Author's Note: And here starts the final chapter. I hope you enjoyed my story, and I thank you for reading it! Without my readers, I wouldn't even publish these stories, so thank you again! ;)- Make sure to Review on you thoughts of the finished story!

I woke up the morning-after feeling hollow. I was lying in my same bed in the Curtis' house alone. I couldn't hear anything else in the house. I glanced over at the clock: 6:04. The sun was about to rise. I shuffled out of bed like a zombie. My mind never processed a full thought, except for one: Dally and Johnny were dead. I shoved the thought to the back of my mind as I opened the front door quietly, seeing Steve and Two-bit crashed on the couch. They must not have went home.

I shut the door behind me and sat on the stoop, fixating my eyes on the sun. I didn't notice that tears that had run down my face. The only thing I could think about was the loss. And my guilt.

Then the sound of the door behind me shook me from my trance. It was Soda.

"Mind if I sit?" He asked quietly. He looked like he hadn't slept in days. I probably looked the same way.

I nodded. That's all I could think about doing. When he settled next to me the tears immediately began to flow again. Soda wordlessly took me into his arms. I pressed my head into his chest and cried.

"It's alright," He cooed into my ear, stroking my hair. We sat like that for the next half an hour, until the sun began its climb.

I sniffled and sat up. His arm remained around me. "We'll be fine," he murmured. His words filled me with strength. I felt guilty that I was sitting with him, arm over my shoulders. If Dally were here he would be upset. But I realized then that my happiness is what he would want, and right where I was-with who I was with-was happiness. I couldn't have changed the past. Wether it was my fault or not it couldn't be changed.

The sun slowly rose; I remember thinking back to a few days ago, when I watched the sun the same way. I always used to watch the sun rise as a child, when things were going wrong. As it rose, it brought the promise of a new, and better day and future. I didn't think it would help then, but as I'm bathed in light, I know things will get better; they always do.

I kept that last thought with me through the trial, through the next painful days at school, and through my revisit to the West side. My parents kept by my side in support. I was surprised they weren't angry. And even more surprised they let me go to the East side as I pleased. Maybe it was out of sympathy, but I didn't care.

I also was reminded of that thought when I would wake up with night terrors. Soda would wrap his arms around me and tell me it would be okay, and I would wake up still safe in his arms. Like my scar, the events made me stronger, and while I would never forget what happened, what I'd caused, or my friends-my gangmates- who died, I would eventually move on. I find myself thinking of them; I always remember Johnny, smiling and so caring. Through the pain he managed to live his life, even though it was unfortunately cut short. And I always think about the person who was there for me, even when it seemed impossible. The person who will always be my first love. I pledged to never, ever forget my Deus ex Machina.