Hi guys. I'll try to keep this brief.
Review Responses:
Newsies Square: We stan Hermione punching Draco, but it was coincidence. The Sniper thing was actually a callback to the Sarah fight in 92sies. I apologize for breaking you, you're welcome to hurt me just as hard in TNE! GO ELMER GO!
Huffelpufdraws: I shall pass that info onto Dylan unless they've already seen it somehow, muchas gracias. *vibes to the Veggietales music* YAY SPECS OOF DAVEY YAY RACE!
Dylan Quagmir: Look at you, so accomplished. Even though it fried your brains. Thanks for finally reading it though!
Right-o, time to make you all smad and pissed at various people.
Chapter 63- Katherine
Tuesday, September 21, 1999, 2:00 p.m.
It felt childish to say, but Katherine had never been so cross with her father. Obviously, he'd caused the strike, but on top of that he'd had the nerve to ban her, his own daughter, from every paper in the city just when her career had been kicking off. Although now, having found out about Mr. Denton's offer, he was hard pressed to have Katherine take that position. She knew why, of course. Getting her stuck writing little fluff pieces that weren't actual news was apparently a better job for Katherine than even working at The Journal, where Mr. Hearst and his friends would have been able to puppy-guard her in Pulitzer's stead. Anything to keep her from actually making a difference.
But this, she was steadily learning, was far from Pulitzer's worst offense.
Shifting uncomfortably in the red velvet chair her father was so fond of buying for school offices, Katherine continued her eavesdropping. She'd been summoned to his office a while ago but still wasn't entirely certain why, as he'd taken a quick moment to confront her about the article, then told her to stay, for reasons unknown. Currently, he was speaking with the mayor, not seeming to care that Katherine could hear everything.
"I don't understand your angles, Mr. Pulitzer, I truly don't," the mayor lectured. "It's one thing to pay no attention to adults arguing for fair wages when they've been going for three weeks, but inciting the rath of schoolchildren... What, pray tell, do you expect to get out of that?"
"These children decided to strike against me in particular. I can deal with civil adults, but I'm afraid I have no sympathy for these kids. You must understand, they're manic! No organization at all, despite their constant efforts, not to mention they've been purposely starting fights. This, sir, is exactly what happens when you stuff students' heads with too many fanciful ideas and allow them to run amuck."
"I permitted you to cut the art programs already, Mr. Pulitzer, and look what happened. A riot."
"Excuse me," interrupted Katherine, taking a stand then and there. "But the riot didn't happen because of the newsies, it-"
"Sit down!" Pulitzer barked. Startled by his tone, Katherine almost sat, but managed to hold her ground. "Pay no attention to Miss Plumber, please, she has no idea what she's saying."
"You called the police on them!" Katherine raised her voice to just slight of a full-on yell. "It's a well known fact!"
"Miss Plumber. You are on very thin ice. I already suspect how deeply involved you are with your students, and I would recommend holding your tongue on the matter unless you want me to start looking into things. Furthermore, if you have any wish to keep your position as student teacher, I suggest you sit down."
This time, Katherine conceded. Verbal outbursts weren't going to get her anywhere.
Her father turned again to his guests. "Mr. Mayor, I'll be frank, I did call the police on these students, but it was early in this mess. I only did it to break up an altercation, you see? They were causing a disturbance to those trying to learn and needed to be properly dealt with."
The mayor tapped a finger to his lips, more or less satisfied with the explanation. "I suppose that does qualify as legal cause..." With the same finger, he pointed at Pulitzer. "However, from what I've read in the paper, the actions of some of the police officers-"
"Oh, I assure you, any force they used was not unprovoked. As I said before, this is quite the unruly bunch of kids we're dealing with here. I haven't even mentioned the criminal record of their leader."
"Do tell."
"Well, some might call him simply a street rat, or a thief. Mr. William Snyder, you'll find, would go further than that, claiming the boy as an escaped convict."
"And who is this we're discussing?"
It was insanely frustrating as Katherine kept herself from leaping to her feet again. She badly wanted to defend Jack, but before she got the chance to even consider her next piece, Officer Snyder emerged from his seat in front of Pulitzer's desk like a spider out of a bedroom corner.
"This boy, they call him Jack Kelly," explained Pulitzer. "He was under Mr. Snyder's care in one of your own institutions, Mr. Mayor."
