This story is for one of my dearest friends in the Newsie world Fancy! Girl, I hope you love this story...I think it's awesome...but I'm biased...(cause I wrote it). Anyways, I don't own Newsies and I don't own Rascal Flats...though if I owned either, it'd be a very good thing :P Please enjoy my little fic.. Oh! And thanks to all who reviewed before :D I'm glad you liked the first little fic :D

Forever

Standing beside her the stars shined even brighter

And for a moment all the world was, all the world was still

I knew we belonged together the moment my eyes met hers

And I thought nothing lasts forever, but maybe this one will

Long Slow Beautiful Dance – Rascal Flats

Snow fell thick and deep outside the windows of the small waiting room. Anthony 'Racetrack' Higgins sat staring vacantly out at the flakes floating down from the sky. His thoughts were deep and serious, keeping his attention from the many distractions that comes from being in a hospital. Nurses and doctors whispered to each other…Doors slammed…Somewhere, a child cried out in the night and a woman wailed. A shiver ran up Race's back at the crying. He hated hospitals. They were so clean, white, and sterile. The main reason behind his extreme hate for hospitals was that they were full of the dead and dying.

He ignored another shudder as a doctor walked into the waiting room. Jumping to his feet, Race's eyes looked hopeful, but were seriously disappointed when the doctor walked over to another young man. The man grinned, pumped the doctor's hand and raced out of the waiting room, eagerness shining on his face. A sigh escaping his lips, Race dropped back into the hard wood chair and glanced at his pocket watch. It had been almost eight hours. What was going on? Why hadn't he heard anything? Was she ok? Did she need him?

The stress was starting to really get at him. Running a hand through his dark hair, Race began pacing to the window and back the four millionth time since he'd gotten here. After about twenty minutes more of pacing, he stopped under a light and pulled a worn black and white photo from his pocket. It had taken him nearly six months of selling and barely eating to save up enough money to have a professional photographer take this picture. Now, as he gazed down at the picture, memories came rushing back to him. The reason he was here…the day that started this journey…What a day that had been…

Two Years Ago

Race paced the bunkroom nervously. What was he doing?! He was only twenty-two. Maybe he was making a big mistake. Maybe this wasn't meant to be. Maybe this was the wrong timing…or the wrong girl…or the wrong way. Maybe they should wait a few years before he asked. Maybe…No, maybe today was the perfect moment in time. Tonight, it would be perfect. Nothing would stop him from asking. For months, he'd been thinking, planning, saving, and starving— all for her. Tonight, his dreams would come true for the first time in his life. Laughter from the doorway jerked Race's attention from his thoughts.

"Come on Race. It won't be that bad." Blink slapped his friend's back.

"Yeah, the worst thing that can happen is she'll say no."

"Thanks, Skitts. That's extremely reassuring." Race rolled his eyes and turned to face the mirror.

He was dressed in really nice suit, on loan from Davey. Hair slicked back; eyes wide and scared. "I can't do this!"

Skittery was the one who stepped into the reflection beside his short friend. "Race? Do ya love the girl?"
A mushy, love sick smile crossed the Italian's lips. "Yeah...more then anything…"

Skittery rolled his eyes and tucked a red carnation in the lapel of Racetrack's suit. "Then, take a deep breath and tell her your heart."

Race grinned up at him and nodded. "So…How do I look?"

Skitts snorted and shook his head. "Like a love sick pansy." At Race's dark glower, the moody boy patted his cheek and grinned. "Ya look better then you usually do, so it's all good."

Blink stepped in then, laughing at the murderous look Race was giving Skittery. "Come on, lover boy. She just got here…You have to go see her. She's more gorgeous then an angel."

Nodding dumbly, Race took a deep breath and slowly walked down the stairs to the lobby. With each step, his heart moved higher in his throat, threatening to choke him to death. Butterflies tumbled around in his stomach like circus acrobats. His eyes lifted from the floor as he finished his dissent. The only sound he heard was the sharp breath he drew in at the sight before him.

