Jeremy Jordan Imagines

Santa Fe-Jack Kelly

Dedicated to -wordsfail

After a whole day of selling, Jack decided to stop by Medda and work on the latest backdrop he was working on for her. As he left, he was about to head back to the lodging house when he heard what sounded like shivering.

He carefully walked into the alleyway, towards the shivering. He narrowed his eyes when he saw someone curled into a ball against the theater. "Hello?" Jack called out. He slowly walked towards the bundle to see a girl a year younger than him shivering.

"Do you need any help?" He asked as he knelt in front of her. His heart sank when he saw her shrink further into the wall. "Hey, it's okay. I ain't gonna hurt ya. My name is Jack Kelly."

She looked up at him when he introduced himself. When Jack saw her blue eyes looking at him, he smiled. "I ain't gonna hurt ya. In fact, I can help you. Why don't I get you somewhere safe?" He smiled when he saw her nod. He helped her stand up, but she collapsed into his chest.

"I'm sorry," she said as she tried to stand up on her own.

"It's okay," Jack laughed. "Here. Put your arms around my neck." As she did so, he picked her up bridal style. He gently carried her back to the News Boy Lodge.

Three years later

Y/N was sitting on the fire escape, humming a familiar tune she often heard Jack humming. She started subconsciously drawing the one place she's always wanted to go. She wasn't sure where exactly it was that she was picturing. What she did know was that it was somewhere out west. She could picture fields of green and a city made of clay.

"Y/N!"

Y/N jumped when she heard Race yelling her name. She quickly hid her drawing as she saw him run to the window. "Why are ya sittin' out here all alone?"

"I was just. . . Just gettin' some air." She stood up and quickly tucked the piece of paper in the waistband of her pants. She walked past him, back into the window but gasped when she felt him grab her drawing.

"Race!" She yelled as she started chasing Race around the room.

"Y/N's secret diary!" He sang as she chased him.

"It's not my diary. Race give it back."

"What is going on?" Jack asked as he walked into the Lodge. Race ran over and hid behind him.

"Y/N was outside on the fire escape writing in her diary," Race teased.

"I told ya. It ain't my diary," I said. "Just give it back. Please."

"Okay, Race. That's enough," Jack said as he took Y/N's drawing out of Race's hands. Y/N couldn't help but smile as she watched how the boys listened to him. Jack has always been like a father to the boys and it showed.

Y/N has been in love with Jack Kelly since he found her in that alley three years ago. Y/N's mom died when she was 13, leaving her to fend for herself. She was living on the street 5 months before Jack found her.

She never told him how she felt because, being a year younger than him, she never thought he could ever feel the same way.

Y/N's cheeks burned as Jack opened up the folded piece of paper and looked at her drawing. "Did you draw this?" He asked.

"Well. . . I was just messin' around. I know it's terrible," Y/N sighed trying to take her drawing back.

"This is really good, Y/N." Jack sent her the smile that always made Y/N's breath get caught in her throat. "I didn't know you could draw like this."

"To be honest, I didn't know either," Y/N smiled. "One day I saw your art supplies lying around and next thing I knew, I was drawing." She shrugged.

"Come with me," he said suddenly. Y/N gasped when he grabbed her hand and led her to his penthouse.

"Jack? What are we doing up here? The circulation gate opens soon," Y/N said looking towards Newsie Square where she could already see a few boys gathering.

She jumped slightly when she heard a crashing sound. She turned her head to see Jack pulling out some drawings. "What are you doing?"

"Look," he said unrolling one of his paintings.

"That looks like. . ."

"Your drawing," Jack finished for her. The way Jack was looking at her, made her feel self-conscious. "You have been drawing Santa Fe."

"Where?"

"They say folks is dyin' to get here.
Me, I'm dyin' to get away,
to a little town out west
that's spankin' new.

And while I ain't never been there,
I can see it clear as day.
If you want, I bet'cha you could see it, too.

Close your eyes...
Come with me,
Where it's clean and green and pretty.
And they went and made a city outta clay.

Why, the minute that ya get there,
Folks'll walk right up and say,
"Welcome home, son, welcome home to Santa Fe!"

Plantin' crops,
Splittin' rails,
Swappin' tales around the fire,
'cept for Sunday when you lie around all day.

Soon your friends are more like family,
and they's beggin' you to stay!
Ain't that neat?
Livin' sweet
in Santa Fe."

"That sounds too good to be true," Y/N sighed.

"It's a real place, Y/N/N." Jack said. Y/N gasped when he took her hands in his. "And as soon as I can, I'm gonna go there."

"Really?" Y/N asked softly. "You're thinking about leaving?" Her heart sank at the idea of Jack leaving New York.

"Well," Jack stuttered when he saw the sad expression on her face. "You could come with me," he said suddenly.

"What?" Y/N gasped.  Jack reached forward and gently cupped her cheek with his hand.

"Come with me," he insisted. "We can leave this city and have a big life, like we deserve. We can finally move on. We can go somewhere that we can be something. Together."

"Jack," Y/N said softly.

"Y/N," the way he said her name made her heart skip a beat. "I care about you. A lot and I. . . I love you, Y/N. I don't care where we go as long as we're together."

Jack's confession made Y/N's breath get caught in her throat. "Jack," she said softly.

Jack's face fell when she didn't say anything else. "I. . . I understand," he stuttered as he dropped his hand from her cheek and took a step back.

He started to walk away when Y/N stepped around him, stopping him from heading back inside. Y/N reached forward and grabbed his face in her hands, pulling him closer and pressing her lips to his.

Without hesitation, Jack wrapped his arms around her waist and started kissing her back. Jack was the first to pull away. As he caught his breath, he leaned his forehead against hers.

"I love you too," Y/N said still trying to catch her breath. "I have since the day you brought me to the New Boys Lodge for the first time."

"Don't take much to be a dreamer
All you do is close your eyes
But some made-up world is all you ever see
Now my eyes is finally open
And my dreams, they's average-size
But they don't much matter if you ain't with me."