Jackine one-shots

Help me, please

Trigger Warning, mentions of domestic abuse

Katherine scrambled away from her father, slamming her bedroom door shut and shoving a chair under the door knob. She sunk down against the wall and listened for her father's footsteps.

She let out a shaky breath of relief when she didn't hear him outside her door. She raised a hand to her face and ran her fingers along the cut on her lips.

She stood up, placing a hand on her desk to steady herself, and staggered into her bathroom. She pulled out all of the medical supplies she had and began to tend to the wounds she had.

She'd learnt long ago that crying would not make her feel better. It would make her feel weak and useless. So, after these beatings, she'd learnt to tend to her own wounds and go about the rest of her night.

She all but jumped out of her skin when she heard a knock on her bedroom window, followed by a soft voice. She limped out of her bathroom, the wound on her leg still bleeding, and sighed softly when she saw Jack perched on the fire escape.

She opened the window and stepped back as Jack tumbled in. "What are you doing here?" She asked, trying to hid the bruising on her face and arms.

Jack looked at her and frowned. "What happened to youse?" He asked, taking her wrists gently and looking at her bruised arms and face.

"Nothing." She said shakily.

"It's not nothin' Kath. Youse is bleeding." He said, gesturing to the blood soaking through her skirt. "Ok, come here." He said, picking her up and walking into the bathroom with her.

He set her down on the counter and riffled through the box of medical supplies on her toilet seat. "What happened?" He asked as he dabbed at the cut on her leg.

"I fell." She lied, her vision becoming blurry with tears. "It's nothing Jack."

"Katherine, please. Youse don't get this kinda injuries from fallin'. Did youse get in a fight?"

Katherine shook her head, keeping her mouth shut.

Jack sighed and turned to face her, cupping her uninjured cheek. "I want ta help youse, but youse have ta talk ta me." He whispered, running his thumb over his cheek.

Katherine looked at him, her eyes shining with tears. "He won't stop." She whispered before breaking down in tears.

"Who?"

"My father. He won't stop." She cried, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her head against his chest.

"Ya father? He did this ta youse?" Jack asked, wrapping his arms around her and hugging her gently. He felt her nod against her chest and he pulled away. "Ok."

Katherine opened her eyes when she felt Jack pull away and leave the bathroom. "What are you doing?" She sniffed, getting off the counter and limping into her bedroom.

"Gettin' youse outta here." He said as he began stuffing some of her clothes into a duffel bag.

"Jack." She whispered, reaching a hand out and grabbing his arm. "You can't."

"Yes I can. Look, youse can come and live at the Lodging House with me and the boys. Ya father doesn't know wes together so he won't look for youse." Jack said, pulling away from her and stuffing some of her books into the bag.

"Jack please don't."

Jack sighed and set the bag down on the floor, taking her in his arms. "I'm not letting youse get hurt anymore." He said sternly, running a hand through her hair gently. "Please, I don't want youse gettin' hurt anymore."

Katherine stared at him before nodding. "I don't want to get hurt anymore." She whispered.

"Ok, ok. It's ok. I won't let youse get hurt." Jack promised, leaning down and kissing her softly. "Youse'll be ok." He whispered against her lips.

Katherine nodded and hugged him tightly.

Jack smiled and kissed the top of her head before helping her sit on her bed. "What else do youse need?" He asked, running a hand through her hair.

"My typewriter."

Jack nodded and took her typewriter from her desk. He shouldered the bag full of her clothes and books before opening her window. "Come on." He said, holding a hand out to her.

"What if he finds me?" She asked, looking around her room.

"He won't." Jack promised. "But wes have ta go now."

--------

"How's she doin'?" Race asked as Jack walked into the living room.

"She's sleepin'." Jack said, sitting down next to a tired Crutchie.

"So, what are wes gonna do 'bout it?" Elmer asked, pulling his knees up to his chest and resting his chin on his knees.

"Wes need ta go ta the bulls!"

At Finch's statement, the rest of the boys become rowdy, nodding and shouting their agreement.

"Shut it!" Jack exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air and silencing the boys. "Look, I don't think wes can do much. The bulls won't trust a bunch of newsboys and a girl against the richest man in New York."

"He's right." Crutchie said sadly. "All wes can do right now is look after Katherine and make her feel like this is her home. She deserves that after what she's been through."

Jack nodded, "He's right. Now go up ta sleep and try not ta wake Kathy." He said, looking at the boys as they nodded and walked upstairs.

He waited till they'd all disappeared before burying his head in his hands. How could he not see that Katherine was getting hurt? He'd been with her for a year and he hadn't seen the now obvious bruises, or the way she flinched when he moved too suddenly.

"Jack." Katherine whispered from the doorway, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders.

"Why aren't youse asleep?" He asked, looking up with tears in his eyes.

"The boys woke me." She said, coming to sit next to him. "What's wrong?"

"How did I not see?" He asked, turning towards her and cupping her cheek. "I mean, youse was getting hurt for as long as wes knew each other and I didn't see."

"Jack, it's not your fault. I made sure no one knew, I didn't want sympathy." Katherine whispered, wrapping her arms loosely around him.

"But I still shoulda known." Jack said against her neck.

"He's not going to hurt me anymore. I'm here, with you and the boys. I'll be ok Jack." She said, playing with his hair in reassurance.

"Promise?"

"Promise." She said, hugging him tighter. "Now, let's sleep." She whispered, pushing him down on the sofa and laying on top of him.

Jack wrapped his arms around her and kept her close to him. "I won't let youse get hurt anymore." He promised, kissing her gently.

"I know you won't sweetheart. I know you won't." She said against his lips. "I love you Jack."

"I love you too Ace."