Eliza Hamilton Meets Newsies || Fanfiction

Chapter 9 - Secrets and Sleep

Warnings: Nightmares, stress
Third Person POV

Confused, Eliza found herself in the same situation as her first night in the Lodge.

She heard moving around from the upstairs of the Manhattan Lodge.

She silently got up, something she was very good at since she had practice from when she didn't want to wake someone up when she was a kid or when one of her kids were crying.

She missed them a bit.

She knew they would've liked the Newsies, and the Newsies would've liked them.

Eliza had seen Race with Lucky and Les, and she knew that he was better with kids than he showed anyone other than the kids.

Specs was good with kids, as was Davey, Crutchie, JoJo, Mike, Finch, and Jack.

All of the boys were relatively good with kids, though Spot didn't like them much, and Tommy boy and Ike were less okay with them.

They still didn't mind them.

Eliza walks up to the hallway, finding Davey there with a candle, a schoolbook, and a pencil.

Davey and Les had decided to stay the night at the Lodge.

"Davey." She starts softly.

Davey's head whips up, looking at her. He looked a bit shocked.

"I'm so sorry." He whispers. "Did I wake you up?" He was definitely panicked. "I apologize, Mrs-"

"No, no." Eliza cuts him off. "I was already awake." She informs him. "May I sit?" She gestures to the spot next to him.

Davey nods.

Eliza sits down next to him.

They sit there in silence for a few minutes.

Davey's eyes were threatening to close on him.

"Davey," Eliza starts. "What are you doing up?" She looks at his book. "And doing schoolwork?" She frowns. "Honey, you work too hard to be doing schoolwork at twelve in the morning. You need sleep."

"Funny." Davey laughs lightly. "I'm used to being the one who says that."

Eliza smiles a bit. "I can see that, but you didn't answer my question." She points out.

Davey sighs, rubbing his eye. "I've been trying to keep up with schoolwork while out of school and working so that when I do go back, I don't fall behind." He explains, looking down the hallway. "Even if I don't want to leave these boys and being a Newsie, I have to go back to school and I can't be behind."

Eliza rubs his arm, softly. "I understand, but these boys will understand and you'll all stay together. You guys have too strong of a friendship, brother-ship, and even romantic attraction to each other to let that go to waste." She responds.

Davey nods.

"As for the schoolwork," Eliza starts. "You work so hard in a day, and doing your work while you're half asleep, at twelve in the morning isn't going to help you get anywhere. It'll only slow you down." She whispers.

Davey nods. "I know, but I had to try." He whispers.

Eliza purses her lips. "How about if you go to sleep now, you can have Les sell with Lucky and Specs tomorrow, and I'll spend the day helping you get ahead." She suggests. "That way, you won't have to do this and stress, and you'll be ahead, so your work will be easy enough to do in the afternoon, after selling, when you get more."

Davey looks up at her. "You'd do that?" He asks.

Eliza smiles, almost crying at the hope in his eyes and the smile on his face. "Of course, honey. You work so hard." She answers.

Davey smiles. "Thank you so much.

He hugs Eliza.

Eliza smiles.

They pull away after a minute.

"Now," Eliza chuckles a bit. "Go get some sleep."

Davey chuckles a bit, closing his book. "Thanks Eliza."

Eliza smiles. "Good night, Davey."

Davey yawns, whispering a 'good night' in response, before heading back into his room.

Eliza walks back downstairs, making some tea for herself, when she heard someone coming downstairs.

Her eyebrows furrow. Is it a bad sleeping night for everyone?

She was a bit shocked, but also a bit not, when Race walked into the room.

The bags under his eyes had gotten a bit bigger, his hair was a bit of a mess in his face, but he didn't exactly look bad.

He was wearing his undershirt, his shoes were off, his suspenders were hanging from his pant belt (not over his shoulders), and he just looked tired.

Eliza frowns. "Racer." She whispers.

Race looks up at her, eyes wide.

He bit his lip, before tears filled his eyes and he broke.

Eliza immediately pulled him into a hug.

Race just sobbed in her arms.

Elmer soothed him and held him for a few minutes.

"I'm sorry." Race whispers. "I had- a nightmare and- and- I haven't had a- a motherly hug in so- so- long." He whimpers.

Eliza frowns. "I'm sorry, Race." She whispers, rubbing his back softly.

Race sobs again.

Eliza lays Race down on the couch.

"I'll be back in a few minutes, okay?" She whispers to him.

Race nods softly.

Eliza silently and slowly walks upstairs.

She enters the room Race shares with Jack, Albert, and multiple others.

She quietly wakes Albert and Jack up, whispering that she'll tell them outside.

She silently closes the door, before turning to face the two boys. "Race walked downstairs, not knowing that I was there. He looked tired, he took one look at me, before..." she trails off, frowning. "He broke down sobbing."

Albert and Jack's eyes widen.

"He said he had a nightmare, which was also the reason we were sleeping out here the other day." Eliza explains. "When I hugged him, he said he hadn't had a motherly hug in a while." She whispers.

Jack's frown deepens. "Eliza, there's something you should know." He starts, sharing a look with Albert. "I won't tell you his whole past, since that's for him to tell, but Race's mother died when he was six and his father became abusive."

Eliza stares at him, not knowing how to process that. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry." She whispers.

"It's alright. He keeps trying to tell us that he's over his past, but we know he isn't." Jack responds. "Thank you for telling us."

Eliza nods.

She leads them downstairs, and when he sees him, Albert immediately hugs Race close to him.

Race just continued to sob, making Eliza's heart hurt.

She may have not known these kids for long, but she already had such a strong emotional connection to them.

And she didn't mind it. They were good kids.

1096 Words