Author note: A few things before we get started this doesn't follow the book, sorry I couldn't kill off Johnny and Dally and this will be put into P.O.V. Some of the chapters are going have some of the guys talk and have normal point of view too. All seven guys will talk throughout the story. Here is how old everyone is: Ponyboy is 14, Sodapop, Steve and Johnny are all 16, Dally is 17 and Darry is 18 and Two-Bit is 20. I know that Darry and Two-Bit's ages are the other way around but for this story its this way ok?

A/N: For those of you that have read up to chapter 9. I would suggest that you go back and re-read it. Sorry I changed some things up.

Author: mikesh

Title: Why did my life have to turn out this way?

Summary: What if Darry had decided not to raise his two brothers?

Part: 1?

Darry's P.O.V.

I found out at midnight on April 22, 1966 the day I turned 18 that my parents had been

hit by a train. They were coming back from a night out because it was their 25th

anniversary. My dad had told me before they left that night that he wanted to make it special for my mom. Well I

guess he made it special for her alright. The cops came to our house and asked me if I had any siblings and I told them I did. They told me that I needed to go and wake them

up. That it was best that we all hear it at once. I didn't want to but figured the cops knew what was best. Yeah best my ass. They told us that our parents were involved in a train

accident. That made my brothers nervous but I figured they would be alright how could they not be alright? The cops took us to the hospital where our parents were. It took the

doctor an hour before he came and talked to us. They asked if our dad drank a lot. He never touched the stuff unless him and mom were at a party. And he'd only have a glass or two at most. The reason they asked was

they thought alcohol might have been involved. They thought that he was drunk and drove onto the tracks. What really happened was they were on the tracks and the car staled. They

couldn't get it started and they didn't have time to get out before the train hit. They were basically vegetables all it really meant to me was they probably were never going to wake

up again. They had both of my parents on breathing tubes since the train had crushed their lungs. The doctor told me that I should start thinking about making arrangements for

my brothers and me. They asked if I had any family members that they should contact. I

told them to go to my house and tell the gang to come over here. I don't think that they

believed me but did it anyway. The guys usually came over every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning before school because they liked my mom's chocolate cake and

that's usually when there was some in the house. She didn't care that they always came over then and ate the cake. She just didn't like that that was all they ate for breakfast. So I

knew that they would be over there because it was Wednesday. I made the arrangements that if they didn't wake up then Soda and Pony would go to a boys' home. Deep down I

was hoping that my parents would either just wake up or that I would and that it would just be some horrible nightmare. But it wasn't and they died a week later and I made all

the funeral arrangements. I planed the funeral for Friday. I called the guys and had them watch Pony and Soda while I called the boys' home and made arrangements to take them

both there on Monday. That way they were still in Tulsa where they grew up. I figure they are far better without me and had I not left them they would have ended up in the

boys' home sooner or later. Why not have it over with anyways right? When I took them to the boys' home Soda who's the middle child called me every name under the sun

including a soc. A soc! I'm not a soc! I don't drive a nice car and I don't go and beat people up for no reason. I left Pony and Soda at the boys' home because I had already decided that if my parents

did pass on I was still going to college. It's been something that I've wanted to do ever since I was little. See I have a full ride to college because of football. I was the caption of

my football team and I was a real good player. A college in California wanted me to come but there was one in Nebraska that I thought might be good to go to since a friend

of mine went there and said that he liked it. And I've heard that they have a better football team too. So that's why I've been here in Nebraska for two months now. I'm

taking business classes because I want to own my own construction business. Between Football practice and school work I really don't have time for much of a social life. I

have a girlfriend and her name is Stephanie. She's a real sweet girl and she's 18 like I am. She told me when we first met that she's never lived anywhere else besides Nebraska. Well I've

never lived anywhere else before I came here either so that kind of made us even. She doesn't know about my two younger brothers. How do you tell your girlfriend of two

months that you just left your brothers because you wanted to go to college? Yes I feel real bad for leaving them but in the end its better for them and me. They're going to have

a life that I can't give them. Another reason I don't want to tell her is that her parents like me a lot and I don't think they'd think too highly of me if they found out. I see Stephanie

everyday after class right before practice. She won't go to the games because she hates football. I think its just she doesn't want to see me get hurt. My roommate is my best

friend, he reminds me a lot of Two-Bit who is a friend back home. He doesn't go and drink like Two-Bit or at least I don't think he does. He doesn't know about my brothers

