This Is Just A Big Misunderstanding, Right?

Chapter 7

Hello hello hello beautiful people. Author here. This is THE LAST CHAPTER. AAAAAAAAAA. Ok, freak out over. I hope you enjoyed this at least a little bit. I'm working on another story that I'll probably publish soon, so be on the lookout for that. Hope you enjoy!
(Btw, this video has absolutely no relevance to the story. I just think it's hilarious. Also, Mike Faist)

Katherine couldn't believe her eyes. Just when she had given up, here comes Jack like some knight in shining armor. A dusty, dirty knight wearing a vest and a newsboy cap, but a knight nonetheless. It was still extremely dark, and dehydration had started to make her vision go a little fuzzy, but it was definitely Jack. And was that Spot Conlon?

"Ace, you alright? Well, obviously you're not but you know what I means. I mean, thats prob'ly not the right thing to say right now but gosh, Kath, yous has me worried there and"

"Jack." She smiled weakly and pulled herself into a sitting position. "I'm as good as I can be right now. Shouldn't we, I don't know, maybe get out of here before Snyder comes back?"

"She makes a good point, Jack." Spot said from his position in the doorway. "Nice ta see ya Kath, though I wish it was in betta circumstances."

Katherine then tried to stand up, but found it a little difficult due to the fact that she was bleeding from multiple wounds and she hadn't had food in days.
"Uh, Jack? Can you help me up?"

That sent Jack scrambling. "Yeah sure, Ace, I'm right here uh, yeah." He helped her up off the floor and draped her arm around his shoulder so that she could lean against him.

Katherine carefully leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek. "I'm alive Jack. I may not be in the best condition right now, but I'm alive, and I'm right here. So relax."
After who knows how long (not me) in the Refuge, Katherine was finally getting out. Jack had come to get her, and everything was going to work out fine.

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Jack breathed an audible sigh of relief when they got out of the refuge basement. He had some bad memories of that place, and the further away from it he was, the better. Spot had gone ahead, checking around corners before he and Katherine came through. Katherine. Jack would never let on it, but the panic had been setting in. The thought that he would never see her again, the thought that this plan would fail and it would be all. His. Fault. But then, Spot got that door open, and she was alive. Battered and bruised, but alive. And now, he was carrying her out of this place, this place that had haunted his nightmares for years. After a seemingly endless string of hallways, the trio emerged through the door the two boys had come through, where they met Davey.

"Kath, thank goodness, I'm so sorry this happened. I would hug you, but I'd probably hit an injury an' make it worse." Davey whispered as they huddled in the back of the alleyway. "I'm just waiting on the signal from Race down the street, then we can head back to the Lodging House. I sent JoJo to get Darcy at the Trib earlier, so he's waiting there with a doctor who won't ask questions."

Inside, Jack was relieved. Davey was the most logical newsie there had ever been, and it was probably for the best that he came to work with them that day. His thoughts were interrupted by strangled noise coming from down the street.

"What in the woild was that?"

Davey grimaced. "That, would be Race attempting to do a bird call. Anyway, that's the signal, so let's go."

The four teens ran down the street, sticking to the shadows. After they were far enough away from the Refuge, they slowed to a walk. A few minutes later they reached the Lodging House. Davey went in first to clear the room.

" Everyone OUT. Yes, the plan worked. No, you can't see her now. Where's Darcy and the doctor?"

"They're back here with me and Crutchie!"

"Thanks, Les. Now, EVERYONE OUT."

Jack walked into the room and took a now unconscious Katherine to the back. The doctor set to work, and he unceremoniously flopped down in the nearest chair. Spot came and said goodbye a minute later, stating that he would come back the next day to see how Katherine was. The doctor left next, stating to his relief that Katherine would be fine in a day or two with food and rest. Darcy was next, after thanking Jack profusely for finding his friend, and promising that he would contact Pulitzer immediately and have him come home and shut down the Refuge. Then Davey and Les (who were spending the night at the Lodging House) went to bed, since Les was about to fall asleep standing up. Race, Albert, and Specs has come back a while ago, smiling and smelling of smoke. They had cleaned themselves up and headed to bed. Crutchie stayed the longest, but finally went to his bunk, since Jack wasn't going up to the rooftop tonight. And for the first time since this whole misunderstanding started, Jack fell asleep with no nightmares, in the chair next to his Ace, safe and sound.

Aaaaaaaand drumroll please, we're done! This was my first story ever, so the fact that people are reading it is amazing. Please read my new book, title pending, when I publish it, and stay safe out there as we deal with the 'rona. Until then, just keep on smiling and keep on surviving.
Peace out✌️
Author