I really do hope people are enjoying this story!


As the newsies decided who was going to which part of the city, Jack was proud of all of them and their devotion to the strike. However, when none of them wanted to go to Brooklyn, Jack couldn't actually be too frustrated with them. She just saw it as another opportunity to spend time with a certain newcomer.

"Fine, Davey and I will take Brooklyn," she stated and Davey was quick to respond.

"Me? No, I –"

"Why is everyone so scared of Brooklyn?"

Jack was thankful that a certain reporter came in at that point. At least the distraction would keep Davey from pushing too much to not go to Brooklyn with her.

The other newsies stared at the reporter in surprise. "What are you doing here?" wondered Jack, sending the girl a welcoming smile.

"Asking a question. Have you got an answer?"

The lead newsie truly was impressed by the reporter's quick comebacks. "Brooklyn is the 6ht largest city in the entire world," explained Jack. "You've got Brooklyn, you hit the mother lode." However, there was something that Jack found curious as she remembered the other day when said reporter was near newsies square. "You know, for someone who works for The New York Sun, you are spending an awful lot of time hanging around at The World. So, what's that about? Seen a newsie that caught your eye?" She even sent the reporter a cheeky smile.

In all honesty, Jack knew that what she did came off as flirting but she couldn't get rid of the habit that easily. She had pretended when she was younger to throw others off the possibility of her being a girl but now…

She figured it was too ingrained into her for her to stop.

"No, the only thing that's caught my eye is a story," explained the reporter. "A ragtag gang of ragamuffins wants to take on the king makers of New York? Well, do you think you have a chance?"

"Shouldn't you be at the ballet?" wondered one of the newsies. Jack glanced in that direction with a frown. She hadn't exactly caught who it was that said that but if she ever found out, they'd get a firm talking to about how to address the ladies.

"Is the question too difficult? I'll rephrase," replied the reporter. Jack attempted to hide her impressed smile at the reporter's wit and sass. A girl after her own heart, she thought. "Will the richest and most powerful men in New York give the time of day to a gang of kids who haven't got a nickel to their name?"

"Hey! You don't gotta be insultin'," called out Crutchie and Jack was slightly surprised. Crutchie never really did get into arguments with… anybody. "I got a nickel."

That had Jack massaging her face as the reporter smiled, almost looking guilty for having said that. She then continued with a different spin to the story. "So, I guess you'd say you're a couple of Davids looking to take on Goliath."

"We never said that," cut in Davey quickly.

"Well, you didn't have to. I did." She turned around once, taking in all the newsies and, with a bright smile, asked, "So, how about an exclusive interview?"

The newsies all glanced around at each other, unsure.

"You've written a story like this for the papes before?" wondered Davey.

Jack was close to intervening because she knew that the reporter did the entertainment column of The New York Sun, that was why she was at the Bowery the other night. However, this was still a chance to get their message out there: they shouldn't be too picky on who can or cannot write it.

"Well, I'm just breaking away off the social pages –" began the reporter hesitantly.

"Wait, so you ain't written any actual news?" cut in Finch in disbelief.

"Maybe we should save the exclusive for another reporter," suggested Davey.

The reporter was getting desperate, glancing around towards the other newsies until her gaze landed on Jack. She quickly made her towards the newsie leader before saying, "Let me run with the story and I promise I'll get you the space."

Jack hesitated long enough for Crutchie to say cautiously, "You'd really be able to get us in the papes?"

"Shut down a paper like The World, and you're gonna make the front page," explained the reporter as seriously as possible.

That got the attention of the boys and their hesitation was gone.

Jack realized that she would be putting a lot of faith in someone who couldn't stand her just the other day. However, if they wanted to make an impact, they needed all the help they could get.

"Be at the circulation gate tomorrow mornin', and you'll get your story," she stated which got the reporter to smile brightly. Jack smiled right back as she turned towards her newsies and added, "And bring your camera. You're gonna want to snap a picture of this!"

The boys cheered in excitement at the prospect of actually being in the newspaper they sold. Who would blame them? Most had been selling papers for years and had never seen a story concerning any newsie. This would make history and they were beyond excited to be a part of it.

"Boys, play outside," cut in Jacobi, dousing the celebration. "I gotta set up for dinner and I got payin' customers that need the tables."

The boys groaned but did as they were asked. They helped set the tables and chairs they had moved back to their original places, even passing a quick rag over the tables to help out the owner. He let them hang around his restaurant while it was empty without making a fuss about them taking up space and not paying that they usually did a little extra for the man.

Once finished, Finch addressed the others, "Now, come on! We got newsies to visit!"

"Hey, you won't be shooin' us off when we get our mugs in the papes!" added Race towards Jacobi with a smug look.

The man just nodded half-heartedly, motioning for them to get going and the group did as they were told. As they were leaving, Jack slung an arm around Davey's shoulders, wanting to remind him of the plan that she had set up.

"So, ready for Brooklyn?" she wondered with a small smile.

Davey hesitated as he searched for Les. "Our folks are waiting for us for dinner. How about after that?"

