3cecilia clare helped me to write the hospital scene, so special thanks to her. I just wanted to let you know that Anna is referred to as Melody, Mel, and Anna, and Stripes is referred to as Lily and Stripes. I didn't want you guys to get confused. I don't own Newsies.
The music. She loved music. Race was the first one who found her. She was so scared. He guessed that she was about twelve. Even though she tried to stand her ground and be brave, he saw the scared little girl in her eyes. One day, Race was walking around the square, but nothing out of the ordinary. It was a slow day selling, and he held up paper after paper just to be rejected over and over. A paper with the usual boring stories slipped out of his grasp. He ran into the dark alley that his paper that flew into the corner. He felt the air become tenser as he sprinted into the alley. He shouted,
"Hello? I know someone is in here." He just heard a whimper after he turned around once, he heard a voice no more than a whisper.
"Please don't hurt me. I swear I didn't do anything. My brother is gonna find me. I know it. Don't touch me. "
Race responded gently, "I won't hurt ya. Where are you? I want to help you." Her dirty face looked up at him around the old bricks. Those brown eyes framed by round purple-gray glasses were the opposite of his. They reminded him of a hurt animal. She had a pair of tight khaki shorts covered in holes and a black, baggy short sleeve shirt with an old, threadbare flannel shirt wrapped around her waist. She had tear stains on her rosy cheeks. She had coffee colored brown hair down to her shoulders to match her eyes that were like that tree in the park. His tree. Where he finally stopped running. The tree where his brother Jack found him.
"What do you mean your brother?"
"He is here, isn't he. Run! Hide me!"
"Calm down. It's just me and my brothers outside. What's your name?"
"It's Anna. Tell me yours now."
"Racetrack. Race," he said hastily. He would never admit this, but this girl kind of scared him. She looked like the kind of person who could really throw a punch, but never would. He got the feeling that she wanted people to be afraid of her to keep herself safe.
"I'm going to show you how to sell a paper."
"Don't take me out there. He is going to find me again!" Race could see that he would probably not convince her without reminding her of a good memory that she may have.
"Have you ever seen the stars, Anna?"
"What do the dumb stars have to do with anything?"
"Just on a night with no clouds, have you ever just looked up?"
"Why would I?"
"My name is Race. That's the name my brothers gave me. I've always been running from my past, my old life. The stars are what let me slow down and find those people who truly love me. My brothers."
"Thanks, Race. I guess the stars just seemed like dots in the sky. Trivial. Unimportant."
"Let's go find Jack. He will know what to do. He always does." Race really, really hoped he wasn't lying to Anna. He actually kind of liked her. Race coaxed her out of the alley little by little. She constantly made him check if the coast was clear. Race noticed her holding back tears. He took her hand. Race felt her shaking. She relaxed after a bit of walking. After the long walk across the square crowded with newsies, he finally found Jack. Jack was yelling, trying his best to sell his papes.
"Crazy brawl between the president and vice president! Fists were thrown! You heard the story here first!" A man hastily handed him a nickel.
"Jack!" Race shouted above the noise, "I need your help!"
"What's wrong, Race?"
"There was a girl in the alley and I think her family is gone. I don't know what to do."
"Well, you're in luck. That was my last paper. Let's take her to the lodging house." Jack grabbed Anna's hand and led her to the old abandoned building where the newsies slept.
"What's your name, kid?"
"Who wants to know?"
"Jack Kelly."
"Anna Therese." Race really really hoped Jack had an answer for this one. Jack sat down on one of the hammocks, biting his lower lip like he always did when he concentrated.
"I need to go take a breath of fresh air," Anna said shortly.
"Race, I think we should decide what to do now. I never done this before."
"I don't know what else we can do. Introduce her to the newsies, show her how to sell a paper. We can't send her back. She is petrified of some brother that she kept talking to me about."
