"Cherry Maggie get in here!"

Cherry jumped at the screeching sound of his voice. He was always angry but after everything that happened he got much worse. She looked to where Maggie was playing on the bedroom floor. Well, she was, now she was looking up at her with wide eyes. Even at four years old she knew the danger of that voice. She picked up Maggie holding her close.

"Let's go Maggie so daddy doesn't get upset."

Who was she kidding? He was always upset. Currently more with her than anyone else. Though he stayed rather upset with her mother as well. She walked down their long staircase each creak giving her goosebumps. Almost as though she expected him to come out at any second. Glory she shouldn't be living like this. Maggie and her mother shouldn't be living like this. Why couldn't he at least act decent like he always told her too? She hesitantly walked into the kitchen.

Her mom was in front of the stove with a frazzled expression on her face. It was quickly replaced with some form of a smile upon seeing them. Forced smile perhaps. She didn't see her dad anywhere. But the feeling crept into her mind he was here in their large house somewhere. Frighteningly he belonged here. In her very own family. There wasn't a single thing she could do about it.

"Where's dad?"

"He's freshening up in the shower a bit."

Relief filled her heart but only for now. He would be back and by the sound of his tone, he was in a horrible mood. She looked at the stove filled with pots of food cooking.

"What are you making?" She asked setting Maggie down to play.

Doing so made her nervous but for now, it should be okay. She would never forget the time her dad had nearly kicked Maggie after almost tripping over her. Cherry had taken the blame as she was the one who set her on the floor, to begin with. He may have hit her but at least he hadn't laid a finger on Maggie. That was the most important thing. Protecting Maggie as much as she could from their own father. It wasn't ideal but what in her life had ever been?

"What are you making?" She asked her mom in an attempt to make conversation."

"Baked Chicken, mashed potatoes, fried okra and Mac n Cheese."

"Dad's favorites."

"Yes, she said smiling. He's been upset with me lately. I know he's had a hard day at work so this will cheer him up."

Cherry loved her mother but she just couldn't understand her. Why put up with that awful treatment? Why stay with a husband who treated her badly. No one knew but if they did then they would surely say he treated her awfully bad. If not for herself couldn't she try to protect her kids? If Cherry was a mom she would do that for her children. As any sensible parent ought to. Cherry never said she deserved to be put first in anyone's life. Regardless Maggie certainly did.

Footsteps could be heard thumping down the staircase. These were sounds that always terrified Cherry. Instinctively Cherry picked Maggie up off the floor. Her father walked into the room a sour look on his face. It seemed to intensify when he gazed at her.

"Cherry Maggie is a big girl. Stop carrying her all the time. She needs to walk."

"Okay," Cherry said slowly putting Maggie on her little feet.

Her father had never abused her mother nor Maggie. He saved that all for Cherry. There was still that fear deep inside her he would turn on them. He was verbally abusive to her mother. His words seemed to cut her like a knife every time he spoke to her negatively. Cherry could take some rough talk. For it was nothing compared to him actually hitting her. It was little things he would do. Grabbing and pushing her. It was still abuse, no matter how you looked at it. Not the way a man should ever treat his daughter. No matter how angry he'd gotten over what she'd done.

"Andrea hurry and get dinner on the table I'm hungry. Girls sit down so we can have dinner as a family."

"Mom I can help." Cherry offered.

"That's a great idea!" Her dad said making her jump.

"Andrea you worked so hard to prepare this dinner you really should be relaxing. Come sit down and let Cherry serve us."

"It's alright I don't mind," Andrea said looking to her husband.

"Andrea come sit down. I said Cherry will do it."

Andrea nodded and scurried over to her seat at the table giving Cherry an apologetic look. She had nothing to apologize for. This was all her father's doing. If only she hadn't spied for the Socs. This wouldn't be happening. She would never have thought spying for the greasers would get her in so much trouble. She hadn't known her dad even knew what a Soc and a Greaser was. In hindsight maybe she should have anticipated that. After all, he was young once like she was.

