Bob Sheldon was dead; he'd been stabbed when he and his friends had tried to drown Ponyboy. Pony and Johnny had run off to a church in Windrexville, after advice from Dallas Winston. When Dallas came down and took them out to eat the church started to burn. The three greasers had returned just in time to save some children and they had all three gotten out without getting burned. They all had to go to hospital for an examination though. The police hadn't arrested Johnny for killing Bob, he was accused for manslaughter, but it looked as if he would get away since it was self-defense. The socs and the greasers were gonna have a rumble, a rumble that the greasers later won. And this is where the story begins.

The socs was running, they'd won and Steve smiled smugly at the sight of them running. Suddenly he caught movement out the corner of his eye and saw a soc holding a gun aiming for Johnny and Soda's kid brother.

"Shit", Steve thought and ran to tackle the two of them out of the way. "Pony, Johnny look out!" The loud from a gun firing was heard and Steve felt pain explode in his back as he fell to the ground with a scream in pain.

"Steve", he heard someone yell and he heard someone else curse like hell and how someone was hit. He felt someone cradle him and looked up at Sodapop, his best friend since grade school.

"Ya fucking idiot", Soda said. "What did ya do that for?"

"The damn soc was about… to shoot Johnnycakes or Pony…" was Steve's weak answer. Two-Bit had hurried off to call an ambulance but the rest of the gang was there. Steve looked up at them and smiled. "We beat those damn socs."

"Yeah man we did", Darry said softly. "You okay?"

"Never better", Steve said and felt his eyes go heavy.

"Steve don't fall asleep", Soda sounded worried. Why was he worried? Was it because of Steve? Was it because Steve was hurt? No he must be delusional, Soda wouldn't worry about him, he'd had too much to worry about this week. First Pony and Johnny disappear than Sandy leaving him because she'd been cheating on him and gotten knocked up by some soc. Steve heard the sound of sirens in the distance and before he even realized it he was lifted onto a stretcher and put into the ambulance. Soda was at his side, clutching Steve's hand.

"Ya gonna be okay Steve", he said but Steve knew he was wrong. He could feel life slipping through his fingers. He wasn't scared, he knew his mom would be there to meet him. But he was sad, sad to leave Soda behind and lose their plans on creating their own business, a garage. He was mad that he wouldn't get the chance to go to college or graduate from high school. Thousands of emotions ran through his mind, but he wasn't scared. His best buddy was at his side and his mom would be with him. Steve gave a weak smile and looked up at Soda.

"Soda… Take care of the guys will ya… tell Pony I don't hate him… I'm just jealous that he's your brother and I'm not."

"Ya can tell him that yourself", Soda said. "And you're wrong. You are my brother."

Steve smiled again. "Tell Johnny to leave his folks and tell Two-Bit to get rid of his hunk of junk… take these" Steve handed Soda the keys to his car. "and take care of her okay?"

"I… I will… but only until ya get better."

"Soda I won't get better and ya know it…"

"Don't say that."

"Soda please let me say my piece."

"Okay…"

"Tell your folks I'm sorry if I caused them trouble and tell Darry I didn't mean it when I called him Superdope. Now Dallas… tell him that I want him not to waste his life. He's smart and could get far if he only wants to."

"I… I will."

"Don't worry 'bout me Soda… I'll be with my mom. I love ya man."

"I love ya too."

"Don't beat yourself up over this and don't let Johnny and Pony do either it wasn't their fault. And don't do anything stupid like killing yourself because you're sad. It's okay to cry, ya told me so."

"I will", Soda felt tears come to his eyes and starting to fall as Steve's eyes began to close.

"Just one more thing… I wanna be buried beside mom and don't let dad get into my funeral savvy?"

"Yeah… Savvy."

Steve smiled and closed his eyes and Soda closed his eyes, leaned his head on Steve's chest and cried. They reached the hospital but it was too late, Steven Randle was dead before they got there.

