A/N: A one-shot. A little overdone, I'll admit. . .but, uh. . .bear with me? [Rated for language.]

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. xP S.E Hinton owns Two-bit, the gang, his parents, everyone else.

x-x-x-x-x

Year: 1963

"Where you goin'?"

A young girl glanced up from the table, happy for the excuse to stop folding the laundry. The older boy she had been directing the question to, let go of the front door knob and spun around.

"Why you so nosy, Annie?" He smirked teasingly at his younger sister.

"I aint bein' nosy, Keith," Annie giggled, twirling a lock of thin, reddish brown hair around her finger. "Daddy wants you to tell him when you go out from now on."

He cocked an eyebrow and rolled his eyes, still smiling. "Figures. I come home couple hours after curfew and I have the Midget Police watching my every move."

"Wasn' because yeh came home late, Keith. Was because yeh came home late and you were drunk." A man had entered the room, his arms folded against his chest. At first glance, it was easy to tell that they were related. Same stone-gray eyes, rusty-colored hair, and pale skin were some physical traits that were easily noticeable between the two.

The teenage boy glared at the man's entrance and muttered under his breath. "Guess it runs in the family. . .And my name's not Keith. It's Two-Bit."

The man cocked an eyebrow. "Two-Bit, huh? Your friends give you that nickname?"

"They might've," he said coolly, but Annie noticed a note of pride in her older brother's voice.

Her dad grunted, obviously tiring with the argument. Both of her parents knew better than to fight with her carefree, reckless brother. "Alright. Jus' come home in one piece, ya hear?"

"Will do," Two-Bit said cheerfully. Their dad left then, leaving Annie with her brother again.

"So. . .where are you going, anyways?" Annie asked.

"You know the Curtis boys, right Anne?" her brother asked.

She nodded.

"Well, I'm goin' over there. Just don't tell Dad. Wouldn't want him knowing that I'm actually half-way decent, doin' something legal."

"Can I come?" Annie piped up, not wanting to stay in the lonesome house by herself.

He smiled, opening the door. Annie felt the chilling, fresh breeze blow into the kitchen.

"Not this time." He laughed, walking out the door. With a final wave, Annie shrugged and went back to folding the bath towels. He'd be back. He always came back.

x-x-x-x-x

Year: 1964

"Well then why don't you just leave?" A voice snarled in the room next-door. Annie bit her lip, trying to ignore the lump in her throat. She tried concentrating on the TV. The white glare of the television lit the dark living room, shadows dancing on the walls.

Another voice responded. This one was quieter. "Maybe I should. . ." There was a pause.

"Why are you always doin' this? I don't want you to leave, but you won't talk to me, you're never home, a-and. . ." The voice sounded desperate, almost pleading. Annie sighed, turned off the TV, and turned on the lamp instead.

"Hey Annie." Annie smiled immediately at her brother's arrival. She was about to get up and tell him their parents were fighting; she was going to ask him to please stay home tonight; she wanted to hug him and tell him everything. But she didn't, because someone was right behind him.

"Hi Two-Bit, and. . ." She bit her lip, feeling embarrassed. She had seen her brother with this boy so many times, but what was his name? "Um. . ."

" 'Um', huh? Didn't know you changed your name, Johnnycake. Why didn' you tell me?"

Annie turned to Johnny. "Does he ever keep quiet? Even a little?"

He seemed surprised she was talking to him and shook his head, smiling a bit.

"Hey," Two-Bit cut in. "So what's his name? I think I should know, but that's just me. . ."

Johnny rolled his eyes and said slowly. "It's the same as ever, Two-Bit."

"Oh, you two were just joshin', huh? Am I the only serious one here?" he said with mock superiority.

Annie giggled, and took a look at her brother's friend. Johnny had dark skin, a shade or two darker than caramel, and dark, long, greasy hair (Just like many of the kids in her neighborhood). His eyes were deep-set, shadowed, and reserved. At the moment, he just looked tired and defeated. Annie felt sorry for him.

"Hmm. Where you headed?" Annie asked, doodling on her homework now. She wrote 'Annie Mathews' in curly writing. Somehow it looked a lot prettier when her teacher wrote it.

"Here," Two-Bit said, sinking into the ragged, torn-up couch. "That alright, Anne? Or will it hurt your rep to be seen with us?"

"Really?" Annie squeaked, trying best to hide her excitement. "You're stayin' here tonight, Two-Bit? Honest?"

