/ AN: Im sure some never thought that this day would come, but it has. I'm not going to bore everyone with the details of the past three years or so, but I want to thank those who have still to this day have been continuing to read the original story 'It's Not Over'. I recently rediscovered my love for the fandom again, and decided to do this. I am involved in a lot of fandoms though so this may waver, but Im going to try and stay focused. Also, a note, I have long since been in College so don't expect quick updates. I'll try my hardest though, I have a lot to sort out.

Again, thank you to everyone. This is going to possibly be quite a shocker compared to the first story. Ive improved a lot in writing since I finished 'It's Not Over' so I hope that is to peoples liking. I sometimes ask myself how people still like that old story, but nonetheless thanks. I plan to fill in the plotholes I left, and cover my ground on some areas that I wasn't as mature enough to write be writing about.

Feedback is truly welcomed as I want to know what people want to see so I have some more direction.

Thank You for Reading~ /

Let's Start Over

I'll Try to Do it Right This Time Around

It's Not Over

'Cause a Part of me is Dead and in the Ground

This Love is Killing Me

But you're the Only One

It's Not Over

- It's Not Over, Daughtry

Chapter One- It's Not Over

Tulsa, Oklahoma 1968

Six dreary, dead weeks. Very dreary. Dallas could barely stand it. His brain was ready to explode from the tension. It annoyed him to no end and people knew that. Which is why the others were avoiding talking to him as much as they could. Fear. Just like everyone else.

Some of them were barely affected though. Two-bit went on with his normal antics. Drinking beer to no end, eating chocolate cake and watching Mickey Mouse on the television. Of course the fool hadn't learned anything from getting severe alcohol poisoning a few months prior. Steve was just as he has always been, bragging about things that Dallas, and he assumed everyone else, could care less about. Ponyboy and Darry acted relatively normal too. They bickered a bit like always, but over all they were just concerned about Sodapop. Soda was working extra hours ever since two months prior. From Dally's knowledge he was saving up extra money to not only support their own living situation but to buy a flight ticket.

A damn flight ticket.

Maybe he was just ignorant to what it was like, hell, he couldn't care less in the end about any broad that he decided was worth the time. Not enough to go after them if they decided to leave that is. It wasn't worth the effort, apparently this was to Sodapop though. Dally could see it a bit, after all it wasn't any girl it was a long time friend, but as far as he was concerned it was what it was.

Taking a few puffs from his cigarette, Dallas looked down the street spotting Two-Bit from the porch of the Curtis House. Most morning he was accompanied by Steve, however today he wasn't. From what Dallas could tell he seemed to be in a hurry, carrying something in one hand, beer can in the other. He probably swiped something.

"I don't hear no fuzz coming, so where's the fire?" Dallas asked, the last part of the sentence coming out unintentionally bitter. He eyed the small parcel through his sunglasses coolly.

Two-bit chuckled for no apparent reason. "Fuzz? What Fuzz? I'm as innocent as they come." He laughed again rather loudly, probably waking up the remaining Curtis Brothers in the process.

"Just as innocent as I am," Dally remarked, giving Two-bit a sceptical look. Instead of asking, he just grabbed the parcel from Two-bit and said, "What'd ya swipe this time Two-bit?"

Two-bit still had a bit of a smile, but it noticeably faded. "Nothing...yet." He started, watching Dallas open it to reveal a rather fancy looking switchblade inside of it. "I found it in the mailbox on my way out, there wasn't any name just that little note there." He gestured.

Dallas closed the box the switchblade had been in and handed everything back to Two-bit, pushing it into his chest, all but the letter that he had mentioned. It was written on a little note card:

I hope that you didn't think that I'd forget your birthday you old man. Browsing I saw this blade and thought of you and remembered you lost your a few years ago. I know it's not the same as your prized blade, but I hope it suffices. I also didn't swipe it, but let's pretend I did? - R.G

The writing was done fairly neatly, far more legible than most could write aside from maybe Ponyboy or Darry could. Dallas lowering his arm, and his gaze from the card. "Jesus Christ..." He cussed under his breath and turned his gaze back to the street, puffing the last of his Kool.

