Author's Note: I had this idea for a sad song fic and I think it came out really well. If you like it (or don't) please leave me a review. EDIT/ I went back and removed the lyrics from the midst of the song. I did, however, leave them at the beginning in order to show what concept I was working with at the time.
Disclaimer: The song "I Wanna Grow Old With You" is sung by Westlife, and I don't have any connection with it other than it's one of my favorites. I don't own any of the original newsies (Itey, Jack, Mush or Blink), though I can say I own Stress. On the other hand Lucky, Holiday, Spin and Iris own themselves, as does Revolution, who was awesome enough to be my leading lady. Thank you.
--
Another day
Without your smile
Another day just passes by...
But now I know
How much it means
For you to stay
Right here with me...
The time we spent apart will make our love grow stronger
But it hurt so bad I can't take it any longer...
I wanna grow old with you
I wanna die lying in your arms
I wanna grow old with you
I wanna be looking in your eyes...
I wanna be there for you
Sharing everything you do
I wanna grow old with you
A thousand miles between us now
It causes me to wonder how...
Our love tonight remains so strong
It makes our risk right all along...
The time we spent apart will make our love grow stronger
But it hurt so bad I can't take it any longer...
I wanna grow old with you
I wanna die lying in your arms
I wanna grow old with you
I wanna be looking in your eyes...
I wanna be there for you
Sharing everything you do
I wanna grow old with you
Things can come and go I know but
Baby I believe...
Something's burning strong between us
Makes it clear to me...
I wanna grow old with you
I wanna die lying in your arms
I wanna grow old with you
I wanna be looking in your eyes...
I wanna be there for you
Sharing everything you do
I wanna grow old with you
- I Wanna Grow Old With You, by Westlife
--
"Hurry, someone run and get Itey!" Stress yelled to Jack as he turned and ran out of the sick room of the Duane Street Newsboys Lodging House.
"No, Stress. Don't get my Itey. I don't want him to see me like this." Revolution coughed and struggled to sit up in the bunk she was laying on.
--
Stress held her hand tightly and called out to Lucky. "Lucky, hurry and get a cool rag for Rev."
"I'm coming, Stress," Lucky ran from the hand pump and handed Stress the wet rag. "Are you O.K., Rev?"
Revolution smiled weakly, brushing a red curl away from her pale face. "I'm good, Luck. Just a little cough, that's all. I'll be fine tomorrow."
"Sure, Rev. Tomorrow." Stress blinked back tears as Lucky wiped Revolution's forehead with the damp cloth. She knew there would be no tomorrow for Rev.
--
Revolution began to cough violently and flopped on the bunk. Iris and Spin rushed forward from the corners they were lurking in and held her down. "Rev, it'll be okay. We're here for you," whispered Iris soothingly as she patted her head.
"Oh, Jack. Hurry up and get Itey here before it's too late." Stress murmured, waiting anxiously for Jack to bring Revolution's boyfriend to the sick room.
--
"What's the matter, Itey?" Mush questioned his pal. Itey was known as being quiet and shy, normally, but he had grown out of his shell lately, thanks to Revolution. Ever since they had started to date seriously, about three months ago, Itey had become one of the fast-talking fellows around the lodging house. But, for some reason, he was a little depressed at the moment.
"I don't know, Mush. I just have this strange feeling that something bad is about to happen." Itey placed his water glass down and signaled to the waiter to cancel his order. He didn't feel like eating anymore for some reason.
--
"Itey, Itey. Thank Heavens I found you," Jack cried as he ran into Tibby's and approached the table where Mush, Itey and Blink were sitting.
"What's the matter, Cowboy?" Blink asked as Itey sprang to his feet.
"Itey, something bad happened to Revolution. We were all sitting in the lobby of the lodging house when all of a sudden she starts coughing and she faints. We moved her to the bunkroom but we don't think she's going make it."
Itey barely finished listening to Jack before running out of the restaurant, heading towards the lodging house.
