How did you like the first chapter? I know it was short and it by far wasn't my best writing piece but it was necessary for my story. I swear this chapter will be way better!

Chapter 2: Home Sweet Home

Eight years later…

"Zoey! How was the drive?" Mrs. Harris inquired.

"It was fine. Don't worry," Zoey reassured.

"Okay, well call me later okay?"

"Okay, talk to you later," Zoey said and hung up the payphone. She was back in Tulsa and she didn't remember much of it because she had been so young when she had lived there. Zoey reminisced about the past and didn't notice that she was being followed. Her white dress and floral espadrilles with a brown leather bag was not as common in Tulsa as other places. You wore something like that, you immediately dubbed a Soc. Being a Soc had its benefits, like getting out of trouble more easily and automatically having an invitation to the best parties in town. Zoey wasn't like most Socs though; she didn't flaunt her money. Did she know she was rich? Yes. Did she care? No. However, Zoey preferred to hang with the Greasers. She didn't know why, she just did. Perhaps it was because she hung out with Soda, Pony, Darry, Dally, Two-Bit, Johnnycake, and Steve when she was younger. The thought of her old friends brought back the past she had tried so hard to forget.

"No!" She thought firmly. "Don't think about it!"

She turned her head to a window when she heard a familiar laugh. Zoey knew that laugh from anywhere. The laugh that had the sound of defiance against the world made its way to Zoey's ears. Zoey turned around, her hair making a "whoosh" sound from the speed. There, directly across the street… was Dallas Winston.

"Dallas," Zoey murmured. He had changed, but she definitely recognized him. He was still talk and lanky with blazing black eyes. Wait, black eyes? Zoey shook her head. That was definitely him but his eyes were a different color. They used to be blazing blue, ice cold. Then she remembered. Dallas's eyes changed colors depending on his mood. It was rare and a medical mystery but she remembered why she thought he had blue eyes. The last time she had seen him, they were blue, and he had been somewhat sad at the time. Zoey was about to head over to Dallas when her shoulder was suddenly relieved of her purse.

"What the hell?" Zoey yelled as she took off after the thief. The thief had curly brown hair greased back. He was definitely a Greaser. Zoey chased after the thief. They ran past a DX gas station. Zoey realized that there were some people chasing after them, more Greasers by the look of it. Her attention refocused to the thief when he stumbled over something. Zoey took this opportunity to football-ram the guy to the ground. She had only meant to push him to the ground but she didn't realize her own strength and it was more like a bull stampeded him to the ground. Zoey sat on the guy, who was attempting to pull a switchblade from his pocket.

"Tim!" Someone shouted. Tim? Did he mean Tim Sheppard? Zoey looked at the guy she was sitting on and recognized the guy. It was Tim Sheppard. She had known him when she had lived in Tulsa eight years ago.

"Timmy?" Zoey shook her head and she called him by the nickname she had given him when she was six.

"What did you just call me? No one calls me that! Get off of me!" Tim snarled.

"Sorry Timmy," Zoey got off of him quickly. "I didn't recognize you."

"Why the hell do you keep callin' me Timmy?" he demanded.

"What? You don't remember the only girl you ever allowed to call you Timmy?"

"She moved along time ago, and she stopped contactin' us. Why?"

"You're lookin' at her." Zoey said simply. Tim looked dumbfounded.

"Z?"

"Hey, Timmy. Glad you remember me," Zoey smiled.

"When did you get here?"

"Yesterday. You look great by the way. How are you?"

"I'm good. Uh, sorry 'bout stealin' your purse,"

"Never thought I would ever hear that out of your mouth," Zoey laughed. Her laugh was stopped abruptly when someone grabbed her arm roughly. Out of shock, Zoey threw a fist at the mystery person.

"OW! That hurt like hell!" A voice said. Someone else had Zoey's arm but it was gentler.

"Let go of me!" Zoey demanded.

"Let her go Sodapop," Tim said.

"Tim, let me get this straight. You want us to the let the girl go that just rammed into you like a freight train? Have ya' lost your mind?" a voice said. It seemed far away though because her mind was on the fact that Timmy had just called the man holding her Soda.

"Yeah, that's right Steve," Tim said.

"He's lost his mind Soda," Steve said. "Why are ya' lookin' like ya' just saw a ghost, girl? And where did ya' learn to ram into people like that?"

"Darry taught me," Zoey said quietly. She had always imagined her reunion with the gang but it was nothing like this. Zoey turned to face the person holding her arm. The grip had slackened severely but still held onto her. Zoey looked into the sapphire blue eyes of Sodapop.

"Coca-cola?" Zoey asked.

