Disclaimer: This is a non-commercial work of fanfiction. Anything recognizable from Newsies belongs to Disney and not to me.


Chapter 125: Finding an Adventure

A/N: A HUGE thank you to everyone still reading and reviewing this story for keeping my motivation up (and thank you to those of you who shared your feedback on my question at the end of the last chapter). I appreciate you so much, you have no idea (or maybe you do, but even so, it bears repeating ;)). Thanks also for waiting patiently for this chapter - I hope that you enjoy it.


The post office, surprisingly, was slightly crowded, and Sadie had to wait her turn to drop off the letter that she'd brought to mail to Judith. Her sister, brother-in-law, and nephews had returned to Boston near the beginning of the month, and their presence was already missed, though the timing had worked out providentially with the apartment that they'd been occupying standing vacant just when Sophie Higgins had shown up needing a place to stay.

Sophie, too, would be leaving the tenement soon, bound for her new life in the Bronx, and though Sadie was happy for the younger girl, she found herself characteristically sad when she thought about yet another goodbye that would need to be said before the month was out. Lilly, especially, would feel the loss acutely, for she'd become rather attached to Sophie over the past several days, visibly brightening whenever the latter stopped by to chat and regale them with her never-ending supply of stories and entertaining asides.

Well, that was life. People came and went, and with every departure came a little pang of heartache that couldn't be helped. Experience had taught Sadie that goodbyes hurt less if she didn't become attached in the first place, but it was impossible for her to remain truly indifferent, for people were far too interesting and winsome to keep at arm's length for long.

Finally, it was her turn to step up to the post office counter, and after dispatching the letter to Judith and paying the post office clerk, Sadie exited the establishment, looking around for Davey as she stepped onto the sidewalk. Locating him two doors down, she saw that he'd taken cover under the shallow overhang of a barber's shop. He seemed to be deep in thought and perhaps a bit cold, for his arms were wrapped around himself, and Sadie felt slightly remorseful that he'd had to endure the nippy weather for her sake.

Joining the flow of foot traffic, she made her way over, laying a hand on his arm as she drew near when he still seemed to be lost in his thoughts.

"Davey...are you all right?"

He started a little at the unexpected touch. "Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Sorry, I just got distracted there for a moment." He smiled. "Were you able to mail your letter?"

She nodded. "We can head back to the tenement now if you're ready."

It was on the tip of her tongue to inquire what had caused his momentary preoccupation, for something in his bearing seemed to indicate that he wasn't merely distracted but a little melancholy, too…but before she could think of how to phrase her question, the rain began to fall harder.

"At least you got your letter sent off before it could get soaked," Davey remarked as they started down the street. She could tell that he was trying very hard to be positive despite the circumstances, and again felt regretful that he was out in the rain getting drenched when he could have been warm and dry at home instead. She knew that his decision to accompany her had been voluntary, but that didn't stop her from wishing in retrospect that she'd declined his offer of company, given how much he disliked the cold weather.

Impulsively (and perhaps a bit guiltily), she found herself saying, "Come on, let's make a run for it! If we hurry, we can make it back before we get completely drenched."

"Wait!" he remonstrated. "Sadie, don't - "

But she ignored him, dashing across the street through a break in the traffic. She didn't turn around, but kept her eyes on the path ahead, weaving around pedestrians and dodging carriages, not slowing her pace until she'd covered several blocks.

Her clothes began to grow heavy from the rain, and her cheeks were flushed with exertion, but she pressed on despite the cold water that was now dripping down her face and into her eyes. A part of her knew that she ought to give up, for at this point outrunning the downpour was a lost cause, but a stubborn recklessness urged her on, and she gave it full rein as she continued to splash nimbly through the puddly walkways.

She was just about to step into the street to cross another intersection, when her foot suddenly slipped on the slick curb, and she felt herself falling backwards, panic coursing through her as she flailed to secure herself in nothing but thin air...

...and then someone steadied her from behind, and she was looking up into the worried, relieved, and slightly-frustrated face of Davey Jacobs, who'd apparently been right behind her the entire time.

She took in a shuddering breath.

Her heart was still pounding from the fright of her near-accident, and her hands refused to uncurl from where they'd found anchor in the fabric of Davey's coat. A flood of emotions surged in, strong and startling...but the words that she would have used to voice them proved elusive, dripping away like rainwater falling from the sky, and she found herself momentarily incapable of absorbing anything save for the look in Davey's eyes and the steadiness of his hold, which at that moment was the only thing preventing her from falling.

After a long moment of silence, the boy in question cleared his throat.

"We'd...um...we'd better get out of the street," he said, dropping his gaze as he set her on her feet.

