46Chapter 1 You're Safe Now
August 1899
It was a warm and late Summer night. The window was open just a crack to let in a nice cool breeze every now and then, the only sound that filled the air were snores of the sleeping teenage boys in the bunk room. Every now and then there'd be a creek from those who shifted in their sleep. It was a quiet night for the Newsies of New York. Not a sound could be heard from the streets below, something rare for a city that never sleeps.
It was a peaceful and quiet night...until a loud scream was shot through the air. Jolting the sleeping teenage boys awake, and may or may not have made Finch, and Buttons, and Specs fall out of their top bunks. "This better not be one of your stupid pranks Racetrack," Albert groaned. The redheaded newsie rolled to the other side and slammed the pillow over his head to drown out the noise.
"It's not," Race replied groggily.
"I think Feisty's havin' a nightmare!" Mush exclaimed as he jumped down from his bunk and ran over to Feister's room. Once he opened the door Mush saw Feister was in fact having a nightmare. He was afraid this would happen; with the Refuge being a living nightmare, even the toughest girl would end up breaking. So, without giving it a second thought Mush ran over to the bed, where Feister was tossing and turning, and yelling out things that tore his heart up. He then carefully started to shake her awake, but it only seemed to make it worse.
"No, stop it!"
"Feister," Mush said as he shook her awake.
"Let me go!" Feister exclaimed while trying to get away from whoever was holding her. But that didn't stop Mush from shaking her awake. No matter what he did it only seemed to make things worse. "Feister, wake up, yer having a nightmare," Mush said, trying to wake her up. But by the looks of things it was getting worse by the second.
"Don't hurt me, please."
"I'd never hurt ya," he said sweetly. "C'mon Feisty, wake up, it's me Mush." when nothing seemed to work an idea popped into Mush's head. Maybe, just maybe it would work. "Claire," he whispered using her real name. It was weird to be saying it. But Mush has seen the older boys do it when one of the youngers are having a nightmare. So it had to work for Feister. Right? "Listen to me, yer havin' a nightmare. C'mon Claire, wake up."
All of a sudden Feister shot up. She was hyperventilating. Her heart pounding out of her chest. Her face was red, and a little sweaty. There were a few shorter locks of hair that were in front of her face, and her braids were starting to fall out of it's bunches. "Hey, it's ok, just breathe," Mush said quietly while lightly brushing away her hair. His hand then traveled down her face, to her shoulder and then her arm. He then started to lightly trace one of the bruises that were on her forearm. The patch of skin had a dark purple color and felt tender.
Mush didn't even realize what he was doing until Feister put her hand on top of his. He looked into her eyes and was suddenly brought back to the real world."Yer safe now," Mush said in a sweet tone. "The Refuge closed, an' the Spider's in jail remember? Yer the one who handcuffed that sucker." Feister smiled weakly, trying to put on a brave face. But Mush could see right through her. "Don't do that," he sighed. The face Feister was wearing Mush knew all too well, it was the one she wore when she was convincing herself that nothing was wrong, and that she was fine. When in fact she wasn't.
"Do what?" Feister asked innocently. She was hoping that that just this once Mush wouldn't push the matter any further. But when he sighed she knew it wasn't any use in hoping.
"I've been there before, I know what it's like," Mush replied. "Feisty, you'se can tell me anything."
"I's fine," she replied quietly with a small smile. "Really, I'm perfectly fine." but Feister wasn't if she really believed what she was saying. Then again, she wasn't the best at talking about her more personal feelings. "It's late ya know. Probably should get back to sleep."
"Sure yer gonna be fine by yourself?" Mush asked with concern. "I's can stay here if ya want." Feister smiled as she squeezed his hand tighter. "That's real sweet of ya. But I's be fine on me own."
"Ya sure?" Mush asked. He didn't really want to leave Feister alone, for the fear that she might get another nightmare. But he also didn't want to push her or anything.
"I's sure," Feister replied.
"Ok. but if ya change yer mind, you'se know where ta find me," Mush replied. Feister nodded as a small smile spread across her face. Mush leaned forward and lightly pressed a kiss on her forehead. He lingered there for a few seconds before pulling away. He smiled before getting off the bed and walked over to the door. Before he left he turned around and lean his head on the door before saying, "Night Feisty. Sweet dreams."
"Night dummy," Feister replied with a small smile as she thought, "I sure hope so." when the door closed Feister let out a sigh of relief. She hugged herself as a few tears fell down her cheeks. She brushed the tears away, but more just spilled down.
It was a good thing she got Mush to leave when he did because she wasn't sure how much longer she could keep up the act. If there's one thing Feister hates more than anything, it;scrying in front of any of the boys. It already happened once, and she didn't want to let that happen again. "Cryin' means yer weak, an' I's ain't weak," Feister quietly reminded herself. "Stop yer bawlin' an' go back ta sleep. You'se had a long day, an' ya need the rest." after a few deep breaths Feister carefully laid back down.
The second she closed her eyes Snyder the Spider's face popped up into her head. Feister's eyes shot opened. She started to shake a little. Thinking she was just cold she pulled the covers up. But when she realized it was still summer she kicked off the top blanket. Which was a bad idea since her legs were badly bruised and scratched.
The same goes for the rest of her body. Even with every cut, and scraped being cleaned, and banged up everything still hurt. She groaned quietly to herself as she laid there in the bed. Feister took a deep breath before closing her eyes again. But memories of that awful place came flooding back. Once again her eyes shot open.
