A/N: Hey, everybody! This is my very first fanfic and I'm so excited! I decided on doing this story on the Outsiders because it is my favorite book and I read it when i was in 6th grade on my own accord. This year, I had to read it at school though and my obsession is back. In my story Johnny and Dally don't die because it is too sad *sniff, sniff*. Anyways I hope you like and enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I do not own the Outsider. All the credit goes to S. E Hinton.

Ponyboy's POV

We left the hospital when the reporters finally left Johnny and me alone. I felt really sleepy but for the first time in a long time, I felt free. For a long time I had only felt fear and loneliness. However, now I was back home, I was ok with Darry, and I was finally back with Soda.

When I got out of that burning church, Johnny barely had a few seconds before the roof fell and the structure crumbled. After that, Dally almost killed us both, but Jerry and the other teachers were very thankful to us. Still, Johnny and I had to go to the hospital due to some smoke inhalation or something like that. Johnny burned one arm but otherwise he was fine. I could tell he was happy though. About saving those kids. For one thing, he wouldn't stop smiling while we were in the ambulance. Afterwards, they separated us to check on us and I couldn't see if he was still smiling.

When we got home, I got off the car and went to bed right away. I slept the minute I placed my head on my pillow. I'd forgotten how soft a bed really was.

Two-Bit's POV:

As I walked towards Steve's house smoking a cigarette, I wondered how this morning was going to be like. We had been visiting Soda and Darry every day since Pony and Johnny left and every morning had been the same: a tearful Soda and an aloof Darry. I sighed as I stepped on Steve's front door and knocked on it. It really wasn't early, but I didn't expect Steve to be up already.

However, I was surprised when Steve himself opened the door a few seconds later, fully dressed and ready to go. "Ready?" I asked.

"Sorry buddy," Steve answered, "I promised Evie I would meet her before work."

"But what about Soda and Darry?" I asked as he started walking away. "They need us, remember?"

"Relax, Two-Bit," he said, "I'll see Soda at work and Darry doesn't talk to us while we're there anyways."

"Yeah, they're worried about their brother and their buddies. Just like I am and like you should be too," I snapped after him as he walked down the road, with his back to me.

"Where did the funny and reckless Two-Bit go? I haven't seen him in a long time," he snapped back.

That was the truth. After Johnny and Pony left, I didn't feel like joking around anymore and stopped doing it. Not even Mickey Mouse could cheer me up anymore. I sighed for the hundredth time this week and walked the opposite way. Towards the Curtis house and my needed friends. I wouldn't really have admitted it to anyone, but right now I needed them just as much as they needed me. I felt like our gang was falling apart and the thought made me sick to my stomach.

When I arrived to the house, I opened the door and called, "Anybody home?"

"In here!" I heard a very familiar voice yell and I could've sworn that I had imagined it. But then that same voice said, "Don't slam the door."

I slammed the door, of course and ran across the hall looking for him. My eyes landed on a blond head and I kept looking for Ponyboy. Then I did a double take. The blond guy was Ponyboy! What the heck?! I ran to him, caught him by the upper arms, and swung him around. "Hey Ponyboy," I cried gleefully, "long time no see."

I only noticed he had two uncooked eggs in his hand until one flew across the room and landed on the clocked. Then the other one was crushed by my dear fellow and ran all over his hand.

"Now look what you did," he griped. "There went our breakfast. Can't you wait till I set the eggs down before you go swinging me around?" He was actually really mad which was really hilarious.

At that precise moment I heard Johnny call, "Hey, Ponyboy!" I ran out of the kitchen and bumped into him. He landed on his backside and winced in pain as I picked him up. "Hey, Two-Bit!"

"Hey, Johnnycake!" I said as I hugged him.

"Ponyboy, did you see this?" he said as he let go of me. "We're all over the newspapers! They're claiming we're heroes!"

I grabbed the newspaper from Johnny and came across an article that read: JUVENILE DELINQUENTS TURN HEROES. "Now your hair cut makes sense Pony," I said laughing as I remembered my friend's new haircut, "you guys had to get a hair cut to get your picture on the paper!" I laughed even harder as they both turned a very deep shade of red.

"Of course not!" Johnny protested. "We just didn't want to get caught." Of course, his comment did not make me stop laughing.

