After the excitement of welcoming their lost and new member to the lodging house, Niner finally succeeded in convincing everyone to go to sleep in anticipation for the long day of selling tomorrow. Jack and Crutchie reluctantly went to their beds despite their eagerness to talk with their returned friend and captain, but recognizing his exhaustion, to bed they went, leaving him the quiet to reflect and rest.
The next morning, Crutchie noticed a distinct shift in the mood of the lodging house. Despite Niner's physical escape from the Refuge, he wasn't mentally all-home. Their normally calm and unshaken captain jumped at every sudden crash or shout. The first time he really spoke all morning, he shoved his portion of breakfast into Crutchie's hands instead, asking if everyone had enough, and thanking the Sisters before he relapsed back into sullen silence.
The week of his absence changed Jack too. He automatically moved to action when the situation called for a leader, and beat Niner to the punch every time. The boys listened to him too, even though he turned to their captain for direction, they could all recognize his initiative in taking charge and his new position as an authority as well as a peer. And to a lesser extent, they did the same to Crutchie. Though only the slightest of shifts, he couldn't help but feel responsible for making sure he talked to anyone who might need a sympathetic ear and make sure they were alright. Now, instead of Niner helping him, it was his turn to return the favor of friendship. By the time they'd reached the circulation gates, Jack noticed the shift too and crossed the floor to stand in the back of the line next to Crutchie. He watched the proceedings silently wearing a dark scowl and crossing his arms over his chest.
"It sure is nice to have Niner back," Crutchie ventured in an attempt to make some easy conversation. Jack didn't move or answer, so he took that as a sign to keep talking. "He didn't say if he wanted to sell with someone today or if he'd sell alone but I hope we can spend some time with him over lunch. He'll be so happy to know how well you handled it all."
"Mmmmhmm." He made a noncommittal shrug. "Blue did the most of it."
"You helped a lot. What do you think of Finch? He's probably going to be selling with Niner today to learn the ropes, but I think he's going to be a good one. He's chatty enough to do the convincing."
Finch had indeed spent most of the morning introducing himself to the other Newsies and finding a place for himself among Sniper, Albert, and Race after demonstrating his skill at whistling any tune they requested. He stood aside now, questioning them about how best to sell his day's wares and laughing in wide eyed surprise at some of the more outlandish suggestions.
"He's alright I guess," Jack's voice dropped to just above a whisper as he abruptly changed the subject. "Crutchie, do you think something's wrong with Niner? He ain't right."
He nodded, taken aback slightly by Jack's suddenness of broaching the topic but more than happy to talk it out. "I think he's tired but getting back to normal will help." He turned a pointed glance at Jack, "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine, but I don't think he is. Finch seems alright, in good spirits, I mean. But Niner? He's back, but he ain't doing very much of his job."
"Do you want me to talk to him?" Crutchie offered.
Jack looked up with a smile. "Would you?"
"Sure thing," Crutchie assured, "Don't worry Jack, he'll be fine. Good as new!"
May 4th, 1893
That evening, Jack climbed the fire escape onto the roof ahead of Crutchie. He'd taken to sleeping up there when the weather was warm and nice, claiming he couldn't stand to stay inside when there was fresh air to be had. Crutchie often joined him (and he'd gotten much better at navigating the tricky step he was proud to say), but tonight he hung back, waiting for Niner to return from his day's rounds. He had sold with Finch and was slightly slowed by the new Newsie but they had finally unloaded all of their papes for a successful first day. Finch, at least, returned in high spirits and the contrast of the chatterbox with the reticent older Newsie was all the more apparent. Crutchie intercepted Niner as he made his way into the bunkroom and tugged on his sleeve.
"Hey! Hey, Niner. Can you come up to the roof for a minute with Jack and me?"
"Yeah, sure," Niner answered absentmindedly as he arranged his bag and hat on his bed. "What's wrong?"
"Nothin'. We just wanted to catch up since we didn't have a chance to talk last night. He missed ya," Crutchie paused and fixed him with a stubborn smile that let the older newsie know he wouldn't be dropping the issue anytime soon. "We all did."