"His real name's Francis Sullivan," Snyder cut in. "Never a good kid, that one. He was first sentenced to my Refuge at the age of thirteen, due to some violence or other with his foster sibling at the time. His mother and father had both passed away, but I don't think they ever raised him right. Sullivan has no regard for the rules, and since that first time he's been a frequent visitor of my home."
"You called him a thief?" prompted the mayor, quite invested now. "An escaped convict?"
"Well, he served his time with me the first time, all of it, good and proper. I thought he'd learned his lesson, but I was too naive. After he was placed in a new home, I caught him myself, trafficking stolen food and clothing to the other kids in my care. Then he was in and out for years until being most recently sentenced, around last winter. Being the ruffian he is, he escaped back then, and I've been trying to track him down ever since."
"Hmm. And you say he's the same boy who's been the main character of the city's biggest news story this week?"
"That's right."
"He's a vagrant, and removing him from the streets would bring peace of mind to all, I assure you," said Pulitzer.
The mayor adjusted his cravat, nodding thoughtfully. "Based on his record and Mr. Snyder's testimony, I suppose we can take him in. Quietly."
This was the exact opposite of what Mr. Pulitzer had wanted to hear, evident in the way he slammed his hands against his desk, hard enough to rattle his pen holder and other artifacts. "What good will quiet do me?!"
"Mr. Pulitzer-" Hannah entered the office, hell-bent on sharing some news. She couldn't have come at more of a bad time, for she was quickly cut off by the impending fit of rage.
"If we want this strike to end we need a public example made of the boy!"
"Mr. Pulitzer!" On the second try, Hannah caught his attention. Punctuated with much nervous hand waving, she told him, "There's a boy- Jack Kelly- he's asked to see you."
Katherine gasped, rising quickly to step closer to Hannah. "He's- why-" was all she could stutter, but it was enough.
"He said something about bein' here on behalf of Medda Larkin? I don't really know, but he's practically clawing his way in."
That wasn't good. That wasn't good at all. Katherine had to get out. She had to leave before Jack came in and saw her, here, with all her secrets spilled on a silver platter. If the truth came out before she had a chance to explain herself... Katherine didn't think she had the capacity to form an explanation in these circumstances, not when faced with Jack's reaction. He would want an explanation right away, and he wasn't going to be rational about it. Each time she'd imagined coming clean to him, she'd pictured a calmer setting, so this wasn't going to work. If she could just slip out-
"Ask, and he shall be received," a sadistic smile had spread across Pulitzer's face. It was already too late. Following a quick wave to Snyder, he pointed sharply to Katherine. "Sit. Now."
So to her chair Katherine returned, eyes on the doorway. She was fully prepared to suck it up and face Jack head on. Unfortunately, her father had other plans. He walked over and spun her seat so that the back completely faced the door, effectively hiding Katherine from anyone else's view. The last thing she saw before she'd fully finished turning was Snyder doing the same behind Pulitzer's desk.
"Mr. Jack Kelly," Hannah announced.
Katherine wasn't able to see Jack walk in, but it took little stress of her brain muscles to imagine him sauntering from the way he said, "Good afternoon, fellas," in greeting.
Two seconds and he'd already made a bad impression. What more had she expected?
"And which Jack Kelly is this?" Pulitzer inquired, his tone aggressively more civilized than Jack's. "The charismatic union organizer papers are so quick to glorify, or the petty thief?"
"Which one gives us more in common?" It was so easy to hear his smirk; Katherine couldn't help smiling, never mind the situation not being helped by the smartassery.
"Impudence is in bad taste when crawling for mercy, Mister Kelly."
There was no way Jack knew what that meant. "Crawlin'?" He questioned, then scoffed. "That's a laugh. Naw, I'm just here with an invite. See, apparently 'bout a hundred a' your dear students are rallyin', tonight in da theater at Roosevelt."
"Rallying."
"Yeah, we're jus' gonna discuss some, uh... recent disagreements, y'know? I figured you'd wanna know, maybe so's you can stop by, state yer case direct to the fellas."
"Is that so?"
"Sure thing. Whaddaya say, Joe? Want I should save ya a spot on da bill?"
Pulitzer made a tutting sound. "You are as shameless and disrespectful a creature as I was told."
