A/N: Well, it's official. This fanfic is almost over! The way I have it planned out right now, there should be one (or possibly two) more chapter(s) after this. Not too much action or anything for the majority of this chapter but hey, this is supposed to be a fun little fic, not some over-dramatic story full of suspense and surprise twists at every turn. (Although I am hoping to write something like that one day) Anyway, I hope you guys have been enjoying CS so far!
OMG, so in non-story related news: I'm super stoked because I won a Harvey Fierstein package (consisting of Playbills and pictures from various musicals and a book all signed by Harvey Fierstein!) from Jordan Roth and I'm just really really really excited! *screams like a little girl* Anyway, on to the rest of this A/N…
Review Response
Emador: Thank you for your awesome reviews! Unfortunately, we don't get to see what's happening in Cowboy's universe (mainly since, because we're not only traveling through universes but time as well, it is possible that everything in this story that's taken place in Jack's universe so far takes place in only a few seconds in Cowboy's universe, which *spoiler alert* is going to be the case for this story)(also, because I'm lazy and don't have enough time to deal with it at the moment). As for if he's gonna stay in Jack's universe forever or not, well, I'm probably just gonna go with the whole cliché, yay-everyone's-happy-and-all-the-problems-are-solved ending because, once again, I'm too lazy and don't have enough time to deal with it at the moment. (But you never know. I could always decide to be evil and throw some sort of twist in the end. Most likely, though, you're gonna be stuck with a cliché happy ending where everyone gets back to where they belong and whatnot.) I'm really glad you like my story! I'm happy to have you on the team as well and I can't wait to read your story for this Circulation! (I don't read anyone else's stories until after I've finished and published my own because I don't want to really like someone else's idea and then inadvertently steal it and put it in my story) :)
It was nighttime in the city and the stars were twinkling high in the sky as five figures walked along the empty sidewalk. After lunch, Jack and Cowboy had headed back out to sell some more papers but business had been a bit slower as it got later in the day. When the sun had finally started to sink below the horizon, the boys decided to cut their losses and head back to the circulation desk so Weisel could buy back their papers. While they were there, they had run into Crutchie, Davey, and Les, who had also decided to sell back the remainder of their papers. After they sold everything back, the boys had all decided to walk back to the lodging house together as it was getting dark and they preferred to have each others' company rather than walk alone so now there they were, slowly walking along the sidewalk towards the lodging house. They were keeping up a lively conversation about who-knows-what when Jack suddenly stopped short, causing the other boys to look at him in confusion.
"Ya hear somethin', Jackie?" Crutchie asked, looking over at the older boy while the latter looked towards a dark alley with a look of concentration on his face.
"I ain't sure," Jack said distractedly, his eyes still on the alley. "I thought I heard somethin'."
The boys all looked at the alley curiously and were startled when they heard someone calling to them from the darkness.
"Hey, guys! Over here!" a feminine voice called out to them, taking them all by surprise. Cowboy screwed up his face in thought. That voice sounded familiar.
"Cowboy! Jack! Get over here!" the voice called before adding, "Oh yeah, guys, this is Shea, by the way!"
"Shea?!" Jack said, half surprised, half confused as he walked closer to the alley, Cowboy and the other boys in tow. They were greeted by the strawberry-blonde girl, stepping out of the shadows with an apologetic smile on her face.
"Hiya, guys! I, uh, I guess I should probably apologize for getting you into this mess and all," Shea said, motioning between Jack and Cowboy. Cowboy simply shook his head and grinned slightly.
"'Ey, it ain't a problem. Ise is actually enjoyin' bein' here," Cowboy said. "But, just outta curiousity, youse do knows how ta send me back ta me, uh...what's the woid...universe, right?"
"Well, yes...it's just-" Shea started, before being cut off by Jack.
"You don't know what you're doing, do you?" Jack asked. Shea looked at him indignantly before slapping him semi-lightly on the arm, inciting a giggle from Les who was quickly silenced by Davey and Crutchie.
"Of course I know what I'm doing!" Shea stated while Jack scowled at her and rubbed his arm.
"Now, as I was saying before I was very rudely interrupted…" she said, shooting a mock glare at Jack who rolled his eyes. "...The machine is a little damaged. Nothing that a little tinkering can't fix."
It was Davey's turn to speak as his ears perked up at the mention of a machine, being a sucker for new technology and information.
"What machine?" he asked, looking at Shea inquisitively. Shea motioned towards the transporter which was lying on it's side, under the cover of shadows. David looked at the machine, a look of awe on his face.
