Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“You know kid, one of these days, you’ll regret talking back to your elders.”

A grunt echoed across the cold walls of the basement as Snyder’s first connected with Jack’s cheek. The force of the blow caused Jack to hit the ground, hard, but he pushed himself up onto his knees. Jack gave Snyder his best death stare, the one the older newsies had been teaching him, and prayed Snyder wouldn’t see how his hands were shaking in fear.

“And one of these days Spida, you just might regret hitting me.”

Before the words had settled in the air, Snyder backhanded Jack, forcing him again onto the dirt floor. Jack had no time to react as Snyder slammed his foot down on Jack’s ribs. The air was knocked out of his lungs, and for a moment he forgot how to breathe.

“You learn eventually,” Snyder replied, “they always do.” He turned and made his way up the rugged wooden staircase. “Boys, you’ve got it from here.

Two men descended the staircase as Snyder left, and stared down over Jack, curled up in the dirt, clutching his side.

“You boys wouldn’t happen to be my escorts outta here, would ya?” Jack joked, but was met with cold eyes and another kick to the rips. The blows didn’t stop coming until the pain became too much, and darkness washed over.

~~~~~~

Race was starting to lose track of the days. Every day in the refuge was the same. Wake up early, do whatever meaningless task Snyder demanded of them, then get sent back to the sad excuse for a bunk room and try and sleep. At the beginning, Race used a nail he found to make tallies of the days, but when a guard saw him, it was quickly confiscated and he received a punch in the face in return. So, it was unclear how many days were going by with nothing to tell them apart That is, until Jack Kelly turned up.

Whispers about the kid were impossible to escape in the refuge. It seemed almost every boy had a different story of the famed Newsie: he has escaped twice from the prison; he punched Snyder in the face; he used to be a cowboy; he comes to the windows and gives blankets to the children. When word got around that Jack was in the refuge, the kids buzzed with excitement. They thought Jack had come to break them free, to bring them comfort, to save them.
His return was less than climatic.

It was a day after rumors of Jack’s arrival started when the door to the bunk room slammed open in the middle of the night. The boys scrambled to stand at attention next to their bunks, shoulder to shoulder, heads down. Snyder walked in, an uncharacteristically large smile on his face. He eyed the boys standing before him before allowing two men to step through the door, dragging a large mass that was obscured from the kids.

“There he is boys,” Snyder chuckled. “Your hero, Jack Kelly.”

An audible gasp was heard around the room as the goons hoisted Jack up onto his feet. It quickly became apparent Jack was not saving anyone. His head lolled at his chest. Jack’s eyes were closed and his breaths were shallow and erratic. Blood dripped from his hairline down the side of his face. If not for the men holding him, he would have fallen to the ground.

Race forced himself to look away from Jack. He scanned the faces of the other boys. Tears glistened in some of their eyes at the sight of their fallen hero.

“Nothing to say, Kelly?” Snyder asked the boy, before slapping him across the face. Jack groaned quietly, but showed no signs of hearing Snyder’s question. “That’s what I though. The rest of you boys are dismissed.”

Snyder left the room, and the boys began to crawl back into their overcrowded beds. The two men threw Jack into the middle of the floor, and left to room, locking the door behind them with a final clank. Jack didn’t move from his spot, in fact, he didn’t react at all when he was tossed to the ground. Many of the boys began to whisper among each other, but no one made a move towards Jack.

Without Snyder hovering over him, Race was now able to take him in. Nothing about Jack seemed special, no, nothing to make him a hero among the boys. He was dirty and hurt and weak. Race slowly slid out of his bed towards Jack. The other boys watched as he softly shook Jack in an attempt to wake him. There was no response. Race sighed. He grabbed Jack’s arm and started silently dragging him towards his bed, which, thankfully, was a bottom bunk. Getting Jack into the bed was surprisingly easy, for Jack was extremely light. In the end, Jack ended up taking up most of Race’s half of the bed, so once Jack was settled, he curled into his side. The last thing Race saw before going to sleep was tracks of tears cutting through the dirt on Jack’s face.

Chapter Text

Race was was awoken by the sound of heavy breathing. He pushed himself up from where Healy squished on the cramped bed and looked down at Jack’s face. His features were contorted in pain. Jack curled into himself tighter, as if someone was attacking him. Was he having a nightmare? Race looked around to the other boys in the room, but no one else was awoken by Jack’s state. He lightly tapped the side of Jack’s face, careful to avoid the spot where a dark bruise had appeared.

“Jack,” he whispered, “Wake up.”

Race tapped Jack harder, and his eyes bolted open. Jack pushed Race off from on top of him and scrambled away from him until his back slammed into the wall. He curled back into a ball, protecting his head with his arms. Every breath he took was shallow and labored.

Race was frozen. He had never seen anyone so... terrified. What had happened to him? Race scooted a little closer and placed a hand on Jack’s arm. He flinched but didn’t pull away from Race.

“Hey there Jack,” Race whispered. He didn’t know what to do. “Just... just breathe, okay? Like me.”

Race started to take deep breaths. Jack looked up with wide eyes as he struggled to get air, until he was able to copy Race. Eventually, his breathing slowed, and he slumped against the wall, shutting his eyes tight.

Race smiled slightly and pulled his arm away from Jack. He relaxed more. Race sat there for a a minute in silence, averting his gaze from Jack, feeling as though he was looking at something private.

Jack’s shaky voice cut through his thoughts. “Wh-where am I?”

It took Race a moment to recognize he was being talked to. “The refuge. Snyder threw you in here a few hours ago.”

Jack nodded ever so slightly. He shifted positions, causing him to flinch, and then he stilled again. He opened his eyes and tried to smile at Race, but it came out as a grimace.

“I’m Jack.” He whispered.

“Race.”

“Th-thanks Race.”

With that, Jack’s eyes closed again and he fell asleep.

~~~~~~

Jack’s ribs shifted painfully as he sat up. Race was still sleeping next to him, but the sun shining in his eyes from the barred window woke him up. Jack gingerly touched his cheek, wincing as a felt what was sure of be a bruise.

The memories started coming back to him. It was sunrise when Snyder caught him sneaking up the fire escape. The other newsies has warmed him, but Jack couldn’t abandon the kids in here, not that he was any help at the moment. He must have been in the basement all day. His sides ached at the thought of the unrelenting kicks coming from all sides. Jack stared out the sun coming in through the window, trying not the think about the darkness in that room, the way the walls closed in on him, how-

The door flew open. The sound quickly pulled the boys out of their sleep and put them on high alert. Jack forced himself up on his feet. His legs started to give out under him, but he grabbed the post of the bunk bed before he collapsed.

