December 1, 1899
Helena sighed as she picked up the telephone.
She had been at her school for a month now and she didn't feel welcome at all. The girls her age weren't very nice and the headmistress always seemed to be in a bad mood. She hadn't seen the newsies since Hallowe'en. She did know Spot stopped by a few times to talk to the maids but the girls were forbidden to talk to "the help".
Now it was the weekend, a Friday night, and she had no plans.
When she was sure no one was around, she rapidly dialed her uncle's number on the phone in the hall. The girls were supposed to ask to use it but she didn't have time for her request to be rejected. She wanted to get out of there fast.
"Hello?" Her uncle picked up the phone.
"Oh, Uncle Denty, thank goodness!" she exhaled.
She could hear him laughing on the other end. "What is it?"
"Please come pick me up. I think I'm going to die of boredom!"
"It's that bad, huh?"
"Yes."
There was a long pause. Helena was afraid he was going to say no.
"I'll be right over. Pack a bag for the weekend, you deserve a break."
"Thank you so much." Helena actually thought she was going to cry.
"Where do you want to go?" Denton asked as he helped Helena into the car.
"I don't care. Just somewhere."
"Ah ha..." Denton thought for a minute. "I think I know just the place."
"Hey, Skittery." Jack commanded. "Move it! The lady wants to rest."
Skittery rolled his eyes. As he got kicked out of his seat because Chase wanted to sit. Since when did she become the queen?
Oh right, he thought, when she started courting Spot.
And then there was a knock at the door. He might as well get it while he was still up, although it was a little strange to be getting visitors at this time of night.
"What do you want- oh." Skittery blushed. It was Denton and Helena, who was in her school uniform.
"Hello, Skittery." And after all this time, she remembered his name.
He just stood there with an embarrassed smile on his face.
"Do you want to let us inside?" She asked.
"Oh, right." He quickly gestured for them to come in.
Helena took Skittery's arm, and then she pulled away when he flinched.
"Sorry," her blush matched his. "I- um, I'm just used to having an escort everywhere I go." That was another thing about her school, if she did go out she was required to have an escort. Ms. Trenton's girls would go to church and other outings with boys from another school in Brooklyn. Most of the boys she had spent any time with were either dreadfully awkward or absolute scoundrels (and sometimes they were both).
"It's ok." Skittery offered his arm, breathing normally. She was nervous too. He wasn't sure that was a good thing, exactly. But it made him feel better.
He led her to the front room where everyone else was. They had to step over Story and David who were laying on their stomachs and taking turns reading to each other. Skittery grabbed three mismatched chairs from the dining room (which they only used on holidays) and set them on the floor.
"Thank you." Helena smiled.
"Don't mention it."
Denton didn't say anything, he just nodded to Skittery and went over to talk to David.
"So... It's been a while." Skittery was never the best at making conversation.
"Yes, about a month."
"What brings you here? You're a rich upper class girl, shouldn't you be out at parties with other socialites?"
"Hey!" she smacked his shoulder playfully."You're a handsome young man. Shouldn't you be out courting women?"
Skittery did his best to hide the inevitable blush. "Ok, point taken. That's not really me, anyway, it's more of Mush's thing but since he's no longer single..." Skittery trailed off, gesturing to the poker game as Mush and Spark gazed into each other's eyes between turns. "Anyone special in your life?"
"Oh, no." Helena shook her head. "My mother has tried to set me up but I- I haven't found anyone." Helena looked at the ground. This was always a sore subject for her. She honestly tried to make an effort to catch the attention of the men her mother wanted her to be with. The problem was, they always found something wrong with her. Most of them didn't want a woman with a brain in her head, but that wasn't Helena. "What about you? I mean- anyone besides the obvious- from the past?"
Skittery sighed. "It's not like I've had any time for girls lately." Life had been better after the strike (despite the hundreds of "I told you so"s from his friends for not wanting to strike). The girls found a rebellious striker more attractive, but Skittery didn't want just any girl, he wanted Story. And that was never going to happen.
"We're still young." She understood him.
Story opened the door at the second set of knocks for the night.
"Oh, hello, Medda." she said.
"Good evening, Story. Is Chase ready?"
Story nodded, looking back over her shoulder at Chase who was reading one of Story and David's books. It was a copy of "The Count Of Monte Cristo", entirely in French, which Chase had learned fluently at the boarding school, so only she could read it. "I'll go get her."
"Does she need help getting out the door?" Mark asked.
"No, I think she's fine. If not, Spot will probably want to be involved somehow."
"Ok, Dearie," Medda said. "We'll be waiting in the carriage."
Story shut the door and went in to talk to Chase. This was it.
"Chase," It took a second try to get her out of the book. "Chase,"
"What?"
