Disclaimer: I don't own Newsies.

A/n: Since it is late, there will be no shout-outs. And this is very short. But sweet. Except not. I love me.

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Hoofbeats thunder as I steer Justin towards the next jump, my thoughts only on the horse, the jump, and myself- certainly not on any dying boys in my basement. Three strides, two strides, one stride and we're airborne, sailing over the jump.

Alright, it's only about two feet high, but hey. I do what I can.

A single stride between this jump and the next one, and I rise in my stirrups in anticipation of the jump and-

I get catapulted over the jump, minus the horse.

Oh, happy days.

I lift my head from the dirt floor and glare at my horse. "You know, it's been a while since I've had dirt up my nose. I've missed it. Thanks."

Justin blinks as if to say "Who, me?"

"Yes you, you big lug." I push myself into a sitting position, and then stand, nursing sore muscles as I hobble over to him.

"C'mon, lets get you untacked and put back your stall."

I enter my house, closing the door behind me. I pull off my mask, and toss it onto the sofa- I'll take care of it later.

"Mom?" I call out. "You here?"

"Upstairs." She calls.

I trudge up the stairs and down the hall, only to find my mother in my bedroom, with Danny set up on a hospital bed.

I stop. "No way!"

"Kevin-"

"Mom, no way am I giving up my room! What am I supposed to do? Sleep in a stall?!"

My mother shakes her head. "You'll sleep in Kristen's room."

Kristen's my older sister, who's in college on the other side of the country.

"I can't sleep in her room!"

"Why not?"

"Because she's got that poster with half-naked NSYNC, and they keep lookin' at me!"

Mom rolls her eyes, and guides me out of the room. She gently shuts the door behind her.

"Kevin, he doesn't have much time."

I blink, my mind attempting to comprehend what she's saying.

"I moved him out of the basement because if he died down there, with the others... it would be worse for them than if he died and they didn't have to watch it."

My mom sighed.

"Just give it a day or two, Kevin, and you'll have your room back. If it's really that important to you."

Well, since she put it that way…

I lie in bed that night, being kept awake by the sound of a monitor in the room next to me-

beep... beep... beep...beep..beep..beepbeepbeep-

And then it flat lines, a cold, monotone buzz coming from the room next door. And then, just as quickly as it started, the noise stops. My mother had unplugged the monitor.

I should get up and go to her, see if she needed anything done, if she could use my help.

Instead, I roll over, pull the covers over my head, and try to fall into an uneasy sleep.