Hola, mi amigas! I'm just so ecstatically happy! Know why? I just finished my last final exam! I don't have to go to school or do homework for over a week! ((parties)) So, I want to thank you all for being patient with me and my screw-ups and congratulate the many of you who answered my little trivia question. Shout outs!
Pidge: ((bells ding)) Congratulations! ((hands over signed Jack Kelly poster)) Good work! Not to sound ungrateful, I'm really grateful you read it and reviewed, but what did you think of the chapter? Liked? Disliked? Hope you read and review again!
Oxymoronic Alliteration: I agree, Medda and Denton together is suspiciously right. Maybe they had an affair together in the movie that we just weren't privy to. Maybe that's why Denton almost always seems to be grinning. Maybe he's so friendly to David because...((le gasp)) HE'S THEIR LOVE CHILD!!! EW! AHH! No! No Denton hitting on David! Bad! Very bad! ((bells ding)) Yay! You got the question right! ((hands over signed Jack Kelly poster)) This poster is yours to do with what you wish! Just, please, don't tell me. Enjoy this chapter!
Knots: I encourage screaming of any kind. It's good for the lungs. Although Jack Kelly screaming is most definitely the best kind. I know! How dare she abandon the fan club? Hey! Don't be getting too greedy here! You can't gain presidency unless she assigns it to you or there's an election. Besides, what if she doesn't give up the fan club?! Ah, well, enjoy this chapter anyway and review again, s'il te plait!
XbeLLaViTaX: ((le gasp)) TWICE?! Ah, my jealousy! My friends are threatening to take away my Newsies video, soundtrack and all the files I have on my computer relating to it if I don't stop talking about it! ((mutters)) Damn snow. I have no idea how much we have here in Ontario, but it's a lot. ((joins in happy dance)) Yes, ma'am, you are the only one who received both. Feel proud! ((le gasp)) You KNEW?! You knew we were sharing a brain and you didn't tell me? I hate you! ((sobs)) KIDDING! Hmm, a closet, huh? ((locks Mush in closet with Spot)) There! That should take care of him! Medda and Denton totally fit! Aw, thanks, I love the little history too. Yay, you get my insane babbling! I completely LOVE David, but to me, it would be weird to talk to someone who was all about Snitch or whoever else. Not that I deny that all our boys are gorgeous, but, you know. Don't worry, your character is in this chapter! Aw, I'm glad that I have adorable questions! ((bells ding)) IT'S POSTER TIME!!! ((hands over another signed Jack Kelly poster)) DEAR GOSH! A FELLOW OC LOVER!! Okay, must ask the question: your favourite, Seth or Ryan? Eek! At the time I'm writing this, The OC will be on in...41 minutes! Damnation, I need to rent the Frank Sinatra/Marlon Brando version of Guys and Dolls! I love 'ol Blue Eyes! And I also love how you connect everything together! With the Lion King and the Racetrack! ((clutches heart)) I love you! We really must share a brain or something! Enjoy this chapter!
Elphie: Elphie darling! ((air kisses)) Mwah! Mwah! Ooh, guess what?! I'm readin' Wicked and Nanny just came to the Vinkus! WHO IS LIIR'S MOTHER?! WHO?! I NEED TO KNOW!!! Don't tell me though. I'm not sure how Elphie doesn't know if she gave birth or not, but whatever. ((bells ding)) Yay! You got the question right! I'm so proud! ((hands over signed Jack Kelly poster)) Lol, I thought it was funny when Michelle was like, "You're the fan. Duh." except she didn't say that exactly. But that was the gist. I'm glad you liked it. ((le sigh)) We can only dream of kissing Jack Kelly. Enjoy this chapter!