A groan pulled his attention from the men walking through the door. Race sat up in the bed, rubbing his eyes. Jack cringed as he realized that he must have kept Race up all night. With what little strength he had, Jack stretched out his free hand towards Race. They shared a small smile, and Race grabbed his hand and pulled himself up.

The moment of peace was broken by the men shouting orders, and then the boys shuffled out the door to get to work.

Chapter Text

Race could tell Jack was barely holding on as they shuffled back into the bunk room. They had been forced to scrub the entryway of the building all day, the only break being when they were each tossed a stale piece of bread. Jack tried to talk to Race while they ate, but a whack to the back of the head by the guards and a threat of reporting him to Snyder silenced him. Still, Race noticed Jack’s eyes never left the door that was a mere ten feet away.

The guards watched as the boys scrambled to find a spot on the beds. Race followed Jack to the bed on the far back wall next to the window. Jack promptly collapsed on it, leaving the other half of the bed for Race to crawl into. He pulled the thin blanket over the two of them. Another boy sat on their bed, so Race had to move closer to Jack, whom Race was surprised to see was already sleeping. The guards left the room, and once again the sound of the lock echoed off the walls, reminding Race how trapped he was. Footsteps shuffled outside the hallway, more doors locked in the distance, and then silence fell upon the room.

“Hey, Race?” Jack whispered.

Race nearly jumped out of the bed in shock. “Jeez, Jack, I thought you were sleeping.”

“Ha, I’m not falling asleep here,” Jack responded, his tone joking but Race didn’t miss the dark look in his eyes. “How long have you been locked up?”

“I dunno, two weeks? It’s felt forever, though.”

Jack nodded slightly and sat up in the bed. Race could see even the smallest movement was causing Jack a lot of pain, even if he was trying to hide it.

“Jack, did you really escape from here?”

Jack smiled and turned his gaze out the window. “Yeah, twice actually. The first time, after two months locked up, I picked the lock on the window and slipped out. The next time I got sent back, there were bars on the windows, so I dug a hole under the fence when we were doing work in the garden only three days after I arrived.” Jack’s smile started to fade. “Nothing ever seems to keep me out of here, though.”

Race felt a shudder run through him but he couldn’t tell if it was because of the cold.

“Come here,” Jack said. “We can keep each other warm.”

Race scooted into Jack’s arms but pushed away when he felt Jack tense under his touch.

“Are you okay, Jack?”

“All good. I just-“

Race pulled up Jack’s shirt before he could protest. Even from the dull glow of the moon, Race could see Jack was not alright. There was little left of his skin that was not bruised, or covered in blood and dirt.

“Jack...” Race started.

Jack pushed his shirt back down and forced a smile. He curled up again into the corner of the bed. “Snyder just wasn’t too happy with my last escape, that’s all.”

Race didn’t believe it for a second. Jack winced with every little move, even though Race could tell he was trying to hide it. Jack turned his headway from him, and Race thought it was the end of the conversation. Quiet settled over the boys, but Race wasn’t sleeping, and he suspected Jack wasn’t either.

“Do you have a family?” Jack asked suddenly, breaking their silence.

“No,” Race whispered, his eyes filling with tears. “My dad died a couple of months ago, working in a factory. I’ve been on my own. You?”

Jack paused for a moment before responding, “Yeah, the Manhattan newsies. If we aren’t a family I don’t know what is.”

Race smiled. “That’s nice.”

“When we get out, you can come live with us, at the lodging house, and sell papes... if you want.”

Race didn’t respond, but he leaned into Jack’s side. Jack put an arm around him, and Race fell asleep.

Chapter Text

The days kept passing. The boys worked hard every day, under the ever-watching eyes of the guards, but at night, they would talk. The bags under their eyes are well worth it as Race heard stories of the newsies, and Jack learned about the racetrack his father used to take him to. Race could swear Jack was starting to get better.

The week after Jack came, the air bitter and cold, and the boys were forced to scrub the floors of the hallways. Race and Jack sat next to each other, with their backs to the guards. Race was absentmindedly swirling the bubbles in the bucket of water between them. It never made a difference how much they cleaned, the dirt of just part of the floor. Jack told him these tasks were just meant to keep the kids too tired to fight back. He watched as Jack drew a picture of a face with the water on the ground, until the guards came over and whacked them in the heads, reminding them they had a job to do.

Suddenly, Race felt the air tense. He turned his head to see Snyder walking down the hall. Jack stopped moving and sat up a little straighter, ready to defend himself. Snyder, however, paid no attention to Jack. He walked directly towards the guards watching over the boys, and they began to converse quietly.

“What do you think that’s about?” Race asked.

“Snyder’s probably just throwing a fit about missing the lonely old men convention.”

Race snickered, and it was at this moment Snyder turned around to face the group of boys.

“Something funny?” He barked, and the boys went still.

“N-no, nothing’s funny.” Race said, suddenly remembering the bruises the covered Jack’s body when Snyder got mad.

Snyder stomped towards Race, backhanded him, and yanked him up by the arm. Race whimpered as he was dragged across the room, but did not resist the iron grip he was being held with.

“You’re meant to call your elders Sir, but I guess scum like you wouldn’t be taught that,” Snyder said.

He threw Race to the ground at the feet of the guards. The sound of his head smacking on the concrete floor rang in Race's ears. He tried to sit up, but the room was spinning.

“Maybe, a night in the basement will teach you some respect, you lousy-”

“I thought something was funny.”

The room stilled. Through the daze, Race could see Jack standing tall and defiant in front of Snyder.

“Yeah,” Jack continued, “I was just telling Race how every day you look more and more like a pumpkin.”

Kids scurried out of the way as Snyder stormed towards Jack, but he didn’t stop.

“I said hopefully one day soon, the transformation will be com-“

Snyder’s fist connected to Jack’s mouth. Immediately, he crumpled to the floor. Jack didn’t more again.

“Jack!” Race screamed. The guard behind him kicked him in the side, knocking the air out of his lungs, causing his head to spin faster, but he didn’t care.

