Well…um… this took a much much MUCH longer time to get up than I thought it would. And I apologize a million times for that! But it's up now and I hope you all like it!

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Chapter 34

"Aunt Fiona!" the 7 year old boy cried when he opened the door. He hugged her.
Fiona chuckled as she hugged him back. "'Ey Jamie. Where's ya muddah?"
"I'm comin'. I'm comin'," they heard someone call from the next room. Casey emerged, walking as best she could. "Babe, ya too fast for me," she said to the boy, ruffling
his brown curls.
"Or you'se just too slow," Fiona teased as she came inside and shut the door behind her.
"Okay, how 'bout you be 8 and a half months pregnant and see how well ya get around." She put both hands on her large stomach. The 2 walked into the living room with
Jamie running in front of them.
"God, how long til ya due?"
"2 weeks. And I can't wait!"
The girls had been living in the "Newsies world" for 8 years now. They had created lives for
themselves there and continued to live them. They had been there for so long, this was now where they considered home. Casey and Amanda were now 25, Jean was 24 and Fiona was 22.
Casey and David had gotten married and started a family 2 years after they started dating. They lived in their own apartment, still in Manhattan, and had their own jobs. David was a journalist at The New York Sun and she helped out at Medda's. She mainly helped clean and
set up, but sometimes she did performances. All 4 of them did.
They sat down on the couch. And not a second later, the doorbell rang.
"Ugh!" Casey groaned. She really didn't feel like getting up again, so she just yelled, "It'll take me a half hour ta get dere. Just come in!"
They looked to the entrance and saw Jean come in.
"Dey wanderah is back!" Fiona announced.
"'Ey you two," Jean greeted her friend, hugging them. "DB, ya givin' boith ta triplets or somethin'?"
"Oh Lion-Jesus, don't even joke 'bout dat." Jean sat down on a chair.
"So, how was California?" Fiona asked.
"Amazin'! Crutch and I loved everything' 'bout it." She and Crutchy had become addicted to
traveling after receiving their first ticket to Florida for her birthday 2 years earlier. They spent more time in other states than they did in New York. But when they were in town, the two of them lived together in Manhattan as well. "How was life 'ere?"
"Nothin' different on my part," Casey said. "David's still workin' and I'm housin' a person."
"How's Jamie doin' at school?"
"He's just like his faddah dat way. His teachahs are always sayin' how smart he is. I swear, he got David's brains along wid his looks." Casey smiled at her son who was
sitting in the kitchen, reading. He was just learning how to. Jamie did look just like David. He had his brown curly hair and bright blue eyes. David claimed they were Casey's, but she was sure she was right.
"How's your actin' class Fi?"
"Da kids are really learnin'. Dey's actually usin' emotions and inflection wid dere readin's now."
"And what 'bout your work for da papah?" Jean wondered.
"It's goin' along well. I ain't gettin' a lot of huge headlines like Dave is. But dats just what comes wid bein' an assistant reportah."
"But ya still like woikin' for Da Sun?"
"Oh absolutely." Both Fiona and David worked at The New York Sun.
Suddenly, they heard a baby start crying.
"Oh, I guess Lucy's up," Casey stated. "A little 'elp?" Jean and Fiona each took one of her hands and pulled her up. "Thanks. I'll be back." As she walked past the kitchen,
she said to her son, "Sweetie, did ya see dat Aunt Jean is 'ere?"
"Hi!" he called to her.
"'Ey JJ!" she called back. JJ was the nickname that only Jean called him. It was short for Jamie Jacobs. "So where's Spot?" she asked Fiona.
"He's comin' once all da boys are back from sellin'. And it may take a while. Dey ain't as great sellahs like dey were when we was newsies."
"You two still goin' strong?"
"Coise. I still ain't puttin' his ring on me fingah, but we still togeddah." Spot had started proposing to her 2 months ago and hadn't stopped since. Fiona did really love him,
but she just didn't want to get married. She had moved in with Spot into the Brooklyn Lodging House the year previous.
"Ya know he ain't gonna stop askin' til ya say yes," Casey pointed out, walking back into the room. She was carrying a tired little girl whose head was resting on her
shoulder. Casey lowered herself back onto the couch.
"Well good aftahnoon little goil," Fiona said to the baby, stroking her head.
"She looks so much biggah den da last time I saw her," Jean commented.
"Well she was a whole month youngah," Casey responded. "Now she's 11 months."
"Wid Lucy da spittin' image of you and Jamie, David, I 'ope dis thoid one'll be a poifect mix," Fiona said. She was right. Lucy did look like Casey. Her eyes were more blue-green like her mother's and she was growing blonde hair that was already developing waves.
"Are you two really gonna be able ta raise all three kids in dis apartment?" Jean questioned. "No offense. I mean, it was poifect when ya just had Jamie. But Lucy's growin' and wid annudah..."
The couple had bought this apartment after they had just gotten married, when Jamie was just over a year old. At that time it was all they could afford. There were 2 bedrooms, one for Casey and David and one for Jamie. They had a living room and a kitchen that were
