Darry drove down a road that was familiar to only two people in the old, beaten down truck. In the backseat, Ponyboy tensed up next to Sodapop as a dark, messy pile that were the remains of the burnt church approached closer. Dally's heart dropped and his stomach became tight and twisted.

"Is that it, Pony?" Sodapop gently asked, his imagination of how that dreadful day went forming in his head.

Ponyboy could only nod, eyes not tearing themselves away as Dally mumbled, "Jesus Christ" in remembrance of how the church got that way.

Darry pulled down the very faint trail that led to the church and took a deep breath. His baby brother had lived out here for days with Johnny. No one to look out for them. No one to make sure they were eating. No one to make sure they were okay. Goosebumps formed on his arms when he remembered that part of it was his fault.

Darry barely had the truck in park when Ponyboy flew out the door, Sodapop following quickly after.

"Pony," Sodapop called out, rushing to his younger brother.

Darry and Dally got out much more slowly, watching as Sodapop grabbed Ponyboy's arm before he could run any closer to the collapsed church. Who knew what could've happened if any of them touched the pile. It didn't look sturdy, yet did look ready to fall down even more to the ground.

Darry walked to the front of the truck and leaned against the hood. He watched Dally take a few more steps ahead of him, hands in fists by his sides. He looked passed Dally to Sodapop, who was holding onto Ponyboy's arm as they walked to the opposite side of the church and out of his view.

"I can't believe it's still here," Ponyboy said, looking up at the top of the big pile of wood.

He could still see the pointed roof, but just barely.

"This is where you were the whole time?" Sodapop asked, trying to make conversation.

Ponyboy nodded. "The whole time...with Johnny."

Sodapop's hold on his younger brother's wrist tightened when he felt it tense up. "Pony..."

"Johnny," Ponyboy softly repeated. "This was the last place he saw besides the hospital."

Sodapop swallowed hard when tears formed in Ponyboy's eyes. "He...had a good life. Great friends like you. Especially you-"

"His parents hated him!" Ponyboy suddenly shouted, turning his head towards Sodapop. "He had living parents and they hated him! He slept under a tree almost every night since he was 12! He did not have a good life at all!"

"He had you," Sodapop tried to reason as tears fell down Ponyboy's cheeks. "He had Dally. Two-Bit, Dar, Steve, me...but especially you. God, Pony, you don't realize how much better you make lives. Mine, his, Darry's, everyone's."

Ponyboy wiped each eye with the back of his hand, sniffling. "I make your life better?"

"Of course you do." Sodapop pulled Ponyboy into a hug, rubbing his back soothingly. "Those days you were gone and I had to sleep by myself, I hardly got any because I was too busy worrying and hoping you would come through the bedroom door."

Ponyboy sighed loudly into Sodapop's chest, looking up at his big brother with moist eyes. "I'm sorry, Soda. For leavin' ya."

"Don't be. You came back."

Ponyboy smiled weakly, Sodapop mimicking the action, and looked back at the church. His smile faded quickly when memories came to him about the time he shared with Johnny in the church. How they bonded and became even closer as friends. Their friendship reached a new level, a new high, and it was so short lived.

His throat tensed up and he began to sob.

"Oh, Ponyboy," Sodapop whispered helplessly, turning his younger brother's chin away from the church. "It's okay. Johnny's okay."

"Soda."

Their mouths were pressed together, lips loose and eyes shut. Sodapop slowly slid his tongue between Ponyboy's lips and over his tongue. After a few seconds, he felt a leg between both of his, rubbing against his crotch. He whimpered and let out a deep breath through his nose, moving his hands to Ponyboy's hips and kissing him harder.

"God, Soda," Ponyboy moaned loudly when Sodapop began to suck on his neck and lick small circles.

Ponyboy was new to this sort of thing, but he saw enough movies to know exactly was he was supposed to do. And with it being Sodapop, he felt no pressure.

They both moved to lie on the ground, Sodapop on top of Ponyboy. He kissed his younger brother again, running his hands up his stomach.

On the other side of the church, Dally couldn't look up from the ground, deep in thought.

"I should've gotten him out on time," he said to himself, nails digging into his shaky palms. "I should've never sent him out here- neither of them."

Darry inhaled the cigarette he lit once the silence from before started getting to him, flicking ash off to the side. "Can I be honest, Dal? I know all the 'what if's' and 'should have's' are and have been going through your head, but they're no good."

Dally turned to look at him.

"Johnny wouldn't want that. He knows it's kill...it's hurting you. And he doesn't want you to hurt. None of us do."

