David breathed a sigh of relief as the school's front door closed behind him. He paused on the top step for a moment, reflecting, then shook himself free of memories and headed towards Tibby's where he knew he would find the newsies. It was lunchtime and he had just taken his last secondary school exam. He had spent the past six months taking extra courses and now he looked back at the school building for the last time. Because of the extra classes, he had graduated early, as it was now only April, and intended to spend the next five months with the newsies before he started his job in September. One of his teachers had found him a job as a clerk in a doctor's office, but the position didn't need to be filled until the second week of September. His family couldn't afford to send him to a university, however small, so he planned to work until he could pay his own way through. He refused to become a factory worker like his father. It was just too dangerous. Mayer had never really recovered from the accident a couple of years back like he thought he would and it had put a strain on the family.

His thoughts ended as he approached the restaurant and saw all of the newsies seated inside. They greeted him more than they usually did, for they were aware that it was his last day.

"Free man now, huh, Dave?" Jack asked.

David took a seat and nodded. The past week had been full of studying and he had hardly eaten, but he wasn't hungry just yet. The mere thought of being finished with school, for at least a couple of years, was enough to make him forget any thoughts of hunger. He ordered a Coca-Cola, then sat back and relaxed as he waited for it to come.

He had just received it and taken only one swallow when the door opened. He glanced over, wondering which newsie was late. Top his surprise, a girl and not a newsie came in. David's first thought was to laugh at himself for being so surprised. After all, the newsies didn't own the restaurant or at least they didn't MOST days of the week. Then his second thought was one of curiousity, for this girl looked rather out of place in her pants, shirt, and vest. Her brown hair was twisted up and a cap, much like the one a lot of the other newsies wore, was pulled down low over her eyes, shadowing her face.

"Can I help ya doll?" Racetrack asked, as he was closest to the door.

"Yeah," she answered shortly. "Where's Kelly?"

Hearing his name, Jack looked up, then stood and walked over.

"I'm Jack Kelly. What's your name?" he asked.

"I was wonderin' if ya needed another newsie," she said, acting as though she hadn't heard his question at all.

"We don't really 'ave any girl newsies," Jack said, hesitating slightly.

"Aw, c'mon," the girl protested. Everyone looked up in surprise. About as many people argued with Jack as argued with Spot. "I know ya've had 'em 'fore, Francis," she went on.

Jack looked at her, startled. "How'd ya---" He broke off and bent down some to peer under the shadow of her hat. "Well, I'll be damned," he whispered, heightening everyone's curiousity.

With a quick movement, Jack whipped off the girl's hat, then grinned broadly. The girl grinned as well, then laughed as Jack grabbed her into a hug, spinning her around before he set her down.

"Haven McCoy, where've ya been?" he asked.

At the name, most of the other newsies reacted with recognition. David stood back and watched as the newsies swarmed around the girl---Haven. Her deep blue eyes glittered with happiness and a rosy flush came over her cheeks.

"Somebody find the girl a chair!" someone called out and a chair was quickly pulled out for her. Haven sat in it, a glass of Coca-Cola in her hand and David suddenly noticed that although he still had his chair, his drink was gone and realized they'd handed her the closest one. He paused, then shook his head and grinned.

"Where've ya been?" Crutchy asked. "I've missed sellin' wid ya!"

"Ah...'ere an' dere, ya know how it is," Haven said, vaguely. She was obviously avoiding something. Maybe several somethings. Then, before anyone could question her vagueness, "I heard somethin' 'bout a strike a couple of years ago," she said, letting the sentence hang in the air.

That erased any questions the newsies had for her---which had been her intent---and they proceeded to outline every aspect of the story for her, glorifying it a little more than necessary, as they always did.

"Wait, wait!" she laughed, near the end of the story, as they started to move onto telling her about other things.

"Yeah?" Jack asked.

"Who's dis 'David' ya kept mentionin'?"

"Oh, sorry!" Jack said with a chuckle. He gestured across the table to where David sat, unnoticed. "Dis is Dave. He's outta school now so he'll be 'ere ev'ryday for awhile."

Haven glanced across the table, nodding slightly, and she smiled. "School?" she asked, looking back to Jack.

"Yeah, Dave's gone ta school a lot more'n us. He thought up all those things durin' the strike," Jack explained.

Other comments were added to Jack's but they faded into the background as David stared at Haven as she listened to the newsies. She'd been in the room for at least half and hour, but he hadn't really looked at her before. Now he couldn't take his eyes off of her. Her brown hair, with its red highlights hung loose down her back, nearly to her waist and she smiled as she watched the newsies talk to her and to each other, creating the confusion that usually followed them wherever they went. Jack, most of all, seemed thrilled that she was back and couldn't stop sneaking glances her way, almost as though to make sure she was really and truly there. David felt his hopes fall a little as he wondered just how close Jack and Haven had been before she had left

Reluctantly, the newsies left one by one to continue their selling, and soon enough, only Jack, David and Haven remained in Tibby's. The rest of the restaurant was empty. Nothing was said for a long time and just as David was close to thinking up a somewhat intellegent question to ask Haven so he could at least talk to her, Jack spoke up.