"Kids these days, am I right?" Jack said, as if he too were an adult.
"Do you know what I was doing when I was your age, boy? I was fighting in a war."
"Oh yeah? How'd that turn out for ya?"
"It taught me a lesson that shaped my life. War isn't won on the battlefield; it's the headline that crowns the victor."
"Huh. Well, I'll keep that in mind when New York wakes up ta front page photos of our rally."
"Rally till the cows come home, by all means. You've got no one covering the story. Not a paper in town will publish your word. And if it's not in the papers-"
"It neva' happened." Jack finished for him.
Katherine's insides plummeted towards her lap. He must have found the phrase familiar. She said it all the time, having learned it from her father, and Jack himself had picked it up too. If that wasn't an indication of her secret, Katherine didn't know what was.
Jack, thankfully, didn't mention anything to the effect of her existence. Instead, he spoke to Pulitzer, his voice low, just shy of threatening. "You may run this city, but there are some of us who cannot be bullied. Even some reporters."
Shit. He was thinking of her.
"Such as that young woman who made you yesterday's news, hmm?" asked Pulitzer, "Talented girl, judging by her work, and beautiful too, don't you think?"
Oh no. Oh no no no.
"Sure." Jack sounded thoroughly confused. "I'll tell 'er you said so."
"No need. She can hear for herself."
No. Nope. Nada. No way, José.
"Can't you, darling?" Pulitzer stepped toward her chair, leaving Katherine no choice but to rise and reveal herself. She could pinpoint the exact moment Jack's heart broke in half as he stared at her, mouth dropping open in shock. "I trust you know my daughter, Katherine?"
Jack made no sound, simply taking his eyes off Katherine's to meet Pulitzer's. Watching her father smirk as he took in Jack's shell-shocked expression, Katherine wanted to scream. She wanted to shriek until the light fixtures rattled, to pitch a fit and protest that it wasn't true, she wasn't related to this man, it was all a big misunderstanding. Had she been nine rather than nineteen, she certainly would have.
"Ye-es..." Pulitzer extended the word, truly enjoying his own joke. "I'm sure you're wondering: 'Why the nom-de-plume?' 'Why doesn't my daughter work directly for me?' Good questions, all of them. I'm sure Katherine will be happy to answer any I don't."
Katherine tried to convey an apology to Jack using only her eyes, but to no avail. He was still avoiding her gaze.
"You see, I offered Katherine a simple life of wealth and leisure, with all the luxuries she could ever want. Instead, she chose to attend college and pursue a career, accepting no help from me whatsoever. Despite my better judgement, I must say she was showing real promise in her field until..." Pulitzer gestured at Jack. "This... recent... lapse."
As if her breakout article was a lapse. Pulitzer had never believed in her for a second, how dare he praise her now. Hopefully, the editor at The Sun didn't treat his employees like this.
"But you're done with all that now, aren't you, sweetheart?"
So much for praise, even the veiled in insult kind. That settled everything. Katherine was done with this shit. She was going to take that internship.
...Just as soon as the strike ended, and all her loose ends were tied up. Speaking of which-
"Jack, let me explain, please. I didn't mean any-"
"No." He stopped her, making a 'halt' motion with his hand, mouth closed and jaw set in an I've-made-up-my-mind expression.
Pulitzer tutted again. "Don't trouble the boy with your problems, dearest. Mister Sullivan's got enough on his plate as it is. Wouldn't you agree, Mr. Snyder?"
Snyder got out of the desk chair, grinning a falsely pleasant grin. "Hello, Francis."
Jack backed up, hands flailing slightly as if he were trying to grab for the wall. When that didn't work, he spun around, making a wild break for the exit. He'd only just got through the office door when he was corralled by Bunsen and Seitz, who each grabbed one of his arms and marched him back in. Jack struggled against them, fighting harder every second Snyder approached more closely. Katherine had to look away. Seeing Jack in pain with no ability to assist was top ten on her list of least favorite things.
"Does anyone else feel a noose tightenin'?" Snyder remarked, stepping in front of Jack and spitting at his face. Jack thrashed like a bear caught in a trap, not even attempting to keep his cool. "You keep tryin' ta run, an' your time's up. Wise up an' listen ta Mr. Pulitzer, boy, or I'll lock ya right back up wit yer little crip friend, hear that?"
