Jack/Crutchie at the end
I don't own Newsies
1.
Six-year-old Crutchie huddled against an alley wall, trying to keep the cold out.
He curled into himself in a vain attempt to stay warm.
He felt something cold touch his arm and looked over to see a white flake on his shoulder.
Soon, it was snowing hard a Crutchie was getting covered.
Crutchie realized that he was going to die unless a miracle happened.
Jack had just sold his last paper when it started snowing.
He started walking faster so he didn't get stuck outside for the night,
He decided the fastest way to get back to the lodging house was to cut through an alley.
As he was hurrying through, he tripped on something.
It was only then he noticed the little boy curled up against the wall.
"Hey, are you okay?" Jack asked, walking towards him.
The boy shrank backwards, "Go away! I don't have anything you want!" the boy cried out in fear.
Jack felt his heart break at the boys cries. "I'm not going to hurt you, I just wanted to see if you're okay. Do you have anywhere to go? Any family?"
"No," the boy said quietly, "Not anymore."
"Well then you're coming with me." Jack decided.
"I can take care of myself!" The boy protested.
"I believe you, but if you stay here, you'll die." Jack moved to help the kid stand up but was surprised when the kid fell back over.
The kid groaned, "Can you hand me my crutch?"
Jack realized that the crutch is what he had tripped on, and he picked it up.
Jack decided that the kid probably didn't have much strength left so he walked over and scooped the kid up in his arms.
"Hey! Put me down!" the kid yelled.
"Do you really want to walk in the snow with that crutch?"
The kid stopped protesting.
They walked in silence for a few moments before the kid spoke up.
"So, what's your name?" he said.
"My name is Jack Kelly." Jack said, "What's yours?"
"You can call me Crutchie," the kid replied.
"It's nice to meet you Crutchie," Jack replied.
"It's nice to meet you Jack."
2.
The brisk November air blew through the streets.
Crutchie hummed as he limped down the sidewalk.
He had been part of the newsies for the past three years now, and it was the second-best thing that had ever happened to him.
The first was, of course, meeting Jack.
Crutchie looked down to see he only had two papers left.
"Would you like a paper sir?" Crutchie asked, but the man ignored him.
Crutchie sighed as he realized that he was going to have to make something up to sell his last papers.
He looked at the headline, "250 people evacuate city hall based on false alarm," which could easily be turned to, "250 people forced to evacuate city hall in fire."
"Extra! Extra! 250 people forced to evacuate City Hall during fire!" Crutchie yelled.
A man approached him.
The man fished a dime out of his pocket, "Here you go."
"Thank you, sir!" Crutchie said as he pocketed the dime. It was then he realized that there was another man across the street walking toward him.
"Well hello! I believe you said there was a fire in City Hall. Which page would that be on?" The man who approached him said.
"Page one," said Crutchie.
"Really? But the paper said it was a false alarm. How could this be?" the man said.
" I'm sorry sir, I made a mistake, I meant to say that they thought there was a fire," Crutchie said, a bit nervously.
"You see, I don't think it was an accident. I think you were lying. And I think you're lying about your leg too. And I hate liars."
The man pushed Crutchie into an alley, causing him to fall to the ground.
The man broke Crutchie's crutch on his knee.
"Let's see you lie about that leg now!" The man said throwing the pieces to the ground.
That's when he realized that Crutchie was still on the ground.
The man paled, realizing that Crutchie wasn't lying about his leg, and then ran out of the alley.
Crutchie groaned as he sat up and noticed his broken crutch. He would have to stay outside for the night.
Then, because the universe hated him, it started raining.
Jack looked worriedly at the darkened sky.
It was about 8:00, but Crutchie wasn't back yet.
Jack began to pace back and forth.
"Jack! Calm down! I'm sure he's fine!" Race said, annoyed.
"But what if he's not? What if he's hurt? What if he's in the refuge?" Jack said, panicking.
At that point it started to rain outside.
"I'm not waiting anymore; I'm going out to look for him." Jack said, opening the door.
"Do you want me to come with you?" Race asked.
"No, I can do it, but thank you." Jack said, grabbing two tattered jackets, one for himself, and another for Crutchie.
He closed the door behind him and set off into the rain.
He searched Crutchie's most common selling spots first but found no sign of him.
