Yes, it's a Hadestown reference. This is NOT a Hadestown and Newsies crossover though. At least, that's not the intention. This is sort of an AU where the strike went all wrong and nobody helped them. So, Post-Strike/Mid-Strike ish AU?? You'll figure it out as we go. Sadness warning: That's all I'm gonna say. 

He wouldn't give in. Teddy Roosevelt had been at a meeting. It was as simple as that. Katherine and her supervisor, Bryan Denton were unable to get to him. One simple problem felt like another nail in Jack Kelly's coffin. He could feel the walls closing in and quite honestly, he just couldn't take it anymore.  Pulitzer wasn't going to budge. Katherine had begged on their behalf and Jack had said that he and the boys would never give in on their end. All of the pleas fell on deaf ears. 

"Throw them all in the Refuge and put that shameless Vaudeville singer out of business!" Pulitzer thunders loudly. The police chief wastes no time in rallying up all of his officers to go arrest the Newsies. Katherine and Denton hurry after them to try to make it stop somehow. Pulitzer walks around his desk to the Newsie leader standing in the middle of his grand office space. The boy looks so helpless, so beside himself. He isn't going to be capable of doing anything productive. The boy looks so small, once a great leader of a great movement. Now, just a rabble rouser who clearly lost a fight that he had been hoping to win. The boy looks like what he really is, a poor orphan with nothing to his name, nobody to help him and absolutely, no place to call home anymore. 

"My friends are going to be killed because of you," the boy says quietly after a moment of silence, the anger clear in his voice as it shakes with every broken breath he takes. 

"This is all your fault," Pulitzer says quietly, "You don't deserve what I'm about to do but, I'm going to do it anyway."  He walks back behind his desk and opens a desk drawer. Pulitzer pulls out a stack of bills and hands them to the boy. 

"Why are you doing this?" the boy asks coldly. Pulitzer walks back over him and gently puts a hand on his shoulder as if he were talking to one of his sons. 

"Jack Kelly, I believe you need some time away from the city. Katherine told me all about how you were going to go to Santa Fe someday. Why don't you take the chance now? This is all your fault. No one in the city is going to want you around and if you stay, I'll tell the authorities that you are a criminal in many aspects. Enough that will leave you seeing bars for the rest of your life. If you know what's good for you, you'll leave the city and never come back. Do you understand me? This is all your fault and you might as well start over and forget any of this ever happened. Besides, the city doesn't need rabble rousers like you. We have enough of those already. Now, you will be on the four o' clock train to Santa Fe and if you don't get on the train, you'll be in jail for the rest of your life starting this evening," Pulitzer states with almost no emotion making Jack think that he didn't have any at all. 

"This ain't right. You can't throw me in jail for my whole life just because I didn't leave when I was supposed to!" Jack protests and in return, he receives a cold hard slap across the face. He falls onto his rear as his faces throbs in pain. The pain seems to last agonizingly longer than usual. Jack has been slapped plenty of time throughout his life but, for some reason, this one seems to hurt more than the rest of them do. Jack pushes himself to his feet and sends Pulitzer a a look that could kill. 

"I can do whatever I want without question. Now, get out of my office and make sure that you make the four o' clock train to Santa Fe," Pulitzer snarls and Jack hurries out of the office.  He runs past the secretary, who waves at him as he runs by. Jack doesn't wave back. The old Jack Kelly died when Pulitzer slapped him across the face, he sees the world in a different way now. All of the hope has been snuffed out permanently. Jack hurries out of the World building and nearly collapses into a heap on the sidewalk. He picks himself back up and hurries to the rooftop of the Lodging House to gather his things and to think. Trying to avoid Kloppman as best as he can, Jack scales the fire escape ladder faster than he ever though possible. Once he reaches the top, he hurries to his bed and collapses from pure exhaustion and sadness. He was never going to be the same again. No one could save Crutchy and it wasn't like the boys would fight the guards. Well, they might, but Jack wasn't going to count on that. All of them knew to some extent how the Refuge worked and Jack was hoping that each and every one of them played their cards wisely. Maybe someday, he could fix things. Maybe someday, he would be welcome in this city again. New York City had been his home for a long time and honestly, he never wanted that to change. As much as he loves the idea of going to Santa Fe, home is here with the boys. The boys, who are probably going to die because of him never being able to close his mouth. Jack hears footsteps and closes his eyes, desperately trying to block the world out, trying to think of something happier. Like one of his paintings or the cool nights and late night talks with Crutchy on the fire escape. Crutchy....he kept creeping back into Jack's mind. He wouldn't want Jack to give up but, he also would understand if this was the best Jack could do right now. At least, he hoped Crutchy would understand. Jack forgets about the footsteps until he feels a pair of arms around his shoulders. His eyes fly open and he sits up straight only to be pulled in to someone else. 

