<Chris's POV>

One week.
Two weeks.
Three weeks.

At the end of each week I write a tally mark on a scrap piece of paper. Three little lines stand next to each other as they wait for a new companion. Its only been three weeks since Soda and Steve left and I already feel like it's been years. The two of them have been in my life for as long as I care to remember, and without their constant disruptions my life has become quite upsetting. For me, my life is stuck in a constant routine that repeats each day. Wake up, eat toast with Darry, kiss Darry goodbye, have a deep talk with Pony, talk to Dally when he stops by, have Dally force me to eat, watch Mickey with Two-Bit, welcome Darry home, make dinner then don't eat any of it. Then I go up to my room, cry, have awful nightmares, then repeat.

My nightmares are usually about Soda and Steve. About them dying in war, becoming tired, or even worse, having them change. I can't imagine if their perfect personalities were altered into some mutation of two of the most important men in my life. Sometimes Skyler makes an appearance in my dreams. These sometimes stress me out the most since I haven't told Dally that Skyler is pregnant and probably never will. If Skyler wanted him to know she would've told him.

At this point in the day, it's time for me to have a conversation with Pony. Its not set in stone, but both of us know that at 11:00 it's time to go to the living room to talk. As I near the living room and see Pony's head from behind I try to think of something to talk about.

"Hi Chris," Pony mumbles. I smile weakly and say hello back as I sit down. "I actually have something to run by you," Pony says. I'm happy he's talking cause I'm so fresh out of ideas about what to talk about.

"Well go ahead buddy," I tell him.

"Okay so I was wondering if maybe you could help me with something for when Steve and Soda come back," Pony starts. I slink my shoulders. He is so confident that they are both coming back. What will he do if they don't make it back? Instead of pondering about this to much I let Pony continue. "I thought that since Darry takes a lot of pictures we could buy a big book and fill it with photos." This is perfect. Wether they come back or not, this gives me something to do and it's a nice tribute to Soda and Steve.

"That's perfect Pony, I suggest you tell Darry," I inform him.

"I already did, he told me to ask you," Pony says. I giggle a little.

"Dal should be here soon, let's run the idea by him," I suggest. Pony nods his head. We sit there discussing the book for awhile until Dally opens the front door and smiles at us.

"Hey Pony, what's up man, you seen Johnny?" Dally asks.

"Ya he was here yesterday," Pony tells Dally.

"Good, what's up Chrissy, keeping busy?" Dally asks. I smirk.

"About that... Pony had come up with a great idea that we would like to run by you," I start. Dally takes out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter, then he hesitates.

"Darry ain't here is he?" He confirms. We shake our heads. Dally lights the cigarette then sits on the couch next to me. Pony explains to Dally what we want to do and he agrees immediately.

"On one condition," Dally starts. "I have one picture and one picture only of Skyler, and I'd like to add it at the end so the book is like a tribute to those who we lost and those who we love," Dally requests, cringing at her name. We agree then I go to make our lunch.

After we've eaten in a comfortable silence it's time to talk to Dally. Once Pony announces that he's going to find Johnny, Dally and I are able to speak in private. We walk into the living room and sit on the worn out couch.

"All right now that Pony's gone, tell me how your really feeling," Dally demands. I shrug my shoulders.

"I could be better I guess, I'm really just not happy, you know, if we're missing two gang members then the rest of us just aren't happy," I explain. Dally puts his head down.

"Trust me, I know what you mean," Dallas states.

"Dally, I'm sure Skyler is coming back, give it a few months," I plead to Dally. Dallas looks up with a look in his eyes. Anger? Sadness?

"I don't want her to come back." I look at Dally confused when he says this.

"What?"

"I don't want her to come back, and she probably never will, in fact she's probably dead, probably did it herself to," Dally says with cold eyes. A lump forms in my throat. If only he new, then maybe he'd have hope. I know Skyler will never commit suicide while she's pregnant.

"Dally don't say that!" I shout.

"Why not? You know it's the truth, she always talked about killing herself, it's what she wants," Dally explains emotionlessly. I hang my head and walk away from my depressing brother. If I stayed a moment longer the secret about Skyler might have escaped my lips.

<Skyler's POV>

I know it is there, yet I also know no one but me will notice. It is so small that I have to look at it for 5 minutes before I really notice the defined area. At only a little less than 5 weeks it is definitely not big, yet as I gaze down at my abdomen I am sure I see the raised area. I'm probably just hallucinating.

I let my shirt fall down again and then rush out the door tow go to work. As I near the diner I become more and more upset that I have it work. I really do hate my job, but it pays good money so it's worth it.

When I walk through the diner doors I am rushed right into work, seeing as the diner is full of people. I deal with many different people, handsy guys, stressing mothers, little kids, business men, but I am not the slightest bit interested in what they are doing. After awhile of bringing out food from the kitchen, the manager calls me into his office. I sit down on the old chair he had that is facing his desk.

"Did I do something wrong?" I ask nervously. The manager pops a cigar in his mouth.

"No, we just are struggling with money at this diner right now so we need to lower someone's pay a little and since your the newest employee..." he says trailing off.

"So I'm not getting paid as much now?" I clarify.

"Exactly, you can go now," he says, shooing me out of the room. Just great, now I'm being paid even less then before. I'm never going to be able to make it by without running out of money.

A/N short little filler

You probably all hate me now cause this story is so boring, but hey it's chill. Love ya my spoons.

Stay gold💛

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