"Why'd ya leave Haven?" he asked, quietly and even David could hear the undertone of hurt in his voice.

Haven shifted uncomfortably in her seat and glanced down. "I really don't wanna talk 'bout it Jack," she answered, her voice just as low.

Jack sighed in exasperation. "So ya jus' show up afta 'avin' been gone for more'n two years an' then won't tell anybody where ya've been or why ya left?" he asked, a sharp edge to his voice.

Haven glared at him. "It's none of your business," she said slowly and firmly. "I left, I realized it was a mistake an' I'm back. So deal wid it."

Jack glared back and was thinking of something else to say when David cleared his throat to remind them that he still existed. Haven looked surprised and stopped glaring at Jack long enough to look towards David.

"Sorry," she said shortly. She obviously had a short fuse and once it had been lit, it was a while before she calmed.

"It's okay, I just wasn't in the mood to see a murder or anything," he replied and she smiled somewhat. If it could even be called a smile.

Jack took a deep breath. "So are ya plannin' ta stay at the Lodgin' House?" he asked her, his tone more even now.

"I was unless ya don't want me ta," she replied, meeting his gaze without even a hint of timidness.

Jack softened. "'Course I do," he replied. "I jus' 'aven't stopped worryin' 'bout ya since ya left, dat's all. I jus' wanted ta know where ya were all dat time I was worryin'."

Haven caved a little too, but still wouldn't tell him what he wanted to know. "Maybe someday I'll tell ya, Cowboy."

Jack nodded, doubting it. "Ya wanna sell some papes wid me taday?"

"I wanna sell some by myself taday," she replied, saucily and he grinned as he shook his head.

"Fine, 'ave it your way." He looked over at David. "Ya wanna come wid me or try ta find Les?"

"I'll come with you," David answered. "I think Les went to the races with Racetrack this afternoon."

"See ya tonight Haven," Jack said as they left. "Ya won't forget where the Lodgin' House is again, right?"

"Keep talkin' like dat an' I might," she threw back.

Jack left laughing.

*************

"When did Haven leave?" David asked as he and Jack walked along the sidewalk with their papers.

Jack thought for a moment. "'Bout two an' a half years ago, I think. It was durin' the winter before the strike."

"But ya don't know why?"

"Nope," Jack said, shaking his head. "Most likely, I neva will, either. Haven's always been really secretive like dat an' nobody knows why. She used ta disappear ev'ry now an' then, but we'd all gotten used ta it. Until the day she didn't come back, dat is. We didn't think much of it until she'd been gone 'bout three days, then we started gettin' worried."

"So what did you do?"

"Turned New York upside down lookin' for 'er," Jack answered. He seemed almost glad to tell someone about it. David guessed that Haven had hurt everyone greatly when she left and all Jack wanted to do was try and piece together the past two and a half years.

"Didn't find anything?"

Jack shook his head again. "Nobody had seen 'er. It was like she'd jus' disappeared off the face of the earth. We had ta give up eventually, even though we didn't wanna. I 'aven't forgotten 'bout 'er, though." The last sentence was added more softly and David looked over at his friend, staring a little more closely at Jack's expression. He seemed to be lost in remembering and David asked one last question, even though he didn't really want to hear what he was sure would be the answer.

"Were you and Haven really close?"

Jack's mind returned abruptly to the sidewalk and he glanced over at David, surprised. "She's always been special," he said and David tried to keep from looking as disappointed as he was. Disappointed wasn't even the word to describe it. Crushed might be better. Jack went on. "She's like my sister an' always has been. It's hurt like hell for two years, not knowing whether she was dead or alive or sick or in trouble somewhere widout me ta help 'er..."

David was surprised, but elated. He tried to keep from showing it. "So the two of you weren't ever---"

Jack interrupted him as he stopped and turned to face David. "Don't go gettin' any ideas," he said, warningly. "I couldn't love Haven anymore if she was really my sister, but she's got problems, Dave, big ones, an' I probably don't even know half of 'em. I've seen 'er hurt by men 'fore an' you ain't gonna be one of 'em, got it?"

David backed away a step. "Hey, Jack, calm down!" he said quickly. "You're actin' like I'm a serious threat to her. I was just wondering, that's all. I'm not interested in Haven at all, okay?"

Jack looked surprised and then blinked. "Sorry, Dave," he said, then continued walking. David fell into step beside him again. "I'm jus' overreactin'. She's always made me do dat. I've gotten soaked more times than I care ta count, defendin' 'er."

