The cycles of violence and trauma bonding that were present in West Side Story ripple once more with a smaller cast of characters and scale. Or, an Anita/Anybodys AU where Anybodys saves Anita from being sexually assaulted by the Jets by stabbing and killing Baby John with the knife he got from the rumble. Content warning for some mature themes.

Riff was more than a gang leader,he was his best friend,his brother from another mother. Tony believed it when Riff had told him that he was born to perish young. Riff passed away at 18. Tony always thought that Riff would die first but he thought they'd pass away together. If Tony could speak to him one more time,he would say to Riff,"I'm sorry I couldn't save you."

"I had to do something to keep you safe. I had to keep you safe. There's no way I would have let you pass away buddy boy. There's no way I would have been okay with that. I wouldn't have been okay with letting you pass away buddy boy. You're family to me,you're my best friend. I had to protect you. I had to keep you safe and alive."

Sequel to West Side Story AU. Maria and Tony have finally escaped from the city. They're making a new life together in Virginia with the help of Valentina's brother-in-law, Henry. Starting fresh is hard, but being together has all been worth it. Unfortunately, their past will catch up with them and they will be called back to New York. Will they be able to end the feud finally.

I can't begin to describe how becoming a father changed me for the better. She'll never know that she is my saving grace, my angel. She'll never understand how much she means to me,how much I love her. She'll never understand how she made me a better person than I was. She will never understand that she saved my life.

What if Riff survived and learned that Tony was no longer here? Luckily for him,his lieutenant Ice is there to console him as he mourns the loss of his best friend. Riff can't believe Tony's no longer here. What happened that led to the untimely demise of his best friend? What happened?

Although he had kind of already in a way changed his life,Tony didn't feel like his life was completely different, completely changed. He felt like something was missing that could change his life all the way now. Although he hadn't gone back to the Jets since he got back from upstate and got a job which changed his life,he felt like something's missing to completely change life.

Riff tells Graziella that he just wants to be the best for her. Little does he know that he is already the greatest person she could've dated. That he already was the best for her.

It was because of the lie that she had told Valentina to tell him immediately after what the Jets had done to Anita. But she could not really help but tell that lie about Maria,she had been ambushed by the Jets in a way that had upset her greatly so she had lied. Now she regrets doing that because it cost her best friend the love of her life.

I could have saved Tony's life. If only that had not happened to Anita,she never would have been upset enough to tell me to tell Tony that lie. If that had not happened to her,it might have rescued him.

Valentina was not sure how it would end for Tony after he ran out of sight. She didn't know until after Tony was gone. She did not know until he was gone and she was more devastated when she realized she only knew after he was gone.

What if Riff survived and found out Anita had lied and had Valentina tell Tony that lie? He races to find Tony and finds him begging for Chino to come and get him too. He almost loses his best friend. Tony consoles his best friend after knowing that Riff had come close to losing him. He knew how hard it must've been to know he came so close to losing his one and only best friend.

After the rumble,Graziella is mourning the loss of her boyfriend Riff. She just can't believe it. Her boyfriend,the love of her life is gone. He's gone and he's never coming back.

What if Riff survived and found out that Chino was after his best friend Tony? Whatever happens to him,Riff was determined to save Tony from that fate. He would do anything to save him. He would do anything that would help keep Tony protected. After all,the two were like brothers and they'd do anything to help each other. They would do anything to save each other.

Anita and Maria's friendship following Anita confessing that she lied to Valentina and telling her to tell Tony that lie

I love you. I miss you. I wish I could've saved you. If our love for each other could've been enough to be able to save you,you would still be here with me. There is not a day that goes by that I don't think of you. I think of you everyday. There's not a day that goes by that I don't miss you. I miss you everyday. I wish I could've been able to save you.

Following the loss of her boyfriend Riff,Graziella wishes that she could go back to the night they met

You saved my life,why couldn't I save yours? Riff survives and Tony does not survive. Riff knows Tony saved his life so why couldn't he save his? Why couldn't Riff save his best friend's life? He just wanted to save his best friend's life. After all, Tony saved his life when they met and Riff just wanted to save his life.

Valentina learns that it was a lie and that Maria was actually alive. When a grief stricken Tony attempts to leave the store not knowing that Maria was alive,Valentina had to do whatever it took to keep him safe. Valentina knew she had to do something to save Tony's life.

Life for Riff and Graziella is better than before the birth of their daughter. Life is especially better for Riff than before the birth of his baby girl. It's not a lie to say she saved Riff's life and changed him from who he used to be.

Just as things are getting started at the rumble, Graziella arrives at the place and she is hoping that what she has to tell him will convince him to back down from fighting in the rumble. Will he back away from the fight for the sake of his babygirl?