A/N Hi readers! I'm new to the fanfic community, and this fanfic is a product of watching The Outsiders 12:00am and then writing a fanfic based on the musings of Darry's relationships before his parents death (after exam celebrations!). I'm not an author, and all these ideas are a pure surge of spontanous writing that needed a release. Hope you enjoy whatever I've got to share!
Disclaimer: S.E. Hinton owns The Outsiders, I own nothing - Thanks Hinton for letting us borrow your characters!
It was the graduation ceremony, Kathy and Darry stood side by side as Mrs Curtis fawned over both of them taking photos and crying, whilst Mr Curtis and Mr Grayson patted each other on the back and congratulated one another. The graduation party had ended and everyone was making their way back home. Kathy and Darry decided to tail on behind in his pickup. However, the couple decided they wanted to head off to a different direction. Sitting in on the car in front of the campus of UCO the couple laid back with Darry's music in the background and the gentle moans of two teenagers that couldn't love each other more than they did at that moment. With Kathy cuddled up to Darry they both stared at the bright lights of the university. "Hey Darry, don't those lights look like some sort of vision? Like, I can already see you making a team for football and me being a vet." Darry simply nodded, but had his eyes trained on Kathy's soft brown ringlets and her long dark lashes that looked up to him in wonder. He definitely knew the feeling Kathy was talking about, finally getting a chance to do something different, something that wouldn't define you like Soc's and Greasers. All he could think about it doing his very best for his family and being with his girl, and that's all he needed. However, after a few months after graduation the accident happened and everything crumbled. The Curtis parents had both been victims of a car accident that saw no survival. The whole community was in shock and grief. The Curtis residence was barely stable with Darry having to move back to home dealing with the family's expenses and the funerals. The state during this time had decided to drop by and try supplement where the two younger Curtis boys would be living. Darry was having none of it and decided to look after the boys himself now that he was an adult. Yet, that meant he'd have to give up his scholarship and return to his construction work to support the family. During this entire time, Kathy had decided to take a little break as well to help Darry out. She had consoled the boys and been their rock when they couldn't manage their grief. Often it was Soda, Kathy would find late at night in the corner of the bathroom crying his eyes out, only to sit down and hold him tightly, letting him know it was going to be ok. With Ponyboy it was more difficult. He not only cried but had several spouts of anger directed to no-one in particular. Regardless, everyday Kathy routinely checked up on Ponyboy that so often was like Soda and would cry into Kathy's open arms unable to express his sadness any other way. The funeral was a quiet affair with the gang there to support the boys and pay their own respects to the immense kindness to the people they too had considered their own parents.
A few months after the funeral, sitting on the tree Darry refused to make eye contact with Kathy. Seeing as he wasn't going to move forward Kathy stood up from her spot and hugged Darry around his waist waiting patiently for him to start speaking. Finally, he slowly turned around and unwrapped her arms away from him with a heavy sigh, looking straight into those beautiful hazel eyes he said, "Kathy, I don't think we should be seeing each other anymore." Shocked, Kathy looked up into Darry's ice-cold eyes still trying to comprehend his words, unable to believe her own hearing. Registering what he said, Kathy's eyes began to tear up, before whispering, "Why not Darry I thought we were doing alright." Unable to look into Kathy's eyes Darry turned away, not before having his wrist grabbed by a pair of smaller softer hands. Angered by his situation, Darry roughly released the hands before saying, "Kathy, don't you get it I have to break up with you. I can't keep you here like this, it ain't your responsibility so I don't need your goddam charity." Quiet sniffles could be heard, and all Darry could do was look away because he knew that if he looked into those gorgeous eyes that were in pain because of him, he'd never be able to live with himself. After what felt like forever, the sniffles finally quieted, with Kathy walking slowly in front of Darry grabbing his bigger calloused hands into her smaller ones saying, "Gosh Darry you know I love you and your brothers so don't you dare say it's charity." Finally releasing a sigh she replied, "Well I guess it all works out then doesn't it?" Confused Darry looks up from the ground at Kathy saying, "What do you mean it all works out?" Still holding his hands, Kathy gently drew circles in his palm replying, "Daddy called me up the other day saying there's an opportunity in Canada and thought I should move back with him, but I said I'd check with you first. But I guess I know now." Feeling his heart breaking, Darry couldn't believe the words coming from Kathy's mouth. Was the universe intent on screwing up his life, because he sure as hell thought so. Unable to stand the situation anymore, Darry turned to leave. However, Kathy still holding his hand, turned him to face her, standing on her tippy toes kissed his lips softly saying, "I'm always going to be there for you Darrel and your brothers no matter what. I'm just a phone call away, I love you Dar-bear." Saying her piece she released his hands and got in her car leaving Darry in the silence of the night, heartbroken and devastated.