David nodded, but rolled his eyes when Jack wasn't looking. Being interested in someone who was Jack Kelly's 'sister' definately had its drawbacks. Obvious ones. But the more he tried to convince himself it was pointless to fall for Haven, the faster the ground was coming up to meet him and he knew it was only going to hurt more when he hit it.

*************

Haven did find her way to the Lodging House that night and every other night for the next two weeks. Sometimes David stayed there as well, but mostly he went home once he had sold all of his papers and had dinner at Tibby's. Haven was always polite, but never warm to anyone. The most anyone could coax from her was a half-smile and even when that happened, her eyes still had a lost look to them. David wondered what on earth could have happened to her the past two and a half years and one look at Jack told him that he was thinking the very same thing.

It was into Haven's third week back in New York that she didn't come to Tibby's for dinner or return to the Lodging House that night. David was staying that particular night and he couldn't do anything except watch helplessly as all of the newsies gave up on their half-hearted games and as the main room fell quiet.

Jack paced in front of the window, pausing every now and then to look out of it. "I know she's always done dis, but I didn't think she'd do it again," he muttered. "Damn it, didn't she learn---"

"What if she's not comin' back like what she did last time?" Boots asked sadly. He had missed Haven terribly when she had left so long ago and this was apparently a repeat of that night. Even Kloppman waited in the room with them, long after he usually went to bed.

"She's comin' back," Jack said, rather harshly. He immediately realized how he had said it. "I'm sorry, Boots. Didn't mean ta yell. But she's comin' back. She wouldn't do dis ta us again."

"Jack's right," Blink threw in. He looked around, but no one would meet his gaze, except David. "She's comin' back Dave. She wouldn't run away again. Haven makes mistakes, but neva twice." Then he paused again and looked around him. "Right?"

No one answered or even nodded. Not even Jack.

Race was shuffling his cards mindlessly, but suddenly threw them aside and wordlessly went upstairs. Several of the others followed him in the same silent manner. Eventually everyone did, still without even a sign of Haven.

*****

The next morning everyone was sleepy, for none of them had had much sleep, but they all trooped down to the circulation alley in time for the bell, only to find Haven there as well, looking the same as she had the day before.

David expected a mad rush when everyone saw her, but there was nothing more than the usual good mornings and a hug for her from Jack---the only thing that wasn't typical of the mornings. Later, he questioned Jack about it.

"If we made a big fuss ev'ry time she came back, she'd jus' get mad an' defensive," he told David. "It's easier on ev'ryone if we jus' act like nothin' 'appened."

"But all---ya were all so worried---you're just gonna forget all of that and let her do it to you again?" David asked, thoroughly puzzled and a little angry at Haven, to be truthful.

"Look Dave, ya weren't 'round two an' a half years ago. Ya don't know how ta deal wid Helen yet."

"Is that her real name?"

"What?"

"Ya called her 'Helen'," David informed him. "Is that Haven's real name?"

"Oh, yeah," Jack said, "but I wouldn't call 'er dat unless ya don't wanna see tomorrow. I'm the on'y one she lets call 'er dat an' I usually don't."

David only shook his head, sighing. He didn't see how all of his friends could just forgive Haven so quickly, after everything she had put them through the night before. But as Jack had said, he hadn't been around two and half years previous. Maybe he didn't know what he was talking about.

**************

After another month, and several more disappearing acts performed by Haven, David didn't know if he could take anymore. She had talked with him several times, just idle conversation, when she had been in good moods, but other times he watched her snap at him and everyone else, then disappear for a day or two. He also watched as all of the newsies worried themselves sick over her until she returned. And still no one said anything to her.

Deciding he couldn't just let her do this to the newsies time and again, no matter what had happened two and a half years ago, he sought her out one day when they were both selling alone. He came across Haven selling on the Brooklyn Bridge. She nodded a greeting as he approached, but that was it. She left it up to him to begin a conversation, if he so chose.

"Why are ya doin' this to them?" he asked, jumping right into what was on his mind.

Haven looked towards him, her blue eyes snapping fire already. "What the hell are ya talkin' 'bout?" she asked, facing him.

"I'm talkin' about you disappearin' all the time," he replied, equally as shortly. "Ya jus' decide ta disappear for a few hours or a couple of days all the time! Don't ya ever think about what that does to them? They're supposed to be your friends, but you just worry them everytime you leave and then you never even offer any kind of explanation."

"I don't need ta offer 'any kind of explanation'," she shot back, mocking him. "It's none of yours or anyone's business where I go or what I do, anyway!"

David could only stare at her, not believing how ignorant she was to how much it hurt the newsies whenever she disappeared and how unwilling she was to do anything about it.

What happened next...neither David nor Haven was aware it was coming until they found themselves in the middle of a deep kiss. It surprised them both, one, because neither one recalled initiating it and two, because of how much they were both enjoying it.

