Disclaimer: I do not own The Outsiders or 'I'm Yours' by Jason Mraz.

Saturday, June 4th, 1966

"What's your problem?" Danny asked, coming into the kitchen. "You and Randle have a fight?"

Anna ignored the hopeful tone of his voice and small smirk on his face. "No," she snapped, before sticking her chocolate icing covered spoon back into her mouth and resuming her glare at the table.

"Really? 'Cause here I thought the icing was s'posed to go from the bowl to the cake," he said, indicating the items in front of her. "Not from the bowl to your mouth."

Anna directed her glare at her brother. "Is there a reason you're hasslin' me?" she snapped. "'Cause if there's not you can shut your trap."

"Watch it, kid," he said, returning her glare.

She turned away and started digging through the icing again. It wasn't often Danny went all Tim Shepard on her and told her off, but she knew she probably deserved it this time. Other than his stupid comment about Steve, Danny had hardly deserved her attitude.

"You gonna tell me what your problem is or not?" he asked, standing on the other side of the table.

She shook her head. "No."

The front door being opened and Kathy's voice stopped any reply from Danny and, out of the corner of her eye, Anna saw her brother tense. Lifting her eyes, she watched in fascination as Kathy entered the kitchen, stopping at the sight of Danny before forcing a smile to her face.

"Hey, guys," she said, walking in to the kitchen.

Danny ignored her. "I gotta get goin'," he said, digging his keys out of his pocket and leaving.

The silence he left behind in the kitchen brought a grin about Anna's face.

"What was that about?" she asked.

Kathy shrugged, looking miserable. "I don't know. I think he hates me," she said, walking to the counter to grab a spoon for herself.

Anna was silent for a few minutes, thinking over what had happened with Kathy and Danny. She knew Danny hadn't wanted to break up with Kathy and had only done so because of Ruth, but she also knew that Danny had always known Kathy and Two-Bit would get back together.

"He doesn't hate you," she finally said. "If anything he might still like you … maybe a little too much."

Kathy nodded. "We haven't spoken in ages - not since the weekend you and Steve got together and I called here looking for you. I see him when me and Two-Bit are out and, even though we agreed to be friends when we stopped dating, he ignores me completely."

Not really knowing what to say, Anna just nodded as they ate the icing. Her brother's love life had never been a favourite subject of hers - and she knew the feeling was mutual for him regarding her love life - and she wasn't really sure what to tell Kathy. She was pretty sure Danny had liked Kathy a whole heap more than he had let on and wondered if Kathy might have felt the same, but there was no way to know anymore.

Although, now that Kathy was happy with Two-Bit and Danny seemed happy enough with Mary-Louise, she wondered if the problem was just the natural awkwardness that came with being around an ex. She told Kathy this.

"Could be," Kathy agreed, looking thoughtful. "I just hope things can get back to normal. We used to at least talk before we ever dated."

"Well, maybe things will get back to normal now that he's dating Mary-Louise."

Kathy nodded. "Anyway, I was sent here for a reason," she began changing the subject. "It would seem as though someone is sure you're angry at him."

Anna cringed. "Steve sent you?"

"No, Sodapop sent me," she said, continuing at Anna's raised eyebrow. "I stopped in for a Coke and apparently Steve's been in a nightmare of a mood all day and Soda seems to think you might have somethin' to do with that."

Anna almost scoffed, even though she could almost understand. "I haven't done anything."

"You guys aren't fighting?"

"For the first time ever, I can honestly say that no, me and Steve are not fighting." She paused. "But he might think I'm pissed at him."

"Because?"

Sighing, Anna went back to the bowl of icing. "Because of Evie."

Yesterday, for the first time since their telling Evie and she and Steve, Evie had spoken to Anna. It had been in the Dingo while Anna had been waiting for Steve to turn up. Evie had sat next to Anna and started small talk as though nothing had happened between them and Anna, who had been silently thinking about her grandpa, had been too happy about the distraction and Evie talking to her to give it too much thought.

