At first the walk to Manhattan was a quiet affair, but all too soon it became a fight. "It's your fault she's like that Swan. If you had really killed him like you said she wouldn't be like this." Swan stopped and looked at Cray in disbelief.
"My fault? I am the one who stayed with her every night since Baltimore till we got here. You weren't the one awaken by her screams or left with guilt caused cause you weren't fast enough. I feel bad enough I don't need you of all people telling me what I did wrong."
"If you had just killed him this wouldn't have happened." Cray stated again.
"I thought I had killed him. No one should have lived in the state that I left him in. Don't you think I know that if he had been dead this wouldn't have happened? I am not some child to be scolded." Swan began backing away from Cray.
Cray had murder in his eyes and only Bryon coming between them stopped Cray from advancing further. "Cray your sister would be in an even worse state if you hurt Swan, she loves you both and if neither of you are there when she wakes up she will probably be even worse off. Besides none of this is going to maker her better."
Cray backed off a bit before turning his attention to Jack. "Where is this guy now?"
Jack chose his words as carefully as possible. "Wes took him to a saloon and laid him out pretty just outside. If he wakes up he'll probably think he drunk himself stupid. If not," Jack shrugged "Well he'll be seen."
Cray's face filled with rage, "You let him live? You let this bastard live? He should be sleeping with the fish right now, not outside some saloon. He would have killed Kit."
"Yeah and if his body would have washed up there would be too many questions. Ise ain't gonna kill a guy in cold blood." Jack defend his newsies actions.
"You were just scared. Kit could die and you let this guy off scott free. He's gonna come looking for us if we ain't careful. He ain't an idiot, he knows we're newsies. For God sake we were right next to the lodging house. You just cost people their lives." Cray roared in frustration. "I don't care what you guys do but I am going back to warn Spot. Maybe I can help keep Kit safe." He quickly turned on his heel and ran back the way they had come.
Jack looked ready to go after him and fight him for what had been said. Race put his hand on Jack's shoulder to stop him, "Let him go to his sista. She just go soaked. He's gonna be mad."
Jack let his anger drain away, "Wes better get going or Kloppman is gonna have our necks." The remaining newsies continued on their way, arriving at the lodging house just as Kloppman was locking up. After he scolded them they went up to the bunkroom and only to be bombarded with questions about what had gone on. Slowly they answered everyone's questions then climbed into bed to get some much-needed sleep.
Cray entered the Brooklyn lodging house with a bang. His face so stormy with anger no one dared approach him as he went to where they had moved Kit. He sat on the floor taking her hand into his. No one had been with her at the time and he began to beg Kit to wake up. "Ami you have to wake up. Craig and I can't go home with out you. Dad would have our hides, Larry too. You have to wake up. I want my kids to know their aunt Kit. Please wake up."
"Cray youse okay?" Mills spoke as she came in.
"She's got to wake up. Swan and I could never go home if she wasn't there." He said standing up.
Mills put an arm around his waist and held on to him, "She'll be okay. Doc said so. Come one Ise made sure youse got a bed."
"No I am going to sleep in here. I ain't leaving her." Cray said stubbornly.
"Okay at least pull up a chair. The floor won't be the most comfortable place to sleep." Cray found a chair and sank into it, his eyes closed before Mills could offer him a blanket. She took one off the shelf and draped it over his sleeping form. Then she kissed his cheek and slipped out.
Spot was the next to enter. Kit had begun to thrash about but when Spot came over it stopped. He pushed some of her hair out of her face and looked down at her. "What gods did youse upset to get all this to happen to youse? Ise hopes this is all they demands of youse. Is this guy ever going to leave us alone? Kit youse need to wake up. The little boys need youse, wes all need youse." He sat on the floor careful not to disturb Cray and picked up Kit's hand before laying his head on the bed and falling asleep.
Kit didn't wake that next morning. Cray won't leave her side and growled at anyone who tried to make him. Spot did go to sell that morning, at least that is what he said he was doing, and was back that afternoon. The older newsies made Bait and Jolly sell even though they wanted to be in the Storage room with Kit. When they finally came in they proceeded to tell her all about their day.
