Thanks for all the reviews on the last chapter. Karlieness I'm glad you like the idea of the gangs in Stillwater and you should like these next two chapters, as it will deal with Orion's return to her home. Once again, thanks to everyone for reading and enjoying the story. Here we go with…

CHAPTER 36:

We'd left Wednesday morning just after seven. Dallas had come into Two-Bit's room to shake us awake; we'd overslept as always. Dal hasn't been around lately and Steve told me he's been hanging with Shepard's crowd and blowing off steam in fights. We swung by the Curtis' to give Darry a ride to work because his truck was in for repairs.

"I appreciate it," Darry said, "Y'all come back safe and sound. Ya here?"

We all smirked. Darry really acts like our father sometimes and seeing how none of us has one, it's probably a good thing. After a quick goodbye we headed North to Stillwater. I was driving and my nerves were on edge. Things weren't good back home and it was pretty much up to me to change that. Two-Bit kept up a lively chatter while I chain-smoked for an hour. It was an amazing day; the sun was shining, there was a slight breeze, and the country air felt good. Knowing what I had waiting for me, though, I can't say I took much notice to it. Two hours later and a sign for the State Penn came into view. In my head, I prayed to whatever god there may be that Patrick had straightened himself out.

"Your brother appears to have turned over a new leaf," The guard told me, "Good for him because I was getting sick of throwing his ass into solitary."

Hearing this news made me more optimistic than the last time. I never wanted to see my brother act like he had the last time I'd visited. Pat was strong and charismatic and I couldn't watch him throw his life away. Dallas had turned to complete stone since the sight of the prison and I'm starting to worry that if he doesn't let go of the breath he's holding he's going to turn blue. Can't say I blame him though; Dal had done some hard time and if what my brother tells me is right, it's horrible. Two-Bit caught the seriousness of the situation and had slouched into normal greaser pose.

"Fancy seeing you here," My brother said as he enveloped me in a huge hug.

"God you look better," I replied.

And he did. Pat had gained back his muscles and tough figure. His hair was clean and greased back and he was playfully dangling a cigarette from his lip. His eyes were what had changed the most for they had life back in them again. For a while we shot the breeze and Pat got a kick out of good ol' Two-Bit. From my letters, my brother knew that Two-Bit and I are real close and he could now tell why; that guy can brighten any room he goes into, even here in a prison. One thing I'd left out in my letters is that Dallas and I had broken up. For one, I just didn't know how to say it and I didn't want my brother to kill Dally when he saw him today.

"You taking good care of my sister?" Pat asked him and then I froze.

Dal, the ever composed one, responded without any hesitation. He smiled, "Of course I am."

For good measure, he threw an arm over my shoulders and kissed my forehead lightly. Dally knew that my brother needed to stay calm and keep out of trouble if he was ever going to get out of here. I appreciated his gesture a lot, even though I knew he was still pissed about what I'd said when he told me he was coming to Stillwater. After a while, Pat and I finally got down to serious conversation.

"Jack and his boys think they can get our turf when our backs are turned," Pat told me wisely.

I listened when my brother spoke, not interrupting or disagreeing in the least. Patrick is smart and has a few more years than me and I would take his advice no questions asked. My obedience to Patrick was undeniably the biggest loyalty in my life. A cigarette found it's way to my lips as I finally got my chance to speak.

"I can get the Wheatley boys and Dupree to back off and chill out, but Jack and his boys and the Taggers are gunna be tough. They ain't ones to back down from a fight. How many goddamn times are we going to have to kick the shit out of these fuckers before they realize they're not running the show?" I said.

Pat just grinned and said they were all too bullheaded to quit while they were ahead. With our alliance, the local gangs would be safe. However, they all chose to run things alone and ended up getting hammered during rumbles and disputes.

"If Jack gets out of line, beat him within an inch of his life."

Patrick wasn't asking me to commit murder. Just a warning to get Jack and his outfit to understand we aren't messing around with this. Still, I'd never been told to rough somebody up that bad before and one mistake and someone's life would end by my hands. I've never defied my brother and I looked at him, hoping he would crack a smile and say he was joking. He never faltered and I knew deep down that he was serious.

"With Jesse being dead, and at Jack's gangs' hands, there is no other way any more. You're sixteen now, Orion. It's time to take responsibility for what you helped build. You ain't stupid. They're all out to prove themselves, but you gotta prove that we're running this. It's them or us and I'm not willing to die yet. Manipulation is the only way through these guys' heads."

Pat asked if I was getting soft, knowing it would piss me off. I told him to shut his mouth, that I'd do whatever I had to in order for the gangs to understand. Still, dragging Jack into an empty warehouse and having my boys beat him like that wasn't settling well in my stomach. My head was swimming when we left the prison and none of us were speaking.

Patrick's words were playing over and over again in my head.

'You're sixteen now, Orion. It's time to take responsibility for what you helped build.'

My friends and I had decided years ago that we weren't going to watch our friends get killed by the day. We'd decided to change the way things were run around here and created a gang that scared the living day lights out of people. Best friends since the beginning, we were strong and would do anything to protect one another. Most gangs don't have the relationship we all do and that's why we're on top. I'd helped build this and played a major role in its formation. Now that it was out of line, it was up to me to set it straight again.

"If either of you wanna back out now, I understand. This ain't gunna be pretty."

I knew neither of them was going anywhere though. They'd experiences similar things in Tulsa and weren't going to back down from this. It wasn't like either of them would get killed because nobody knows who they are. They are just two nameless guys fighting for the cause. Frankie, Jimmy, Rich, Preston, and I were the ones that everybody wanted to get a hold of. Alliances were going to be made and broken over these next few nights. Still, the odds were good for us. Many of the other gangs held loyalty to us for all the times that we've helped them out. Meetings and talks will be held and I'm pretty good at convincing people to see things my way.

"Nobody's gunna die, right?" Two-Bit asked, half-jokingly and half-serious.

"Jesus I hope not," I replied.

END OF CHAPTER..

So things are pretty rough right now in Stillwater and Orion is feeling the pressure to change things. In this chapter I wanted to demonstrate exactly the type of place Orion is coming from. It also kinda helps to explain why her father beating on her isn't wrong in Orion's eyes. With what's going on in the streets, it's obvious that these kids are all coming from a rough life. Reviews please.