guardian angel || the outsiders fanfic♡

forty nine.

***Steve's POV***

Confused is not even the first adjective that comes to mind anymore.

It's usually bewildered, terrified, or completely and utterly lost.

How the hell I made it out into the middle of absolute nowhere, I still don't know.

According to the hospital, my name is Allen Walker, but that doesn't sit right with me. Apparently, I got into a bad car wreck that killed a teenager and a little boy roughly 6 months ago. They say I suffered a brain injury that caused severe memory loss, but didn't know if it would ever come back. Since then, I've been making a living in Springfield, Oklahoma. It definitely isn't home, it's just that I don't quite know where home is.

My days here consist of working at a small convenience store and staying at a small apartment. I make enough of a living to get by, but always have unsatisfaction hanging over my head. I reckon it won't go away until I remember the truth about my life.

Today is just another day. I sit behind the counter, helping customers and restocking when needed. People say I'm surprisingly able for someone with such a severe brain injury, but I've never felt physically unwell, except the first few weeks after the car crash.

Whenever I come to work, something inside of me tells me that this isn't what I'm meant to be doing. I think I used to be an auto mechanic, because whenever I see a car being worked on, it gives me an excitement I can't describe.

I also think I had a family. Sometimes, in my dreams, I see the blurred image of a beautiful blonde girl, and there's always two kids running around. I can't remember if it's real or not, but when I wake up, I'm always in tears.

Today seemed to be a regular day, so I made myself useful around the store. Around 4pm, a couple, who looked no older than 40, walked into the store asking about baby supplies. I happily offered to show them, and took them to the aisle where we kept our stock.

"I don't supposed you know anything about baby stuff, do you son?" the man asks me.

"I can't say that I do, sir," I reply politely.

"It feels like forever since we had to do this. You see, our niece is coming to stay with us, and she told us she's bringing her newborn son. I just wanted to have something prepared for her when she gets here," the woman exclaims. I smile and take a look at what we have.

"Well, if the child is a newborn, I would recommend our smallest size. We have clothes in the next aisle, and diapers right here," I tell them. They nod, and we spend the next hour picking out what seems to be our entire stock.

Finally, I take them to the cash register and check them out. I learned the couple's names: Janice and Derek Harper. They are some of the kindest people I've ever met in the shop.

"You've been so helpful, I don't even know how to thank you," Janice tells me with a smile. "I don't suppose you'd like to come over for dinner? It's the least we could do."

"I would greatly enjoy that, ma'am," I reply. She writes down their address, and I plan to meet them there after work. They wave as they exit the store.

I was actually pretty excited to have dinner with the couple. I hadn't had any human interaction outside of work since I arrived in Springfield.

Finally, it's time to close up. I clean off the counter, lock the doors, and get in the car. I drive through town, the sunset more beautiful than I've ever seen it. Sunsets make me weirdly happy too, but I can't lay a finger on it. I don't think I liked them, but someone from my life did.

I pull up to where the address says. It's a nice house just outside the center of town. I walk to the door and knock three times.

I hear a rush of footsteps and the lock comes undone before the door swings open. A blonde opens the door, facing away from my briefly.

"I'm sorry, I think I must be at the wrong place..." I trail off as we meet eyes. Somewhere, deep in my brain, my mind acknowledges that I know this person. Her smile fades as she turns to look at me as she covers her hands in disbelief.

"Steve?" she asks in a weak voice. As soon as she says my name, my mind begins to spiral uncontrollably. Everything returns to my memory all at once: the DX, the gang, Tulsa, Ellie, the kids...

"Steve, is that you?" she repeats. I nod and nearly stumble as my life flashes before my eyes in an instant.

"How is this possible?" she asks. "We buried you."

My mind acts quicker than I'm able to speak as I realize what must have happened: the hospital mixed up be and Allen Walker. Allen must have died, which is who the gang buried. They must've thought I was dead.

"It's a long story-" I say quickly before hugging her. She cries in disbelief into my shoulder.

"Welcome back, my love," she says through her tears. "We've missed you."

I pull away and kiss her with all of the love in the world. After a while, she backs up slightly, and takes my arm. She pulls me into the house.

"There's someone I want you to meet," she says happily as we turn the corner into the kitchen. Sitting in the exact high chair I sold Janice and Derek earlier is a baby boy, who looks younger than a week. He's a real cutie, too.

"This is Noah," she says, pulling him from the chair and placing him in my arms. "Our son."

I smile uncontrollably down at the baby in my arms. He looks just like me, only with Ellie's beautiful blue eyes. I look at her again with tears in my eyes.

"I'm so sorry," I say. "Had I known what was my real life, I would've been back months ago."

"You're back now," she says as she puts her arms around both of us. "That's all that matters."