She turned around, and waved.
"Hi, Jack!"
"Heya, Cowboy…Youse know her?" Spot asked, motioning to Hes.
"Spot, you knew dat…I'm like the Newsie Nanny over there…" Jack sighed.
"Hes, can I talk witchu?" She shrugged, and patted Spot's shoulder, walking across the bridge with Jack.
"What's up, Jack?"
"I thought you said you couldn't be that close to anyone…" She sighed, and looked at her hands.
"Jack, I was meanin' ta tell ya…What I meant, when I was talking with you on the roof, is I can't be that close to anyone in our lodgin' house. I feel like a mother to those kids, to you. It's odd…It's wrong…I just…I can't date someone from the Manhattan Lodgin' House. You guys are my family…I'm sorry…" She touched his cheek, and leaned over, kissing his forehead. He shrugged her off, and walked away. "Jack!"
"Bug off, Hes!"
"Jack, I'm sorry! Really!"
"Bug off!" he called, and jogged off. She sighed, shaking her head, and Spot walked over.
"What's his problem?"
"That I won't date him cuz he and the Manhattan newsies are like family ta me…" Spot slid his hand into hers, and kissed her cheek, shrugging his shoulders.
"If he can't deal wit' it, it's his own fault. You told him dat dey's family, so youse don' gotta worry bout it." She nodded.
"I know…thanks Spot…I gotta get goin'…Promised some of the boys I'd make cocoa tonight." Spot smiled, and kissed her gently.
"Okay."
Hes passed out the glasses of cocoa, and lifted her eyes as Jack wandered into the room.
"Jack? You wanna glass of cocoa?" she asked. He shrugged his shoulders, and moved over to where Race was playing poker with some of the other guys. She stared at him, and walked over, smiling kindly back at the boys she walked away from. "Jack? Can I talk to you?" she asked.
"Kinda busy, Hes…" She took a deep breath, and snatched his cards, showing them to Race and the others.
"There, those are his cards, you aren't busy now, I have to talk to you." He stood up.
"Hes, what the hell was dat?" he asked.
"I want to talk to you…please, Jack?" He sighed, and nodded, heading out of the room. She followed him, and then led him outside.
"Whaddaya want, Hes?" he asked, lighting up a cigarette.
"Why are you so mad at me?" she asked. He stared at her, smoke curling up passed his eyes.
"Why? You tol' me you can' be close ta anyone…and den Ise go off ta Brooklyn, an' find ya wit' Spot! What is up wit' dat?" he exclaimed.
"Jack, I told you already! You and all the newsies in this Lodgin' house, plus Davy and Les, are like family to me! I can't be datin' family, Jack, it just isn't right…" He rolled his eyes, and she reached over, grabbing his hand. "Jack, you're being difficult because you are upset with the fact that I'm dating Spot, not you. I'm sorry if I hurt ya, or if it seems like I lied to ya, but-"
"You know what, Hes? Ise don' care no more. Youse lied, youse went off and dated Spot, I don' care. Do whatcha want, its yer life…" he snapped, threw his cigarette in her direction, and took off into the house. Hes sighed, and after a second, leapt away from where she was standing, crying out. She spun around, and saw the smoldering cigarette hit the ground. It had landed on her shoulder, and burned thru her shirt, into her skin. She jogged inside, and walked up to Kloppman.
"Kloppman? Can ya help me? Jack's cigarette burned me…" she said, showing him her shoulder. Kloppman looked over, and nodded.
"C'mere, doll…" He motioned to a chair, and tugged the shoulder of her shirt down, looking at her shoulder. Hes sat there, sniffling, as Kloppman put a bandage over it. Blink walked over, and smiled.
"What's goin' on?" he asked.
"Jack's cig burned me," she said, motioning to her shoulder.
"He burned ya?" Blink asked, holding his cocoa. She shook her head.
"I don't think he did it on purpose, but his cig hit me in the shoulder and burned me." Blink nodded.
"What's goin' on witchu two? Youse al'ays seemed like pals," he said. Hes shrugged, fixing her shirt.
"He's mad at me…fer datin' Spot."
"He didn' know?"
"Apparently not. An' I tol' him I couldn't be close to anyone…I didn' make it clear that I meant anyone in this house…you guys are me family…he's gotta be the only one who didn' know dat…" Blink leaned over, and hugged her, gently kissing her cheek.
"Jack's just hoit…he's al'ays likedcha, Hes…since da day youse started heah," he said, shrugging. Hes looked at Blink.
"Really?" Blink nodded.
"I toughtchu knew dat, d'oh…" She shook her head.
"He never told me…I never even…oh, God, now I feel horrible," she said, putting her head in her hands. Blink kissed her cheek again.
"C'mon, play pokah wit' us…Race keeps winnin'…" Hes shook her head.
"I can't. I've gotta go talk to Spot," she said, and patted his shoulder, heading outside.
She crossed her arms over her chest, and watched Spot walk over, kissing her on the cheek gently.
"Hey, Hes…"
"Spot…um…we need to talk…"
Hes moved back up the road towards the lodging house, and saw Jack coming towards her, also going to the lodging house. He paused, seeing her, and glared at her, moving up the road closer to the house.
"Jack? I gotta talk to ya…" He didn't answer her, but continued up the road, jogging up onto the sidewalk and into the house. Hes sighed, and lifted her eyes as the lightning flashed, and rain started to pour down. "Jack!" she called, as rain soaked her hair, clothes, and skin. She ran after him, up the steps, and into the building. She followed him up the steps, and he spun around at the top, glaring at her.
"Ise don' wanna talk to ya, Hestia. Ise mad atcha, and dat's all dere is to it…"
"Jack, why didn't you ever tell me how you felt? Hm? Because then this would be a lot easier…" she said, stopping beside him at the top of the steps.
