*author's note: Thank you all SO MUCH for hanging in there - this year has been crazy to say the least, and I hope you are doing well.
While I wanted this chapter to match up with Halloween this year, I ran away for the holiday, and I've also been terribly behind for a few months. I super appreciate you as readers for liking my story and leaving reviews! It helps so much as a writer.
I also apologise for the previous chapters where I got a little too carried away with writing the guys' accents :D trial and error!
There are some big twists in the works, and I really hope they'll fit the story and our characters - lots of emotions to write! But I'm excited, to say the least, and I hope you will be too!
"...Jack?" Mush asked hesitantly after a long moment of silence.
Jack had his eyes closed for what seemed like hours.
He tried to think about anything else: the cold wind against his cheek, the sirens on the street a few blocks over, people laughing over at the neighborhood pub...nothing could distract him. He felt sick.
He could feel Mush, Racetrack, Spot and Kat's gazes on him, all processing what Mush had just told them...it swirled around in their heads like an echo of a bad nightmare they thought they had buried long ago. None of them knew what to do. It was a new kind of helplessness, not like before when they could run to Spot for help, or Medda...
Mush had waited until after work to tell them what he'd found out. He had texted Kat to join them at the pub for dinner, and then they came up to the roof while the others watched the hockey game...David was still at work.
Earlier at the job site, Jack had never seen Mush so quiet and pensive before. Now he knew why.
"I'm sorry, Jack," Mush said dejectedly.
Jack opened his eyes slowly, seeing Kat standing in front of him. She had moved closer to where he sat on the roof's walled ledge, his back to the wind and the city.
"I'm sorry too," he said gently, reading her heartbroken eyes. She was tired.
She reached out, placed her hand on his right thigh in comfort, and turned her gaze down to the pub, seeing the corner street lamp they'd stood under not too long ago, feeling the same weighing things they felt now.
Jack turned his head the other way, scowling at the city.
"Why even work there in the firs' place?" he asked fast, darkly, his New Yorker coming out. He looked up at Mush. "I don't get it - if it's not for money, then what? Why in tha fuck -"
Mush hated seeing the hurt in his friend's eyes. "I don't know, Jack."
"She said there was a reason," Kat reminded them gently. She turned to look Mush in the eye, "Right? You said she couldn't say, because it was...someone else's story?"
"It's too similar to Ira's story," Racetrack said, frustrated. He had his arms crossed, silently pacing the roof behind Spot and Mush. "Doesn't make any sense, if she's still not privy to what happened in 1900…"
"None of it justifies putting herself in danger. And Honey knows that." Jack muttered. He looked up at Mush hesitantly, "...Are you sure she's -"
"What other major 'bargaining chip' does a woman have with these assholes if not her virginity, Jack?" Mush asked blankly. "Sounds barbaric, I know, but face it - those rich bastards are just waiting for the opportunity -"
Jack made a disgusted face and waved off his friend's words, knowing he was right and hating the way it made his palms clam up. It was only the tenth time he'd asked.
"Fuck," Jack ran his hand through his hair and then down his face, feeling so many things…
As a man falling for her, he was almost glad she had never been with anyone...but then the thought brought on a new nervousness, made him weak in the knees...and then he felt terror behind it, terrified of the line of men waiting on her, preying on her. And here he wanted her more than anything, every second of the day.
He saw her face clear as day when he thought of her now, not the ghost memories he fought with... she appeared in his dreams effortlessly when he wasn't having repeats of the same nightmare...He saw her just as she was in this time. And the emotions that came with it were new, welcomed.
He saw her, Tiffany - whatever her name was, he didn't care. She had a sense of self all of her own, an honest fearlessness. She was bright, witty, funny, smart...From just the three nights he spent talking with her into the early hours of the morning, he could sense the way she guarded herself but took chances - she was careful as to what she told him, but her comfort with him was slowly growing, even over the phone. He could tell that she liked to take him by surprise, and he wondered several times if he was in over his head.
He recognized the little things she did, like twirl her hair between her fingers when she was thinking, the way she bit her full lower lip, the way her eyes smoldered at him, the way she smiled big when she laughed.
They flirted without shame, relentlessly. He knew how badly he wanted her, but to know she felt the same was elating.
Such a contrast between the dark frustrating memories he had from a time since passed. He didn't even try to remember the old thoughts now, the old hurt - her face was at the forefront, like a beacon in the night.
We all know who she'd rather give herself to. That's what Honey told Mush.
"Fuck," he said again.
"'s what I said…" Mush muttered, crossing his arms.
Kat's hand moved from Jack's leg to his shoulder, squeezing before letting go and crossing her arms over her chest.
Jack looked up to see her wiping her cheek, her head turned away from them, and he suddenly felt like the biggest asshole this side of the bay - Kat, with her heart breaking, listening to him and his "troubles", when Kid Blink...
