So this is the 'Christmas surprise' that I promised all of you last the November.... I really don't know what to say.
I feel bad, I just got so busy, which I'm sure you all understand.
With all of the stuff going on, I just lost inspiration and forgot a little bit about this. It wasn't my priority when I had school(that always comes first). I've finally settled down and my writer's block has faded so I am able to write this.
Anyway, I've dragged this out long enough. On to the story!

***
It was a blustery Christmas Eve and heavy snowflakes whirled around Jack as he hurried through the snow banks back toward the lodge. He squinted into the storm and tugged his coat tighter around him, cursing himself when he felt a hole in his pocket.

Jack sent a glance to the sky and frowned. The sun had disappeared from view, sinking behind the skyscrapers and melting back into the earth. He was supposed to be at Medda's by eight; he could tell he'd be cutting it close.

He'd known about the Christmas party she was hosting for weeks. She'd mentioned it every time he visited her and he couldn't believe he'd forgotten. No, not forgotten. He'd simply been distracted.

On nasty days such as this one, people made themselves scarce. This left Jack and the other newsies no other choice but to scatter further across the city in order to sell their wares. Jack's journey had, as it so often did, led him right across from New York Central Railroad.

At one time he'd sold there nearly every day. That was months ago, back when he still planned on going to Santa Fe. He'd had a plan back then, he knew exactly how he would get there.

He'd figured it out when he was thirteen. He'd save up just enough for a ticket plus a little extra, then he'd ride to the end of the line in Chicago. Jack hadn't heard many good things about Chicago, only that it was pretty much the same as New York but dirtier.

That didn't sound too appealing so Jack had figured he'd get a job in a little town or farm just outside of Chicago. He'd work there for a year or so until he had enough to take the Union Pacific Railroad the rest of the way to Santa Fe.

Santa Fe, where it was warm and the air was clean. Santa Fe where he wouldn't have to worry about the corruption that plagued the cities. Santa Fe was the complete opposite of New York; no more crowds and greedy penny-pinching old men. No more overflowing tenements or lodges stuffed with twelve in a room. No more loud, stinking streets. Santa Fe was open and beautiful and full of interesting people always eager to lend a hand; he knew it was true because he'd read about it in the dime novels he used to carry around in his pockets.

He'd read about the sun and how the West could fix anything - you could get rich out there. He could still go if he wanted, he had enough money. He could turn around right now, go back to the station. He could hop on a train and never look back . . .

Jack kicked at a pile of snow, trying to force the thoughts from his mind. He couldn't go to Santa Fe! His family was here, everything he needed was here in New York.

Jack couldn't help it; he still thought about Santa Fe, even though he tried his best to ignore it. It was as though something was calling him to the city, a longing deep inside that wouldn't go away despite his efforts, one last spark that refused to be snuffed out. He loved his brothers and Katherine, but Santa Fe was his dream.

He wasn't sure what exactly drove him to the station; bitterness maybe. He was happy with his family, but he could never be truly happy while in New York. The thought left him biting back guilt. He'd tried so hard these past few months; tried so hard to forget. Every time dreams of the western city entered his mind, he'd flash back to his words to Katherine all those months ago after the strike. It wasn't his fault, he tried to remind himself. He couldn't control his thoughts and feelings. Still, he was unable to completely ignore the knotting guilt that settled heavily in the pit of his stomach.

Luckily, or not depending on how one were to look at it, his mind was soon taken off of his Santa Fe problem when he was jerked back by a hand on his collar. Jack tried to fight as he was dragged off of the street, twisting and pulling against the assailant. His elbow connected with the person's jaw, but their hold didn't falter and another set of hands grabbed him tightly, holding him in place.

"Where do you think you're going, Kelly?"

"Let go of me, Oscar!" Jack hissed as he tried to wrestle his arms out of the boy's grasp.

"If you didn't want to get caught, you shouldn't have been walking our street."

Jack didn't have to see the boy to know that he was smirking; Oscar's voice was dripping with smugness. You could hear the nasty sneer and curled lip that he was wearing.

"It ain't your street," Jack laughed. "You really is as stupid as you look."

Jack flinched as something struck the back of his head, but didn't make a sound.

