Jesse's mind was racing, as he faced a mental purgatory debating whether to continue his web of lies, only adding to the mess, or reveal the truth to Jack, risking the safety of his family. God, how had he been so stupid? He had managed to fake his limp for years, and now the entire identity of "Crutchie" he had slaved away to achieve was completely destroyed, all for a pack of playing cards.
"Just tell him, Jesse" Winnie called from across the room, breaking him from his thoughts.
"Who the hell is Jesse!" Jack yelled, "your name is Charles! What the hell is going on?"
"Winnie, too many people know already," Jesse warned, "I mean, remember what happened the last time someone found out?"
Winnie thought back to the man in the yellow suit, and how he threatened to kill her so the Tucks would lead him to the water, only for Mae to kill him then and there.
"Found out what!" Jack was still being ignored by the pair of them.
"Jesse, this isn't like last time. You can trust Jack, I'm pretty sure he's not going to try and kill us over it, or, me over it, considering..."
"Kill you? I might have to if ya don't start talking!"
Jesse took a few more seconds to consider his choices, before deciding that it would be best to tell Jack everything. He knew too much at this point, and besides, he knew he could trust Jack.
"Okay, we'll have to explain everything then, I guess" Jesse sighed, "let's sit down, this will take a while."
"What's going on?" Jack asked, a little more calmly this time, though not exactly calm completely.
"Okay, what we're about to tell you, Jack, you can not tell a single soul, not even Katherine. You have to understand that. Winnie was never even meant to find out all those years ago, but she did. And she has kept that secret for years. I know I can always trust you, Jack, but can I trust you with this?"
"Of course."
Winnie nodded for Jesse to carry on, as Jesse closed his eyes and braced himself.
"Okay, well, please don't speak until I'm finished, because I already know you're not going to believe anything I say," Jesse had, after many years, finally returned to his usual voice, earning a smiles from Winnie and a look of fear and confusion from Jack, "Jack, I am immortal-"
"Oh, come on!" Jack rolled his eyes.
"Jack, let him finish, he's not joking" Winnie warned, turning back to Jesse.
"Okay, well, I'm immortal, and I will never age from being a seventeen year old for the rest of eternity..."
He then went on to explain about the water, about his family, about Treegap, about Winnie, about the man in the yellow suit, everything. Jack was over flowing with questions, but knew he had to let his friend finish. After an hour over stressful rambling, Jesse sank back into his chair, unable to believe he had told Jack everything.
"Okay, so I have questions," Jack began, his mind bursting with confusion, "how old are you really, then?"
"Well, physically, I'm seventeen, but I was born 108 years ago if that's what you mean."
"Winnie, are you immortal? Did you drink?"
"Not yet, but I still have the water."
"Okay, so how do I know you ain't making this up?" This was the main question Jesse was dreading, but at least he had some backup points.
"Well, number one, how do you think my leg was completely fine after being crushed by a carriage? Number two, would you fake a limp for almost three years for no reason? And number three, how do you think my brother survived the train crash? But, hey, you can stab me or shoot me or something if you want, I can't feel pain."
"I ain't doing that!"
"Ugh, that means you're still not entirely convinced it won't hurt" Jesse rolled his eyes before getting up, "hold on, I'll be back in a minute."
Once Jesse left the room, Jack turned to Winnie, who had barely spoken.
"So, this is true then? About Cru- Jesse's brother?"
"Yes. It's all true. You can't tell anyone, okay."
Jack sat back and sighed, his head running races. That's when it dawned on him. That was why Jesse had been so upset when Jack complained about growing up. That was why he had gone to see Winnie, because Winnie understood. It wasn't about his leg at all. Jesse could never raise a family like Jack, and Jack had been selfish enough to constantly talk about the wedding and the baby in front of him. He felt awful.
"Okay, is this good enough for you?" Jesse said, walking into the room with a kitchen knife, "come on, stab me!"
"What, are you crazy?" Jack was horrified, and Winnie just burst out laughing, seeing how scared Jack was over nothing.
"Oh, come on, I'll be fine!"
"I ain't stabbing ya!"
"Ugh, fine, Winnie, you can do it!"
"No, I know it won't hurt you, but I can't do that!" She laughed.
"What! You literally watched me shoot my own father in my kitchen!"
"Still!"
"Ugh, fine!" Jesse sighed, before painlessly stabbing himself in the chest and calmly sitting down opposite Jack, as if he didn't have a kitchen knife hanging out of his body. Winnie couldn't help laughing at Jack's screaming, as his face turned white with fear. Jesse just smirked.
"WHAT THE HELL?"
Jesse shrugged and pulled the knife out of his chest, handing it to his friend.
"Don't you have a wound?"
"Yeh, I'll have a small mark," Jesse lifted up his shirt to reveal a clean line where the knife had penetrated his skin, but there was no blood pouring out of it, "but it will heal in an hour or so. Most small injuries are gone in minutes. It's very rare anything lasts more than two hours, I can't feel anything, though."
"Um, Cru-, I'm mean, Jesse, is this why you were mad at me when I complained about growing up?"
Slowly, Jesse nodded.
"Yeh. Sometimes this never ending life feels like a miracle, but sometimes it's like a curse. Sometimes I just want to grow old and have a family. I'm constantly treated like a kid, even though I'm nearly a century older than everyone around me."
"I'm sorry" Jack muttered, feeling even more guilty.
"It's fine, just don't tell anyone, okay?"
"I promise."
With that, the three of them jumped up when they heard door fly open, followed by three energetic newsies practically fly into the lodging house. Race, Albert and Jojo bounced into the room chatting loudly, forgetting anyone was home.
"I can't believe we sold our papes that fast" Race beamed, "thats gotta be a new record- Oh, hey guys!"
The three of them smiled awkwardly, Jack discretely slipping the knife under his leg so they didn't see it.
"Youse are back early" he said, pretending nothing had happened "good headline?"
"Um, hell yeh? Didn't ya read it?" Jojo exclaimed. Jack shook his head, as he hadn't really focused on his papers at all before he'd ran back to the lodging house.
"Really? It was big! Remember that guy who got hit by a train and survived?"
At this, Jesse perked up, worry cast over his face.
"What about him?" He muttered, praying that no one had uncovered their secret.
"Well, he's escaped! Everyone's terrified of him, convinced he ain't human or something. Imagine having an alien running around the streets! I sure hope he starts killing people off, it'll make for a great headline!" Albert laughed.
"He ain't no alien!" Jesse yelled, angry at Albert for saying such things about Miles.
"Hey, keep ya hair on, ya ain't met him" Albert scoffed, confused at his outburst.
"Okay, boys, I ain't gonna be sellin today, so you guys can take my papes if ya want. Ain't no need for them to go to waste. Keep all the profits" Jack offered before throwing his bag at them. The three boys took it without question, if it meant possibly doubling that days pay, and ran back out the door.
Jesse collapsed back into the chair, relieved that Miles had managed to get out. He was just praying that no one would catch him. Jesse knew he'd have to find his brother himself, but he had no idea how, considering he had the newsies to think about. He knew where Miles would be heading, of course, their cabin in Treegap had always been the emergency meeting place when ever there was a crisis, but how would he get there?
"Jesse, we have to go back to Treegap," Winnie exclaimed once the boys had left, relieved that Miles had escaped.
"I can't just take off and leave!"
What was he going to do?