Dreamless-Mermaid: Ooh, lookie! My history was "ingenious"! ((beams)) And applause too? ((bows)) Thank you! Thank you all! ((is crowned with tiara, Miss America style banner and bouquet of roses)) Really, I couldn't have done this without you! ((cries, blows kisses)) Doing the play is so much fun! You've seen the movie, right? Wait until Honestly Sincere! That was the most fun number I have ever done in musical theatre to date. Mostly because all I do is scream and make desperate attempts to grab Conrad. And I get to faint, which is always cool, although I was a wee bit upset that I only got to do it once. Aw, come on, you could've used the Internet for that one and everything! Alright, I'll try to work in something next time that you can use. Enjoy this chapter!
PeliculaJane: ((bows)) Thank you, flattery is always beyond welcome! Damn, I should get the Bye Bye Birdie soundtrack. All I have is the accompaniment from when I did the show. Oh well, at least you were doing something productive instead of dancing around, which is what I tend to do when I listen to songs from Bye Bye Birdie....or most songs, for that matter. Hope this update meets your standards and that your next one is just as speedy!
Ccatt: Hey, I love updates too! What a coincidence! Aw, thanks doll. Don't worry, Sunday isn't that far away, since it's now Thursday as I'm writing this. IT'S ONLY THREE DAAAAAAAAAYS AAAAAAAAA-WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!! (that was an homage to Annie, if you didn't know) Thanks again, hope you enjoy this chapter as well!
Dimonah Tralon: Aw, thanks! I'm glad it's following the movie well, since it's certainly following the script for the play to a 'T'. DAVID: That's because you're using your script from the show for the majority of the dialogue. ME: Shut up, David! Don't mind him, he's just jealous. Anyway, glad you enjoyed it, hope you like this one as well!
And, once again, I must thank everyone who reviewed for, well, reviewing. You guys are awesome!
Disclaimer: I don't own Newsies or Bye Bye Birdie. I own Michelle and everyone else owns everyone else. So there.
Rose paced around the treehouse impatiently. All the girls said they'd come, but would they be here soon enough? The wood panels creaked beneath her. The treehouse was Rose's from when she was a child, but when the Sweet Apple branch of the Jack Kelly Fan Club was formed, Rose suggested the treehouse as the ideal meeting spot: close enough for everyone to find, but secluded enough so they wouldn't be interrupted. Granted, it was a bit small, but it suited their needs perfectly.
"What's the emergency?" Kathleen asked, poking her head through the entry hole in the floor. Rose rushed to her and pulled her up.
"Well, it's about time!" Rose exclaimed. "Where are the other girls?"
"Right here!" Alison called, climbing up after Kathleen. Catherine and Ashleigh came after Alison, followed Raelyn and Danielle.
"Come on, Rose, tell us the big news!" Ashleigh pleaded.
"Not until everyone gets here," Rose insisted. Finally, Skylar appeared in the treehouse, apologising profusely for being late. "Okay, girls, are you ready? Take a deep breath," Rose said excitedly. All the girls inhaled and waited wordlessly for Rose to tell them the important news. Rose paused for effect. When she couldn't hold it in any longer, she finally let out, "It's about Jack Kelly!" The girls let out the breath they'd been holding and screamed as loud as they could. Rose shushed them. "Let me finish!" she said. "He's coming here." There was a short silence while the girls took this information in.
"Here?" Danielle finally managed.
"In person," Rose confirmed.
"To Sweet Apple?" Skylar asked, her eyes shining.
"Oh my God!" was all Kathleen could manage.
"Ask me why!" Rose insisted.
"Just tell us, Rose!" Raelyn whined.
"He's going to kiss Colleen Dupont goodbye before he goes into the army," Rose sighed, as if it were the most romantic thing she'd ever heard. All the girls sighed with jealousy.
"Colleen? How come?" Catherine demanded.
"Well, she was chosen," Rose said with a shrug.
"Oh my God!" Kathleen exclaimed again, still unable to give any creative input on the matter.
"That lucky duck!" Skylar sighed.
"We'll get to see him, maybe even meet him," Rose told them. The girls all whispered excitedly.
