Disclaimer: I don't own the New Yorkers at all (the boys belong to Disney,
the girls belong to themselves) but I do own Fantasy. And the Chicago
newsies. And a few random people throughout the chapters (such as Mr.
Brooks).
As promised, Mr. Brooks made sure Atlantic was brought to the hospital, where Brogue was already being treated. Like Doc said, the bullet wasn't very deep; they got it out alright, but they said he had to use a crutch for a few weeks, but he would be alright.
A week after the "incident", Fantasy, Rave, Racetrack, and Skittery went to get Sky, Hope, and Brogue so they could go and visit Atlantic, who was still in the hospital.
"You should change yer name, ya know." Racetrack told Brogue.
"Why would I be changin' me name?" Brogue asked. He grabbed his crutch and walked along with them out of the Lodging House towards the hospital.
"We have a pal back home who uses a crutch. Needs it all da time, actually." Skittery explained. "We call 'im Crutchy."
"And?" Brogue asked.
Fantasy laughed. "Ask any of da New York newsies, dey think it's da funniest thing. Now both of us have got a crutchy."
"Yeah... hilarious..." Sky said, a little skeptical.
"Come on, hurry up." Hope said.
"Why rush?" Rave asked.
"Atlantic's getting out today." Hope said.
"Believe me, she'll be wantin' to leave as soon as we get there." Brogue said, remembering his short, two day stay at the hospital. "It's not fun."
"Yeah, dat and we're leavin' tomorrow. She wouldn't want ta get left behind." Rave said.
"We wouldn't leave 'er behind." Fantasy said.
"I was jokin'." Rave said.
"And we've got that picnic in the park today." Sky added.
Skittery groaned. "Dat'll be stupid."
"I don't know... I think it'll be nice. I mean, everyone will be able ta get ta know each other." Fantasy said, thinking aloud.
"Yeah, it will be nice. I'd like to get to know some more of the New Yorkers, before you leave." Hope nodded in agreement to Fantasy.
"Yeah, I guess it might be fun..." Sky trailed off as they approached the large, two-story hospital. They walked through the doors and up to the receptionist.
"What can I help you with?" she asked.
Racetrack grinned. "We've been here every day dis week. If ya don't know what we're here for yet..."
The woman smiled, too. "Yes, I know what you're here for."
"Great, then we'll go-" Sky began.
"I'm sorry, I can't let you see her right now." the receptionist said.
"What? Why?" Hope asked.
"Is she alright?" Rave asked.
"She's fine, but she has visitors right now." she answered. "Why don't you wait over there until they come out?"
"S-sure." Skittery said, staring at the others as they went and took seats.
"Other visitors?" Fantasy said. "But, none of da New York newsies were comin' taday, we were supposed ta get her and bring her back ta the hotel."
"That's what they said..." Rave said, trying to figure it out.
"Maybe it's one of the Chicago newsies." Sky said. Everyone turned to look at him.
"You think..." Hope began, but trailed off.
Atlantic was sitting up in bed, waiting anxiously for her friends to come and get her out of there. She was feeling much better, and she just wanted to be with her friends again. She heard the door open, and jerked her head around, expecting to see her friends, but found herself staring at someone she hadn't wanted to see again- Cow.
"Uh- hi." He said, standing awkwardly in the door way. Inside, he yelled at himself for ever coming.
"Hi." Atlantic said quietly.
"Could I come in?" he asked. Atlantic nodded, and he walked into her room and sat down in the chair next to her bed. "Look, Atlantic, I'm really sorry. We all are. It's just..."
"It's just?" Atlantic asked.
"Well, we'd been suffering for so long, and we blamed everything on you guys... I couldn't help hating you."
"I know." Atlantic said. She felt a little uncomfortable, sitting here, talking to him.
Cow frowned. "No, I didn't have to hate you. But I did. And I wanted to hurt you, all of you, because of what you did." He sighed. "And I'm really sorry that you're the one I did hurt. If I could, I would take it back."
Atlantic smiled slightly. She could tell by the intensity in his eyes that he was sincerely sorry. "Thanks."
Cow began to smile, too. "You... You mean, you don't hate me?"
Atlantic shook her head. "I can't forget what ya did... but no, I don't hate you."
Cow grinned full-out. "I'm glad. And I'm glad you're better."
"So am I. I need ta get outta this place."
Cow's grin slid off a little at her words. "I'm really sorry I got you in here."
"I know. But dere's nothin' we can do about it now."
Cow nodded, and they sat in silence for a few minutes, until Cow spoke up and changed the subject.
"Are you going to the picnic today?"
Atlantic nodded. "I can't wait for it."
"Good. I'll see you then, then?"
Atlantic smiled. "Yeah, I'll see ya then."
He left the room felling better than he had felt in a week. It'd been hanging over him ever since he heard what Brogue said in the old factory, and now he'd done what he could to fix it. He walked down the hall, not paying attention to anything until he heard his name called. He turned around and was really surprised to see Sky, Hope, and Brogue sitting there.