He tapped his finger on his chin, a profound look on his face. "Yes, yes, aaand. . .yes, my darling sister! Better check with the folks first though, huh?"

Annie nodded, still smiling. Two-Bit walked into the kitchen, and Annie froze. She forgot they had been fighting. . .

"Hey! I only came to ask a. . ." Her brother's defensive voice came up. "Yeah? Really?" Annie heard him snap at his parents sarcastically. Annie turned to Johnny, but didn't know what to say. Oh, she was so embarrassed. . .

"Sorry," she mumbled. He looked surprised.

"For what?" he muttered back.

"M-my folks don' usually fight. Really. They jus'. . .I mean they. . ." Annie said uncomfortably, tugging on her hair.

He smiled apologetically. "S'alright. No big deal."

Annie nodded slowly. All of a sudden, her brother came out of the kitchen, walking fast. "Change of plans, I'm taking you over to the Curtises."

Johnny nodded, getting up. He nodded at Annie. "Bye Annie."

"Keith. . ." Annie whispered, not wanting to be overheard. "You'll be back, right? C'mon. Tell me - "

"Not now, Annie!" Two-Bit sighed, looking at his little sister, a remorseful expression on his face. It looked odd. It was out of place on her brother's grinning, wild face.

Annie nodded, willing herself not to cry. "Okay. . ."

He opened the door, waving as he did so. He really did look sorry. But he'd be back. . .

Right?

x-x-x-x-x

Year: 1965

Annie's eyes fluttered open as she realized someone was nudging her in the back. She turned around. "Hey. . ." she mumbled sleepily.

Her brother stood there, his hair unkept, his face somber.

"Annie? C'mon out kiddo," he mumbled, pulling her up in a sitting position.

"What's wrong?" Annie said softly, shifting herself better in her brother's embrace.

"Nothin'. Just want to talk." His voice was quiet.

"Um, 'bout what? If it's about the dishes, 'M sorry. . .I was gonna do 'em, but - ," Annie started.

"No," he sighed. "Not that. It's just. . .Am I a good brother?"

"What?" Annie asked, her eyes widening in surprise. Her brother never ever talked about serious topics. In the movies when the characters would have gooey, sappy, heart-to-heart talks, while other people would be cooing and smiling at the screen, he'd be chucking popcorn at his neighbor or finding ways to annoy the guy in front of him.

"Ya heard me. Am I - "

"Yeah!" she croaked, wondering how true it was. He was flighty and didn't respond well to trouble he couldn't joke his way out of. He didn't understand her and just assumed she'd be alright.

But he did love her and always tried hard to stay on good terms with her. Except when he forgot to do the dishes. And Annie hated doing the dishes.

He twiddled his thumbs. "I don' know. Sometimes I wish I could do more for ya, kid. I guess it's just easier to let things happen, but I can't stand it when things keep changin'. I've always counted on things stayin' the same. Sometimes I wish the old man would just leave and make up his mind."

Annie glanced at him suspiciously. "Two-Bit. . Have you been drinkin'?"

"Huh. I try to be serious and I get accused of bein' drunk. Guess I have a rep, huh, Anne?" He raised both of his eyebrows, ruffling her messy hair.

"Yer a good kid. Wish I knew how lucky I was." He hugged her tight, and then got up to leave. "Night." Annie fell back onto the pillow and fell into a restless sleep.

"WHAT?" a voice roared from down the hall. Annie woke with a start, rubbing her eyes. She walked slowly to where the noise was coming from.

"Bu-but. . .He can't. It's not. ." Annie walked into the kitchen. Her brother was standing up, his eyes wide and panicky. Her mother was quietly sobbing, nodding her head.

"What happened?" Annie asked worriedly. Her stomach contracted, wondering where her dad was. "Where's Dad?" She expected the worst. He was dead in a car wreck; He was shot by a robber. . .

"H-He left. . ." her mother said quietly. She sniffed.

"He fucking left! The slimy, fucking bastard left!" her brother snarled angrily, slamming his fist on the table.

"He-he aint comin' back, huh Ma?" Annie asked tearfully. Her mother shook her head.

"I don't think so, baby girl."

Her brother stormed out of the room, Annie trailed close behind.

"Two-Bit! Where you goin'?" Annie yelped. "Can I come?"

