HELLO!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so sorry I have not updated in the longest time but my internet was out for a month and I could read and review from other computers but not post anything. Andyways, I'm now here, trying to fix my computer's language. I live in Central America so when my computer wasn't working we had some guys fix it, but in Spanish, so now everything on my computer is in Spanish. My 'start' button says 'Inicio' and the 'file' button says 'Archivo' so I have to use my limited Spanish to do the simplest thing, and I've never really been a linguist. My keyboard has also been converted to the dark side so it takes forever to find the @, seriously, and the quoats and every other symbol. This is my chapter before the chapter before my Christmas chapter so I might give my readers some post holiday cheer around New Year's. Oh well, life goes on, and thank you for your patience.
Shout Outs:
JustDuck: Yes, have no fears, I'm officially updating. Sorry 'bout the FF.net thingy, hope you get it sorted out completely, apperantly there was some twilightzone, planet alignment thingy. Life is very interesting.
Wisecracker88: No comment what so ever, Skaggs.
Cabby1: Yes, indeed it is. He's just so much more...how would you say it...adorable, than Spot is, and he's so egotistical, he annoys me. The crib are the guys with the clubs and stuff who are fighting the Newsies and winning untill Brooklyn shows up.
Spot: *clears throat* Scuse moi...
Yes, what is it, Spotty?
Spot: *Glares* I saved yoah precious Manhattan Newsies.
Yeah, you and the rest of Brooklyn. Don't take all of the credit, give some to the 'goin some where Kelly' newsie at least, mostly cuz he's the only one I know...
Spot: Youse pathetic.
Hey, takes one to know one, pal.
To Sapphy: I know, but it's Racy that makes the piccy cute, I's just sort of an extra. *Sighs* He's so frustratingly adorable, isn't he?
***********Have a Capital Time Gents*************
When Race and Red arrived back at Tibby's they were quite surprised at the plan of the rally, which was in two days.
"So, Jack, what kinda stuff are you gonna do for the rally?" Red asked around a mouthful of the mashed potatoes she had just ordered.
"Well, a sort of pep-talk by me, Davey, and Spot, and den some entatainment, Medda's in charge a dat."
Red nodded and shoved another forkful of mashed potatoes into her mouth.
After a few more escapades, none of which were interesting enough to write about, it was time to go home. They took the regular route to the lodging house and Spot was going with them for that night, as it was a little too dangerous for even the leader of the Brooklyn newsies to walk through Brooklyn at this time of night, though our friend would never have admitted it.
They slowly walked into the bunk room and all went to bed immidiately, but Race, and several others did have a rather strange dream.....
++++++++++++
Racetrack threw a penny on the change pile in the middle of the three tables pushed together at the bar. "I raise ya a cent."
"Oooh, don't be so risky Race, ya know Red won't like it." Spot smirked.
After around three beers their New York accents had returned completely.
"So, Jack, how's Sarah doin? I hoid youse got in a fight wid er." Race tried to redirect the topic of conversation away from himself.
Skittery laughed, "Yeah, she yell loud enough foah ya?"
Everyone looked at Jack. "You got in another fight?" Boots faked an 'I'm ashamed of you' face.
He banged his head against the table once. "It wasn't my fault dis time. I didn't know I was supposed to be home before 9:00 dat night, she nevah said nothin'." Jack righted himself in no time, however and chuckled a bit, showing that he wasn't mad anymore, and obviously, neither was Sarah.
Race resituated the cigar in his mouth. "Don't you guys find it kinda strange dat we all moved to da same place after we got married or quit bein' newsies?"
David shook his head, his early graying curls fully visible. "No. I rather expected it. What was strange was that we all live in a place like Countridge Pennsylvania."
"On da back hills'a nowhere." Specs grumbled, still getting over the fight he had last night with Alison.
Les smiled and threw in a nickel. "Raise ya a nickel. Yeah, and Mr. General Store over here married his milliner." He pointed at David.
