Disclaimer: I do not own any original Newsie characters, nor the song lyrics below.
And after all of my alibis desert me
I just want to get by
I don't want nothing to hurt me
I had no idea where my head was at
But if my heart says I'm sorry, can we leave it at that?
Because I just want for all of this to end
All of my escapes have been exhausted
I thought I had a way but then I lost it
And my resistance was once much stronger
And I know I can't go on like this much longer
-Relient K (I So Hate Consequences)
Jack had only been to Sheepshead once. And that was because Racetrack had begged and pleaded with him so much that Jack went just to shut him up. But today, he was here for a totally different reason.
When Jack stepped through the track's gates, he felt over-overwhelmingly small. The circle of huge bleachers and boxes loomed over him. The empty track lay before him, stretching out for miles. With just the wind blowing over the sand, it felt quiet and eerie. Yet, at the same time, Jack could almost hear the hooves beating the earth and the crowd roaring. It was a totally different atmosphere than the busy streets of Manhattan. Maybe Racetrack's obsession with this place had more to do with than with just gambling.
Jack let out the breath he had been holding while staring at the grandeur and began moving along the side of the sandy track. He saw one lone figure on the sand. From a distance, Jack assumed he was raking.
He kept moving, following the sounds of a stable. What was he suppose to do when he found Danny? Walk up to him, hook him in the face, and then walk away? He frowned. Jack didn't recall any of the newsies giving him specific instructions.
Knowing that he had Danny's fear as an advantage, Jack began formulating a plan in his mind. Hopefully he could complete his mission without spilling any blood.
He wandered up the track until he came to the stables. The smells that greeted his nostrils were unfamiliar. He scrunched up his nose as he stepped into the area. A man was leading a horse across the yard, avoiding piles of dung along the way. A group of jockeys sat on bales outside the big barn's entrance, laughing and talking merrily. The sounds of neighing, meowing, metal clanging, and people's talking filled the air.
Jack looked around the yard, scanning for Danny. He slipped behind what looked like a shed, though he quickly found out it was an outhouse instead, and peaked around the corner. Seeing that Danny was not in the yard, Jack stuck his hands in his pockets and strolled out in the open, keeping his head down. His feet treaded the worn grass lightly, though he was trying to reach the barn as fast as possible.
No one noticed him, or else they didn't say anything, and soon Jack was inside the stables. He wondered if the cowboy hat that hung idly at his back had help camouflage him at all.
The place he had stepped into was nothing but a long hallway with stalls on either side. He had come in through a side entrance of the barn, however, so in the middle of the hallway, on the right, he could see a break in the stalls where the main entrance of the barn could be found.
When he looked up, he saw that the roofs of the left row of stalls formed a loft where hundreds of hay bales were stacked. His eyes trailed along them until he found a small, wooden ladder that provided access to the loft. A sudden urge to climb the ladder and lay in the hay while chewing on a piece of straw flooded his being, but he refrained himself, remembering his goal in coming here. His gaze returned to the floor of the place. There was no one in the hallway, just a good dozen or so horses poking their heads out of the stall openings. The horse nearest him neighed softly and stamped a hoof. Jack turned to see a black mare. Her forehead had a large white star in the shape of a deformed heart; the rest of her face was the color of the night. Jack drew closer to the horse and stroked its face. His fingers ran slowly along the mare's coarse hair, his mind warped with thoughts of New Mexico. He was so absorbed with the horse and his thoughts that he didn't hear someone approach him from behind.
"We call her Revere's Pride," came the soft and timid voice. Jack turned his head ever so slightly to see Danny standing there. He took one last look at the horse and drew back his hand. When he turned around, Danny was still standing there, looking at the dirt beneath his feet. Jack stared at him, not knowing what to do or say. An awkward silence lingered in the air. Jack figured that he should be pushing Danny up against the wall and punching his lights out right about now, but once again, Danny had caught Jack at the wrong moment. Or rather, for Danny's sake, at the right moment. Being in this barn, amongst the horses and hay bales, Jack felt like being anything but the tough street kid that his reputation had grown to be. His fingers itched to hold the reins and his face longed to feel the warm New Mexico air breathe on his skin as he galloped down an endless plain of green.
Jack let out a breath that made his bangs fly upward. Danny looked up cautiously and seemed relieved when he didn't find a scowl on Jack's face.
"Danny..." Jack started slowly. He let his eyes wander over to a horse across the hall. "What you're doing is wrong."
Danny averted his gaze to Revere's Pride and shifted his weight nervously.
"What are you talking about?" he mumbled, bringing back Jack's attention.
"Don't lie. You know exactly what I'm talkin' 'bout." Jack's lips formed a hard line.
"I ain't lying," Danny replied quickly, attempting and failing miserably at displaying an offended look.
Jack took a small step forward. "Look, kid. I came all dis way on request by Racetrack and da boys to give you a soaking you'll never forget for all der stolen possessions. So I suggest you wise up now or pay da price."
Danny stared up at Jack with wide eyes. He didn't say anything and Jack was beginning to lose his patience.
