*Kat's POV*

The stars twinkled brightly above the vacant lot while Johnny and I sat quietly, sipping our cokes. Johnny had started a small fire, and watching his complexion glow in the firelight made me feel warm and serene. Whenever I spent my nights with Johnny, I was never sad. Even though Johnny and I slept on the cold, hard concrete, if I was with him, it didn't matter.

*Johnny's POV*

Kat stared into the fire, her once-sea blue eyes now reflecting the flames amber color. She was faintly humming something I'd never heard. But by the sound of it, it was pretty. I didn't feel sad or angry around Kat. Even my thoughts of killin' myself disappeared. She was always real, real happy, and I was always happy around her.

*Narrorator*

Johnny and Kat sat thogether under the starlit sky, warming themselves by the tiny fire Johnny had whipped up. They were quite, the only sound was the occasiona amber snapping and the ice in their coke cups. Oh, and the sound of Kat's humming.

"Hey," Johnny broke the silence, "where'd you learn that tune?"

Kat looked at him, momenterally dazed. "I'm sorry, what?"

"That song yer humming," Johnny repeated. "Where'd you learn it?"

"Oh," the girl said, returning her gaze to the fire, "I... don't really know. I think mabey my mama sang it to me when I was little or somethin' like that."

Johnny looked at her for a minute, then looked away saying something like, "Oh". Kat went back to humming, but now she smiled as she did so. Johnny smiled to himself, liking the tune more and more. There was something sweet and innocent about it, some essence of... something. Johnny couldn't quiet put his finger on what, though.

The fire drew dim as the sky finally went from indigo to black. Kat puffed out a perfect smoke ring as she tapped the dying ashed of the end of her cancer stick. Johnny's eyes were drooping, and he seemed to be falling in and out of sleep. He was mumbling something to himself. Kat gigggled, imagining Johnny getting drunk like Two-Bit or Dally. That'd be the day, she thought. The day Johnny Cade actually got drunk was the day the Socs and Greasers got along.

Kat scootched over to Johnny and rubbed his back. His head perked up slightly, and he turned his head to look at the smiling girl.

"Hey," she whispered softly, "y'know you can go to sleep. I'll be here all night."

"T-that would'n be fair," Johnny slurred, and Kat sliffled another laugh,"Gotta watch out fer them Socs..."

Kat layed Johnny's head in her lap. The young boy was suddenly very awake, the warmth of his blush agianst Kat's thigh. He tried to sit up, but Kat had a grip like an ape. She simply smiled and stroked his hair, beginning to hum again. Johnny gave up, but was still blushing when he fell asleep.

"Quit worryin', Darry." Sodapop looked up from his car catalog at his older brother, who was pacing in the kitchen. "Kat and Johnnycake sleep in the lot all the time. They'll be fine, alright?"

"No, it ain't alright," Darry grumbled, "Kat said she heard Sheperd talkin' about the Socs throwin' a beer blast tonight. After Johnny getting jumpedlike he did..."

"Want me to go check on 'em, Darry?" Ponyboy was already slipping his arms into his purple hoddie, as if he'd go whether Darry said yes or no. "I don't really mind."

"I'll go, too," Soda offered, rising from the couch in the living room.

"No," Darry said. "Pony can go alone. The lot ain't that far. But you come straight back, you hear?"

"Yeah, Darry," Ponyboy mumbled. Then, he started his way toward the lot.

"Hey, Johnny," Kat spoke, even though she knew Johnny was fast asleep, "Why do you think we gotta live like this? Why can't we all just be people? Not Greasers or Socs... Just... people?"

She got Johnny's quiet, soft breathing in response. The young girl couldn't help but smile to herself. Johnny's breathing was enough to satisfy her. She turned her longing gaze up at the starry sky. It looked like a diamond has shattered, it's milions of shards scattered across a black velvet blanket. Kat inhaled, and began to sing:

And so it is, just like you said it would be. Life goes easy on me, most... of the time... And so it is, the shorter stories. No love, no glories, no hero in her sky~...

Kat looked back at Johnny, feeling emotions well up in her core. For some unknown reason, tears began to form in her eyes. She leaned down and rested her head on top of Johnny's and continued to sing:

I can't take my eyes off you...

