Katherine stared at her father. "You can't." She said, placing her hand on the chair behind her and slowly sitting down.
"I can and I have." Pulitzer said, not bothering to turn and face his daughter. "He's not fit to take care of you. He doesn't have a stable income."
"He would have one if you didn't fire him!" Katherine shouted, her heart beating fast in her chest. "Look, father I love him and he loves me."
"I don't care. He's getting on that train to Santa Fe. And you are to stay away from him. That is final." Her father snapped and got ready to leave the room.
"You can't send him away!" She shouted and took a deep breath as he turned to face her. "You can't send him away, I can't raise my baby without it's father!"
Pulitzer's eyes began to glow with rage. "He got you pregnant?!" He shouted and glared at her. "Before you're even married?! Katherine Ethel Pulitzer!"
"Father! Just stop." She screamed before lowering her voice as tears dropped from her eyes. "If you send him away I will never forgive you. You will never meet your grandchild." She threatened before standing up and walking out of the room.
If she could just make it to the Lodging House before Jack left. She could tell him about the baby. She could come with him. She didn't care what her father threatened Jack with. She knew he wouldn't leave her, no matter what.
She picked up her pace and soon she was sprinting towards the Lodging House. She pushed the door open, shouting Jack's name.
"Katherine? Whatcha doin' here?" Crutchie asked as he limped into the room. He took note of the tears stains on her cheeks and pulled her into a short hug.
"Where's Jack?" She panted, her voice still shaky. She walked farther into the room and saw the boys staring at her. "Where's Jack?" She repeated.
"He never came home." Davey said and helped Katherine sit down. He noticed the way she kept a hand on her stomach.
"Oh God, he's already gone." She whispered, burying her head in her hands.
"Katherine. What happened?" Les asked as he sat next to her on their ragtag couch.
"My father, he's sending him away. He's sending him to Santa Fe." She whispered and the room fell silent. She felt Les' arms wrap around her waist and soon the rest of the Newsies were hugging her as well.
"Why?" Race asked and was giving a slap on the back of the head from Finch.
"Because my father never liked him. And then I had to tell him I was pregnant and now my baby's not going to have a father." She sobbed into Crutchie's shoulder.
"You're pregnant?" Davey asked and pushed the Newsies away so she could have space to breath. He smiled as she nodded, there was going to be a new baby Newsie.
"Well, wes gotta find him!" Race exclaimed and the rest of the Newsies nodded.
"Crutchie stay here just in case he comes back, Les stay here as well." Davey said, "The rest of you just get into groups and look."
"How far away is the train station?" Katherine asked, wiping her tears away as she stood.
"Twenty minutes if we're quick." Davey said, "Me and Kath'll go to the train station."
"Ok, let's go find Jack!" Elmer exclaimed as the rest of the Newsies tumbled out of the Lodging House and into the streets of New York.
-------------
Katherine groaned and dropped down on the bench next to Davey. "What if he's already left?" She whispered.
Davey took her hands and forced her too look at him. "He won't. Katherine, he loves you and nothing will keep him away from you." He said reassuringly. He knew Jack wouldn't leave Katherine, especially now that she was pregnant.
"We've been here for hours." She sighed and stood up. "I have to go home, my father'll be looking for me."
Davey stood up as well and hugged her. He looked up at the board with the train timings and groaned inwardly. "The next train to Santa Fe leaves at five thirty in the morning."
Katherine shook her head, "I'm going to be here at five then. I don't care what my father says, I'm not letting Jack leave me."
"The rest of the Newsies will be here as well." Davey promised as they began to walk home in silence.
--------------
Katherine's eyes widened as she watched Jack walk into the station with Medda. She elbowed Davey, whose eyes shot open and he glared at her till he spotted Jack.
"What are you waiting for, go talk to him." Davey said, pushing her up off the bench and towards Jack.
Katherine nodded and ran towards Jack, grabbing his arm and turning him to face her. "Please don't leave." She whispered, cupping his face. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Medda let go of Jack's arm and walk over to the Newsies.
