Thanks for all the nice reviews! Sorry if this chapter gets a little gross but none of the Curtis sister stories I've read have ever brought about a subject like this, so I'm taking a crack at it!

I don't own any of the Outsiders characters (I wish), only Kaitlin and Anna.

Brotherly Love

Chapter 2-Without a Mother

I walked into the bedroom, which by the way I share with Pony and Soda. Anna was lying on my bed looking at a magazine of hot guys. I sat down next to her and said in her ear "Oh, that one's a hottie." She turned her head to me and laughed.

She threw it on the floor and we both put out heads on my huge pillow. "Why were you home so late?" "It's only 30 minutes; I was getting something from my locker." She looked at me. She knew I was lying. "OK!" I rolled my eyes. "I was thinking about my mom and dad and I didn't feel good. I just didn't want anyone to know, because they'd tell Darry and he would be on me for days, always asking if I was OK and never letting me have time to myself." "Oh." She said, her smile telling me she believed me. "I won't tell Darry."

I knew she wouldn't tell. She never tells any of my secrets. We had been friends for as long as I can remember. We did everything together. She tried to change the subject. "Remember the time we…"

There was a soft knock on the door. It was Ponyboy. "Hey, you guys! Come on! We're going outside to play a game of football." We got up and I kicked the magazine under my bed. My brothers would probably tease me about something like that. We walked through the bedroom door and into the living room where all the guys were waiting. Once they spotted us, they all ran out the front door with the football. We followed them out, into the front yard.

"You guys, I think I'm gonna sit this one out." I still felt pretty sick so I sat on the nice green grass. Anna plopped down next to me. She knew I didn't feel good. She didn't have to ask.

The teams were Ponyboy, Johnny, Soda and Steve against Darry, Dally and Two-bit. They began their little game. I sat there for a while watching them jump on each other and try to get the ball, laughing. I remembered the times when Dad played football with the boys and me, Mom and Anna would watch for a while and then go inside to bake a big chocolate cake. Mom's chocolate cakes were so good. Oh well… at least Soda tries to make them.

I got up from the ground. "I'll be right back, Anna." "K, I'll be here." I walked into the kitchen and through the bathroom door. I was on the toilet when I looked down. I almost screamed, but didn't because all the guys would have come running in. All I saw was red. Red blood.

At that moment all I was thinking about was Mom. I needed her so bad. I pulled up my pants, flushed the toilet and ran out the door. I walked through the grass in a hurried rush. I had no problem telling Anna but I sure wasn't telling the guys. I reached the spot I was sitting at before. I sat down, almost sweating like a pig. "Anna…" She turned her head smiling, but the smile changed to a concerned look. "What's wrong?" "Um, I um… I got my period." I was so confused that tears started streaming down my cheeks. Mom never taught me what to do and Anna hadn't gotten hers yet.

"Oh, it's OK, Kaitlin. Every girl goes through with this. Maybe you could talk to Darry or Soda. I'm sure they'd understand…" "NO! It's too embarrassing. Can we just keep it between you and me?" "OK. Don't worry 'bout it." We didn't even notice the guys were done with their game. They were walking towards us. "Hey, what happened to Kaitlin? Why's she crying?" Anna turned her head and looked at me. "She hurt herself when she tripped off the porch." "But I'm fine… really." They all shrugged and walked on, into the house.

Soda and Pony patted me on the back. I choked up a few more tears. I hated hiding stuff from them, but I just didn't feel really comfortable going up to them, "Hey you guys, guess what? I got my period!" so I didn't. They walked off and me and Anna followed.

Anna got close to my ear and whispered, "I think my mom keeps stuff for that in the bathroom cabinet. I can sneak over and get something for you to use." "Oh, I don't know, Anna…" "It's no problem…really. She won't notice that anything's gone, she's always half drunk anyway."

"OK. Fine, but hurry up. I'll be in the bedroom, so put the stuff in your pockets so the guys don't see when you walk in." "K. Be right back." She took off like the wind. I took my sweater off and wrapped it around my waist, just incase. Oh, no. I never thought about what I'm supposed to do when Darry washes my clothes and sees a big red blood stain on my underwear… that won't be a very pretty sight. In fact, I haven't been able to think about anything, it all happened so fast. Oh well… I'll survive somehow.

I walked up the step of the porch, which I "supposedly" tripped on and into the front door. Thankfully no one paid attention to me walk across the living room into the hallway and into my bedroom. They were all too busy watching TV to notice any other living thing. It's a real good thing that Johnny didn't notice me or he would have wondered where Anna ran off to and chased after her.

I was reading a really good book when Anna ran into my room out of breath. "She almost caught me, but I got these for you." She went into her pocket and took out these packages that were probably about the size ofa finger. "Here." She threw them at me. I picked them up and put them into my pocket. "Thank you so much Anna… now how do you put these in?" I said looking at one. "You shove it up, I dunno. Does it look like I use them?" Anna said smiling. "Well, will you be ok by yourself, Kate? Cause I gotta go." "Ya, I'll be fine, cya later."

I continued reading my book until I brought up enough courage to try them and Two-bit, Steve, Dally, Johnny and Anna were all gone. I walked into the bathroom and locked the door behind me. I took one out of my pocket and unwrapped it. No one ever showed me how to use one before. I tried putting it in but I guess I put it in at the wrong angle, cause the next thing I knew, I was screaming at the top of my lungs. Darry, Soda and Pony were all outside the door, trying to open it. "Kaitlin! What's wrong!?!" I wrapped the tampon in toilet paper and threw it in the garbage.

I unlocked the door and casually walked out like nothing was wrong. All three of my brothers had their eyes wide open and screamed "WHAT HAPPENED!?!"I skipped past them. "Oh, there was a really big spider in the bathroom…but I killed it!" They all had their mouths open; that was a Kodak moment. I got to my room and stopped skipping. I threw myself onto my bed and fell asleep for a few minutes.

I woke up to a soft hand on my shoulder shaking me. I sat up to see Soda with a worried look on his face sitting on the edge of my bed. "Kaitlin, what's up with you today? You kept gettin' me worried." I knew this was coming, but what was I supposed to tell him?

Thanks again for the nice reviews you guys! I love getting them. And sorry this chapter took so long to make!!