"Don't worry. It's just me. I watched them round up the boys. Jack, I'm so sorry," A female voice whispers in his ear. Jack doesn't hold the tears back anymore. He cries, letting his sobs wet the female's top and lets her rub reassuring circles on his back. 

"I can't do anything to help," Jack manages to shakely choke out in between sobs. The female hugs him closer and gently shushes him. 

"There are ways to fight back. We just don't know what they are yet and how to accomplish them without people dying or more people being thrown in jail," she whispers and Jack feels her take the Newsie cap of his head and lay her chin on top of his head. She gently combs his hair with her fingers and Jack feels her press a gentle kiss to the top of it. Jack pulls away from her and smiles sadly. He puts a hand on either side of her face and gently caresses her cheek. 

"I'se so scared for them," he whispers as he moves closer towards the girl. She moves closer to him too. 

"My brothers went to jail today and I don't know if I'll ever see them again," she whispers back, fighting back tears. 

"I hope we do," Jack whispers moving closer so that their noses are touching. 

"Jack," she warns him as he prepares to close the distance between the two of them. Jack moves his mouth away from hers just a little bit. He gently places his hands on her shoulders and runs them down to take hers in his own. 

"Why shouldn't I?" Jack asks softly. The girl nuzzles her nose gently with his. 

"Because, now's not a good time," she says back. Jack lets out a slightly disappointed sigh. 

"I'se leaving today," he says flatly. The girl sits up straight, tossing her long straight brown hair over her shoulder. 

"You can't leave now! We have to help everyone! There are things we have to do. You can't just leave those of us who were involved in the strike that didn't get thrown in prison to pick up the pieces. None of us are going to be able to do that. I have a target riding on my back and you know the Delanceys might come after me without anyone to protect me," she worries. Jack gently starts to shush her. 

"I'll come back," Jack says quietly but, the girl shakes her head, "Sarah! I'll come back for you! You just have to wait for me!" Sarah gently presses a finger to his lips and Jack resists the urge to kiss it. 

"I need your help now. Why do you have to leave?" she asks, the tears gently starting to flow down her face. 

"Pulitzer's making me or I'll be in a jail cell for the rest of my life and I can't protect anybody or make things better from a jail cell," Jack responds as he gently takes Sarah's finger in his hand and then reaches for the rest of her hand. He takes it in his and gently kisses it. Sarah's face gently flushes a bright pink as she feels his lips caress her skin. 

"Jack, I'm so sorry," she whispers as the blush fades away from her face. Jack moves closer and takes her other hand in his. He places both of their interlocked hands and places them under his chin.  Jack leans on them and looks into Sarah's eyes. 

"I will wait for you and I will most certainly come back for you some day. Whether it be to take you with me to Santa Fe and marry you or to come back here, I will be back. You can count on that," he whispers. Jack sits up and gently caresses the tears away from her face with his thumb. Sarah smiles at his touch and lets Jack pull her closer to him. His thumb gently moving across her face makes her feel at ease. 

"Jack," Sarah whispers as her tears slow down. Jack wraps his arm around her waist and lays his chin on her shoulder. The two of them sit like that for a few moments on top of the fire escape. Sarah pulls her head up and asks, 

"When do you leave?" 

"The train leaves at four o' clock." 