"Alright, alright, I'm coming." Niner paused long enough to return Crutchie's smile and ruffle his hair before turning back to his task of getting everyone calmed down and ready to go to bed, even if they wouldn't all be sleeping for a while. Crutchie moved across the room to the fire escape and made his way up to the roof. Jack looked up from his sketching as he heard the clatter of the wooden crutch on the roof as Crutchie tossed it up, then watched as his friend pulled himself up after it. He picked up the mobility aid and handed it back to Crutchie before resuming his sketching.
"Is he coming?"
Crutchie crossed the roof to their bedrolls and took his seat next to Jack, pulling his bad leg into a comfortable position and leaning back against the ledge as he set his crutch down next to him. "Yeah he's on his way. I think he's feeling a little better."
"I hope you're right."
"Me too." Crutchie pulled his bag around him and set it in his lap. He rooted through it until he found the remains of his lunch – half of a pastrami and cheese sandwich and an apple – and held it out to Jack. "Want some?"
He shook his head. Crutchie shrugged, took a bite of the apple, and glanced over his friend's shoulder at the assortment of scribbles on the page. He knew it didn't look like much now, but it would be some lovely rendering in a matter of minutes, and Jack was always improving in some area or another. A rough scattering of guidelines gradually transformed into convincing craggy cliffs and mountains and Crutchie realized he was looking at a recreation of the Rocky Mountain postcard they'd seen in a storefront on Lafayette Street earlier that day – Jack must have memorized the scene, and now he was adding details to the landscape. Crutchie opened his mouth to voice his approval but was interrupted by Niner clambering onto the roof. Jack put his paper away, balanced his pencil behind his ear, and gestured for Niner to come sit next to them, but he wandered to the edge instead to look out over the city.
"It's been years since I've been up here," The older Newsie mused. "I forgot how pretty the city is from all the way up high. I see now why you like to hide out up here."
(those poor kids don't got sights like this in the Refuge.)
"It ain't hiding," Jack said indignantly, "We's escapin'."
"Escaping your troubles?" Niner asked, his voice barely a whisper. He tore his eyes from the skyline and settled himself beside Jack, stomach growling. Crutchie nodded and tried to hand the rest of the sandwich at Niner. He waved his hand to indicate that he didn't want to take the proffered gift, but Crutchie shoved it into his hands anyhow. Niner gave him a thankful smile and started pulling off the wrapper. "Thank you for running things while I was gone, Jack. Blue told me you all but took over, and you did a great job of corralling them all this morning."
"Don't mention it," Jack sighed, and abandoning subtlety altogether, fixed a pointed and probing look on Niner. "Are you ok? You seemed all out of sorts."
"mmm fine," Niner answered through a mouthful of sandwich. He paused, swallowed. "Just thinkin' that's all."
"Bout what?" Crutchie asked.
"You were uptight about something or other."
"What is this, an interrogation?" Niner objected. He glanced from Jack's intent stare to Crutchie's curious look as he crunched on his own meager dinner, and conceded. "I was glad to be back – it's just a little overwhelming to finally come home after being away for a while. I was worried bout all you, wanted to make sure you were staying fed, and safe, and warm, that's all. I'm sorry if all my worrying made you think you didn't do a good job; I'm proud of both of you for how well you handled it all." He gave them an apologetic smile.
"You don't got to apologize. We were worried about you," Crutchie explained with a soft smile, "I ain't never run into the Spider, but I know The Refuge is an awful place and I'm sure it wasn't an easy week for you. We got the better part of it, even though we did miss you loads."
A fleeting expression of both gratitude and darkness passed over Niners face and he looked down to pick apart the next bite of the sandwich. "It wasn't."
Jack opened his mouth to ask another question but Andrew held up a finger to shush him. "Do you wanna talk about it?" He offered. "If not, we understand. We've got plenty of other things to talk about instead."
