Disclaimer: Since there aren't any newsies actually in this story, I really
don't need a disclaimer, but I don't own them, not even the DVD. I do own
my characters, but not the people they are based on, Craig and Crale are
their own people who don't even know this story exists. Here read the story
and don't forget to Review.
A boxcar, Kit couldn't believe she was sleeping in a boxcar. Well she wasn't exactly sleeping, more like shivering against Swan's back trying not to think about the past year. The past year had been rough, no it had been more than rough, it had been near impossible. They had made it to Chicago, but there hadn't been many jobs for the guys there. So they moved on to Cincinnati. By then she had reached the large stage of pregnancy and getting a job would be impossible.
The guys had found work at a bar, being bouncers. If there was a fight they would break it up and because of this many nights they had come back with bruises and cuts galore. The owner of the bar had grudgingly allowed them to stay in rooms above the bar, with the condition that Kit wasn't allowed downstairs during business hours. T
he guys tried to hide the worst of it, unsuccessfully. Kit knew when they had each broken their noses, a week apart. And she couldn't help but hear the screams and threats made both in the bar and in the hallway each night. She tried to drown it out by covering her head with pillows, but the sounds, and smells of the bar made their way in past all of her defensives.
Then there was the baby, her labor and delivery had gone smoothly. She hadn't even gotten to hold him. The midwife had whisked him off to the waiting arms of his new parents after he had been cleaned up. Some rich couple that couldn't have children and were willing to pay top dollar for a baby of their own. But they had never paid, instead they claimed she had given them him, her little boy.
Kit quickly wiped at the tears coming down her cheeks. It had been to hard to stay in Cincinnati, so the guys drew straws to see who would stay and who would go with her. Swan had drawn the straw, and much to her relief had taken her away from Ohio. Cray had promised to stay in contact, but after arriving in Baltimore they had received back their letter, with the note, Addressee Unknown.
At first Baltimore had seemed the perfect place, being a newsie again had been just the balm she needed. She had stopped breaking into tears at each mother and child she would see. She had started to date Chair, life seemed to be going better. But with the coming of spring came Chair's temper. He had hit her before, then apologized, saying he loved her and he didn't know what had come over him. Kit tried to break it off, but he had threatened Swan. She told Swan but he just pushed it off, scoffing at the idea that Chair was being possessive. Then it had happened.
Kit sat up then and moved to the other side of the car. Swan snorted and rolled over to his other side. She felt her lips twitch at the beginning of a smile. Swan had been her hero, he had saved her from the demons that haunted her dreams, but even he couldn't be everywhere and know everything. He didn't know how memories of that day haunted her to the point of madness. The feel of the hands, the smell of the alley and their breath, what they had said to her; it all stayed just below the surface of her thoughts. As long as she was busy she didn't think about it.
But at night, when she couldn't sleep the memories would wash over her. The incident would be played in slow motion. What she had missed blacking out, Swan and the doctor had unintentionally filled in. She knew what had happened to her. And she had just shut down. It was just easier to act like she couldn't remember what happened. And Swan had been all to happy to let her "forget". He thought maybe going home would be a good idea; but Kit didn't want to go home so when they got to Philadelphia she had "woken up".
Now they were heading to New York City. Kit was nervous, the entire experience had been nerve racking, but this was the worst. They knew the evil that a person could inflict on another human being without a second thought. They knew to be careful. Hopefully that would be enough, hopefully they wouldn't have to run again. Kit was tired of running. She couldn't go home, not after everything she had gone through, but she was tired of moving and going from place to place. She wanted to stay somewhere longer than 6 months.
Her thoughts were broken as Swan began to wake up. The train was slowing down, this was it. "Kit you ready?" Swan came over to her concern lacing his voice.
"Guess so, at least as ready as I ever would be."
"Okay lets go."
The two jumped from the boxcar as it came into the train yard, and took off running into the dark of a sleeping city. No idea what was coming, no idea that life always went in a circle and sometime it is just easier to fight then to let go.
A/N: Well I have reached the end of my story. Or is this the beginning? Anyway I found I couldn't do the last part of the story justice, since I have already explained pretty much everything in the other stories in this series. So Snapshots of Memories is done. Flame me for ending it like this, if you want, I need some heat in this stupid building they dare call a dormitory. For those who are just joining me in my little adventure story. Snapshots of Memories is the first in a series of stories, most of which have already been completed and posted here. The next to read would be Another Fine Day. I want to thank Kora for reviewing almost every chapter as it has come out, thanks for the encouragement.