“Lock Jack in the basement now. I’ll see to him later. The rest of you, get back to work. I’d hate to have to send anyone else to stay with Kelly. As for you,” Snyder rounded on Race. He grabbed him by his hair and forced him to look in his eyes “Maybe you can use this as a lesson to make better friends.”

Race was dropped again. By the time he got back up, Snyder has left, and the guards had carried Jack’s limp form into the basement. Tears welled up in his eyes but he was given no time to process what had happened before the guards were at his sides.

“Back to work!”

~~~~~~~

This time, when Jack was tossed back into the room, there were no theatrics. None of the boys were woken as the door locked behind Jack, and he was left alone, lying on his back on the floor.

Every bone in his body ached. Jack lifted his head off the floor, but the bunks seemed miles away. Jack went limp again and shut his eyes tight. Snyder’s words rang in Jack’s ears: worthless, weak, coward. The walls seemed to close in on him. He couldn’t get enough air; every breath seemed to stab his lungs and made him see stars.

“R-Race,” Jack whispered. “Race, h-help.”

But Race was sleeping. Snyder knew Jack would spend the night on the floor, too weak to move. Snyder wouldn’t have cared if he died here. Jack wanted to cry. He wanted to sob until he ran out of tears, but he didn’t even have the energy for that. After all of his grand escapes, he was still the same kid who was scared and alone at the age of seven, who was kicked and punched and broken in the streets of New York.

He was the same kid in the refuge who couldn’t shut his mouth. Who cries himself to sleep every night. Except... now Race was here. The strange boy who, even though he didn’t know Jack, brought him out of his panic. It was only a few nights ago, but it felt like it had been years since Jack was woken up to find Race leaning over him.

Jack started to breathe again, looking over to Race, trying to match the sleeping boy’s breaths. He forced himself to sit up. His ribs sifted and his muscles screamed but he knew he had to get to Race. Slowly, he crawled towards the bunk under the window, each movement sending a shot of pain down his spine, but he didn’t stop moving. When Jack reached the bed, he placed his head on the thin mattress, next to Race, and fell asleep on the floor.

~~~~~~~

Race woke in the middle of the night when the boy he was sharing a bed with kicked him in his sleep. He groaned and scooted away from the sleeping boy, his body protesting the movement after being tossed around that morning. In his sleepy daze, Race almost didn’t notice Jack sleeping on the floor, his head resting on the mattress, for his presence had become normal.

“Jack!” Race exclaimed. He shook Jack’s shoulder and watched as he blinked his brown eyes open.

“Let’s get you into bed.”

Race grabbed Jack’s arms and pulled him up into the bed, with little help from Jack himself. The process woke Jack up completely. His eyes were wide with fear as he stared into Races.

“Jack...”

Race was cut off as silent tears began to flow out of Jack’s eyes. His words were lost as he stared at the hero of the refuge, broken. The silence hung in the air until Race found his words again.

“Why’d you do it, Jack?”

Jack tried to compose himself, whipping his tears on his bruised arms, before answering simply “We’re family, aren’t we?”

“That doesn’t mean you should take my punches! I can defend myself!”

“I couldn’t watch it happen! Not when I was right there, and when you go down in that place, you ain’t ever the same.”

Any composure that Jack had gained was lost then. He began to sob again, but this time Race hugged Jack and held on tight.

“I can’t take it anymore.”

Jack said it so quietly, Race wasn’t even sure he heard it, but the words made up his mind.

“We’re going to escape, Jack.”

Jack pulled out of Race’s grip and looked him in the eyes.

“Race...”

“You’ve done it before, and we’ll do it again. By tomorrow night, the two of us will be gone.”

Chapter Text

Something was different that morning. The guards barged in the bunk room earlier than normal, before the sun had even finished rising.

Jack and Race stood at the back of the line as the boys were herded single file down the hallway. Jack struggled to keep at the same pace as the other boys. It was all he could do to keep limping along. His body screamed at him to stop with every step he took, making it impossible to forget the events of the night before.

Race turned around and cast Jack a worried glance, and Jack smiled back, hoping Race wouldn’t notice how much he was struggling.

Jack froze when he walked into the room that was the boys final destination. What must have been the entire population of the Refuge was seated on the floor of a large room Jack had only been in to clean. At least a hundred boys, ranging from six years old to seventeen, in rows on the ground, and in front of them, the Spider himself. Jack was shoved forward by the guard behind him, who took his position blocking the door. Race grabbed Jack’s arm and guided him to a spot on the floor.

Jack scanned the room. There were seven guards in total, one blocking each of the four exits, two of which went outside, and three talking in hushed tones to Snyder. Jack smiled though even though it hurt, because he noticed one flaw in their trap: the doors didn’t have locks. Last night wouldn’t matter anymore, not when that would be his last time in the basement.

“It’s happening, Race,” Jack whispered.

Race didn’t seem so be catching on, but Jack’s smile didn’t waver.

“You said we’ll be gone tonight, right?”

Jack’s winked at Race, and turned back towards where Snyder was standing, hoping to pick up a few words of his conversation, but to no luck. He didn’t have to wait much longer however, because Snyder started to address the crowd.

“You might be wondering why you have all been brought here.”

The sound of Snyder’s booming voice wiped the smile off the Jack’s face.

“We have a guest coming to the Refuge today. Theodore Roosevelt, the Commissioner of New York’s Police Force. He said he wants to speak to the children, get his face in the papers before the upcoming election. I expect you to be on your best behavior, because I won’t hesitate you lock you in the basement until he leaves.”

Snyder droned on about correct behaviors, and answers to any questions they might receive. Jack could almost laugh at what Snyder was making up. No way in hell would he ever say he loved that monster.

Suddenly, the speech ended, and Snyder left the room. The guards who surrounded him began to shout out orders to the children about returning to their rooms. The walls started closing in. Their opportunity was leaving them. There would be no way out-

A smack echoed around the room, and guards swarmed the source. Two boys were rolling around on the floor, fighting, as guards attempted to pull them apart. The rest of the boys in were frozen, but not Jack. Amidst all the yelling and chaos, as yanked Race’s arm and dragged him through an abandoned door.

“Hey, someone get them!”

Jack and Race don’t stick around to watch the chaos unfold. Race took the lead as the run down the sloping hill of the Refuge’s front lawn. Jack’s head spins. His ribs shifted around inside his chest with every pounding footstep. He can hear his heart hammering in his ears but he doesn’t stop, not with the open gate getting so close.

