A/N: Happy Holidays everyone! I hope everyone had a great holiday and are ready for the New Year. I apologize for my long absence. Here I am with the final chapter of I Need You. Thank you all so much for the wonderful reviews and support you have given me during this story It means so much to me. I'm sad that it's come to an end but have enjoyed writing every bit of it. I really hope you all like the Epilogue. I have future writings planned so stay tuned for my future works. Take care. Love, Ellivia22
A/N I would like to thank OldSchoolStuff for always being supportive of my writings. It really means a lot, especially when I'm in moments of doubt. Thank you for all your wonderful reviews. I really appreciate it.
Disclaimer: The Outsiders unfortunately still isn't mine.
I Need You
Epilogue
Two Months Later
Ponyboy
"Thanks for bringin' me along this time," I tell Two-Bit and Johnny. My two buddies are beside me on the way to the check-out counter, each of us carrying a Winn Dixie handbasket full of chips, cookies, pretzels, and other snack foods.
"Of course, man," Johnny says from beside me.
"Yeah, it's more fun to cause shenanigans with you around," Two-Bit adds brightly. I watch in amusement as he takes a newspaper off the stand in front of the checkout and sticks it in his black jacket. He's such a kleptomaniac. "'Sides I made Darry a promise that I'd keep an eye on ya. It's about time I actually did so."
I roll my eyes. Leave it to Darry to keep tabs on me. My oldest brother recovered quickly from his stab wound and has since gone back to work. Not only has he gone back to work, but he's reverted to his old self. I've noticed in great relief that he doesn't holler at me nearly as much as he used to. When he does on a rare occasion it doesn't bother me like it used to. I've come to find that I'm enjoying his company more. Once we settle everything with the Socs during the rumble tonight, we can put this whole mess behind us.
I put Darry's favorite chocolate bar, a Snickers on the moving conveyor belt, followed by a small Pepsi bottle for Soda. I've got to make sure they have enough energy for the rumble tonight. To be honest, I think Darry should skip the rumble, just in case things get rough, but I know he won't listen if I ask. He's too proud.
I notice the checker is staring at me. She's a tiny girl, maybe a year or two older than me. Her wide brown eyes match her long chestnut hair. Her reaction towards me doesn't surprise me. I am a hood, after all. She must think I'm going to rob her. I try my best to not show how much that bothers me. I hand her fifteen cents for all the snacks, then make my way out of the store with two grocery bags in my hand. Two-Bit and Johnny aren't far behind.
I light up a cigarette, then hand the lighter to Johnny, who does the same. Two-Bit pulls the newspaper out of his jacket once we're a safe distance from the supermarket. "What did ya swipe this time?" I ask in curiosity.
"Somethin' I think you'll find very interestin'." Two-Bit clears his throat and begins to read the front page in his usual drawl. "Teens sentenced in stabbing…
Robert Sheldon, 18, Randall Adderson, 18, and Alexander Glassman, 18, from West Tulsa were sentenced yesterday. The teens were convicted on numerous charges including conspiracy, assault with a deadly weapon, and attempted murder. The victims of the crime were two brothers from the East side, Darrel Curtis Jr. 20, and Ponyboy Curtis, 14. "
I listen with great interest. I already know the outcome of the trial since Darry, Sodapop, and I were in the courtroom when the Socs were sentenced, but I'm curious to hear what the newspaper has to say about us. That explains why the cashier was staring at me a few seconds ago.
"The altercation occurred on Sunday, November 9th in the early afternoon. Sheldon, jealous of his girlfriend, Sherri Valance's affiliation with Ponyboy conspired with Adderson and Glassman to lure Ponyboy and ambush him. According to court testimony Darrel, a roofer for Lash Roofing and construction worker for OPLD Construction, intervened to protect his brother. Darrel suffered a severe stab wound to the chest. Darrel survived his injury and has since been released from the hospital.
