Okay, let's see if I can't actually get the plot moving here, shall we?

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Heather didn't say much for the rest of the night, just enough to help me with my math and history and to say goodbye around nine. Darry agreed to let her stay for dinner, after she convinced him her dad wouldn't mind her coming home late.

I doubted that. Even more so when she showed up at school the next day, looking more worn out than before, a few bruises visible from under the sleeves of her white sweater. But she acted the same as ever, so I tried to do the same, even though the dark painful splotches on her pale skin were hard to ignore.

She came over every day to help me with homework. The gang got used to her being around, and often asked her to sit down on the couch with them for some Mickey Mouse episodes and chocolate cake. They all liked being with her, even Steve. Steve! Who would have thought? It blew me away.

Hell, she blew me away.

There were a lot of nights where I couldn't sleep, I just kept thinking about her. Her smile, her laugh, her eyes. Glory, she had pretty eyes. I wondered what would have happened to me if she never said hello that first day. I'd still be failing school, I knew that. I'd still be forgetting everything (I was getting a lot better remembering), but most of all I knew I'd probably be… alone. I mean, I'd have the gang, but with Johnny gone, I'd have no one I could really talk to, no one who understood my books and sunsets.

But Heather was everything. She got me back on track after everything that had happened. She was there when I needed her. Eager to help, eager to listen.

She was an angel. My angel.

But I couldn't help but think… could she possibly feel the same way?

0-0-0

"She was right, you know."

I looked up at Heather, curled up with her arms around her legs. We were sitting on the edge of the lake, about a month after the DX incident. We had been talking for about two hours now, and we suddenly got back to that topic (don't ask how -- I don't remember). She looked so frail then. Maybe it was just the light. But in that moment she looked… smaller. More vulnerable.

I knew what she was talking about. "Shoot, everyone's family life sucks, especially on the East side." My fingers went to my pocket, where my cigarettes would have been, but then I remembered Heather had taken them away from me. She flipped out a few days ago, saying nothing good comes from sucking smoke.

I couldn't say I blamed her, but man I was just itching for a drag.

"I know, but… not just about my parents. About my grades, too."

I remembered Amy's cruel, mocking voice. "Did you get another A to feel better about your whore of a mother?"

"Dad was always nuts. Gambled away everything and drank too much. He started hitting mom and me and Jamie."

"Jamie?"

"My little brother."

"Oh."

She sighed. "Mom started cheating. Guess she thought Jamie and I weren't good enough. She wanted to feel loved by somebody new. She was out every night, and Jamie and I just hid upstairs, away from Dad.

"Then there was one day we were in the kitchen when Mom came home." she picked up a small rock and started rolling it around in her fingers. "Dad was livid. He came at her with a broken bottle… then Jamie… tried to stop him."

I could see her eyes watering, but she kept them back. "Mom felt so bad about Jamie trying to save her she went ahead and shot herself anyway. She left me with Dad."

"That's the bruises then, right?" it was more of a statement than a question. I gestured toward her arms. The cuts and blotches had gotten worse over the weeks.

She nodded. "I used to hide up in my room and do and redo my homework just to stay away from him. I got perfect grades but a crappy life." She stared into the smooth water, looking at our reflections. "The A's made me feel a little better. For a while I thought being smart would make me someone worthwhile. So when I looked in the mirror, I'd see someone significant… but I was wrong."

I watched her lips tremble, though she tried to hide it.

"I'm just the same as the rest of them. Ordinary, forgettable… I see nothing." She threw the rock into the water, obscuring our image.

"Oh, Heather…" I gently scooped her up and cradled her on my lap while she started to quietly cry. "You are significant. You're kind and selfless and you helped me when no one else could figure out how. You gave me a friend after what I did…"

She looked up at me, bleary eyed. "What could you have possibly done to make someone not want to be your friend, Ponyboy Curtis?"

So I told her about what happened. About the night at the park, about Johnny killing Bob, about Windrixville. About dyeing my hair and living off baloney for a week, about Gone With The Wind. About the fire and the rumble and Dally. About getting sick and not being able to do anything right.

"But then you showed up…" I pulled her closer to me, breathing in the sweet apple scent of her hair, "You came right up and became my friend when I had none, no questions asked. You helped me get my life back together while it was falling apart in front of me. Heather, you've changed me. Do you think I could forget that?"

She looked up at me, smiling sadly yet jokingly. "You forget a lot of things, Ponyboy."

I laughed quietly. "Not anymore. Not since you came." I kissed her lightly on the forehead and whispered in her ear, "You are so much more than ordinary, Heather Reed."

I felt her relax in my arms and she breathed out slowly. "Pony," she sighed, "Can I tell you something?"

"You know you can tell me anything." I murmured.

