- Chapter 10 - "I'll Always Be There for You" -
Warning: Abuse, Angst
Canon Era
Third Person POV

"You know what? Get out!" George Higgins, Race's father, yells at Race, throwing one of his beer bottles at Race. The bottles lands/smash's against Race's shoulder.

Race had tears streaming down his face. He did everything he could for his father to be proud of him, but in the end, his father was always drunk and angry.

It had been this way since his mother had died when he was 6. He's 13 now.

He worked as a Newsie, but never stayed at the Lodge. He had never had enough money to stay there, so he was forced to stay with his father.

His father was abusive. He was always drinking and betting Race's money away, much to Race's annoyance, but Race put up with him because he was giving Race a place to sleep.

Race had now broke the news to his father that he was BI and dating. Not dating one person, but three. He loved them, but his father didn't accept him. He should've known.

Now, he runs out of the house, nowhere to go. Maybe I could go to the Lodge? No. I don't have enough money.

Maybe Spot, Albert, or Elmer could help me? They might, but I don't want to burden them.

Race walks along the empty streets of Manhattan. He'd never noticed how dark they are at night, and it didn't help that it's January, and freezing!

The only things Race had with him were his cards. He loved them. When his father wasn't abusive and his mother was still alive, his father had bought them for him, and he treasured them.

His father had taught Race how to play cards when Race was younger, and Race had been really good, still is.

Flashback

"Padre! Will you teach me how to play like you and Mr. Jimmy do?" Young Race, Anthony, asks, running up to his father and mother, who were sitting on the couch together, with his cards in his hands.

His mother and father chuckle.
"Sure Tony."

Race sits on the floor across from his father, as his father passes out the cards, starting to explain the rules.

His mother smiles at them, happy to see them happy, as Race puts down his cards.

"Like this?" He asks, innocently. His father's jaw drops as his mother chuckles.

"Little smartie" His father states, ruffling Race's hair. Race grins as his father picks up the cards to shuffle them.

"Again?" Race asks, and his father nods, starting to pass out the cards.

End of flashback

That was when everything was okay. Race wipes tears off of his face with his sleeve.

He was only wearing his regular selling clothes, which was his button down shirt, his undershirt, his pants, hat, socks, and boots.

If his luck couldn't get any worse, it started to snow. Really? It hasn't snowed all winter and now it's deciding to? It's like the world is against me. Race thinks to himself, pulling his shirt tighter on himself.

Race walks into an alleyway. At least I could hide behind some of these crates for a while. It wasn't perfect but it was the best he could do right now.

Race laid down under a few crates, shielded from the snow but not from the cold. He laid his head in his arms, as he closed his eyes, drifting into a restless sleep.

The next day
After selling
In the Lodge

Spot walks in the door of the Manhattan Lodging House, and is greeted by a bunch of worried looking Manhattan Newsies, including two of his three boyfriends.

"Hey guys" Spot greets, taking off his coat, hat, and gloves. The man who runs his Lodging House had gotten a bunch of them for the Newsies.

"Hey Spot. Have you seen Race at all?" Albert asks him, and Spot starts worrying.

"No, I haven't. Why?" Spot asks. The Manhattan Newsies all look at each other warily.

"He's missing. He didn't sell today" Jack informs Spot, who's eye widen.

"What do you mean he didn't sell today?" Spot asks, trying not to get angry, but getting worried.

"We haven't seen him since yesterday" Jack quickly responds. Spot takes a deep breath.

"He never misses a day of selling, not even when he's sick" Spot whispers, and all of the boys look at him.

"We need to go find him. He could be in danger" Albert states, and Jack nods.

"Yeah. Split up. Davey, Crutchie, and I. Albert, Spot, and Elmer, and so on" Jack instructs everyone, who all nod, leaving the building.

A few of them had coats, and most of them were wearing extra layers. It had snowed the day before, and it was freezing. Katherine usually helped give them blankets and layers.

They got a little warmer as they ran around Manhattan, but it was still freezing, and it looked like it was either gonna rain or snow.

"Hey, guys" Elmer breathes, as Albert and Spot turn to him.

"What?" Albert asks, as Elmer runs into an alley.

"Race!" Elmer shouts, as loud as he can bring himself too. It was freezing, making it hard for him to speak. Albert and Spot look at each other, before following Elmer.

As Albert and Spot get closer to where Elmer is kneeling on the cold ground, they see Race, who's freezing. He's paler than usual, his lips are blue, and he's shivering. He also looks like he's been crying.

"Oh my gosh" Albert whispers, as Spot gasps. Elmer touches Race lightly.

"He's freezing" Elmer whispers, as Spot picks Race up.

"He's freezing. He's bleeding. He's lighter than most of my boys, and he looks like he's been crying" Spot tells his boyfriends. They quickly run out of the alley, running to the Lodging House.

When they get there, all of the Newsies are there already. They gasp when they see Race.

"Buttons, please get Race clothes. Blink, set up a bunk please. Specs, we'll need stuff to treat his injuries. Boots, please grab blankets" Jack instructs the boys, who all nod, running around and grabbing stuff.

