Part 1

Johnny's P.O.V.

It has been almost a year now since Soda and Steve were drafted. In the beginning we got letters from them every month, but now we might never get more. Only five months after they both were shipped out to Vietnam we got the message that Steve and Soda were missing in action.

Flashback

I'm walking down the road towards the Curtis house. I know I will pass Steve's house on my way and I hope I won't meet his father. Honestly that man is worse than my dad. My dad beats me, but Steve's dad abuse him both psychically and emotional. Steve told us what he said when Steve told him he would be drafted. The man just laughed at him! No wonder Steve has it hard to show his emotions, when he's not with Soda of course. I swear if I was as big as Darry or as tuff as Dallas I would kick that man's ass. Suddenly I see Steve's house and his father. Mr. Randle is at the mailbox reading his mail. I hurry past him.

"Hey kid", he yells and I stop and turn to him.

"Yes Mr. Randle", I say politely.

"Aren't ya one of those hoods my son hangs around with?"

"Y-yes…" He walks up to me with a smile.

"Get out of my sight."

I start to run but froze when I hear him yell:

"And by the way, tell your hood friends that my son is missing in action!" Then he walks inside, no sign of grief on his face. I feel tears of grief and anger going down my cheeks. Anger 'cause that man acted as if Steve didn't matter and grief, well isn't it obvious.

"I must get to Darry", I tell myself and runs.

"Hey Johnnycakes where's the fire", Two-Bit asks as I enter the house. The rest of the gang is here too.

"G-guys", I stutter out.

"Golly kid you're pale as a sheet", Dallas say and walks up to me. "What happened? Did some socs try to jump you?"

"N-no…" I see Darry look at us. His face is pale and he is holding a letter in his hands. "I-I past Steve's house on my way here a-and h-his father s-said… h-his father said… he said" I can't say it!

"Spit it out Johnny", Dallas barks at me.

"His father said Steve is missing in action", I looked around to see what reactions I would get. Dallas is just staring at me as if I've grown another head. Two-Bit's smile fades away quickly and Pony, Ponyboy just looks confused. How can he be confused, I know he and Steve aren't best buds but hell Steve might be dead! Then I hear this strange noise, it sounds as if someone fell to the floor. I turn towards the kitchen where I knew Darry stood before. Now he's sitting on the floor, pale faced and shaking.

"D-Darry", Pony asked and walks up to him. "Darry are you okay?"

"Not both of them", Darry says and we all stare at him as Superman hides his face in his hands, shaking his head. Dallas takes the letter from him and reads it. His face went pale.

"It says here that Sodapop Patrick Curtis is missing in action", he looks at us and Pony breaks down. He and Darry are sitting on the floor and are holding on to each other. I feel Two-Bit put an arm around me but he's not saying anything. We've might possibly lost both of our friends. What do i say? I mean whe might have lost two of our brothers.

End of flashback

I kick a stone on the ground and I can see a black car drive past me. I hurried my steps when I hear it stop and a door opens.

"Johnny Cade", someone calls my name and I started to run. "Wait up!"

I didn't listen; I swear it's just another soc that wants to jump me.

"Damn it Joshiecakes wait up!"

That voice… I-it can't be. I froze in my tracks and turns around real slow. Only one person in this world calls me that and that person is missing, assumed dead. I turn around and I see him, that same person that is presumed dead. But he isn't, he's standing in front of me, dressed in his uniform and a bag slung over his shoulder. I don't know what to do, but soon I find myself in his arms.

Normal P.O.V.

"Steve", Johnny yelled and flew into Steve's open arms. "Oh my God we thought you were dead! Why didn't you write back to us? What happened? Do you have any idea of how worried we were? Why are ya back so early? Have you killed anyone?"

"Whoa slow down Joshiecakes", Steve said as he let go of Johnny. "I rather tell everyone at once. Are ya headed to the Curtis house?"

"Yeah, come on everyone will be so happy to see you!" He grabbed Steve's arm and started to dash down the road.

"Johnny wait", Steve said not long after they started running. "Stop!" Johnny stops immediately and looks back to Steve who is winching in pain.

"Steve are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just still sore from a shot to the hip. When i walk around to much or runs it hurts."

"Sorry man."

"Nah don't worry Johnnycakes you didn't know. Let's just walk."

"Wait a minute, where were you going in that car? You came from the direction of the house."

"My driver had orders to take me back to my dad's but when we got there I told the driver my dad had moved. I told him to go in to town… that's when I saw ya Joshiecakes."

Johnny chuckles at his nickname. Steve gave it to him years back when they were planning Pony's birthday party. Johnny was supposed to guard the door to Pony's room so the kid wouldn't get in. There was a password, when one in the gang got to the door they would say "I wonder where Johnnycakes is" if Pony was home and they would say "Joshiecakes" if Pony was nowhere near the door. Steve had come up with the Joshiecakes solution and was the only one who continued to calling Johnny that from time to time.