It had been a month since Kathy had packed up her belongings, exchanging a few words with the gang not before engulfing the younger Curtis brothers with a hug along with the rest of the gang. Only Darry stood in front the porch watching everyone farewell Kathy. He couldn't go say goodbye in front of everyone because if he did he knew he would break down immediately and make Kathy stay back. Wiping furiously at the silent tears that had somehow escaped his eyes he locked eyes with an equally tearful Kathy who couldn't muster up a smile but a slight nod in his direction before sliding into her red mustang.
The months that followed Kathy's departure had been depressing for everyone in the gang, especially the Curtis household. Soda and Pony moped around, whilst Darry continued about his normal routine as if trying to deny Kathy ever existed. However, it was evident with all the empty liquor bottles, medication and overall tiredness from work and emotional turmoil that Darry was heartbroken and there wasn't anything that was going to fix it for him. After work most days he'd just drive to the ice-cream parlour they used to hang out when they dated and sit on the fountain side staring aimlessly before getting back in his truck and heading back home. However, after seeing the watchful eyes on the state he figured he needed to move on from Kathy since it was for the best. It was easier said than done, having a photo of them together along with his parents beside his bed, the grief didn't get better but it made it easier to move on in life.
Whereas with poor Kathy she'd turned into an emotional rock. She hadn't eaten properly in a while, smoked a pack a day and immersed herself in university life taking part in everything and anything including some behaviour which Mr Grayson knew his wife wouldn't approve of. Nonetheless, she was very focused on becoming a vet now that she refused to think about Darry or Tulsa. Mr Grayson had witnessed the change and had tried talking about it but every time he brought it up Kathy would find a way to change the topic or avoid it entirely by just leaving. Eventually, Kathy had finished her degree and secured a great job in northern Toronto with her own apartment. Mr Grayson was supportive of her move though a little sad, however, after a couple of weeks his nephew had decided to move in with him after his parents were arrested for a drug bust in Texas where his wife once lived. It was nice having another person living with him after being lonely after so long. A few months later, Mr Grayson received a message from an old friend in Tulsa that required some legal assistance. Given that he couldn't garden much he had resigned to going back to being a lawyer. With such as gentle and rather passive personality it was a surprise Antoine had become a lawyer, everyone he knew was surprised when he had successfully become one and further surprised that he was a good one at that. The lady that had reached out to him used to be very close friends with his wife, and had decided that she wanted to settle a divorce with her husband. Mrs Smith or known by most in Tulsa, Ms Dixon was quite possibly the most headstrong feminist in Tulsa, which still surprised him when he found out that she was indeed married to Tulsa's male chauvinist. But he later found out their racist views were the one fatal commonality they both shared. Nevertheless, while talking on the phone to her she explained that she also wanted to find out if Kathy was interested in a vet job as she was wanting to retire her vet clinic and needed a new vet to train her son that was also training to be a vet. Interested, Antoine told her he'd talk to Kathy and get back to her. The following Sunday, Kathy came for a visit as she had every month she could, as a promise to her Dad. While having lunch on the porch he brought up the opportunity saying that Ms Dixon desperately needed a pair of hands to help. At first Kathy refused, however, seeing as her Dad wasn't one to ask for many favours she considered looking into it and calling Ms Dixon herself. Turns out the woman knew a lot about being a veterinarian and even suggested that Kathy register her hours through her clinic so she could start up her own clinic someday.