The shouting behind them starts to draw closer. Race was so close to the gate, but Jack was falling further behind in each step. He wasn’t going to make it. Race turned back towards Jack. He locked eyes with Race as a hand closed around the collar of his shirt.

“Jack!” Race cried.

Guards were grabbing Jack by the arms in seconds, but two ran past in favor of Race.

“Race, run!”

Jack squirmed in the guards grip, but he was too weak to even put up a fight. His efforts prove useless as he was dragged back into the building, and brought down the stairs to the basement, where the darkness swallowed him.

~~~~~~~~

Race could feel his heart beating throughout his entire body, but he didn’t dare slow down even when his lungs threatened to burst. He didn’t bother to look behind him to see if the guards were still chasing him, he knew they would be. The building began to get taller around Race, more people lined the streets. Race was pushed around by the crowds, trying to force his way through without success. The guards were gaining on him; he could hear their shouts drawing closer. Race was going to get caught, he was going to be taken back, he—

Race slammed into a lanky boy, for force of it pushing him down into the street. The boy stood over him, and looked pissed. Tears were pouring down Races face. The boy would turn him in, and that would be but. Another shout from the guards sounded, closer this time. The boy looked in the direction of the guards, then back to Race. He could see the exact moment on the boys face when he connected the dots. Without warning, the boy pulled Race to his feet, pulled his hat off of his own head, and shoved it on Race’s. He pushed a couple of newspapers into Race’s hands.

“Act natural, kid,” the boy whispers before shouting out to the rest of the street. “Extra, Extra, corrupt politician steals thousands in cash!”

This must be a newsie, Race realizes, as he tries to avert the gaze from the approaching guards. The guards however, pay no attention to the newsie, and blow past the pair.

The newsie smiled, a wide goofy smile, and grabs the hat from Race’s head, placing it on top of his mound of curly hair.

“Why don’t we get somewhere safe?” He says, placing a gentle hand on Races shoulder.

Race nodded in response, in shock of all the had just happened. The newsie grabbed Race’s hand and guided him into a nearby ally, where he knelt down in front of Race so they were at eye level.

“What’s your name?” The newsie asked.

“Race.”

“I’m String Bean, Bean for sort,” he said. “Want to tell me what happened?”

Race opened his mouth to speak, but the words didn’t come out. Instead, he began to sob as the events of the day finally caught up with him.

“Hey, hey, calm down kid. I ain’t gonna turn you in.” Bean pulled Race into a hug.

“I didn’t want to leave him!” Race choked out between sobs. “They were chasing me and I-“

Bean tightened his hold on Race, cutting him off, and rubbed his back. He was saying something to Race, but he wouldn’t make out the words.

“Jack’s never gonna forgive me,” Race sniffled.

Bean pushed Race out of him embrace and looked him dead in the eyes. Any trace of humor or cheer in his face vanished.

“You talking about Jack Kelly?”

Race nodded.

“Where were you, kid?”

“The refuge,” Race stammered.

Bean stood up suddenly, pacing back towards the wall. He took off his hat and ran his hand through his hair.

Race scrambled back towards the wall, suddenly realizing he didn’t know Sting Bean. Just because Jack is a newsies doesn’t mean this one won’t hurt him. Race pressed himself against the brick as Bean turned towards him again, but he didn’t come any closer. Instead he sat down against the wall opposite Race and put his face in his hands.

Bean swore quietly to himself for a minute, and Race wondered if he should run. Before his mind was made up, Bean locked his eyes on Race, and his face softened again.

“Shit, I didn’t mean to scare you kid. I know what it’s like in the refuge, I ain’t gonna hurt you.”

“I’m sorry,” Race murmured. “The guards got him and I just ran.”

Bean sighed. “It’s not your fault kid. Jack doesn’t know how to stay out of trouble. He disappeared a week ago. We were hoping for the best, but...” His voice trailed off, but Race knew what he meant to say. No where is worse than the Refuge.

“You got anywhere to go, kid?” Bean asked.

Race reluctantly shook his head.

“Then I guess your stuck with me.”

Bean stood up and extended a hand to Race, but he couldn’t take it. He left Jack behind. Jack should have been here, not Race. Jack was family, and he left him behind... but.... Jack said the newsies were his family too, and Race wanted more than anything to be somewhere safe.
He grabbed Beans hand.

Bean smiled and pulled Race to his feet. “Come on now, it’s time you meet the rest of the newsies.”

Chapter Text

Race sold papes with Bean for the rest of the day. He trailed behind, watching as Bean yelled out headlines to the crowds of people roaming the streets. Eventually, the sun began to set and Bean only had one paper left.

“You want to sell it?” Bean asked.

“Me? Really?”

“Sure, you’ve got to learn eventually.” Bean handed Race the last paper.

Race cocked his head as he read the headline: City Repairs Delayed Due to Storm.

“Bean, this isn’t what you’ve been shouting all day.”

Bean shook his head and knelt down next to Race.

“That head line isn’t selling any papes. I’m too old for someone to take pity on me and give me a nickel, but you are going to do wonders.” Bean pointed to a middle aged woman in the distance, clutching a fancy purse. “See that lady? Try to look sad and ask if she wants a pape.”

Race hesitantly crossed the street and approached the lady, giving his best puppy dog eyes. “Would you like to buy a paper, ma’am?”

The woman smiled and opened her purse. “Why of course, dear.” She grabbed the paper and slipped a dime into his hand. “Keep the change.”

Race smiled and sprinted back to Bean, waving his dime in the air. Bean grinned back and picked Race up, twirling him around in that air.

“Your first sell! You’re almost as good as Kelly.” Race’s heart sank at the mention of Jack. He made to give the coin to Bean, but Bean shook his head. “You can use that to buy papes tomorrow morning. Now come on, let’s get back home.”

They held hands as they walked, and Race finally started to feel safe again, out in the open air, with Bean guiding him. The two boys rounded a corned, and Bean pointed to a small, run down building.

“That’s it, Race, the news boys lodging house.”

A little bell rang when they walked into a small entryway. A old man entered from a door behind a wooden desk and sat down. Bean placed a handful of pennies in front of him.

“Who’ve you got there, Bean?” The man asked.

“This here is Race, Manhattan’s newest newsie.”

The old man chuckled. “You’re always bringing in someone. Speaking of which, where’s Kelly gone, I haven’t seen him in a few nights.”

Race watched as Beans eyes started to water, but he didn’t let his smile fall.

“You know Jack, probably out on some fire escape, with the ‘fresh air’ and all that. He’ll be back eventually... I hope.”

The last part of Beans sentence was so quiet Race wasn’t sure he was meant to hear it.

“Thanks Kloppman!” Bean called, pulling Race up the staircase behind him.

When they reached the top, Race couldn’t believe what he saw. It was a large room, packed with bunk beds just like the refuge, but the room wouldn’t be more different. Children all packed into each others beds, the older ones playing care games, the youngest ones having pillow fights and giggling. A window was opened, letting a cool breeze flood the room.

Kids shouted out String Beans name when they walked in, causing the older newsies to take notice of their arrival. One of them locked eyes with Race, who moved behind Bean, not wanting the attention of the older boy. He approached them and stopped in front of Bean, who, although he looked a year younger than this boy, was a couple inches taller.

“Tell me you didn’t.” He deadpanned.

“Oh, but I did,” Bean responded, a genuine, goofy grin replacing his fake one. He called out to the rest of the boys, “Hey fellas, I brought you a new friend.”

The younger boys all stopped their fight and ran over. The older boy chuckled and turned his head towards Race.

“What’s your name, kid?”

“Race,” he said through a yawn, suddenly realizing how exhausted he was.

“Welcome to the lodging house, Race, I’m Roger.”

Roger spit into his hand and extended it towards Race, who couldn’t help but say “that’s gross!”

That made Bean laugh as Race spit into his own hand and extend it towards Roger.

“Well with that settled,” Bean interrupted, “I think it’s time to get you to bed.” The rest of the kids groaned, but Race was grateful Bean noticed how tired he was.

“That goes for all of you!” Roger added, as he turned back towards his card game.

All of the boys complained as they climbed into their respective beds.

“Come on,” Bean said, taking Races hand again, “You can take Jack’s bed.”

They walked over to the bed closest to the window, and Race climbed up the ladder to the top bunk. Race crawled in the bed, which was much softer than the bed at the refuge. Bean climbed up the ladder and sat at Race’s feet.

“You just call me if you need something, okay? Specs is under you, he’s just about your age, and he can help you too.”

“Is Jack going to make it out okay?” Race asked as his eyes slipped shut.

There was silence for a while, and Race wondered if Bean was trying to formulate a lie.

“I don’t know, kid.”

Roger called lights out and turned the single light on the ceiling off, plunging the room into darkness.