Two-bit casually took a sip of his beer and looked at Dally tapping his foot in irritation. From inside you could hear the sound of someone in the kitchen starting to cook, the aroma from it as starting to make its way outside, and would of course be reaching the bedrooms inside. Evidently, anyone still sleeping would be waking up shortly. Two-bit finally said, "You know, it has no stamps on it, meaning it had to have been dropped off in person..."

Dally simply snorted, handing the card back to Two-bit. His sunglasses slid down his nose as he looked at Two-bit. "Get Ponyboy out here," Dally turned to peer inside the house to see who it was in the kitchen.

Two-bit shrugged, placing the gift on the rail of the porch and opened the screen door, letting it slam on his way in. He was about to holler out for Ponyboy, but decided against it for once, thinking it wasn't best to have everyone outside looking at the card. He rounded the corner into the kitchen, hoping to see Ponyboy but found Darrell there cooking. "Is the blond-haired monkey up yet?" Two-bit asked. Ponboy wasn't even blond anymore.

Darry nodded towards the bathroom while cooking the eggs over the stove. "Yeah, he's showering. What are you up to Two-bit?" He asked, knowing very well that Two-bit had a mischievous air about him at the moment.

"Job hunting," Two-bit said simply. He cocked a brow, "I heard from some buddies that some places are hiring." It wasn't far from the truth since he knew that Ponyboy was looking for a summer job, or rather Darry was pressuring him to get one so that he wasn't home alone all day or out with one of the others getting into trouble by chance.

"Alright," Darry started, sounding as if he only half believed what Two-bit was saying. He raised a fork and pointed it to Two-bit, "But if you or Dally drive Pony into town I dont want you ruining his chances of getting hired cause he's hanging around you clowns."

Two-bit had already gotten into the fridge to find the chocolate cake. He heard the screen door open and slam shut again and someone went running past. He assumed it was Steve based on the hollering that followed afterwards. "We're just there to make Ponyboy look better than us."

"For what?" Ponyboy asked appearing in the kitchen fully clothed.

"So you can get a job and not be hanging around with us bums all summer." Two-bit replied already having a slice of cake on a plate. Ponyboy rolled his eyes. "I think Dall' wanted to talk to you."

"Fine with me, it's gonna get loud in here in a minute anyway," Ponyboy said commenting on how Steve had gotten Sodapop awake. They were always loud in the mornings, lately though it was mostly just Steve that was loud. He started out of the kitchen heading for the front door.

Two-bit glanced at Darry and shrugged, casually slipping away so he could focus on getting breakfast made. He started for the front door just like Ponyboy had and slipped out silently as Pony was just asking what Dallas wanted.

Ponyboy rose a brow as Two-bit reappeared, he sighed with realization, "You two aren't going to drive me into town are you?" He knew Two-bit looked far too suspicious to be just taking him out to hunt for a part-time job.

Dally shrugged and handed Ponyboy the card that had come with Two-bit's gift. "Do you recognize this handwriting kid?" He asked taking off his sunglasses and hanging them off the collar of his t-shirt.

Ponyboy gave Dallas a questioning look and returned his gaze to the card that he had handed him. He scanned the few lines that were written on it in nice, neat handwriting. The boy frowned looking back up at his two friends. "Yeah, I do." He said in exasperation, handing the card back to Dally and going over to the edge of the porch to pick up the newspaper.

Two-bit watched Ponyboy and turned back to Dallas, "Do you think it was left by her then?" He asked taking bites of his chocolate cake.

"Who else do you know with those initials, stupid," Dallas remarked handing everything back to Two-bit a second time. He looked at Ponyboy sitting on the front steps reading the headlines of the paper and said, "Hey, don't you think of telling your brother anything you hear?"

Ponyboy glanced up contemplating whether or not he could agree to that. He realized both parties were in the wrong in what happened, but wanted to see Sodapop happier again. "Sure," Ponyboy finally agreed. He exhaled a thought bothering him, "Why do you think she didn't just stop by in person?"

"Don't know kid," Two-bit admitted. There were a number of scenarios and reasons why that could be. He personally wasn't overly concerned why right now since they didn't even know if it was her that left the gift.

"That doll left a hell of a lot of problems for us to deal with when she ran off," Dallas commented irritably which only caused Ponyboy to look at the paper again.

Ponyboy got up with the paper and said, "They'd be our problems too whether or not she went to California." He reverted his eyes away from Dallas when he turned to look at him. Ponyboy looked at the contents of the paper and back up at Dally and Two-bit. "C'mon, breakfast should be done and we don't wan'em wondering what we're talking 'bout."

