Hello, my lovely minions! :] The reviews I received for the last chapter honestly floored me. I had no idea some of ya'll thought that way! As a special thanks I've decided to update a lot quicker than I usually do (lol). This chapter had its stumbling blocks, but I think it turned out okay. In a lot of ways it was a filler, like in the beginning, but as it goes on towards the end, well…not so much a filler.

Anyways….I have a couple of questions for ya'll. First, I know what some of you think of Girlie/Johnny, but what is your take on Girlie/Dally? Hmmm? Second, the start of this chapter I'm a little weary about. What do you think about it?

Chapter 8~

My ankles were killing me. I tried sitting several different ways, but nothing helped. Pressure swelled around my joints painfully and I had to take my shoes off before I felt that I could breathe again. It's funny that discomfort in my ankles could affect my breathing.

I stared at the screen with my arms crossed, wondering when this stupid movie was finally going to end. I was hungry and aching and had an almost uncontrollable urge to scream at the dumb chick on the screen for going upstairs instead of going outside. I mean, why would you trap yourself in a house with a psychopath like that? Idiot. Everything was annoying me, and I mean everything. Even the fact that everything was annoying me was, well, annoying.

My stomach growled loudly, so I looked down, surprised to find that I have been unconsciously rubbing my growing belly. I stopped, terrified that someone had recognized Baby Curtis doing something that was so distinctly pregnant. But I couldn't stop the feeling of protection that was bubbling up, spurting from some unknown source inside of me. I marveled at it all. This was the first time I've had any sort of feeling when it came to the baby, other than an all-consuming-fear, of course.

As strange as it is, it was almost like a small taste of what my mother must have felt for me. Love was slowly starting to replace fear. I didn't know what to do, I thought as my thumb traced small shapes over my shirt. This wasn't the way I was used to associating love, this was something else. Something entirely different. Love isn't a feeling, it's a choice, and I'll believe that 'til the day I die. But this unknown source of bubbling I was talking about? I knew there was nothing I could do to change it. This was deeper than any love I've ever known, and I don't even know if love is the right word, because I had no choice but to be gradually taken over by it.

Am I really becoming a mother? Is this what it's like?

My eyes were burning, and I knew that if I didn't gain control over my thoughts soon then I would start crying and probably wouldn't stop for a long while. My thoughts isolated me, and I was starting to feel an all too familiar loneliness creep up. All I wanted was for Johnny to sit beside me and hold my hand, again. I was getting very comfortable with his body close to mine, comfortable sharing his body heat. My stomach rumbled again, though, and I was actually grateful he left. I managed to talk Johnny and Two-Bit into buying me some food from the concessions, and when I told them what I wanted they gave me a look that said very plainly 'aren't you gettin' a little much, there?' I grinned as I thought about it, knowing very well I asked for a lot: Jumbo Bucket Popcorn, nachos, Goobers, Salt&Vinegar chips, and a Large Coke. Yea, I knew it was a lot, but what can I say? I'm hungry. Besides…it's not like I sent them off to pay for it themselves. I gave them a five dollar bill; it was more than enough, so I told them to buy whatever they wanted with the rest.

It wasn't surprising that I could hear Two-Bit coming before I could actually see him; he tends to be on the loud side and he's still pretty soused. I knew he and Johnny were close, and my hands started tugging at my shirt to keep it closed even though I knew it was unnecessary. The part of my mind that had been quiet about my baby all night was for some reason not so quiet anymore. I have never felt more pregnant than I did right now, and I couldn't tell you why. I've been pregnant for almost six months; you'd think I would've felt like this before, but I haven't, not even when I had to exchange my wardrobe for my dead mother's.

I think…I think that maybe I've just accepted it.

