Author's Note: I adopted this story from taylor519 (user id 2770779). She wrote chapters 1-8, which I uploaded for consistency. I wrote chapter 9 and will be writing from here on out. Check out her other stories!
Disclaimer: I do not own The Outsiders.
Heavy clouds covering the sky kept the mood as gloomy as it should be. Thankfully, it had not rained, which was good for the few people who decided to show up. A small, simple casket was sitting on the ground with a priest beside it saying a few words no one was really listening to. The whole thing was as cheap as it could be. There was no big ceremony or gathering afterwards. Only the burial. They couldn't afford any more.
A young woman stood amongst the crowd, her face turned downwards. She fiddled sub-consciously with the little black button on the purse she clutched to her. She tried her best to focus her mind on the prayers being said by the priest and not on the boy staring at his mother's coffin. She should be upset about her aunt's death, should be crying or mourning in some way. Yet, she didn't. She couldn't bring herself to even feel the loss. She had hardly known her aunt and, if she were being completely honest with herself, she had shown up that day for the boy who lost his mother. But she wasn't being honest with herself. Instead she convinced herself the reason she had to go was because it was the right thing to do.
The wind blew hard and her hair fluttered into her face. She pushed it back, cursing herself for not putting it up. It was thick and curly and always in her way. Her black dress hung just below her knees, flowing against her legs while the rest of it clung to her body. She had thought she would be under-dressed but was surprised when she got there to realize she had been wrong. The few people there were not dressed up as well as they should have been but, to be fair, not many of them really knew her aunt.
She sighed as the priest closed his book and crossed himself causing many people in the crowd to follow suit.
She wanted to go talk to him but didn't know what she would say. He probably didn't remember her. They were little the last time they saw each other.
As the group of people began to disperse, she couldn't move. They rushed to get to their cars, feeling the storm coming in and knowing they had things to do. She didn't care if it began to pour right then, she had to talk to him. She just needed to take the time to think of what to say.
Johnny stood, staring at his mother's coffin. She was dead, really gone forever. He was supposed to be broken, lost, missing her. But he only felt confused. His whole life he had feared and hated that woman, even as he had loved her and now that she was dead, he had no idea whathe was feeling.
So he stared at the coffin, wishing everyone would just leave so he could try to figure it out without everyone's eyes on him.
Ponyboy stood near him but didn't say a word. He was grateful. When the gang found out about her death they were a group of mixed emotions. Mostly they didn't know what to do or say, like him. Dallas had all but thrown a party, which was disrespectful, but Johnny didn't blame him. That's just how Dally felt. Steve had stayed quiet, but everyone could see the smile that played on his lips. In their mind, Johnny was free of her - one down, one to go.
But Johnny didn't feel that way, he hated her and she made his life miserable but he never once wished her dead. Two-Bit had, for once, kept his mouth shut, unsure of what to say. Soda, Darry, and Ponyboy had been the most understanding, having lost parents themselves, they could only kind of relate. His situation was way more messed up than theirs. They still offered him comfort if he needed it and, as usual, their couch. He swore if he were to one day announce he was moving in there, they wouldn't even blink an eye. That was just how they were, more generous than anyone he'd ever met.
He had asked Ponyboy to come with him, not wanting anyone else there. He needed someone there who wouldn't say anything unless Johnny wanted him to, someone who could leave him alone and comfort him at the same time. That's why Pony was such a good friend.
"C'mon, boy!" Johnny's father grunted from behind him, giving him a hard shove to get his attention.
Johnny shut his eyes tight, wishing he would just go away. He knew he shouldn't have been surprised at the way his old man didn't seem to mind that his mother was dead, but he was. They were married for god's sake! She was his wife and he didn't give a damn about her being gone. Just when Johnny thought the man couldn't be more heart-less, he was.
"Not yet," Johnny spoke quietly, trying not to piss his dad off. The last thing he wanted was a public scene. He remembered all too clearly the fear on Ponyboy's face the last time he had seen his old man beat him.
"What was that?" his father demanded, his voice rising.
Johnny looked around again, noticing that almost everyone was gone. Other than Ponyboy, the only person left was a girl, standing on the other side of his mother's coffin. She watched; a frightened but knowing look on her face.
He had noticed her when she arrived, mostly because she looked so out-of-place, dressed up all nice when everyone else chose to just wear jeans. He didn't know who she was or how she knew his mother. She was pretty and clearly had more money than them, not Soc-money, but enough that she could afford that dress.
"I'll find a way home later," Johnny's quiet voice came again.
His father didn't hesitate to grab his arm and yank him around to face him. Johnny hadn't even let out a squeal; instead he let his father force his body around.
The girl couldn't advert her eyes as she watched her Uncle Jim's hand come up, Johnny's small form stiffening slightly but not moving to escape.
"You talking back to me?" Jim threatened.
But before Johnny could let out the defeated 'no' that was on his lips, Uncle Jim's hand smashed down onto his face.
The girl jumped at the sound and force on the impact, but Johnny didn't even let out a sound. Ponyboy backed up; wishing he could do something but knowing it would only make things worse. They both stood stiff and alarmed as another punch came down. Neither of them could stop watching. It was like some horribly real horror movie.
Johnny didn't dare fight back; he had stopped trying a long, long, time ago. All he could do was wait for it to be over and hope watching it wouldn't scar Ponyboy and that girl for life.
Her mouth was dry and hands clammy. Stop, just stop it already! She wanted to yell but no words would leave her mouth. She remembered it all too clearly from her childhood. The beatings, the pain. But she wasn't a kid anymore. She couldn't just stand there and watch, could she?