Two-bit started back inside after Ponyboy, with Dallas sauntering in behind him. Steve was leaning against one of the walls, watching the three come inside. "What have you hobos been up to?" He asked smirking which only resulted in Dallas pushing his head into the wall as he walked into the kitchen. "What's Dall's problem?"

Ponyboy went to place the newspaper on the dining room table knowing that at least Darry would be wanting to read it. Two-bit watched him and then looked up from his spot on the couch and said, "He's just irritable because the fuzz keeps pestering him."

"Hey Darry have you seen my hat?" Sodapop walked past Steve and peered into the kitchen. Some routines didn't really change.

Darry looked up from finishing the contents of breakfast, putting the brothers food onto plates, and the remainder on one large one. "It was in the basement last I saw little buddy," Darry said. He glared at Dallas trying to take more of the bacon he had cooked, "Do you plan on paying for more bacon Dallas?" After getting no response, Darry smirked a little, "I thought so."

Dallas snorted, but didn't argue. No one argued with Darry. He started out of the kitchen and took a seat at the dining room table where Ponyboy was standing with the paper, still staring at it for some odd reason.

Steve glanced Dally's way and looked back at Two-bit. "That's nothing new." He commented. He sighed, and looked over a second time noticing Ponyboy flipping to a different page in the newspaper. "Are they still writing them damn articles?

"Hey what's it matter to you anyway? I don't see your sorry ass getting hauled in all the time," Dallas glared in Steve's direction.

"And who's fault is that?" Steve remarked.

"Not mine that's for sure, do you want your head kicked in Randle?" Dallas started to stand up before Darry came out of the kitchen and gave him a look. The food was placed on the table, the plate that was full of leftovers that was.

Steve sighed heavily, "Remember when we didn't have any of this to worry about, a few years ago when all we had to do was make sure we didn't get jumped by them Socs." No one said a word when it came to this, it was uncertain if Steve was talking about last year, or as far back as before Johnny had killed Bob Sheldon. "You know, it don't look good that those two went to the west coast right after this happened, makes 'em look guilty, we can't deal with it forever, they may never be coming back."

Ponyboy looked up at Sodapop, noticing him standing in the entrance from the hall to the living room. The rest noticed as well causing some to sigh, Steve to shut up, and Dallas to roll his eyes. Soda stared at them, knowing that they wouldn't talk about how they really felt while he was in the room, not even Dallas who looked like he was trying really hard to bite his tongue. Sodapop simply went into the kitchen to get his breakfast.

"I feel like I am walking on egg shells..." Steve mumbled to himself going to sit at the seat near the piano. He pushed a few keys, but they were out of tune.

Dallas punched his fist on the table, making the plates and utensils rattle, and Ponyboy jump in his spot. He got up and started for the front door, "Coming Two-bit, we have some things to sort out remember?"

"If you say so Dall'," Two-bit said getting up, leaving his empty beer can and bare plate on the coffee table where he had been sitting. He walked over to the dining room table to grab a piece of bacon and muttered to Ponyboy, "Hold down the fort while we're gone Pony." Then started for the door when Dallas started hollering again from the porch.

Ponyboy made a face, "Like I have a choice...". Somehow he had a bad feeling about what was going to happen. He always had a bad feeling about what was going to happen, cause something always happened. Ponyboy wished it wasn't like that, for once, agreeing with Steve about how it was before when they had less to worry about. They did anyway, Ponyboy always seemed to have something to be worrying over.

He could hear the car roaring, Buck's T-Bird, that meant Dallas was driving. Ponyboy innerly chuckled at the thought of those two getting pulled over before they even made it into town with the way that Dally's mood was currently.

"I thought those two were driving you into town Pony?" Darry asked taking some of the unused utensils off of the table. Why he even placed them half the time no one knew.

"They're gonna get me later, had somethin' to do first," Ponyboy answered simply. It was a good excuse for why he had been on the porch for so long. Making arrangements, that's right. Darry only shrugged and went back into the kitchen where he could be heard quietly talking with Sodapop.

He looked down at the paper, reading the headline again for about the fiftieth time that morning.

"The Mystery Around Daniel Sheldon's Death: Who did it?"