"You must miss her and your father terribly," she said. She saw Jack sigh, almost like he was relieved at her statement. "I know I couldn't stand my parents being across the country for so long." She paused to take a sip of her milk. "How long have you been away from them?"

"Eh," he replied, thinking. "Maybe two, two and a half years." She gaped at him. "Remember, I was in the Refuge in that time too, made it seem so much longer."

"You poor thing," Sarah said, pitying him. "That must have been awful." To be in prison and without your parents; Sarah knew for sure she wouldn't have been strong enough to handle it. "You're very brave, Jack. For being arrested, for escaping, for the strike, for everything."

"Naw," he exhaled. "Some of those things were pure chance. It was dumb luck I managed to ride outta the Refuge on the roof of Roosevelt's carriage that night. Don't tell Les though." He laughed slightly, thinking of how the young newsie looked up to him as a hero.

"I won't; I promise," Sarah smiled. "But I have one question for you. Why Santa Fe? There must have been something about it that made your family choose there to live."

Jack thought quickly, the look on his face showing it.

"Well, ya see," he began, fabricating a story. "My father always loved the Old West. We'd read all about it in all the papes. This is his hat, actually." Jack smoothed his finger over the brim of the hat. "So when the chance to get a ranch out West came up, him and my Ma took it. They left me with their friend, Medda, over at Irving Hall, saying that when they'd found some land they'd send for me and I could hop the next train for New Mexico."

"And you were sent to the Refuge after they left?" Sarah asked, intrigued by his story.

"Yeah, they don't even know," Jack said. "I don't got no address to write to them, so I guess they won't know 'til I see them again."

She saw in his eyes that the subject was getting touchy, so she quickly changed it. "So are you and the boys ready for the rally tonight? I'm guessing your going to have quite the full house there."

"We just got a few more things to go over with Spot, then we'se all set," Jack said.

Short. Sweet. To the point. Not much but like some of the other chapters, not every one is going to be some big meaningful conversation. I guess you get a little insight into Jack's whole facade and how Sarah is believing it? And then it shows how much it hurts her when she finds out the truth? You guys will probably read more into this than I do, as usual.

Reviews are love :)