Then Haven remembered why exactly they had been yelling at one another in the first place and she jerked away, staring wide-eyed at David, each of them trying to get their breath back. Before David could come up with something to say or apologize---not that he had regretted it in the slightest---Haven had bolted...and he could only wish for a wall to beat his head against.

**************

As much as David was NOT looking forward to it, he pulled Jack aside that evening at Tibby's.

"Haven's gonna disappear again tonight," he said.

"How do ya know?" Jack asked, puzzled.

With a deep breath, David explained what had happened on the bridge. When he was done, he sat back in the booth and watched Jack try and control himself before he spoke.

"Why---what were---why the hell did ya do a stupid thing like dat?!" Jack finally asked, louder than he had intended. When several of the newsies' conversations were halted and as they looked over to where Jack and David sat, Jack lowered his voice, but was still furious.

"Because none of you would," David shot back. "Ya all pace around the Lodgin' House ev'rytime Haven disappears, none of ya get much sleep, all because you're worried about her, then when she finally decides she's ready to show back up, not a one of you says anything to her. No wonder she keeps doin' it! What's there to stop her?"

Not giving Jack a chance to reply, David left Tibby's, slamming the door behind him. Jack only sighed, wondering if he had gotten angry at the wrong person.

*****

Jack knocked on the door of the Jacobs' apartment later that night and Mr. Jacobs answered it.

"Oh, hello Jack," he said, surprised to see him.

"Hey, is David 'ere?" Jack asked, just as David approached the door. "Oh, hey Dave."

Mr. Jacobs stepped aside and went back to the table, where his wife, daughter, and younger son were still eating dinner.

"What are you doin' here?" David asked.

"I came ta apologize, I guess, Dave," he said. "Ya were right an' all, we ARE lettin' Haven get away wid ev'rything. I guess we jus' don't wanna make 'er angry enough ta leave us again. Not dat we thought we did the last time she disappeared for so long. But maybe dat time it was our fault a lil', 'cause we were tryin' ta tell 'er who ta see an' who not ta see, dependin' on whether we like 'im or not. I guess she didn't wanna live wid forty guys who were all tryin' ta be 'er dad."

David nodded. "I don't even see how ya can guess what she's thinkin'."

Jack shrugged.

"Well, anyway, I hope she comes back soon," David said and Jack nodded, then left, walking rather slowly down the staircase, not in his usual fashion at all.

"What's wrong with Jack?" Sarah asked her brother, coming up behind him as he stood in the doorway. Even though she and Jack had stopped seeing one another several months previous, they had remained fairly good friends.

"He wasn't acting at all like himself," Mrs. Jacobs threw in, worridly.

David shook his head and headed for the fire escape to do some thinking. "It's all Haven, Mama," he said, just before he shut the window behind him.

The rest of the family went back to eating, but Mrs. Jacobs couldn't help staring out of the window at her oldest son. Jack had brought Haven by more than once to meet them and have dinner, and they liked her just fine, though she wasn't the friendliest person in the world. But Mrs. Jacobs had noticed David staring at Haven almost the entire way through the meals and even saw the occasional looks Haven would steal at him. And all of it worried her.

**************

Haven was gone for two days that time, but returned at to the circulation alley as usual. Jack was preparing to take David's advice and confront her, but she left before he could. When David caught up with her again, on the bridge this time as well, he decided to try a nicer approach.

"Ya know ya really hurt them when ya run off without sayin' where you're goin'," he said.

Haven turned. She looked surprised to see him then, as if remembering the image she had built for herself, her eyes hardened and she glared at him.

"I keep tellin' ya it's none of your business," she snapped.

"So ya like hurtin' your friends?" he asked, still trying to speak calmly, though an edge was creeping into his voice.

If looks could kill, David would have been dead and buried. "Look, I'm the on'y one who's gonna take care of me an' you can tell ev'rybody else dat I ain't interested in 'avin' 'em worry an' it ain't any of their business anyway!" she fairly yelled. "I ain't worth their worry!"

"Fine!" David yelled back. "Forgive me for tryin' ta help all of you! I don't care where you go or what you do and I'll make sure to tell the others not to bother carin' either!"

"Good. You do dat!"

Then she took off again.

**************

With what David told them in mind, none of the newsies even altered their daily routine when Haven disappeared again, this time still not returning after four days. They did, however enjoy teasing David, for he seemed to be the only one who was worried. He hadn't been until the second day she had been gone, when he suddenly was stopped on the sidewalk by a feeling that something was terribly wrong with Haven and since then he hadn't been able to shake that thought.

By the fourth day, the feeling still tormented him, which only earned him more teasing and strange looks when he finally voiced it at Tibby's. It was only a short twenty minutes later, though, that Spot came in, looking a lot less composed than he normally did.

"Hey Spot, what's goin' on?" Jack asked, seeing that Spot looked as though he had run all the way from Brooklyn.