"That's what brought Cowboy here?" Davey asked Shea, still looking at the machine.
"Yep and me too," Shea said with a nod of her head. "We had a little bit of a mishap."
Davey nodded thoughtfully and walked up to get a closer look at the machine when a sudden flicker of light from a screen on it sent him reeling back.
"What the heck was that?" he said as he hurried behind Crutchie, using him as a human shield while the younger boy objected loudly and tried shaking him off, triggering a laughing fit from Les.
"Relax," Shea said with a giggle. "It's not gonna kill you. Just doing a system check, that's all."
Davey quickly stopped his flailing and cleared his throat, stepping out from behind Crutchie and standing straight with his chin up, trying to make up for his moment of childlike terror. Cowboy rolled his eyes and looked over at Shea.
"So, uh...how long until youse is able ta send me back?" he asked tentatively.
"It shouldn't be too long. Just give me...a day? Yeah, just give me a day and I should have this baby up and running," Shea said with an optimistic smile.
"Dat's great!" Cowboy said with a grin.
"Yeah! So just meet me back here around sunset tomorrow and I can send you back home!"
Cowboy smiled and turned to the other boys.
"Well, it looks like Ise'll be goin' back home after all!" he said with a smile. The other boys smiled back and Jack turned back to Shea.
"Alright, so I guess wese'll see ya tomorrow, then?" Jack asked her.
"If you guys want to come say your goodbyes and all then sure! I'll see you tomorrow!"
With a nod, Jack looked back at the boys.
"Well, now that that's settled, wese should probably be hittin' the road," Jack said, being met by a chorus of nods from the other boys. Turning back to Shea, he gave her a nod of thanks and a smile before turning and starting to walk off with the boys in tow.
"'Ey, uh, tanks, Shea," Cowboy said with a friendly smile.
"Hey, don't thank me yet," Shea replied. "I'll see you tomorrow."
With a quick nod, Cowboy turned on his heel and hurried to catch up with the other boys as they all walked back to the lodging house together.
"Alright, alright, everybody settle down!" Jack called to the newsies who were running amuck in the lodging house. Once everyone quieted down and Race had recovered his cigar, which had been stolen along with Specs's glasses which were now safely on his face again, Jack motioned for Cowboy to stand up.
"'Ey, boys. So… Ise is leavin' tomorrow," Cowboy started, a chorus of shouts and cries ringing out from a handful of the boys. Once Jack had silenced them, Cowboy continued.
"Ise knows dat Ise jus' got here but wese found da goil who sent me here and she can send me back tomorrow."
"But ya can't leave!" Sniper cried out, several boys murmuring in agreement with her.
"Yeah, wese don't even know that much about youse!" Mush said, most of the boys backing him up.
"Well, since youse don't know dat much 'bout me, how's 'bout Ise tells youse a story from me universe?" Cowboy suggested, immediately being answered by the excited hollering of the boys.
"Hey, I ain't gonna warn youse again! Setlle down," Jack called above the din, the fatherlike tone in his voice causing everyone to calm themselves down.
"Hey, could youse tell us about your strike?" Les piped up, once again causing the boys to shout in agreement before being silenced by a look from Jack.
"Sure, kid," Cowboy said, ruffling Les's hair. "So, Ise is pretty sure youse know how da story starts, wit da jackup on da price o' da papes an' meetin' Mouth-"
A round of snickering ensued while Davey looked a bit confused.
"-and startin' da Union an' all. So anyways, wese was sittin' out by dis statue o' Horace Greeley o somethin' and wese decided dat wese needed ta do sometin 'bout the price o' da papes so Ise started talking ta Mouth an' wese rallied up da boys…"
A/N: Okay, so I hope you guys enjoyed this little chapter! We're almost at the end!
*cue Princess Tiana singing* And I'm almost there! Oh, I'm almost there! People down here think I'm crazy, but I don't care…
Anyway… I hope you don't mind how I had Cowboy trail off at the end there. I mean, we all know how the story goes so we don't really need to read it. That, and I thought it would be a cute way to end the chapter! So, yeah. There you guys go! I already have my outline done for the rest of the story so the next chapter (possibly chapters, depending on length of next chapter) should be out soon!
Oh and also, if you can figure out which two lines in this story were derived from lines in songs from the movie, I'll love you forever and give you a shoutout next chapter! I'll even give you a hint - one line was derived from "Letter From the Refuge" and the other was derived from a line (which was not sung, might I add) in "Finale". Now is the time to look up those songs and figure out which lines are the right ones! *dance break*
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-DC