A/N: This is another sad AU where basically everything with the strikes goes to crap. Go get your tissues or entire bucket of ice cream because it's gonna be a sad one. Thanks to Nycnewsgirl and nutcracker645 for helping me come up with this one and for providing input on the different ideas. I don't think the OCs are gonna be in this one but if they are....Katie belongs to BeckyMerari1909, Falcon belongs to Runner_Weirdo, Pups belongs to 23gatkins, and Ally belongs to heythatsmycigar18. I also did some research just to try keep things historically accurate when it came to a certain aspect of that story (you'll see what I mean once we get going). If you're curious what I turned up (which isn't a lot but I did do some research), drop me a comment and I'm happy to share the things I looked at. Without further ado, here we go. I don't own the Newsies, so please don't sue (seriously, why would you wanna sue a broke college kid anyways? I literally have no money to give you.)

A young man hangs his head, twiddling his thumbs in thought behind him. Was there any way this would ever end?

"So, what will it be, boy?" the threatening voice of the newspaper tycoon fills the room, asking what seems like an innocent question but could very well be a death sentence for the young man and his brothers.

"You promise not to hurt them?" he asks, raising his head ever so slightly. His hazel eyes pierce into the gaze of the newspaper tycoon. His nerves cry out from the pressure place upon his upper arms by the pairs of hands holding him back. He feels trapped, like a canary caught in between the jaws of a famished beast.

If they ever survived this, the young man made a mental note to throw Oscar Delancey head first into a trash can.

"Once you're out of the picture, it doesn't matter what happens to them, does it? They'll have no leader. They'll see no need to fight. Things will go back to the way they were before," the newspaper tycoon decides, "They're just boys."

"They ain't just boys," the young man corrects, "They'se done more heroic acts than you'se ever done."

"I fought in a war, boy," the newspaper tycoon corrects him, "And while you may know a thing or two about heroics, it hasn't been enough to keep you out of trouble, has it?" He bridges his fingers together and leans across the desk. "Do we have a deal?"

The young man looks over at a young woman to his right. Her hands are clasped in front of her, auburn curls spilling over her shoulders, and her eyes filled with worry. She bites her lip as their gazes meet.

"If I go to the rally and ruin it, you'll give me money for Santa Fe?" the young man clarifies and the young woman sadly bows her head at this news.

The newspaper tycoon plants his hands on the desk and rises to his feet, "I wouldn't give you a penny less than you need. Just leave this hopeless nuisance of a cause behind you and we're both free. You can live out your dreams and I can run my newspaper. It's a compromise we can all live with."

"Jack, don't!" the young woman tries but two bullies who just happen to be brothers approach her.

The young man, Jack, steps in their path,

"Leave her alone. I'll do it."

"And I'll be sure that you do," a spidery desk from his place besides the newspaper tycoon says cheerily, approaching Jack "And if you don't, you and all of your little friends will be coming home to the Refuge with me!"  

Jack can practically see the madness within the man's eyes.

"You just had to sweeten the deal...." Jack jokes, "Didn't ya, Joe?"

"Mr. Kelly, I simply did what had to be done," Joseph Pulitzer, the newspaper tycoon, replies shortly, "I'm sure you can understand."

Jack tightens his jaw in anger and frustration. His fists clench tightly and his eyes narrow but he makes no move or has any indication that he will disobey. He gives a stiff nod and slowly walks towards the door, his gaze lingering for a single moment on the young woman. The moment's interrupted when he is roughly escorted out by the two men who tried to silence the young woman earlier.

Her gaze falls to the ground as he is pushed out of the room by the two of them. As soon as the door shuts, she wheels on Pulitzer.

"How...could you?" she says angrily, "How could you dare to attack one of the things he cares about the most? His best friend..."

"I'm aware of the situation, darling. I don't recall asking for a briefing," Pulitzer replies, ignoring her in favor of a smudge on his manacle. The young woman shoves her fists in anger and storms out but Pulitzer stops her, "A pity that you had to fall in love with him, isn't it?"

"How could you...the person who sends a boy away from his brothers, the boys he's looked after nearly his entire life, and sends away the love of his daughter, possibly know what love is? How could you?!" the woman exclaims and her father slams his down onto the desk in response.

"Katherine Pulitzer! How dare you accuse me of such an act? This is for your own good! You're lucky I didn't have them all thrown in the Refuge the moment they began the strike!" he exclaims and she shakes her head.

"No, the only good it's doing is for this newspaper and your image in the public eye. Maybe if you thought about someone besides yourself, we wouldn't be in this mess," she snaps back at him before slamming the door behind her, oblivious to her father's shouts for her to return.

Suddenly, she feels a cold and clammy hand on her forearm and she wrenches hard to be free, meeting the gaze and seeing the same madness in the man's eyes that Jack saw earlier.

"Your father asked me to escort you to his office," he states in an eerily calm voice, "I hope you don't mind."

She stomps on his foot as hard as she can and runs out the door to a place she knows is safe, hoping that no one catches her. Her legs propel her as fast as she can manage through the city streets, running straight to the theater of a certain vaudeville singer.

As she's running to be free, Jack's being thrown in a prison of his own. Down in the depths of The World  building, the two bullies shove him onto a printing press. He lands hard, trying to brace himself.

"We'se been told that we can handle ya how we see fit," One of the brothers, Oscar Delancey, growls at him.

Jack's urge to throw him in a trash can only grows stronger.

"So behave," Morris Delancey snarls, "Or ya get to make friends with me brass knuckles."

Well Jack certainly didn't want that.

The two brothers eventually leave him, threatening to go get Snyder should he so much as sneeze in the wrong direction. They didn't threaten that of course but Jack knew that they weren't above having him thrown in the Refuge for sneezing in the wrong direction.

He pushes himself up off the printing press and yanks the dusty sheet covering it up with him. Taking it in his fists, he angrily smacks it around on the old printing press, partially out of frustration and partially because he doesn't want to get dust all over him while he attempts to sleep.

He eventually tires of this and lays down on it, tossing the dusty sheet on the floor. A small poof of dust filters through the air and lands on him, tainting his skin little by little. Just like how little by little he's been dooming the strike, himself, and the boys this entire time. Every piece of dust landing on him feels like every little thing he's ever said or done to keep the strike moving. Sure, the boys helped move it along but, Jack is the leader. He's the driving force behind it with Davey's help.

The driving force that will land them all in the Refuge and potentially dead.

Brushing the dust off with his worries, Jack tries to do his best to go to sleep.

Katherine, on the other hand, is the furthest thing from asleep.

As is one somewhat frantic Davey Jacobs.

Davey is moving from place to another, helping the boys line up a sign in the theater.

"No no no! It needs to be more to the left. Do you even see how crooked that sign is?" Davey asks, yanking his cap off his head and running his fingers through his hair.

"Don't know what yer talkin' about, Davey," Race replies, "But I guess we'se..."

Buttons just straightens out the sign and Davey nods his head in approval.

"Thank you, Buttons," he says before hurrying off and nearly running into Mush and Finch, "Did you two find Spot Conlon?"

"Ya think we gonna go near his turf?" Finch exclaims incredulously, "Davey, we'se brave but..."

"We made it as far as the bridge before we decided to turn around," Mush cuts in, "I'm still sore from yesterday." He nurses one of his fists sadly.

"You're sore?" Skittery says with a snarky tone in his voice, "You're sore?"

"Sore enough to not be fightin' any Brooklyn boys today," Finch says, "Besides, they'se kinda scary."

"Ya has a slingshot," Skittery says, "Youse don't get to be sore. Mush is just...complaining cuz he probably pulled a muscle or something. Ain't like one pulled one gonna matter all that much to him since he's got plenty to spare."

"He'll heal in a day," Albert comments as he helps hang another sign, "Can't let the ladies see a beat up boy. Unless that's a turn on to them."

Davey puts his head in his hands and sits down on the edge of the stage just as Katherine makes her way up to him.

"Davey," she says, laying a hand on the clearly distressed boy's shoulder, "There's something I need to..."

There was the sound of something falling and a group of collective boys yelling, "Jojo!"

"Oh no," Davey groans and hurries off to see what happened. 

And there stands Jojo, next to a giant puddle of paint.

"Uh. Hi," is all he says. Davey runs a hand over his face.

"Do I even want to know?" he asks before Albert pipes up,

"It involved Race."

"Oh that tells him everything he needs to know," Skittery comments from his place. Kid Blink reenters the room with some towels and calls out to Medda,

"Medda? You okay if we sacrifice these towels instead of giving your stage an ugly paint job?"

"Of course, dears. And don't worry too much about the stage. I'm going to need a new one in the future anyways," she answers.

Katherine tries to approach Davey again,

"Davey, I really have to tell you something. It's important."

"How could it possibly be more important than the...?"

"It's Jack."

Davey stops and wavers on his feet a bit.

"Oh. Umm...well...."

Swifty, Specs, Dutchy, Itey, Mike, and Ike all come running by at one point, chasing each other with wet painted signs.

"What are you doing?!" Davey shouts, running after them.

"Davey!" Katherine cries out, trying to chase after him. She has to warn him. Otherwise, he's going to feel the weight of everything once it happens.

"Boys! Stop! Those are wet!" Davey cries out as he chases them and Katherine feels she really has no choice but to follow.

Once the boys have stopped, Davey turns to Katherine. 

"I never get a moment of peace around here. I don't understand how Jack does this," he mumbles, running his hands through his hair yet again, "What about Jack? Is he alright? Have you seen him?"

"I have and he's physically alright," Katherine starts, "But Davey, there's something you need to know about right now."

"Can't it wait? The Newsies from the other boroughs are going to be here any minute," Davey says, "And I have to play host."

"It can't," Katherine says, "Not if you want the strike to..."

At that moment, one of the sets of the double doors to theater is thrown open wide and Spot Conlon steps through, flanked by none other than the Brooklyn Newsies.

"Brooklyn is here!" Spot proclaims loudly as he swaggers into the room and Davey wastes no time in leaving Katherine to go greet Spot. Katherine sighs and puts her face in her hands.

If only she could've told Davey everything but there isn't time and now, everything's about to change entirely.

Newsies from other boroughs filter in and Katherine disappears up to the catwalk, only to be apprehended by two thugs.

"Ya ain't gonna spoil the end of the story, are ya?" one of them asks, "We can't have that. Squealing to the little boy wid a family."

"Let go of me!" Katherine cries, but they just hold onto her no matter how hard she tries to escape them. Their fingers dig into her upper arms and she tries to pull away from them. Looking down, she notices that the Newsies are too busy and the theater too loud for any of them to help her. One by one, she notices her father's personnel, including Snyder, entering the catwalk. She tries to struggle again when Seitz approaches her,

"Miss Katherine, I don't think it's wise of you to fight them."

"Then make it stop! Make it all stop!"

"I can't. I tried and your father wouldn't listen to me."

Katherine just struggles again and frowns at the situation.

