Disclaimer: I do not own Newsies. I love it, but I do not own it.

Author's Note:

Hello everybody! I am very excited to be publishing my first fanfiction! I love Newsies the Broadway Musical, and I have been working on this story for a while now! I hope you like it!

Newsies

Chapter 1: Carrying the Banner

Jack Kelly slowly opened his eyes. He expected to see the city streets of Manhattan, but instead he saw a king-sized bed in front of him. Oh, yeah. Now Jack remembered. Davey's family was allowing Jack and his pal Crutchie to live at their place for a while, instead of living on the rooftop of the Newsboys' Lodging House.

Jack realized that Crutchie was gone. He'd probably started selling his papes early, as he liked to do. And Davey and his brother Les were still sound asleep in their bed. Jack glanced out the window behind him and studied the sun. It was already five thirty, and they weren't even beginning to wake up yet! Well, to be fair, their school didn't begin until 7 o'clock.

Jack stood up, slipped on his blue button-down shirt, seized a piece of his favorite chewing gum, popped it in his mouth, then jumped out the window. He had work to get to.

Even though Jack had a job drawing political cartoons for the New York World, he still loved being a Newsie, so he just did both jobs. Sell papes in the morning, draw in the evening.

Jack joined his friends Crutchie, Specs, Albert, Race and the others at Mr. Wisel's- or Weasel's, as Jack preferred- selling window. "Hey, fellas!" Jack called to his pals.

"Hi, Cowboy! Hiya, Jack! Hey, Jackie!" his friends greeted him enthusiastically. Well, he was their leader, so it only made sense that they looked up to him.

Jack sauntered up to the selling window. "Good mornin', Weasel. A hundred papes." he smacked his coin onto the money box.

Wisel snatched up the coin and said to his helper Oscar Delancey, "A hundred papes for Jackie."

"Here ya go, Cowboy." Oscar sarcastically tossed the stack to Jack.

"Thanks." Jack smacked his gum and laughed. He didn't mind the Delanceys' rudeness anymore. He was used to it.

Crutchie had been waiting nearby, holding his stack of fifty papes. "C'mon, Jack!" he smiled.

"Let's go, boys!" Jack yelled to his gang. "Time to carry the banner!"

Jack made selling papers look easy. By two o'clock he only had... nine papers left. This would be fun. He grinned and carried on sweeping the streets of New York, calling out the headline, which today read "Newsies' Strike Settled by Governor". Many people seemed very interested in this headline, and the papes were selling quickly.

"I'll catch up with ya in a bit, guys!" Jack called out to his friends, then turned around and started in the other direction. He hadn't been to this part of the city yet today. Jack whistled, spun around a lamp post, and was about to continue on his way when a sign caught his eye. He backtracked a few steps, glanced up, and smiled. The brick building proudly bore an awning that read The New York Sun.

"I'll's just pay a quick visit."

Katherine Plumber- well, Pulitzer, technically-hurriedly clicked on her typewriter. She was almost done with her article. Then she could give it over to Mr. Dana to be edited. Katherine typed out the ending sentences:

Thanks to all of Governor Roosevelt's help, the Refuge is now shut down for good. And children all across New York got the change they deserved!

"And... There... We ... Go!" Katherine smiled as she typed an exclamation mark to end her piece. She was slipping her draft out of the typewriter as she heard from behind her-

"Hello, beautiful."

It could only be one person: Jack. Jack Kelly. Her- boyfriend? Jack had never said that out loud, nor had she. But it was clear that there was something between them. Katherine smiled to herself- she'd have a little fun with him.

"Oh, hey, Jack." she said casually, without looking back.

Jack's eyes widened. That was unusual. "So, how's your day been?"

Well, it just got better, now that you're in it. "Fine."

"Um, well... I's guess I'll just leave, if you're busy." Jack pivoted around and began to leave.

Okay, Katherine. You've had your fun.

She quickly stood up, grabbed Jack's hand, spun him around, and kissed him.

Jack pulled away. "That's better." he smiled, his eyes crinkling in the corners.

"Sorry, Jack. I thought I'd have some fun with you. But to tell the truth, my day's a lot better now that you're in it."

"Mine too."

"So, how many papes do you have left to sell? Knowing you, probably not many." Katherine asked.

"Nine." Suddenly, Jack's brown eyes lit up. "Ace, I just had a awesome idea! If you're not too busy, maybe you can help me sells the rest of my papes!"

Katherine raised an eyebrow, suspicious. "I could...But why? Oh, don't get me wrong; I know I have everything it takes to be a Newsie." she tossed her bouncy auburn locks with confidence.

"Of course you got what it takes. But I thought, well, if we tried to sell the papes togetter, they'd go faster. People couldn't resist a couple selling papes, right?"

"Uhh, yeah." Katherine zoned out for a minute. Jack just called us a couple! Aww. She internally squealed. Then she took a deep breath. "Oh, sorry about that. Of course I'll help you, Jack. I just need to drop this article draft into Mr. Dana's mailbox, and then I'm free. Today was a really easy day of work." Katherine grabbed her papers with one hand, and held Jack's in the other. They strolled to Mr. Dana's office. Katherine dropped her piece in his mailbox, then turned to Jack. "Let's go!"

As Jack and Katherine rode the elevator to the lobby, Katherine asked, "Jack. Why did you really ask me to come with you?" She sensed there was more to the gesture.

"You want the truth? Well, I guess I- I was hoping to spends more time...with you." Jack reddened; he didn't want to seem too soft!