"Zo?" Sodapop said. He looked more closely at her and saw his best friend from eight years ago in the hazel eyes he was staring into. "Zoey!"

Sodapop hugged Zoey and lifted her off her feet. He was so happy that she was here. He completely forgot about being mad at her when she had stopped talking to him five years ago.

"How are you?" Soda asked.

"I'm great! How are you?" Zoey replied with a grin.

"I'm great too!" Soda laughed. He had never been so happy to see someone, not even when his girlfriend Sandy had come back from visiting family for a month. Soda set Zoey down. She turned to Steve and playfully punched him on the arm. He, in return, put her in a headlock and gave ruffled her hair, something which he knew she hated.

"You just had to do that, didn't you?" Zoey smirked.

"Yes, yes I did," Steve remarked. She hit him hard on the arm.

"Come on; let's go get the other guys. I know they'll wanna see you again!" Soda exclaimed. Tim hugged Zoey goodbye and Soda, Zoey and Steve headed back to the DX station so Soda and Steve could close up.

Sodapop couldn't believe this was happening. He remembered Zoey always being pretty, but she was seriously beautiful now. She had grown up a lot too. Sandy was beautiful too Soda thought. But he couldn't get over exactly how beautiful Zoey was. He and Steve walked out of the gas station and found Zoey sitting on top of one of the gas pump stations. She was sitting on a jacket she hadn't had before.

"Where did that jacket come from?" Steve inquired.

"It was in my purse," Zoey shrugged. Sodapop walked over and was going to help her down but she jumped lightly down to the ground and pulled her jacket down. Soda grinned at his old friend; she was still the same: independent. Sodapop and Steve put their arms around Zoey and Zoey lifted her arms and put them over Sodapop's and Steve's shoulders. The trio walked to the Curtis's house talking the whole time.

The sun was practically all the way down when they reached the Curtis house. Darry was home, Soda saw, because the green pick-up was in the driveway. Ponyboy would for sure be home because it was a school night and Darry rarely let Ponyboy go anywhere on a school night.

Sodapop was brought out of his reverie by the sound of Zoey smacking Steve's head. It was unprovoked, just like all the other times eight years ago. Zoey laughed and her laugh made Sodapop's heart skip a beat. It was as sweet as the summer air, as cool as the fall breeze. Soda joined in with Zoey because he couldn't help but laugh at Steve's face.

The three of them walked into the house and Ponyboy was on the couch, his head in a book.

"Hey Sodapop," Pony greeted him without looking up.

"Hey, Pony. Hey Darry! Come here! I need to show you something!" Sodapop yelled for his older brother.

Darry came striding into the room and while he looked the same as he had eight years ago, he was also noticeably different. He looked older than twenty; lines that shouldn't be there were on his face, and dark circles were under his eyes. However, Zoey still saw the Darry she knew: the kind, strong, protective older brother.

"What is it Soda?" Darry asked, and then his eyes rested on Zoey.

"Zoey? Zoey Gates?" He looked stunned. The sound of Zoey's name made Ponyboy look up from his book. His eyes widened with surprise.

"Hey, y'all! How are you doin' Pony? Superman?"

"Zoey!" Pony leaped up and gave her a hug. Zoey had missed Ponyboy, because she and he were a lot alike. Both of them loved to read and go to the movies. Both wanted to do well in school as well.

"Come here! Give me a hug girl!" Darry laughed with pure joy. Zoey jogged over to Darry and he swept her up in his arms of steel.

"Hey, we should call the Two-Bit, Johnny, and Dally over too. They'll want to see her," Pony suggested. Steve offered to make the call and went to the phone. Zoey chatted with Pony and Darry and Soda while Steve made the call. When he came back, he grinned.

"They're coming over… but they don't know she's here," Steve said.

"It will be a good surprise," Darry agreed.

"So, where are your parents? I want to say… what's wrong?" Zoey asked, knowing she had said something wrong.

"They died in a car wreck six months ago," Darry answered quietly. Zoey felt her heart drop into her stomach.

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry! I didn't know!" She apologized quietly.

"It's okay. Oh look! Johnny's here!" Sodapop said, obviously trying to cheer everyone up. Johnny walked in the door and stared at Zoey. He looked the same to Zoey. He still had his big, brown puppy eyes and his shaggy hair.

"Johnnycake!" Zoey yelled gleefully. She jumped up from the couch and hugged him.

"Zoey!" He replied, hugging her back. Two-Bit came loping in the door, his switchblade out.

"What's the emergency?" He slurred, obviously intoxicated.

"Hey Two-Bit!" Zoey grinned.