"You should get there earlier to buy a ticket to Santa Fe, at least that's where I'm assuming you're going," Sarah whispers and Jack nods. He moves away from her and begins to gather his things, such as his art supplies and his spare clothes. Sarah starts to stand and Jack pulls her to her feet. The distance between them lessens significantly when he does. He smiles sadly at her and the two of them descend the fire escape for the last time. Jack doubts anyone will use the fire escape like the Newsies did or that the Newsies who once lived here are ever going to come back. Once they get to the street, Jack gently wraps an arm around Sarah's waist as the two of them leisurely stroll around the busy city. It seems different today in a sad way. Maybe it's because Jack's not sure he's ever going to come back. He hopes to, at least for the beautiful girl walking with him. Catching a glance of a clock, Jack notices that it says three o' clock on it. 

"I'se should probably make my way towards the train station," Jack says quietly. Sarah nods and the two of them walk in that direction. Their walk is silent and all they do is hold each other as they walk down the street. Once they arrive at the train yards, Jack buys a ticket and Sarah gapes at the amount of money that he holds. 

"Jack Kelly! Where did you get all of that money?" she asks, looking a little dejected at what Jack holds. 

"Pulitzer gave it to me so, I could leave," Jack responds as he takes the ticket from the man who sold it to him, "Thank you, sir!" The man nods and Jack moves over to the set of track that the train to Santa Fe will arrive on. Sarah follows after him, the blaring of train horns and people talking fills the station, making it hard for the two of them to talk and share one last romantic moment for who knows how long. Jack tucks his things into the corner of his arm and leans into kiss Sarah. 

"No!" Sarah gasps, pulling away quickly. Jack looks disappointed and sad at her reaction. 

"Jack, I want my first kiss to be on my wedding day. I've never kissed anybody before then and I'm not going to break that promise to myself now," Sarah pledges. Jack nods understandingly. 

"Can I kiss your cheek at least?" he asks. Sarah nods softly and Jack kisses her cheek passionately, lingering for several seconds causing Sarah to smile. Jack pulls away from her and Sarah surprises him by kissing his own cheek with a passion that rivals his own. She pulls away and Jack gently strokes her cheek. 

"You are coming back, right?' Sarah asks and Jack nods. 

"Couldn't let a beautiful thing like this go to waste now, could I?" he says, "I'll have to come back to see if you'll let me kiss you." Sarah shakes her head in disbelief. 

"You'll have to marry me first," she responds and a train pulls onto the tracks next to her and Jack. The whistle shrieks causing both of them to jump and filling the whole train station with noise. 

"I might have to do that," Jack responds once the deafening noise dies down a little bit. 

"You have to come back, when are you going to do that?" she asks. Jack thinks for a second and catches a glance of the clock. Three-thirty. 

"I'll meet you back here at this time on this day in one year," Jack says. Sarah nods her head in agreement. 

"ALL ABOARD!!" The conductor cries out from the train going to Santa Fe. Jack throws his arms around Sarah in a hug and holds her tightly. 

"Come back for me, Jack. Even if I fall in love with someone else, I still want to see you again," she says and hugs him tightly back. 

"I love you," Jack whispers in her ear before pulling away. He hurries onto the train, turning around to wave at her sadly before hurrying onto the train. Jack finds his seat and watches her as the train starts to move away.  She waves at him from her place on the platform until she can't see him any longer. 

A year goes by agonizingly slow. Jack likes Santa Fe but, he would have liked to have seen it under circumstances that weren't quite were so sad. All he could think of was his mistakes, the girl he loves, and the boys who are rotting his prison because of him. His last moment with Sarah had helped but, it didn't solve every problem he had. He still misses her terribly. No one here replaces the Newsies or Sarah. Jack had made new friends here and he had gotten to ride a Palamino and swim in the Rio Grande. He had learned to farm and do many of the things that other Santa Fe men knew how to do. Jack was not nearly as good at it as some of the other men but, he could still do it. Today, Jack is packing to go back to New York to see Sarah and how things were going. Santa Fe had been great but, he misses New York more than he loved Santa Fe. Jack misses his boys and fears for the worst. One of the boys on the ranch who is a couple years older than him calls out to him, 

"Kelly, where ya going? We've got farming to do!" 