"Oh, Jack! You could've just told me! We should spend more time together." Katherine placed her hand on her chest.

"Yeah, boyfriend's and girlfriend's should see each others more often."

"You mean, you think we're-"

"For sure." Jack leaned over to hug Katherine tightly, then took her hand. She smiled and squeezed it. Jack said, "Now c'mon. We got nine papes to sell!"

Half an hour later, all nine papers were in the hands of nine strangers; it was very fast work.

"See? We're good." Jack chewed his gum happily.

"I hate to admit it, but, yeah, you were right." Katherine laughed.

Crutchie limped up to the pair just then. "Hey, guys. I sold all my papes! What about you?" He leaned on his crutch.

"Thanks to Katherine, we's sold 'em all." Jack put his arm around her and smiled.

"What should we do now? We's done with work and it's pretty orleay." Crutchie glanced at the sun. "Yup; two-thirty."

"How 'bout we visit Medda? I ain't seen her in a few days." Jack suggested.

"Okay!"

As Jack, Katherine, and Crutchie arrived at the entrance to the theater, a guard blocked their way. "No kids allowed in the theater."

"Foist of all, I'ma be eighteen in two days. And Katherine here's already eighteen. Second of all, I'm a friend of Miss Medda's." Jack smiled. "The name's Jack. Jack Kelly." he extended his hand.

"Oh, you're the Jack Kelly!" the guard shook his hand. "And you must be Katherine Plumber of The Sun. And you must be Crutchie!" the guard exclaimed. "I've read all about you in the paper! Come in, please. Sorry if I seem hard. You can't be too careful, they say."

"It's all right," Jack smacked his gum and entered the building, along with Crutchie and Katherine.

Medda Larkin was just finishing her hit song "That's Rich" as the three young people entered the theater and watched from the overhead balcony. When she was through with the song, they clapped and cheered. "Great job, Miss Medda!" Jack shouted.

She spun around and saw the three kids above. "Good afternoon, kids! Take a seat wherever you'd like. The show's just starting!"

Katherine, Jack, and Crutchie spent the rest of the afternoon at Medda's theater, watching she and the Bowry Beauties perform.

After hugging Medda goodbye, the three started out for the Jacobs' apartment. The sun was setting, and as they reached the sidewalk directly below the apartment, the three could smell something delicious coming from the window.

"I'd better get going." Katherine squeezed Jack's hand and smiled a closed-lip smile.

"Or, you could stay? You could call your father, and tell him you were invited. I'm sure the Jacobses wouldn't mind at all. I mean, they's already took me and Crutchie in." Jack pulled her closer.

"Yeah, I'm sure they wouldn't mind." Crutchie agreed. "I'll go ask." he slowly began to climb the ladder- he found stairs more difficult- up to the home.

"Jack, did you mean what you said earlier?" Katherine whispered and stared at her feet. "You want to be my boyfriend?"

"'Course! One million percent. I-I lo-" Jack was interrupted by Crutchie. ''There's plenty of room for ya in here, Katherine!"

"Thank you!" Katherine smiled. She gave Jack a squeeze, then whispered in his ear, "I love you too. And I'm glad to be your girlfriend." And as she started up the stairs, Jack came up next to her and finished his thought. "I love you, Plumber."

So Katherine ate with the Jacobs, Crutchie, and her boyfriend. The meal of roasted pork (with chocolate pudding for dessert) was amazing. And they all had a wonderful evening, talking, laughing, and reflecting on the recently solved strike. When dinner and dessert were all gone, Katherine said reluctantly, "I'd better be heading out. My father might get worried."

"I'll walk you down." Jack smiled, and followed Katherine out the window.

"Goodnight, and thank you! I hope to see you all soon!" she smiled, then disappeared down the stairs, Jack right behind her.

Davey smiled to his family. "I'm assuming Jack is going with Katherine, so... he might be a while."

"Let's get you ready for bed!" Davey's mother said to Les.

"Okay..." Les scampered to brush his teeth, Davey and Crutchie about to do the same.

Outside, Jack said, "'Night, Kath."

"Aren't you going to ask if you can 'come with'?" Katherine grinned.

"I didn't want to seem so direct. But, yeah, I was hoping you'd say that." Jack grinned back, clasped his girlfriend's hand, and together they ran through the moonlit streets of Manhattan, passing by bakeries and bookstores, shoe shops and street carts. And as they neared the looming Pulitzer residence, they slowed down to a walk. "Jack. I've been thinking... we need to go out. On a date. Just you and me. I mean, we haven't been on a real date yet, right? So, how about next week? Like, next Friday? Because this Friday is somebody's birthday!" Katherine stretched out that last word and poked Jack playfully.

Jack smiled. "Next Friday? Okay. I's got the poifect idea in my head." Jack said as they reached Katherine's front porch. "Goodnight, Ace. I love you." he sighed and brought her into a hug.

"I love you too, Mr. Kelly. See you on your birthday!" Katherine stretched up and gave him a goodnight kiss. "And, Jack? I just wanted to let you know... that I-I think the unexpected things in life are often the best things." she smiled and carefully opened the red-painted door. Just before she closed it, Jack added, "And I's think you can find the best things in life right where you're at." he winked, then took off for Davey's house. And as he ran, he knew that he loved Katherine Plumber with all his heart.

That's chapter 1! May I just say that Newsies is amazing! Also, I would appreciate your honest feedback, as long as it's kind. I hope you enjoyed it!