"I would," Dally retorted. "I'd want everyone questioning themselves. I'd want everyone to feel like shit. I'd want everyone having sleepless nights, scenarios over and over playing in their heads."

Darry smiled sadly, knowing better. "No you wouldn't."

Dally's eyes narrowed.

"If Johnny was beating himself up over this like you are now, you'd haunt him until he'd stop. You'd scream at him that life played out and the past is over, but not forgotten."

Dally stormed over to Darry and slammed his hands on either side of him against the hood. "What the hell do you know, Darrel? Nothing. You know nothing. No, I wouldn't. I'd wonder with Johnny what could've happened."

Darry, not scared or intimidated, shook his head. "I know enough that you wouldn't."

"Don't-Don't tell me. Don't tell me what I'd do or what Johnny'd want."

Darry whispered, staring Dally in the eyes, "Too late."

Dally growled, frustrated and hurt, and shoved Darry hard enough that his back hit the front of the truck. Darry quickly retaliated and pushed Dally backwards so he stumbled a little, throwing his cigarette to the ground.

"You little shit," Dally mumbled, pushing Darry only to be pushed back immediately and twice as hard.

Darry shook his head, partially in amusement, and grabbed Dally to slam him against the hood. He brought his face close to Dally's, which was red. "You can honestly tell me that you'd want me to cry and cry every night over you about something I couldn't help? Had no control over?"

Dally looked Darry straight in the eye, face softened and breaths short. After a few moments, he answered, "No."

Darry slowly nodded, letting Dally pull his face closer with his hand on the back of his neck. They shut their eyes as their lips lightly met. Darry's mouth was dry from the cigarette, but Dally didn't mind because the taste made up for it. Dally's tongue pushed and explored throughout Darry's mouth, causing them both to moan quietly.

Dally moved his legs between Darry's, wrapping them around his hips as he brought their crotches together. Darry's body quivered with excitement as Dally's hands slid up his shirt.

"Fuck, Dal," Darry breathlessly moaned as Dally pinched his nipples and rolled their hips together.

Dally chuckled, "We'll get there."

Ponyboy nearly screamed when Sodapop pushed into him, his hair pulled back and neck fully exposed. He panted out loud "ah's" as he adjusted to the feeling of his older brother inside of him. Even though it hurt, he wouldn't complain or have it stop.

Sodapop kissed down Ponyboy's bare chest and back up to his neck, tugging on his hair occasionally because he liked the surprised sound his little brother would make.

"S-Soda," Ponyboy started, moving his hips in hopes that some of the pain would disappear.

"I have you, baby," Sodapop cooed in Ponyboy's ear, kissing it softly and pushing further.

Ponyboy screamed that time.

Darry whimpered, sitting upright more and leaning closer to Dally, his legs tight around his waist.

"You feel so good, Dar," Dally breathed out, thrusting slowly and dragging his nails down Darry's back.

Darry smiled and ran his fingers through Dally's greased hair. "You look so good," he replied, biting Dally's shoulder hard.

Dally moaned, pushing harder and faster. He felt Darry, all around him, but he wanted more. He wanted to feel so much that he would become numb and feel nothing at all.

"S-Soda," Ponyboy repeated, arching his back as his body shook in anticipation and nearing.

"It's okay, Pone," Sodapop reassured his younger brother, shutting his eyes tight. "It's all...ah...oh, fuck."

Ponyboy watched the pleasured, beautiful expression on Sodapop's face in awe as his hips moved faster and seemed to fill Ponyboy even more.

Dally's hand on Darry's cock kept steady as he felt himself inch closer to climax. Darry's chest was pressed against his and his head was thrown back, dark blonde hair hanging in the air. Dally grabbed onto it tight with his free hand, his other hand's movements becoming less even as he began to cum inside Darry.

"Dar..."

Darry took a deep breath, feeling what was inside of him, and moaned as he did the same in Dally's hand.

Sodapop's head dropped to Ponyboy's hickey-covered neck, panting loudly, unevenly, and staying froze in place. "Oh, Pony."

Ponyboy swallowed hard, rubbing Sodapop's back and closing his eyes. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Pone."

Ponyboy smiled wide.

Dally smiled wide.

"...and I'll be by your side whenever you want me to."

Dally licked his lips, pushing sweaty hair off of Darry's forehead. "That would be all the time."

Darry leaned up and kissed Dally quickly, lying back on the hood. "Then so be it."

The drive away from the church had Ponyboy and Dally staring at it once last time, hopefully for forever. Sodapop rubbed the back of Ponyboy's neck, letting him know it'd be okay and that he was there. Darry put a comforting hand on Dally's knee, letting him know it'd be okay and that he was there.