"Jimmy, today's the day. I'm going back to New York. I'se got family there." 

"I thought we broke you of your accent but, apparently every tactic we tried was in vain." Jack nods his head and starts to walk toward the city. 

"The accent never left, Jimmy. Thanks for everything you and your friends have done. I might come back to visit someday," Jack calls out as he hurries towards the city. Arriving at the train station, Jack buys a ticket and looks for the tracks heading to New York. He finds them and waits for the train. About an hour after baking in the hot sun, the train arrives. Jack boards as quickly as possible, flashing his ticket and practically running to his seat. He sits down and waits for the train to leave Santa Fe. The ride seems to take forever as he sits in the seat with his belongings. The minute the train arrives in New York, Jack hurries off and into the hustle and bustle of his home. He looks around the train station for Sarah. Looking at the clock, Jack sees that he is about an hour early still. He stands around for an hour waiting for her. Sarah doesn't come. Jack stands for a couple more hours and she doesn't come. Knowing where the Jacobs live, Jack leaves the train station putting the thought that something could be wrong out of his head. Maybe Sarah just forgot but, he has a feeling she wouldn't. They were really in love and it was only a year. How could she forget?  Jack scrambles up the fire escape that goes by Sarah's window. Seeing the window open, Jack climbs inside. Sarah's bed is empty and the room looks ransacked. Jack sees a smashed bottle lying on the ground with some blood next to it. Something happened in this room that wasn't supposed to. 

"Sarah? Are you here?" Jack calls out as he wanders around the dark apartment. He gets no answer but, spots a note on the table. 

I went out for a minute with these two guys. Don't worry, they're not going to hurt me. If I do this favor for them, they will make sure that we get Davey and Les back. Please, don't be too concerned about me. I'll be back soon. 

Love, Sarah

Jack felt himself visibly pale at the note. Two guys that could make sure that Davey and Les come back alive? It had to be the Delancey brothers. He could take them on. He just hoped that Sarah could hold her own until he got there. Jack hurries over to the World Distribution Office and sees that the boys are busy. They are making fun of the new Newsies. One younger boy is getting slapped around pretty good. Jack carefully opens the door and sneaks down into the cellar where Sarah is tied to a printing press. 

"Jack!" Sarah gasps. Her face and hair is crusted with blood in some places. Jack hurries over to her and quickly unties her. 

"Are you okay?" Jack asks before pressing kisses to her temples. Sarah blushes and throws her arms weakly over Jack's shoulders. 

"They smashed a bottle over the top of my head and I'm not sure what happened after that but other than that, yes, I'm just fine," Sarah says softly. Jack and Sarah start to quietly walk up the stairs, hand in hand. He turns around and notices the printing press. 

"Any news on the boys?" Jack asks and Sarah shakes her head softly. 

"I can't tell you right now. You need to go the Refuge and see it for yourself," she whispers. The two walk back to the Jacobs apartment to plan what they will do. 

"How have you gotten in?" Jack asks and Sarah sighs softly. 

"You're not going to like it but, I've flirted my way in," she responds, "The guards took the bait and there's this one guard who knows that I have brothers in there. I can distract him but, you'll have to find another way in. "

"I can do that. Don't you worry about that," Jack says as he gently runs a hand through Sarah's hair. The two talk about Santa Fe and what has happened in the year apart and how none of the boys have been released after a year. Jack becomes distressed when he finds out that things have not gotten better for the boys. The night seems to take forever to come but, once it does, Jack and Sarah waste no time in getting over to the Refuge. Sarah walks up to the gate and begins to flirt with one of the guards and Jack runs over to a different part of the gate. He carefully and very quietly climbs over it and starts to hurry toward the door. Discovering it locked, he fishes around in his pocket for a couple of bobby pins. He finds them and sets to work very quickly. After a couple of seconds of fiddling with them, Jack opens the door and carefully sneaks in. Seeing no guards, he sneaks up the stairs towards where he thinks the Newsies will be. He finds them all in one big room together since the Refuge didn't take care to separate them. Jack peeks in the window and sees the boys all laying on the ground exhausted. He knocks gently on the door, his knock resonating throughout the entire hallway. Davey, who Jack barely recognizes to be Davey, sits up with a start. 