He didn't have to see the tears in her eyes because he could hear them in her breathless voice.
"I worry about him so much."
Jack's mind was wiped clean of everything else, feeling the sharp pang of grief as he saw Kid Blink's smiling face in his mind. Mush's words had gutted them all, and he saw Kat's spirit fall within her.
"He's involved with drugs and… now this -" her breath caught, her head dropped back, and her eyes closed tightly against the dark thoughts swirling in her head. She pulled her knitted shawl tighter around her shoulders as if she were trying to hold herself together. "...prostitution? Sex trafficking? Both?"
She turned to look at Jack, her exhausted hazel eyes glassy and swimming in fresh tears.
"What if -"
Jack jumped off the wall and wrapped his arms around her without hesitation. Her head fell against his chest and he held her tightly. He didn't want her to say it, didn't want her to say aloud the fears they all had haunting them. He smoothed her short hair as he tried to fight the fresh anger he felt towards Kid Blink...Cage.
"Why don't ya stay here tonight," he murmured into her hair, his troubled eyes on the dark distant clouds over the city. The sky was bright golden orange from sunset, the dark blue clouds coming closer to them. He heard her sniffling. "'s ok...you should be here, with us."
Spot lit up a joint, passed it to Kat. "Easy now...no need wonderin' 'what if's'. We're not in over our heads yet. Go ahead, take a few hits, love..."
Kat took a couple long drags, passed it to Jack, holding the smoke in until she coughed.
"Atta girl," Spot wrapped his arms around her shoulders from behind as Jack stepped towards Mush and Race, shaking their heads and looking up into the night.
"Remember when you could see the stars here?" Racetrack mused. "Couldn't see them worth a shit back then, but ya definitely can't see 'em now…"
"They're still there," Mush mused quietly, staring up at the clouds with Racetrack.
Race reached out and hit Mush's arm in a brotherly way.
Kat brought her hands up to hold onto Spot's crossed arms under her chin, and he began murmuring in her ear, both of them staring at the city lights across the way. He had her giggling in minutes with his jokes, and her head lolled to the side, resting on his arm. She sighed, and let the calming comfort of Spot's joint and his voice lull her into a better state. He kissed her hair.
"We'll get him back," he murmured to her.
Jack exhaled heavily and watched the smoke disappear into the night air.
"Easy, Cowboy," Racetrack said as he passed the joint to Mush and took a cigar out of his pocket. He felt as nervous as Jack looked.
"I dunno where to go from here," Jack huffed after a moment, exhaling a cloud. "I feel like...'s out of our hands, whatever it is."
"We go over tomorrow night, see what happens" Racetrack said simply. "No sense in worryin' over somethin' we know nothin' about…"
Jack nodded, sighing again. Mush clapped him on the back.
"We'll figure it out, man. Together," he vowed.
Jack shuffled into the living room the next morning, seeing Racetrack sprawled out on the couch snoring, and went straight to the coffee maker.
They'd been up late, talking and laughing once they got Kat's mind off of Kid Blink. She slept in Racetrack's bed, and Spot had passed out on the bean bag chair in the corner. He woke up at the smell of coffee, and joined Jack in the kitchen.
"Happy Halloween," he said through a yawn. "Been waiting for this all week, eh Cowboy?"
"Can you ladies keep it down?" Racetrack shouted from the couch. Spot ran over and jumped on him, his laughter mingling with Racetrack's curses.
David came in and looked at Jack as he rubbed his eyes and yawned, "what I miss?"
The guys couldn't help but laugh darkly, but Jack kept his voice low in David's ear to give him the important details... Kat walked in, and David turned his head to meet Jack's gaze, his eyes wide. They didn't need words to tell each other they'd talk about it later.
The day passed fairly quickly - the other Newsies joined them for breakfast, and Kat stayed with them, snuggled on the couch in one of Racetrack's hoodies. It was one of the best days she had ever had; the day was gorgeous but they stayed inside, and she loved calling them out in their boyish ways of being untidy, had a go at their video games, watched silly youtube videos, and made them roll over on the floor and couch with laughter.
"Boys," she said with a smile, shaking her head.
"Honey said come over around nine," Mush hollered over the guys' voices. "Time to bust out the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles pjs!"
The guys could sense Jack's nerves on edge, and they teased him lightly to get him to laugh and loosen up. He felt relaxed after cutting up with them and smoking a joint or two, but his body was aware and ready to go... He still hadn't heard a word from Tiffany since Wednesday night, and he knew better than to pester her. But he was eager to see her face, to make sure she was alright.
He took an extra long hot shower, and dressed in his nicest black jeans and midnight blue crewneck sweater. His hair had grown so long, he brushed it back and used a small amount of gel... The guys nodded in approval when he came out of his bedroom.