Jack lunged at Snyder, successfully breaking free this time... for all of ten seconds. Seitz and Bunsen recaptured him immediately.
"There'll be no need for that, Mr. Snyder," warned Pulitzer. "Mister Sullivan's going to hear me out, now isn't he?" Jack's eyes shone with rage, but he didn't protest. "There's a good lad. Now Francis, as I said, there's no reason for you to return to Mr. Snyder's care, so long as you do as I say. Please allow me to offer you an alternate scenario." Katherine's father perched on the edge of his desk. "You attend this rally and you speak against this hopeless strike. Then I'll see your criminal record expunged, and your pockets filled with enough cash to take you on a first class flight from New York... to New Mexico and beyond. Unless I'm quite mistaken, you've already applied to the University of Santa Fe, correct?"
"I s'pose Kath toldja that," Jack spat.
"Quite the contrary. Your records speak for themselves. You'd do well to learn that wherever you go, there's a paper trail a mile long with which we can track you. But all that disappears if you agree to my terms."
Katherine couldn't stay quiet any longer. "Jack's only seventeen," she told her father. "He hasn't even graduated yet, you can't send him to college out west!"
"Ah, but Mister Sullivan can't be bothered with that school, not anymore. There's no place for him there."
Well, Katherine was lost.
Jack's voice was strained with his next words. "There ain't a person in this room who don't know you stink."
"Oh, young Sullivan," sighed Pulitzer, "surely you understand enough at this point to realize if they know me, they know well that I. Don't. Care."
"You don't care 'bout as much as I don't," muttered Jack.
Pulitzer didn't appear to hear. "Mark my words, boy. Defy me, and I'll have every one of your little friends shut up in the Refuge."
"You wouldn't!" Katherine shouted, getting quickly shushed by her father.
"Why do you think I brought Mr. Snyder here?"
"You can't." Jack said, far more quiet than usual. "None a' them ain't neva' done nothin', ya can't jus' lock 'em up."
"I'd beg to differ from what I've seen in some of their files. That Anthony, he's got quite a bit of dirt to his name. And one girl, Agnes, she's been trouble for years, it's a wonder she's stayed with her current parents this long. Now I know, I know, that you are 'Mister Tough Guy', and you'll do whatever you can to stay strong. But you don't want to condemn Charlie, that little crippled boy, any further, do you?"
"No." Jack's voice died completely, the rigidness of his face cracked, and his lips started to shake.
"For goodness sakes boy, pull yourself together!" ordered Pulitzer, "That's no way to face an authority figure."
Inhaling sharply, Jack cleared his throat, breathing hard. Katherine watched his fists open and close a few times before he brought his arms up to bat Bunsen and Seitz away.
This time, Pulitzer signaled them to block the door rather than grab Jack again. "There we are," he said, satisfied with Jack's composure. "Now, are you going to take my offer or walk away and destroy every single one of your friends' lives? For example, your partner, what's his name, your 'co-leader' per se-"
"Davey."
"Yes, Davey. You want to rip him and his baby brother away from their loving family? Toss them to the rats? I do suppose they'll thank you in the long run, it would be something of a cultural experience, wouldn't it?"
"I'll turn myself in to da bulls before I let ya lay a hand on Dave and Les," Jack growled.
"Our time together is coming to an end, Mister Sullivan. What's it going to be? Cowboy or convict?"
It wasn't a fair deal. Jack surely knew that as well as Katherine did. Either way, Pulitzer was going to win. No matter which option Jack chose, it would be seen as his surrender.
"Gentlemen," Pulitzer directed, "please escort our guest back to the lobby so he might reflect in solitude. I have other matters to attend to."
"Wait." Jack's voice was faint, but still there.
"Yes?"
"If I take yer money- ain't sayin' I am, but sayin' I do- I want one condition."
"And what would that be?"
"I want Miss Larkin ta keep 'er job."
Pulitzer pulled a sympathetic face. "Oh... I'm terribly sorry, but she already resigned."
All hope and light faded from Jack's eyes. "She what?"
"Resigned. Settled it hours before you came in here."
"She couldn't 'ave."
"I beg your pardon?"
"Ya don' understand, she told me-"
"I don't care what she told you, young man. I received confirmation that Miss Larkin signed her contract, and unless she came before me to say otherwise- which never happened- that signified her resignation."
