A/N: Pre-Jackrine marriage and Modern AU

"What did you do?"

"What makes you think we did something?"

"Jojo, you're soaking wet, have bruises all over yourselves, and you're covered in pink glitter," Katherine deadpanned.

"Fine. We tried to prank the Delanceys and it backfired. Can we stay here tonight? The Lodge is too far away and Albert is unconscious and bleeding," Finch said and Katherine noticed said boy was being held up by Henry and Mush.

Finch, Henry, Mush, Albert, Jojo, and Specs had shown up at Katherine's apartment in the middle of the night, soaking wet, bruised, and covered in glitter.

Katherine quickly let the boys in and they laid Albert on the couch.

"Go clean up. I'll wash Albert up," she said, going to the kitchen.

She grabbed a bowl, filled it with warm water then grabbed a wash cloth.

After washing the blood off of Albert's head and arm, the boys came back no longer covered in glitter.

"So explain to me what happened. You said you tried to prank the Delanceys?" Katherine said.

"I tried to tell them it wasn't a good idea," Jojo said in which the boys rounded on him shouting, "What're you talking about?! It was your stupid idea!"

Jojo flinched with a laugh and said, "I was just kidding!"

Finch glared at him before saying, "Jojo had the 'bright idea' to prank the Delanceys and dragged us all into it. The plan backfired horribly and they soaked us."

"Jojo, this is a horrible idea," Specs whispered. The boys waited behind a street corner, anticipating the prank.

"Yeah, well you guys went along with it," Jojo whispered back.

"Yeah well-," Henry started but was cut off when Jojo exclaimed, "Hush! They're coming!"

They waited in anxious silence as the Delancey brothers began nearing the prank.

"Albert, you set the string right?" Jojo whispered and Albert stared at him in confusion.

"What string?" he asked.

"Th-the string that sets the whole prank!" Jojo exclaimed and Albert widened his eyes.

"I didn't know there was a string!" he shouted and the group heard soft chuckling and turned to see the brothers standing before them.

And I'm sure you can guess what happened from there.

"How was the water involved? Because you were all covered in water," Katherine said after Finch finished the story.

"They literally soaked us. They grabbed the buckets of water from the prank, dunked it on us, then beat us up," Specs said and Katherine sighed.

"Jojo, why did you think it was a good idea to prank the Delanceys?" she asked.

"Because we were bored. No one said anything against it!" he defended.

"Jack said it was horrible idea," Mush said.

"Jack knew about this and he still let you do it?!" Katherine shouted.

"Well, not exactly. He didn't actually think- in his words- that we were 'dumb enough to actually do it'. He doesn't know that we did," a voice said and the group turned to see Albert sitting up.

"How ya feeling, buddy?" Henry asked.

"Sore. Hey, at least we know to never listen to Jojo about pranks again," Albert said, earning a laugh from the boys and a "Hey!" from Jojo.

"Well, no more pranks on the Delanceys. Got it?" Katherine asked and they nodded. "Now get some rest. I'll call Jack and tell him where you're all at so he doesn't worry. There are extra blankets and pillows in the closet, feel free to use it. There's food in the cabinets and fridge. You're welcome to get into it but don't eat it all because I literally just went grocery shopping."

"Thanks Kat," the boys chorused.

She smiled as she walked to her room and called her boyfriend.

The Newsies may get on her nerves every now and then, but she always made sure they were safe and fed.

They are her boys after all.