Medda begins the rally and Davey follows, doing his best to give a speech without cracking. For the anxious boy, an impromptu speech seemed doing a number on his poor nerves.

Suddenly, Katherine sees the Delanceys pulling Jack in. They leave him at the door and Jack casts one weary glance around, noticing everyone watching him up in the catwalk and in the wings. He rolls his shoulders once, gives his cap a tug, and walks out onto the stage. His heart already breaks for what he's about to do.

"You wanna be talked to like an adult? Then start actin' like one. Don't just run your mouth. Make some sense," he begins in a terse tone.

"And here's Jack!" Davey introduces at the sudden appearance of the Lower East Side leader. The whole room begins to chant Jack's name and he raises a hand before having to shout,

"Alright!"

The room goes deathly silent.

"Pulitzer raised the price of papes without so much of a word to us and that was a lousy thing to do. "

The newsies cheer, still supporting him and Jack's heart breaks at the cheers. They look up to him now and not just his boys, but all of them. Every single Newsie in New York City and maybe New Jersey believes Jack to be the leader of this strike. He hates to fail them, but he doesn't know how else to protect them.

"So we got mad and let 'im know that we ain't gonna be pushed around."

More cheering. More heartbreak.

"So we go on strike. Then what happens, huh? Pulitzer lowers the price so's we'll go back to work. And a few weeks later, he hikes the price up again and don't think that he won't. So what'll we do then? And what do we do if he decides to raise his price again after that? Fellas! We gotta be realistic here! We'se don't work, we'se don't get paid. How many days can ya go without making any money, huh? Well whatever it is, Pulitzer can go longah."

The Newsies are slowly starting to boo him and his boys are beginning to look devastated. Even Les' jaw drops in disbelief.

Jack internally sighs and continues on, purposely ignoring the ever saddening gaze of his boys,

"But I have spoken to Mistah Pulitzer and he has given me his woird: if we disband the union, he will not raise prices again for two years. He will even put it in writing."

The booing only grows louder and even his own boys are beginning to get vocal with him.

"I say we take the deal. Go back to work, knowing that our price is secure. All we have ta do is vote 'No' on the strike. Vote 'No!'" he finishes.

"You'se a traitor, Jack!" he hears Kid Blink shout distinctly over the rest of the shouting, "You make me sick!"

Jack gives one last look at his boys. Les has tears running down his cheeks and Mush looks like he isn't far from joining him in tears. Most of his boys are shouting at him now.

Jack hurries away to the wings where Bunsen is holding out a wad of cash to him.

Les who has run up to him on the stage stops and stares in disbelief at the money in Jack's hand. He pockets it and runs away but not before Spot, Davey, and a good chunk of the Newsies see it.

"I trusted you!" Spot roars, "We all trusted you and you sell us out just like that, huh?" Jack doesn't answer and merely pockets the money. Spot shoves him hard in the chest and Jack pushes past both Davey and Les who try to talk to him.

"Pleasure doing business with you," Bunsen calls after him and Jack doesn't look behind him.

The Newsies of the Lower East Side all gather on the stage and Les looks up at them, wiping the tears away from his face.

"He's just spyin' on him, right? He's gotta be," Les theorizes. The other boys just angrily shake their heads and start to walk away. "Gettin' on the inside," Les continues, "He's gotta be."

"Yeah. Sure, kid," Race says sadly as they all leave except for Davey. Medda approaches and shakes her head sadly,

"I'm sorry, kid. I really thought he was better than that."

"Me too," Davey says sadly as he pats Les on the back and follows the rest of the boys out.

Katherine, finally free of the thugs, runs after Jack.

She checks the basement of the theater where he normally paints before running to the Lodging House as fast as her feet will carry her. Throwing the door open, she sees a whole bunch of the Newsies moping around.

"Has anyone seen Jack?" she asks and they all glare at her.

"Ain't ya heard?" Skittery starts, "He sold us out. Some leader he turned out to be."

"Guess she'll have a pretty nice headline tomorrow, won't she?" Albert continues.

"Hey," Specs protests, "It ain't her fault. She's just reportin' the news."

"I wasn't even planning on writing a story about the rally if you boys didn't want me to," she says, "My editor will just have to be content with what he gets."

That quiets the boys and Specs beckons her closer.

"I know where Jack might be," he whispers and leads her up through the bunk room and to the fire escape. Helping her up it, he gestures around to the area rooftop. "Jack calls this his penthouse in the sky. He and Crutchie stay up here when it ain't too cold. I uh..should probably go back downstairs but, here's where his drawings are if ya wanna take a look."

"Thank you, Specs," Katherine says, "I'll wait for him to come back." Specs nods and quickly hurries back down the fire escape.

Katherine can barely contain her curiosity, wanting to unlock the secrets of the boy that she has gained an interest in over the last few days. She unrolls one of the drawings and gasps at what she sees.

Three boys are piled on top of a bunk and rats run around everywhere. One little boy is eating what appears to be a molded piece of bread.

Her eyes widen as she takes in the image and then hastily unrolls another and another to see similar scenes sketched on all of them.

She hears footsteps coming up the fire escape and sees Jack's head pop up over the edge of the rooftop. Once he climbs up completely, she states sarcastically,

"That was some speech you made."

"How'd you get up here?" he asks, narrowing his eyes at her.

"Specs showed me," she says, going back to the drawing. Jack sees that she's holding one of them and angrily marches over to her. How dare she try to understand his world when he hasn't invited her in?

"Oh yeah? And did he say you could go through my stuff?" he snaps, snatching the drawing out of her hand.

"I just saw them sticking out from there and Specs said that they were your drawings. I didn't know what they were of!" she explains and Jack examines his drawings to make sure that they're alright. "That's the Refuge in your drawings, isn't it? Is that really what's like in there? Three boys to a bed? Vermin?"

"A little different from where you were raised?" Jack asks in a snide tone of voice. Katherine backs away and sighs.

"Snyder told my father that you stole food and clothing for those boys, didn't you?" she asks. Jack just ignores the question but Katherine can see his shoulders lowering slightly. "I don't understand!" she cries out, "If you were willing to go to jail for those boys, how could you turn your back on them now?"

"You ain't one to be talkin' about turnin' on people," Jack snarls at her, angry with what he knows about her now. 

"I never turned on you or anyone else," Katherine answers. 

"No, you just double crossed us to your father. YOUR FATHER," Jack shouts and Katherine replies with, 

"My father has eyes on every corners of this city. He doesn't need me spying for him. And I never lied. I just didn't tell you everything."

"Oh. Yeah," Jack says, "Like that makes it all better. If you weren't a girl, you'd be trying to talk with a fist in your mouth."

"I told you I was working for The Sun and I am. I told you that my professional name was Plumber and it is. You never asked for my real name," Katherine reasons with him. 

"You can tell that to the boys who all look to me as the failure when you'se the one who's really gonna fail them," he snaps, "You'se a backstabber and I nevah woulda thought to ask your real name."

"If I were a boy, you'd be trying to look at me through one swollen eye," Katherine says loudly and angrily. Her fist is now under his chin.

"Oh yeah? Don't let that stop ya! Give it ya best shot!" Jack challenges her. Katherine has a look of panic on her face before smashing her lips to his. Jack rocks back a bit but starts to kiss her back just as she pulls away.

"I just...have to know something," Katherine starts timidly and Jack gestures,

"Didn't find out enough by that? I'd be happy to do another." He starts to lean in closer but Katherine gently pushes him away.

"No, not that. The boys," she says.

"Oh," Jack says, straightening up and giving the end of his cap a nervous tug, "What about 'em?"

"What do you mean what about them?" Katherine practically explodes, "You're going to leave these boys for an entirely different part of the country and for what? For them to suffer the same consequences that may happen anyways?"

"I  was the one who got them into this mess. I was the one who inspired hope in all of them that things could change. You saw what happened at the rally and how broken they'se all were. You saw!" Jack shouts back, "What makes you think that they're gonna wanna go on without me? I inspired 'em all. Gave 'em all something to fight for. Got 'em all hurt too. They won't make the bad decisions that I pushed 'em to make if I'se leaves. They'll be safe. It'll all get better."

"You really think that that's what's going to happen?" Katherine snaps back, "Jack, they can make their own decisions. They always had a choice of whether or not they would follow you!"

"Ya really think that the fire that I lit in 'em is gonna stay lit?" Jack continues, gesturing to the Lodging House, "You see how upset they all get whenever we'se loses. Things will go back to normal and they'se will be safe."

"I think you're making a mistake," Katherine says, crossing her arms, "But I understand your fear and you're the one who made the deal with my father. Not me. But, I will say that the Jack Kelly I know probably wouldn't think this was the right choice."

"Yeah well," Jack starts, "He'se got people hurt so he's gonna go away for awhile and then the 'Jack Kelly', the messed up loudmouth who just puts people in danger will die."

"I don't want that to happen," Katherine says, angrily, "The man I fell in love with would never let this happen." Jack stops for a moment and looks at her.

"Well maybe he's gone," Jack says sadly, "I saw those thugs holdin' ya at the rally."

"Jack..." Katherine starts but Jack backs away from her.

"All me bein' in love wid you is gonna do is hurt you," Jack explains, "I do love you but I love you too much to let you get hurt."

"Jack, isn't some of that my decision to make?" she asks him, "Knowing that there might be a consequence to my actions?" Jack sighs but steps closer to her, gently cupping her cheek with one of his hands.

"I can't let ya get hoirt more than I already have," he says, "You and the boys." He smiles sadly at her, letting his other hand come up to cup her cheek. Tears slowly begin to roll down Katherine's cheeks and Jack wipes them away with his thumbs. "I'se gonna go live my dreams in Santa Fe and you'se gonna live your dreams becoming the greatest reporter," he reassures her, "It's all gonna work out." He's trying to reassure himself just as much as he's trying to reassure her. Leaning down, he presses a gentle kiss to her lips to which she kisses back. The kiss feels sad and almost lifeless, like they've lost all hope for their love. He pulls away and rubs a hand ever so gently down her face. They stand together in silence for quite awhile before Katherine asks,

"When do you plan on leaving?"

"In the morning," he answers, "First train outta Grand Central Station."

"I'll see you off," Katherine says, "I should get going before it...gets too late."

"Yeah, I should...probably pack," Jack says, "Without the boys...noticing." Katherine looks at him sadly.

"I think you should tell them," she advises but Jack shakes his head.

"They don't want nothing to do with me anymore. I ain't stayin'," he explains, "And I ain't sayin' goodbye. It's for da best."

"If you think so," Katherine remarks sadly, "Goodnight, Jack."

"Goodnight."

The sun rises entirely too early the next morning. Jack gathers his few belongings to the corner of the rooftop nearest the fire escape. He casts one more sad, longing glance over the place that has been his home for so many years. It was his escape from the grime of the New York streets. It was the place where he felt he could breathe the closest thing to fresh air. It represented so much hope for him and Crutchie both.