Bumlets took a gulp of his beer. "Yeah, dat was weird, Mouth. She's really nice dough." He looked at his pocket watch. "Anna's gonna have a fit if I'm late, I's gonna have ta go soon."
"Whea is Blink now, anyone know?" Snipeshooter asked from behind the bar, cleaning glasses.
"He's in England, last letter I got. Woik'en foah sum comp'ny dat sells 'phones" Pie Eater offered
"How's Tigger doin' Spot?" Mush asked, ordering another beer.
Spot smiled in such a way that all of the guys knew something was up.
"Come on! Tell us!!!" the guys pleaded.
"She's gonna have another baby."
There was a split second of semi-defining silence after which there was a cheer, another round of beers, and some slaps on the back. Race refused his beer.
"Wassa mattah Race? Don't you want one?" Jack asked, knowing very well that the beer in his hand was the last one Sarah would've let him have, and was going to obey it.
"Red says I can only have five, after dat, I's walkin' home."
Dutchy stated the obvious. "But, you live five miles away, and it's snowing."
"Dat's exactly why I'm not having any moah." He laid down his hand, "Royal Flush." he raked in the change and passed it to Snipeshooter.
He shook Crutchy's hand before getting up. "I's gonna see ya tamarra, right Crutchy?"
Crutchy smiled. He lived with Jack and Sarah, in their rather big house, so Crutchy saw Race everyday as he stopped by on his way to work to pick up Jack in the morning.
On his way out all Racetrack Higgins could think about was that Mrs. Red Higgins was waiting for him.
He stepped out and stopped a passing carriage, smiling at Oscar driving it. "Take me home, Delancy?"
The man smiled sadly and opened the door of the carriage. "Shua, Race, whatevah you want."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Every boy in the lodging house awoke with a start, some scared out of their wits, some severely surprised, and some, namely David, worried about their hair graying early. The only one still asleep was Red, and she was smiling in her sleep, like she was the happiest thing in the world.
Every boy looked at each, and then started talking, quickly.
"I was MARRIED to Sarah!"
"I was in some completely different country sellin' phones ta some broad. I sent lettas ta you guys oahl da time and youse almost nevah wrote back!"
"Married! ta dat goil from Queens, Alison."
"Married ta Tigger! And a fadda!"
All of a sudden Jack shouted the only thing he could think of to make everyone be silent.
"SSSSHHHHUUUUUTTTTT UUUPPPPP!!!!!"
Hey, it works.
Everyone was looking at Jack, except for Red, who was still asleep, and waiting for him to continue.
"Just a question: did we all have da same dream?" Jack asked, still somewhat happy, scared, and surprised. There was, however, only silence, and Jack wanted to find out what had happened.
"We'll go around, Race, you foist. Wheah were you?"
"Countridge Pennsylvania. Wheahevea dat is, and I was married. I was sittin' in a bar at 9:30 playing pokah wid you guys and drinkin' beer, we's was all talkin' 'bout our wives."
One or two boys shuddered visibly, but Spot, said the few people who were watching him, was grinning like an idiot.
Jack smiled wickedly. "Who were you married to, Race?"
Race blushed and didn't answer.
Jack then redirected his attention to rather surprised David. "Whea were you?"
"Same place as Race, but I owned a General Store, and I had married my milliner."
"I was drinking beer!" Les piped up.
At this comment, Red woke up, rubbed her eyes, pushed back the hair that had gotten out of her braid, and sat up.
"What's all this? Why're ya'll up early?"
Les spoke first.
"We were all havin' the same dream. I was drinkin' beer, and Snipeshooter was a bar tender. Jack was married to Sarah, and Blink was in another country, and Spot was married to his girlfriend Tigger and she was going to have another baby." Spot blushed, although no one ever said anything to Spot about it. "David was a store owner, and Specs had married a goil from Queens and you were married to..."
