Jeremy Jordan Imagines

I Can Take Care of Myself- Jack Kelly

Dedicated to blackbeltdolan_4799

The streets of New York are not a safe place, especially for a female Newsie. Luckily, the other newsies are always willing to protect me. In fact, Jack makes sure him or one of the other newsies sells with me.

It's usually Jack.

What the boys don't know is, before my father died, he taught me how to defend myself. Whenever the Delancy brothers tried to corner me, before I could fight back Jack or one of the other Newsies stepped in.

Don't get me wrong, I find it really sweet that they want to protect me. But a part of me feels like they see me as a weak girl who needs protection.

It was another brisk day in New York as we got our newspapers. I noticed how close Jack was standing next to me in line and let out a sigh. "Hey," he said bumping my shoulder. "You alright?"

"Yeah," I sighed handing my money to Wiesel. "I'm fine."

"It don't sound like it," Jack said as I grabbed my papes from Oscar. I started to walk away, hoping he would drop it.

He didn't.

He got his papes and quickly caught up to me. "Y/N, wait." He said, grabbing my wrist.

"It's nothin', Jack. Really," I said pulling my wrist out of his grasp.

"Y/N," he said, trying to stop me.

"Ya know what," I sighed, fixing my hat. "I think I'm gonna sell by myself today." Before he could stop me, I quickly ran down the street and turned the corner.

**********

I spent all day selling papes, trying to avoid Jack's regular places. I was just about to sell my last paper when I noticed Oscar and Morris rounding the corner.

"Son of a. . ." I mumbled as they noticed me.

"Oh! Look who it is!" Oscar smirked.

"The girl newsie!" Morris laughed. "Well, ain't it our lucky day!"

"Go away," I said through gritted teeth. "I ain't in the mood to deal with Evil Douche 1 and Evil Douche 2."

"What did you say to us, slut?" Oscar said, getting in my face.

"I ain't gonna tell you again. Go. Away." I said, not backing down.

"Wow," Morris elongated. "The kitty has nails."

The next thing I knew Morris threw a punch that I easily dodged. When he wasn't expecting it, I punched him in the gut. I gasped when Oscar grabbed me from behind, holding my hands behind my back. He left me open so Morris could return the punch I gave him.

Before he could punch me again, I pressed my back against Oscar's chest, pulled my knees up to my chest and kicked Morris. I smirked when he fell back. When my feet were back on the ground, I jammed my heal into the top of his foot and threw my head back, hitting Oscar's chin.

He let me go, freeing me for my escape. Before I could get away, Morris grabbed my wrist and pulled me back. When he turned me around, my cheek was met with his fist causing me to fall to the ground.

"Hey!" I sat up on my elbow to see Jack, Davey, Race, and Crutchie running towards us. Since the Delancys were distracted, I took the chance to kick Morris's legs out from under him.

I smirked when Jack and the other guys froze. They snapped out of it when Oscar picked me up. He wrapped one arm across my shoulder and the other one across my waist. I could practically feel him smirking.

"Oscar," Jack said stepping over Morris. "Let her go."

"Why? Your little girlfriend here insulted my brother and me." He said, tightening his grip on my arms.

When I gasped in pain, the guys cringed. "Oscar," Jack started to say again.

"I can take care of my. . ." I said as I moved my foot behind his, arched back to grab his shoulder and pulled him over my shoulder. "Self," I finished as Oscar landed in front of me with a thud.

I looked up to see the boys looking at me with wide eyes. Jack opened and closed his mouth, unsure of what to say.

"What the hell just happened?" Race asked.

"What?" I shrugged as I started to walk back to the News Boy Lodge House. I felt the guys start to follow closely behind me.

"How did you do that?" Crutchie asked with a slight laugh as the boys tried to catch up to me. I just shrugged as I continued walking.

"Y/N," Jack said as he grabbed my wrist, forcing me to stop walking.

"What?" I sighed.

"What. . . How did you. . . What was that?" Jack stuttered to ask.

I looked around at the guys to see them all waiting for my answer. I took my cap off and ran my hands through my hair. "My dad taught me how to take care of myself before he died," I sighed. I looked up to see them all looking at me kind of funny. "What?"

"It's just all this time," Jack said softly. "I was so worried about not being able to protect you when," he laughed, "you were more than capable of doing that on your own."

"As much as I have love watching you kick the Delancys' asses whenever they look at me wrong," I said with a laugh, "I can take care of myself."