I can't my eyes off you...

Johnny slightly stirred, and Kat quickly shut up. Simply sighing, Johnny went back to sleeping. Kat heaved in reliefe then noticed something unbelievable: she was crying. Kat never cried. Not when she broke her arm or when she got thrown off her old horse, she either laughed it off or cussed until the pain went away. Why does being with Johnny make a difference?

Wait. Did... she just think that?

The guys, including Johnny, didn't know but... Kat loved Johnny. She'd loved him ever since the day she became friends with the Greaser. Johnny was jumpy and shy, sure, but he was also kind and fun. He was a special guy, and Kat loved him. But she could never tell him. She knew the reaction she'd get...

"Hey, baby," said a voice from behind.

Kate jumped, and quickly but gentley removed Johnny's head from her lap. She stood up and turned to three of the five Socs from earlier, all wearing the same stupid smirk. The leader stepped forward, resting a hand on the girl's shoulder. Kat swatted it away and stepped in front of Johnny's sleeping body.

"You again, huh?" Kat's hand wandered to her back pocket for her blade. "What now? You best stay outta Greaser territory. Someone might get hurt."

The Socs all chuckled, coming closer. Although she was well rested, she was in no condition to take on 3 Socs at once. But, out of instinct, she moved her right eg back and lowered her upper body; a classic Greaser defense stance.

"Easy, easy," the lead Soc cooed, " we ain't lookin' for a fight."

"Then beat it!" Kat yelled.

The leader sighed. "Always complicated. Get 'er, boys."

Ponyboy decided to walk to the lot. Since it wasn't too far, he didn't feel the need to run. Besides, he was kind of tired.

Gee, Ponyboy thought, what's Darry so worried about?

Sighing, he kept walking. That was, until he heard screaming and yelling coming from the general direction of the lot. Fearing the worse, Ponyboy sprinted in a cold sweat toward the ruccus.

"Let go!"

2 of the Socs were restraining Kat as the leader walked over to her. They hadn't seen Johnny yet, but Kat still nervously glanced at him, lying asleep over there. The lead Soc smirked and leaned in, about to kiss her. Kat's anger boiled over, and she put a full force kick into that boy's balls. Making a face, the Soc fell over and writhed in pain.

"Jack!" One of the 2 Socs let go of Kat and rushed over to help his fallen comrade.

The Soc who was still holding Kat bent back her arms, making her yelp in agony. The pain burned like a wildfire. But, whatever happened, she could not cry. She would not give the Socs that satisfaction. She just couldn't.

"Hey, look." The Soc that was helping Jack up pointed over in Johnny's direction. Kat's heart stopped. "There's another one. The little one from eariler."

"Yeah," Jack said, smirking evily, "She wants to kick me, huh? Then go kick him."

"No!" Kat screamed, struggling agianst the third Soc's grip. She managed to get one arm free. "Don't you dare touch him!"

"K-Kat...?" Johnny sluggishly sat up and rubbed his eyes. When everything came into clear vision, Johnny felt his stomach jump into his throat. "Wha..." When Johnny saw the Socs, his face went pale. He slowly stood, but didn't move back or run. He just stood there, his panicked eyes moving from the Socs to Kat.

"Johnny!" Kat hollered, tears now streaming down her face. "Run! Please, Johnny, run and go get the guys-"

"Shut up!" The Soc who was holding Kat pushed her face first into the concrete. He came over and icked her head as hard as he could. Johnny watched in horror as Kat's body went motionless. All three Socs laughed, then looked at Johnny. They checked him out, sized him up, then Jack took Kat in his arms.

"You ain't worth the trouble, Greaser, " he snarled. "Let's go."

All those Socs ran over to a black Mustang that was parked nearby, throwing Kat into the back seat. Then, the Mustang disappered into the darkness of the neighborhood. Johnny fell to his knees, his heart sinking. Kat, his first love, had just been kidnapped by the Socs. She was probubly going to get killed, or worse. Johnny's mind raced across possibilities, unaware of the footsteps coming up behind him.

"Johnny?" a voice called from behind him.

Johnny didn't jump. He simply turned to see a sweaty Ponyboy, who was heaving and looking scared.

"Johnny," Ponyboy said, "where's Kat?"