I've been meaning to get around to reviewing for a while now, but I just now remembered today. Anyways, awesome last chapter. I loved the thing about the betting. Johnny made me laugh ^_^ The way that your characters have progressed and evolved is extremely impressive. It's generally subtle changes, but when I look back at how they used to be, it's definitely different.

Anyways, I just want you guys to know that your story (well stories I guess) are my favorite ones. Ever. Believe me, I've read a ton of these fanfictions and yours is at the top. I don't think I've ever been looking forward to a story so much. Keep up the awesome work. You guys are amazing. =D

Great chapter, I really liked enjoyed the ending. I cant wait to read One Headlight.

Omg! :D it's getting real intense! I can't wait for one headlight ;) keep it coming!

So you are going to post a sequel to this arent you :p
I want to know if Curly ever does get Tims trust back, how long it takes for Dally and Ellie to get back together if they do, and if Dally finds out about what Tim did to her. Please post a sequel xD

*sniff* the last chapter
Damn tim for saying it wasn't his fault
Poor monty's aunt
I'm glad el went to pay her respects
Yay! Steve gets major points...the sister part was great, so was the curly interaction
Awe I loved the scene w/el and the boys. Lol the betting was hilarious. I was wondering where dally was.
I liked how you ended the chap w/tim and curly. There has been so much growth and change with your characters, that what made the story worth reading. I hope school goes well so we can read another great story and find out what happens.

PS my money is on johnny's bet

Steve!! I love Steve and I love love love the way you guys write Steve. Him going to kick Tim's ass was perfect and the way Tim just took it was great.

I also really liked that you ended this with a poker game at the Curtis'. Very cool that you did that after the beginning of Tender. And Johnny, lol. Eight hours.

Really looking foward to reading One Headlight when it gets posted. Good luck with you last quater and can't wait to hear from you both again. I think I'll have to go back and re-read Tender in the mean time :)

My favourite line:

"That's who gets to tell me I fucked up," Tim told him.

I love the way Ellie is dealing with everything. It's subtle and poignant to see how everything has changed, but no one can really fix anything.

I love Steve in this fic so much - he's definitely a protective big brother type, and his anger is played off so well. I actually can see Steve having a sister easier than anyone else in canon, probably because this big brother vibe in him just enriches his character so much. The fact that he and Ellie have this shared secret is both sweet and sad. She has to deal with knowing that Tim had/has the power to change what her friends think of her if they knew, because like it or not, it would change things. I can totally identify with her need to keep it from them and preserve who she is. The scene with them needling her about Dallas is just a great example of that - if they knew, they would never do that. They don't know, so they do it ... and Ellie both can enjoy the fact she isn't being treated differently, but also has to suffer through uncomfortable topics because she can't share.

BTW, I love that Dally is in prison when this happens. I imagine if he found out, he'd really be pissed over the fact he wasn't there to do what Steve did. With her as a couple or not, I don't think he'd take kindly to Tim messing with her like that. Maybe something for One Headlight? I hope!

I also like that Tim knows what he's done is wrong, but there's this element of him not really knowing what to do with it. He doesn't question why so much, he just accepts he did it and lives with the consequences, which I really like in the way you've characterized him. I can see him being the type that doesn't dwell, even if he can't justify things in his head.

Great job on the entire fic ... this and Tender were fabulous for all the gang interaction and the addition of a girl that hangs with them in a realistic way. There's so many issues still swirling for these characters, and I can't wait for more!

is One Headlight the sequel? please, please, please say there's a sequel! =[ i be very sad if there isn't!

hope you post soon!

Loved it lots. I like the bittersweet ending, and I like that Ellie is working through her troubles and making peace with what has happened. I like that Tim is making admends in the only way he knows how.

A lovely story.

Omg r ellie and tim really over?!? Can't wait 4 the next chapter! :)

I love the opening scene with Curly. Tim being questioned by his own brother is excellent, I think it adds a lot to things to have Tim suddenly being scrutinized by people who wouldn't usually step up. Curly and his crush on Ellie have obviously made him observant when it comes to her. I like the hint that maybe Curly might lose respect for Tim if he knew how badly his hero brother had screwed up.

I also love Ellie and her mom. Totally twisted logic, but I imagine Ellie's mom as the type of woman that never got a real break, and when she did, never felt she deserved it. She hung her self esteem on a man and has rationalized bad behaviour as "just what men do."

It's sad that Ellie also seems to be buying into this ... there is that nice realization that her mother's choices and seeing that has helped lead her down this path, and the fact she turns Tim away shows at least a willingness for her not to end up towing the line like her mother, but there's also the fact left that she doesn't really acknowledge just how awful what Tim did to her was. There is a part of her that believes her mother.

I also like the looming presence of Steve, not sticking himself into it (finally! lol) but being around just in case he needs to.

Great chapter - I think you've dealt with what happened in a really realistic way, both for the time period and for the way that Ellie has grown up and the situations she's come from.

Kudos to both of you. Oh, and boo to only one more chapter lol. Get writing One Headlight!

Artemis here.

I really love that she makes the connection between seeing her mother with shady, abusive guys and her choices of Dallas and Tim.

I also love that she doesn't make it easy for Tim - it shouldn't be, he shouldn't expect it to be and she shouldn't feel like she had to make it easy.

I think she was really strong in this chapter, moving on and trying to forget what happened, yet resolving not to put herself in that same vulnerable place again.

Wow, I just caught up on the last seven chapters, and wow.

I loved the conversation between Ellie and Abby, she actually acted like a mom for once. Even though the advice she gave her daughter was horrible, she tried. I think it's sad that the same physical abuse that happened to her mom happened to Ellie. It is exactly what she didn't want.

You have no idea how happy I am that Tim got his ass chewed out by Curly. It's about time. Tim is finally getting a taste of his own medicine, even if it is from Curly. lol

I have been just waiting this whole story for Ellie and Tim to break up(I'm a Dally and Ellie shipper, sorry lol), but I would have never guessed that this would be the reason. I cannot wait to see what happens when Dally finds out what Tim did, if he finds out.

I'm sad to see that your story is ending. Especially when my lazy ass hasn't reviewed or read in a while. I am sorry, I am. I'll review one day, I promise. lol

Cannot wait for the Tender sequel.

Nicki

Great chapter. I loved the interaction between Ellie and Tim. I think it was exactly the kind of reaction I expected from Ellie too. I love that Tim went from ringing to make sure she got home and knocking on the door and apologising, to turning things around and blaming her, back to apologising again. It really showed that, though he didn't feel comfortable saying he was sorry but really did feel horrible enough about things to say it.

I'm so sad that this is the second to last chapter but you guys have done an amazing job and I can't wait to see what happens.

Oh, and I loved the little Steve mention at the end there :P

oh, man, Tim. You f*ed up. Seriously.

But I am encouraged by the fact that at least he feels bad about it. Oh man, what's Dally gonna say about this... or do about it...

And good for you, Curly, for giving Tim the shit he deserved.