"It's Haven," Spot said, trying to catch his breath. "I jus' found out dat one of my newsies saw the police take 'er away ta the Refuge the other day. Dey found 'er in some alley in Brooklyn an' the kid who saw it said she looked...well, almost dead."

The newsies were too shocked for a moment to do anything except throw astonished glances at David, who only stared at Jack.

"Well, are we gonna get her out or not?" he finally asked.

"Yeah," Jack replied, snapping back to his normal self. "Yeah an' the sooner, the betta."

**************

Petrified, David climbed down after Jack, leaning against the wall as much as possible. He sighed inwardly. There were just some things they didn't teach you in school. His feet found the ledge where Jack was waiting and he breathed a sigh of relief, but remembered not to look down. That's when he noticed the bars over the window. How could he have forgotten? They had been there when he and Jack had tried to rescue Crutchy too, even though it was a different room. This one was pitch black except for the square of white moonlight that the window allowed for and from the dim outlines of walls that were visible, it was about six feet by six feet.

"How do ya plan on gettin' through the bars?" David asked in a whisper.

Grinning, Jack reached to the middles of the four bars. In several quick motions, he was holding them in his hands. The middle of each bar had a section neatly filed out, leaving no trace of tell-tale lines.

Deciding to wait until later to ask Jack how exactly he had known about the sawed bars, David said nothing and climbed through the opening. His eyes adjusted slowly and when they did, he could see that the room was completely empty except for a form curled up in the corner, a thin blanket barely curbing the shivering of the person beneath.

David knelt on the floor beside the blanket covered person and reached out gently.

"Haven?" he asked, hesitantly, his voice no more than a whisper.

The form stirred slightly, but did not reply. David pushed some of the blanket aside and saw that it was indeed Haven, though her eyes were dull and she appeared to not even see him. One touch to her forehead told him that she was feverish, though her shivering continued still.

"Come on, Jack and I are gonna get you out of here," David told her, lifting her gingerly into his arms.

Then they fled the Refuge.

*****

When they were about halfway to the Lodging House, Jack offered to carry Haven for awhile.

"No, it's okay," David replied. "She isn't heavy at all. Actually, she's a lot lighter than she should be."

Jack looked as worried as David, but said nothing except for a muttered comment about 'bastards in charge of ev'rything'.

**************

When they reached the Lodging House with Haven, several of the newsies had the door open and were waiting inside.

"Is she bad off?" Blink asked.

"We don't know," Jack replied. "It's too dark. We've gotta get 'er upstairs an' see."

The newsies moved out of David's way and he carried Haven upstairs. When he placed her on one of the bunks, she immediately curled herself up into as small a ball as possible. Jack glanced at David, who shrugged, but sent a worried look Haven's way.

"I don't think she knows where she is," he told Jack and the rest quietly.

Jack nodded and dropped to his knees beside Haven's bed.

"Haven, it's Jack," he said softly. "Are ya awake? C'mon Helen, don't do dis ta us."

He reached out to her and tried to see her face but she jerked away, whimpering. David saw the deeply hurt look that passed across Jack's face and knew that it was mirroring his own. Jack looked up and for the first time noticed how many of the newsies were gathered in the room.

"Dere's too many people," he said, trying to keep his voice from shaking as much as it was. "Specs and Race stay, but the rest of ya leave," he added, naming Haven's best friends.

David was surprised, but started to head for the door. Jack reached out and seized his arm. "You're definately stayin'," Jack told him.

Kloppman entered the room and closed the door behind him. He knelt next to Jack and put his hand to Haven's forehead.

"She's on'y got a bit of a fever," he said a moment later. "I think she's mostly injured an' prob'ly in shock too."

He paused for a moment and saw that she was still trembling while keeping herself curled up tightly. He reached for a glass of water that he had brought in with him. It was a little coaxing and mostly forcing that got Haven to drink it all.

"It's got dissolved sedatives in it," he explained to the newsies as they watched Haven slowly calm and stop shaking as she fell asleep.

"She acted like she didn't know who we were," Jack told Kloppman.

"She might NOT realized it, Jacky. She's prob'ly in a lot of pain an' wid the shock on top of dat, it's makin' 'er delirious."

When she was finally in a deep sleep, she relaxed and Kloppman rolled her gently onto her back. Everyone in the room was jolted by what they saw.

Haven's bottom lip had been split open and dried blood covered the wound. He clothing had been torn or purposfully ripped and where her shirt exposed some of her stomach, bruises were scattered, a particularly dark one on her ribcage. Her hair was diry and matted, dust from the Refuge covering and mixing with the dried blood on her clothing. Dark impressions of fingers were splayed across her neck where someone had made a failed attempt to strangle her.

As the newsies stood, still in shock, Kloppman set about cleaning her face with a damp washcloth. "Dave, why don't ya go 'phone your ma, okay?" he asked quietly.

