The World Will Know (Newsies)

11: Time To Go Slummin'

The twins sat there talking for what felt like hours, filling each other in on what was happening on either side of the window between them. The conversation started with a recap about Katherine's article. Rebecca watched as her sister lit up at the mention of their friend's success, and she couldn't help but smile. Throughout the conversation, Elizabeth's reaction was one of many signs that she was okay in the Refuge, at least as okay as someone there could be. This certainly impressed Rebecca. People never really thought of Elizabeth as strong, but now her sister knew otherwise. She had to be strong. How else would she still be sitting here, relatively unharmed and smiling, if she wasn't strong?

According to Elizabeth, many of the other children in the building were beaten pretty badly. As she described some of the injuries, Rebecca couldn't help cringing, especially when it came to the young boy with the twisted foot. How could people allow these things to happen? At least they've got Eliza there to take care of them, Rebecca thought, which managed to keep her relatively calm.

Then came the topic of the strike's progress. Rebecca knew she had to tell her about the new plan Davey had come up with. Though she wasn't completely sure that everything had worked out, since she had left early, she was pretty sure that Davey would be able to convince Jack to participate in the end. He was very convincing that way. If anybody could do it, Davey could. She was sure of it. "So, we know that the strike didn't exactly go as we had hoped, what with you and Crutchie ending up here in the end instead of everything working out and the strike getting settled. But, Davey came up with a brilliant idea," she explained, as a smile formed on her lips all over again. "We're holding a rally at Irving Hall, that theater where Katherine did her review a few days ago. Newsies from all around the city are going to come and talk about what they want."

Elizabeth grinned at her sister. "You're right," she stated. "It is brilliant."

"See, Jack said it was going to get us in a padded room at first. At least you're supportive almost immediately," Rebecca commented, earning a laugh from Elizabeth.

"You know me. I'm always supportive, even if the idea is honestly the worst that I've ever heard," Elizabeth reminded her sister, which caused Rebecca to laugh this time. "I'm not lying, you know that. But that's not the point, anyway. When are you having the rally? Today? Tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow night. I probably should go start spreading the word about it, but I'd rather sit and talk with you for a while," Rebecca admitted with a grin.

Elizabeth smiled and touched the pane of glass as she replied, "I'd rather sit and talk with you too." They honestly hated being separated. They had hardly spent much time apart since they were babies. In all honesty, it was probably for the sake of their parents wanting to show off their adorable twin daughters, but it still had affected them. It just felt very wrong to be away from each other like this. Yes, someday they would get married and live apart, but they hadn't been prepared to think about that now, especially with the conditions that one of them was living in.

If they could have been there for hours, the two of them would have sat there like that, just talking and catching up. But, time got in the way. The young boy from before, whom Elizabeth addressed as Patrick, came over and tapped her on the shoulder, informing her that she needed to come back and do something, but Rebecca couldn't hear it clear enough to make a guess. This, of course, disappointed the teen, but she knew she had to go. "Come and visit soon, Becky, will you?" she asked as she got up and started heading back into the Refuge.

Before Rebecca could respond cohesively, her sister was gone. Rebecca let out a sigh and got up, quietly making her way down the fire escape and back into the alley. By the time she had made it back out to the main street, she had made herself look presentable, with no tears on her cheeks and no problems with her wardrobe. She knew it would have been a good idea to wear the pants today, but it was too late now.