S. owns The Outsiders and everything and everyone in it.

~Kate~

I stare at the phone receiver in disbelief. I can't believe I just let Two-Bit talk me into this and at the 11th hour of all times. I know nothing about hosting a bachelorette party. I have no idea why Cherry can't throw this thing herself, but Two-Bit said Marcia was really upset. What was I supposed to do? I went back into the kitchen, Soda and Pony have finally drug themselves out of bed, hair messed up, sporting a day's worth of stubble. They were sitting at the table, clad only in their jeans. It was warm and since Darry does it all the time so I thought nothing of it. "Hey guys."

"Hey." They returned.

"Do you girls know anything about a bachelorette party?" I ask.

Jillian shook her head. "Sorry."

Ryann spoke up. "I do, why?"

"I agreed to have Marcia's here tonight."

Darry looks at me like I was nuts.

"What? Cherry can't do it for some reason or another and Two-Bit said Marcia was really upset about it."

I can see Pony out of the corner of my eye, he suddenly became really tense and began fidgeting. "You did your sister's?" I ask Ryann.

"Yeah…but she had um…strippers and stuff and a theme. Firemen."

Jilly starts laughing. "Firemen really?"

Ry nods. "Hill has a strange obsession with firemen, I don't know." She pauses a minute. "You know they came in busted the door down, it was entertaining. I heard there was a fire here, let me get my hose."

"Shut up, Ryann." I say, laughing.

"Total truth. Everyone, except yours truly of course, stuffed money down his g-string."

"Ok well we are not doing that…." I say. "Not enough time to book one anyway. I guess we'll need to head to town and get food and stuff. I'll have to pick Cherry up on the way."

"I'll get dressed and come with you Kate." Ryann says standing up.

"Me too." Jilly added.

Once Ryann and Jilly are out of sight earshot, Pony grabs my arm. "Kate you can't let Cherry come over." I look at him, he's obviously frazzled.

"Why?"

He sighs. "Ry has no idea who she is."

I stand there dumbfounded and stare at him.

"I never told her." He continued. "I was planning on doing it today…."

I lowered my voice to a whisper. "Ponyboy Michael Curtis, you have got to be kidding me. What if Two-Bit or Steve had slipped up and said something last night? What would you have done then?"

"I know Kate." He mumbles. "I just….."

"You have to tell her, I don't care how you do it, but you have to." I don't say another word just go down the hallway to get dressed.

"Kate you have to bring the girls with you." Darry says. "I have to go get my suit, pick up the rings and stop by work for a bit."

"What? I can't. There won't be any room in the car."

Darry sighs. "Kate…"

Jilly returned to the kitchen. "I could stay and watch the girls, Kate. Unless you need me."

"No, no. I'll need you. I have an idea."

Soda and Pony returned to the kitchen.

"Hey you two mind watching the girls for a while?"

Soda nods immediately. "Sure Kate no problem." Pony on the other hand looks terrified.

"I uh, I don't know." Pony starts and I notice Soda nudge him.

"It's fine Kate, really." Soda insists. "It'll be fun. Won't it, Uncle Pony?"

Pony looks doubtful and I have a bit of trepidation leaving them. "Just don't let anything happen to my babies." I get Ryann and Jilly in the car and leave.

~Ryann~

That was quite possibly the most awkward experience of my entire life. Even Jilly who is super easy going noticed it, we couldn't get back to the house quick girls are running around the yard while Soda and Pony are on the front steps just watching them.

"Mommmy." Lizzy cries. "Guess what Uncle Soda let us do."

Kate winces. "Oh I can only imagine."

Soda shushes her. "Lizzy, my girl come on. You're gonna get Uncle Soda in trouble."

"We called people and pretended things."

Kate looks at Soda. "You taught my four year-old how to make prank calls?" She looks at Pony. "I take it you did nothing to stop this?" She's trying her hardest not to laugh.

"Ava and I were coloring." He says as Ava scrambles up into his lap.

"He's fibbing mommy. That's a dollar."

"Really? You have to ask your Aunt Ryann she has all my money."

"Mommy, I know who you are and I saw what you did." Ava pipes up. "Right Uncle Soda?"

"I have no idea what she's talking about. Pony, what did you teach her?"

"Me? It was your idea to call Earl."

Kate shakes her head. "Remember when you two have kids, payback is a bitch."