Race put his hand over Les's mouth, embarrassed, but Red signaled to him to let him go and she motioned for Les to be quiet and come closer, which he did with Race following him.
"I know. I dreamed that I had just put my children to bed and I was waiting at home for Race. He just walked through the door of our house and kissed me when I woke up." She smiled at Les, and looked up at Race, who had a strange look on his face as well.
"Are you ready for tomorrow, Race?"
Race looked relieved that she hadn't asked him anything else, especially about the dream. He really wished he was still dreaming, but was glad he had the real thing right in front of him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Red yawned, Jack, David, and Spot's speech WOULD have been interesting if they had not practiced ALL morning, with her as the audience. The little fight was a pretty good idea, Red reflected, as the newsies around her started arguing, since it was made to prove a point. She had to admit that all three boys were pretty good actors.
°°°°°°°°°°°
Medda walked out on the stage, looking out over the sea of boy, and a few girl, faces. It was such a priveledge for her to do this for them, she might as well make it good.
°°°°°°°°°°°
When Red stood up to cheer she saw a familiar figure in Spot's arms. She was rather tall, with a long skirt on, long blond hair with brown streaks and a babyish face. Red then realized why she looked familiar. Red knew her, it was one of her friends from back home. It was Teresa.
Red leaned forward, whispered into Race's ear, as he was still holding her hand, extracted herself from his grip, and ran over to the girl with Spot.
"Teresa! It's me! Geneva Rockeman!" She waited for Teresa to recognize her.
"Geneva!" She gathered her up in a big hug and set her down. "What are you doing here? How did you get here?"
"I'm a newsie, and I'm here cuz I kinda support the strike, I don't know!" She answered quickly. "You're the one they call Tigger, huh?" Red smiled, "It fits you perfectly. You with Spot?"
"That doesn't matter right now! I just came in a month ago, you've been missing for almost 5 months! Your parents are on the hair edge of going berzerk and your sister is almost ready to give up West Point!" Tigger looked quite anxious.
"What are you talking about? You mean I've really been gone all that time?"
Tigger grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her aside. "This isn't the Chronicles of Narnia, Geneva, you don't get to have an adventure and come back all normal, this is real."
"But, Teresa, I don't know how to go back! It's not my fault!" Race walked behind Red and put his arms around her waist. "Who's your friend?"
Red gathered herself together quickly, rather difficult as she was thinking very much of the tourmoil at home, and who was behind her.
"Oh, um, Race, this is Teresa, or Tigger. Tigger, this is Race." He didn't seem to notice that anything was wrongand kissed her on the cheek. "Waddya say we go get sumpthin' ta drink?"
Red was disheavled and pale, but nodded. "Sure." she motioned to the other pair and they walked over to a table that Jack and Sarah occupied.
Nothing very remarkable happend for a while, though Red was trying very hard not to think of all the trouble she was causing, when she noticed that David looked rather frantic, and pointed towards the door. He shouted something but it took a bit for Red to catch what he was saying. It was 'Snyder'.
Race stood up quickly, dodged over to Red, grabbed her wrist hard and started moving quickly backstage. He weaved in and out of scenery, dodging ropes and cops, all the while dragging Red with him.
He finally turned a corner and was confronted with a wall covered by a curtain. Red was frantic, there was no way out, and the curtain was too thin to hide behind. Race pushed back the curtain to reveal the door to a small closet and opened it just enough to shove Red in, but before he did that he hugged her, then pulled away and pushed her in, and just before he closed the door he ran a finger along her chin.
"I'll be back, don't move untill da bulls ah goane."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It had been hours before Red had let herself out of the closet. Seconds after she was shoved in, Teresa had been pushed in too and there wasn't much room in the closet with just one person. She was cramped and sore, but not hurt. There had been no talk of family, just the thought of the boys getting hurt, or perhaps...but no, that wouldn't happen. Couldn't happen.
