"Steve... I really don't want you to go..." I whined to my boyfriend.

Tonight was the big rumble. Dallas and Tim spread the word a month or so back, all starting from when I got jumped at the Dingo. I knew Steve and everyone was gonna go, but I really didn't want them to. People get hurt in rumbles. Really hurt. Even little old Johnny was going.

Steve wrapped his arms around my waist. "I'm gonna be fine." He tried to assure me.

Everyone was getting ready to leave. Ponyboy and his brothers, Dallas, Johnny, Steve and my brother. Tim and his boys would be there along with a couple other guys.

"I know... I'm just worried."

I put my arms around Steve's neck. We were at the Curtis' house so it wasn't that bad or embarrassing when I noticed Soda, my brother and Johnny staring at me and Steve. "Don't be. It's all skin. No knives, no chains, no blades, no nothin..."

"But, we're greasers and they're socs... we don't know what they're gonna do and they don't know what we're gonna do. That's the thing."

Steve kissed my nose. "Don't worry about it."

I heard someone from the living room come our way. I looked over and saw Two-Bit. "Malory, all you have to do is wait here. Occupy yourself until we get back."

"And when will that be?"

Two-Bit shrugged. "I don't know."

Yeah, this was my first rumble experience and I knew the guys would be in plenty more, but it just amazed me how Darry and Soda were letting Ponyboy go.

I looked back up at Steve and gave him a quick kiss for everyone was staring to head out the door. I walked out onto the porch and wished the guys luck. "Be careful!" Steve looked back at me. "I love you..."

Steve mouthed it back and ran to catch up with the gang. I sighed and walked back into the house, having and idea in mind about what I could do until they could get back.

X

After my running-around-the-house-with-Elvis Presley-playing-super-loud-and-singing-along-to-it-time was over, I started to get worried. Real worried. It had been about two hours since the guys had left and I even had time to make some chocolate cake for them! And it was really good!

I sat with one leg crossed over the other on the couch, chewing my nail and staring at nothing but the surroundings in front of me. It was quiet, a little chilly, and lonely. I was getting ready to go out and find the guys myself.

Finally, after what felt like nine billion years which was probably only about five minutes, the front door opened and everyone came strolling in. It was Darry, then Johnny, then Sodapop, then Two-Bit, then Dallas, then Ponyboy, and lastly Steve.

I shot off of the couch and clung onto my boyfriend. My arms at a death hold around his neck and standing on my tip toes to reach him. Steve stumbled a little, but hugged me back, stroking his hand over my hair and running his fingers through it. "Steve..." I mumbled into his neck.

I didn't wanna move my face and look at him to see the damage that had been done, but I had to. "Hey babe." Steve answered.

I moved my face away from Steve's neck and looked at his face. "Oh my gosh Steve!" It was horrible.

It looked like mine when my drunk brother beat me up, but worse, because I knew what the socs were capable of doing. And judging by the huge gash on his cheek, the socs were indeed using more than just their skin.

Steve looked at me. "Come on Mals, it's not that bad..." He tried to hide.

I shook my head, disgusted in Steve's behavior. I don't know why he felt the need to lie to me. I know it hurts, does he think I'm stupid? I walked away from my boyfriend and over to my brother. "Hey, how ya doin?" I asked.

Two-Bit turned around and I saw minimal damage done to him. "Hey Malory! We won!" He screamed and picked me up, spinning me around.

"Keith, stop!" I yelled, smiling. He put me down and I studied his face a little more. "Oh, looks like you're gonna have a nice shiner goin on Two..." I walked to the kitchen and took an ice pack out of the freezer, wrapping it in a hand towel and bringing it back to my brother. "Put this on it to help with the swelling. I'll tell you when you can take it off."

Two-Bit took the ice and put it on his eye, sitting down afterwards. I walked over to Darry, seeing that he was limping a little. "Hey Dar, what's wrong with you?"

Darry looked at me. "My leg hurts..."

I helped Darry to his bed and helped him sit down. "Here, now sit up against the headboard with your feet up," Darry did as told and I slid his shoes off. I reached into his dresser and pulled out a pair of sweatpants. I threw them at him. "Now put these on real quick, it'll help so your leg isn't so constricted in your jeans," I turned around so Darry could change and he told me when he was done. "It's your right leg, right?"

"Yeah..." Darry answered.

I grabbed two pillows from the opposite side of Darry's bed and folded them, propping his leg up. "Hold on," I ran to the bathroom and grabbed the heating pad. I turned it on and put it on Darry's leg. "Keep this on and I'll come back later to check on it and you. Don't lie down or move your leg." I turned on the TV in Darry's room, said "You're Welcome" when Darry thanked me and shut the door behind him.

"Hey Malory." I heard Ponyboy greet me. I looked at him.

