Strike

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It was early in the night as the last of the newsies piled back into the Lodge. With the strike being a huge success there was going to be a huge party at the Manhattan Lodging House. Some of the boys had gotten a few snacks and a few cases of colas.

While the newsies of New York were having a good time in the bunk room Mush was busy helping Feister patch up her injuries from the Refuge. Let's just say there were quite a few bruises, cuts, and little scratches. Mush carefully pressed a cold washcloth onto Feister's arm, which made her wrench. "You'se ok?" he asked while lessening the pressure. Feister nodded her head and she took a deep breath. "They's soaked ya pretty bad, huh."

"It's nothin'." Mush raised an eyebrow as he looked at Feister before looking back down at what he was doing. "Mush, it's nothin'. Really, I'm fine," Feister reassured. In small truths, Feister didn't feel that great, but she also didn't want to worry Mush. Besides, it was nothing she couldn't handle. On another note, she was finally back home with her boys and not in that nightmare of a place.

"Yer sure?" Mush asked as he put the washcloth aside and then rubbed some kind of lotion on her arm. Feister nodded with a small smile. "If ya say so." he shrugged. "But, if somethin' starts ta hurt, or if ya wanna tawk then just tell me."

"Ya almost done there?" Feister asked changing the subject. She didn't want to talk about her little visit to the Refuge. Not now, and probably not ever. Mush carefully brushed some hair away from Feister's face before lightly kissing the spot on her forehead where a bruise was. He lingered there for a few moments before pulling away.

"C'mon, let's go party," Mush said while taking Feister's hand into his. She smiled and got up before quickly kissing him on the cheek. With that being done they went back into the bunk room where the others were.

"So let me get this straight. Katherine is Pulitzer's daughter, Jack was blackmailed into calling off the strike; then you'se all broke into Pulitzer's basement where there was a printing press, where Jack was locked up the night before the rally, Ya made yer own papes that helped win the strike and shut down the Refuge," Feister said to make sure she got all her facts right.

"Um, yeah, pretty much," Mush replied while putting his arm around Feister, pulling her closer. Feister smiled and laid her head down on his shoulder. She closed her eyes, taking in the moment. Though this was done many times before they got together, this time it felt different somehow. A good different.

All the newsies, plus the Jacobs brothers, Katherine, and some of the Brooklyn boys were at The Lodge celebrating their victory against the big shots. And in the nine years Feister has been a newsie she's never seen the boys this happy. "Hey Lovebirds," Kid Blink said as he wedged his way between his two best friends.

"We are not Lovebirds," Mush and Feister replied at the same time while punching Blink's guts.

"So, yer just gonna pretend that the kiss never happen?" Blink asked with a smirk as Mush and Feister's eyes went wide. "Ya can't say ya ain't Lovebirds anymore since yer datin' now."

"Old habits die hard," they both replied with a shrug before laughing.

"Hey Feisty."

"Yeah Mush brains?"

"Wanna play war?"

"Thought ya never ask," Feister replied before taking Mush's hand and followed him to his bunk, after getting to the top she took her usual place at the end of the bed, while Mush sat at the head and grabbed the deck of cards that was under the mattress corner. They were about to start the first game when something caught the small girl's eye. "Hey, are you boys gonna hog all the colas?" she asked loudly as Mush dealt the cards out.