FicWad

"Mother Kills 3 Daughters Then Jumps off Brooklyn Bridge." Jack read out loud. "I can't take dis city no moah." He complained to Skittery as he scanned the headlines in the pape Skitts had brought home for him to read the night after Crutchy's funeral. Jack crumpled the paper into a ball and tossed it into the waste basket.

"Ya don't have ta stay Jack. I mean, ya was always tawkin bout goin ta Santa Fe," he shrugged, "an now, ya can."

Jack shoved his hand through his hair and puffed out his cheeks in frustration. There was a time he would have been on the next train to Santa Fe; so why was he sitting in New York when he had the money to leave and really didn't have anything else to hold him there? He had always known that there would be a time when his newsies would split up and go their separate ways.

Dutchy was the first to leave. He'd found a job on a farm in Virginia and taken his girl, Cayenne with him. He'd wanted to return for the funeral service but just couldn't manage to get away.

David and Les were both back in school. Sure, they came around the lodging house to visit at least once a week, but with the weather as harsh as it was, they didn't sell anymore.

And Sarah. Sarah was no longer something that drew him to stay in New York. If anything, the desire to get away from her and any place they had spent time together, was a strong factor in why he should leave for Santa Fe.

"Any definite idea on what you're gonna do wit da money Skitts?" Jack asked.

"I wanna go West." He said. "Not really sure where or what I'll do though." Skittery rubbed the back of his neck.

Jack picked up two-bits from the table and began moving it across the backs of the fingers of his right hand, end over end. He watched the coin and the movement of his fingers but spoke to Skittery. "Wanna go with me ta Santa Fe?"

Skittery dropped his hand. "Yeah." He said it so quietly he wasn't sure if Jack heard him or not. "Yeah, that might actually be a good idea."

Jack nodded. "If we go out there together.."

"..we could pool our money and buy a ranch or business or somthin." Skitts finished for him; a smile turning the corners of his mouth.

"Exactly."

"Uh, Jack? Ya think maybe the uddahs would..well...wanna go too?" He asked hesitantly. "Uh, unless ya don't want em to?"

Jack smiled, the closest thing to a real smile Skittery had seen on his face since the night of the fire. "Yer brilliant!"
Jack called the other three boys to them.

"We," he gestured to he and Skitts, "are goin ta Santa Fe tagetha. If you'se t'ree wanna come wit us.."

"All of us in Santa Fe? Cowboys?" Mush grinned, showing how young he was. "Whatcha think Kid?" He asked Blink.

"Sounds like a plan ta me." He shrugged. "Race?"

The four boys looked at the small dark boy with anticipation and excitement. They finally had a shot at a good future and to get away from the foul streets of the city.

Race was quiet for a long moment. "I can't fellas. Not just yet. Mayo's got anuddah yeah on her contract at Medda's. She worked so hard I can't ax 'er ta leave an give dat up." He smiled softly thinking of her. "An' I can't go wit'out her. 'Sides, someone's gotta look out foah da runts." He smirked and knocked Skitts hat down over his eyes.

~*~

Two days later, all their "goodbyes" and "see ya laters", said; the four boys stood, bags in hand, on the crowded platform. Race, Bumlets, Specs and Les had gone to see them off. Les stood close to Jack until the whistle blared and the Conductor bellowed, "all aboard "

Les had tears in his eyes, though he tried bravely to fight them off. "I wanna go with ya Cowboy." He clung to Jack's side.

Jack dropped to one knee, removed his worn cowboy hat and placed it on the young boy's head. "We'se gonna write each uddah, an ya know ya can come visit latah on." Jack blinked back his own tears. "Race is gonna need all da help ya can give 'im ta handle da boys."

Les gave him a teary smile and a bear hug.

Jack stood. He'd surveyed the crowd many times that morning. He was relieved that Sarah hadn't shown. Race told him she had come by once while he was ill and he had told her to leave and not come back. But it wasn't Sarah he was looking for. He'd sent word to Spot that he was leaving. He'd been kicking himself for the things he'd said during their fight. But rather than talking to Spot at the funeral, he'd said nothing. He didn't see the leader of Brooklyn anywhere, he couldn't really be shocked by this, but it did sadden him.

Jack was the last passenger standing on the platform. He turned and boarded the train then turned back for one final look at the boarding area. In the corner he could see the blonde boy. Spot removed his hat, shoved his hand through his hair and once he realized Jack was looking at him; he nodded. Jack nodded back, with a wry smile, then went to join his boys.