At home in New York.

Chapter 4

Hey guys been a bit of a while (I blame prom and college induction) so I thought I would publish another chapter, here we are introduced to Race who in my mind is a very stunning creature (BEN TYLER COOK!!!!) however please chose whoever you like.

Three weeks later.

It was finally happening, me and Katherine had been planning this for weeks now. Jack could finally see Andrew. I found one of the maids, Mary, to deliver a letter to Jack explaining the plan. The same girl, Mary, went to father telling him that she had seen Katherine and Jack together in her office at the sun whilst she was delivering Katherine's lunch. I had seen the Delancey brothers dashing out of my father's office about an hour ago looking ready to punch something, so I came straight to the lodging house to meet Jack.

Everything was perfectly falling into place. The old man downstairs had let me in and led me up here, the bunk room.

I picked the cleanest bunk and sat down with Andrew waiting for Jack to arrive. It felt so strange being in a room that was home to dozens of boys. I have barely encountered the male species at all. By the sight of the bunkroom it seemed that boys were definitely very messy, various shirts caps and old newspapers littered the floors all the window panes coated in were dust and the smell of soap was significantly absent.

In fact the bed I was sat on was the only one that was made and somewhat clean but it smelt strange almost musky. I looked over the bed and saw two cigars hiding under the occupiers pillow, well I was always told how strange boys could be.

Andrew began to cry in my arms, I smiled down at him,

"Someone wants to see their daddy don't they!" I cooed bouncing him up and down softly.

He continued to cry and struggle so I began to sing to him softly.

Hush my babe my little one,

Thy father sales the deep,

But warm thy bed is little one,

Lie still my dear and sleep,

Cold the wind...

"Nice voice."

I froze, that wasn't Jack. I stood up quickly trying not to drop Andrew in shock or knock my head on the bunk above. I turned around to the voice and saw a newsie stood there smirking at me.

"I'm sorry I..." I stuttered staring at him.

"No its fine, you were just sat on my bunk is all" he said still smiling at me.

"Oh I was just waiting for Jack." I said trying to smile at him, still embarrassed that he had heard me singing.

"So this must be Jack's kid huh." he asked coming further towards me looking down towards Andrew who now lay sleeping in my arms.

"Yes" I mumbled my heart thumping as he came towards me and stoked Andrew's face gently.

"Can I hold him?" he asked looking into my eyes with his beautiful blue orbs.

"Um..." I struggled, should I let him hold Andrew, I've only just met him sure he seems nice enough but he may not even be a newsie of course he's a newsie Laura why else would he be in the lodging house, unless there's a third Delancey brother and this is him. Wait I'm being stupid now.

"I won't hurt him.., erm sorry I didn't catch your name."

"Laura."

"Laura, nice name, wait you're Katherine's sister right?" he asked his face lighting up as he studied my face searching for similarities.

"Yes I am, how did you know that?" I said looking down a bit, maybe I didn't want him to know I was Pulitzer's daughter right away.

"Jack told all of us newsies about your amazing plan so he could see his son, you know you're pretty much a genius."

I smiled, "Thank you erm, sorry I didn't get your name."

"Racetrack Higgins." He said holding out his hand flashing a dazzling smile.

I took his hand balancing Andrew in my other arm.

"Now Miss Laura may you be so kind as to hand me your beautiful nephew." He said putting on an English accent.

I handed Andrew over softly into his arms.

"Are you mocking me Mr Higgins?" I asked him as he bounced Andrew softly.

"No, just curious why you talk like that, Katherine doesn't." he asked rocking Andrew in his arms still looking at me with those stunning eyes.

"Well Katherine didn't spend five years at a boarding school in England." I said looking at the floor my voice dropping slightly.

"I guess you didn't like school then."

I sighed at looking up at him, the look on my face clearly telling him I didn't like boarding school one bit.

"So why did you come back to New York?" he asked as he began to pace around the floor still holding Andrew.

"Well..."

"Laura!" I heard Jack yell.

I turned away from Race and leaned over the staircase,

"Up here Jack."

Jack came running up the staircase to see me stood there without Andrew. He began to panic his eyes wide with fear, he grabbed onto my shoulders shaking me slightly. Clearly confused because I did not have Andrew with me.

"Wait, where is he? Did it work? Did the Delanceys take him? I thought the letter said..."

"Calm down cowboy your son's right here." said Race as he walked towards us smirking slightly at Jacks panic.

Jack ran over to Race gently taking Andrew from his arms and holding him closely. He looked down into his sons eyes his own welling up with tears as his little boy stared up at him.

"Thank you so much Laura."

I smiled at him, holding his son. It was so beautiful, I can't imagine how hard it must have been for them to be apart for so long.

I stood there watching Jack and Andrew a huge grin on my face, I didn't even realise how long we had been stood there in silence until Jack began talking again.

"Race what are you doing here shouldn't you be out selling?" Jack asked Race looking up from his son for the first time since he first saw him.

"I finished early and came back for some money I sold double yesterday so I could go to the 3'oclock race had a hot tip on the fourth." Race answered.

"You know it's like four now, you missed it." said Jack pointing out the clock on the wall.

"I know I did." Said Race as he looked up at me, damn those stunning blue eyes.