Jack hadn't believed that Race would actually pack up and leave Manhattan. It seemed absurd. But that's exactly what had happened and Jack had been more than a little agitated. Who just up and left the people who cared for him like family? The twins had been gone over a week now and Jack was nervous. Never mind. He shook his head and headed to go confront the younger Italian.

"Racer, everything ok?" Jack sat down next to the boy he was looking for on the Brooklyn docks a few cigarettes lighter. Spot's body guards had not wanted to let Jack through, but Jack knew how to bribe people.

Race glanced at Jack for a solid minute and a half looking confused as hell. "Uh, yeah I'm fine, why are you askin?"

"You look conflicted." Jack placed a friendly hand on the other boy's leg, his face bleeding with a concern that Jack didn't know if he believed himself or not.

"Conflicted, Jack how in the hell am I conflicted?" Race raised an eyebrow of concern. What kind of silly question was that?

"Between what your sister wants and what your heart's telling you that you want." Jack was pretty good at confusing even himself. Sure he was a little jealous that Race had chosen Clarice over the Manhattan Newsies, but that didn't mean he couldn't try to change the guy's mind. He knew if Race went back Clarice would follow anyway.

"Jackie, I don't know I mean. Clarice is happy here, more than ever actually. I mean we both miss you guys, but we're happy where we are." Racetrack was trying to be reasonable with Cowboy.

"And you both weren't happy in Manhattan? It's not like living there you can't come to Brooklyn. You've sold here for years and always come home at night. Besides, clarice has always sold in Manhattan. Blink and Mush are missing the both of you." Jack knew it wouldn't be hard to convince the poor kid to come back.

Race nodded his head in agreement, Blink and Mush treated both of them like siblings. "Maybe you're right Jack." 

"Come home." Jack squeezed Race's knee and then stood up and walked back across the bridge.

Race decided he had to tell Clarice once she was done sellin' with Spot. He knew she'd be a little heartbroken but she'd get over it. Right? She would for sure follow her other half back to Manhattan. The two were inseparable, without each other they had nothing, not even the Newsies.

Although Clarice was not happy about it, she respected her brother's decision and followed him back to Manhattan that night.

A few weeks later, Race was heading back from Brooklyn and he got distracted by a group of women standing outside a tavern with signs saying DEVIL'S DRINK and things like that. He shook his head and not checking the crossing again, he sprinted out to cross the road and then, he was flat on his back on the road, being trampled underfoot by six horses.

He gasped for breath and there was a loud ringing in his ears. Nothing felt real. His vision was fuzzy and there were bright explosions of color and then darkness, and then a haze. Then he saw her face. "Clar!" He knew she was crying, but he heard nothing. He knew he should be feeling something, anything, but there was nothing. Then it went black.

The next thing he found himself blinking his eyes open, but they were so heavy. He heard murmuring, but no one was saying much. He wished he couldn't feel anything again because he could feel everything and it was worse than getting soaked by both the Delancey brothers. Then the coughing started and there was blood, but he couldn't even force his arms to move. Suddenly Clarice's arms were around him and he slowly felt himself slipping away. But he knew he HAD to talk to her first. He wasn't ready yet.