Chapter Thirteen

"Something is up with Emily, Two-Bit." Was the first thing I said to him as I ran out the door to greet him at about midday on Sunday. As I threw my arms around him to hug him quickly I then looked up at him with worry, I wasn't too sure he'd grasped what I'd said, actually as he still looked asleep. "She has a massive bruise on her arm and she said she walked into a door."

"You normally hit your head when you walk into a door." Two-Bit said with a grin, "Like the time you tripped over Steve's feet a few years ago, and your head was planted into the door and you went mental so Sodapop locked you in a cupboard." Two-Bit grinned and I gave him an odd look. "Then your mom came home, and boy was she mad."

I giggled slightly. "Okay, you're an idiot. But I was talking about your sister having problems."

"I know," he sighed loudly as he reached for my hand and we started down the street. "I've always said she belonged in an institution for special cases the minute Mom brought her home."

"You were five; I doubt you could spell your own name let alone even know a word like that."

"I knew what crazy home meant though," he grinned as I rolled my eyes. "So what new problem have you unearthed about my sister? I mean, there are so many you may just be getting confused."

"Two-Bit, she has a bruise on her arm from apparently walking into a door. Like you said, you normally don't get them on your arm." I said with worry. "Or did she really walk into a door?"

"If she walked into a door I'd know. She tends to swear like crazy," I raised my brows and he gave me a grin. "Seriously, filthy language coming from such a pure thing at times. Although when that happens it tends to be directed at me."

"I'd imagine," I said dryly as I tried to press the issue onto him again, but I sort of already knew it'd be unsuccessful, due to his lack of attention around this time of year, actually pretty much anytime of the year. "But Two-Bit, how'd she get a bruise otherwise? I think she's got into trouble or something, and she's stubborn sometimes, she's just not admitting it."

"I'm sure she just fell over in gym and is too embarrassed to admit it." Two-Bit shrugged it off as a cold gust of wind hit us from the back and he put his arm around me.

"Since when has your sister ever known to be embarrassed?" I demanded.

"To be honest I don't actually care." He told me truthfully. "Why all the questions? You aren't actually worried about Emily are you?" I hesitated in answering and he gave a bit of a laugh. "Pixie, she'd be able to hold off a bunch of ninjas in an alley if she came across them, she's a big girl that can take care of herself. Don't worry about her, Pixie."

"Have you seen the bruise?" I demanded as we crossed the street hurriedly to avoid being hit by the truck that I'm positive was speeding. "Even Ponyboy thinks it's bad!"

"I haven't." Two-Bit said without a worry in the world. "And Ponyboy is hardly the toughest guy in the world; even you have to admit that."

I scowled. He got me there. "Maybe he ain't, but it was as gross as Johnny's."

"Pixie shut up, and start relaxing. When my sister drops dead then you can start panicking." His calmness was unnerving now as we approached the DX. "She is at home right now watching TV and is perfectly healthy other than this said arm which has some bruise on it. That is all." As he pushed the door open and we stepped inside Sodapop immediately started to talk.

"Man, that race last night was great! Don't ya think so, Two-Bit?" Sodapop said enthusiastically as he leaned on the counter to look at us.

"Yeah it was cool, and how they skidded and swerved that tree," Two-Bit chuckled as I sat down on the counter and started swinging my legs. "Where's Stevie boy then?"

"Right here," Steve grunted as the bell of the shop door rang out and he shut it with a loud bang. "It's freezing out there."

"You're telling me," Sodapop said shivering on impulse and I smiled slightly. "So did you end up doing something last night, Pixie? You and Pony were dead to the world when I got back."

I shook my head bitterly. "No, him and Emily came back after Darry left with Kate and Ponyboy and I just watched some TV."

"What about Emily?" Two-Bit asked innocently and I gave him a dirty look.

"You well know," I said with irritation.

"What happened with Emily?" Steve demanded but I couldn't answer as Sodapop spoke over me.

"Well lookie here, trouble has arrived," he said under his breath.

Giving him an odd look I turned to glance at the door, which was what he was staring at, and a girl with long dyed black hair was strutting over to the DX. She was wearing what can only be described as very mismatched attire and way too much makeup for going to a gas station. As she pushed the door open I could see her long filed red nails and her eyes scanned straight over Steve as she pushed past him and looked straight at me. I'm not sure if nervous would be entirely accurate to describe what I was feeling. As much as I didn't really mind her it doesn't mean she didn't scare the life out of me at times, she was incredibly intimidating.

