Ten Years Later...

I never knew that it was possible to be completely and utterly happy with my life. 

It had been ten years since I met my soulmate, and I wouldn't change it for the world. 

Johnny and I ended up getting married when I was twenty three, and he was twenty five. The experience was surreal, yet I wouldn't have wanted to spend my life with anyone else anyways. 

"I'm so nervous," I mumbled, looking at myself in the mirror. Two Bit shook his head. 

"You're going to do great, Ponyboy," he reassured, straightening out my tie a bit. I sighed, looking at him, and then at Sodapop, who was sitting on a chair a few feet away.

"I'm just scared that I'm making the wrong choice," I stated, looking away. Sodapop suddenly got up.

"I know my kid brother like the back of my hand," Soda began, taking his hands in mine. "You are completely and utterly in love with Johnny, and you have been since you first met. This isn't a mistake."

"Yeah, Ponyboy. Besides me, he's the perfect guy for you," winked Two Bit, before playfully slapping my ass. I couldn't help but grin.

"You guys are right. I love him, and he loves me, and we belong together," I whispered, a smile stretched across my face. 

-

"Are you ready, kid brother?" whispered Darry in my ear, before linking our arms together. 

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be," I mumbled, holding onto him tightly. 

Darry was going to take place as the father, and walk me down the isle. I couldn't be more grateful for him. He had done so much for both me and Johnny during the past few years, like taking him in and making sure we were protected from the harshness of life. 

The music started, and the crowd stood up, looking at us. The whole gang was there, plus a few other people from school. Cherry and Marcia were also attending, sitting someplace in the front row. 

Darry and I began to walk down the isle, slowly but surely. I took a deep breathe, and continued forward. 

I love him more than anything in this world, I thought to myself. It was true, yet I was still petrified. 

Finally, Darry and I got close enough to see Johnny's face.

There were tears running down his cheeks, but a wide smile was stretched across his face. He slowly wiped away his tears, before looking me in the eyes. 

I could tell that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me. 

Next, Darry gave me off to Johnny, leaving me next to him while he stood on the side as a best man. 

Johnny and I briefly looked into each other's eyes, before the officiator began to speak. I wasn't paying  much attention, until he said my name. 

"Ponyboy Michael Curtis, do you have any vows prepared?" he asked me with a smile. I nodded back, before looking back at Johnny. 

"Johnny," I began. I felt my palms get sweaty. "Loving you for the past seven years has been an absolute dream. You are the love of my life, and I'm so lucky to have found you so soon. You're the missing puzzle piece in my story, and the sunshine in my heart. You never fail to make me feel loved and wanted, and you make me feel as if I'm the most important man in the world. I will never forget meeting you for the first time, and how you absolutely took my breathe away, and still do to this day. Nothing can separate us, and I'll never loose my love for you. You're my soul mate, my better half, and I feel blessed that I get to continue the rest of my life with you by my side, holding your hand. I love you, more than the universe itself."

Everyone in the audience awwed in response. I saw Johnny wipe away a few tears.

"How about you, Jonathan Andrew Cade? Do you have any vows?" questioned the priest. Johnny nodded "yes," and then cleared his throat. 

"Ponyboy, il mio amore, I don't even know where I should start," he began. I smiled. After all these years, he still spoke Italian words in his sentences. "You came into my life when I was alone and new to America, and treated me as a amico, as an equal. After a week of knowing you, I knew that we were destinata to be together. You were like a perfecto angel sent from the heavens to love and protect me. I fell in love with you almost instantly, and I still love you to this day. You are an absolute sognare come true, and I cannot wait to spend the rest of my life with you right next to me. You are the love of my life, the person I see myself with per sempre. I promettere to love and cherish you for the rest of my life, my beautiful soon - to - be husband."

I smiled incredibly wide, gripping onto his hands as tightly as I could. 

"By the power vested in me, and the state of Oklahoma, you may now kiss each other," stated the officiator. 