As soon as he'd helped her back to safety, he stuck his hands in his pockets, looking at her with an unreadable expression, and this sudden withdrawal made something inside of Sadie wilt in embarrassment.

"Well, go ahead and say it," she said, her words coming out stiff with guilt and chagrin as she curled her arms around herself. "Tell me that I ought to have listened to you, and that it was foolish to run in the rain like that, or better yet, that I should have brought along an umbrella as you'd initially suggested. Tell me as rebukingly as you'd like to that you were right, and that if I'd fallen and been terribly injured I'd have had no one but myself to blame for my misfortune!"

His expression flickered. "This isn't about being right."

"Isn't it, though?" She brushed at her damp skirt.

"No, it's not." Davey's countenance settled into a slightly stern look, and his words became more fervent as he continued, "It's about you being safe. And it's about other people, too - people who care about you and don't want you to get hurt. You can't just think about yourself, Sadie. If something were to happen to you, think about what that would do to other people: your parents, your sisters, Mr. Gorham, Margaret and your friends at school..." he trailed off, his voice laced with exasperation.

Sadie said nothing, finding herself too defensive to come up with a response.

After a moment, Davey let out a frustrated sigh.

"Sorry," he amended, the word coming out sincere but halting. "I know it's not my place to tell you what to do. I'm not trying to scold you - and I'm not trying to be overbearing. It's just that…I don't want you to get hurt. That's all." He turned away, looking embarrassed. "I'll stop lecturing now."

He drew his arm across his face, attempting to dry some of the water that was dripping from his hair, and the slightly-awkward mannerism made him suddenly look so much younger and more vulnerable, like a boy trying to scrub away the beginnings of tears before anyone noticed them in his eyes.

Sadie's defensiveness dissolved almost immediately, and following that dispersion came remorse. She really ought to be the one apologizing to him, for he was only looking out for her safety, and she'd flippantly disregarded his concern rather than appreciating it for the kindness that it was, all because she was trying to assuage her guilt rather than owning up to it as she should.

It was a tactic that she'd employed far too often, falling into evasive childishness whenever a situation got too uncomfortable, and though she'd rarely questioned it before, she realized now that something about Davey's straightforward manner had made it increasingly difficult to legitimize such reactions. She'd come to accept (and, over time, to act in accordance with) others' assessments of her: that she was silly and careless and regretfully beyond reform - but he'd never treated her that way, as though she was merely a witless girl to write off or a frivolous child to indulge. He treated her like she was someone competent, bright, and capable, and as such he saw fit to both encourage her in her aspirations and to correct her when she was falling short of her potential. It was a weighty gift, this kind of friendship, for it didn't allow her to hide behind what was familiar and safe…and yet it spoke to a deeper part of her, too, a part that she'd never realized was there, longing to be acknowledged and given permission to grow.

She knew that Davey didn't understand the reasons behind her deflections and her self-deprecating humor, and though he'd called them into question on more than one occasion, he hadn't pressed her when she'd given him superficial answers. She was sure that he could sense there was more to the story, though, even if his decorum had kept him too polite to pry.

Perhaps someday, she thought, I'll find the courage to tell him everything.

The thought of revealing the past and of the possibility that she might lose his good opinion because of it was daunting...but a part of her wanted him to know, because if he could find it in his heart to look past her mistakes and failings and to see her as the person she longed to be, not the person she had been, maybe in time others would be able to see her that way, too.

But in any case, today was not that day. And she had more pressing matters to attend to at the moment, namely apologizing for her defensiveness and owning up to her mistake instead of trying to brush it aside.

Taking a deep breath, she squelched the urge to ease into things with a quip and instead regarded her neighbor with a contrite smile, hoping that he could sense her sincerity as she spoke.

"I'm the one who ought to be apologizing to you," she began. "I was realizing just now that my defensiveness stemmed from feeling rather guilty about inconveniencing you by bringing you along on my errand...but I took my feelings out on you instead of speaking forthrightly, and it was wrong of me to do so. I shouldn't have brushed off your concerns like that in an attempt to assuage my own discomfort."

She paused, then added softly, "I'm sorry, Davey. You were right to warn me, and it was good of you to intervene on my behalf, even when I failed to listen."

A beat of silence passed, and she waited anxiously as he searched her face, not saying anything as though he was still trying to process her apology. Such silence would have normally felt like a rejection…but there was something so gentle and accepting in his gaze that she didn't feel rebuffed while under his perusal.

After a moment of contemplation, Davey gave her a small smile.

