Partner in Crime || Newsies Fanfiction

Chapter 27 - A Partner in Crime

Cards shrugs a bit. "I feel tired. I want to either go run around or hold Stage forever, and getting knocked out doesn't feel fun." She comments.

The two boys chuckle quietly.

"Yeah, cause on the list of 'fun things to do', getting knocked out is definitely up there." Charlie responds, obviously being sarcastic.

Cards nods, groggily.

She looks back over at Stage.

Specs held her injured hand/arm and DD held her other hand.

She looked like she was almost asleep, which was probably good in a way and also probably bad.

Cards figured that the reason Specs wasn't too worried about her sleeping was because he injuries weren't to the point where her life was threatened.

Cards only figured that if they hadn't come in at the point that they had or if the plan had backfired, things wouldn't have turned out the same.

Cards' eyebrows furrowed.

She shook her head slightly, trying to get the topic off of her mind, while also drawing Spot, Charlie, and Hotshot's attention.

Cloth walked over to her. "How are you holding up, Cards?" He asks.

"I kinda feel like passing out or running around New York City five times in a row." She states. "So, you know, pretty normal."

Cloth chuckles a bit. "Anything hurt? Feel like it's bleeding?" He questions.

"The back of my head might have a bruise, my hair hurts a bit, but other than that, not really." She answers. "I can still feel the knife to my throat though." She whispers.

Cloth's eyes soften. "I'm sorry. It'll be like that for a bit while you get over it."

Cards nods.

Cloth walks off.

"What's on your mind?" Spot asks Cards, seeing that something was troubling her.

"What if you hadn't gotten us out of there?" She blurts out. "What if your plan failed or you were just a little bit later? Would Stage be okay?" She questions.

Charlie holds her a bit tighter. "We weren't going to let them hurt you. We're sorry we weren't there earlier."

Cards shrugs, looking up at the sky. "I need Stage." She whispers, trying to fight tears from filling her eyes.

"We're almost home." Charlie whispers. "You can hold her while we treat your injuries."

Cards nods, stealing another look at her best friend.

Time skip

Stage laid half-on, half-next to Cards on a bunk in the bottom bunk of the bunk that they usually shared when they stayed in Manhattan.

Stage's eyes were red, puffy, and glossed over.

Cards' were somewhere close to that, but her having just cried wasn't as obvious.

There was ice on the back of Cards' head.

Stage had bandages on her arms, cheek, and forehead, along with ice on her knee.

There were scattered Newsies around them, but they didn't care. The Newsies were all silent.

"You know," Stage speaks up. "We always seem to end our adventures like this, Cardsie."

Cards nods. "Yeah. We need to have less dangerous adventures though." She comments.

Stage laughs a bit. "I'm tired of getting hurt."

Cards chuckles a bit. "Me too, and I'm tired of watching you get hurt."

Stage holds her pinky out on her not-hurt hand. "No more injuries?" She asks.

Cards hooks her pinky with Stage's. "As long as you don't smack yourself with a stick."

Stage rubs her head a bit, cringing. "Yeah, that hurts." Cards laughs a bit. "I promise I'll try not to."

They pull their pinkys apart.

"You need a partner, a partner in crime." Cards sings softly.

Stage smiles. "Two extra fists in a fight." She continues.

"No ma'am." Cards scolds her, jokingly. "We talked about that lyric."

Stage rolls her eyes, smiling. "Someone to travel the world." She sings. (A/N, the line isn't great lol.)

"Why should the road be long and lonely?"

"Why not team up?"

"We've only got tonight." They finish together.

They smile.

"That was adorable!" DD exclaims, clapping his hands.

Stage and Cards laugh a bit together, resting their foreheads against each other's.

1512 Words
At the end of the book, there will be bonus chapters that will include Modern and Canon AU/Era chapters.