Fastest I've ever updated, anything. I feel sad about ending this, but happy that I could write it. I also feel good about myself because this is my first multi-chapter so I like that I could finish it. You all should feel honored because I rarely let anyone read what I write, so this was a big thing for me. Don't have anyone to thank for reviewing because I literally put up the last chapter an hour ago. I write fast. I hope you all enjoyed this story and thank you for giving it a chance.

I do not own The Outsiders.

I shook my head a bit and came back to reality. Everyone was still sitting in the same spots, looking the same. We were all quiet, only the sounds of our breathing breaking the silence. Usually I didn't have a problem with sitting around doing nothing and I didn't before, but now that I thought of everything I couldn't just sit. I didn't know why, but I had to get up and do something. I pushed myself up off the floor, noticing that everyone looked at me, and walked into the kitchen. I grabbed a glass from the cupboard and filled it with water. I wasn't thirsty, just using it as an excuse in case Darry or Soda asked me what I was doing.

I didn't know I had been followed until the person spoke up. "You were thinking about all of it weren't you?" I jumped in surprise, some of the water spilling over the edge of the glass, and turned around. Of course, it was Alex. She must've left her jacket on the couch. Even though they had faded and turned almost invisible, I could still see the scars littering her arms as clearly as if they were fresh. She hitched her thumbs in her pockets and shifted her weight, waiting for my answer.

I looked at the water in the glass and nodded. "Yeah I was. Not sure why, it all just came back to me."

Alex walked over to the counter and sat on it, her heels quietly knocking against the cabinet. She looked at me and let her mask down, so I figured she was thinking about it all too. She could never keep her tough look up when she thought about everything.

After a moment, she sighed and let her shoulders sag. "We sure have been through a lot huh Ponyboy?"

I chuckled humorlessly. "Yeah, that's one hell of an understatement."

She smiled dryly. "Ain't it?" She kept her eyes on her hands that rested in her lap. From the angle I was looking at her, I could see a ton of emotions run over her face but one stood out and stayed there for a long time.

Fear.

I knew what she was scared of. She was scared of what might happen her because she was friends with me and Johnny. I was already catching shit at school about it and some of it was going to her since she'd been there too. I'd only been jumped once from it and she hadn't yet. But I saw that whenever we walked around town she would occasionally glance nervously over her shoulder, looking for her brothers or some of their friends. There was another thing that she was scared of.

I walked over to her and placed my hand on her shoulder. "You know, I've always got your back. I don't care if Brian and Tyler or their friends do anything to me. It won't change anything."

Alex looked up at me and tried to smile. "You know, I really do know that you mean what you're telling me. But there's always gonna be that little part of my mind that taunts me, telling me that one day you guys are gonna be fed up with something that I caused and you'll just leave. I don't think it'll ever go away, but I think I'm starting to ignore it."

The look in her eyes was different from anything I had seen from her. She didn't look like the tough girl I had met five months ago, but she didn't look like the broken girl that had knocked on our door on a rainy night. She was somewhere in between: strong, but allowing some vulnerability through. That made her look beautiful, and I remembered what I was scared of. I wasn't scared of getting jumped by the Socs, those I could handle. I was scared of her leaving.

"I'm scared about the same thing," I said softly. Alex looked real confused so I explained, "There's a little part of my mind that thinks you're gonna leave. I keep thinking that you won't want to be seen around greasers or you'll meet a guy and forget about us. I mean, I know that you can do whatever you want, but I'm afraid you're gonna leave and then you'll change. You won't be the same girl anymore." I looked at the floor, trying to hide my red face.

Before I knew what was happening, Alex wrapped her arms around my neck. I placed my arms on her back and held her as close as I could. If she was in my arms, she couldn't go anywhere and couldn't change. She would stay just as she was, tough but weak in some areas that didn't care who she was seen with. I didn't want that to change.

As if she could read my mind, she said, "Ponyboy, I ain't going anywhere anytime soon. I can't guarantee that I'll always be here, but I will be for at least four years. I ain't gonna change either. I don't plan on wearing skirts or makeup or going shopping with girls. Just saying those things makes me sick. I like you guys and I don't care that you're greasers. I consider myself a greaser and I'm actually proud of it. I'm staying right here with you all for a long time and I'll stay the same. And I'll have your back like you've got mine. That, I can promise."

I sighed with relief. Just hearing her say that made me feel so much better. She wasn't going anywhere and she wasn't going to change. At least, not now. I knew that later in life she probably would change. Stop acting tough all the time and getting into fights. Start dressing like a lady and acting like one. Getting married and raising a family of her own, sharing these memories with her children, laughing as she told them that she really did miss these days and those rough kids she was friends with.

But for now, she was still with us.

"Hey, you two making out in there or something? If you are can I watch?" Two-Bit shouted into the kitchen.

Alex laughed as she pulled back out of the hug. I laughed too as I poured the water into the sink, not having drank a drop of it. "No we are not making out Two-Bit, and no you can never watch me make out with someone," she shouted back at him. His laugh echoed back to us.

Alex pushed herself off the counter and looked at me. I walked over to her and we just looked at each other for a moment before we walked back into the living room. What lay ahead for us was unclear, but for now, we had each other.

And we were alright with that.

There it is. I hope you all enjoyed this story. Just to let you know, you probably won't see me write in this fandom again. I love The Outsiders, but this is the only story I have to tell dealing with it. I plan on writing some for Big Time Rush, so if you like them go over and find me. Thank you all for sticking with me and for just giving this story a chance. Never thought I'd even get that.

Ciao mio ama, (goodbye my loves)

Kris