A/N: I forgot about another version of this that I did with the help of Sparks Donnen. I think it's much better than the one I posted in chap 14. I hope you agree and enjoy. Thanks to both Sparks and Raven cos I couldn't have done this part of the story without you guys. And to Evey for always being willing to read or listen to my stories.
I'm holding off on SOs till I have a chance to see what happens with the changes. But thank you to those that did review, I love you!
Please read and review!
Sagey
Unsuccessful in her quest to locate a decent, fairly easy to read book for Stretch, Sage decided to pull some pages from her diary for Stretch to practice with. Her penmanship was impeccable so she knew it wouldn't be any more difficult to read than a published book. She sat on one of the old sofas in the LH lobby, with the leather bound notebook laying open in her lap, pouring over the old entries and dog earing the ones that weren't too personal to share. Though she'd grown to like Stretch, and was relieved to be able to let her guard down a bit with her without fear of her secret coming to light, her diary did hold a few private thoughts about her hopes, dreams and fears, some she wasn't comfortable sharing with her new friend. But after spending the afternoon of reading and re-reading the same letter she was quite sure she could recite the entire thing, word for word. It was time for something new.
The warmth of the spring night had called to most of the newsies, beckoning them to "come out and play" in the dusky light of early evening. Most of the boys were out messing about with the other guys or spending time with the girls they fancied. Some decided to take advantage of the busy streets and decided to take time to try their hand at hawking more papes than their usual daily bundle. Stretch and Mayo were upstairs with Specs and Crutchy.
Sage, thoroughly engrossed in the quest to find something at least slightly interesting for Stretch to read, did not hear the door open and close behind her. Nor did she hear the footsteps approach and stop just inches from her.
"Hey, what's dis?" With a grin he snatched the book from her hands.
"Nothing, Jack," she held out her hand for him to give it back.
Jack looked at the cover of the book, taking a few steps back, his grin widening. "No title, hmm," he glanced back at Sage,"C'mon what is it?"
Sage blushed and sighed. "Me journal. Now give it back."
Jack paused, seeing the blush hit her cheeks. "Journal? Ya keep a diary?"
"Uh-uh, no way!" Jack grinned wickedly and turned a few pages in clumps. "Oh, wow...dis is juicy!" His finger ran down the page pretending to read the entry.
Sage wanted to die. Right there. "Jack, please." She stood up and went to him reaching for the book.
Jack held her off easily as he shoved his arm up above his head and still turned pages. "What's dis 'bout Skitts?" He laughed heartily at her distress. He turned toward her so they were chest to chest, well, nearly; he was a good four inches taller than she. Her arms reached and flailed, not about to give up on reclaiming her precious book.
"There's no a thing about Skittery in there!" Her squeaky protest made him laugh all the harder.
"Oh yeah?" his brow shot up and he dropped the book on one of the sofas, his hands moving to her unguarded waist and began tickling her. "You're protestin' an awful lot for someone dat ain't got nuttin written in deh about him..." He continued his relentless assault and delighted in her very definitely feminine giggles.
Jack stepped back again, glancing up earnestly at her, "why're ya so int'rested in Skitts?"
Her eyes widened. "I'm not." she protested and stepped forward still reaching. "Jack, please. This isnae funny." She knew he was playing with her now, not really reading her personal thoughts, but she was desperate to keep him from reading anything she'd written about HIM.
Jack smiled and flipped back a few pages. "Hmm ... really?" He kept just out of her reach, fighting back the smile now teasing his lips, and kept his eyes down so she wouldn't know he was joking. "Ya got some strange secrets."
Sage lost her smile, her eyes beginning to betray her panic.
"Jack..." She nearly lunged this time but once again he snatched it just out of her reach.
Jack glanced up quickly, then dropped his eyes back to the blank page before him. "C'mon, I'm yoah leadah. Shouldn' I know what yoah hidin'?"
"Ya ken weel enough whot me secret is, Jack Kelly," her accent thickened with each encounter.
Jack's grin became absolutely impossible to mask, so he pretended that it was from something he was reading, a gleeful sounding chuckle answering her.
"Dat's no fun."
"Fun or no', I'd like me journal back, now," she stepped forward again, more quickly and this time grabbed for his wrist rather than the book. She watched his face till his eyes met hers. "Please."
