Carryin' The Banner

Dawn: the last few minutes of peaceful dreaming before the day begins. Even though she knew it was nearly time for her to get up, Jessica Flynn kept her eyes tightly shut against the reality that threatened to creep in. She was desperately trying to hold onto every last detail of that dream; it had been so much more vivid than any of the others. He had been in it again, just like he was almost every night, and those were the dreams she treasured. She was grateful it wasn't a dream like the one she had had the night before…those she would rather forget. Suddenly, she heard the loud noises next door that meant the Newsies were up and going.

Jessica groaned into her pillow and tried to ignore them, but several of them were now pounding on the wall and screaming her name. "Get up, Jess!"

"We's got a big day of sellin' today!"

"Don't be lazy, Jess!"

"Alright, alright already: I'm gettin' up, ok?! Now beat it!" she called back irritably. Jessica lived in a boarding house right next door to the main Newsies' house mainly because she was a girl, and the owner didn't want her with all the boys for obvious reasons. Still, the walls that separated them were paper thin, and they were always shouting things back and forth to each other. It had long since become a type of competition to see who could get ready and outside first, Jess or the boys, and to the boy's great dismay, Jess usually won. Determined to keep the score 3-0 for the week, Jess leapt out of bed and hurriedly washed and threw on her Newsie outfit which consisted of a button-down white shirt that tucked into her black pants. The newest addition to her ensemble was a beautiful, blue vest that the boys had bought her for her birthday last week (she had a sneaking suspicion that Cowboy was behind most of it). Instead of pulling her hair up and under her cap, Jess decided to simply pull the front of it back to keep it all out of her face and then put on her cap.

Running into the square, Jess beamed when she saw that she had beat the boys for the fourth day in a row. "Come on, boys!" she called to the windows. "Them papes ain't gonna sell themselves, ya know! Hurry up!" Less than a minute later, the doors to the Newsies' boarding house opened to reveal all her friends who all spoke to her as they passed.

"Mornin' Jess!" Mush smiled.

"Hiya Jess!" Racetrack called.

"Man, you beat us again!" Boots pouted.

"Mornin'!" Kid Blink tipped his hat.

"Good Mornin', Jessie!" Crutchy said with a smile.

Jess turned to face the boarding house to greet her selling partner, but… "Mornin' Sweet Dream," someone whispered in her ear as they poked her ribs.

"JACK KELLY I TOLD YOU TO CUT THAT OUT!" Jess screamed as Jack took off after the other Newsies, laughing hysterically. Jack was always paying special attention to her, and although she wasn't complaining, she still found it a bit embarrassing. Jess prided herself on just one thing: being the Newsies' Princess. Every Newsie in all of New York knew who she was, and she was the only Newsie (aside from Jack Kelly) that could go anywhere in the city and not worry about being soaked for it. She had attention from every boy in the entire city but still prized Kelly's above all others. There was just something special about Jack that she couldn't define or explain, even to herself. They had been selling partners for two years now, and there was no better team in all New York. Hanging around with Jack "Cowboy" Kelly meant that never would a person have a dull day, and Jess had an unquenchable hunger for adventure. So, despite all his embarrassing comments and actions towards her, she still hung around with him more than any other Newsie.

She chased after Jack and the other boys, eager to get a jump start on the other papers. Besides, she knew that if she lagged behind too much, she'd miss the morning fight with the Delancy's: something she looked forward to every day. Finally catching up with the boys near the nun's food stand, she hurriedly accepted a piece of bread for breakfast, and leapt after Kelly. "Hey Jack: wait up!" she yelled. He slowed down and waited while she shifted through the other boys to get to him.

"Took you long enough!" he teased. "I thought I was gonna have to handle Ugly and Stupid by myself today."

"How many times do I gotta tell you Kelly? You'd go down in under five minutes without me there with ya. Now come on, or we'll lose our sellin' spot again!"

