Enjoy!


"You can't just barge in here!" called out Seitz as he attempted to grasp at Jack.

Jack didn't listen as she evaded him and pushed open the doors to Pulitzer's office, shouting out, "Mornin', gents!" She ran right up to the desk, slamming a copy of their pamphlet right in front of Pulitzer.

The man took one glance at it before frowning. "You're behind this," he concluded which made Jack smile smugly. "We had a deal," he reminded her.

Her smile didn't change as she reached into her back pocket, pulling out the bundle of cash and waving it in front of him. "And it came with a money-back guarantee," she replied before tossing the money onto his desk. "Oh, and thank you for your lesson on the powers of the press."

Pulitzer tried to breathe deeply to not show how irritated he was with the young woman who was sauntering towards one of the chairs and flopping onto it, making herself comfortable.

"Did you read this, boss?"

Pulitzer focused his intense stare on Seitz who was reading another copy of the pamphlet. Pulitzer wondered for a moment where he had gotten it when he spotted two young men, Davey and Spot, also in the office, the taller of the two gripping several other copies in his hand as he stood close to Jack. Spot, meanwhile, just frowned in Pulitzer's direction, his arms crossed tightly in front of him.

"These kids put out a pretty good paper," continued Seitz. "Very convincing."

Pulitzer's frown deepened as he snatched the article in front of him and skimmed over it. "No doubt written by my daughter," he realized.

"I would sign her before somebody else grabs her," put in Jack, unable to wipe her satisfied smirk from her face.

Pulitzer suddenly stood, turning towards the adults in the room. "I demand to know who defied my ban on printing strike material."

"No, we're your loyal employees," explained Jack, sharing a look with Davey and Spot. "We would never take our business elsewhere."

"That old printing press in the cellar," realized Seitz, his eyes wide.

"Oh..," breathed Hannah in understanding.

Jack leaned back in the chair, enjoying watching Pulitzer getting frustrated with the situation. After everything he had put her through, she was sure going to make the most of it.

"I made you the offer of a lifetime," began Pulitzer, staring her down. "Anyone who does not act in their own self-interest in a fool."

"What's that make you?" cut in Davey, stepping forward. Pulitzer sent a glare in his direction, making Davey shrink slightly. However, one brief glance towards Jack had Davey swallowed his nerves before continuing. "This all began because you wanted to sell more papers. But now your circulation is down 70%. Why didn't you just come talk to us?"

"'Cause guys like Joe don't talk to nobodies like us," explained Jack with a laugh before she stood and casually made her way towards Pulitzer. "But a very wise reporter told me, 'A real boss don't need all the answers.' Nah. 'Just the smarts enough to snatch up the right one when he hears it.'"

By then, chanting started to become clearer and louder from outside and Jack nodded towards the window. She walked over to it as Davey, Spot, and the adults followed. Down below, Newsies Square was packed to the brim with children. Jack smiled brightly at the sight, proud of what they had achieved as newsies and child workers were united as one.

"Have a look out there, Mr. Pulitzer," said Spot, taking off his hat in respect. "In case you ain't figured it out, we got you surrounded."

He, along with Davey and Jack, started waving at the children down below. Several of the newsies spotted them and waved back. Within moments, nearly the entire square was waving at them, making Jack smile brightly.

She then turned towards Pulitzer, her smile turning smug once more. "New York is closed for business. Paralyzed. You can't get a paper or a shoe shine. You can't send a message, ride an elevator or cross the Brooklyn Bridge. Hell, you can't even get out of your own office." She motioned towards the children outside before raising her eyebrows. "So, what's your next move?"

"Mr. Pulitzer!" called out Bunsen, rushing into the room. "The mayor is here along with your daughter! And you won't believe who else!"

"Good morning, Mr. Pulitzer," greeted the mayor as he walked in more calmly than Bunsen. "I think you know the governor."

"Governor Roosevelt?" said Pulitzer, the surprise clear in his voice.

"Joseph, Joseph, Joseph. What have you done now?" wondered Roosevelt with a satisfied smirk.

"I'm certain when you hear my explanation, you'll know exactly –"

"Thanks to Miss Medda Larkin bringing your daughter to my office, I already have a thorough grasp of the situation. Graphic illustrations included," added Roosevelt, taking the tube that held Jack's drawings as Katherine held out to him. He nodded his thanks before showing it to Pulitzer. "'Bully' is the expression I usually employ to show approval," he explained, walking towards the other man. "But in your case, I simply mean…," Roosevelt shoved the tube onto Pulitzer's chest. "Bully."

The governor seemed to be enjoying himself at that as he turned around and scanned the room. His gaze then fell on Jack and he pointed towards her, asking, "And is this the young woman of whom you spoke?"

Jack's gaze snapped towards Katherine in shock as the reporter nodded towards Roosevelt. Just as Jack was about to say something to her, namely figuring out why Katherine had talked about her and what she had said, the Governor patted Jack on the arm and she quickly turned back towards him.

"How are you, miss?" he asked and she gaped, star struck. "I'm told we once shared a carriage ride!"