Jack smirked jerking his arm back and over his shoulder, pulling her up against him. "Why?"
Sage's mouth went suddenly dry and her heart was pounding so hard she was sure he could hear it. "Be-because..." she swallowed hard, "because it's private."
Jack held the book out of her reach still, grinning at her. "Oh?"
"Aye." she raised her other arm to reach over his shoulder.
Jack twisted slightly, keeping the book away from her.
"Don' ya trust me?"
"Aye, but.." he still had her held against him and with her arm over his shoulder and reaching behind his neck they were basically in a hug.
Jack grinned at her, raising one eyebrow in a curious gesture. "But?"
"It's me private thoughts. How would you like it if I read your diary?" She whispered in his ear, her breath warm against his skin.
Jack looked sincerely at her, then grinned again. "I don'have one."
"What must I do to get it back?" She sighed heavily.
Jack laughed softly, shrugging. "Relax?"
Her heels dropped back to the floor and she brought her arm back so her hand rested on his shoulder. She cocked one brow and tilted her head to the side. "Now?"
Jack shook his head, "Ya don' trust me still."
"Och, Aye. Ah trust ya Jack...just...Ah'd really like it back."
Jack dropped his arm easily behind her back, sticking the book at the small of her back and holding it there. "Okay."
"Aye? You'll return it now?" Her eyes just wouldn't move from his. They were locked in place.
Jack nodded, still holding the book to her back. "Shuah, why not?"
She smiled and moved one hand behind her back, the other
still resting on his shoulder.
Jack kept the book still, "Ya know ya can trust me, right?"
"Aye, Ah'd no' 'ave told ya what Ah did if Ah didnae trust ye, Jack."
"Hmm. I guess dat's fair." He smirked at her. "So, why didn' ya evah tell me 'bout dat birth mark?"
"Birth mark?" Her brow shot up higher. "What in the world are ya on about Jack?"
His grin faltered slightly. "Um..."
"Um? Is that all you've got to say?" She asked teasing him back now.
Jack snorted, "Fine, if ya don' want da book back..." He pulled his arm back around and brought it behind his own back.
"That's no' fair!" She reached behind his back but his arms were too long and kept it out of her reach.
Jack looked smug. "Why not?"
"Ah asked ya nicely. Please Jack. Give it back." She was getting frustrated but was enjoying the warmth of his body.
Jack smirked. "I did, an' ya made fun o' me." He slowly turned away from her, keeping the book out of her reach and opening it again, leafing to a page that had writing on it, careful to let her see what he was doing and pretended to read it, though he was actually looking past it, not really wanting to intrude on her privacy.
"Jack!" She shrieked and lurched her arms around his waist.
Jack turned quickly, putting his back to her and smirking.
"Yeah?"
"Please! Ya said relax and Ah did, but you still didn't return it. Please...let me have it back."
Jack snapped the book shut again, sighing and turned fast, catching Sage's shoulder and pushing her back lightly. "Ya don' gotta panic."
She just looked at him. Her breathing shallow and quick. What was wrong with her?
"No?"
Jack shook his head. "Nope." He held the book up to show it to her. "Ain' like I read anything dat ya'd be upset 'bout me knowing." He improved the truth a bit, having not read it at all, but Sage didn't have to know that.
"May Ah have it back now?"
Jack sighed, "Shuah." He held the book out to her.
She opened her hand and held it steady, waiting.
Jack stepped forward and placed the book against her hand, still holding it firmly.
She closed her hand around the spine of the book. "Thank you."
She managed a slight smile.
Jack nodded, still holding onto the book.
Sage blinked at him. "You can let go now. I've got it."
Jack nodded again, but still held the book. "Why're ya so nervous 'bout it?"
She gulped. Why won't he just give it back?
"Ah'd like to keep me private thoughts private is all."
He shrugged and released the book gently. "Dey's private still."
"Thank you, Jack." She said softly and brought the book up to her chest and clutched it with her other hand as well.
He dropped his hand to his side, nodding. "I didn' read it."
She let out a relived sigh, breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
He grinned slightly. "Ya shuah did panic."
"No...no Ah didn't." She shook her head, holding the book with a deathgrip.
Jack stepped forward, ducking his head to her eye level.
"Sorry."
She nodded. "Dinne fash yersel'."
