Nothing Gold Can Stay

by La Push Pup

Ponyboy, visits the gravesites of his friends. He thinks back on his death and his life Summary stinks sorry Rated for language

Title: Nothing Gold Can Stay

Word Count: 3,179

Disclaimer: All is S.E. Hinton, minus Danya.

The clock ticked by, as I sat waiting for the night to come, waiting, for me to finally fall asleep. Somehow I knew; I knew I would die tonight. Weird isn't it, most people, are just perfectly fine on the day they die, not knowing that it's their last day alive.

I know when someone's death date is, if they were from the gang. I know there is no way that I could stop it. I remember each one perfectly. There was only one person's death I could not be foretold, Johnny Cade's.

I walked out of my house, across to the vacant lot, the one we used to play ball in, the one that all the gang was buried at. I made it that way, when I published my book, I got enough money, to help out my brothers and myself a lot and have extra. I used the extra, to buy the lot, and have Johnny and Dally's graves moved there. It was called The Outsiders gravesite, after the title of my book.

I walked over to Johnny's first, I read the headstone. It was not the one from his original grave, but one I had bought for him. It read;

Jonathan "Johnny" Zachariah Cade

1950-1966

A broken soul

A best friend

A twin brother

I didn't know he was going to die, I didn't know that night, and I would loose my twin brother at the time. He may not have been my blood twin brother, but we were so close, I considered him my twin. He was a brother, to a little girl, whom he never got to know.

She was taken away from the Cade's when they found Steve found her beaten in an alley. I had begged and pleaded Darry, to let us be her foster family. He and the state agreed. I was the one who mostly raised her, she was my only thing left of Johnny. She was part him.

When she turned twenty I was thirty five, it didn't matter to either of us. We both knew that we would never fall in love, so we got married. Danya Ofira Cade, became Danya Ofira Cade-Curtis, and I loved her with my heart and soul.

I sighed as I moved to the next one, after setting a bouquet of gold lilacs on his grave. The next one was Dallas, I remember feeling his death, and it was on the same night as Johnny's. I knew that Dally was going to die, when I first said that Johnny had died to the gang.

And Dallas did what Dally wanted Dally got. He bluffed having a loaded gun, and was shot down. He gave up his life because he had lost the only thing he loved and cared for, Johnny.

Dallas "Dally" Keeran Winston

1949-1966

A misguided man

A friend

A brother

Dallas was one of the gang, which made him a brother to us. He had been taught the wrong stuff when he was young. He grew up in the wrong place, he was never taught the right way. Thrown in jail by age ten, his criminal record a mile long by the time he died. I laid a set of gladiolus flowers on his grave. Tears were coming to my eyes as I walked over to the next one.

This, one was probably one that hurt the most, the one that I could never let go. I remember his death, I felt it in school. I was sitting in English class, we were writing a composition, about whatever we felt. I began to write, this started the first chapter of my second book, Taken.

I was stood up and walked to the teacher, Mr. Syme. I was about to set on his desk, when I felt my knees buckle, and my eyes become black. I saw it then, it was like a dream, I saw the bullet come out of the guys gone. I saw my brother standing toward's the other way, where the battle was going on. I saw the bullet pierce the back of his head. I saw him fall. Then I saw Steve, turn around and shoot the guy who had shot my brother, and then Steve fell to his knees next to Soda, crying. It was the first time I had seen Steve cry.

They called up Darry, and told him I had fainted. When I told him that Soda had died, he said it must have just been my imagination. The nurse agreed. I remember the conversation well.

Flashback

"Darry, I swear, I saw him, I saw him die," I said tears pouring down my pale cheeks. I knew it was the truth, I could feel it in my soul.

"Pony, it must be your imagination, it has been going wild lately," Darry replied.

"You know he's right Ponyboy, you can't see things like that," The nurse replied.

"You think I would imagine my own brother's death. So vividly, are you saying I wanted my brother to die. I know it happened, and I know I shouldn't have seen it. But I did, I just lost a brother, and all you can say is it's just my imagination. I've just lost the only best friend I had left, minus Danya," I yelled, and then I broke down. The tears became sobs, sobs that didn't stop until I got home, with Darry half an hour later.

End of Flashback

I remember curling up in Sodapop and my bed, and I remember little Danya crawling in my bed. Tears in her eyes, her asking what was wrong, I didn't say anything. I just held her close to me and let the tears flow. It was only one week before his nineteenth birthday, only one week.

I remember seeing Darry's face, the next day, when a general from the army showed up. He was telling Darry that Soda had been killed, in the back of the head, by an unexpected attack, by one soldier from the Vietnamese army.

Darry had looked at me, fear in his eyes. He thanked the general, and walked back to the couch, where I was sitting. He sat down and pulled me into a hug. I could feel his tears going down my shoulder.

I idly remember thinking that, the last time he cried was when I had returned home, from my running away. Darry and I became really close after that. We never fought again. If we started a disagreement, right away we ended it. When I moved across the vacant lot, I had Darry move in with Danya and me. I looked down at Sodapop's grave.

