Across the Times
By: Nightingale
Rating: PG13
It was a rather quiet day not that anyone minded. The newsies all sat at Tibby's eating their lunches. Jack was true to his word and brought back food. Though when he walked in it was all quiet. Jack walked up to the sick room and peeked in through the small crack in the door. He could see the boy fast asleep with Gin sitting in the chair next to the bed.
Her head was lying on the bed and her eyes closed in a peaceful sleep. Jack put the food on the table next to the boy's bed and scooped Gin into his arms carrying her out of the room. Once he started up the stairs he heard her make a startled noise as she began to move.
"I got you." he assured her softly
She moved to look into his eyes.
"You fell asleep." He smiled
Gin's eyes began to close again even though she fought it.
"Don't worry" he whispered softly
Gin couldn't help but relax into his arms. Jack made his way it to the girl's bunkroom and laid her on her bunk. When he stood up and looked down at her watching her sleep.
Gin lost track of all time all she knew was the shouting going on in the floor below her. She sat up in her bed not quite remembering how she got there and noticed the darkness around her. It was late…but how late. The shouting didn't cease and she knew it had to be more than a poker game that started it.
Gin quickly got off the bed and ran out of the room. Making it to the stairs she could see Sage and another Brooklyn guy slowly lowering something onto the ground. She saw a girl who she though was named Sling rush over to the item with a worried look on her face. It was then that Gin realized that this wasn't a thing...it was Race.
Gin pushed her way down the stairs and to Race on the floor. He was beaten and bloody.
"What happened" she asked Sage looked down at her.
"We were at the races and he went to set up a bet and out of nowhere these two guys"
"They were from Harlem" interrupted the other Brooklyn guy who Gin recognized as Lyf's older brother Joe
"They roughed him up pretty good before we realized what was happening and went to help him."
"One of them had a switchblade" added Joe Gin noticed a small gash in his side where the switchblade no doubt had been swiped along his chest.
Gin looked up to see Sling grabbing at his shirt and shaking him demanding that he wake up. It took two guys to pull her away and Jack looked at Gin as if asking what they should do.
"Take him up to the bunk room and get his shirt off so I can have a better look at that cut." Gin ordered
Jack immediately assigned a few guys to the task.
"Jack, go get Kloppman and ask if he has any Witch Hazel and I might need something to stitch the cut depending on how bad it is."
Jack nodded his head as he made his way through the crowd. Gin turned and followed Race up the stairs with Sling at her heals. Blink began to block the others from following and demanded they keep it down before they wake up the whole neighborhood.
Gin sat in the darkened bunkroom with Sling at her side helping. Luckily the cuts weren't bad enough for stitches only bandages, which were high in demand. It was early in the morning when Jack walked in half asleep but too worried to attempt actually sleeping.
"How is he" he asked from the doorway
The guys all gathered on the floor of the lobby sleeping where they could so as to leave the girls to take care of their friend in peace.
"He'll be fine" Gin stated"They're planning a war down there aren't they"
Jack looked at her and noticed the concern in her face.
"Actually they're sleeping, but the idea has definitely surfaced."
Gin nodded her head.
"You need sleep" he commented noticing Sling who had fallen asleep in the chair she pulled next to Race's bunk.
"So do you" Gin stated
"No point. I have to go selling papers in about an hour or two."
"What time is it"
"You don't want to know."
"I'll get you some coffee." Gin offered leaving the room.