There was no way she was getting any sleep tonight. The nightmares she was getting were real. It all happened, not out of fear, but memories. And it was only a matter of times that memories would be mixed with her worst fear. Feister then thought that maybe she should go get Mush and ask him to stay with her until she falls asleep. But knowing him he'd probably end up staying the whole night. Which wouldn't be such a bad idea. But then Feister remembered that if she did get a nightmare she'd end up crying and…she'll just have to stay up for the rest of the night. It can't be too late, right?
"Just where do ya think yer goin'?" a familiar voice asked.
"Ta wash up for the day," Feister replied as she turned around, and sure enough Mush was standing right there. He was leaning on the door frame with his arms crossed, and had that face.
"Dijya stay up all night?" Mush asked once he noticed the bags under Feister's eyes.
"No," Feister replied before yawning. "I's woke up earlier then usual an' since I's couldn't go back ta sleep I's just stayed up." ok, there was some truth in that. She couldn't go back to sleep and just stayed up. Now, Feister did try to go back to sleep. But every time she'd close her eyes the memory of the Refuge would slowly come back to haunt her.
"Feister, never in yer life do ya wake up early," Mush replied. "Ya stayed up after I's left, didn't ya." it was more of a statement then a question. Mush knows Feister well enough to know that she isn't telling the whole story.
"No!" Feister yelled. "I's told ya that I's woke up early an' couldn't go back ta sleep so I's just stayed up. That's it," she replied firmly while crossing her arms.
"Shouldn't ya be restin'?" Mush asked in a concerned tone
"Shouldn't ya keep yer mouth shut," Feister spat back.
"Yer not sellin' today," Mush replied firmly. There was no way that he was going to let Feister, who just go back from the Refuge, got out into the city in the current state she was in. Her body needed to rest after those two long weeks in hell. Heck, Mush could tell that Feister was having a hard time standing on her own two feet. She kept shifting her weight from one side to another, and her eyes were having a hard time staying open.
But Feister would rather be her usual stubborn self than stay in bed and get some well deserved rest. "I's am too an' yer not stoppin' me!" Feister replied. When she turned around to go wash up for the day, Jack was now standing in front of her with his arms crossed and a stern look on his face. "Jack I-"
"Bed," Jack cut off in a serious tone.
"But-"
"Now!"
"I's fine!" Feister yelled quickly. "Get it through yer thick head. All of ya bums!" she yelled while looking around the bunk room. The rest of the newsies were standing there like idiots and watched everything unfold. While they all knew it would be a good idea to back up Jack and Mush, they wanted to live. "I's perfectly fine!"
"Feisty, just take a day or two off an' then you'se can get back out there." Specs said in a soft, calming tone. In hopes that it would work, but it didn't and only seemed to set Feister off more. "I's sold papes yesterday an' no one stopped me!" Feister yelled. Why can't these boys understand that she's perfectly fine!
While it is sweet that they care so much, truth is that Feister was itching to get back out in the fresh air. Or as fresh as you can get in New York. Either way there was no way she was going to stay in the Lodge all day. "It was a half day," Jack said. "Like Specs said, just take a few days off until ya get yer strength back, then you'se can get back out there."
"Fine," Feister grumbled before turning on her heel and walked back into her room and slammed the door. Even though Feister could've kept hold of her ground, but once Jack made up his mind, there was no way she would win.
"Sometimes I forget how stubborn that goil can be," Jack said while shaking his head. "No wonder she got the name "Feister"." Jack thought out loud as a hidden smile spread across his lips. He remembered the scrawny and scared little girl he had found with Race and Specs that one night. And boy, did she prove she wasn't a scared little girl he thought she'd be.
Barely a few minutes in the Lodge she told off the new kid like it was nothing, and the boy she had told off was at a lost for words. Now look, those two were a couple. It was obvious it would happen sooner or later, but now that it became real, it's actually hard to believe. "Anyways," Jack said as he came back to the real world. "Mush, think you'se will be ok ta watch 'er for the day?"
"What? Do I's look like, 'er mudda?" Mush asked.
"I's was just thinkin' since yer datin' now you'se wouldn't mind watchin' 'er," Jack replied in a matter of fact tone. But what really shocked him was that Mush didn't want to watch Feister for the day. In fact, Jack thought that Mush would jump at the chance for some alone time with Feister. "Well, if ya really don't want ta I guess-"
"Hey!" Mush quickly cut off. "I's was just kiddin'," he said with a small laugh.
"You'se got 'er?" Jack asked.
"Whaddya think I's been doin' for the past nine years?" Mush asked with a wide smile. Jack only sighed and shook his head. Of course it was a joke. Why wasn't he surprised? Jack sighed and rolled his eyes before saying, "Alright, the rest of ya bums get ready. We's got papes ta sell!"
"Carryin' the banner!" the rest of the boys replied before quickly getting ready for the day.
Author's note
Hey everyone, I'm back with a new story, I would just like to point out that this story is mainly hurt/comfort and some sweet moments between Mush and Feister. Which is completely different from the usual love, hate, secret crush thing, we're all used too. In other words, this is NOT gonna be my best work (believe me, I rewrote this like three times, and still question what the heck is going on), yet, this story is kinda important as well. You'll see why as we go along. So bare with me. Alright, you all know the drill, don't Newsies, except any ocs which are mine. You know my update days, and I Hope you enjoyed, reading this first chapter, thanks for reading and I'll see ya Friday!