Sodapop "Pepsi-Cola" Patrick Curtis

1949-1968

A Vietnam Veteran

A best friend

A middle brother

I slowly set the bouquet of amaryllis down on his grave. Then moved to the next one, my older brother Darry's grave. I remember when he died; I was at work, on my lunch break. Darry had called off our lunch plans, because he had wanted to finish his current construction job that day.

I had been sitting in the cafeteria; I had just pulled out a ham sandwich. I don't remember what happened when I fainted. But I remember seeing my brother, climbing on the ladder, two bundles of roofing. He was on the second to the top step of the ladder, when the ladder buckled, Darry fell from the top of a two story building.

It felt like he was tumbling forever, and right when he was about to hit the ground, I saw him mouth I'm sorry. Then he fell right on his head. Soon the ladder and the two bundles of roofing landed on him. I knew right as he landed he was dead, I could see the bone sticking out of his neck.

When I woke back up, I saw a group of doctors over me. I was sprawled on the floor, with my sandwich next to me. Everyone watched as I pulled out my cell phone, and dialed Danya's number.

Flashback

"Danya?" I asked quietly. The tears were already flowing down my eyes.

"Ponyboy, is that you? What's wrong did something happen to you, are you okay?" She asked worriedly.

"Darry's dead Danya, he died in a fall at his construction job," I told her. I heard her gasp.

"Do you want me to come home to be with you?" She asked me.

"No, I'm going to finish work then head home. I don't think Darry would have liked it very much if I were to just go home and cry, leaving a surgery. I'll see you when you get home," I told her.

"If you're sure, well I'll talk to you later. Pony, I'm so sorry, it shouldn't have happened," She advised me. We hung up the phone, and I went to work on my surgery.

End of Flashback

Darrell "Darry" Shayne Curtis

1945-1990

A father figure

A best friend

An older brother

I smiled sadly, as I sat a bouquet Heather's and Ranunculus flower's on his grave. I then moved on to the next one. It was Two-Bit's grave; the day he died hurt me a lot too. It was the same day Darry had died, Two-Bit had gone out drinking after he found out Darry had died. They had been best friends, ever since Sodapop had died.

I was lying in my bed, with Danya wrapped tightly in my arms. I remember just seeing black, and all the sudden, seeing Two-Bit. He was at a bar, when a man walked in with a gun. The man just started to shoot randomly, I watched as the bullet pierced Two-Bit, right in the heart.

I woke up, and lightly shook Danya awake. She looked up at me, and saw that tears were once again in my eyes. I slowly took in a deep breath, and told her the news. That Two-Bit had died in a random shooting.

Keith "Two-Bit" Calhoun Mathews

1945-1990 A/N: Here's the deal, in the book S.E Hinton made a mistake, she wrote in there once, Two-Bit Mathews was the oldest of the gang and the wiscracker of the bunch. Then later on she wrote, he was still a junior at eighteen and a half and he never learned anything. PG's: 9 and 10

A wise cracker

A best friend

A brother

I didn't even notice the tears in my eyes, as I set down the assembly of Lisianthus'. I walked over to the next grave. It was the one that had been a real hard one for me to take. It happened about twenty years ago. It was Dayna's grave.

We were in a car accident, both of us. As I blacked out, I saw her hit the windshield, and then saw the airbag come out with a whiplash speed, snapping her neck. I was taken to the hospital, and was then told that she had died.

I cried for what seemed like ages. Everyone was dieing around me it seemed like, yet I kept going. She shouldn't have died that night, but that drunk driver had to drink and ruin more people's lives then anyone could imagine.

Danya "Dan" Ofira Cade-Curtis

1967-2040

An unknown baby sister

A best friend

A loving wife

I sighed, as I remembered, where all our kids' graves were located. No, we weren't in love, but we wanted to keep our family name going. We had three children two boys, and one girl. Darrell Keith Dallas Curtis, Sodapop Jonathan Steven Curtis, and Ballerina Danya Curtis-Randle were our children. We were very happy when our daughter married the only remaining member of the gang, besides us, son.

I set down the collection of lilies on her grave. She hated roses with a passion, she said she hated the symbolism. But she had loved lilies, more then anything in the world, except her friends and family.

I walked over to the last grave, Steve Randle's. When he got back from the war, I was the one who went to pick him up. Even though he clearly asked for Darry, I still did it. I knew he needed to talk to someone, I knew I did too.

Flashback

We were the only one's who really saw what happened to Soda. He was looking around, for Darry. He over looked me, I guess I wasn't as recognizable as before. I had grown that's for sure. I had last stood at five feet five inches, and now I was an amazing six feet tall.

My hair had turned to a dark burgundy color, kind of like rust. My eyes had finally turned to a gray color. I walked over to him, and pulled him into a bear hug. I was now taller than him by at least two inches.

"Do I know you?" He had asked me.

