A/N I own anything you don't recognize, everything else belongs to S.E. Hinton.
Saturday night. I take a minute outside of the Curtis's house to prep myself for what will be happening on the inside. The shouting, the running, the music. It will be a long night, I decide, after hearing a smash followed a loud curse. I enter the house to see exactly what I expected: Soda, Steve and Two-Bit elbowing each other out of the way of the one small bathroom mirror; Dallas looking vaguely amused, leaning against the doorway of kitchen; and Darry, well, being Darry. He was standing in the kitchen doing dishes, but I could see he was muttering to himself, most likely something about wanting some peace and quiet for once.
"Catie, good, which shirt should I wear?" Soda asks, coming out of the bathroom shirtless, holding up two shirts, one blue plaid and the other red plaid.
"Go with the red one, brings out your summer tan," I tell him.
"Thanks, Catie cat," Soda says, loping out of the room.
"Catie, come here," Steve yells from the bathroom.
"Yeah?" I ask, going to the door.
"How does my hair look, do you think Evie will like it?" Steve asks, turning his head this way and that.
"Steve, she has liked your hair for the past year, she is going to like it tonight."
"If you say so. SODA, hurry up, we're gonna be late," Steve says, heading towards the front door. Soda barrels out of his room with one shoe on his foot and the other in his hand.
"I'm gonna head out as well, see where I can bum me a six pack," Two-Bit adds, heading out the front door and down the street. With those three gone, Darry takes to the bathroom and I hear the shower start up.
"'Scuse me," I say to Dally who is blocking the doorway of the kitchen.
"No." Dally smirks.
"Dally, seriously move," I say, trying to push past him. He grabs me and turns us around so my back is against the wall with him trapping me there.
"Is this a new shirt?" he asks, grabbing the hem of my shirt and rubbing it between his fingers, "I like the way it looks on you, but I bet you would look even better without it."
"Dal, get off of me," I say, pushing him away, but instead he just moves closer.
"Come on, Catie," he whispers, "You've been single for almost two year, you need someone to help you remember."
"Dally, stop it," I say, attempting to sound forceful but it came out sounding whispy and weak. The door slams, distracting Dallas and I take that moment to duck under his arm and run into the kitchen. I lean against the sink trying not to be sick; it's just Dal being Dal, I tell myself. A small part of me tells me it's not right but the larger part of my mind ignores that. Staring out of the kitchen window, I think back to the first time I met Dallas Winston. It was the summer between freshman and sophomore year. I was walking past the Dingo, alone, and he grabbed me and pulled me into a side alley. He started getting handsy grabbing at my face and chest. The he was pulled off of me by a larger guy who started shouting at him. Darry. I had already had a crush on Darry but this solidified that crush. He saved me. Or at least he thought he did. Ever since then, Dally had been determined to get me, and never failing to remind me of the one time he nearly succeeded.
"Cat, earth to Catie," Darry says, standing next to me and freeing me from my thoughts. "You don't look so good."
"I'm fine, just thinking," I say, looking up at him, "Where is everyone?"
"They left. It's just the two of us," Darry says cracking a smile. It was the first time I'd seen him smile all week and I found myself smiling with him.
"Hmm, just the two of us you say... in this big empty house... what ever are we to do?" I ask playfully, already knowing his answer.
"Well, we could start with dinner…" Darry trails off, playing with a strand of my hair.
"Hmm, spaghetti for two?" I ask.
"That sounds amazing," Darry agrees.
"You start the water, I'll find stuff for a salad," I say, pulling away and going to the fridge.
"Such a tease," Darry mutters. We talk about things like work and the football scores until dinner is ready.
"Can I ask you a question?" Darry asks once we are sat down at the table.
"You just did," I point out.
"Seriously Catherine."
"Okay, I'm ready."
"Why did you break up with me? Why did you end all of this?" Darry asks, sounding more sad than angry.
"Darry, you know this," I sigh, putting down my fork.
"Just tell me," he pleads.
"Alright," I concede, "Everything had just happened, social services determined that you could keep your brothers. You were struggling to find work. And during all of that you were continually worried about me and coming up with dates and you shouldn't have. You didn't need to be worrying about me on top of everything else."
