Title: One Year Anniversary

Author: Stress

First written: April 18, 2002-May 12, 2002

Edited and replaced: August 9, 2005

Summary: Part III of the Soul Mates Series; When Jack and Stress reach their first year anniversary, Stress tells a friend the story about how they almost didn't get together at all.

Outside the Manhattan Newsboys Lodging House

"Bookie, wait up!", Race called after his speeding girlfriend.

She whipped around quickly and, with a smile so bright it could've lit up a room, she approached Race.

"Uh-oh. You know I don't like that look. That's the 'I-got-an-idea-and-I'm-gonna-need-your-help-Race' look."

"I got an idea and I'm gonna need your help, Race."

Race shrugged. "I knew it. What's your idea and what do I gotta go?"

"I'm gonna kill two birds with one stone. I'm gonna get even with Jack for turning scab and stop him from hurting Stress."

"And how do ya plan on doing that, my dear?" Race asked, not wanting to know the answer.

"Simple. I'm just gonna make sure that they don't never get together."

"But won't that hurt Stress as much as it hurts Jack? I mean, if she likes Jack as much as ya say she does, then it would hurt her as much to be with out Jack, dan to be with him after the entiah Sarah incident, right?"

"Not if we get her another guy," Bookie grinned triumphantly.

"If she likes Jack so much then she ain't gonna want another guy."

"Listen, I've known Stress for four years now, and I must say I know her pretty well. Since Jack went out and got himself a girl, then the only way that Stress can get back and forget her own hurt is to get herself a guy. Deep down they seem to know that they are made for each other. If Jack gets himself a girl, then Stress'll get herself a guy. Trust me."

Race's head was spinning at Bookie's attempts at logic. "If they are meant for each other, why are we're gonna keep them apart?".

"Look-- ," exploded Bookie, and Race could see the fire in her hazel eyes, "Are you with me or not?'.

"I'm with ya Bookie," whispered Race, before adding to himself, "the things I do for love."

"Good. Now I'm sure that we'll have Mushie's help cause she agrees with me. Now Martini and Stripes have this huge plot to break Sarah and Jack up so that'll wise up and get with Stress, but that ain't never gonna work. And the 'Singles' never really care about matters of the heart. That's why they are the 'Singles' after all. Now what we have to do is ..." and Bookie and Race continued down the street to the Bottle Alley Lodging House where they were going to go get Mushie and Mush -- Bookie talking animatedly with Race only half listening, thinking about how one plan could have so many things that could go wrong.

On their way to Tibby's

"So, Jack, I guess I'll finally get to meet this fine friend of yours -- Stress, right?" questioned David, trying to keep the conversation between him and Jack upbeat and happy. He knew how much Jack liked to talk about his other best friend, Stress. In fact, for the first part of the month that he had known Jack, she was all he had ever talked about. He had only stopped recently. "Ever since he had started dating Sarah, actually," David thought to himself, sneaking a glance at Jack's forlorn face.

"Yeah, she'll probably be at Tibby's when we're get there," Jack answered quietly. If David thought that seeing Stress would cheer him up, he was sadly mistaken. It was Stress that was bothering him. For the first time in four years he was forced to face his feelings for her. He had put it off for as long as he had known her, but he didn't think he'd be able to any longer. He was scared he would lose his best friend if he didn't.

"Ain't it a shame that Sarah cancelled lunch with you to go shopping with Satine?" David continued. "I'm sure that she would want to meet your best friend, too."

"Yeah, I guess so," mumbled Jack. He then added under his breath, "if she knew about her." Sarah Jacobs, David's sister. The last two weeks with her had almost made Jack forget Stress was gone. She was there to support him during the strike and her family was wonderful to him. She was the first girlfriend that he had had that lasted longer than a weekend. She would be the first girlfriend that he would introduce to Stress and he was sure as hell avoiding that. And he had to ask himself why he had never mentioned to Sarah that his best friend was a girl, a girl who he was in love with. At least, he thought he was in love with her. At this rate, who knew?

David noticed the serious look on Jack's face and said nothing. They walked the rest of the way to Tibby's in silence.

At the Bottle Alley Lodging House

There were only two girls still lounging around in the Bottle Alley Lodging House, Stripes and Martini. The two girls had waited until all of the other girls went out to enjoy one of the last days of summer before they sat down to set up their master plan.

"O.K., step one of the master plan. What we have to do is get Jack to realize that he don't really want Sarah," said Martini, writing it down.

"Right. Step two. Then we have to get him to see that the only one that he needs is Stress," added Stripes.

"And step three. We need to get Stress to say she actually has feelings for Jack. Can ya believe that she's never told no one? And I'm supposed to be her other best friend. She's lucky that we know what she's thinking half the time," pouted Martini as she finished making note of what their plan was.

"I can't believe that she can home so early. I thought that we had another two weeks at least before we had to put 'Operation Happily-Ever-After' into effect."

"I know. At least we're already talked to the guys. Spot said that he was coming down from Brooklyn tonight to spend the weekend with you, right Stripes?"

"Yeah. He's gonna be surprised that we gotta start so early, but he'll help. What about Blink?"

"No problem. My Blinky-poo does anything I ask him to do. He's such a cutie-pie," sighed Martini as she sat on her bunk, picturing Blink's face.

"Earth to Martini. Are you in there?" Stripes asked as she rapped her knuckles on Martini's forehead.

"Sorry. I kinda lose track of what's happening around me when I think of Blink," she said as she grinned sheepishly.

"Ya know, I just can't wait for Spot to get here tonight. I need some sane company," giggled Stripes as she dodged the pillow Martini threw at her. "C'mon, let's put our plan into action." And with that, the two girls left the Bottle Alley Lodging House, heading in the direction of Newsies Square to meet up with the guys, all the while immersed in conspiratorial whispers.