"Kit guess what? The headline today was all about the guy who shot the President. He is an anarchist and everyone thinks he planned this all out. Then after we sold Brownoser took us on the roller coaster and Jolly got sick, but I didn't. Then we came back here and went to Falcon's sister's again. And she made us a cake and made us drink milk and I didn't like it. Then we played with her baby. Why can't we have a baby? Then Rounder came and got us and now we are here." Bait finished, finally inhaling, for the first time Cray swore.
"Kit wes want youse to get better, but if youse have to stay away till youse feel safe that's okay." Jolly sniffled. "But youse don't have to worry. Bait and I will keep youse safe. No one is going to hurt youse again." Jolly crossed his heart as she spoke his childish promise, then he reached into his pocket. "Youse can't have this until you feel better. It's my lucky marble and Ise know it will help youse get better quicker." Jolly laid the marble on the bed next to Kit.
Mills lead the boys out and came back with food for Cray. He looked up at her as she came in. "I think I want someone else to sit with Kit. I need to get outside."
Mills tried not to be too excited, "Ise go tell Spot. Want someone to come along?"
Cray stopped for a second then nodded, "Yeah if you don't mind. I need to talk to you."
Mills nodded, concerned, "Ise be right back with Spot." When Spot and Mills entered the guys nodded to each other and Cray held out his arm to Mills. Spot sat looking at Kit before picking up a paper and reading it. Mills and Cray then left and began walking.
For the first couple of blocks neither spoke. Cray seemed to be enjoying being outside and Mills waited for him to start. As they approached the bridge Cray slowed down till they came to the middle of the span. "Mills I have some stuff to tell you but I has to ask you not to repeat any of it to anyone."
Mills eyebrows knitted together "Okay what is so secret."
Cray took a deep breath, this was going to be the hardest thing to tell, "Kit, Swan and I haven't been completely honest with everyone. Two of us are siblings, but it ain't Kit and I."
Mills was quiet for a second then quietly replied, "Kit ain't youse sister? Then whose sister is she, Swan's?"
"No Kit's brother is back in Nebraska. Swan and I are brothers. Our story has been just that, a story. Parts of it are true."
"PARTS? What parts are true?" Mills was hurt and it showed.
"Well Kit and Swan's real names. We really were all newsies in Nebraska and we did come out here to find a better life. It wasn't supposed to happen like this. We were only going to go to Chicago but Kit didn't want to stop. Swan and I knew we couldn't leave her on her own. When it was all said and done it just got too big."
"So you lied, Kit is neither of youse guys' sister. Than who is she?" Mills dreaded hearing the next part with all her being.
"Kit is my ma's sister's daughter, she is our cousin. We have known her since she was a week old. Her parents live on the farm down the road for our farm. She has been like a sister to us since we knew her. She has had some crushes on our friends, but I think she's gotten over them."
"Well Ise know someone whose got a crush on her, the illustrious leader of Brooklyn defiantly has a thing for her." Mills replied cheekily. "So youse got a goil hidded away in your past or was youse telling the truth then?"
"Me have a girl? Nah I've spent most of my life rescuing Kit and Swan from themselves. If you couldn't tell they are always in the middle of something." Cray winked as he spoke.
"Now that Ise think about it, youse and Swan do look alike, even more than youse and Kit. So what else did youse want to talk about?" Mills was curious, Cray hadn't made a move back to the lodging house yet.
"Well I was wondering," Cray looked at his feet and mumbled, "ihadntaskedyouyetifyouwantedtobemygirl.doyou?"
Mills smiled, "Ise couldn't quite hear youse, can youse repeat it?"
Cray took a huge breath, "I hadn't asked you yet if you wanted to be my girl. Do you?"
"Now was that so hard?" Mills teased then laughed when Cray barely nodded, "Yes Ise be your goil."
Cray looked into her eyes then bent down to kiss her, but a not so discreet cough stopped him, "Would youse get a room? Some of us got to travel this bridge to get places." Cray turned and saw it was Swan.
"What are you doing here Swan?" Cray looked ready to kill his younger brother.
"You mean you didn't hear? Man Spot's messaging service must really not work. Kit woke up. I guess I got to you before Spot's guys did." Swan looked pretty proud of himself.
