ALRIGHT, YOU DO NOT KNOW HOW SORRY I AM FOR NOT UPDATING FOR WHAT....FOREVER? IT JUST GOT EXTREMELY BUSY, I GOT SERIOUS WRITERS BLOCK, AND SCHOOL GOT, AS ALWAYS, IN THE WAY. THIS CHAPTERS REALLY SHORT, BUT ITS IMPORTENT, BECAUSE THINGS WILL BE GETTING PRETTY INTERESTING FROM HERE. I WOULDN'T E SURPRISED IF EVERYONE FROGTO ABOUT THIS STORY, SO IF YOU WANT, TAKE THE TIEM TO READ A COUPLE OF CHAPTERS TO REFRESH YOUR MEMORY. AGAISN SO SORRY!!!

Bri

The next morning, I woke up earlier then anyone else in the Shepard house. I grabbed an apple from the counter, left a note to Angela and crept silently out the door. I ran out to where Pony was waiting by the sidewalk. I threw my arms around him and kissed him hard on the lips. He winced, and I pulled back to see a large bruise on his face. He cupped my cheek. "We match now." He said, grinning at me. I laughed and he kissed my forehead.

"How is he?" He asked, meaning Dally. I rolled my eyes.

"He told me that he'd just have to deal with it, but he's going to go down "without a fight"." I giggled. "I think he's been watching too many soap operas." Pony snorted and we headed off down the street walking in the early morning night.

When our shift at the library was over, it was about five in the evening.

"Can I come over for dinner tonight?" I asked Pony as we headed toward the entrance.

"Sure." He replied. "If you can." We walked outside, and I sighed heavily. Right by the bicycle rack, stood an irritated Dallas. His face was red, and he glared daggers at Pony, who looked straight back at him, slightly apprehensive.

"Hey Dally," I said cheerfully. "I'm going to head over to the Curtis's house—"

"Oh no your not." Growled Dallas, his eyes cold. I frowned at him, my temper rising. His mouth twitched at me. Was that a smile? "Your not going to the Curtis's house, your going to ours." My mouth opened in astonishment, and Dallas gave Pony a smug look of victory.

"A house?" I whispered softly, my eyes wide. He grinned back at me.

"Yep. I've been working out the details for a while now, and they've been trying to sell it forever. It's the house of one of the construction workers I know. They'd already moved out and had been trying to sell it, so it only took a little while to get all the papers and stuff done." I jumped up and down my face wide with excitement.

"Where is it?" I shrieked. Dallas frowned.

"It's the cheapest I could get so I wasn't picky about the location...." he sighed. "Its right down the street from the Curtis's." I hugged Dallas around the waist quickly, and he stiffened, but smiled a little bit. I looked over at Pony, and ran to hug him too, but Dallas casually stepped in front of me.

"Yah...so... well we should go and check it out." He said pointedly, glaring over his shoulder. I rolled my eyes at him, ducked under his arm and gave Pony a quick kiss on the cheek then looked at him apologetically. He nodded.

"Its okay, we'll hang out tomorrow."

"Don't count on it." muttered Dallas. Pony eyed him bravely. I smiled up at him.

"Now you can come to my house!" I said and he grinned. I saw Dallas frown, and he grabbed my wrist pulling me away.

"Yeah sure." He said sarcastically. "Come on over Pony, I'm really rusty with my gun, I need some target practice." He smirked and I ignored his comment, focusing on the most important thing. I had a home, a home with Dally.

The sun was slowly sinking when Dallas and I made our way down the street, me carrying my bag and Dallas carrying a box of pizza and soda's.

"Which one is it?" I asked excitedly. Dallas pointed to one right beside me and I turned. It was white with peeling paint, the steps were weedy, and the windows dusty. The porch was rotten in some places, and the gate creaked when it opened. It was beautiful.

Dallas took a key out of his pocket and unlocked the door and I stepped into the house. It looked similarly like the Curtis's, except quite a lot smaller and shabbier. Dallas had already found a table for the kitchen and bought a maroon couch and armchair from the previous owners, as well as a battered TV. The living room had cream coloured walls, as well as the kitchen and the hallway.

"It's not much….." said Dallas, from behind me. I turned to him as he put the pizza and drinks down on the floor, then threw my arms around him.

"It's perfect." I whispered into his shirt, and his hands rested lightly on my shoulders, before gently pushing me away. I looked up into his ice blue eyes, and he looked right back.

"Dally," I whispered. "Its more then I could ever hope for. Even if it was just a little hole by the road, it wouldn't matter. As long as I'm with you. I love you." His expression became peculiar, and he bit his lip. "Same here bumblebee." He said finally, and he gave me a small grin, his eyes sparkling just slightly. I smiled right back. It wasn't "I love you" but it sure was something.

Dallas

Bri was sleeping, her blonde hair cascading across her pillow, shining in the moonlight beams cascading in from the window. I sat and watched her slumber peacefully on the couch, while I sat across from her, wide awake. I leaned into the armchair, and looked around the room. I couldn't believe what I'd done. I'd actually "settled down", something I never thought I would do. My eyes rested on Bri. She was the reason for all of this; I owed it to her, for all those years of misery. She was my light, my guide. Without her, I'd just fade away. She gave me a future, and I needed to keep her with me.

But, I wasn't the Dally she had known, and she wasn't my bumblebee anymore. I was cold, and never gave her love, something which I had done constantly many years ago. She had been innocent and naive, always listening, always trusting. Now, she found it hard to trust me, and I saw it in her eyes. The worries and fears, that if she might go to sleep, or turn her head for just a moment, I'd be gone. But I wouldn't. No, not ever again. I couldn't lose her to anyone I would die. She was my oxygen, my heart, my soul. I watched her as she began to toss and turn, mumbling and whimpering. I got out of my chair and sat beside her head. Her eyes flung open, and starred at me wildly, face shing with sweat, eyes frightened.

"Dally?" she whispered.

"Yes bumblebee." I whispered softly, holding my hands in my lap. "Its okay, go to sleep." She nodded and rested her head back on the pillow, watching me worriedly.

"You won't go?" She whispered, her face innocent, angelic. My heart melted, she was nine again, and I was tickling her, hearing peals of laughter issuing from her mouth, her face bright and happy. She was listening to me read to her, her eyes wide with wonder, captivated. She was crying, and I was hugging her, trying not to get my blood on her. I was whispering to her, rocking her, loving her.

"I won't go." I said.

Hug her. Said the voice. Hug her, show her you care. Tell her you love her. Do something!

But I didn't.

SO? PLEASE REVIEW, AND ITS OKAY IF YOUR ANGRY, I WOULD BE. SO SORRY AGAIN, I WON'T EVER NOT UPDATE FOR THAT LONG!!!!