a change of heart | e.k

Chapter Seventeen

Just a quick reminder, Soot was Manhattan's old leader!

The joy had ended as soon as it had really even begun.

Jack was in danger. They'd known that all along, of course, but what had happened just hours before solidified the fact. They'd been too careless, too forgetful. They'd forgotten why it was crucial that Jack stay hidden.

Fortunately, Soot and her companions had come just in the nick of time. They newsies were relentless, but they weren't invincible against a gun. They weren't soldiers. Just kids.

He was just a kid.

Finch fiddled with the band of his slingshot as he pondered the events as of late. Lane had come clean about knowing his past. He'd come clean in telling her he'd also known. What he hadn't known, however, was the tiny little detail of Spot handing Brooklyn down to him. Not just a shirt, or his newsie cap, or something of the like. Brooklyn.

A part of him hoped it was all just some big misunderstanding.

The Lights had come clean about quite a few things, too. Apparently they had kids in just about every borough watching over their respective turfs. What struck Finch as strange was that a number of newsies had still died, no matter all their attempts to prevent that from happening. It was no use. If anything, it made the whole situation seem even more hopeless.

Finch was starting to suspect the world hated him a great deal, for it wasn't long before Jojo's father came and pulled him aside, shooting him a sympathetic glance. "I'm sorry about your brother."

Finch waved the comment away, smiling weakly. "Wasn't yer fault."

And it wasn't. The Unknowns were the only ones to blame. He just knew that they'd taken his twin brother away from him far too early, and he would never forgive them for that. Frisks... well, she was part of the whole problem, wasn't she?

Jojo's father patted him on his shoulder. "You're strong, Patrick."

He blinked. "You know my name."

"Of course." The man seemed shocked. "I knew your mother."

Finch's breath caught, feeling like he'd just been punched in the gut. "Knew?"

Jojo's father's face fell impossibly more. "She was killed trying to warn Sean. I thought you were aware."

He couldn't breathe. Not his mother. Not his mother, please. He could've handled anyone, but not her. Please, not her. "I..."

"Hah, there he is!" Lane appeared out of seemingly nowhere, grabbing his hand and leading him far away from what was drowning him. "I've been lookin' everywhere fa you, dummy."

He could only let out a small huff, squeezing tighter onto her hand. If she felt it, she didn't say anything. They turned into Amy's room, where Lane kicked the door shut with her foot and brought him over to the bed. He sat down with her, letting her cradle his head to her chest. They stayed like for several minutes, neither of them saying a word.

Eventually, he was able to speak. "My muddah's gone."

"Oh, Finch." She held onto him tighter, running her fingers through his hair. "Ise so sorry."

He blinked rapidly, a single tear slipping out of his eye. "She was everything ta me."

"Yeah." Lane was silent for a moment. "She was everythin' ta me, too."

He knew she wasn't talking about his mother.

His lips twitched as something hit him. "We could switch family situations, 'n it really wouldn't be any different."