But Crutchie's been thrown in the Refuge and Jack's circumstances forced him to grow up. He isn't a kid anymore who can afford to live off of daydreams and hopes, especially when he has the chance to protect those he cares about by living them out.

He couldn't have asked for anything better really.

Except it feels like all of these hopes and dreams died. The place that Jack once thought of as his penthouse just looks like...an empty boring beat-up rooftop. It's not the exciting place that it once was.

He shakes his head, takes his things, and climbs down the fire escape before he can think about it too much. He has to go to the train station. He has to leave to protect the boys.

And fight the small part of him that wants to make that rooftop the happy place it used to be once again.

Without a second thought, Jack weaves his way through the streets of the Lower East Side, purposely avoiding Medda's theater, Newsies Square, and other places he knows his boys like to hang out.

He can't bear to look them in the eyes right now. As much as he knows he's protecting them, it breaks his heart to leave them.

In their eyes, betray them.

And Jack has never felt a greater pain than leaving the woman he loves and betraying his brothers.

He weaves through people walking down the sidewalks as he makes his way up to Midtown where Grand Central Depot is. He wanders inside the massive station and joins the thousands of travelers either looking to take the trolley around the city or preparing to go somewhere further away.

Just like him.

Feeling a gentle hand on his shoulder, he turns around to see Katherine standing behind him. Her wild auburn curls spring into the air and she looks as though she's been crying.

"Hi," he says and she smiles up sadly at him,

"Hi. How do you feel?"

"Happy that I can put this whole mess behind me and go to the place I've always wanted to but sad to be leaving everyone. How do youse feel?" The tears prick Katherine's eyes and she reaches up to wipe them away.

"How about we just focus on you right now? I think you know how I feel," she answers him through her tears. Jack nods and they walk over to the ticket office. The ticket master, an elderly gentleman with fluffy white mustache and rosy cheeks, looks at the two of them,

"Ah! Off on a little romantic getaway, are we?" He laughs a little at his own joke. "Two tickets?"

"Umm no," Jack says, the usual swagger missing from the Newsie's voice, "Just one." He dips his head a bit.

"Oh," the ticket master says sadly, "Where to?"

"Santa Fe, New Mexico." The ticket master's brow furrows.

"That's awfully far, son. You young people just keep venturing out further and further these days," he says with a shake of his head as he takes Jack's money and hands him a ticket in return. "Have a nice trip."

Jack nods his thanks before he and Katherine make their way further into the station. He intertwines their fingers as they weave their way through the people traveling. They walk through the wide hallways and follows the signs for the platform number for Jack's train. Once they arrive, Jack and Katherine stand next to the platform as people are already boarding the train. The conductor calls out that the train for Santa Fe will be leaving in just a few moments.

Jack and Katherine turn to face each other.

"Well," Jack says sadly, giving his a cap a nervous tug, "Hate to have to leave someone so beautiful, smart, indep..." He trails off and Katherine looks down sadly at the ground, trying not to cry. She's going to have to learn how to be mostly independent without Jack.

"Promise me you'll write. Please?" she asks, her voice wavering as she cries. Jack nods his head, fighting back tears of his own. 

"I will," he pulls her in close and kisses the top of her head. The train whistle blasts through the air and the two of them pull apart. "I gotta go," Jack says sadly, his own voice shaking. Katherine quickly cups his face and kisses him. Jack immediately kisses her back and it grows passionate instantly. This is the kiss of two people who have a very strong feeling that this may be the last kiss that they ever share.

The train whistle blasts one more time and the two of them pull apart. Katherine spots someone over Jack's shoulder and immediately tenses.

"What?" Jack asks, "There an angry boyfriend I should know about?" Katherine huffs out a laugh and looks down sadly.

"No," she answers, "Father sent someone and he sees us." Jack tenses and rubs her back soothingly.

"It's gonna be alright," Jack says, "I'll be back before ya know it and I'se gonna wait for you."

"Jack, don't make that kind of a promise," Katherine says, "Neither of us know if we can keep it." She takes his hands in her own.

"I'se will," Jack says and Katherine says,

"Jack."

"I'se gonna wait for you, Katherine Plumber Pulitzer. I promise," he promises her before bringing his hand to his lips and kissing her knuckles. 

"For sure?" Katherine asks, imitating his accent and Jack chuckles,

"For sure."

The train whistle blasts one more time and the conductor shouts that the train is about to leave for Santa Fe. Jack squeezes Katherine's hand before running for the train. He boards it and Katherine feels tears fall from her face as the train holding the one man that she actually fell in love with leave the station.

Suddenly, a man is at her side. "Miss Pulitzer, you really shouldn't be fraternizing with the enemy."

"He's not the enemy," Katherine replies as the train gives one last blast of the whistle before rolling out of the station. Jack watches as the city he's lived his whole life in pass him by as the train picks up speed, pulling him away from a life he once knew to a new life. He's excited to live his dreams. He'll finally be free of the bad city air and he'll get to hike up into the mountains any day that he wants to. He'll be able to be the cowboy he's always dreamed of being.

And yet, as the last buildings of New York City disappear over the horizon, Jack can't help but feel the tiniest twinge of regret.

A few days later, Jack sees the beauty of the mountainous terrain going by him and the little buildings that indicate Santa Fe. Jack's eyes widen at the beauty and simplicity of it all.

Here he is, about to live his dreams.

He steps off the train and takes a deep breath of fresh air, letting his shoulders sag in relief.

Well...almost.

There's the tiniest bit of tension still built up within his shoulders. He rolls his shoulders and steps down into the town. Horses and buggies roll past him but he finds it strangely slow paced and relaxed compared to Manhattan. He walks through a stream of traffic and steps into a small general store. Looking around, he almost runs into a young woman looking around in the general store. She gasps in surprise when she sees him and then laughs shyly.

"Sorry," Jack says, "Didn't mean to scare ya."

"Oh no. It's alright. I should've been paying more attention," she says, "This is a busy little store so often and I just..."

"Run into strangers all the time," Jack teases her and her face flushes a bit.

"I..I guess," she says with a small laugh before turning around, "I should probably get going but it was wonderful to meet you, Mr..."

"Kelly," Jack says.

"Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Kelly," the young woman says before making her way to the register. Jack notices for the first time her small stature and her dark hair tucked neatly underneath her bonnet. Her piercing blue eyes catch his gaze one more time before she leaves the store. Jack shakes his head thinking of Katherine before walking up to the register.

"Hiya, would ya happen to know of any ranch work in the area?" he asks and the middle aged man behind the register chuckles.

"You should've asked Miss Clara just a few moments ago," he answers Jack, "Her family is looking for helpers with their ranch. Between you and me, I think she would be delighted if you came to work on their ranch. She seems a bit lonely out here. A lot of her friends have moved back out East to make more money and Miss Clara doesn't have a lot of friends in Santa Fe anymore."

"Can ya point me in the direction of her family's ranch?" Jack asks, hopefully. The store owner points across the street,

"You can probably catch a ride with her. She usually goes to the fabric shop to look at fabric for a new dress every time she comes into town."

"Thank you, sir," Jack says, tipping his cap to the man.

"Oh wait, son," the store owner calls out, "Where you from? I haven't heard an accent like yours in a long time."

"The Lower East Side of Manhattan," Jack says and the store owner's eyes widen,

"In New York City?"

"Ain't another Manhattan that I know of," Jack replies and the store owner shakes his head in disbelief.

"Good luck out there, son," he says as he goes back to working on some paperwork. Jack tips his cap once more and hurries across the street to the fabric shop. Sure enough, he spots a pale blue skirt moving through the store. Jack gently weaves his way through the scanes of fabric before coming across the pretty young woman. Her piercing blue eyes flash upwards and take Jack in,

"Mr. Kelly, this is an unexpected but certainly welcome surprise." A smile grows on her face and her cheeks become a bit rosier.

"Yeah, I'se sorry. I wasn't trying to follow you at all. The store owner said that you and your family own a ranch and that you may be looking for some help," Jack continues, "I just came to town from New York City and am looking for a job."

"Oh, I'm sure we could find you a job at the ranch. I'm not certain we can afford to pay you but, we could certainly help you find a more stable job here in the town. Why don't you come home with me for dinner and meet my family?" Clara suggests, "I'll finish up here in town and then we can go."

Jack nods his head and follows Clara around on the rest of her errands. The two of them continue to talk about Jack's trip and adventures in New York City and Clara wants to know single every detail.

"Is it as wonderful living there as the books and stories make it out to be?" she asks and Jack shakes his head sadly.

"Sometimes yeah but...I always thought here was more magical," he says, "The city's full of people who just want money and are struggling to survive."

"Oh," Clara says sadly, "Well, I'm glad you came here. There's a lot of opportunity here."

They eventually leave town for Clara's family's ranch near the mountain range surrounding the city. Jack takes in the views of the mountains and sighs in awe.

"This is beautiful," he says as he and Clara arrive at her home.

"You should see it when the sun sets," she says, "One of my favorite things to do is run up one of those peaks an hour before sunset and watch the sun set." A huge grin splits across her face at the thought. "I like to go up and paint there sometimes. It makes for a beautiful canvas."

"You like to paint?" Jack asks and Clara smiles shyly,

"Yes, I do. Do you?"

"I draw some," Jack says, "And paint. It ain't too fancy."

"You'll have to show me sometime," Clara says as they put the horse in the barn and move into the house. She leads Jack into the house where her mother is cooking dinner.

"Mama, this is Jack and he's looking for a job as a ranch hand," she says and Clara's mother looks up in shock.

"Oh!" her mother says rapidly wiping her hands off on her apron, "Hello, Jack! I'm Mrs. Fulton. And I see you've met Clara. My husband will be back inside any minute and I'm sure he'll be pleased to meet you."

Two other girls enter the room. Both of them look a bit older than Clara and their eyes widen. Jack can hear the excited chatter of the three girls from the other room and he casts a small smile in their direction.

"Those are my other two girls," Mrs. Fulton explains, "Betsy's my oldest and Ruth is our second. Clara's our youngest."

"My name's Jack Kelly, ma'am," Jack says, extending a hand to Mrs. Fulton. She rapidly wipes her hands off on her apron again before extending one of them to Jack,

"You're gonna have to excuse the flour covering my hands."

"It's alright," Jack says with a chuckle, "I've uh...spent most of my lifetime covered in paint or ink. Sometimes both. It ain't anythin' new." Mrs. Fulton laughs as well,

"Oh goodness gracious. That's Clara so often these days. You wouldn't believe how many times she comes back from the mountain covered in paint." Clara's cheeks flush as she comes forward to help her mother with dinner.

"Her dress will be covered in it!" Ruth says, "And it takes hours to get out."

"I've gotten better at it," Clara protests as she kneads some bread. Jack chuckles,

"I'm sure you look just as pretty covered in paint." Ruth's eyes widen in a teasing smirk as she nudges her little sister. Clara feels a flush run up to her cheeks as she sneaks a glance at Jack before looking back at the bread.

Clara's father comes in soon after that. Clara wastes no time in introducing Jack and her father.

