Safe and sound. A Johnny Cade love story/ outsider fan-fic

Christmas eve.

After the laughter in the room had settled down, it got strangely quiet. "So?" I said, trying to break the silence. "Y'all excited, tomorrow is Christmas?!" Two-Bit shouted, sounding like a little kid. "I know I'm ready for free stuff. So anyone love me enough to get me $100?" Steve asked, sitting on the couch without a shirt. "Keep dreaming... And quit steeling the way I sit!" Soda hollered, tossing off his shirt and laying the same way Steve is. I guess Steve was mimicking him. "Both of you, put on a shirt and sit up; some of us would like to sit on the couch as well." Darry said, as they both put their shirts back on. "So is there anything we need to do today?" I asked, throwing my arms around Johnny's neck, and standing behind the chair he's sitting in. "No, today's a lazy day." Soda said, acting like he was totally calm and happy, although we all know Sodapop Curtis don't get totally calm and relax all day. It's just not him.

I rested my head on top if Johnny's, and closed my eyes. If we're having a lazy day, I sure hope it don't mean the day'll be long and quiet as it is right now. I opened my eyes and looked at the sparkly Christmas tree, making it feel like Christmas when my mom was alive. We'd put a Christmas tree in the basement and we'd buy gifts for each other. We did it every year and by some miracle my father didn't catch us; if he did we would've been abused ten times worse. I snapped out of my daydreams, when Johnny wrapped his arms around my neck like mine where around his. I smirked at him, and he smirked at me; and the magical feeling of being loved returned. If it's not true and love isn't real; then I'd be just fine with being lied to. "Merry Christmas, Mary." Johnny said, 'causing the butterflies in my stomach flutter around even more. I leaned over the chair and caught his lips between mine. "Hey, Mary, how was it to give birth to baby Jesus many years ago?" Two-Bit said, before bursting out laughing. "Sorry, you have the wrong Mary." I said, laughing a little. "Yea, we're not that old." Bridget asked, sitting next to Ponyboy rather than on him for once.

"Yea, I'm in love with this Mary." Johnny said, making me blush a bright pink. "Awe, little Mary is embarrassed." Steve, said as I let my hair fall in my face. Nothing better to do that to hide in my, black mess hair. "I'm sorry, baby, I didn't mean to embarrass you." Johnny said, pulling me gently to the front of the chair; where he placed me on his lap. Now I'm a dark shade of pink, which only happens when I'm really embarrassed. "Yea, I'm sorry May, didn't mean to embarrass you like that." Two-Bit said, still smiling like a clown. "Guys y'all keep forgetting my twin wasn't raised like me. She had an abusive dad, so she's still easy to make embarrassed and when she's embarrassed, she gets shy.... Well shy-er." Bridget said, coming over and wrapping my upper body in a comforting hug. "Hey, y'all wanna go down to the park?" Ponyboy asked, which was another example of him not using his head. I thought he knew if it's snowing it's under 30° outside, which is below freezing! I dropped out of school, but even I know that. However, we still agreed to go. I guess Ponyboy not using his head is rubbing off on Johnny and I; since us two where the only ones who agreed to go.

"Hey Pony, don't forget your jacket!" Sodapop shouted, tossing the purple hoodie to Ponyboy. "Thanks, Pepsi-soda." Ponyboy called back. Johnny put his blue jean jacket on and I slipped mine on as well, and we chased after Pony. "Hey, Ponyboy, you got a match?" Johnny asked, a unlit cigarette hanging out of his lips. "Yea, here." Pony said, tossing the lighter, so Johnny caught it in midair. I let the new falling snow fall on me and listened to the snow crunching under my feet. Man, I'm sure gonna miss this during the school year, when the snow stops falling and Johnny goes back to school. We stopped at the park for Ponyboy to watch the sunset and figured we might as well watch it to. At least it signifies some good in this world, bit nothing is better than the person I'm watching it with; my one true love. Well my love at the moment, 'cause there's still no guaranteed Johnny won't meet some soc or prettier greaser girl at school and leave me. I felt tears threatening to spill at the thought and believe me, it takes alot to make Johnny and I cry.

I let one tear slip and Johnny put his arm around me and it took me until now to realize, I'm freezing cold. "What's wrong?" He asked, noticing the damp spot on my cheek. "Nothing." I said, wiping the spot some more. "Come here, baby." Johnny said, pulling me safely in his warm, loving arms. I just closed my eyes taking in his scent and the feeling he gives me. In a week, this will all be gone. I thought, letting another tear fall, followed by another. He'll be at school and then working a part time job, and I'll be working full time somewhere. "It's ok, everything's fine." Johnny whispered, speaking as soft as you'd speak to a new born baby while it's sleeping. "Ok, but promise me you won't leave me." I said, sounding like a child. "I'd never leave you, even if my life was on it." He replied, kissing the top of my head. He just held me there, swaying me back and forth until Ponyboy said, he's ready to go home.

Once we got home it was time for dinner, which was fried chicken and mashed potatoes with sour cream in it. We ate and the guys stayed the night gathered around the Christmas tree, now surrounded by gifts, including mine. To be accurate we all slept in the living room around the tree, Johnny and I to one couch, Ponyboy and Bridget to the other. Darry in his chair and Two-Bit, Steve, Dally, and Sodapop (who all was strangely quiet today) slept on pallets on the floor.

Tomorrows Christmas and I sure hope my boyfriend and my sister love their gifts.

A/N: I'm an awful person! Making y'all wait for an update, I suppose I'm just real busy. All honors classes + Varsity choir + Regional choir auditions in less than a month and just getting the sheet music= Head aches and heart aches by the numbers, especially since it's taken me forever to get this update to you. And even worse, this update SUCKS!!! I'm a disgrace to all humanity! :'( Please don't hate me! I'm real sorry, next update should come sooner, but first I gotta update 'Never to young.' I actually skipped it's turn to be updated, and jumped right on this one; so I'm sorry to all you people who like my Ponyboy fan-fic better than this one but don't fear I shall juggle both stories and make it to regionals! Can I hear a team Sweetpea? No? Ok I don't blame you for not giving me that, but that's all from me at the moment. Excuse all the things that don't make since, auto correct likes to screw around with my stories so now that's all. Love, Sweetpea. ;D