Spot sets Race down on the bunk that Blink set up, as Boots brings over a few blankets.

Buttons brings some of Elmer's clothes a few minutes later, since he's the closest in size to Race, even though he's still a good bit bigger than Race.

Specs brings bandages and stuff, and Jack, Spot, Albert, and Elmer help him treat Race's injuries.

Then, Albert, Elmer, and Spot change Race into Elmer's clothes, before sitting down with him.

He was wrapped in a few blankets, they cleaned his face and treated his injuries. Elmer's clothes were a little too big for him, but they thought it made him look cute.

Spot laid down on the bunk they set up for Race, Albert right next to him. Race was on Spot, and Elmer was on Albert, holding Race.

Jack sat down next to Crutchie near the bed, and the other Newsies sat around them, quietly talking and maybe playing Poker or something.

"What do you think happened?" Elmer whispers, and the boys all shrug.

"I don't know. The only thing we can do right now is keep him warm, and pray that he wakes up" Jack responds, and Elmer nods, hugging Race tighter.

"Hey Jack, where's Klopp?" Albert asks Jack, who shrugs.

"I think he's going to meet the Queens Lodge Owner, Mr. Jordan" Jack answers, and Albert nods.

A few hours later

For the next few hours, the boys quietly talked, and kept Race warm, hoping he would wake up.

Nothing really happened. He didn't move. He was cold for the first two hours out of three, and he did start bleeding a few times.

A few of the boys were starting to lose hope, but they tried to stay positive.

Most of them wanted to know what happened to Race, and they just wanted to see him, and for him to be okay.

Albert, Spot, and Elmer felt Race move a bit, snuggling closer to them. He started shivering again.

"P-Please don't hurt m-me" Race whispers, pleading in his sleep. The boys look at each other.

"Racer. Racer." Albert whispers, gently shaking Race awake.

He slowly opens his eyes, they widen when he sees the boys.
"Ow. Why does everything hurt?"

"Wanna tell us? We found you, almost frozen, in an alleyway after you didn't show up for selling" Spot tells Race, who's eyes widen.

"That's why I'm freezing" Race mumbles, whispering, as he pulls the blanket tighter around himself.

"What happened?" Albert asks Race, as a few tears slip down his face. Elmer wipes them off.

"My father is abusive. The only reason I've stayed with him is because he 1, makes me, and 2, I don't have enough money to stay here. He uses the money I make to buy beer, and I barely have enough for food. He kicked me out two days ago" Race explains. The boys all sorrowfully look at him.

"Why didn't you tell us? We could've helped you" Elmer tells Race, who turns away.

"I didn't want to be a burden" Race whispers, wiping tears off of his face with his sleeve.

"Racer, look at me." Jack instructs him, and Race turns to face him. "You'll never be a burden. We're your brothers. Blood or not, it doesn't matter. We love you, we can help you. You would help us if this was us, and you have helped us, it's time we help you."

"Thanks Jacky" Race whispers to the fifteen year old. Jack sighs, smiling slightly at Race.

Jack bends down, and picks up the smaller boy. Race was pretty small for being thirteen. He was 4'11, and weighed almost nothing.

Race dug his face in the crook of Jack's neck, as Jack hugged him tight, lightly rubbing his back, as he quietly hummed a song.

If you close your eyes
And count to ten
You'll hear your dreams are calling again
Just follow the moon
For all too soon a new day will appear
You'll have nothing to fear
For wherever you are and forever I'll be here

The boys all looked at Jack in awe, as Race quietly snores in Jack's arms.

Jack chuckles. He knew Race had been tired. The poor boy had been tired, in pain, overwhelmed, and freezing.

"You used to sing that to us" Crutchie whispers, pointing at Jack, who nods.

"I sang that to most of you. My mother sang it to me when I was little, and it always calmed me down. Now it calms you guys down" Jack states, keeping his voice down to not wake up the boy in his arms.

It felt a bit weird to him, because he was usually holding Crutchie, or another boy, but he had never held Race.

Besides, all of the boys, minus Sniper, Lucky, and Romeo, were bigger than Race. Race was extremely small, especially compared to Jack, even though they were only two years apart age wise.

Elmer was asleep on the bunk that Blink had set up for Race, and Albert and Spot we're sitting there, cuddling Elmer, and watching Jack like the other boys.

Jack lays Race down on the bunk, in between Elmer and Spot, and on Albert, with Elmer basically clinging to Race in his sleep.

"Well, he'll get a lot of heat this way" Spot points out, causing Jack, Albert, and a few of the other boys to laugh/chuckle with him.

Jack brushes Race's curly, blonde hair out of his face. He honestly needed to get it cut, but he looked adorable and peaceful.

He kneels down, and kisses Race's forehead.
"I'll always be there for you."

2016 Words
If anyone wants to draw Jack and Race like I described it (you don't have to, no pressure) just tag me so I can see it. This is honestly my favorite chapter that I've ever written. It's adorable, minus the abusive father stuff.
- Sweets