"If he says hello to me - I'll pass out!" Kathleen said, still overwhelmed by the matter.
"I wouldn't know what to say," Catherine admitted.
"How about...'Have a nice time in the army'?" Skylar suggested.
"But, I don't think they do," Catherine told her.
"What would you say?" Alison wondered out loud.
"I...I don't know," Raelyn admitted.
"Me neither," Ashleigh said with a shrug.
"You know what I'd say?" Rose asked with a devilish grin.
"What?" Danielle asked, with a raised eyebrow. Rose stood up, faced the dirty mirror hanging on the wall and held out her arms.
"Goodbye, Jack Kelly," she began in an overly dramatic voice. "I can't deny that you turn me on in a way no ordinary man ever could. But now, you belong to the Army. I'll miss your smile, your voice, your face. I'll cry until you're home safely. I'll miss you dearly, but I know you're doing this for the good of our country. God Bless you, Jack Kelly!" And at this point, she lunged at the mirror and kissed her own reflection. The girls collapsed into a fit of giggles.
"Oh Rose, you're too much!" Danielle gasped amidst the laughter. Rose smiled and bowed dramatically.
"Now, ladies," Rose said authoritatively. "Let's get started on a "Welcome, Jack" poster for his arrival!"
Penn Station was alive and buzzing with people on any normal day, but on this particular day, the day of Jack Kelly's departure from New York City to Sweet Apple, Ohio and eventually to the Army, every available inch of space was crowded with people of all ages, sizes and appearances. Everywhere, woman were primping, teenage girls were screaming and thrusting their signs in the air, reporters were scribbling on notepads and photographers were adjusting their cameras, ready for an ideal photo opportunity. All other departures and arrivals had been postponed and everyone was converging at Track 12, where Jack's train to Ohio was set to leave in just a short while.
At a table in the station's café sat a very frazzled looking David Jacobs. He held his cup of coffee in shaking hands, raising it slowly to sip from. He noticed a luggage cart piled high with the collective baggage of himself, Michelle and Jack and leapt up to direct the luggage boy towards the correct track.
"Excuse me? That luggage is to go down to Track 12. And quickly, too, Jack will be here any minute," he instructed the luggage boy, only to see that it was in fact Michelle. "Michelle? What are you doing?"
"Getting our things down to the station without any help from you, David," she said scornfully.
"Sorry, Moseph," he said apologetically. "I don't suppose a generous tip would make things up..." Michelle picked his briefcase up off the top and shoved it at his chest.
"David, just take your briefcase and go down to that train before any of those reporters talk to Jack alone. You know what happened last time," she warned.
"You hang on to it, Michelle. I've got to wait for Mama," David said anxiously, handing the briefcase back to her.
"Speaking of your mother, David," Michelle began. "Have you told her about dissolving Brooklyn Bridges?" David sighed.
"I couldn't do it, Michelle. Not over the telephone. It's just too impersonal. So, I invited her here to break her heart in person," he said. Michelle rolled her eyes.
"Whatever you want, David," she said. "Just do it before we leave, alright?" David nodded obediently.
"Davey!" a woman's voice cried. David and Michelle turned to see Mrs. Jacobs staggering towards them.
"Mama!" David exclaimed happily. He ran over to embrace her. Mrs. Jacobs wrapped him in her mink-draped arms. "How are you?"
"Oh, I'm fine, I suppose," Mrs. Jacobs sighed. "I'm just a little faint from the subway."
"Mama, I told you to take a taxi," David said.
"Taxi! What do I need with taxis? I'll leave the taxis for my successful son," she said, reaching up to pinch his cheeks proudly. "A mother can ride crowded in a dirty subway full of foreign people who wouldn't give you a seat if your life depended on it, but what's the difference; nowadays a mother is lower than dirt anyway! Here's the mother I saved from not taking the taxi; buy some candy with it." She pressed a few coins into David's palm and took a patronizing look at Michelle. "Who's she?" she asked, sounding disgusted.