"Well, I'll be damned. Zoey Gates! Come here and give me a hug! Don't make me come over there," Two-Bit grinned. Zoey laughed and gave Two-Bit a hug.

"So now, the only person we're waiting for is Dallas," Steve said. "He was a Buck Meryl's."

"He's probably drunk then," Darry said.

"I ain't drunk," Dallas declared gruffly as he entered the door. He was seriously handsome. Not as handsome as Sodapop, but darn close! Zoey studied him. His black hair fell in wisps across his forehead and his signature slouch still there in his stance. His eyes were dark brown, looking at Darry.

"Why did y'all call me over here? I was with Sylvia!" Dallas declared huffily.

"We thought you would like to see an old friend," Sodapop grinned. Dallas turned to look at Sodapop, about to say something, when his eyes shifted to Zoey.

"Hey Dally. I kicked everyone's butt that tried to mess with me," Zoey smiled, hinting that he ought to know what she meant; he did.

"Z!" Dally exclaimed. Zoey walked over to Dallas and gave him a hug.

"How are you?"

"I'm all right. How about you Z? Long time no talk." Dallas answered.

"I think this calls for chocolate cake," Ponyboy suggested. Everyone agreed without hesitation so Pony went to get the cake.

"Why aren't you hanging out with your Socy friends?" Two-Bit questioned, taking a swig from his beer bottle.

"I met a few from a few years ago and they are so conceited. I don't like hanging out with people like that," Zoey explained. Ponyboy brought out the plates of chocolate cake for everyone. The cake was delicious and Zoey wanted another piece but she was too full.

The gang talked some more and it was eleven by the time someone mentioned it, and it was triggered by Zoey yawning.

Two-Bit, Johnny, Dallas, and Steve left after hugging Zoey good-bye.

"Where are you staying?" Darry asked.

"I don't know. My suitcase is back in my car… which is back in a parking lot. Dang," Zoey muttered.

"I'll drive you to your car, and you can spend the night here," Sodapop offered.

"Are you sure? I would love to but are you sure?"

"Yeah, of course we're sure. Now stop your worryin' Zo," Sodapop grinned. Zoey smiled back at Soda's cocky grin. The two of them walked out to the truck and got in. Once the engine started, Soda drove towards the parking lot Zoey directed him to. Zoey had begun to fade from jet lag but woke up when Soda pulled up to the parking lot.

"It's the blue pickup," Zoey said, yawning. Soda pulled up next to the car and Zoey hopped out of his truck and into her truck. The familiar scent of her truck soothed her nerves and the tension in her shoulders. She had been worried that the guys wouldn't remember her, or worse, they would and they would tell her to go away. She started the engine and followed Sodapop back to his house. Sodapop, like the sweet gentleman he was, came and opened the door for Zoey and grabbed her suitcases much to her protests.

"How much did ya bring?" Soda asked.

"I'm gonna be here for a while so I packed… a lot," Zoey explained sheepishly.

"I'm just messin' with ya," Soda patted Zoey on the back. They walked in the door where Pony and Darry were sitting in the living room.

"Zoey, you can sleep in my bed," Darry offered.

"Thanks Darry, but that's okay. I've already caused enough trouble," Zoey said.

"Are you sure? I don't mind at all," Darry said.

"I'm sure. Thank you though, really. And thank you for letting me sleep over tonight. Tomorrow I'm going to see this elderly lady to see if I can stay at her place. She has a room for rent," Zoey explained.

"Okay. Well if it doesn't work out, you're welcome to stay here for as long as you like," Darry smiled.

"Thanks, Darry. I really appreciate it."

Zoey unpacked a suitcase, grabbed a pair of pajamas and went to the bathroom to change into them. The Curtis brothers were sitting around, laughing. They all looked at her when she came out. She came out and smiled weakly at them.

"You look doggone tired," Sodapop stood up, put his hands on Zoey's shoulders and steered her to the couch. "I'll get you some blankets."

"Thank you," Zoey said.

"Stop saying thank you," Soda laughed. "I've never heard someone say thank you so much."

"Sorry," Zoey said sheepishly. Pony got up from the couch and sat on the arm of it instead. Soda went and got the blankets and brought them back. Zoey was about to take them from him when he turned them away from her.

"You lay down. You look like you're about to pass out on the spot," Soda pointed out.

"I see," Zoey smirked, but obeyed. She lay down and Soda laid the blankets over her. The familiar smell of the Curtis's house, the familiar surroundings that she knew so well made her feel safe and protected. Zoey shut her eyes and fell into the first peaceful sleep since two years ago. She was home.