Yay, five reviews! That's pretty good, compared to how many reveiws Intermission got on the first chapter... zilch, if I remember correctly. I think that's what happens when one conspires to create a story shorter than a 'See Spot Run' book.

Know what's a creepy movie? The 1989 version of Phantom of the Opera. Gotta love Robert Englund, man. Freddy Krueger forever. Although, admittedly, during 'Freddy Vs. Jason' I was actually rooting for Jason. Wow, this is off topic. Maybe I'll just shut up and write.

BTW- This chapter alternates between Naomi and Sandy's POVs. And Darry's at college...because he deserves it, but mainly for the sake of my plot.

Naomi

I spent the rest of the afternoon in some sort of emotional turmoil.

I took it out on pillows, a lamp, my wall... nothing seemed to help. And now I have to look at a dented lampshade, and be reminded why I put it there.

The main thing on my mind was the question, "How could I have been so stupid?"

I was gone for not five months, and he managed to get married! And he had a baby, too! My God, that means she was pregnant in... what, September? October? Before I even knew him! And then she left, and he moved on pretty damn fast.

Dear lord, was he one of those guys that pretended to be nice just to score with girls? He couldn't be. It wasn't possible. I mean, nothing at all really pointed to that. No, that was a stupid idea. I wasn't sure how I even thought of it. It was the trauma, and the heat of the moment, and I didn't mean it. I didn't believe that. It wasn't possible. It wasn't possible at all.

My God, it was so possible.

No it wasn't.

But it is.

But I know it's not.

But he could be.

He definately doesn't... and probably didn't... care for me. How much could he care for poor Sandy, to try and get with another girl, while she's worrying about how to raise her child alone! What kind of person was he? Glory, I was mad at him!

My God, I hate him! I fumed to myself, then, shaking my head, corrected myself.

"My God, I love him!"

Sandy

"What did you say to her?"

I looked up innocently, to see my darling brother in law staring at me accusingly.

"Honey, I didn't say anything to her. She just got mad-"

"Do you know who she is?"

"Yes, she's Naomi Sterling. One of your friends."

"One of my friends? She was one of Sodapop's friends, too. And he wanted her to be his girlfriend, but she kept saying no."

"Exactly. She missed her chance with him. Isn't it time for her to move on? Honey, you know I can't ecourage this kind of behavior, I'm supposed to be parental figure-"

"Some parental figure," he hissed, "you shouldn't even be a parent!"

"Pony, what's wrong? We used to get along so well, I don't understand-"

"You've ruined everything, can't you see? That baby-" He guestered at Marie, "I don't know who her father is, but it's not my brother. And I ain't blaming her, either," He kept his eyes level with me, "And Soda got a chance to be happy with Naomi, without having to worry about a baby when he's eighteen!"

"Honey, this wasn't our choice-"

"It wasn't Sodapop's choice, of course not! I don't think he wanted his girlfriend to cheat on him!" He yelled, his eyes blazing with anger. I was getting fed up, too.

"You want him to come back and find us fighting again?" I asked, my voice rising, "I told you, we have to make this work! We have to make things easier for him!"

"You what would make things easier forhim? If you'd let him be with the girl he wants to, and leave us alone!"

Before I knew what happened, I'd hit him. Not slapped him, like so many people would judge me to do when they first saw me and took in my appearance, I actually punched him, square in the face. Hey, prior to parenthood, I was a greaser girl. I picked up some habits.

"Maybe you'd leave us alone, if you want him to be happy."

"I'd never leave my brother alone," He said, a bit breathlessly, a bruise forming on his cheek, "With some sleezy broad like you."

"You want me to hit you again?"

"Hit me again? You didn't do anything the first time."

"You're bruised."

"Am I? I guess I don't feel it. You're losing your touch. Maybe being pregnant with someone else's baby made you lose that greaser girl punch." He might have sensed I was about to try and prove him wrong, so he added, "And I don't think Soda would like to hear that you keep on hitting me."

"You wouldn't tell him."

"I'm going to."

"Do it, then," I said, trying not to sound scared, "See if I care. He won't believe you."

"He'll believe me before he'll believe you. I've never lied to him."

I closed my eyes. I should never have left Tulsa last September

Naomi

I'd run out of anger, and I was lying on my bed, wondering why tears never came. I was beyond, I guess. I'd have to confront him eventually... wouldn't that be fun... and I knew I'd lose my cool. Again.

I find I get lost for words around you, overwhelmed by your presence

The worst part about my outburst-"I never got your fucking letter! You could have answered mine..." was that I was sure he'd written a letter. I was positive. And I knew it was my mom who stopped it.

I feel the same, I hear the words you won't say, echo through your eyes, nothing more for me to say

And so, on my Mom's word, my entire relationship, which was already fragile enough, crashed. Silence had, unlike the old saying, weakened anything we had and ruined it...

Silence understand some things, what it meant to be, will be

Well damn.

Sometimes it's the words we don't say that get in the way, time will break down the walls that we've built between us

But I knew what I had to do. I had to force the confrontation that I had been dreading. I wasn't going to let more silence ruin any hope that hadn't already been ruined by Sandy and Marie. I was going to go and talk to him. Like I should have done today.

I won't ever be speechless