Saved by Crutchie

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Jack folds Crutchie's letter back up and hands it to you. You set it on the box next to you. Jack goes back to painting the backdrop.  Medda walks in holding an envelope. "Here's everything I owe you for the first backdrop," She turns around and looks at the new painting. "Plus this one, and a little extra something on account of I'm gonna miss you so." She turns back to face Jack and you.
"Miss Medda, I..." Jack starts to protest but Medda cuts him off.
"Jack."
You take the envelope from her. "You're a gem."
Jack turns from her and back to the painting. "Just tell me you two are going somewhere and not running away." Medda says, concern in her voice.
"Does it matter?" Jack asks walking away from her.
"When you go somewhere and it turns out not to be the right place, you can always go somewhere else. But when you're running away, nowhere's ever the right place." Medda says to Jack and he just sighs.
Suddenly Davey walks in. "Well how about letting a pal know you two are still alive!" He says from the cat walk.
"I'll leave you with your friend" Medda says and walks out.
"Where did you go Jack? We couldn't find ya. Y/n you disappeared from the lodging house. I was so worried." Davey says coming into the backstage area. He runs up to hug you but you step away. "Y/n/n?"
"I can't do this Davey."
"You ever think we didn't wanna be found?" Jack says grabbing a paint brush and going back to the painting.
"Is that a real place?" Davey asks admiring the painting. "That Santa Fe?" He asks but Jack just ignores him and continues to work. "Hey, did you see the papes? We're front page, above the fold! Oh yes. Above. The fold." He says holing the paper up.
"Good for you." You say, turning to give Jack an idea for the backdrop.
"Everyone wants to meet the famous Jack Kelly. Even Spot Conlon sent over a kid just to say next event, you can count on Brooklyn! How bout that?"
"We got stomped into the ground." Jack says walking away from the newsie.
"They got us this time, I'll grant you that, but we took round one. But with press like this. Our fight is far from over." Davey says tying to ease Jack.
"Every newsie who could walk was out this mornin', sellin' papes like the strike never happened!" You say harshly.
"And I was right there with 'em. If I don't sell papes, my folks don't eat, but..." Davey retorts, sticking up for himself.
"Save your breath, I get it, it's hopeless."
"But then I saw this look on Weasel's face. He was actually nervous! And I realized, this isn't over. We got 'em worried-- really worried!-- and I walked away. And lots of other kids did too, and that is what you call a beginning!" Davey says getting down next to Jack who was kneeling down by the backdrop.
Suddenly other voices are heard.
"There he is, just like I said!" Les says coming in before Katherine.
"For cryin' out loud, what does a fella gotta do to get away from you people?" Jack moves to his paint stand, placing the brush down and drying his hands.
"Ah, there's no escaping us, pal. We're inevitable." Davey says.
"So what's the story, can we have the theater?" Les asks excitedly.
"Pipe down! I didn't ask yet." Davey quickly says to Les. You stand by the painting, a brush still in your hand, adjusting Jack's work.
"What's the hold up? I need to let my girl know we got a date." Les says to his brother.
"Your girl?" Davey asks walking up to Les.
"You heard me. Been swattin' skirts away all mornin'. Fame is one intoxicating potion. And this here girl, Sally... she's a plum." Les says proudly.
"Word is you wrote a pretty good paper." You here Jack say to Katherine.
"Y/n?"
"What do you want Davey?" You ask standing up from the painting.
"Can we talk?"
"About what?" You walk over to the paint stand and place the brush down.
"Us. Look y/n I'm sorry about yesterday. About Crutchie. About  everything."
"It's fine Davey. I'm..."
"It's not fine y/n. You're my girl and I hurt you and..." Davey starts to ramble and you hit his shoulder with your cap.
"You didn't let me finish." You put your cap back on and grab the brush again. You walk over to the painting and begin working again as you speak. "I'm fine. The whole situation is fine but..."
"But?"
"But I can't be your girl." You say turning to him.
"What?"
"I'm sorry Davey but I can't do this."
"Hey, Jack, y/n. Where's that supposed to be?" Les asks pointing to the painting.
"Santa Fe."
"I gotta tell you, Jack. This "go west, young man!" routine is getting tired. Even Horace Greeley moved back to New York." Katherine says to Jack as he washes his hands off.
"Yes he did. And then he died." Les says in response to Katherine.
"Aren't reporters supposed to be non-partisan?" Jack says walking up to Katherine.
"Ask a reporter. Pulitzer's had me blacklisted from every news desk in town." She says then walks away.
"Can't we table the palabber and get back to business? Will Medda let us have the theater?" Les says turning to Davey.
Davey stopps his brother and walks up to Jack. "It's what I've been trying to tell ya. We want to hold a rally! A city-wide meeting, where every newsie gets a say and a vote; and we do it after workin' hours, so no one loses a day's pay. Smart?" He asks.
"Yeah. Yeah smart enough to get you committed to a padded room." Jack says drying his hands and get the last of the paint off his arms.
"The guy who paints places he's never actually seen is calling us crazy?" Katherine says.
"You wanna see a place I seen? How about this." He turns the backdrop around to reveal a painting of Pulitzer stomping on newsies. "Newsies Square. Thanks to our big mouths, filled to overflowing with failure. Kids hurt, others arrested."
"Lighten up! No one died." Davey shouts.
"Oh is that what you're aiming for!? Go on, go on, call me a coward, call me a quitter. Ain't no way I am putting them kids back in danger." You shout.
"We're doing something that's never been done before! How can that not be dangerous?" Davey shouts back.
"Specs brought me a note from Crutchie at the refuge. I tried to see him. Went around back and climbed the fire escape. They busted him up so bad, he couldn't even come to the window." Jack says.
"Tell me how quitting does Crutchie any good." Davey snaps and everyone freezes. Jack opens his mouth but nothing comes out. "Exactly. So here's how it goes." He says to him.
"Once we win and we will win."
"We'all what?" Jack asks.
"Were already winning." Davey says
"Oh, right." Jack says walking away
"and we'll tell they let Crutchie or we won't back down."
"Dave! What the hell? Did they hit you too hard in the head? Cause of what I remember we all got our asses kicked. They won!" You say.
"Won the battle." Davey corrects.
"Oh come on!" Jack says moving to the other side of the room.
"Guys, think about it. We got them surrounded."
Davey moves up to the two and you walk towards Davey, not stopping, causing the boy to walk backwards. "Here's where I Think. Joe's a jerk. He's a snake."
"You're right and you know why a snake starts to rattle?" Davey questions matter of factly
"No why?" Jack asks
"Cause he's scared" Davey states
"Oh sure"
"Go and look it up! The poor guys head is spinning! Why would he send for the goons? An entire army? Dozens of goon? Plus the cops.."
"You know you may be right." You say.
"Thank you God"
"If he wasn't afraid" You start.
"Exactly"
"He knows we're winning" The group says.
"We have a plan. And we have Jack"
Davey pulls off Les' hat and Jack hits the young boy with his cap. Les grabs his hat from Davey and hits Jack with it. The group leaves and makes their way to their jobs to complete this strike.