When The Ink Dries ~Newsies Fanfic'

Chapter Ten

Skipper P.O.V

I crawl from the darkness slowly. "J- Jack? Are you... okay?" He spins around, looking at me. The moonlight illuminates his perfect face. Marks remain where tears streamed down his cheeks. "Skip... please. Go to bed, I'm fine." He turns away, leaning on the railing. I walk over to him, and hug him from behind. He doesn't move. "It'll be okay, I promise." He turns to me, wrapping his arms around me and burying his face in my shoulder. "I let em' take Crutchie, it was all my fault!" He cries. His hot tears stain my clothes, but I don't care. All I care about is him. I push him back gently, and he sits roughly on a crate. I sit on his lap, looking at him.

"Please... tell me what's going on." I plead, staring into his deep brown eyes, bloodshot from crying. He sighs. "When we was kids, I saved Crutchie from the Delancies. He and I were the first workin' for Pulitzer, and I..." He pauses. "I promised myself I'd always protect him..." He puts his head in his hands. I put a hand on his chin, directing his eyes back to mine. "It'll be okay. Didn't you bust outta the refuge once?" I ask. He nods. "Yeah, once." A gear turns in my head. "Then who's stopping us from busting Crutchie out?" His eyes go from cold and sad to fiery and defiant, the way I miss them being. "You're right!" He stands, spinning me around. "I could kiss you!" I giggle, walking toward the ladder. "No time for that now! We've got a plan to execute!" He nods, following me down.

***NEXT DAY***

Jack is at Medda's, painting a new backdrop for her. Davey, Les and I all go to meet him. "Hey, Jack! Wanna tell Davey and Les what I told you?" He frowns, dropping his paintbrush." Well Skip, I was thinking... what if something happened? Like you or anybody got thrown in? It'd be best... to leave Crutchie, there." He heaves those last words out, as if they were hard to say. Davey steps forward. "No Jack, he needs us! His life could be at risk here!" Davey yells. "So be it, then. Shoulda' been faster." Jack mutters coldly. Davey looks offended. "No, we are saving him, period."

So here's how it goes, once we win, and we will be winning!

Make no mistake,

We'll be what?

We're already winning! Right.

And we'll tell em' straight out, they let Crutchie go or they keep getting pounded!

Dave, what the hell, did they bust up your brains or something? As I recall, Dave we all got our asses kicked. They won.

Won the battle! Oh, come on.

Jacky think about it, we've got them surrounded!

Here's what I think, Joe's a jerk, he's a rattlesnake.

You're right, and you know why a snake starts to rattle.

No, why?

Cuz he's scared! Sure.

Go and look it up, the poor guy's head is spinning! Why would he send for the goons, an entire army? Dozens of goons and the cops.

You know, you may be right!

Thank you, God!

Exactly, he knows we're winning!

Get those kids to see we're circling victory, and watch what happens! We're doing something no one's even tried, and yes. We're terrified, but watch what happens.

Those kids stray off the path, so just move on and stay on track! Cuz Humpty Dumpty is about to crack!

We've got faith, we've got the plan! And we've got Jack!

So just watch what happens, we're back! And I've got a date!

The song finishes. Jack takes off the colorful apron he's wearing. "Let's go make a plan! Operation Soak Em' For Crutchie..." he pauses, opening the door. "Is a go!" And we run, down the street to the lodging house. We cannot do this alone.

((Woo Watch What Happens Reprise! I know, I skipped King Of New York. I didn't do it because obviously no Katherine. But if you hadn't caught on, Skip is like Katherine's replacement. But yeah, may do it later idk.))