"Well then Ise guess all of us have some where's to go." Mills spoke as she started running off to the lodging house.
"My fault? I am the one who stayed with her every night since Baltimore till we got here. You weren't the one awaken by her screams or left with guilt caused cause you weren't fast enough. I feel bad enough I don't need you of all people telling me what I did wrong."
"If you had just killed him this wouldn't have happened." Cray stated again.
"I thought I had killed him. No one should have lived in the state that I left him in. Don't you think I know that if he had been dead this wouldn't have happened? I am not some child to be scolded." Swan began backing away from Cray.
Cray had murder in his eyes and only Bryon coming between them stopped Cray from advancing further. "Cray your sister would be in an even worse state if you hurt Swan, she loves you both and if neither of you are there when she wakes up she will probably be even worse off. Besides none of this is going to maker her better."
Cray backed off a bit before turning his attention to Jack. "Where is this guy now?"
Jack chose his words as carefully as possible. "Wes took him to a saloon and laid him out pretty just outside. If he wakes up he'll probably think he drunk himself stupid. If not," Jack shrugged "Well he'll be seen."
Cray's face filled with rage, "You let him live? You let this bastard live? He should be sleeping with the fish right now, not outside some saloon. He would have killed Kit."
"Yeah and if his body would have washed up there would be too many questions. Ise ain't gonna kill a guy in cold blood." Jack defend his newsies actions.
"You were just scared. Kit could die and you let this guy off scott free. He's gonna come looking for us if we ain't careful. He ain't an idiot, he knows we're newsies. For God sake we were right next to the lodging house. You just cost people their lives." Cray roared in frustration. "I don't care what you guys do but I am going back to warn Spot. Maybe I can help keep Kit safe." He quickly turned on his heel and ran back the way they had come.
Jack looked ready to go after him and fight him for what had been said. Race put his hand on Jack's shoulder to stop him, "Let him go to his sista. She just go soaked. He's gonna be mad."
Jack let his anger drain away, "Wes better get going or Kloppman is gonna have our necks." The remaining newsies continued on their way, arriving at the lodging house just as Kloppman was locking up. After he scolded them they went up to the bunkroom and only to be bombarded with questions about what had gone on. Slowly they answered everyone's questions then climbed into bed to get some much-needed sleep.
Cray entered the Brooklyn lodging house with a bang. His face so stormy with anger no one dared approach him as he went to where they had moved Kit. He sat on the floor taking her hand into his. No one had been with her at the time and he began to beg Kit to wake up. "Ami you have to wake up. Craig and I can't go home with out you. Dad would have our hides, Larry too. You have to wake up. I want my kids to know their aunt Kit. Please wake up."
"Cray youse okay?" Mills spoke as she came in.
"She's got to wake up. Swan and I could never go home if she wasn't there." He said standing up.
Mills put an arm around his waist and held on to him, "She'll be okay. Doc said so. Come one Ise made sure youse got a bed."
"No I am going to sleep in here. I ain't leaving her." Cray said stubbornly.
"Okay at least pull up a chair. The floor won't be the most comfortable place to sleep." Cray found a chair and sank into it, his eyes closed before Mills could offer him a blanket. She took one off the shelf and draped it over his sleeping form. Then she kissed his cheek and slipped out.
Spot was the next to enter. Kit had begun to thrash about but when Spot came over it stopped. He pushed some of her hair out of her face and looked down at her. "What gods did youse upset to get all this to happen to youse? Ise hopes this is all they demands of youse. Is this guy ever going to leave us alone? Kit youse need to wake up. The little boys need youse, wes all need youse." He sat on the floor careful not to disturb Cray and picked up Kit's hand before laying his head on the bed and falling asleep.
Kit didn't wake that next morning. Cray won't leave her side and growled at anyone who tried to make him. Spot did go to sell that morning, at least that is what he said he was doing, and was back that afternoon. The older newsies made Bait and Jolly sell even though they wanted to be in the Storage room with Kit. When they finally came in they proceeded to tell her all about their day.
