Disclaimer: Newsies does not belong to moi, 'tis property of Disney. Nor do I possess "On My Own" from Les Miserables.

It is my favorite song, as of today, though. xD All thanks to fictionpress slash, yes.

All you JAVID fans out there (which you would have to be to read this, I suppose), don't worry that's coming in soon enough. Sorry this chapter was so slash deprived.

And now I'm all alone again

Nowhere to turn, no one to go to

Without a home without a friend

Without a face to say hello to

And now the night is near, now I can make

Believe he's here

Sometimes I walk alone at night

When everybody else is sleeping

I think of him and then I'm happy

With the company I'm keeping

The city goes to bed

And I can live inside my head

On my own

Pretending he's beside me

All alone I walk with him 'till morning

Without him

I feel his arms around me

And when I lose my way I close my eyes

And he has found me

Sarah had always been ashamed. Davey, Les, ma and pa they ne'er were yet Sarah, she was. But her parents tried hard anyway, to bend to her will, quench her every thirst, to be "awesome", "nice" folks. It was doleful to look upon, their family falling apart because Les was always following and Dave had screwed joy and pa couldn't work so ma was working double and Sarah..

She was filled with "superiority" and I quote. Constantly off at parties, hardly ever home after midnight. Les was still waiting, asking in a whisper why his cool sister wasn't home to take care of him. What had happened to her? And David would furrow his brows and reply softly, "She'll come back. Don't worry."

Davey had always been the quieter one. Gentle but compassionate little Dave. Always the one to wait by the window for ma to come home, for Les to finally fall asleep, for a better home, for Sarah's return. Always the one to take care of the family. And no matter how hard he tried he wouldn't-couldn't hate Sarah.

He didn't want things to change.

(oOo)

The "big sissie" of the Jacobs' was out as usual. I bet you're wondering where this selfish little girl went to, hm?

(oOo)

Jenny pulled the car up just by the curb. She honked, smashing her palm into the steering wheel in all her drunkenness. It woke Les from his light slumber next to David. Sarah squealed and threw on a blue coat, practically sprinting out the door. "BYE!" She called, racing down the steps and over to the low riding sports car.

She hopped over the side door and into the passenger seat. Jenny giggled at her. "You should so join the track team, Sar." Sarah laughed before leaning over and gripping the wheel so they wouldn't crash. "How drunk are you, Jen?"

The brunette merely shrugged, hanging her head out the window. "LOTS!" Now Miss Jacobs shook her head, grinning and drove toward a rather large house at the end of the next block. They parked by a large red van, Sarah pulling Jenny from the front seat and leading her so she wouldn't accidentally walk into anything.

There were people gathered around the porch smoking and cheering as one kid in particular tried to skate down the railing using a plate. Sarah smiled and waved at them. "Hey guys! Can we get in?"

The few persons using the door as support shot them dark looks. Jenny stepped back almost falling off the stone porch. Sarah bit her lip, nervously. Then all three kids laughed and waved hands at them, gurgling and moving out of the way. "Jus' kidding, of course."

Now the two nodded, exchanged a brief look of relief and clambered through the door. A guy with a ponytail helped pull them through, the smell of clean oxygen under their noses for a second more before they were pulled into absolute chaos. Kids sitting in circles injecting needles, kids having sex on chairs, kids signing into spoons, kids throwing furniture at each other and collapsing to the floor screaming 'bomb'.

Thousands of different smells wafted into their nostrils and mouth from the food and the sex and the drugs. They were so caught up in the colors of the party for a second they forgot to breathe. Then, Jenny was gone and it was Sarah alone again.

She smiled anxiously at the many people surrounding her. "Sarah, hey!" "Over here, hottie." "Hey sweetie, wanna head into the bathroom for a bit?" "Hey Sar, how's it going?" "Let's fuck, cutie."

How many times had she gone to these parties? How many times had she hated it but put up with it for Jenny and Reena and Lucy and Josh and..for herself. After all, how do you think she made friends? Just walked into school one day, said "I'm popular" and poof wish come true? No, it was the drugs, the revels.