~~~~~~~~~

Whispers from besides Races bed woke him up in the dead on night. He tried to roll over and fall back asleep, but his name caught his attention.

“Roger, don’t you understand? Jack is in the refuge, Race told me!”

Race recognized Beans voice. He rolled a little closer to the newsies so he could hear better.

“We already assumed that’s where he ended up.”

“And now we know for sure. I’ll be in and out, they won’t see me.”

“I’m sure that’s what Jack said when he tried to sneak food in through the windows. I’m the leader,” Roger said with an air of finality. “And you ain’t going nowhere.”

“You don’t understand, Race told me he was dying in there.”

“Race is a kid, he’s just exaggerating.”

“So is Jack!” Beans voice cracked. “He’s just a kid too! You know what happened the last time he came back, he was never the same.”

“Don’t do that to me!” Roger snapped. “You know I love Kelly but I can’t risk losing you too!”

The moon lit up the tears running down Beans face, and Race turned away from the sight. Tears pricked his eyes, too. As safe as this bed was, it wasn’t as warm without Jack curled up next to him. “I just want him back home,” Bean whispered.

“I know,” Roger responded. “Trust me, I know.”

The whispers became too quiet for Race to hear after that, leaving Race in silence, with thoughts of his abandoned friend swirling in his head.

Chapter Text

The waiting was the worst part, Jack decided. No, it wasn’t knowing that he was so close to freedom, or the darkness and cold, it was waiting. Jack didn’t how long it had been since he had been dumped in the basement. It had at least been a day, without any food or water, but maybe it had been more. Time was impossible to tell here, but he knew whenever it was, it was coming.

Jack was almost relieved when the door creaked open, until he saw the anger painted on Snyder’s face.

“You really thought I’d let you go again, Kelly,” Snyder sneered.

“Well,” Jack said, trying his best to conceal his fear. “You made it so easy the first two times.”

Snyder stalked towards him, rolling up his sleeves, showing off his brass knuckles. Three guards followed him down the stairs. The circled Jack where he stood in the middle of the room, each towering over the boy. Jack was shaking.

“No, I can see I’ve been going too easy on you, but that ends now.”

Jack backed away, trying to keep distance between himself and Snyder, but he was stopped by the guard standing behind him. The guards twisted Jack’s hands painfully behind his back. His breathing was becoming shallow. All pretense of bravery fell away.

Snyder grabbed Jack’s by his jaw, and forced him to look in his eyes. “This time, you’ll stay here until a break you.”

The first punch came so fast Jack didn’t see it, but he felt the pain. For a moment, all could feel was the fire in his gut as the metal connected with his skin. The assault didn’t stop. Screams tore from Jack’s mouth, but he couldn’t hear it. The pain was all consuming. Blood dripped down his torso where his skin was torn, turning his blue shirt black.

After an eternity, the blows stopped. The guard holding Jack threw him too the ground. Every inch of his body burned. Each breath jostled his ribs and caused his pain to flare and but he wasn’t getting enough air. Jack’s facing was damp with his tears, even though he couldn’t remembered when he started crying. He managed to lift his head enough to watch Snyder pull off his brass knuckles and nod and the guards.

Jack wasn’t given time to protect himself before the men began to kick him from every side. It didn’t take long until the pain overwhelmed him, and he let the darkness consume him.

~~~

Jack’s eyes fluttered open he was vaguely aware that he was moving, being dragged by his foot. The sounds he heard were swirling together. Jack’s eyes started to close again, only for his leg being dropped to jolt him awake. Jack’s body screamed in protest to the movement, but he didn’t have the strength to even tell them to stop. He coughed weakly, and blood dribbled down his cheek. A sentence broke through Jack’s haze before he passed out a second time.

“Cuff the boy. Roosevelt will be here any minute.”

~~~

A faint conversation awoke Jack from his less than peaceful slumber. On instinct, he tried to scramble away from the noise, but found his right arm was chained to the bars of the staircase railing. Jack collapsed against the rail, wanting to lie down, to sleep, to do anything but be here, now, overwhelmed by pain. He wanted whatever tether that was keeping him here to just let him go, and let him float away. The cuff dug into Jacks wrist as he shifted, getting impossibly tighter. Not for the first time, Jack started to cry until the world around him faded away again.

