(Nori): "Hi! Here we are, ready to bring you another (cough, cough) quality chapter to this epic tale! (Katrinka): "In other words, we're up late writing this so you better show your gratitude by reviewing (That rude comment excludes Awkward Quail and Eruanna Undomiel, we like you)! Quick note, we got a new profile picture of the two of us, you know just in case any of you want to know how two deranged sisters look. Or you want to stalk us…which would be kinda creepy but cool.
DISCLAIMER RENEWAL: We don't own Newsies, we're just borrowing them. This is not an English lesson don't flame us for bad grammar.
We also don't own "Dream Angus" (You'll know it when you see it)
ON WITH THE STORY!!!
Jack hurried down the street towards Tibby's; he almost forgot to check on Tumbler like he said he would. The restaurant was pretty crowded for a Monday morning and Tessa was being yelled for across the room by three different people at once. You could tell that this was not one of her best days and Jack knew that any sort of sarcastic banter would not help right now. So instead he just showed himself to the apartment above.
Tumbler was not lying on the couch like Jack thought he would be, he was lying on, what Jack presumed to be Tessa's bed.
"Hey bud," Jack said, smiling at poor little Tumbler (Come on, we all feel bad for the little guy). "How are they treatin' you in this joint?"
"Really good," he said, with a slightly sick smile. "But I still say that I'm not that sick."
"Well," said Tessa as she entered the room. "You may think that but you aren't going any where until I give the word."
"I know," Tumbler said in a defeated voice.
"I best be going," Jack said looking at the clock on the wall. "Papes to sell, you know?"
"See you this afternoon," Tessa said as he walked down the steps.
As Jack left the restaurant, he ran into a familiar face.
"Heya Doc," Jack said to Doctor Bosco. Dr. Bosco took care of most newsies when they were sick so he knew Jack quiet well.
"Hello, Jack" Dr. Bosco said, with a friendly smile. "What brings you here today?"
"Just checking on one of my newsies, who's staying here."
"Wh- Oh yes! Young Tumbler is under the weather."
"Who did you think I was talkin' about?" Jack asked, curiosity eating at him.
"I was coming to see to one Jacob O'Keefe," Dr. Bosco said, thoughtfully.
"Mhmm…" Jack trailed off thinking that maybe Old Man Tibby was more then a little under the weather.
Jack sold through the morning wondering if Tibby was going to be okay, wondering if Tumbler was going to be okay and wondering why Tessa wasn't falling apart right now. Most girls weren't…well to put it bluntly, most girls just weren't strong enough to deal with so much stress without breaking down or crying.
But Tessa isn't like most girls, he reminded himself. She doesn't think she needs anyone.
But what if she does need someone? said the other side of his brain. What if she needs you?
Holy Spot Conlon (heehee, see what we did just there?) where did that thought come from?!
Well it was there now and Jack didn't see it leaving any time soon so why not do something constructive?
Once Jack had sold his last pape he headed over to Tibby's surprised to see that they were closed.
Not normal, not good!
Jack ran to the back door (the front was locked) and thanked the heavens that it was open. Running up the steps he prayed silently for everything to be okay even though he knew it couldn't be.
"Tessa, Tumbler?!?" He called, quietly when he make it to the top.
"We're closed you know," Tessa said in a dull voice from her seat on the couch.
"Is everyone okay?" Jack asked, his concern still strong.
"Tumbler's fine, Jack." SHe said with a sigh. "Just a small cold."
"Then why are you closed?" Jack asked.
"My uncle is-well, he's worse off then I thought he was."
Jack understood immediately.
"How bad?"
"Dr. Bosco isn't sure if he'll live," Tessa answered, her voice so low it was practically a whisper.
Hey, this is my chance, said that voice in his head.
"Do you, uh…wanna talk about it?" Jack asked unsurely.
That's when Tessa blew up (not literally).