Jack blinked. "Huh?"
Chloe smiled softly. "Ehmm, it means...dinnae worry bout it."
Jack nodded, straightening up. "Oh ... ya say some strange stuff, kid."
"Sorry, Ah'm still gettin used to how you Yanks talk too, ya ken?"
"Ken?" Jack grinned. "Dat mean 'ya know'?"
She nodded. "Aye." She smiled. He was learning quickly. "If you've questions, ya need only ask me."
He smirked. "So ... what do ya write in dat?" He nodded to the book hugged to her chest.
"Memories, mostly. Of me mum an' da. Me family, Scotland." She shrugged.
He nodded thoughtfully. "So, why'd ya worry 'bout me readin' it, den?"
Her cheeks flushed just a bit. "Ehmm, cos it's still too fresh I guess." It was her turn to improve the truth. There were things in it about him and the other newsies. Mostly descriptions of who they were and what they did...but she'd foolishly written more about him than anyone.
Jack nodded again, letting her blush go ... girls were odd like that, he'd learned. "So, write anything 'bout me?"
"Perhaps I mentioned you...you are our leader after all."
She could feel her cheeks burning but managed a small smile anyway.
Jack grinned. "Mentioned? Dat's it?" He prodded, hoping her blush meant she'd more than mentioned him.
"Mentioned." She smiled and nodded coyly.
Jack stepped forward, "Prove it."
"Sorry?" She stepped back.
Jack matched her retreat. "Whatcha runnin' from?" He smirked at her. "Prove ya mentioned me."
"Ya dinnae trust me?" she stepped back again, clutching the book tightly to her chest.
Jack shook his head. "Ain' 'bout trust."
She stepped back again. "No? Then what is it about?"
Jack grinned. "I'm curious."
"Aye,? Wheel, curiosity killed the cat." She tilted her head to the side just slightly, flirtatiously.
Jack smirked. "I ain' no cat." He stepped closer. "Don' make me go an' soak ya foah it, tell me whatcha said 'bout me."
She took another step back and cleared her throat. "Ah just said how ya found me in the park that day."
He followed her. "An'?"
"And..." she continued her retreat. "How we soaked the Delanceys."
Jack smiled. "An'?" He stepped close.
"And...tha' Ah told ya who Ah am."
She stepped back again, slamming into the low table. Jack felt her lurch and tried to right them but it was too little too late, and they both went down onto the hard wood floor with a THUD.
"OOOF!"
The wind knocked from her lungs, she gasped for air but she was sprawled on her back, pinned beneath him and he was too heavy. Jack, once he was able to regain his own intake of air, pushed himself up, his weight supported with his arms.
"Sorry," he panted as he looked into her deep viridian green eyes, but made no move to get up.
"It's alright," the tip of her pink tongue darted out to wet her lips.
Jack watched her with rapt attention, concern and amusement fighting for dominance. "Ya aright?"
She blinked up at him, nodding and gasping for breath.
Taking a chance, Jack leaned forward so he was almost nose to nose with her and stared at her. "Shuah?"
"Aye."
"Yeah?"
She was still clutching the journal so nothing broke her fall and she'd smacked her head against the hardwood floor. She was a little dizzy but otherwise alright. "Yeah," she repeated back to him.
He leaned down to gently brush his lips to hers. She let out a soft shocked gasp but didn't pull away.
It lasted a mere moment before he lifted his head to look at her. She blinked at him, but took no action to push him away. Jack smiled and brought one hand up to brush a lock of hair from her face and let it tangle gently in her russet curls as he ducked his head down and kissed her again, this time a real kiss, not just a light brush to her lips.
Jack broke the kiss and pulled her to her feet, chewing on the inside of his cheek slightly, smiling hesitantly. "Sorry?"
She blinked at him. "N-no. I was just surprised."
He smiled a little more, leaning close again. "Aright."
He kissed her again, just as softly.
She dropped the journal to the small table. Her lips responded to his, her own fingers slipping up into the dark too-long hair at the nape of his neck. So complete was their distraction, neither teen noticed their growing audience.
Jack smiled and hugged her gently, kissing her again. This was right, he felt it.
She felt completely safe, as she had the night he held her as she told him who she was. She blushed as she broke the kiss long enough to catch her breath then kissed him once more for good measure.
