Scarred For Life with Battle Wounds

A/N: Third part to This is Our Fight series. This picks up from Behind These War Torn Eyes so read that before you proceed.

Disclaimer: S.E. Hinton owns the outsiders

Chapter 1: Lost

Rory felt as though she had been kicked in the head by a horse when she came to. Water was dripping somewhere in the room but her mind was too foggy to figure out where. She could hear screams of protest from another room but she wasn't sure where. She tried to figure out what had happened. All she remembered was being kicked in the head and feeling something snap. As questions filled her head, she heard someone being thrown into the room. She closed her eyes when the light came in, it was too bright.

"Rory?" A voice asked.

"Who is it? Who's there?" She responded panicked.

"Take it easy, it's just me, Talia. You scared me, I thought you were dead." The voice said.

It took the kid a moment to figure out it was her but when she did, relief and fear overcame her.

"How long was I out for?" She asked.

" 'bout three days. I saw them hit you pretty hard and they snapped your wrist." Talia said. "You just fell like a ton of lead after that."

"What was that screaming? I was trying to figure where it was coming from." She said trying to keep pain out of her voice.

"That was me, that idiot David was well, you know…" Talia replied. "You don't sound too good, you okay?"

"Not really, I don't know where I am and I want to go home." Rory said.

"I know, kid. Cody's probably panicking right now." Talia said trying to reassuring her friend. "I remember Cody telling me how messed up you were but I didn't know it was that bad."

"What? What are you talking about?" Rory asked.

"Before you blacked out, you had a nightmare. I couldn't wake you up, I got scared." Talia replied.

"I don't remember that or anything for that matter." Rory said with a touch of irritation. Why can't I remember?

"Good thing you don't. Those socs said some awful things." Talia said.

"What'd they say?" Rory asked curiously.

"They said they killed my brother and that they kill yours. One of them nearly got a hold of you but hit them hard but then they broke your wrist." Talia responded. "Is it true that they killed him?"

"Yeah, the first time I was kidnapped. I remember it, they took him to another room and shot him in front of me. He was trying to protect me and Ponyboy." Rory said with sorrow. "I would've taken the shot but I couldn't move."

"That must've been awful but he died proud. If you were dead, your brothers would've lost it. Tristan sent me a letter when I was in Texas saying how you were deathly sick from the rumble." Talia said with softness. "I was scared then too."

"That's even fuzzier now, I remember waking up with a headache." Rory said back. "Where do think we are now?"

"We're at the edge of town, in an old building. Now don't talk or move okay kid? I don't want you hurting anymore." Talia said trying to find her. "And don't fall asleep, you may not wake up."

She nodded and did what Tal said. The door opened again and someone grabbed her; where was she going now.

Meanwhile at the house, Cody was pacing the living room trying to resist panic while Maverick, Darry, Soda, and Steve just watched. It had been three days and no one had any leads of where Talia, Rory, or Ponyboy could be. None of them could focus on anything else besides that.

"Shouldn't we try to explore the area?" Maverick asked.

"No, that would be dangerous at this point. You heard them, we try and come after them, the three of them are as good as dead." Cody replied. "We gotta ask her."

"Which her are we speaking of?" Darry asked.

"Jesse. We have to ask her." Cody said looking down.

"There is no way we're talking to her. She's the one who did this in the first place." Maverick said angrily.

"He's got a point, she'll want to get something out of us." Soda piped in.

"I agree with that. We won't be able to get information outa her." Maverick said.

The phone rang and Cody picked it up. The rest of the gang could tell by the look in his eyes that it was the soc that had called the other day but this time he some fighting in the background. He figured it was his kid sister or Talia. They could fight back when they wanted to.

"Where are you?"

"I won't tell you but I'll let you talk to the kid."

Cody heard more noise in the background and smirked. Rory and Talia must've escaped from the building because they usually cause a ruckus like that when they do. Cody also heard the soc curse then say 'what do ya mean escaped? That kid was smaller than you.' He wanted to laugh but resist the urge to. Now he wondered when they would come home.

Elsewhere, on the edge of town, Talia and Rory were sitting at a Dairy Queen with Ponyboy who looked spooked to say the least. Rory had been the one to start since the soc underestimated her due to her height but no one should. She was like a cat, fast and cunning. Talia was the same. They had to come up with a plan; they couldn't go back to Tulsa yet. The socs would look there first. Talia spoke up.

"We could stay with my brother." She said.

"T-Bird?" Rory asked.

"He's expired, remember? I have another brother, he only lives a block from here." Talia said. "Brandon will take us in if I explain it all."

"That seems to be our only option. Are you okay with that, Pony?" Rory said looking at him.

"Yeah, that seems okay." He replied.

"Then it's settled, let's get going." Talia said paying the bill.

The three greasers got up and started the walk looking around carefully for the socs who had dragged them here. They ducked into a store when they saw one of them with Jesse who looked happier than she used to. Pony and Rory were scared now, what if she had seen them but luckily, their fear was diminished when she didn't look their way. That was too close for words.

"Don't worry, my brother's house is close. We'll be fine." Talia reassured them. "He won't let them near us."

The two of them nodded and kept walking close to Talia. This wasn't a way they reacted normally but under these circumstances, they had a right to be edgy. Five minutes later, Talia found it and went up to the door. She knocked deliberately and quickly making sure that no one heard it. Someone came to the door, it must've been her brother because he looked like Thunderbird except older and with a sharper face. He was just as lanky as Soda and Tristan but with more muscle.

"Talia? What are you doing here? Where's T-Bird?" He asked in a calm voice.

"It's a long story. Can we come in?" Talia said.

"Yeah." He replied.

Ponyboy and Rory followed Talia inside and realized he was a greaser as well. They felt comfortable now; the house was as big as the ones on the grease side of town but less rundown looking. There were two beat-up couches with a t.v. on one wall. The paint on the walls wasn't as chipped but it peeled at certain spots. It was actually clean with the exception of beer bottles on the counter. All in all, a nice home. They took a seat on the longer couch.

"Now, what are you doing on my side of town?" He asked.

"Some socs got a hold of us and brought us down here but Rory came up with a plan. We escaped but they're on the lookout for us. We need somewhere to crash for a while." Talia explained.

"Aren't their parents gonna worry?" He asked looking at Ponyboy and Rory.

"Their parents are dead but their brothers are worried. We haven't talked to them." Talia replied.

"Stay for as long as you need. They can call their brothers later, just so they don't worry." He said. "Right now, just sleep. You and Rory could crash in the spareroom; the other kid will have to sleep on the couch."

"His name's Ponyboy by the way." Talia said.

"It is? That's an orignal name." He said bluntly.

Talia and Rory exchanged looks then went off to the guestroom while Ponyboy stayed on the couch. They were all exhausted from everything but knew this wasn't over, not yet.