Added note: Because of all the problems on this site, I had to switch my story format half a dozen times trying to find one that this site would allow (I know they list it, but I have at least 6 choices for my .txt documents). I tried to upload and upload and upload. Finally....without further ado...the shoutouts:
Sorry this update took a while. (oh yeah, an apology...then the shoutouts!)
koodles4you: Don't worry about Ace....just keep reading. :-) I love that you care about him though....it's a good thing. Dani might just make an appearance in my story...but not yet.
Buttons14: I'm really sorry my story's layout is going crazy...keep me informed about how it looks. Yeah, Spot's a friend to Ace...even though he can be moody sometimes. Remember: Ace is Spot's second in command.
TheAngryPrincess13: I know...her parents are quite cold. It'll make things easier later on. If they were wonderful, loving parents...how could she disobey them? Oops...did I say too much? grins
Oxymoronic Alliteration: I think I have (more or less) solved the problems with the story's layout. If you're a fan of newsies fanfic, I hope you'll read my story. If not, that's okay too. I appreciated your input.
Disclaimer: None of the Newsies characters belong to me. Hannah and Ace/Noah Gray DO belong to me. Thanks for reading! Please review!
I'm very sorry the last chapter was short. It looked longer as I was typing it up. I guess that's cause I had it double spaced....then when I transferred it onto the site it turned into single spaced? shrugs
I'm still working on trying to figure out how to make the story look "normal" for y'all...I'm on a new computer, fairly new to fanfiction's site too, and I'm a dope. Many, many apologies.
Racetrack had just won his third hand of poker. "What happened Race? Get a new good luck charm?" Boots questioned. Race happily shook his head.
"Jist got a way with things I guess. Care fer another round fellas?" The guys groaned, torn between wanting to hold onto their money and dying to see Race lose all of his in a bad hand. Spot noticed that Ace had disappeared and sighed inwardly.
"I guess he jist needs ta be alone right now." He thought to himself. Still, Spot didn't want Ace outside...hiding from the world. Race was trying to get more people to join in on the poker game.
"Come of fellas? Skittery! Hey glum and dumb! Get ova hea! Play a hand or two with us."
Skittery glared at Racetrack from across the room.
"I ain't in the mood for poka tanight Race." Racetrack rolled his eyes and began dealing out the cards. Boots and Les eagerly watched the older boys playing cards.
"Sarah asked me to tell you hello Jack." David grinned at the catcalls that followed.
Everyone knew that Jack and Sarah had started a relationship soon after the strike. The guys loved to hassle him....mostly because he wasn't as much of a ladies man as he used to be.
"Shaddup...all of you'se." Jack tried to quiet down the catcalls. Of course, the redness slowly creeping up his neck only made them grow louder. The poker games continued well into the night. Blink and Mush had gone off in a corner, bragging about some of the goils they had met during the week.
"I'm telling ya, this one goil almost got hit by a trolley cart....until I'se saved her that is." Mush's exaggerations were nothing new, but Blink nodded excitedly and added a few stories of his own. David left the lodgin house before dusk so that he and Les could get home safely. He didn't like to worry his parents.
"Hey David" Jack called to him "Tell Sarah hello for me too, alright?" David nodded as he and Les walked down the stairs, telling Kloppman goodnight before they walked out the door. Boots and some of the younger newsies settled into their bunks. Ace eventually came back inside, mostly because his hands and face were growing numb from the cold.
"Cold enough out there for ya Ace?" Spot remarked. Ace glared at him before heading downstairs to try and warm his hands in front of the tiny furnace they had in the main room.
Kloppman glanced up from his newspaper as Ace wandered down the stairs, but he didn't say a word. As Ace stared into the fire, his thoughts drifted back to Hannah. He couldn't understand why he thought about her so much. It was dumb really, he hardly knew her and he'd never see her again.
"Yer jist being stupid!" He cried out angrily. Kloppman cleared his throat, and Ace cringed at talking out loud. "Sorry Kloppman...I'se not trying ta yell out like that." Ace fell into his silence again briefly, then he stood up and leaned against the counter that Kloppman sat behind. "You eva get mixed up with a goil from anotha class Kloppman? Some hoity-toity goil that's outta yer league?" Kloppman looked at Ace with kind eyes.
"Once...when I was about your age. There was a really pretty goil that walked by the factory where I worked. She passed by nearly every single day. One day I got up the nerve to talk to her...and she was so nice. Very kind. I wanted to court her....but her parents refused, and even forbid her from walking near the factory any more. She thought about running away with me....but we didn't have enough money. I couldn't allow her to take money from her father and then disobey him so strongly." Kloppman's eyes had begun to mist over.
"What happened?" Ace asked. Kloppman smiled a soft smile.
"Last I hoid, she had married. A wealthy gentleman. They even have a couple of kids I think. For the best I suppose. What would she have done around hea? Cept take care of you boys."
Kloppman folded up his paper and put in back behind the counter.