"Enjoy yourselves," David sighed as Jack, Spot, Mush and Racetrack went out the door to meet Boots downstairs. David leaned against the doorframe, "Sorry I can't join."
"Hopefully ya won't miss much," Jack said with a huff. "I'll text ya, Deputy Dave."
Kat leaned in next to David, smiling at Jack, "Keep your chin up, and have fun."
Jack kissed her cheek before he followed the guys down the stairs.
The night was clear, chilly, and alive: the city was crawling with people in costumes, packs of girls running across the streets in short dresses and heels, bars and clubs at full capacity. Traffic was a nightmare, and there was music playing everywhere, people screaming from sunroofs in limos and cars.
"Makin' good coin so far?" Mush asked behind Boots' seat.
Jack looked over at Boots and chuckled at his annoyed expression.
"Yeah, but man, holidays suck. Sorry ya girl is workin' tonight, Cowboy."
Jack bristled a little, "same."
"Honey's got somethin' up her sleeve," Mush said eagerly. Spot tickled Jack's ear, and they laughed, lightening the mood again.
And when they arrived at the girls' place, Jack could tell by the look on Honey's face when she opened the door to them that she had a plan. Her eyes gleamed wickedly.
"Welcome back, fellas. Happy Samhain."
She was in a black cat onesie, and she laughed when Mush stepped from behind Jack and Spot, showing her his TMNT pajamas, tight over his muscles. He smiled down at her as she stepped closer to him, gazing up at him.
They all shouted greetings to each other as the guys came inside and around the corner to the living room. The girls had music playing - a mix of Halloween and popular dance songs - the party decorations were still up, and there were flickering candles everywhere - on every table, along the walls, in every corner, and up the staircase. The big leather L-shaped couch was covered in blankets and pillows, bowls of popcorn and trail mix on the big square futon in the middle.
"Happy All Hallows Eve, ladies," Spot said as he crossed the threshold with a joint between his lips and a six pack of beer in each hand.
Jade and Kiki were dancing and baking cookies in the kitchen, the smell filling the place deliciously, and they were also dressed in black cat onesies, their long hair tied up in loose messy buns. Jade flitted across the floor to Spot with an eager smile on her lips.
He smirked at her playfully, "How was the trip doll-"
She pulled his face to hers, her lips eager for his. His arms fell slowly, forgetting about the beer.
When she parted from him, the joint was between her lips and he laughed.
Racetrack went to the kitchen to put the whiskey bottle they'd bought on the counter, and he leaned in next to Kiki, spooking her with a howl. She jumped in surprise and hit his arm playfully, putting icing on his nose.
Jack halted when Honey turned on him and put a hand on his chest, her eyes meeting his excitedly.
"I've got somethin' in mind for you and our sister, mister." She winked. "But first," she held up her other hand - a deck of cards. "We have time to kill. And it isn't Samhain without a reading... if you're game?"
Jack eyed her playfully, "should I be nervous?"
"Very," Jade said from the kitchen, her and Race pouring drinks.
Honey sat Jack down on the couch and turned the lights down from the dial on the wall. Scary movies were on the TV in the background and the fireplace under the TV was lit, casting flickering shadows over the futon where Honey made space. The candles around the room added to the warm spooky glow.
Mush sat next to Jack, nudged him as he reached for a handful of popcorn, "Don't worry, the cards are pretty vague."
Honey laughed at him as she lit three short candles on a wooden tray on the futon. "Sometimes. Other times they show us all we need to know."
Mush and Jack's eyes glanced at her blankly, and she laughed harder. Jade handed them beers and shots.
"Gotta make sure your intentions are pure," Jade purred at Jack before going over to Spot; he was looking at their record collection, a crate full under a small table where a square box record player sat on top.
"His intentions are the purest," Spot crooned to her. He turned to wink at Jack over his shoulder and Jade shoved him playfully.
Honey knelt beside the futon across from Jack and Mush. Racetrack leaned on the mantle, watching and looking around the house. He wondered where Jazzi was…he lost his train of thought when Kiki approached him.
Honey lit a sage bundle and waved it around for a moment, her expression soft but serious.
"For cleansing," Mush whispered to Jack. Honey gave him a smirk, pleased that he remembered.
She put the sage down, still smoldering with a tindrel of smoke floating from it, and spread the cards in an arc in one motion. She blew over them, gathered them in her hand, and knocked on them with her knuckle before shuffling. She looked up to meet Jack's curious focus.
"Permission to read for you?"
"Granted." He knocked back his shot and took a long drink of beer. He gave Mush a dark look, "Don't think I got much of a choice."
"No worries, lover boy," Honey shuffled once more and put the deck on the futon. "We'll do something simple: past present future."
Jack's eyes darted to Race, who was chewing on his cigar and listening intently. When their eyes met, Race made a face and shrugged his shoulders. "Simple."