They ran down to the Lodging house to find Boots and a few other newsies, all looking like they were waiting for someone. As she ran she excercised an old habit she had of undoing her hair, she was quite nervous. She had to know where Race was and grabbed Boots by the shirt front.
"Boots, I need to know where Race is, quickly, now, spitspot, before I have an anurism!"
The startled Boots carefully removed himself from the shaking hands of Red Rockeman and quietly offered the information that they had been taken to the Refuge last night and were now talking to a judge who was going to decide how long they were going to stay in.
The next two hours felt like a life-time to Red but when Race returned he had a bad black eye.
"Oh! What happened?" Red ran to Race and hugged him, her long hair falling around his shoulders by her abrupt stop.
He ran his fingers through her hair. "I'm okay, Denton got us all out widout a scratch. I's supposed to go wid da guys to Tibby's but I couldn't wait to talk ta you."
"What happened after you pushed me into the closet?" Red asked.
"Well, I was tryin' to get Medda out but da bulls was commin outta da woodwoik and one guy gave me dis." He pointed to his black eye. "Some of da guys got caught. Spot did, right after he pushed Tigger in wid you." He looked at her and then somehow enveloped her in a hug. This was rather an odd ocurance, seeing as how he was only about two inches taller than Red and not much bigger. "I was worried about you all night." He whispered to her, keeping her in the hug.
"I was worried about you too." She murmured, but Red didn't pull away. This didn't bode well, with their luck the papers didn't even print anything...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"They didn't print ANYTHING? Are you sure?" Red flipped through the five different newspapers on the table quickly, finally giving up in disgust. "Why not?" She asked, flustered.
Blink sighed. "Denton says dat Pulitzer is trying to keep anyone from finding out about the strike so he got other rich men to say dat nuttin' happened. Not even da part where dey arrested us."
There was nothing to be done except wait out the storm and there wasn't much to do, with Jack in the refuge and no money they really couldn't keep it up much longer. Red ran a hand through her hair absentmindedly.
They had to do something, but Red knew that whatever Pulitzer wanted from Jack, and she knew he wanted something, Jack would take an offer if it was good enough. Red loved Jack like her older brother, well, the one that she never had, but there was nothing to be done in terms of his character. He wasn't, strictly speaking, 'raised' and would take whatever the bribe was, almost definately.
"We're going to get Jack out tonight, ya gonna come with?" Boots asked.
Red sighed tiredly, Boots was a tiny bit too loyal to believe what she wanted to tell him, so she had to make up an excuse. "Dat closet made me real sore, so I's actually gonna stay behind, if that's OK with you."
She got out of the venture but was the only one who expected what was comming next.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Red showed up, worn out, to the distribution center the next day, and surprise surprise, there was Jack. She didn't bat an eye. She just started walking past him before he called to her. "Red!" She turned around slowly, keeping her eyes as neutral as possible as she was dragged through the line of policemen by the indignant Mr. Wisely.
"Yes, Francis." She said it calmly, and rather bitterly.
"Don't call me dat! You understand, don't you? Ya gotta." He looked somewhat desperate but Red wasn't feeling especially sympathetic.
"Well, Francis, I understand that you now have money, however, I have on question for you. Did money buy you all of your friends and the only family that you now have? No, Francis, you HAD them because you had nothing. Do take notice of the past tense of 'to have', Francis." And Red started walking away before Jack grabbed her arm, turning her around to face him.
"Don't...call...me...that." His voice was low and shaky. "You have to understand, you have to." He looked like he was about to cry.
"Excuse me, Francis, I have friends to talk to, but no money, so you obviously don't want to be seen with me." Red had tears in the corners of her eyes.
"I miss Jack Kelly. Do tell him to come back if you see him. I never had a big brother before Jack." And with that Red wrenched herself out of his grip and walked off, threading her way through the crowd.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Red was not surprised when Jack came back, though she didn't talk to him for a week. She wasn't surprised when they won the strike either, though she did kiss Race just for the sake of the occasion. Things were going well again, as things often do. People often talk of the quiet before the storm, but few talk of the silence after, and there was a long, relaxing, greatful silence.