But then Steve had walked in. The two cousins, seated at a far table facing the front doors, had seen him walk in though he had seen neither of them. Even with the butterflies she still got whenever she saw her boyfriend, Anna had felt awkward about the whole situation and glanced at Evie, hoping her cousin didn't let the appearance of her ex-boyfriend - Anna's current boyfriend - come between their chat.

But, Evie's mind obviously hadn't been on Anna or any kind of awkwardness that could come about. Her eyes were focused solely on Steve and the look in them - one that Anna could only call desire - had set Anna's nerves on edge and put her in a bad mood for the rest of the day.

And with Steve being who she spent the next few hours with, her bad mood had been taken out on him.

"We didn't fight," she told Kathy, once she had filled her in about Evie. "But I don't think he believed me when I said he hadn't done anythin' to piss me off. I suppose the fact that I snapped it at him could have somethin' to do with that."

Kathy dug at a particularly stubborn bit of hard icing. "You think Evie wants him back?"

"I could understand it if she did; she was pretty upset when Steve broke up with her and it would make sense if she wasn't over it yet."

"If you can understand it, then why is it such a problem?"

Anna smiled bitterly. "Because it's Evie; the same Evie who Steve has been smitten with since their first date."

"Until about a month ago when he realised it was you he really wanted," Kathy pointed out.

She knew this, she really did, but Anna couldn't help but feel uneasy when it came to Evie and Steve's relationship with her. He had wanted to be back with her so badly that the simple memory of him agreeing to tutor Anna for her help with Evie made her heart ache.

It didn't matter that she and Steve had only been together for a few while; she had fallen for him a long time ago and had wanted him for even longer. Any memory of him and Evie together almost made her feel like throwing up.

"I really don't think you've got anything to worry 'bout," Kathy said, looking at her intently.

Anna nodded. "Sure. You're probably right."

But in the back of her mind was the fact that, while she had been pining away for Steve, he had been with Evie doing God only knows what.

XXXXX

Steve was in a foul mood when he arrived at the Dingo to meet Anna. The fact that he didn't even know if she wanted to see him certainly didn't help things.

Work had been crap, having been stuck on the pumps all day, and while it hadn't been that busy it had been damn hot. To make matters worse, his only customers had been stuck-up rich girls or rich old men and he'd had no company what with Soda stuck inside, working the store. The only good thing about it was that he had been able to finish early.

Home hadn't been much better. His dad had been there when he'd come out of the bathroom, ready to grill Steve about where his half full bottle of bourbon had disappeared to. Steve'd had to bite his tongue to keep from telling his dad that it was probably the same bottle he had chugged back the night before in front of the television, causing him to get too drunk to even remember drinking it. He hadn't known where Millie was, but he wasn't sure how he felt about that.

He was just glad he had managed to shower and change before his dad had started on him.

And Anna. He scowled as he turned off his car. He didn't know what the hell her problem had been, but it had kept him in a shitty mood since dropping her off at home the night before. She had been moody and everything she had said to him had been abrupt and snappy. The plan had been for him pick her up later tonight for their date - his pride had refused to let him give in and call her to find out if the date was even still on - but he'd finished work early and gone to see her only to find out she'd gone to the Dingo with Kathy.

Climbing out of the car and shoving his keys in his pocket, he made his way across the parking lot, stopping when he saw Two-Bit and Dally taking to Henry Phillips, Bobby Miller and Ricky Bolton. He talked to his buddies for a moment, and as he stood there, Steve realised it was only two months ago he had been hanging out to pick a fight with Miller after seeing him with Evie at the school football game; now he couldn't care less about the guy.

Seeing the door to the Dingo open, he turned to see Anna and Kathy step out and started their way. He didn't get two feet when Ricky started in on him

"Hey, Randle," Ricky called and Steve turned to face him. "I hear you and Anna are together now."

Steve narrowed his eyes at Anna's ex-boyfriend. "So?"

Ricky jumped off the car hood and shrugged. "Just wondering if she gives you as good as she gave me?" he asked, smirking.

"You shut your fucking mouth," Steve snapped and took a step forward.