separated by a wall with a doorway. And there was one bathroom. It seemed to all work for a while. But when they had Lucy, it started to feel even smaller; especially since Jamie was 6 by then and was becoming more and more curious and liked to run around. They kept Lucy in their room, because they knew Jamie would throw a tantrum if they forced him to share. Plus, they were able to keep a closer eye on her. And when they found out a third was on it's way, they knew something needed to be done.
"We know it's really small. Dave and I are savin' up money til we has enough for a biggah one. A lot of da money he got from his promotion goes ta buying' clothes for da kids and food. And I only woik at Medda's 4 times a week, gettin' $5 a day. So it ain't much. But we'se gonna make it. It's also just gonna be a huge gamble finding' da right one. So dis'll give us enough time ta find it."
"Speakin' of gamblin', where's da Higgins?" Fiona wondered.
"What day is it?"
"Friday," Jean answered.
"Den dey'se at da races still."
"Oh dats right. I forgot," Fiona remembered. "Dey go ta de races every Tuesday and Friday aftah de boys come back." Amanda and Race were married a couple years back and worked at the Lodging House. They still kept old habits and continued going to Sheepshead twice a week. They didn't have any children, but they had 2 cats whom they called Lucky and Charm. Although they had their own apartment in the city, they kept the cats a lot at the
Lodging House. They didn't really trust them alone in their home unless they were able to get one of the guys to check in on them all the time.
"Da one taday ends at 5 and it's 4:57 now. So dey'll be 'ere in a few
minutes," Casey explained.
At that moment, they heard the door opened and David appeared.
"Hey everyone," he greeted them. He wasn't surprised to see Jean and Fiona there.
"Dave, long time no see," Fiona joked. She had left work just before him.
He chuckled and walked in the room towards his wife.
"Hi you," she said to him.
He smiled in response and leaned down, and they shared a long kiss.
"Easy boy. Ya don't wanna get 'er pregnant wid a fourth," Jean warned him.
They pulled apart.
"You 'aven't even 'ad one yet," Casey reminded her. "You ain't allowed ta joke 'bout dat." She unconsciously rubbed her belly.
"Are you guys plannin' on anudda?" Fiona wondered. She knew that Casey had always wanted four kids.
"We're gonna wait to see how we do with three first," David answered. He looked down and saw Casey holding their daughter. He took Lucy out of Casey's arms and held her. "Hi sweetheart," he spoke to the baby girl. "Daddy missed you today."
"Oh! Speakin' of missin'...Jamie, ya dad's 'ome!" Casey called.
"Daddy!" the boy cried as he ran from the kitchen and collided into David, hugging him around his middle.
"Hey Jame," David laughed. "How was school?"
"I got an A on my spelling test!"
"That's great son! Congratulations. Hey, why don't you come help me dress your sister so we can give your mom and aunts Jean and Fiona some privacy."
"Okay!"
"Let me know if you need help with anything," he said to Casey.
"Ya mean like standin'?" she joked back, but being quite serious too.
He chuckled and kissed her head. He took Jamie's hand and they left the room.
"You two are still as adorable as ya were when ya foist met," Jean told her.
"I think your 2 kids add ta dat though," Fiona teased.
"I'm takin' dat as a compliment," Casey replied.
"'Ey everybody! Da Higgins is in da house!" they heard Amanda call out from the entrance. She and Racetrack walked into the room and Fiona and Jean got up to hug and greet them.
Casey tried to push herself up, but Race stopped her.
"'Ey, 'ey, don't strain yaself." He walked over to her and helped her sit back down. "We'll come ta you." He hugged her. "How ya feelin' DB?"
"Huge," she responded.
"I'd figuah you'd be used da dat by now," Amanda inquired as she hugged her friend.
"You'd think dat, wouldn't ya?"
"'Ey, is Dave 'ome yet?" Race wondered, knowing he should leave Amanda with the girls.
"He and Jamie are in Lucy's room, dressing 'er. You can join 'em if ya want." He nodded and left.
Amanda sat on a chair opposite of Jean.
"Wait, so are da four of us actually in da same room at da same time?" Amanda pointed out. With all their schedules, they didn't very often get to all be together.
"I think so," Fiona agreed.
"Guys, I feel like I 'aven't seen ya in sooo looong," Jean complained.
"Well you've been who-knows-where every oudda day," Amanda reminded her.
"And you've 'ad da papah and your classes," Jean said to Fiona.
"And you've been busy wid ya family and baby comin'," Fiona went to Casey.
"And you, wid all dose newsies," Casey ended at Amanda.
"We all 'ave such lives ta live."
"But at least we're all 'ere now."
"'Ey, Where's Kelly? Ain't dem da reason we'se all togeddah?" Amanda brought up.
"Dey said dey would be 'ere at 6. Dey wanna make sure dey 'ave everythin' set and ready ta go tommarah."
"Man, I can't believe dey're really goin'," Fiona stated.
"And wid a 2 year old," Jean added.
Jack and Sarah had gotten married just over 2 years ago. As much as they all knew he loved Sarah, his friends couldn't help but be surprised that Jack Kelly got married. Soon after, Sarah was pregnant and they had their first son, Andrew.
Everyone was gathering for a farewell party for them. After many years, they were finally going to Santa Fe. Jack had already secured land out there, and it was all ready for them. They were leaving the next day.
"Who else is comin' tanight?" Fiona wondered.