In the meantime Darry was trying to explain to his parents why the gang and himself looked all beaten up and why Steve and Soda was gone. He'd told them that it was just a rumble skin to skin, no weapons. But his voice caught in his throat as he thought of Steve taken a bullet to his back.

"You are all grounded", Anna Curtis said to her sons, the gang was her sons too. "Now where is that middle son of ours and his brother in arms?"

"He", Darry began but the door opened and Soda entered quietly shutting it behind him.

"Soda", Darrel Curtis asked his son worriedly when he saw that his son's eyes weren't sparkling and he wasn't grinning. "Son, what's wrong?"

Sodapop looked up at them and they all saw his red eyes and realized something was terribly wrong.

"Honey", his mother asked worriedly.

"Steve's dead", Soda said in a monotone voice. "He died even before we reached the hospital. He told me a bunch of things to say to y'all." It was quiet. "Mom, dad Steve wanted ya to know that he was sorry for all the trouble he caused you." Mr. and Mrs. Curtis just stared at him and shock and Soda turned to Darry.

"Darry, Steve said he was sorry he called ya Superdope, he didn't mean it." Darry was just as shocked as his parents. "Dallas, he wanted ya to know that you can go far and not to waste your life." Dallas looked ready to kill someone. "Two-Bit he wanted ya to get rid of your hunk of junk." Two-Bit broke down crying. "Pony, he said he was never hating ya, he was just jealous." Pony's eyes were wide and guilty. "He also told me to tell you and Johnny that it wasn't your fault and that ya shouldn't beat yourself up over it." He turned to Johnny who was crying. "Johnnycakes he wanted ya to leave your folks." Soda looked around at all the stunned, shocked and sad faces before going to his room and slam the door shut.

Soda threw himself at his bed and cried and didn't notice someone enter his room before his dad sank down on the bed beside him and started to rub his back.

"I'm sorry Pepsi-Cola", he said soothingly. "How did it happen?"

"A soc tried to shoot Pony and Johnny and Steve threw himself between them and the bullet."

"Brave kid…"

"Dad… he told me he wanted to be buried next to his mom and that his dad wouldn't be allowed to go to his funeral… But who'll pay for the funeral? His dad won't claim the body."

"We'll do it son. Steve was like another son to us."

At the funeral Soda had asked to speak and the priest let him do it.

"In our darkest hour

In my deepest despair
Will you still care?
Will you be there?
In my trials
And my tribulations
Through our doubts
And frustrations
In my violence
In my turbulence
Through my fear
And my confessions
In m anguish and my pain
Through my joy and my sorrow
In the promise of another tomorrow
I'll never let you part
For you're always in my heart."

Soda felt his parents' arms around him as he cried for his fallen best friend.

Soda was alone at the graveyard looking at the tombstone of his best friend. Steve had been dead for two months now. Soda felt alone without him, the gang wasn't the same without Steve. Soda didn't know that the gang and his parents were watching him right now. Soda ran his hand over the stone and started to sing:

"Another day has gone
I'm still all alone
How could this be
You're not here with me
You never said goodbye
Someone tell me why
Did you have to go
And leave my world so cold "

Everyday I sit and ask myself
How did you slip away
Something whispers in my ear and says
That you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though you're far away
I am here to stay

But you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though we're far apart
You're always in my heart
But you are not alone

'Lone, 'lone
Why, 'lone

Just the other night
I thought I heard you laugh
Asking me to come
And join you with a car
I can hear your prayers
Your burdens I will bear
But first I need your hand
Then forever can begin

Everyday I sit and ask myself
How did you slip away
Something whispers in my ear and says
That you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though you're far away
I am here to stay

For you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though we're far apart
You're always in my heart
For you are not alone

Whisper three words and I'll come runnin'
And man you know that I'll be there
I'll be there

You are not alone
For I am here with you
Though you're far away
I am here to stay
For you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though we're far apart
You're always in my heart

For you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though you're far away
I am here to stay

For you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though we're far apart
You're always in my heart

For you are not alone...

Soda knew that even though Steve was dead, his best buddy would never leave him. He would forever hold his friend in his heart.