"Oh, hi." He said.
"What are you doing here, Cow?" Sky asked.
"I went to see Atlantic."
"You... but... why?" Brogue asked.
"I went to apologize." Cow explained. "Now look, I'm going to go get ready for the picnic..."
"Bye, Cow." Sky said. He smiled as he watched his friend walk out the doors. "I'm glad he said something."
"So am I." Hope said. She was smiling, too. And then she stood up. "We better go and get Atlantic out of here."
"Good idea." Brogue said. He stood up again, leaning on his crutch so he wouldn't put all his weight on his leg. "She be wantin' to leave."
"Then let's save her, huh?" Fantasy asked. She smiled and laughed as she jumped out of her chair and lead them down the hall to Atlantic's room.
"Ya ready ta leave, Atlantic?" Fantasy asked as she entered her room.
"'Course I am." Atlantic said, smiling at her friends.
"Do we need to tell the doctor first?" Hope asked, looking around the room to see if he was in there.
"Aw, how cares. Let's just leave with her..." Rave said.
"No, don't worry, the doctor came ta see me right before Cow came." She paused after she said that to see if they would ask her why he was there, but then realized they must have seen him walk out. "Anyway, he told me I could leave."
"Great, den we're all set." Racetrack said. He walked next to her bed. "Ya need help walkin'?"
"No, I think I can do it." Atlantic answered. She swung her legs to the right side and got up. "Yeah, I'm good."
"And you're all changed... so we're ready! Let's go." Sky said.
Racetrack, despite Atlantic's remark, stayed next to her, making sure she didn't fall.
"Race, I'm alright."
"Ya never know." Racetrack said.
Atlantic rolled her eyes and made a face at Fantasy, but didn't protest again. When they reached the receptionist's desk, she waved good-bye to them, calling after their retreating forms to "Visit again soon."
"I hope that I'll never be in there again." Brogue said when the doors closed behind him.
"You'll never afford it again." Sky joked.
"Yeah, well, ya have ta go back in a few weeks, for dem ta look at your leg again." Fantasy pointed out.
Brogue sighed. "That's true. Oh, well, I'll live."
"Good." Hope said, smiling.
Another chapter finished!! And I believe that all I have left is the epilogue! tear Shout outs next chapter, I promise!! I want to save them until the end. But I do have one.
Atlantic- I'm sorry I had you get hurt, and that you didn't fight back... I hope you liked your scene with Cow!
Now, have a great day!!!
As promised, Mr. Brooks made sure Atlantic was brought to the hospital, where Brogue was already being treated. Like Doc said, the bullet wasn't very deep; they got it out alright, but they said he had to use a crutch for a few weeks, but he would be alright.
A week after the "incident", Fantasy, Rave, Racetrack, and Skittery went to get Sky, Hope, and Brogue so they could go and visit Atlantic, who was still in the hospital.
"You should change yer name, ya know." Racetrack told Brogue.
"Why would I be changin' me name?" Brogue asked. He grabbed his crutch and walked along with them out of the Lodging House towards the hospital.
"We have a pal back home who uses a crutch. Needs it all da time, actually." Skittery explained. "We call 'im Crutchy."
"And?" Brogue asked.
Fantasy laughed. "Ask any of da New York newsies, dey think it's da funniest thing. Now both of us have got a crutchy."
"Yeah... hilarious..." Sky said, a little skeptical.
"Come on, hurry up." Hope said.
"Why rush?" Rave asked.
"Atlantic's getting out today." Hope said.
"Believe me, she'll be wantin' to leave as soon as we get there." Brogue said, remembering his short, two day stay at the hospital. "It's not fun."
"Yeah, dat and we're leavin' tomorrow. She wouldn't want ta get left behind." Rave said.
"We wouldn't leave 'er behind." Fantasy said.
"I was jokin'." Rave said.
"And we've got that picnic in the park today." Sky added.
Skittery groaned. "Dat'll be stupid."
"I don't know... I think it'll be nice. I mean, everyone will be able ta get ta know each other." Fantasy said, thinking aloud.
"Yeah, it will be nice. I'd like to get to know some more of the New Yorkers, before you leave." Hope nodded in agreement to Fantasy.
"Yeah, I guess it might be fun..." Sky trailed off as they approached the large, two-story hospital. They walked through the doors and up to the receptionist.
"What can I help you with?" she asked.
Racetrack grinned. "We've been here every day dis week. If ya don't know what we're here for yet..."
The woman smiled, too. "Yes, I know what you're here for."
"Great, then we'll go-" Sky began.
"I'm sorry, I can't let you see her right now." the receptionist said.
"What? Why?" Hope asked.
"Is she alright?" Rave asked.
"She's fine, but she has visitors right now." she answered. "Why don't you wait over there until they come out?"
