So, here's the sequel I promised to my story A Dream Called Santa Fe! I know it took a bit, but I hope it's worth it. Just as a set-up for you, this is about three months after the end of the strike. Enjoy!
House Hunting
Jessica Flynn whistled to herself as she straightened the beds at the Newsies' lodge house. For her, the selling day had ended over an hour ago, and she was trying to keep herself busy until the boys all got back. Not that she was expecting many of them right away, mind. She knew that Kid Blink would be hanging around the restaurants trying to pick up a girl for hours yet, Crutchy liked to mingle with the other boys after selling, and Racetrack would be at the track with Allie until nightfall at least.
Jess smirked at the thought of Race and Allie. Ever since they had met, it was obvious that Race had a huge crush on her, but Jess knew Allie too well; Allie would be playing hard to get until she was sure about how she felt. Despite this fact, Jess had high hopes for the couple. She knew how much Race liked Allie, and they had been going to the track together every day for several months now.
As she moved to fixing Jack's cot, she sighed. She hoped that this would be the last day she would have to make it for him, but she doubted it. Suddenly as she was fixing the sheet, Jess felt a pair of arms encircle her waist from behind.
"Hey Sweet Dream," Jack breathed in her ear before kissing her cheek.
"Jack!" Jess cried, spinning in his arms. "You scared the life outta me!"
"Sorry, but I just couldn't resist," Jack said with a grin.
"Does that mean you have good news for me?" Jess asked hopefully.
Jack sighed and released her to run a hand through his hair. "All the places I looked at were either too expensive or too run-down to be worth it. And that was the last set close enough to The World to keep our jobs here. I dunno what we're gonna do, Jess…"
Jess bit her lip but hugged Jack tightly. Every day for the past month Jack and Jess had been taking turns exploring the nearby area for apartments or small houses for sale. They had been pooling all the earnings they could spare in an attempt to buy a place of their own, but so far they had had no luck. "It'll be ok. We'll figure something out…we always have."
"I really wanna do this," Jack admitted. "I wanna be with you all the time, but no one's makin' it very easy."
"When have they ever?" Jess laughed.
"I guess you have a point there," Jack laughed with her. "So, you got any new ideas?"
Jess bit her lip again in thought. "Maybe we could ask Kloppman if he knows any places…"
Jack shook his head. "Do you really wanna explain why we're askin'? As much as he likes us, movin' in together without bein' married don't really go over that well."
Jess sighed. "So that's why you don't want me to tell Dad."
Jack snorted with laughter. "You can tell him if you want me dead."
"Point taken," Jess admitted. "I guess we could always ask some of the boys to look for a place. Ya know: more sets of eyes are better."
It was now Jack's turn to sigh. "I didn't want them all to know, but I guess we don't have a choice, do we?"
"It's either that or we move out of Manhattan," Jess said sympathetically. "And I really don't wanna do that."
"I know ya don't," Jack smiled, pulling her close. "I don't either, truth be told. I like bein' in charge."
Jess laughed. "There's a surprise," she said sarcastically. "My Jack Kelly likes bein' in charge…I never woulda guessed."
"Oh and you don't?" Jack asked with a raised eyebrow. "You love bein' the top girl around here."
"Correction," Jess smirked, "I like bein' the only girl around here. I almost wasn't a couple days ago."
"What d'ya mean?" Jack asked, moving to sit on his cot.
Jess sat down beside him and began her story. "Apparently, Sarah, Davey's sister, came by a couple days ago askin' for a job. She said she wanted to be a Newsie." Jess rolled her eyes. "All she wanted was to get closer to you."
"Why me?" Jack asked.
"Oh come on, Kel," Jess said exasperatedly. "She's had it bad for you since the first night we went to Davey's place. She's been after you ever since, and she hates me for gettin' you. Anyway, the boys said she could stay if she could handle it." Jess smirked. "Well, you know our boys, they poured on the worst stuff they could."
"Like what?" Jack asked eagerly.
"I think they showed her this room before I had a chance to clean it, and they told her she would have to sleep in that room with them because there wasn't anywhere else to go. Then they showed her the bathroom and the kitchen. When she still didn't leave, I guess a few of them started flirting with her until she ran out of the place screaming back to Davey. Davey came to see me later that night and told me not to worry about Sarah anymore."
Jack laughed and slung an arm around Jess's shoulders. "Even if she had stayed, it wouldn't have mattered. I can't look at any other girl so long as I got you around," he smiled.
"Awww Kel," Jess smiled back. "I love you."