"Mama, you know Michelle Newman from the office," David said nervously.
"This is Michelle Newman? Pretty little Michelle Newman? I can't believe it. Michelle, you look like you just stepped off a moving train," Mrs. Jacobs said a little louder than she should have in a crowded train station. Michelle gritted her teeth.
"Excuse me, David. I think I'll go see if Jack's here," she said, edging away.
"Oh, by all means. Goodbye, Miss Newman," she called jovially.
"Goodbye, Esther," Michelle said coldly.
"Oh, you can call me Mrs. Jacobs," Mrs. Jacobs said, patting Michelle on the shoulder. Michelle threw a death glare at David and walked away, leaving David to contend with the bags and his mother. David cleared his throat.
"Now, Mama, what I wanted to discuss with you is sort of about Michelle," he began. "Maybe you'd better sit down."
"Why? I know my Davey. He loves his mamma. He isn't going to say anything that would break her heart," she said warmly, putting a hand over her heart. "Go ahead, dear. What about Michelle?" David led her to an empty sit and gently set her down in it. When she was all settled, purse clutched in hands, David took the seat across from her.
"Well, Mama, Michelle thinks, and I agree, that I should give up Brooklyn Bridges," David rushed. Mrs. Jacobs froze, then clutched her heart with one hand. "Mama, what's wrong?" David asked, suddenly alarmed.
"Oh, nothing, you killed me, that's all," Mrs. Jacobs said dramatically.
"Mama, please, don't do this to me. This is hard enough," David groaned.
"Do what? I'm just dying, since my only son just broke my heart," Mrs. Jacobs wailed, rising from her seat and staggering towards the exit.
"Mama, where are you going?" David called after her.
"I'm going home to die peacefully in my bed," she called over her shoulder. "Enjoy yourself, son. Take care. Wear your heavy coat. Be careful crossing the street. Keep your money on your inside pocket. Wear your rubbers. Eat a hot lunch!" As Mrs. Jacobs made her dramatic exit, Michelle was heading back to check on David.
"David, I thought you were going to break it to her gently," Michelle said, staring at the departing woman.
"Well, as a matter of fact, Michelle, I didn't tell her about us at all. I mean, she was so upset about my dissolving the company, I thought I'd better wait," David told her sheepishly.
"You did WHAT?!" Michelle exploded.
"He's coming! Jack Kelly's coming!" a passing policeman yelled, breaking into a run towards the track.
"Come on, Michelle! We've got to get down there!" David said, motioning for Michelle to grab the bags and running towards the track. Michelle sighed and started pushing the baggage cart as fast as she could towards Track 12.
Thankfully, David managed to find Jack flirting with the girl behind the concession stand.
"Come on, Jack, don't screw this up for me," David scolded, pulling Jack by the arm towards the track. "This is saving your career and mine." Jack wrenched his arm out of David's grasp.
"No need to remind me," he said, adjusting the collar of his leather jacket. "Now, where are we going again?"
"Jack, I told you this a million times! Sweet Apple, Ohio!" David groaned. "Now, come on. You've got a lot of fans and reporters waiting for you in there. Remember-"
"Smile and don't hit on anyone, I know," Jack mumbled.
"That's my boy. Michelle's got the bags, so let's go!"
David and Jack decided to chance it and attempt to sneak in past the throng of people by weaving their way amongst knees and legs. Not smart. One girl saw a flash of a leather jacket and brown hair and immediately started shrieking, "IT'S JACK! OH MY GOD! I LOVE YOU!"
This commotion caused the entire crowd to turn around and look where the girl was staring. Jack stupidly stood upon hearing his name and soon, he was lost in a crush of people. David sighed and began trying to dig Jack out of the horde. The adults backed off pretty quickly, as did the photographers and reporters after David threatened them with a nasty lawsuit. At the very bottom of the crowd, about half a dozen sobbing teenage girls were clinging to Jack's arms, chest and legs. Jack looked desperately at David as he attempted to shake them off gently. David took over, carefully prying them off Jack's limbs one by one. As soon as David had the one girl who was clinging desperately to Jack's head off and Jack's mouth was free, the reporters made their move, their questions overlapping and making them impossible to understand. Jack's eyes darted around nervously; he had no idea what any of them were saying until one reporter shouted louder than any of the others, "Hey Jack, how do you feel about going into the Army?!"