"Jack!" he cries out and hurries to the door. His face is covered in bruises. Jack places a finger to his lips and shushes Davey. 

"Keep it down. All of New York doesn't need to know that I'se here," Jack responds, "You look terrible." Davey shrugs and limps his way over to a couple of the other boys. Spot Conlon struggles to stand and limps over to the window with the help of Mush and Skittery, who both are sporting lots of bruises and various other injuries. Every Newsie in the room looks more broken than Jack could imagine. One boy lays on the bed and does not move. Davey notices the worry in his eyes. 

"Hiya, Jacky Boy," Spot wheezes out and Jack smiles sadly. 

"Didya win, Conlon?" Jack asks jokingly trying to lighten the mood. Spot manages to wheeze out what sounds like a laugh. 

"No, but ya should have seen the other guy," Spot says and Race rolls his eyes. 

"Spot tried to soak the guard and all he got was soaked back ten times worse," Race says. Although they seem to be broken beyond repair, there is still hope for the Newsies. 

"I'se gonna get all of youse outta here but, we need a plan," Jack says and Albert weakly raises his hand. 

"Does it involve making Race shut up at night?" Albert asks. Jack rolls his eyes and is about to say something when he hears a voice that he recognizes. 

"Well, I never though I would see you again, Mr. Kelly!" Joseph Pulitzer says standing on the other side of the hallway. 

"What are you doing here in this sick dungeon?" Jack asks and Pulitzer chuckles. 

"Oh, I was just going to check on my employees and make sure that they were doing all right," he peeks in through the window to see every Newsie that is able glaring at him, "It seems that they are. I hope you enjoy seeing windows with bars, you're going to be seeing quite a lot of them in your future, boys." Oscar and Morris Delancey emerge from behind Pulitzer with their arms crossed. 

"Well, look who jumped off the train from Santa Fe?" Morris snarls. Jack crosses his arms. 

"You and your brother been living in trash cans lately? Both of you stink. Especially Oscar. I'se certain that he's been living in a trash can," Jack says with a smirk. Oscar and Morris move toward him and Jack puts up his fists ready for a fight. A cry from down below makes him stop. 

"Stop it! I'm not a criminal! I was just here to visit my brothers! I'm really not here for any other reason than that," Sarah's voice rings out through the air. Jack stops for a split second, just enough time for Oscar Delancey to punch him square across the jaw. Once he's on the ground, Jack thinks quickly. He slips his hand into his pocket and grabs his bobby pins out. Pulitzer stands by, watching the whole ordeal. Jack rises to his feet and gets ready to throw another punch. Morris slams him against the Newsies' cell door. Jack flings the bobby pins in through the bars and he hears one of the boys gasp excitedly when whoever it was notices what Jack tosses in. Race tiredly moves his sore arm to get to the bobby pins and gets to walk on the door. Jack assumes everything is going well when he hears a strangled cry from inside the cell. He punches each of the Delanceys and shoves them up against the wall before peeking inside. Race is glaring at Albert. 

"He poked me with the bobby pin," Race whines. Davey rolls his eyes. 

"I would think a bobby pin prick would be the least of your worries, " he says quietly. 

"Albert made it really hurt!" Race whines. Now, it's Albert's turn to roll his eyes. 

"You've never done it before because Jack let you try once and the group of us was soaked by the Delanceys," Albert explains. Race whines and grabs at the bobby pins in Albert's hand. Jack sees the Delanceys starting to get up. He pushes them into the wall and runs down the stairs to where Sarah's cries are coming from. Jack's heart breaks when he sees her trapped in between two guards and being forced towards one of the rooms. Rooms where the prisoners get their "treatment". He hurries down the stairs as fast as he can. 

"Stop! It's me who you want! Let her go!" Jack cries out. Everyone turns to him as he reaches the bottom of the stairs. 

"Jack," Sarah gasps, just as shocked as everyone else. 

