Tex (Dallas Winston)

Chapter Fifteen

She's home where she belongs, y'all :') felt so good to write another fluffy chapter. I love seeing characters all happy and sappy :) Vote and comment please!

The train rocked back and forth smoothly as it rushed through the midwestern states of the US. Talia was nestled quite comfortably; her back to Dallas, dozing off, as she faced the window of the carriage, watching the scenery zoom pass.

The two had made plans the very next day, after spending the day that they had reconnected sleeping and... Catching up on things.

Talia had made her way back to her aunt's apartment, and silently collected her things from her small corner of the living room. Nobody batted an eyelash as they watched her pack her life up, and Talia knew that her aunt was secretly relieved that she was leaving.

After that, Talia and Dallas boarded a train to Chicago the next morning, switching over at the station there before heading down on a seperate train to Tulsa. THe train that they were on now.

Talia was more than excited to be going back to the city where her friends resided. And she was ready for the next stage in life.

"So, you going back to 'ol Tulsa High when we get back?" Dallas asked while they cuddled in bed, the sky growing darker and darker as the night grew nearer.

Talia shrugged. "Don't know if I want to. School doesn't really interest me so much, given my horrible experience this past month."

Dallas nodded.

"But," Talia continued, "I think maybe I'll get a job somewhere, save up for our own place or something. A proper house, though, not the apartment above Buck's."

Dallas laughed aloud. "Yeah, I don't blame you. It ain't too bad up there, but it would be nice to have a place to ourselves."

So that was it. Their next goal in life was to get a house, but Talia knew that the entire 'house' thing would depend on her, as Dallas wasn't the most reliable with income. Regardless, Talia didn't care. She was just happy to be with Dallas again.

-

The couple stood outside the train station, both smoking a cigarette, waiting for one of the gang to come and pick them up.

Talia was bouncing her leg up and down, antsy to see the Curtis' old, beat up car swing around the corner, the boys' smiling faces in the front.

It had felt like she had been away from them for years, and every second that passed was one second more that she was away from them.

Finally, as Talia was putting out her cigarette and tossing it into the garbage can, she looked up to see the car coming around the corner, Darry in the driver's seat and Ponyboy in the passenger seat, grinning from ear to ear.

Talia could bear waiting no second longer, and ran over to the car as it pulled up beside the curb, hugging Ponyboy as soon as he got out of the car.

"Pony, oh my gosh, you have no idea how much I missed you!" Talia said, a few tears sneaking out from her eyes as she hugged him tightly.

"Miss me too?" Asked Darry, coming around the side of the car. Talia let go of Ponyboy and gave Darry an equally tight hug, making sure he knew how much she cared for him and how much she had missed him.

"I'm sure you're eager to get back to Buck's with Dally, but if it's not too much trouble maybe you'd like to come have dinner with all of us tonight? Soda is cooking up something good right now." Darry asked, eyes full of hope.

Talia shot him a smile and laughed. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

-

Chatter. Lively chatter. Not the dull, seemingly silent conversation that ensued at the dinner table in New York. Here, everyone was genuinely happy to be having dinner with each other. In New York, it was like pulling teeth to get everyone to sit at the same table for more than ten minutes.

"I knew 'ol Tally-girl wouldn't be gone for too long. She's too greaser for them New York folks up north." Steve joked.

Talia grinned. "Good riddance to that city. Won't be going back without Dallas anytime soon, that's for sure."

It was true. Unless Dallas yearned to go back to his city, then Talia had no reason to go back. Nor did she want to. She was going to try her very best to block out the past month from her memories. They weren't the most pleasant, and she needed more room for pleasantries with Dallas and the gang.

This was her family. It wasn't the most stereotypical, nuclear family, but it was her family nonetheless. Talia Fieldman was tied to them, emotionally tied with each member of the group as if it were her own brother; a feeling that she had never quite experienced before given her lonely upbringing.

As the sun set in Tulsa, and everyone finished their meal and began to disburse, Talia cleaned up the table and brought everything into the kitchen to watch. There, however, she felt trapped in her own thoughts.

Thoughts of guilt, thoughts of sadness, a whole barrage of thoughts that were slowly beginning to make their way into her mind.

Talia felt guilty because she knew this was against her parent's wishes.

"Everything okay, kid?"

Two-Bit's voice echoing in the empty kitchen caused her to jump right out of her thoughts. He must have seen her staring off into the distance.

"Little melancholy, that's all." She said with a sad smile.

"About?" He asked, taking a second helping of cake before making his way over to the counter next to her.

"It was my parent's decision to send me up to New York, but it was my decision to come back home to Tulsa. I feel kind of guilty; kind of selfish."

Two-Bit nodded, letting Talia's words sink into him whilst chewing his cake.

"But is it what makes you happy?"

Talia cocked her head. Her parents had never asked her about her happiness before. Nobody had ever really taken it into consideration until now.

"Is Tulsa what makes me happy?" She asked, restating his question.

Two-Bit nodded gently.

"What makes me happy is Ponyboy's laughter. Darry's advice. Your jokes. Soda and Steve goofing around. Johnny's peaceful presence. And most of all, what makes me happy is sleeping in Dallas' arms and getting to experience the feeling of true love with him."

"And since all of these people live in Tulsa... It's being in Tulsa that makes you happy. And by the way you talked at dinner, it sounds like New York didn't make you happy at all."

Talia shook her head. "Not one bit."

"So then why is it so wrong for you to feel selfish for choosing your own happiness over another year of misery? For a chance that you might not have even been able to come back here?"

Talia shrugged. "You do have a point."

She set down the plate she was holding and brought Two-Bit in for a hug.

Another piece of happiness.