Alright, here's a quick one-shot on Patrick (from Carrying the Banner, the woman, the nuns, you know) I just always wondered who she was. This is really short and not my best but I like the idea.

Disclaimer!: I don't own Newsies. If I did, I would probably live in a castle, have a pet walrus, and be eating frosted animal cookies instead of hunched over my laptop. I do own Leper though, so don't steal him.

Enjoy and Happy Writings!

~EG Winston

"Patrick! Darling!"

"Quick, Leper! Hide behind us!"

10 year old Leper was shoved behind Blink and Mush so his Mother wouldn't see him.

"God save, my son!" she cried, her sobs echoing and cutting through Leper's heart like a knife.

He hated to see his mother like that, her hair a mess, wringing her hands, her eyes red from crying.

He had left his family for a good reason, he had convinced himself. They were poor and he was just one more mouth to feed. If he ran away and joined the newsies, he would support himself! He would be a big kid, like Cowboy and Blink!

What Leper didn't realize, was that the cost of losing her son was far greater than the expenses he caused them.

Upon joining the newsies, Patrick changed his name to Leper. Blink, who was like his big brother, said it was because of two reasons. His hair was as red as a leprechaun's, and his mother followed the newsies, looking for Leper, like the plague.

"C'mon Leper!" cried out his best friend, Les, "We gotta go to the Distribution Center!" Waving their wooden swords, the two best friends raced to the front of the line.

"What are we gonna do 'bout the kid's muddah, Cowboy?" Race asked Jack. "His muddah's always comin' heah and sonna or latah she's gonna find him"

Jack sighed, "I know, I knows, but I can't toin the kid out. He's a good newsie and a good kid. So wese eitha got to hide him or move him to anotha borough where they won't be as nice"

"You mean send the kid to Brooklyn! You want ta kill him or somethin! He's 10, Cowboy, they'll moida him!"

"Youse gotta bettah idea, Race!"

Race shook his head, "Well, until somethin' happens, we shouldn't send him away"

They agreed and walked towards the Distribution Center, ready for another day of Carrying the Bannah.

"Hey Les! I'll race you to Tibby's!" Leper shouted. Les smiled and they ran down the street. Ever since the boys had met, they had become best friends. Eating, joking, even selling together. They were inseparable.

They had sold all their papes, being little, it was easier for them than the otha boys. They just had to look cute and some poor sucker would give 'em a nickel. They usually waited at Tibby's for the rest of the boys to finish. Being so young, Cowboy didn't like them running around on their own.

"Oof! Sorry lady! I-!" Leper stuttered as he hit someone just outside the restaurant. Les, like usual, had beat him and was already waiting inside.

"Patrick? Darling, is that you?" Cried his muddah.

"I-uh-I"

"Josh! Thanks ma'am, you found me little bruddah, we hafta go now" Jack ran up behind Leper.

"No, that's my son, no, Patrick, no!"

"Run, Leper! Go to da bridge, don't stop!" Cowboy yelled, trying to restrain the hysterical woman.

Leper obeyed. He was Cowboy, if he said to go to the bridge he had to be right. It was safe there. That's my son, Patrick, no! her voice rang in his ears. No Patrick no!

He raced down the streets, stopping for nobody and no one. He missed his muddah, her cooking, her laughter, the way she loved him. But he was just anuddah mouth to feed! That was all he was, Leper, the extra mouth.

Leper was at the middle of the Brooklyn Bridge. He looked down at the water, swirling with a deep anger, whitecaps threatening to drown anything or anyone stupid enough to go into the frigid river.

"Leper! Hey Leper!" Leper turned around and saw Cowboy racing towards him, his hat flying around his neck in the cool breeze.

"That was a close one, kid!"

Leper nodded, still shaken That's my son! Patrick! No!

"Leper, I don't tink it's safe for youse. With yer muddah following youse like the plague"

No! Patrick!

"Maybe if you always sold with someone, besides Les that is, no that wouldn't work. What if you-"

God save, my son! Darling!

"Leper you should- Leper- kid youse alright?"

No!

"Leper!"

Patrick!

The world grew dark and stars swarmed around his mother's smiling face, as Leper sank down into a welcomed rest.

"I think he's waking up. Hey Cowboy, Leper's awake!"

Leper shook his head, his red hair plastered to his forehead.

His head hurt, like he hit it. He hoped his muddah wouldn't be mad.

"Who's Leper? My name is Patrick."

"Hey kid, take it easy, you had a nasty fall and hit yoah head. Kloppman says you'll be fine with a little rest. Just a sprained wrist, nothin' our Leper can't handle!"

"Who's Leper? I told youse, my name is Patrick!" he insisted. Where was he, why were all these boys around him?

Darling!

"Cowboy, we needs to talk" A boy with a patch pulled the boy with the funny hat away towards the other side of the room filled with beds. What was the name? A bunk room?

"Cowboy, Leper ain't doin' too well. He was always a little off befoah, but I tink seein' his muddah really pushed him ovah the edge. Hittin' his head didn't help too much eida" Blink said. He was worried about the kid, he was like his little brother.

"What do ya want me ta do, Blink?"

Blink sighed and drew his hand back through his hair, "I tink wese should ask him"

"Youse usually right, Blink"

"Heya, Leper!"

"My name is Patrick" the little boy said, his green eyes wide and unfocused.

"Umm, ok. Patrick, can we do something for youse? Youse want to talk to someone or sometink?"

God save, my son!

"I'd like to see me muddah"

Blink and Cowboy shared a concerned look.

"Leper, I mean, Patrick. Youse ran away from yoah muddah"

That's my son!

"No I didn't"

"Yes you-"

"No I didn't!" Patrick screamed and fell back onto the pillow, sobbing. It was too much, it was all just too much.

My son, my son

"I want me muddah!"

"Don't take it poisanally, Cowboy. Not every kid is fit to be a newsie"

"I just, I really liked dis kid, Blink"
"I did- I do too. But he wants his muddah. The pressure of bein' a newsie was too much and he snapped. Les woulda snapped too but he lives with his family. He has da Mouth and his parents"

Cowboy sighed, "Should I take 'im back?"

Blink nodded, "It's for the best Cowboy. We all loved him"

"Hey Patrick, youse ready to go home?"

Mother, Mother

"To me, to me muddah?"

"Yeah… youse goin' home to yoah muddah. If youse want"

Darling!

Patrick grinned, "I do, thanks Mister"

"Yoah, yoah welcome…Patrick. And the name's Cowboy."

The little red head grinned, "Thanks Cowboy!"

"Patrick! Darling! You saved him, you saved my darling boy!"

"it was no problem miss, Ise found him wanderin' and I knew a muddah would be missin' him."

She looked at him, this time tears of happiness fell down her cheeks, "Will you stay for dinner? As a reward?"

The sounds of Patrick's family and their joyous reunion sounded from inside the tiny apartment. So that's what they call a family, he thought.

"No thanks, ma'am, I hafta go and I don't want to intrude"

"Will you at least tell me your name?" she cried out as he left their apartment.

"My name, it's Jack Ke- my name is Francis. Francis Sullivan, it's what me muddah called me"

And with that, he walked out of Patrick's life forever.