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Davey didn't even have to pull out his keys as he reached the apartment door: Sarah was already there, waiting, a hand on her hip.

"Where'd your friend go?" she asked as she let her brothers in and glanced down the corridor.

"He needed to get back to help Crutchie," replied Davey, coming up with a valid excuse as to why Jack wasn't coming in.

Sarah stopped in the midst of closing the door as stared at her brother, her eyes wide. "You – you just lied. You never lie, Dave!"

"I –"

She finished shutting the door, cutting her brother off. "You're a horrible liar. Now go put Les to bed so you and I can discuss what happened. I'll tell the folks you're back."

"Discuss what?" asked Davey, perplexed, but Sarah had already left.

He sighed as he added towards his and Les' bedroom. He just wanted to go to sleep as well but he knew his older sister was not going to let whatever was on her mind go until she got her answers.

Once he had put Les in bed, he returned to the kitchen where Sarah was waiting at the table, looking at him expectantly.

"So, you lied to cover for… Jack. Why?" she asked and Davey noticed the slight hesitation she had before saying his friend's name.

"He – he just doesn't feel comfortable with parents, I guess," replied Davey, sitting down across from his sister. "I don't think he has any left. Not many of the newsies do."

Sarah nodded slowly, almost pitying those boys. However, she had a more pressing issue to get to. "You said 'he'. Are you lying about that too? Because remember what dad told us about lying."

Davey stared at her, confused. "What do you mean? How could I lie about sayin' 'he'?"

Sarah eyed her brother carefully and realized he was being honest about being in the dark. She just didn't understand HOW he was in the dark… Even though the street light shone on the newsies when she had seen them, she had been two stories higher up and it hadn't taken her long to figure it out.

"Dave, you do know your friend Jack is a girl, right?"

Davey stared at his sister as he tried to process the statement. A girl? Jack is… a girl? No matter how much he thought about it, it still didn't register properly and he just sat there, stunned. "No… No, Jack isn't a girl," he began quickly, racking his head for some type of explanation. "The others would have said something, they would have noticed! I would have noticed!"

That got a snort from Sarah. "Dave, you don't actually look at girls."

"That's not true," replied Davey quickly as he searched his memory for the last time he did. "I was looking at the ones at the Bowery!" he said, proud of himself for remembering that time.

Sarah just rolled her eyes. "For a good reason: their costumes leave little to the imagination. Unlike Jack. She's dressed like a newsie, with her hair cut short and everything!"

"Sarah, Jack isn't a girl," sighed Davey, thinking back on how Jack looked. He couldn't wrap his head around his friend pretending to be a boy. "You barely even saw him."

She gave him a look. "May I remind you that my job entails observing people, studying them –"

"You're a secretary."

"To know if I should let them see the boss or not. I actually see the people, see whether they're hiding something or not. Not many people take the time to do the same, to actually look to see the person."

"Many people do look at us," responded Davey, causing Sarah to shake her head in disbelief. "A client buying a pape would have noticed if Jack was a girl in boy's clothing."

"They don't actually see you, Dave," replied Sarah in exasperation. "They see a newsie, not one any different from the other. They don't care how you look: they want their paper and to keep goin'."

"That –"

"Had you ever noticed the different newsies in the neighborhood?" She countered. "Do you know which one of your new friends works these streets in particular?"

Davey stayed quiet, realizing he didn't know. He was sure he had passed at least one every day on his way to school but he could not remember for the life of him which ones he had crossed paths with.

However, he as sure he would have noticed if Jack was a girl.

He would have.

He frowned, remembering his sister's words: he didn't actually look at girls. He had been teased by her and others at school all because he spent more time with his nose in a book than actually paying attention to the people around him.

Even his own little brother had to point out a girl had been flirting with him. Davey had been so embarrassed by that situation, he avoided the girl for weeks after that...

Sarah watched her brother as he internally debated with himself and smirked, amused. She was very well aware of how oblivious Davey could be towards the opposite gender and, if she was honest with herself, she wasn't all that surprised by the situation.

Meanwhile, Davey was beginning to question what the newsies – Manhattan and all around New York – knew about Jack. If he – she – was actually a girl, who knew about it? If they knew, they were keeping it a secret as well. If they didn't...

Why was Jack hiding this secret?


Jack climbed up to her penthouse, stifling another yawn as she did. She had not expected to be out so late once again and the lack of sleep was catching up to her.