It didn't take long and all the Newsies were huddled outside the gates to The World to wait for distribution. Suddenly, through the ranks of the boys burst two men: Oscar and Morris Delancy. Racetrack sniffed the air and waved his hat in front of his face. "Dear me!" he said. "What is that unpleasant aroma? I fear the sewer may have backed up during the night."

The boys all laughed appreciatively, and one called out, "Nah it's too rotten to be the sewer!"

"Yeah it must be…the Delancy Brothers!" Crutchy taunted.

Everyone laughed, and Jess gave Crutchy an appreciative high-five. In retaliation, Oscar seized one of the younger boys by the scruff of the neck and threw him to the ground. Jess stepped forward threateningly as Jack helped the boy up and turned to face the Delancys. Jack gave Racetrack just enough time to make his customary offer for a bet before he easily slid Morris' hat off and tore across the street with both Delancys and Jess hot on his tail.

This was Jess's favorite part of the morning; she loved fighting at Jack's side. The fact that he didn't treat her like some damsel in distress but like the fighter she was really made her feel special. She saw Jack slide under a cart by the restaurant and hurried to join him. In their traditional method of silent communication, Jess jerked her head up at the awning and made a motion with her hands like she was pushing something before pointing at the cart. Jack smirked in understanding. Bracing himself for the jump, he leapt into the air and seized the rim of the awning. Jess pushed on his back so that he swung and kicked the Delancys, who were on the other side of the cart, dead in the face. Jack hopped down and beckoned for Jess to follow him back to the main square. As they reached the statue, both of them were turned around to make sure the Delancys weren't following them, but…

Jack was the first to hit the boy. Next, Jess ran into Jack and almost fell but for the pair of arms that seized her around the middle to keep her up. She looked up to see a boy about her age, dressed better than most boys but not much, and wearing a very affronted look. "What do you think you're doing?" he asked Jack.

Jack opened his mouth to respond, but when he saw the Delancys catching up he turned back to the boy with a grin and said, "Runnin'!" before grabbing Jess's hand and pulling her away just before both Delancys slammed into the new boy.

Running back into the crowd of Newsies, Jess and Jack were given quite the warm reception, just like every day. The boys all patted them on the back and commented on the quality of the fight. Jess smiled up at Jack who always hammed up the moments like he was some great hero. Suddenly, one of the Delancys pushed Jack hard and started the fight all over again. Jack enticed Oscar to come at him, dodged his punch, and seized him around the neck. Jess smirked and pushed Morris from behind so that his attempted punch stumbled into his brother instead. Thus ended the morning's fight, and Jess beamed at Jack as he climbed the gates in triumph.

After the gates were opened, Jess rushed forward to catch up with Jack. He was already doing his best to drive Weasel crazy before he slammed his hand down and asking for "the usual" meaning a hundred papes. Jess then stepped up to the counter and asked for the same. She and Jack then sat down on the steps to read over the headlines and plan their renditions accordingly. While Jack was talking to Racetrack, Jess noticed a young boy standing and looking at Jack with reverence. She nudged his arm and nodded at the boy.

"You wanna sit down?" Jack asked, and the boy took a seat nearby.

"Uh oh…Jack, there's trouble with Weasel and a newbie," she whispered.

Jack jumped up and went to the counter to help the new kid get through the line. He also bought him fifty more papes which the boy attempted to give back. "I don't take charity from anybody, I don't even know you, I don't care to, and here are your papes."

"Cowboy: they call him Cowboy," the boy said running up behind Jess.

"Yeah," Jack said looking down at the boy with new interest. "Well that and a lot of other things including Jack Kelly which is what my mother called me. And what do they call you, kid?"

"Les: and this is my brother, David; he's older."

Jess stifled a laugh as Jack said, "Yeah no kiddin'. So how old are you, Les."

"Near ten."

"Near ten," Jack repeated thoughtfully. "Well that's no good; if anybody asks, say you're seven. Ya see, younger sells more papes, Les. If we're gonna be partners-"

Jess's eyes flashed with anger, but David beat her to words. "Wait hold it: who said anything about partners?"

