The moment I skid into the waiting room of the hospital, the shock had already settled and I felt my heart swell. With what? Love? Relief? I wouldn't be able to say, all I knew was that I didn't feel so lonely anymore.

"Sodapop? Darry? Ponyboy?" I came out in such a whisper, they all turned and I saw Darry and Sodapop smile. Ponyboy looked unbothered, and surprised, but curious at the same time. There was something else, but I'm not sure what it was. I had my eyes on him, I wasn't looking anywhere except at Ponyboy. He stood up and I wanted him to say something, anything. His eyes, his whole face, I couldn't believe it was happening.

"How've you been?" He asked and I broke. I ran and hugged him, hoping he was real. He was and I felt happiness bubble inside my chest. Despite my appearance and all the sensitivity and pain I was throwing at him with my emotions, he hugged me back tightly. I felt safe and could've melted in his arms right then and there, but I had a few things to say.

"Don't you ever do that again." I whispered harshly, "Why did you leave? You didn't even tell me, I thought you were dead Ponyboy. I thought you were never coming back and you made me feel even more guilty that I hadn't tried to fix things up with you. What if you hadn't come back?" My voice cracked horrendously at the end.

"I knew you'd be worried." he said, "I'm sorry." That made me hug him tighter and bury my face into his shoulder. We just stayed there, holding each other while I tried to get control of all my emotions that were swirling around inside me. His face was rested against the side of mine. He smiled like fire and smoke, something that eased me to relax. He was actually here, it wasn't all some dream I was having. Sighing, I pulled back and looked him over. That's when I realized something.

"You're… you're blond!" I exclaimed, looking up at his hair. It was shorter too. Sodapop grinned behind Ponyboy's back at my comment, but Pony just gave me a small smile and brought me into a hug again, just as tight as the last one. I once again felt secure, like anything could happen and everything would be alright.

"I know." He said, I held him tightly too. I didn't want to let him go, but I felt really tired. My knees started to give out and all my weight was starting to lean on Ponyboy. My eyes were fluttering slowly, I couldn't keep them open. He realized and helped me walk over to the chairs. I sat on one side of him, while Sodapop was on the other. Darry was standing now, watching us both. I rested my head on his shoulder and started to fall asleep, feeling better now that I knew he was okay, but really tired at the same time.

"Pony?" I murmered.

"Yeah." He said, waiting for me to continue.

"Despite everything, I'm glad you're okay…" Was all I managed to say before I fell asleep into my dreamless mind.

----

I woke up to the sound of flashes and voices. I realized my head wasn't on Ponyboy's shoulder anymore and I snapped my eyes open. He was being talked to by many reporters and police. Darry eventually told them Ponyboy wasn't in any shape to be yelled at and they all backed down a little bit. Darry sure could be intimidating.

Sodapop kept me smiling with all his antics, it was hilarious. Eventually, I found myself giggling and joined in. Sodapop put a reporters hat on my head and I smiled, talking in a reporter like voice. After a while, Sodapop had enough of them and fell asleep. Leaving me alone to entertain myself.

Eventually, I started talking to this man, Jerry Wood he said his name was, that I hadn't noticed before. We started talking and he told me everything he knew, how they, as in Johnny and Ponyboy, had run into a burning church and saved these kids that were in there. How one of them had gone in to get the black headed kid, I'm guessing Dally was the one that had done the saving. When I asked him about some other things, he told me it wasn't his place to say anything. I looked over at Ponyboy and sighed, he might not ever tell me what happened. Although, I hoped he would. Jerry was giving me a look and I blushed before looking away. Right, everyone had seen our whole hugging thing. Jerry was looking at my face with a questionable look, but he didn't say anything about it. Ponyboy was taking one more question and then it was quiet again. As soon as I was sure they were all gone, I slipped over to Ponyboy, not wanting him to be too far away. Jerry seemed to understand and just sat on the other side of me. I felt clingy towards Ponyboy, but I couldn't stand to let him out of my sight right then. There was some talking between the brothers, but I wasn't listening to that.

