When the circulation bells rung out in the morning, Davey had to make sure that he really was there, with Jack, and that everything had happened how he remembered it.

It had.

He could almost still feel Jack's lips on his own, his hands on his waist, and Davey wanted it again. But there were more important matters at hand.

"Hey, Jack," he said and nudged the other gently. "Wake up."

Jack shook himself awake. He touched Davey's face, making sure he was still there. "It wasn't a dream."

Davey laughed. "No Jackie, it wasn't."

Jack smiled wider then Davey thought possible. Perhaps it was also a sinister smile because then he screamed out at the boys up on the higher roof. "CRUTCH, RACE, GET UP, WE GOTTA STRIKE TO ATTEND!"

Davey scowled. "A warning would have been nice Jack."

"Where's the fun in that huh? C'mon, to the gates. After you get your brother." Jack stood and held out his hand again. Davey gulped. His parents. Oh what was he in for?

Davey knew things were too good to be true. Now he had his parents to deal with. Maybe if he could just...explain...? Yeah. Sure, totally.

He stood and took Jack's offered hand, relishing in the feeling and warmth it spread throughout his body.

"I'll drop by at home to pick up Les." His little brother was probably worried sick about him, which he felt bad about. But, admittedly, it had all been absolutely worth it.

When they arrived at Davey's apartment, he didn't have to knock, the door was flung open.

"Davey, Les said you were gonna be in Brooklyn today, why are you home?" His mom said as she hugged him. Davey thanked God Les had the good sense to cover for him. "Who's this?"

"I'm Jack Kelly Ma'am." Jack stuck out his hand to shake hers.

Davey hugged his mother in return and just made a reminder to thank his brother tons of times.

"Jack's a friend that Les and I work with. I'm actually here to get him to come with us...? If it's not a problem," Davey replied.

He just wanted things to be okay and work out and just— breathe, Jacobs. Don't let the strike pressure get to you right now.

Jack discreetly put a hand on Davey's back to reassure him everything would be ok. Les came bounding outside, grabbing Davey by the arm.

"Bye mom!"

The gates of the world were quiet, still. Boys were hanging around, but not many. Davey's heart sunk. Les sprinted ahead, leaving the two oldest boys behind. Jack pulled Davey into an alley, and hugged him tight.

"We gotta be strong Jackie, but I don't know how." Davey whimpered.

Davey's grip on Jack was tight, his fingers clutching the fabric of Jack's worn out vest. He closed his eyes in an attempt to calm himself, and he just hoped his brother would be alright. He hoped everyone would be alright after this.

"Sure ya do, Davey," Jack said in response. "I know you can be strong. You made it on your own your first day with us, and I'm sure you can make it through this too."

But Jack was also scared.

Who wasn't...?

"Courage cannot erase your fear," Jack crooned to Davey, "Courage is when we face our fear."

Davey sniffed once more, before stand straight up. He was focused. These boys needed this strike, and he would damn well be a part of it. "Let's go get em Jackie."

"So, where's Brooklyn," Les asked.

"Yeah, Specs you see any reinforcements?" Romeo yelled up to him.

Specs looked around once with hopes of spotting Brooklyn. He turned to the other boys and shook his head, giving a thumbs down.

Davey saw this, and a small sigh escaped his lips. Of course not everyone would give in on the first shot, but he...he had kind of hoped for better at least...

This wasn't good...

Would the boys draw out because of this?

"Maybe we put this off a few days..." Race suggested.

"No if we stop- Guys we can't-" Davey couldn't figure out what to say. "Jack please, tell 'em we can't back down or they'll never listen again!"

Davey then made the mistake of looking into Jack's eyes. He couldn't help it. He lost himself for a moment. Before jack was yelling at them to pull it together.

Davey blinked once, hard, in an attempt to pull himself together. God... Jack Kelly was so beautiful and it was so hard for him to not just, repeat last night. But the strike was important. And he needed to pull it together for that.

He needed to stand up and say something. Help Jack with the boys. Do something, anything!