"I'd be careful if I was you. We was just planning a small soaking, but now we might have to actually hurt you. What a shame," Oscar glowered.

"Oh yeah, I'm sure you're real disappointed about that!"

***

Jack was confused. He knew he'd been distracted, his mind wasn't completely there, but he was still shocked. He'd never lost a fight to the Delanceys, yet today, he had. The brothers grinned at each other, laughing as they watched Jack struggle to get up.

"Merry Christmas, Kelly," Oscar's eyes flashed maliciously.

"You too, if your father ain't thrown you out onto the streets yet," Jack glared as he tried to get up.

Oscar delivered a solid kick to Jack's knee, Jack letting out a muffled cry as he collapsed back into the snow. Jack tried to lift his head again, his eyes meeting those of Oscar whose face was twisted in anger.

"You're one to talk, Kelly. How long you been engaged to Miss Pulitzer?"

Jack tensed. "That ain't your business."

"It's been quite a while," Morris taunted. "I wonder why that would be."

"Maybe because you don't got the money," Oscar added. "Being a paperboy don't make much, does it?"

Jack remained quiet. He could feel the doubts starting to fill his mind. What the Delanceys were saying was true. He hadn't married Katherine yet because he couldn't afford it. Although she had demanded he allow her to assist in payment for a wedding and home he refused to let her father pay for everything.

He didn't want to start out his marriage unable to support his wife.

"You better hurry up and get some money, Kelly, before she leaves you for one of her rich boys."

"Katherine don't care about money, I know that must be hard for you two to understand since no one's ever loved you."

Oscar's boot connected with Jack's shoulder, and he shoved the newsboy to the ground once again. Jack's face slammed back onto the ground and he gasped as he felt a sharp, searing pain shoot through his nose.

"Stay down," Oscar hissed before giving Jack one more kick to the head and turning away. He grabbed his brother's arm and then the two were off, leaving Jack alone.

Jack slowly pushed himself up, his arms shaking with the effort. He tried to move his weight onto his knees, biting his lips and clenching his eyes shut. After that blow to the knee, Jack could tell that walking would be a struggle. He took deep breaths as he shakily stood up, leaning heavily against the wall.

"It's gonna be a long night," he muttered.

***

Jack somehow managed to clean himself up well enough to make it back to the lodge and he pushed his way inside. He kept his cap pulled down low over his face trying to disguise any bruising.

"Jack! Crutchie's upstairs! He ain't feelin' too good!" One of the boy's shouted, having taken notice of the older boy standing in the doorway.

Jack froze, then hurried to the stairs keeping his face turned away from the rest of the boys. He took the stairs two at a time and threw open the door to the bedroom.

"Crutch?" He asked softly.

"Over here," came the soft reply.

Jack moved over to the bed where Crutchie lay and carefully sat down beside him.

Crutchie's face was flushed and his hair was messy. Sweat beaded on his forehead and upper lip and his fingers clutched tightly at the ragged cotton blanket that was pulled up towards his chin.

"How ya feeling?"

"Awful," Crutchie admitted, his voice barely more than a whisper.

"Why didn't you tell me? You should've stayed in today?"

"I needed a little more money."

"For what? You know I can always spot you a dime or two."

"I was thinking of getting those candied pecans Race is always staring after or some caramels or, or peppermint sticks--you know how much Tommy likes those."

Normally hearing this would've brought a small smile to Jack's face at the reminder of how caring his brother was but today it annoyed him even more. "You gotta start thinking about yourself, Crutch. Youse always getting yourself into trouble. What am I supposed to when I'm gone? I can't come back all the time and make sure you're okay."

Crutchie's eyes widened and his pallid cheeks flushed pink. "I'm sorry, Jack. I didn't mean to make you upset, I swear! I just wanted to make the boys happy! I thought that-"

"Well, stop! Stop thinking about them all the time. Start thinking about the real world! You can't always put everyone first; sometimes you gotta make sure you're okay! If youse always hurtin' yourself to help others, you ain't gonna last long out there," Jack muttered and shook his head. "You don't understand how the world works."

"I do, Jack!" Crutchie whispered. "Look at my leg. Remember the Refuge? I know what the world's like, Jack. I promise!"

"Jack! Jack, come here!"