"She can sleep with Stripes. I have a feeling that she might not sleep too soundly tonight." Race nodded. Jack looked out at Anna and back at Race, silently inquiring for him to go get her. Race slowly walked outside and tapped Gianna on the shoulder. She wordlessly stood up and stepped inside.
Race said, "You're gonna sleep with a girl named Stripes tonight just to make sure you are ok tonight. We will all show you what to do tomorrow. Ok?" She nodded. Race hoped she would trust him more soon. Jack starting toward his room and Anna followed. Race hopped into his bed with his thoughts focused on the mysterious girl that was in the alley.
Jack led the girl through the unlit hallway. She was still shaking because she was scared. Jack looked in her eyes.
"I promise, I will keep you safe. You can throw away your past here. Start new, but I swear on my life, I will always protect you." She nodded. Jack really hoped this helped her start her new life as a newsie. He showed Mel her hammock and went to the penthouse with Crutchie. He sat down and sketched a picture of Crutchie.
"I'm going to check on the newsies. Be back in a minute." Crutchie nodded. Jack walked down the hallway, saying goodnight to each of the newsies. When he came to Anna and Stripes's room, he heard a soft song in the darkness. He was sure it came from Mel's side of the room.
Sleep child
And light
Will blanket
Your dreams
Cover you
Care for you
Night's not
As dark
As it
Seems
"She sings."
"What do you mean?"
"Exactly what I said. Thought you oughta know before she becomes a newsie." Race was still a little confused why Jack thought he needed to know that she sings. Anna appeared in the doorway. Race hoped she could learn how to sell a pape. Jack had told Race that they would teach Gianna how to sell together. Jack, Race, and Anna walked to newsies square. They heard a bellow,
"PAPES FOR THE NEWSIES! LINE UP!" that made Anna jump. They got in line and Anna watched all the newsies grab some papers after handing Weasel a coin. anna said to Race and Jack,
"I don't have any money." Race said,
"Don't worry. I can buy yours today."
"Thanks." Anna continued to watch the newsies slam down a coin and grab their papes with a sarcastic remark. Race slammed down his coin and said,
"Morning, Weasel! Fifty for me, and fifty for the new kid." Morris shoved fifty papes into his hands and fifty into Anna's. Race saw the confusion in her eyes of what to do with them.
"Ok. Watch me and Jack and then you should try." Race waved his paper in the air and said,
"Extra! Extra! Personal attack on one of the mayor candidates family! Devastating accusations!" A man shoved a penny into his hand. Jack made up a crazy story similar to Race's. Race told Anna,
"So you are probably young and pretty enough to go for cute or pathetic, but me and Jack almost always make up a dramatic story."
"Ok, here goes nothing." Anna waved a paper in the air.
"Dozens of families ripped apart by the furious fists of Mother Nature!" People lined up on the street corner just to get a paper from her.
"How did you do that, Anna?"
"I picked it up when I ran away. I had to get food somehow, so I'm pretty good at pity stories. My brother— never mind." Anna said. All of the newsies met at the square to meet Anna to meet her that night. The tradition for Anna to get her newsie name was going to happen that night. The newsies were really excited to meet this new girl who could sell papes like no one else could. Anna put the flannel shirt that was on her waist over her shoulders to keep warm. She started to walk toward the square, and before she knew it, her legs took her faster and faster to the square. She was so excited to meet Race's brothers. She really, really hoped she could find her place with the newsies. The newsies knew Anna was there before she did. They immediately knew those brown eyes, that brown hair, and those rosy cheeks from Race's description. Anna looked around at everyone who accepts her for who she is. The newsies stared at Anna excitedly. Every single boy's mind was already racing with nicknames for her. Race yelled,
"Everyone! This is Anna. She is joining us. We need some nicknames so start yelling some out!"
"Breezy!"
"Hoppy!"
"Coco!"
"Maple!" The names seemed to surround Anna like a tornado. Race saw her mouth curve into a sweet smile that she couldn't seem to hide. Jojo came up to Race and whispered a name in his ear. It just clicked for him. He walked to Anna and whispered it in her ear. He saw her eyes light up.
