Chapter 8: Racetrack Higgins' POV/ Jack Kelly's POV

                                    

                                          
I am not that stupid. I may have my moments where I can be an idiot, but I wasn't that dumb. I knew that person was Jack from the moment that I walked closer to him, but I wasn't a rat or a snitch. I wasn't going to tell the others that Jack came back. But why would Jack come back? He should have no loyalty toward us anymore, so why would he come back?
And why would he come back when he was aware that Manhattan was still in the middle of a turf war with Harlem? That can't be a coincidence, can it? Maybe he came back to help us. No, that wouldn't be the case. We don't deserve his help at all. 
Well, whatever the reason was, I am glad that Jack is still alive and is doing well, but I need to start selling newspapers now. I hope that one of these days we could make up and be friends again. Maybe even brothers again.
Jack Kelly's POV
I know that Race had it all figured out that I was in Newsies Square, and I hope that he doesn't tell the others that I was here. I don't want an army of newsies coming after me and running me out of New York. Wait, why should I care? I am not even staying here for that long. I am going back to Santa Fe and I am never coming back, so it doesn't matter if they chase me out of New York anyways. 
Regardless, I should talk to the boys that are not selling. I don't want them to suffer and possibly lose their job because of me.
I still remember that Crutchie and Jojo said that Albert told them about the situation with Brooklyn and I didn't see him at Newsies Square, so maybe I should see him first. After all, I probably wouldn't have escaped if it wasn't for him.
I walked into the room that Albert stayed in and found him on one of the bottom bunks with his back turned toward the door. I would have thought that he was asleep if it wasn't for the fact that I could hear him sniffling. Albert was never the kind of person who would cry, even if he was by himself. 
"Hey, Albert"
"I told you fellas that I wanted to be left alone, so go away!", he snapped at me. He still had his back faced toward the door. 
"Al, come on. Turn around and look at me"
"No! Now leave me alone! I don't want to deal with any of you right now!"
"Seriously, Al? Is that any way to talk to someone? Especially your infamous strike leader?". He raised his head from his pillow, but he still didn't turn around. Now that seemed to get his attention.
"... Jack?"
"Why don't you turn around and find out for yourself?". Finally, he turned around and looked at me. He looked at me with shock, confusion, and nervousness. "Hey, buddy. Long time no see"
"Jack...". He looked down toward the ground, but I knew that he was nervous about what he should say to me, especially after what happened that night when I left the Lodging House. 
"So, are you just going to sit there and say nothing or are you going to come over here and hug me?". He looked back up at me with a shock face on his face, but when he saw that I had my arms out, he immediately ran toward me and hugged me. He buried his head into my neck, and I could feel some wetness on my neck and I knew that Albert was silently crying, but I didn't care that much. I carried him back to the bed and I had him sit down in my lap. Even the older boys liked it when I comforted them like this. 
"I'm sorry, Jack", he mumbled as he still had his head in my neck.
"I know, Al. And I forgive you for it"
"But how?", he asked as he raised his head to look at me. "I mean, we held you down while Race... destroyed something personal to you in front of you. Heck, I held you down! Then I beat you up for no reason. For crying out loud, we were the reason that you left the Lodging House in the first place!"
"Hey! Don't you dare say that! You were not the reason that I left the Lodging House! Not you. Not Finch. Not Racer. So, don't you dare blame yourself for why I left!"
"So, why did you leave then?"
"Because I knew that you fellas wouldn't trust me anymore or even want me around anymore. I didn't think that any of you fellas would miss me, especially since I was a traitor, so I just thought that it would be better if I just left and never came back"
"I missed you. I missed you since the day that we found your letter", he stated as he buried himself into my chest. 
"Well, I have been proved wrong before. So, Albert, who else missed me?"
"Specs, Elmer, Mush, Mike, Ike, Tommy Boy, Romeo, Race- -"
"Wait. Hold on a second. Race missed me?"
"Yeah, at least I think that he does. He never said it out loud, but I can tell that he regretted how badly he treated you"
"I sort of doubt that. Anyways, anyone else?"
"Kid Blink, Buttons, and Henry"
"Ok, that is a lot of you not selling, especially since out of that group, it is most of the younger ones who are not selling"
"It sort of our own version of the strike. We don't sell if the others don't stop talking bad about you"
"Look, I appreciate it, but you fellas shouldn't do that. There is no reason on why you should risk your job and your home because of me"
"But, Jack- -"
"No. Trust me, just sell your papers. I will be alright. I have been through way worse than this"
"... Ok"
"Great. Now that is finally settled, seeing how there are more newsies who missed me than I expected, I think that it is time for me to see them. Do you want to help me gather everyone?"
"Yes!"
"Ok, let's do this. We can meet in the living room"
"Alright"