There won't be a new chapter for awhile. It's spring break baby! Thanks for the reviews, hope you enjoy this chapter.

The first thing Darry attended to was Ponyboy. He hitched a ride to the hospital. The driver recognized both of them from photos that had been put in the paper, and immediately notified the police.

It didn't take long for the news to leak out. Darry was sitting in the waiting room when the sound of heavy footsteps flooded his ears. Before he could look up, he was being hugged and tackled by his friends. Dally gave him a slap on the back. He was the first to say anything.

"Where have you guys been all this time?"

"You haven't heard yet?" Darry asked with slight hope that they had. He didn't want to explain what he'd just escaped from.

"Where's Sodapop?" Steve asked.

Darry sighed loudly and ran a hand through his hair.

"One question at a time," He muttered as he grew continually frustrated. Sure, he was glad to see his friends again, but he had a lot of his shoulders at the moment.

They all waited patiently. Dally pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and offered it to Johnny, who seemed a bit nervous from all of the racket the boys had caused.

"Sodapop had to go with that stupid broad that kidnapped us."

"You got kidnapped by a broad?" Two-Bit was on the verge of erupting into laughter, but then everyone shot him a look. This was serious.

"She kept us tied down in her basement."

"How the hell did she get you there in the first place?" Steve asked.

"I don't know. I just remember a needle…"

Everyone was silent. Steve had figured that whoever this girl was, she'd had assistance. He wasn't exactly partnered up with the police, but he would tell them about this. If there was a witness, they needed to step forward.

"C'mon, get up. Ponyboy'll be fine. You need to take a shower." Dally instructed, pulling Darry up with his hand.

He would usually protest. He wanted to stay with Ponyboy. He couldn't leave the only brother he had left, but he realized that his friends were turning their heads away and grimacing at his stench. He looked down at his t-shirt and saw dark sweat rings.

He would have to take a shower and change clothes before he could think about anything else.

Angie fell back onto the bed.

"I've always wanted to go to Florida…" she mused aloud.

Sodapop was walking around the hotel room. The paneling was cheap, the carpet had stains, and the bed was missing one leg, but Angie didn't seem to mind. For all she was, she didn't seem to be materialistic. From what he observed, she just seemed to be really screwed up.

"Is that where we're going?"

"I don't care." She sat up. "Where do you want to go?"

"I haven't been many places."

"I can imagine." She fell back onto the bed again. "I'm so tired."

"Well then, go to sleep." He knew he was kidding himself for thinking she would.

"I can't. You'll run off."

As much as he didn't want a replay of what had happened in her bedroom again, he realized he would need to earn her trust if he was ever going to be able to contact his brothers.

"Look, I'll lay beside you." He offered.

"Alright," Angie eyed him suspiciously, but wasted no time in wrapping her arms around him and pulling him close once he had laid down. He was like an oversized, warm, cuddly teddy bear. He smelled good too. They'd stopped at a shopping area and bought some soap and some 'more suitable' clothing. The first thing he'd done upon getting to the hotel had been to shower, and Angie was glad.

For a long time, she played with his hair. At last she fell asleep, much to Soda's relief. He wasn't the least bit comfortable, but while he was trapped, he decided to snooze a little too. He had to admit, it wasn't so bad.

"I'll bet the house's a wreck."

"I told Gloria to go in and check on it for us this morning." Judy replied. They'd made another stop. The closer they got to their daughter, the more frequently her husband decided to 'check out the town'. His temper was wearing, as if being in a certain range of his daughter would kill him.

They both jumped when the phone rang. Judy reached it first.

"Hello?"

"Judy?" It was the voice of their elderly neighbor, Gloria. She sounded panicked.

"What is it?" Judy tried to disguise her voice. She tried to keep the worry out of it as to not provoke her husband. She failed. He knew her too well.

"I'm sorry to tell you this but…the place is empty. There's been a rumor flying around about these boys and…oh goodness. Forgive me, but I think your daughter has run off with one of them."

"What?" Judy was stunned. "B-but…who?"

"I don't know anything for sure Judy, you'll have to find out yourself."

Judy slammed the phone down, leaving poor Gloria shocked. She shrugged wearily and went back to watering her windowsill plants.

"We're leaving right now, we can't wait any longer."

"What did she say?"

"I'll tell you in the car. Move, move, we have to hurry!"

Mark didn't bother questioning her. He knew better when she was like this. Instead, he stubbornly obliged.

"I wonder what she's done." Mark thought aloud. It earned him a glare from his wife, who was hurriedly shoving clothes in the suitcase. He offered to help, but she pushed him away. There was a clang as something fell out of the suitcase and hit the wooden floor.

Mark bent down to pick it up, but Judy had snatched it before he could manage to even glimpse at it.

"Let me see that." He demanded.

"No!" His wife shouted back.

"Damnit Judy, you're acting crazy!"

Judy let out a whimper and crumpled. She held out the picture for her husband to see. He took it gingerly.

"You still have this?" He croaked after a long silence.

"Of course I do Mark." She raised her tear streaked face from her knees.

Mark was overcome with pity for his poor wife. He was pummelled regret being so dismissive to her for so long about something that meant a lot to her. He suddenly recalled how devastated she had been when they'd lost Lindsey.

He knelt down beside her and tucked a few stray curls behind her ears.

"I'll do whatever I can to save her." He promised.

But little did they know that they were entirely too late.