David wasn't sure he'd be able to speak so he only nodded, hurrying downstairs to the telephone, trying to find his voice before he got there.

*****

Mrs. Jacobs hurried to the Lodging House, bandages and other various bottles and ointments---plus a nightdress---in her hand.

"She's upstairs, Ma," David said when he met her at the door. She nodded, then he followed her upstairs. She tried to cover her gasp, but her face went slightly pale anyway. She recovered quickly, though, and began issuing orders to the newsies as well as Kloppman.

"I need some soap and hot water and a towel," she said to Kloppman, then turned to Jack and David. "See if you two can find a comb around here. It may take both of you to find one. If the rest of you could just wait downstairs with the others, I'd appreciate it."

Everyone obeyed her orders and once all the supplies she had requested had been gathered, Kloppman, Jack and David were banished downstairs as well.

Mrs. Jacobs more or less silent as she went about bandaging Haven. Once every wound had been cleaned and covered and once Haven's ribcage had been bound tightly, in case the dark bruise was an indication of bruised ribs, she sat gently on the edge of the bed, untangling Haven's freshly washed hair with the comb.

"When will you stop running, Helen?" she asked, speaking softly and gently. "When will it be enough? They care about you here and it breaks their hearts each and every time you run away. I know you've had a difficult past, even though I don't know what happened, but telling someone exactly what DID happen to you those years you were gone...it might help ease that pain. I know you're scared, but no one can help you unless you let them."

She finished combing Haven's hair and dropped to her knees beside the bunk, brushing her hand over Haven's forehead in a motherly way.

"Please Helen," she whispered, her voice close to Haven's ear and tears making her tone strange. "Don't break their hearts anymore. Don't break David's heart. Please don't, Helen. It's so clear to me that he loves you and it's just as clear to me that you love him, but you're both too stubborn to admit it to each other or even to yourselves!" Mrs. Jacobs took Haven's hand and held it, noticing where the nails had been broken off, some of them jaggedly cut to the quick. She fished around in her bag until she found a metal file, then carefully evened out Haven's nails. She put the file back in her bag and smoothed Haven's hair over the pillow.

"There," she whispered to the sleeping girl. "I hope when you heal on the outside, you can find out how to heal on the inside as well."

Mrs. Jacobs stood and pulled an extra blanket over Haven, who was now dressed in the borrowed nightdress and whose fever had already dropped significantly. Then, before she picked up her bags to leave, she gave Haven's forehead a soft kiss.

*****

"How's she doin', Ma?" David asked anxiously when Mrs. Jacobs came back downstairs.

"She'll be fine, David," she answered. "Do you want to stay the night here?" she asked as the rest of the newsies filed upstairs to their beds.

"Yeah, I do," he answered, and gave her a kiss before she left.

**************

The next morning only Jack and David stayed at the Lodging House with Haven, who had still not awakened. Kloppman had errands to run and wasn't going to go until Jack and David assured him that they would take care of Haven for him. Jack was taking care of some things for Kloppman downstairs, so David went up to sit with Haven.

He lowered himself into a chair beside her bed and watched her sleep. She hadn't tossed and turned much and so the blankets were still tucked tightly around her. Just as he was silently noting how peacefully she was still sleeping, she moaned softly and her brow furrowed as she turned her head slightly on her pillow. David leaned forward slightly.

"Haven?" he asked. "Are ya awake?"

She didn't answer, but her face began to look more troubled. Her lips moved to form words, but there was no sound.

He didn't know why he didn't awaken her from what was beginning to look like a bad dream, but he didn't and instead waited, listening closely. His wait wasn't in vain however, for she continued, speaking aloud now, though softly.

"No, don't---Mama---don't leave Mama---Katie, Katie, please---don't---"

Now David was thoroughly confused. Who was Katie? And hadn't Jack told him that the newsies adopted Haven when her father had died and that her mother had died when Haven was born?

Haven's cries had grown steadily louder and she had begun to sob uncontrollably. "Katie, don't leave me---no, no, not you too---my baby---"

First David reacted with shock, then came to his senses and tried to awaken her. He was still shaking her shoulders when Jack entered, going immedately to help him.

Haven's eyes flew open and she looked wildly around before realizing where she was and who was in the room with her. Tears still poured from her eyes, though, and she turned away from Jack and David, muffling her crying with her pillow.

Jack started to turn her back to face him, but David caught his arm and motioned out of the room. When they were downstairs, David turned.

"All right, Jack," he said angrily. "Why did Haven leave?"

Nobody knows, Dave! We've already told ya dat!" Jack protested.

"What about Katie then?" David asked.

"Who's Katie?"

David sighed, exasperated. "Come on, Jack. I don't know why everybody's tryin' to keep me in the dark about Haven's past, but I'm tired of it and I want to know what happened!"