Skittery stood in the doorway, horror etched on his face, unable to speak for a long moment, finally he managed a weak cough, trying to find his voice. "Jack?" He rasped out.
Jack jumped and let go of Sage, spinning to face Skittery, and felt his heart stop. "Whoops."
Chloe pulled back from Jack quickly and wrapped her arms around her middle. Pulling back into her shell.
Blink pushed past Skitts into the room. "Whoops?! Yer ...yer kissin Scrappah!"
Jack grimaced, "Uh ... 'bout dat ... uh." He glanced at Sage uncertainly. Did he tell them, or did they just hope that Blink and Skittery could be convinced into not saying anything?
Skittery just stared at Jack in shock. He didn't know if he should laugh or be sick.
"He's doin what?" Mush pushed Skitts to the side to get in the room as well.
Skittery, Snitch, Harley, Race, Blink, Gin Mush and Ershey, had returned to the LH to see if Scrappah and Jack wanted to join them for a game of stickball, and now all stood in the lobby with mixed looks of shock, horror and curiosity on their faces. They'd been standing there gawking for a few long moments when the door swung open.
Jack nearly swore, scratch the convince them to not talk option. "Uh ..." He again looked at Sage, "tell 'em?"
"Heya boys," Raven burst into the room. She was one that was determined to always make an entrance and this would certainly be one of her more memorable to date. But they barely muttered in her direction. Everyone in the room was watching something other than her, so she cleared her throat and looked around, "why you'se gawkin at dem foah?"
"Cowboy was kissin' Scrappah," Mush said with more than a little confusion showing through his words and on his face.
Blink turned, "and all he has ta say is'whoops'."
Raven started to laugh. Actually it was more of a cackle.
Jack rolled his eyes and Raven laughed harder.
Blink frowned. "Whatcha laughin foah? Jack just kissed...GAH!" He turned away in disgust.
Race joined in the laughter.
Sage took her hat off and shook her head.
"Uh, Blink? What kinda boy's got hair like dat?" Skittery pointed at the mass of red curls that tumbled down Sage's back.
"Scrappah's a goil." Raven snorted. "What's da big deal?"
"I'm so confused," Mush whimpered as he shoved his hand through his dark curls.
Jack stepped back, his hand finding Sage's. "Thanks Raven, we didn' tell 'em dat yet."
Blink stared. "A goil..."
Raven snickered and lit up a cigarette.
"Ray you can't smoke in heah!" Gin glared at the rebelious newsgirl and pointed to the hand painted sign above the desk that stated the rules of the LH.
Raven rolled her eyes and dabbed the cigarette out on the sole of her boot.
"Thank Gawd!" Skittery sighed dramatically. "I been watchin you two all week an'...well...tell ya da trut' Jack...was stahtin ta wondah if you was turnin funny on us."
The newsies each twitched or moaned at that statement; truth being that most of them had noticed tension between their leader and the new newsie.
"Are ya outta yer mind?" Jack shuddered.
Race, in complete hysterics now, toppled off the side of the sofa and landed on the floor. "Oof!"
"Well, we'se all t'inkin she's a boy, Jack an' then you'se kissin 'er?" Blink was still trying to process the information he'd just witnessed.
"Will ya take a look at her? She's very definitely a goil!" Jack protested. He put his arm around her shoulders protectively. "You awright, Sage?"
Sage nodded dumbly. She was mortified. Her cheeks were burning hot and she wanted to crawl into her bunk and sleep till it all went away.
Raven continued to laugh and after another stern look from Gin decided to go out on the fire escape to smoke.
The hollows of Jack's cheeks burned crimson. And, as distracted as he was, by both the ribbing and the kiss, he still was able to sense that something just wasn't quite right with Raven.
Stretch clomped down the steps then slowed her pace as she saw them.
Skittery just stared at Sage ... a girl.
"Why didn't ya tell us?" Blink asked.
Sage took one step forward. "Ah asked him not to."
Jack sighed, putting a hand on her shoulder and leaning forward to whisper, "Don' say nothin' ya don' wanna. It's okay."
Skittery shook his head, "Why'd ya do dat? We wouldn' care."
Blink frowned. "We aint gonna tell no body."
She shook her head. "Ah'm sorry. Just...I thought it was safer this way."