"I have ta Ace." He said, removing her hands from his cheek. He watched as her hazel eyes filled with tears and her breathing quicken.
"Please, don't leave me. You can't." She sobbed, tears streaming down her face.
Jack's heart ached and he had to stop his own tears from falling. "Katherine, I'm so sorry. You're dad, he'll hurt ya if I don't leave."
"I get hurt either way! But at least if you don't leave you'll be by my side." She said as the train whistle rung, signifying the train would leave soon.
Jack pulled her into a short hug and kissed the side of her head. "I love you Ace." He whispered as he pulled away.
"I don't care." She sniffed and turned away from him, walking back over to the boys and into Davey's arms.
Jack stared at them and wiped his eyes. He walked over to Pulitzer and took the money he was given. "You're a real asshole, you know that don't you Joe? Hurting your own daughter just to get back at me for giving her a home and giving her love."
Pulitzer just stared at Jack before pushing him onto the train. "I'll make sure she finds someone else to take care of her." He said before slamming the carriage door in Jack's face.
Katherine turned around and looked at the train as it began to move. He really was leaving, he wasn't going to fight for them, for her. She let out a helpless cry as the train moved out of the station and disappeared from view.
"Katherine, I'm so sorry." Crutchie said as he gave the crying girl a hug.
"Katherine, it's time to go home." Pulitzer said as he walked up to the Newsies and his daughter.
She turned, her teary eyes laced with venom. "No. You sent him away! You sent the love of my life away because you only care about yourself!" She shouted.
"Katherine." Pulitzer said and stepped closer to his daughter, trying to reach out and grab her arm but was stopped by Elmer and Race.
"I'm not coming home with you. I'm not doing anything with you or for you again." She hissed and turned her back to him. She felt Davey's hand on her back and he began to lead her out of the station.
"Katherine Pulitzer, if you walk away from me right now don't expect the door of my house to ever open for you again." He shouted after her.
Katherine just shocker head and continued to walk. She had no interest in going back to the live in the same house as the man who had just made her boyfriend leave.
"What are you gonna do now Katherine?" Les asked as he run up and began walking beside her.
"I don't know. I guess, find an apartment."
"Ya could live with us!" Race exclaimed and everyone turned to look at him. "What? It's not like she doesn't already! She can sleep on the rooftop, or in Jack's old bunk."
"For once Race as a good idea!" Albert said and patted Race gently with his newsboy cap.
"Are you sure?" She asked, her cheeks turning slightly pink. "I'm pregnant and that's going to be a lot to deal with."
"It's better than you sleeping on the streets and being pregnant." Crutchie said as they continued to walk back. "We'll go to yours first and get your stuff."
"Thank you guys." Katherine said, resting her head against Davey's shoulder. She grabbed Les' hand and smiled at the boys.
------
"God Kath, why is this so heavy?" Race complained as she pushed open the door to the Lodging House.
"I said I'd carry it." She said and took her typewriter from him, despite his protests.
"Youse is pregnant, ya shouldn't have to carry things." Race argued and took it back from her before setting it on the table.
"You're pregnant?"
Katherine turned sharply to find Jack standing in the centre of the room."What are you doing here?" She asked, dropping the bag that was in her hands.
"I got off the train, after it left the station." He said sheepishly, rubbing his hand across the back of his neck. He was grateful that the rest of the Newsies had gone upstairs to give them some time alone. "I'm sorry I lied to ya. I just needed to have your father see that your reaction was genuine. I'm so sorry Ace." Jack whispered and pulled her into a bear hug.
Katherine smiled and began to cry. "I love you so much." She said into his neck.
"So, you're pregnant?" He asked and pulled back, placing a hand on her stomach.
She nodded sheepishly and let out a squeal as Jack picked her up and twirled her around. "You're not unhappy?" She whispered once he'd set her down.
"Why would I be? We're gonna have a new baby Newsie. Kath, we're gonna have a baby!" Jack exclaimed, tears falling from his eyes.
"Yeah, we are. We're gonna have a baby." She smiled as he dropped down to his knees and pressed kiss along her stomach.