Judge Ferguson was disgusted by the actions of the teens, calling them a "public disgrace." He sentenced Mr. Adderson and Mr. Glassman to five years in prison for their roles in the crime. Mr. Sheldon, who was the mastermind, was sentenced to fifteen years..."
Two-Bit trails off, his eyes scanning the paper. "What?" I ask in curiosity.
"It's funny. There ain't any mention of you guys' bein' hoods. And lookin' at the pictures the press took y'all look like Socs."
I peer over his shoulder. Sure enough, there are several pictures in the newspaper from yesterday's court hearing. Not just of me, Darry, and Sodapop, but Bob, Randy, and Alex. I have to admit, despite the greasy hair Darry, Sodapop, and I clean up pretty good. "The article mentions my school record and Darry's along with his good reputation with both his jobs." It also mentions how hard he and Sodapop have worked to keep us together since our parents died. I'm relieved to see there's no mention of Sodapop and me being put into a boys' home. Then again if that was the case we would've known by now.
I drop the finished cigarette on the ground and rub it with my foot. "Tuff enough."
I stop short. In our wanderings, Johnny, Two-Bit, and I have arrived at the wooded path heading towards the vacant lot. I feel my muscles seize in fear. My body becomes rigid and it's becoming harder to breathe. Worst of all my heart is pounding so hard against my chest in anxiety it's starting to hurt. I haven't been to the vacant lot since the day Darry was stabbed. I shut my eyes tightly.
I barely made it in time to grab Darry before he collapsed to the ground. He was so heavy I could feel my muscles stretch and quiver, but I managed to get him gently to the asphalt. I tore his T-shirt a little to get a better look at his injury. I felt sick to my stomach seeing the wound up close. It was so deep I could see flesh and muscle. It was as if the blade almost went straight through him.
"Ponyboy, I want you to go home," Darry managed in between painful breaths. "Get somewhere safe."
"No."
"That's an order!"
"NO! I ain't leavin' you!"
"Ponyboy…."
My body shakes like a leaf. I drop the groceries to the ground. It's becoming harder and harder to breathe. I can't hear anything except my brother's dying breaths. My eyes squeeze even tighter as I see the dark red blood flowing through my hands. Too much blood. He's going to bleed out fast. I'm losing strength in my knees fast.
"It's too late," Darry said softly.
"No! Y-you can't die! You're Superman!"
"Ponyboy, it's okay. You're not really there."
"I love you, Ponyboy. So much."
A hand shakes my shoulder so hard I almost topple over. I open my eyes to see Two-Bit and Johnny standing in front of me. Both of them look positively terrified. I breathe heavily. It takes several minutes before I can get my body to stop shaking. My heart has yet to cease pounding.
"It's okay, Pony," Johnny says softly. His arm is around my shoulders protectively. It's thanks to him that I'm able to stay standing. "You're okay."
"Sorry Kid," Two-Bit says. His face is unnaturally pale. "I shoulda been payin' attention to where we were goin'. We can take the long way back to the house."
Johnny attempts to move my shoulders so that we're walking in the opposite direction, but my feet stay glued to the ground. I continue to stare at the vacant lot.
"Pony?" Johnny says almost fearfully.
"I'm okay," I manage after a moment. I begin to walk in the direction of the vacant lot. I'm scared to death to see the place where it all happened, but I can't let the fear control me. I have to face my fear sooner or later. If I don't, my constant nightmares will never go away. "I-I've gotta do this."
"Are you sure?" Johnny asks uncertainly.
I nod.
"We won' let nothin' happen to ya," Two-Bit promises, brandishing his blade. His skin tone is back to the normal color. A hard determined look is on his face.
I nod again. I take a deep breath and traipse through the wooded area, Johnny and Two-Bit beside me, one on each side. My heart has yet to cease pounding and I'm still struggling to breathe properly. My palms are starting to sweat.
It's gonna be fine, I remind myself repeatedly. The Socs are in jail and Darry is safe at home.