Graffiti stained every wall, aerosol smell mixing with the incense. It was enough to make anyone sick, enough to make anyone excited.

Sarah thought of David. Of how he'd never dare do something like this. He had always been the reckless one, though and she Miss Perfect. Until the hating came and the poking fun. That had changed her mind completely. It was live life the way you want and be tortured or fall to your feet and be rejoiced over.

David didn't care though. So smart, so selfless. Sarah loved him and Les really, so very much. But that would so interfere with her current life and..

There wasn't much she could do to change things, anyway. Why was David always so dependent on her? Waiting for her to get home? He didn't have to watch out for her! She was the elder sibling.

Sarah choked on the scent of absinthe that floated through the air. She felt her eyes get hot and watery and so rushed outside and into the backyard.

Her palms were flat and sticky on the car side, she breathed hard, trying to ignore the crave for the drug. She leaned against the tire for sometime, wishing she hadn't come. Wishing it could have just been her and Jenny.

A cranking sound reached her ears and she turned, dizzy and off and curious, lifting herself from the ground. She followed the sound to the trunk of another car and carefully peaked inside.

There were two boys, tangled in each other's arms, one hand in blonde hair the other in brown. Their breaths were mixing and mingling in the air between them as they kissed. Bodies warm against one another. "Race.." The blonde boy hissed out happily. "Isn't this better than some game tournament at Skittery's house?" "Race" tugged at his shirt collar and smooched him again in reply. They made happy, squeaky noises.

A smile crossed Sarah face as she listened to the lovers. She shut her eyes tight and rested her head against the car, content with listening to their breathing. The sounds eventually lulled her to sleep.

-0o0o0o0o0o0o0o-

David waited by the window, eyelids half closed, hair mussed and lips pouty. It seemed, Sarah wasn't planning on returning home that night.

He let a sigh escape his mouth, "Where did you go wrong, Sarah?"

Everything was bound to change, anyway. David cared too much for his own good and Sarah was pulling herself in too deep.

(oOo)

And now we enter the life of Jack one kind Saturday afternoon. It is cloudy of course, had been for some time now.

Jack Kelly was lying on his front lawn, eyes closed, head facing the sky. His fingers gripped the green grass and he thought of David. He'd promised Mush he'd show up at his house around 4.

He didn't really know what time it was, but didn't particularly care as long as he wasn't about to late to Myers' house. The sound of a car pulling up near the house reached his ears. Jack shot up into a sitting position, wondering who it could be at this time.

The car door swung open and his father swaggered out, pants torn and shirt ripped. Mr. Kelly swayed as he walked, gripping the beer in his right hand so hard it should have broken.

Jack was on his feet quickly, turning to flee from his father. The man was never home, why should he come home suddenly? And so early in the day? "BOY! Do not run from me."

Master Kelly rolled on the balls of his feet, slowly facing the epitome of his nightmares. "Y-yes father?"

The man lurched forward and balled his shirt with his fist, pulling him toward the man. "You make me sick, boy."

Then, Jack was back on the ground, his tailbone aching with hurt. And his father was gone.

Just like it had always been. In out and done with. Jack let out a deep sigh. "Time to get over to Mush's place." The sun seemed to be smiling at him, but he only sneered back, upset with his own fear.

Jack Kelly had to be fearless, right?

In the rain the pavement shines like silver

All the lights are misty in the river

In the darkness the trees are full fo starlight

And all I see is him and me for ever and forever

And I know it's only in my mind

That I'm talking to myself and not to him

And although I know that he is blind

Still I say there's a way for us

I love him

But when the night is over

He is gone, the river's just a river

Without him the world around me changes

The trees are bare and everywhere the streets

Are full of strangers

I love him

But everyday I'm learning

All my life I've only been pretending

Without me his world will go on turning

A world that's full of happiness that I have

Never known

I love him, I love him

I love him, but only on my own

--Too angsty? Please tell me if you like the sudden swing the stories taken. Yar. I'm glad the next one won't be so..UCK. --

Until chapter 3.. D

Don't worry, the next one's happier. Back to the steady pace. No ups an' downs.