"Hey, baby! We're back. I know, I know…it must have been horrible spending all that time without us." Two-Bit was walking passed me, exchanging his seat from the row behind us to the one beside me. By this time I had stopped fighting with my shirt and had placed my hands on my lap. "How in this world did you manage without your handsome lover?" He asked as he sat down, handing me my popcorn, Goobers and chips. "Oh, yea…and Johnny, too."

Johnny was taking his own seat as he responded to Two-Bit's teasing. "Haha," was his sarcastic response. "You should consider doin' stand-up sometime. I hear they actually pay people to act stupid, now."

"Very funny, kid, but who's actin'?" Two-Bit wasn't offended, but impressed that Johnny was actually getting sassy and stringing whole sentences together. It wasn't often Johnny got that way; he wasn't known for being the quietest kid in the gang for nothing, after all. Besides that, I don't think Two-Bit could get offended no matter what you did or said to him, it just wasn't who he was. Everything was one big joke to him, and you can never take a joke seriously. The fact that Two-Bit was very noticeably drunk out of all reason probably helped Johnny out with not caring what he said around him.

"Don't worry, Two-Bit. Everyone knows you don't ever act stupid," I said, putting emphasis on the word act.

He ignored my jab, probably because he didn't pick up on it, and continued to talk about something neither me nor Johnny had any interest in while slinging his arm across the back of my seat. It didn't bother me, Two-Bit was harmless, just a friend, and I had gotten over my issues with touching months ago. I guess I had Dally to thank for that.

Why did everything always come back to Dallas?

It was like Johnny read my mind. "So I guess Dally went to Buck's, huh, Girlie. Haven't seen him around since the movie started."

"I dunno." I didn't want to talk about Dallas, not at all. What I wanted was to sit here and enjoy what was left of the movie, even if I wasn't really paying attention to it. I reached for Johnny's hand, glad that he took mine without any surprise this time, like it was the most natural thing in the world. In a way, it was. "I suppose he did. That's where he said he would be headin' off to. I wonder if he ever found that date he was after, or maybe he ran into Sylvia? Ya know it'll just be a matter of time before they're back together. Same as it always is."

Johnny shook his head. "I don't think so. He seemed, I dunno, different this time. I think he's done with her."

"Maybe she's done with him. Not that I could blame her. I could believe it, I mean, what with all the crap Dally's always pullin'. She ain't no prize, but Dallas sure ain't gonna be winning any boyfriend of the year awards anytime soon." It was almost hard to believe how hateful I sounded. Almost.

"Well, no. I guess he won't be. But he's still our friend."

"He's an asshole."

Johnny looked entirely uncertain. "Come on, now, Girlie. Ya know he's a cool ole' guy once you-"

"No he's not, Johnny! I honestly don't understand how you could like him so much. He's not who you think he is."

He didn't say anything else, just looked away. I couldn't begin to tell you how horrible I felt. Here Johnny was, just trying to be a good friend by talking some sense into my hormone controlled brain, and I couldn't do anything but snap at him and tell him how stupid he was for considering Dally his hero.

"Geez, Johnnycake," I started, pressing myself closer to him, nearly sitting in his lap to achieve my goal. "I'm sorry, I really am. I've just been crazy lately. I didn't mean it."

"It's okay," He said, and I knew he meant it. Judging by the blush on his cheeks from how close we had gotten he had probably forgotten it already.

I tilted my face to kiss him on the cheek. "Good," I said, then smiled as I snuggled my head in the crook of his neck. He was uncertain of what to do; I could tell by the way he stopped brushing my knuckles with his thumb. My smile only grew when he rested his head on mine.

"I'm pretty sure Dally ain't headin' over to Buck's tonight," Two-Bit said, his voice seemed far away. I had almost forgotten he was there. Normally, I would've been embarrassed to be caught close to a boy the way I was, especially by Two-Bit, but Johnny wasn't just some boy and I've wanted to be this way with him for longer than I had realized. I wouldn't be moving anytime soon, I didn't care if me and Johnny had an audience. What he had said surprised me, though.

"Why not?"

