AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey everyone! Man oh man! I can't believe how long it has taken me to update this story. I can't stand writer's block. Oh well...all that matters is that I finally have chapter 3 up! Special thanks to my one and only reviewer Sparks Kelly!!! Luv ya tons for reviewing!!!

On that note...I know you reader's out there have comments burning inside. Why not share them by reviewing my story? Haha...please people! I don't like to beg, and I would really love to know what you all think! Hope to here from more of you!

Luv ya all!
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DISCLAIMER: I don't own Jack or any of the other Newsie characters that might appear later on in this story, but I do own Hope, Ice, and possibly Bruno and Ruby (sorry if someone else used those tow characters in another story. I'm very forgetful!) Enjoy!

Previously...

"He's gone... I'm throwing him out tomorrow."

"No Jack!" Hope cried. "He'll know I told you, and he'll come after me! Please Jack don't!"

"Do you expect me to sit here and let the best friend I've had for years get away with this?" Jack yelled. "I can't let him hurt you again Hope! I can't let him hurt anyone else!"

"Please Jack!" Hope pleaded. "I know you think that's the safest thing to do, but trust me on this one. You don't want to make Ice angry with you…I'm surprised he hasn't killed me already. The only thing I'm asking of you is that you keep me and yourself safe."

Jack held Hope's face in his hands. "I just can't do that" he calmly said. "I can't let him get away with something like that. As the leader of the Manhattan newsies, I need to make sure everyone is safe at all times. I can't have Ice around here if he's a threat to you. If anything else ever happened to you, I would never forgive myself…"

Hope sobbed into Jack's chest again. "Please Jack. If something ever happened to you, I would be hurt worse than if Ice raped me again. Just promise you love me and you won't do anything to put yourself in danger."

Jack lifted up Hope's face from his chest and kissed her gently on the lips. "I do love you Hope. I will love you until my dying day."

Hope kissed Jack again and Jack wrapped his arms around Hope's waist. As the passion in their kiss grew the snow slowly began to fall upon them.

"Oh Hope…too bad I already know ya told Jacky-boy"

Ice jumped down from the ladder that leaned against the lodging house. He laughed as he walked down the cold snow covered street.

"No worries about getting rid of me Cowboy. You won't hafta stand by and watch me hurt people. You won't hafta see Hope get hurt, and don't worry about Manhattan…I'll take good care of it. It's funny…you can hear a lot when your just sittin on a ladder right next to the lodging house, eh Jacky-boy?"

Ice reached Queens about an hour later. He searched up and down the streets for the familiar dark alley. Finally he found it. Down the alley was a large wooden door. Ice stood in front of the door recollecting what he was actually about to do. "They'll wanna hang me for this" he thought, and he slowly opened the door.

Inside was a dark smokey bar. The whole room was invaded with drunks and whores. This was the area of Queens that nobody even dared to visit. Ice walked up to the bar and ordered a beer. He began lighting a cigarette when he felt two hands glide across his chest. Ice turned around to see a skinny redhead.

"Ruby! Doll…what's shakin?" Ice asked. "Last time I'se saw you you'se was in Brooklyn working with some of Conlon's boys."

Ruby jumped onto Ice's lap and wrapped her hands around his neck. "Yeah…wasn't really workin out for me though. Had some trouble with one of Conlon's boys…didn't pay me enough. So I tied his hands and feet to the bed posts and wrapped his mouth up with a bandana and left him there. I left Brooklyn that night."

Ice laughed. "Ruby you were always a smart cookie."

Ruby held Ice's face in her hands and kissed him roughly. Ice had no resistance and pulled her closer to him. Finally Ruby broke the kiss for air. "Come on Icy. I miss workin with you. Why don't we go upstairs and I'll remind you of my services."

"Sorry Ruby" Ice said. "I came because I'se gots some business to take care of with Bruno."

Ruby looked at Ice questionably. "What are you plannin Ice? Everyone knows that people only come to talk to Bruno when they've got someone or something to take care of, and they're too scared to do it themselves. Who you getting back at now Ice?"

Ice lifted Ruby off his lap. "Let's just say an old friend knows somethin they shouldn't. It's my job to make sure that the information doesn't spread. Now, where's da famous Bruno?"

Ruby held her hand nervously in front of her chest. "He…he's upstairs in the last room on your right."

"Thanks doll." Ice grabbed her back and pulled her into another rough kiss. "I'm looking forward to you're services again" he said before walking up the stairs.

Upstairs the hall was very dark. A single bulb was the only thing keeping the hall from total darkness. Ice reached the last door on his right, and nervously knocked on the door.

"Who the hell is it?!" someone yelled from inside.

Ice slowly opened the door to find Bruno sitting in a chair smoking a cigarette. "What do you'se want Ice!?" Bruno asked angrily.

With a smirk on his face Ice simply said "It's time Bruno…"

Hope woke up to Jack's arm draped over her side. She turned over on her side to look into Jack's face. She thought he looked unbelievable asleep or awake. She lightly moved a strand of hair away from his face, and placed a soft kiss on his forehead. She watched him sleep for a few more minutes until Jack's eyes began to slowly flutter open.

"Morning…" Hope said quietly.

"Mornin gorgeous" Jack said sweetly. He sat up and gave Hope a soft and gentle kiss. Hope wrapped her arms around Jack's neck and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I wish we could just stay like this forever Jack" Hope whispered.

Now was the time. Jack couldn't hold it off any longer. He stood up and walked to the end of the bed. He slowly lifted up the mattress and revealed the blue box he had once hidden. Hope stared at Jack. Not quite knowing what was about to happen. Jack walked nervously back over to Hope and kneeled on the floor on her side of the bed.

"Hope…" Jack said and he took Hope's hands into his. "I've been plannin for weeks on how to say this to ya, and well…when the time actually comes you find you're at a loss of words. All I know is that you're my one hope…the one thing that's keepin me goin in life, and you've changed that life for the better, Hope. No words could describe how much I love ya, but maybe…just maybe this ring will show it." Jack opened the box to reveal the stunning ring. Hope looked at Jack is shock with tears in her eyes. She felt so blessed to have someone like Jack, and she never thought something this good would last.

"So…I guess what I'm tryin to say is…Hope…will you marry me?"

Hope threw her arms around Jack and cried. "Of course! Of course I will!" She firmly connected her lips to Jack's and Jack took the ring out of the box.

"I will always love ya Hope. Until my dying day, and after" Jack said with a shaky voice, and he slipped the ring onto Hope's finger.

Hope looked at her hand and admired the beauty of the ring. "Promise me though Jack…."she said. "That you're dying day won't be for a long time. Promise me you'll always be with me. Promise me." Hope wrapped her arms around Jack and he pulled her into a tight embrace.

"I promise ya Hope…I promise ya…."