Disclaimer: Sorry it took a while.

-Casey

Chapter 21.

Casey was loading up boxes in the factory. The only one on her mind was Racetrack. She sighed and put another box off to the side. She felt really bad for running away at a time Race needed her the most but she didn't want to do something she would've regretted. She saw the open window and so she siezed her chance to run and never look back. She hoped the Newsies didn't miss her too terribly.

--------------------------------------

"I'se just don't get it Jack..." Race said sadly carrying papers out of the distribution office. "What don't ya get?" Jack asked putting the papers on his shoulder. "Why I'se had to lose Rinoa...and Casey too." Race said sniffing. "Aww, man I'se really don't know what to tell ya." Jack said carefully. "To think...I'se used to have it all...now what have I got Jack?" He asked looking from the ground to the pond in central park.

"Rinoa used to always come here...even when we'se were with mom and dad..." Race said trailing off.


"Mommy! I almost got across the pond!" A young Rinoa yelled. "That's excellent sweetie." Mrs.Higgins said back gritting her teeth a little because her 5 year old daughter was soaked. "Anthony...look out after her..." She said uneasily to her son. "Ok..." He sighed and got up from the grass and went over to the pond. "Hold on Anthony! I'm almost there!" She yelled at the 4th rock. Until she slipped again.

"Darn it!" Rinoa yelled coming up to the surface.

Racetrack took a breath of fresh air and let it out easily. You'se don't even know how much I'se miss her Jack..." Race said trying to hold back tears that burned in his eyes. "I'se could only imagine." Jack replied shaking his head. "It used to be only me and Rinoa...I'se loved my sister Jack...she was always so full of life...spirited...but that's gone...and it's never coming back." Racetrack said grimly and threw a rock in the pond and walked off.

--------------------------

Mush sat alone in the lodging house. 'There has to be some kind of resolution here...Something to get me by...' He thought to himself as his eyes darted around. He thought back to Rinoa's Resolution. 'It worked for her didn't it? Well I guess I can try and see if it works for me...' Mush thought to himself. He took a knife out from his pocket and slashed it over his wrist and clenched his fist. "Did it really work for you Rinoa?" He asked softly. One tear fell as he slashed the other wrist.

"It's painful." Mush spoke softly watching the blood pour down his arms. Tears mixed in with the blood that stained the floor. "Rinoa..." Mush said and layed back in a pool of his own blood.

---------------------------

Casey paced around the small closet she had for a room. It was a walk in closet but very small at the same time. She was thinking very strongly about paying a visit to her old friends. "I couldn't go back to them..." She muttered leaning against the wall. "I left for a reason and I need to just live alone...I cause too many problems." She said shivering. She grabbed the rag of a blanket she had and wrapped herself up in it.

"Well why shouldn't I?" Casey asked herself. She had decided. She would leave tomorrow.

-----------------------------

THE NEXT DAY

Casey walked down the road feeling memories flood past her. "So much to remember." She said folding her arms tightly around her. It was really cold. Her coat went down to her ankles but it wasn't very thick. She buttoned it a bit over her work clothes which consisted of a drabby brown dress and black stockings. She looked to her right and saw Blink walking down the road. He looked at her and stared trying to see if he really saw what he thought he saw.

She walked quicker and found herself in front of the lodging house once again.


----Oh my god...it's been since the 10th of forever that I updated this! I'm so sorry I hadn't realized it had been this long! I'll bring out more A.S.A.P I've just been busy I'm sorry! I had most of this written and completely forgotten. Hope you liked it.

-Casey