Author: Elladan (a.k.a. Red in the world of Newsie fandom).
Disclaimer: As you all know, I most definitely don't own Newsies.
Summary: When you think you've lost the one thing you loved, even the littlest thing can bring the greatest joy.
Genre: Mainly romance, a little angst.
Rating: T for some violence.
Heartbeat
Noise was all around me. Cries of newsies throwing punches at the bulls, the sickening sound of at club colliding with a head, or a fist with a jaw. Chaos surrounded me, I was in the middle of a riot, but I saw none of it. My mind held one though, and one only. I had to find him.
I shoved my way through the crowd, pushing aside cops and newsies alike, my eyes scanning the room. Come on Kid, where are you…. Please, let him be all right.
There was a flurry of movement over by the door, and I rushed forward. There, running with Jack, helping him escape. He's okay, my mind screamed joyously, he's not captured, he's not hurt, he's okay.
I rushed forward, out the door, and stopped dead. Trapped. Blink and Jack were trapped, surrounded by bulls on horses. One of them broke the circle, riding toward them, leaning down to grab Jack. Blink, desperately brave, somehow managed to drag the bull from his saddle, yelling at Jack to beat it. He tried to hold back the bull, pinning him down, sacrificing himself so Jack could get away.
There were too many of them. I wanted to scream Behind you! or Look out! but I just stood there, motionless, watching as a club smashed into Blink's face, and sent him reeling sideways, toppling over. Two of the bulls began to haul him away, one holding each arm, and he struggled feeble. Another club collided with Blink's head, sending him to the ground. A trickle of blood dripped over the purplish bruise that was already forming around his good eye. I watched him as he lay there, motionless. Get up Kid! my mind screamed, Don't just lie there, get up! But nothing, no movement, no sound. A wall of shock and grief smashed into me, nearly knocking me over. No, he couldn't be, they can't have hit him that hard… Still he lay there, limp and motionless as a doll. Please… please… get up… you can't be… Kid… please…
The bulls saw he wasn't moving too, but that didn't stop a few of them circling around for a few more good hits. And finally, after what seemed ages, I was moving, running toward the bulls. I think I was screaming, shouting Stop it, get away! Can't you see he's not fighting back? They didn't hear me; they were going to keep hurting him. Even though he couldn't feel it, I couldn't let them do that to Blink, I couldn't. So I did the only thing I could thing of; I flung myself across him, shielding him from the blows of the bulls.
And there, amidst all the noise and violence and chaos, with my head on Blink's chest, I heard it, shattering my despair like a ray of bright sunlight. A faint, but steady thumping, resonating in my ear. And I just lay there, joy and relief welling inside me, listening to Blink's heartbeat.
Until… a sharp pain, and blackness.
-fin-
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A/N: OMG I am going to have to write SO MUCH FLUFF to make up for the angsty-ness of this! (Which isn't very angsty, but still...) Anyway, as always, reviews are appriciated!
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Shout-outs!
Madmbutterfly713: Thank you!
Rustie73: I know, are they great? If only that had ACTUALLY happened in the movie… sigh. Oh well, that's the beauty of fan fiction, isn't it?
mangolady: Many, many more! WEG
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