"Look, I don't know what you're talkin' 'bout!" Jack argued back. "All we know is dat Haven was datin' some jerk from Queens 'fore she left. We thought maybe she'd gone wid 'im, but we've seen 'im 'round since then."

David was slowly cooling off. "Ya mean you've neva heard of Katie?"

Jack shook his head and David sighed again, gesturing to a chair. "Ya might wanna sit for this," he explained. Jack gave him a funny look, but sat and then listened as David told him what he had heard Haven shout out. Then he sat back and watched Jack try not to look as stunned as he was.

"Ya mean dat ya think---he---Haven---" Jack couldn't complete a single sentence. He paused to take a deep breath, then tried not to look as angry as he was, this time. "So dat bastard got Haven ta follow 'im God knows where, then left 'er dere wid a baby?" he asked, still not wanting to believe it, but mostly not wanting to believe that Haven hadn't come to him long before and told him this.

"That's what it sounds like," David said, furious as well at whoever this 'jerk from Queens' was, "but where's Katie now?"

They were silent for another minute, then Jack abruptly headed back upstairs. David followed. They found Haven drying her eyes as she stared up at the bottom of the bunk above her. She didn't look at them as she heard them enter, but her gaze flickered to Jack as he sat gently on the edge of the bed.

"Why didn't ya tell us, Haven?" he asked, handing her his bandana. "Why didn't ya tell ME?"

She closed her eyes as the memories pained her and shook her head slowly.

"I didn't want ya ta know," she whispered.

"But WHY," Jack asked, repeating his question. "We would've loved ya jus' the same, Helen."

"All of ya were right 'bout 'im an' I-I jus' didn't listen," she said, beginning to cry again and using the red bandana to soak up the tears. "I didn't wanna believe dat he didn't love me. I thought if I went wid 'im, things'd be betta."

"Were dey?" Jack asked quietly.

Haven shook her head. "Dey were 'till I told 'im I was gonna 'ave a baby, then he got so mad an'---Jack, I was so scared an'---an' ya weren't dere ta help..." She broke off into more sobbing and Jack helped her sit up so that he could hug her more easily.

"I would've been dere if I'd known, Helen, I promise I would've," he said, trying to comfort her. "Did---did he hurt ya when ya told 'im?"

She nodded, then took a ragged breath, trying to swallow tears. "He said it was all my fault an' dat I was on'y a burden ta 'im. He said dat if I didn't agree ta get rid of the baby right away, he'd take care of it for me," she said, barely finishing her sentence before she burst into tears again.

David was furious and he could see fury in Jack's expression as well.

"Oh God, Helen," Jack said haltingly. "Did---what---then who's Katie?" Jack was still holding her closely, smoothing her hair back.

"I said he tried, but---somehow---the baby was fine...my Katie."

David stood at a distance taking in the scene. He found it hard to see Haven as someone other than the tough, sharp person she had been since arriving back in New York. As attracted to that side of her as he had been, he felt even more for her now that he knew she had a human side too. Now that she wasn't trying to pretend that she was made of iron, she seemed much more real.

"Where is Katie?" Jack asked Haven, who was still crying into his shirt.

"We were in Chicago an'---an' Will had already left me," she said, not even hesitating. Her words were pouring forth and David guessed that it must have been hard for her to keep so many secrets from everyone, especially Jack, who had always been like a true brother to her.

"Ev'ryone was gettin' sick an' the Katie did an' dey said she'd be fine, but she jus' got worse!" Haven's sobs were deeper now, more racking, and she clutched Jack's shirt desperately in her fists, hiding her face against his shoulder. "Dey promised she'd get betta, but she jus' got worse an' worse an' I couldn't do anything for 'er, Jack! She left me jus' like ev'ryone else already had! She left me all alone, Jack! No one---"

Her sobs choked her voice until she could no longer talk and she stopped trying, giving herself up to the tears.

"Ya ain't alone anymore, Helen, ya 'aven't been since ya came back ta New York an' ya neva will be, I promise, Helen, I promise," Jack said, his own voice hoarse.

**************

Haven soon exhaused herself with her crying and fell asleep again. Still looking shocked, Jack mumbled something about taking a walk before leaving the Lodging House. David went and waited by Haven's bunk for her to awaken.

When she did, she looked over, a little surprised to find him there, then worry crossed her face. "Ya heard ev'rything, didn't ya?" she asked, her voice small and scared, something he doubted anyone had heard from her before.

He slowly nodded, then he helped her to sit up a little.

She glanced away and bit her lower lip. "Ya were right," she said, sniffling. "I jus' didn't think 'bout how much it hurt ev'ryone when I ran off. I jus' wanted ta think an' sometimes I felt like I couldn't do dat around ev'ryone else. I'd mostly think 'bout Katie an' how much I still miss 'er, even though it's been more'n eight months. She'd be almost two by now."