"WHY DOES EVERYONE THINK I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THESE THING!!! Did it ever occur to anyone that maybe I'm just fine on my own?! Or that maybe I didn't talk about these things for a reason?!"
"All right, all right," Jack said, holding up his hands in defense. "Just tryin' to help…"
Jack walked down the steps of the apartment with a sigh. So much for that plan, he thought to himself, walking out the door to get the afternoon edition.
That afternoon, Tessa sat alone refusing to let any tears fall from her eyes. I don't need to cry, uncle will be fine.
"Tessa," Tumbler's soft voice called to her through the darkening room. "Can I have something to drink?"
"Sure thing, Hon," she said, pouring water out of a pitcher into a cup.
"You feeling any better?" She asked, handing him the cup.
"I'm okay," he said with a sigh. "But I really want to get out of this room, can I sit on the couch with you for awhile?"
"Sure thing, kiddo," she said smiling.
With that the two spent the rest of the afternoon sitting together talking about anything and everything.
(Later in the evening)
Jack walked to the back of Tibby's once more that day sighing as he opened it. They really should lock this thing, he thought to himself.
He walked up the steps quietly, in case someone was sleeping. When he was almost at the top he heard a soft voice singing with a sight Scottish accent (Yeah, we're that cliché).
Can you hush your weepin',
A' the wee lamb are sleepin',
Jack looked at Tessa who was swaying while holding Tumbler in her arms (she's a strong one, the kid must weigh at least sixty pounds).
Birdies and Bairnies* are nestling the gither,
Dream Angus is hirplin' ower the heather,
Tessa laid the little boy down on the couch, brushing his hair from his face, still singing.
Dreams for sale, fine dreams for sale,
Angus has fine dreams for sale,
She stood up and continued to sway rhythmically.
Hush my wee Bairnie and sleep with out fear,
Dream Angus has brought you a dream my dear.
After she finished singing she bent over and kissed Tumbler on the forehead. Then turned around to see one some what surprised and very much impressed maybe even a little moved, Jack Kelly. Tessa, on the other hand, wasn't feeling so sentimental.
"He's fine, you can go home," she said, her voice slightly chokey but not enough to call it crying.
She doesn't what my help, he thought.
But she needs you, it doesn't matter what she wants.
Fine, but I'm not trying again after this!
"Are you sure you don't want to talk?" Jack asked, but Tessa seemed far away.
"My father would sing that song to me when I was little. He was a wonderful singer, he taught me to dance too. He and my mother would dance to this song, we had a music box that played this tune," as Tessa said this Jack saw tears mount in her eyes. "When I left Ohio I had to sell it."
Finally Tessa couldn't hold it in any more, four years of pain and sadness couldn't be bottled up any longer. She cried, hard and long into Jack's shoulder. Jack patted Tessa's back as she cried, knowing that it was all he could do for her right then.
After about five minutes of crying, Tessa's sobs had reduced to a few sniffles and the occasional hiccup.
"You feelin' better?" Jack asked, still rubbing Tessa's back.
"A little, sorry for going all mushy on you," she said, cheeks turning red.
"Hey, Mush is one of my best friends," Jack said, trying to lighten the mood.
Then Tessa did a very un-Tessa-like, she wrapped her arms around Jack in a hug.
"Thank you, Jack, you're a good guy." She said into the crook of Jack's neck, then with a small smirk. "Even for a Greenhorn."
"Ahh, that's the Tessa I know," Jack said smiling back. "I'll see you in the morning, Tess."
"See you then, Jack."
Jack looked down at Tessa and thought about giving her a good-night-kiss.
No, he thought. She thinks of you as a friend, don't ruin that. Another time.
Little did he know that Tessa was thinking the same thought.
*1 Bairnie is a baby.
TA-DA! (Nori): "We did good." (Katrinka): "we don't know that until they review (wink wink)" (N): "Okay I think they get it, now we're finished here I have to see a man about a Parsnip." (K): "It's a turnup." (N): "Oh, hush up" REVIEW!!!!!