NINE

"I'm pregnant."

Two-Bit's mouth hung open.

Everything was silent. After an hour of noise so loud, it seemed like you could hear a pin drop. Dally's head dropped in shame and defeat. All eyes were on him.

After what seemed like hours of silence, there was a quiet voice. "W-what?" It was Cora Lee.

"You heard me, I'm pregnant," Liz answered while rolling her eyes. It honestly seemed like she didn't care one bit. "And Dally's the father."

Steve reached over, and shut Two-Bit's mouth for him. It was still hanging open.

Dallas finally looked up. His eyes were burning with so much hate. Why didn't he want anyone to find out? He started towards Liz. Thankfully, Steve and Two-Bit were there, and he knew that if they held him back, he wouldn't be able to get to her. He would have to deal with her later. He looked down again, as if thinking something. Then out of nowhere, he took off like the devil was after him. He ran down the street as fast as he could.

No one was too surprised. Dallas never liked to deal with his problems. He preferred running away from them and dealing with them when they got really big. That was the reason behind most of the fights he got into.

Liz was still leaning against the porch. "Well, if there's nothing to do here, I'm going to go hunt some action." She started walking away.

"Wait! Come inside for a while first," Roma shouted. Everyone wanted to know more, and since Dally had run off, she wasn't going to let Liz go until she had enough information.

Liz gave her a strange look. "Might as well," she answered after popping a bubble.

Everyone went inside and sat down. Liz sat right in the middle of the sofa. Roma wondered how she could even bend over in pants that tight. Everyone was so uncomfortable, and in shock, that they had no clue who was going to start talking.

After a couple of minutes, Steve spoke up. "Uhh, when did you find out?" he asked nervously.

"Last week," Liz answered in a bored tone.

"How come Dal didn't want us to find out?" Johnny asked quietly.

"How would I know? Do I live in his head? And besides if all anyone wants to do is talk about that selfish, ignorant son of a b-tch, I'm leaving." With that, she got up, and left through the back door.

"Whoaa, anger management issues," Two-Bit spoke what everyone felt.

"Yeah, we should go now," Ash said. "Let's go back to my house."

"Good idea," said Cora Lee.

"I'm going to stay here for a while," Roma mentioned as the gang left. They shut the door, and Roma breathed a sigh of relief. It was easier to think when she was alone.

She decided to go and get some fresh air in the backyard. As she walked out the door, there was Liz, smoking a cigarette. So she hadn't left after all. Roma began walking towards her.

"Smoking isn't very good for the baby, you know," Roma said as she approached Liz.

"Whatever, I know. But I need one," she snapped back.

"You don't need one."

"Trust me, you would too, if you were in my place. But of course, you never could be like me, goody two-shoes," Liz defended.

Roma tried her best to ignore the goody-two-shoes comment for the second time. "You know you have two lives to take care of now, not just your own," she said.

"I know, I know. I'm really stressed out right now. I swear I'll quit soon. I can barely take care of myself, how am I supposed to take a care of a kid?"

In that moment, Roma realized that with Liz as a mother, and Dallas as a father, the rest of the gang would be the ones taking care of this child. Their lives would change a lot.

Liz spit out her gum. "First, my Mom walks out on me and my Dad. Then, I find Dallas. Sometimes he makes me so miserable, and sometimes I think I can't live without him. My Dad goes crazy, so basically, I don't have a home. Now with this whole mess, what am I supposed to do? I can't be a mother! I'm not responsible, I don't make good choices, and I can't support someone else, when I can't even support myself. After I got fired from the Dingo, I don't even have a job anymore. Then, two weeks ago, I get a letter from my mom after a whole year saying she wants me to come live with her in California. I thought that would be my escape. But with this mess, I don't even have that option anymore. I couldn't ever raise this baby by myself. I don't know what I'm going to do. I don't have control over my own life, how could I possibly control another person's?"

Roma listened carefully. A black tear was rolling down Liz's cheek. She wiped it away hastily. For the first time, Roma was seeing her as a real person with feelings.

"Don't think we're going to let you go through this by yourself. The rest of us are, and will be here for you when you need us."

Then, Liz smiled. A real, genuine smile. She leaned over, and hugged Roma for a long time. OR at least, that's what it felt like.

"You aren't alone in this world," Roma whispered.

"That's all I've been wanting to hear for the longest time."