Jack looked past Crutchie. Sniper was frantically waving him over towards the door.

"Just a minute, Sniper," Jack sighed. He was too tired to deal with this tonight.

"But it's important!" Sniper huffed. "You have to see what he did, Jack!"

"What who did?"

"Tommy cheated! We was playin' and he cheated! You have to tell him to stop!"

Tommy pushed Sniper to the side, already arguing. "I did not! Jack, tell him to stop being a baby!"

"Youse both being babies! Work it out yourself!" Jack turned back to Crutchie. "Do you need someone to stay back with you tonight?"

"No," Crutchie shook his head. "I'll be fi-"

"Jack! If you see the board you'll know he cheated!"

"Sniper! I said no," Jack groaned.

"Stop accusing me! I didn't do nothing!" Tommy crossed his arms.

"Anything," Specs corrected as he peeked his head into the room. "Jack, have you seen Henry?"

"No, Specs. I just got back. I have not seen Henry," Jack snapped.

Specs' eyes widened and he pushed his glasses up his nose. "I just thought you might know because he talked to you this morn-"

"He hit me!" Tommy cried. "Jack, he hit me!"

"Will you two quiet down?" Finch shouted as he dragged Race and Albert into the boys' room. "Theyse already causing trouble, Jack!"

"No we ain't!" Race whined. "We was just having fun!"

"Yeah!" Albert agreed, a rare occurrence. "Tell Finch that he takes the fun out of everything."

Slowly the room got louder as the commotion drew the rest of the boys upstairs. Jack felt as though the walls were closing in on him as the boys pushed closer and closer. His ears were ringing and his could feel his restraint fading with every voice that begged him to listen.

"Jack, I'm cold! Can I have another blanket?"

"I don't know. Do we have any extras?"

"Has anyone seen my shoe?"

"Not since you had it on this morning."

"Jack, Ike took my cap! Tell him if he don't give it back I'll break his nose!"

"Ike, give it back. And threats ain't necessary, Mike!"

"What time is it?"

"How am I supposed to know? What do I look like? A clock?"

"Are we leaving soon?"

"As soon as you're all ready! Hey! Elmer! Put that down!"

"Shut up, Buttons! You're voice makes my head hurt!"

"Jack! Tell Mush that he's being a-"

Jack, Jack, Jack, Jack, Jack! That's all he could hear. His head was spinning and he finally snapped. "Everyone, be quiet!"

The boys immediately went silent and his voice seemed to echo around the room. Jack looked at all of them; the wide eyes and dropped jaws. Sniper had gone pale and no one dared to move.

Jack'a eyes flashed wildly about the room and he pulled his cap off, running a hand through his hair in annoyance.

Crutchie, still lying in his bed, looked scared. "Jack," he said weakly. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine!" Jack snapped. "I just don't see why you all need to see me all of a sudden."

Romeo stepped forward and angled Jack's chin so the lamps cast a brighter light across the swelling and blood that covered his face. "Jack, what happened to your face?"

"What is this, an interrogation?" Jack cried.

"No, we're just worried about you. You're acting strange," Race stepped forward, but Jack backed away from him.

"You can stop worrying 'cause I'm fine. I'm just sick of youse always needing something from me!"

Crutchie dropped his head and Tommy flushed pink with embarrassment.

"Gee, Jack. We didn't know you felt that way," Jojo said quietly.

"Well, I do. Sometimes I wish I'd taken the train to Santa Fe!"

Once it was out he couldn't take it back. Crutchie gasped and Race almost fell over. All the boys wore faces full of hurt and Jack couldn't quite bring himself to care.

"Move," he said as he pushed through the boys.

It was too much for him right now. He couldn't take it. He needed to see the one person who could make him feel better, so he headed back out into the snowy streets all alone.

***

Pulitzer Mansion was brightly lit, as one would expect from the home of one of the richest men in New York on such a wonderful day to celebrate.

Jack didn't have to wait long before the door was answered. Unfortunately it was a new butler who hadn't quite met Jack yet, but the boy knew he'd have to make it work.

"What can I assist you with?" The man glared at him, obviously not impressed by his secondhand clothing, messy hair, and red-rimmed eyes.

"I'm here to see Katherine," Jack said boldly.

