counterfeit [newsies x reader]

chapter thirty-five

"Well, let's go settle a strike."

After the four of you entered the building, it wasn't easy to get inside Pulitzer's office. Jack had only been once before, and it didn't seem like the security was exactly excited to see you all. Jack took off like a madman down the halls and stairwells of The World, searching for Pulitzer's office. Of course you and the others took off after him.

At the place which Jack remembered to be Pulitzer's office, a man stood outside. He had a rotary phone in his hand, and its wire traced all the way back to the wall. His face wore an exhausted expression on it, so you knew now was the risk to charge in.

"Now!" You whispered towards Jack.

He took off into the office without hesitation, however you, Davey, and Spot took a slightly more comfortable saunter into the office.

Inside the office was a catastrophic scene. Phone lines were strewn about and Pulitzer and his assistants were making an attempt to solve an obvious problem. You assumed it was the one you'd created. New York City was officially closed for business.

"You can't just charge in here!" The man outside called after you, hoping to catch you before you disturbed Pulitzer. Pulitzer and his assistants looked up from the noisy telephones to look at their new guests.

"I assume you had something to do with this." He spat, looking at Jack. You could hear Jack give a laugh. Of course he had something to do with it!

"You can't ride the elevator or take the trolley to work." Spot noted from behind Jack.

"It looks like New York is closed for business." Davey said, a smile creeping up on his face.

"We had a deal!" Pulitzer said, his voice raising.

"And that deal came with a money back guarantee!" Jack gave a chucked as he threw the wad of cash back onto the table. You didn't know what he was going to originally use it for, but you imagined how much he was giving up by turning that cash back in.

Pulitzer had begun to move from behind his desk, but as he did so a few more guests entered the room. You turn around to see Katherine, Medda, and the governor. You paled at the sight of the most powerful man in the state. What was he doing here? Katherine had mentioned she'd take care of things, but you hadn't imagined that it'd involve such high authority. It also seemed as if Jack was startled, he put his arm on your shoulder and seemed to try to steady himself.

"Joseph, Joseph, Joseph." Roosevelt started, "you've really done it now." You almost laughed, thinking about these two having an ongoing rivalry.

"Roosevelt-" Pulitzer had already begun to protest, but Governor Roosevelt wasn't having any of it.

"A few friends of mine convinced me to start an investigation into not only your work practices, but also into one of my own institutions, 'The Refuge' they call it." He glanced over to the four of you, which were now joined by Katherine. "It seems as if this strike has more behind it than unjust pay."

Roosevelt told Pulitzer was he was planning on doing. He'd expose Pulitzer for raising the prices, for attempting to slander Roosevelt himself, and even continually paying two brutes who had record of abusing their position. He'd apparently learned it all from "a pretty solid article". Pulitzer began to pale at the idea of his image being tarnished.

Pulitzer huffed. He really seemed to be caught it a tough situation.

"Fine."

Jack shot up immediately and almost sprinted over to the desk, his posse trailing behind him. He began to discuss terms, you, Davey and Spot interjecting on some of them.

After setting everything in stone, Pulitzer went around the desk and shook every spat-in hand, to his chagrin.

"Looks like we have a deal." Jack said, his face beaming.

***

"Newsies of New York City!" Jack shouted from atop a fountain, "We won!"

The whole square erupted into celebration. Hoops and hollers from every single newsie in every single borough could be heard. After all the hardship and painstaking tasks, you'd finally done it.

The papers were back to being a fair deal, and now Pulitzer would buy back anything you couldn't sell. It seemed like a miracle that it all worked out, but why would it? It wasn't like you didn't have what you needed right all along.

"Pardon me Miss Vice President," You felt a tap on your shoulder. You spun around to see none other than Crutchie. He stood there in the flesh, looking worse than you'd ever seen him. However, he held that same charismatic smile on his face. You practically tackled him in a hug, soon joined by the others who noticed his triumphant return.

"Gee, I'm gone for a week and suddenly I'm famous." He joked, sunshine radiated off of him. Everyone around him laughed, and everything felt like it was right again.

Soon everyone went back to celebration, a few dancing. You couldn't help but catch Race in the corner of the plaza, watching over everyone who remained. You approached him, and decide to start a conversation.

"How're you feeling?" You asked,

"A little bitter-sweet." He almost whispered, his eyes looking slightly wet. "I'm glad we settled the strike, but I don't think we could go on without you." He said.

"Oh, I'm not going anywhere."

"Not gonna try to go back to school with Davey?" He asked.

"Definitely no, I'm a full-blooded newsie now, I was practically built for it!" You joked, only to see Race light up at what you said.

"Good, because I don't know how long I'd be able to survive without my best friend." He said. In that moment, you wrapped your arms around his torso in a hug. He slowly melted, wrapping his arms around you.

"Scratch that, my sister." He mumbled from within the hug. You chuckled, letting him go from the hug.

"Hey Racer!" Davey shouted. It surprised you to hear him call Race that, but there was a first time for everything. "Can I get my girl back?" You blushed immediately at the thought of you being Davey's girlfriend. Did he really mean it or was he just saying while he was still hopped up on joy? Davey pushed his way through the crowd of rowdy newsies, reaching the two of you.

"Sure, she's all yours." Race said, motioning you to go with him. You smiled and you took Davey's hand and looked into his eyes. The two of you were fairly modest with your relationship and hadn't gone public, but in that moment it didn't matter.

Davey looked into your eyes and you looked into his, and in an instant the two of you kissed. You heard several newsies cheering around you as that warm feeling spread through your chest. They whooped and cheered, and you'd imagined that several of them were pointing. This was what you'd been fighting for. Your friends, and your love.

You and Davey released one another from your embrace and once more looked into each other's eyes.

"How does lunch sound?" He asked.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world."