Then, just when Jack was wondering if he would ever reply, Danny abruptly took off down the hallway. Jack watched as he nearly fell when he took the sharp turn for the main entrance.
"Stupid kid," Jack muttered and trudged after Danny. Instead of following Danny out of the main entrance, Jack exited the same way he had entered the barn. Just as he had predicted, Jack was able to cut Danny off.
When Jack stepped out of the barn, Danny collided with him and fell on the grass from the impact. When he looked up and saw Jack, Danny scrambled to his feet. But Jack was faster, for he quickly reached out and grabbed Danny by the collar of his shirt.
"Lemme go!" Danny shouted as Jack dragged him across the yard with an irritated expression. The jockeys shot them quizzical glances, but said nothing. Though Danny struggled against his hold, Jack brought him to the back of the outhouse and pinned him against the wall with his arm.
"Fine. If you don't want to admit what you did, then I'll tell you," Jack said, lifting Danny up on the wall so that his feet were dangling. "Foist, you go run your mouth to Spot Conlon, telling lies about what Racetrack said. Second, Spot beats up Racetracks because of what you said. Third, Racetrack can't come here anymore, because of what you said, again. And, by da way, I don't think you understand half of what dat means because you ain't da one that has to listen to his wise cracks when he hasn't got anything better to do. Fourth, you steal my newsies' papers, selling spots, customers, and money. And last of all, I had to walk my legs off to get here, only for you to spit in my face and run away like the coward you are." Jack took a breath. "So's if you wanna tell me you don't know what I'm talkin' about, then that's just another lie to add to your already. long. list." With each of his last words, he gave of push of force against Danny's trembling chest. The two looked each other in the eye, Jack with intimidation and Danny with fear.
"Alright! It was me! Okay?!" Danny burst out. Jack's grip loosened only slightly. "I went too far! I'm an idiot, a moron, a jerk! Are you happy now?" Jack could see tears forming in his eyes.
"No. That still doesn't explain why you did what you did," Jack replied coolly. Danny sniffed back his salt water and put on an angry face.
"Why half the people in this crummy world do the crazy things they do: to get revenge," Danny spat.
"Revenge?" Jack questioned. "Revenge on who?"
"On you, Racetrack, the newsies, my mum...everyone," Danny replied, his voice losing its edge near the end of the sentence.
"What's your mudder got do with me and my newsies?"
"Nothing...nothing at all. I just-- You remember when you yelled at me that night? But only because things between you and your girl weren't going so smooth?" Danny asked. Jack nodded and waited for him to continue, but Danny didn't.
Then Jack realized what he was saying. He released Danny and took a step back.
"I'm-I'm sorry, Jack. I never meant it to get this far." Danny slid down the outhouse's wall and sat on the ground. Silent tears rolled down his cheeks and he stared past Jack.
"Danny, you may be mad at your mudder or something, but dat don't make what you did right," Jack said quietly.
"You think they'll forgive me?" Danny asked meekly, looking up at Jack.
"No," Jack replied shortly. "You messed up a lot."
"I know! But I can help fix it too!" Danny pleaded, standing up.
Jack couldn't help it; his heart went out to the kid. True, he had done many stupid things and gotten a lot of people in trouble, but it was all in spite of wanting revenge and desiring attention. Danny needed a friend, someone to care and love him, he just didn't know how to get it. Racetrack hadn't realized this and had treated Danny like an annoying, yelping puppy.
Jack stuck his hands in his pockets. What was he suppose to do now? He didn't want to leave Danny and his problems and Danny could really help them patch things up with Brooklyn. But most importantly, this kid needed a home and a family and Jack had both readily available.
"Please, Jack..." Danny said, his voice almost a whisper. Jack looked at him and caved in, his shoulders slumping a little.
"You're goin' hafta get down on your knees and beg real hard for forgiveness," Jack said solemnly and then smiled. Danny grinned and wiped away his tears with his fists.
"Get your stuff. We might be able to get back before its night," Jack instructed, pushing him gently in the direction of the stable.
Danny stopped and turned around. "My stuff? Why?"
"Well, ya wanna be a Manhattan newsie, don't ya?" Jack asked. Danny's mouth dropped open.
"I can't stay with you! Racetrack will slit my throat in my sleep!" he exclaimed.
Jack chuckled. "He ain't got da guts. Don't worry, I'll make sure dey don't treat you too bad. I ain't promisin' you nothing. You'se da one who has to say sorry and earn der trust back."
Danny nodded somberly. Jack gave him another push. "Now go."
Danny started for the barn again, but stopped after a couple of feet and ran back to Jack. He wrapped his arms around Jack's waist and murmured, "Thanks."
Jack smiled faintly and went stiff, feeling awkward. Danny looked up at him with a huge smile and then ran back to the barn.
A/N: Ohhh I really like this chapter. :D And don't mind the random song lyric at the beginning, I just thought it fit the chapter. Thanks for all the reviews! I really do appreciate them, they make me want to update more often!