Tim's POV
Sitting on the couch I pretended to watch the television as I thought of ways to break the news to Love. Things had been going so well since we'd patched things up I hated to end her happiness. I could wait until I knew more about what was going on, but if she got caught with her guard down I would never forgive myself. I knew without a doubt if anyone ever hurt her like she'd been hurt before I would be going to the cooler permanently cause I 'd murder them.
"Why the sour expression?" Curly asked, making me realize just how much I had been boarding. The dynamics of our relationship had changed since Love, and I had to admit, I felt closer to the kid than I had in years.
"Just trying to figure out what I could possibly give Love to make her happy before I have to tell her about the Spiders."
"Umm short of a child, I think you're screwed ," he said paling when I smiled.
"Uhhh , I was just kidding Tim," he said making me laugh.
"Yea, I know, I aint thinking about kids, just that it might be time to make things official between us," I said liking the thought of having her locked in to a more permanent type of situation.
"You know I aint got objections, I couldn't love her more if she really was my sister."
Nodding my head thoughtfully I stood, knowing I needed to have a talk with Darry before I did anything. Love would be torn in two if I asked her and didn't get his permission. I knew better than to make her try and choose between her family and me.
"I'll be back in a while," I said lifting the collar of my leather jacket against the wind as I set down the street.
The days were growing colder, and I knew it wouldn't be long before snow was blanketing the ground. Thinking about Curlys' comment earlier I couldn't help but smile at the thought of little red haired babies with my dark eyes, and their mother's flawless skin and smile. It was all too easy to see Love rounded with my child. Shaking my head I marveled at the changes she had wrought in such a small amount of time. A few months ago I hadn't even thought I would ever want to settle for just one girl, let alone marry one. Reaching the Curtis home I nodded at Pony boy before heading to the kitchen where Darry was preparing dinner.
"Hey man, Love is still at the Dx with Soda and Steve," he said placing a pan of chicken in to the oven before turning to face me.
" Well, I wanted to talk to you alone," I said standing tall as he eyes me suspiciously , eyes narrowing to slits as his green gaze turned to ice.
"Let's talk outside then," He said flashing Pony a look that said he'd stay right where he was at if he knew what was good for him.
"What's this about Shepard."
" I'm going to ask your sister to marry me, and I know she won't be happy unless she knows she has your blessing when she accepts." I said smirking when his jaw dropped.
He'd expected me to give him some kiss off speech about how I didn't want to hurt Love, but I wanted out of the relationship. I would've thought he'd known better by now.
"I wanted more for her than this life, her and Pony are real smart, they could go anywhere they wanted, maybe even go to college," he said shoving his hands in to his pockets as he looked out towards the street.
" All I Wanted was my baby sister back, the way she had been before the girls' reformatory, but then here you come, with a chip the side of Texas on your shoulder, a wrap sheet longer than my arm, and a bad attitude, and some how you manage to wrap my sister around your finger."
"My eighteen year old stubborn sister who never listens to anyone in love with the biggest hoods this side of Tulsa." He said shaking his head as he turned to face me.
"She deserves more than a run down his full of squalling babies she can't afford." He said coldly as he ice turned icey.
" I never said she didn't Darry, I never said I was against her going to college, and its not like I tell her anything, you know as well as I do you don't tell her anything," I said shaking my head as I tried to make peace.
"You think I don't know she's too good for me? Well I know, but even still I can't let her go, ever since she came back, that was it for me."
"Hell I never wanted kids or marriage before Love, I mean I had my hands full with Angela, and Curly."
" I know I can't give her a mansion on the hill, or a fancy car, but I will love her till we die, and defend her with my life, isn't that enough?" I asked hooking my thumbs in my belt loop as I struck what I knew to be a nonchalant pose, leaning against the wall.
"Just know if you break her heart Tim we will hurt you," He said in a tone I had never heard before.
Studying his clenched jaw, and flashing eyes I nodded my head as he earned a new level of respect… so he could be dangerous when he needed to be.
"With that said I guess the only thing left is welcome to the family," he said admitting defeat as he held out his hand.
"I'll make her happy," I said surprised that I cared so much about what he thought, then again we had grown up together.
" You'd better, go tell the guys, I'm gonna take a walk, its hard to let go after being both mom and dad," He said quietly, making me realize just how much he'd given up for those three.
Darry's POV
Kicking at the cans that littered the street I tried to be happy for Love. She was happier than I'd seen her since Mom and Dad had passed, but she was still just a baby. The thought of her tied to Tim Shepard for the rest of her life just didn't set well. I mean sure he had changed some, but still he was who he was. Love, Soda, and Pony were all I had left, and I could feel them slipping away more and more every day. They were growing up too fast and needing me less and less. Not that I didn't want them to stand on there on , it was just leaving me feeling mighty useless.
When Mom and Dad died my life had come to a screeching halt, and the only thing I could think about for a long time was how to keep us all together. Loosing Love had killed something inside of me and though I had never told the boys I had felt guilty for a long time afterwards. Now that things were starting to work themselves out, I had no ideal what to do. I had no friends outside the gang, no social life with all the work I had been doing, and no one who cared about me other than the gang. Sighing I found myself in the park I always used to take the other too. Sitting on a swing I pushed off letting my thoughts wander. Maybe it was time for me to start thinking about what I wanted, cut down on the work hours, maybe take a few classes at the local college. I liked books just as much as Pony, I'd just forgotten how to have fun for the last few years. Pumping my legs harder I let the wind caress my face, feeling like I could taste freedom for the first time I could remember since my parent's death.