Jack tried to come up with some witty response, with any response really. When they had come up with the idea of getting Roosevelt involved, Jack never imagined she'd actually talk to him! "The pleasure is mine, Mr. Governor," she managed to articulate as she hesitantly held out her hand towards him.

He smiled, shaking it firmly before returning his attention to Pulitzer.

Meanwhile, Jack turned towards Davey, holding out her hand in awe. She had shaken the hand of the Governor himself: she never thought that would ever happen. Davey came up to her, smiling, excited for her as well as amused at her reaction.

Even he couldn't get Jack to that point of speechlessness.

"Well, Joe, don't just stand there, letting those children sing…," Roosevelt paused as he stared out the window before taking a deep breath and adding, "endlessly. Give 'em the good news."

"What good news?" wondered Pulitzer, trying to control his frustration.

"That you've come to your senses and rolled back prices," replied Roosevelt matter-of-factly. "Unless, of course, you want to invite a full Senate investigation into your employment practices."

"You wouldn't dare."

"After the pressure you wielded to keep me from office?" wondered Roosevelt, raising an eyebrow. "I'd do it with a smile! Come along, Joseph, there's only one thing worse than a hard heart. And that's a soft head. And think of the happiness you'll bring those children." Pulitzer was glaring at the Governor but the man didn't seem to be bothered by the fact as he glanced towards the rest of the room. "He doesn't do happiness, does he?"

"Miss Kelly," growled out Pulitzer, "if I may speak to you. Alone."

Davey stayed next to Jack protectively, remembering the last time he had let her talk to Pulitzer alone and what had resulted then. Jack smiled softly towards him, placing a reassuring hand on his arm.

"Don't worry, I'll get it," she whispered.

The two of them stared at each other for a moment. Davey then nodded slowly, gripping her hand tightly before walking out of the room with Spot.

The others were filing out as well and, as Hannah passed, she clapped silently for Jack, giving her an encouraging smile. Jack returned it as she watched her leave before feeling a pat on her shoulder. She turned and was face to face with Roosevelt once more.

"Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground," he offered as advice. Jack shakily nodded, still in awe that he was talking to her again. "You can do this."

She continued to nod for a moment longer as he walked away. It then dawned on her that she not only had the support of her newsies, but of Pulitzer's employees and even the Governor. It calmed her nerves knowing that they had the validation that they were doing the right thing.

Once Jack and Pulitzer were the only ones left in the room, the man spoke. "I cannot put the price back where it was. I'm sorry. I can't." Jack rolled her eyes, grinning at the excuse he was giving. "There are other considerations –"

"I get it. I get it," she interrupted. "Joe, you need to save face in front of all these other folks. I'm young. I ain't stupid."

"Thank you for understanding –"

"But I got constituents with a legitimate gripe!" she continued, ignoring whatever he was about to say. He had gotten to push her and her newsies around for far too long and she was not going to back down from their cause.

"What if I reduce the raise by half?" offered Pulitzer with a low growl, unused to someone NOT falling in line to his orders. "And get the others to do the same. It's a compromise we can all live with."

Jack eyed him carefully. The offer was a step in the right direction but… She realized there was another problem with the system that needed to be addressed, something Davey had unintentionally called out the first day he showed up. "But, you eat out losses," she proposed. "From now on, any pape we can't sell, you buy back. Full price!"

"That was never on the table!" snapped Pulitzer. "What's to stop the newsies from taking hundreds of papers they cannot sell? My cost would explode!"

Jack rolled her eyes at his logic, not even flinching at his tone. "No newsie's gonna break his back haulin' around papes he can't sell!" she nearly yelled, unable to believe he actually thought her newsies would drag hundreds of papers to cheat the system. "But, if he can take a few extra with no risk, he might sell them and then your circulation will begin to grow!" Pulitzer was thinking the idea over at that point, making Jack smirk triumphantly. She even had the audacity to parrot him. "'It's a compromise we can all live with.'"

Pulitzer stayed quiet for a moment longer before slowly nodding. "That's not a bad head you've got on your shoulders," he remarked, eyeing Jack carefully.

Jack stared right back before spitting in her hand and holding it out to him. "Deal?"

Pulitzer's expression turned sour at the display. "That's disgusting."

Jack held back her laugh, stubbornly keeping her hand outstretched. "Well, that's just the price of doing business."

Pulitzer took a deep breath, psyching himself out for what he was about to do. However, he knew if he didn't agree to Jack's terms, the strike would continue and even more people all around New York would grow even angrier with him.

Not to mention he'd lost enough money because of the young woman in front of him.

As both of them said: it was a compromise they could all live with.

He just wished he didn't have to spit into his hand.

Just before they shook, Jack pulled her hand back just enough. Her look turned intense, the most intense one that Pulitzer had seen since she entered the office as she added with a low growl, "Youse leave my newsies alone. No more threats on them, ya hear?"

When he had threatened the other children, he had known it would have been a sore spot for Jack. He had never imagined, however, to what point. If she did all this for them, he didn't particularly want to know what she'd be willing to do if he hurt them once more.

He nodded, holding his out closer to her. She nodded back, a smirk on her face as they shook on their deal.


Almost done!

Planning some bonus chapters of after the end of the strike along with an epilogue! :D

Let me know what you thought!