"Meet Melody, everyone!" Race yelled above all the voices. All of the newsies cheered and gave Anna a high five. She was so happy to a part of a family.
to sleeping in while she was on the streets. Mel rolled over and grunted,
"The morning bell hasn't rung yet!"
"Quit your whining'." It had been a month since Anna joined the newsies. She sat on the street and earned herself some grimy nickels and dimes. Anna loved her job more than ever. Race raced her to the square every morning. Just the two of them running and running. Faster than the day before. Jojo, Albert, Race, and Melody would all sell their papes as brothers with their sister.
"How is Medda, Jack?" Jojo asked as Jack walked by with Crutchie.
"Fine."
"Wait, who is Medda?" asked Melody.
"The famous Miss Medda Larkin, of course! I'll take you to meet her soon. She's more amazing than Race, even!" Jack joked. Race shot him a look. Mel and her brothers started snickering. The day seemed to hold its hand in front of Melody to keep her from seeing the great Medda. After the newsies sold their papes, Mel practically trampled Jack while running to go find him.
"Careful! I'll end up like Crutchie!" Jack said sarcastically. Crutchie laughed.
"Sorry, Jack. I am just so excited to meet Miss Medda!" Jack smiled at his little sister's excitement. She was jumping up and down and fidgeting with her hands at her sides like she always did when she was excited. Mel practically dragged him to the theater. They entered the theater quietly, the show was on. Jack sat down in one of the chairs in the back and Melody quickly joined him. Jack couldn't even focus on the show because the real show for him was the wonder and love in his sister's eyes. After the show, he walked up to Miss Medda.
"Beautiful job Miss Medda! I just stopped by to introduce Anna. She joined the newsies about a month ago, and I thought she should meet you."
"Hi, sweet pea! I'm so happy to meet you! You are all Race talks about you know."
"Wow," whispered Melody. "You're amazing. I am Anna by the way, but all my friends call me Mel or Melody." Jack said,
"Mel can sing too. Just listen to her."
"Jack!" Mel exclaimed. "Don't oversell me. I just sing myself to sleep. I have since I was really little. I only know like two songs anyway."
"Let's hear it!" yelled Miss Medda. Anna hesitated. Jack grabbed her shoulders, looked in her brown eyes,
"Sing." Anna nodded, breathed in deeply, and started singing.
Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
Five hundred twenty-five thousand moments so dear
Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
How do you measure, measure a year?
In daylights, in sunsets
In midnights, in cups of coffee
In inches, in miles
In laughter, in strife
In five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
How do you measure a year in the life
How about love?
How about love?
How about love?
Measure in love
Seasons of love
Seasons of love
Jack smiled. Medda exclaimed,
"I see why they call you Melody! It was so nice to meet you. You and Jack should probably get on to bed now." Mel was so happy to meet Miss Medda. Jack asked Melody,
"Where did you learn that song?"
"My brother taught it to me. We never had much, but the song helped me to appreciate the love in my family." Jack nodded and smiled on the outside, but on the inside, he had a million questions. He was sure that Race told him about a brother that she was just terrified of.
Mel skipped all the way back to the square with Jack at her side. She mindlessly walked to the riverbank. Jack followed her in wonder. Mel stopped at the edge of the dock. It all happened so fast. Jack was so distracted by her smile and her eyes full of joy. Her foot slipped. Jack tried to run and catch her, but she was in the river. He took a deep breath and dove into the river. He had never been more scared. There was no way she knew how to swim. Jack tried to find Mel; the water was so dark. He couldn't lose his sister. Jack reached out his limbs as far as they could stretch to feel for Melody. His toe barely brushed Anna's lifeless arm. He swiftly grabbed her and pulled her up. Jack shoved Mel onto the dock and prayed she was still alive. He pulled himself out of the dirty water next to Mel. Jack had no clue what to do. All of the newsies had been warned by himself or Medda to not go near the river. Jack put his ear to Anna's heart to attempt to hear the beating. He couldn't lose his sister. Mel's heart gave a faint beat sometimes, but he was worried each of her waterlogged breaths would be her last.