She declared as she went into the house, Ava and Lizzy in tow.

"Now I'm in trouble." Soda says still trying not to laugh.

"Honey, children have no secrets." Jilly tells Soda, as she tossed him a bag of balloons. "There's a helium canister in the trunk, go make yourself useful." She tells him heading for the door. Cherry has yet to move or say a word. She was quiet the entire time, quiet to the point it was uncomfortable. Soda and Jilly both go into the house.

"I uh…got to call work and check my messages." Pony says abruptly standing up. "You two coming in?"Instead of holding the door open, as he usually does, he walks through first letting it swing closed behind him, hitting my head. I just stand there, there is definitely something going on with him. I bet they slept together.

~Cherry~

My stomach had been in knots since I woke up. Marcia and I had an argument about where the bachelorette party would be. There was no way 8 people people would fit into a trailer and because it's my duty throw the party, I had to find another venue. Thanks to Two-Bit's quick thinking and to Kate for opening her house the party will go on. I barely know her and meeting Ponyboy's wife made the situation more awkward. She and Jillian seem nice but I can't imagine what they must be thinking.

Soda looks the same, still very sweet and charming. He said hello to me on his way inside. Ponyboy however, changed a lot. The last time I saw him he was a shy, 15 year-old boy and now he's a married man. Tall, handsome. Two Bit told me that Ponyboy was a professor at Harvard. I'm happy for him. He merely glanced at me with a partial smile on his way into the house. I suppose I deserve it after the way I snubbed him years ago.

I followed Ryann inside and helped get the decorations ready in the family room. Soda was already there, blowing up the balloons with the helium while the kids played with a couple he blew up thing I knew, he had the girls giggling when he sucked in helium and talked. I couldn't help but smile.

"You have a way with children, Soda."

"Thank you." He replied in a helium-induced voice.

The girls squealed. "Do it again, Uncle Soda!"

"Oh, girls if I do this anymore, I'm gonna be floating."

~Jilly~

Ryann, Kate and I worked feverishly to put some refreshments together for the evening while Soda entertained the girls and us and Cherry looked after decorating.

"Soda's great with kids." Ryann stated.

"…yeah. I know. He's a big kid himself." I continued to cut up the carrots for the veggie tray. "Remember I told you that my brother,Richie is autistic?"

"Yeah." Both answered.

"Soda just has a way of getting to through to him sometimes when others can't."

"He's got a gift. He'd be a great father."

"It's a Curtis trait." Kate told us. "You'll both find out soon enough."

Ryann piped up. "Sweetie, it's probably none of our business,but…"

"We're trying." I interrupted. I didn't mind telling Ry and Kate. They're the sisters I never had. "We're been trying since last Fall but, no luck."

"It'll happen, hon. Just went you least expect it to." Kate assured me. "I mean, come on." She pointed to her belly. "This one was not planned, but it happened."

"Well, it did happen in January but um…I lost it after 9 weeks."

"Oh, sweetie. I'm sorry." Kate and Ryann both consoled me, but I really didn't want pity.

"Thank you but, we're ok. We'll just keep trying."

Out attention is drawn to Soda again. He's got one child under each arm. Both are giggling hysterically while he pretends stomps around and talks in a funny voice. "I'm the lean, mean Uncle Soda machine and I'm gonna gobble up two little girls." He laughed evilly.

"Uncle Soda, you put money into a soda machine." Lizzy told him.

"Oh yeah? Well, I know for a fact that you've been collecting from Two Bit so…fork it over kid." He joked.

"Nooo!"

"Soda..."

"What?" I was joking."

"Ow!" I cried and quickly turned to the sink. I gave my finger a good slice.

"Are you ok?" Kate asked.

"Yeah, I'll be alright." I stood with my finger under the water. Soda came over with the kids in close behind him.

"Are you ok, Aunt Jillian?" Lizzie asked.

"Yes, I'm alright sweetie."

"Girls, it's time to pack your things for the weekend. Come on." Kate shuffled the girls off to their rooms as Darry walked through the door and hung his suit in the hall closet.

"If it's not one thing it's another." He grumbled.

"What's the matter?" Soda asked.

"A shipment didn't come in and the supplier said he couldn't find the invoice. Idiot."

I could relate to that since I order pretty much all of the supplies, tools and equipment for the ranch.