He shrugged. "Fire."

"What?" At that I moved away from Johnny.

"Buck got too drunk. Set his bar on fire." That's shocking, I thought sarcastically. Two-Bit started laughing. "You shoulda seen it, kids! I don't think I've ever heard one man cuss as much as he did at that moment."

"What's gonna happen to him? The place, I mean," Johnny asked.

"Shoot, kid. The place ain't bad. Just a little blackened is all. Buck kicked everyone out cause he was embarrassed, and cause the fuzz was bound to show at any time. Could you imagine the shit he would've been in with all those minors there?" He shook his head. "Anyway, he kicked us all out, but not before announcing that Quarter Pitcher Night would resume the following night."

"Huh," I said. "He sure is pretty articulate for someone drunk enough to set his own place on fire."

Two-Bit grinned. I swear he must have been proud of me and Johnny for getting as mouthy as we were. "Nah, I added that in myself. You should be proud, Ponygirl! I think you're startin' to rub off on me."

Johnny snorted. "Bad timing. Don't think ya get any dumber."

"Wouldn't that be good timing then?" I asked.

"Does it matter?"

I shrugged but stopped with the joking. We really were starting to sound like Two-Bit. "So where do you think he's goin', then?"

"Sheperd's," Two-Bit answered simply.

"What?" I don't even think I need to explain how bad this could possibly be or why. I'm just not too secure with the fact Angela Shepard is the only person who knows about my pregnancy, other than Maggie. Angela was in a pretty pissed off mood because of what I had said to her, and she isn't exactly known for her tact in such circumstances. If given the chance she is more vengeful than any other girl could possibly ever be, and just because it's me she's angry at wouldn't really change anything. I had less time than I thought. "Why would he go there?"

Two-Bit was completely oblivious to my torment, and so he continued on. "Because one Mr. Curly Shepard informed Mr. Dallas Winston that a certain Mr. Timothy Shepard was lookin' for whoever slashed his tires. Sense Curly caught Dal doin' it, well...ya know how that goes. Tim called Dal out on it, so Dallas is gonna fight him tonight. Dally gotta blade?"

"Don't think so," Johnny answered.

"Good deal." Two-Bit nodded. "Tim'll fight fair if he don't."

"That's it?" That couldn't possibly be it, I thought. This entire situation couldn't possibly be that simple. I had this feeling deep down in my gut, and it felt an awful lot like the feeling I had a few months ago.

"Well, probably not. The party at Buck's pretty much moved to Tim's front yard. Ya know them...they'll duke it out then smoke it up or drink it up. I'll probably head over there myself after I walk you two home."

"Haven't you had enough tonight?" I knew that he hadn't, but I felt I had to ask anyway seeing as how he could barely keep his eyes open for more than a couple of minutes cause he was still so drunk. He was still drinking, even. That cherry-vodka had yet to run out.

Johnny whispered in my ear, "I dunno how he does it." Me either.

"I never have enough!" Two-Bit proclaimed happily. "I can go 'til the booze dries up."

"Yea, that, or until you get jailed," Johnny said. "Again."

Darry had just sat the phone back on the receiver when I walked through the front door. "Where've you been?"

"Just out."

"Were you by yourself? Cause you know me and Soda hate that, Ponygirl."

"No." I shook my head. "Johnny and Dally were with me most of the time. Two-Bit walked home with us."

Darry had that cold calculating look. It was annoying. "Walked home from where?"

"Movies." I was sticking to short answers for a reason. I didn't want to be around him longer than I had to. My bedroom called to me and my aching feet, and I wished Darry would just let this go already so I could lie down.

"You missed dinner, ya know? It's been that way since you've started workin', you never makin' it to dinner. It'd be nice to sit down like a family again."

