Part three. This is it, guys. 😭

Lydia's POV:

I stayed at the Curtis's house from then on, working to be able to provide for myself and going to school because Darry made me, until I couldn't anymore. When my water finally broke, Soda drove me to the hospital. Only one person was allowed in the delivery room with me when it happened, and I picked Pony, since he'd been there through everything. While we were waiting, I asked Soda to wait outside for a second so I could talk to Pony alone.

"Are you okay?" He asked me. I nodded, just wanting the baby out already. When he left, I immediately asked Ponyboy something that had been pounding in the back of my mind since I told him.

"Is this too much for you?" I begged him in my mind to say no, that he was okay, but he merely nodded.

"You.... You can go if you need to. I can do this," I whispered to him. He shook his head.

"We're gonna do this together, Lydia," he told me.

"You're my best friend and I love you. I can't give up now... I'm gonna be here for you now, and for this baby... Forever," he said. I could see it in his eyes how hard this would be for him. How much he knew would change... We were both just 14 and 15 years old, having a child just wasn't reasonable.

"Are you going to be okay?" I asked him.

"I hope so," was his quiet response, barely even a whisper. And there it was again, hope... I knew that he was telling the truth, that he didn't actually know. Between losing his parents and his two best friends, could he even handle this?

"Really, Pony, if this is too much to handle," I started. But he shook his head, grabbed my hand.

"Look, Lyd, I'll be fine. The hard part is on you now," he said with a laugh.

"I love you," I whispered to him. He smiled.

"I... I never meant for this to happen," I whispered between contractions.

"I know," he said. I squeezed his hand. Sooner or later, probably later, the doctor came in and told me it was time to start pushing.

And after a lot of screaming, some crying and a lot more inconsolable yelling, a beautiful 8 pound 6 ounce baby girl with big brown eyes and little brown whips of hair was born.

Ponyboy held her first.

"So what do you think of her?" I asked, sweat pouring down my red face.

"She's beautiful," he responded.

"I'm glad. I was hoping she would be." And there it was again, hoping. I didn't even realize it until the words were out of my mouth.

"She has your nose," Pony said. I giggled as he handed her to me.

"Wow," I said, my breath taken away.

"She's perfect..." I whispered.

"What are we going to name her?" He asked me. I just stared down at her. I had no idea.

Suddenly, I was back 9 months, consoling Dally as he cried. I told him it would be okay, and over and over he had whispered, "I hope so." Ans that's when I realized that if someone as cold and hard as Dallas Winston could have hope, maybe it wasn't for suckers...

"What about..." I started.

"Hope," he finished for me. My eyes widened.

"How did you know?" I asked him, genuinely surprised.

"I just... I think she seems like hope, if that makes any sense. Like... everything was going so horribly, and then we had another little greaser to look forward to. It gave us our own sense of hope, I guess," he said. I thought this through, staring at my baby girl. This little girl was my hope.

"I love it," I responded. And I bet Dallas would have too...

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

By the time I finish describing all of this to Hope, from Dallas and I meeting, to our story, up until her birth, and how her uncles, Darry and Soda worked even harder to be able to pay for daycare for her so I could keep going to school, and that even Pony got an after school job, she's in tears. I scoot closer to her and take her in my arms.

"I love you," I whispered, stoking her hair.

"I love you too, Mom," she says and her voice, those words, the most beautiful sounds in the world, warm my heart. She leans her head on my shoulder, and a picture of her as a baby clouds my thoughts, sending tears down my cheeks too. That's when Ponyboy comes out of his office.

"Dinner ready ye-" at then he stops, seeing both of us like this, and runs to comfort us.

My daughter looks up at Ponyboy, seeing him in this completely new, other light for the first time. I momentarily feel guilty for telling her everything without talking to my husband. Knowing that this would change her life forever, I hoped I had done the right thing. As soon as I hear Hope's voice again, I know that I have.

"Dad?" She whispers, sobbing, and hugging him. He rubs her back, trying to calm her.

"I-I didn't realize that you did all of that... I-I'm so sorry," she cries. Ponyboy shushes her, telling her it's okay, that he loves her.

"I love you so much, Daddy." Ponyboy smiles, bigger than the first time he saw his little princess, and I knew I had done the right thing. I watch as Pony kisses Hope's forehead. Our daughter  doesn't let go of him.

"I've taken you for granted, Dad. I.... I always thought you had to do all of this, not wanted to. I didn't realize," she tells him.

Dallas would have loved her, his little girl. If he had just held on for a little while, hoped like the girl sitting in front of me had taught our entire gang to do, he would still have been here.

Things would have been different if he were still here. I don't know how, but they would have been. In my heart I know that I'll always love him, but I would have ended up with Ponyboy either way... He had my heart from the day we met.

I don't have any more time to think before Hope says something that surprises me.

"They were wrong. You are my father, no matter who I look like," she declares. I look at this girl, and I can't help but hope that Dallas is looking down on us, thanking Ponyboy for taking his place, protecting his daughter. Because I know he would have loved her.

A/N: Sooo... That's all, folks. I had a really hard time ending this, so I hope it was okay... I liked the storyline and the way I wrote this story, but I almost wish it was a Soda or Two-Bit or Darry or some other character because who gets pregnant at 14?!

Anyways, sorry it was such a long wait. Can't wait for you guys to read my newest story, Memories, about River Phoenix, and don't forget to check out Hope's sequel: The Delinquent's Daughter!

Thank you for reading! I hope that this story was everything you wanted and more. I love you!!! 😘 -Katy