After the Strike (Newsies X Reader)

FOUR

(A/N: With each chapter this gets worse and worse, but that's ok because I put a great reference in here. Have fun!)

Life had been a crazy ride for Y/N in the last week. Positive mixed with negative, both good things and bad things happening all at once.

She had run into Davey a few more times, and each time they had great conversations. Once the ice was broken, they could go for hours about certain books. And she had gone back to buy "papes" from the circulation building once or twice. None of the boys bothered her anymore, not that she gave them much of a chance. Still, this was good.

On the other hand, Y/N's mother's condition seemed to be getting worse. Y/N lost her job due to her broken arm. So she had to scrape up savings that she kept in her drawer in order to pay for her mother's medicine.

Now Y/N was walking home from a walk around the neighborhood, searching for someone that would hire a girl with a broken arm. Nobody would. She know opened the door to the apartment building and climbed the endless stars to the top floor, looking forward to resting for an hour or two.

"I'm home," she announced upon opening the door to the apartment. She was startled to be greeted by none other than Uncle Fred sitting at the table, sipping at some drink. Her gaze fell cautiously on her Uncle when, to her horror, she realized this could only mean one thing.

Fred was her father's brother, and her only known living relative. Although Y/N's mother didn't trust/like him, she had no choice but to entrust the care of her daughters to her brother-in-law if anything ever happened.

Y/N's mother was dying.

She hastily stumbled into her mother's room to find her mother, thankfully still alive, laying in bed with her eyes wearily open. Y/N's five year old sister Beth was crying, and the two year old Sue was just confused about what was going on. The doctor stood in the corner and nodded Y/N over.

Y/N was shaking with fear as she shuffled over only to hear, "Your mother's condition is worsening fast. I'm sorry, but I believe she's dying." The doctor left to go discuss something legal with Uncle Fred and to give the girls some privacy.

Y/N rushed to her mother's side, too shocked to even cry. "Mother," she miserably whispered. Her mom looked up at her and weakly smiled. "Y/N...I'm sorry that I have to leave you like this. Please promise me you will always look after your little sisters, and yourself."

Y/N choked out, "Of course, mother." She watched as her mom kissed the foreheads of the two little girls and grabbed Y/N's hand. She softly whispered, "My love, take your time. I'll see you on the other side."

Y/N watched with horror as her mother closed her eyes and exhaled one last time. Tears started blurring her vision, and in a moment of selfishness, Y/N ran out of the room as fast as she could. She ran past her confused Uncle and doctor, taking no time to even grab a coat.

Y/N ran out onto to the street, and blindly ran as fast as she could. She didn't know why, but Y/N felt like she just needed to run away. Maybe if she ran fast enough, she would get away from this mess. From all this grief.

She ran until she found her way to the square, the same place she read everyday. Y/N finally collapsed, falling onto the dirt in a small garden. She desperately wiped the tears away from her face as her sobs racked her body.

She was grateful that she could cry in peace, in solitude, when she heard footsteps behind her. "Y/N? ...are you okay?" the person asked. Y/N stood up and turned around to see Davey. "It's...j-just my m-mother," she choked out, wiping away tears. "She's...sh-she's..."

Y/N broke down into tears again when Davey pulled her into a hug. She let herself break down in his arms, shaking with grief and anger. Anger that her mother left her to fend for herself and little sisters. Y/N knew it was selfish, but she couldn't help but feel that way.

"She's gone," Y/N choked out, leaning into Davey. "Y/N, I'm...I'm so, so sorry," he said, trying his best to be comforting.

The next few minutes were spent of silence between the two, besides Y/N's crying. "Oh my god," she said shakily, backing out of the hug. "I left my little sisters with my uncle! I have to go!"

"Wait, take my coat," Davey said, draping his coat on Y/N's shoulders.

"Thank you Davey," she said, almost blind to his kind act due to her fear for her little sisters. She ran as fast as she could, this time back home. Y/N wiped the tears from her eyes and rushed inside. By now, the doctor, and her mother's corpse, were gone. Uncle Fred was slugging down a suspicious smelling drink, sitting back with his feet resting on the table.

"Where are Beth and Sue?" she asked, sniffling but trying to keep her dignity. "I don't know, and I don't care," he slurred, his head tilted lazily to the side. Y/N moved away from her obviously drunk uncle and backed into her room.

"Beth? Sou? Where are you two hiding?" she asked, closing and locking the door behind her. Y/N listened carefully for a second. She traced the sound of muffled crying to its source. Crouching on the floor and lifting the sheets from the side of the bed, she crawled under.

Y/N pulled her crying little sisters into a hug where they all sat and cried for a long time. "Th-there, there," she said, trying to be brave. "We've all had...well, a rough day. Let's go to bed."

She tucked both of her sisters in, then carefully climbed into bed herself. They all huddled together, for comfort and warmth, and cried themselves to sleep.