Darry was reading the newspaper; the rest of the gang was there together with Tim and Curly Sheppard, waiting for Johnny to come over so they could eat dinner together. Johnny was now living with the Curtis boys since Darry no longer let the kid go back home because all his parents did was yell at and hit him.

"I wonder where Johnny is", Pony asked from the sofa where he and Two-Bit was watching Mickey.

"He'll be here soon", Darry said and smiled.

"DARRY!" they all heard Johnny's yell when the kid slammed the door open. "DARRY!"

"Whoa Johnny what's wrong", Darry flew up from his armchair.

"Come quick you gotta see this, come on come on!" Johnny ran out the door again and came back he had the biggest smile ever on his lips. "Come on!"

Darry hurried over and froze in the doorway. He was looking at a young man in uniform, with dark hair and dark eyes. His face was pale and he looked really tired and haunted.

"S-Steve", Darry said in shock.

"Hi Darry", Steve answered softly. "Can I"

He didn't get any further because Darry flung his strong arms around him and hugged him tight.

"I thought we'd lost you man", Darry said softly and rocked the younger man. Steve broke down and started to cry and clung to Darry.

"Hush buddy you're home now", Darry soothed. "You're safe."

"D-Darry… T-thanks and I-I'm sorry", Steve said between the sobs. Then he took a deep breath to collect himself.

"Come on", Darry led him inside.

"Darry what is going on", Tim asked and walked up to them. "What the fuck?!"

"Hi Tim", Steve said and for the third time that day he found himself in a backbreaking hug.

"Oh my God Steve", Curly then yelled and slammed into his cousin and older brother.

"We thought you were gone", Tim said when he let go of him and if Steve wasn't mistaking he saw that Tim's eyes were glancy.

"Steve", Two-Bit, Dallas and Pony walked up to him and hugged him too. Pony just as hard as the others, to his and Steve's surprise. Steve just smiled and ruffled the kid's hair.

"Anymore of this sweet emotions and I'll be sick", Tim said with a wide smile. "How are ya man?"

"Fine", Steve answered and walked further into the house. He was limping a little.

"Hey what's wrong with your leg", Two-Bit asked.

"I took a bullet in the hip", Steve muttered. "That's why I'm home."

"You took a bullet", Darry asked. "When?"

"'bout five months ago. I lost a lot of blood so I was in a coma in a hospital and when I woke up I had to stay for a while and then was flown back."

"Steve do you know anything 'bout Soda", Pony asked hopefully. "Is he okay?"

"You mean you don't know", Steve asked wide eyed. The others shook their heads. "Holy crap…" Steve limped over to the couch and sank down and buried his face in his hands. "Damn…"

"Steve", Darry asked worriedly. "What's wrong?"

"Why did you guys thought I was dead", Steve asked looking up.

"W-we got a letter that told us you were missing in action", Johnny answered and Steve looked at his feet.

"Crap", he muttered. "Guys… What about Soda?" He looked up again

"He too", Pony answered. "He's missing in action.

Steve shook his head. "No Pony he ain't missing in action… He's dead… He's gone." He said it so softly the others almost missed it.

"What", Darry roared and pulled Steve to his feet. "How the hell do you know that?!"

"We were in different platoons", Steve answered softly, not looking into Darry's eyes. "We got the message over the radio that Lieutenant Wall's platoon was all wiped out… Soda was in that platoon… T-then the area was bombed with napalm..."

The room went deadly quiet and Darry let go of Steve and sank down into his armchair.

"No", Pony yelled and rushed forward and started to hit on Steve's chest. "You're lying he's not dead! He's not dead! You're lying! I hate you! I hate you!" Steve didn't move he just let Pony hit him. Then Pony broke down and started bawling and Steve flung his arms around the kid and hugged him tight.

"I'm sorry Ponyboy… I'm so sorry." Everyone now had tears going down their cheeks and Steve rocked Pony softly. Then Darry caught sight at something around Steve's right wrist.

"Steve is that what I think it is", he asked sternly. Steve looked up at Darry.

"Yeah", he sighed. "Soda gave me his bracelet… Before we were shipped out he gave me this and I gave him my cross… We said we would give 'em back when we met home again. I guess you want it…"

"No", Darry said softly when Steve let go of Pony to take off the bracelet. "Soda gave it to you so you'll keep it."

"But he's dead."

"He' not dead", Pony said into Steve's chest. "We thought you were dead… you were missing in action. So is Soda… He'll be back. He will be." Steve didn't answer. What could he say?

TBC