Surprisingly, Ponyboy and Johnny only had a couple scratches and that was it. "Wow Pone, you look fine. Did you even fight?"

Ponyboy nodded. "Yeah, me and Johnnycake usually hold one big soc together and work from there." He admitted.

I nodded too. "Hey, can you do me a favor and get me a needle and some thread along with the first-aid kit and peroxide?"

"Sure."

"Thank you." And Ponyboy was off as I walked into the living room.

Sodapop was lying on the floor with Steve, Two-Bit was sitting in the recliner, Dallas was stretched out on the couch and Johnny was in the kitchen. I looked over everyone, seeing that Sodapop, Steve and Dallas needed some stitching up. "Alright, I need either Randle, Winston or Curtis."

The trio looked up at me. Dallas stood up first. "What do you need sweets?"

Ponyboy came back with the things that I asked for all in a little box. "Here's the stuff Malory."

I took them. "Thanks a lot Ponyboy," I showed the things to the guys. "This is what I need Winston."

Dally's eyes widened and he headed towards the door. "Ya know what? I... I think I'm good..." And he was out the door like a light.

I blinked. "What was that all about?"

Steve and Sodapop stood up. "He hates needles."

I chuckled. "Well, unless he wants that side of his to get infected then he'd better be makin his way back here," I said with a smile. "You two, come with me."

X

"Do you have anymore cuts beside that one?" I asked Soda as he adjusted himself on the counter of sink in the bathroom. Steve was sitting on the top of the toilet, watching us.

Soda shrugged. "I don't know... that's the only place he really got me."

Soda had a pretty nice and deep cut on the side of his knee. "And tell me, how did he do this?"

"He was comin at me and he tripped from the mud and cut me," I threaded the needle. "Hurts like hell."

I set down the needle and picked up the peroxide and a cotton ball, soaking the cotton in the peroxide. "Yeah, well this is gonna be a million times worse-guarantee."

"Wait, wh-" I dabbed the cotton ball on Soda's gash and he flinched and took a sharp intake of breath. "OH MY GAH, FUCK!" He yelled.

I couldn't help but smile. There was something pretty pleasurable about hurting Sodapop. I took the cotton off and stood up. "How was that?"

Soda had tears in his eyes and was sniffling. "Get away from me you bitch..." He said, trying not to cry in pain.

I picked up the needle with a smile. "Aw, I love you too."

I knelt down onto my knees once more and before anybody could speak up, I stuck the needle through Soda's skin and started working.

With every flinch Soda took, and every gasp he made, I had to stop, look up, make sure he was okay, make sure he wasn't gonna pass out, then continue. That happened about seven or eight times.

When I finally got done with Sodapop, we both sighed in relief. "You're done?"

I tied off the thread and grabbed the peroxide. "Almost, this time, hold you're breath Soda."

Soda groaned when he saw the familiar peroxide and cotton ball. I counted down from three, then dabbed it on. He didn't scream or flinch like last time, only took another sharp intake of breath and whispered: "Ow..."

I stood up. "Great job Pepsi-Cola!" I praised him.

Soda hopped off of the counter and Steve helped him to the recliner Two-Bit was sitting in. I stayed in the bathroom and organized my things, getting ready for Steve who was taking longer than usual to come back. I walked out of the bathroom, looking down at my fingers, trying to thread the needle once more. "Steve, ya re-"
When I looked up, I saw Two-Bit drinking a beer. He stared at me. "Malory!"

I put the needle down on the dining table and walked over to my brother. I snatched the beer from his hands. "I thought we had a deal?" I didn't rage, I didn't scream, I didn't smack him upside the head even though I really wanted to. I simply walked over to the door, opened it, and threw the bottle on the sidewalk outside of the yard.

Two-Bit, Steve, Soda and Pony were staring at me. I walked over to the dining table and picked up the needle again, trying to thread it once more. "Come on handsome, I gotta stitch you up." I said to my boyfriend.

I heard Steve scoff and walk over to me, kissing my head as he passed and walking into the bathroom. I followed after him and kept the door open.

X

"Malory, I don't think thi-"

"Steve, I know what the fuck I'm doing. Who was the person here that spent half their middle school experience and all of high school so far taking nursing classes and teaching herself how to deal with this kind of stuff?" I looked around the bathroom. "Oh wait! It has to me because I'm the only her in this house! Huh!"

I threaded the needle and savored the sound of my boyfriends laugh. I put down the needle and grabbed the peroxide once more along with another cotton ball. "Does this really hurt as much as it did Soda?"

"Hop up on the counter babe," Steve did so and once he was sitting on the counter, I grabbed a stool and stood on it. "Ready? One... two..."

I put the peroxide on before I got to three, causing Steve to flinch. "HOLY SHIT!" He screamed.

