A.N. I appreciate all of your support. I'm back with the next installment. Oh the end is creeping upon me! I've decided to put this nice long chapter up. It is so hard wrapping things up. Thanks for all who have been so very patient with me. I promise a grand ending, but I'm not sure how long it will take for me to figure out the best way to leave things. And, as always I have no ownership of the Newsies and not affiliated with Disney in anyway. Thanks for all the Reviews. Please Review so I can keep the story up to par. LyxnLion

The Scene of Understanding

Safe? The strangest of it echoed in my mind. But I couldn't stand there and think about what lay behind me. I ran away from my past once again. This time in the sunset of the day with my friends. I could hardly believe… As my feet pounded to the blood in my veins singing "away, away, away," I remembered with a chill my delusions. I could almost collapse into a heap of tears. All my hopes and dreams were mixed up fear and dread and friends and stubborn boys. Safe? We were safe for now I suppose. What could have motivated Bumlets to such stupidity! I wanted to cry! There was no where to run. Anthony would know about the lodging house and the Jacobs' was… could it really be gone? But here was David… I could hardly believe he was alive and here, but a part of me had been looking for him. My feelings scared me. I had always needed no one else. I had been independent and happy. But my feelings strengthened with every moment, I needed David.

I was sitting in Tibby's. My thoughts chilled me. Beyond the euphoria of escape, I could not help but wonder, "What am I going to do?"

"Dave," I whispered. He was sitting next to me with his hand clasped on mine as if to assure himself that I wouldn't disappear. He turned his eyes towards me immediately. I didn't know what to say. I wanted to say so much. But, it was useless. I had to go. If I only! My heart was so full that my mouth could never possibly keep up. I couldn't say a thing. I just looked him eye to eye willing him to know all that I needed to say but couldn't.

His eyes, they were so understanding and full of love. I then knew what I had been ignoring for weeks. What I had been dreaming of for weeks. He loves me! It almost filled me with wonder. He loves me. ME! He was concerned for me. So, I smiled. I wanted to dance and sing and yell for joy, but I couldn't. I could only smile. He returned my pathetic smile and leaned towards me. We were inches from each other, breathless. Would I? Should I? Could I? The questions melted away as I felt his hand cradle my head, his other hand still a light presence on mine. Our heads closed the distance and the lightest and dearest of kisses deepened into passion as I found I was not invaded by David but I felt sense of self growing. It was… electric. We broke apart. I was grinning like a fool.

"Finally!" Blink shouted. I was then intensely aware of the whole crowd around us. Their faces covered in smug grins.

"You guys wear a person out," Bumlets said in a soft way.

"Never met a person who could resist so long," Jack joked.

"Look at the pair a' loveboids!"

"You guys need a life," I quipped, red in embarrassment.

"And you'se need a room," Spot answered deepening my blush to beet red.

"When did my life become your business?" David asked slightly offended.

"When you'se yelled 'STRIKE'," Jack said smiling.

I was lightheaded to the point of hysteria. One moment more and I would be giggling. Imagine! Thorns the brave, giggling! A smile stretched across my face and would not be wiped clean. I felt like I would burst, "I could ask you all the same thing." I said shyly.

"Well that's easy Rose," David said softly, "the moment I saw the Angel with her Thorny Roses. I think you've always been my business, I just didn't know it."

"I can't believe there was a time I didn't know you," I answered earnestly, "That I didn't know any of you!"

I have never been anywhere as full of warmth and friendship as that dining room that night. The dark of the night press itself against the glass just to glimpse at the cheery brightness. Mr. Tibby had left hours ago and we stayed on. No one wanted to see the morning light. Safe? I felt safe. Safer than I had felt since I had lost my parents. But we all knew, Anthony Hearst was not one to give up anything. Maybe if I had thrown myself at him in the beginning, maybe then he would have detested me. But that time had past, and the longer I denied him the more passionate and obsessed he became. Thought as I might, I could not come up with any plan to finally convince Hearst that I would NEVER love him and NEVER marry him. If I humiliated him, it just would just drive him to revenge. By now my money wasn't an issue either, it was just me. But, maybe if I just vanished from his view. Maybe if he never heard or saw me, maybe then his desires would stale from disuse. But that would mean… leaving. Leaving my names and friends and David, it would hurt like nothing else. And stupid Bumlets, he should leave too. I bet he won't.

"I can't stand it!" I finally cried. The newsies broke up their card games and stories, I lended into David's shoulder. "I've brought nothing but worry for you all. I've got to go. I've got to leave so completely. It's just not fair. It's not fair that some people get to live their whole lives with the ones they care about."

"You don't have to go anywhere," David said strongly, "I'm not going to let you go anywhere."

"Who said anything about leaving?" Jack added, "We'll soak anyones who comes too close!"

"I ain't afraid of any rich, hoity-toity boy," Bumlets sneered.

"She's right ya know. She's got to leave," Spot said sadly, "Use ya brains. The only way he'd stop looking is if she don't exist anymore."

"What's the matter Brooklyn? Scared?" Bumlets fronted Spot.

"It is not right either for me to endanger my friends. I couldn't live with it Bums! I'm already responsible for innocent lives, I'm not adding any more to the list!" The two broke their eye contact, "I'm going away, even if I have to make you hate me before I go. I might even go to Santa Fe, Jack." I laughed in bitterment.

"Innocent lives?" David asked quiet.

"I… It's why I tried to forget ever running away. The fire, the fire at your apartment building. They, they said there were no survivors. I can hardly believe you are alive." I said tears running down my cheeks remembering that sweet little boy heralding horrible news. David had a shocked look on his face.

"But there was no fire!" he exclaimed incredulous.

"I, I saw it on the front page of the Journal… it, oh it must have happened days ago!" I cried.

"Angel-goil," Racetrack said laughing, "If there was a headline like that, we'd all know it!"

"I saw my family in my apartment just last night, they told me they would save a slice of cake for you," David said earnestly.

"But, no…." My mind denying the horrible, wonderful rush of understanding that swept my mind, "Oh, oh I'm so glad." I should have been able to say more, but I was incredulous. I knew I could not trust Anthony for anything. It would have been fairly easy for him to orchestrate the newspaper, child's play. And then… I don't know if the little boy knew what part he played or not. I fell into the trap so easily! I was almost sick with disgust. Why did I not know Anthony would not have any shred of fair play?

"And Angelbaby," Spot added, "You don't have to go as far as Santa Fe."

The idea crept up on me and suddenly the plan was full bloom. I sprung up and felt as free as a bird. Those last few moments were a whirlwind. Before I knew it, I was hugging everyone goodbye and then stood breathless in front of David.

"Don't worry, Mouth," I whispered as I flung my arms around his neck.

"What are you going to do?" he asked, concern coloring his face.

"You'll see," we closed the gap with a tender, longing kiss, then breaking apart I added hushed, "Goodbye for now."