Disclaimer: This is a non-commercial work of fanfiction. Anything recognizable from Newsies belongs to Disney and not to me.
Chapter 52: The Westward Call
A/N: For clarity: the events of this chapter are taking place concurrently with those of the previous chapter, so there's no time lapse in this particular case.
Jack, like the rest of the Lower Manhattan newsies, hadn't sold a pape in weeks. It felt odd to be hoisting his newsboy bag, heavy-laden with The World, onto his shoulder once again.
Settling the load into a comfortable position, Jack set off down the street, raising his voice and flashing a smile as he got back to the business of spinning stories and improving the truth. The knack returned to him easily, the words rolling off of his tongue, the charm returning with hardly any effort, and the papes moving like hotcakes as he continued to call out the headlines. The day was bright and clear, and folks were eager to buy, having not had easy access to The World while the newsboys were on strike. If this kept up, Jack knew he'd be done selling well before it was time to wait for the afternoon edition, despite the fact that the newsies had gotten a late start on selling that day. He hoped that the rest of the boys were enjoying as much success moving their papes as he was.
He'd deliberately turned his footsteps south, in the opposite direction of Grand Central Station, where, if he'd followed through on his half-hearted plan, he would have been heading now, leaving Katherine and the newsies behind, perhaps forever.
They'd stopped him, however. And though Jack would never admit it to a single soul, he was deeply relieved that they had.
He actually hadn't intended to leave - at least, not right then, not immediately after the strike had been settled. He'd promised Race and the newsies that they'd spring Crutchie from The Refuge as soon as they'd won their fight with Pulitzer, and he had fully intended to make good on that promise...or at least to get caught trying. When the newspaper owner had agreed to roll back the prices and to instate buybacks, the thought of trying to negotiate for Crutchie's release as well had occurred, but Jack had quickly dismissed the thought in favor of sealing the deal. He couldn't afford to get Pulitzer angry and risk losing everything the newsies had worked so hard for. But even as he'd been on his way down from the newspaper owner's office to break the news to the crowd assembled outside, he'd been already trying to think of a way to liberate his brother from the Spider's clutches.
All of that hadn't been necessary, thanks to the governor's intervention, and Jack was grateful for it. But he also hadn't been emotionally prepared to see Crutchie again.
Initially, his only response had been a mixture of elation and relief as he'd embraced the younger boy, welcoming him back amidst the crowd of jubilant newsies. The announcement that Snyder was on his way to jail and that The Refuge would soon be under investigation had only added to his momentary excitement.
But then Roosevelt had begun speaking.
And suddenly the familiar weight of guilt was back, and Jack had felt an almost-immediate sense of shame settling upon him as he'd listened to the governor's words. The man was right - the credit belonged to those who had actually fought the fight, to those who had poured their blood, sweat, and tears into the endeavor - but he'd been wrong in assuming that Jack was one who should have been counted among that number.
The feeling of isolation had grown as he'd remembered watching the newsies at work in Pulitzer's basement just the night before, working like a well-oiled machine under the supervision of Race and Davey. The thought had crossed Jack's mind then that maybe they didn't need him anymore - they'd muddled through the strike largely without his presence or his help, so why couldn't they keep that up indefinitely until a new leader was found - a leader that they could count on?
And that was when the thought of leaving to Santa Fe (for real this time) had begun to take root.
He'd counted up his money at the lodging house after he'd finished distributing his allotment of The Newsies Banner, and there was enough for him to buy a train ticket, though he knew he'd have to find work immediately once he arrived at his destination. He'd tucked the coins away, knowing that Crutchie's freedom would have to be secured first before he'd even think about skipping town - but in his mind, he was already beginning to plan.
He'd gone into the confrontation with Pulitzer outwardly cocky and confident as ever, determined to make up for his errors by settling the score with the newspaper owner once and for all, but even there he'd stumbled, his composure wavering the moment Pulitzer had mentioned Katherine.
Jack felt his jaw tense in anger as he remembered the man's belittling words, and he caught sight of a potential customer - an elderly woman who'd been about to approach him - giving him a startled look of dismay before she pointedly put her penny back in her purse and went off to find another newsboy.
Jack scowled, massaging his jaw and forcing his expression back into a look of agreeability before he continued walking.
He had only half-listened, only half-cared about Pulitzer's offer of a cartoonist position at The World. At that point, Jack had no intention of going along with the man's scheme; he'd been forced to play Pulitzer's pawn once, and he wasn't about to do it again. It was also at this juncture that he'd realized there was no reason for him to stay around any longer. He could put his departure plan into motion immediately - the newsies were in good hands, their company was complete now that Crutchie had been restored, and the strike was settled. Everything was in place, and he might as well take his leave.
So he'd announced his intention to depart immediately, thinking that he'd hurry to the lodging house, grab his money and his art supplies and the few other belongings he owned, and be gone before any of the boys had finished selling for the day. The newsies' response to his declaration had been almost exactly what he'd expected: Davey trying to talk him out of the idea by presenting the logical benefits of an alternative course of action, Crutchie appealing to their shared bonds as brothers, Race muttering threats under his breath, and the rest of the boys standing by somber and silent. Their protests had given Jack pause as he'd realized how much he would miss them...but in that moment, they hadn't been enough to deter him from his intent, hadn't been enough to offset his guilt or to shake the conviction that the newsies didn't need him anymore and would be better off without him. They would miss him, of course (and he would miss them, more than they'd ever know), but they deserved better than him, so he'd take himself out of the picture and make way for a more dependable leader to fill the role.
