After the Strike (Newsies X Reader)

FIVE

(A/N: So I just realized today that I spelled the youngest sister's name really weirdly. Like, REALLY weirdly. It's supposed to be Sue, but I had to go and change up the spelling for no reason. Oh well. Btw, this chapter is fairly long, so enjoy!)

The next day was bad too. Y/N barely had any energy to move all day. She discontinued her job search and sank into depression. Her sadness was too deep to even cry. At this point, she was just in disbelief. How could this have happened?

There was no funeral. He uncle reasoned that one would be too expensive and too unnecessary. Instead, they all silently watched their mother get buried at the cheapest and most crowded cemetery. Each of the girls bought a flower, so they each put one next to the grave. Y/N's face was both solemn and sad. She tried to comfort crying Beth, but found she was struggling with her own feelings.

That evening, after a dinner of a piece of bread, the two little girls headed to bed. "I think I'll go to bed too, Uncle Fred," Y/N said, backing up towards her room. He simply nodded in agreement, taking another swig from the glass bottle he kept next to him.

Y/N hurried into the room, quickly closing and locking the door behind her. She set up a chair against the door so that it was nearly impossible to open from the outside. Y/N had made a decision today: they couldn't continue living with their uncle. It was too dangerous. Y/N would just have to run away with her sisters.

Run away to where, though? She hadn't thought it through that far. All Y/N knew was that living on the streets would be safer than living with her uncle.

She grabbed a bag and started grabbing things to pack. Another blouse, clothes for her sisters, two books, and all the money she had left. 72 cents, to be exact. She placed the heavy, stuffed bag by the window and looked at her sleeping sisters. Y/N didn't want to wake them up, but she had no choice.

"Sou, Beth, wake up you two," she whispered, gently shaking them. Y/N put coats on the two half asleep girls and lifted them out of bed. Wrapping a blanket around them, she informed them, "We need to be very quiet. We are going away from here right now, so remember, no talking. Y/N handed both of their dolls and handed them to the little girls to carry. Then, throwing the heavy sack over her shoulders, she blew out the candle and took one last look at her small dark room full of memories.

Y/N climbed out the window and helped her little sisters out. They carefully climbed down the stairs, Y/N carrying little Sou, and made their ways to the street. New York City is something entirely different after ten pm, so Y/N cautiously observed her surroundings as she led her family far away from their old home.

"Y/N, I'm tired. I want to sleep," whined Beth after a half-hour of walking all over Manhattan. "Just a few more minutes, love," Y/N gently encouraged her, giving her head a pat. After what seemed to Beth like an eternity, Y/N led them into a small alley between buildings. It may not be clean and warm, Y/N thought, but at least it keeps us off the street.

She draped the blanket over the two girls, stroking the hair of crying Beth until she fell asleep. They were both laying on the ground, resting their heads on the overpacked bag. Y/N sat protectively in front of them, ready to defend her sisters if necessary.

She sat for hours and started nodding off to sleep when she heard footsteps. Y/N immediately sat up, looking towards the source of the sound. She started panicking, imagining the worst. What if it's my uncle? she thought, stomach dropping at that idea. She balled up her fists and prepared to grab her sisters and run when a boy, no older than 18 walked in.

"Do you wanna come inside?" he asked. Y/N took a shake breath and sourly asked, "What makes you think I'd go inside with a complete stranger?" He laughed and shook his head. "Sorry. I'm Jack, by the way. It's freezing out here, so I thought ya might wanna come in."

Her eyes widened when she remembered, "Wait a minute, you're that kid that charged me a nickel just to find out where you buy papers. Oh yes, what a good reputation you have." He shrugged and said, "Alright, I was just trying to be nice. Have fun with the rats out here."

Y/N felt her little sister shift around behind her. "R-rats?" Beth asked in a terrified voice. "Yep. Tons of rats," Jack smugly replied. Y/N's little sister looked up at her and sniffled. "Can we please go inside Y/N? P-please?" Y/N looked at her cold, half asleep sisters and at Jack.

"Fine. We'll go inside," she picked up herself little Sou with her good arm and grabbed the bag. "C'mon Beth, let's go," she said, following Jack inside the building. It was warmer inside, and she could tell despite the stuffy air it was much cleaner than sleeping on the street.

Jack showed them to a small bunk in the back corner of the room. "Here," he stopped in front of it, "It may not be the best, but it's the only free bed we got." She nodded and stayed completely silent, grateful when he walked away. She slid the bag under the bed and tucked her little sisters into bed. Thankfully, they seemed too tired to be sad anymore and fell asleep immediately. There was no room on the bed for Y/N so she just pulled a book out of her bag and attempted to read it.

She leaned against the bed and found the right angle to allow the light shining through the window reach the page. She ran her eyes over the page, over the words, but her mind wouldn't process them. Y/N found she couldn't focus on the book at all, she couldn't distract herself from the deep sorrow she felt. It couldn't be true, it couldn't be-

It finally struck her. Her mother was gone. Her mother was dead. Y/N felt a tear run down her face and finally gave in to her grief. She had been in denial since her mother passed away, but she couldn't tell if she felt any better or worse now that she was accepting it. Her body shook as she sobbed, burrowing her face in her book in attempt to silence her cries.

No, I can't cry, not now, she told herself, knowing that this could be seen as a weakness. She couldn't do anything that would threaten the safety of her and her sisters, after all, she was vulnerable to the room full of strange boys around her when she was crying. But she couldn't stop the crying, and she couldn't silence the sobbing.

After what seemed like an eternity, Y/N's tears hadn't stopped but she heard someone approaching. She looked up with miserable eyes to see a boy leaning on a crutch looking down at her. "Yous ok?" he softly asked, eyes filled with concern. She tried to reply, but only managed let out another muffled sob.

Y/N buried her head into her hands again when the boy slid down next onto the floor next to her. Her sobs racked her body when he put his hand on her shoulder in attempt to console her. She felt bad for this kid, staying to sit next to the crying mess she was without knowing WHY she was crying. But Y/N was grateful for the comfort his presence offered.