Wow. I can't believe that I'm already at almost ten chapters. This blows my mind. I want to thank all of you who have helped my by giving moral support, or criticism. Even that one person who I wrote the story for to spite. I was told that all Dally sister fics were bad. I set out to prove her wrong. Please let me know, have I succeeded? Be honest. Thanks so much! And just to let you know, unless you hear otherwise the story will be in Reagan's POV. And I am sorry, but being a horse person this chapter will have a lot of horsey stuff.

"Are you sure you mailed the letter to the right address?"

"Yes I'm sure!" I said exasperatedly. Of course I immediately regretted snapping at Morgan. She had been my only support these weeks. I had finally caved and told her what had happened she didn't heap on the pity. But I learned that that wasn't what I wanted. I just wanted her to know. I was tired of keeping in. She only grabbed my hand.

"I'm sorry." She had murmured. That was all we said to each other. But it was just... better knowing that someone else was in on what had happened. I still hated it here though. I wasn't actually having a hard time in school, which was a plus I hadn't expected, but everything else was a disaster. I had nightmares almost every night, and I couldn't stop thinking about Soda, and Pony, and Dally, and Darry no matter how hard I tired not to. Then the night came where it all changed.

I woke to a loud rapping on the window. It took a long time to realize that it wasn't a dream. Morgan was still dead to the world. I rose, and went to the window. When I saw who was rapping at the window I nearly had a heart attack.

"Soda?" I murmured. He grinned. I opened the window, my hands shaking like crazy.

"How?" It was one word, but even that was hard to say. I couldn't stop thinking this was a dream. It would be a cruel dream, as soon as I woke up alone. But that smile... no dream could capture that smile.

"Hey Rae." I ran to him, and hugged him hard enough that I may have broken a couple ribs.

"Soda!" He hugged me back, and lifted me off my feet. I felt the tears swimming in my eyes.

"Where's Pony? And why are you here?" His face darkened.

"Soda, what's wrong?" He took a deep breath.

"I got a call from Darry. You know that horse of yours?" I rolled my eyes.

"Of course I know my horse."

"Well, he's real sick. Impaction colic." I paled.

"Since when?"

"An hour." I looked at him pleadingly.

"Soda, I gotta go help him. Please. Soda, you gotta let me help him." He nodded.

"I know. That's why I'm here. Pony doesn't know. I left a note for him. I nodded, and hurriedly scribbled one for Morgan, leaving it on her bedside table.

"Let's go." He climbed back out the window, and I followed, though much more hesitantly.

"How do we get down?" I wondered. Soda shrugged.

"Same way I got up. Climb down the trellis. I gulped. It was long and rickety, and I had this thing about ladders. But I forced myself to deal with it. With all the shit I'd been through, this had to be one of the least dangerous things I'd done. Soda climbed down first, jumping off at the end.

"I'll catch you if you fall." He hissed. I took in a deep breath and slowly began climbing down. When I was a few feet from the bottom, I jumped, and Soda steadied me before I could fall onto my knees. Off in the distance, a dog barked.

"How are we getting out of here?" I asked. "How did you get here?" Soda just grinned.

"You'll see in a second." I stuck my tongue out at him but it was so dark, I wasn't sure that he had even seen. I heard him chuckling softly. I followed him, trying not to fall, but let's face it, I was clumsy enough on a flat surface in the daytime, let alone at night on a field full of holes. When we got to the road, Soda stopped.

"Our ride will be here in a minute." I would have asked who, or what the ride was, but knowing Soda he wouldn't tell me. A second later I car came roaring up.

"Come on!" I familiar voice called. My grin expanded. I got in the front seat, and Soda, got in too, squishing me over. Sure enough, in the dim light of the beat up chevy, I could see red sideburns. Two-Bit had come to the rescue.

"Two-Bit!" I shrieked. He winced, proving my theory that he was, as always, hungover. That much hadn't changed. I grinned though.

"Hey kid. We sure did miss ya." Had to grin. It was Two-Bit!

"You too." I never fully appreciated how good my life had been before. I complained about so many things, maybe not out loud, but I complained so much in my head. I hadn't known what it was like to be alone. I had missed the gang more than anyone could possibly imagine. Johnny was no exception. And then there was Dallas. What he had done in his last moments, redefined what I thought of him. I always had loved him deep down, he had just always been there when it really counted. But after the stunt with the cops, I would give anything to have ten minutes to talk to him. Demand answers maybe. Or just to see that famous Winston smirk one more time. I don't claim that Dally and I had a big brother/sister relationship. But we were okay. I was alive today because of him in more ways than one.

"Rae?" I sat up.

"What?"

