"Where are you goin'?" Annalesa turned, startled, and was relieved to find only Jack and not some thug. However, she was slightly angered that he had followed her. It's not like he ever paid any attention to her except when she did something he didn't like.

"Jack, leave me alone please."

"Not until ya tell me where you're goin'."

"It's really none of your business." She squared her shoulders and tried to look confident. The truth was, she wasn't totally sure that going home was a good idea, but what else could she do? She couldn't hide in New York forever, and that's what she felt like she was doing.

"Yeah, it is my business. Ya think ya can just up and leave? Dat's not exactly what I'd call nice. Ya could at least stick around ta tell people goodbye instead a just creepin' out in da middle of da night." Jack's eyes blazed with anger.

"I left a note. Jack, I'm not going forever. Just a week or two."

"Ta do what?"

"Why do you care? Ever since I came you've been watching me, not speaking to me. You just turn away whenever I'm around and glare at me. You of all people have shown the least bit of interest in me and my life, but now when I want to leave you care. I have some things to do and I'd appreciate it if I could get on with it. Please let me go."

The next words came tumbling out of Jack's mouth before he could stop them. This girl...this amazing girl...was leaving and he didn't know why. He'd noticed a look in her eye before, as if she was dreaming of somewhere far away, like he did about Santa Fe. He was strangely drawn to her but couldn't help being suspicious of her motives. She didn't belong as a newsie. It angered him that he couldn't figure out what she really was and angered him even more that he didn't have the power to stop her from leaving. If she left he didn't know what he would do. All the emotions he was feeling and didn't know how to deal with turned into a slow-burning rage that he felt towards himself for being so stupid but he turned them on Annalesa, his emotionally exhausted mind needing someone to blame and finding nobody except the girl who stood before him, her hair loose and shining in the moonlight and her eyes dark and pleading. Jack spoke before he could stop himself.

"So what're ya gonna do, huh? Go live on da streets? Dat's great Annalesa, just great. Those 'ends' ya gotta tie up...what're dey? Maybe ya got a boss who ain't let ya go and you was just hidin' wit us until da coast was clear. Ya got a special corner ya like ta woik? I knew you was too good for us. You's not a street rat, are ya? You'se high class. A real 'experienced' lady. Dat why you'se leavin' at night? Because dat's when you woik? What is it Annalesa? Thought maybe ya could get some business at da Lodging House? Well my boys ain't like dat. So you go. Go back ta your 'boss' and remember dat Jack Kelly's newsies don't hang around wit your kind."

He crossed his arms defiantly. So now she knows I know what she is. What's she gonna do? But no sooner had the thought crossed his mind than he knew he was wrong. Her eyes held a look of pain and shock that reached into his soul and made him want to hold her, to apologize, to take back every word he'd just said.

"Oh God Annalesa...I'm so sorry..."

She stood in disbelief, not understanding why he had said such a thing. Do they all think that? His words had cut down to her very soul, but the pain soon gave way to anger. Very quietly she said

"Goodbye Jack. I won't bother you anymore."

With that, she turned on her heel and marched resolutely towards the trainyards, and all Jack could do was stand in the bitter night air and try to stop the unbidden tears that ran down his cheeks.

What on earth did ya just do, ya stupid idiot? My God...you called her a whore. Dat goil was somethin' more special then anything you's ever seen, and ya called her a whore.

Slowly he turned and walked back into the Lodging House. That night was one of the longest nights Jack Kelly had ever lived through.

"Annalesa...what's wrong? You've been crying...here, sit down." Sarah led Annalesa to her bed and wrapped a blanket around her, because it was very cold outside and Annalesa was shivering slightly.

"Sarah...please, can I stay here tonight?" The look on Annalesa's face was so desperate that Sarah couldn't say no.

"Of course you can...you can borrow one of my nightdresses." Sarah had begun to search her drawers for an extra nightshirt when a very sleepy-looking David walked into Sarah's room.

"Hey...what's going on? Allie?"

"She needs to stay here tonight David."