"But Kloppman...don't ya eva wonder? What coulda happened I mean? If ya had run away with her and married her and..." Kloppman shook his head kindly.
"Ace...it wasn't meant ta be. I neva could have given her the kind of life she was used ta. It's fer the best...her moving on and getting her own life. Now If ya don't mind...it's time fer this old man ta go ta bed. You go and get yourself some sleep too." Kloppman stood and disappeared into a room in the back, leaving Ace standing there dumbstruck.
"Crazy ain't it?" Jack had appeared at the top of the stairs. He had heard most of Kloppman's story. "Old Kloppman loved that goil...and he let her go. Jist like that." Jack shrugged helplessly. "I catch him lookin at an old pic of her sometimes. But he doesn't know I sees him." Jack turned to go back to the bunkroom. "Come on....there's an extra bunk for ya up hea."
"What do you mean you aren't going any further?! This is not the boarding school." Hannah was having a string of bad luck it seemed, and this horrible driver was making things even worse.
He refused to bring her closer to the school. "Just how am I supposed to carry my trunk to the school? I can't manage an entire steamer trunk on my own!" Hannah continued to protest as the driver unloaded her steamer trunk and suitcase from the carriage.
"Not my problem lady. Yer father jist didn't pay me enough money. Blame him. I ain't goin any further." With that, he got back in and rode off, leaving Hannah stranded. She sat on her steamer trunk, looking around to see where she was. The school was not even aware that she would be attending...so they would not try and contact her father to see why she didn't show up. As Hannah glanced around, she noticed a very large sign announcing Medda Larkson: The Swedish Meadowlark. Hannah stood and knocked on the door, keeping an eye on her trunk and suitcase. A woman answered the door in a long lavender dress. She had red, curly hair that had a feather stuck in it. Hannah didn't know how to react....she stood there with her mouth gaping open.
"Well? What is it?" Medda asked, showing a bit of impatience with Hannah. Hannah swallowed and began talking rapidly.
"My father sent me to a boarding school, but he didn't pay the driver enough money so the driver left me here and the school isn't aware that I'm coming so they won't be expecting me and my father will never know that I didn't make it to the school and I can't leave my things in the alley like that but they're too heavy to carry and I don't know what to do! Can you help me?" Medda stared, wide-eyed at Hannah.
"Toby....please gather..." Medda looked at Hannah expectantly.
"Oh, my name is Hannah." Hannah replied.
"Yes. Please gather Hannah's things and take them inside. Put them in the spare dressing room. Thank you Toby." Medda took Hannah by the hand and led her inside. Medda walked into her dressing room and sat down at the mirror, fixing her red hair. "My name is Medda Larkson. You are welcome to stay here as long as you like. Of course, I'll need you to work to keep you busy.
Perhaps you can help me and my girls with our hair and makeup. Do you know how to sew?"
Hannah nodded her head. "Marvelous! Our costumes always need mending. You're hired."
Hannah had been working with Medda for almost two months and she loved it. She wrote letters to her father telling him how much she was learning at "finishing school" and told him that they weren't able to receive mail yet....the headmistress explained that it was a learning tool she used. As far as she knew, Hannah's father was buying every bit of it.
Dear Father,
I cannot thank you enough for encouraging me to attend this finishing school. It is such a wonderful establishment...just as they all say. I am learning new things about being a lady each day. My sewing and knitting improves all the time. We are also taking cooking classes, so that one day we might prepare wonderful meals for our husbands and children. I am so fortunate to have parents such as you and mother, because you both allow me to attend such a wonderful school. I cannot express my gratitude adequately.
Love, Hannah
Recently, Hannah had started to stand in the wings during some of Medda's songs. She was very impressed with all that Medda had done. After all, she practically ran the hall in which she performed. It was a small establishment....but it was an honest living and Hannah admired Medda for it. One night, Hannah was hanging up costumes in the dressing room and heard Medda speaking to someone. Hannah peaked her head out of the doorway and saw Medda talking to a young man with a red bandana...and a cowboy hat. Hannah gasped and ducked back inside the room. It was Jack! Did that mean Spot was in the theatre as well? Or even more so....did that mean that Ace was out there? Hannah went back to hanging up the dresses, unsure of what she should do. That problem was quickly solved for her.
"Hannah? Hannah meet a dear friend of mine." Medda was calling out for Hannah to come meet Jack! What could she do? Hide herself behind a feather or fan? Wear a mask? No...Medda would surely want Hannah to show her face. She had no choice. She stepped out of the room and walked to where Medda and Jack were standing. "Hannah, this is Jack Kelly. He's a dear friend of mine and leader of the Manhattan newsies. Oh I'm sure you'll meet them all soon enough, they come to my shows quite often. Although now that I think about it...none of you have come for quite some time. Jack....you'd better come see me more often. You'll break my heart Kelly. Hannah, would you be a dear and entertain Jack? I want to go change out of this costume." Medda disappeared without another word. Hannah looked up at Jack's face, knowing he recognized her.