"But why didn't you leave?" Darry asks. I reach across the table and grab his hand.
"Darry you are my best friend. And just because we are not dating that does not mean I ever stopped loving you."
"Thank you," Darry says, squeezing my hand.
"Anytime," I tell him, and I know in my heart that I honestly truly mean it. The rest of dinner passes with us talking about everything under the sun.
"You dry and I'll wash?" I ask, taking my plate and his to the sink.
"As you wish," Darry smirks. I flick some dish water at him and he retaliates by swatting at me with the dish towel.
"Didn't you once tell the boys no rough housing in the kitchen?" I tease.
"I do believe I did," Darry says. He picks me up bridal style and carries me to the couch in the living room. "But I never said anything about the living room."
I sit up, capturing his lips in mine and wrapping my arms around his shoulders. He deepens the kiss, moving one hand through my hair while the other rest on my hip.
"Darry," I breathe.
"Yeah?"
"I missed this," I tell him, reaching up to play with his hair.
"I know," Darry says, continuing the previous kiss. A slam followed by a car peeling down the street halts our previous activity.
"What was that?" I ask, sitting up.
"Looks like Two-Bit's car," Darry says, looking out the window while pulling on his shirt.
"You think he will tell?" I ask.
"I doubt it, Two-Bit's good about stuff like this, knows when to stay quiet," Darry assures me, pulling me to him.
"James Bond?" Darry asks after flipping through TV channels for a while.
"Sounds good to me," I agree, laying down with my head in his lap. Darry's hands instantly go into my hair, twisting and combing with his fingers. His fingers are like magic putting me to sleep.
Shouting. Darry's yelling at somebody, I think as I relax further into the bed. Soda and Pony are yelling too, I think lazily. Shoot. If all three of them are yelling they must be fighting. I open my eyes and quickly recognize I'm in Darry's room. I consider letting them settle it by themselves and stay in the comforts of the bed, but a slam makes me get up and head for the door. As I get closer to the main room the slamming of the front door echos through the house. I run the last few steps into the livingroom. Darry takes two steps towards the front door before turning on his heel and walking out the back door. Soda shakes his head, collapsing down onto the couch. I decide to tackle the easier of the two brothers.
"Soda?" I ask quietly, walking up to him. "What happened?"
"I, uh, well," Soda stutters, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Just start from the beginning," I say, rubbing his arm comfortingly.
"I got home, Pony wasn't home yet. Dar was starting to worry. I told him not to and crashed on the couch. I wake up at like 2AM and Pony had just got in. Pony and Dar started shoutin' and then Darry hit him and Pony ran."
"Oh," is all I can manage to say.
"Listen, Catie, you don't have to get involved in this. I can handle Darry and when Pony gets back in the morning I'll talk to him too. And-" Sod rambles.
"Soda, stop it. This is a bit bigger than their normal fights. You and I both know this. I'm going to go see what I can do with Darry and you get some rest, because you and I both know tomorrow will be rough."
"Fine," Soda huffs. He gets up and shuffles towards the bedrooms at the back of the house. I wait until I hear the click of his door closing before getting up and heading into the kitchen. Staring out the window, I could make out the outline of Darry sitting against the one oak tree in the yard. The first time I saw Darry in this position it was pouring rain and he had just lost the playoff game with the football team. The last time he did this, it was when Soda dropped out of school. I walk across the porch and backyard, sitting down in the grass next to him.
"I messed up, Catie, I messed up badly," Darry says. I wait, knowing given enough time Darry will tell all. "I didn't mean to, it was an accident and then he was gone before I could do anything else. And it's not easy; I shouldn't have to be yelling at him about curfew or his homework, and I shouldn't have to be worrying about paying bills or keeping them all fed. I should - we should be in college, together. It's not easy, and I just can't take it when he acts like I'm the bad guy. I'm trying my best to give him everything, and he acts like I'm hard on him because it's fun for me. It's not, I want to be able to joke around with him, but he has so much potential and he's like me and I can't have him not succeed, not with me failing."