Jack was still stammering through his own side of the story. "But I was s'posed ta- she made it sound like- she said I could-" he cut himself off. "I… I was wrong. Neva' mind."
"Why don't you take a moment to make your decision, then? I'll be here whenever you're ready to discuss."
"Great." His voice was flat and broken again, an enormous contrast to Katherine's father's polite, chipper tone. Without assistance from the older gentlemen, Jack stormed out of the office.
Katherine didn't hesitate a moment, going after him immediately. Only Seitz and Bunsen held her up; they tried to block her way through the door. She quickly shoved past, not bothering with explanations. They didn't need to know her business anyhow.
"Jack!" He was walking at an alarmingly fast pace. Already he was a whole stretch of hallway ahead of her. "Hey, Kelly! Mr. Kelly!"
"Get away from me!" He threw open a door to the stairwell.
She broke into a run, vying to catch him. As best she could, Katherine sprinted down the stairs, attentively watching Jack on the flight below her. She saw him try to escape through the basement hall and chased him down that dark, dusty corridor as well until he noticed, detouring into the nearest room. Not that this stopped Katherine in the slightest. Out of courtesy, she waited a good thirty seconds before barging after him into the room- or rather, storage closet.
Jack had left the light off, and upon flicking it on, she found him in a ball on the floor, back against some kind of old machine draped in cloth. His head was down on his knees, arms gripping the underside of his legs. As she got closer, it became easier to hear his shaky breathing.
"Jack."
He lifted his head, making the tears running down his face crystal clear. "Didn't I say get away from me?"
"I... never got a chance to argue my case," Katherine said with an unhelpful shrug.
"What's there ta argue? Ya tellin' me you's not a liar?"
Katherine sighed. Hadn't she already had this conversation once? "No, I'm not. I never lied to you."
"I dunno what da hell counts as a lie in yer book, Katherine Pulitzer-" Jack leapt to his feet, swiping roughly at his cheeks.
"All I did was not tell you everything, alright? Aren't I allowed to have secrets?"
"Not like this you ain't."
Katherine's defenses booted up within seconds. "Oh please, go on and police what I can and can't do. I've really been wanting a man to-"
"You told me yer folks lived upstate! Away from New York! You's known me three years- WE DATED FOR THREE YEARS AND YOU NEVER FUCKING TOLD ME!"
He was right. God dang it, he was actually right. What was Katherine doing, trying to fight that? "I wanted to tell you the truth. I started to, once... I told you early on that my last name wasn't really Plumber."
"That makes up fer everythin', huh?"
"No, of course not. But well, there was never an opening for me to explain, y'know? Because, you never asked..." What bullshit was this now? And honestly, for what? What was the reason?
"I'm sorry, I didn't think I had to! Since we was makin' out all da time I figured that was openin' enough fer da truth but gee, I apologize fer all a' that now, I sure see my mistake. Didn't realize I was dealin' with a backstabber!"
Jack's words were coming out squeaky in all the wrong places. Anger radiated from every part of him, his entire body shaking. Seeing him like this frightened Katherine, but she kept that down, doing her best to continue speaking logically.
"I never stabbed you in the back. I've done so much to help you out, how could you ever think-"
"Right, all ya did was keep watch on me, sell me out to yer father, YER FATHER!"
"My father has eyes on every corner of this city, he doesn't need me spying for him!" She matched his level, not regretting it in the slightest.
"Then how come ya weren't honest with me, huh?"
"What does it matter?"
"Well, the way I was raised, we didn't exactly go 'round lyin' 'bout our real names!"
"Oh sure, Francis Sullivan doesn't act like that, of course."
"That's different." Jack said through gritted teeth. "You know it's different."
Katherine did know. She knew more or less everything about Jack. And that put her out of excuses.
She took a breath, composing herself, then said, "I really did want to tell you."
"So why didn'tcha?"
"You want the full story?"
Jack nodded.