"We're here." Soda said softly. I swallowed and climbed out of the car after Soda. I could only pray that we were not too late. Hawke was strong. He'd better be holding on. I practically ran into the barn. The arena lights were on. Hawke looked over at me as I burst into the barn.

One of the people at the barn that I'd talked to on occasion was leading Hawke around, trying to make him better. I grabbed his lead, tears coming to my eyes as his liquid brown eyes looked into mine. I saw the open trust, but I also saw fear. I pushed back his lip and his gums were white as a sheet. This meant that the blood was not flowing. Which meant that it was impaction colic. Which meant that it was really bad. Horses died of impaction colic all the time. But those horses were not Hawke. I wasn't going to let that happen. I could only hope that he was strong enough to walk for however long it took to clear out his intestines. If he were to roll, there was every possibility that he could roll his intestines clear over, pretty much guaranteeing his death. But if I kept walking him that wouldn't happen. Every corner we took, I could feel Hawke tugging at the leadline, trying to lie down. Soda came up to me.

"Let me walk him for a while." I nodded. I was exhausted. I had been walking him for three hours straight with no noticeable difference other than My feet hurt, I was going to get blisters, and soon, if not already, the orphanage would find out I was missing, as would Soda's. I didn't know what would happen when they did. I was scared to find out. But I knew something. They weren't going to tear me away from Soda and Pony and Darry and the rest of the gang again. I would never let them do it. Not this time.

The walking considered for five more hours. Then four more. Eventually Hawke nor Soda or I could walk him any longer. He laid down, and I laid on his chest, praying, willing that he would not roll over. He did not. And that was how the police found us. My lying on Hawke, and Soda sitting next to me, his arm around my shoulders.

The icy look in the cop's eye softened a little at this scene, but The still tried to drag us away from each other. I held fast to Soda.

"You can't do this to us." I insisted, clutching onto him as tightly as I could. He did the same.

"I'm sorry. But I have my orders." The cop didn't sound very sorry.

"He's my brother. You're breaking up a family into tiny little shards. I hope you know the damage you're doing to us." The cop shrugged.

"He's not your real brother."

"You're right." My voice was icy calm, but I was furious. Soda was damn real enough. "My real brother is a JD hood that was killed by a police officer after pointing an unloaded gun at an officer." Our cop looked appalled. His mouth kept opening and shutting without anything coming out. Soda's arms squeezed around me, comfort seeping through. Neither of us were letting go this time. We couldn't live with being torn apart again.

The officer had had enough.

"Come on." I wouldn't let go of him though. "You two can stay together until I get to her home.

"My home is in Tulsa." I said firmly. The cop just rolled his eyes.

"If you wanted to keep living there you shouldn't have gotten in trouble. I was about to retort, but Soda put his hand on my shoulder warningly. I get tears in my eyes.

"Can I at least finish with the horse?" I asked, almost pleadingly. The cop shook his head.

"We need to go." One of the grooms must have been listening because he came to Hawke.

"I won't let him die." He promised. I looked into his eyes.

"I'll hold you to that." The groom nodded. I gave Hawke one last hug, and then the cop grabbed my wrist and pulled me away. I pulled away from his grasp sharply.

"I can walk on my own." I snapped. I climbed into the backseat of the car and Soda followed behind me. I heard the locks click and I was stuck in there. I buried my head into Soda's chest.

"I can't stand to leave you again." I whispered.

"I know." Was all he said, but I felt a tear drop onto me shirt. Mine rolled down my face. Here we were, two rock hard greasers crying there eyes out. In the presence of a cop. I wondered what Dally would say if he saw us. This actually made me laugh shakily.

"What?" Soda murmured.

"Trying to picture Dally's reaction if he saw the two of us right now." Soda grinned.

"He'd clobber the both of us." I nodded.

"Yep." There was a few minutes of silence. But that wasn't what I wanted. I wanted to savor these last few minutes with Soda.

"Are we ever going to get home?" I wondered aloud. Soda shrugged.

"I'm eighteen in a year, but it'll kill me to leave you and Pony by yourselves. Maybe I can adopt the two of you. Darry's trying his hardest to adapt us all again. Maybe it'll pull through soon."

"Maybe. But if you don't Pony and I are stuck there for four more years."

"I know."

"I wish Dally was still here."

"I know." And that was all it took from Soda. He may call himself dumb, but he always knew what I meant. And sometimes that was better than someone actively trying to make me feel better. I just knew that he knew what I meant, and that in of itself helped. That was when he reached the home. The stark grey walls and fences greeted me. I wasn't at all sure I could do this. I wrapped myself around Soda. I wasn't sure when I'd be able to do this again.

"Give Pony my love." He nodded.

"Of course. Love you Rae."

"You too Pepsi." He grinned. "See you." I climbed out of the car and walked with the cop up the big front stairs without looking back.

