Author's Note: Well, here's the epilogue I promised, because you can't just leave the story like that. It just would be cruel I think. After I finish this however, I will be moving onto The Price of Being a Joker, which I have neglected for far too long due to writers block. But I want to get it finished and continue with my other stories. So enjoy this finale.

Thank you once again to all my reviewers, I really enjoyed this story, mainly because of the idea and all of you who continued to nag at me to update and encourage me. And the rest of you who are too lazy to review but read it still, I love you too. :D

Darkdestiny2000: lol I'm so glad you really liked this story. It wasn't until you mentioned sequel that I actually thought of making one. I'm not sure, but there could be the possibility of one. Some ideas are floating around inside my head, so who knows. I'll think about it some more though and there's a good chance, but if there is it will be a lot of focus on Johnny and Dally that's all I know. Thanks for this review and the countless others.

Fairlane: WOW, your review was so touching, I really really really enjoyed it. Thank you very much and for all the other nice reviews you gave me. I was sad that the story had to end with Leon dying like that, but it was my original plan and after re-reading my story I feel kinda bad for letting him go. Lol. Oh, and the spelling, gah, I hate that so much. I don't bother looking over for it usually and I notice like typos and missed words all the time an I find that so distracting. I guess I'll have to try better. Anyway thank you so much for the review and I hope you enjoy this little finale.

Hahukum Konn: I'm glad you really liked the ending. I wasn't sure what some people were going to say about it, but it did have meaning and I wanted that to come across. I'm still very happy with the ending and the way it came out but I can't leave it there and this epilogue was something I decided on a few chapters back, just to make everything final. So hope you enjoy, and thank you oh so much for all the lovely reviews.

JamesDeanismygod: lol, I'm glad you liked it. Everyone seemed to enjoy it, but I was sad and I feel so bad for killing Leon off like that, he wasn't that bad of a guy. sniff sniff. Oh, well what's done is done I guess. Hope you enjoy this last chappie or epilogue, time to wrap this story up. Thank you oh so much for all the loyal reviews and the nice comments.

Epilogue: Die Numb

The clouds would open up soon; it was only a matter of time now. For the past hour they'd been there, hanging above the small group, dark and ominous in the pale sky. Trees bent over, that Tulsa wind rippling through their dry shriveled leaves. Grass, still damp from the night before tickled the bare skin of one greaser's leg, where his jeans were too short to cover his ankle. Johnny stood, rubbing at a spot behind his neck; just so he'd have something to do with his hands. Pony was shifting his weight beside him, while Sodapop, that comforting tuff looking boy of only sixteen, rested a hand on his shoulder. Everyone else was standing close by, everyone else except Dallas Winston. Johnny felt a pain in his heart, a heavy pressure leaning in on his chest that made it only possible to suck in short quick breaths of humid air.

Dark hair shading his swollen eyes from sight, Johnny held in the tears that dared to fall. Three days had past since the incident under the streetlamp, only three and now there he was, standing in the Tulsa cemetery. There was only a white wooden cross to mark the existence of Leon Cade and there it was, planted only a few feet away from him on the small incline of grass and mud. Dallas had comforted him in a way that made him realize that the hood still had feelings buried deep within that cold heart. He'd watched over him for the few days that had left Johnny in a swell of confusion and heartache and then he was gone. The gang was right by his side the entire time, waiting for him to bawl just so they could hold him close the way Dallas had that night, but Johnny sucked it up. No more tears, that's something his brother, would have said. He told him to never be afraid too, but it was so hard to be unafraid when you felt your only hope for survival snatched away too early. Maybe if Dallas was there right now he'd feel something, but for the moment he was numb. He wanted Dally, not Soda or Pony. Johnny needed the coldhearted greaser who jumped kids for fun and slashed Tim Shepard's tires almost every second week. He needed Dallas and he wasn't even there.