The first thing I see when we enter the vacant lot is a couple of kids around eight or nine roughhousing in torn T-shirts and jeans. Future greasers I think to myself in amusement.
My blood runs cold when I see a nice-looking car in the middle of the lot. It's a bright red Stingray Corvette. The car looks very familiar. My heart pounds even harder against my chest. A Soc. I vaguely can hear Two-Bit and Johnny pull out their blades.
I relax when I see Cherry get out of her car. That's right. She has a Sting Ray, I remind myself in tremendous relief. She's in casual clothing today. Rather than her usual dresses she's wearing jeans and a white shirt. A ski jacket is over it to keep her warm. She's alone. She approaches us. Two-Bit and Johnny put away their blades.
"Hi Ponyboy," she says. "Hi Johnny. Hi Two-Bit."
"What's with the big times?" Two-Bit asks, jerking his head at the kids who are still roughhousing.
She tightens the strings on her ski jacket. "They play your way. No weapons, fair deal. Your rules."
"You sure?"
She nods. "Randy told me before...," she swallows hard. "He knows for sure."
Two-Bit moves past her in the direction of home. Johnny is beside him. "Thanks, Cherry."
I start to follow, but Cherry calls me back. "Ponyboy, stay a minute." I stop and face her. The sunset behind her makes her look even more beautiful. The blue and yellow in the sky make her red hair more vibrant. She smiles at me, but it's not a true, genuine smile. It seems that everything that happened is weighing heavily on her.
"How's Darry doing?" she asks softly.
"He's doin' all right," I answer. I'm surprised she asked. After all, she was in the courtroom during Bob's sentencing and didn't even say hi. She didn't even acknowledge us at any of the court sessions. "He's got most of his strength back. Everythin's back to normal-but better."
She smiles. "Good. I'm glad."
"Me too."
I can't stop looking at her. Man, she's mighty fine. If she wasn't a Soc I'd take her somewhere real nice. She has green eyes I think to myself as I get lost in them. It's like looking into two shimmering emeralds. I suddenly realize her eyes are fearful and there's a sadness I haven't seen since she visited Darry and me at the hospital.
"It's all over," I tell her gently. "You don' need to be afraid no more."
"I heard about the rumble tonight," Cherry says as if she didn't hear me. "Y-you're not going, are you?"
"Well yeah," I answer in surprise. "We all are. We're gonna show those Socs they can' push us around no more."
Her smile disappears. She almost looks disappointed in me. I hate that almost as much as I hate it when I disappoint Darry. "When is going to end, Ponyboy," she asks softly. "You and Darry barely survived and look at Bob. Look at where his anger led him. He's going to be in jail for a long time." A tear slides down her cheek and a small sob escapes her throat. She obviously still cares for Bob, even if she was the one who broke up with him. "What Bob did was wrong, and he deserved what he got, but I still care for him. He used to be so sweet. I-I'll never understand why he changed." She sighs. "Fighting isn't the answer. Please don't go, Pony."
I swallow hard as I think about her words. There is no question I'm still angry with the Socs for trying to kill us, but is Cherry right? Is vengeance really the answer? And Darry just recovered from his injury. Is it a good idea to let him lead us to victory? What if he gets hurt? What if Soda? Or Johnny? Two-Bit? I don't think I can handle losing someone else after losing Mom and Dad.
I force down the fear and doubt and attempt to keep my cool front. "We'll be fine, Cherry. I promise."
Cherry suddenly leans in and kisses me on the cheek. Her lips are soft. I feel my body tremble with her touch. Without another word, she gets back into her car and drives away. I stare at her in a daze. After a moment I hurry to catch up with my friends who are waiting at the end of the vacant lot by the street.
I'm silent the whole way back to the house. Cherry's words run through my mind over and over again. One question repeats in my mind.
Is all this fighting really worth it?
Darry
80…81…82….83…84….85
My muscles move with ease as I complete another push-up. The tightness I was feeling from working on the roof yesterday is easing up. Sweat rolls down my face and chest, but I ignore it. I let out another deep breath and finish this set.