"Now is the time to seize the day," he said, looking over the boys. "Stare down the odds and seize the day."

Race looked up at him. "Minute by minute. That's how you win it." Romeo pulled his hat back on. "But let us seize the day."

Crutchie finally showed up with a banner on his crutch. "He whadda ya think?"

"Hey that's great!" Race complimented Crutchie, before turning around to say, "That's pitiful."

Davey was starting to get angrier as he went along, but he saw the scared faces of the boys and remembered what Jack told him.

Davey looked around at the boys around him and took a deep breath. If they were going to do anything, they needed to do it together. And this strike was going to be successful, no matter what it took.

He could tell even his brother was doubting and that wasn't something he would let slide. They were doing the right thing. He just knew it. And then he remembered what Jack had told him.

"Courage cannot erase our fear. Courage is when we face our fears. Tell those with power, safe in their tower, we will NOT obey."

He looked over to Jack. Nodding, he walked towards the shorter man, placing an arm over his shoulder. "Behold the brave battalion that stands side by side," He said with a certainty. Feeling the warmth of Jack's arm around him, he felt strong. He felt safe. He could take on the world with this man.

"Too few in number," Jack continued on for Davey, "Too proud to hide." Taking his arm away, the strength stayed with Davey.

"Say to the others who did not follow through," Davey nearly sang to the crowd. "You're still our brothers, we will fight for you."

Davey almost couldn't believe that this was working. He could see the hope begin to spread on the faces of the other boys, and he would do whatever it took to keep that there. He would do anything for these boys.

He would do anything for his brother.

He would do anything for Jack Kelly.

"Now is the time to seize the day," Davey repeated once more. "Stare down the odds and seize the day. Once we've begun, if we stand as one, someday becomes somehow and a prayer becomes a vow."

Jack turned to look at Davey, and Davey nodded and hurried the boys to the wagons.

"And the strike starts right damn NOW." Jack yelled across the square to Wiesel.

"The sun is up, the birds is singing, it's a beautiful day," Wiesel stated, staring Jack down.

"To crack some heads," Morris chuckled darkly.
As the newsies stared right back at the bosses, 3 boys walked through to take newspapers to sell. Davey whipped around to look at Les and Crutchie, who had been moved to the back for protection, then to Race, hoping for some sign he wouldn't have to control an out rage.

"SCABS!" Specs shouted, clearly enraged.

"LETS GET 'EM," Elmer yelled out. The boys started after them.

"NO, NO, NO WE ALL STAND TOGETHER, OR WE DONT STAND A CHANCE. JACK?" Davey pushed them all back to their previous huddle, trying to maintain the barely concealed hurt in the boys.

Jack wouldn't let Davey deal with this alone, and Davey was incredibly grateful for that. He stood still where he was, and he wouldn't back down, no matter what.

Jack stepped up to the boys, asking them if they wanted to let this happen to them. Let the people who had everything take what little nothing the Newsies had to them.

They had to stand together.

Jack faced them, yelling. "For the sake of every kid in every sweatshop, factory and slaughter house in this city I beg you," Jack was pleading now, praying for the sake of not only his newsies, but for everyone in the city being treated unfairly, that people would listen. Starting with these three. "Throw down your papers!"

The middle boy walked up close to Jack, almost threatening in his manner. A few tense seconds passed before the boys spoke and slammed his papes on the ground, "I'm with ya!"

A relieved "Yeah!" slipped from everyone's mouths.

Davey smiled a little at that. Good, one down, two to go. When they tried to move, Davey stepped forwards and spoke up.

"Now is the time to seize the day."

He wasn't going to let these boys be tricked into this stupid idea that the rich owned everything, because they didn't.

The poor were just as human. The poor had rights. And no kid should have to be out there, trying to make sure his or her family gets fed.

Everyone continued to convince these other boys to fight. The second to thrown down his papes was scolded by his friend.

"Oh come on at the end of the day who are you gonna trust, them," He pointed to the boys. "Or them?" And threw his bag at Oscar.