"Uhhh…ta be poifectly honest, I ain't too sure," Casey answered. "None of da guys are very good at RSVPin'. But I'm sure alotta'em'll show up at somepoint."

"Well, Spot should be 'ere soon."

"Is Crutchy comin'?" Amanda asked Jean.

"He really wants ta," she said. "He's gonna try ta be 'ere lateh. He's just unpackin' everythin'."

"Unpackin'? Ya mean you two's 'ere ta stay?"

"For a while. We ain't sure where we'se goin' next or when or how. So we're stayin' in da city 'til we figuah out all dat."

"Oh!" Casey exclaimed, remembering something. "Did I show ya?" She asked Fiona to help her up, and she walked to a table on the other side of the room. She picked up a table and brought it back to her friends. "Denton finally gave us back da pictuah."

"Oh dat's beautiful," Amanda commented as she got handed the picture. She looked it over and passed it to Jean.

"Look a dat. It's framed and everythin'," Jean added.

"Lemme see," Fiona requested. She took it and said to Casey, "Aw, goily, I love dis pictuah. You guys look great."

Casey smiled and replied, "Thanks guys." She took it back and sat down, still looking at it. It was of her, David, Jamie and Lucy that past Christmas in front of their Christmas tree.

"And soon dere'll be a fifth," Jean pointed out.

"Oh, don't remind me."

"You guys can 'andle dis," Amanda reassured her. "You've done a great job wid Jamie and Lucy so far."

"Yeah, so far."

"Don't start second thinkin' on yaself as a muddah," Fiona spoke up. "You'se a great mom and you're raisin' your kids poifect."

"And if ya evah need 'elp, ya knows we'se 'ere for ya," Jean promised.

"I love ya guys," Casey told them. "Like, really, I love ya."

"Awww, we loves ya too DB." Jean and Amanda came with Casey and Fiona and the four hugged.

All of a sudden, a huge clap of thunder rang out, making all of them jump.

"Lion-Jesus!" Amanda exclaimed.

"I guess a storm's comin'," Fiona stated.

"Hey, are you all alright?" David asked, walking into the room with Race and Jamie following. David was carrying Lucy.

"Yeah, yeah, we'se fine," Casey told her husband.

Then, the door quickly opened and closed, and Spot walked in.

"'Ey babe," Fiona greeted him. She went to him and kissed him.

"Da boys all sell dere papes?" Jean questioned.

"Yeah, and I'm glad dey all got in before dis storm rolled in," he replied. "I was walkin' up your steps and it started ta downpour and da wind picked up."

"I hope dis ain't gonna interfere wid Cowboy and Sarah getting' 'ere," Racetrack brought up. "I mean, we is all gatherin' for dem."

"Aw, a little bad weather wouldn't get in Jack's way," Casey defended. "He'll stop at nothin' ta get 'ere."

"'Sides, we can always just have da party tomor-" Amanda started to suggest before the opening door cut her off.

"Damn, we may be sailin' ta Santa Fe by da looks of dis," Jack joked as he walked in.

"Uncle Jack!" Jamie cried as he ran to the man. Jack caught him and picked him up.

"'Ey dere little guy. Not so little any more, huh? What 'appened ta my little baby nephew?"

"Where's Sarah and Andrew?" Jean asked, noticing that he was alone.

"Sarah didn't want ta bring Andrew out in da rain, so dey're gonna be by when dis all lets up a bit."