"Because... back in middle school, when my father got elected superintendent, it didn't take people long to realize he wasn't a very good person. When he started making changes parents didn't agree with, all my friends turned against me. The only person who would talk to me was Bill, and that's because he was in the same boat. But then he transferred to private school, and I had no one. I'd try to make new friends, but one look at my last name and anyone I tried to befriend would have nothing to do with me. You can't imagine how alone I was. I didn't want a repeat of that when I started at Roosevelt, so I came up with the pen name, and started telling people my last name was Plumber. Eventually, it worked so well I could write it on my paperwork and no one would bat an eye. Pulitzer still stayed in some places, though, and some people were smart enough to deduce the truth. Lucky for me, my father had so much power by then that they were too afraid to blab. Teachers would change my name on the attendance sheets as soon as I requested. Medda... she even found out before I set foot in her class."
"Medda knew."
"She keeps quiet about students' secrets an' doesn't judge them based on others' perceptions. That's part of what made her such a good teacher."
"Apparently it wasn't enough ta keep 'er employed."
"She's still gonna be there for you, Jack. Even if she's not your teacher, she'll stick around."
Jack shook his head. "Ain't how it works."
Katherine placed her hands on her hips. "What makes you say that?"
"You."
"Come on… I broke up with you because of the age difference, our relationship never changed when I became your student teach-" she cut herself off, realizing. "Y'know what, never mind."
"Yeah, see?"
"But it isn't like that with Medda, you know that! She's always been important to you, and she always will be. Nothing is ever going to change how much she cares for you, trust me."
"Trust you? Naw, not after this."
"I had plans to come clean about everything, I swear. It was getting harder and harder the longer I waited, and then when Sarah found out, I knew I had to for sure."
"Sarah knew? Sarah knew before me?"
"I didn't tell her, Bill let it slip-"
Jack didn't let her finish trying to smooth it over. "Exactly how many people 'ave been keepin' this from me?"
Katherine hesitated, knowing it would be havoc if she told him the other newsies had the information too. But if she wanted to do this properly, it would be best to tell him everything right now. Then again, he would be just as mad if he found out later. Putting it off seemed less worse, somehow. It was most certainly a terrible idea to wait, but screw that.
"Just Sarah," Katherine lied through her teeth. "She's the last one." Too late to take it back now.
To her relief, Jack was satisfied with her answer. "Why'd you wait so long to tell me, Kath?" His voice was softer now. Calming him down had helped. There was no use ruining that.
"I shouldn't have put it off, you're right. I'm sorry I did. I only did it 'cause I knew how much you hated Pulitzer, and then when the strike happened... I was sure you'd judge me based on my father the way everybody else did. I couldn't lose you like that."
"Oh."
"I'm truly sorry." I'll tell him everything else later, just not now.
"So then it- it ain't because you didn't trust me not ta tell everyone?" Asking this, Jack sounded like a child.
"No! Not at all!" Everyone already knows, anyway.
"That's good ta know." Jack stared just over Katherine's shoulder, swallowing so hard she was able to see it. "You'll... yer gonna be by my side no matta' what, yeah?"
"If that's what you need, then of course." Tell him. Tell him NOW.
"Guess that settles that."
If he meant what Katherine thought- She couldn't let him. "You can't take my father's money, Jack. If you do... you know you'll have to face everyone else. The rally- all that work-"
"I know."
"The newsies-"
"Will neva' forgive me. Yep. I know. But I won'tve been the only one who betrayed them."
Oh crap. "What are you going to do?"
"Don' worry, Kath." He cracked a shaky smile. "I won't tell them who you are. Ya don't deserve them hatin' you."
Katherine squeezed her eyes shut, apologizing though Jack wouldn't know why. "I'm sorry. I truly am."
"Jus' forget it. I'm gonna get outta here."
In a swift movement, Katherine grabbed the doorknob, holding the door shut so Jack couldn't get out. "Wait. You can't leave the newsies like this, I won't let you."
"Who are you ta say what I can't do?"
"I know you. You've gone to jail for some of those kids before, how can you turn your back on them now?"
"Open the door, Katherine."
Frantic now, she insisted, "Not until we come up with a plan!"
"This is the plan!"
"You can do better than that, you're Jack Kelly!"
"An' yer Kath Plumber! I don't see you comin' up wit anythin'!"
"Just give me a second to think."
"I don't got that. Lemme out."
"Not yet."
"If I don't tell Pulitzer I'm on his side soon, da rally goes da same way as the rest a' the strike. Racer, Smalls, Davey- they'll all get thrown in da Refuge, an' I can't let that happen. I'd rather 'ave 'em mad at me than in jail. Now open the door!"