Soon, the rain turned to hail, and Jack started running.
He searched all of Crutchie's other spots and was about to give up, when he remembered Crutchie saying that one day he was going to try a new park nearby.
Jack quickly ran over to the new area and searched it.
He finished searching, but he did not see Crutchie.
He started heading back when he heard a whimpering coming from an alley.
The sound stopped, but Jack decided to head down just in case.
He turned in to see Crutchie curled up, trying to protect himself from the hail.
"Crutchie!" Jack cried.
"J-j-jack?" Crutchie shivered.
Jack ran over to him and checked for injuries.
When he made sure that Crutchie wasn't bleeding, he looked around.
The first thing he noticed was the broken crutch.
"Crutchie, what happened?" Jack asked.
"A-a man t-thought I was l-lying a-about being c-crippled a-and b-broke it." Crutchie explained.
Jack took both jackets and wrapped them around Crutchie's shivering frame.
He then picked Crutchie up and started making his way back to the lodging house.
Crutchie didn't say a single word on their way back, he just rested his head against Jack's chest, a testament to how tired and cold he really was.
Race was waiting for them when they got back.
The first thing he noticed was Crutchie in Jack's arms, the second thing he noticed was the broken crutch Jack was also carrying.
He wordlessly made room on the couch for Crutchie and picked up some blankets.
Jack put Crutchie down and started wrapping him up.
At that moment, Romeo, Albert, Specs, Elmer, and Finch came into the room.
The looked shocked when they saw Crutchie
"What happened?" Specs asked, coming over to the couch.
"Apparently, some jerk broke his crutch because he thought Crutchie was faking. Crutchie couldn't leave the alley and then it started hailing. I went out and found him." Jack explained.
"Are you okay Crutchie?" Romeo asked timidly.
"I'm f-fine," Crutchie said, still shaking, "Just cold."
They stayed with him until he was warm.
As they left to get in bed, Crutchie caught Jack's hand.
"Thank you," He said sleepily.
"No problem kid."
3.
"Extra! Extra! Car Crashes all around the city!"
11-year-old Crutchie was attempting to sell his papers, but it was almost impossible when your headline is traffic.
He continued to walk down the street when he felt the collar of his shirt being grabbed and he was pulled back into the alley.
He looked to see both Delanceys facing him with identical grins on their faces.
"Well hello crip, what are you doing today?" Morris said.
They kicked his crutch out from under him and laughed as he collapsed.
"You see, my brass knuckles have been getting tired and they need some exercise." Oscar said with a sneer as he started kicking Crutchie.
"We just wanted to remind you that you are a useless cripple that no one cares about." Morris said.
"Y-you're wrong!" Crutchie said, "Jack cares about me!"
"Kelly?" Oscar said with a snort, "He doesn't care about you. He just feels bad for you. He's using you."
Crutchie knew this wasn't true, but the words still hurt.
They started kicking him harder, and Crutchie curled into a ball to avoid them, but it was no use.
Eventually they got tired of that and they started punching him.
Crutchie screamed as Oscar's brass knuckles made contact with his face.
After a few more punches, Morris pulled out a knife.
Oscar held Crutchie down as Morris began cutting Crutchie's back with the knife.
Crutchie tried to scream, but Oscar put his hand over Crutchie's mouth.
Morris continued to cut Crutchie on his back, arms, legs, and face, ignoring his muffled sobs and screams.
After that, Oscar picked up Crutchie's crutch and held it above his head.
As he began to bring it down on Crutchie's back, he was suddenly stopped by something.
The crutch was yanked from his grasp and when he turned around, he came face to face with an angry Jack Kelly.
"What do you think you're doing?" Jack said menacingly.
Oscar didn't have time to reply before Jack punched him in the face.
Oscar grabbed his brother and ran out of the alley.
Jack rushed over to Crutchie, who was bleeding on the ground.
"Crutch, it's okay, you're safe now."
Jack tried to comfort his crying brother, but Crutchie was in too much pain.
"I'm going to carry you back to the lodging house where we will fix you up." Jack said.
"Okay," Crutchie said with a pain filled voice.
That night after being bandaged up by Kloppman and confined to a bed, Crutchie leaned against Jack, grateful that he had such an amazing friend and brother.
4.