"Clara, why don't you go help your mother in the kitchen while Mr. Kelly and I talk business?" Mr. Fulton suggests and Clara nods her head, giving Jack one more linger smile before running back to her mother.

The two men discuss Jack's potential position with the Fultons before agreeing that Jack could live on the ranch in exchange for his work.

Jack enjoys a pleasant dinner with a family which is pleasant but it reminds him of Davey and Les and causes him to miss them.

Afterwards, he and Clara go outside to talk for awhile until Jack realizes how late it's getting. He wanders out to the little shed that has a place for him to sleep.

The next morning, Jack wakes up, wondering if everything was a dream and is slightly shocked when he realizes that it isn't. He stands up and goes outside to see the beautiful morning view.

Mr. Fulton and he get an early start on the work. It doesn't feel like a long time at all before the dinner bell rings calling the two men to dinner. Jack and Mr. Fulton arrive inside and Clara's dark curls are tied back with a single pale lavender ribbon.

"Jack!" she exclaims, abandoning her dinner preparations to both her mother and sisters' chagrin, "How was your first day?"

"It was hard work but I think I'll adjust to it," he answers, "And I'se sure you just had the hardest day."

"Housework can be difficult," she protests and Jack chuckles,

"I'm just teasin' ya." He playfully nudges her with his shoulder. She nonchalantly wipes her flour covered hand on his shoulder before running off to the kitchen. Jack notices it and rolls his eyes.

After dinner, Jack decides to go to his shed and Clara rushes out after him.

"Can't stay away, can you?" he asks her teasingly. Clara dips her head slightly embarrassed but continues to follow him,

"I don't have a lot of friends here, Jack. I don't mind being alone at all but, it's nice to meet someone new."

"I'se like meeting new people too," Jack says, "Would meet 'em all the time back in New York." Clara laughs at him as they walk back to his shed. "Too bad it's almost sunset," Jack says, giving the cowboy hat on his head a tug, "I wanna go up in the mountains like you said."

"Papa doesn't work on Sundays so we can spend your whole first Sunday in Santa Fe up in the mountains if you like," she says, "I'll show you some of my favorite places and we can see for miles."

"I'd like that," Jack says, "But for now, I should get some rest. Your pop's gonna wake me up at the crack of dawn." Clara laughs again and Jack can't help but smile at it. She has such a beautiful laugh and a beautiful smile.

The image he drew of Katherine pops into his mind and his smile fades ever so slightly.

He had promised her that he would always love her and be there for her. He brushed his momentary admiration of Clara aside. He had only known her for two days which was hardly enough to determine anything from.

"Well, goodnight," Clara says before walking back to her home. Jack stands outside and leans against the door frame of his shed just to make sure that she makes it inside safely. She turns around one last time and waves goodnight to him before closing the door to her home behind her. Jack enters his own home and begins to draft a letter to Davey before he goes to sleep. He starts one for Katherine as well but all he manages to write is "Dear Katherine,". His hand pauses over the rest of the letter. His letter to Davey had been so easy to write and he couldn't figure out why. He hadn't said anything about...

Clara, besides a brief mention of her along with the rest of her family.

He gets a weird feeling in his stomach when it comes to telling Katherine about Clara.

He eventually manages a letter to Katherine regardless, smiling at how it turns out.

Completely missing any mention of Clara.

There isn't really a good reason to mention her, right? Clara's just a friend. If that's the case, then why is he so afraid to mention her? His fingers rest on the envelope but he decides he'll mention her in the next letter.

Sunday rolls around much faster than Jack anticipated it would. After church, Clara and Jack race up the mountain side on horseback. They spend the afternoon, painting and talking about their lives, pasts...all of it. Clara accidentally splashes some paint water on herself just as Jack is finishing telling the story of the strike and how he came here. He looks over at her and notices the little paint splatters running down her front,

"Hmmm, looks like your sisters weren't wrong in their accusations."

"Jack!" Clara exclaims and wipes some of the paint onto her hands onto Jack. Jack tries to get away from it and dips his own hand in the paint water, wiping some on Clara again. They finally come to a truce and Clara shakes her wet hands out. "How long are you planning on staying here?" Jack's eyes take on a more serious expression,

"Probably forever. If I go back, I'm not sure what will happen to my brothers."

"The Newsboys you were leading?" Clara asks and Jack nods,

"Yeah. I care about them a lot. They'se my family. It's why I came here in the first place to keep 'em safe. The owner of the paper we were strikin' against threatened to throw 'em all in jail if I didn't come here. So I did. 'Sides, it's been a dream of mine since I was a kid to come out here and be a cowboy."

"My dream," Clara says, "Has always been to have someone who appreciates just being free as much as I do. Free to make the choices that we do. I'm so glad Mama and Papa chose to live out here instead of in town. The people in town are nice but only as nice as your reputation is good. I'm sort of a funny girl for wanting to spend my time painting in the mountains and helping out around the ranch."

"I think that's nice," Jack affirms her, "If I had been born here, I probably would've wanted the same thing. All of this is better than I imagined." Clara smiles shyly up at him.

"I never thought I would run into a boy in town that would become one of my father's ranch hands and my friend," she says with a small chuckle. Jack chuckles back at her and the two of them continue painting until sunset. They put down their paint brushes and Clara guides them to a place where the sunset is absolutely gorgeous to watch. The sun paints the clouds a whole variety of shades of orange, pink, purple, and blue.

"Wow," Jack breathes, "This is so much better than my penthouse."

"Your penthouse? I thought you were a..." Clara starts to ask and Jack chuckles,

"I used to sleep up on the rooftop and I called it my penthouse. One of the other boys would stay up there with me and pretending that we lived in a penthouse in the sky helped us...escape." His tone grows solemn the longer he talks. Clara sets a hand on his shoulder.

"Jack, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have..." she starts to apologize but Jack stops her.

"Ain't nothing that you can do. Ain't nothing that I can do about it either," he reassures her, "Maybe someday we'se will break him out of jail."

"Did it happen during the strike?" Clara asks and Jack nods sadly, "Oh, Jack." She gives him a hug and Jack admits to himself that he likes the way she fits in his arms. Her head tucks perfectly into his chest as she squeezes him tightly to her. "No wonder that's so hard for you."

"I'se sorry," Jack says, "We're missing the pretty sunset." The two of them turn to face the sunset, hugging tightly one last time just as the sun dips over the horizon. "Well," Jack says, "thanks for da sweet views and da listening ear."

"Anytime," Clara says with a soft smile, "And thank you for making one of my dreams come true. I feel as though I've just climbed a mountain myself."

"Well ya kinda have," Jack jokes wryly and Clara rolls her eyes as they walk over to the horses to load up their paint supplies.

Their goodnight tonight almost feels like there's more tension than the ones previously. Jack shuts his door and leans against it. Images of Katherine flood his mind and he rubs his forehead.

Why hadn't she just come with him? 

He supposed Pulitzer could've just made things worse for the boys had they done that.

But his interactions with Clara tonight are making it harder and harder for him to deny that he very well could have growing feelings for the young woman. It's getting easier and easier for him to ignore the fact that they've just met too. He sinks down to the floor and quickly climbs over to his bed, trying to fight the tears of worry that rolls down his face, tears for Katherine, the boys, and Crutchie.

A couple of months pass, Jack works hard every day on the ranch, helping with whatever else needs done. He goes into town with Clara from time to time and even picks up a job helping paint banners and signs for the other businesses in town a few hours each week. Clara usually comes with him when he works and will walk around town until his shift is over.

One particular day near the end of his shift, Clara enters the shop early and quickly shuts the door behind her, a distraught look on her face.

"What's da mattah?" Jack asks her as he puts the finishing touches on a sign. Suddenly, the sign owner's son, who's a few years older, comes down the stairs.

"Well...if it isn't Miss Clara, you really just can't stay away, can ya? You're such a pretty little thing in full bloom," he remarks upon seeing Clara, "And when a lady's in full bloom, she's beautiful as...ever in all kinds of ways on the outside..."

"I ummm...I'm afraid that I can't say the same about you," Clara says shyly and Jack covers his hand with his mouth to hide his smirk.

"How dare you?!" he snaps, "You'd better think twice about..."

"Hey, pal," Jack says, "I'd leave her alone if I was you."

"What do you know about these things? You're from New York City. You don't know how things work for girls around here," the son continues, taking Clara's arm, "Now, Miss Clara. Why don't I show you the backroom?" Jack looks over his shoulder, meeting Clara's gaze and raising an eyebrow. Clara merely turns away and Jack goes back to his painting until he hears the door slam. And then the click of the lock. Spotting some loose bobby pins from one of the female workers, Jack slips them into his pocket.

"JACK!" comes Clara's muffled cry for help.

Jack runs across the store and is picking the lock in seconds. It clicks open and he sees the store owner's son holding tight to Clara, trying to press a kiss to her lips. Clara tries her best to shove him away. Jack swiftly punches him in the temple and yanks him off of Clara.

"You okay?" Jack asks and Clara nods, reaching for Jack, "There's paint all over me apron."

"I don't care," Clara says, fighting back tears as she wraps her arms around Jack. Jack gently hugs her back, rubbing her back with his palm.

"You'se okay," Jack says, "You'se okay. Hey, why don't you hold my arm from here on out? People ain't gonna mess wid you if it looks like you're my girl."

"Really?" Clara lifts her head from his chest to meet his own gaze and Jack nods.

So that's what they do. Jack and Clara walk arm in arm around town and even to church.

Until Mr. Fulton gives Jack a huge lecture about hurting his daughter which leads Jack and Clara to explain what happened. Mr. Fulton nods, happy that Jack had protected his daughter.

A couple more peaceful months pass by. Jack and Clara go to a dance together at one of the festivals being held in town but both were content to say that they were just friends.

Jack desperately tries to make himself believe that that's true.

But each hug that he and Clara give each other and each conversation and each time that he walks around town holding her arm, it gets harder and harder to believe that that's true.

And each happy day that he has in Santa Fe makes it harder and harder to remember the life he had in New York with his brothers.

A year has passed and he and Clara are at a dance at one of the prominent families in town. Jack was accompanying all three of the Fulton girls to this dance but Clara had yet to leave Jack's side since they'd arrived.

"Ain't there any young guys you wanna dance with?" Jack teases her, nudging her. Clara playfully nudges him back. "I can call 'em like I call the horses on the ranch." Jack shoots her a smirk before raising his fingers to his lips and Clara quickly grabs them.

"There's only one 'young guy' I want to dance with," she says, pulling his hands close to her and intertwining their fingers. Jack, slightly surprised at the somewhat bold gesture but smirks at her all the same.

"Kinda hard to whistle at myself," he whispers in her ear and Clara laughs at him. Her bright smile and sparkling blue eyes warm Jack's heart. She starts tugging on his hand, pulling him towards the dance floor and he follows her, quickly letting one of his arms snake around her waist while the other holds tightly to their intertwined fingers. She had taught him to dance one night in the kitchen after dinner and it had been rather clumsy at first but she had taught him all of the basic moves and he was good enough to the point where he wasn't stepping on her feet all the time. Just like now.

