(Finally the last chapter. I like to thank everyone who reviewed and helped out along the way. This is also really short cause I'm writing the sequel and the other two in The Outsiders saga. I do not own the outsiders or its characters. Thanks again and enjoy!)

Chapter 12

It was getting boring at the house. I been stuck in the house with the gang for at least five days. There hasn't been a Soc in sight and I still don't know why I'm stuck in the house. I thought Darry finally went overboard protecting me but I have Johnny for that. So I was laying here on the couch with my head in Johnny's lap trying to sleep when Two-bit came rushing through the door. He immediately fell to the floor.

He screamed in pain. Two-bit doesn't scream in pain or for anything really so something was really wrong. Darry and Dally picked Two-bit up and sat him on the couch me and Johnny got up from. He had a cut from his forehead that went to the other side of his face. It was slowly healing, but the arrow sticking out of his chest was scaring me. It was in the middle of his chest, a few more inches to the left and Two-bit would have died.

"What happened? Are you okay? Who did this to you?" I was shushed by Steve who glared at me. I glared right back. Johnny was running a comforting hand up and down my back. He must hear my heart racing cause the guys were having a difficult time concentrating. "It's going to be okay, Two-bit." Darry calmly said.

"No its not, how would you like an arrow sticking out of your chest, Darryl!" He screamed at Darry. His eyes were red and his canines extended into the familiar fangs that I knew too well. I laughed. Two-bit can make a joke in any crisis, even with an arrow in his chest. He glared at me, but that slowly melted then the rest joined in. It was a tense couple of days and everyone just needed to laugh. "So who did this?" Soda finally asked, he had hands on his knees to keep himself from falling over.

"A hunter," he winced, "I was walking over here after visiting Kathy when I smelled a weird scent. It smelled like us but it really wasn't. Anyway, I kept going for about a mile when an arrow came out of nowhere and landed next to me. They tried to hit me several times and one got lucky. I laid there for a bit. They must have used something on the arrow cause I can feel myself dying." He let out a whistle like the sound of an arrow getting released from its quiver.

"We ain't letting that happen, I contacted Tim and he's coming right over to help." Darry must have called him when Two-bit was telling his story. He made his fingers tip an invisible cowboy hat, "That's mighty kind of you, but I'm a loner, and a loners got to be alone." He rested his head on the arm of the couch. Darry put one hand on his shoulder and grasped the arrow at the part where it was near Two-bit's chest. "On three…one…two….three!" He pulled it out so fast I heard Two-bit yelp and it went quiet.

Two-bit laid there panting. He looked down and a small tear in his shirt and blood on everything. "Sorry about the blood." Darry patted his shoulder gently. "It's okay, Tim's here." Tim walked in after Darry finished it. He nodded at Dally, who winked back at him. I saw the exchange and smiled. Dally needed someone in his life about like Soda.

"You stupid greaser, why did you go get yourself shot for?" Tim asked, his voice deep. "It ain't my fault, why were there people shooting me?" Tim ran a hand through his greasy hair. "It's because they are hunters."

"What?" I asked. Tim looked at me then at Darry. "The kid shouldn't hear this."

"He's been a part of this for a while now, he needs to know about everything." He said. Tim nodded. "They came from somewhere in the West, don't know how they heard about it. They heard about the rumble and how it was over some Soc getting killed and Ponyboy here getting bit." He stared at me. I could feel everyone's eyes on me. Why did it always have to be me?

"Why are they hear?" I asked. "Through the grape vine. That's all I can say. The arrow that penetrated your friend here is a special kind of arrow. It's mixed with silver and holy water, if this went to your heart you would have fell right where you stand. Now I came here not to tell stories."

He went to the couch and bit his wrist. I closed my eyes and turned away, putting my head on Johnny's shoulder. The comforting hand came back. It was quiet for a bit then Two-bit was able to get off the couch where Darry made to clean it. "Let's go to bed." Johnny whispered in my ear." I nodded felt like I was going to get sick. I finally was able to get in pajamas and lay down in bed.

Johnny pressed his chest to my back, his arm was curled protectively over my waist and he laid his head on top of mine. I didn't go to sleep for a while, kept thinking on how this was going to turn out. Maybe we would be lucky and won't run into these hunters. But knowing my luck, we would do just that.

(The next one is called The Outsiders: Red as Blood. It might be a while cause I have school and test up the wazoo. Please Review!)