"Love you too," Jack whispered before leaning in for a kiss.
Their lips had barely touched when the door to the room banged open to reveal Kid Blink, Mush, and Racetrack. "Whoa fellas, look what we got here!" Blink laughed.
"Hey there lovebirds," Race grinned.
"Not interrupting are we?" Mush smirked.
"As a matter of fact," Jack muttered darkly.
"What are you guys all doin' back so early?" Jess asked, trying to reduce the blush in her cheeks. "Race, I thought you had a date with Allie."
"Yeah I do, but I gotta pick up some cash first," Race replied. "I'm takin' her to dinner after the race."
"Yeah, Romeo's really turnin' it up over here," Blink joked. "Never thought I'd see Race go nuts for anything other than a race ticket, but there it is."
Race threw his hat at Blink's head. "Shut it you! You're just jealous 'cause I actually got a girl."
"You don't got nothin' yet," Mush laughed. "She's still playing at friends right now."
"Don't mean I won't get her some day!" Racetrack replied confidently.
"Hey guys, you mind carryin' on this conversation somewhere other than this room?" Jack asked in an irritated voice.
"Oh yeah, sorry Cowboy," Race said sheepishly.
"That means you two too," Jack said pointedly at Blink and Mush.
"Alright, alright, we're goin', we're goin'!" Blink said quickly.
"Have fun you two!" Mush winked before Jack threw a pillow at the door.
Jess shook her head as the sounds of the boys' shoes on the steps receded into silence.
"Now you see why I want our own place?" Jack sighed. "I want to be able to be alone with you without worryin' about one of them knuckleheads bargin' in on us."
Jess rubbed his shoulder gently. "I know, Jack. I want that too, but we gotta be patient."
"I know," Jack sighed. Both were silent for a moment before Jack broke the silence again. "You said you saw Davey the other day…how's he doin'?"
"He's great," Jess said brightly. "He's back in school now, and his dad got his job back."
"How's Claire takin' him bein' gone?" Jack asked sadly.
"Well…" Jess smiled secretly. "As it turns out, Davey didn't want to split from her any more than she wanted to split from him."
"So what happened?"
"Davey's parents took her in so they could stay together. She still works as a Newsie, but she lives with them now."
"Who woulda thought…?" Jack smiled. "Davey got himself a girl after all."
"I'm really glad for him," Jess admitted. "Claire's a sweet girl, and she always wanted more than a life on the streets. They really are good for each other."
"As good for each other as we are?" Jack teased.
"You know nobody's as right for each other as we are, Kel," Jess smiled. "No headline writer in the world coulda written a better story."
"That's for sure," Jack agreed. "Nobody has to improve our truth."
"And they never will," Jess whispered. "Have you spoken to Spot lately?"
Jack laughed. "Are you kiddin'? Nobody can get him away from Kara long enough to say more than 'Hi' these days!"
Jess nodded and laughed. "We tried to warn him…"
"Nah he loves it," Jack said seriously. "She keeps him in line better than anyone else. They're a good team too."
"We're still better, but don't tell Kara I said that," Jess laughed.
"I wouldn't dream of it," Jack smiled.
"Well…" Jess grinned. "Since the other boys have made plans for dinner…how about I make dinner for us at my place?"
"Can we call it a date?" Jack asked.
"We can if you want to."
"Well then, I'll be over later then."
"Why wait?" Jess asked. "Nobody else is there or here so why don't you just…" She trailed off, and a look of realization came to her eyes.
"Jess…" Jack asked with uncertainty. "You ok?"
"Better than ok…" Jess said slowly. "I think I just figured out an answer to our problem."
"Yeah?" Jack asked eagerly. "What is it?"
"My place!" Jess grinned. "Nobody else lives there, and it's right next door! We won't have to move out of Manhattan, and it'll be a heck of a lot cheaper."
"You may be onto somethin' there, Jess…" Jack said slowly. "But those walls are paper thin! The boys would be able to hear us all the time."
"Not if we spend the money we have saved to fix the place," Jess explained. "We'd still spend less than we would if we bought a place new."
"This is a good idea," Jack admitted with a smile. "All we have to do is fix your place, and it becomes our place."
"I like the sound of that," Jess smiled. "So, why don't you come over and start planning while I make us a celebration dinner?"
"I like the sound of that even more," Jack whispered, and leaned in for a kiss.
This time, however, they were not interrupted.
Hey there everyone! I'm so excited to be working with these characters again, and I have a really good story planned for you (I hope)! So, please review even though I know there's not a lot in this first chapter, and I should be updating soon!