She shouldn't have said anything. That action had turned her once loving father into a monster. It had almost seemed to have happened overnight. Her hands shook nervously as she prepared his plate. He wasn't a patient man so he needed to have his food first. She walked over and carefully laid the plate on the table in front of her father.

"Good Cherry now serve your mom and sister."

She did so a little less nervous now. As an afterthought, she prepared her own plate and sat down. Her mother and Maggie had started eating. Cherry watched her father as he hadn't taken a bite yet.

"What are you waiting for? That plate won't clean itself."

She quickly took a bite so not as to anger him further. Her father finally took a bite of his chicken. He paused and Cherry knew something was wrong.

"Damn it, Andrea, the food is cold!"

He stood up shoving the dishes into the floor and food went everywhere. Maggie let out a cry.

"Shut up!" Their father's voice boomed angrily.

Maggie knew when she was to be quiet even at her young age.

"Clean this shit up!" He yelled to Andrea.

He stood up from the table his chair screeching on the floor. He turned leaving the room and Cherry was stunned. Her father was never much of a curser. She looked at her mother as she stood to begin cleaning up the broken dishes and food covered floor.

"Mom?" She asked her carefully.

Andrea looked at her tears streaming down her face. Something in her eyes was different and Cherry noticed it. Ominously she felt an uneasy feeling about the whole situation.

"Cherry you best get Maggie to bed now."

"Ma it's only seven." She said.

She fluctuated between calling her mom and ma. If things were serious she'd say, mom. If she were trying to lighten the mood she referred to her as Ma. She hoped to lighten the mood and ensure her mother was alright.

"Do as I say Cherry."

"Mom are you okay."

"I have had enough Cherry. I can't do it any longer. Put Maggie to bed."

Cherry obeyed but she didn't want too. Something told her not to leave her. But she needed to get Maggie in her room.

"Why is daddy so mean?" Maggie wanted to know.

"I don't know Mags. But I promise it's okay." Cherry said as she opened the drawer to find Maggie something to sleep in.

Maggie normally had a bath before bed but when he was upset their father would get angry if he had to wait for access to the bathroom. After picking out a purple nightgown she undressed her sister and helped her into the nightgown.

"I don't wanna go to bed Cherry."

"I know sweetie but mommy wants you to go now. Just for tonight okay? You can stay up later tomorrow night."

"Okay," Maggie said reluctantly.

Cherry smiled tucking her under the covers.

"Goodnight."

"Night."

She shut the door to Maggie's room and sighed. Maggie knew the difference between a nap and going to bed for the night. She probably wondered why Cherry had mislead her by saying down for a nap. Once again the four-year-old seemed wise to her situation. It was a shame really. Cherry walked into her own room shutting the door. She and Maggie both had huge rooms. She shook her head at the thought. Why had she even told her parents what she'd done? Why was it a big deal?

Thinking back she never would have thought that would taint her father's personality forever. She had spied for the greasers because it was the right thing to do. Besides her parents, the greasers were the only ones who knew. Her friends and the other Soc's had no idea save Randy who wanted nothing to do with that way of life anymore. Her father was too embarrassed to tell anyone what she'd done. That was probably for the best. She still couldn't bring herself to regret what she'd done.

Bob was her boyfriend yes. His presence had left a whole in her life ever since he passed away. The fact remained he asked for it. He had caused a ton of trouble for all the greasers. Especially Ponyboy and Johnny. Pony being, just a fourteen-year-old. By some miracle, Johnny wasn't as injured as originally thought. He was able to walk after a few days though he was said to have a huge scar on his back. Pony was back in his older brother Darry's care. She may have spied for them but she still felt she owed the Curtis family an apology. As well as Johnny Cade.

She pondered it a moment longer before her thoughts returned to her mom. Standing up she decided to go look for her mother. She checked the kitchen first. Everything was cleaned up but her mother wasn't in there. She walked around the house careful not to run into her father if she could help it. After she had checked everywhere else she decided to check the attic. If she wasn't there then Cherry wouldn't know where to look for her. As she approached she could see the attic door was open. Why would her mother be there?