Knowing no matter what I say, it won't convey everything I am trying to say, I grab Darry's hand with both of mine, letting him know I'm there. We stayed like that for lord knows how long, leaning on each other both physically and emotionally.
"Catherine," Darry says.
"Yeah?" I ask, shivering.
"You're freezing."
"I'm fine."
"Let's go inside."
"I'm fine, Dar, honestly," I repeat.
"Come on," Darry says, standing up and pulling me up along side him. We walk into the house hand in hand. I wait in the livingroom for Darry to return, and when he does he is carrying a heavy winter flannel that he wraps around my shoulders. I smile my thanks and Darry nods in response. Darry settles into his chair and sets his gaze at the door. I sigh, knowing he won't move again until someone comes through that door.
I wander into the kitchen, looking around for something to keep my mind and hands busy. I never understood how Darry could sit still, concentrating on one thing for endless periods of time. I open one of the cabinets, hoping to some sort of inspiration. I begin emptying out the cabinet and then the one next to it, and by the time the sun was seeping into the kitchen windows most of the objects in the kitchen had found their way onto the kitchen table and floor.
As the clock ticked past 9, the slam of the screen door, followed closely by the slam of Soda's bedroom door had me standing up and carefully stepping around spices and over pots to the doorway between the kitchen and living room. I was hoping it was Pony for Darry's sake, but a small part of me told me it wouldn't be.
"Was there some type of party here last night? Because all three of you look like shit," Two-Bit says, breaking the silence that had settled around the house like a suffocating blanket.
"Pony's gone," Soda says, and the blanket settles back around the house as everyone takes in the information.
"No way, I just saw him last night," Two-Bit argues, sitting down on the couch. Soda joins him and Darry reclaims his chair. They beginning tracing Pony's activities from last night and I return to the kitchen. I wasn't interested in hearing the whole thing for a third time. I move the last of the pots into their new cabinet next to the stove.
"How are they?" Steve asks in a low whisper, giving me a heartattack. I turn around and see him leaning against the fridge. I sigh and motion for him to take a seat at the kitchen table, which he does.
"I've never seen them like this," I say quietly, joining him at the table. Steve stares at me, waiting. "Soda was pretty torn up about what happened last night-"
"What did happen last night?" Steve asks.
"Pony came home late, really late. And I guess him and Darry started shouting and…" I trail off.
"And?"
"And Darry hit Pony, and Pony ran, and he hasn't been back." I finish.
"This is serious then?" I nod. "So then what happened?"
"I got Soda to tell me what happened, and he did the thing where he tried to be the hero." Steve nods, understanding flickering in his eyes. "And I told him to get some sleep, but I think he stayed up the whole night waiting."
"SOCS!" Darry bellows from the other room. Steve rushes into the living room and I follow at a slower pace.
"It was just a thought, we got into a bit of a tuffle last night, and they were pretty wasted," Two-bit says defensively.
"He might be with Johnny, that's where he said he was last night," Soda says.
"Has anyone seen Dally?" Steve asks. Everyone shakes their head. "Two and I will head down to Buck's, and see if we can rouse him," Steve determines, dragging Two-Bit out the door with him. I look at the two brothers in front of me, they swear they look nothing alike, but today they shared the same look of desperation in their eyes.
"Both of you go get cleaned up and dressed for the day," I say, daring either of them to argue. They listen and make their way down the hallway. I grin slightly turning into the kitchen. I grab eggs from the fridge, frowning at how empty the carton was. There were enough for breakfast, but I definitely need to go grocery shopping.
"Tulsa City Police Department, open up!" I hurry to the door and open it up for the three police officers behind it.
"Good morning officers," I say, standing between them and the house. I recognize two of them from my neighborhood. One was the father of the twins I used to babysit when I was in school, the other was one of my dad's poker buddies.
"We are looking for Ponyboy Curtis, is he here?" Officer Bushe asks, sending a glare my way. He was friends with me dad so I know my dad's view on me were shared by him.
"I'm afraid not, sir," I answer in the most respectful tone I can manage.
