My Sweetheart -Newsies Racetrack Higgins-

[33]

Jack Kelly was no Olympic athlete, but he was fast. The moment Ruth's carriage began to rattle off, he sprinted in the opposite direction. He pushed through the crowds, his mind set in one certain person. It took what felt like hours, but after weaving through the streets in a way only he could, he came to the corner of an intersection. He nearly tacked the newsie that was selling papers to the ground, making the boy yelp in surprise.

"Hey! Jack whatcha doin'?" Racetrack peeled the older boy off him. "Can't you see I's busy?"

Jack grabbed him by the shirt and held him close to his face. "Your girl is about to leave New York for god knows how long, with some rich, stuffy aunt, and she thinks youse abandoned her. Now get off your ass, stop complainin' and go get her."

Racetrack was dumbfounded. Jack has a scary side, that was for sure, but he was never on the receiving end. He gasped like a fish out of water. Ruth was leaving?

"Don't tell me you don't still love her. She obviously still loves you. You need to find her before she leaves for good." Jack released him from his grasp and turned to run back toward the harbor. "Are you coming?"

Racetrack stared at the papers by his feet, and back at Jack. He nodded once, throwing the newspaper in his hand to the ground. "I'm comin'."

Jack smiled widely, and the two took off down the street.

"I'll reimburse ya for the papes." Jack smirked, making Racetrack shake his head as she laughed.

"You betta."

-

The pair looked around the harbor wildly. Ships of all sizes were entering and exiting. People from all corners of the globe were collecting there, making it hard to see. On any ordinary day, it might have been seen as interesting or cool, but now it was just bothersome.

"You see anything?" Jack asked, jumping onto a crate to get a better look.

"No." Racetrack huffed. "We's never gonna find her." He pulled the cap from his head and wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.

Jack ignored his friend and squinted hard. "I think I sees her!" He yelled, pointing to a ship in the distance. "Go!"

Racetrack wasted no time in running off through the harbor. He ducked underneath crates and jumped over luggage. He was able to mutter out a few apologies as he bumped into a crowd of women dressed in strange dresses. He spotted Ruth in the distance, her bright hair unmistakeable.

He wanted to yell out to her, but a ship's horn smothered his voice. He shouted again, but she didn't hear him. 

He watched as she turned on the ramp, and looked in his direction, before frowning and continuing up the ramp. She hadn't seen him. She didn't know he was there. He ran quicker and quicker, before tripping over a pile of luggage, and crashing to the floor.

He groaned as he fell on his hands and knees, the floor tearing at the skin. His hands stung but he continued on, making his way to the ship she had boarded. He saw her standing at the railing, looking over the city.

"Ruthie!" He screamed at the top of his lungs, but it was futile. She wouldn't be able to hear him.

He tried again, but the same result. He saw the ramp that led to the boat and he made a dash for it.

"Ticket, sir?" The man said, holding his hand out. His eyebrow was raised as he looked questioningly at Racetrack. "If you have no ticket, I'm going to have to ask you to move."

"Please, sir. I needs ta speak to someone on board!" He pleaded, but the man frowned.

"I'm sorry. No ticket, no entry."

Racetrack gritted his teeth, before making a decision. He looked at the ramp on last time and decided to try and run up it.

The man yelled at him to stop, but he didn't listen. People gasped and looked at him like he was mad as he bounded up the ramp. 

"Ruth!" He cried, seeing the man follow him."Ruthie!" 

The blonde looked down at the ramp, as she heard the commotion and yelling down below. "Racetrack?" She whispered to herself, not expecting Charlie to hear her. 

"Go." Charlie smirked. "I'll distract her." He pointed to Millicent, who was growing impatient at her lingering guests. 

"Thank you, Charlie. I love you." She smiled widely, hugging him. 

He hugged her back. "Love you, too, Ruth. Now go!" He pushed her shoulder. 

Ruth hiked up her skirts and ran toward the ramp. She muttered small excuses to the people she nearly knocked over. 

"Race!" She yelled, not seeing him on the ramp anymore. She felt her feet touch the pavement of the dock, before she scanned the dock for her Race. 

"Let me go!" She heard a voice struggle from over to her right. She ran over to the blond that was being held by the man. He had his hand wrapped tightly around Racetrack's bicep. "Ruthie!" He smiled as he saw her. "You saw me."

"Race." She smiled, her legs feeling shaky. She walked up to him, and placed her hands on the sides of his face. He leaned into her touch, closing his eyes briefly as he breathed in. 

Ruth let go and turned toward the man, who were both staring at them. The man from the ticket booth released Racetrack's arm, but still stood close. 

"You know this man, miss?" The man asked, raising an eyebrow. 

"In fact I do, and I demand you let him go." Ruth crossed her arms over her chest. "He wasn't trying to sneak onboard. I promise he won't cause you any more problems." 

The man still looked at them suspiciously, and Ruth sighed. She shoved her hand in her dress pocket, pulling out a few dollar bills she hadn't tucked away in her purse, and handed them over. "Will this compensate for any damages done?"

The man turned red with embarrassment. "It will be fine." He took the bills, and gave them each a nod. "Don't let me catch either of you around here again." 

Ruth and Racetrack watched as the man walked away. Ruth kept her eyes on him until he blended in with the rest of the crowd. She felt arms snake around her waist and turn her around. 

She giggled as Racetrack hugged her close. "I'm sorry." He mumbled. "I am sorry, Ruthie. Could you ever forgive me?" 

"I dunno." She said, making him pull away and stare at her in confusion. 

"What?"

"Race, I hated every moment apart from you." Ruth said slowly, "but I need to know that whatever this is... we can't give up on each other."

Racetrack nodded. "I understand, Ruthie. I do. I felt like I was dying when you weren't around. I promise, I might not have any money, or a fancy house, or fancy clothes, and I can't give you those fancy parties. But I love you, Ruthie, and I won't ever stop." 

Racetrack closed the little distance between them and placed his lips on hers, not bothering to care what everyone around them thought. Ruth smiled into the kiss, tugging on his hair as she let her hands get lost in it. She felt her body being pulled flush against his, and she didn't mind that her aunt was most likely watching her, probably having a heart attack.   

Ruth broke away first, catching her breath. "My mother is going to kill me." 

Racetrack laughed airily. "Don't worry. I've got you." 

She grinned. "Now I'm saved." 

"Ruthie?" Racetrack asked. "I need to ask you something." 

"What is it?" Ruth held onto his shoulders, worry crossing her face. 

Racetrack took her hands off his shoulder and held them in his. He looked down at their interlocked fingers. "I love you, Ruthie." 

"I love you, too, Race. We've been over this." 

"Let me finish." He looked at her. "I love you, Ruthie. I may not have any ring, and I may not for awhile..." 

"What are you doing, Racetrack?"

"Ruthie Davis, sometime would you marry me?"

A/N: I have no words.