Blitz: A Newsies Story

Chapter 17: We've Got a Strike to Finish

((Hey Fansies! I'm so sorry for all of the insanely long waits with this story! A thousand apologies! I'm currently on break and am trying my very best to finish these last few chapters for you. The end is near! This chapter took a long time to work through and get posted, but this is the moment you've all been waiting for, so I hope you enjoy! Thank you for sticking with me through all of the waits, you are all the greatest readers in the world! -Wolf))

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Chapter 17: We've Got a Strike to Finish

With Spot, Bear, Rascal and Jigsaw behind me, I walked into the Manhattan Newsies Lodging House. Standing at the foot of the stairs, arms folded across their chests, were Specs, Mush and Kid Blink. Racetrack was nowhere to be seen, but it was evident that he had told every one of them what had happened.

"What do ya want," Specs grumbled, his eyes meeting mine with a look of forced aggression, as if he didn't want to be mad at me but I had left him no other choice.

"Ey," Spot snarled, taking a threatening step towards the boy, but I put a hand to his chest, holding him back. They all deserved to be angry.

"So," Mush said quietly, "We don't usually talk ta scabs."

Spot moved to surge forwards but I once again held him back, taking a deep breath and letting it out before meeting each of the Manhattan newsies' eyes in turn.

"You all have every right ta be angry," I said slowly, regret burning in my chest as I tried to find the words to apologize for my time spent as a scab with the Delancey brothers. "I thought what I was doin' was the only way ta protect myself."

The boys exchanged a look, as if they weren't sure whether or not to believe me.

"Everythin' I've done recently has been for my own benefit. I put myself before all'a ya, and ya have every right ta never want ta see my face again after I betrayed ya and sold those papes." I trailed off, trying to read their expressions. I wanted to see Racetrack. He had to be here, but he obviously didn't want to see me. The only way to get to him would be by gaining Specs, Mush and Blink's forgiveness.

"The Delanceys, they held a secret over my head, blackmailed me int'a workin' with them, or else they would'a told all'a ya. I thought it was more important to hide what they knew, for some reason."

"Secret?" Kid Blink interrupted, his one eye glaring at me, "What kind'a secret?"

I glanced at Spot out of the corner of my eye. He looked at me and broke into a smile, before nodding towards the Manhattan newsies.

Taking a deep breath, I declared, "My name... my real name, is Jamie Conlon. Spot here... he's my brother."

Blink let out a short laugh, as if he didn't quite believe what I was saying, but Mush and Specs' eyes practically doubled in size.

"You'se is related?!" Mush yelped, looking from me to Spot and back again, a look of what seemed to be fear flashing in his eyes.

Spot slung his arm around my shoulders, practically beaming, as he nodded, declaring, "This here's the Princess'a Brooklyn, gentlemen."

Specs, a look of shock still clear on his face, paused for a moment, but then asked, "Blitz... why didn't ya tell us?" The hurt in his voice drove a dagger of guilt into my heart.

"I'm sorry," I murmured, my eyes falling to the floor for a moment before rising once again to meet their gazes. "I shoulda trusted ya, I shoulda just told ya from the start, but I was scared. I didn't want ya to treat me any different. I know how ya think'a Spot. I know how ya think'a them Brooklyn boys. I didn't want ya ta turn me away because'a who I was. I..." I trailed off, letting out a breath I hadn't realized I had been holding before saying, "I was scared ya wouldn't want me here. I had no place else ta go, I figured if I didn't tell ya, everythin' would be fine, but I was wrong. I was wrong, and I'm so, so sorry." I dug my teeth into my lip as I felt tears threatening to escape from my eyes.