86…87…88…89…90
Two months have passed since I've been released from the hospital, and I feel stronger than ever. It didn't take me long to recover from my injury. Once I went back to work a week after my release everything has gone back to normal, but better. Ponyboy and I haven't gotten along this well since before Mom and Dad died. The best part is my time in the hospital didn't set us back financially as badly as I had imagined. My insurance from my two jobs covered a good chunk of the hospital bills, which was a major relief. The small paycheck I got from working the third job was also a big help. To get back to where we used to be financially Sodapop and I have been taking turns picking up extra shifts.
I've also been doing my best to keep my promise to my brothers and not work so much. As a matter of fact, I took today off. Sodapop and Ponyboy think I took the day off to rest and catch up on household chores. They don't need to know that I spend the day with Anne to help her study for one of her exams. Nor will I mention to them the kiss that Anne and I shared. I grin to myself as I think about how soft and sweet her lips are. I can't wait to see her again.
90…91…92…93…94…95
"Gotta hand it to you, man," Dally says from his position against the wall next to my chair. His arms are folded as he watches me complete my work out. It's a good thing he's close by. I can barely hear anything with the radio blaring and Steve and Sodapop arguing over a game of cards. "That scar is tuff. I almost feel sorry for the Soc who decides to go against ya. Almost."
I grin at my buddy from my position on the floor. "Without their leaders those Socs don't stand a chance. We're gonna win for sure."
96…97…98…99…100
After my last push up, I bounce on my feet. Dally hands me a towel and I wipe the sweat off my face, chest and neck. I feel pumped and energetic. I could do another 100 push ups if I wanted to, but I decide not to overexert myself. I need to save my strength for the rumble. I grab my black T-shirt from my chair and pull it over my head.
"I'm not sure you should be in this rumble, Dar."
When I can see again Ponyboy is standing in the doorway in front of the dining room table. He's already dressed in a green T-shirt and jacket. He looks extremely nervous.
I pull my black T-shirt down my chest and begin to tuck it into my jeans. I raise my eyebrow at my baby brother. "And why is that?"
"Well, uh, you're still recoverin' from your stab wound," Ponyboy stammers. "And you might get hurt again."
I chuckle and reach over to ruffle his hair. Even two months later the kid is still worried about me. "I'll be fine. I'm Superman, remember? Besides, I feel stronger than ever." I flex my arms, making my muscles look like bulging baseballs. "No Soc would dare mess with me again. And I'll make damn sure they won't mess with you or Sodapop either. You can count on that."
I fasten my belt buckle then look at my little brother seriously. Rumbles can be dangerous, even if there are no weapons involved. Maybe Ponyboy should be the one who stayed home. It was the best way to keep him safe. I grab the front of his jacket gently. "It might be too dangerous for you, though kid. Maybe you ought to stay home tonight where you'll be safe."
Ponyboy gives me a look. "I can handle it. It ain't my first rumble."
"I know but-."
Sodapop appears between us. He throws an arm around my shoulder, another around Ponyboy's. "Don' worry. Everythin' will be all right as long as we stick together."
I feel my eyes burn but I force them back. Sodapop's not talking about the rumble. He's talking about us. He is right. As long as we stick together nothing bad will happen again. I pull my brothers in a tight hug, not caring if the rest of the gang is watching. Sodapop and Ponyboy grip onto me just as tightly. All the stress ebbs away and for once I feel content. Our family is together and stronger than ever.
I loosen my grip just enough to rub my knuckles in their hair affectionally. "Let's go!" I call out to the gang then dart out the open door. I do a flip in the air and land easily on my feet in front of the gate.
The gang isn't far behind me. I can hear them hoot and hollering as they feel the energy. Ponyboy aims a couple of playful punches my way, which I block easily. Then he jumps onto my back. I hook my arms under his legs and support his weight easily. I share a grin with my brother. Our relationship is as it should be and I will make sure nothing comes between us again.
The End