Her mind raced and she didn't think about what she was doing before she did it.
Her hands shook as she practically ripped the button off her purse to get it open. She reached in and took out the small, feminine handgun. One of the few perks of coming from an abusive home: she was on edge enough to always carry some kind of protection with her.
She walked quickly around the coffin and as close to her Uncle Jim as she could without being within swinging distance. Ponyboy seemed to notice what she was doing and wanted to tell her not to but his voice wouldn't work.
"Stop!" she shouted, the gun pointed straight at the large man's head.
He froze, dropping Johnny to the ground and staring at her. His angry eyes were wide with surprise.
She was proud of the way she willed her hands to stop shaking, and hoped she appeared to be calm, even though everything inside her was screaming and twisting up.
"Johnny, get up," she clipped every word short so that her voice wouldn't break and give away how scared she really was.
Johnny was shocked to know she knew his name, but he did as she said anyways, the woman was holding a gun.
She wrapped her hand around his wrist not taking her eyes off of his father and gently tugged him towards her. He got the message and went to stand next to her. Ponyboy was behind them, watching in fear and wondering, like everyone else, who she was.
"The hell do you think you are?" Jim shouted at her, clearly angrier than he was afraid. She could smell the bitter alcohol on his breath and involuntarily wrinkled her nose.
"Uncle Jim, I ain't a kid no more. I'm all grown and I'm not going to stand by and watch that happen." She tried to keep her voice even but could hear it shaking. She just hoped no one noticed it. "Now you just turn yourself around and get out of here."
Even though he was drunk and angry, he still thought it best to do as she asked and turned, swaggering away but not before giving Johnny an angry glare. The girl instinctively took a step in front of Johnny, knowing the gun would discourage any violent thoughts her Uncle Jim had.
She kept the gun pointed in that direction until he was in his dingy little car and pulling away. Finally, she let out a breath of relief and turned to look at Johnny and the boy who had not booked it out of there like he should have.
The three of them stood there quietly. Not sure what to say. She tucked the gun into her purse carefully, buttoning it back up with shaking hands. She was still trying to calm her racing heartbeat when Ponyboy spoke up.
"So, you guys are cousins then?" he asked timidly.
The girl smiled at him, glad he broke the silence. "Yeah," she answered, giving him another nervous smile. "Johnny," she spoke his name to get his attention. His eyes had been planted firmly on the ground. "Do you remember me at all?" she asked, already knowing his answer.
He shook his head no.
"My name's Emma Leah, I didn't think you'd remember me, I haven't seen you since you were really little."
He finally looked at her. She grinned at the fact that his brown eyes were still as big they were when he was four.
"You didn't have to do that, you know." His voice was as quiet as always, and she wondered if that was as loud as it would go.
"I couldn't just stand there and watch," she told him.
What she had done suddenly became clear to her as she realized he would now have to go home to that man. Well, maybe not now, but sometime. Then his dad would really let loose on him. Johnny and Ponyboy already knew this, but neither would say it.
"Um, this is Ponyboy," Johnny spoke up, breaking the awkward silence that had set again on them.
Emma Leah gave him a friendly smile but quickly turned back to Johnny, not ready for the change of subject yet.
"Is he going to be mad when you get home?" She bit her lip imagining the worst.
Johnny shrugged, not wanting to think about what was waiting for him and not wanting to make her feel bad. But she could see through is non-chillness and shook her head, trying to think of how to fix it.
The last thing she wanted was for him to get hit again. His face was already swollen and his lip bleeding. She hated seeing him like that. Even though she hadn't seen him in years, he was still her family and just about the best family she had. He may not remember her, but she remembered playing with him when she was little, thinking he was the most amazing kid in the world because he was the only kid she was friends with and the only kid she could talk to and the only kid who knew what her home life was like.
"Don't go home then," she suggested, knowing it sounded crazy.
Ponyboy looked at her like she was crazy but Johnny only looked understanding. She knew he had thought of that option before, just as she had many times when she still lived with her parents.
"I have to," he told her.
"No. No, you don't." She paused, wondering if she should suggest what she was thinking. "Come live with me..." she said before she could decide if it was a good idea or not.
"Huh?" he asked, trying to figure out if she was being legit.
Johnny didn't even know this girl. She came out of nowhere and tells him she's his cousin and he should go live with her. He had to admit though, it sounded like a great idea. Heck, compared to going home, anything sounded like a better idea.
"Well I just got this apartment about a month ago. It really isn't much but there's an extra room and you are family." The more she talked the better the idea sounded.
"I really couldn't." He didn't want to mooch off her any more than he wanted to mooch off the Curtis', "I hardly know you."
"So? Get to know me!" She surprised herself with her persistence. "We're family! I'm not going to just leave you out on the streets. Besides, your just about the only family I got left and I don't like staying at that place alone anyways. Plus, I just moved here and don't know anyone so it would be nice to have someone around to show me around and stuff." She knew she was rambling and shut her mouth but the more she talked the more reasons for him to come stay with her there were.
Johnny still wasn't too sure about it though, so she continued, "Why don't you just come stay for the night then and you can leave if you want to tomorrow?"
It really hadn't been her plan to have him come live with her. Heck, just minutes ago she was wondering if she should even go talk to him but now that she thought of it, she wasn't going back. Her gut was telling her to keep going and she liked to do what her gut said.
"Okay," Johnny finally agreed, "might as well."
Emma Leah beamed a bright smile at him.