Disclaimer Note: The characters are that of SE Hinton the story is that of mine, as I would have seen it.

A/n. This is where I have included some characters of my own. This chapter is historical in the event that takes place. I think that the time period myself is about the time of the book if not before. After all there was a reference to Mustangs in it and the book, yet they didn't come out until mid sixty-three. Now on with the show.

Chapter Nine

"The Day Camelot Died"

I had just sat down at the table when the back door opened. "Hope there is some breakfast for me?" I heard a familiar voice call out.

I smiled. "Yeah dad there is always enough with Cherry cooking, makes me wonder what she does with the left overs after I leave for work."

"Feed them to the dogs of course." I heard Cherry say in response as she came up to the table carrying another plate along with some biscuits. "After all someone has to feed them." Man that hurt and I made a note of it as she smiled. "What a pleasant surprise dad dig in."

He started doing just that as I asked. "So I guess you have another seminar in town?"

"Yeah you could say that." He said after swallowing what he was eating and then he added. "It was scheduled for today only they had to postpone it till Monday." Before I could ask why he added. "Kennedy is coming to town after all, didn't you know."

"That must be the reason the foreman let us off the rig today." I said and caught the look from the Doctor so I added. "Hell dad we don't get the paper around here, I'm afraid I might be in it one day."

I saw him give me a serious look. "If you are, I trust that it will be for a good reason and not the other."

I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat at the look he gave me as I said. "I can't guarantee that dad, after all we never know when the past might catch up to us." I saw he was getting ready to say something so I quickly added. "But as far as anything down here no."

"Well I doubt if the other will be a problem cause you would have heard by now." I saw he had a slight grin and before I asked he added. "Besides I don't think they are looking this way."

"Why would that be?" I asked cause I was sure he was hiding something and yet I had to wait.

Finally he finished eating and was wiping the corners of his mouth as I heard him say. "They came through town about a month ago right after I got back home after getting you guys settled in here.

"They were asking around. It seemed that quack up there in Okie territory didn't know how to keep his mouth shut." I started sweating then only he smiled. "So I told them simple enough that I had seen someone that fit your description down there in Beaumont or was it Galveston." He lit up then and added. "They made the comment then that would be too far for them to go as they were already out of their territory and I quote one of them. 'That SOB that owned the store was asking for it anyway.'

"Of course I asked what was going on and they said. That it was something they really didn't think was worth them even coming all the way down to Amarillo but they did anyway, if for nothing else the challenge of the Big Texan." I saw him grin then. "Of course they lost the challenge and went home completely empty handed." He came forward then to where he was resting his arms on the table and looking over at me. "So like I said you are covered as well as I can see."

I started to get up then as I heard Cherry say. "Where are you going might I ask?"

I smiled. "Well since them dogs of ours don't have any left overs this morning to eat I guess I am going to get out their dog food and feed them."

I heard her gasp. "May wonders never cease." Then she smiled of course and I did to.

As I was feeding the dogs I heard the screen door slam shut and the next thing I heard was his voice as he asked. "You interested in riding downtown to see why you got today off and why I've been postponed."

"Yeah sure, I guess." I said before adding. "Although I never was much on politics." I looked up at him then as I got ready to head back to the house. "But that was the old Dally now Dallas Winston on the other hand thinks it's time he did." We started for the back porch then as I added. "Hell seeing as to the news you delivered this morning I might even start getting the paper delivered."

I saw him slap his forward then. "Awe. There is a God after all."

Cherry said she couldn't go since she had to work only right then Buddy came through the door saying. "I do believe you told a lie there." He looked at Dad and asked. "Is he going or what?"

I saw dad smile. "Yeah he's coming along." He turned to Cherry and before he could say it she said.

"Before you even go there no I am not coming along." She smiled then. "I think I am going to catch up on some house work so that maybe I can rest this weekend." I think one of them was going to say something only she said. "Now get out of here so I can do just that."

We found our way to Dealey Plaza and because it was still early found a spot along the road. It was there that we just passed time by talking to others as they gathered also. After all it isn't every day that you see the United States President come through town. Of course it helped that LBJ was his vice president and a proud son of the state of Texas also.

Right then I heard the sirens and looked up seeing the front of the motorcade as it rounded the bend. I saw right away once they came into view that his wife was on our side, she was wearing a pink dress with those dark collars.

"Hey dad that is the dress Cherry was wanting the other day." I commented as I kept my eye on the president and added. "I can see why now . . . "

That was as far as I got cause then I felt someone push me toward the ground and at first I saw the curb but also pandemonium as people with suits were diving into his car from the back and onto the sides. One thing also that I saw was a white puff of smoke from the hill that was opposite where I was at.

Finally someone was pulling me up and I looked to see who it was. "Come on Buddy is already gone to the car." I felt a hand on my arm right then as I heard a voice of authority say.

"I need you to give a statement." I got ready to swing at them just from reflex until I checked myself as he said. "We are asking all the people that were here to tell us what you saw."

"Really we didn't see anything officer." I heard Dad say before I could and then he added. "Me and my son here along with a friend were just watching like everyone else when I saw all the men running up to the car."

"Did you hear anything?" I heard the cop asked as I saw him writing in his notepad as dad said.

"I heard a popping sound about the time I saw all of that going on and that was when I pushed my son to the ground."

The cop turned to me then. "What about you? Did you hear or see anything?"

I cleared my throat before saying. "Well as I went down, I did notice a puff of white smoke like the one that comes from a rifle."

"Where was it coming from?" I pointed across the road to the area of the grassy knoll where I had seen it and heard the cop grunt. "Is that all?"

"Yeah that is about it."

Before I could say anything else, dad said. "Officer if that is all we have to go and catch up with our friend."

The officer nodded his head and the next thing I knew dad was pulling me. "Come on lets go."

We got to where we had parked the car and Buddy was there already. "Lets just head back home, I just heard they took him to Parkland. I don't have any privileges there."

I got in the back as I heard dad say. "I doubt if it would help if you did anyway Buddy. That place is probably locked up tighter then a tin drum."

The trip back to the house was silent until we pulled up and I didn't see the car. "Lets go to my house then and see if there is anything new. That's probably where Cherry is anyway." Buddy said reading my thoughts.
Sure enough we pulled up to his house and there was the Vette. When we got in the house her and Rosita was setting in front of the television. Cherry instantly ran to me and hugged me as if she didn't want to let me go.

"I thought we had lost you Dally." I felt the tears coming down her cheek as I rubbed her back and finally she calmed down and pulled back.

We rejoined the others in front of the television right when Walter Cronkite came on and I could instantly tell that things were not good as he announced with a shaky voice what our worst fears were. After the announcement that he was dead I said the first thing that came to mind.

"Life will never be the same."

I felt Cherry squeeze my hand. "He was so young." I saw her dab her cheek as she added. "Why does there have to be death?"

I pulled her to me and whispered. "Because there is a devil, and with that evil."

We spent the rest of the day there in front of the television. Saw where they caught Oswald the guy, everyone was saying fired the shots. But it kept playing back in my mind what I saw and I couldn't help but wonder if they had not missed someone else.

Finally after some reluctance we all had dinner at Buddy's house since we were already there. Then finally it was back home for me and Cherry.

I slipped into the bed beside Cherry after checking on the dogs and locking up the house. "I love you Dally, please don't ever leave me."

"I won't," I said with a hand on hers and then I turned out the lamp.