"You two had a fight didn't you?" I whisper to Steve even though I wasn't looking at him we all knew who I was talking to. "Yeah...we did." "And it's all my fault." I exhale clutching my head.

"No Rose it's not." Steve grabbed me by my shoulders his grip was tight. He was staring me right in the eyes "Okay? It was never and never will be your fault! Sodapop made his own decision." "But if I hadn't have "died" and if I had just stayed here then he wouldn't have had to." My voice was hoarse and tears ran down my cheeks. "No Rose listen to me! You did what you did for whatever reason. I gather it was for a damn good reason. You're back now anyway maybe now we can stop it."

"Maybe you're right." I cried leaning into him. He hugged me for a few second and then let me go. "Here." He handed me a tissue. "Thanks." I mumbled.

"Well I'm bored. Let's do something." Two-Bit threw his coke bottle in the trash can and walked towards the door.

"Wait! I can't go out into the public" He looks back at me with knowing look. "Sure we can. We will just say you Rosalie's long lost twin who came to Tulsa to see what her sister was doing before she died." Steve and I both looked at Two-Bit with shocked expressions. "What? I've been in school for so long...you didn't think I'd learn something?" "Well I guess it's about time he did." Steve chuckles and puts his arm around my shoulders leading me out of the room.

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

We arrive at the Dingo where we receive some strange looks. "This is real uncomfortable Two-Bit. You dig?" "Yeah I dig."

We sat at a booth up the back avoiding anyone who looked at us. "This was a bad idea." I mumble under my breath. "No it wasn't just relax. Okay?" Steve whispers in my ear. "Sure."

I looked around the diner grease stained the walls and the floors were littered with food scraps and scrunched up napkins.

I stared out the window to see the socs laughing and having a good time. My whole body was filled with jealousy, nothing had happened to them. Yet by one decision I had ruined 7 people's lives.

"I hate this." "What?" Steve looked out the window where I was looking. "That the socs get to be happy and we don't." "Oh come on Rosey. Cheer up!" Two-Bit groaned "I want to have fun. Like good old times."

I look over at him "Okay then you want some fun?" he nods. "Follow me." I walked out of the diner and over to the socs. "Hey dicks." I greet smirking walking up to them. "You know ladies shouldn't speak like that." The curly brunette smirked back. "Well that's the thing I'm not a lady."

"What do you want?" he almost spat in my face. "A rumble. 8pm tonight at the lost on the east side. No weapons, skin only." "What's the prize?" I look at Steve and Two-Bit who just shrug. "You win...and nothing changes. We win...all socs stay out of the East side for a month."

He nods and exchanges looks with the rest of his group "Deal." I nod and walk off.

"Two-Bit go and let the Sheppard gang know there's a rumble on tonight. We're gonna need all the support we can get." Two-Bit nods and runs off cheering as he does excited about the rumble.

"Man I love a good rumble like the next guy but was this really such a wise decision?" Steve asks looking me right in the eyes. "Two-Bit wanted to have some fun...this is me trying to make things right." "By setting up a rumble? Rose that's stupid." "Look I don't need you telling me what to do! You don't like it? Fine! I don't care. Just don't hang around winging too me."

I started to stalk off when he grabbed me by the arm and force me to face him, staring into is eyes that were somewhat mesmerising. "Rose, I didn't mean to upset you but you have only just returned. You really think a rumble is the best idea right now?"

I knew it wasn't a good idea but I was just so angry and I guess at that point I thought it was a great way to release my anger but now I realised I was wrong. I didn't stop to think about my actions and now I have created something that could get somebody killed.

"No. But it's what's gonna happen." I turn back around and he lets my arm go trailing behind me all the way back to the Curtis house in absolute silence.

I walked in and saw Darry sitting in his arm chair. "Where's Sodapop?" I ask looking around "In his room. Steve...you're here."

"Um... yeah but I'm just here with Rose." Darry's face looked sad and I could tell that the friendship breakup between the two had really impacted him as well. "Darry I need to tell you something." "Sure Rose what is it?" I took a deep breath before answering scared to what he might say. "Well there's a rumble tonight at the lot between us and the Socs."

Darry didn't really have any reaction and I wasn't sure how to take that. "Okay...skin or weapons." "Skin, at 8. If we win they have to stay off our turf for a whole month." Steve answers for me stepping closer looking real uncomfortable. "And if they win?" "Nothing changes."

Darry nods and crosses his arms "Alright We'll be there. I guess we'll just have that big dinner tomorrow night."