_____________________
There we are...How lovely, ain't it? Don't flame, don't shoot, don't kill, it's not my fault if I suck, I just live in this body, don't control it, nor the mind that runs it, sorry.
Shout Outs:
JustDuck: Yes, have no fears, I'm officially updating. Sorry 'bout the FF.net thingy, hope you get it sorted out completely, apperantly there was some twilightzone, planet alignment thingy. Life is very interesting.
Wisecracker88: No comment what so ever, Skaggs.
Cabby1: Yes, indeed it is. He's just so much more...how would you say it...adorable, than Spot is, and he's so egotistical, he annoys me. The crib are the guys with the clubs and stuff who are fighting the Newsies and winning untill Brooklyn shows up.
Spot: *clears throat* Scuse moi...
Yes, what is it, Spotty?
Spot: *Glares* I saved yoah precious Manhattan Newsies.
Yeah, you and the rest of Brooklyn. Don't take all of the credit, give some to the 'goin some where Kelly' newsie at least, mostly cuz he's the only one I know...
Spot: Youse pathetic.
Hey, takes one to know one, pal.
To Sapphy: I know, but it's Racy that makes the piccy cute, I's just sort of an extra. *Sighs* He's so frustratingly adorable, isn't he?
***********Have a Capital Time Gents*************
When Race and Red arrived back at Tibby's they were quite surprised at the plan of the rally, which was in two days.
"So, Jack, what kinda stuff are you gonna do for the rally?" Red asked around a mouthful of the mashed potatoes she had just ordered.
"Well, a sort of pep-talk by me, Davey, and Spot, and den some entatainment, Medda's in charge a dat."
Red nodded and shoved another forkful of mashed potatoes into her mouth.
After a few more escapades, none of which were interesting enough to write about, it was time to go home. They took the regular route to the lodging house and Spot was going with them for that night, as it was a little too dangerous for even the leader of the Brooklyn newsies to walk through Brooklyn at this time of night, though our friend would never have admitted it.
They slowly walked into the bunk room and all went to bed immidiately, but Race, and several others did have a rather strange dream.....
++++++++++++
Racetrack threw a penny on the change pile in the middle of the three tables pushed together at the bar. "I raise ya a cent."
"Oooh, don't be so risky Race, ya know Red won't like it." Spot smirked.
After around three beers their New York accents had returned completely.
"So, Jack, how's Sarah doin? I hoid youse got in a fight wid er." Race tried to redirect the topic of conversation away from himself.
Skittery laughed, "Yeah, she yell loud enough foah ya?"
Everyone looked at Jack. "You got in another fight?" Boots faked an 'I'm ashamed of you' face.
He banged his head against the table once. "It wasn't my fault dis time. I didn't know I was supposed to be home before 9:00 dat night, she nevah said nothin'." Jack righted himself in no time, however and chuckled a bit, showing that he wasn't mad anymore, and obviously, neither was Sarah.
Race resituated the cigar in his mouth. "Don't you guys find it kinda strange dat we all moved to da same place after we got married or quit bein' newsies?"
David shook his head, his early graying curls fully visible. "No. I rather expected it. What was strange was that we all live in a place like Countridge Pennsylvania."
"On da back hills'a nowhere." Specs grumbled, still getting over the fight he had last night with Alison.
Les smiled and threw in a nickel. "Raise ya a nickel. Yeah, and Mr. General Store over here married his milliner." He pointed at David.
Bumlets took a gulp of his beer. "Yeah, dat was weird, Mouth. She's really nice dough." He looked at his pocket watch. "Anna's gonna have a fit if I'm late, I's gonna have ta go soon."
"Whea is Blink now, anyone know?" Snipeshooter asked from behind the bar, cleaning glasses.
