This one was requested by LoverOfLegolas. As per usual, this is a 1992 and Broadway imagine but, there will definitely be characters from both in it this time. :)
Charlotte awakes with a start. She looks around and rubs at her eyes. What a terrible nightmare! The strike that was clearly in the past seemed so real in her mind just a few short minutes ago. All of that had happened months ago. Charlotte or Charlie as the Newsies called her, hated being on strike. Now, that was all over. Long gone and over with. Charlie had thought that Racetrack, her best friend, was going to die. When all of the boys got shipped off to the Refuge, Charlie gives a shiver just thinking about it. It all seems so real and yet here she is. Alive and well and all of the boys are too. Charlotte can see the morning beginning to rise bright and early over the tall buildings of New York City. She stretches her arms over her head and hops down to the ground, her tan skin and long light brown hair shimmering in the morning light. She is the only female Newsie, so she has her own room for privacy. Charlotte remembers the day when she moved in and she found that she had a room mostly to herself. Charlie enjoys those memories. They are some of the happiest ones she has. For as confident and cocky as she may seem to the other boys, Charlotte can be a very shy person. At one point, there was a time when there was another girl that lived in this bunkroom. She had been much older and became very close to Charlotte. Almost as close as Racetrack was to her, but not quite that close.
Charlotte never truly understood what had happened to this young woman because she was very young when it occurred. The young woman was of French descent, her mother having been from France and her father having been from New York City. Her name was Genevieve and she was sweet, maybe not the prettiest girl anyone ever saw, but she was pretty. Charlotte adored her even though she was often disregarded by society. Genevive or Genie as Charlotte used to call her, would calm Charlotte's nightmares whenever she had them, which was quite often at the time. Until Genevive disappeared and then the Delanceys, out of the goodness of their hearts(they were honestly just trying to help at this point, Charlotte, Race, and the other Newsies were terrified for Genie), told them that they had found her dead. Little did the Newsies know that their older female Newsie had been sneaking out to hang out with a dangerous gangster. Someone got jealous because Genie was beginning to take up more and more of the gangster's time. The Delanceys were friends with these gangsters and they told the Newsies everything. Charlotte was absolutely crushed. A couple of years later, Racetrack told her the whole story. Genie was shot because she was getting in the way of a pretty big operation and one of the gangsters had had enough, so he killed her. During her disappearance, Genie had written a letter and given it to Racetrack to give to Charlotte. Charlotte reaches under her pillow and feels the letter still there. She grabs it out and begins to read it. The familiar handwriting is forever burned into her brain. The words are loving and motherly just like Genie used to be like.
Just like the young woman that Charlotte is becoming. After reading over the letter a couple of times, Charlotte feels sleep beginning to overtake her. She falls asleep and the next time she wakes up, Kloppman is shouting for the Newsies to get out of bed. Charlie dresses for the day and is just about to open her door to leave when a familiar knock pattern rings out on the door. There's only one person it could be...
Racetrack Higgins leans against the door frame with his arms crossed.
"You ready?" he asks, "You look like you ain't slept in weeks. What's going on?" Charlie shyly brushes past him and continues about her morning. She walks out of the room and smiles to the other boys as she walks out confidently onto the street. Race chases after her quickly.
"Race, please don't ask any questions. I don't really want to talk about it," Charlie says in a motherly tone. She can already see the question forming on Race's face.
"Okay," Race says and the pair walk with the other Newsies over to the Distribution Center. Oscar and Morris soon begin to mess with Charlie.
"Hey, girly! Come to buy some papes from the best distributors in town?" Oscar asks flirtatiously.
"I think it's more about the people you sell them too," she says cockily, "The best Newsie in town will be glad to make money for the fine people of New York City." Full of confidence, Charlie marches up, slaps some change onto the table, and takes her papes from Oscar. All of the Newsies cheer loudly.
"I like a strong female personality!" Race calls out loudly making Charlie blush a little bit. She jumps down closer to him and the two of them set off to sell papers.
The evening comes and Charlie sits down to play cards with Race, Albert, Skittery, Mush, and Boots. Albert sits one side of Race while Charlie sits on the other. Romeo plops next to Charlie with a huge smile on his face.