It had taken Katherine's startling declaration to get him to reconsider. When she'd stated that she would stick by him regardless of where he ran, Jack's plan of departure was stopped in its tracks.
It wasn't that Katherine mattered more to him than the newsies (though she did matter a great deal). It was that she was the one person he hadn't let down yet - and this set her apart. He hadn't failed Katherine, so he could hear her simple appeal to stay without it being drowned out by the voice of accusation telling him that everyone would be better off if he just left. He hadn't broken a promise to her, so he could look into her eyes without the weight of guilt bowing his head. And he hadn't disappointed her, so he could let her affection persuade him to remain. Even though he knew that she was a heiress and he was just a kid from the streets, he hadn't failed her, so he could let her love him. There was no guilt standing in the way.
And so he'd stayed, and they'd kissed, and the newsies had cheered and applauded, happy with his decision as they celebrated their victory over Pulitzer and the return to normalcy. The wagons bearing The World had arrived, and the newsies had eagerly gotten back to the business of purchasing their papes for the day, Jack joining them at the end of the line and exchanging a few good-natured jabs with several of the boys as they joked amongst themselves and hounded Weasel and the Delanceys. But even as he'd laughed and grinned and jostled like usual, the guilt had continued to gnaw at him.
After everyone had procured their morning allotment, several of the boys had suggested meeting that evening at Jacobi's, and Jack had quickly agreed, so they'd spread the word to the rest of their contingent before dispersing, going off in all directions to sell their papes, though a few of them, like Davey, had remained behind to talk with some of the working kids who had joined the protest from other parts of the city. Jack had made his way down the street towards Katherine, who had been conversing with her father's secretary while Jack had been purchasing his papes. Catching sight of him, she'd said a quick goodbye to the other woman, then had hurried over to join him.
They'd only spoken for a minute or two; Katherine was expected at The Sun, and Jack had a full morning's worth of papes to sell, but they'd agreed to meet up at the same theater where they'd missed their date a few days ago to take in a matinee together. It would be a celebration, their way of redeeming what they'd temporarily lost when Pulitzer had forcefully intervened and attempted to squelch not just the strike but their connection to each other as well.
I ain't gonna be taken down that easily, Joe, Jack thought as he continued walking down the street. Crack the whip all you want, but you ain't gonna whip me.
The mocking words of the newspaper owner suddenly came back to him, quiet and mocking:
You've no money, Jack. No ambition. No prospects of ever amounting to anything.
You might have your ten minutes of fame now, but after they're all over, who will you be?
Katherine isn't as naive as you take her for. She'll soon realize that you're absolutely unfit for her and that there are others who are far better resourced to give her the life that she deserves.
Jack scowled, irritated at himself for letting Pulitzer's words get to his head. They'd nearly discomposed him earlier during the showdown at the man's office, and if it hadn't been for Davey's clumsy but well-timed intervention, things could have gone very differently at the top of The World.
"Extra, extra!" Jack shouted, forcing himself to raise his voice in an attempt to ward off his rapidly-darkening thoughts. "Raging Mobs Trample Three! Civic Leader Indicted in Scandalous Political Cover-Up!"
A few passersby stopped to purchase copies, and the momentary distraction was enough to get Jack's mind off of Pulitzer, at least for the time being. As he continued down the street, he caught sight of Romeo, who raised a hand in greeting. "Hey, Jack!" he beamed, jogging over. "Feels good to get back to sellin', don't it?"
"Yeah," Jack gave him a half-grin. "It sure does."
"Must feel even better knowin' you got yourself a sweetheart outta all this, too," Romeo winked. "Bet'cha never expected that."
"Sure didn't," Jack agreed, feeling his mood already beginning to lift a little at the younger boy's lighthearted chatter and at the mention of Katherine. "We's gonna go see a matinee after I'm done sellin' today," he couldn't help adding. "Gonna be our first real date."
"Ain't that excitin'!" Romeo grinned. "A first real date! I'm happy for ya, Jack."
"Thanks, kid," Jack pulled him into a one-armed hug. Leave it to the romantically-inclined Romeo to put things back into perspective with only a few short remarks. Jack was excited about his date with Katherine, and his connection to her had been an unexpected boon that had come out of all the heartache caused by the strike. Even though he still wasn't sure if a heiress and a street kid could make it, he was going to enjoy what they had...for as long as it lasted.
"Well, I'll let'cha get back to sellin', seein' as you got someone to meet after you's done," Romeo said, giving Jack another wink as he stepped back, "but I'll see ya at Jacobi's tonight?"
Jack nodded. "I'll be there. Good luck sellin' today." Romeo nodded in acknowledgement, giving Jack one final wave before he turned and continued down the street.
Jack smiled as he watched him go, thankful for the chance encounter that had lightened his burden a little. He'd always had a soft spot for the younger newsies, and while he would have said without a second thought that he loved all of the boys equally (with Crutchie perhaps being the one exception), each one of them had a unique role in his life, and each one of them held claim to a different little part of his heart. Romeo was no exception, and Jack had never been more thankful for the younger boy's cheerful, optimistic mien than he was now.
He would have missed them all terribly if he'd left.
Reaching into his bag to pull out another paper, Jack resumed his work of hawking headlines, not minding at all, for the moment, that he was walking through the crowded, stinking streets of New York instead of waiting at the station for a train to take him out west.
Santa Fe, for all of its beauty, could wait a while longer.