"Well, excuse me if I wanted to do something other than sit around here all day and stare at the wallpaper on my day off!" I regretted saying it as soon as the words left my mouth. I sounded rash and juvenile and immature, and I knew this was about to turn into an argument. Why can't I just keep my mouth shut? I don't even know where some of the stuff I've been saying lately comes from.

"Watch your mouth, kid sister." I hated the way he emphasized that last bit. It was like he couldn't help but remind me of the position I put him in day by day, how I held him back from life. I didn't need to hear it. I already knew what he thought of me, the reminder was unnecessary. "I don't know what's gotten into you lately, but it had best change real quick, ya hear me?"

"Sure, Dar. I hear you."

"No one asked you to get that job, Girlie. There's a reason I'm working two jobs, so that you don't have to." He sighed. "You're really starting to worry us, ya know that?"

Another fucking reminder. He would never understand that I needed that job, but I'll never tell him why I do need it. I don't want him to know that I feel lousy and useless just watching him and Soda work to keep a roof over our heads and food in our stomachs while I just meander around doing nothing. I don't want him to know that I've saved up enough money to get out of this house. This ever constant reminder. He wouldn't have to worry about me much longer.

"Night, Darry." I didn't say anything else to him, and I didn't care what else he had to say. I wanted sleep.

I was having trouble sleeping, again. I guess I was just too full of thoughts tonight. Every couple of hours I would wake up, turn over once or twice, and then as slowly as possible fall back to sleep. This has happened two other times, and by the third time I was almost completely awake. I was hot and sweaty, and I realized that the reason for that was because I had successfully managed to wind myself into a ball of messy covers. After twisting around and untucking limbs I managed to get my legs untangled. My body was cooling down, and it was the greatest relief the world could offer me at the time.

I was nearly asleep again when I heard my bedroom door creak open. I stilled myself, barely breathing, hoping that it was just a figment of my imagination. Then there was nothing, no other noises could be heard, so I exhaled the breath I was holding and relaxed against the mattress. My door creaked again as it was shut. I stifled the groan wanting to escape my throat, too tired to actually make a noise, and too naïve to believe whoever it was would have mercy and just leave me alone if they saw I was asleep.

No such luck. I was fully awake now and could sense the presence hovering in the small space of my room that I had obviously missed before. This is really lousy timing for Darry to want to talk about my attitude, I thought, glad that my back was toward him. I opened my eyes to look out the window, it was still dark, and there was no dawning of light to indicate that it was late enough in the morning for Darry to be up and ready to go to work.

I was about to open my mouth and ask him what he was thinking waking me up this early when I heard a grumbled curse and thought better of it. The voice was not the deeper tenor of my oldest brother but deep still, just roughened into manhood. Definitely not Darry. It wasn't Soda, either, his voice was softer than this and he never cursed. I closed my eyes when I heard footsteps move to the other side of my bed, but opened them again when a body sat heavily on the edge on my mattress and bounced me up a little.

Dally was just sitting there on my bed, starring without really focusing on anything. For some reason that scared me. Dally was the one who was always telling me if I didn't focus then I'd wind up dead, but this just didn't seem like Dally. He didn't have his usual hard edge; instead he seemed to droop everywhere, in his shoulders, his face, his mouth, his eyes. I was almost positive that if I didn't say anything he would spill out onto my floor.

"How did you know I was back in here?" Was the question I asked? Not 'Why are you here?' or 'What are you doing?' I was surprised that it hadn't come out as a whisper, and even more surprised that I had found the ability to ask at all. A part of me was convinced this was a dream, maybe that's how.

"Mathews." I had almost forgotten about the party at Tim's. I could smell the pot and the alcohol coming off of him in waves, but for some reason Dallas seemed strangely sober. What had happened between the two of us at the movies became came to me and all of a sudden the fact that Dally was sitting on my bed was making me anxious. I don't think he's ever even been in my room before.

