Well, here we go again. I really hope this version is better. I'm hell bent on fixing the grammar mistakes, and all the other crap I messed up on the first time. The plot may be a bit more angsty, because I feel like it was just way too fluffy the first time around.

Keep in mind, that this is a present day fic!

I own nothing at all, except Johnny's guitar.

Johnny's been gone about a year, now. He writes a letter about every week, but there's never a return address. When Johnny flat-lined in the hospital, Dally went crazy and committed suicide by police. Or, that's what Darry called it. I got sick after that and when I finally got a little better, I woke up to see Johnny and Darry asleep on chairs. I thought I was dreaming when Johnny woke up and told me that he knew I was alright. He gave me a piece of paper, a kiss on the forehead and said "See ya around, Ponyboy." I still thought I was dreaming, so I stuck the paper under my pillow and went back to sleep. I woke up and sure enough, he was gone. I think I mourned over it for a week and finally, one day I broke down and bawled about three hours on and off and that was the last time I've cried since he left.

I couldn't believe he had run away, until I remembered the paper. I looked violently under the pillow. I found the letter and I pulled on it. It was stuck. I thought it would have a reason why he would run away, but it wasn't much good for information.

Ponyboy,

I know how much this will hurt you, but I have to leave. Just to get some things straightened out. You're my best friend and I love you but it's not worth having Soda and Darry worry about you again. Besides, I'll be gone longer than just 5 days. This won't be like last time. I'm not sure if I'll come back or not. It all depends on how things go when I get to the city I'm going to.

Tell everyone I'm sorry for leaving.

Johnny

P.S. I'll write as often as I can.

I wished so very hard that he would come back.

I got over it after a couple months. The letters really helped. I wanted desperately to write him back, but I guessed he was traveling alot. That would explain the no return address.

It was late. I looked in the mailbox and I had gotten another letter from Johnny, and I was walking in the house to read it when Steve turned on the television screaming about something.

"Darry! Sodapop! Come in here! Come on, guys!" He sounded frantic. If he had been anyone else, I would have been worried.

"What's goin' on Steve?" Soda sounded kinda angry that he was screaming like that, with no one killing him.

"Johnny's on T.V.!"

"WHAT?" I felt my heart drop to the floor as I let go of the letter.

"Yeah, look!" Steve was pointing at five guys sitting on a small stage.

One was holding a drum, two were holding guitars, one was holding a microphone, and Johnny was holding one, too. And then they started to play.

"1, 2, 3, 4.." The one next to Johnny started off the quintet. Then the two with mics sang together.

"I'm coming home
I've been gone for far too long

Do you remember me at all?
I'm leaving
Have I fucked things up again?
I'm dreaming
Too much time without you spent

It hurts
Wounds so sore
Now I'm torn
Now I'm torn

I've been far away
When I see your face
My heart burst into fire
Hearts burst into fire

You're not alone
I know I'm far from home
Do you remember me at all?
I'm leaving
Do you wait for me again?
I'm screaming
No more days without you spent

It hurts
Wounds so sore
Now I'm torn
Now I'm torn

I've been far away
When I see your face
My heart burst into fire
Hearts burst into fire

My bed's so cold, so lonely
No arms, just sheets to hold me
Has this world stopped turning?
Are we forever to be apart?
Forever to be apart...

It hurts
Wounds so sore
Now I'm torn
Now I'm torn

I've been far away
When I see your face
My heart burst into fire
Hearts burst into fire

I'm coming home
I've been gone for far too long
Do you remember me at all?

Remember me at all?
I'm leaving
I'm screaming
I'm dreaming..."

I wish I could have seen the look on my face. It's rare that someone's mouth drops genuinely from shock. As I listened to the deep, deep words that were coming from the men, I felt like bawling. I knew, somehow I knew that Johnny and the other man had written this song about me. Or the gang. I'm not that self-centered but that's the first impression I got. Maybe this man had run away from home, too. Maybe he missed his buddies. Or his woman. Maybe his kids. I don't know.

He didn't look like a hood. I wasn't sure what he looked like. He looked tuff. He was wearing a leather vest. He looked at Johnny and told the audience that they could ask questions to any band member they wanted to. A little girl stood up. I didn't think she looked old enough to be going to any kind of concert. Not that I actually cared at the time. She looked like she had a tiny voice.

"Where did you get the insparation for that song?" She sounded too old for her age.

The man spoke and as he did, he clapped a hand on Johnny's shoulder.

"Well, honey, that song was primarily written by this guy right here. Johnny Cade. Who agreed to sing for us, tonight." The man had a strong accent. I couldn't tell where he was from. He smiled and the crowd clapped. There was just a small amount people there. I imagined it to be peaceful and friendly. The man spoke again. "I'll let you explain this, Johnny." The man grinned. He was handsome.

"Thanks, Matt." So the man had a name. "Well, I left my hometown about a year ago, and I really miss everyone. It was about them, the ones I left behind." Johnny sounded like he was used to all the attention.

Then a boy walked up to ask a question. He was very thin and tall. He wore similar clothing to Matt and he had scared voice. Maybe this was his favorite band. "My question is for Matt.... How and when did you get another vocalist for Bullet?" Matt smiled proudly.

"I was going down to pick up lunch and I heard someone singing 'Tears Don't Fall' the acoustic version and playing the guitar with it. He was very good so I stopped and talked to him. He was real nice and I asked him his name and we got to know each other a little better. And thus Johnny is now our co-vocal specialist." Matt smiled proudly again and someone else stepped up to ask a question. Another boy, but he looked much younger and much more scared than the last.

"Johnny, you say you wrote this song about some people back home. Was this a girlfriend, maybe?" The boy sat back down and Johnny smiled.

"Naw," He said. "It's about my friends I used to hang out with. One in particular..." Johnny stopped talking, clearly the subject was a painful one. The young boy stood up again. "What was his name?"

Johnny froze. He looked as if the answer was a secret he wanted to tell the world. But at the same time he wanted to take his secret to the grave. "Ponyboy."

I'll be honest. I thought they were going to laugh at my name. If they did, I couldn't hear it. The man named Matt smiled brightly at Johnny and then they answered more questions about their new album 'Scream, Aim, Fire'. I learned that Johnny was with them for almost 6 months. Their band was called Bullet For My Valentine and 'Scream, Aim, Fire Revised Re-written and Disheveled' was coming out next month. It had 5 extra songs written by Matt and Johnny, so the album was pretty long.

The credits showed up and I looked at Soda. "Is that it?" I asked desperately.

Soda sighed. "I guess so, baby brother." And he turned off the television set.

Well, I hope that was better! Review?

Oh yeah. We ALL know that Matt Tuck probably wouldn't pick up a kid and just put him in the band, but that's just how it goes here.