"S-sure." Skittery said, staring at the others as they went and took seats.
"Other visitors?" Fantasy said. "But, none of da New York newsies were comin' taday, we were supposed ta get her and bring her back ta the hotel."
"That's what they said..." Rave said, trying to figure it out.
"Maybe it's one of the Chicago newsies." Sky said. Everyone turned to look at him.
"You think..." Hope began, but trailed off.
Atlantic was sitting up in bed, waiting anxiously for her friends to come and get her out of there. She was feeling much better, and she just wanted to be with her friends again. She heard the door open, and jerked her head around, expecting to see her friends, but found herself staring at someone she hadn't wanted to see again- Cow.
"Uh- hi." He said, standing awkwardly in the door way. Inside, he yelled at himself for ever coming.
"Hi." Atlantic said quietly.
"Could I come in?" he asked. Atlantic nodded, and he walked into her room and sat down in the chair next to her bed. "Look, Atlantic, I'm really sorry. We all are. It's just..."
"It's just?" Atlantic asked.
"Well, we'd been suffering for so long, and we blamed everything on you guys... I couldn't help hating you."
"I know." Atlantic said. She felt a little uncomfortable, sitting here, talking to him.
Cow frowned. "No, I didn't have to hate you. But I did. And I wanted to hurt you, all of you, because of what you did." He sighed. "And I'm really sorry that you're the one I did hurt. If I could, I would take it back."
Atlantic smiled slightly. She could tell by the intensity in his eyes that he was sincerely sorry. "Thanks."
Cow began to smile, too. "You... You mean, you don't hate me?"
Atlantic shook her head. "I can't forget what ya did... but no, I don't hate you."
Cow grinned full-out. "I'm glad. And I'm glad you're better."
"So am I. I need ta get outta this place."
Cow's grin slid off a little at her words. "I'm really sorry I got you in here."
"I know. But dere's nothin' we can do about it now."
Cow nodded, and they sat in silence for a few minutes, until Cow spoke up and changed the subject.
"Are you going to the picnic today?"
Atlantic nodded. "I can't wait for it."
"Good. I'll see you then, then?"
Atlantic smiled. "Yeah, I'll see ya then."
He left the room felling better than he had felt in a week. It'd been hanging over him ever since he heard what Brogue said in the old factory, and now he'd done what he could to fix it. He walked down the hall, not paying attention to anything until he heard his name called. He turned around and was really surprised to see Sky, Hope, and Brogue sitting there.
"Oh, hi." He said.
"What are you doing here, Cow?" Sky asked.
"I went to see Atlantic."
"You... but... why?" Brogue asked.
"I went to apologize." Cow explained. "Now look, I'm going to go get ready for the picnic..."
"Bye, Cow." Sky said. He smiled as he watched his friend walk out the doors. "I'm glad he said something."
"So am I." Hope said. She was smiling, too. And then she stood up. "We better go and get Atlantic out of here."
"Good idea." Brogue said. He stood up again, leaning on his crutch so he wouldn't put all his weight on his leg. "She be wantin' to leave."
"Then let's save her, huh?" Fantasy asked. She smiled and laughed as she jumped out of her chair and lead them down the hall to Atlantic's room.
"Ya ready ta leave, Atlantic?" Fantasy asked as she entered her room.
"'Course I am." Atlantic said, smiling at her friends.
"Do we need to tell the doctor first?" Hope asked, looking around the room to see if he was in there.
"Aw, how cares. Let's just leave with her..." Rave said.
"No, don't worry, the doctor came ta see me right before Cow came." She paused after she said that to see if they would ask her why he was there, but then realized they must have seen him walk out. "Anyway, he told me I could leave."
"Great, den we're all set." Racetrack said. He walked next to her bed. "Ya need help walkin'?"
"No, I think I can do it." Atlantic answered. She swung her legs to the right side and got up. "Yeah, I'm good."
"And you're all changed... so we're ready! Let's go." Sky said.
Racetrack, despite Atlantic's remark, stayed next to her, making sure she didn't fall.
"Race, I'm alright."
"Ya never know." Racetrack said.
Atlantic rolled her eyes and made a face at Fantasy, but didn't protest again. When they reached the receptionist's desk, she waved good-bye to them, calling after their retreating forms to "Visit again soon."
"I hope that I'll never be in there again." Brogue said when the doors closed behind him.
"You'll never afford it again." Sky joked.
"Yeah, well, ya have ta go back in a few weeks, for dem ta look at your leg again." Fantasy pointed out.
Brogue sighed. "That's true. Oh, well, I'll live."
"Good." Hope said, smiling.
Another chapter finished!! And I believe that all I have left is the epilogue! tear Shout outs next chapter, I promise!! I want to save them until the end. But I do have one.
Atlantic- I'm sorry I had you get hurt, and that you didn't fight back... I hope you liked your scene with Cow!
Now, have a great day!!!