"You know what. I'm not gonna let it ruin the weekend."He just noticed that I cut myself. "You ok?"

"I'll be fine."

"There's a First Aid kit under the sink."

"Thanks, Dare."

"I better go help Kate." He said hi to Cherry and went down the hall.

"You guys go look after Jilly's finger, I'll clean up."

"Thanks, Ry. I could use a nap before the party."

"Oh yeah?" Soda began. "I could use a 'nap' myself those kids wore me out."

"I mean, literally a nap, honey. I'm tired."

"We'll see about that." He grinned.

Ryann muttered something but I couldn't hear her.

~Ponyboy~

After I found the composition book in the box in the basement I knew it was time to come out with the truth. The wedding was a day away and the last thing I wanted was for someone to say something to Ryann before I did. Soda's right, Ryann's great, she loves me, I love her…she'll understand. On the other hand, I know she's going to give me a tongue lashing for being so cold to Cherry a little while ago and slamming the door in their faces. Ryann detests rudeness and there was no excuse for me to do that.

I opened Johnny's letter and read it again for the first time in over 15 years. Instead of being sad, I smiled a little. "Thanks, buddy."

The girls were in the kitchen getting ready for Marcia's bachelorette party. Cherry was standing nearby. "Hi."

"Hi, Ponyboy. How are you?" She replied with a forced smile. She could barely look me in the eye. Something was different about her, she wasn't the confident, spunky Cherry Valance I she's aged a bit and her hair was more brown than red, she's still beautiful. Her clothing looked worn and didn't fit properly.

"Fine, thanks. How are you?"

"I'm alright."

"Sorry for being a jerk earlier."

Cherry shook her head. "It's ok." She tucked her hair behind her ear exposing her bruised wrist. She could see that I noticed and quickly tried to hide it.

"You ok?"

She nodded, answering quickly. "Yeah. It's nothing."

I simply nodded, not wanting to pry. "I'll see you later."

"Sure. See you later."

I turned to the ladies. "Hey, can I borrow my wife for a minute." I ask standing in the doorway.

"She's all yours." Kate told me as she helped Ava put her sweater on. "Darry and I are dropping Cherry off at Marcia's then taking the the girls to my parents'. Jilly and Soda are napping."

"OK."

I look to my left to see Ry zipping up Lizzy's backpack. She's so great with kids. I like them but haven't the slightest clue as to what to do with them. Soda is so much more at ease with kids.

"Thank you Aunt, Ryann."

"You're welcome sweetie. Have a good weekend." She kissed Lizzy on the cheek.

"Say bye to Aunt Ryann and Uncle Pony." Kate told them.

"Bye."

"See you tonight, Cherry."

"See you, later."

Ryann follows me down the hallway into the bedroom. "I have a bone to pick with you, Mister." She said as we step into the room. "What's with you today? You've been acting weird all morning since Kate said that the party was going to be here. Then you were blatantly rude when we got back. That's not like you."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"You're sorry? Pony, you slammed the door on me and hit my head."

"It did? Are you ok?"

"I'm fine. It's just a little bump."

"I'm sorry, babe. Honest." He cupped my face in his hands and kissed my forehead. "It won't happen again, promise."

"So, what's going on? Is it about Cherry? You got nervous and fidgety when Kate mentioned her."

"You noticed, huh?"

"I notice a lot."

I pause thinking about what to say, no secrets I tell myself.

"What's up sweetie?" Ry asks sitting on the edge of the bed.

I pull the composition book out of the drawer and hand it to her.

"What's this?"

"It's an essay I wrote fifteen years ago." I paused for a moment. "Ry, there are some things that happened in my past that I haven't told you about and it's all in there. Cherry is part of it. Read it for me, please?"

"…OK." She flips open the first page, and starts reading. 'When I stepped out into the bright sunlight, from the darkness of the movie house, I had only two things on my mind: Paul Newman, and a ride home...'

"What movie did you see?"

"Um…The Hustler."

She smirks and goes back to reading. I lay down and put my head in her lap, she softly rubs my head until I fall asleep. I woke up later on to find that she's sobbing.

"Ryann, sweetheart?"

"Why didn't you tell me about this? After all these years you never thought this was something I should know? Everyone knows but me." She was a lot calmer than I expected.

"I don't like to think about it, it was a long time ago. I just wanted to put it behind me, move on."