"We are going to need to search the premise, so if you don't mind?" Officer Bushe says pushing past me. The other officers follows just a roughly. I sit on the couch waiting for them to finish searching all of the rooms. It didn't take too long before I was sitting on the couch with Soda on one side and Darry on the other.
"When was the last time you saw Ponyboy?" Officer Bushe asks, glaring at the three of us. I shrink further into the couch avoiding eye contact.
"Around 2 in the morning sir," Darry answers.
"And are you aware that at approximately 2:30 AM, Ponyboy and Johnny Cade murdered Robert Sheldon in the local park?" Officer Bushe deadpans.
"What are you saying mister?" Soda asks. I close my eyes, trying to fight off the sickness that was rushing through me. I knew him. I knew Bob, I was the nanny for his three younger siblings. I even tutored him last school year in algebra two. My legs carry me into the bathroom and find myself throwing up into the toilet. I thought about Paulie and Maria and Tony, all without an older brother, and Mr. and Mrs. Sheldon without their son. I couldn't imagine losing any of the boys. I lean against the sink and rinse my mouth out with water a few times. In the hallway I met by Officer McGraw.
"Sorry," I mumble, looking at the ground, trying to move past him.
"Catherin, are you alright? It looked as if you knew Mr. Sheldon," Officer McGraw says, placing a hand on my shoulder.
"I didn't know him well, but I look after his siblings: tutored the older ones and care for the youngest," I tell him.
"Would you mind coming down to the station with us?" Officer Bushe asks. I look up to see everyone is crowded into the hallway. Darry gives me a slight nod.
"No, I wouldn't mind," I tell them. McGraw and the other officer usher me out of the house before I can say anything else, leading me into the cop car. Officer Bushe comes out of the house a few minutes later, looking madder than before. We drive past the park and there is yellow caution tape surrounding the fountain. The houses begin to change from rundown to modest, indicating that we were getting close to the station. Once we get there, Officer McGraw guides me up the stairs and through the doors. Inside the police station, there were desks piled high with paper and nearly every seat was taken by someone, or something. Next to the one empty chair was Dallas, slouching with his hands cuffed. I look around for any other seat before giving up and sitting next to him.
"Well look at that, Catie Keegan, in the flesh." Dally smirks. I ignore him, staring straight ahead. "C'mon Catie, don't ignore me. What are you doin' down here? Isn't to visit me, is it, sweetheart? No, let me think, what have you done recently? Oh man, I hope this isn't because of the DRUGS YOU'VE BEEN DEALING!" Dally shouts. The six or seven cops that were milling around were standing in front of us in less than a minute, shouting things at Dally. Two cops nearly lift him up dragging him down the hall. The remaining cops block out most of my view of him, but I see Dally get slammed into a wall before they are out of view.
"Sorry about that," one of the cops in front of me says, offering his hand, "I'm one of the officers working this case. I was wondering if you wouldn't mind answering a few questions?"
"No not at all," I say as he takes the seat next to me.
"Can you start by telling me how you knew Robert?"
"I work for his family, I look over the younger children. I saw him around the house sometimes when his parents asked me to stay late to help out."
"And how long have you been working for the Sheldons?"
"A little over two years, I started after I graduated high school." I answer.
"How would you describe Robert?"
"He was a great brother. Whenever he was home, he was always helping his siblings out. They all looked up to him," I answer honestly.
"Do you know if there was any hostility between the boys and Robert?"
"No, not that I was aware of." The officer nods, and then walks away. I sigh. I watch officers come and go, sometimes escorting people with them, sometimes not. A cop brings in a socs and puts him down in the chair next to me.
"Catherine?" The soc asks. I look over at him. It's Randy Anderson. He came around the Sheldon's house everyday with Bob right about the time I was leaving.
"Randy," I acknowledge.
"How they bring you in here?" Randy asks. As much as I wanted to blow him off, my mom raised me to be better than that.
"I was, um, at the Curtis' when the cops came by. They found out I worked for Mr. and Mrs. Sheldon and wanted to know if there was a connection."