Johnny and I closed the space between us, sparks flying everywhere. 

When we pulled away, we were husband and husband. 

-

We had been married for three years now, today, and I feel as if my life is finally in place. I couldn't ask for more in life.

Last year, Johnny and I adopted our first child. Her name was June May Cade-Curtis, and she was absolutely gorgeous. 

She had deep brown eyes, and light blond hair. She also had deep dimples, and was the happiest of babies. We both cherished her. 

As for our friends, however, they had moved on with their lives too.

Steve and Dallas were engaged, but they didn't plan on getting married yet. They were both content with being fiances, and living together. They thought that a marriage document wasn't necessary to prove their love. 

They knew that they were meant for each other, and that was all that mattered.

"Guys, we have some news to tell you!" exclaimed Steve. We were all piled around the dinner table, eating. 

"What's going on? Are you planning to have a threesome, 'cause I'll willingly join in and be your third!" exclaimed Two Bit with a wink. Everyone laughed.

"Nah man, we ain't about that," replied Dally, shaking his head. I could tell that he wanted to burst out in laughter. 

"What's going on then?" asked Soda, twirling his spaghetti around on his plate. Steve and Dally looked at each other, before taking a deep breathe. 

"We're engaged!" they both yelled at the same time, showing us the rings. Everyone gasped.

"Guys! That's great!" I shrieked in delight. They both smiled. 

"When's the wedding?" asked Darry. They both shook their heads.

"We're not planning on one right now, at least not yet," explained Steve. "We think that as long as we love each other, that's all that matters. We don't need a document to tell us that our love is real."

"Amen!" exclaimed Johnny, before taking a sip of his wine. I smiled, and grabbed his hand under the table. 

Everyone was ecstatic. 

-

Darry, however, ended up making an interesting life for himself. He ended up becoming a math teacher at the high school, where he met Ms Brown. They had been going out for a bit longer than a year. 

It was almost odd how the woman who had set Johnny and I up was now with my brother, but I didn't mind. Darry deserved happiness, and she provided that.

Sodapop was a different story. He ended up going to high school so he could finally get his degree. He was no longer a drop out, and we were all extremely proud of him for finding the courage to go back and learn. He ended up opening his own garage, and was doing well for himself financially. 

Soda didn't have a girl after Sandy ran off, but he was alright with it. He said that one day he knew that he'd find the right woman for him. 

Two Bit ended up marrying Angela Shepard. She was a lovely girl with long dark hair, and smoldering eyes. She was as sweet as a sugar cookie though, and was a fantastic girl to have around. They had gotten married around eight years ago, and had five kids. 

Each kid was not only extremely good looking, but smart and funny. I could tell that Two Bit was proud of the family that he had created, and that it wasn't going to end up broken like his own. 

There was no way that he was going to walk out on his children and wife. He cherished them too much. 

The last ones of the bunch were Cherry and Marcia. They had an interesting ending. 

When Cherry came out, her parents threw her on the streets. Thankfully, Marcia's parents were willing to take her in, saying that if she was dating their daughter, that she was a part of the family. 

About five years later, they got married. They didn't have any kids yet, but instead went on extravagant trips around the world. They were both extremely happy, and they clearly loved each other beyond belief.

The gang and the girls were all grown up.

I was suddenly taken out of my thoughts when Johnny sat on the arm rest of the chair I was sitting on, holding June. 

"Happy three year marriage anniversary," he started. I took his hand in mine. 

"Ti amo da lontano."

-

A/N - Thank you all for sticking with this story till the very end. It was a wild roller coaster ride from start to finish, but I'm beyond glad that I wrote this piece of work. I am so thankful to the people who were constant readers and commenting on every chapter. You are the reason I kept this story going. I've had a blast composing it, but sadly, all good things must come to an end.

Ti amo da Lonatano to all of you.

Till next time, 

Nik