Before him stood the most beautiful angel that had ever touched down on earth. The moonlight streamed in through the window making Moonshine glow like a heavenly being. Her thick blonde locks cascaded over her shoulders in soft curls. Rich chocolate brown eyes gazed at him, shining with love and nervous excitement.

Race had to pinch his arm to remind himself that this wasn't some dream. She had to be the prettiest thing he'd ever seen. "Wow…Moon…You look…wow…"

Moonshine blushed a pretty pink and looked down at her hands. "You honestly don't look half bad yourself, Race." Her eyes lifted to look around the lobby, getting wider by the second.

Race had out done himself. A small table set for two sat in the middle of the room dressed up to the extreme. The flickering flame of two long tapered candles and the fireplace was the only light in the room. A scratchy phonograph played soft music from a shadowed corner. Firelight danced across Moonshine's face, making her eyes shine. She was even lovelier then before. Race couldn't help himself as he quickly crossed the distance between them and kissed her softly. Against his lips, she was heaven in the form of a beautiful girl.

"Come, have a seat…" Race grinned, leading her to the table. Like a complete gentleman, he pulled out the chair for her then filled her goblet with champagne before moving to sit across from her.

Small plates of rich chocolate cake sat in front of them along with the glasses of champagne. "Race, what is all of…" her voice faded when the candlelight flickered on a ring sitting a top her cake. "Oh…my god…" She whispered.

Race smiled and moved to kneel beside her chair. "Morgan O'Connell, I love you with all my heart."

"Oh god…" Tears filled her eyes as he took her hand in his.

"I've known you for several years now, and we've been seeing each other for about half that time." He glanced at her hand before meeting her eyes again. "When you were scared, I protected you. When you cried, I cried with you. When you laughed, I laughed with you. I want to be with you the rest of our lives. I want to experience all of life's journeys with you. I don't think I could live without you in my life. Will you marry me?"

Moonshine's eyes stared at him as a smile slowly slid across her lips. "Yes, Race, I'll marry you."

Race's eyes lit up and in an instant, he had her in his arms, his lips meeting hers in a gentle kiss. At that moment, his heart felt so full that even one drop more of happiness would surely make it explode. He picked up the ring out of the chocolate icing and licked it clean before sliding it on her finger.

Moonshine could do nothing but stare at her finger. The firelight shone on the simple silver band. Engraved on the smooth surface was an intricate design of flowers and vines around her name, with his last name after it.

"I hope you like it…" Race kissed her cheek softly.

"Race, I could never hate anything from you…It's beautiful." Her arms wrapped around his neck as her lips found his. "I love you."

Back to the Present

Race blinked, his thoughts broken, when a doctor walked up to him. "Mr. Higgins?"

"Yes?" Race's heart leapt to his throat as he met the doctor's gaze.

"Congratulations, Mr. Higgins. "You have a strong, healthy son." The doctor grinned and shook Race's hand.

His face alight with a huge grin, Race pumped the doctor's hand vigorously before taking off down the hall like the man before him. He raced down to her room and stopped in the doorway. There, in the white bed, was his beautiful young wife holding a red, wrinkly creature with a thatch of thick black hair.
"Tony…Say hello to your son…" Morgan smiled softly, holding the baby out to Race.

Race took slow steps towards her side and gingerly took the baby in his arms. "Wow…Morgan…he's so tiny and beautiful…"

She leaned back on her pillows and smiled, exhaustion written on her pretty features. "I know…He's ours…our beautiful Emile…Our baby…"

Race grinned down into the blue eyes of his son. He knew the day he said 'I do' that this new journey of his life was worth it. He knew that their love would last forever. The moment their eyes met, he knew she'd be the one he would hold for the years to come. They'd make it…They'd be the couple to succeed…To beat all odds and stay happy together till their lives were called to an end. She made live worth living.