"Pixie, I need to talk to you," Evie drawled to me. "It's important."

"Um, okay." I said looking puzzled but Steve cut across me.

"What do you want?" he snarled as Two-Bit placed a hand on his shoulder and Evie rolled her eyes and sniffed. "Come to rub it in have you?"

"I wasn't cheating, asshole." Evie responded, her voice sounding sugary sweet but her eyes were cold.

"Then who was he?"

"My little brother, dumbass. You've met him, but clearly you were too intoxicated at the time to remember." Whilst I marvelled over the fact she knew such a big word Steve looked really pissed off so I decided that if she needed to talk perhaps before Steve tackled her to the ground, yes he would do that to Evie, he has problems, we should move outside.

"Evie, let's go outside," I suggested slipping off the counter and throwing Steve a look. "Whilst Steve has anger management classes with these two,"

Steve glared at me but I was already well outside before he could fully react to what I'd said. And I had a brother and a boyfriend in there anyway so would be unwise to do so. As soon as I stepped outside Evie looked at me with such seriousness I was so close to giggling.

"Pixie, this is about Emily. Look I would try help her personally but she doesn't know me well or even like me, but she looks up to you, I can tell." Evie informed me tossing back her hair. "That's why I thought I'd tell you. I was gonna tell Steve but he's being an idiot as you can see, and I don't reckon your brothers are too fond of me either."

She evidently was a lot more aware of things than I had given her credit for.

"Do you know how she's getting hurt then?" I asked her. "Because if you do I'd seriously like to know, when I asked her last night she blew up at me entirely, and her friend told Pony she'd had another bruise too."

Evie actually looked concerned. It's hard to find greasers who care, as much as I'd been relatively well friends with her back in summer I'd never seen her show sympathy or anything of that sort before. When she nodded I felt my blood turn cold. "Yes I do, in a way I wish I didn't but you have to know, someone has to stop it."

"Who is it?" I whispered as I on impulse reached for her hands and Evie didn't drop them but held them back and frowned deeply.

"It's her boyfriend." My eyes widened and I let out a gasp. "Tom, you've heard of him?" as I nodded Evie continued. "Well see he is really my younger brother, step brother actually but brother all the same. It was him I was arguing with the other day; I'd guessed how Emily got the bruise since the little shit has always had problems with his anger. He's messed up, Pixie; that kid's too sweet and innocent to be with him."

Evie paused and looked at me seriously. "She doesn't deserve to turn out cold and hard like I did, Pixie. She should be like you, I keep trying to stop him but that doesn't go too well either."

"Did he hit you too?" I demanded with worry.

Evie gave a laugh and shook his head. "I'd kill the twerp if he dared, so would his brother. No, just shouting and that junk. I'll keep talking to him, just," paused Evie. "Just get Emily away from him, do whatever you have to but do that. He's dangerous, and I know she got messed up when she was a kid so she'll definitely need that help to get out of this too."

"Thank you, Evie." I said as I closed my eyes and dropped her hands. As I opened them again I sighed. "Thanks, really now I can at least try stop it. I'll talk to Steve if you want," I offered.

Evie shook her head and gave an emotionless laugh, "That's alright, he'll come back if he wants to, if he doesn't he's not the only one for me. I'll see you around, Pixie." She said turning away.

"Bye," I called out as I watched her retreating steps and slowly edged back to the DX and pushed the door open and slipped inside without a word.

"What did she say?" demanded Steve first.

I sat down on the floor and started dismally at my feet and tried so hard not to cry. God how I hated crying but right now I just couldn't stop. I was staring so resentfully at my feet I couldn't even feel the hot tears on my face until Steve broke through my thoughts.

"Is something wrong with Evie?" he asked with worry.

"No." I whispered placing my head on my knees and stared at my thighs. "There's something wrong with Emily."

"Is she sick, or something?" Sodapop asked as Two-Bit crouched down on the floor next to me. "Pixie?"

I shook my head but didn't look up. "I can't tell you because you'd all do something stupid. I'm sorry. But she's not sick, she's just hurt."

"What sort of hurt?" Two-Bit asked worriedly.

I glanced at him feeling pained that I couldn't tell him but I knew if I did I'd screw everything up even more. "I wish I could say but I really can't. If I did everything would go wrong and it'd be my fault and she might do something stupid."

"That bad?"

"That bad." I echoed.