Disclaimer: I do not own any original Newsie characters.
Nathan was sitting at the table, reading one of Mrs. Jacob's dime paperbacks, when Jack and Sarah burst into the apartment. Jack was supporting Sarah by having an arm secured around her shoulder, letting her lean into him as she walked slowly into the room with a limp. Despite their drenched and ragged appearances, both of them had a stupid grin on their face.
Jack led Sarah to the bed with Mrs. Jacobs and David hot on their heels. David was demanding an explanation while Mrs. Jacobs went to inspecting Sarah's foot as soon as the girl had laid down. Les, on the other hand, stared at Jack with amazement written all over his face. Nathan wondered if Les was shocked that his own prediction had come true.
Jack shook his head like a dog, sending droplets of water everywhere. Then, unexpectedly, he plopped down in a chair next to Nathan.
"Didn't think you'd be here," the newsie said. No hint of sarcasm or taunting could be found in his voice.
"How did you find her?" Nathan asked instead of replying to Jack's comment. He carefully folded the old pages of the book together.
Jack shrugged off the question and began to wring the water out of his shirt. Nathan watched him for a moment in silence. David was talking with Sarah and Les was falling asleep on the rug next to the stove.
"Nathan..." Jack said in a faltering tone that made Nathan look back at Jack. "I just wanted to say... sorry for that night in the alley and for the things I said."
Nathan looked down in his lap. Was Jack expecting an apology in return? Nathan flinched at the idea. He had done nothing wrong. He was the innocent one here. Nathan felt Jack looking at him; waiting.
Luckily, Sarah saved him from answering by calling him over to her bedside. Nathan didn't look at Jack as he stood and went over to her.
"Thank you so much for helping," she said, grasping his hand. Hers felt wet and cool to the touch.
"Awuh, it was nothing. Just glad you're back," Nathan replied. Sarah shook her head in disagreement.
"No really, Nathan. I appreciate it," she paused and sucked in a breath. "You're a great friend." A smile was pasted across her lips. A false smile, no doubt. Nathan knew one when he saw one. Nathan also knew how to take a hint. He dropped her hand.
"I should go," he mumbled, standing. Sarah nodded. Her smile was still there.
"Thanks again!" she said as he exited the apartment through the front door.
David stopped him, however, just as Nathan was climbing down the building's staircase.
"Hey, Nathan! Coming over Thursday?" he asked from the top of the stairs. Nathan paused and looked up at his old friend.
"Nah...I'm behind in schoolwork," he replied through lying teeth. David gave him a disappointed look.
"Well...I'll see you around then?" David questioned.
"Yeah. Next school semester. I'll look for you," Nathan teased.
David frowned in annoyance. "Maybe. Just maybe."
Nathan smiled faintly and then turned and plodded down the stairs with slow and heavy footsteps.
The battle was over and he had lost.
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Racetrack flung open the lodging house door and quickly closed it as soon as he had stepped into the lobby. He cursed under his breath and pulled off his waterlogged shoes. Just his luck. Racetrack had traveled as far as the Brooklyn Bridge only to get rudely cut off and sent back home in the rain.
He was muttering something about Danny in angry tones when Specs came lumbering down the stairs. He stopped short a step when he saw Racetrack.
"Did ya find her?" Spec's excited voice caused Racetrack to jerk his head up.
He raised an eyebrow. "Who?"
Spec's shoulders sagged in disappointed. "Sarah. She's been missing for hours now," he replied sullenly.
Racetrack's eyebrow went up even higher. "Den what are you still doing around here?"
"Well, wid da rain 'nd all...Jack is still-" Specs began to explain, but Racetrack was already putting back on his boots.
"Ain't we a loyal bunch," Racetrack murmured and then headed for the door.
"Hey! Hit the Jacob's place foist! Maybe Jack already found her," Specs called after him. Racetrack gave a brief nod before shutting the door and plunging back into the dark, rainy night.
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Specs was right. When Racetrack entered the apartment, he found the whole Jacobs family plus Jack there. Racetrack smiled at the scene. Jack was kneeling next to Sarah's bed and talking with her in hushed tones. By the look on the two's faces, Racetrack had a feeling that their relationship was on the mend.
"Racetrack?" he heard someone say. Racetrack turned to see David. "What are you doing here?"
"I hoid Sarah got lost or something?" he replied with a questioning look. David glanced back at his sister.
"Yeah...She went on a walk earlier this afternoon. When she didn't come home by dinner and it began to rain, Momma started to worry," David said. "I went out and looked for her in places where she could have been, but I couldn't find her...that's when I sent out a newsie search team. Everyone looked for a good hour or so, but -"
"But no one but da amazing and incredible Jack Kelly could find her, right?" Racetrack interrupted with an all-knowing smile. David opened his mouth to reply, but Jack had just come up.
"You guys talkin' 'bout me?" Cowboy asked, glancing back and forth between the two. David's mouth clamped shut.
"As a mattah of fact, we were," Racetrack replied. "Seems I missed a lot while I was gone."
Racetrack watched as David's face turned stone solid and he wandered back over to Sarah.
"Look at dat!" Jack said in a harsh whisper, following David with his eyes. "I help find da guy's sistah and he still treats me like fish guts!"
"Some people!" Racetrack muttered in mock disgust. Jack cracked a grin.
"Sarah, I gottah get back to da lodging house," Cowboy called over to her and slipped on his boots. "You get lots of rest, dough."
Racetrack's gaze flickered over to Miss Jacobs. She had a exhausted smile on her face as she gave Jack a brief wave of farewell.
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"Well! What happened?" Racetrack asked as soon as they were on the right street home. Jack just smiled and took out his cigarette. He was lifting it to a brick wall when Racetrack quickly said, "Wet brick. Won't light." Jack lowered his hand and stashed the cigarette in his pocket. Racetrack looked up at the sky and realized it had finally stopped raining.
"I found her in an alley. Sprained her ankle real bad," Jack began. He stuck his hands in his pockets as they walked.
"How?" Racetrack asked.
Jack's forehead creased. "She said some goon was chasin' her for helping a kid."
Racetrack gave a puzzled look but said nothing.
"Anyway...I think we're good now," Jack said, smiling again and staring ahead.
"I don't consider myself to be a goil expert, Jack, but I do know dat a relationship has its up and downs," Racetrack replied. His friend shrugged.
"Well, den dis is- was our foist down," Jack said, glancing at Racetrack.
"Whadda 'bout Nathan?" he asked. Jack's face broke out in triumph.
"Sarah gave him da boot," he replied. Racetrack grimaced though.
"Davey won't be too happy 'bout dat," he warned.
Jack snorted. "Sorry, Racetrack, but I don't live to please dat boy."
"But you guys were such good friends!" Racetrack protested.
"As you said, a relationship has its up and downs," Jack replied with an annoying smirk.
"Hey! Don't use my mature and clever advice against me!" Race said, trying to look threatening.
"Racetrack, please. We all know dat you get dat cheesy crap out of dose romance novels you read all da time," Jack replied in a casual tone and hiding a smile. Racetrack's mouth dropped open in shock. He then lunged after his friend, but Jack broke into a run, narrowly escaping Racetrack's hands.
"Beat ya to da lodging house!" Jack called over his shoulder. Racetrack, shouting crazy threats that probably made the sleeping citizens of Manhattan glance out of their window, chased Jack all the way home, only to have both of them collapse at the door in exhaustion.
A/N: This one is kind of short. It's just here to finish up some other conflicts and things.
Thanks for the reviews!
And btw, this is chapter 11/15.