A/N: In my past two stories the amount of reviews I've got and the comments you've given me have meant a great deal to me I promise. I hope you continue to read my fanfictions and I'll see you all in a few months with the third! Welcome to the end: Part Two.

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You know, a year ago I loved my life immensely. Nothing could be more perfect. I had two wonderful, understanding, parents and three fantastic brothers that all drove me insane every day but would always at least love me inside. I had a great little Johnnycake who I used to tease affectionately, I had my best friends Two-Bit and Stevie and I had angry Dallas Winston who I drove insane. I had a great life, I used to moan and gripe about it like every teenager does but I never thought I'd ever have a year like I've had this year. And I also never thought my life could have ever been as perfect as it was right now.

I lost my parents, whom I loved very much, at the beginning of the year. My perfect, handsome twin had to drop out of high school. The beautiful Johnny Cade died a hero's death. And I watched Dallas Winston leave this earth with my very own eyes. With no exaggeration could I have had a worse year. But through tragedy brings you unity, and realization that everyday you are lucky to be alive and to be loved. Everyday I watch the way my guardian worries himself senseless over us, the way my other brothers have such love and respect for him. The way you know Steve has a heart underneath his harsh demeanor. The way you know Mrs. Matthews is slowly surviving everyday she realizes her two children will always be there for her. In the way that Emily grows so much and yet will never lose her smile. And the way that Two-Bit Matthews looks at me everyday, making me feel like I'm the only one in the room.

To love you must have lost. And I have definitely lost in this past year and I have never felt more in love with my life either. What a year like this shows you is that every day when you wake up you should just be thankful for what you have, not for any less or for any more. Life in itself is a gift that we should be thankful for everyday, and trust me, this year I've been thankful for my own.

"Hey, Pixie, you up?" Soda whispered to me, as my door creaked open and he poked his head inside. "Merry Christmas, Pixie." He grinned, seeing me sitting up on my bed.

I gave him a beaming smile back as I reached up and hugged him. "Merry Christmas, So. Please tell me you're not all waiting for me, are you?"

"Just dragging Pony up now, you know its our first Christmas without…everyone." said Soda as I put a dressing gown on over my pajamas and walked out onto the landing. "You feel weird about it?"

I shrugged slightly to him, smiling softly. "I think we've all healed pretty good lately, I'm actually looking forward to a new year. A fresh beginning and some change. I hate it, but its gotta happen eventually, don't you reckon?"

"I think it's already happened," Sodapop said following me down the staircase. "Just you wait and see."

I gave him a strange look before descending the stairs and into our front hall. I walked into our lounge room curiously, a smile lighting my face as I saw our lovely Christmas tree in the corner. Then my eyes ran over to Darry who was sitting on the couch drinking coffee. I gave him a bright grin before my eyes skimmed past Darry and I saw Ponyboy standing in the doorway to the kitchen; a small Golden Retriever puppy in his arms and I gasped and held my hands to my mouth, my eyes filling with tears.

"You guys got me the puppy I wanted last Christmas," I whispered, filling with emotion instantly.

"Mom told you she'd get you it the next Christmas, Pixie. We did what she wanted." Soda said to me, placing a hand on my shoulder and giving me a smile. "Merry Christmas."

"I can't believe you got me the puppy I wanted," I said, the tears overflowing as I let out a shrieking giggle and I beamed at them. "Oh my God I couldn't have asked for better brothers," I said as I hugged Soda before running over to Darry and throwing my arms around him, positively grinning my head off. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Without a second gone by I rushed over to Ponyboy and hugged him as tightly as I could without squashing the tiny puppy in his arms. Kissing his cheek I ruffled his hair and smiled at him proudly. "I love you, Ponyboy Michael Curtis. You're gonna make some girl real happy one day, you've made Mom proud." I added in a whisper that only he heard.

Pony's eyes widened slightly and he blushed, I knew Soda and Darry were sharing a look. They probably knew what I was saying. "I was hoping this would stop you mothering me, please don't start it again," he said, half begging me as he turned a darker shade of red as I just kept smiling.

Ponyboy passed me the tiny puppy and I cradled it in my arms. Holding it out to look in its deep brown eyes. I kissed it's the little head as it started to lick my face and I let out a laugh. I turned around and my brothers were already starting on their gifts. I grinned happily as I sat on the floor and placed the puppy down, watching him run amongst the paper, occasionally trying to eat it and Soda's foot.

Amidst the unwrapping of presents occasionally one of them passed me a gift, after the puppy, which turned out actually to have been free, they got me dog things and clothes. That's what we did at Christmas. Clothes, maybe a book or two and more clothes. And sometimes records. Ponyboy raked in a few books actually, Emily had left the Matthews presents for us here and all three Matthews got Ponyboy books. And I couldn't help but giggle slightly at a fourth present for Pony in the Matthews pile that seemed to make Ponyboy turn a furious shade of crimson.

"So, who exactly is the girl?" I asked him, placing the gift from Emily in my lap. "You know, Pon, the one who gave you that book there."

Ponyboy didn't meet my eye but my other brothers did, Darry was raising his brows whilst Soda grinned like a thirteen year old discovering his crush liked him back.

"You ask her out yet?" Soda asked.

Ponyboy flushed. "I have not. And I don't like her."

"That's what Soda used to say," I said sadly, patting Soda's arm. "But see, he's recovered since. Now who was the girl? Or do we have to make an obvious announcement over lunch to Emily?"

Ponyboy glared at me and Darry looked slightly surprised at this technique but smiled slightly. "Ashley. And I do not like her, she's a friend."

"Too late, I think she likes you." Darry said.

The moment Ponyboy demanded to know if it was true I couldn't help but laugh. Darry has done this on both Sodapop and I before; I'd have expected Pony to know better.

"Yes, Kate told me," Darry said to him, and for once this amazingly looked honest, which made Soda gape and me stare. Not that I don't love my little brother, but come on, he's pulled this trick on us before. "Now come on Pixie, what are you gonna call him? And Soda, he really don't like you much, he's trying to eat your shoelaces,"

Sodapop yelped and pulled his shoe away as I reached for my little puppy. I couldn't help but grin at the thought he was mine before lifting him up and looking in his face. He started to lick my nose.

"He wants to eat your face." Said Sodapop, being the mature man he was. "I wonder how he'd like to be eaten,"

I raised a brow at him before looking back to the puppy and then to my brothers. "I want to call him Biscuit. He likes to eat things and why not call him something we want to eat," I said cheerfully. "And its sort of British, so it makes him sound like a little fancy pants."

Darry smiled at me. "You're really strange, Pixie Curtis."

"I inherited it from my older brother," I sighed, dodging the paper ball that was thrown at me.

After that we spent the next few hours putting away our new things, trying to stop Sodapop from shouting, not singing, Christmas carols around the house and getting ready for lunch at the Matthews house. By midday we were exhausted, at least everyone but Darry was, since he's Superman and all that jazz. Arriving at the Matthews house at twelve thirty I desired nothing more but to crash out on Two-Bit's or Emily's bed for at least an hour. Only I was intervened by Two-Bit as he greeted me on their porch with a kiss on the lips.

"Merry Christmas, Pixie, what did ya get?"

"I got a puppy!" I said, suddenly perking up. "I little Golden Retriever! I called him Biscuit; he's so adorable. And merry Christmas too!" I added cheerfully as Pony pulled a face and walked past us, Darry just rolling his eyes as he closed the front door behind him. "What did you get?"

"I got a pretty little pixie for Christmas. I think I love her too."

I grinned at him and kissed him again. You know what, next year would be different. In fact, from where I'm standing I'm quite looking forward to it.