"He's in England, last letter I got. Woik'en foah sum comp'ny dat sells 'phones" Pie Eater offered
"How's Tigger doin' Spot?" Mush asked, ordering another beer.
Spot smiled in such a way that all of the guys knew something was up.
"Come on! Tell us!!!" the guys pleaded.
"She's gonna have another baby."
There was a split second of semi-defining silence after which there was a cheer, another round of beers, and some slaps on the back. Race refused his beer.
"Wassa mattah Race? Don't you want one?" Jack asked, knowing very well that the beer in his hand was the last one Sarah would've let him have, and was going to obey it.
"Red says I can only have five, after dat, I's walkin' home."
Dutchy stated the obvious. "But, you live five miles away, and it's snowing."
"Dat's exactly why I'm not having any moah." He laid down his hand, "Royal Flush." he raked in the change and passed it to Snipeshooter.
He shook Crutchy's hand before getting up. "I's gonna see ya tamarra, right Crutchy?"
Crutchy smiled. He lived with Jack and Sarah, in their rather big house, so Crutchy saw Race everyday as he stopped by on his way to work to pick up Jack in the morning.
On his way out all Racetrack Higgins could think about was that Mrs. Red Higgins was waiting for him.
He stepped out and stopped a passing carriage, smiling at Oscar driving it. "Take me home, Delancy?"
The man smiled sadly and opened the door of the carriage. "Shua, Race, whatevah you want."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Every boy in the lodging house awoke with a start, some scared out of their wits, some severely surprised, and some, namely David, worried about their hair graying early. The only one still asleep was Red, and she was smiling in her sleep, like she was the happiest thing in the world.
Every boy looked at each, and then started talking, quickly.
"I was MARRIED to Sarah!"
"I was in some completely different country sellin' phones ta some broad. I sent lettas ta you guys oahl da time and youse almost nevah wrote back!"
"Married! ta dat goil from Queens, Alison."
"Married ta Tigger! And a fadda!"
All of a sudden Jack shouted the only thing he could think of to make everyone be silent.
"SSSSHHHHUUUUUTTTTT UUUPPPPP!!!!!"
Hey, it works.
Everyone was looking at Jack, except for Red, who was still asleep, and waiting for him to continue.
"Just a question: did we all have da same dream?" Jack asked, still somewhat happy, scared, and surprised. There was, however, only silence, and Jack wanted to find out what had happened.
"We'll go around, Race, you foist. Wheah were you?"
"Countridge Pennsylvania. Wheahevea dat is, and I was married. I was sittin' in a bar at 9:30 playing pokah wid you guys and drinkin' beer, we's was all talkin' 'bout our wives."
One or two boys shuddered visibly, but Spot, said the few people who were watching him, was grinning like an idiot.
Jack smiled wickedly. "Who were you married to, Race?"
Race blushed and didn't answer.
Jack then redirected his attention to rather surprised David. "Whea were you?"
"Same place as Race, but I owned a General Store, and I had married my milliner."
"I was drinking beer!" Les piped up.
At this comment, Red woke up, rubbed her eyes, pushed back the hair that had gotten out of her braid, and sat up.
"What's all this? Why're ya'll up early?"
Les spoke first.
"We were all havin' the same dream. I was drinkin' beer, and Snipeshooter was a bar tender. Jack was married to Sarah, and Blink was in another country, and Spot was married to his girlfriend Tigger and she was going to have another baby." Spot blushed, although no one ever said anything to Spot about it. "David was a store owner, and Specs had married a goil from Queens and you were married to..."
Race put his hand over Les's mouth, embarrassed, but Red signaled to him to let him go and she motioned for Les to be quiet and come closer, which he did with Race following him.
"I know. I dreamed that I had just put my children to bed and I was waiting at home for Race. He just walked through the door of our house and kissed me when I woke up." She smiled at Les, and looked up at Race, who had a strange look on his face as well.
"Are you ready for tomorrow, Race?"