"You're something else, Chare. I know we don't - and probably never will - see eye to eye on certain things…but I appreciate the fact that you're willing to talk through them and to tell me what's on your mind. It's not something that I've come across too often, someone who's open to hearing others' opinions and even criticisms and to reflect on them honestly instead of staying defensive."

He paused, drawing his coat sleeve across his face again in a futile attempt to mop up the water dripping from his hair, and she couldn't help but smile at the slightly ludicrous sight. The rain was still falling at a steady pace, and they were both quickly becoming drenched, but he was apparently determined to fend off being soaked for as long as he could, even if he was fighting a losing battle.

"For what it's worth," Davey added, momentarily abandoning his absorbing attempts, "I really didn't mean to sound severe earlier. I do want you to be safe, and I know I'm not the only one who thinks that, but I know you're not dismissive of other people's feelings, and I didn't mean to imply that you were only thinking of yourself. There's a fine line between recklessness and freedom, I suppose, and I guess I just have a fairly conservative view of where that line should be drawn. But that's why these kinds of discussions are helpful."

He paused, the smile on his face turning slightly self-conscious. "I'm rambling now...but all I'm trying to say is that I appreciate your openness to being challenged and corrected, Sadie. I could learn from you in that regard."

"It's fortunate that you're usually right about things to begin with," she quipped.

"I try to be," he admitted, "but I have my moments of oversight. And sometimes I think I make things harder than necessary because I'm too cautious." His smile grew as he added jokingly, "Being this sensible's not as easy - or as fun - as it looks."

Sadie laughed, thankful to have their usual camaraderie restored, and she could see from the way his shoulders relaxed that he was relieved as well.

"Anyway, now that we've talked through our differences..." Davey glanced down the still-crowded street, "shall we continue?"

She nodded. "We'll do it your way this time. No running or hurrying, just walking at a safe and sensible pace."

"Actually, I was going to suggest that we wait it out for a while," he ventured. "I was thinking that maybe we could find some place to pass the time, and once the rain lightens up, we could head back. It won't do anything to keep us from getting wet - I think it's probably too late for that - but walking will be safer once the worst of the traffic on the streets has died down and the visibility has improved."

Sadie brightened at the suggestion. "That's an ingenious idea," she declared. "And I think I know the perfect place for us to find shelter while we wait." Smiling, she looped her arm through his and began gently tugging him down a side street. "This way," she urged. "It's not far."

"Dare I ask where we're going?" he queried, an indulgent look on his face as he allowed her to pull him along.

"A place where we can find an adventure!"

He raised an eyebrow. "I'm not sure I like the sound of that."

"You're going to love it, Davey - I promise."

She led him past several more rows of shops and down another side street before turning the corner and then stopping in front of their destination.

"There," she said, gesturing up at the sign denoting the establishment's name. "I believe you've been to McNally's Bookstore once or twice before? It's the perfect place to lose oneself in an adventure, is it not?"

The look on Davey's face was utterly priceless, and she found herself smiling in satisfaction.

"Chare…" he trailed off, "I…" He glanced at her hesitantly. "Are you sure this is where you want to…?"

The eagerness in his voice coupled with his faltering attempts to hide it was endearing, and she immediately reached out to open the door of the shop, drawing him in behind her.

"I used to bring Abby here after school all the time," she disclosed, the memories returning as she breathed in the smell of lignin and roses which the shop owner always had in a vase by the counter. "It's been a while since I've been back to visit, but it looks just the same as I remember."

Withdrawing her arm from Davey's, she gave him an encouraging smile. "I shan't hold you up, Mr. Jacobs; feel free to roam as you'd like. I'm sure you have your favorite aisles and nooks to explore, and with such a plethora of reading material, the time will pass by quickly enough. I'll remain here and watch for a break in the weather."

"Actually," he asserted, "I was hoping that you'd join me - if you'd like to, that is. An adventure's always more fun when you have someone to share it with."

A smile, slightly shy but completely disarming, accompanied the invitation, and Sadie found herself accepting his appeal with alacrity, letting him lead her down the rows of tomes to a pair of Windsor chairs framed by a large window located at the back of the store. After she'd been seated, he went off to find a book, returning shortly thereafter with several volumes which he bid her to choose from while he settled into the chair across from her.

It was a familiar scenario, for he'd been reading to her after their tutoring lessons for a while now, but she never grew tired of watching him flip open a book, rifle through its pages, then find the spot that he was looking for, a palpable excitement growing on his face as he began to narrate the words. There was something transformative about the process, for as he read, it was as if the cares on his shoulders fell away and the boy inside of him came alive, the boy who could spend hours caught up in a story, who saw the world through a lens of vivid complexity, who quietly wrote his poetry and mused on the deeper questions of life, who delighted in the whimsical nature of the world around him and who wasn't afraid to laugh or to dream or to say something fanciful for fear of what others might think. The Davey that she knew - careful and circumspect and sensible - was always there beneath this metamorphosis...but when he spoke through the characters on the page, another side of him emerged, a side that she'd only caught glimpses of before - and the manifestation of it was nothing less than enthralling.