Race was hanging around in the lodging house after a good day of selling.
He was starting to drift off when he was awoken by a sharp knock on the door.
He got up and opened it, to see an older man outside.
"Hello. Did you need something sir?" Race asked warily.
"Yes. I heard from someone that there was a newsboy here, about thirteen, who had a crutch. Can I see him?" The man asked.
Race thought for a moment, but he decided if the man was looking for Crutchie, that it wasn't good.
"No sir, we don't have a newsie like that. You might want to try Brooklyn." Race replied.
He started to shut the door, but the man caught it.
"Please let me see him. It's important."
As Race wondered what to do, Crutchie himself walked up.
"Hey Race, what's going- "Crutchie froze and his faced paled when he noticed the person in the door.
"Hello Charlie," the man said.
Crutchie abruptly closed the door in the man's face.
Crutchie walked over to a chair and heavily sat down.
"Crutchie? Are you okay? What just happened?" Race asked worriedly, he had never seen Crutchie this pale.
"No, no, no," Crutchie muttered to himself as he buried his face in his hands.
"Crutchie," Race repeated, "What just happened?"
Crutchie looked up, "Race, please don't tell anyone about this, especially not Jack."
"Okay," Race said uncertainly.
The next day the man knocked again.
Race looked up from where he was playing cards, but he didn't open the door.
The man knocked again.
This time, Race opened the door a crack.
"What do you want?" Race said.
"I want to see that newsie that was here yesterday." The man said.
"Well he is not here right now. So, go." Race shut the door.
The next day the man didn't knock, and Race and Crutchie both relaxed.
That evening, all the newsies were sitting around.
Race was playing cards with Specs and Romeo was watching them with wide eyes.
Jack and Crutchie were sitting next to each other on the old couch talking.
That is when the knocking started.
Jack stood up to get the door, but Race jumped in front of him.
"Jack don't get it," Race said.
"Why?" Jack asked, confused.
"I can't tell you," Race said, casting glances at Crutchie, who had gone pale again, "But you can't get it."
"Unless you give me a good reason, I am going to get it," Jack shoved past Race and opened the door.
"Hello, what do you need?" Jack asked the man.
"I need to see one of your newsies, a boy with a crutch," the man said.
Jack narrowed his eyes, "Why do you want to see Crutchie?"
"I promise I'm not going to do anything to him, I just want to talk with him." The man reassured.
"Crutchie!" Jack called back into the room, "a man wants to talk to you."
Crutchie slowly limped up.
"What do you want?" Crutchie said shakily.
"Now is that any way to address me?" the man said sharply.
"Wait a moment. Who are you?" Jack asked.
"Oh, he didn't tell you. I'm Charlie's father." The man said.
Jack froze, and the man realized he had made a mistake when Jack's face morphed into anger.
"Get. Out." Jack said, fury in his voice, "How dare you come here a try to speak with him!"
"I don't know what you mean?" Crutchie's father feigned confusion.
"You know what I mean. And I know what you did," Jack said.
Crutchie's father paled, and slowly started backing away.
"This isn't over crip!" He spat.
He then ran off into the street.
Jack looked over at Crutchie who was pale and shaking.
"Hey kid, it's okay." Jack pulled Crutchie into a hug.
Crutchie rested his head on Jack's shoulder, "I thought I would never see him again," Crutchie whispered, "I thought he was gone."
"Guys, what just happened?" Race interjected, "That was your father? What horrible thing did he do?"
Crutchie closed his eyes tightly and Jack shot a glare a Race, who stopped talking.
"C'mon kid, let's go to the roof," Jack said.
Once they were up there, Crutchie broke.
"E-every time you wake me from a nightmare, you promise that he can't hurt me anymore. But he came back!" Crutchie cried.
Jack held him. "I can't promise that you will never see him again Crutch, but I promise you I will not let him hurt you again."
Jack continued to comfort Crutchie until he fell asleep.
Jack lay him down on the mattress.
"I promise you kid, I promise you," Jack whispered before lying down.
They both slept peacefully.
5.
Crutchie was running, or at least trying to.
He saw Jack at the end of the alley, but no matter how fast he went, Jack just got farther.
"Jack! Wait for me!" He called.
He then felt himself being grabbed by someone.
