At first I thought I was going back to the park. Back to where I thought it had all happened. I swallowed back my tears then but then it hit me just exactly where I was going. I was going to Two-Bit's house. Why go to his house I began thinking. I mean he wasn't there and I wanted to breathe but I didn't need to breathe, I needed to be around females.

My mom had been gone so long now, I needed to talk to someone other than my brothers or the guys, I had pretty much no girlfriends, and you know the closet thing to that I had when my mother was alive was her. But in truth I had someone else, someone I had never realized who either.

I smiled softly to myself. I wondered how Emily was going, ever since Ponyboy got moved up a year in school we basically never saw very much of little Emily Matthews. I used to babysit her with Two-Bit when she was a bit younger. Only it ended up the two of us babysitting him by the end of the day! I laughed to myself. Emily was younger than me but she was the closest person to me after my mother and I'd never realized it.

I shook my head and sighed. She probably wouldn't even really want to talk to me. I mean none of us had seen much of Two-Bit's sister recently, Two-Bit never really mentioned her, I wondered if she'd changed, or perhaps she missed us. I missed her. But why did it have to be something like this to make me realize this! Gosh I wish I wasn't so slow at all this, maybe if I'd realized this sooner things might've been a little bit better.

Soon I ended up outside the Matthews' house. I sighed to myself and looked up to the door. Better late than never I suppose. Taking a few slow steps to their front door I knocked on it and I heard a loud noise, as if a chair had come crashing down and pounding footsteps running to the door when it was thrown open.

I felt my mouth drop open slightly when I saw the girl standing in the doorway. Little Emily had grown up to say the least! It'd only been a year! Probably less! I laughed silently to myself, she even looked a lot more like Two-Bit now she was a bit older, but well they were related after all.

She amazingly was almost my height despite our ages and as soon as she recognized me you can bet her mouth dropped open and her blue eyes widened and she then let out a toothy grin before throwing her arms around me and hugging me tightly before squealing excitedly.

"Pixie!" Emily cried out happily stepping back slightly. "I haven't seen you in ages! Have you been busy?" She then demanded and I felt a bit guilty that I hadn't come sooner. "I have too," She said before I could answer and that made me feel slightly better. "How is everyone? I've missed seeing you all but life's been just so hectic you know," Emily was rambling on.

I laughed at her. "Gosh Em you still talk a lot don't you!"

Emily giggled and looked a bit pink before flashing me a smile. "What can I say it's definitely a Matthews' trait!" Emily laughed opening the door wider, "Oh Pixie come in, we have to talk! I imagine there's so much to talk about!"

"Mmm," I murmured with a smile stepping inside their house. "You heard about Pony and Johnnycakes?"

Emily nodded slightly and looked slightly bitter over it. "It's disgusting isn't it? I mean those two wouldn't touch no one and someone goes after the two that you know aren't like the others, like Tim Shepard or well you know Dally," Emily told me looking a bit pink saying Dally. "This is only from what I've heard," she said hurriedly as if to defend herself.

I raised my brows. "No it's pretty true Emily, don't freak or nothing now,"

Emily blushed slightly and shut the door behind me. I followed her into their lounge room and Emily flopped onto the couch so I sat next to her and gave her a sad smile and Emily nodded slightly and sighed.

"Been too long hasn't it?" Emily whispered pushing her hair out of her eyes. "Too much has changed too soon. It always happens to us doesn't it?"

By us I'm guessing she meant us as in all the greasers and I had to nod. Emily sighed again and I could see her eyes were tearful and she looked really angry and sad at the same time. I had a feeling then this girl talk wasn't going to be about me after all.

"Em what do you mean?" I asked her reaching for her hand.

Emily smiled at me almost gratefully. "Those socs, the ones that jumped Ponyboy and Johnny they called things out to me last week, it was so embarrassing," She told me her blue eyes looking tearful. "But I'm not like greaser girls! I've never even had my first kiss! Why can they get away with those sorts of things? It's not fair, it's not nice."