One of the more folkish dances is one that Jack loves and he leads Clara through it, twirling her in time to the rhythm before they sashay down the row of dancers and sashay back up. The other couples do the same thing before everyone switches partners. Jack squeezes Clara's hand before dancing with another girl for the next round of the dance. Everyone switches partners a few more times before they all find their original partners. Jack twirls Clara and pulls her tight to him as the song ends. Giving her hand a gentle squeeze, he leads her off to get some refreshments, intertwining their fingers as they walk. He notices a smile on Clara's face as her gaze flicks from his own to their intertwined fingers. The smile on her face causes his heart to flutter once again. There are wisps of her hair slipping out from her braided up-do and the fly-a ways tickle her forehead. Jack longs to just brush them behind her ear, but he thinks of Katherine.

He can't do that to her, not now. 

He suddenly feels a tug on his red bandana tied around his neck and he looks down to see Clara gently pushing the knot up a bit closer to the nape of his neck.

"It was a little loose from our dancing," she explains, caressing the ends a bit as she straightens them. Jack smiles at her and without any more hesitation, brushes one of her fly-a ways behind her ear, letting his index finger curl the small strand of her hair around itself before pulling away.

"How about we go outside for a little bit?" Jack asks, "We can dance out there if we want." Clara nods her head.

"It is getting a bit warm in here," she says, letting Jack lead her outside. Giving Clara his arm, the two of them step out onto the back patio. Her fingers rest comfortably against his bicep and she casts a look up at him. "This feels better," she comments. The two of them walk in silence, gazing up at the stars together.

"They'se so beautiful," Jack says, "Nevah could see 'em this clear in 'Hattan." Jack leads them over to a bench and sits down, Clara never leaving his side. She leans her head against his shoulder and Jack leans his head on top of hers.

"You're going to mess up my hair," Clara teases him, squishing her cheek into his shoulder even more.

"Didn't think you was gonna wanna stay much later," he comments quietly as they gaze at the stars together.

"Maybe," Clara says, "We'll see."

After a little while, they go dance for a few more songs before saying goodnight to their hosts and then goodnight to each other.

Which to both individuals' disappointment only resulted in a long and comforting hug.

When Jack enters his room, he sees a letter from Katherine resting on a crate that he used for a desk.

Jack hastily opens it and the letter from Katherine reads,

"Dear Jack,

I hope everything is going well for you in Santa Fe. I'm glad you are able to help out the family and be a brotherly figure to the daughters of the rancher there. They're lucky to have someone like you and I'm glad that Santa Fe has been everything you expect it to be but, you have to come back. It's not good, Jack. It's safe but it's not good. Crutchie is still in the Refuge and isn't doing well from what I hear from the other boys.

Jack, I'm so sorry. There's only a few of them that aren't currently in the Refuge. You need to come home and help us get them out. I've been trying to speak with Governor Roosevelt but he's been so busy.

If you have any friends in Santa Fe who might be helpful, you should bring them too if you can afford to. We really need all the help we can get.

I love you and I'm so sorry that I don't have better news for you.

The only good news is that my father isn't quite so angry with you specifically anymore.

Please please come back. The boys need you and I need you.

I love you and hope to see you soon.

All my love,

Katherine. "

Jack sets the letter down and blows out a breath. Life's going well here. Won't he just put the boys in more danger if he goes back? He runs a hand down his face as he thinks about what he should do. Spotting his Newsie cap hanging off the side of the crate, Jack dusts his off and hangs it back on the side of the crate, thinking that he may very well need it soon.

The next morning, he takes Clara's hand and intertwines their fingers as they walk across the ranch. It's Sunday and they're going to climb up the mountain to watch the sunset. It's a peaceful silence as Jack and Clara swing their hands in between them as they hike up to the top of the mountain to just enjoy the slopes. He doesn't notice Betsy and Ruth watching them from the house.

"They say they're just friends," Ruth says knowingly but Betsy jabs her hard, causing the younger girl to complain.

"You don't know that," Betsy scolds her as she walks back into the house.

"They're HOLDING HANDS," Ruth squeals in reply and Betsy shushes her. The two young women watch as Jack helps Clara over some rocks and they smile lovingly at each other. "Jack better not have another girl back in New York," Ruth comments and Betsy bites the inside of her lip.

She saw the return address on the letter from New York City and it was from one Katherine Pulitzer.

And Betsy had most certainly heard of the famous newspaper tycoon despite the fact that she had yet to read one of his papers. And if their ranch hand was talking with Pulitzer's daughter...

Betsy wasn't certain that Clara and Jack were in love as much as Ruth and Clara herself believed.

Jack and Clara reach the top of the peak and look out over the city once again. He pulls Clara into his side and rubs her back. Clara leans her head against his shoulder once again and sighs out,

"I feel like it gets more and more beautiful every time we come up here."

"Mhmm," Jack hums in reply, "Just like you." He can't hold back any longer. He loves Clara and he wants to begin living like he does. He's fairly certain that she feels the same way. She picks her head up off his shoulder and gently caresses his cheek with her palm, turning his face towards her.

"Jack..." Clara breathes out. Her bright blue eyes search his own. Her hand moves from his cheek to push his hat back down, letting it hang behind him. Her fingertips gently run through his hair, making Jack's knees go weak. One of his arms pulls her closer to him and he tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear again.

"Clara..." he whispers as their foreheads bump up against each other. His hand moves to her hair and gently runs his fingers through it before coming to resting on her cheek.

An image of Katherine briefly flashes through his mind as he tilts his head and bring his lips down onto Clara's.

She's kissing him back in an instant and he can't stop. Their kisses become more passionate and desperate as though they've been waiting their whole life for this. They break for air but then are leaning in again for more and more. He pulls her tight to him and her hands move from his hair to around his shoulders and his neck. They pull apart and lean their foreheads together again.

"Jack Kelly, you're one of the best things that's ever happened to me," she says before placing a kiss on his cheek. Jack smiles at her and gently cups the back of her head before whispering on her lips,

"You'se a part of this dream I nevah planned on havin' happen." They're kissing again as soon as he finishes his words. Images of Katherine spring into his mind again and with those images, her kisses.

Her letter.

The boys.

At the very least, he has to go help the boys.

"Clara, I got a letter last night from a friend in New York and I'se needs to be honest with ya, it was a girl who wrote me," Jack starts to explain. Clara straightens up a bit and Jack's heart breaks. He knows that with what he's done, he's about to break two hearts, not just one.

Not just Katherine's.

But Clara's too which breaks his heart.

He loves Clara as much as he loves Katherine. They're both so different but they both make him so happy and it's not just their looks. He loves them as people. Clara is always willing to help people but she has a whimsical air about her and expresses her feelings that she feels ever so deeply in ways that Jack never could. Every single one of her paintings somewhat represents her to some degree. He hates to hurt her because he knows he's fallen in love with her too.

It's much more quiet and less aggressive than his love with Katherine but he loves it just the same.

His love with Katherine is fiery and wild. He can't even begin to imagine what the two of them would've done had she come here or had he stayed in New York.

And depending on how this goes, it very well could be three.

"And.." Jack continues, "The boys aren't doing well. Most of them got thrown in jail and that jail ain't to be messed with."

"Well, we'll...we'll figure this out," Clara says, letting her hand cup his cheek, "We'll..." 

"There's more," Jack says interrupting her and Clara's eyes fill with worry. Jack just wants to hold her and make those beautiful blue eyes sparkle again. He would do anything to protect that love and warmth. "Katherine and I kissed before I left New York."

"Oh," Clara gasps in disbelief and her hand falls away from his cheek, "You both...meant it?"

"Yes," Jack says, "Clara..."

She turns away from him, tears already rolling down her cheek.

"No," Clara says, putting her hand up to keep him quiet, "Jack, please. I...I need some time to think." 

"I'se probably gonna try to take the morning train. I need to get to New York as fast as I can. The boy I used to sit on the rooftop with..." Jack starts.

"Crutchie," Clara finished, feeling as though she knew this boy quite well from Jack's stories of him alone.

"He's really sick. I'se going to go get them all outta jail," Jack says. Clara won't look at him as the sun dips below the horizon. "Clara, I'm sorry. I never thought things would go this far."

"Maybe it's best if you go to New York for a little while," Clara says, "I need some time to think." Tears are still gently flowing down her cheeks as she looks at him.

"I'se will tell your folks that I'm gonna be leavin' for awhile but Clara, I'll come back if you want me to," Jack says. Clara just looks out at the setting sun and shakes her head. "At least come see me off tomorrow to say goodbye," Jack pleads. Clara looks at him, her blue eyes pierced with hurt and such deep sadness. She gives him a simple nod and he takes her hand, squeezing it like he used to before they depart down the mountain together.

Jack and Clara go to their respective dwelling places. Clara makes her way into the house and Betsy is sitting up working on some needlework.

"I should've warned you. I'm sorry. I saw the return address on the letter," Betsy says as she pulls her needle thread through her embroidery, "And I don't think that was the first one I've seen. I'm so sorry." Clara's tears only increase.

"He's been writing her?!" she sobs before running upstairs to her room. She cries into her pillow over her love for the boy that she now knows may never be hers. She hears Ruth and Betsy come into the room.

"Clary?" Ruth asks but Betsy shoos her away,

"Leave her be, Ruthie. Clary needs some time."

The next morning, Clara is downstairs, waiting for Jack to come out of his home. Once he does, she comes out to meet him, letting the door to their front porch slam shut behind her. She steps down and walks close to him. Jack offers her his arm. 

"I'm doing this as a friend, not anything else...if you don't want," he explains and Clara eyes his arm before letting her hand lightly rest on his.

"Can I write you?" she asks as they make their way to the horse barn. 

"Sure. Long as you'se okay with that." Jack tosses his belongings into the wagon. His Newsie cap is perched on his head as they walk towards the barn. "Any of the rest of ya folks comin'?" Clara shakes her head as she follows Jack out to the pasture. Jack pulls a couple of horses from their stalls. Offering Clara his hand, he helps her up into the buggy. He squeezes her hand again and the faintest trace of a smile crosses her lips. He climbs up next to her and he stops the horses in the drive.

Mr. Fulton is already out, working on the ranch and approaches them. Jack jumps down and talks to Mr. Fulton for a moment. He tells him everything from the whole story of the strike to his now broken romance with both Katherine and Clara.

"Well, Kelly. If you come back, I'm not sure how welcome you'll be here," he warns him and Clara shakes her head before jumping down to join her father and Jack.

"Papa, I think we should give Jack a second chance at least with working here," she says, "He's been a good worker."

"He broke your heart!" Mr. Fulton says angrily, "Why do you want to give him a second chance?"

