Hey! So this is not my first fanfic. I actually have a lot of experience with it, but its posted somewhere else. I dare you to try and find it. :)

So this is quite honestly just your average 'Curtis parents die and Darry takes custody' fic. It's in my own style, but some of the ideas are inspired (inspired, not copied) from other authors.

I also did a lot of research to find out when the Curtis parents died. In The Outsiders, Ponyboy said it was eight months ago, and that his birthday was one month ago. So I looked it up and his birthday was July 22nd, so The Outsiders took place in late August. Eight months away from August is January, so that's when they died.

I decided to make it happen on New Years Eve :)

So enough of my rambling, enjoy!

"We'll be back by ten," Mrs. Curtis had reassured her son's earlier that night, before leaving with her husband for a fancy dinner. It was New Year's Eve, just after a fresh snow. The roads were glazed with deadly ice.

It was now midnight. Just as the clock struck twelve, it gave a low sounding clang signifying the new year.

"Happy New Year…" Ponyboy said half-heartedly, tiredly draped over the arm on the couch. Sodapop, who lay splayed out on the cushions of the couch, weakly blew a paper noisemaker.

Two-Bit lay in the center of the floor passed out and mumbling deliriously from the amount of beer he had consumed that night. He would have quite the hangover in the morning.

Johnny sat in an armchair, Dallas and Steve perched on the arms like his protectors. Johnny was asleep, and Steve and Dallas looked on the verge of it.

As for Darry, he stood in the kitchen, fumbling around making coffee to keep himself awake. The entire gang had been up since two o'clock the previous morning, when one by one the gang had decided to barge through the Curtis's front door, each equipped with their own excuse.

Mr. And Mrs. Curtis hadn't been thrilled, but they had allowed it.

"Aren't mom and dad supposed to be home?" Soda mumbled, still half asleep. Darry looked up.

"Yeah," Pony muttered back. "Two….. hours ago…" He said through a yawn.

As if on cue, a knock sounded on the door. Darry found himself walking towards it, Inadvertently wondering why his parents would have to talk if they wanted to get in.

But when he opened the door, it wasn't his parents.

Shit, he thought when he saw the grim face of the officer. He wanted to voice that, but instead he pulled a smile and said, "How may I help you?"

The cop looked at his clipboard. "Is this the Curtis residence? The home or Darrel and Martha Curtis?"

"Those would be my parents," Darry said, confused.

The cop nodded without emotion. "You have two younger brothers… Ponyboy Michael and Sodapop Patrick?"

Darry nodded. "Bring them to the door, please." The officer said. But his two brothers were already by my side, hair tousled and still in pajamas.

"Darry didn't do nothin' wrong," Soda said protectively. "And neither did me or Pony!"

The cop shook his head. "No one did anything wrong," he said. "I am here regarding your parents."

Shit, there went Darry's inner mind again. His heart froze, those roads were icy.

"I'm afraid there's been an accident," the officer said, his voice oozing with sympathy.

Soda shook his head. "No…" he muttered. He looked up, his brown eyes hopeful and innocent. "Are they going to be okay?"

"There are no survivors," the officer said, shaking his head. "A- a train ran over their car on their way home. They were trying to cross the train tracks, the warning sign was broken. One of our officers was on the side of the road, watching for speeding. It happened at eleven seventeen tonight."

Pony's knees shook and Soda grabbed his arm protectively. Darry watched as tears flowed like waterfalls from his brother's eyes.

As for Darry, he felt his chest fill with anger. A broken sign? His parents were dead because a damn policeman couldn't fix a shitty sign?

"Anything- anything else we can do for you, officer?" Darry's voice unconsciously shook.

The cop nodded solemnly. "We- we need to identify the bodies for the wake and funeral. At least one of you will need to go to the morgue tomorrow morning."

"I'll go," Darry volunteered. With a final nod of sympathy, the cop left.

•••

The night was spent tearfully, the Curtis brothers who thirty minutes ago were fighting to stay awake struggling to find sleep. Dallas, Steve, and Johnny had all awoken after the officer had left, though Two-Bit was still sprawled out on the floor sleeping off my multiple drinks he'd had.

"Shit man," Dally had said when Darry had told him the news. "I'll take Steve and Johnny and we'll go stay at Two-Bits place for the night, alright?"

Before Darry could protest, Dally kicked Two-Bit sharply in the ribs, cursing at him to 'stand his ass up'. Wobbly and uncertain, Two-Bit hobbled out the door as Dallas and Steve supported his arms.

Now Darry was left with his brothers, who were entangled in each other's arms. Soda was trying to stroke Pony's hair reassuringly, though it wasn't exactly effective since he was bawling equally as much.

Darry couldn't cry, though. As far as he knew, he was old enough to take complete custody over his brothers. He'd gladly give up anything in his near future if he could stay with his family.

He was the parent, now. Darry's parents had tried their best never to let their kids see them upset and distraught. Now it was Darry's job.

He wouldn't push rules onto his brothers tonight, though. Technically, he couldn't make them do anything until he signed the papers. He shivered involuntarily. The papers. With one signature, he would give up his entire future for the sobbing forms before him.

He hadn't even thought about giving them up. He couldn't bare it. Send them to a boys home? An orphanage? Some big brother that would make him. No, he would keep his brothers right here in Tulsa. He would pick up where his parents had left off.

He would start now.

He made his way to the couch, sitting next to his brothers. The couch cushions sank with the extra weight.

He wrapped a protective arm around Soda, who had Ponyboy's thin frame wrapped in his arms.

Suddenly, he couldn't hold it in anymore. As if on automatic, tears flowed from his eyes silently. They were quiet and depressed, unlike Pony and Soda's distraught, choking sobs.

He wanted to comfort his brothers, but he didn't know how to comfort himself.

How in the name of Christ was this going to work?

How was it? I had to type and proofread this on my phone since there was this weird thing going on with my laptop. :( so please excuse spelling errors.

I'm so sorry for the ending, don't shoot ;D

Please take five seconds to review, eh? Those five seconds mean the whole world to me :)

Enough of my cheesy mouth, get anxious for my next chapter!