"Guess what I found?" he asks excitedly and Charlie raises an eyebrow questioningly. "A date!!" Romeo cries out when she doesn't answer.
"You finally found yourself a date," Charlie says with a slight note of shock in her voice. Romeo looks slightly sad but Charlie tucks him into a side hug before any damage can be done.
"Are you happy for me?" he asks and Charlotte nods.
"More than you know," she whispers and hugs him tightly. He then wiggles away out of her grasp and sits next to her. Romeo helps her through the poker game much to all of the other Newsies' chagrins. Charlotte slams down her cards at the end of the game.
"Oh, you did not just play a.." Skittery starts but Charlie cuts him off.
"A Royal Flush?" she asks cockily and she points to the cards on the table, "Take a look, Skittery."
"I can't believe I just lost to you," Race groans. Charlie and Romeo both giggle.
"Looks like we did a good job, Romeo," she says. The boys roll their eyes and decide to call it a night. Charlotte hugs Romeo goodnight and helps him get ready for bed like a sweet mother does. She kisses his forehead and sends him off to bed.
"Hey!" Race complains, "Where's my kiss?" Charlie chuckles and gently kisses his cheek, causing both of them to flush pink. Romeo chuckles and shakes his head at the two of them.
"Goodnight, lovebirds," Romeo calls out as he wanders off to bed and Charlie shakes her head.
"Goodnight, Romeo," he calls out and Race retorts,
"Who ya calling lovebirds? Didn't you just get yourself a date?" Romeo blushes and jumps into bed faster than a Newsies could say "papes". Charlotte turns around and makes her way downstairs to her bedroom. She jumps into her clothes that she sleeps in and goes to bed.
A couple of hours later, Charlotte wakes up straight out of a nightmare. All she could see was Race and Romeo being pounded by the cops during the strike. She hears Genie whispering comforting words in her ear only to fall to her knees a moment later. Charlotte shakes her head trying to clear her mind of the terrible dream but, it won't go away. She opens the window outside her room and sits down on the fire escape. The tears begin to fall before she can stop them. Her crying isn't very loud, but loud enough to wake someone who is a light sleeper. Someone like Racetrack Higgins.
Racetrack wakes up and hears crying. It's soft and faint, but most certainly there. Race climbs out of bed very quickly and peers out the window to see Charlie crying on the fire escape. Making sure that no one else is awake, Race climbs out the window and quietly sits down next to her.
"Charlie," he whispers and Charlie looks up at him with her eyes filled with tears.
"Oh! Race," Charlotte says, trying to dry her eyes so that she can gain back her confidence. Race doesn't say a word. Instead, he gently wraps his arms around Charlotte's shoulders.
"Charlotte, you can talk to me about your nightmares," Race whispers as he sits down next to her, his arms still protectively wrapped around her shoulders. Charlie leans into Race's touch.
"Genie," Charlie whispers quietly, "I see her in my dreams. People chase her and I never see her get away. Then the strike is in my dreams. You and Romeo and all of the other boys, beaten, bleeding, and dying. I can never do anything to help you. I can't protect anyone from any harm that they encounter." Race hugs her tighter and then he makes it so he is looking her in the eye.
"Charlie," he says, "Listen to me. I will never let anyone hurt you. You don't have to protect everyone on your own. I will be here for you and Genie did something she shouldn't have. That's why she died."
"I know, but I wish I could have known. I wish I could have done something to help her," Charlie says. Race gently runs a hand down her cheek.
"Hey. Don't blame this on yourself, Charlie. You were too young to understand what was happening," he says and Charlie nods. The two gently hug and Charlotte looks Race in the eye.
"I'm sorry I woke you up," she says and Race shakes his head. Normally, her best friend would say something snarky and sarcastic but, not this time. For that, Charlotte is very thankful. The two turn out to look at the city. Race is holding her in his arms and he gently presses his lips to her forehead.
"If I make your nightmares go away, you can wake me up anytime," Race says to her and Charlie smiles at him. Charlie snuggles in closer to Race.
After awhile, Charlie feels better and decides to go back to bed. Race helps her to her feet and walks with her down to her window.