She began to cry again, though this time quietly and David moved to sit on the edge of the bed and she let him hold her until her eyes were dry again.

"Thanks," she said, though he could hear in her voice that it was hard for her to say it.

He nodded. "Ya know, when Jack said that ya weren't alone..." he began. "I---well, I'll be there for ya too, Haven, I won't let ya be alone again."

Then they could only stare at one another for a long moment, each knowing that the other was thinking about that kiss that they had shared on the bridge. Just as they started to move closer again, though, David suddenly stood and went towards the door.

"I'll see ya later," he said as he started out. "Ya need ta rest."

Haven could only stare at the empty doorway, surprising herself by suddenly realizing how much she loved him.

**************

David found Haven on the fire escape on what was supposed to be her first morning back to selling. Her hair was pinned up for once and tendrils of it blew gently around her face in the early morning breeze. She turned, then smiled as she saw him, motioning for him to sit beside her.

"So what are ya still doin' 'ere?" David asked her. "Everybody else has already gotten their papes."

"I know, but I felt like jus' thinkin' for a lil' while today," she answered. "Why aren't ya out sellin'?"

"I was makin' sure ya were okay. Are ya?"

Haven paused, then nodded, smiling a little more. "Finally," she answered.

"So what were ya thinkin' about?"

"Katie," she said, a little softly.

David put his hand on her arm. "Ya won't be okay long if ya keep thinkin' about her," he said gently, but she shook her head.

"I'll always miss Katie, but I don't wanna be sad 'bout it anymore," Haven said, looking over to him. "I'll always miss holdin' 'er little hands while she tried ta walk across the floor an' I'll always miss rockin' 'er ta sleep, but I hafta remember ta move on an' ya know what? Maybe someday I'll be able ta do those things again, jus' not wid Katie."

"Sure ya will," he reassured.

She didn't reply, but still held his gaze. They both seemed to forget what they had been talking about as she slowly slid closer. As they kissed, her arms twined around his neck and his slipped around her waist. When they broke apart, neither moved, but David smiled as he searched her eyes and found nothing but love there.

"Ya think this is something worth pursuin', Haven?" he asked quietly.

Haven nodded. "Definitely worth it," she answered.

"But not if neither of us have any money," he said, grinning and she returned the grin.

"Ya can call me Helen if ya want, ya know," she offered.

David nodded. "So, Helen, ya interested in sellin' with me today?"

"Who else?"

He stood and offered her his hand to help her stand. She took it, then he spoke again. "Then we better hurry before all the papes are gone."

**************

They sat in Tibby's that afternoon with all of the other newsies and David watched Haven, who sat beside him as she laughed and joked with everyone else. Her entire attitude had completely changed. Her wit was just as sharp as it had been before---and always, according to Jack---but her personality was a lot brighter and she hadn't yet said one unkind or sarcastic thing the entire week.

She looked over at him and smiled. He smiled back, then whispered, "I love you."

"I love ya too," she whispered back.

"Hey, what are the two of ya doin'? Tellin' secrets?" Skittery teased and they both looked up at everyone else, startled.

Haven grinned. "No, I was jus' tellin' 'im dat he plans things out too much."

"What's wrong with that!" David demanded, but they were both only teasing.

"Nothin', but life ain't any fun unless you're spontanious sometimes," she shot back, then tried not to laugh.

"And how exactly do I go about that?" David asked.

"Oh, somethin' like dis ev'ry now an' then wouldn't be a bad thing," she replied.

Before he could ask, 'like what?', and before any of the newsies, who were all watching, could say anything, Haven had taken David's collar, pulled him towards her and was kissing him. They were both pointedly ignoring the laughter and hollering of the newsies around them and Haven moved, never breaking the kiss, to sit on David's lap. Finally they were both laughing too much and broke apart, though they still ignored everyone else.

"Ya won't ever have Katie back, but I know you'll have a family someday," he said to her, speaking in a low voice that only she could hear.

"What makes you so sure?" she asked, winking. "Dat doesn't sound like somethin' dey teach ya in school."

"No, it's just somethin' I've learned myself I guess," he said, "but there's somethin' else I've figured out on my own."

"What's dat?"

"That I want to be a part of that family," he said, serious now.

Haven didn't answer for a long moment. "We ain't ready yet, David."

He started to protest, but she stopped him.

"No, we aren't. You've got dat education ta finish an' I've gotta heal a lil' more. Until I can truly put Katie's death behind me, I won't be ready. I'm already so close, but I need jus' a lil' more time."

David nodded, not really trusting his voice. He had hoped she wouldn't answer like that.

"But," she went on and he met her gaze again.

"What?"

"But I'm gonna hold ya ta dat 'till I die, so don't think ya can ever try an' back out of it," she said, then slowly smiled.

David grinned as well and nodded. "I wouldn't ever want to."