"Is Ace here tonight?" Hannah asked. Wanting to see him but at the same time hoping that he wasn't there.
"No, he and Spot had ta go ta Brooklyn. Jist take care of some business. How long have ya been woiking hea?" Jack propped open the stage door and lit a cigarette, blowing the smoke out the door. Hannah thought a moment.
"Oh...I've been here about a two months I suppose. I was sent off to finishing school, but the driver was underpaid and dropped me off here. Medda's been so kind...taking care of me and giving me a job. I wasn't aware this was a place that the newsies liked to visit....will Ace be coming by soon?" Jack scowled at Hannah.
"Spot's finally gotten Ace back ta normal. He ain't always moping about you'se. So you'se jist stay away from him. He don't need goil troubles in his life. He's got Brooklyn ta be concerned about." Hannah was taken aback by Jack's sudden outburst.
"Jack...I know he has his own life...but I'd really like to see him. I never got to thank him for helping me that day. Please....bring him here to see me? If not I'll just try to find my way to Brooklyn again and I did that once so I'm sure I could do it again." Hannah's stubborn streak was starting to show.
"I dunno Hannah. Let me think about it. I'll talk about it with Spot...see what he says. But you stay hea! No going ta Brooklyn. I'll tell Spot ta keep an eye out fer ya...and if he sees ya in Brooklyn when ya aren't wanted..." Jack let the sentence trail, allowing Hannah to fill in the blanks about what Spot might do to her if he caught her in Brooklyn.
"Fine. We'll do it your way. But please Jack...I'd really like to see him." Hannah's attitude had completely changed. Seeing Jack here was a very fortunate thing. Now maybe she'd be able to see Noah again. Her parents had been so cruel to him, making her feel absolutely awful. She had decided now that she desperately wanted, no, needed to talk to him. Medda swept back into the entryway, changed out of her costume from that evening's performance.
"It was so lovely to see you Jack. You'd better come see me more often. And bring some newsies...I want to introduce Hannah. Isn't she marvelous? I was so lucky to have her delivered to my doorstep."
"Yeah Medda, ya sure are lucky. Listen, I hate ta run...but I gotta get back ta the lodgin house. Gotta wake up early ta carry tha banna....I'll see ya soon Medda." Jack kissed Medda's hand,
nodded at Hannah, and walked out the door and down the street. Thunder rumbled in the distance, but it looked like the rain might hold out until Jack got back to the lodgin house. Medda closed and locked the stage door.
"Well, what do you think of Jack? He's quite the charmer you know...the ladies love him." Medda smiled fondly, as if she was talking about her own son that she was so very proud of. "His father was a dear friend of mine. I always promised him that I'd look after Jack. So that's what I've done. Kept my eye on him." Toby bid his goodbyes as he left the theatre, locking the door behind him. "Goodnight Hannah." Medda said as she retreated into her bedroom.
"Goodnight Medda." Hannah replied, hanging up the last costume before going into her own room. She had hung up her clothes and was currently working on making a new dress. Medda was more than happy to let Hannah use some of the fabric that was left over. Hannah yawned, her tiredness taking over. "It's so late..." she thought to herself. She said a silent prayer that Jack would bring Noah to see her, and changed into her nightgown. As she settled deep under the blankets, Hannah couldn't help but imagine what her reunion with Noah would bring...
"So, what do ya think Spot?" Jack and Spot were sitting in the park the next day, under the shade of a large tree. They had already sold the morning edition, so they sat to discuss the issue while waiting to go eat lunch. Spot carefully thought about all that Jack had told him.
"Let me get this straight Jacky-boy. She's been at Medda's all this time? And we neva knew? But ya saw her last night....and she wants you ta bring Ace round there ta see her? Why?"
Jack ran his fingers through his hair.
"I dunno Spot. I went ta see Medda cause it's been so long since tha guys have been ova there....next thing I know she's introducing me ta Hannah and then Hannah's beggin me ta bring Ace ta see her. I told her I'd talk with you'se about it. She said if we didn't help her, she'd try ta go ta Brooklyn on her own again" Spot rolled his eyes at this last comment.
"Yeah...look what happened last time she came ta Brooklyn." He thought for a minute. "Ya think it'd be a bad idea ta bring Ace ta see her? I mean....he's finally stopped moping around...but he still ain't tha same. He'd be pretty mad if he eva found out we knew where she was and neva told him about it." Jack nodded in agreement.
"It's up ta you'se Spot. Jist do what ya think is best fer Ace." Jack offered the only advice he had. Spot stood up, seeing a few of the newsies nearby start to walk over to Tibby's for lunch.
"Yer probably right Jacky-boy. You go tell Hannah we'll bring him by tomorra night. But we ain't gonna make a big deal outta this. Jist you, me, and Ace. None of the otha guys." Jack nodded his head in agreement.
"Whateva you say Spot."
(A.N.) Well, what do you think about that chapter? Please review.