The door above him unlocked, and opened ever so slightly, pulling him back into reality.

“No, no! That’s the wrong room, Commissioner Roosevelt. Only the basement. It’s storage,” Jack heard Snyder say from the top of the staircase.

Someone was here. They opened the door. They would save him.

“Help,” Jack cried, but his voice was broken, and the words didn’t leave his lips.

The door closed again, and Jack waited for the click of the lock, sealing him in his prison, but it never came. Jack listened, but the footsteps retreated and didn’t return. His body was running faster than his brain. He tugged his hand, the the metal cuff didn’t budge, instead, the bannister creaked and swayed. Jack shifted his position slightly, ignoring the way it made his vision spin, and threw his weight back with all of his remaining strength.

Wood cracked. The world spun. Jack might have blacked out, but it didn’t matter, for when he lifted his throbbing arm, the hand cuff dangled uselessly around his wrist. Jack didn’t allow himself to celebrate, though. Slowly, Jack forced himself up the staircase. His breathing was labored by the time he made it to the top. Eventually, Jack reached up to the doorknob, praying he was right, and the door was unlocked.

Jack wasted no time. Jack sprinted out of the door, past the bunk rooms, to the main entrance. Not a guard was in sight. His legs threatened to buckle, but he knew he just had to make it a few more feet. He had too. He couldn’t survive another day here.

Jack collapsed through the front doors, and the light of the setting sun shined in his face. He fell against a house and buggy outside the door. Voiced were coming closer. Snyder. Jack needed more time, but they weren’t stopping. Everything needed to stop. Jack scramble under the cart just as the doors open. He could hear Snyder talking to a man, but the words were lost on him. Snyder was so close.

The cart rattled as the man stepped in, slamming the doors behind him. Jack knew he had to move, it was going to be over soon. In a last act of desperation, Jack pulled himself up against the bottom of the cart. His muscles were trembling but he wouldn’t let himself let go, not for anything. Suddenly it was moving, and he was out of the walls of the refuge, into the city. The air was fresh, and cold, and clean.

Jack’s body couldn’t hold him up anymore.
He fell onto the street, out cold before he even hit the ground.

Chapter Text

A bell rang out through the lodging house, waking up the newsies. Race turned over in his bed, shoving his pillow over his face, the conversation of last night forgotten in his sleep. A weight landed on the foot of Races bed, causing him to jolt upright, now fully awake.

Bean, who was clearly more of a morning person than Race, smiled.

“Up and at ‘em! It’s time for your first day on the job.”

Race groaned, but didn’t protest as Bean dragged him out of bed. As soon as he climbed down the ladder, the younger boys swarmed him.

“Can Race sell with us today?” Asked a boy with a backwards newsies cap.

“I don’t know, are you going to get Race in trouble on his first day?” Bean said, causing all of the boys to laugh.

Race smiled at the boys, knowing he would get in well with them. “Please, Bean?”

Bean ruffled Race’s hair and nodded and immediately the boys grabbed Races hands and dragged him out of the lodging house. They rattled off their names (Albert, Finch, Henry and Specs), and took him to Newsies Square to by the papers.

Henry and Finch broke off to sell on their own, but Albert and Specs stayed with Race to show him the ropes. They gave Race the grand tour of Manhattan, giving Race advice and selling their papers as they went.

The sun was setting by the time Race sold his last paper.

“We’d better get home fast,” Specs said. “I don’t want to run into the Delancey’s when it’s dark.”

Albert nodded. “Come on, I know a shortcut.”

Race followed the boys through an alley, trying to ignore the growing dark shadows that looked too much like the shadows of the refuge. The alley let out in a small, seemingly abandoned street. Albert and Specs walked ahead, talking quickly about a fight in Brooklyn. Race didn’t notice when they suddenly went silence, and ran into Specs back where he had stopped.

“Ow, watch it...”

Race’s voice trailed off. Lying on the street in front of the boys was Jack Kelly.

Race was frozen, but Albert wasn’t. He dropped down at Jack’s side and placed two fingers at his neck, checking for a pulse.

“Specs, go get Roger,” Albert ordered. Specs ran off without a word.

Albert shook Jack’s shoulders, but the he didn’t respond. His entire body was conceded in bruises. Blood was dripping down his mouth, his nose, out of gashes on his arms.

“Jack! Jackie!” Albert said. “Wake up!”

Race slowly stepped forward and knelt down at Jack’s other side. Only a day had passed, but it was almost hard to recognize him... Jack looked dead. Gently, as if it would hurt him too, Race touched the cuff clamped around Jack’s wrist, the other end hanging free on the ground. It clung to his skin so tight he was bleeding. When Race pulled his hand away, his fingers were wet.

Footsteps pounded down the street. Race looked up to see Sting Bean and Roger running towards him.

Without a word, Roger lifted Jack onto his feet, throwing Jack’s arm over his shoulder.

“Get back to the lodging house,” Bean said to Race and Albert as he took Jack’s other arm, taking some of his weight. Race swore he could hear Jack whimper in pain.

Then they were gone, dragging Jack away, leaving Race and Albert sitting on the streets.

“Albert,” Race whispered, “was he...”

“No,” Albert said. “He was breathing.”

Albert looked away and quickly wiped his eyes. “Come on, we’d better get back.”

Albert extended a hand to Race and together they walked back to the lodging house in silence. It was truly dark now. Race could see the moon for the first time since he was locked in the refuge.

The lodging house was silent when they made it back. After all the energy yesterday, the absence of laughing and shouting felt like a black void. No one was smiling now.

Jack was in Specs bed, his face shielded from Race’s view by the older newsies sitting around him. Race crept over to Bean, who was cleaning off Jack’s face.
He tapped him on the shoulder, but wasn’t ready to see the heartbreak on Beans face.

“Why don’t you go to sleep, kiddo,” Bean whispered.