"Kit guess what? The headline today was all about the guy who shot the President. He is an anarchist and everyone thinks he planned this all out. Then after we sold Brownoser took us on the roller coaster and Jolly got sick, but I didn't. Then we came back here and went to Falcon's sister's again. And she made us a cake and made us drink milk and I didn't like it. Then we played with her baby. Why can't we have a baby? Then Rounder came and got us and now we are here." Bait finished, finally inhaling, for the first time Cray swore.
"Kit wes want youse to get better, but if youse have to stay away till youse feel safe that's okay." Jolly sniffled. "But youse don't have to worry. Bait and I will keep youse safe. No one is going to hurt youse again." Jolly crossed his heart as she spoke his childish promise, then he reached into his pocket. "Youse can't have this until you feel better. It's my lucky marble and Ise know it will help youse get better quicker." Jolly laid the marble on the bed next to Kit.
Mills lead the boys out and came back with food for Cray. He looked up at her as she came in. "I think I want someone else to sit with Kit. I need to get outside."
Mills tried not to be too excited, "Ise go tell Spot. Want someone to come along?"
Cray stopped for a second then nodded, "Yeah if you don't mind. I need to talk to you."
Mills nodded, concerned, "Ise be right back with Spot." When Spot and Mills entered the guys nodded to each other and Cray held out his arm to Mills. Spot sat looking at Kit before picking up a paper and reading it. Mills and Cray then left and began walking.
For the first couple of blocks neither spoke. Cray seemed to be enjoying being outside and Mills waited for him to start. As they approached the bridge Cray slowed down till they came to the middle of the span. "Mills I have some stuff to tell you but I has to ask you not to repeat any of it to anyone."
Mills eyebrows knitted together "Okay what is so secret."
Cray took a deep breath, this was going to be the hardest thing to tell, "Kit, Swan and I haven't been completely honest with everyone. Two of us are siblings, but it ain't Kit and I."
Mills was quiet for a second then quietly replied, "Kit ain't youse sister? Then whose sister is she, Swan's?"
"No Kit's brother is back in Nebraska. Swan and I are brothers. Our story has been just that, a story. Parts of it are true."
"PARTS? What parts are true?" Mills was hurt and it showed.
"Well Kit and Swan's real names. We really were all newsies in Nebraska and we did come out here to find a better life. It wasn't supposed to happen like this. We were only going to go to Chicago but Kit didn't want to stop. Swan and I knew we couldn't leave her on her own. When it was all said and done it just got too big."
"So you lied, Kit is neither of youse guys' sister. Than who is she?" Mills dreaded hearing the next part with all her being.
"Kit is my ma's sister's daughter, she is our cousin. We have known her since she was a week old. Her parents live on the farm down the road for our farm. She has been like a sister to us since we knew her. She has had some crushes on our friends, but I think she's gotten over them."
"Well Ise know someone whose got a crush on her, the illustrious leader of Brooklyn defiantly has a thing for her." Mills replied cheekily. "So youse got a goil hidded away in your past or was youse telling the truth then?"
"Me have a girl? Nah I've spent most of my life rescuing Kit and Swan from themselves. If you couldn't tell they are always in the middle of something." Cray winked as he spoke.
"Now that Ise think about it, youse and Swan do look alike, even more than youse and Kit. So what else did youse want to talk about?" Mills was curious, Cray hadn't made a move back to the lodging house yet.
"Well I was wondering," Cray looked at his feet and mumbled, "ihadntaskedyouyetifyouwantedtobemygirl.doyou?"
Mills smiled, "Ise couldn't quite hear youse, can youse repeat it?"
Cray took a huge breath, "I hadn't asked you yet if you wanted to be my girl. Do you?"
"Now was that so hard?" Mills teased then laughed when Cray barely nodded, "Yes Ise be your goil."
Cray looked into her eyes then bent down to kiss her, but a not so discreet cough stopped him, "Would youse get a room? Some of us got to travel this bridge to get places." Cray turned and saw it was Swan.
"What are you doing here Swan?" Cray looked ready to kill his younger brother.
"You mean you didn't hear? Man Spot's messaging service must really not work. Kit woke up. I guess I got to you before Spot's guys did." Swan looked pretty proud of himself.
"Well then Ise guess all of us have some where's to go." Mills spoke as she started running off to the lodging house.