"In case you haven't noticed there is a ball going on and Miss Pulitzer is not available right now. You may leave a calling card and try again after the holidays."

"I don't think so. I'm here to see her now. It's urgent. Believe me, she'll come talk to me."

"And who should I say is calling?"

"Her fiancé."

The man's eyes widened and he motioned Jack inside.

"Oh, now I get the special treatment? I see how it works."

"We can't have anyone see an urchin boy standing on the staircase," the butler said. "Follow me and don't be seen. If anyone sees you, don't say a word about Miss Pulitzer. We will say that I caught you trying to sneak in."

"Gee, thanks," Jack scoffed, but he followed anyway.

The butler was leading him somewhere, Jack wasn't sure where, and was doing his best to take servant's halls and staircases. Finally they stopped in front of a heavy wooden door. The butler pushed the door open and motioned to a chair.

"Sit. I'll speak with Miss Pulitzer and return to you soon."

Jack didn't have much of a choice so he sat. Part of him wanted to sneak to the ballroom and find Katherine himself, but he knew this was the better option. So he waited.

***

The door swung open and Jack's head shot towards it. "Kath! Thank God you're here-"

"Sorry to disappoint."

Jack froze at the sound of the lower voice-obviously not belonging to Katherine.

"Mr. Pulitzer, I wasn't expecting you."

The man laughed. "I didn't think so, but this is my home. Isn't it customary to speak to the man of the house before trying to steal his daughter away in the middle of the night?"

"That wasn't my intention, sir-"

Pulitzer laughed. "Calm down, boy."

"Really, I just wanted to talk. I asked for Katherine."

"And you get me instead. It can't be a surprise, Mr. Kelly. What was my butler supposed to think when he saw a raggedy boy loitering on the porch claiming to be engaged to my daughter?"

Jack prickled at the use of 'boy', but knew he couldn't afford to argue with the man who held so much power over him. "But I am engaged to Katherine."

Pulitzer sighed. "Yes, you are, but you can't blame him for not believing it. Who wouldn't be surprised to see that a fine, upstanding woman with so much potential had tethered herself to a newsboy?"

"Is that all I am to you? A newsboy?"

"That's all you are, isn't it, boy? You're eighteen now, aren't you?"

Jack nodded.

"And have you done anything to move forward in life? Have you tried to progress? Where are you going?"

Jack was silent. He'd been looking for a job, he really was, but there was never any room. There was nowhere he could go!

"What about those boys you live with? What kind of example are you to them? You encourage them to stay poor, to be content with their position in life. What could you possibly do for my daughter?"

Again, Jack didn't answer.

"I suppose I should be frightened by your lack of response. As a father it should terrify me that the boy who's to be my daughter's provider has no plans for his future, has no way to provide for her. All I've ever wanted for her is a man who could take care of her. I should be horrified. But I'm not."

"Why not?" Jack asked, dreading the response.

"Katherine was born in this home, did you know that?"

Jack slowly shook his head. "I ain't ever asked."

"She was. She's been here her whole life. Until your little strike, Katherine had never been exposed to your world. She'd always talked to the nice boys around our neighborhood; never any people like you. To her, you're new... exciting! She's young and looking for adventure. That's all you are, Jack. A new adventure," Pulitzer said, his sympathetic voice betrayed by the smile in his eyes. "And adventure-seeking can't last forever."

"What do you mean by that?" Jack's chest was cold and he felt numb. This was everything the Delanceys had said, but worse. So much worse.

"Eventually she'll be looking for something serious, a man who can provide and give her a happy family."

Jack shook his head. "No, wese getting married. How're you gonna find someone to marry her if she's already with me?"

Pulitzer laughed again. "You claim to know so much about the world, but you are missing the point."

"What point?"

"Money talks, Mr. Kelly, and I'm one of the richest men in this city. When she's finally done with you I'll have no trouble finding her a nice man. One who actually deserves her."

"I want to see her," Jack's voice was broken. "Please. Let me see her."

Pulitzer narrowed his eyes. "She's busy at the ball right now. I'll tell her you sent for her."

"That ain't good enough," Jack argued.

He pushed past Pulitzer and sprinted towards the staircase. Forget not being seen! He was going to find Katherine no matter what the guests thought of him.