It was Friday afternoon, and Steve was coming home.

"Easy, easy," Darry instructed as he and Soda helped Steve past the threshold. He still wasn't completely steady on his feet, but he was overly eager to get inside.

"Welcome back, Grease!" Two-Bit proclaimed, standing up from his seat on the couch. Ponyboy stood up too, and the pair welcomed Steve with open arms.

Steve was all smiles as he made his way to the couch and took a seat, a look of contentment his face. "Ahh, I've missed this place," he breathed, taking in the scenery.

Ponyboy was sure it was a pleasant change from the hospital room.

"You hungry?" Two-Bit asked. He'd made some Kraft mac and cheese and heated up some frozen meatballs to go with it.

Steve shook his head. "Just tired," he admitted. It had been a long day.

"Steve, why don't you go lie down in your bedroom for a while?" Darry suggested. "You should get some rest before Gerry stops by later tonight."

"Okay," Steve agreed. It was clear he could barely keep his eyes open.

"I'll help you there, man," Soda said, offering a hand out to his friend. He pulled Steve up, and together they walked down the hall and disappeared out of sight.

The others trekked into the kitchen to have some dinner.

While they ate, a thought occurred to Ponyboy. "Do you guys think Gerry's going to ask Steve to move back in with them?" he asked.

Word on the street was that Steve's father would be getting out of rehab in two weeks, and Gerry had vowed to help him make the transition from the center to the real world.

It went silent. Darry set his fork down. "I think he might," he answered softly.

Soda licked his lips. "He might ask, but I don't think Steve will accept. Not right away, anyway."

"What makes you say that?" Two-Bit wondered.

"I just know Steve," Soda responded simply. "He ain't gonna go back there. Not yet."

That was all that was said on the subject.

It was clear Soda wasn't ready to let his best friend go.

If Pony was being honest with himself, he wasn't either.

Gerry didn't directly ask Steve if he wanted to move back in, but he did ask for his thoughts on the matter.

They were all sitting in the TV room watching the news when Gerry made the proposition.

Steve thought for a moment before answering. "Uncle Gerry," he said softly. "Pop kicked me out, remember? Just because he's in rehab, it doesn't automatically mean he's going to want me back. And my mom, she didn't even come to see me…"

Emotion caught in his throat as he trailed off, and just like that, all of the good vibes were gone.

"I know I said I didn't want her to come," Steve continued, a stray tear slipping down his cheek. "I guess I was just hoping she'd fight for me."

Gerry's expression softened and he reached to put his hand on the kid's knee. "Steve, kiddo, she did fight for you. I wouldn't let her come because that's what I thought you wanted."

Steve covered his face with his hands, clearly humiliated that he'd let this discussion get to him. Soda, who was sitting on the other side of Steve, put his arm around his friend.

Ponyboy shared a concerned look with Darry and Two-Bit.

"The ball is still in your court, Steve," Gerry said, trying to assure Steve that there wasn't any pressure. "That's never gonna change."

Steve sniffed loudly and dropped his hands. He nodded slowly. "I think I'm just going to need some time," he said. "I-I think I just want to stay here while I recover and get a feel for things after Pop is discharged." He swallowed hard. "I mean, if that's okay," he added quickly, glancing at Darry apologetically.

"Of course it's okay, Steve," Darry said without missing a beat. His voice was sincere. "You know that."

"Yeah," Ponyboy echoed, while Soda pulled Steve in for a hug.

"Thank you," Steve mumbled into the crevice of his friend's neck. He gave Soda a tight squeeze and then pulled away. "I mean it," he said, looking them all in the eye. "Just… thank you."

He was met with a course of "sures" and "no problems" and "we love you mans," until Two-Bit jumped up from his spot on the floor and clapped his hands together.

"Well, as touching as all this is…" he joked, hastily wiping away a tear of his own. "Shouldn't we be celebrating?" He jogged over to the icebox and pulled something out. He grinned happily.

"Who wants cake?"

That night, Ponyboy stopped by Steve's room before heading to bed.

Steve and Soda had been in there for a while now, shooting the breeze like they used to. It was so good to hear them laugh like they had in the past.

"Hey, kid," Steve greeted when Ponyboy hesitated by the doorway.

"Hey," Ponyboy said shyly, looking down at his feet.

"You need something, Pone?" Soda asked.

"Uh, yeah," Ponyboy answered, stepping farther into the room, revealing something he had hidden behind his back. The drawing of the wolf was finally complete. "I - uh - I want you to have this," he said to Steve, extending the drawing to him. "I thought you could maybe hang it up or something. If you want to," he added quickly. "I mean, I just noticed the walls in here are pretty bare and—"

"Whoa, Ponyboy! This is amazing!" Soda exclaimed, grabbing the drawing before Steve could. "Steve, look at this!" He shook the drawing in Steve's face.

Steve laughed - a fully belly laugh that seemed to come from his toes. He took the drawing from Soda. "I know, man. It's way more tuff than all those horses he normally draws."

Ponyboy smiled widely, not even caring that Steve had taken a jab at him. Turns out he had kind of missed that.

"I'd love to hang it up, kid," Steve added with a softer tone. "You got tape?"

Ponyboy nodded and handed it over.

Steve folded some tape ontos each corner of the paper. "Where do you think I should hang it, Soda?" he asked.

Soda stroked his chin in mock consideration. "I think above the head of the bed is really the only option," he stated. "Pony, why don't you…"

Ponyboy nodded, understanding that Steve wasn't well enough yet to hang it himself. He took that drawing and reached up over Steve, pressing the paper firmly to the wall so it would stick. "Does it look straight?"

"It looks great, kid," Steve said with a yawn, and Soda agreed. "Thanks."

Ponyboy beamed. "You're welcome."

Sodapop stretched and then stood up. "You should probably get some shut-eye," he told his friend, patting his leg. "We'll leave you to it." He ushered Ponyboy toward the doorway, then paused briefly. He knocked lightly on the doorframe, trying to curb the emotion in his voice when he said, "It's good to have you back, Steve."

"It's good to be back, brother," came the reply.

Before Soda turned out the light, Ponyboy took one last quick look at the drawing of the wolf hanging above Steve's bed.

He knew that Steve's recovery had only just begun and that there was a long road ahead. Steve would continue to be put through trials and tribulations. He would still be fighting inner demons and some days would be harder than others.

But at least now he had a room that he could rightly call his own.

Ponyboy hoped that Steve could could look up at that drawing of the big, strong wolf and remember the meaning behind it. He hoped Steve understood that the gang was truly in his corner and they weren't ever going to let him fall. He hoped Steve could look back on all the pain and suffering he endured and say I survived.

And as the light flipped off and Soda and Ponyboy whispered their goodnights, that's when Ponyboy realized something.

.
.

He had hope.

Fin.