"If…if you need somewhere to sleep, ya already know the couch is yours," I said, thinking that maybe he really was intoxicated and a little mixed up and just needed a nudge of direction. He gave absolutely no clue that he had heard me. I sat up to lean against the headboard, making sure to keep the covers close and covering my stomach. Finally, I asked the one question that was puzzling me this early morning. "Dally…why are you here?"

When he gave no response other than continuing to stare at the wall, it occurred to me that I knew exactly what he was doing here. If the way my stomach was twisting itself into a tight fist gave any indication, then it would be that I was right.

"Do they know?"

"What?"

"Don't play stupid!" He demanded with more energy than he looked capable of at the moment. "Do your brothers know you're knocked up?"

I was going to be sick. "Who told you that?" I don't know why I even asked, it's not like it isn't obvious.

"Apparently," Dally started, freezing into the person I'm most familiar with, "it's the newest gossip goin' around. That friend of yours, Angel, she has some pretty loose lips when she's drunk."

Since when was I the new gossip? I silently panicked, clueless to the fact that my secret wasn't so much of a secret anymore. My mind was becoming numb, incapable of grasping that this was actually happening, or at least that it was happening this way. My fingers were slowly uncurling from around my blankets, though, surrendering to the knowledge that the lie was over.

I didn't look at him as I answered. "They don't know. No one in the gang knows."

For now.

"It's fucking true? Is that what you're telling me?" I didn't say anything, just closed my eyes and bit my lip, not caring anymore if I was crying. His voice got louder as he continued to swear and get off the bed. I opened them in time to watch him place his forehead on the wall and pull back his fist, ready to punch the wall because he felt it deserved it. If I was a guy I'm pretty certain that I would be taking the wall's place.

"Dally don't!" I pleaded as loudly as I could without actually screaming. "You'll wake Darry and Sodapop."

After a few seconds he finally put his fist down and slouched to the point that the wall seemed to be his only support. It was like someone had vacuumed the fight right out of him. "How long have you been…?"

I said possibly the stupidest thing I could've ever said to him, but I was just being honest. "You should know. You were there."

He turned around so suddenly I wouldn't be surprised if it gave him whiplash. It was the first time he looked at me since he came into my room. I shrunk back at the sheer anger of his expression. "Do you honestly think I gave that much of damn about that night that I'd have written it down in a calendar, Girlie?"

Well, that hurt. My head was banging and my throat seemed dry, but I still said, "Six months…almost six months."

"Shit!" He exclaimed suddenly, hitting himself in the head. Then he was pointing at me. "Ya know, if you was anyone else, anyone of those other broads, I would say you was a lying bitch just out to screw me over like always. Dammit! It's too bad I fuckin' know you, Curtis." That confused me. What did it matter if he knew who I was? Then I remembered what he'd said, and it became all too clear- he didn't consider me to be like those other girls. I didn't know what to make of that, my mind was still numb. "What are you gonna do?"

"Get outta Tulsa."

He snorted. "Well, ain't that just stupid of you?"

I was upset. "What the hell else is there? It's not like I have any options."

"I ain't gonna lie and say I don't want you gone, just to save my own ass when your brothers find out. But that would be really stupid."

I cried a little more because I believed he really felt that way, and it hurt like hell. "Don't worry about them knowing it was you, Dallas. That's not exactly something I want people knowing." A brief flash of something blazed across his face and I know I had struck a nerve, one he thought didn't even exist. He hurt me; I couldn't help but hurt him back. I wiped at my salty wet face. "What about you?" I couldn't help but want to know.

"Do you think I fuckin' know? The only real parents I've ever known were yours, and the good that does for me." He shook his head. "I don't know."

That wasn't what I wanted to hear, and as horrible as it sounds what I wanted to hear right then was all I cared about. I couldn't handle anything he was saying, I couldn't handle him. "Just…just get out Dallas."

For once, he didn't argue. He just left.

There we are! I'm a little insecure about this one, so please tell me what you think! ;p

Oh! Remember the questions at the top!

Thanks for reading!