Hello, well here is chapter 7. Sorry it took so long to update. But I am finally able to do this since I am on Spring Break!! :) So if grammer is wrong, sorry it's spring break. My brain is gone.

Anyway just have a couple of things to say before this starts.

1.) I need your opinoin on the story right now. Any helpful suggestions would be go. Where do you see the story going at this time? Just e-mail me with your thoughts, along with your reviews :).....Anyway, I am going to be adding some romance in the next chapter, so tell me what you think should happen next.

2.) I am going to be starting on a new story this week....don't worry I will be still updateing this one. So bear with me if I am not updating quickly.

3.) Last thing is that, I will be getting busy in the next month...so I won't be able to update as much. But I will be trying. I am in my high school's theatre production...So any theatre person knows, that you mainly live there. So please be patient with me.

Sorry for the long A/N.

Thanks to the reviewers that reviewed the last chapter: Cammy98, Storm159, whatcoloristhesky

Thank you to Alive At Last and Cathy for helping me with this.

Please Review!!!!

Disclamer: I do not own outsiders, nor do I own the song Little Less Conversation by Elvis Presley. I only own Natalie, Wes, Caleb and the Rattlesnakes.

Enjoy the show!!

Chapter 7: Meeting a Stranger

A little less conversation, a little more action please

All this aggravation ain't satisfactioning me

A little more bite and a little less bark

A little less fight and a little more spark

Come on baby I'm tired of talking

Grab your coat and let's start walking


Elvis Presley

I turned around ready to face my intruder, only to meet the face of my good friend. Wes was smirking at me for my position. I guess my position would look amusing to him; I was crouched in a defense stance with my blade outstretched toward him.

He had a tuff black leather jacket on and a cigarette hanging from his mouth. His grayish-blue eyes held a wild and dangerous gleam to them. They seemed to be laughing at me, taunting me in. He had a wry smile on his face, evident that he was fairly amused.

"Damn you Wes! What are you trying to do give me a heart attack?" I exclaimed, putting my switchblade back in my back pocket, finally relaxing. I walked over to him, to embrace him. Once I was close enough, he grabbed me for a hug. I put my face into the crook of his neck and took a deep breath. He smelled like grease, cigarettes, and old leather. I had missed those smells, all of the boys had that smell, but his was most distinct.

I let him go and took a step back to see him face to face. He was the one that understood me, who had seen me at my worst.

"It's good to see you, Shadow. I saw you walking toward the cemetery; thought I could come along. But, damn, I didn't expect to get knifed and maybe killed." He was chuckling at the last part. I had missed that; the throaty deep chuckle that in times past has brought a smile to my face and always comforted me.

"Well…you should've known that sneaking up on me would have been dangerous," I countered back to him.

"So what are you doing here, Shadow?" His dark eyes probing me for information.

"Well, Wes, if you must know, I just wanted to take a walk," I retorted back at him.

Wes lifted his eyebrow in a way that told me he knew that I was lying.

"Bullshit."

I gasped dramatically. "You calling my bluff." I raised my eyebrow in attempt to out smart him.

But he just stared back at me.

"Alright. I just wanted to get away from my brothers, and I haven't been around here in a while…so I decided to come here." I looked at the ground, knowing what I had said sounded really stupid.

"I thought you were all happy that you got to be with your brothers again."

"I am happy, I love them to death, it's just that-…" I began.

"They want to know about everything, and what happened those ten months." Wes interrupted, understanding what was going on.

"That's it," I told him shocked that he guessed that immediately.

"I had a nightmare last night…about Caleb," I whispered quietly to Wes.

"It freaked your brothers out," Wes guessed.

"Yes."

There was silence, all except the leaves rustling from the wind and the birds chirping. I felt relieved that someone I knew could help me.

"You know you can't tell them about the Rattlesnakes," Wes said slowly and quietly.

"Yea, I know," I responded quietly.

"Come on lets get out of this place. Do your brothers know you're here?" We started to leave as he asked me that. I gave him a look that said "What do you think".

"Guess not," he said.

After a few minutes of walking, I noticed that we were going toward my home and the lot.

"I'll see you as far as the lot so some lame ass loser won't come around and try to jump you." He must have read my mind; he shot his cigarette out of his mouth and stubbed it out on the ground.

"You know I could take on any lame ass loser. I almost took you out," I huffed at him annoyed. I was tired of everyone being so damn protective over me.

"You know I am just doing this to be safe. If something happened to you, the boys will be looking for blood." He reassured me knowing about the pet peeve.

We didn't talk for a few minutes; the only sound that was heard were our feet walking in synchronization. Until, he broke the silence.

"We're having a meeting tonight. Some issues have come up that we have to dispose of."

"Damn; what issues?" I questioned.

"Just some people who think they can rise up above us." Wes shrugged.

"Falcons?" I guessed

"Yep," he confirmed. "That was the real reason why I was over on this side; thought you would want to know and come."

"What time?"

"It's 9 o'clock over at the hangout area," He answered me.

"Count me in. I'll be there."

By that time the lot had come in full view. I suddenly remembered that both of my brothers had a rare day off. Not only did I notice that, but the gang was there also. However, I was surprised when I saw some cars and some other greasers, all of them Falcons.

"Speak of the devil. Look who is there." I knew they were far from their own streets. And seeing them was the thing I did not want to add to my list.