Race looked relieved that she hadn't asked him anything else, especially about the dream. He really wished he was still dreaming, but was glad he had the real thing right in front of him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Red yawned, Jack, David, and Spot's speech WOULD have been interesting if they had not practiced ALL morning, with her as the audience. The little fight was a pretty good idea, Red reflected, as the newsies around her started arguing, since it was made to prove a point. She had to admit that all three boys were pretty good actors.
°°°°°°°°°°°
Medda walked out on the stage, looking out over the sea of boy, and a few girl, faces. It was such a priveledge for her to do this for them, she might as well make it good.
°°°°°°°°°°°
When Red stood up to cheer she saw a familiar figure in Spot's arms. She was rather tall, with a long skirt on, long blond hair with brown streaks and a babyish face. Red then realized why she looked familiar. Red knew her, it was one of her friends from back home. It was Teresa.
Red leaned forward, whispered into Race's ear, as he was still holding her hand, extracted herself from his grip, and ran over to the girl with Spot.
"Teresa! It's me! Geneva Rockeman!" She waited for Teresa to recognize her.
"Geneva!" She gathered her up in a big hug and set her down. "What are you doing here? How did you get here?"
"I'm a newsie, and I'm here cuz I kinda support the strike, I don't know!" She answered quickly. "You're the one they call Tigger, huh?" Red smiled, "It fits you perfectly. You with Spot?"
"That doesn't matter right now! I just came in a month ago, you've been missing for almost 5 months! Your parents are on the hair edge of going berzerk and your sister is almost ready to give up West Point!" Tigger looked quite anxious.
"What are you talking about? You mean I've really been gone all that time?"
Tigger grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her aside. "This isn't the Chronicles of Narnia, Geneva, you don't get to have an adventure and come back all normal, this is real."
"But, Teresa, I don't know how to go back! It's not my fault!" Race walked behind Red and put his arms around her waist. "Who's your friend?"
Red gathered herself together quickly, rather difficult as she was thinking very much of the tourmoil at home, and who was behind her.
"Oh, um, Race, this is Teresa, or Tigger. Tigger, this is Race." He didn't seem to notice that anything was wrongand kissed her on the cheek. "Waddya say we go get sumpthin' ta drink?"
Red was disheavled and pale, but nodded. "Sure." she motioned to the other pair and they walked over to a table that Jack and Sarah occupied.
Nothing very remarkable happend for a while, though Red was trying very hard not to think of all the trouble she was causing, when she noticed that David looked rather frantic, and pointed towards the door. He shouted something but it took a bit for Red to catch what he was saying. It was 'Snyder'.
Race stood up quickly, dodged over to Red, grabbed her wrist hard and started moving quickly backstage. He weaved in and out of scenery, dodging ropes and cops, all the while dragging Red with him.
He finally turned a corner and was confronted with a wall covered by a curtain. Red was frantic, there was no way out, and the curtain was too thin to hide behind. Race pushed back the curtain to reveal the door to a small closet and opened it just enough to shove Red in, but before he did that he hugged her, then pulled away and pushed her in, and just before he closed the door he ran a finger along her chin.
"I'll be back, don't move untill da bulls ah goane."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It had been hours before Red had let herself out of the closet. Seconds after she was shoved in, Teresa had been pushed in too and there wasn't much room in the closet with just one person. She was cramped and sore, but not hurt. There had been no talk of family, just the thought of the boys getting hurt, or perhaps...but no, that wouldn't happen. Couldn't happen.
They ran down to the Lodging house to find Boots and a few other newsies, all looking like they were waiting for someone. As she ran she excercised an old habit she had of undoing her hair, she was quite nervous. She had to know where Race was and grabbed Boots by the shirt front.
"Boots, I need to know where Race is, quickly, now, spitspot, before I have an anurism!"
