Saved by Crutchie

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You made your way over to Newsie Square. You didn't sleep at all last night. Your mind wouldn't let you. Davey or Crutchie? Crutchie or Davey? That's all that went through your mind all night. As you made it to the gates you saw Jack, Davey, Les, and Race standing outside leaning on the gates. As soon as you reached the boys you had made your decision. "Is anyone else coming?"
"I got no clue." Jack says, leaning against the bars.
"You saw Spot though, right? Is he coming?" You continue.
"Sure we seen him." Jack says, harshly, standing straight.
"Him and about 20 of his gang." Davey continues.
"And them Brooklyn boys is big." Les says softly.
"And I gotta say, Spot was very impressed, wasn't he?" Jack says to Davey.
"I'd say."
"So they're with us." Race says excitedly.
"Well that all depends on how you look at it. If you look and see Brooklyn, then they're with us." Davey strictly says to race.
"They want proof that we're not gonna fold at the first sign of trouble." Jack says.
"Typical Conlon." You say under your breath.
"Are we?" Finch asks, coming from the back of the group of Manhattan Newsies thats forming.
"Davey can I speak to you?"
"Sure." You both walk away from the newsies and turn down an alleyway. "What do you wanna talk about?"
"I choose you."
"What?"
"Jack talked me last night, made me realize something."
"So... Does this mean you'll be my girl?"
"Yes, Davey. That means I'll be your girl." You laugh as Davey pulls you into a hug. He grabs your hand and you both walk over to the gates.
"We are not! There's us, we got Harlem-"
"Not so fast, boss. Harlem wants to know what Brooklyn's gonna do." Mush says running in.
"What about Queens?" Jack asks the Newsies.
"Hey, Queens'll be right here backing us up," Specs wraps his arms around Jack and Davey before continuing. "Soon as they get the nod from Brooklyn."
"I got the same fish eye in Midtown." Race says.
"Oh, hey, Oscar." Davey says.
"Looks like it was bum information we got about a strike happening here today. Not that I'm complaining, my skull-busting arm could use a day of rest." Oscar Delancey says, opening the gates.
"Are we doin' the right thing?" Les says looking up to his older brother.
"Sure we are." Davey reassures his brother.
"Maybe we just put this off a couple days." Race says shakily.
"No, we can't just put this off..." Davey turns to Jack. "Say something! Tell them if we back off now, they'll never listen to us again."
"Hey, we can't back down now, alright, no matter who does or doesn't show. Like it or not, now is when we take a stand." Jack says.
"How's about we just not show up for work? That'll send the message." Finch says, quickly.
"They'll just replace us! They need to see us stand our ground! Davey, y/n, you tell 'em..." Jack says moving back to the group of boys.
"Boys listen. We're not weak. We're also not scared." You say, walking up to each boy.
"You're one to talk."
"Guys she's right. We have courage."
"Courage doesn't get rid of what we fear, courage is when we tell our fear that we will not fall today." Jack stands by the the gate as Davey and you speak to the boys. Davey puts an arm over your shoulder
"Hey, Jack, look what I made!" Crutchie says making his way into the yard. He hold up his crutch which has a flag on it that reads strike. Jack looks at Crutchie sadly and tries to keep him from seeing you and Davey but he still turns and sees the two of you. He looks at the ground sadly. "Good, huh?"
"That's great!" Race says to Crutchie the turns to Davey. "That's pitiful."
"Don't be so quick to judge. Maybe Pulitzer will see it from out his window and feel sorry for us." Les says, walking over to your
"Hey, Specs, any sign of reinforcements?" Jack looks up to Specs who is up by the headline board. The newsie shakes his head giving Jack a thumbs down. You look over to the gate and see Crutchie. He's looking at the ground and you could tell he wasn't happy about your choice. "Davey, Davey, come on." Jack says walking away. Davey kisses your cheek and walks over to Jack. You walk over to Crutchie.
"Hey Crutch."
"Hi."
