Author's Note-A lot of OCs in this chapter, but the canon characters will appear. :) This chapter is pretty short, not even 1,000 words. The next few chapters will be more lengthy and suspenseful. Enjoy!
Disclaimer- I do not own The Outsiders.

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CHAPTER ONE- 3:30AM

He stands in the middle of the living room, drenched in the freezing rain. His hands are weakly holding on to the last two bags that lay against his thighs. He gives her a desperate look, almost pleading. She couldn't seem to grasp what he was thinking. Maybe he was feeling guilty because she caught him leaving, once again, after swearing on everything he would stay.

He looks at the ground, and then back to her.

Tons of questions flooded her head. Did us believing his sincere apology make it easier? Was this his plan all along? Did he only come back so he could have food, and a roof to live under? Why am I awake at three thirty in the morning?

He turns around without a word, placing one suitcase beside the couch so he can open the large wooden door. He turns the golden knob, looking back and nodding his last goodbye. John Stallwood grabs the last bag, and walks out the screen door that he kicks open.

As it slams shut behind him, Lisa stands there in shock. As rain sprinkles on the wooden floor, she doesn't shift. The only physical feeling she can make out is how fast her heart is beating. It beats faster, and faster, until the ground suddenly rushes up to meet her.

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Bolting up out of bed, she awoke with a fast beating heart. Squinting her eyes, she managed to see the bright red numbers that read 3:30AM. Sighing, and letting herself fall back on the pillow that was damp from her wet hair, she looked at the light that peaked under her door.

Lisa listened faintly - the sound of footsteps came closer and louder.

''Yeah, see ya.''

Her eyebrows slowly rose, as she silently stood up. Placing her feet on the hardwood ground, Lisa walked around her bed to the door that was securely closed shut. As the old door creaked open, Lisa looked down the hallway and began to follow the all too familiar voice.

She walked past her younger sister's room; the door was halfway open and halfway closed. A few more steps down the hall was her Mom's room, with the door, as usual, shut. And a good chance of it being locked, too. But as she looked to her left, the door to her older brother's bedroom was wide open, and nobody was there.

When she turned the corner, he glanced at her with his cold, hard and dark brown eyes.

''What's wrong?'' he asked. His eye was swollen, and his face was cut up in all sorts of places.

His good friend, Mark Jennings, stood at his side. His face also looked pretty beat up.

When she held his gaze, he looked away, behind her, beside her, at the ground, and then back to her.

She glanced at the side of his face.

He turned around, and turned off the tap that Lisa didn't realize was running.

''There was a party and I wanted to go,'' he said, answering her unasked question.

She nodded, watching as he fiddled with the zipper on his leather coat. ''Shouldn't you be trying to be more subtle when sneaking back into the house at 3:30AM?''

He laughed, but it wasn't out of humor. ''Why does it matter? I sneak out to parties that you never go to. So what? I could've just walked out the door while Ma was awake, she wouldn't have noticed anyways.''

Mark stood silent, as he usually did when they fought.

''Thin ice, Richard,'' she said, her teeth gritting together.

''Why don't you go to bed?'' he said loudly to get laughs from Mark. ''I'm gonna be gone for a while.''

''A while?'' she repeated, skeptic.

''Yeah.'' He confirmed. ''Got some stuff to take care of with my buddy here.'' He patted Mark's shoulder. ''See you when I see you.''

She squeezed her eyes shut, shaking her head. Guess it was genetic for every man in her family to leave at 3:30AM.

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Author's Note- It probably doesn't make much sense to anyone right now, but everything will make sense in either the next chapter, or the chapter after. Depends how closely you pay attention. :)

Review if you liked it, review if you didn't, review if you have any advice or spelling corrections. Anyways, review!