"NO!" her brother yelled after her, slamming the door. Annie brushed the hair from her face and went back into the kitchen. She wouldn't let anyone see her cry. For the first time, Annie wasn't so sure that he'd be coming back.

x-x-x-x-x

Year: 1966

Annie was clenching her teeth together, careful not to let a sob escape her lips. She felt numb, nothing reaching to her at the moment. She was mad at her brother, mother, and everyone. Mom because she had picked herself up and kept on living life even without Dad. Two-Bit for still being happy and cheerful, the world's problems bouncing off of him as they came crashing down on Annie.

She glanced down at her paper, the ugly, gray marks jumping out at her. She knew that if she attempted to write anything down on the paper, it would be illegible.

She angrily took out her eraser and rubbed it along the paper, feeling it crease and crumble underneath her forceful hand. A large hole ripped through it and Annie screamed into her hands.

"What happened?" Two-Bit came in, looking around for the source of Annie's cries. "What's got you all wound up, kid?"

"Scram, Two-Bit! I don't want you here, ya hear?" she sobbed, throwing her pencil at him.

He looked taken aback, his jaw tightening. "What?"

"You heard me. Yer never here anyway, why sh-should you c-care?" she wailed, burying her face in her arms. "Just get out!"

He blinked rapidly, and what he did next shook Annie right out of her crying. He sunk down onto the floor, and with that dazed, hurt expression on his face, blinked back the tears welling in his eyes.

"Are. . Are you cryin'?" Annie asked, not believing it.

"No!" he answered defiantly, rubbing his eyes. "Kinda. Oh, alright. A little."

Annie pursed her lips, wondering what this was. "What. . .?"

He played with the chipping wallpaper coming off the wall, scraping little pieces off with his fingernails. He sighed. "It's been a bad week."

"Oh," Annie said softly. She could've kicked herself. Of course he was upset! It had been in the paper that two of her brother's friends had died last week. One gunned down by the police; one slowly dying in the hospital. "Right."

"I love you, Anne. Honest. I'm jus' not. . .I mean, we're not. . ." He sighed again. "I thought I had it bad before. I'm pretty dumb, huh? I'd give anything to get back to the way it was."

Annie swallowed hard, wondering how her brother was feeling.

"I wish you jus' knew me as how everyone else does. I like who I am with everyone else around. It's jus' because yer my sister that you. . .see me like this, ya dig?"

Annie nodded. Her brother was always goofing off and laughing. . .because laughing at the world was a whole lot easier than excepting it. Her brother needed to keep making fun of the world, because he would never be able to except the world as it was. Never.

And yet. . . He did understand. He got things real well, even though he was still a junior in high school. He understood what he was missing out on, and tried everything he could to avoid it.

"There's nothin' wrong with letting people help you, Two-Bit. . ." Annie said tearfully, sniffing loudly. "Gosh. Guess we look like a couple a pansies, huh?"

He grinned, his eyes less red. "Maybe you do, but I'm still the tuff, cool cat I've always been."

"Maybe in your dreams, you candyass. . ." Annie mumbled.

"Annie!" Two-Bit said, pretending to be disapproving. "We can't have that language, young lady!"

"Right. Excuse me o' wise, dear brother," Annie laughed.

"Yer damn right!" He grinned, getting up.

Annie knew by now where he was going, but still had to ask. "Where're you goin', Two-Bit?"

"The Curtises. See ya An - ," Two-Bit stopped and turned around. "Hey. Do you want to come with me?"

Annie swelled with happiness. 'Do you want to come with me?' She had always wondered how she'd respond to this question. His friends were all super tuff and she had always wanted to get to know them.

"Hmm." Annie shook her head. "Nah, I think I'll catch up on homework."

"You sure?" he asked.

"Yeah." She smiled, waving good-bye. The door closed gently, and for once, Annie didn't feel jealous of Two-Bit, or his friends. Because they had problems too, just like anyone else.

She glanced down at her paper, realizing she could just start all over on a new sheet. She'd have to redo some of the work, but that was alright.

Taking out a new sheet, she smiled softly to herself. If there was one thing she could count on, it was her brother. Through everything, and all the changes, she knew she could always count on one thing. . .

He'd always come home.

A/N: Alright, I sniffled a little when I wrote it. But you know what they say. . .No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader.

Not that I want you guys to cry or anything. That'd be mean. . .

Also. For future reviews, I know Two-Bit seems a little OOC in my story. But like the summary said, I'm trying to see if maybe he's different around his family, because that's the source of a lot of his problems. The gang knows him as happy-go-lucky Two-Bit, but he can't always be like that and like everyone else, people won't always be able to live up to the expectations other set for us.

Um, review?