"Because I still love him even if I'm not sure I want him to be with me when he comes back," Clara states plainly. Mr. Fulton nods his head in thought before agreeing,

"You've been a good worker, Kelly. I can't deny that. But you have messed with my daughter's heart and that's something I can't ignore. Just know that you won't be interacting at all with my family and you will need to stick to your own quarters from this day forward should you come back. We will treat you as a worker and nothing more. We treated you like family but you broke that trust. Welcoming you back as a worker is the most I can do."

Jack nods his head in agreement.

"Mr. Fulton, I'll see what happens. I hope to be back but I don't know how bad the situation is in New York," he says, "I could be gone for a very long time. Maybe forever though I hope not." He pauses and takes a deep breath, "I'm sorry that I caused such a mess within your family. I never meant to harm anyone with that. I just got a little carried away. I hope that if I come back, I have a chance to make it up to you and I mean all of you."

Mr. Fulton nods his head again and the two shakes hands.

"Be safe," Mr. Fulton says as Jack helps Clara into the buggy. Jack then jumps in himself and off they go.

"Thank you," Jack says, "You didn't have to do that."

"I wanted to," Clara says, "You deserve a job living your dream if nothing else." She won't make eye contact with him which Jack thinks is normal after something like this. She sits further away from him in the buggy and she waits for Jack to help her down. He does but she steadies herself, not letting him help her or touch her really.

"Clara," Jack whines but she walks up to the ticket office, purchases one, and proceeds to shove into his chest. "Clara." She finally faces him.

"I just..." she starts before wiping her tears from her eyes. The train whistle sounds through the air. "Jack, I loved you and still love you and it just hurts but I want to love you even though I know you don't..."

"I never said I didn't feel the same," Jack cuts in, "There's just... another girl."

His heart feels torn in two. He loves Katherine and Clara but he know he can't have it both ways. He wants to stay with Clara and try to repair their relationship but, he also doesn't want to break his promise to Katherine more than he already has.

He knows that getting on the train is the right thing to do. Sharing everything with Clara is what needed to happen.

He needs to be honest with Katherine now too.

The tears begin to flow down Clara's cheeks as the train whistle sounds yet again and the conductor calls for the passengers. Jack starts to move towards the train until Clara grabs his ascot, nearly choking him and kisses his cheek goodbye.

She runs away without a second glance, wiping tears from her eyes.

Jack gets on the train without looking back, wiping tears away from his own eyes.

A few days later, he steps back on the platform in Grand Central Depot in New York City. Winding through the busy city streets, something feels right and wrong about being here.

He's back where his boys are and Katherine are.

But Clara's still in Santa Fe, very far away from him. And his heart aches all the more for her.

He walks to the Lower East Side Lodging House and Davey opens the door.

"Jack," he says tightly, "You got Katherine's letter."

"Yeah," Jack says, "I came as soon as I got things wrapped up in Santa Fe." Davey smiles a wry smile.

"Thanks for coming home," Davey says, "I'll let the few others that are okay know that you're here." He doesn't have to and most of them are the older boys. Albert, Mush, Finch, Specs, and Skittery all stand on the stair steps.

"They didn't get Les, did..." Jack starts to ask but Davey's face says it all.

"We barely got out," Albert says very matter of factly, "What makes you think dah other fellas did?"

"I..." Jack says, running a hand underneath his Newsie cap, "I don't know. I just hope that maybe...."

"Well ya hoped wrong," Skittery snaps at him, "Whatever the heck you think you're doing here, Kelly, beat it. We don't need..."

"Yes, we do," Davey says, "He's escaped the Refuge TWICE. We need him to help us get the other boys out. If we don't have him, we'll never get them out."

The door to the Lodging House bangs open and Katherine stands on the other side.

"Jack!" she gasps, running towards him and throwing her arms around him in a big hug. They hug each other tightly and Jack feels his love for her awaken as they hug. "I missed you!" she says and they hug so tightly that they rock back and forth a bit. Katherine has happy tears falling from her face before blushing at the fact that the rest of the remaining boys are present.

Skittery gives a low whistle at the display of affection and Specs nudges him with his elbow.

"I missed you too," he says as they break apart, "It's been a long time."

"Your letters didn't seem to come often enough," she says a bit tightly and Jack chuckles,

"I was busy with ranch work and paintin' signs for some of the businesses in town."

"Found an avenue for your artwork even out there," Katherine teases, "I'm just so happy you're back. We need to come up with a plan right away. We have to get the boys out of the Refuge."

"Did you talk to the Governor?" Jack asks and Katherine looks down at the ground.

"He wouldn't even see me. Every time I would try, some of his staff would escort me back home. My father most definitely called him and warned him," she says sadly.

"Did none of you talk to Medda?" Jack asks, "Maybe she could persuade him."

"We didn't even think about her," Davey says.

"I'se can go talk to her," Jack says, "I'se sure she'll be happy to see that I'm back in town."

He runs out of the room without a second though.

"Should somebody go with him?" Finch asks, "Just to make sure."

"Go follow him," Davey says nonchalantly, waving a hand, "Just don't get caught." Finch pulls out a small flute that he keeps around his neck.

"I'll just sound like a bird if I need to," he says, putting the flute to his lips and playing a sequence of notes that sounded like a bird call. Davey takes a nervous deep breath before nodding his head.

"Alright. Just be careful," he says, pinching the bridge of his nose. Finch runs out, already in a hurry to get to Medda's as the door slams behind him.

"Alright boys, we need to get down to business," Katherine states. 

"What kinda business?" Skittery grumbles, "We ain't gonna find anything out 'til Jack comes back with Medda."

Little do they know is that Jack and Medda are hurrying back to the Lodge. 

"We need to convince him somehow, Jack and we need hard evidence," she says, "Something to give him cause to investigate."

"I'se still got my drawins' from my time in there," Jack suggests and Medda nods her head. 

"That should be good enough but gosh, I don't know, Jack. I'm afraid he's gonna say no," she says, "I guess we'll try it. The worst he can do is say no."

Suddenly, a tree rustles about halfway on the way back to the Lodge and Finch drops out of it, landing on his feet.

"Finch!" Jack and Medda both exclaim in shock. 

"What were you doing up in the tree?" Jack asks and Finch nods in the direction of some cops off in the distance. 

"We'se better get inside. It ain't really safe for us 'Hattan boys especially to be out on the streets," he says, "They'se willing to arrest for so much as breathin' the wrong way." 

The trio walks back inside and Finch shuts the door behind them. Jack opens up his drawings and hands them to Medda. 

"I'll go talk to the Governor. You all lie low until I get back," Medda instructs them as she walks back out the door. 

All of the boys wait in a tense and nervous silence for his return. 

"How's Crutchie?" Jack asks everyone. All of the boys bow their heads and Jack asks almost angrily, "Is he still alive?"

"Yeah, but he ain't doin' so good, Jack," Mush says, "If Roosevelt's investigation's gonna take awhile, we'se may need to bust Crutchie and some of the others out before den."

"You boys're the only ones that escaped?" Jack asked. 

"We were all at Medda's tryin' to figure out what to do," Specs says, "Race and Blink volunteered to stay here and protect everyone. You can see that we shoulda been here too."

"No," Davey says, "They would've just taken all of us and Jack and Katherine would have to be doing everything themselves."

"So, here's what we'll do," Jack says and they start to come up with plans to get the boys out. Jack tries to remember everything that he can about how he escaped that awful place. Once they finish coming up with a plan, Davey pulls him aside, 

"Are you planning on...sticking around after all this is over?" Jack shrugs and looks over his shoulder. He sees Katherine in the room still and turns back to Davey. 

"'Tween you and me," he says, "I don't know. It just depends on how things go. I'se not sure what I want right now." 

"I guess getting paid to live your dreams is a hard decision, isn't it?" Davey snaps and Jack sighs angrily. 

"Davey...it's not like that. I did it to protect all of you'se and..." he says, "Maybe we should continue this on the rooftop."

"Fine," Davey says and the two of them climb out the fire escape, ignoring the confused looks of the other five boys. 

"I did do it to protect all of youse," Jack continues, "Pulitzer said I could either speak out against the strike, leave for Santa Fe, and everyone could live their lives as they pleased or we all face jail time." Davey goes quiet and shakes his head, 

"You still had all of us. We would've tried to stay out of trouble. We could've found a way out of all of this. Now, almost everyone's in the Refuge and the strike is over. We're getting charged even more for papes and Katherine lost her job."

"What?!" Jack exclaims and Davey nods his head,

"She told me she wrote you that in one of her letters." Jack feels himself tense as he remembers the couple of letters from Katherine that he hadn't even bothered to even open. He had been busy. 

Busy spending time with Clara. 

"Oh," Jack says biting his lip. 

"Did you not get the letter? I don't understand, Jack. You told her that you loved her before you left," Davey explains. 

"What ain't she told ya, huh?" Jack asks in a frustrated tone of voice. 

"You weren't here, Jack and she was having to sneak out of her house to come see us and I couldn't help it if I love her too," Davey snaps and Jack whirls around. 

"You what?" Jack snaps. Davey stands up a bit taller and more confident. 

"I'm in love with Katherine. Jack, you never opened her letters. You'd barely respond to my letters much less Katherine's," he explains, "What really happened in Santa Fe, Jack?"

"I need to be honest with Katherine," Jack decides, "I need to tell her before I tell you everything. It's only fair." With that, Jack starts to descend the fire escape. 

"Wait, Jack!" Davey cries out, "I'm sorry. She and I confided in each other a lot but she ALWAYS said she was waiting for you and I respected it. I knew there was a good chance she would probably never want to be with me and I understand that. Please, just whatever's happened. Whatever will happen, please just be kind to Katherine."

Jack nods his head and processes everything that's been said before opening the door to see Katherine standing on the other side.

"Would you care to walk me home?" she asks. There's a sad piece in tone and Jack can't quite place why.

"Sure," he says and Katherine smiles at him. 

"Did you have a good talk with Davey?" she asks as they walk towards Midtown.

"I guess, yeah," Jack says, "It's...it's..."

"I know," Katherine says, "He and I have talked about a lot of things. I just....had a feeling you would come back someday and I wanted to be ready for when you did." She takes his hand and their fingers intertwine. "I just...don't understand something. You barely responded to my letters and you said you would write me."

"I did though, didn't I?" Jack asks, "I'm a busy guy."

"So your letters said," Katherine jokes, nudging him. Jack squeezes her hand and his mind flashes to images of Clara. Their fingers intertwining as they would walk through a crowded dance floor or through town. He'd always give her hand a squeeze and watch the smile blossom across her beautiful face.

Shaking his head, Katherine's laugh brings him back to the present.

"No? You don't want to help me up to my window?" she teases him and Jack looks up and gasps.

"Oh sorry," he says, smiling, "Yes, I can...wait. This is your father's house. I thought you..."

"He made me move back in," Katherine says sadly, "The door to my room is locked most of the time. I have to climb out the window most days."

"Oh," Jack says, "Katherine, I had no idea. Davey said you got fired from your job."

"It's all my father's doing," Katherine says, tears beginning to flow down her cheeks. Jack wraps his arms around her in an instant.

