Chapter Five

Author's Note: Well, unfortunately for me, I had to come home from the City. Luckily for you, I'm back! And whoa, I really don't know how to acknowledge so many awesome people who reviewed… so thank you all because I came back on my email account last night and was amazed at how many of you reviewed and thank you all again! I would like to mention that the city, or in other words, New York, is my most favorite place ever next to home, and I love it so much that I almost got really emotional when we walked out of the station into the city and the same when we left. Like, emotional with a really big grin on my face coming in and a sad face when we left. I saw the Nutcracker ballet performed by the best ballet dancers in the world, yes, the New York City Ballet, and went to the Natural History Museum along with many other things too. But enough about modern day New York and my time there let's get on with 1900 New York and the newsie's time there….

Christmas day was upon them, and as Crutchie could figure, hadn't come quick enough. That morning, everyone got up pretty early and he could hear them even before he opened his eyes. His fever seemed to have gone down, and that was the first thing he noticed. The second thing he noticed was that Jack was standing at the edge of his bed, smiling at him. The third thing he noticed was that the other boys were standing there too, and he didn't really know what to think at first. Jack came over next to him when he saw that he was awake.

"We'se ain't gonna leave you behind, Crutch, come on." he said, and held out his hand. Crutchie grinned, already feeling the spirit of Christmas and trying to shake off any part of the sickness, and grabbed onto Jack's hand, getting pulled into a sitting up position.

He grabbed his crutch and stood up, looking at the others and grinning a weak but triumphant smile, and they laughed and moved on over to the corner where presents were stacked up high. Crutchie himself waited a minute before breathing in deeply and trying to move his aching body. He grabbed the presents from under his bed that were in his newspaper bag. Taking that and moving forward, he came upon the other newsies and sat down in a chair, trying to feel a part of his body that wasn't aching. Jack came up and sat next to him.

"Heah, you got this." Jack said as he handed Crutchie a package.

Crutchie opened the small package and found a pair of socks and gloves, along with a note that was obviously handwritten by Jack. He opened the small piece of paper, and managed to read the crammed, small words.

Crutchie,

I gave you these things because I know how much you need them, but it really isn't much. I think it isn't the present that counts, its' the way you give and accept them. I don't know much about that 'cause I ain't the smartest person alive, but I do know that you are my best friend and when you became sick, I was worried despite the fact that I know you didn't want me to be. So along with this I just want to say, I know you won't give up. I think I've finally come to terms with the fact that you are stronger than I thought you were. It's a protective thing, I think. So Merry Christmas and I know you will get better!

-Jack

Crutchie looked at him and smiled. He then saw Race coming over leaning on Romeo, and when Romeo let him go into the chair, he and Jack looked at Race, expecting something to be said about how unfair this all was. Instead, Race smiled back at them.

"Ya know, I think I'm gonna get used ta having someone supporting me like dat." Race said in a joking voice.

"You had bettah not 'cause when you go back ta being normal, Romeo ain't gonna want to hold your weight." Jack replied. Race nodded and scratched his head, groaning when he had to lift up his arm which was covered in bandages.

Crutchie tossed him a package over Jack's lap and one at Jack. Race threw one to each of them, and Crutchie caught his without groaning because his arm was hurting too. Inside there was a blanket that somehow had been neatly packed- obviously not Race's doing- and a towel next to it with a note that said "For the crutch". He knew it was for wrapping around the handle and was grateful that Race had managed to find something for it because the old wrappings had started to come off and he found his arm would be aching for some time after walking around for a while.

Gifts were passed to and fro for a while, and Crutchie had time to relax completely before anything else happened. Katherine, Davey, and Les came before long and Jack went over and stood with Katherine for a while. Crutchie found himself sitting with Race for a while because they both couldn't really get up very well and didn't want to in the first place. Food was brought by Katherine who brought plenty and Crutchie found himself eating something for the first time in days. He knew he couldn't eat much or it would upset his stomach and indigestion was certain but he could eat a little bit and could see Jack finally becoming relaxed.

The rest of the day was joy and happiness. Crutchie definitely felt his body become more relaxed and he felt much better by the end of the day. That night, though, he went to bed pretty early. Jack followed him up the stairs because he didn't want to spend another night downstairs. It was loads better up here, and now that he could start sleeping up here again, Jack was going to relax even more.

"Jack?" he asked as he lay on the bed, covered by the brand new blanket and looking up at the sky.

"Yeah?" replied the older boy.

"Da you tink that we'se will evah have a normal Christmas? Or are they all gonna be like dis?" Crutchie asked in a concerned tone, he felt quite worried.

"Nah. But this was sorta like an adventure, ya know. Hard bu' it ended well in the end. Ise dunno, maybe we'll get lucky next year. Yet we did get lucky dis year, 'cause ya made it, an' so did Race. I'm jus' glad dat youse are feeling bettah."

"Yeah. Well, goodnight then."

"Goodnight an' maybe we'll getta early start in da morning." Jack said, and listened to Crutchie's quiet breathing as Crutchie himself gave thanks to the fact that everything was going back to normal and that this Christmas had been as normal as any Christmas ever would be.

Author's Note: Alright then, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, that is the end of this story and if you want to think about it the beginning of another! I hope you enjoyed it and yes more is to come but please check out my other stories that are going on right now! Thank you to all of the reviewers that have reviewed…strange, but okay, and please, those people and more, review, review, review, on this last chapter!