Johnny shuddered and felt a stray drop of water hit the end of his nose. With wide eyes he looked up to find the clouds meshing together in preparation for the long awaited rain. Soda was whispering something into his ear, but the young Cade boy couldn't be bothered. His mind was somewhere else; lingering on the blades of grass as they sparkled even in the grey light or the thick shelled beetle that crawled onto his shoe. His eye flickered upwards and ahead to the cross, it was all he could focus on and all he wanted to take in. Even Two-bit accidentally slipping in the mud didn't stir him from this self inflicted coma. He could stand there, lifeless in the rain and watching nothing except his brother's substandard tombstone and he would be okay with that.

"Johnny?"

Pony's eyes were glazed over, searching his own while the rain began to fall in tiny drops, prickling his bare arms with a pins and needles sensation.

"Jonny, Soda's been talking to you for the past five minutes and you haven't answered him once. You okay?"

Johnny held back the bitter laugh forming in his gut, what kind of question was that? Of course he wasn't okay, but Pony was just worried, he cared too much about people sometimes. He'd cared too much about his brother and look at what happened and Dallas too, none of them seemed to care. Leon died for him though, that meant something, but where was Dally? Johnny's stomach did a few more flips as he felt the scenery shifting in and out of focus, his eyes blurring with the rising tears. He couldn't cry, Leon wouldn't want him too, it would make him look weak.

"I'm sorry" Johnny whispered back. He raised his head and let loose a small smile that almost hurt him to make. It lasted only a second and then disappeared once again into the dark skin. It wouldn't be right to smile, not after what he'd seen. "I was just thinking is all, I guess I didn't hear you." He looked up at Soda apologetically and the greaser nodded.

"It's okay kid, it wasn't anything important."

"Y'all think we should head home soon, it looks like it'll storm on us" Pony piped up. The gang seemed to shrug and lopped back to their cars, while Johnny kept himself planted firmly in front of the grave.

"Johnny? You coming?"

"Ya, I'll head on over in a few minutes."

"You want one of us to stick around?" Darry questioned. Johnny shook his head, no, and turned his back to them.

"I'll be there soon enough. You guys go on, I'll see you back at your house."

Someone spoke out in the gang, urging him maybe to follow along or maybe to keep safe, but Johnny's mind had left long ago. He wasn't paying any mind to them and they must have realized that after another awkward pause. The slamming of rusty car doors broke the stillness he alone had created in the mournful field of graves. An engine turned over once, twice and then another started revving noisily, almost rudely, tires squealed and the gang had left. Clouds opened up and rain fell down harder and faster than it had in a long time; breaking the heat wave that had given folks in Tulsa miserable days and muggy nights. Thunder shattered the pallid backdrop, while the wind picked up and lightning struck. It was then that Johnny began to cry. He ignored the rising bile that dare come up and continued to let tears run down his face. Hiding it in the rain, he could still look tuff, but inside he felt he'd let himself down; his brother down. There he was, standing shakily in front of Leon's grave, crying. No matter if he was alive or dead, Johnny would never make him think he was more than the dark coward Tim had made him out to be.

Johnny dug his hands viciously into his jeans pockets and fished out a cigarette. The rain soaked through his jacket and shirt, coming down in cupfuls. His cigarette began to droop, bending pitifully while muddy fingers struggled to light the end. The lighter fumbled and fell to the ground.

"Damn it!"

Johnny bawled the impotent cigarette, liquid tobacco leaking onto his palms and tossed it through the rain. A stray drop struck its bawled form midway and pinned it a foot or so from him. His lighter formed a muddy imprint in the ground next to him while Johnny struggled to keep himself from falling apart.

"Why'd you have to leave me?" Johnny whispered, just loud enough so he could make out his voice through the heavy downpour. "You have to take the easy way out huh? Is that why?"

He let his words cut through the air, hoping they'd reach down through the grave like rabid dogs, inflicting some of his own pain onto his brother. Wiping the tears with the back of his hand, he pulled his jacket tighter to his chest.

