Newsies Jack Kelly x OC (Alyssa Stoll Doesn't Do Love)

7 - Laura

Chapter 7 is here! Laura is my absolute favorite character and is somewhat inspired by one of my favorite cousins. This chapter has another cute Jack and Alyssa scene, too. Enjoy!

Alyssa was exhausted. Too much had happened that day. First Jack, then Mia, then Spot, then Jewel, then Lucy, and now this new kid. All she wanted to do was go to bed. Still, she followed Jack back upstairs into the girls bunk room. Jack put the girl down on the only empty bed left in their room. "Laura," he said to the little girl, "this is Alyssa. She's one of the newsies here."

"Jack, I think Ella should be up here, not me," Alyssa said. She was scared of hurting Laura. Not physically, of course, but kids were so sensitive, and Alyssa was not the gentlest person with words.

"Lyss, please?" Jack asked. "Ella's out with her boyfriend right now. Just talk to her. She had no mother and her father died just a month ago. She's been living on the streets. Just talk to her or something. No matter how bad you are at it, you can't be worse than me."

Alyssa scoffed. "Ya 'cause little kids definitely don't follow you around all the time."

"They would follow you, too, except you scare them. They like you, Lyss; I always hear them talking about you. And anyways Laura needs a girl to talk to her. Just like you had Liza when you were in a similar situation."

Alyssa sighed and turned to Laura, who was watching the hushed conversation with great interest. "Hey kid," Alyssa said awkwardly, "I'm Alyssa like Jack said." She paused, not knowing what else to say.

"I'm Laura," the little girl said softly.

"Laura's a pretty name," Alyssa said. "Umm... look, I know things have probably been really hard for you right now, and if you don't want to talk about it that's ok. I just want-" Alyssa was cut off by Laura hugging her tightly. She was taken aback. It had been a very long time since anyone had hugged her like this. At that moment she felt a deep connection to the little girl clinging to her. Alyssa knew pretty well how lost Laura must be feeling right now. She decided that nothing worse would happen to Laura if she could help it. "Hey. It's going to be fine. I promise." And Alyssa knew this time she was going to keep her promise. She held Laura close to her.

Jack looked on, smiling to see Alyssa and Laura so comfortable together. Alyssa looked so sweet, the way she had only ever looked when she was with her mother. Jack saw that her beautiful blue eyes were glistening with tears. She had a gentle smile on her face. He knew that Alyssa must be thinking of her mother. Newsies didn't really do hugs, but Jack remembered all the times he had seen Alyssa hugging her mother. He thought Alyssa looked like an angel sitting on that bunk holding Laura close. Her sandy hair spilled over her shoulders like a golden waterfall. Her eyes were now closed and the smile on her face made her look so sweet and wholesome, like a goddess. Jack walked closer to the two girls, and when he saw a tear fall from Alyssa's now closed eyes he wiped it away without thinking. Alyssa looked up sharply; she had forgotten it was not just her and Laura in the room.

"Sorry," she whispered.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Lyss," Jack said softly. He inwardly cursed himself for ruining Alyssa and Laura's moment. He should have just left the room, instead of touching Alyssa.

Alyssa gently pulled away from Laura. "You good kid?" She asked.

"Yes," Laura replied, "thank you."

"Do you wanna go to bed now?"

"Yes, please."

Alyssa took Laura to the small washroom. "Jack, go find some clothes for her," she said. Once Alyssa reached one of the two washbasins, she filled one with water from the pump. She awkwardly helped Laura remove her dirty clothes and get into the washbasin. Laura was small enough that she could submerge herself completely. Alyssa gently washed the dirt off of Laura, being careful around any areas that looked bruised or cut. She then found an old towel and dried Laura off. She got some old clothes of the newsies from Jack and quickly dressed Laura so she wouldn't get cold. When she was done Laura looked much more comfortable. Alyssa then took her hairbrush and brought Laura back to the empty bunk. She sat down with Laura and began carefully brushing her hair. When she was done with this she wove Laura's hair into a simple braid and tucked her in with an extra blanket of hers.

Alyssa was getting up to leave Laura to sleep when Laura stopped her. "Can you sing me to sleep? Please?" She quickly added. "Father always used to sing me to sleep at night." Alyssa smiled at the little girl's request. It was the most Laura had said since she got to the lodging house. Alyssa sighed, but she couldn't say no to Laura.

"Sure," Alyssa said reluctantly. As Alyssa began singing, Jack moved to lean against the doorframe. He recognized this song. It was a song Alyssa had often sung at night the first year or so she had lived at the lodging house. She had never said what the song was, but Jack assumed it was a lullaby her mother had sung to her. Once again Jack thought Alyssa looked just like an angel. Even more so now that she was singing sweetly to Laura.

When Alyssa finished singing, Laura was fast asleep. The poor girl must've been exhausted. Alyssa got up and went to the door, moving with Jack into the hallway. "You ok, Lyss?" Jack asked. "You're crying."

"I am?" Alyssa asked. "Sorry."

"Don't say sorry. There's nothing wrong with crying." Jack moved to wipe away Alyssa's few tears again. "I just want to make sure you're ok."

"Ya, I'm fine." Was she blushing? No no no she didn't like Jack. Not that way. She had no reason to blush. Alyssa looked away uncomfortably.

"I remember that song you were singin'," Jack said, not noticing anything.

"Ya?"

"It's a real pretty song."

"It was my mama's."

"I figured." The two of them stood there quietly for a minute, then Jack continued. "You know that's the first time I've seen you hug anyone other than your mother. Kind of mad it wasn't me," he joked. Alyssa laughed quietly. Then she looked up at Jack and hugged him. Jack was surprised, but soon he hugged her back, enjoying being so close to Alyssa. They stayed like that for another minute or so, just holding each other close. Then Alyssa pulled away.

"Sorry, I dunno where that came from," she said blushing.

"No no it's fine. I- umm... well I didn't mind it," Jack said, blushing too.

"Well, I'm really tired after, well, after everything today."

"Ya I'm sure beating someone up and then putting a little girl to bed on the same day is pretty tiring," Jack said trying to ease the tension.

"Wow you're soo funny," Alyssa said. "I'm gonna go to bed now. So... see ya."

"Can't even say goodnight, Lyss?"

"G'night Kelly."

"Night Lyss." And with that Alyssa went straight to bed. She fell asleep almost immediately after her busy day.

Jack on the other hand went back downstairs to the basement where he was met by a laughing Spot. "You're hopeless, Jack," he said.

"Oh yeah, why's that?" Jack asked.

"Why don't you first tell me why you've got such a dumb grin on your face?"

"I do not!" Jack glared at Spot.

"Don't play dumb, Jack, I saw you up there with Al."

"Did they kiss?" "Are they together now?" "Finally!" "Jack's gettin' married!" Jack groaned at the newsies' excitement.

"Now hold on a second," Spot said grinning, "we all know what a wuss Jacky is. Do you really think he would kiss Al? But man, that was a long hug." Jack shoved Spot angrily. "Make a move on her 'fore someone else does Jacky-boy," Spot added.

"Will you all shut up?!" Jack shouted. "Lyss doesn't do love, you guys know that." Several newsies rolled their eyes at that, but they let Jack be for the night.

Ok but sometimes I feel like hugs are more romantic than kisses. Jack and Alyssa are so cute and I live for Spot and Race's teasing. Let me know what you think.

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