It was a normal day for Katherine Pulitzer. At least it was until Buttons came running panickedly to her.
"Buttons! What happened?"
"MELODY! She fell into the river! Jack sent me. He said to get you, but if you don't come soon, Mel might not make it." Buttons was almost in tears at this point. Katherine had only met Melody briefly, but she really liked her. She knew the newsies and Jack couldn't take losing a sister. Katherine ran as fast as she could to the dock, where she once stood as a little girl, just like Melody. Jack had obviously been crying for a while, and he wasn't trying to hide it this time. He loved Mel too much. Katherine knew CPR, and she wasn't going to waste a second hesitating. She could feel Jack's fear in her own heart. She just tried to focus on the rhythm of breathing into Anna's lungs. Push. Push. Push. Breathe. After a few desperate minutes of CPR, tears, and prayers, Anna finally sat up quickly and seemed to cough up an ocean of water, and her skin felt freezing to the touch. Katherine was afraid she might have pneumonia, but she tried to enjoy the moment that Mel was safe.
Mel still felt cold. She was really confused. Everything was supposed to be better now. Mel tried to close her eyes and go back to sleep, but it was just too hard. She stayed in her bed, awake, staring at the ceiling. She had been sleeping with Stripes, a girl with two blonde braids and a black and white striped shirt. Stripes had joined the newsies when Mel did and was about nine. Mel had taught her how to braid her hair. When the sun started spilling over the horizon, she went to the fire escape to tell Jack that she was sick again. She had been sick on and off since she had fallen in the water. Mel shuddered, not just from being cold. She was still petrified of the water that had almost taken her life. She climbed up to the penthouse and saw Jack and Crutchie sleeping peacefully. She whispered,
"Jack." Jack flipped over onto his back.
"What?"
"I'm sick again."
"Go wake up Race. He'll take you to Katherine's house, and she can check you out. Stay there and rest. I will come to check on you after I'm done sellin. How long you been feelin bad?" Mel hesitated.
"It's been a fewish hours.."
"Mel! We've talked about this! You need to come get me if you feel sick. Ok?"
"I guess. You can't protect me from being sick ya know."
"You don't look too good. Go get Race now. Him and Jojo can carry you to Katherine's."
"They don't have to do that."
"Listen to me. It's my job to protect you. If something happens to you, it will be all my fault." Mel knew it wasn't his fault that she was sick, but she knew she couldn't change his mind. Mel stumbled into Race, Albert, and Jojo's room, feeling a sickly kind of warm body temperature. She was sweating by the time she got to Race's bed. She shook Race, and he knew Mel was sick the minute her hand touched his arm. Mel didn't say anything. She just lifted her flushed face to look in his blue eyes before she fainted. Race woke up Jojo, and the two boys carried her lifeless body up to Katherine's house. Race was too terrified to speak. He couldn't lose his sister. Not now.
"This is the worst she's been since she fell in the river," said Jojo. Anna was still unconscious. Katherine touched her pale forehead gently.
"She has a fever again. She's going to need a real doctor this time, not just me." Race and Jojo nodded silently. They heard coughing from the couch where Anna was lying. Race ran over with Jojo and Katherine right behind him. Anna's eyes fluttered open weakly. She was still coughing.
"Where am I?"
"This is Katherine's house. We are going to take you to the hospital." Race said calmly. He sat down at the edge of the couch. Her voice was barely a whisper because of her cough.
"Jojo?"
"Yeah, Mel."
"Will you tell Jack to come to the hospital and then come back? I need both of you here."
"Ok. Whatever you need." Jojo ran out as fast as he could to find Jack.
"What do you want me to do?" Race asked gently.