"Pony?" I asked, looking at him. He turned and waited for what I wanted.

"How… how's Johnny?" Pony stopped and looked away.

"We aren't sure." I grabbed his hand and intertwined my fingers with his.

"I'm sure he'll be okay." Ponyboy didn't say anything and refused to look back at me. Finally a doctor came by and Ponyboy gripped my hand tighter as they all got up. The doctor, with some prodding from Darry, told us everything. I could feel Pony gripping my hand tighter as the doctor finished telling us about Dally and was on to Johnny. I hadn't even known Dally had gotten hurt. So Dally did know where Johnny and Ponyboy were, he'd known the whole time. That must've been where he'd been going when he had been in that white truck.

"He's in critical condition. He's in severe shock and suffering from third-degree burns. His back is also broken, were doing everything to ease the pain. Although, he can't feel anything below his waist. He keeps calling for Ponyboy and Dallas, I'm guessing one of them would be you." The doctor was looking at Ponyboy, "If he lives, he won't ever be able to walk again." I felt something cold sweep through my body and I scooted closer to Ponyboy, he felt like he was trembling. I let go of his hand when Darry put an arm around Pony's shoulders, he could comfort him more than I could. "You wanted it straight and you got it straight. Now go home and get some rest."

"I…" I had turned to the three of them. I knew they were close to Johnny, way more than I had been. My throat constricted again and I followed them to the truck, feeling out of place. As soon as we got there, I was about to say my goodbye and walk home, but as I did, somebody grabbed my arm. Ponyboy was looking at me with something that could only be described as helplessness.

"We'll give you a ride home." He wanted to say something else, but he only grabbed my hand. When I was about to retort something, his eyes went slightly glazed.

"Okay." I whispered and got into the back of the truck first. I don't really know how, but Ponyboy's head ended up in my lap and I brushed my fingers through his hair. I felt so close to him and all I could think about what how much I had missed him. I had to apologize still… for intruding like I had.

In not time at all we'd reached their house and I looked at Soda and Darry, then at Ponyboy.

"Um…" I started, not sure how I should start this.

Soda started to shake him, "Hey, Ponyboy, wake up. You still got to get to the house. I think you're putting Camille's legs to sleep." He added, hoping that would wake him up. Ponyboy made some kind of protest and sat up, but wound his arms around me and lay back down.

"Pony…" I whined, he must've still been half asleep. Darry smiled, and helped me unwind his arms and then carried him inside. I got out of the truck and followed. They said I could have the couch and I nodded before settling down on the couch. I didn't need a pillow or a blanket, I just fell asleep.

"Well, if it isn't sleeping beauty." I heard and woke up to see freaking Two-Bit, just the person I wanted to see. I glared and snuggled into the blanket that had been thrown over me.

"Aw, come on. Make room." I ignored him and stayed where I was.

"Leave her alone Two-Bit." I heard Darry say.

"Yeah, Two-Bit, leave me alone." I chimed and tried to go back to sleep. It didn't work so well and I sighed.

"Okay, I'm up." Two-Bit cheered and then wandered back into the kitchen. What? After waking me up he didn't even need the couch?

I yawned and stretched my arms above my head. I ran fingers through my hair and stood up, trying my best to get the feeling back in my legs. I wandered into the kitchen, stumbling. I really wanted some chocolate milk, but I didn't make it that far. I collapsed into one of the kitchen chairs and laid my head down on the table.

"How was the couch?" Darry asked, watching me from where I was sitting.

"F-F-Fine." I said, yawning. To tell you the truth, my back was killing me and I wanted to fall asleep right there, but I didn't tell him that. Everyone was in there, except Soda, but I figured he had work this morning and was trying to get ready. Ponyboy I saw out of the corner of his eye was watching me. I yawned again. I hadn't been getting a lot of sleep lately, if any. Whenever I went to sleep, I always woke up at sometime during the night and couldn't get back to sleep.

