Well, this is the second to last chappie. I hope you're all liking it and have enjoyed it. This is a just a little chapter to show the evolution of Jenna and Racetrack's relationship before the last chappie, so it's a bit slow but I think it's relevent. Anyway, thanks for reading everyone! Notes!

elleestJenn: You're right, it was a bit fast. I didn't want it to seem like Jenna didn't care about Mush in the least, but I also didn't want her to be the character that sugar coats things. She had to tell Mush somehow. It was a little too soon, you're right, but I'm trying to wrap up the story and I had to put it in there soon because waiting until the next chappie would be too long, you know?

SakiSaki: I'm glad you enjoyed that scene, I was actually thinking of you when I wrote it. LOL. I was like "SakiSaki is going to love this." LOL. Anyway, yeah, it was a bit redundant but I used the "Oh...!" for effect. LOL. Drama, I guess. LOL. :) Oh, and I've never seen Rocky Horrow Picture Show, heard about it though.

Chapter 20

All of the newsies attended the funeral, Racetrack with an arm around Jenna and Jack with a sling around his shoulder. Sarah and Crutchy stood on either side of her, Les and Connie wrapped around her legs. Spot and Mush stood nearby with Davey and Jack and Kid Blink and the rest stood surrounding her. She felt unusually calm and didn't shed a tear. It wasn't just Racetrack, but the fact that the rest of the newsies were there as well. She had a family here. Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs were there, Mrs. Jacobs in tears, Mr. Jacobs holding her close. After the funeral they approached Jenna.

"Oh, my dear, I'm so sorry," Mrs. Jacobs said, wiping her eyes and sniffling.

"It's all right," Jenna replied plainly.

"Where will you live now, Jenna? Do you have any plans?" Mr. Jacobs asked.

"N-no, Sir," she replied unsteadily. For the past few nights she had slept on the steps in front of the boarding house. Kloppman would even lend her a pillow and blanket. "But I'll make it."

"You certainly will," Mrs. Jacobs said with a determined expression on her brow. Jenna was confused until she elaborated. "Jenna, we want to adopt you. I know it's sudden but this is what your mother wanted and even if she hadn't mentioned anything we'd still be making you the offer, we can't leave someone we consider a daughter out on the streets."

Jenna just stood there in a daze. Part of her wanted to refuse; she was old enough to take care of herself. Another part of her wanted to agree with them. Her mother and father would main with her always but she would still be happy. Her parents wouldn't want her to be miserable without them. Her mother had wanted exactly this.

"Mrs. Jacobs, I would love to become a member of your family," Jenna said.

Jenna went from calling them "Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs" to "Esther" and "Mayer." It would take a little longer for her to be able to call them "Mom" and "Dad" but it would come gradually. She moved her bed and mother's rocking chair into the Jacobs' house, along with the pictures of both her father and mother. Jenna Thomas was now Jenna Jacobs. She didn't feel broken inside upon taking on the new name. It was merely a symbol of change, change her parents would approve of, in fact wanted. Jack and Racetrack were now regulars in the house for supper. Spot and Connie occasionally dropped by from Brooklyn. Everything was right. Jenna and Mush were fine and still very good friends, he had actually met a girl recently named Samantha who he affectionately referred to as "Sam."
"So this is the track, huh?" Jenna questioned as Racetrack led her down the street to the tracks that were so familiar to him.

"Yep," he replied plainly. "But this is just where I waste me money; the real place to be is inside da stables." He opened the door to the huge barn and in they walked.

"Oh, Race!" she cried breathlessly. "It's, it's-"

"Amazin', huh?" he said with a smile, grinning as he watched the expression on her face.

He went through and showed her all the horses. Her favorite was Misty, named because of her coat and the fact that she was like a mist when she ran, there one minute and done the next, like Smokey. He took her to his favorite spot in the loft and after a while she fell asleep on his shoulder. He brushed her hair from her face and kissed her forehead gently. Suddenly Tommy waltzed in whistling and Racetrack sat straight up. Jenna stirred but didn't wake. Tommy could see the papers lying on the floor and since Racetrack was no where to be seen he began to climb the ladder to the loft. There sat Racetrack, Jenna close by.

"T-Tommy, it's not how it looks!" Racetrack cried immediately before Tommy had a chance to even give a look.

"And what does it look like, Race?" he teased.

"You shut up," he sighed.

"So, this is Jenna?" he questioned.

"Yeah," Racetrack breathed.

"Oh, she's a find, Race, just look at dat red hair," Tommy remarked, staring at Jenna's beautiful red hair flashing until the golden sunlight seeping in through the slits between the wooden ceiling.

"Told ya," Racetrack said. Jenna stirred and her eyes fluttered open to see Racetrack's face staring into hers gently. "Good morning." He chuckled. She sighed and rubbed her eyes to see Tommy staring at her through her fuzzy vision. She drew back quickly just like a snake as the two boys just laughed harder.

"It's okay, Jenna," Tommy laughed good naturedly. "I'm Tommy, the caretaker for the horses. Race's been talkin' 'bout you for months. Now I finally get to meet you." Jenna's face was bright red but when she turned to at Racetrack she found his face the exact same shade.

"So, he really loves it down here, huh?" Jenna said, standing beside Tommy as they watched the current race from the barn, Racetrack ahead of them leaning against the fence. Tommy took a grad on his cigarette and nodded.

"Yep, sure does," he mumbled.

"So how did you get here?" she questioned curiously, turning to look at him.

"I've always loved horses and me pa used ta work here. When Pa died they told me they would house and feed me if I stayed on, seein' as I was good with the horses, so I did," Tommy explained. "Pretty simple."

"I can see why you two like it," Jenna said softly. "It's so peaceful." He nodded. "But ya know what, there's one thing I just hate."

"What's that?" Tommy asked, surprised at her sudden change in tone.

"I hate the way he smokes like that," she said, nodding toward the figure of Racetrack puffing away on his cigar.

"Well, I do it too," Tommy shrugged, taking another drag.

"I noticed," she muttered sarcastically with a slight smirk as he looked down at her and grinned too.

"So, did ya like da tracks?" Racetrack asked as the two walked down the street, his arm over Jenna's shoulders.

"Oh, I loved it," she sighed contentedly. He smiled and leaned in to touch her lips lightly. They stopped walking as he wrapped his arms around her waist. She removed his hat slowly and ran one hand through his dark hair, the thing she had dreamed of from the beginning. It was smooth and light, comforting to the touch.