The startled Boots carefully removed himself from the shaking hands of Red Rockeman and quietly offered the information that they had been taken to the Refuge last night and were now talking to a judge who was going to decide how long they were going to stay in.
The next two hours felt like a life-time to Red but when Race returned he had a bad black eye.
"Oh! What happened?" Red ran to Race and hugged him, her long hair falling around his shoulders by her abrupt stop.
He ran his fingers through her hair. "I'm okay, Denton got us all out widout a scratch. I's supposed to go wid da guys to Tibby's but I couldn't wait to talk ta you."
"What happened after you pushed me into the closet?" Red asked.
"Well, I was tryin' to get Medda out but da bulls was commin outta da woodwoik and one guy gave me dis." He pointed to his black eye. "Some of da guys got caught. Spot did, right after he pushed Tigger in wid you." He looked at her and then somehow enveloped her in a hug. This was rather an odd ocurance, seeing as how he was only about two inches taller than Red and not much bigger. "I was worried about you all night." He whispered to her, keeping her in the hug.
"I was worried about you too." She murmured, but Red didn't pull away. This didn't bode well, with their luck the papers didn't even print anything...
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"They didn't print ANYTHING? Are you sure?" Red flipped through the five different newspapers on the table quickly, finally giving up in disgust. "Why not?" She asked, flustered.
Blink sighed. "Denton says dat Pulitzer is trying to keep anyone from finding out about the strike so he got other rich men to say dat nuttin' happened. Not even da part where dey arrested us."
There was nothing to be done except wait out the storm and there wasn't much to do, with Jack in the refuge and no money they really couldn't keep it up much longer. Red ran a hand through her hair absentmindedly.
They had to do something, but Red knew that whatever Pulitzer wanted from Jack, and she knew he wanted something, Jack would take an offer if it was good enough. Red loved Jack like her older brother, well, the one that she never had, but there was nothing to be done in terms of his character. He wasn't, strictly speaking, 'raised' and would take whatever the bribe was, almost definately.
"We're going to get Jack out tonight, ya gonna come with?" Boots asked.
Red sighed tiredly, Boots was a tiny bit too loyal to believe what she wanted to tell him, so she had to make up an excuse. "Dat closet made me real sore, so I's actually gonna stay behind, if that's OK with you."
She got out of the venture but was the only one who expected what was comming next.
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Red showed up, worn out, to the distribution center the next day, and surprise surprise, there was Jack. She didn't bat an eye. She just started walking past him before he called to her. "Red!" She turned around slowly, keeping her eyes as neutral as possible as she was dragged through the line of policemen by the indignant Mr. Wisely.
"Yes, Francis." She said it calmly, and rather bitterly.
"Don't call me dat! You understand, don't you? Ya gotta." He looked somewhat desperate but Red wasn't feeling especially sympathetic.
"Well, Francis, I understand that you now have money, however, I have on question for you. Did money buy you all of your friends and the only family that you now have? No, Francis, you HAD them because you had nothing. Do take notice of the past tense of 'to have', Francis." And Red started walking away before Jack grabbed her arm, turning her around to face him.
"Don't...call...me...that." His voice was low and shaky. "You have to understand, you have to." He looked like he was about to cry.
"Excuse me, Francis, I have friends to talk to, but no money, so you obviously don't want to be seen with me." Red had tears in the corners of her eyes.
"I miss Jack Kelly. Do tell him to come back if you see him. I never had a big brother before Jack." And with that Red wrenched herself out of his grip and walked off, threading her way through the crowd.
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Red was not surprised when Jack came back, though she didn't talk to him for a week. She wasn't surprised when they won the strike either, though she did kiss Race just for the sake of the occasion. Things were going well again, as things often do. People often talk of the quiet before the storm, but few talk of the silence after, and there was a long, relaxing, greatful silence.
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There we are...How lovely, ain't it? Don't flame, don't shoot, don't kill, it's not my fault if I suck, I just live in this body, don't control it, nor the mind that runs it, sorry.