"It ain't fair" he stuttered. "You can't just go away and leave me here alone. What am I supposed to do?" There was a pause, but no answer came. "Mum cried," Johnny forced a laugh and brushed back his bangs. "I told her you died next to me and she bawled right there on the porch for everyone to see. Never thought she cared. The ol man was out though when Darry brought me over. Tim Shepard he came to the Curtis' looking all beat up. Two-bit said that him and some Brumly boys pulled a blade on a couple of Soc's a few nights ago. Sunk in the windshield of their pretty little corvette too."

Johnny smiled but it looked more like a grimace. Lowering his head he sighed and felt his knees wanting to give out on him. It seemed as though he'd been standing in the rain for hours. The sky was darker while the storm had stayed the same; only the wind was stronger, screeching endlessly around him.

"You bastard" he gasped. "If you'd just let me leave, it could have been different. But you had to be tough. Coward! I hate you" Johnny kicked the dirt up and his lighter took flight into the settling darkness. "Leon please…come back home…you fuckin' greaser."

He hit the grass, knees first into the puddles and wrenched his hands through his hair. It was matted up on top of his head and hung in front of his face pricking his eyes.

"I'm so lost" Johnny spoke no longer to his brother but to himself. "I've got nothing at home."

A harsh wind blew and Johnny moaned, fighting with his emotions in front of the white cross.

"I should leave soon. Gang is probably worried."

He got to his feet, brushing the dirt from the legs of his jeans and stood a moment in front of the grave. The tears had subsided, his emotions had settled and there was nothing really left to do except say goodbye.

"I guess I'll come visit you sometimes. No one else will, maybe Tim but you know him…" Johnny sighed and turned away. "Bye Leon."

The cemetery rested quiet as any cemetery would and then for the second time that night the stillness was broken. A greaser, not quite sober and not too drunk stumbled through the damp grass and slid into a hunched position in front of the white cross.

"Guess I shoulda showed when everyone else was here, but I don't wanna ruin my rep." Dallas combed through his platinum locks and laughed whole heartedly. "Why the hell am I even here? You know I never really gave a shit about you? Dirty fuckin hood with no brains and cocky as hell, that's what you were to me and everyone else in the gang. They could care less, but you were Johnny's brother and they accepted you. I didn't though, but you knew, I know you knew."

Dallas lit up a smoke from his pack of Kools, happy the rain had let up enough to let him enjoy it. He breathed in the tobacco and flicked his ashes carelessly towards the grave.

"We shoulda settled this long ago, but I guess it's a little late huh? That kid brother of yours, you didn't deserve him, never. He looked up to you man, and you turned your back on him so many times." Dally took a quick drag of his cancer stick. "Now your gone, how's he gonnaget onwithout you? Probably better off. But his folks, shit, his ol man wont hold back or nothin, not like he ever did before."

He tossed the finished cigarette and hiked up his jeans.

"What I'm sayin is, I'll look after the kid. Make sure he stays outta trouble." Dally laughed. "I'll start taking on some of those Superman qualities Darry has." He shrugged and kicked the mud around in a circle. "Your still a bastard though; just not quite as much now."

And with that Dallas turned out of the cemetery. Walking off into the light fog, the sun completely set and the ominous clouds still hanging overhead, he made his way towards the Curtis house. Johnny would be there, waiting.

Author's Note: Okay so that is officially the end of No Tears, No Fears, Die Numb cries I miss it already. I'm sorry about the epilogue I hope its okay. I'm a bit uncertain, I know Dallas getting a lil talkative with Leon is a bit uncharacteristic considering that him an leon hated one another but I needed closure an stuff. It fitted wut I needed to come across. I hope the whole Johnny breakin down thing was alright too, a lil bit of angst, wait A LOT but ya. Tell me wut u think. Maybe a sequel but I doubt it, the possibility is there though. By the way for anyone who didn't know, I'm just too excited their releasing the outsiders on dvd but it's the restored version so all the scenes that were cut out like pony getting jumped at the beginning and soda and sandy parts an more steve its all getting put together in the dvd plus lots of extras an footage with S.E.Hinton showin around Tulsa it looks great, its comin out in September :D so I thot I'd mention it to anyone who doesn't know. Can't wait! Anyway, uh review lol an thank u all so much.