"Jack! Jack help me!" Crutchie cried, but Jack had disappeared.
The person who grabbed him pushed him to the ground where he hit his head.
He looked up to see Snyder standing above him, crutch over his head.
"It's off to the Refuge to you little man!" Snyder yelled as he brought the crutch down on Crutchie body.
Crutchie screams rang through the alleyway.
Crutchie looked up and saw Jack gazing at him.
"Jack help!" Crutchie called out.
Instead of helping him, Jack sneered, "You deserve this, you weren't fast enough, you are nothing but a useless crip!"
Jack walked over to Snyder, who gave him the crutch.
Jack then began to bring the crutch down onto Crutchie repeatedly.
Crutchie cried for Jack to stop, but he didn't.
Even through the screams, Crutchie heard a voice.
Wait, was that Jack?
But that made no sense, Jack was here, hitting him.
He heard the voice again.
Jack. That was Jack.
The next time he heard the voice, Crutchie tried to tell what it was saying.
"Wake up Crutchie! Wake up!" Jack's voice yelled at him.
Suddenly everything went black.
Crutchie screamed as he was woken from his dream.
It only took one glance to realize he was on the roof and Jack was sitting next to him.
Suddenly, he started to cry.
In between gasps, he could hear Jack's voice, trying to comfort him.
He felt Jack's arms surround him and he remembered the pain that Dream Jack had inflicted.
Crutchie yelled in fright as he pushed Jack away and scrambled to the corner.
Jack looked surprised at the sudden outburst, but he quickly concealed it. He could tell that Crutchie was terrified and did not understand what was going on.
"Crutchie," Jack said slowly, "I need you to look at me."
Crutchie slowly lifted his eyes to meet Jack's and it hurt Jack to see the terror and pain in them.
"You were having a dream," Jack continued, "You are safe now."
Crutchie slowly calmed down as he realized that Jack hadn't hurt him, would never hurt him.
Jack came over and, once he made sure Crutchie was okay with it, enveloped him in his arms.
"Do you want to tell me what the dream was about?" Jack asked once they had broken the embrace.
Crutchie shook his head mutely.
"You sure?"
Crutchie hesitated, he kind of did want to tell Jack, but he wasn't sure.
"I promise that whatever it was about, I won't judge you in any way," Jack reassured.
So Crutchie told him.
Jack was speechless when Crutchie had finished.
"You know I would never hurt you, right?" Jack said, once he had regained his voice.
"Yes, I do," Crutchie whispered, "It just felt so real!"
"The worst nightmares do that to you," Jack said, pulling Crutchie in for a hug,
Crutchie snuggled into Jack, wondering how he ever thought that his brother could hurt him.
1.
Jack was standing on the roof, looking out at the setting sun.
He heard Crutchie's footsteps behind him.
"Jack?" Crutchie asked, coming up next to him, "What happened?"
Jack sighed, "I broke up with Katherine."
Crutchie's eyes went wide, "What?"
"We both agreed that we needed to take different paths, and that we would still remain friends," Jack said.
"Well that's not bad! Remember that time with Eleanor?" Crutchie said with a grin on his face.
Jack blushed, "I thought we weren't going to talk about that!"
Crutchie's smile faded. "Are you okay?" He asked.
"The strange thing is, I'm okay with it." Jack said, "And I think I know why."
"Why?"
"You see, I have had this crush on someone else for a long time, and I think it was just now I realized it." Jack said.
"Who is it?" Crutchie asked with interest, and Jack was suddenly aware how close they were.
"I can't tell you; you'll hate me." Jack responded.
"Jack, whoever it is, I will not hate you," Crutchie reassured.
"You will."
"I promise I won't."
"Well then," Jack said, knowing very well this could be the last time he talked with his friend, "It's… It's you."
"Me?" Crutchie asked with confusion,
Jack looked down as he felt the confusion turn into understanding.
He was bracing himself for the harsh words, but Crutchie said nothing.
Jack slowly looked up to see a small smile on Crutchie's face.
"Well, that's okay then, because I think I like you too," Crutchie whispered.
"W-what?" Jack stuttered in confusion, "How can- "
Crutchie cut Jack off with a kiss.
"I said I like you too," Crutchie said.
They sat down next to each other, side by side, like it was always meant to be.