Title: Secrets Behind the Lies
Author: Stress
First written: June 27, 2002- March 19, 2004
Edited and replaced: May 16, 2006
Summary: Part II of the Soul Mates Series; After living in Manhattan for two years, Stress thought she knew everything about Jack Kelly or, should we say Francis Sullivan? Well, guess not.
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Back at the Distribution Center
"One of these days those two are going to realize that they are meant for each other," Stripes chuckled as Stress grabbed Jack's arm and dragged him away from the rest of the newsies.
"Yeah, one of these days," Martini agreed.
Blink groaned as he tightened his grip on his girl. "Now, now, Martini. What did those two say about you and Stripes here playing matchmaker?"
Martini silenced Blink's questions with quick kisses as everyone else around them busted out laughing.
"I hate to leave this li'l party we got going on here, but me and Bookie have a trolley that's calling our names." Race took one last drag of his morning cigar, tossed it on the ground, grabbed Bookie's hand and headed off on his way to Sheepshead Bay.
"Yeah, I guess I'm going to go too," Moth said, shifting her papers under her right arm. "Quirky, you ready?"
"Sure. Jake, we're going to go with Moth today, alright?" Quirky looked up at Jake, her eyes sparkling in a way that dared him to object.
Jake leaned forward and kissed her on her nose. "Sure thing, Quirky, there."
Moth rolled her eyes and whispered to Mocking Boid. "This is what I have to deal with today? God help me."
Mocking Boid tried to stifle her giggle, but failed miserably. When the others heard her snort, she straightened up and addressed Spin and Stripes. "Spin, Stripes, are you'se two still going to go to the harbor?"
While Stripes nodded, Spin looked over at Mush. "Sounds fine to me," he shrugged as he pulled Spin closer to him.
Spin giggled slightly and snuggled her face in Mush's chest. "Later, Mush."
Stripes cleared her throat loudly and then laughed when she saw Spin and Mush jump apart. "Gip, you sure you want to go off by yourself?"
Gip nodded quickly. "Yeah." She had waited on line with Stripes, Moth and Mocking Boid to get their papers, but now that she was all set to go, she wanted to be alone. "I'll meet up with you girls later at the house."
"Alright, Gip. See you later," Moth said as she gave the other girls warning looks.
Stripes, Spin, Quirky, Martini and Mocking Boid saw her warning look and interpreted it appropriately. None of the girls, or guys for that matter, said anything as Gip headed off through Newsies Square, just past the giant Horace Greeley statue, by herself.
Gip walked out a few feet and glanced backwards slightly. "Good, no one's following me." She nodded once and continued walking until she reached the alley beside the bookstore just outside Newsies Square.
"There you are."
Gip's eyes lit up as she heard the familiar voice call from behind a stack of boxes in the alley. "Yup, I'm here." She placed her papers on the ground and headed to where the voice had called.
There, leaning against the wall, stood a young man, around nineteen, with blonde hair and emerald green eyes. He held himself tall and proud, as if he were royalty. It was his self-confidence and stature that had earned him his nickname after all. King. King, the leader of the Manhattan newsies for the past few years. King, Gypsy's secret lover of the past six months. King, the man who would be leaving New York in three days.
But, of course, not many people knew of King's urgency to leave the city. In fact, only one person knew. And it wasn't Gip.
"Gip." He murmured her name as he walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her frame. As he felt the weight of her head on his shoulders, he thought back to the first time he had realized that he had fallen hard for her. It had been close to two years ago; He and Jack had rescued Stress and Gip from a crazed Queens newsie, Rip, who had been trying to get his sick and twisted idea of revenge on Stress. From that moment, when he had seen Gip's helpless body lying in that dark alley, he had knew he was in love.
It had taken awhile, over a year in fact, for him to get up the nerve to tell Gip how he felt. He knew that Gip had had some bad experiences with men in the past, so he was prepared for the battle for her heart. It had been a hard and long one, but in the end he had won. The only condition of their relationship was that it was kept secret.
King shook his head at that one. He could never understand at first why Gip insisted on keeping their love a secret. It took a few months, but he had finally realized that Gip was trying, in her own way, to protect him. Griff, that bastard from her past, would be sure to hear if she was with someone new, especially if he was the leader of the Manhattan newsies.
Still clinging tight to Gip, King thought back to the letter he had received the week before.
" Matthew,
You don't know how long and hard I have searched for an address to contact you. Finally, though, I think one of my contacts have proved truthful. It's about Mother, dear brother. Unfortunately, she has not been well since you left us those five years ago. Though no one blames you and we do understand why you had to leave us, we think that it's time for you to come home and say goodbye. Yes, goodbye. Mother will not be getting better again. The doctor's have given her two weeks.
Matthew, her last request is to say goodbye. Please don't deny her that.
Your Sister,
Suzette "
King sighed. He had left his hometown in Connecticut five years ago and had never once looked back. But he couldn't deny his mother her last request. And besides, who could, or wanted to, be a newsie forever?
Gip heard his sigh and lifted her head to meet his eyes. "Is there something wrong, King?"
King smiled, a sad and lonely smile that did not meet his eyes. "Remember, you're going to find yourself a nice job in Connecticut so you can make enough money to marry Gip," he reminded himself. As much as his leaving might hurt her now, it was all being done for her in the long run. At least, that's what he kept telling himself. "Gip..."
"Yes, King?" Gip shook slightly in his arms, anticipating his words. She didn't know how she knew, but she knew something was coming. Something she didn't want to hear.
"Gip, I think we need to talk." he whispered into her hair. When he felt her head slowly nod, he kissed her gently and led her out of the alley. This time of day the best place to talk was Tibby's.