"Ok...why? Allie...Annalesa...what happened?" Annalesa had begun to cry again, and David noticed and went over to her. The two had grown close during Annalesa's brief residence at the Lodging House, and David acted like a big brother to her, protecting her from anything he could. He knelt in front of her and put his hands on hers.

"What is it?"

So Annalesa told the whole story. She explained that she had to leave and what had happened between her and Jack. By the end of her story, Sarah's mouth hung open in shock and David's mouth was set in a hard line and his face was a picture of rage.

"I'll kill him! My God I'll kill him! What's he doing talking to you like that?"

"David...calm down...you can't do anything right now. Let's all get some rest and we'll take care of it in the morning." Sarah led her brother to the door and lightly shoved him into the hall. "Go to bed."

She turned back to Annalesa then.

"Come on...let's sleep and worry about this in the morning."

"Sarah...I'm not staying in New York, you know. I am going to go home."

"I know."

The next morning everyone in the Jacobs' apartment was awake very early. Sarah had explained everything to her parents and was getting ready to take Annalesa to the trainyard. David was still seething with rage and planned to go 'talk' to Jack as soon as the girls were gone. Les was too tired from the fire the night before to sell papes, so he and his father were going to go to the market for Mrs. Jacobs since she was going with the girls to the train. The girls all left for the train and David was finally able to leave. He grabbed his hat and walked to the Lodging House, still burning with anger that someone, especially Jack, would speak to Annalesa that way.

Meanwhile at the Lodging House the newsies had just been awoken by Race's exclamation.

"Jack! Heya Jack wake up! She left...Allie left!"

Jack rolled over to see Race waving Annalesa's note in his face and he groaned.

"I know Race...she went last night."

Before Race could say anything more, David burst through the door to the bunkroom, looking angrier than any of the newsies had ever seen him look before.

"Jack, we need to talk."

Jack jumped out of his bunk and started buttoning his shirt. "What's up Davey?"

He looked up from his shirt to David, and before he could do anything else, David punched him in the face...hard. Jack fell backwards onto the floor and quickly scrambled to his feet, holding his jaw.

"What was dat, David?"

"You know what that was. That was what Annalesa didn't do to you last night, and some of my own thoughts on the matter added to it."

All of the newsies were now out of bed and watching the two boys. None of them had any idea what was going on, and were doubly confused seeing as Annalesa had mysteriously disappeared during the night and now David was punching Jack.

Jack looked quite uncomfortable at David's statement. How on earth did he know what happened? Unless...Annalesa had gone to him. Jack decided to play it dumb.

"What are ya talkin' about, Davey?" He tried to look as nonchalant as he normally did and gave David a look that clearly said he thought he was crazy.

"You called her a whore!"

At this statement there was a general outcry of confusion from the rest of the newsies. Jack called Annalesa a whore? It couldn't have been their Jack...not to their Annalesa. Without taking his eyes off of David, he said quietly

"Everybody out. Now."

The newsies knew better than to argue and silently filed out the door. Race was the last out and shut the door behind him, giving his friends one last look before he did so. They were still standing where they had been, staring at each other with icy glares.

None of the newsies ever heard the whole story about what happened in the bunkroom between Jack and David, but everyone knew it consisted of a lot of shouting and a few loud thumps. Another thing none of the newsies knew was what Jack said to Annalesa. He told the whole story to David, who in turn related the events of the previous night. David began to have a sneaking suspicion that there was something between Jack and Annalesa that he couldn't quite figure out. As it was the two shook hands and agreed not to speak of the incident again, though both thought of it often.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Jacobs and Sarah got Annalesa on a train home. She never explained why she was going, and they knew better than to ask. She left them with the simple promise

"I'll be back before Christmas. Thank you so much for everything!"

Then the whistle blew and the train started moving. Annalesa waved one more time before disappearing inside the train. She found a seat and settled in with a tired but contented sigh. She would be back before Christmas. Just a few things to tie up...and Annalesa fell asleep.

At the stop in Philadelphia, a young man boarded the train. He sat down across the aisle from Annalesa and glanced at her, then looked at her more closely. He nodded. They had been wrong. She hadn't died in the fire. He opened his newspaper and began reading. No use to wake her, they would have plenty of time to talk later.