"Sarah, I'se so sorry," Jack says, running over to her. Snyder stands back, enjoying watching the boy he hates feel this kind of pain. Pulitzer moves to the top of the stairs. 

"Don't touch her!" he calls out and Jack looks up at Pulitzer. 

"What's stopping me?" he responds. Snyder moves forward with a pair of handcuffs. 

"Jack, don't do this. You've been through this more than once. You really should never have to go through it again. Please just do what they want. You might get more time with me if you listen to them," Sarah pleads. Jack lowers his hand away from her face and turns to Pulitzer. 

"I'm surprised that you had the audacity to come back, boy. Most people get the message but, not you. No, you had to come back and attempt to throw a wrench in my plans!" Pulitzer snarls. At that moment, the Newsies cell door swings open and chaos erupts through the Refuge. As broken and as injured as they are, the boys start to put up a surprisingly good fight against the guards of the Refuge. Racetrack leads the brigade that is slowly limping toward the exit. Jack starts to fight the guards to let Sarah go. She swings her metal bound hands around, tagging one of them in the chin. Jack starts throwing punches, all he can see is the pain that these men put him through. Hours upon hours of excruciating pain that they tortured him with. Now, he could finally return the favor. 

"Jack! Stop!" Sarah's voice rings through the air, causing him to stop what he is doing. The moment he stops, a fist meets the side of his face. Jack slumps to the ground and turns to see Snyder standing over him. 

"You, Kelly, are coming with me," he snarls, grabbing Jack by his collar. The two guards grab Sarah again, who tries to fight them off. Pulitzer raises his hand to stop everything. 

"Let the boys escape, let the pretty girl go, and let this poor cowboy get back to what he wants to do," he commands and everything stops. The Newsies begin to hurry out of the Refuge, picking locks and letting out some of the other kids as they go. Snyder listens to Pulitzer and undoes Sarah's cuffs. She rubs her wrist and elbows one of the guards in the ribs when he offers his arm to escort her out. Jack moves to intervene but, Pulitzer grabs his shoulder. 

"You're going back to Santa Fe where you can't cause any kinds of problems for me. I've had a man walk the train station every hour just to make sure that you aren't around. Today, he saw you and I figured you would eventually come here to see or should I say free your friends. You succeeded in that aspect, but your friends cannot do much without you. They are broken and beat up all because of you. There is nothing that you can do to help them," he says. Jack thinks it through. Pulitzer has a point but, he wants to live life with his boys and Sarah again. 

"That's not true!" Sarah snaps and the guards move toward her. 

"Besides, I could have you thrown in jail right now just for being back in New York City. I promised you that I would do that and don't think that I won't," Pulitzer threatens. Jack holds out his hand and Pulitzer slaps some money in it. Sarah wrenches herself away from the guards and runs to Jack. 

"I'll be gone on the next train to Santa Fe," Jack says to Pulitzer. Sarah fights back tears and leans her head against Jack's shoulder. The two of them start walking to the train station, slowly but surely. Jack takes her hand in his, fighting back tears of his own. Why did it have to be that he had to leave as soon as he got back? The two weave their way through the busy streets. 

"I wish you didn't have to leave again," Sarah says as she intertwines her fingers with Jack's. Jack squeezes her hand. 

"I wish I didn't have to either but, I'll be back," Jack responds softly. Sarah looks up at him with wide eyes. 

"You will?" 

"Are you willing to wait for me?" Sarah nods quickly at his question. She would do anything to see him again and maybe even to kiss him. 

"I would wait as long as you needed me to," she says. The two of them find themselves at the train station. Jack pays for his ticket and the two of them stand next to the tracks headed to Santa Fe. 

"I'll be back in one year at the same time, in this very station," Jack says. Sarah smiles at him and kisses his cheek, lingering for a moment. Jack kisses her cheek back and the two feel the distance closing between them. His lips are about to meet hers when a train horn blares through the station. 

"You've got to go," Sarah whispers on his lips. Jack pulls away sadly and nods. 

"I know. I love you," he says and he hugs Sarah tightly before boarding the train. Sarah hugs him back even tighter and then watches him. The train rolls out of the station, both of them waving until they cannot see the other anymore. 