I only tried to control myself and wipe off my tears when Darry and Soda came in. "Hey, Two-Bit," Soda said. "Where's Steve?"

"He said he'd meet with Evie before work."

"We better get going if we don't want to be late," Darry said looking at his watch.

"I'll be ready in a minute," Soda said as he left to the room.

"I hate to leave you here by yourself, Ponyboy," Darry said slowly. "Maybe I ought to take the day off."

"I've stayed by my lonesome before. You can't afford a day off."

"Yeah, but you and Johnny just got back and I really ought to stay…"

"I'll babysit him," I interrupted. "I'll babysit them both," I said grabbing Johnny by the shoulders as he started walking away from me.

"I'm ready," Soda announced happily.

"I'm still not sure…" Darry said looking at Ponyboy and Johnny.

"What? You don't trust me?" I said acting indignant. Johnny and Ponyboy laughed at me and Darry cracked one of his rare smiles.

"Darry, we'll be late," Soda urged him.

"Ok, but don't let Ponyboy smoke more than a pack today, Two-Bit."

"Deal," I said.

"Make him take a couple of aspirins. You can go to the movies afterwards if you want."

"Darry, I get it." I said getting annoyed.

"Don't be so rough with him either and-"

"Bye!" I interrupted him, pushing him towards the door and slamming it shut. I could hear Soda laughing at Darry as they left on the car.

Steve's POV:

When I arrived at the DX station, I saw Sandy waiting for me. I smiled when I saw her. I hadn't seen her for a long time because Soda broke up with Sandy and I felt horrible leaving my poor, single friend behind and all alone. We used to go out a lot. It used to be Sandy, Soda, Evie, and me. Sometimes it would be just Soda and me. Oh yeah, and his stupid, tagalong brother. But when Sandy and Soda broke and Ponyboy ran away, Soda wasn't really the same. He cried all the time which was weird coming from Soda. That's why I couldn't really stand Ponyboy. It was as if he had taken Soda with him and Johnny. Because the Soda that stayed behind was unrecognizable.

"Hey, baby," I said to Evie as I reached her. She looked weird, almost as if she was guilty about something. "What's wrong?" I asked her as I was about to kiss her.

She raised her hand to stop me, and I looked at her, completely baffled. She sighed and looked at me. "Steve, we need to talk." When I didn't answer she continued. "I know we haven't seen each other in a long time and I feel horrible doing this to you right now but," a tear streamed down her cheek and I was about to wipe it from her face, but she took a step back from me and wiped it off herself. "But, this is exactly why I'm doing this. Because I feel like you don't longer care about me."

"But, Evie-"

"No, Steve. Listen to me," she interrupted me. "I know you're sad about your friends leaving and all that…" Yeah right, I thought, I wouldn't exactly call Ponyboy my friend. More like somebody that I know, probably. But, sure, Johnny was my buddy. He was like my kid brother and he did have me worried.

"So I decided to go out with my friends," Evie said bringing me back from my thoughts. "And I met this really great guy that since I met him I couldn't get out of my head." When she said this, I felt jealousy and anger boiling up inside me. "And since we haven't really seen each other, I decided to go out with him." My anger and jealousy intensified. "And I'm really sorry, Steve, I really am, about cheating on you because you would never do that to me," she said and multiple more tears slid down her face. "But, think that it is time that we break up."

This is when my heart shattered into a thousand little pieces. "I think it will be better for both of us if we do," she said. "You'll have time with your friends and I'll move on. But we can still be friends," she whispered looking at me with a tearful grin.

"But, Evie-" I begged.

"Steve, please don't make this any harder than it already is," she said. "We really have to move on from each other. Good bye, Steve," she said giving me one last kiss on the cheek and the love of my life walked away.

I felt tears building up in my eyes, but I wiped them off hurriedly. This was all Ponyboy's fault. That stupid kid had to run away, make me stay with a very sad Soda and now thanks to him my beloved Evie broke up with me. If I had ever had a tiny ounce of caring for that kid (which I strongly doubt it ever existed) it completely disappeared at that moment.

Ponyboy's gonna pay me back for this, I swore. He's gonna pay me back for making me lose my best friend and Evie. However, I never expected destiny to accomplish my promise without me even meaning to.

A/N: Did you like it? Review please and tell me what you think of my first chapter!