Brigit
Picking up the pace I clutched the books to my chest as I continued on my way home. I was taking classes at the local community college here, and I had learned very quickly that in my new town people from my side of town weren't treated to well. Greaser's they called us. I could never begin to understand it, but I was used to being alienated and threatened. In the 1950's there was only one thing worse than being a greaser, and that was being black. My Father was white, and my Mother was black, leaving me in some kind of strange limbo. With my light caramel skin, hazel eyes and up turned nose I was usually mistaken for Spanish. My lush lips, and coarse black hair made most people wonder, but most never asked. My Dad was from Ireland, and there things had been different he'd told me he had married the woman he loved, and color had never mattered one way or another.
As the eldest child of three I found myself very protective of my others siblings, and the difficulties they encountered. Though I normally played by the rules, I'd been known in to get in to more than one fistfight defending my little sisters. Dillon, and Aidan were twins, just a year younger than me, and able to take care of them. It was Cadee I worried about the most, at just sixteen she was still naïve, and blind to the cruelty others were capable off. We'd all sheltered her, but we were close, and we'd always been taught to look out for each other. We'd moved here after dad had gotten sick from working in the coalmines. Taking a cut in pay we had all silently suffered the downgrade in lifestyle as Dad went to work for a local factory.
We'd been here for a few months, and mostly us O'Brien's kept to ourselves. I'd gotten a job at the local dinner to help out with the bills and to keep me busy when I wasn't in school. The boys left me alone after my brother's had come in a few times. They were huge towering over me at six feet, and a few shades darker, with angular faces, and greased up black hair that made them look tuff and hoodish. They'd taken to hanging around with some unsavory characters, but it was nothing worse than the Irish boys from our old neighborhood. Frowning as the white mustang continued to creep just a few feet away, I made a sharp turn, and cut through the park, breaking in to a run when I realized the car had come to a stop. Soc's in this neighborhood were never up to any good, and I didn't relish becoming their next victim. Swearing when I was brought down by what I swore was a flying tackle, I began to scream for all I was worth struggling against the heavily muscled arm pinning me down, and running over my body. Greasers stuck up for each other, most of them went around just spoiling for a fight, if there was anyone within hearing distance they would come.
"Get off me!" I yelled biting the hand that covered my mouth.
"Shut her up man." Said the leader, a blonde haired blue eyed all American type that made my skin crawl.
"You sure are pretty hazel eyes," He said making me gag as his friends held me down , covering my mouth as he ripped my shirt.
Kicking and wiggling for all I was worth I found myself dazed by the slap the heavy handed blonde laid across my face.
"Don't fight it baby, you'll love it I promise," He whispered making my eyes well with tears.
I was going to loose my virginity here on the playground by some blonde ass hole, while his friends held me down and watched. Chocking on my screams and tears as he slid a hand under my skirt I closed my eyes tight trying to disassociate myself from what was going on.
Darry's POV
Hearing the shrills screams of a female on the other side of the park I abandoned my swing and made my way over to the patch of wooded area. I couldn't' stomach a guy putting his hands on a woman, and I knew from the sounds this girl was making that whatever they were doing was not consensual. Seeing red at the sight of four Soc's holding down a small, decent looking greaser chic I grabbed two by their colors, landing a solid kick to the face of the boy attempting to unhook her bra. Sizing up the situation I swore as the Soc's took off now that were someone man enough to fight back. I would have enjoyed pounding their faces in, because there was something about this girl that made me think of Love. She wasn't dressed like most girls in these parts with her white skirt, and pale blue polo top, and she didn't look like any one I knew. She was gorgeous with coco colored skin, and wide hazel eyes. Her pulled from her face in a ponytail, but I could tell it was jet-black, and long.
"You okay?" I asked kneeling beside her as she clutched her shirt together in a fist, and shook refusing to meet my eyes.
"Its okay, I won't hurt you," I whispered trying to see just how much damage the boys had inflicted.
Sighing as she eyes me warily I slowly removed my jacket draping it around her smaller frame to block the cool wind.
"Come on, I live nearby I'll get you fixed up," I said surprised when she took the hand I offered, and let me help her stand.
"These your books?" I asked bending to pick up the scattered papers, and textbooks a few feet away.
Taking in her nod I raised an eyebrow impressed at the anatomy book I held in my hand.
"You must be pretty smart to be taking Anatomy," I said relieved when she smiled shyly and glanced at the ground.
It wasn't just the physical wounds I had been concerned with.
"I'm Darrell Curtis, but every one calls me Darry," I said feeling like I was in high school as we walked along, me carrying her books.
"Brigit O'Brien," She said smiling as my eyes widened. So I'd found myself an Irish Gal to tend to.
Brigit
I knew I was taking a risk heading home with a boy I barley knew, but I couldn't go home like this, and he had saved me. He seemed nice enough, not like most of the Greaser boys who would probably be propositioning me right now and talking dirty. Smiling gratefully as Darry continued to make one-sided small talk while I tried to get myself together I studied his face. Glory but he was handsome, with all that wheat colored hair, those eyes, and that body. Shaking myself mentally, I fought back the crush that had been forming, he might think I was exotic looking now, but when he found out why I looked this way, he wouldn't be caught dead with me, it was the way it always worked.
" I live with my two younger brothers Pony Body, and Soda Pop, and occasionally my sister Love, when she's not staying with her fiancée," He said rolling his eyes in a way that let me know he was a good older brother who loved his sister.
" Most of the time our friends hang around too, so let me go in first before you head in, I don't want you to be embarrassed or anything," He said making my face flame as I realized I must be quite a mess.
"Thank you for going through so much trouble Darry, I- I just can't go home right now, my brothers would kill someone, and I need to just … get my thoughts together you know?" I said sighing when he nodded his head in understanding. He dug okay.