"I'se so sorry," he says, "If only I had been here, none of this would've happened." He looks off into the city, trying to figure out some solution to this whole mess.

"Jack, my father's going to do what he's going to do," she replies, gently putting a hand under his chin and turning it towards her. Jack's eyes meet her own. "None of this is your fault." Katherine cups one of his cheeks with her hand and Jack leans in to kiss her. Katherine responds and starts kissing him back but images of Clara and his kisses with her flood his mind. Her hands in his hair and his fingers gently playing with the ends of her hair as he kisses her senseless. They both smile into the kiss which causes both of them to giggle a little bit. Suddenly, footsteps sound near them and Katherine starts to panic.

"Though youse wasn't afraid of yah father," Jack whispers playfully in her ear and Katherine swats at him.

"Just help me up," she says and Jack does just that. Katherine pops open her window and climbs inside, waving goodnight to Jack. Jack does the same.

Again, images of Clara pop into his mind, her smile as she waves goodnight to him. The little smile that he enjoys kissing...

He shakes his head as the footsteps get closer and runs away.

Miss Medda is back at the Lodging House when he arrives.

"That took awhile," Jack remarks dryly.

"He's going to investigate," Miss Medda says, ignoring Jack's slightly snide comment, "I'm not sure how long it'll take."

"Crutchie's hurt bad," Jack says, "Is there any way you could get him to make it go faster?" Miss Medda sighs.

"I could ask but you may just want to break him out," Miss Medda says.

"We was talkin' about that," Jack comments, "I don't think we'se can wait for the Governor. Crutchie ain't gonna make it if we do."

Miss Medda nods her head in understanding, "I'm glad you're back and please don't leave again anytime soon. Things are a mess here without you." She gives him a big hug before leaving the Lodge for the night.

"I didn't get a hug," Skittery says moodily.

"You hate hugs," Albert says, "Everytime Race tries to give ya one..."

"You don't like those either," Skittery grumbles and Davey rolls his eyes. Mush punches Skittery in the shoulder which shuts him up.

"So," Jack says, "I think wese breakin' Crutchie out."

They begin to evaluate their plans to see which one will suit them best.

"Katherine can't come," Jack says, "It's gonna be too dangerous."

"That hasn't stopped her for the last year," Davey remarks and Jack rolls his eyes. They reevaluate the plan again before coming to a decision.

The next day, they decide to break Crutchie out. Katherine sneaks out of her window and hurries over to the Lodging House.

"Medda also thinks it would be wise to break Crutchie out," Jack informs her, "So us boys are gonna go."

"Why can't I go?" Katherine asks, "I thought I was a part of a distraction."

"An emergency distraction," Jack says, "Not a distraction that's actually going to happen."

Katherine sighs but nods. "Alright, I guess I'll do it. I didn't expect you of all people to get that worried about me or think that I couldn't do it because I definitely can."

"Just stay here. Please," Jack says, "If somethin' happens to you..."

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were avoiding me," Katherine snaps at him, "So I'm coming. And if you have to protect me, I trust that you will."

Katherine stomps her way to the door and slams it behind her.

"Good luck with that, Jackie," Albert comments and Jack sighs, rubbing a hand over his face before getting up and going after her.

"Katherine...I'm..." he starts to say but he's cut off by a pair of lips on his, "sorry."

"Me too," she says, "I shouldn't have said that." She gently runs her fingers through the hair that she can reach. "It'll be alright."

"Think everyone's just a bit stressed," she says. Clara running her hands through his hair dances through his mind, her tightening up his bandana ascot, her palms gently caressing his face, and her forehead leaned up against his with her lips hovering just above his own and.... "Jack!" Katherine breaks into his thoughts. "You seem so scattered lately. Are you sure you're good to do this?"

"Uh huh," Jack answers and Katherine nods her head,

"Alright then. We better do it."

And so seven Newsies and a former reporter sneak their way through the streets of Manhattan to the House of Refuge. They all tuck away in one corner except for Skittery and Albert, who sneak over the fence and around the corner from the two guards.

"Ya ready, Finch?" Jack asks and Finch nods, taking out his slingshot, loading it with a stone, taking aim, and firing at the wall right behind the guards' head. They look around and Skittery and Albert pounce on them from around the corner. After about five minutes of fisticuffs, the two guards are unconscious and Albert and Skittery are slipping into the guard uniforms. Albert makes eye contact with the group in hiding and they start to move closer.

"What do we do again?" Mush asks quietly.

"Wait for them to get the doors open," Katherine answers as Albert and Skittery start yelling to the guards for a coffee break. The guards open the doors and then shut them.

"So...do we take them out?" Finch asks, grabbing a stone off the ground and loading his slingshot again.

"No no no," Davey says, "We wait and see if they can manage to get Crutchie out."

It's a lot of waiting in the hot sun but finally the doors swing open with Albert and Skittery running out with Crutchie on their shoulders. Well doing as best as they can. Mush, Jack, Finch, and Davey all quickly climb the fence. Mush and Jack take Crutchie and start running towards the fence. They climb it while Davey, Finch, Albert, and Skittery fight off the guards chasing them. Once they get to the other side, Katherine shouts,

"Boys! Come on!"

The other four scramble over the fence in a hurry and they all run as fast as they can back to the Lodging House. Until they notice three other boys doing their best to run behind them.

"Run!" Jack cries out, trying support all of Crutchie's unconscious limp weight and move all at the same time when a suddenly familiar yet hoarse voice cries out

"Jack!"

The whole group turns around to see Les, limping but doing his best to run toward them followed by Kid Blink and Race.

Davey nearly bursts into tears at the sight of his little brother.

"I can't believe you're alright," Davey says, tears pricking the corners of his eyes.

"I'm okay," Les says, "I'm hurt but Mama always said I was a good healer."

Davey just pulls his brother tight into his chest, carrying him as they hurry back to the Lodging House.

The four boys are immediately set down in bunks and made to rest.

"Get lots of sleep," Jack instructs them, "You need it."

Mush comes up a few minutes later and hands something to Jack.

"It's a letter for ya from Santa Fe," Mush says, "Who's writin' ya from Santa Fe, Jack?"

"An old friend out there," he says. He scurries out onto the fire escape to read it. Standing up on the rooftop, he smiles at her beautiful handwriting waltzing across the page.

He could never waltz quite right. She tried for an hour and a half to teach him and he just was never very good at it. She had been so patient though.

Her letter details the events of her family and how a new, quite poor family had moved to the land next door. Her family was helping them a great deal in getting their feet underneath them in Santa Fe. The rest of her letter details some of her paintings, silly events that have happened with her sisters, and the latest happenings within the little city itself. Jack tucks away with it's belongings before turning around and going back downstairs. He sits down on a bunk feeling quite conflicted. He loves Katherine, but Clara. He loves them both dearly and he's not sure which one he loves more. Now that he's back in New York, his love for Katherine has awakened, right alongside his love for Clara.

And he has no idea what to do.

"I know that look," a voice interrupts his thoughts and he looks up at Mush.

"What look?" Jack asks him, afraid that the slightly younger Newsie would figure out his situation since it's one Jack's sure he's been in multiple times.

"You're in love with someone else too," Mush says, "Just be careful, Jack. That breaks hearts."

"Believe me, Mush. I know. Already broke one," he says sadly and Mush looks down at him again,

"The letter?" he asks and Jack nods,

"Yeah, the letter. It was from her...in Santa Fe."

"Oh," Mush says, "Does Katherine know?"

"No...not yet. I wanna tell her but things seem to be going well with us and I'm not sure Clara will ever want me back," Jack starts but Mush shakes his head,

"Jack, she wrote ya a letter. She wouldn't have done that if she hadn't meant it."

Jack sighs as he gets himself ready for bed.

"Yeah, I guess," he says before stretching his arms over his head. He looks over at Crutchie and sighs. "He don't look good."

"I'se gonna do everything I can, Jack," Specs said, "Don't worry."

"I'se just more worried we'se gonna actually have to call a doctor for this one," he says, "Can't afford a doctor."

Jack rolls onto his back and casts one more concerned look at Crutchie before going to sleep.

Jack writes Clara back as he waits for Crutchie to wake up. He goes back out to the streets from time to time to sell papes but he really wants to stay with Crutchie to be there when he wakes up. He and Katherine have some more...interesting interactions over the next couple of weeks. Katherine is with him at the Lodging House one day on one such occasion.

"Jack," Katherine says, crossing her arms and walking over to him, "Are you alright? You've been so distracted ever since you came back."

He had in fact been daydreaming about Clara yet again.

He takes one of Katherine's hands in his own and smiles at her, "It's nothing. I'se just missin' things out there. That's all."

"Still wish you were there instead of here?" Katherine asks as Jack presses a kiss to one of her knuckles.

"Maybe a little," Jack answers, "But it's nice being back here with the boys...and you." Her skirt swirls a bit as she hears a request for water that she moves to fulfill. It was Kid Blink and he hadn't been exactly thrilled to see Jack besides thanking him for making his escape from the Refuge possible.

The swirling skirt reminds him of one of the dances Clara and Jack had gone to. She had looked so beautiful that night in a red dress that fit her perfectly but had a beautiful bell like skirt that swirled out.

"Jack!" Katherine exclaims. He comes back to the present and Katherine sighs, "You're doing it again!"

"I'm sorry. I'll try to stop. There's just..." he starts. He thinks through what he wants to say until Les starts crying from a nightmare which Jack gets up to comfort him from.

A week or two later, Jack's going absolutely stir crazy so he and Katherine take a walk.

"Is there something you left behind in Santa Fe that's on your mind?" Katherine asks and Jack shakes his head, trying to decide how to answer,

"Katherine...there's something I have to..."

Suddenly, there's footsteps behind him as Albert runs up to him,

"Jack, it's Crutchie," he says, "He's awake."

Jack hurries back to the Lodging House with Katherine right on his heels. They burst up the stairs to see the young man smiling up at him weakly.

"Hiya, Jack!" he says and Jack gasps, tears running down his cheeks.

"Crutchie! You'se no idea how happy I'se is that you're alive," he explains. The two of them hug, as well as they can without hurting Crutchie and Jack begins to recount all of his tales to him of Santa Fe.

They spend a week or two just sitting and talking about the past year.

Jack even tells Crutchie about everything that happened with Clara and how much of a mess it was and was going to be.

And how Katherine still didn't know.

He tries to tell her once more a couple days later after Crutchie urges him to,

"Katherine, look. There's something I've gotta tell ya."

"What is it?" Katherine says, "I feel like you've been trying to tell me something for months."

Jack is about to go on when suddenly, Medda bursts into the Lodging House.

"Boys, the Governor has officially launched his investigation and is heavily considering closing the Refuge!" All of the boys in the Lodging House break into cheers. "He says they should be free next week at the latest," she continues. The whole group has a celebration with Medda that night, excited that the rest of their brothers in arms will soon be coming home.

And Jack still doesn't get to tell Katherine what happened in Santa Fe.