"You okay?" You place a hand on his shoulder.
"Yea I'm fine."
"You sure?" You look at him sadly.
"Yea I'm good y/n." The circulation bell starts ringing.
"Are we really doing this?" Crutchie asks as Jack and Davey walk over to the two of you.
"Yeah."
"The sun is up, the birds are signin', it's a beautiful day to crack some heads. Step right up and get your papes." Wiesel says, walking up behind Jack.
"Hey, you workin' or trespassing. What's your pleasure?" Morris asks the newsies. A few push their way through the crowd and line up to get papers.
"Hey, who are they?" Davey asks.
"Scabs, what do you think?" Jack says.
"Hello beautiful." Morris says to you. You scoff as he moves closer but Davey comes up and places a hand in the small of your back.
"Can I help you Morris?"
"Just talking to the pretty lady kid. How about you go play with your friends."
"I would actually like you to back off my girl." Davey pushes you behind him and Morris takes a step back.
"Hey! They think they can just waltz in here and take our jobs."
"We can handle 'em!"
"Let's soak 'em!"
"Hold it, hold it! We all stand together or we don't have a chance. Jack!" You shout, walking away from Davey and Morris.
"No, I hear ya." Jack pushes back a few newsies then walks up to the scabs. "Listen, fellas, I know someone put you's up to this. They're probably payin' you some extra money too, yeah? Well it ain't right!"
"Pulitzer thinks we are gutter rats with no respect for nothin', including each other." You say, right next to them. "Is that what we are, huh? Well, we stab each other in the back and yeah, that's who we are. But if we stand together, we change the whole game." You stop and look at all of the newsies watching you.
Jack continues. "It ain't just about us. All across this city, there are boys and girls who should be out playin', or goin' to school but instead they are slavin' to support themselves and their folks. Ain't no problem in being poor, and not a one of us complains if the work we do is hard. All we ask is a square deal." Jack shouts to them and walk away with tears in his eyes.
"Boys, for the sake of all the kids in every sweatshop, factory, and slaughterhouse in this town, I beg you. Throw down your papers and join the strike." You say, arms open as you back away slowly.
"Please?" Les begs.
One of the scabs angrily walks up to you and Davey comes up and stands between the two of you but you push past and come face to face with the scab. "I'm with ya!" He says and throws his stack down. One of the other two scabs goes to leave the yard but are stopped by Davey.
"Please." Both scabs look you and you nod at them and one looks down at his papes before throwing them down.
"You're kiddin' me, right?" The third scab says.
"At the end of the day, who're you gonna trust? Them?" The second scab turns to the newsies. "Or them?" The scab point to the Delancey's. The third scab starts to walk away but Jack stands in his way. He nods to the papers.
"Oh, what the hell. My father's gonna kill me anyway!" The third scab says then throws his papers down. Everyone cheers.
The Delancey's come over and grab Les. "Davey! Jack! Help me! Put me down!" Jack runs and attempts to punch Oscar but he blocks the punch and pushes Jack to the ground. Davey comes over and attacks Morris. You run over and pull Les away from the group. The newsies surround the Delancey's then begin to fight them. The Delancey's seem to be winning but suddenly they are knelt on the ground before each other and Les comes over and bangs their heads together. A lot of the newsies perform flips and spins and make their way to the distribution window. Les runs across and a newsie lifts him to the top of the stack next to Jack. You run over to the stacks and Jack pulls you to the stop of the stacks. Katherine, the only reporter working in the story, and a photographer come in and take a photo for the newspaper. The newsies then run around and trash the paper yard. Ripping papes, and throwing them about. The boys slowly stop as they notice multiple men lined up. Jack, Davey and you are the last to look up. When they see whose up there they shout. Multiple newsies start to panic.
"Its time these kids learn a lesson." Wiesel says leading the group of men.
"Newsies! Get 'em!" Jack shouts as he runs towards some of the boys to help them. He runs into Les and pulls him along. The Newsies are running around and throwing papes towards the bulls.
