Where Have You Been All My Life?
AN: Here's chapter 10. Just to warn you all, there will only be one chapter after this. And then it's over. .:sniffle:. Yes, this story is coming to an end, but it will be missed... by me, at least. In the last chapter, we will FINALLY find out who Ann is meant to be with. Please tell me who you think she should end up with in and why. I'd really like to know. I'm still debating who she will end up with, so maybe one of you can pull me towards one of the guys.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Outsiders... DUH! lol.
Can't Live Without You
Ann had spent all of her last week in Tulsa with the gang and the Shepards. They never really talked about Ann leaving, they just tried to have as much fun as possible and make Ann smile and laugh. Ann did smile and laugh, but inside she was hurt. She was leaving everything, her new life, to go to New York and live with Todd and his family. Ann couldn't bare leaving everybody behind.
The morning of the day that Ann was due to leave had arrived. Ann woke up and hugged Curly's sleeping body. It was killing her that after she had just been reunited with her soul mate, she was about to be forced to leave him, and all the others, behind. She might never see any of them ever again. This thought made her even more depressed. She felt tears freely fall from her eyes. She didn't make a sound, she just laid there in bed and hugged Curly's still sleeping body. She kissed his bare shoulder and thought about all the memories she had with Curly, Tim, and Angela.
Then she started thinking about how that day, when her parents died, had been the worst and best day of her life. She had lost everything. Her clothes, her belongings, and the two people who raised her from the beginning. Even if her parents were not as loving as they had been in Ann's early childhood, she still loved them. They taught her to love, to cherish what she had, and to always, no matter what, love her family. Her parents had gone against everything that they had taught Ann, when Uncle Ed died, but that just meant that they hadn't been strong enough. They weren't strong enough to stick by what they lived for, and they slowly started to die. They had died before that day Ann's house burned down. They died years before that. They were gone that day the phone rang and they found out their brother and best friend, had been killed.
But on that day when Ann had lost her life, she was given a second chance. She didn't just fade away like her parents. She started over in life, with help from Ponyboy, Johnny, Darry, Sodapop, Steve, Two-Bit, and Dallas. They helped her get on with life. They helped her live. Whether they knew it or not, those greaser boys helped show Ann that live was worth living, no matter how horroble it seemed at times. Ann didn't think that she could have ever made it without their help. Ann liked her new life. It was filled with more happiness, more joy. More love. She couldn't just leave all of that behind to go live a life that was not hers.
Later that day, around 1:00 that afternoon, it was time for Ann to go. All the guys were there to say good bye. Well, Dally wasn't there yet, but the guys said he would come. They, one by one, came up to Ann and gave her a hug.
"You stay out of trouble in New York. And stay in school," Darry told her, as he bent down to hug her.
She laughed and said, "Don't worry, Darr, I will."
Next, Steve gave her a brief hug and said, "One day, when you have a real tuff car, come back here and show it off to all of us greasers."
"Oh, I will. Don't you worry about that," Ann said with a confident smile. Sodapop came over next.
"I'll miss you, Ann. I'll miss you're big, bright smile. Don't ever lose that smile," he said as he gave her a bear hug.
Ann felt the tears coming once again, "I'll miss you too. Never stop being happy. Stay happy forever and ever, no matter what. You just aren't Soda without being happy."
Two-Bit threw his arms around Ann and said, "I wish you didn't have to leave. I'm gunna miss joking around with you all the time. It's gunna feel kinda wierd with you gone. It'll me like a part of us is missing."
"I'll never ever forget you Two-Bit Matthews. You are one of a kind. I will never ever meet anyone remotely close to being like you."
Ponyboy came over and hugged Ann, "I'll miss you. I'll never forget that first day, when Johnny and I found you. That day changed all our lives."
"I'll never froget that day either. It was one of the best days of my life. You two saved me that day, and I'll never forget that."
Johnny came over and shyly said, "You've been through a lot, but now you get to be with your brother, so you'll be okay now. He'll take care of you. You belong with him."
Ann hugged him tightly and said, "Oh Johnny, I belong right here. I belong in Tulsa with you guys. You guys are my life, and I feel broken having to leave all of you. I'll never feel the same."
Tim came to Ann next and gave her a big hug, "I'm gunna miss ya, Little Ann. You better came and visit us."
"I'll miss you too, Tim. You were always like another big brother to me."
Angela came over and said, "Well, I guess I won't be seeing you around much anymore."
"No you won't. You win Angie," Ann told her, patting her back, "And it sure took ya long enough."
Angela glared at Ann, but said no more. It was now time to say good bye to Curly.
"You are my best friend, Curly. You mean the world to me. You've always been there for me, and I don't know what I'll do without you."
Curly hugged her tightly and said, "You're everything to me Ann. We grew up together. We did everything together. I don't want you to leave. We'll never be the same as we used to if you leave. It's just too much time apart. I can't stand having to watch you leave like this. You should stay here with us. You can't go."
Ann held on to Curly for a long time. Todd cleared his throat and that meant it was time to go. Ann took another look at the guys. Dallas hadn't showed up. He would never say good bye to Ann. Maybe that would be better, like there was no good bye and Ann never left.
Ann smiled and wiped away her tears, "You guys are my world. You guys are what I live for. You helped me so much when I was left with nothing. I love you all. I could never possably forget any of you. I will miss you more than anything. It's so so hard for me to just leave..."
All of them came to Ann and they had a group hug. Almost everyone now had shiny eyes and quivering lips. Tim was now going to drive them to the train station. Tim and Todd got in the front of teh car, and Ann sat in the back. She looked out of the rear window and watched the gang. They all stayed in their spots and watched her go. The distance between them slowly grew. Ann was about to turn away, but then she saw...
AN: OMG! CLIFFY! Next chapter is the end! Then it will all be over... Review! Oh.. And I didn't get 5 reviews for the last chapter, but I hope I'll get at least 4 reviews this time. Come on people, REVIEW! Or else the ending will suck ass.