"What? Is you gonna tell me datchu's liked me since we'se met, too? Eh? Cuz I ain't gonna believe ya! Not aftah whatchu've said an' den spun around about…" She sniffled, feeling slightly light headed.
"But…Jack…listen…I…I…I actually-"
"No! I don't hafta listen to ya, Hestia! Okay? Because you is nuthin' but a liah, an' dats all dere is to it!" The door opened, and a bunch of the newsboys, who'd just been woken out of a sound sleep by their yelling stood sleepy eyed and confused in the doorway.
"Jack, please!"
"NO!" he cried, throwing his hands at her. She stumbled back, her foot hitting the edge of the step, and she threw her hands in the air, wide-eyed, as she fell backwards down the stairs. Jack stared at her, angry, until her body hit the steps. His face went from anger to surprise to fear that she may hurt as she rolled down the steps, around the corner, and down the next flight, landing on her back at the bottom. The newsies behind Jack began to murmur.
"What happened?"
"Hes fell!"
"Jack pushed her…"
"It was an accident, Hes!" he cried, racing down the steps and skidding to a halt beside her still body. He bowed his head, and heard her heart beating in her chest, and saw that she was still faintly breathing, but she didn't move otherwise.
She laid in one of the bed's in the newsies room, her hands laid onto her stomach. The doctor pulled away, and looked over at Kloppman, who was sitting in a chair, gently patting the still unconscious girl's hand.
"Sir? Are you in charge of this girl?" he asked. Kloppman nodded, pushing her hair from her face.
"Yes, I am…the only one here who is…why?"
"She is in a coma, sir…I do not have any idea of how long she will remain in this coma, but she cannot wake up unless her body lets her." Jack stood outside of the room, listening, tears filling in his eyes as the doctor explained Hestia's condition to Kloppman and the other newsies.
"You mean…she is stuck like this, asleep, until she wakes herself up? We can' do so?" The doctor nodded.
"I'm afraid so, sir…" Kloppman took in a deep, shaky breath, and nodded, standing and patted Hes' cheek.
"Poor dear…You will stay right here until you awaken…" he said softly, and led the doctor back downstairs. The newsies cleared out of the room, passing Jack without even casting him a glance, and headed down to the room on the first floor where they'd sat and drank hot cocoa. Jack, however, moved into the room, and sat down in the chair beside Hes. She seemed so peaceful: her dark brown hair was a little disheveled, from laying on the pillow, but not much. It framed her slightly pale face, and he ran a finger down her cheek, sighing. She had a wrinkle in the corner of each eye, from all the times she'd laughed with the newsies, and Jack loved it. It proved she was human. He wished that she was awake now, so he could see her bright green eyes again. He slid a hand down her shoulder, which was covered in her brown coat, and beneath that, her soft blue T-shirt, which came over the waist of her pink skirt. Jack slid his hand down her arm, and into her pale, and seemingly flawless hand, sniffling a little.
"God, Hes, I am so sorry…I am so sorry dat I got mad, dat I didn' listen to ya, dat I jist didn' wanna hear it…dat I shoved ya down da steps…I didn' mean ta…it was an accident…you believe me, dontcha?" he asked, slightly hopefully. She just laid there, breathing. Jack sighed, and lowered his head. "Nah…youse don' got any reason ta believe me…But…Ise still sorry…" He moved, and kissed her forehead. As he pushed his lips against her skin, she very softly squeezed his hand. His eyes went wide, and he looked down. "Hes?" She did it again, still very soft. "If youse can wake, use jist one fingah…if not…den do da whole hand ting again…" She squeezed his hand with her whole hand, nothing else moving but the muscles in her arm. Jack smiled softly. "I…If youse mad at me fer pushin' ya, accidentally, mindja, use yer hand…if not…one fingah…" She tapped his hand with one finger. Jack smiled, and picked her hand up, kissing it softly. Her finger moved to his cheek, gently touching it. Jack was utterly surprised at how cold she was.
"Hey, Jack…whatcha doin'?" Davy asked, walking in. Jack lifted his eyes.
"C'mere, Davy…" Davy wandered over, and looked down at Hes. "Take this hand…"
"Okay…" Davy took Hes' hand away from Jack, and stood there.
"Hes? If you know that's no longer my hands, tap a finger…" She tapped her finger against Davy's hand. Davy's eyes went wide.
"Is she awake?" Jack sadly shook his head.
"She can't wake up…but…she isn't mad at me…she let me know…" Davy faintly smiled.
"Is that true, Hes? Um…if it is, one finger for yes…" She tapped her finger, and he smiled again. "Well…that's good…Cause I think the rest of us understand it was an accident…well…okay, some of us do. Not everyone. Like…Blink, and Boots, and Race think that you did it on purpose…cuz you two had been fighting." Jack sighed. Davy handed Jack Hes' hand, and patted his shoulder. "It's gonna be okay, man. When she wakes up, it'll be fine." He turned, and headed out of the room, just as Les came bounding in, and curled up on the bed by Hes. Jack sighed, and smiled faintly.
"Hey, kid…youse know dat she's…"
"Yeah. I know. But she can still know I'm here for her…like I was for her at the trial." He smiled at Jack, and buried his face in Hes' shoulder, closing his eyes. Jack sighed, and gently squeezed Les' shoulder.
"I'm gonna run down, get a drink…you want sumtin?" he asked softly.
"Nah…tanks, d'oh, Cowboy," he said softly, his voice muffled by the fabric of Hestia's coat. Jack sighed, and headed down the steps, moving into the little kitchen Kloppman was in.