Everyone crowded the last boy, urging him. "Like it or not we're drawing near." Jack whispered into his ear.

"Proud and defiant we'll slay the giant, judgement day is here." Davey's words were urgent, pleading.

"Aw what the hell, my father's gonna kill me anyway!" And with a grunt he threw his papers down. Everyone went wild, papers were flying, Jack threw some at the Delanceys. But then Oscar grabbed Les, and started dragging him away. Davey screamed, sprinting for his brother.

He knew about the refuge now, and there was no way he was letting that happen to Les. He sprinted after Oscar even faster and grabbed for his brother.

He couldn't let Les get taken. His brother meant the absolute world to him... So of course he was very panicked. He was pushed down, kicked in the back by Morris. He was in so much pain. But Les needed him.

He grabbed for his brother again, pulling Les towards himself while he kicked at Oscar.

Les struggled against Oscar until Romeo used his belt to trip him, sending Les flying into Davey. The boys got Oscar and Morris surrounded, kicking and punching until the two were kneeling, when Les grabbed their heads and cracked them together. Katherine arrived shortly after the boys took down the Delanceys. Everyone gathered together for a picture, then after the flash went off, Jack threw a paper at Davey, starting a makeshift snowball fight.

Katherine giggled and threw right back at Davey, after he had missed Tommy-boy and hit her. Everyone was having a brilliant time, basking in their success. Until they heard the sound of metal on metal.

"NEWSIES, GET 'EM!" Jack yelled, even though he knew deep down they were screwed.

Davey thought for a moment, things were going well. They were going just fine. His brother was safe. But now, now /this/, and this couldn't be good.

But Jack had yelled, and so Davey jumped into the commotion. Jack saw Les, in the middle of the battle, so he picked up the boy and put him into an empty barrel, pushing his head down.

"Stay down!" He demanded before moving for one of the guys attacking someone else. He started to fight, shoving the officer who had slapped him. This wasn't going to go well, he could tell. He had a horrible feeling.

The cops showed too, only, not for them. Romeo had gone to beg them for help and was hit across the face with a baton. No one could fight that. Soon after, Race and Specs were limping off, carrying the younger kids on their backs, getting them away. Katherine pulled Les out of the barrel as Davey flung it at... Snyder. Davey shot Jack a look, but was punched by a cop. He stumbled a bit, before grabbing a stack of papers and swinging it at the Bull.

People started to scatter, the papes destroyed but not without a cost. Davey lead Katherine and Les to safety, trying hard not to look back.

Davey, as much as he wanted to help the other boys, had to get out of there. They all had to. Because they could stay and fight all the wanted but at the end of the day, the rich and powerful paid no attention to a bunch of kids who couldn't afford a simple haircut. The cops would always side with the powerful, unless the powerless could rise.

Davey then realized he had been standing still for too long. Jack had grabbed Les and was pushing him through the gates. Grateful for Jack, Davey darted after them. His brother had to get out of here, at the very least.

When they were finally clear of the fighting, Davey noticed he and Les were alone. He swallowed hard, picked up his brother, and walked inside his home.

Jack however hadn't left the square, he had only gone to the edge to make sure Katherine and Les were out of the way, and to see Davey safe. He couldn't let him get hurt. He-

"Jack! HELP!" Crutchie was screaming in pain. Jack lifted his head when he heard the screams of agony and wood on bone from the boy who was a brother to him and he ran for the direction heard Crutchie cry from.

"Crutchie!"

This, this couldn't be happening...! No, no, not Crutchie! He couldn't let this happen....

"Off to the refuge," Snyder said as he slapped cuffs on Crutchie, then slamming his own Crutch into him a few times before dragging the defenseless boy away.

Jack wanted to puke. He knew he was probably pale as hell, and as flashes of the day came flooding in, Jack felt his legs buckle. But he had to run. So he did. Through the alleys and fire escapes and sidewalks. He didn't even notice when he made it to his penthouse.