I cringe remembering the dinner he was going to make to celebrate my return. "Oh and Rose Sodapop said he wants to see you." I shake my head and make up some lame excuse as to why I couldn't go see my boyfriend.

"Um...I can't Steve and I...have to go tell the Shepard gang." I run out of the house dragging Steve behind me. "What was that?" he pulled me back. "what was what?" I played dumb trying to get out of this. "We have to go tell the Shepard gang? You told Two-Bit to do that. What's going on Rose?"

I chuckle at the irony "What's not going on?" he stared at me with a scornful look. "I'm scared...I don't know how to act around Soda now." My voice went weak and I sat down on the curb. "I know it sounds stupid but I guess I was naive enough to believe that I'd come back and everything would be just how it used to...like nothing had changed. So when I came back and realised everything had changed as much as it did...I'm just struggling to handle it all."

"I get that. But Rose...some part of you had to know it wouldn't be right?" "Yeah I guess...Man I wish Dal was here." Steve grabbed my hand and I didn't bother to stop him.

"I'm here...so is Two-Bit, Darry and Ponyboy." "What about Johnny?" Steve furrowed his eyebrows together and then looked down at our hands. "They haven't told ya huh?" my heart sunk...please I can't handle any more bad news!

"What do you mean?" my voice was practically gone now. "After Johnny found out about your fake death he ran away. We haven't heard from him since."

"So you're telling me because of my stuff up we lost another person?" he looked at me with a sad expression. "Don't think like that Rosalie. Please?" I stand up throwing his hand away. "But it's true! And this is all so screwed up!" I run my hands through my hair walking slowly up the road staring into the horizon.

""Steve. What am I going to do?" he put his hand on my shoulder "Get ready for the rumble."

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

"Hey Rose." Ponyboy mumbles as he walks into the living room...with a girl.

"Who's this?" I ask standing up and extending my hand. Ponyboy was hesitant to answer at first "Um this is Cathy my girlfriend." "Hi I'm Rosalie, a friend of the Curtis family." I shake her hand and she smiles mumbling a small hello.

Sure I could have said a friend of Ponyboy's but I feel as if she might have gotten the wrong idea.

"Also Pony there's a rumble tonight. Skin, no weapons and it's at 8." He nodded "Okay I'll be there." Cathy's eyes widened and her grip visibly tightened on Ponyboy. He turned to face her and walked her outside.

He walked back in alone and in a bad mood going immediately to his room. "Rose!" he yelled out after only 30 seconds. I ran as fast as I could down to his room.

Sodapop was lying on the bed sweating profusely, mumbling something that made no sense and moving around like someone possessed. I looked around the room to see a bottle of tablets next to him I grabbed it and looked at the label. "LSD... Oh god!" I slumped against the wall and let tears fall down my cheeks. "Rose what is it?" "He's stoned Ponyboy. We can't do anything but lock him up here and take all his drugs away from him."

Ponyboy sighed and punched the wall "Damn it!" "Pony...save it for the rumble." He doesn't react for a minute or say but then turns on his heel and stomps out of the room. "Do what you have to do."

I got a cold wet face cloth and placed it over his forehead, I kissed him on the cheek and gathered al the drugs I could find. I went out and locked the door from the outside, next going and flushing the drugs down the toilet.

I go out into the living room and put on an Elvis record... I fall down into Dar's arm cahir and relax before the rumble.

After a few minutes Darry walks back into the house, he had gone out to buy some medical supplies for when the rumble was over tonight. "Rosalie what's wrong?" "Sodapop. He...he took a dose of LSD so I took all the drugs out of his room and locked him in there."

As soon as I said that I heard screaming coming from his room. I shut my eyes tight and grabbed my hair as if thinking that would stop it. I felt two hands gently pull my hands away I opened my eyes and looked into Darry's greeney bluey ones. "Rose you did the right thing. Thankyou."

"Come on we should get ready." I nod and force myself past the boy's room to get changed. (outfit above.)
Lastly i put on my ring that Dally had gotten me when we were in hiding. It signified that no matter where we were we would always be together. That if I ever missed him I would just have to look at it and be reminded that i know he loves me wherever he is.
........................

I walk back out to the living room to find the entire gang minus Sodapop. They were all looking real tuff.

Darry had put extra care into his hair and was lifting some dumbbells so his muscles would look bigger later on. Steve and Two-Bit were wrestling on the ground and Pony was looking in the mirror.

I was walking past the door when something caught my eye...two figures.

I walked out onto the porch to see two people who I knew well and thought I might not ever see again. "Boys!" I gasp.