Niner shrugged as he finished his meal, then laid back with his arms under his head so that he could look up at the stars slowly coming out as night fell. (He really ought to come up here more often…) They sat in solidarity silence for a moment before he worked up the will to speak again. "I'm glad I'm back, but now I'm worrying about all the kids that are still trapped in that God-forsaken place. Finch – he's doing ok now, but when I first met him and stepped in, he was stealing apples cause he was so starving. So were a bunch of the others who'd been there for weeks. There weren't enough blankets or beds for everyone."
He gave a long sigh. "I knew I'd be alright, but some of the others? It's killing me to know there's nothing I can do to help any of them."
At this news, Jack's face darkened and he turned to look out over the city, a plan slowly forming.
"You helped Finch. Didn't you see how excited he was this morning at the circulation floor? You turned him around. That's something," Crutchie pointed out.
"He's just one though. I can't possibly help all of them. It doesn't matter what one kid can do, not up against… them." He waved a scornful hand in the direction of the Refuge. "Won't make any difference."
Crutchie poked Niner in the leg to get his attention, and he sat up on his elbows to look at the younger boy. "You helped Finch. What you did mattered to him. And that's better than nothing. He's one more that Spider didn't get in the end."
Niner half-smiled at the thought, and Crutchie pressed on, "You did what you could, Niner. Just like you and Jack helped me. You've made a difference in the lodging house, where you belong, and if everyone did what they could, just where they're at? It might change the world."
"Yeah, we're all gonna change the world," Jack added. Crutchie couldn't help but notice the edge of anger to his words. "Just you wait."
May 5th, 1893
Crutchie hid behind the wall, peeking around it to watch Jack as he sneaked up to the back door of the bakery. "You're crazy, this will never work!" He hissed. "Get back here before you get yourself caught!"
"Shhhhhh! I've got this," Jack assured. His foolproof plan, made last night during Niner's conversation on the rooftop, was simple in design. Sneak into the bakery, make off with a few loaves of bread, drop them off at the window of the Refuge, and make off before anyone knew the wiser. His tagalong however, disapproved.
"Niner is going to absolutely lose his mind if you get hauled off to the Refuge right after he told you how bad it was," Crutchie argued.
"'How bad the Refuge was' is why I'm doin' all this! Didn't you listen to my whole shpeal? Besides, I ain't gonna get caught!
"Famous last words."
Jack shot him an annoyed glance and crept closer. "I ain't gonna get caught unless you keep distracting me."
"Even if you don't get caught, Niner's gonna lose his mind when he finds out you tried and he's the one who almost got you caught by telling you all that. Come on, we don't wanna miss the lunch crowd, just let it drop already."
Jack sighed and turned back to Crutchie. "What was all that you were sayin' last night about how if everyone did what they could, that we could change the world?" Crutchie opened his mouth to object but Jack plowed ahead before he could say anything. "I dunno if that's all just talk to you, but I can't just sit on the knowledge that kids might be starving in there and just sit around and do nothing."
Crutchie frowned. "It wasn't just talk. I meant every word of it. I just don't want you to get hurt too. Ain't there something else you could do to help instead?"
Jack gave his friend a confident smile and turned on his heel. "Don't worry. I'll be fast, and I'll be careful."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
In retrospect, perhaps his foolproof plan had been pretty foolish after all. He should have listened to Crutchie and heeded his pleas to err on the side of caution. But now, as he sat looking out the small, smeared windows of the bunk room of the Refuge, there was nothing he could do to change the past, and there was nothing he could to change his current state, which was that he was hungry, and impatient, and angry that all his troubles had gone for naught. He would escape.
It was only a matter of time.
In retrospect, he should have tried harder to stop Jack. He should have forced him to stop. But now, as he sat alone on the roof of the Lodging house, there was nothing he could do to change the past. He rubbed at the bruises on his leg from where he'd fallen when chasing after the guard as he dragged Jack away. There was nothing he could do to help now, except for wait for his friend to be released and keep Niner from freaking out in the meantime.
It was only a matter of time.
A/N: ahhh I'm sorry I'm returning to posting on a sad chapter, but the next one is exciting so I hope you'll enjoy this one for what it is, and enjoy reading the payoff of this arc next week! Jack is… impulsively well intentioned to say the least :P
Thanks for reading!