Jack laughed.
"Cut the deck into three piles, and number them first, second, and third for me."
Jack cut the deck and pointed to the piles randomly. Honey gathered them in his directed order.
"Top or bottom?"
"Top."
Honey fought to hide her smile, "Yeah, you strike me as the leader type…"
"You have no idea," Mush said as he took his shot.
Honey laid out three cards, flipped the first one.
She let out a dark laugh, "that's a hell of a card to start with: Death. Represents - well, the obvious, but also resurrection, rebirth, transformation. An ending." Her eyes met his, glinting mischievously, "also the card for Scorpio...if we were doing a lovers reading, which we totally can...I would say that is someone we all know."
Jade and Kiki giggled.
Jack hid his smirk a little, and his eyes were glued on the middle card as she flipped it.
"Hmm," her brow furrowed. "The Moon...lots of feelings. Intuition, subconscious, illusion...perhaps something needs to be revealed, or you are caught up in deep emotions."
Their gazes met and she smiled gently, her Scottish voice warm, "Are you an emotional person?"
"Yeah," the guys said in unison and the room filled with laughter.
Jack had to laugh at himself, pushing his hair back. "Depends."
"Don't let his reserved nature fool ya," Mush said as he took his and Jack's cups to get more beer. Jack shot him a look.
"Still waters run deep...Tiff said that you're a Cancer," she mused, touching the Moon card with her index finger. "Cancer is ruled by the Moon and their emotions. Funny, because this card was in her future placement a few months ago…"
Jack was leaning forward now, and Honey smiled at him. "I don't discuss others' readings, but since you were kinda mentioned in hers, and it was a Love reading..." She winked again, and Mush nudged him as he came back with Jack's beer, both he and Honey smiling.
So that's why she wanted to know his birthday...
She flipped the next card, and the humor vanished from her expression.
Jack looked down, seeing the black card with fire and lightning, and he felt Mush tense up next to him.
"The Tower," she said quietly. "Never a fun one to get, but certainly enlightening...this card also appeared-"
"The night of the party," Mush said quietly. "In David and I's reading."
Honey's eyes met Jack's. "In reference to the Moon...something may be revealed that will change everything for you. The Tower can mean upheaval and chaos, but it can also be an awakening. You may find answers to your questions. But I'm curious…"
She picked another card off the top and smiled.
"The Hanged Man. We're seeing mostly major arcana cards, so these are important messages...the Hanged Man is surrender, new perspectives...Whatever chaos and hurt the Tower may bring, you'll have no choice but to accept it and move forward…"
She drew another, her smile growing. Mush slid off the couch to sit next to Honey on the floor, his brow furrowed as he looked at the card she was smiling at. She leaned into him flirtatiously, her eyes on Jack as she showed him the card.
"Ten of Cups. Divine love, harmony, alignment, bliss. But you'll have to go through shit to get to it."
"Sounds fair," Spot mused. "I'd get it in writing, Jack."
They laughed, the serious mood lifting, but Jack was still pensive, his thoughts far away.
"You told them what I told you?" Honey asked Mush.
"Had to," Mush answered without looking away from Jack. "We're not...real big on surprises."
"Then it shouldn't surprise you to know you're on the Club's Shit List," Jade crooned with a wicked smile. "Fat rich ugly bastards don't like strong attractive young men."
Spot's head turned to her instantly and he draped his arm around her shoulders, leaning back into the couch. "Ya sayin' I'm strong and attractive?"
She rolled her eyes, still smiling. "I'm saying I don't want that face smashed in."
"We appreciate the heads up," Jack said to Honey, his eyes sincere. "Trouble seems ta find us whether we avoid it or not."
"Well you weren't avoiding it when you walked into this house," Honey said honestly. She looked at Mush, her eyes drooping a little, "But trouble can be fun."
"I think we're in over our heads fellas," Racetrack said to the room, Kiki cozying up to him by the mantle.
"Something tells me you're more than capable," Jade said as she leaned in to Spot before going to the kitchen.
Jack looked up at the sound of jingling - Honey was holding up a set of keys.
"Almost time for Cinderella to leave the ball," she said with a smile just for Jack. "Around back is my car...Pick her up and bring back some dinner, won't ya?"
She held up a credit card, and smiled at him. "Her favorite taco place is between here and the club."
He gave her a smirk. "Been planning this, huh?"
"I do what I can. Don't be afraid to...take your time."
Jack regarded her for a moment, seeing Mush over her shoulder. "Thanks...I'll take care of her."
"I'm sure," Honey flashed another smile before turning to Mush. "And we have booze to drink…"
"Yes, ma'am." Mush gave Jack an appreciative smile over Honey's shoulder, and Jack turned on his heel to find Honey's car.