"It's time."
A look of nervousness and excitement crosses Chase's face.
"Ok," she breathed. "I'm ready."
Story helped Chase stand up and then she handed her the little overnight bag that was next to the couch.
"What's this?" Spot stood up from the poker table. Spark and Mush shortly joined him.
"I have to go to Medda's. It's time!" Chase smiled radiantly.
"It's time?" Mush got up and hugged his sister tightly.
Spot crossed the room to her. "You nervous?"
"A little." Chase twirled her hair nervously as Mush released her.
"I wouldn't worry about it." Spot hugged her too.
Spark sauntered over, coming between the two boys. "Do you want us to come with?"
Chase thought for a second. "It would help to have some support, but Spot, I think you and Mush should stay here."
He took her hands. "Why?"
"Because I know you'll both...react violently to whatever's going on. I don't want to cause you two stress."
"Are you sure?" Mush stared into her green eyes.
"Yes." As much as she wanted the two boys to be with her, the last thing Chase wanted was for Spot and her brother to worry. She'd thought about it for a long time and she had decided the only way to avoid that was to not to let them come.
"You're probably right." Spot sighed and then smiled. "You want me to sell some papes for you?"
"You don't have to do that."
"Well I'm gonna, 'cause you need the money."
Chase rummaged through her bag to find a few coins to give pay for her papers. She finally pulled out a quarter from one of the pockets. "Take this then."
Spot put his hands up, refusing the quarter. "Nah, this one's on me."
"Fine." She slipped the coin back into the pocket. "I better go now."
"We'll tell yous guys when it's all over." said Spark.
"Ok," Spot pulled Chase in close and kissed her. She stayed in his embrace for a long time.
Chase was planning on slipping out with Story and Spark in secret. At this lodging house, there was no chance.
"Hey, fellas!" Jack projected as he stood on his chair at the poker table. "Say 'bye' and 'good luck' to Chase for her big day tomorrow!"
"Good luck, Chase!" a chorus of newsies sounded.
"Buona fortuna, Chase." Racetrack pronounced in Italian, his second language. "You'll do great, I'm sure." he gave her a quick squeeze.
"Don't die on us, now." Kid Blink added, receiving a smack to the back of the head from Jack.
"Bye, guys!"
A/N: So can you guess what's going on? You probably can. I asked this question when I originally posted this chapter and I got a ton of responses that were spot on (haha pun intended). Personally, as I wrote this it seemed like Chase was getting ready to deliver a baby or something. But that's just me...
December 2, 1899
"Think she'll be different now? I only known her with the crutch." Crutchy asked as he, David, and Jack sat on the steps of the lodging house, waiting for Chase and the other girls to come home. He was worried that his friend would change once she lost her handicap. Chase had spent a lot of time with Crutchy in the last few months since they both almost always fell behind the others. He didn't feel like he had to try to compete or even measure up to her since they were pretty much the same speed. Crutchy, since he had more experience with a gimp leg, was actually faster than her most of the time.
"She'll be exactly the same Chase we all know and love." answered David. "If anything, this experience will have humbled her."
"Yeah," Jack added. "Chase is a sweet girl. She'll still wanna hang around you after all this."
Crutchy looked relieved. "Good! I was startin' to think I'd have to be sellin' with you again."
"Hey!" Jack gave Crutchy a little shove. He and David busted out laughing over the joke until their sides hurt.
"What's so funny?" The three boys looked up, wiping tears from their eyes. It was Chase and Spot Conlon, who had his arm around her. The king and queen of Brooklyn themselves, followed close behind by Story and Spark.
"Brace is gone. Ya look great." Jack said, standing up. Chase was beaming. Spot, on the other hand narrowed his eyes. "Hey, Brooklyn don't worry. I ain't gonna steal your girl."
Spot gave a sarcastic laugh. "I'd like to see ya try, Jacky Boy."
Chase rolled her eyes. "I thought the contention between the boroughs was over. Remember, 'We's a union now.' and all that?"
"Yeah, right..."
"Sorry..." The boys trailed off, feeling guilty that they had almost started something in front of the girls.
"Feel good to walk normal again?" asked Crutchy, not because he was jealous of her freedom, but because he wanted to see Chase's happiness.
"Yeah, isn't it w- ahhh!" Chase, going in to hug Jack, fell into the Manhattan leader's chest. Spot rushed to help her back up. He had been supporting her the whole way from Medda's. "I haven't quite gotten used to walking again." she smiled, embarrassed. Spot helped her sit down.