Fair point, actually. "That means you aren't caving for the money." said Katherine, still keeping the exit shut.
"What if I'm doin' it for both reasons?"
"Elaborate."
"Pulitzer's givin' me the chance ta go west, an' I'm gonna take it. Even if I was just takin' the deal just to save the fellas, no one would see it that way. An' honestly, I don't care. They can believe whateva' the hell they want."
"So that's it?"
"Yes. Open the door."
Katherine didn't. "Do you even know what you're gonna do out there?"
"I dunno, who cares?" Jack combed his hair with his fingers. "Maybe I'll get a job... paintin'. Paintin' walls or somethin', it doesn't matter. I just need to be someplace that ain't here."
"What happened to college?"
"Never gonna happen."
"Jack-"
"Let me outta here."
"Can I say one more thing?"
"Fine." He backed up, crossing his arms.
"I'm gonna miss you."
"Why?"
She laughed halfheartedly. "Whaddaya mean 'why'?"
"You been lyin' ta me all afternoon, an' now suddenly you care?"
"I've always cared."
"Shut up. You stopped lovin' me a long time ago."
"Wha-"
"I'm right, ain't I?"
"No, you're not!" He tried to remove her hand from the doorknob, but she stopped it. Looking at his splotched face, seeing his gaze- hopeful once more- meet hers, she felt helpless. "Ja-ack..."
He rolled his eyes. "Ka-ath..."
Taking both their hands off the knob, she gently pushed him away from the door. "How did you ever get so screwed up?"
"Take that question up wit Snyder."
"Oh god, Jack-" Katherine rushed forward, throwing her arms around him. He went stiff for a few seconds before relaxing into the hug and making a move to reciprocate. "Whatever made you think I didn't love you," she whispered, her mouth right by his ear, then in front of his face as they shifted slightly apart, and then-
On his lips.
On. His. Lips.
It took Katherine far longer than she would've liked to admit to realize what she was doing. The fact that she still had muscle memory of Jack's mouth didn't help anything; it made it all the simpler for her to fall into the kiss. Being quite honest, she didn't want it to stop.
But finally, after a minute, she pushed away. Not roughly enough to get the message across, because Jack leaned forward for more. She shoved him harder the second time and he stumbled back, catching on.
"Wait..." a dopey, confused smile invaded his face.
"I'm sorry, I don't know-" Katherine stammered, finally ending with, "I can't. You know I can't."
"But..."
"No. I made a rule, I have to stick to it. There are laws."
His smile went poof. "'Course there are."
"Jack, I didn't- I shouldn't have-"
"Yeah, you shouldn't 'ave!" His scream reverberated around the tiny room.
"Let's just not- This didn't happen, alright?"
"But it did. You know it did, I know it did, an' I'm done lyin'."
"I won't mention it. Not to anyone."
"What if I wanna mention it?"
"Please just forget about it, no one has to know."
"Jus' tell me what it meant," demanded Jack. "Then I'll drop it."
"It was a goodbye. Nothing more."
"You fer sure on that?"
She answered in barely a whisper. "For sure."
"Right." Both of them ignored the way Jack's voice cracked. "Okay. Great. Well, uh," he tried awkwardly to move toward the door without getting close to Katherine, difficult to do in the condensed space. In the process, he bumped into the machine in the corner, causing the cloth to drop off. "Shit, what'd I do?"
"It's alright-" Katherine stooped to gather the tarp, now having swapped places with Jack. "Just an old printer. Probably doesn't work anyway."
"Bye, then." Jack pushed open the door, then froze. "Or... I'll see ya at the rally, won't I?"
"I don't have to go-"
"No. They's countin' on us both."
"We can go together-"
"If that's whatcha want."
"Don't run away yet, please."
Jack turned to her, more heartbroken than Katherine would've liked to see.
"From New York, I mean. Maybe mull things over a little before you get on that plane?"
"We'll see."
"If it means anything, I hope you will stay."
"That's exactly why I gotta leave, ain't it?"
And not for the first time that afternoon, Jack was absolutely right.
There was nothing Katherine could do to fight that.
Sorry. Again. I'm so sorry.
You get some positivity next chapter, to try and make up for this. But it only gets worse from here.
This is probably the longest chapter now, but I won't bother to check for certain.
Please scream at me, reviews give me life.