"Jack? How'd it go?" wondered Crutchie as he sat up from his makeshift bed.

Jack sent a smile his way but didn't answer right away, trying to find a way to phrase it so it didn't sound as disappointing as it was. As she tried to do that, she made her way over to him and sat down.

"Not good?" tried Crutchie softly.

Jack shrugged. "Could have been worse, to be honest," she began. "We just can't count Brooklyn in until we prove we ain't gonna flake…" She internally winced, thinking over what she had said. So much for making it sound better than it was, she thought.

Crutchie nodded, grasping Jack's hand. "And we ain't, Jack. We'll just proves to them that we'll stand our ground and they'll be the ones regrettin' not joinin' sooner!"

Jack glanced towards him, smiling softly. "Anyone tell you youse the best, Crutchie?"

He shoved her slightly as he tried to hide his blush at that praise. Not that Jack would have been able to see it anyway with the lack of light around them.

"Alright, time to sleep," murmured Jack, giving Crutchie's hand one last squeeze as she shifted herself to stand. He, however, didn't let go, tugging her back towards him.

"We can share the pillows again, Jack. You looks exhausted and they'll help," he explained.

Jack smiled towards her friend as she lay down. "You really are the best."

He smiled brightly at her, giving her hand another squeeze before he also lay down next to her. Jack continued smiling as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She thought back on the day and realized, even though they may not have Brooklyn's full support, they had each other.

She had her newsies.

She almost nodded off completely when she felt Crutchie shift next to her. She pried an eye open and noticed her friend shivering slightly. Internally, she sighed before forcing herself to open both eyes. She took another deep breath, mentally preparing to get up and get the blanket –

Crutchie suddenly turned on his side, snuggling up close to Jack and even wrapping an arm around her waist.

Jack froze. She knew she couldn't let Crutchie hold on to her like that for long, just in case he got even closer or his arm move too far up. She loved the kid dearly but she was playing with fire letting him that close.

"Crutchie. Hey," she called softly. "I'll go get the blankets. You'll –"

"No…," sighed Crtuchie sleepily. "'m fine. Don't go…"

"But…" Jack bit her lip, trying to find a good excuse to move and get the blankets. However, she couldn't exactly figure one out, especially considering she didn't want to bother Crutchie. "Fine…"

He smiled at the victory, snuggling closer as Jack lay tense and more awake than before. She knew by morning she'd be exhausted but…

It was Crutchie.

"Jack, I'll be careful…," he mumbled, frowning ever so slightly. "Stop… worrying…"

Her breath caught as she replayed those words over and over in her head. "Worrying…?" she repeated softly, almost hesitantly. "About what?"

Crutchie sighed, his face scrunching in frustration as he cracked an eye open to look at her. "Jack, I know… I just wants to stay warm and you're much warmed than the blankets."

Jack couldn't even look at Crutchie as she stared up at the sky. "Know…"

"Girl. You. Now, sleep, please," he yawned out and Jack felt her gut twist in panic.

"You knows?" she breathed out. "How…?"

"Youse my best friend, Jack. How could I not know? Now, sleep, please… We're both tired."

Jack took several deep breaths in an attempt to calm down. Crutchie knew she was a girl. With his reaction, she assumed he had known for some time now.

But then…

"You – you haven't told the others," she whispered in realization.

Unless he did and everyone has been keeping it a secret, she thought with a start.

"Haven't told anyone, Jack. I don't wants to 'cause it ain't for me to say. Now, I won'ts say it again, young lady. Go to sleep."

Jack couldn't stop a relieved laugh from escaping. The fear of someone finding out her secret lessened when Crutchie revealed he hadn't told anyone and especially by the fact that he didn't seemed bothered by the situation. She didn't know if she'd be ready to tell the others yet but she at least had Crutchie on her side.

Her love for the kid only grew.

She wrapped her arms around him, getting into a more comfortable position before whispering, "Thanks and goodnight, Crutchie."

He yawned before smiling. "'Night," he answered. "Enjoy your dreams of Davey tonight. Sorry I ain't 'im."

"Crutchie!" she hissed in embarrassment. "What –?"

"Youse mumble when youse sleep. I heard Davey's name last night."

Jack stared at him, mouth agape, shocked. "Crutchie!"

"'Night. Enjoy."

Jack stared at her friend's sleeping form a moment longer before leaning her head back against the pillows with a sigh of resignation. "Brat," she mumbled as she held onto him tighter.


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