Making her selection, Sadie handed over the book that she had chosen, settling into the familiar cadence of Davey's voice as he began to read and listening raptly to the adventure beginning to unfold as his words intermingled with the sound of the raindrops' pattering beat outside.


The rain continued to pour steadily for the next half hour, but Davey hardly noticed the passage of time, so caught up was he in reading the book that Sadie had picked out for them to peruse. Between his reading group with the newsies and his post-tutoring sessions, he'd long since ceased to feel self-conscious in the role of narrator, and the satisfaction of diving into a new story was exciting, especially alongside an audience who was just as engaged in the tale as he was.

Previous to his life in Manhattan, reading had always been a solitary experience, something that he retreated to when he needed to escape the burdens of life or to pass the time or to simply be out of other people's way. He'd always found pleasure in the pastime, but the delight of reading with others was something that he'd only just recently discovered, and it seemed to give a whole new meaning to the experience.

Eventually, the audible lessening of the rain outside drew his attention, and he looked out of the window to see that the downpour was abating, the raindrops falling more gently and the skies beginning to look a bit brighter.

"Do you think we ought to chance it now?" Sadie asked, noticing his scrutiny.

"It's probably a good time," he affirmed, reluctantly closing up the novel in his hands. "We shouldn't be out too late if we can help it, and it looks like things might be clearing up."

They returned the books to their places on the shelves, then left McNally's, stepping onto the sidewalk just as a bit of sunlight broke through the clouds amidst the gently falling rain. The air was still chilly and damp, and Davey could feel the cold seeping into his wet clothes, but he couldn't bring himself to mind as he made down the now nearly empty streets with Sadie at his side.

"I'm sure our little excursion was more than you'd bargained for," the landlord's daughter remarked, "but I hope that you didn't find it completely disagreeable."

"Not at all," he reassured her. "Though next time I'm going to insist on bringing an umbrella."

"That implies that there will be a next time, Davey."

He smiled. "Did I say anything to suggest that there wouldn't be?"

She gave him a knowing look. "Aside from our detour to McNally's, the rather preoccupied and uneasy demeanor that you've maintained this whole time seems to indicate otherwise!"

"Being spontaneously ridiculous and leaving things to chance is still new to me," he reminded her. "It'll take me a while to get used to it becoming routine…but that doesn't mean that I'm not enjoying the adventure - or your company."

He probably should have omitted that last part, but he couldn't bring himself to regret it when he saw her smile, and her answering laughter made his heart leap a little.

"I'm awarding myself another point in my efforts to make you into an impulsive boy, then!" she declared. "I confess that when I first determined to try my hand at mellowing you out, I didn't imagine that you'd be so easily won over!"

"Before you congratulate yourself too heartily, Chare," he warned, "let me remind you that you admitted just this afternoon to thinking more seriously about the future. That seems to indicate the adoption of a markedly sensible way of thinking. It'd be overreaching and completely erroneous of me to take credit for that transformation, but…" he grinned at her, "I'm going to do it anyway. Fair's fair."

"You goose!" she chided playfully, shoving him in the arm, and now it was his turn to laugh when her effort to unbalance him sent her stumbling back rather than budging him like she'd intended.

The return trip to the tenement passed by quickly, the rain slowly abating even as the partially-obscured sun sank low in the sky, and as they made their way up the stairs, completely drenched but in good spirits, Davey felt a sense of exhilarated satisfaction despite the weariness that normally descended upon him whenever the afternoon was drawing to a close. He walked Sadie up to the third floor and bid her goodbye, then made his way back to his family's apartment, letting himself in and immediately shivering a little as the heat emanating from the kitchen stove began to warm his rain-soaked skin.

Les was lounging in his usual spot on their bed, drawing pictures in a little notebook that Jack had given him, and he didn't even look up as his brother greeted him, mumbling an absent "hello" in response but otherwise remaining engrossed in his task. Their mother's grocery basket was sitting by the entryway, though she herself was nowhere to be seen, and Davey was about to go knock on his parents' bedroom door to offer to run the errand for her (seeing as he was wet already), when it opened from the inside and his father stuck his head out.

"David," he said shortly, "I'd like to have a talk with you."


A/N: If you have a moment to leave a review, I'd be ever so grateful to hear your feedback/reactions.