She really smiled then, her eyes bright, almost glowing gold. "I love you."

I smiled back at her, a real smile like I haven't felt myself do in what seemed like forever. "I hoped you would say that."

Then she wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me close, and the next thing I knew she was kissing me and I was kissing her, softly but so passionately I couldn't feel the ground beneath me anymore. We were flying high, far away from Tulsa, from greasers and Socs and everything bad in the world. We were in the country, where no one could tell us what we could and couldn't do and where the only thing keeping us on Earth was gravity.

But then she broke away and we were back at the lake, and although the ground was beneath us again my heart was still racing as though we were still flying.

She was smiling, and her eyes glowed even brighter, like a pair of stars in the night sky.

She turned and pointed across the lake. "Look."

I did, and I felt my smile broaden, something I didn't think possible.

The sun was only half visible above the horizon, gleaming like a fallen ember, sending a shimmering path across the water that ended just beyond our feet. The sky was streaked with colors no artist could paint: vivid yellows and burning pinks, pale periwinkle and bright ultramarine. The colors seemed to drip from the sky, making the trees sparkle with an other-worldly light.

"Sunset." I murmured.

"It's perfect." Heather whispered, curling herself up closer to me.

"Perfect." I repeated and rested my head on top of hers. She sighed contentedly.

We sat in a comforting, peaceful silence as the sun fell deeper and deeper below the horizon, throwing out color after beautiful color, desperate to go out with a flourish. Eventually it disappeared and the colors darkened to a flat indigo. A handful of stars winked down at us and the lake turned to a glossy black mirror.

I lightly kissed Heather on top of her head. She breathed in slowly, waking up from her dose. "What time is it?" she whispered.

"Late." I whispered back. I stood and lifted her gently to her feet. We started heading back to my place. A cold breeze started blowing, and she clung to me to keep from shivering. I kept one arm wrapped around her waist. It felt good, having her that close. Like she was supposed to be there… You know what I mean?

By the time we got home the sky was almost navy blue, and I was glad it was the weekend. Darry would have killed me for staying out so late.

We walked in to see Soda, Steve and Two-Bit playing poker, the TV quietly playing some candy commercial. Darry walked into the kitchen to check the macaroni cooking on the stove. It was a lot earlier than I thought -- barely past eight o' clock.

"Well, little buddy, I'm surprised." he said, not looking up from the pasta, "You came home just in time for dinner. I wasn't even worried yet."

I grinned sheepishly, and Heather laughed.

"Hey, Heather, you wanna stay for dinner?" Soda asked, glancing up from his hand, and though I could hear the eagerness in his voice, he kept his expressionless poker face on. (I could see why: he had a royal flush.)

"Sure!" Heather replied, then added, a little shyly, "But only if Darry doesn't mind."

Darry rolled his eyes before he turned to us. "How many times do I have to say it? You're Ponyboy's friend, and any friend of my kid brother is welcome here." He eyed my arm around her waist and grinned. "Though now you seem to be a little more than just friends."

"OooooOOOOOooo!!" Soda and Two-Bit chorused.

Heater and I burst out laughing, then made our way to the table. Steve ended up winning the poker mach, much to the other two's chagrin, and with Heather with us, he was a lot happier than usual. I don't think he shot me a single hate glare the entire meal. There's Heather for you. She brightens up the darkest of people.

I wonder if it's her eyes.

0-0-0

It was close to eleven when Darry drove Heather home. We said our goodbyes and I watched the pickup drive away until I couldn't make out the taillights anymore. I hoped her old man wouldn't pitch a fit or anything. She was such a sweet girl, she didn't deserve that kind of crap at home.

That got me thinking. She was real tough, for not showing any of that the whole time I knew her. But she wasn't hard, like Dally was. After everything, she wasn't afraid to still feel. She wasn't afraid to still be human, to still be Heather, not some cold, uncaring shell, like Dally was.

Huh.

I went up stairs and fell into bed, even though I wasn't all that tired. Didn't bother to change clothes. I curled up and stared at the ceiling, still unable to get her out of my head.

Soda came in soon afterward, laughing quietly. Two-Bit must have said something before he went out for the night. I felt the blankets move beside me and Soda curled up next to me.

"You still awake, Pony?"

"Yeah."

Soda sighed, rolling on to his back. He didn't say much for a long time, but then, "Damn, that Heather sure is something."

I smiled. "I know it."

"Be sure not to lose her, Pony."

I looked over at him, and he was staring right back at me. "Be sure not to let her end up like Sandy."

I nodded.

He turned back to the ceiling. "You keep her close. 'Cause if she's the right one… you don't want to let her go. Pony, she'll change your life."

"She already has, Soda. She already has."

Another long one… Really hope you liked it!