The headmistress looked thoroughly pissed. I couldn't say that I was surprised.

"I caught the runaway." The cop stated unnecessarily.

"Clearly." The headmistress snapped. I flinched. the cop nodded his head and left. The headmistress turned to me.

"I'm sure you know about our strict runaway policy." She said. I shrugged.

"I guess not."

"Well, you must know that you're going to have to be punished."

"I kinda figured." She pursed her lips and I resolved to try not to be so mouthy. but hey, in case you hadn't noticed I was Dallas Winston's sister.

"I just have to decide on the punishment. You will get lashed." I flinched, wondering what Soda would say if he heard that. Or Darry, or any of the gang. They would all be livid. "And some community service will be necessary."

"Okay." I wasn't going to plead for myself. From now on there was going to be no crying. No more weakness. I would become Dallas's sister again. No more feelings. I had lost everything I held dear twice. I couldn't care anymore. It hurt too much.

I had a bright red mark across my cheek and four more across my shoulders. And tomorrow I was going to a lumber mill where they had offered to take on disobedient orphans for a day to work there. They pretended it was a charity case, but really, it was free slave labor. I had been told more than once that I was going to have to work, and if I didn't work I didn't eat.

I got out of the mini van, along with another girl who had done something wrong. She had tried to strike up a conversation on the way here, but when I failed to answer, we had resorted to each staring out our own separate windows. The noise here was tremendous. And then I saw something that caught me completely off guard. Swinging an axe, trying to chop in half a branch almost as wide as himself was Soda. He swung with fury, seeming to unleash his anger on the tree. It didn't stand a chance. And ten feet down... Pony. I couldn't imagine that innocent Ponyboy could ever do anything bad enough to gain him a trip here. A few tears stung my eyes, but I pushed them down furiously. I wasn't allowed emotion. Not anymore. I promised myself. If I ever went home I'd work on getting it back. I just wasn't strong enough now.

I was given a pair of gloves, an axe, and a spot on the log next to Soda, with a clearly marked line where I was supposed to cut through. I began to hack at the wood. Soda looked up at me, and did I double take when he realized it was me.

"Rae." He said quietly. He touched his face where mine was bruised and cut. "They hurt you because of me." He whispered. I shook my head.

"No. They hurt me because that's what they do. That's who they are." I was a little scared by the bitterness in my voice, but I decided not to care. Pony looked down and saw me. He smiled.

"Rae." He mouthed.

"Hey Pone." He grinned, and kept thwacking that wood. I get started on mine. I didn't say anymore to either of them, but I felt better just knowing that they were there. In not very much time, Soda and I had split through our wood. We were lead to another log. This seemed to carry on forever. Despite the gloves, I got blisters all over my hands. But despite that I kept pace with Soda, though Pony fell behind.

"How long are you here?" Soda asked. I shrugged.

"Until my attitude is repaired. Whatever that means." Soda nodded.

"Same... you know, if Dally saw you right now he'd be proud." I almost lost my cool and cried. Almost.

"Thanks." I didn't feel like talking anymore. I just wasn't up to it. Soda, in true Soda fashion picked up in this. When the sun started sinking, and my hands, back, shoulders, and pretty much everywhere else were killing me, the ending whistle sounded. I dropped the axe and rolled my neck. It hurt. Quite a lot. I saw Soda wincing beside me.

We all came to a big wooden table where plates were being passed down. I sat down, gasping when this movement jarred my back. Soda and Pony sat on either side of me.

"Hey." I grinned in spite of myself.

"Hey guys." When my plate came to my I dug into the pasta. I might have worked for it, but this was much better food than the food at the home. At least it wasn't rubbery or mushy, the two consistencies at the orphanage. Pony looked at my face and paled.

"They... hit you?" He asked quietly. I put a hand to my face.

"I'm fine Pony." I insisted. He didn't contradict out loud, but I could see the contradiction in his eyes.

"It's good to see you." He said softly. I nodded.

"You too." It was true that I wasn't going to be weak anymore, but even Dally had been happy to see the gang, right? I didn't even know anymore. But I had to draw the line somewhere. I couldn't abandon Soda, or especially Pony. I would always be happy to see them. Even though we had been torn apart, I knew that I would never really be apart. Even I would have to stay here for the next four years, I would see them at the end. Though I know things would be different, we'd all be grown up. But maybe, just maybe, we could be together again.

But then something at the end of my "community service" Changed that. Possibly forever.

Well, there goes chapter 9. I was about to be really sad because I was running out of ideas. I thought maybe Darry could win the court case and adopt them, but I really didn't want to resort to that. And lucky for you guys =) I thought of something else. As always, it would really mean a lot if you'd review. Something to let me know that someone's actually reading this.