Ricky's smirk grew. "Bet ya never say that to Anna … I know I sure didn't."

The words had hardly left his mouth when Steve jumped on him, grabbing him by the front of his t-shirt and tackling him to the ground, making sure to knock his head against the hard gravel below. Ricky didn't give in that easily though and avoided Steve's first punch, turning his head to the side and causing Steve to smash his clenched fist into the rough gravel.

It hurt like hell and Steve fought a wince as Ricky took the opportunity given. Rolling the two of them over a few times until he was on top, he threw a punch at Steve's mouth. Steve ignored the taste of blood as well as the pain, both in his hand and mouth, and sent his fist flying into Ricky's jaw.

"Son of a bitch," he muttered, pushing himself up and rolling the two of them back over, again doing his best to slam Ricky's head into the ground.

He didn't know when the guys stepped out of the way, but knew they would all stay there; the fight was one-on-one after all, nothing unfair about that. Plus, with what the jerk beneath him had said about Anna, Steve knew Dally and Two-Bit would sit back and let him go at Ricky, only joining in if they needed too. That in mind, he slammed a punch into the side of Ricky's head.

With one hand fisted in Ricky's shirt, the other going for another punch, Steve swung hard at Ricky's jaw, causing blood to fly as Ricky's head rolled to the side.

"You keep your fucking trap shut about her, ya bastard," he hissed, this time aiming for Ricky's nose and hearing the satisfying crunch and Ricky's howl of pain.

Quickly pulling his arm back, he went for the nose again, knowing it would hurt more than anything now that it was broken. Ricky let out another moan of pain as Steve's fist was brought back down onto his broken bones, and Steve was ready to go again when two pairs of arms pulled him away.

"Okay, buddy." Two-Bit's voice was its usual cheerful self. "Any more and the guy's gonna be unconscious."

Steve spat out the blood that he been pooling in his mouth. "He deserves it," he muttered, glaring down at Ricky.

"Sure did," Two-Bit agreed. "But your girl's here and I can't tell if she's ready to burst in to tears or smother you with kisses."

Turning to look for Anna, Steve saw that a small crowd had gathered to watch his fight with Ricky. Ignoring everyone else, he finally found Anna standing next to Kathy and Henry Phillips and headed her way as she came forward.

"Are you all right?" she asked when she reached him.

Two-Bit was right, he realised when he looked at her; she did look like she was ready to burst in to tears. Her eyes were dry but they were kind of glowing in a way that had him worried she was going to start crying in front of everyone. He quickly decided that was stupid; not only was Anna not a crier, but she knew he could take care of himself and he knew she wasn't the kind of broad to try and lecture him about fighting.

"I'm fine," he said quietly, letting her take his injured hand when she carefully picked it up and leading her toward the side of the building, away from the crowd.

"Henry said he said something about me?" she asked, referring to Ricky.

Steve just nodded, not wanting to repeat what had been said even though they were alone now.

Anna gave half a laugh. "You didn't need to beat his head in just 'cause he badmouthed me."

"He shouldn't be sayin' shit about ya, Anna," he said, loudly. His confusion at Anna's mood the day before came back and he continued. "Ya know what? He shouldn't even know that shit about ya."

She opened her mouth to say something before promptly shutting it again. Raising an eyebrow, she watched him for a moment and Steve began to dread what he knew was coming.

"Are you jealous?" she asked, sounding incredulous.

Steve glared at her. Pulling his hand back he crossed his arms over his chest. "No."

"You are."

"No, I'm not."

"You don't need to be."

He shrugged, but she obviously wasn't going to just let him get away with shrugging this off and pretending it meant nothing. Prying his hand away from his arm, she took it again and gently caressed his cuts.

"You really don't need to be," she said, moving to stand closer to him.

"I'm not," he lied again, letting her lace her fingers with those of his uninjured. When he was met with silence and a raised eyebrow, he continued. "Fine, maybe I am … a little."

He was sure she was fighting a smile. "Really?" she asked.

"I hate the idea that anyone else has touched you." He gave her a small frown. "This shouldn't be making you so happy."