"Well, you owe me two bits, right?" Jack said. "So I'll consider that an investment. We sell together, we split…seventy-thirty plus you get the benefit of observin' me no charge!"

David let out a derisive snort which Jack imitated while Jess continued to boil over the idea that Jack was replacing her. The remainder of the conversation passed in a blur for Jess as all she could think about was how best to get him back. When she saw David finally accept, she stormed away, ignoring the many ohhhh's that followed her. She was furious that Jack had replaced her without as much as a word. They had been partners for years; how could he do this to her? She stalked through the streets of the New York, trying to think of the best place to sell AND get on Jack Kelly's nerves. Hearing the distant sounds of the fighting ring gave her an idea, and she smirked as she made her way over to the sounds.

Several hours later, Jack got the same idea and brought Dave and Les to the ring. "It's a great place to sell a lot with not a lot of work," he explained. "Lots o' people come here to watch the fights and then get drunk, so it don't take much work to convince them to buy, ya see?"

"Are you sure it's safe?" David asked, looking doubtfully at the large crowd.

"Course it is!" Jack said, waving a hand. "Princess and I come here all the time to finish up."

"Why do you call her that?" David had learned throughout the day that every Newsie had a reason for their nickname.

"Every Newsie in the entire city knows who she is," Jack said proudly. "There ain't a part of the city that she's afraid to go into. Plus, she's the only girl Newsie in this area, so she kinda gets treated like a princess. All the boys love her."

"There are other girl Newsies in New York?" David asked, just to be sure.

"Oh yeah," Jack said. "Every section's got at least one or two, but Jess is still the most famous 'cause she's the toughest."

The three of them entered the crowd, and Jack sent Les off to sell one pape at a time. However, Jack quickly noticed that none of them were selling much even with his inflated headlines. He looked around for the offending Newsie that was robbing him of his selling spot when he heard her.

Jess was standing at the opposite entrance to the rink, giving out papers to all who went by her. She had long since heard Jack inside trying to sell, and she was waiting to see how long it took him to realize it was her stealing his business. The smirk of triumph was clearly imprinted on her face as she continued to sell until someone seized her arm from behind and whipped her around.

"What are you doin'?!" Jack demanded furiously. "You know this is my finishin' spot."

Jess ripped her arm from his grip and glared at him. "Well, when you decided to bail on me this mornin', I had to find a place where I was sure I'd sell. This was the first place I thought of."

"I didn't bail on you," Jack said. "I was showin' the new boys the ropes is all. I was gonna go out with you again tomorrow, and you could've come with us."

"Yeah right," Jess scoffed. "So all that talk about being partners was just 'showin' the new boys the ropes' right? It didn't really sound like an invitation for them to just come along for the day."

"Look I'm sorry, alright? I ain't tryin' to replace you. I'm sorry."

Trying to stay angry with Jack was nearly impossible for Jess. Any time he apologized, she couldn't stay mad. Flashing him a small smile she said, "You know I can't stay mad at ya, Kelly. Just don't be ditchin' me like that no more, ok?"

"Promise," Jack said and pulled her into a hug.

Over his shoulder, Jess saw the new boy, David, coming their way, and behind him she saw… "Jack…" she said warningly.

Jack released her and turned to look behind David as well. As soon as David was within arm's reach, Jack grabbed his shoulder. "Beat it!" he cried. "It's the bulls!"

"LES!" David yelled back to the younger boy who was struggling to get through the crowd.

"I'll get him," Jess called. She shoved her way through the people until she could reach the boy. "Come with me!" she said as she grabbed his hand and began to pull him out of the rink. She handed him off to David. "Go with Jack," she said to David, "and whatever you do, don't let him get caught!"

"Jessica don't you dare!" Jack yelled, but it was too late.

Turning away from the boys, she taunted, "Hey Snyder: bet you can't catch me!" before taking off in the opposite direction and running for her life.