The next morning, Mush hands Jack another letter. Jack sneaks out to the fire escape again to read it and this letter brings him a lot of worry. Katherine arrives and pokes her head out onto the fire escape to kiss him good morning but the kiss is dull and limp. Something is wrong.

"Jack," Katherine says, noticing his worried look, "What's wrong?"

Clara is sick...and she says the doctor thinks with consumption. She says she thinks she has awhile to live but she doesn't think the doctor has a way to cure her.

Jack fights the tears and Katherine shakes her head.

"You left something unfinished in Santa Fe," she says, "Or rather someone."

"Katherine," he starts to protest and she shakes her head, 

"Why didn't you tell me? Something about you has seemed off ever since you came back. You don't seem...here. You wouldn't always want me around. Your kisses, especially the one this morning almost seem dismissive and distant. You're not here, Jack. In your head, you're out there with her!"

"It was the same with her when I was out there! Except it was you and I didn't want to break the promise but it was her family that I was doin' the ranchin' for and we started spendin' a lotta time together," Jack explains, "She really likes me and I fell for her too eventually. I caved and kissed her one night. But Katherine, I tried. You have to know that I tried."

"Trying doesn't tell me that you love me or that you're willing to commit to me in the future," she says, "I know we never agreed upon anything officially but..." Her hands fly to her hips as she paces.

"Hey, Clara ain't happy about it either," Jack protests, "I told her about you n me and she ain't happy about it. I'se surprised she's still writin' me as it is."

"How many letters have you gotten?" Katherine asks in an intense tone of voice.

"2," Jack answers and Katherine shakes her head in disapproval.

"And you wrote her back?" Katherine asks and Jack nods. 

"This ain't easy for anyone, Katherine. And I'se sorry I ignore your letters," he says, "I really should've paid more attention to 'em. I just...she helped me to move on from the strike and she liked to paint and we had similar passions. And she just...cares a lot about people. To the point where she's sick and she ain't shoah how long she's got."

"I'm sorry," Katherine says plainly, "But I won't have you even if she dies, Jack. Anything I do here from here on out is not for you but for the boys. I won't let your poor decisions affect what happens to them."

"I'm sorry, Katherine. I'm so sorry," he says to her, "I nevah thought this would happen. I didn't plan on fallin' in love a second time out there." Katherine shakes her head as she walks away.

"You could've told her about me, Jack. But you didn't because being with both of us felt good. You wanted your options. Well, if you want her, you can have her. I'm not going to stand in her or your way. Even if she's as great as she sounds, she probably deserves a better man than you if she survives her bout of consumption. No one deserves a man who hides his true feelings from the woman he cares about. I thought you were better than that but I see I was wrong," Katherine says as she turns around one last time, "If you manage to change someday, perhaps we'll try again but not anytime soon, Jack. And you have a lot to prove to me before that could even come close to happening."

She walks inside and shuts the window, leaving Jack to himself.

And he starts to cry.

The next couple of weeks are very tense. Katherine stops by less and less and Davey leaves more and more frequently, presumably to go comfort Katherine. Les had since been taken to the Jacobs' home and the poor boy was probably never going to set foot outside as a Newise ever again. Crutchie and Mush comfort Jack as he exchanges letters with Clara.

Two more weeks go by before a new letter comes from Santa Fe. This time from Betsy,

"Dear Jack,

Clara hardly gets out of bed anymore. She's very very sick and the doctor says she doesn't have long. She keeps asking for you. Her consumption's gotten very bad and we would love if you would come see her one more time. She still loves you very much, Jack. And dare say, so do we.

Sincerely,

Betsy Fulton."

Jack feels the tears run down his cheeks and Crutchie sets aside the letter once he finishes reading it.

"Jack, you need to go see her," he says, "I know things may not be the best between the two of you but if she's still saying she loves you..."

"You'se right," Jack says looking at both Crutchie and Mush and wiping the tears from his eyes.

The next morning, he's on the train to Santa Fe with the little money he has left from Pulitzer's payments and money from selling.

The investigation with the Refuge stretches ever longer, much further than they had originally anticipated. Governor Roosevelt is having a hard time gaining enough traction to close the place down because Pulitzer continues to wish it open.

He disembarks and Mr. Fulton is waiting for him at the train station.

"How is she?" Jack asks and Mr. Fulton shakes his head, fighting tears.

"She...she's holdin' on," he says, "It was one of the babies of the new family. Passed the consumption to Clara. It doesn't seem like either of them are gonna survive it."

The buggy ride to the ranch feels like the longest ever and Betsy and Ruth are quick to usher Jack inside to their room to see Clara. Their faces are stoic, devoid of emotion which is very unusual for the two girls. Jack walks past them and see her.

Her face is pale as a sheet and her delicate hands clutch the top of the blanket. Her deep blue eyes open, fixing on Jack and a weak smile crosses her features.

"Jack.." she whispers before coughing. Her sisters quickly hover around her. "I'm so glad you came." Her breaths heave and Jack tries to fight back his tears.

She's dying right in front of him and there's nothing he can do to stop it. She weakly reaches a hand up to touch his cheek. Jack pulls it tighter to his face and her eyes close in happiness.

"Of course I'se come. We gotta get you bettah so we can dance again and I want youse to meet my boys," he encourages her and tears spring to her cheeks.

"Jack, I can't," she says, "Even if I could, I wouldn't want to. I just...I wanted to see you one last time to set things right."

"What do you mean?" Jack asks and Clara smiles sadly up at him.

"I love you, Jack," she says, "I love you so much and I'm still hurt and angry but, I forgive you because I love you." Her breaths heave again and Jack smiles sadly at her, taking her other hand in his and leaving a gentle kiss on her knuckle. He squeezes her hand ever so slightly and he feels the slightest squeeze back.

"I love you too," Jack whispers, leaning over her but memories of Katherine spring into his mind as he slowly lowers his lips onto hers. Clara weakly kisses him back. He pulls away and she gasps for her air. They kiss once more before Clara squeezes his hand weakly.

"Jack..." she tries to say, her breaths heaving, more ragged and uneven than before. Her head turns ever so slightly and she slips into an eternal unconsciousness.

"No," Jack starts to sob, "Clara! Clara, please!" He rests his head on the bed next to her. Her hand squeezes his own once more weakly as she fades away. "No, Clara. It's too soon! You can't leave us."

But she had.

Jack writes a letter to Crutchie and Mush, telling them that Clara had passed and that he'll be home as soon as he can get enough money to be home.

The funeral and saying goodbye to Clara with her family is so much harder than he imagines.

Jack works as hard as he possibly can to leave Santa Fe and never come back. The place that one seems so dreamlike and beautiful is now a nightmare. He was brought here by circumstances that he would never wish upon anyone. He made so many mistakes while he was here and he used it all as an escape from his true problems which put his brothers in danger.

Deeper danger than if he had just stayed in New York.

Everything reminds him of Clara and of his mistakes and now he can't escape it. The nightmares that he has of the Refuge come back even worse than before. He can almost see her blue eyes on people or a smile that resembles hers on another woman or just a similar dress shade that she wore once.

He receives a letter from Crutchie and Mush about a week later.

"Dear Jack,

I hate to bring more bad news upon you but there's something you should know. Katherine and Davey...."

Jack doesn't even finish the letter. He doesn't want to.

He's losing both of the women he ever loved. Maybe he would be happier out here instead of back home. But then he sees a bonnet a similar style to one Clara wore and he realizes that he can't stay here. People look at him in the town. They know him as the boy who loved Clara while loving another woman. He can see it in their eyes and it hurts. In New York, this happens so often that no one would know or care.

Besides the people closest to him and somehow, that hurts the worst.

After earning enough money, Jack takes the first train that he can afford out of Santa Fe and back to New York City.

And when he gets home, there's a whole Lodging House full of boys. The happiness that he experiences from seeing them is great but...he still carries an immense weight of sadness. Each one of these boys is deeply hurt, so their enthusiasm is dampened as they're healing from their experiences.

Healing, maybe that's what Jack should try to do from all of this.

Maybe that's the only way that his life will ever be normal again.

A/N: Oh boy. This is a long and sad one. I'm so sorry. Even if I warned you about how sad it was gonna be. I am genuinely so sorry.

Well, if you were someone who was here for the fluff, hate to break it to you but this is real real sad. Also, I'm VERY capable of angst and sadness.

I...had a very taxing semester and this is helping me...express some of those emotions I think. It wasn't quite this sad but, it was very heavy at times.

Though there were plenty of good things that happened too! So yay!

Anyways, I promise. I'm writing happy stuff from here on out because this is making me really sad.

I'm also sorry that things have been so dead on here. I meant to say something to you guys to be like "Hi! I still exist!" but I never got the chance because my sleep deprived brain just...yeah. Moral of the story, get at least 6 hours of sleep every night. Seriously, sleep starts to feel magical when five is a high hour number for you. I feel like a new human being now that I get a lot of sleep at night.

I hope you all enjoyed. This is a super twisted AU and it's just seriously messed up (who writes this stuff anyways).

I did do a lot of research though and that was kinda fun:

- Grand Central Depot is what most peeps on the street know as Grand Central Station or Grand Central Terminal today. Grand Central Depot was the name of the train depot/station in Midtown, New York City. Grand Central Station/Terminal wasn't a thing until 1913 when they completely renovated it (and no, the train crash in 1902 doesn't count). So, if you go today (which I have and I HIGHLY recommend. It's super cool), you'll see the cool chandeliers, ceilings (yeah, there's a ceiling with the constellations on it and yeah, it's cool), and the fancy windows. But yeah, Grand Central Depot is where Jack did all his commuting when he was running through the country.

- So, Santa Fe appears to be like your stereotypical Western town that was pretty standard at the time period which is what I kinda based it off as.

- Betsy, Ruth, and Clara were all common names of the time period.

Yeah, that's about it. If you ever want to know random stuff about NYC, lemme know. I'm a New York City enthusiast and I love getting to talk about it with people.

Anyways, I hope Jack, Katherine...etc were all in character. I was a little skeptical that Jack wouldn't be just..considering everything that was happening. Also, I really fell in love with Clara, guys. I'm so sad that she had to die because she was really fun and I really loved getting to write her. She certainly took the reins of her own destiny (except I think if it was up to her, she would've lived.).

Also what do we think of Katherine x Davey? I only hinted at it (and I kinda wanted to do more than that but that's okay.) but what do we think? It's not a super common ship and I'm not sure I want to use it often but I feel like they really would've been there for each other and would've cared for each other super deeply in this situation especially.

Anyhoo, I hope you guys...enjoyed it(?). How about you I hope you guys enjoyed the story telling because the story itself is as tragic as Spider-Man 2 (if you know, you know and yes, I'm 1000% still crying.)

Have a good weekend and a Happy New Year!

(Also, keep your eyes peeled in the random book for a happy Spider-Man or Mush drabble because I don't know about you guys but I need one after this piece of work).

Stay chill and positive.

-Aisling