"Mom are you in here? Ma?"

She saw her mother hanging by a noose from the ceiling. An old stool on the ground."

Her stomach lurched as tears flooded from her eyes.

"MOM!"

Cherry stood at her mother's graveside. She was numb completely. This had to be an awful nightmare she would just wake up from. Maggie stood between her and their father. Why wasn't he holding her? She couldn't bring her arms to move. The preacher finished speaking and her eyes remained glued to the casket. The casket her mother was in. Why couldn't she just get out?

"Maggie say goodbye to your mother." Her father instructed.

He took her hand and led her closer to the casket. Why act like that now.

"Cherry."

She looked up to Marcia who hugged her tightly. She moved her shaking hand to Marcia's back. She looked behind Marcia to see her twin sisters Josephine and Jackie.

"Cherry I'm so sorry."

"Thank you." She said shakily.

Marcia moved aside and gestured to her little sisters to hug Cherry. She hugged them both just as she'd been hugging people all day. But at least she was familiar with these people.

"Thank you all for coming."

"Yes thank you." Her father said walking up to them holding Maggie.

They had no idea how her father had treated her in the past. Would it get better now? Her dad spoke a few words to them before turning to his daughter.

"Cherry visitors are coming to the house. Make sure everyone is taken care of."

Cherry simply nodded. It was something her mother usually did. Another sigh she was really and truly gone. Why was he having to do this? Her mother had only just passed away. Shouldn't someone be taking care of her? And would her father really care for Maggie the whole day? Cherry had looked in the mirror just the morning and not recognized herself. The smart, fiery, confident young woman didn't stare back at her. A young woman in deep pain did.

What sixteen year old needed to be without her mother? That was right though, she wasn't the only one. There were others and would continue to be for as long as the world continued. One such sixteen year old was Sodapop Curtis. Ponyboy's older brother. Pony was just fourteen. Maggie was only four. She'd barely remember her. Cherry moved from the hearse to her dad's car. She looked out the window to gaze at the scenery around her. Her mother would never gaze at it again.

When she arrived home she instantly began serving food and doing anything she could to make guests comfortable. She felt as though she was just going through the motions. Several people around her offered to take over and let her sit down. But she declined as she needed to be up doing something. If she didn't she would go insane. She couldn't believe her mom did it. Why she took her life. Chery had known something was off. She could have never fathomed it was something her mom was capable of doing. How could she live without her?

Maggie…..Maggie…Maggie. That was how she would do it. That was who she stayed for. Maggie needed her. She no longer had a mother but she was going to have a sister no matter what. Cherry didn't know but there were three people outside waiting to talk to her outside.

"Pony ya sure were welcome here. Said Cherry didn't exactly wanna talk to ya." Johnny said as he stared at the large house.

Beside him, Soda was also looking with eyes as wide as saucers.

"Never seen a Soc house this up close before." Soda commented.

"Look ya didn't have to come. I just couldn't not say anything. She must be so sad."

"I'm real sure she is." Soda said knowingly.

Indeed he, Pony, and Darry knew very well what that was like. They lost both their parents.

"Johnnycake ya sure ya don't need to sit down? I'll only be a second. Just wanted to tell Cherry I was sorry."

"Nah Pony I'm fine. I need to be gettin' use' to walking again. Rested for we got here.

Pony nodded before he looked at the house again. He was relieved Soda hadn't had to work today and Steve did. He thought Soda was going to fall over dead when he asked him to drive him to Cherry's house. Since the rumble things had calmed down briefly between Socs and Greasers. That didn't mean it was going to stay that way. It would be bad if they were caught in Soc territory without a vehicle. Darry couldn't know about this neither could Dally or anyone in the gang. He'd gotten Soda to agree and Johnny wanted to come as well. So here they were.

"Need us to go in with ya?" Soda asked.

Pony looked at the large house once again.

"Yeah, I do."

Would like to give credit to the creator of this plot ChillpillBerry.