Dislcaimer: I do not own the Outsiders

Note: In this story, Neither Johnny or Dally died, because when they did in the book, I almost cryed. :'(

At first, Velma was shocked. She was expecting people to remember some little quiet kid that had moved there for a month,then left without a word. Her memories of these guys weren't all the best either. Soda and Steve were always testing their strength against each other, Darry over protective and had a short temper, Two-Bit and Dally were hoods that beat up people all the time,lied to her, and broke into her house, Ponyboy passed out on the ground and Johnny pulling his knife out of a lifeless body. Her thoughts were interrupted. Sodapop and just ran over to her a pulled her into a bear hug. Steve joined in to.

"Oh my god! We were so worried about you! You never wrote or called or nothin'...Man, we missed you.."

"Guys...can ...can you let me go now? I..I can't breath.." Velma muttered.

The two of them let her go, " Sorry..." Sodapop laughed , " Oh! you gotta come over to the house..Johnny's getting outta jail this afternoon and we're throwing him a Welcome home party."

"He was in jail?" She tryed to sound surprised..

"Yeah. Got 4 years for manslaughter. They took him away the second he got outta the hospital.." Steve shook his head.

"He was in the hospital? What for?" Velma asked.

"Him,Dally and Ponyboy pulled abunch of kids outta burning Church almost a week after you left...a piece of the roof fell in on Johnny..They said he wasn't gunna walk anymore...But i hear he's getting along ok..."

"Oh my god..."

"Yeah. Well...we don't get off work for a while..but you can head down now if ya like..."

"Sure...But I still need some gas in the car..."

Ten minutes later, Velma pulled up the the house and noticed Ponyboy, Two-Bit and Dally were building an access ramp for Johnny. But they didn't notice that she had even pulled up untill she had gotten out and closed her door. By the time she walked around to the other side of the car, all three of the guys were walking toward her. The second they got a good look at her, Two-Bit broke into a run, hopped the fence, and gave very a hug,pulling her in closer that Soda and Steve had did. Any tighter and she thought her ribs were crack. Thankfully he let her go and dragged her into the front lawn. He turned to her, " Whoa..Velma...you...you grew"

"Did you ever..." Dally said grinning. Two-Bit rolled his eyes. " So, what brings you to town?"

"Just...a trip, I guess... I ran into Soda and Steve, they told me to swing by here.that yous were throwing Johnny a party"

"Yeah...come on...we're still getting stuff ready inside...we could use a woman's touch..." Ponyboy smiled abit.

"well, I'll see what I can do..."

Velma and Ponyboy had made a sign that said ' Welcome Home Johnnycake'. Ponyboy was standing on a chair to stick up his side, and Velma was on a chair about 7 feet away from Ponyboy to stick up her side. Velma had to stand on her tiptoes to get the sign up as high as on Ponyboys side, and when she did, Two-Bit and Dally looked up her skirt. Shortly after, Soda and Steve came home, as did Darry. Now, at first, Velma was afraid of getting another bone crushing hug, but it wasn't as tight as the others, luckily for her. Soda was grinning as always, " Nice sign..Oh! I'm gunna make Johnny's favorite for supper.."

"Uh.." Velma stopped him before he got to the kitchen, " How about I ..cook supper?" She asked, remembering the last time she had seen Soda cook something..

"Why? you think you can cook better than me?" he asked with a mock hurt.

"Yes." She giggled abit.

Sodapop raised an eyebrow, " Are you a better cook than Darry?"

She smiled , "Oh, Yes, definitely"

"What?" Darry crossed his arms and shook his head, " No way."

"Yes way"

"Alright. How about this? We each cook a dish, and after supper, the others can tell us who's the better cook."

"Sounds good to me.."

An hour Later, the lights were off in the house.The car pulled up to the front of the house. Dally got out and went around to the passenger side to help Johnny out of the car and back into his wheelchair. Johnny was able to get up the ramp with out Dally pushing him. When they got inside, Dally turned on the lights and everyone jumped out and yelled ' Surprise!' and Johnny laughed, not thinking that the guys would do something so ridiculous. But what really surprised him was Velma was there...

After supper, Darry leaned back and asked, " Ok. Now. Who's dish was better?"

"Velma's" Two-Bit and Dally said at the same time.

"What?" Darry and Soda sounded alittle angry. Velma was smiling.

"Oh...well..Darry...yours was ...was really ..good too..I means..Velmas was...Ok.. But yours..." Dally was trying to figure out what to say..

"Yours was Excellent." Two-bit finished. But then noticed the dirty looks coming from Sodapop and Velma.

"What about what I made?" Sodapop crossed his arms.

"Well...yours was...was..." Two-Bit looked over at Dally for help.

"was ...purple?" Dally shrugged and Two-Bit rolled his eyes. Steve started to laugh.

"What did you think Steve?" Darry asked. Steve stopped laughing, " Oh...um...well...well...I'd like to here was Johnny and Ponyboy think, first..."

All eyes were now on Pony and Johnny, who had been quiet this whole time. They looked at each other. They leaned in and started to whisper to themselves, then looked at the rest of them.

"We decided that all 3 dishes were excellently made.." Pony started

"And it would be unfair to pick one over the other." Johnny finished.

"uh...what they said..." Steve said, scratching the back of his head.

While they did the dishes, Dally and Steve kept dropped some of the silver wear. Velma usually bent over to pick it up. But what she didn't know, was ever time she bent over, the guys either looked at her butt, or down her blouse.

" So, Velma, what did you do in California?" Darry asked her as he started to dry the plates.

"Nothing really...It was just like every other place I moved too, I stayed in side most of the time.."

"Make any new friends?" Two-Bit asked her.

"Some...at work.."

"Oh? you got a job?" Darry asked her, with a raised eyebrow.

" Two. Mondays to Thursdays I work part time at a massage parlor, Fridays and Saturdays I sing at a night club.."

"Seriously?" Dally grinned.

"Yes. Seriously." Velma laughed.

"You should give Johnny a massage." Dally laughed.

"What?" Johnny started to blush.

"Yeah, aint that part of the therapy or rehabilitation or something ?"

"Eah...but.."

"But what? None of the doctors or what ever look as good as that?" Dally asked, Pointing at Velma, making her blush.

"well...no...but.."

"But nothing." Dally laughed," go get your paralyzed ass over on the couch and lay down."

Johnny sighed and wheeled himself over to the couch. He pushed himself out of the chair and sat down on the couch

"Lay down..."

Johnny rolled his eyes and laid down on his stomach.

Velma went over and knelt down on the floor, " good to see Dally hasn't changed..."

Johnny laughed, " yeah...his hearts in the right place, but I think his brain slipped down his backside..."

Velma laughed. She started to give him the massage, " Hows that?"

"mmmm...good..."

She smiled, " the muscles in your back at tense..you need to relax abit..." She told him, " were you this tense with the other ones?"

"No...not with the one from the hospital that came to the prison.."

"Why is it so different?"

Johnny blushed, " Uh...well..."