Race didn’t know what to say, so he climbed up the ladder and crawled into bed, trying not to think about how right below him, Jack Kelly was dying.

~~~~~

Everyone in the lodging house was asleep. Everyone that is, except Bean.

Bean sat on the floor next to Jack bed, fiddling with lock picks and the hand cuff locked around Jack’s wrist. With a click, he felt the lock release, and he slid the cuff off of Jack’s hand.

Bean signed as he looked down at Jack. He didn’t look peaceful in his sleep, Bean thought. The years of pain didn’t wash away when he closed his eyes. Jack still looked hurt and scared, so different from the day Bean found him living on the streets.

Bean pushed the hair away from Jack’s face, and placed his hand on Jack’s forehead. Jack was burning up. Tears dropped off of Beans cheeks and onto the flood. He grabbed Jack’s hand, trying not to focus on how bruised his arms were, or how his wrist had been rubbed raw. Jack’s hands still felt like his hands, and when Bean closed his eyes, he could pretend everything was okay.

“Hey, String Bean,” Roger’s voice broke him from his thoughts.

Bean wiped his tears away and looked back towards the newsies, who were all staring at him.

“Sting Bean.”

Bean jumped and turned around. Roger was standing behind him.

“I thought you were sleeping,” he said.

“I thought you were too.”

Bean shrugged, turning his head away from Roger. He didn’t need the leader of the newsies to see him crying.

“He needs a doctor,” Bean said.

“We don’t have the money for a doctor,” Roger sighed. Bean knew he shouldn’t have asked that, he knew the answer. It was fair the Roger had to say no when he had no more control than the rest of them.

“You should go to sleep, Bean.”

“I know,” Bean said, but he couldn’t leave Jack’s side. He could tell Roger was still standing behind him, watching for Bean to say what was on his mind. He turned back to Roger, surprised to to see the stone cold newsies eyes welling up.

“He’s not going to make it,” Bean whispered, worried that he could will it happening by speaking the words. Saying it made it real, as if the broken boy in front of him wasn’t real enough.

“Jack’s strong,” Roger said. “Don’t worry, he’ll pull through.”

Bean knew Roger well enough to know he was lying.

“We have enough money to cover someone staying here with him for a few days... after that I don’t know what we can do.”

Bean nodded as Roger walked back to his bed, but he knew it wouldn’t be enough.

“You’ve got to get better Jack,” Bean whispered. “You need to make it. We’re not ready for a world without you in it.”

Chapter Text

“Bean, just let me stay!” Race grabbed Bean’s hands but he shoved the boy off.

“You’ve got to work, Race.”

“But Jack needs help!”

“No Race,” Bean signed, “He needs money, which he isn’t getting unless we are all out working. Go on, the boys are gonna leave without you.”

Race glared at him and stormed off. Bean punched his nose, his head pounding. The boys all shuffled out of the room, and he was left in silence, apart from Jack’s delirious mumbling. Bean grabbed a blanket off of the closest boys bed and draped it over Jack, who was shivering, despite the warm air. He sat down on the edge of Jack’s bed, and watched his breathing.

“No... help... stop.” Jack thrashed slightly, the most he had moved in the last day.

“Oh Jack,” Bean whispered. He stroked His hair softly. His head was warmer than it was last night. He was getting worse. Suddenly, Jack started to cough. Bean moved over to his side and lifted Jack so he was upright. Blood dripped out of Jack’s mouth.

“Come on, kid, you’re alright.” Bean rubbed his back as Jack’s breathes started to even.

Jack’s eyes began to blink open, and Bean smiled. “That’s it Jack, it’s okay.”

Without warning, Jack’s breathing picked up again. He weakly pushed Bean, startling him. Jack scrambled away, causing him to fall of the bed with a thud. He gasped for air on the floor.

“Jack!” Bean jumped over the bed but Jack pushed himself up against the wall. He curled up right into a ball and threw his hands over his head.

Bean paused for a moment, not sure what to do as Jack, brave, defiant, Jack, cowered in fear on the floor.

“Jack? It’s okay. It’s just me, String Bean.” His voice was barely over a whisper, but Jack curled up tighter.

“I’m not gonna hurt you, no one is anymore. We’re at the lodging house, you’re safe now.”

Jack didn’t react, so Bean kept talking. “I’m gonna come closer, alright kid? Just don’t move, everything is fine.” Jack lowered his arms slightly and watched through glazed eyes as Bean scooted across the floor towards him. Bean couldn’t tell if he was scaring Jack more, but he needed to get the boy back in bed, so there weren’t many options.

Bean was now right in front of Jack, and reached out to grab his shaking hand. Jack flinched violently, and protected his head again, causing Bean to quickly retract his hand.

“It’s just me, it’s okay, you’re alright.”

Jack’s arms fell once more, and Bean was just close enough to hear Jack’s broken, raw whisper.

“Bean.”

Bean pulled Jack into his arms, holding him tight in his lap. He felt as all of the tense muscles in Jack’s body relax as he broke down and began to sob. With each shuttering breath he took Bean heard his ribs shifting his his chest.

“I’ve got you, kid. Everything is okay now.”

Jack’s tears slowed, and he went completely still, completely exhausted. Bean stood up with Jack still in his arms and laid him one the bed. He spoke again as Bean tucked him in.

“I don’t feel so good.”

Bean looked down at Jack. His face was damp with sweat and tears. Blood dried on his lips. His eyes remained shut.

“You’re sick, Jackie.”

Jack nodded slightly.

“It hurts.”

Bean grabbed Jack’s hand, trying, and failing, not to cry again.

“I know, kid, but you’ve got to hold on.”

Chapter Text

Race sprinted through the streets of New York, eager to get back to the lodging house. He weaved his way through crowds of people, causing many to yell after him but he didn’t slow down. Jack was at the lodging house, and he needed to see him. Race blew through the doors of the building, barely saying hello to Kloppman as he threw down his money. He bounded up the stairs, but his heart fell when he made it to the top. Jack was still sleeping.

Race walked over to Bean, who was sitting on the bed next to Jack’s, looking exhausted.

“He didn’t wake up?” Race asked.

Bean looked up at the younger newsie and patted the mattress next to him. Race sat down, and Bean slung on of his lanky arms around his shoulders.

“He woke up, just for a little bit though. He was pretty delirious.” Bean paused for a while, and they both stared at Jack. “Kloppman said he can’t afford to let Jack stay free, so we aren’t going to be able to afford a doctor.”

Race leaned into Beans side. “He’ll be okay though... right?”

“I don’t know Race, it’s not looking too good.”

Tears silently streamed out of Races eyes.

“I shouldn’t have left him. This is my fault.” Race whispered.

“Don’t you say that! You staying wouldn’t have changed anything, except you would have gotten hurt.”

Race nodded, and Bean stood up.

“I need to go to sleep, alright? Why don’t you play cards with the other boys?”

Race stayed where he was though, as Bean dragged himself over to his bed. Jack looked just like he did the first night Race met him. Bruised and beaten, but still breathing. At least for now. Race sighed and climbed up into his bed, falling into a fitful sleep.