"Let's go and break up the party," Wes turned to face me, A daring gleam and sly smile on his face looking back at me.

We approached the group and Wes lazily went toward one of the guys and slung his arm over their shoulder.

"Well, what do we have here? Aren't we a little far from our own streets to be doing a boys scout meeting?"

"Get your arm off of me, greaser," the guy said as he started to shove Wes's arm off of him.

"Testy aren't we?" Wes replied, grinning. His hands outstretched in a surrendered pose.

"What the hell are you doing here, snake?" They had must have gotten new members, because even I didn't recognize them. Only Billy, who spoke, was the person I knew the most.

"Well you see, I have a reason to be on this side." I saw that he was working his way toward me. "You see, Natalie is a good friend of mine. And I haven't seen her in a while. So I just dropped by."

He stopped once his arm was around my shoulder and got out his pack of cigarettes.

"Want one, Shadow?"

"Why not?" I shrugged. He got one out and lit it up for me.

"Thanks," I told him once he gave it to me. I normally didn't smoke; I was like my brother, Sodapop, in the sense. We both smoked to either look cool or tuff, and if we were nervous about something.

I looked toward my brothers and noticed their shocked faces, wondering why I was smoking, or whether I was crazy.

"Billy," I nodded at him.

"Shadow, haven't seen you around. Thought something happened to you. We were all very worried." He smirked; the guys behind him joined him and chuckled.

Me and Billy had never gotten along. We both irritated each other, and I always hated when he tried to flirt with me.

"I would tell you to go to hell, but seeing as I work there, I don't want to see your face everyday." I took a step forward throwing my cigarette on the ground and stubbing it.

I looked toward my brothers and saw that they didn't know what to do. I realized that this was a whole different side to me that my brothers and friends never knew about.

"Getting a little mouthy aren't we? Is that a challenge in front of a crowd? Because, we can provide-…"Billy started to say as he took a step forward toward me.

"You would give it to us right? Because, it's two against four and according to you that's fair. And you can't count on Shadow's brothers because they don't know your style," Wes interrupted stepping forward to stand beside me.

"Besides, what would happen if I told them that you jumped Natalie on her own streets? You know the boys would have a field day with that," he continued.

We were all on edge waiting for the next line, or perhaps the first punch.

"Why are you here Billy?" I asked, suddenly curious and wanting the answer.

"None of your damn business," one of the guys started to say, I noticed that he was tall and very burly. I was starting to tense a little, knowing in a minute he could jump me.

"Hold up. Watch your language, there. You see we have a lady in our presence," Billy snickered at me.

"Well, I will show you how a lady can kick your ass any day." I hissed the last part, finally getting to the point where I wanted them to leave.

"I suggest you start leaving, Billy, before we both do something we might regret." Wes put a hand on my shoulder gripping me in place to make sure I don't try to hurt them.

"Alright, I know when I am not wanted." By that time, all the others had started walking back to their cars, except Billy.

"We'll see you around snakes," Billy finally said and winked at me. Then he turned around and was walking away.

After the last car was out of our sight did I let my defenses down and relax.

"Never knew they would ever come on to your side. Now that they know that you are on this side, I am betting they will be visiting more often." Wes sighed, confirming my fears.

"Damn," I whispered, I turned quickly around to face my brothers remembering that they were here alone with them.

"What were they saying to you before we came?" I questioned.

"They came to us, and started talking about taking care of territories," Steve bluntly stated.

"Damn," I cursed again, not liking where this might be heading. At the same time, Wes was not so quietly cursing, also not liking what they might be planning.

"It sounds like a good idea," Dally stated.

I stopped my cursing and was staring at him wide eyed that he thought of that.

"It's not best to trust them; all they are concerned about are what they are going to get out of this. They are just trying to use you," Wes warned before I had a chance to speak.

"Anyway," Wes cleared his throat. "Crystal and the girls were planning on going to a movie or the diner. They want you to come. Want me to tell them to pick you up?" His eyes again probing mine.

I suddenly realized that he was giving me a chance to have a way to go to that meeting, with my brothers not knowing. And I was going to take it.

"Tell them to pick me up at the house at 8:00. Tell them thanks." I played along with him to keep my brothers out of the loop. I knew the girls knew where I lived so I had no question that they could pick me up.

"Well, I will go and tell them, see you later." Wes then turned around and started walking away.

"Wait, Wes," I called out to him; he turned around to face me. "You want a ride back to your side?"

"Naw, I'll be fine. I have a weapon and I'm a big boy; I can handle myself," He replied to me, shaking his head, and continued to walk away from me.

Once he was gone, Darry broke the silence. "So, where did you go?"

"I was just walking around. Then Wes came up and we walked over to a couple of places and then came here." I shrugged.

"Well-…" Darry started.

"You want to join us and play some football?" Soda interrupted. By the look in his eyes he didn't want this to end like the last time.

"No, I'll pass. I'll watch instead." I told him with a small smile on my face.

I went a couple feet back while the boys got into their positions. As I sat down and watched my brothers play, I knew that I would do anything to keep my brothers safe. And this meeting would hold the key to keeping them safe.

Well that is it. Hope that is not a bad cliffhanger.

Again please review...anything is great. E-mail your suggestions to me, I would love to hear them.

I am hoping to get up 2 chapters this week....maybe.

Hope you are ready for a little romance in the next one. I gave you a Q last week. So I will give you another one.

Who do you think the romance is between??