Disclaimer: All this time I've been away I've been trying to get ownership of The Outsiders, but I failed. Poo.

Note: IIIIIIII'MMMMM BAAAAAAAACK! Miss me? Of course you did. :) I'm hoping you all read my author's note explaining why I have been away for so long and if you haven't then I suggest you do or you will have to live your life wondering where I went for such a long time. o_O

I've missed doing this:

TURKEY BACON!

Enjoy the new chapter!

Chapter 27, Goodbyes.

"I'm being drafted." He said softly. "And so is Steve."

I suddenly could hear the sound of glass breaking and a hammer pounding against steel and realized that it was the sound of my world breaking and my heart trying to keep me alive.

The room started to spin slowly and I had the urge to crawl under a rock and die.

Soda was staring at me worriedly with tears still brimming his eyes. I was silent for a moment as I came to one conclusion that made sense. He was lying.

"You liar." I said quietly.

Soda looked taken aback. "What?"

"You liar!" I screamed it at him, suddenly furious. "What is wrong with you? You think that's funny?" I shrieked.

"I'm not lying, Crystal!" He held up a stiff looking piece of beige paper. "I have the letter right here and Steve has his in the living room!"

I snatched the paper from his hands and read quickly, my eyes brimming as I realized that what Sodapop was telling me was the truth.

"But-but you can't leave me now. I can't do this alone." I whispered, the paper sliding from my fingers and drifting to the floor as my hand went down to cradle my stomach.

Soda sighed. "It's not like I want to leave you Crissy. We're supposed to be getting married."

I shook my head. "You can't leave me like this, Soda! I'm pregnant for Christ's sake!" I exclaimed and tossed my hands into the air.

Soda's head snapped up so fast that I missed it when I blinked. His eyes were huge and round and his mouth was opened into a perfect 'O'. "Wh-what did you just say?" He asked quietly.

Whoops. Guess the cat's out of the bag now.

I met his brown eyes with my own and sighed. "I think you heard me loud and clear, Pepsi."
She shook his head and closed his eyes. "And when exactly where you going to tell me?" He asked.

"Now. I just found out today. I was going to tell you but then you told me…" I trailed off, letting him realize how screwed we were.

Soda groaned and dragged his hands over his face. "Criss…"

"I know." I moaned.

"We're so screwed."

"I know."

"I don't want to leave."

"I know."

Soda gave me a long suffering look, but his frown slowly split into a smile and he took a step closer to me.

I eyed him warily. "What are you doing?"

Soda shrugged. "You're pregnant?"

I raised an eyebrow. "I thought we just went over this?"

"And the baby is mine?"

I dropped open my mouth. "No. It's obviously Ponyboy's." I said sarcastically.

"So I'm gonna be a daddy?" He asked, eyes sparkling.

I sighed, not understanding his happiness. He could die in war, I was pregnant and facing the possibility of having to raise this baby alone. "Obviously."

Soda stepped up to me and put his hands at my waist, guiding me closer. He wrapped his arms around me and hugged me tightly, squeezing my against him. After a moment, I hugged him back "Well, that makes me happy." He whispered.

"And I'm happy that your happy, but sad that your leaving, and scared that you won't come back, and worried about having to raise this baby alone if you don't come back, and mad because it's not only you leaving, but Steve too, and…" I spoke into his shoulder until Soda cut me off.

"Whoa, calm down. I will come back, and so will Steve, and you won't have to raise the baby alone." He paused. "And even if I don't come back, which I will, you still wouldn't be alone. Darry and Pony and Johnny and Two-Bit and Dally…"

"Who is not the best influence and will be kept far away from my baby. He'll end up giving it a gun for it's first birthday… or a cigarette."

"Speaking of cigarettes… give me your pack." Soda said, pushing me back lightly and holding out his hand for my pack of smokes.

My hand flew to my pocket. "What? Hell no!"

"You can't smoke when you're pregnant, it can hurt the baby." Soda reminded me.

I opened my mouth to protest, because seriously, I really wanted a cigarette, but he was right. Slowly I pulled out my pack and reluctantly handed it to him.

