"Rose I can't believe you're actually alive." Darry cries as he takes two large strides over to me and enwraps me in a bear hug. "How is it possible? They said...we went to your funeral. You were dead." He cried again it was strange seeing such a macho man like Darry cry he was always so hard and tough. I could barely breathe in his arms they were wrapped around me that tightly but I wasn't going to say anything...something told me he needed this. Something told me a lot had change since Dal and I left.

He let go and I took a deep breath as subtly as I could trying not to hurt his feelings. "Come sit...tell me what happened." I was hesitant because I didn't know what to tell Dar...I mean could I tell him about Andrew? How would he take it? He was always so moral would he tell the police? Get real angry? Or would he understand? And even if I didn't tell him the truth what lie was I going to tell him?

I sat down next to him slowly as if buying time to think of a plan. Soda sat in Darry's arm chair and I shot him a nervous glance, he nodded his head reassuringly though as if indicating I could trust Darry with this but I still wasn't sure. I didn't want too many people to know that we had killed somebody that was just more of a chance that the police could find out.

"Um where to begin?" I state and sigh struggling on how to exactly phrase it. I mean how do you tell somebody you're a murderer?

"Well...remember how I told you about Andrew?...."

.................

Darry say there shocked as I relayed all the information on to him. I glanced over at Soda a few times and he looked nervous and distracted.

"I...are you okay?" Darry's question took me off guard. "Wh-what do you mean?" "Well...I mean that has to be a tough thing to live with...how are you dealing with it?" I shrug and frown "Okay I guess...I don't really know."

Before I could say anything else he hugged me once again and I didn't really know how to react.

He broke away and cleared his throat "Um...I'm going to go get some stuff for a big dinner tonight to celebrate your return. Excuse me." He got up and left before another word could be uttered. It was just Soda and I alone in the living room.

"Do you have any chocolate cake? I haven't had any in months." I groan and stand up Soda nods and nods towards the kitchen still looking distracted.

I shake it off though thinking it was just because of everything that's happened in the past day or so.

I go to take a bite of my cake when I feel two arms lift me up and twirl me around in the air. "Rosey girl!" and I suddenly realised it was Two-Bit by his bellowing. I caught a glimpse of Soda smirking in the door way. Two-Bit put me down and I turned to face him I would yell at him for making me drop my cake but there was still more in the ice box.

"Hey Two-Bit!" I wrap my arms around his torso and burry my head in his chest. "Man I missed you Rosey. Don't ever leave like that again! Ya hear?" I nod my head and pull away "I won't. I promise." He just grins and grabs a beer from the fridge I grabbed another slice of cake and then walked into the living room to join the two boys in watching Mickey Mouse.

"So Two-Bit what have you been up to lately?" Two shrugs "Drinking...sleeping around...distracting myself." I couldn't help but get a pang on guilt by his answer. It was my fault everything had turned to shit around here.

Two-Bit saw the guilt on my face and tried to fix it by cracking a joke but I wasn't really up for one. "Have you see Steve yet?" Two asked I shake my head. "No...he hasn't come around and it's not like I can really go out at the moment...people think I'm dead." Two-bit nods his head knowingly and furrows his eyebrows together "Yes...I can see how that is a problem." His voice was all proper like and it made me smile.

"Come on." He grabs my arm and takes me to the front door. "Two where are we going?" "To see Steve. You coming Soda?" he asks but Soda doesn't respond he doesn't even blink. "Soda?" I repeat but once again no response so I say it again louder this time and he snaps back to reality. "W-What?" his voice was shakey, he looked real pale and he was sweating like crazy.

"Do you want to come and see Steve?" "No...not today." That confused me they were best friends they spent all their time together. "But he's your best friend." "I said not today Rosalie." He snapped making me almost fall into Two-Bit from shock. "Come on Rose...let's leave Mr. Cranky to himself." I nod unsure but go with him.

"I sure messed things up 'round here didn't I?" I sigh and link my arms through Two's. He doesn't answer me and I guess maybe he was just trying to spare my feelings.

..............

"Okay go in through the back." I nod and run around to the back I pull at the metal door but didn't realise how heavy it was. I had to use all my body weight to pull it open and when I did it made a huge sound that I cringed worried Steve may have heard it and the surprise intended would not happen not to mention it made me fall on my butt.

I got up and dusted myself off I quietly went through the door way and decided to keep the door open to make sure it didn't make that sound again. I saw Steve talking to Two-Bit who seemed unbothered by the door. I give Two a nod and then sneak up on Steve I could see Two-Bit struggling to keep a straight face.

I get about 30cm away from Steve and then tackle hug him making him almost fall over. He turns around and screams backing up into to Two-Bit "What the Fuck!" he screams again. "Shut up will ya." Two-Bit puts a hand over his mouth and we move into the privacy of the store. I lock the door and flip the sign to say close so we wouldn't be disturbed.

"Would someone care to explain what's going on?" he growled through gritted teeth jerking away from Two-Bit who was thoroughly enjoying watching Steve freak out. "Well I'm alive...and not dead." "I can bloody well see that...thankyou. How are you alive Rose!? I mean for crying out loud we all went to your funeral. Which made me cry...in front of people...I don't cry in front of people!" His eyes were blazing with anger but his facial expression looked more concerned and confused than angry. He started to pace around the room punching over the gum stand I walked up slowly and wrapped my arms around his middle. "It doesn't matter how I'm alive Steve...all that matters is I'm here and I'm not leaving again...I promise." He sighs and turns around...the anger from his eyes gone and now replaced with sorrow. "You better not. I can't...we can't deal with that again." I hug him again and hear Two-Bit groan in the background. "What's your problem?" "I wanted you to have a bigger and worse reaction to her being alive...that reaction was just...average and boring." "Oh shut your mouth Two." We were interrupted by a knock on the door "Boss you in there?" I look at Steve confused boss? Did the guys hire someone else? Steve walks up to the door "Yeah ahh you can go home now kid...I'm closing early." "Okay see you tomorrow."

"You and Sodapop hire somebody else?" the room went eerily quiet making my stomach churn for some unknown reason. "Steve?" again it was quiet. "She doesn't know?" "I wasn't gonna be the one to tell I gathered you or Soda or somebody would tell her eventually." Steve rolls his eyes and two just shrugs grabbing a coke from the icebox against the wall.

"Um... I fired Sodapop, Rose. His drug addiction was apparently more important than I was." I froze in place... "His what?" I whisper and almost fall over in shock. "I'm sorry you had to find out like this Rosey girl but you were going to find out sooner or later." Two-Bit places his hand on my shoulder but I pull away and run out of the store I had to make sure they were right. I stop halfway to the Curtis house in revelation...he showed all the signs. Sweating, vagueness, mood swings and paranoia...my Sodapop had a drug addiction...and the worst part was is it's my fault.