--
It's my entire fault. She told me that she felt a sick again yesterday and I didn't make her stay in bed. Then I went out with the fellows to Tibby's instead of checking up on her today, Itey thought to himself as he tore through the streets of Manhattan, the few blocks that separated them seeming like thousands of miles. If anything happens to her, I'll never forgive myself.
--
Revolution's coughs became weaker and harder to hear though the other girls' could feel her pain by the look in her green eyes. "Stress?"
Stress jumped from the stool she had been sharing with Lucky and raced to Revolution's side. "What is it, Rev?"
"What I said before, you know, about Itey? If something does happen to me I want him to be right...here..." Revolution's voice trailed off slowly as her eyes began to close.
--
"Rev? Rev? Wake up! Rev!" Stress clasped her hand and tried to wake her up.
Revolution's eyes fluttered and she managed a small smile. "I'm up, I swear. You're not going to get rid of me so quickly, you know."
Stress returned the smile and sighed in relief when she heard footsteps on the stairs. "Hurry, Itey," she whispered while still clutching her friend's hand.
--
Itey dodged past Boots as he was entering the lodging house. "Hang on, Rev. I'm coming," he said aloud as he ran up the stairs and entered the sick room. He drew in a deep breath when he spied Rev laying, helpless, on the bed. "Rev?"
Spin rushed over to Itey and began to explain what had been happening. "We don't know what's wrong with her, Itey. She just passed out and started to burn up. We think the flu she had last week just came back full force. She isn't going to make it."
"Don't say that, Spin. She's a fighter, she'll make it." Itey walked by Stress and took Revolution's other hand. "Rev, honey. I'm here."
--
"Itey, is that you?" Revolution managed another smile. "Where have you been?"
Itey just chuckled and kissed her hot forehead. "What's the matter, love?"
As Itey stared down at Revolution with fear and love in his eyes, Stress slipped her hand out of Revolution's and motioned to Iris, Lucky and Spin to leave the bunkroom.
--
Itey, his eyes focused on Revolution, didn't even notice when the other girls left them to be alone. He was waiting for Revolution to tell him she was going to be all right.
But Revolution had finally given up on fooling herself. "Itey, thank you for being here with me when I go. I guess I didn't have that bug out of my system after all," she chuckled weakly and gripped his hand tightly.
"Don't worry, Rev. I'm here and everything's going to be all right. You're strong and you'll beat that flu. It just wanted to test you again, but you're a fighter. You'll win." You have to, you just have to.
--
"No, Itey. I'm not going to beat it this time. It just hurts so much."
"Rev, I know it hurts, but you can pull through. You know why you're going to pull through? Because I need you to. You, and me, we're going to be together forever. We are going to get married and have lots of babies and, when we're really old, then you can leave me. But I'm not going to let you leave me before then. I'm not going to be cheated out of spending my life with you. I--I love you, Rev." Itey used the sleeve of his shirt to dry his eyes, as the words he said echoed in his mind. I love you, I love you, I love you. The first time he had ever uttered those words to another.
--
"Itey, I love you too. I always have, even when you were that shy and quiet guy. Even when you couldn't tell me you loved me, I loved you. And I want you to know that I always will love you. You, Tony Martino, have captured my heart. Even though we aren't going to get the chance to grow old together, I want you to know that. For always..." Revolution gave a final cough that made her pale body seize up.
"I'll say it again, I love you, Rev. For always. Now, no more talking. You need to save your energy." Itey helped Revolution to lay flat on the bed and covered her with a thin blanket.
"Don't forget me, Itey. Please..." Her voice, hoarse from her coughing fits, barely whispered the last word as her eyes slowly, as they did before, closed.
--
"Rev? Rev! Oh, honey. You can't leave me, you just can't. I won't let you, you hear me! We're going to grow old together and have the best life. You'll see, I promise." Itey wrapped his arms around his beloved and let his tears fall directly onto her face, directly on her eyes. "Wake up, Rev. Please?"
This time, though, her eyes remained closed.