"Dat's good. Den we'se'll be able ta finish getin' everythin' togeddah before all da guests of honah are 'ere," Casey commented.

"You mean, we'll be able to finish," David corrected, referencing himself, Spot, Race and Jack. "You aren't moving."

"Davi-"

"We will handle everything. You just sit and relax and be with your friends."

"What 'bout me kids? Can I be wid dem?"

"But I wanna help get ready for the party!" Jamie cried.

"Den how 'bout you go wid daddy and I just take your sistah." She held out her arms and David put the baby into them.

"Now you boys go and let us goils 'ave our time," Fiona told them.

"Call if you need us," David stated as he led the others into the kitchen.

"Can you believe dat we've been 'ere for eight years now," Jean pointed out once they were alone.

"Has it been eight already? It's gone by so fast," Amanda added.

"So much has 'appened durin' 'em. It hard ta believe dat we evah had lives in a whole oudda woild," Casey continued.

"'Ey now, enough 'bout da past now," Fiona decided to change the subject. "Let's talk 'bout what's comin' up. My students wanna present da stuff dey'se been woikin' on and I was thinkin' next wee-"

Suddenly, she was interrupted by a large clap of thunder and lightning flashed from outside.
"Omegod!" Amanda jumped. "I forgot 'bout de storm."
Then, the wind picked up and they could hear it blowing very hard.

"What is dis, a tornado or somethin'?" Jean called out.
Casey held a tighter grasp on her daughter who was starting to cry.
"It's okay. It's okay. It'll pass," she tried to comfort her.

Another huge blast of thunder rang out and it felt as if the whole house was shaking.
"Mama!" Jamie cried, running into the room. She put one of her arms around the boy and held him close.
More thunder erupted and the rain continued to pour down.
The 4 girls huddled together to stay calm and help keep the children from being scared. Jack, David, Race and Spot came sprinting in to protect them.
David wrapped both his arms around his family and Casey had her head buried in his chest. She wasn't one to be afraid of storms, but this was not a normal rainstorm.
The wind was now blowing so hard the door shot open. Jack tried to close it but it wouldn't stay shut no matter how hard he pushed. The girls all had their eyes closed as tight as they could.
And then suddenly, it stopped. There was no more rain, no more wind, no more thunder and lightning. The 4 opened their eyes and were very confused about what they saw. They were in a different room on a bed. There were windows on 2 walls, a large tv and couch, and a set of stairs on their left. They also discovered they were alone. The boys, Jamie n'or Lucy were there.
"What ha-" Fiona asked, but stopped short when she heard her voice. It sounded very young.
No, Amanda thought. She, Jean and Fiona looked down at themselves and saw that they were once again the ages they were when they first entered the world of the newsies.
"We-we're back?" Jean questioned.
"Case, did we leave our woild?" Fiona asked. When she didn't hear a response, she and the other 2 looked to their friend. Her face was pale and tears were already flowing down her cheeks. But she didn't make any noise.
When Casey had opened her eyes, she immediately knew what had happened and
her hand went right to her stomach. Her heart had dropped when she felt flatness. Her
pregnancy had disappeared. She then became aware that neither her husband or children
were with her.
"Dey ain't 'ere," she said quietly, her voice shaking. "Jamie, Lucy...David. Me family. And-and my…" She placed her other hand on her stomach and started to sob so hard no noise was coming out. Starting to cry themselves, Jean, Amanda and Fiona gathered around her and they all hugged each other, not sure what to think or how to react to what had just happened to them. They weren't sure how long they had been like that when they heard someone call up to them, "Girls, are you up there? Dinner is almost ready!"

It took them a little while to remember whose voice that was.

"We-we'll be right dere-there mom!" Fiona called back, trying to hide the New York accent that they all still had.

After a few more minutes, they slowly stood up and numbly started to walk down the stairs. None of them spoke a word for the whole night until they went to bed.

Finally, Jean broke the silence saying, "Was it all a dream? Our last eight years?"

"No," Casey answered very solemnly. "It was real. Everythin' was real. We lived it all."

"We'll get back ta 'em someday, won't we?" Fiona wondered with all hope very evident in her voice.

"We 'ave ta," Amanda replied. "It's where our 'ome and families are. We'll get back dere. One day."

Well, there it is. The last chapter of Fansies Meets Newsies. But fear not! I am writing a sequel and am planning on starting to post it soon. Hopefully by next week or earlier. I'll post a chapter on this story letting you all know that it's up.

I hope everyone who read this story has enjoyed it as much as I have had writing it. Thank you so much to all the people who have read, favorited, followed, and/or reviewed FMN. I love you all

Reviews, even for the last chap, are sunshine