I just wrote this and figured I'd see how it went. =) Johnny and Dallas are alive and let's just say the reason for that is... Darry never hit Ponyboy that night and therefore, Pony never ran away. ^_^

I hope everyone likes this one! ^_^


Normal POV:

The alarm clock rang and could be heard throughout the house. It sounded very annoying and Sodapop Curtis reached over and turned it off. "I'm awake," he said, yawning. He slowly sat up and rubbed his eyes. He looked to his right and saw that Ponyboy wasn't there. He saw a note on his brother's pillow. It read: Dear Soda, I went out for a run. Tell Darry not to worry. I fixed you two breakfast. I'm going to school after my run, so, I'll see you guys this afternoon. -Ponyboy.

Soda sighed and got up, putting on his work clothes. "Sodapop!" Darry called. "Hurry up! You're gonna be late for work!" "I'm comin," Sodapop called back. He ran to the kitchen and scarfed down some bacon that Ponyboy had made. "If you don't mind, please walk Ponyboy home from school. I can't because I have to work late tonight. I'll be back around seven or eight," Darry said. "Steve is outside waiting for you in his car. He's gonna drive you to work." He smiled and headed for the front door after grabbing his keys off the table. "Bye Soda." He waved and then left the house.

That night, after dinner, the whole gang came over; except Darry who was still at work. Two-Bit flopped down in the middle of the living room floor with half a chocolate cake.

"Hey, hey. Save some cake for everyone else, Two-Bit," Soda said with a grin. He was sitting on the floor, playing poker with Steve. Johnny sat on one end of the couch and Ponyboy on the other. Pony was reading a book and Johnny, like Two-Bit, was staring at the TV. Dallas was leaning in the doorway, watching everyone.

By the time Mickey Mouse wet off, Two-Bit had finished his half of the chocolate cake. He yawned and stretched as he stood up. "Well, I guess I'll be goin'," he said. "Ain't no sense in me stayin' here all night when I have a home to go to." "Shoot, Two-Bit, you don't have to go," Soda said. "Why don't you play some poker with me and Steve?" Two-Bit thought about it; then he shrugged and sat down on the floor with Steve and Sodapop.

By the time Darry got home, everyone was sitting on the floor, playing poker. "Hey, Muscles," Steve greeted with a cheerful voice as a tired Darry walked into the house. Darry grinned and waved, sitting down in his recliner.

"So, Darry, how was work?" Soda asked.

"Okay," Darry answered. "What about you?"

"Boring," Soda replied.

"As usual," Steve added.

Darry turned to Ponyboy. "How was school?"

"Good."

"Did you make good grades?"

"Yes."

There was an awkward silence. No one said anything for a minute. "I'm winning poker," Two-Bit finally piped up. The gang shot Two-Bit numerous irritated glares. He grinned his goofy grin and ignored their expressions.

As they were playing the rest of their poker game, Two-Bit decided to start up a conversation. "Have any of y'all ever seen that horror movie when these two guys go camping and that monster from outer space starts chasing them with a knife?" he questioned.

Ponyboy nodded. "Yeah. Me and Johnny went to go see it at the Nightly Double the other night," he answered.

"I've seen it once before," Dallas replied. "It was pretty lame."

Steve, Soda, and Darry exchanged looks of confusion. "How come we've never seen it?" Steve asked.

"Because you don't care about movies, Soda can't sit still for longer than a few minutes, and Darry's always busy," Pony told him.

Dally rolled jos eyes. "What about the movie, Two-Bit?" he asked. "Why did you bring it up?"

Two-Bit shrugged. "It was just funny," he said simply.

"If you mean stupid-funny, then yeah. You ain't a'woofin'," Dally snorted.

Two-Bit grinned. "Shoot, it was hilarious," he argued. "And... it actually made me think... I wanna go camping sometime soon!"

"So that movie made you wanna go camping?" Ponyboy asked incredulously.

"Camping sounds exciting!" Two-Bit exclaimed.

"Yeah!" Sodapop agreed, smiling widely. "We should go camping soon! Like, this weekend!"

"That could work," Ponyboy chimed in. "Spring break is next week, anyway."

"No, that can't work," Darry told them. "I have to work all next week. My boss needs me to drive four hours away to roof some house out in the country."

"Can't you at least take a few days off?" Ponyboy asked him.

"Pony, you know we can't afford that," he answered.

"But mine and Steve's boss is letting us off work for most of spring break," Sodapop told him.

"But my boss isn't like that. I work when he says; no questions asked," Darry replied.

"But isn't it just wasting gas money to drive four hours away and back every single day?" Steve asked.

Darry shrugged. "I have to. I need to make money. I need to look after my brothers," he said. That was probably more than Darry had ever admitted. He loved his brothers and they were the reason for him working so hard.

Sodapop realized this and said, "Well then, we'll go with you. All six of us. We can go camping out in the country."

"For a week? All of us?" Darry questioned.

Soda nodded and Two-Bit grinned. "Yeah, Superman!" he exclaimed. "It would be fun!"

"Well... my boss did say that I could stay in his old country house if I stayed there and worked all week," Darry said, thinking about it. "And since he won't make me work on Saturdays, we could camp out then. And when I'm working, you guys can do whatever you want." The smallest of smiles crossed Darry's lips. "So, I guess... we're going camping."

Two-Bit cheered happily. Everyone smiled and joined in with Two-Bit's cheer. "Camping! Camping!" he chanted excitedly. Darry stood up. He rolled his eyes and everyone groaned when Two-Bit suggested they start a conga line.

"No," Darry said slowly, "but tomorrow is Saturday; so, will everyone be able to go?" Soda, Pony, and Steve were the first to nod. Two-Bit shrugged. "I'm goin' even if I can't," he answered, grinning.

Dally thought about it. "I guess Tim Shepard will have to wait 'til later to get me back for bustin' the windows on his car." He turned to Johnny, who hadn't said more than two words all night. Which, that wasn't really a surprise to any of them. Johnny rarely talked. "You comin' with us camping, Johnnycake?"

Johnny nodded shyly and Darry grinned. "Okay," he said. "Then, we'll leave tomorrow. Let's be here and ready to leave at around eight o'clock tomorrow morning." Everyone nodded.

Forgetting about the unfinished poker game, Two-Bit got up and headed for the door. "Well, I gotta go pack for tomorrow. See y'all later," he said, waving and heading out the door. Steve stood up, too. "Bye. See you guys tomorrow." And with that, he left the house.

Dallas stood up and headed for the door. Johnny slowly stood up and then waved good-bye to everyone. "Do you want us to drive you back home, Johnny?" Pony asked. Johnny opened his mouth to answer, but Dally spoke before he could. "I'll walk him home."

Johnny smiled shyly. "Thanks, Dal'," he said. "No problem, kid," Dally replied. Johnny waved to the Curtis brothers; then, he and Dally left the house.

Darry turned to his younger brothers.

"Go get packing. I'll go get our old camping stuff out of the back closet," he told them.

They nodded and went to go pack.

Hopefully their camping trip would turn out okay...


I know. Not exactly a cliff hanger, but I hope you like it, anyway. ^_^ And don't worry, I'll make Johnny talk a little more in the next chapter. ;D Review if you like it, please! =D