"Where's that blue shirt I washed yesterday?" Soda had come in, but I didn't bother to look up. I was still tired. Then I thought that if I kept my head on this table, I'd fall asleep and kill my back some more. So when I did look up, I blushed and looked down. Soda wasn't really wearing… a whole lot of clothes.

"I hate to tell you, buddy," Steve said, snickering a little and still flat on the floor for some reason, "but you have to wear clothes to work. There's a law or something." I kept my head down on the table, I'd risk killing my back.

"Oh, yeah." Soda said. "Where're those wheat jeans, too?"

"I ironed. They're in my closet.," Darry said. "Hurry up, you're gonna be late." Soda ran away, muttering something I couldn't hear. I looked up cautiously and then laid back, stretching and yawning again. I felt so tired. Steve was gone to and there was some noises, sounding suspiciously like a pillow fight.

"Darry," Pony said it suddenly, there wasn't any real warning attached. "did you know about the juvenile court?"

"Yeah, the cops told me last night." Darry said it without turning around, but I had time to see Pony's face and it wasn't the happiest ever. Juvenile court? What was that about… were they thinking of splitting the boys up? Well, it was mostly understandable, but I really started to hate them for it.

"I had one of those dreams last night. The one I can't ever remember."

Darry spun around so fast it made my head spin, and there was fear plastered all over his face, "What?"

"Was it bad?" Two-Bit asked. I had no idea what he was talking about, what dreams! I was watching them all with a confused expression. Ponyboy gave me a look that clearly said he'd tell me later.

"No." Darry looked like he wanted to say something, but Sodapop and Steve came in. I was relieved to see Soda had some more clothes on this time.

"You know what?" I wasn't sure who Sodapop was talking to, but I decided to listen anyway. "When we stomp the Socies good, me and Steve here are gonna throw a big party and everybody can get stoned. Then we'll go chase the Socs clear to Mexico."

"Where you gonna get the dough, little man?" Darry had found cake! YES! I grabbed the piece he gave me and started taking tiny bites. Oh, heavenly piece of goodness. I hadn't had chocolate cake in a long time.

"I'll think of somethin'." Soda assured between bites. I was busy munching on my piece of cake and enjoying it too much to care about a party. I wasn't going to the rumble. I knew it was going on before Soda brought it up, I hear things. I think I was going to go visit Johnny that night.

"You going to take Sandy to the party?" Pony asked. There was instant silence and I knew why too. "What's the deal?" Ponyboy didn't know yet, but how could he have?

"No. She went to live with her grandmother in Florida." Soda was staring at his feet when he said this, I felt bad about everything that had happened between him and her.

"How come?" Aw, Pony. Stop all the questions.

"Look," Steve said, becoming angry, "does he have to draw you a picture? It was either that or get married, and her parents almost hit the roof at the idea of her marryin' a sixteen-year-old kid."

"Seventeen." Soda was speaking real soft now. "I'll be seventeen in a couple of weeks."

"Oh." Ponyboy looked embarrassed and I felt sorta bad. He didn't know, but he could've laid off all the questions. Still, he would've found out eventually, I'm pretty sure Soda would've told him at one point. The silence felt really heavy and I started drumming my nails on the table, just to try and make the silence seem a little lighter.

"We'd better get on to work, Pepsi-Cola." I had never heard Darry call Soda that. I wonder how it came up. Maybe it was just because they were two pops that were really close together, either way. It was kinda nice, it was a sweet nickname. That made me remember my nickname and I shuddered, drawing in closer to myself. "I hate to leave you here by yourself, Ponyboy." Darry was speaking kinda slow, as if he was thinking about something. "Maybe I ought to take the day off."

"Hey, I'm not doing anything." I piped up and Darry looked in my direction, "I could stay with him."

"I'll babysit him." Two-Bit added in too, ducking as Ponyboy took a swing at him, which I couldn't help but laugh at. "I haven't got anything' better to be. I'll make sure the love-birds don't' do anything' either." I blushed and saw Ponyboy's ears redden a bit.

