The World Will Know (Newsies)

15: Once and For All

After Jack and Katherine left the rally, it was difficult to keep people in line. People were talking over each other, and nobody could hear what anyone was trying to say. It was simply chaos. Davey tried to get everybody back on the same page, but everyone was arguing and doubting the cause. Rebecca attempted to get their attention as well, but even though she was yelling at the top of her lungs, she was ignored too. Nobody knew what to do. So, after another fifteen minutes filled with more attempts to get the rally back on track, everyone just gave up and left the theater.

Outside of the theater, Davey waited for his little brother to join him, but he was visibly disappointed in how his idea had gone. With a sigh, he kicked at a stone on the sidewalk, letting it sail into the street behind some newsies from the Bronx. His plan had failed. It had been a solid, valiant effort, but Jack's actions had made it come crashing down. What had happened to Jack, anyway? What happened to make the guy change so much in such a short time? Nothing made any sense.

Rebecca then appeared, pulling her cap off as she leaned against the wall behind him. "Penny for your thoughts," she started.

Davey turned around, then shrugged. "Well, I think we'd all appreciate a penny," he commented honestly, though he meant it in jest.

With a smile on her face, she crouched down and retrieved the penny she had snuck from her room. As she tossed it over to him, she stated, "Here. Now, tell me what you're thinking, Jacobs."

Davey caught the penny, a little surprised by her actions. He tried to offer it back, but when she shook her head at him, he flashed a smile and slipped it into his own pocket. "Thanks," he commented. "I don't know. I just, I don't get what happened with Jack. It doesn't make sense, you know?"

It was Rebecca's turn to sigh. "It's Pulitzer's fault," she explained. "Katherine and I were there when he gave him an ultimatum. Either he speaks up against the strike, or everyone goes to the Refuge. We think he was trying to protect all of you." Of course, there was also the case of the money, but Rebecca was feeling relatively optimistic and hoped that it was to protect his friends after all.

Davey looked at her with a look of surprise that soon developed into understanding. "He...of course he did. He wouldn't give up the cause that easily, not after what we talked about yesterday," he mused, a bit upset with himself for not realizing that was the case.

Rebecca gave him a quick nod. "Exactly. Katherine's trying to talk to him right now, see whether or not he caved for the money he could have gotten, or in order to protect you and the other newsies," she explained. "So, we still might just have a shot. It just means that we might have to do it without Jack. That means you might have to become the new leader if that happens, because this strike needs a leader. Are you prepared to do that?"

He hesitated for a minute, looking at her, then around at the newsies that were leaving the theater around them. "I mean, I could be. No, I will be. I can do it," he stated after a minute, standing up straighter.

She grinned up at him, glad to hear his response. "Yes, you can. I believe in you, David."

A smile formed on his lips, and he opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say a word, Les came out of the building and trudged over to his brother while he stifled a yawn. "David, I'm tired. Can we go home?" he asked him with a frown, rubbing his eyes.

Davey nodded, patting him lightly on the shoulder. "Okay, Les. Let's go home." Then, his gaze turned to Rebecca. "Hey, if you want, I could walk you home. Our house is that way," he explained, gesturing off to the left of the three of them. "If your place is in that direction, I could drop Les off and continue walking with you."

The direction he pointed in was, in fact, the same way she needed to go to get home, so Rebecca nodded and gave him a smile. "That'd be great. Thank you so much," she said gratefully, pulling her cap on over her bun again.