either, but then again nobody knows about them. Stephanie and he get along pretty well but I guess they should since they are cousins. That's actually how we met. One day I

came back to the dorm and she was there talking to him about something that was going on that weekend. He introduced me and like they say the rest is history. I do miss the

gang and home a little, but I now have a new life here in Nebraska. Neither of my brothers have wrote or called me but I haven't tried to contact them either. They know

that I came to Nebraska because right before our parents died I had decided to go to college here in Nebraska. And even if I did decide to write them what am I supposed to

say "Oh sorry that I left you" that would just piss them off more. I don't expect to hear from them. I know they both hate me. But I figured that some rich couple will adopted

them. Who wouldn't want a hard worker and just down right sweet person for a son? Or someone who can listen to your problems real good? Yes they are far better off without

me. Besides I wasn't going to go work two jobs the rest of my life. And that's where I would be right now if I hadn't decided to do what was best for my brothers and me.

Besides I should be able to in joy life too. Shouldn't I?

Normal P.O.V.

Ok this is right after the funeral for Mr. and Mrs. Curtis and it's the same day.

Darry, Sodapop, Ponyboy, Dally, Two-Bit, Steve and Johnny were just coming back from the cemetery where the funeral was held. There was only Steve, Dally and Two-Bit's moms there are well as a couple of people that knew Mr. and Mrs. Curtis from where they worked. And Darry, Ponyby and Sodapop's "uncle" came too. He's a family friend that they've known since they were little so he's like an uncle to the guys. The family and friends were eating when Darry and his "uncle" Chris went outside to sit on the porch to talk about what was going to happen now that Mr. and Mrs. Curtis weren't around.

"Darry what are your plans now that your parents are gone?" Chris said

"I really don't know I figure that I would go off to college and come back for Christmas. I'm not supposed to have to decide what's going to happen to my brothers. I didn't ask for this so why did they leave us? I hate my parents for leaving me with this to deal with they're supposed to be here helping me get ready to go to college. I hate them! I hate them!" (Darry's crying at this point)

"No you don't Darry you're just confused because you're taking on responsibility that no one should have to at your age." Chris said

"Yes I do! Don't tell me what I'm thinking. You don't know how it is for me." Darry said

"Yes I do Darry I lost my parents when I was 25 years old. I do know how you feel. You may not want to believe that but I do. I know the pain that you're feeling right now. And I can tell you it will start to go away. It'll always hurt but the pain does go away some over the years." Chris said

"Well when will it go away? 400 years from now? 30 years from now? WHEN WILL IT GO AWAY?" Darry screamed

"It takes time ok? I can't give you an exact date it will go away." Chris said

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to blow up at you. I'm…" Darry said

"I know you're just confused and upset. Maybe we should talk about the future another time." Chris said

"No I need to do it now. I'm going to put Soda and Pony in a boys' home and go to college in Nebraska." Darry said

"Like hell you are! I'm not going anywhere this is my home and I'm staying! Nothing you can say will make me change my mind." Sodapop screamed

"Well why don't you just take Soda and me with you?" Pony said

"Pony he's not going to take us with him. He wants to get rid of us and this is the way for him to do it." Soda said

"You're going and that's final. There's noting here for me. And there's nothing here for you either but you don't seem to be able to see that. And what am I going to do? Work my ass off for nothing the rest of my life? No thank you. Monday you two are going to the boys' home and that's final." Darry said

"Darry I can take care of them. You don't have to put them in a boys' home." Chris said

"No I'm not going to burden you with the likes of these two." Darry said (Pointing at Soda and Pony)

"They're not a burden. They're a gift from god can't you see that man?" Two-Bit said

"Just stay out of this Mathews its none of your business. It's not anybody's business what I do with these two." Darry said

"Fine but don't come crying to us when college to too tough for Mr. Big pants." Two Bit said

So that was final there wasn't nothing Chris could do because he didn't have a real steady job and he knew the court would never give him custody of Pony and Soda. And Two-Bit didn't have a steady job either and he knew that his mom had her hands full raising his little sister and didn't need two other mouths to feed. So it was set up that Darry would keep the house and then when he got back from college that summer he would sell it. But while he was gone Chris would look after things. It hurt Two-Bit what Darry said but he knew that he was just angry for what happened to his parents.

Author Note: So what do you all think? Oh I know Nebraska doesn't have a good football team but it was just not a place that you would think a guy like Darry would go. I know that Darry is an asshole but don't worry he'll get better as the story goes on. And you got to figure he lost his parents on his 18th birthday.