Title- A No Title Jess

Chapter Title- After All These Stories, I Can't Name Chapters...

Disclaimer- I do not own The Outsiders

I got up off the couch. I knew good news never started with my name. Not once, when Soda told me about the draft notice he used Jessica, when they told me about my mom, they used Jessica, and other occasions like that. Especially with the tone he was using. It was not his usual tone and I did not like it one bit.

"I really, really think you should sit down. It'll save you from falling." I did not feel like falling, so I sat back down on the couch. I looked at him. I wished he would not make this take so long. Whatever he was going to say wasn't going to change, it didn't matter how long it took him to say it.

"Spit it out already," I yelled at him. I was becoming impatient, as well as incredibly nervous.

"Calm down Jessica, there's been a, um, an accident," he said. An accident, what happened? Was everybody okay? Did this have to do with Soda? Was Soda okay? I was so afraid I started shaking.

"Don't worry, everybody's alive," he added seeing me shake. I felt slightly relieved. Yet there had been something about the way he said it that made me still worry.

"What is going on?" I asked; my voice was unsteady. I knew he was going to tell me, but I was urging him to say it faster. He said everybody was alive, that didn't mean everybody was okay.

"I'm gonna tell you, hold on, Soda, well, Soda's comin' home," he said. He didn't sound too happy. How could he not be happy? Soda was coming home. But, why was he coming home? What does this have to do with an accident?

"He was shot." What, did I hear him right? Soda had gotten shot? My heart sank and I closed my eyes.

"This isn't funny Steve," I told him. I was hoping he was going to tell me it was a joke, that there had been no accident and that I had come all the way back for nothing.

"It ain't a joke. He was shot in the leg. He's comin' home in a few days." He had gotten shot? Why did he have to get shot?

"Is, is he gonna be okay?" I asked. What did Soda ever do to anybody? He didn't deserve to get shot. I knew it.

"The doctors think so; he just won't be able to walk for a few weeks." He had been there a little over a month and he was already coming back. He already had gotten shot. He wouldn't be able to walk? How was he supposed to work at DX? After a while, working on the register was really going to get to him. I knew it would.

That only meant one thing; I wasn't going to let him work. I'd make him stay here if I had to. I would tie him up and make sure he had to stay. I guess that meant I would have to get a job. I was just becoming used to staying home all the time.

I could barely contain myself the day he going to come home. I was eager to see him again. I wasn't going with them. There wasn't enough room. Darry and Pony were in the truck while Steve and Two-Bit were in Steve's car. I could have gotten Sara to baby-sit and went with them, but I wasn't in the mood. I was feeling kind of sick. Maybe it was because I hadn't eaten much the past couple of days. I was so nervous with Soda coming back and I didn't want to stop much on the way back from New York.

I paced the floor, watched television, listened to music and I even cleaned. I just couldn't keep myself occupied. I tended to the twins every once in a while. I kept staring out the window hoping that they'd be here soon. I saw the truck pull up to the house. I dropped what I was doing (I didn't drop a baby) and ran outside. I flung open the truck's door and wrapped my arms around Soda. He looked a little shocked at first.

They had to pry me off him to get him into the house. I sat down next to him on the couch because I didn't want to lose him, ever.

"I missed you so much," I told him. He put his arm around my shoulder.

"Yeah," Steve began to say but I gave him a look. He shut his mouth quickly. I don't know what I would've done if he would've died. I probably would've died as well. Or maybe not, that would've left the twins without anybody. I moved closer to Soda.

"I love you," I said to him. He kissed my forehead.

"I love you too, babe," he replied holding me tighter.

"So, Jessica, now that you're back, there's that whole matter of a window that needs to be replaced." I turned around and glared at Darry. He didn't have to put it that way. Now, Soda was going to know that I was gone. That was all I needed. I had actually forgotten about that stupid window.

"Now that you're back?" Soda asked confused. "Where did you go?"

"No where, I wasn't mentally stable while you weren't here," I answered quickly. His mouth formed an 'o' because it was a believable lie, and I hoped the subject was going to be dropped. Yeah, because I have that kind of luck.

"We wouldn't know, you were up in that fancy New York," Two-Bit added. I got up and smacked him.

"You were supposed to keep your trap shut!" I yelled at him. He started to rub his cheek that was now showing a red imprint of my hand. Had I smacked him that hard?

"You were in New York?" Soda asked, he sounded slightly worried.

"I was fine, Steve here let me borrow his car, I had money and I had the twins. I went to go see Danielle and fix things up from my last trip. I couldn't be here while you weren't." Ronnie cried and I went to go get her and Nate. I sat down with them on the couch and handed one to Soda.

"Yeah, I let you borrow my car."