Ally's Story: A Newsie's OC

No tears left to cry

As they walk back to the lodging house, none of them are talking. All of a sudden, Ally sinks to her knees onto the ground, sobbing. Davey immediately pulls her to a nearby brick wall and sits down next to her. She leans her head on his shoulder and sobs for Crutchy. Davey puts his arm around her shoulder while Jack sits on the other side of her.

"He's gonna be ok Ally. You know Crutchy, he's strong." Jack says.

"I know he's strong, he's the strongest person I've ever met. It's just that... he's the only newsie I've met who I can relate to. We both have a disadvantage compared to everyone else. Yes, for different reasons, but he was always the only one I could relate to. He's like an older brother to me. And now he's stuck in that awful place and I don't want to leave him there." she finishes with a sob.

"Hey, it's a little late to go back to the lodging house tonight. Why don't you two stay at my place? My folks won't mind, and I'm sure they would love to meet you Ally, and they would love to see you again, Jack." Davey offers.

Ally, with tears running down her face, agrees, while Jack reluctantly accepts the offer.

They make their way to David's house.

David wraps his arm around the sobbing Ally's shoulder while he leads her and Jack to his house.

Once they arrive there, he opens the door and realizes his family is asleep.

He makes a quiet gesture with his finger and they quietly walk in.

Luckily Ally's sobs had dissolved into sniffles every now and then.

He walks them into the room he shares with Les and his sister, Sarah.

Ally takes her hat off and begins to take the pins out of her hair. Claiming that they are too uncomfortable to sleep with in. This is the first time David has seen her with her hair down, and while he thinks she looks beautiful normally, he loves her true appearance even more.

"You can have the bed, Al. Jack and I will sleep on the floor." David whispers.

"Are you sure?" Ally asks, unsure that as the guest, taking his bed away from him is the polite thing to do.

"Of course." David says.

He and Jack lay on the floor. Jack across the room near Sarah's bed, and David near his own bed. Ally tries to get comfortable in David's bed, but she keeps thinking about how Crutchy is locked in the refuge, probably without a bed and cold. Reducing her to another round of tears.

After around an hour of squirming around in the bed, Ally tiredly gets out of the bed and lays down on the floor next to David. She presses her head into his chest, and he wakes to the sudden movement.

"Hey, are you ok?" he asks when he hears her muffled sobs in his chest.

"Just thinking about Crutchy. How I'm nice and cozy in your bed, while he's probably cold, malnourished, and sleeping on the floor." she replies, sniffling.

"How bout we sleep on the floor then, for Crutchy?" David suggests, wrapping his arms around her.

"For Crutchy." she agrees.

David chuckles as she tucks her head under his chin and they both drift off to sleep. Comfortable in each other's arms.

The next morning, David wakes up and immediately notices the blonde hair tucked under his chin. The memories of their conversation the previous night come flooding his mind. He smiles at the memories. He realizes that he and Ally are very much cuddled together. With their legs tangled awkwardly, his arms around her shoulders and her's around his midsection. As awkward as it is, he loves the feeling of having her in his arms.