It had been over four months since the rally. Chase had taken a pretty bad fall off the theatre's roof that night, breaking her left leg. The healing process was long and painful (physically and emotionally) and now it was all over. The boys could tell as the days following wore on that there was a sadness and longing behind her eyes. They were all very worried about her. She often talked about her dancing and how she missed it more than anything. Today, she finally got her wish.
"I'm gonna go in for a quick game a' poker with the guys," Spot said to her. "you ok out here?"
"Yeah, but don't be too late. We need to be at the theatre by 5:00."
"Yeah, yeah," Spot kissed her on the head and went in the lodging house. Chase watched him, smiling, the whole time. It was still strange for David, Crutchy, and Jack to see Spot like this. He hadn't softened up one bit, but around Chase he was different.
"I think I'm gonna go play too." Spark looked exhausted, with dark circles under her eyes. A game of poker was just what she needed.
The newsies watched the door close behind Spark.
"Obviously everything went well." said David as he motioned for Story to sit on his lap.
"The doctor was great," Story yawned as she sat down and put her arms around David. "Same guy from the summer." she itched the scar on her cheek, remembering the event vividly.
"Did it hurt?" Jack asked Chase.
Chase shook her head. "Not at all. My leg is a little weak, muscle atrophy, you know? But that's nothing a few trips across the Brooklyn Bridge and some dancing won't fix."
"Knowing you, you could be better by next week." He gave her shoulders a squeeze.
The lodging house door opened. Half of the Manhattan boys crowded the steps now.
"That was a quick game." Story remarked.
"Guess what guys, I won again!" said an excited Spark.
"That's only 'cause we been lettin' ya win." Racetrack said casually.
"And when was the last time you let someone win your own game, Racetrack?" Chase asked, raising an eyebrow.
He ignored her comment as he sat down next to her and lit a cigar. "You look so different without the brace."
"Really?" she didn't know how. It wasn't a big physical change.
"Yeah, you're practically glowin'." That made Chase smile more.
"Oh, Chase. I'm so happy for you!" Spark couldn't say it enough. She picked up her friend and spun her around.
"Be careful with her," Spot said seriously.
Chase stared him in the eye. "I'm not a china doll, Spot."
December 3, 1899
"Come on, Chase. I just wanna spend time with ya." Spot pleaded (when asked about this event months later, he denied it. The king of Brooklyn does not plead with anyone, not even his queen).
Chase shook her head. "We spent plenty of time together last night." After her show the previous night, she and Spot sat on the fire escape outside her window and talked long past midnight. Ms. Casella had to make her come inside when it got so late. "Plus, I know you don't just want to spend time with me. You're worried about me now that I'm healed, aren't you?"
Spot stared at her for a second. "No- That is absolutely not true!"
"Well, I've been doing fine selling by myself for the past four months."
Spot evaded her eye contact. Chase still hadn't found out that he had some of his boys check up on her periodically when she was injured. Although that hadn't helped the day she and Boots were attacked.
"Do you think something is going to happen to me?"
"No I just- I don't want to take that chance."
"The princess is in danger?" Skittery said sarcastically, coming out the door. "Alert the troops. She needs protection." Story, who was sitting on the step next to David, smacked him in the leg. Skittery smirked playfully at her.
"I'm the queen actually." Chase said, crossing her arms and stepping in front of Spot, who tensed. Chase and Skittery's relationship was like this. They always had sarcastic words for each other. Spot went out of his mind trying to keep himself from soaking Skittery for all of the backhanded comments he said to Chase, but Chase never let him. She had a pretty sharp tongue too.
"Who said something about danger?" Mush said, pulling Chase in close for a hug. He just got his sister back. And he wasn't about to lose her again.
"You guys are paranoid." said Chase. Half of the boys probably had no idea what paranoid meant but they didn't have time to think because the circulation bell rang.
"Come on, Mush." Spark said linking arms with him. She could tell Chase was getting irritated.
Spot put his arm around Chase again, to help her get to the circulation gates.
"I can do it myself," she said.
"But what if you fall?" Spot didn't want to see his girl hurt again.
"I'll pick myself up and keep going."
Spot sighed. She was just as stubborn as he was. "You want the cane?"
"No, I don't want your cane." Just as she said that, she tripped over the curb.
"Come on, please let me at least help you." They locked eyes for a moment, Spot smiled at her innocently. Chase couldn't say no, he truly cared about her.
"Fine."
A/N: I'm going to start talking about my original ideas for this story. I can't remember 100% where this chapter was in my first draft, but I do know that it was a lot closer to the beginning. Coney Island was an afterthought so now that I think of it, this may have been the very first chapter, right before the girls' first show at Medda's. Originally Jack was the main character of this story. I wanted to explore his and Chase's friendship and to do that Chase was going to help Jack out with something extremely important to him (details to come when it won't be too much of a spoiler).