"You gonna be alright?" Race asks and Charlie nods her head. Before Race has time to really comprehend or think about anything else, Charlie presses her lips to his and Race kisses her back. His arms circle around her waist and Charlie's hands move to the back of his neck. The two of them stay in that position for a few more seconds and then Charlie pulls away.
"Thanks, Race. I should probably get to bed now," she whispers and Race smiles.
"Goodnight, Charlotte. See you in the morning," he whispers before bounding up the stairs and back into the bunkroom. Race falls asleep with a smile on his face.
The next morning, at the Distribution Center, the Delanceys do not leave Charlie alone. They continuously make rude comments about her and the other Newsies. Finally, Charlotte's shy exterior fades away and she snaps...hard.
"What do you have against us?? Why do you seem to hate the very ground that we walk on? If we don't buy papes, then you don't get paid," Charlie snaps and Oscar rolls his eyes.
"You are hanging around with the wrong crowd. Did you ever think of that, Charlie?" he asks her and Charlie shakes her head.
"I've never thought about it because I know that's not true," she replies fiercely. Oscar goes to lay a hand on her cheek until something or rather someone barrels him over.
"Nobody touches my girl. Especially someone like you!" Racetrack shouts as he pummels Oscar with punches. Morris starts to move to Charlie, but she throws a punch at him. Her punch hits him square in the jaw and once Race is finished with Oscar, he starts to fight off Morris. Charlie watches nervously as the nightmares begin to play over and over in her mind. This scene seems so familiar, so much like the strike and Charlie doesn't like it at all. Eventually, Racetrack rises to his feet and a defeated Morris stands up nervously. Charlie feels the nightmares begin to fade away as she watches Race run Oscar and Morris off. Race turns to face her and Charlie smiles shyly.
"Thanks for saving me," she calls out nervously. Race smiles and waves his hand.
"It wasn't a big deal. Those creeps should know better than to put their hands on you," he says confidently, "Besides I could take the Delanceys any day in a fight." Charlie rolls her eyes at Race's cockiness. Race cups Charlie's cheek and leans in for another kiss when a voice interrupts them,
"So much for not being lovebirds." Charlie and Race turn around to glare at Romeo, who is leaning against the side of the brick building, "but then again, who am I to judge?" Charlie walks over to Romeo and ruffles his hair.
"I think we're the better set of lovebirds," she says cockily.
"Oh yeah? Prove it," Romeo says and Race quickly dips Charlie and gives her a kiss. Charlie chuckles as Race pulls her back up to her feet and she closes the gap between them again. Jack wanders down the alleyway and his jaw drops just a little bit when he sees the two kissing. Davey and Les are right behind. Les cheers and Davey quickly covers his eyes.
"Race, please keep it to a Les level," Davey says as he quickly hurries Les out of the alleyway. Jack rolls his eyes as he walks past.
"Come on! Ya can kiss later. We got papes to sell!" Jack says and he follows Les and Davey out of the alleyway. Race lets go of Charlie and the two smile at each other.
"Will ya be my girl?" Race asks shyly and Charlie grins at him.
"Of course!! I wouldn't want it any other way," she says and the two kiss one more time, which results in a huge eye roll from Romeo before heading down the streets to sell their papes. Since that night and since Race came into her life, Charlie's nightmares gradually start to fade away. Genie is someone who she still clings to, but Race teaches her to focus on the positive and remember the happy memories instead of dreaming about her friend's death.
A few years later, Race and Charlie marry and Romeo moves into a small apartment with them. They live as one small, but very happy family.
AN:/ HAPPY 4TH OF JULY, PEEPS!!! I guess this is my Fourth of July present to all of you guys. What did you think, LoverOfLegolas? I hope you enjoyed it!! This one was sad, but it was still fun to write. This is the last of the regular imagines that I know needed done. I may do some X Reader stuff later on in the summer if I'm in the mood for it. I'm gonna keep this brief since this is 4th of July and you guys probably don't want a super long Author's Note. To all of my Psych fans, Psych's Pineapple is going to be updated soon!! I will start working on that and some oneshots maybe and the Big Book of Newsies. Basically, if I feel like writing anything, it'll get updated. Thanks so much for reading, commenting and doing whatever it is you do!! Stay safe and have a wonderful 4th of July weekend!!! Hope you enjoyed this one!!! See you around, friends!!
-Aisling