"It's me Ponyboy. I know you asked for Darry but I thought it would be best if I came," I replied.

"You're not Ponyboy, that kid was shrimpy and had brown hair," He replied with a sneer.

"I grew up Steve, and my hair darkened. Let's get you home Steve," I said, as we walked over to the area to get his bags. When we reached the car, I opened the door for him. I could tell he was tired and stressed.

"I know what happened that day Steve. I know how it happened, and I know what you did. I want to thank you for that, and for being there for him for all those times. For making him feel better, when he was down.

When I was younger I never really understood why he liked you, ya know. I guess it's because we were always jealous of each other. Soda really cared for you man, and I know why now.

You're a good man Steve, no matter what. I guess I never really saw how much you cared for Soda. I guess, I just thought you hanged around with him, 'cause of his girl attraction.

I know its different now; I've seen a different side of you. Not the cold guy, who doesn't let anything touch him. Now I see the guy, who would do anything for his best friend.

I want to say I'm sorry, for always tagging along with you and Soda. I should have realized he needed his own time with his best friend. I guess I just wanted to be with my brother and role model at all times.

Steve, I found the journal he always used to write in. I want you to have it, it talks about you a lot," I told him.

"Pony, thanks that means a lot to me. You know, about all the stuff you said. He was a good guy. But man, you don't understand, you didn't see me shoot the guy, or anything like that," He replied.

"That's the thing, for some reason I did. I saw the guy shoot him, I saw him falling to the ground. I saw you look at him, and then turn and shot the guy right in the heart, with a look of pain, anger, and mostly fear.

I saw you fall to your knees, mumbling not him, please not him. I saw the tears fall down your face. I don't know how I saw it but I did," I stated. He looked at me.

"God damn it Pony. Why did he have to be the one to die? Why couldn't it have been me that had been shot? Soda shouldn't have been over there, he was too good to be over there. I could handle it, I had nothing to live for, and no one would really miss me, except Soda.

But no the fucking asshole had to shoot Soda," He cried. The tears running down his face, anger in his eyes. "I was so afraid, I didn't want to be left alone, I was hoping some one would shoot me."

"Don't say that man; you know Soda wouldn't have wanted you to die there. Man, people care about you, whether ya like it or not. You know, even if it had been a switch a places, I still would a missed ya. You pack a powerful punch man, in a rumble or in life. As many times as I wouldn't admit it one anyone, when I was a naïve kid, I actually looked up to ya.

I mean how many greasers can lift a hubcap really easily. How many can have someone they care about so much they would die for them. Not many," I told him.

"Golly, Pony, y'all sure have changed. What happened?" He asked me. I knew that he already knew the answer but I told him anyway.

"Death happened. Greasers don't deserve to die the way they do. No one deserver's to die the way we do, but it happens. I knew I had to grow up. Gosh I'm sixteen already, and if I want to get into college, I had to stop acting like a little tag-a-long kid, and get a job and stuff," I said to him.

"You know kid, you ain't that bad anymore. Friends?" He stuck out his hand. I raised an eyebrow, and then smiled.

"Yeah man, friends," I replied, knowing that Soda was looking down on us, probably with that huge super go lucky grin plastered on his face.

End of Flashback

Steven "Steve" Jericho Randle

1949-2050

A best friend

A brother

A guardian angel

He died ten years ago; he had just turned one hundred and one. I smiled miserably he had died on the exact same day as Soda. His was in his sleep. This time I didn't faint when I saw him die. I had been in the room with him. We had been talking about Soda. He had just fallen asleep, when I was turning out the light; I heard a soft breath intake. I turned around, to see Steve let his final breath go.

I sure missed Steve. I don't know, I guess I being the youngest, it would be ironic I would live the longest. I missed 'em, I missed them a whole lot. When Steve left, I had hoped I would be gone too. I was still very capable at age 99. I finally gave up driving when I was 110 years old.

I can still walk really well, the doctors say it's because I staid fit from running all my life. I think it's because I have to the willpower to do it. So as a slowly lay the beautiful bundle of lilies, Lisianthus, Heather's, Ranunculus, amaryllis, gladiolus, lilacs, and Alstroemeria's on his grave.

When I reached my house, and then my bedroom, I sat down on my bed, and smiled softly. Slowly, I could feel my body shut down peacefully, and my last thoughts were;

When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house, I had only two things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride home…

THE END!

A/N: This story was inspired by Ecolo9's Sunsets. It really is an amazing story I cry every time I read it. It is under the Drama/Angst section. The URL is h t t p / w w w . f a n f i c t i o n . n e t / u / 3 7 5 9 /

These are what each flower means:

Alstroemeria – Friendship

Lilac – Youthful innocence

Gladiolus – Strength of character

Amaryllis – Splendid beauty

Ranunclulus – Radiant

Heather – Admiration

Lisianthus – Outgoing

Lily – Majesty

Ponyboy "Pony" Michael Curtis

1952-2060

A writer

A father

A younger brother