Jack felt a sting once more at the mention of parents but she put on a front, nodding with a smile. "Sounds fine to me. Meet at the Brooklyn bridge? Our side though, don't go crossing it without me!"

"Alright, alright, I won't. You know you're still invited over if you want. Or do you have plans with another fella again?"

Davey gave Jack a look and she realized he had seen through her lie the other day. However, she still wasn't about to meet any folks any time soon. "Nah but thanks anyway," she replied, scrunching her face and moving her arm off of him. "Meet you in an hour and a half? Enough time?"

Davey sighed before nodding. "Yes, but if you ever change that stubborn mind or yours, the offer still stands, alright?" He gave Jack another look and she gave a somewhat shrug, somewhat nod which seemed to satisfy Davey. "Les!" he called out. "Folks are waiting, let's go!"

Les ran up to his brother and, after sending a quick smile and 'goodbye' to Jack, the two brothers ran off down the street.

The other newsies had already left by then and Jack was about to do the same thing when she spotted the reporter a few feet away, papers still in hand and watching Jack expectantly.

"Anything else you wanted?" wondered Jack which seemed like the cue the other young woman needed to approach.

"So, what's your story?" she asked. "Are you selling papers to make your way through art school?" She held out the sketch Jack had done the other night at the Bowery and Jack froze, eyes wide as she stared at it.

The sketch of Davey. That's where it had gone! And the reporter had seen it. She had also seen the subject of said sketch and even witnessed Jack being a bit to clingy around him.

Jack needed to straighten out the situation as soon as possible before the reporter snooped around too much.

"Art school? You're kidding me, right?" replied Jack, trying to get the subject changed.

Besides, she found the whole idea of being able to even go to art school ridiculous. She barely made enough to get by on the streets and this reporter thought she could afford art school on top of everything else?

"But you're an artist!" countered the young woman, pointing at the sketch. "You've got real talent. You should be inside the paper, illustrating it, not outside hawking it."

That was a novel idea, thought Jack with a chuckle. "Maybe that's not what I want."

"Then what do you want?"

Jack didn't answer because both things she wanted, she didn't particularly want to share with the reporter at that moment.

The reporter waited a moment before sighing, placing the sketch behind the papers she had been using for her notes on the strike.

"Well then, have you always been their leader?" she asked, ready to take more notes.

Jack was a tad surprised that it was that easy to avoid the awkward questions about the subject of the sketch. She hesitated a moment before answering. "I'm the blowhard, Davey's the brains."

"Modesty is not a quality I would've pinned on you," remarked the reporter before thinking something over. "Was he the one you were talking to? The one…?" She motioned towards the sketch and Jack inwardly cursed.

So much for avoiding the subject.

"Yeah, that's him," she replied, attempting to be as nonchalant as possible.

"You're close friends with him?"

"Yeah, we're friends."

"Since when?"

Jack bit back a groan. One thing she should have seen coming talking with this young woman was the never ending questions: she wanted to be a real reporter and she was going to ask as many questions as she needed for her story.

"Mr. Kelly?"

Well, she'll have most of the information right, thought Jack. "Since yesterday but I ain't really got problems making friends." Jack thought the statement over as she took a look at the reporter. "Well, most of the time. With you, it's harder."

The reporter hesitated, pausing in her note taking, and Jack was silently cheering that she had managed to divert the subject away from Davey.

"Well, our previous encounters were not the best," explained the reporter.

"Is this one better?" wondered Jack, making the other girl reluctantly nod her head. "You have a name?" asked Jack suddenly, realized she never got her name.

"Katherine… Plumber."

The hesitation in her answer had Jack puzzled. "What's the matter, ain't you sure?" she joked.

"It's my by-line, the name I publish under," explained Katherine before returning to her notes. "Now, tell me about tomorrow. What are you hoping for?"

Jack eyed her for a moment but, seeing as the reporter had not returned her question on Jack's relationship with Davey, the newsie was going to let that quick change of subject pass as well.

"Today we stopped other newsies from carryin' the papes, but the wagons still deliver to the rest of the city. Tomorrow, we stop the wagons," she answered.

"Are you scared?"

"Do I look scared?" replied Jack quickly but she did stop to think about it. With all the adrenaline of the day, she had never stopped to consider the possible problems they may encounter. "But, uh… ask me again in the morning," she added, not liking how her thoughts turned dark on everything that could happen to her newsies.

"Ooh, good answer," said Katherine, taking note. She wrote a few more things down before looking back at Jack, already moving away. "Well, Goodnight, Mr. Kelly, and good luck in Brooklyn with your friend."

"Uh… Thanks," replied Jack, surprised at how sudden the reporter needed to leave.

"And, off the record, good luck with the strike."

Jack smiled at her, watching the young woman walk away. After several feet, Jack ran up to catch her. "Hey, Plumber!" she called and the reporter slowed to the stop, turning around. "Write it good. We both got a lot riding on you." Katherine nodded slowly in understanding which was good enough for Jack. "Goodnight," said the newsie before heading off as well to grab bite to eat.

She had a date with Brooklyn later.

And Davey.

If only he knew that.


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