--------------------------------C h a p t e r T w e n t y -----------------------------------

"C'mon, Pixie." Two-Bit whispered to me in the morning as soon as I entered my bedroom, after showering and changing for school.

My hand clutched to my heart I shut my door with a bang, as I'd hit it in surprise and I gawked at him. "Why are you in my room?" I hissed to him, breathing heavily as if I'd run a race of some sort. "Why aren't you downstairs stuffing your face?"

"Because I didn't much wanna talk to your brothers," Two-Bit shrugged staring at my wet hair. "So I snuck up here, were you in the shower or something?"

"I don't want to know what's in your mind," I snapped to him as I grabbed my shoes and yanked them onto my feet, "So how do you plan to get out of my room without Darry seeing you and saying something?"

"You have a window, I'll meet you outside, I've got my car today."

"The brakes?" I sighed as I pushed my wet hair out of my face.

"Are fixed." He supplied opening my window, "Hurry up."

"You too," I said sarcastically, closing the window as soon as he'd left.

Rolling my eyes to myself I grabbed my small shoulder bag and shoved my schoolbooks that I'd taken home in it. Opening my door I shut it quickly and jogged down the stairs, grabbing a piece of toast off of Darry's plate, and told him I had to hurry off as I had to visit my locker before school started. Whether or not he believed me I never did find out because I was out of that door and in Two-Bit's car in a flash.

"Hi," said Two-Bit, kissing my cheek as I closed the door. "I wanted to tell you first that he came around last night and Mom told him to clear off or she'll call the cops. I don't reckon he listened but if he has it's all over, right?"

I shrugged slightly. "Maybe, but I think it'll take a hell of a lot more than that to get to clear off, how'd your mom handle it though? I mean, was she upset or anything?"

"A bit," Two-Bit said slowly, pulling into a street just off our high school. "She wasn't that angry or nothin', she was kinda calm but I think if he touched her she woulda lost it. Mind you, I would've if he did. He ain't coming near my mom or my sister ever again without getting hurt, I swear I will, Pixie." He vowed to me seriously as he pulled into a car park and turned to me. "I'm serious this time, if he comes near either of them, I'll kill him."

"Don't, I don't want you in the cooler," I said worriedly, facing him.

"If he touches you I will too." He added as an afterthought. "Pixie, he ruined my ma, he can't get free for that. You've seen how much she has to work now he's left, she's a mess."

"She wouldn't want you to get hurt though." I told him softly. "She sure hates him but that's what the fuzz is for, leave it to them. Please, Two-Bit." I begged him.

Two-Bit's eyes met mine, he seemed to be thinking this over because he shrugged slightly. Not willing to commit himself to an answer. This made me sigh in annoyance and I turned away from him and stared out the window, it wasn't even that light yet and we had ages until the bell actually rang. I felt a hand on my shoulder but I shrugged it off and I heard him groan almost.

"Pixie, if it makes you happy I'll try not to," said Two-Bit, but it was so casual I know he didn't exactly mean it. He only meant he wouldn't do it if I was there, if I wasn't he would. I know him too well. "Pixiedust, aw don't be mad!"

"I'm not!" I said turning around and looking at him miserably. "I just can't believe your dad is back and Emily went through all of that and didn't think we'd all care enough to know! I feel like I've totally failed or something, its like she can't trust any of us! She doesn't even like that stupid Tom and she told him," I grumbled.

"If it makes you feel the slightest bit better she told nothing to me, and I'm meant to be her brother." Two-Bit said, I think he was trying to sound like she admired him but we both knew better. "Besides, that kid is going to go out of her life as fast as he appeared once my dad has left and you won't be leaving."

I gave him a halfhearted smile but said nothing. I stared down at my hands, clasping them together that they were starting to lose the feeling in some of my fingers. The car was filled with such silence that I could hear the humming of his car engine, something that had yet to be turned off. I even heard his deep breathing next to me, and I could feel the rhythm of my heart beating in my chest, and the way it moved up and down with every breath I took. It would've been almost deadly silent until I sneezed and Two-Bit spoke.

"I really don't want him around again."

I wrinkled my nose, holding in another sneeze but he barely noticed as he continued. Staring out at the dew on the grass of our schools front lawns.

"I know I'd never tell it to your brothers, or Steve or Dally and Johnny if they were here but I guess I can tell you. You wouldn't tell me I was going soft or nothin' because you're you. But Pixie, if he comes back we're ruined." Said Two-Bit, he sounded half-desperate as he looked at me. "Emily's a messed up little kid as it is and hell I know I'm not getting out of here and my sister has a very little chance but if he comes back I know we won't. Mom'll fall for him again and we're dead. Literally, he'll kill us slowly. He'll kill them."

I'd never heard him speak with so much emotion before, unless of course he was very drunk when he didn't know what he meant or very angry, when it was mainly full of very spiteful, vulgar sentences at whoever it was that angered him. I gulped, but he never heard, as I watched his eyes spark with this sort of angry sadness. Two-Bit's one of those people that very rarely have much more than one side to them, they're very two-dimensional. Then here they are surprising you with emotion and I guess you forget that there's more to them than they like to tell you, because if you're a guy, particularly a grease, and you show feeling it just isn't normal. But I don't like normal and I feel almost stupid looking at him now to have not realized he must have always felt these things. I hate not looking past the stereotype; it makes you feel as guilty as hell.

"He won't come back," I finally uttered out to him, but I couldn't touch him yet. It was like pouring salt in a wound; I didn't want him to think he was weak. You know what guys are like. "I know he won't, he can't come back, Keith. If he does then we'll figure something out, but I have a lot of faith in your mother to know she won't do that. Emily wouldn't want him back either, if he does she won't stay. I swear to God she'd run away."

Two-Bit nodded and sighed. "I know. It'd make it even worse I guess,"

"Yeah,"

"Did you call me Keith?"

I flushed as I thought back to it. "I might've,"

"Just curious." He said as he finally turned the engine off, about time. "You're a best friend, y'know that, right? Dally was a great buddy before but you're a lot more real. You've got a heart."

I gave him an odd look when he said that. "I don't think anyone's given me such a high compliment before, thank you." I told him as I bent forward and kissed his cheek. "I told Darry I had to use my locker and to be honest, it wasn't much of a lie. I'll see you at lunch."

I gave him one last look before I got out of the car and hoisted my bag onto my shoulder. I waved at him and he gave me a sad looking smile before he got a thoughtful look washing over him again. Shaking my head I chuckled to myself and jogged across the road and over to the school. I think it was like a weight had been lifted off my chest as I felt this weird emotion overcome me.

Maybe Mr. Matthews hadn't left yet but it was nice to know somehow that it showed my boyfriend had sides to him even I hadn't seen before. Even if it did happen because of something awful it gave me a feeling inside, a good one, a really good one.