New Kid, New Century • A Newsies Fanfic

welcome home.

epilogue - welcome home.
six years later.

"those you've known and lost still walk behind you,
all alone,
they linger till they find you."

New York's a different city now.

It's not exactly nicer than it was, but it's changed. And yet, it's the exact same city that I grew up in for the first fifteen years of my life. Changed, but the same.

It's kind of ironic how similar this city and I are, in that sense. As I stand in front of the alleyway where my little sister grew up, where I grew up, I'm a changed person. Yet, I'm the exact same person I was when I last caught a glimpse of this alleyway, six years ago. Things can alter as much as they'd like, but they'll never be something different. They'll always be what they originally were. I'm always going to be Gracie, no matter what may change about me.

Since I've gotten back, I've tried to avoid this part of Manhattan. But it's been inevitable.

As I advance into the alleyway, I catch myself humming the same tune that I sang to my sister just moments before her life ended.

The abandoned clothesline that I used to use as a dressing area is gone now. The buildings beside it are in ruins, the bricks crumbling and several windows shattered. Curiosity wins over me and I stand on my toes, peeking through the window.

Inside, the room is completely empty. It's been devoid of human activity for a while, by the looks of it. It's so weird to think that only six years ago, this same apartment building was overcrowded with people. Now, the building's completely abandoned.

As I look away from the peculiar sight and begin to walk, brushing off my dusty hands on my dress, someone sends me crashing to the ground.

The feeling of the concrete scraping my knees seems to snap me back into reality. It doesn't hurt too terribly - it's just a reminder for me. That I'm back in New York after avoiding it for six years. That I was just in the alleyway where my sister left me. That she's never going to come back.

It all hits me at once.

And now I'm sobbing in front of whoever just knocked me over.

"I'm so sorry, miss, did I hurt you?" they ask, holding out their hand.

Wait.

That voice sounds familiar.

I almost gasp as I take the hand and look up. Sure enough, my suspicions are confirmed. There he is, six years later, just as handsome and bright-eyed as ever.

He seems to recognize me as well. "Wait — holy shit, Gracie, is that you? Are you okay?" he asks, seeming to follow the tracks of the tears on my face.

I pull myself up, facing him. "I'm fine, Davey," I manage to mumble, trying to wipe away my tears.

"So you're gonna stand here, sobbing, telling me you're fine..?" He shakes his head. "You're never gonna change, are you?" he sighs.

"It's nothing," I respond, because really, it isn't. But my eyes seem to hate me, because tears continue spilling out of them.

"Doesn't seem like nothing." Beat. Then, "I haven't seen you or Liv in so long. Where have you two been? I thought you were dead."