"Just stay with me. I'm really really scared. I need a friend that means more to me than anyone in the world." Melody whispered in his ear so only he could hear.
"Just save your strength and stay alive. I promise I will stay and never let you go." Race whispered, holding back tears. Katherine sat down in a chair, praying for the first time in a long time. Race shifted Gianna up and laid her back down into his lap. He just sat there and held her hand. Jojo came running back with their leader Jack Kelly.
"Melody Anna Therese! Why can't you let me take care of you?"
"Jack!" She said in her hoarse voice. "I didn't do anything wrong!" She was crying at this point. "And neither did you! You can't protect me from this! You just have to be here. That is how you take care of me. Just be right here. Let go of the worry. If I die, do you want to be the guy who worried about me a lot? Well, this is my life. Right now. I need you to be my friend. Just be in the moment with me." Her voice softened. "Just be the big brother that life took from me." Jack looked shocked. He buried her in a hug.
"I am so sorry, " he whispered in her ear. Race watched their relationship heal within these few seconds they had as a family. Mr. Pulitzer walked in, and said,
"It's time to go." Jack picked Anna up and carried her out the door with Race, Katherine, Jojo, and Mr. Pulitzer following close behind. The group walked hurriedly past the square. Pulitzer went to the front desk, and said,
"Urgent appointment for Anna Therese. Please send us to a doctor immediately." The receptionist nodded.
"Follow me." Jack carried her into the clean white room and laid her on the bed. The nurse came in after Jack and shooed all of them all out of the room. Jack anxiously paced outside of the door waiting for an answer to appear. The nurse flew out of the room in a blur of white, Jack tried to stop and ask if Mel was ok but she just kept running down the hallway. Race pushed past Jack and opened the door to see Melody still laying on the bed peacefully asleep. Soon the tornado of white came rushing back down the hall and pushed Race back out of the room. The door closed in Jack's face before he could even ask any questions. He could hear panicked yelling from the other side of the door, it sounded just like the weak voice of Melody.
"Get away from me!"
"Please, we are just trying to help you."
"I don't want your help!" Jack pushed his way into the room to see a young male doctor stepping towards her while she scrambled away trying to get far away from the doctor. Jack protectively put his arms out in front of her,
"What are you doing?"
"Mr. Kelly, we are just trying to help her." he looked over at Melody who was hiding behind him,
"Mel, what's wrong?"
"Keep him away from me." she whimpered pointing an accusatory finger towards the man in white.
"Who is he?"
"He's my brother."
Mel wanted to run faster than a cheetah away from those doctors. Everything was too clean, too precise, and too scary for her. She couldn't take her brother's help. Especially not now. She found her real family and everything was falling into place. She didn't want to let her past life ruin everything she had built here. Jack had carried her into the hospital and left her there. She felt utterly helpless. She could barely lift her head to see. A few people in white coats came rushing in and made Jack go out of the room. Just great. More helpless than before. She recognized the face moving towards her. She was terrified and pushed her weak body off the white bed and crawled to the other side of the room.
"We are all trying to help you!"
"I don't want your help! Leave me alone! Help!" Jack suddenly burst through the door and put his arms out in front of her.
"Mr. Kelly we are trying to help her."
"I can't take their help, Jack."
"Why?"
"That's my brother." Jack carried her outside into the hallway and set her in the window seat. Mel only had a tiny whisper left.
"Why are they doing this to me?"
"Doing what, Mel?"
"He left me and hurt everyone I loved most. Aaron took my sister from me."
"How?"
"We were in the square, Lily, Aaron, and I, and the Delanceys found us. They told Aaron, who is the oldest of us, to give them Lily or he was going to the Refuge. Aaron gave her away without a second thought. That little girl meant everything to me, and it was my job to protect her. I failed. Aaron let me down. After Lily was taken, he left, and I ran away. I felt like I didn't have a choice. I just wanted all of us to be safe."