"I just don't understand why you felt you couldn't tell 't you trust me?" I can hear how hurt she is in her voice.

"Damn it, Ry you know I do. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I was…afraid." I sit on the edge of the bed, tracing the pattern on the bedspread with my finger.

"Afraid of what?" She asks sitting beside me.

"Losing you. Ry, I changed to be who I thought you wanted me to be, but this…this is who I really am." I tell her, pointing at the book. "I smoke, I swear, I've gotten into more fights than I can you don't want this anymore I understand."

She looks at me and bursts into a fresh set of tears – Ryann rarely cries, I've seen her after getting screamed at for hours by her father and never shed a tear. She learned a long time ago to tune them out, same thing I used to do with Darry.

"You….you could have died." She stammers out.

I reach out pulling her into me holding her tightly. For the first time in all the years I've known her I see fear in her eyes.

"Pony…you have to know by now nothing you could ever do, say or tell me would ever change my mind about you. I don't love you because you look amazing in an argyle sweater, or because you teach at happened then made you who you are today, and I love every single thing about you." She smiles at me. "The way you smile, the way you laugh, the way I always know where you've been in the house because of the trail of clothes. You are the most important thing in my life and I know I don't say it enough. But you are." She takes my face in her hands. "Tell me you love me." She says softly, her lips close to mine.

"You know I love you."I pull back a little so I can see her face. "I've loved you from the first moment I saw you." Her eyes get really wide, and she gives me one of those smiles that make me weak in the knees. "There isn't anything about you I don't love. The way you wrinkle your nose when your concentrating, how wherever we go to dinner you always order the same thing." I wipe away a tear with my thumb. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you Ryann, really I am." She leans forward kissing me,

"When we get home we'll plan a long weekend and go to Atlanta, since your such a "Gone With the Wind" fan."

"What about work?" I ask.

"Screw work. It'll be there when I get back." She murmurs as she tangled her fingers in my hair. "Stop talking and kiss me already." She doesn't have to tell me twice. As soon as she starts unbuttoning my shirt I pull back,

"Ry wait a second. There is something else I need to tell you."

"What's that sweetheart?"

"When I called work to check my messages. There was one from Columbia." I wait to see her reaction,

"And?"

"And….I got the job."

"You did?" It comes out barely above a whisper, "Oh my god."

"Is that a happy oh my god?" I ask. She nods, "You're ok going to New York?"

"I am ok going anywhere as long as I'm with you."She pauses a minute, "How did I get so lucky?"

"I ask myself that every day." I took hold of her hand and sat on the bed again. "What you think about celebrating this moment?"

Ryann smiled, revealing her dimples. "Hmmm, you mean like getting naked in the sheets?"

"Oh, I was just thinking about going out for a beer, but… if that's what you really want to do." I grinned, teasing her.

"Oh, like you'd pass up a chance for sex..." Ryann pushed me back onto the bed, climbed up over me and began unfastening my belt. "You're mine for the next…couple of hours, mister."

"Good. That should be plenty of time to start on a family."

She looked at me, her azure eyes, softened. "What?"

"Yeah, I figured this would be a good time." I was ready and hoped that she would say yes, otherwise I just killed the moment. "…if you do."

"I do. Very much so." Ryann smiled. "Let's not waste anymore time."

~Jillian~

I woke from a very restful nap to find my husband watching me.

"Hey, sleeping beauty."

"Hey, Prince Charming." I sighed, smiling.

"Sleep well?"

"I did. How about you?"

"Watching you was more relaxing." Soda stroked my hair. "I love to watch you sleep, you're so peaceful."

"How many times have you done that?"

"Too many to count. But I do remember the first time."

"When was that?"

"The night before your 18th birthday. I rigged the lock on your window and climbed in, put the card and rose on your bureau. You stirred a bit and when I turned to look at you… it took my breath away, just as you always do every time I look at you…"

I smiled and pulled him in to kiss him. "That was the sweetest, most romantic thing you've ever said to me."

"I'm not done yet."

"Sorry…" I gazed into his blue eyes. "Continue."

"...and every time we make love, is like the first time."

"Want to have a first time again?"

"Thought you'd never ask." Soda leaned in and kissed my neck shoulders. "Let make some noise and drown those two out." He suggested, referring to Pony and Ry in the next room.

"Gladly."