"Why don't you get a job?" Steve said, looking at Two-Bit. "Ever consider working for a living?"

"Work? And ruin my rep?" Two-Bit replied. "I wouldn't be baby-sittin the kids here if I knew of some good day-nursery open on Saturdays." Pony pulled Two-Bit's chair over backwards and jumped on him. Two-Bit was winning anyway though.

"Holler uncle."

"Nope." Ponyboy replied and started to struggle. I watched with mild interest, wondering vaguely if someone was going to get hurt. Without warning, somebody pulled my chair back and I yelped, looking up into the face of Sodapop Curtis, who was laughing.

"Oh please don't drop me." I begged, tense and ready to hit the ground. He tipped my chair back more and I grabbed one of his arms, everyone was laughing at my antics. "No, no, no, no, no, no." I kept repeating, letting out another yelp as he tipped it back a little farther. It snapped back up and I flew out, landing flat out on the floor. "Thanks Soda." I said, giving him a salute from my place on the floor. He just gave me a little wave.

"You three do the dishes, You can go to the movies if you want to before you go see Dally and Johnny." He paused and was watching Two-Bit keep the upper hand on Ponyboy. "Two-Bit, lay off. He ain't looking so good. Ponyboy, you take a couple of aspirins and go easy. You smoke more than a pack today and I'll skin you. Understood?"

"Yeah," Pony said, after Two-Bit let him go and he was on his feet. "You carry more than one bundle of roofing at a time today and me and Soda'll skin you. Understood?" Darry was grinning and it looked good on him, he should smile more often.

"Yeah, see ya'll this afternoon."

"Bye." Pony and I said in unison as he left. I heard a car zoom away, and then there was silence.

"….anyway." Two-Bit started, rattling on about this story while Ponyboy washed the dishes, I told him I'd rinse and dry once he'd done a few of them. "Moral: What's the safest thing to be when one is met by a gang of social outcasts in an alley?"

"A judo expert?" Pony suggested.

"Nope. Camille?" I thought for a second, really not that sure.

"How about an expert negotiator?" I knew it didn't matter if you could negotiate yourself out of a situation like that.

"No, another social outcast!" Two-Bit yelped, and almost feel off the cabinet he was laughing so hard. I was laughing too, but Pony was really only grinning. We were done all the dishes and I started washing the counters, rubbing hard to get all the stains out.

"Good luck getting those off." Pony said, coming over to watch me struggle with his counter.

"Just you wait." I said and rubbed as hard as I could, but it still wasn't coming off. Ponyboy was watching me with a bemused expression. Eventually, my arms pretty much died and I threw the rag in the sink, glaring at the stain. Ponyboy was giving me one of those looks.

"Not a word." I said and stalked past him, brushing him arm a little more than needed as I walked past.

"We're gonna clean up the house." He said, mostly to me. "The reporters or police or somebody might come by, and anyway, its time for those guys from the state to come by and check up on us."

"It sure could use some cleaning." I said, glancing around the living room.

"This house ain't messy." Two-Bit said.

"Coming from the guy who's never even seen a broom."

"You oughtta see my house." He grinned.

"I don't really think I want to." I said, shuddering a little.

"I have. And if you had the sense of a billy goat you'd try to help around your place instead of bumming around." Ponyboy said, giving Two-Bit a look.

"Shoot, kid, if I ever did that my mom would die of shock."

"Well, isn't that nice." I said, kicking a shoe a few feet in front of me. "This is gonna take forever."

"Let's get started then." Pony said, looking at me with those eyes of his. Man, I had missed him.

"Fine." I gave him a kiss on the cheek, his ears going red. Two-Bit gave a cat-call.

"Now," I moved away from him. "You start here and I'll start in the living room." I walked away.

"Shut it Two-Bit." Ponyboy said, knowing Two-Bit had been ready to say something. I giggled and looked around the living room, wondering where to start