I couldn't help but double over in laughter, still holding the cotton ball to his cut. I sobered up real quick and took it off. I took one look at Steve and immediately regretted everything I had ever done to him. "Aw, babe..."

He, too, had tears in his eyes and was trying not to cry in pain. I gave Steve a nice, long kiss on the lips and that sure cheered him up real fast. "Hey! Where's my kiss?!" We heard Soda yell.

I hopped off the stool and walked over to Soda, giving him a light kiss on the cheek. "Happy?"

Soda gleamed with joyfulness. "Very!"

I made my way back to Steve and started stitching him up; thankful that he didn't squirm as much as Soda.

When I got done, I dabbed some more peroxide on the cut, them helped Steve off of the counter. "Thanks babe," Steve said. I walked out of the bathroom with a smirk on my face, not replying to him; being a pretty little tease. Steve seemed to notice so he followed me out of the bathroom. "Ya know Malory, that's not as easy as you thought..."

"What's not easy?" Two-Bit butted in.

I grabbed a bottle of Pepsi from the fridge and ran my fingers through my hair a little. I then realized that the only thing I was wearing was my plain white over sized sweater and a pair of pretty short black yoga shorts. I wasn't wearing any shoes and the only reason I was wearing shorts was because my legs were freshly shaven and super silky.

"Malory, thinkin she can be cute by ignoring me..." Steve said as he approached me from behind and picked me up.

I choked on my soda and had to spit it out, coughing for breath. "Steve!" I said, mouth overflowing with spit and soda.

Steve set me down and started laughing. "Told you it wasn't easy..."

I shoved Steve out of my way and back to the kitchen. I sliced myself a piece of chocolate cake and one for Soda or Two-Bit... or Pony... wait, where the fuck did Johnny go?

"Anybody want some cake?" I asked as I walked out of the kitchen with two plates of cake.

"ME!" Soda screamed.

"Me too!" Two-Bit announced. I gave both of them the cake and went back to get myself some, picking up my Pepsi from the table afterwards.

I sat down on the living room floor, practically spitting out my cake when I remembered Darry.

I opened his door quietly and saw that he was asleep. I quietly walked over to him and turned off the heating pad, setting it on the bookshelf. I removed one of the pillows from underneath his leg and carefully adjusted his leg once more. I took that pillow and put it behind Darry's head to get him more comfortable. To top it all off, I covered Darry up with a blanket and left like nothing ever happened.

"You guys keep it down, Darry's sleeping," I said in an inside voice. I saw Two-Bit and Soda scarfing down their cake, Ponyboy flipping though a book, and Steve... nowhere to be found. "Where's Steve?"

Ponyboy pointed to the door. "Porch."

X

I walked over to the door and slowly opened the front door after turning on the porch light. When it flipped on, I saw Steve look at the door from where he was sitting on the stoop. "Hey babe..." I greeted, letting the front door stay open and the screen door slam shut.

I crossed my arms tightly since it was pretty chilly and saw Steve blow some cigarette smoke out of his nose. I walked over to the step he was sitting on and joined him. I took the cigarette and inhaled the sweet nicotine, letting it calm my blood and slow down my senses a little. "You shouldn't be smokin this shit Malory. It'll kill ya." Steve said.

"Me? You're the one out here smokin it," I replied. Steve put out the cigarette and wrapped an arm around my shoulders; pulling me into his chest. I snuggled my head into the warmth of his chest and listened to his heartbeat calm me more than the cigarette. "How was the rumble?" I asked, just to try and start a conversation.

Steve shrugged. "We won; Socs pulled blades; it rained again; got out just in time."

I looked up at Steve. "Got out just in time for what?"

Steve looked down on me and kissed my forehead. "The fuzz decided to show up..."

I tensed up. That was one of the exact reasons why I didn't want Steve to go to the rumble. He could've been seriously hurt, he could've gotten arrested, etc. "Steve..."

Steve felt me tense and pulled me into his lap, calming down some when he felt me relax just a little. "Malory... I'm fine. I'm right here, nothing happened."

I poked Steve's cheek. "You got cut."

"But you fixed it," Steve poked my cheeks. "Ya wanna know somethin?"

I shrugged. "Do I?"

He smiled. "You're even more adorable when you're blushin..."

"Steve, shut up." I said with a silly type of smile.

"Really! I've seen you do it before, it's just that it's more cute at night."

"And why's that?"

Steve pulled me close to him. "Because I have you all to myself and only I get to see you."

Instead of kissing me, Steve adjusted me so that my back was laying against his chest and we were both staring at the night sky. The stars shimmering, the moon glistening, the cool crisp air blowing through my hair and brushing up against my face. I gently let my eyes close and the sound of Steve's relaxed and mellow breathing lull me into a peaceful sleep, in the arms of my lover, in the protection of my guardians, blood related or not. It didn't matter to me none, and I know for sure it surely didn't matter to them either.