Another agonizing year goes by. The Newsies gradually start to heal. Most of them are back to selling papes on a regular basis but, for the higher price. Davey, Race, and Crutchy are all leading the Newsies to some extent. No one can replace their cowboy. Many of the boys still have nightmares that wake them up out of a dead sleep. Jack isn't there for them. Sarah tells Davey the whole story over the course of the year. She finishes it on the day that Jack is supposed to come back and Davey is astonished at the whole story. Thankfully, Denton and Katherine decide to write a story to expose the unfair justices and the Newsies won't even have to try to make this story sound interesting. On the day that Jack comes back, Sarah hurries to the train station. A train from Santa Fe pulls in and Sarah waits to see if he gets off. He doesn't and he's not on the next train either. The last train comes in and Sarah waits hopefully. Sure enough, Jack Kelly steps down onto the platform. Sarah runs up to him and throws her arms around him. Jack grins at her and touches his forehead against hers. 

"I missed you so much," He whispers as he kisses her forehead and then both of her cheeks. The two grab each other's hands and walk out of the train station. Jack leads them to the Lodging House and opens the door. The lobby area is full of Newsies, and Katherine and Denton. Everyone stops and every single one of the boys hurries over to Jack and hugs him tightly. 

"You are never leaving us again!" Crutchy cries as he hugs Jack tighter than Jack thought he ever could. Jack sits down on the old beat up couch and the boys start asking him about Santa Fe. He tells them what he did but, how he really missed New York and the boys more than he loved Santa Fe. 

"There was someone else too," Jack says and Sarah blushes. Jack stands up on the couch and climbs over it to be next to Sarah. He takes both of her hands in his own and brings her around in front of the boys. Jack moves one of his hands to his pocket and slides down on one knee. Sarah lets out a loud gasp in surprise as she realizes what is happening. 

"Jack!" Sarah breathes softly. Jack smiles at her and places a tiny box on his knee. 

"Sarah, I know I ain't come from much and I ain't got much now but, will ya marry me someday? Will ya wait for me?" he asks and Sarah nods. 

"Absolutely," she replies. Jack stands to his feet and slides the ring onto her finger. He moves his hands to her cheeks and leans in only to be stopped by Davey. 

"Ah ah ah, Jack. You know about her pledge to herself," Davey reprimands, but Sarah shakes her head. 

"Davey, that doesn't matter. Jack, kiss me. I'm changing my mind," she says and Jack kisses her. Their lips meet and it immediately becomes passionate, causing Davey to whisper softly, 

"Keep it to a Les level!" Jack and Sarah part for a moment and then immediately close the distance again. Sarah had her first kiss and the Newsies had their first marriage proposal happen in their lobby. Two people found each other after losing each other for two years only to find each other again. Funny how love works. 

AN:/ Fun fact: This was supposed to be like 2000 words. 

Look what happened. 

Anyways, hey all! Hope you liked this one! I'm trying Jack and Sarah on for size again just to play with them and sort of write things for Jack and Sarah since there really isn't much on here for them. They really are a great couple. Both of them just need a little love. 

Happy Labor Day!! It's like 12:15 in the morning where I live so, Happy Labor Day!! 

Thanks for reading, commenting, and voting. This one was a little bit more angsty but, I write a lot of happy stuff in here so, I wanted to try some angst on for size, ya know? Feel free to share your thoughts as you read. Your regular easter eggs made it in there so, see if you can spot em. More oneshots will be coming soon as well as new content for other books. Psych's Pineapple has a chapter in the works, I'm working on some drafts, and There's A Life That's Worth the Living has a chapter in the works too. So, keep your eyes peeled. Great new content is in the works. :) Thanks for sticking with me. I've been awful at updating but, thanks. It will get better, I think. Thank you for everything you guys do on here. It really means a lot to me that my content is being enjoyed by my readers. I am open to ways to make the book better so if you have any suggestions, please don't be shy. Thanks for doing what you do and stay tuned for fantastic new content. I have lots of exciting stuff coming that I just need to work on. Thanks again, you guys!

-Aisling