"I've never had someone be jealous over another boy before," she said.

Steve looked down at her and sighed. "Sure ya have," he muttered. "But at the time you just took what I had been trying to say the wrong way and thought I was sayin' you weren't good enough for Soda."

She didn't bother hiding her smile anymore. "That's right. I suppose that was jealousy, wasn't it?"

"You're lovin' this ain't ya?"

"Who woulda thought you'd ever be jealous over some boy I used to date?" she said, standing closer again.

"Ya did more than just date him, Anna."

She frowned. "Whatever he said … it probably wasn't true."

Steve said nothing. He had known that. Ricky had spread plenty of rumours about he and Anna, only one of which was true.

"I mean, I did sleep with him, but -"

"I know."

"Yeah?"

Steve said nothing, just leaned down and kissed her. He deepened it straight away; having been sure she was angry at him for something since yesterday afternoon, he wanted to make up for lost time.

A few minutes later, his injured hand still being held by Anna and his free hand resting on her cheek, he pulled back. Resting his forehead on hers, he looked at her.

"What I was tryin' to say that day here still stands," he said huskily.

Her eyes darkened and she bit her lower lip before replying. "I know; I'm yours."

XXXXX

Anna sighed happily as she sat straddling Steve on his bed later that night. He was sitting against the wall behind his bed and they were both still fully dressed, but that wasn't stopping his hands or lips.

"You need to ice your hand," she said.

She was secretly pleased he'd let her look after it for as long as he had. She couldn't help but remember when Steve had punched a brick wall at the football game a few months back. He had snapped at her then when she had told him to ice it and now, with a similar injury, he had let her ice it for him and almost take care of him.

But now he was ignoring her attempts and making a few of his own.

"You smell good," he whispered in her ear as the fingers of his good hand ran through her hair.

Anna wasn't the kind of girl who got off on watching boys fight, but she couldn't deny that seeing Steve that way had been pretty fantastic. He had looked so powerful, strong and, well, sexy. And he had been doing it for her. She had wanted to grab him and kiss him the second Henry had told her what was going on.

Steve nuzzled her neck and she shivered. "I ain't gonna let him or anyone else say shit about ya, Anna."

Anna smiled in response and leaned down to kiss along his jaw.

She had been waiting to be alone with him all night. From the second she had realised Steve had been jealous, she had been longing to be alone with him, without the interruptions from his friends or her brother.

She had always known Steve was a jealous guy - Evie had told her about it plenty in the past - but had never really thought about his jealousy coming into play in their relationship. She knew it wasn't all that healthy; she knew from her own experience of it when Steve had been with Evie, but it still made her feel good.

"I think," Steve began, turning his head to trail kisses up the arm draped over his shoulder, "that we shouldn't go on dates anymore. We should just stay in here forever."

Anna smiled again. "Sounds pretty nice."

The rest of their night had been perfect apart from all the people they had run into when they just wanted a night alone. Steve had ended up snapping at Two-Bit to leave them the hell alone and, if it weren't for the shit-eating grin Two-Bit had given them that told her he knew exactly what Steve's problem was, she would have felt bad for Two-Bit.

But, despite that, it had been as if yesterday afternoon had never happened. It wasn't as if yesterday had been a fight, but Anna hadn't exactly been looking forward to explaining what her mood had been about.

Steve's words and his own jealousy had reassured her as much as they could. His reminder that he had considered her his for over a month now had melted her heart and all thoughts of him leaving her for Evie had left for the time being.

"One day," Steve muttered as he concentrated on undoing the buttons of her blouse, "I will have you in here, all to myself, for a week."

Anna raised an eyebrow and shrugged the blouse off of her arms. "Only a week?"

He gave her a wolfish grin. "To start with."

Anna grinned back and sighed as he touched her skin, wondering just how much longer she could continue kidding herself that she wasn't completely in love with Steve Randle.

A/N: Thank to RileysMomma for beta-reading. Please point out anything that seems off. There was a lot cut out from the first draft of the last ten-ish chapters, and I'm not sure I caught everything that needed to be adjusted, lol.