"I know," I whispered squeezing Emily's hand. "I know it's not but we have to be tough and ignore it all, it doesn't matter as long as who count knows it not true. I know it's not true, our gang knows it's not true, your brother and your mom knows it's not true." I told her reaching my other hand up to wipe up her tears. "Emily the socs will get what they deserve one day, don't worry about that."

Emily nodded and sniffed slightly. "I don't want revenge Pixie, it's just I don't like being told I'm like that. I was so embarrassed."

"Em don't worry," I whispered feeling my own eyes fill with tears. "Oh gosh you've got me crying," I said laughing slightly fanning myself with my hand. "Gosh Emily!"

Emily giggled slightly and smiled wiping her own eyes with the back of her hand. "Oh Pixie thanks."

"No thank you," I grinned swallowing back my own tears and smiling at her. "Oh Emily it's really been too long since we've had girl talk hasn't it? When was the last time you saw the gang hon?" I demanded. "You still belong even if you luckily aren't stuck with Ponyboy any more."

Emily laughed at me. "Nice sister you are!"

"Just don't tell him," I giggled.

Emily smirked. "Sure. And it has been too long. Ohh Pixie you're almost seventeen!"

"I know, I'm getting old," I said with a wry smile. "So are you little Miss Fourteen."

"I know!" Emily moaned pulling a face. "I'll be all old and wrinkly like you soon!"

"Thanks!" I cried out swatting her.

"Well it's true," Emily giggled poking her tongue out at me. "Anyway moldy oldie what brings you 'round anyway? Not that I'm complaining, I was all on my lonesome anyway." Emily said pulling a face.

"Aw," I said pulling a face with her and she laughed and hit me.

"Don't mock me!"

I giggled at her. "Okay." Emily gave me a smile and shook her head I just grinned. "Anyway why I'm here?" I asked her and she nodded at me. "I dunno. I just wanted to get out, get away from the guys," I told Emily rolling my eyes. "Too much is going on you know? Just need some me time, now it looks like girl time."

Emily laughed. "True."

Smiling at Emily I yawned slightly and stretched out my legs. Seeing me yawn Emily then yawned and giggled slightly, I don't know what was funny but it set me off too. We started laughing over the stupidest things too. A song on the radio, the chair, the one which had indeed fallen over, lying there on the ground, even just at each other. It was the best fun I can tell you I have had in quite awhile.

"Pixie," Emily coughed out still giggling. "Pix won't your brothers be worried?" she asked me taking a deep breath and wiping her eyes.

I stopped laughing suddenly and froze. "Oh my god I kinda forgot about that," I said feeling my face burn. "I am so dead."

"What if you stay the night?" Emily suggested looking up to a clock on the wall. "I mean it's about eight now, its not that late and all to go home but you know if you want you can stay," Emily offered looking a bit embarrassed when I just kind of stared at her. "You don't have to; I know it's childish…" Emily trailed off blushing.

I shook my head and gave her a grin. "No way Em it sounds fun!" I said enthusiastically. "Its just I've never you know slept over anyone's before! Well not like a sleepover, wow this'll be cool!" I giggled slightly.

Emily laughed at me. "You sound like a giddy little school girl!" she teased with that familiar Matthews twinkle in her eye. "I'll call Two-Bit to tell him to go bug off for the night, he's at yours isn't he?"

"Uh huh," I nodded yawning again, "Want me to just call?"

"Nah its okay," Emily shrugged, "I'll just tell Two-Bit then you can talk to your brothers."

I nodded in agreement and watched Emily cross the room to pick up the phone. I watched her dial in some numbers, presumably my phone number and she curled the cord around her finger, it looked so cute as she did that! I thought to myself with a smile. You know she really could have been a soc if she was born in a different family, I thought looking her over, Emily sure was pretty and she had that sort of attitude socs have, only Em's a greaser and probably always will be. Luck of the draw I suppose, I sighed, she deserved better. Hell we all did. And there was no denying that.