Princess Pulitzer and The Common Boy ❉ Newsies//COMPLETED

Chapter 13

"Ashes ashes,
We all fall down."

Je-ack? Je-ack wake up!" Les cried shaking him hardly from where he laid unconscious on the palace floor.

Jack's eyes squinted as they finally opened to see the blurry image of the boys huddled over him.

"Guys?" He croaked.

"He's gone." Davey muttered, "James is dead down there."

"Where is she? Where's Katherine?" Jack asked quickly as they helped him sit up, wiping dried blood off his forehead.

"Over here!" Smalls cried from where she and a few of the Brooklands newsies sat huddled around where Katherine lay.

Jack slowly got up and carefully walked over.

"Ace." He breathed out at the sight of her laying on the ground unconscious.

He gently fell to his knees beside her and pulled her head into his lap stroking fallen ashes off her cheek.

"Katherine wake up."

When she didn't stir he shook her quickly but gently.

"Katherine, Katherine please wake up."

He quickly leaned his head down to her chest and almost cried at the faint heartbeat he heard.  Davey began checking her pulse.

"It's low." He mumbled.

"Don't.  Yous dare.  Die.  On me." Jack whispered through tears that smudged the ash across his face.

All of the newsies had begun sobbing by now.  Katherine had become a sister to them all, even the ones that barely knew her.  Once a Newsie, always a newsie.

"Please." Jack cried hugging her closely, "Yous can't leave me.  Not after all of this.  Not after us."

He gently leaned forward and kissed her full on the lips, squeezing his eyes shut. 

He suddenly pulled away when he heard soft coughing.

"Aye, she's a wakin!" One of the boys said.

Katherine's eyes slowly opened, revealing to her the blurry image of about a hundred newsboys looking down at her.  But one stood out in familiar, Jack.  Her Jack.

"Jack?" She mumbled softly.

He wasted no time and took her in his arms, hugging her close and burying his face in her hair, curling his fingers around it and hugging her tightly.  They both she'd happy tears together.

"I-Is he gone?" She asked hesitantly as she pulled away to look him in the eyes.  Those deep brown eyes she loved so much.

"He's gone baby.  He's gone for good." Jack said happily before hugging her again.

"I love you." Katherine cried.

"I love you more."

Jack and Katherine stood up and began to waste no time getting out of the now falling apart palace.  Jack quickly remembered Katherine's leg and scooped her up as he would his bride-to-be and she looked over and smiled at him.  She kissed his cheek, getting a slight bit of ash on her lips, and he blushed profusely.

The rest of the newsies followed them quickly down the staircase and out the front doors.

***

"So I take it we're staying at Aunt Petunia's then." Mrs. Pulitzer sighed looking up at the burnt mansion.

Pulitzer said nothing, his face redder than a tomato and his eyes shooting daggers at Jack who at the moment was being full on shielded by Katherine after they had helped bandage her leg and get the two of them somewhat cleaned.

"Jack and I are going to leave.  We won't be coming with you."

"You're what?" Pulitzer asked looking straight at Jack angrily, "Kelly, I-"

"Sorry Joe, dis ain't my decision." Jack smirked looking down at Katherine who stood there with her fists clenched and a very smug look on her face before she crossed her arms across her chest.

"Jack and I are going to go get married and live somewhere nice.  We will not be having contact with you anymore." She said simply as if she were asking about the weather.

She then turned on her heel and began to walk, or rather limp, away confidently.  Jack shrugged and tipped his cap at the two Pulitzers before running to catch up to Katherine.  He ran towards her and scooped her up under her knees and back which earned quick a shriek of surprise from her.

"Heya Ace." He smirked at her, winking.

"Heya." She whispered mimicking his accent.

"So we's gonna get married aye?"

"Maybe." Katherine giggled.

"And then what?" Jack asked wiggling his eyebrows.

"That's for us to decide." Katherine sighed, "But I say we live happily ever after."

She kissed his cheek softly.

"Yeah Ace, I like that idea too."

Get ready for epilogue guys! 😭😭😭