Before Jack had a chance to answer the question directed at him, David stepped in front of Jack protectively and muttered, "Let me handle this. Do not, I repeat, do not, open your mouth." He turned to the reporter who asked the question. "How does he feel? Well, he's just as proud and eager as can be to be serving our country," he said.
"He's not afraid to face down a barrage of bullets, for he's not afraid to die," Michelle added, appearing at David's side.
"He was so excited," David continued, "the day he volunteered for-"
"Volunteered? I heard he was enlisted and he appealed - three times," the reporter sneered.
"Uh..well, uh...he, er..." David stammered.
"MARRY ME, JACK!" screamed a hysterical fan somewhere in the crowd.
A different reporter took this opportunity to yell, "What about that Hollywood starlet, Jack? Are you two engaged?" Once again, Jack opened his mouth to speak, but was intercepted by Michelle.
"Engaged? Pah, he's only 24! There's absolutely nothing to the rumour he's engaged," she insisted. There was an audible sigh of relief from the nearby teenagers.
"They're great friends! Brother and sister, practically! That eighteen carat diamond was just a friendship ring," David agreed.
"Then why was her husband so mad?" the reporter asked, quirking an eyebrow.
"SHOW US YOUR CHEST!!!" the same hysterical fan shouted before David and Michelle could respond.
"Give us the real scoop, Mr. Jacobs! Is Jack still drinking a lot?" a third reporter asked.
"No! Of course not! He goes to church each Sunday and he doesn't touch a drop!" Michelle told the reporter.
"Yes, Jack takes pleasure in the simple things in life, now," David said, using his arms and words to paint a pleasant picture for the people. "Long walks at dusk, children's laughter.....free magazine subscriptions?" The reporter nodded skeptically and started scribbling furiously on his notepad.
"How about that rumour that you found Jack in reform school?" another reporter shouted above the crowd.
"That is absolutely untrue!" David and Michelle insisted at the same time.
"He was born in Indo-China, you see. His parents were missionaries," Michelle told one reporter.
"From the good old south, I tell ya. Virginia! Thousands of acres of farm!" David was informing another.
"His family was poor and hungry. What an awful life for a child, don't you agree?"
"His family was very wealthy, too. They'd all lived in the south for years, growing cotton!"
"Then, one day, he drifted down the river to Hong Kong to a waterfront saloon."
"Every evening, those Southern folks would sit down by the river and sing their old, Southern songs."
"And that's where I first heard Jack singing, 'neath that dirty Hong Kong."
"And that's where Jack started singing, 'neath that sweet plantation moon."
"All aboard!" a conductor yelled above the noise of the crowd.
"Oh! That's our train! Get the luggage and Jack, David, and get on!" Michelle shouted to David above the many bobbing heads of the horde. David nodded, excusing himself from the reporter and grabbing Jack by the arm.
"Excuse us, please, excuse us. Please, Jack can't be late!" David muttered, moving his way through the crowd.
"DON'T LEAVE US JACK!!!" sobbed one girl.
"WE LOVE YOU, JACK!!!" another cried. Soon, the air was filled with the noise of sobbing girls. Jack gave one last wave and roguish grin to them all before David yanked him onto the train.
Ah, there's one long, messy chapter done. This chapter is actually a couple scenes combined. The part with the girls meeting about Jack was too short on it's own, so I combined it with the Penn Station one to make it one longer chapter. Hope y'all enjoyed it! ((blows kisses)) Love you all! No trivia question this time, sorry. Bye!
newsiesmoseph