"Right, you date the oldest one. Still don't see why you date below you Catherine. You wouldn't be sitting here right now if you dated one of your own kind."
"No, we wouldn't be sitting here right now if you realized we are all the same and stopped picking on greasers. And for the record we are not dating.
"Catherine," a different officers says approaching us.
"Yes?" I ask politely.
"You are free to go right now. However we would like to know where you will be incase we need to talk with you again."
"Oh, right. I will probably be either at the Curtis's house, or with the Sheldon," I say. The cop gives me a funny look and I know it's because I didn't say I would be home.
"Okay. Have a good day," he says before turning to question Randy. I make my way out of the police station and to the payphone down the street. I drop in a dime and dial.
"Hello," Soda answers.
"Soda, it's me. Do you think you could have Steve or Two come pick me up at the police station?" I ask.
"Is everything alright Catie? Darry thought for sure they were going to arrest you," Soda says. I can hear Darry grumbling so I guess that they are both standing next to the phone.
"No, they just wanted to know why I got so upset. Can you please send someone to pick me up?" I ask again.
"No problem, Steve's already on his way," Soda replies.
"Thank you," I say before hanging up. I lean against the phone waiting for Steve's car to peel around the corner. God, I hated the way they all drove. Darry realized how upset I got by there driving after one of our first dates and made an effort to drive less recklessly. Or at least when I was in the car with him. Steve pulls up and I get into his car.
"Are you guys still looking for Dallas?" I ask.
"Yeah, we couldn't find him anywhere," Steve shrugs.
"I bet not. The cops already hauled him in."
"What for?"
"I'm not sure, but it probably has to do with the murder," I watch as Steve tenses up at the mention of murder. This was more serious than any of us had dealt with in a while. For most of the gang it was the most serious thing to ever happen. Not me and Darry. It was probably middle school when it happened, but a high schooler was found hanging from the goalpost on the football field. Some said he hung himself because his girlfriend broke up with him. Others said that he did it because he failed a physics test. Yet even more say it was because he was queer and his dad found out. No matter what people said, everyone knew that he was the reason that when we came back to school the next year there was a brand new football field, goal post and all. It didn't stop Darry from trying out for the football team, and it didn't stop me from trying out for cheerleading either.
Steve and I walk into the house and it is quiet. I glance at the clock in the kitchen and notice that it is almost one o'clock. Soda is sitting on the couch next to Two, and Darry is nowhere to be seen.
"Where's Darry?" I ask.
"He went into his room after you called and hasn't been out since," Soda says. He sounds different and I know it's because he's hurting. I start making my way down the hallway when Soda stops me by grabbing my arm. "Just give him some time."
"Alright," I agree slowly. I look at Soda closer now, and I can tell he is on the edge of falling asleep. "Soda honey, you should go get some sleep," I say, pushing him towards his room. I return to the living room once I was positive that Soda was going to sleep.
"Gosh Catie, what would we do without you," Two-bit mocks.
"Shhhs, they're sleeping."
"Two-bit, why don't we go out and see if we can find Pony," Steve says standing up. I send him a look of gratitude. Two-bit and Steve leave and the house returns to its unnatural quiet. I grab a piece of paper from the coffee table and start drafting a grocery list. Once finished I leave it on the table and go to check on the boys. Soda is dead asleep, still in his clothes from last night. I open Darry's door and find him awake, staring at the ceiling.
"Darry," I ask, moving to sit next to him on the bed. He doesn't say anything, but moves over on the bed. I lay down next to him, using his chest as a pillow. "You should try to get some rest," I tell him.
"You should too. Gosh Catie, you've been up as long as I have," Darry sighs.
"I know."
"What about Pony?"
"Steve and Two are out looking again right now. And if anyone comes in, or if the phone rings, I'm a light enough sleeper."
"What about Soda?"
"He's dead asleep. Dar, please, it will only be worse if you don't sleep," I plead.
"Only if you do to," Darry agrees, wrapping his arm around me. I match my breathing to his and let his steady heartbeat lull me to sleep.
A/N and there we go. I wanted to give Darry a chance to have something nice. Let me know what you think. :)