"Y/n!"
"Davey!" Yoh meet him halfway and hug him. He pulls away from the hug and look in your eyes.
"Where's Les?"
"Jack has him.
"Get out her y/n. Okay? You get somewhere safe I'm not losing you." Davey says leading her to the gates.
"What about you? I can't lose you." You stop moving.
"You won't lose me." He leans forward and kisses you. "I love you."
"I love you too." You share a final hug and you start to leave but stop when a whistle blows.
"It's about time you got here, they're slaughtering us!" Romeo shouts. Snyder slaps him. He gets ahold of Davey and you see it instantly.
"Davey!" Les runs over to help his brother, sliding under Snyder to get there but runs into Jack get placed in a barrel that instantly gets rolled around.
"Jack wait for me!" Crutchie shouts.
Davey runs over to you and you pull him into a hug. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine."
"Jack, help!" Crutchie shouts. You look around and see the Delaney's and Snyder beating him.
"CRUTCHIE!" You shout and attempt to run after him but Davey holds you back.
"Well it's off to the refuge with you, little man." Snyder says coming up and beating Crutchie with his own crutch.
"NO!" You shout. "Stop! You're hurting him!" You continue to shout but it's no use.
"No, please don't." Crutchie gets hit in the stomach.
"Take him away!" Snyder places cuffs on Crutchie and the Delancey's pull him away.
"Crutchie!" Jack and you shout at the same time.
"Y/n let's go." Davey says pulling you away. You are in full tears as he walks with you.
"Please! Jack! Help me! Y/n!" You hear Crutchie shout.
"Get him!" Snyder shouts as Jack takes off out of the yard and through the streets.
Davey gets you back to the lodging house and walks you to your room.
"You okay y/n?"
You slowly lift your head up and look him in the eyes, sadness quickly replaced with anger. "Do I look okay?! I could have saved him Davey!" You shout but the you realize something. "I could have saved him... but you!"
"Me?"
"You stopped me! You held me back. You kept me from helping him!"
"I stopped you from saving him?! I stopped you from getting yourself taken!" Davey shouts back.
"Better me than him! I've been in there multiple times. I can get out! He's never once been there! You know what place does to people?!" You shout at him and he just stares at you blankly. "It breaks you. It takes everything your ever known, everything that make you happy and crushes it. It ruins your happiness." Tears start welling up in your eyes again. "You just helped doom Crutchie to that."
"y/n I'm sorry..."
"Don't. Just don't. I want to be left alone."
"y/n..." he tries to comfort you.
"I said leave me alone!" You shout and move towards the window sill.
"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow."
Davey leaves and you climb out the window making your way up to the penthouse.
"Hell I have nothing if I ain't got Santa Fe."
"That's not true."
"Y/n?"
"Hey." You walk and lean on the railing next to Jack. "Still have that Santa Fe dream I see."
"Never lost it. You know Crutchie and I were going to go together. Wanted to invite you to come too."
"You also don't have nothing if you don't have Santa Fe."
"Then what do I have?"
"Me. Crutchie. These boys. Hell you even have Katherine."
"Like she sees me."
"Really Jack, really? Are you seriously that blind?" You glare at him and he looks to you.
"What about Crutchie?" He asks changing the subject.
"Smooth Kelly but what about him?"
"What are you going to do about him and Davey?" He asks. "You clearly like Davey more."
"Davey gave me a feeling that I couldn't shake. But Crutchie..." you sigh. "The look in his eyes when he saw me and Davey together. It hurt. And then when he was dragged away to the refuge and Davey tried to tell me it was for the best. Something changed in me and.."
"And now your realising you made a mistake?"
"Honestly it should have always been Crutchie but I couldn't see that."
"Dare I ask again... what are you going to do about Crutchie and Davey?" Jack says turning to face you.
You sit silent and turn towards him and in all seriousness you say, "I'm gonna get the love of my life back even if it takes me down."