"I know what it feels like to want to protect someone, but a very wise person once told me that I didn't have to be anything, I just had to be there. Listen. You can't protect everyone all the time. Be the best you can be. You don't have to forgive Aaron, but try to see his side of things. Sometimes people panic and don't think of others. Just let him help you, just with your sickness, and I will be with you the whole time. Ok?" Anna nodded. She overheard Jack tell the nurse that he needed to go in with her. Jack picked her up and laid her on the white bed once again. Jack sat by the bed and held her hand the whole time. Aaron came and looked at his sister in her brown eyes.
"I am so so sorry."
"Sorry isn't going to cut it." She said in her quiet, hoarse voice. You gave away Lily, a helpless four-year-old girl, away to the gnarled hands of the Delanceys and the Refuge. You left me with no one. I was seven years old! I was just a little girl. Mom and Dad were already gone. If I hadn't found this real family, I would have died. On my own. With no brother. Or sister. Lily didn't deserve that from Snyder, let alone her own brother! How could you do that to her? Tell me."
"What I did was.. Unforgivable. I didn't think. I had already been in the Refuge once, and I couldn't go back. I didn't want you or Lily to go to the Refuge, but I felt like it couldn't be helped."
"You can help me get rid of the sickness," Anna said shortly. Aaron did his normal examinations and diagnosed her with pneumonia.
"Here." Aaron gave an orange pill bottle to Jack. "Make sure that she takes these once a day, and doesn't go to work for the next month. She will need plenty of water and rest. She will also have some follow-up appointments. She will probably need oxygen treatments." He turned to Mel.
"I hope someday we can be at peace." He turned and left the room. Jack picked up Mel and took her all the way to her room. Stripes was waiting there for Mel.
"I know you can't remember me, but my name is Lily. I didn't recognize you earlier, but I saw your quirks, heard your voice, and looked into your eyes, and I knew you were my big sister." Mel looked like she was about to cry.
"Welcome home, little sister," she whispered. When Jack set Mel down the long-lost sisters hugged and neither one wanted to let go.
"I will let you guys catch up, but I will come to check on you. Mel, I'll bring you some water and your medicine. You better be lying down when I come back.." He sarcastically put his two fingers toward his brown-hazel eyes and pointed his fingers back at Mel. Lily and Mel talked for hours and hours. Jack brought Mel's water and medicine, and the two girls were still talking, laughing, and singing to each other.
"Go to sleep now."
"Awwwww…."
"I know, I know.. But we have to work tomorrow. Good night." Jack stopped by all of the newsies' rooms and said goodnight to them. When Jack came to Race's room, they both smiled.
"Mel and Stripes still talking?"
"You bet."
"I am so happy they are a family again. I couldn't be happier that they found each other and found us."
"I think we all had our share of finding what really matters."
2 Months Later
"Melody!" Stripes sang out. "Wake up, big sister!"
"If you were Race I would probably slap you right now." Lily giggled. The two sisters ran all the way to the square and bought their papers. Race, Albert, and Jojo sold with the girls.
"Extra! Extra! Two long lost sisters reunited! You heard the story here first!" Race yelled. The sisters giggled and hugged each other. A man handed him a penny. Race winked at the girls. After a full day of crazy stories, Mel and Stripes skipped back to the lodging house, singing all the way. Mel felt like everything was falling into place. All of her follow-up oxygen treatments had gone well, and her pneumonia was all gone. She had her new sister and all of her newsie brothers. She loved her life. Once she got back to the lodging house, she and Lily looked at all of Jack's paintings of them, sang until their lungs gave out, and told each other stories. When the sun went down, Jojo came into their room.
"Come to the square guys!"
"Why?"
"Just do it."
"All right. Race you two!" They ran and ran all the way to the square (Mel won) to find all of the newsies waiting excitedly.
"SURPRISE!" the newsies screamed at the top of their lungs. The newsies all danced and sang and talked until the sun came up. Mel and Stripes found their family. Their family found them. They had all that they needed. The love of the newsies family brought the inseparable pair together.