A boxcar, Kit couldn't believe she was sleeping in a boxcar. Well she wasn't exactly sleeping, more like shivering against Swan's back trying not to think about the past year. The past year had been rough, no it had been more than rough, it had been near impossible. They had made it to Chicago, but there hadn't been many jobs for the guys there. So they moved on to Cincinnati. By then she had reached the large stage of pregnancy and getting a job would be impossible.
The guys had found work at a bar, being bouncers. If there was a fight they would break it up and because of this many nights they had come back with bruises and cuts galore. The owner of the bar had grudgingly allowed them to stay in rooms above the bar, with the condition that Kit wasn't allowed downstairs during business hours. T
he guys tried to hide the worst of it, unsuccessfully. Kit knew when they had each broken their noses, a week apart. And she couldn't help but hear the screams and threats made both in the bar and in the hallway each night. She tried to drown it out by covering her head with pillows, but the sounds, and smells of the bar made their way in past all of her defensives.
Then there was the baby, her labor and delivery had gone smoothly. She hadn't even gotten to hold him. The midwife had whisked him off to the waiting arms of his new parents after he had been cleaned up. Some rich couple that couldn't have children and were willing to pay top dollar for a baby of their own. But they had never paid, instead they claimed she had given them him, her little boy.
Kit quickly wiped at the tears coming down her cheeks. It had been to hard to stay in Cincinnati, so the guys drew straws to see who would stay and who would go with her. Swan had drawn the straw, and much to her relief had taken her away from Ohio. Cray had promised to stay in contact, but after arriving in Baltimore they had received back their letter, with the note, Addressee Unknown.
At first Baltimore had seemed the perfect place, being a newsie again had been just the balm she needed. She had stopped breaking into tears at each mother and child she would see. She had started to date Chair, life seemed to be going better. But with the coming of spring came Chair's temper. He had hit her before, then apologized, saying he loved her and he didn't know what had come over him. Kit tried to break it off, but he had threatened Swan. She told Swan but he just pushed it off, scoffing at the idea that Chair was being possessive. Then it had happened.
Kit sat up then and moved to the other side of the car. Swan snorted and rolled over to his other side. She felt her lips twitch at the beginning of a smile. Swan had been her hero, he had saved her from the demons that haunted her dreams, but even he couldn't be everywhere and know everything. He didn't know how memories of that day haunted her to the point of madness. The feel of the hands, the smell of the alley and their breath, what they had said to her; it all stayed just below the surface of her thoughts. As long as she was busy she didn't think about it.
But at night, when she couldn't sleep the memories would wash over her. The incident would be played in slow motion. What she had missed blacking out, Swan and the doctor had unintentionally filled in. She knew what had happened to her. And she had just shut down. It was just easier to act like she couldn't remember what happened. And Swan had been all to happy to let her "forget". He thought maybe going home would be a good idea; but Kit didn't want to go home so when they got to Philadelphia she had "woken up".
Now they were heading to New York City. Kit was nervous, the entire experience had been nerve racking, but this was the worst. They knew the evil that a person could inflict on another human being without a second thought. They knew to be careful. Hopefully that would be enough, hopefully they wouldn't have to run again. Kit was tired of running. She couldn't go home, not after everything she had gone through, but she was tired of moving and going from place to place. She wanted to stay somewhere longer than 6 months.
Her thoughts were broken as Swan began to wake up. The train was slowing down, this was it. "Kit you ready?" Swan came over to her concern lacing his voice.
"Guess so, at least as ready as I ever would be."
"Okay lets go."
The two jumped from the boxcar as it came into the train yard, and took off running into the dark of a sleeping city. No idea what was coming, no idea that life always went in a circle and sometime it is just easier to fight then to let go.
A/N: Well I have reached the end of my story. Or is this the beginning? Anyway I found I couldn't do the last part of the story justice, since I have already explained pretty much everything in the other stories in this series. So Snapshots of Memories is done. Flame me for ending it like this, if you want, I need some heat in this stupid building they dare call a dormitory. For those who are just joining me in my little adventure story. Snapshots of Memories is the first in a series of stories, most of which have already been completed and posted here. The next to read would be Another Fine Day. I want to thank Kora for reviewing almost every chapter as it has come out, thanks for the encouragement.