~~~~~

In the dark, the lodging house looked like the refuge. Jack couldn’t tell the difference between the bunk beds that filled his home and the ones that filled his personal hell. Everything hurt. Jack’s body was no longer numb like it had been those hours ago with Bean, he could feel it all now. His boned ached, his muscles screamed in protest with even the smallest movement. Jack wanted to call out to Bean, or Specs, or even Roger, but a little voice in his head told him he might not like who answered his call.

Shadows consumed the walls, they consumed his friends, but Jack refused to close his eyes, not when he would see- no. He forced the thoughts out of his mind. A ray of light caught his eye from the window. The clouds were shifting, revealing the moon, shining silver in his face. The shadows still surrounded Jack, but he could breathe, just a little better, in the light.

Slowly he slid out of bed. The world swirled around him, and his legs threatened to collapse, but he held on. Jack limped over to the window, sliding it open. He winced as it’s squeak pierced the air, but no one seemed to notice. The cool breeze prickled his skin when he make it out onto the fire escape. Jack took a moment to get his bearings. The dizziness wore off, and he began to climb the ladder.

Black spots danced in his eyes by the time he made it up. Jack leaned against the metal bars of the railing, his head up to the stars. They were brighter up here, he though, where the darkness down in the streets couldn’t dim their glow. Jack tried to take a deep breath, but ended up choking on air, coughing until his lungs calmed down. Always a reminder, even in the brightest places. Somewhere, out west, there would be fresh air, so he couldn’t have to fight to breathe, but this was all he had. And for that moment, under the stars, it was enough for him to close his eyes and dream.

~~~~~

Jack’s disappearance did not go unnoticed. The shrill squeak of the window opening woke Race from his slumber. He watched as a figure shakily climbed through the window and disappeared into the night. Race looked around at the newsies, trying to work out who was missing. None of the beds were empty, except... Race stuck his head over the edge of his bunk to peer down at the bed underneath him. Jack was gone.

Race wrapped his blanket around his shoulders and climbed down the ladder.

Jack was curled up on the side of the roof top, illuminated by the moonlight. In this light, it was hard to see the bruises and scars that covered his skin. Race bent down next to him, and noticed he was shivering in his sleep.

“Jack, wake up.” Race shook Jack’s arm. He bolted awake, jumping awake from Race, putting three feet of distance between them. Race was so startled, he couldn’t speak. He just watched as Jack blinked in front of him.

“Race?”

It occurred to Race that Jack did not know he had found the newsies. He had been sleeping when Race was at the lodging house.

“What are you doing here?” Jack asked, his voice quivering.

“Bean found me,” Race supplied. “When I escaped the... um..”

One again his words failed him, but Jack nodded and gave Race a small smile.

“Yeah, Beans good to that. I bet you’ve been making a great newsie.”

Race watched as Jack absentmindedly rubbed his wrist in his hand. His mind was somewhere else, that much was clear to Race.

“You’re sick Jack. You should be inside.”

“I know, it’s just... nice up here, without the walls, and the fresh air.”

Race pulled his blanket off from around his shoulders and held it out towards Jack. “Can I?”

Jack eyed Race for a minute before nodding slowly. Race moved next to Jack, who tensed when he got close, but didn’t move away. Race draped the blanket over him, and sat down at his side.

“What happened, Jack?”

Jack returned his gaze to the stars, and took a long shuttering breath.

“I escaped. I rode out on the back of Roosevelt’s carriage.”

They both knew that wasn’t what Race meant, but he didn’t push.

“It was just so dark.. and I couldn’t tell where they were coming from, only that it hurt.”

Race grabbed Jack’s hand to stop him from rubbing it raw, and noticed the tell tale bruising from handcuffs.

“I ain’t ever going back, Race. No matter what.”

He didn’t respond, Race only leaned over and rested his head on Jack. Jack leaned his head on Race, too.

“You’ve got to get inside, Jack. You’re not gonna get any better sitting out here.”

“Just a little longer, it’s not gonna kill me.”

After seeing Jack laying half dead for a day, Race wanted to argue that wasn’t true, but he had never seen Jack so calm. The breeze blew around them, and although it was cold, there was something comforting about the fresh air.

“Just a bit...”

Race didn’t finished his sentence before his eyes slipped shut, and the boys fell asleep together under the stars.

Chapter Text

~Two Weeks Later~

“Come on, Bean, let him go!”

Race stared up at Bean with his biggest puppy eyes he could make, but Bean turned away. It was early morning in the lodging house, and he Bean could tell he was on a mission.

“I told ya, kid, Jack needs to get better.”

“I am better,” Jack piped in from where he was perched on the edge of his bed. “Besides, I’ll sell papes better with a couple of bruises, and we could use the money.”

Bean rolled his eyes. “Yeah I’m sure you fainting in front of customers will make you a fortune.”

Jack threw himself back into his bed, but Race wasn’t ready to give up the fight.

“Jack isn’t gonna faint he’s been running around the lodge house for days. It’s more likely he falls off of the roof with all the time he’s been stuck in here.”

Bean looked back at Jack. Race had made a point, he couldn’t keep Jack safe here forever, he was getting restless. But... Jack wasn’t like he used to be. Only days ago was he coughing and curled up in bed, shivering in the summer heat. The last few days had been good for him, but Bean couldn’t pretend he hadn’t heard Jack bolting awake in the middle on the night, again and again because of nightmares. Bean sighed, maybe keeping the boy here couldn’t protect him from everything.

“If you go sell with Race, you know you’ll have to be careful, right? You made the front page with your escape, people are still looking for you.”

Jack jumped up, beaming. “That was pretty cool right? Front page!”

Bean shook his head but Race nodded in agreement with Jack.

“So is that a yes?” Race asked.

“Fine! But you’d better come find me if there is trouble.”

The boys cheered and crushed Bean in a hug.

“Yeah, yeah, go get your papes.”

Jack grabbed Races hand and started dragging him down the stairs, the two boys laughing and smiling as they made their way down to the streets, together.