"Good girl."

"Bite me." I snapped and Soda laughed. "Stop laughing. I don't care what you say, this is a really, really bad situation. " I grumbled.

Soda hummed lightly, looking at me with an odd expression. Then, he snapped his fingers and nodded to himself. Suddenly, he bent down and swiped his arm behind my legs, causing me to fall back into his waiting arms. He picked me up bridal style and carried me to his and Pony's bed where he laid me down on my back.

"What are you doing?" I asked him.

Soda chuckled and laid down next to me. He pulled me close and kissed my nose. "Stop being… upset."

"Soda! I…"

He kissed my lips lightly, shutting me up. "You're pregnant with my baby, I'm going to war, I know. Doomsday. Bad stuff." He chuckled. "But look at it from this angle, I love you, you love me, you're going to marry an army man, and we'll have a perfect baby and live happily ever after. I like the way that sounds more then your doomsday crap."

I bit my lip to keep from smiling. "I love a man in uniform." I said with a giggle.

Soda grinned back and kissed me lightly.

Maybe he was right. Everything might turn out alright.

Or maybe it'll turn out horrible.

….

I stood next to Pony at the train station exactly a month later, watching the boys say goodbye to Soda and Steve.

I'd been crying for a long time now. The tears seemed to never end. My heart was breaking a thousand times over.

Now, in my third month of pregnancy, I was beginning to show a little, my belly was slightly bigger and more rounded and my breasts were starting to feel heavier.

Darry patted Soda on the shoulder after releasing him from the biggest hug ever and Soda looked over at me and Pony. We were standing just a few feet away from the group they had formed, both bawling like babies. Soda walked over, head down, and Steve followed in the same manner.

Steve stopped in front of me while Soda pulled Pony away.

"Crystal…"

I shhed him and looked down. "Don't give me some sappy goodbye." I said bitterly. "Just hug me and promise me you'll write me all the time."

Steve smiled sadly and hugged me like I asked, squeezing me so tight that I found it hard to take a breath. "I'll write to you every chance I get. I love you, little sis." He said in my ear.

A sob broke from my throat as my tears wet his shoulder. "I love you too, Stevie. Be safe. Come home soon." I said, my voice rough.

Steve pulled back to grin. "I'll be back soon, you watch and see, I'll come back and be the best uncle that little baby ever had."

I sobbed again and smacked his shoulder. "Shut up. You're gonna make me cry."

"You're already crying, sweetie." Steve pointed out.

I hit him again. "You're gonna make me cry harder."

Steve chuckled and hugged me once more before kissing my forehead and leaving to find Evie.

I took a deep breath and wiped my eyes, willing myself to stop crying.

Of course, that flew out the window when Soda walked up to me with tears in his eyes.

I flung my arms around his neck and hugged him hard, crying into his shoulder. He held onto me, rubbing my back and whispering sweet nothings in my ear.

"What am I going to do if you don't come back? How am I gonna raise a baby by myself? I'm only seventeen!" I cried.

Soda shhed me and kissed my head. "We talked about this. You still have the boys and anyway I'll be home soon. Don't cry, Crissy."

I wanted to hit him, but instead I pulled away from him, grabbed his face, and kissed with everything I had.

The kiss was sad because it was a goodbye kiss, but at the same time it was incredibly sweet. Everything we felt for each other came out in that kiss.

But it ended, much too soon for both of us, by Darry coming over to inform Soda that the train was about to leave, the train that would take him away from me.

Soda kissed me once more and hugged me tight before taking a step back. "I love you."

I sighed and wiped my eyes. "I love you too."

Then, I watched him and my brother walk away, off to a war that could take their lives, a war that could take them both from me forever.

Tears flooded my eyes again as I turned away from the scene of the train pulling away. I grabbed onto Johnny, who was standing closest to me, and sobbed harder then I had ever sobbed in my life.


Yes. I did send Soda and Steve to war. Don't hate me for all will be fine. I SWEAR IT!

Not my best chapter though...

Review and continue to boot my abnormally large ego! (jk)

-Chu-Chi