Chapter Thirteen

Author's Note: It's Labor day, and I'm typing stories! But it's much more fun than school or work. I am glad to bring to you the next chapter of this story, finally, and I will probably bring the next one as well. In the meantime, yes, Newsies doing the ice bucket challenge was priceless, and yes, I did cry when I saw the last, or final bow of Newsies on Broadway, both times I watched it. It was heartbreaking. I can't believe they are gone... but nonetheless, Newsies forever, second to none, fansies forever as well, and we will keep writing fanfiction forever on Newsies! So onto chapter thirteen!

I was tired and defeated feeling as we walked into the lodging house. Checkers put me down on a bed, and I just lay there, in pain and too tired to be bothered. But next thing I knew, Checkers was asking me questions.

"Micky... what about this surgery? Are you going to do it? Is it worth it? I mean, it will solve your leg problem, but... you know. It's risky." he said, in concern.

"Yeah...yeah I will...will do it. I hafta...hafta ta get somewhere. Dere ain't...aint nothin' in da world...da world dat I can't see not happenin' now. I hafta...hafta do dis, Checkers."

"I know. It's jus', dis way, dis way youse gotta choice. If ya wanna do it, den we'sll tell Kloppman an' da doctor."

"Al-alright." I replied, and Checkers left to find Kloppman. I saw Crutchy wake up next to me.

He looked over at me and tried to smile, I did the same back. It was hard, and I knew that Crutchy would've wanted me to do the surgery. He would've if he could, but I knew he couldn't and would never walk straight. I had hope to do so again. And I knew that he wouldn't mind, we could still be friends. But I knew that he wouldn't feel comfortable, or nearly as comfortable being the only crip out of the both of us. I didn't know. Maybe he would. Maybe he wouldn't. But I had to do this. It was needed, I wanted to badly.

Kloppman came back and with the doctor half an hour later. The doctor came over to me, and I knew he knew that I was in pain. This surgery would hurt more, but maybe not much, I didn't know.

"So, you think you want to do it?" the doctor asked me.

"Yeah." I replied, quietly.

"This could be dangerous, very dangerous. But it will work, or it won't, there's a 50-50 chance that it might or might not."

"Jus'...jus' do it. I tink...tink I be ready." I replied. He nodded.

"We will have to get you to a hospital. You probably have to go anyway, the both of you. I'm thinking you both might have some cracked ribs. And there's plenty more. But come along then." said he, and Checkers picked me up and put me on his back. Blink stood watching. I knew he was nervous for me.

Crutchy didn't come with me that trip. We walked to the hospital and the doctor pointed to a stretcher that Checkers put me on. I lay there, wondering what would happen, not daring to move. The doctor was talking to someone, and then, not too long after, some people came and carried me into a small room. I saw Checkers' worried face, and knew he would be staying here.

They put me to sleep first, and I didn't remember anything after that. I had dreams, strange ones, and good ones. In one, I was walking around town, and there was suddenly a mob in front of me, a gang. In another, Crutchy was talking to me as he sat next to me. Telling me about his life. It wasn't a dream, more of a memory. And then, I just went to deep sleep with no dreams at all.

Pain was not felt. I don't know what they did in there, but whatever it was, I didn't need to know. When I awoke, I was in a bed in a bright white room. I felt a lot of pain. I moved my head, and saw Crutchy in the bed next to me. So he had arrived. How long had I been out? Blink was suddenly next to me before I knew it, and so was Checkers.

"Micky, youse awake, tank goodness!" said Blink. "Ya been out for 4 days."

"We'se didn't tink ya would wake up." said Checkers.

"Wha-oh. What been...been goin' on? Is...is dere anytin' else...else wrong wid...wid me?" I asked.

"A broken rib. Bruises. Major bleeding areas. An' dat leg." replied Checkers.

"Crutchy's got three broken ribs, bruises, bleedin' spots, an' a few oder ting's as well." said Blink. I knew that I wasn't going to recover for while, but would Crutchy ever recover?

I looked over at him. He was staring at the ceiling and was wearing bandages everywhere. I found that I had a bandage on my chest and leg, the old bad leg, and I was in pain, a lot of it. Checkers was watching me. I knew he had been worried, he had circles under his eyes and his eyes themselves radiated worry and pain, mental pain. Blink was as well. But I was grateful for them being slightly upbeat about everything. Now I just had to survive.

Time passed slowly in that hospital. I went unconscious a lot, and I slept, and when I awoke I would find someone else watching me or noone at all. Crutchy would moan and I could only look at him. We did smile slightly at each other sometimes, but didn't talk. I knew he was in bad shape. I was too, and even though it wasn't as bad, I understood his situation pretty well.

And then, finally, a nurse appeared with the doctor. They had told me that I would get the wrapping off of my leg soon, and now was that time. The doctor unraveled it and I felt a good bit of pain. But my leg looked more normal than ever before, even from before when the accident at the store hadn't happened. I flexed it as instructed, and it didn't hurt too badly.

I had mostly recovered by this time and was ready to start walking. For someone who's leaned their weight on a crutch most of their life, it isn't easy not having that extra support. But I didn't need it. Checkers was holding my arm, and I put one foot in front of the other, extremely wobbly and nervous. The first few times I fell and they stopped for a moment or two, laughing. Roller and Maple were there. Blink was often too, and those first steps I took without the crutch, he would laugh along as well. Crutchy watched, and I knew he was proud and would laugh quietly and gently at points.

I eventually got a few steps in without Checkers. Then more and more. I would walk around the whole room once, then come back and kind of collapse. Even when the others weren't there, I practiced. Crutchy watched, and I knew he was enjoying my falls and uplifts. He was getting better, slightly.

My rib had healed and I had less bruises. Any bleeding had gone down to a minimum. But Crutchy still had two ribs that hadn't healed and more bruises. His bleeding had stopped, but he wasn't really cured. I would walk over to him and talk with him. One evening, I sat next to him and talked.

"Crutchy, dere's a lot dat I don' know yet 'bought movin'. Whadda ya tink running's gonna be like?" I asked him.

"I dunno, Micky, dere...dere ain't much I evah have known 'bought dat. Nevah have I been able ta do dat. But it...it migh' be easy."

"Yeah." I said.

"Look, don' put youself down jus' cause I still a crip an' youse cured. I don't mind, not really. It ain' nothin' dat I can' do 'bout it. I ain't...ain't gonna get bettah from dat ting. But it be nice jus' knowin' youse."

"Youse are gonna make it."

"Yeah, I am. Bu' even...even den I ain' makin' no promises dat I ain't gonna ...gonna be slightly jealous of ya sooner or later."

"I'm going ta bed, Crutchy. See ya in da mornin'." I replied, and he nodded. I walked back to my bed, and fell asleep, thinking hard.

Author's Note: There's Chapter Thirteen. Wow, I just solved a few problems. But there will be more. I have some surprises coming up in the next chapter, which is being posted right after this. Please reveiw!