Author's Note: I do apologize for this chapter being late! But I worked very hard to get this chapter out tonight, so I sincerely hope that you like it! Please review!

Chapter Twenty-One

Tuesday, November 22nd

"Darry, did you sleep at all last night?" Two-Bit asked, looking at him critically.

Darry rubbed his eyes tiredly and then stared down at his untouched breakfast. Today was the day that he had a meeting with Ms. Daniels' supervisor. Two-Bit had been over especially early that day. Steve had spent the night on the couch again, but he had done that every night for almost two weeks now. Darry had been trying to wean himself off of the sleeping pills that the doctor had prescribed him for almost a week now. He didn't like being dependent on them. He was getting better at getting himself to sleep at night, especially since being reunited with Ponyboy. But last night sleep had not come until the early hours of the morning. He had been too anxious. Today could be the day that he fixed everything. Today could be the day where this all ended. He was hopeful, more so than ever, because he had received a surprise the day before at work.

"Darrel, can I talk to you?"

Darry had been heading for the ladder when he had heard the voice. He turned to see his boss, Mr. Hubor, standing behind him. It was strange to see Mr. Hubor out at any work sites these days. Usually he left the running of the individual sites to the site managers.

"Yeah, sure," Darry said.

He had followed his boss over to the far side of the site, away from the other workers.

"How have you been feeling?" Mr. Hubor asked, turning to look at him.

"Fine," Darry said with a shrug. He shifted a bit uncomfortably. His boss always made him feel like a kid. Not in a bad way though. He and Darry's father had been friends. Darry just couldn't afford to feel like a kid right now though.

Mr. Hubor nodded. "Glad to hear it." And he looked genuinely glad as well. "What about your brothers? Any news?"

Darry sighed heavily. "Still goin' through the process of tryin' to get them back. It ain't lookin' good though if you wanna know the truth."

"Have you seen them at all?" he asked.

"I've seen Ponyboy," Darry told him dismally. "But… I haven't seen or talked to Sodapop since before the accident."

Mr. Hubor shook his head, frowning. "I'm sorry, Curtis."

Darry shrugged. "My social worker thinks I'll get them back eventually. It's just gonna take time."

"You know I was close with your parents," Mr. Hubor said. "They were damn good people. But if your brothers couldn't have them, I can think of no better guardian than you."

"Thank you, sir," Darry said without much enthusiasm. It was nice to hear, but practically it didn't help him much at this point.

"Listen, while you were in the hospital, I promised you compensation for the accident," Mr. Hubor said, meeting Darry's eyes with his own calm gaze. "Don't think I've forgotten about that." Darry gave a start at this. Of course he remembered that. But after returning to work and not hearing anything about it he had put the thought out of his mind. He wasn't one to ask for help or a hand out. But to Darry's surprise Mr. Hubor reached into his pocket. "It's far overdue, but I hope that it helps."

Darry just stared in shock for a moment before he remembered himself and reached out and took the small, folded piece of paper offered to him. He unfolded it and stared down. It was a check.

Darry was barely able to form words. "I… t-thank you sir. This is a huge help, thank you."

"I wish I could do more," Mr. Hubor said. "You're a good kid, Curtis, and you didn't deserve what happened to you."

During his lunch break Darry had run right over to the hospital. The entire contents of the check went toward his hospital bills. It didn't cover all of the medical expenses, but it was a huge chunk out of it. Instead of paying off the debt over the course of six or eight months, Darry could see himself paying off the rest in the next three months. It was an improvement. Darry had also made sure to call up Ms. Daniels to give her the update on his debt situation.

Today this could all be over. Or today he could find out that he won't get his brothers back for another three months when he could finish paying off the debt. In the grand scheme of things three months was a very short amount of time. But the thought of being kept from his brothers for another three months was unbearable. Any amount of time seemed unbearable. He just wanted his brothers back.

"Darry?" Darry looked up quickly, realizing that his friends had been talking to him while he had been lost in thought. He focused on Steve, who appeared to be the one who had spoken. "You gonna be okay?"

Darry hesitated for a minute. "Yeah… maybe. Just nervous."

"Yeah, we all are," Steve muttered, pushing his eggs around his plate moodily.

Two-Bit rolled his eyes at Steve and by the way Steve flinched Darry guessed he had kicked him under the table. Then Two-Bit looked at him. "Just stay calm," he told Darry. "There's no reason to keep Pony and Soda from you."

"Except my debt," Darry pointed out rationally.

"Yeah, but you paid off a bunch of that just yesterday," Two-Bit pointed out hopefully.

"But not all of it," Darry said. "It's still gonna be months before I can pay the rest of it off."

"They shoulda gave you more money," Steve grumped, still staring down at his plate.

Darry glared at him. "Mr. Hubor did everythin' he could. It's not like the company has a wealth of money just layin' around."

Steve rolled his eyes but didn't say anything.

"If you go in thinkin' you're gonna lose, then you're gonna lose," Two-Bit said firmly. "Try havin' a little faith!"

Darry looked over at Two-Bit and then cracked a wry smile. "Yeah, I'll try," he said, though he couldn't muster up much enthusiasm. He checked his watch and then pushed his chair back. "I better get goin'. Don't wanna be late."

"You didn't eat nothin'," Two-Bit said, eyeing his plate.

Darry rolled his eyes. "Thanks mom." The sarcasm was dripping in his tone.

"I just want you to grow up to be big and strong!" Two-Bit screeched in a high-pitched voice.

Darry took a swipe at him and Two-Bit ducked out of the way, but fell out of the chair in the process and sprawled to the floor, laughing. Darry chuckled at him while Steve just looked annoyed. But Darry was glad for a light moment. It was a good to have a light moment. Even if it only lasted a moment.

Silently Darry turned and headed out of the house, feeling a bit like a man on death row. Steve stood and followed while Two-Bit dragged himself off the floor and came after them. Nothing was said until Darry went to climb into the truck.

"Good luck, Darry." Surprisingly the statement of encouragement came from Steve.

"Thanks, Steve," Darry said with a solemn nod.

"It's gonna be okay," Two-Bit added with a smile, though Darry could see the strain in his features.

Darry took a deep breath. "Yeah."

Then before anyone could say anything else Darry climbed up into the truck and started it up. With one last glance at Steve and Two-Bit he threw the gear into reserve and pulled out of the driveway. Then without hesitation he threw it into drive and took off down the street.

Darry was glad that he had left early. After hitting every possible red light and then being detoured because of an accident he arrived at the social services office with little time to spare. He paused long enough to adjust the collar on his shirt – he had cleaned up and dressed up for this meeting – before heading into the building, a sense of dread in the pit of his stomach.

"Hello Darrel." The moment Darry set foot in the door Ms. Daniels was there to greet him. "I appreciate you being on time. Come on back."

Darry was thankful not to have to wait around. He followed Ms. Daniels back into the office. As they walked she slowed and glanced back at him. "How are you feeling?"

"Um… a little nervous," Darry admitted in an undertone.

"Just make sure you don't get angry," Ms. Daniels warned him quietly. "He'll jump all over that. Just focus on how much you care for your brothers and be practical about how you can provide for them."

"Thank you," Darry said sincerely, glad to have the social worker on his side.

They moved to the back of the office to a door. She knocked lightly. "Good luck," she said quietly.

"Come in!"

Ms. Daniels opened the door and led Darry in. A man in a suit sat behind a desk, looking up at them as they entered. He was older, older than Darry's parents had been even. He looked at him with a pair of dark brown eyes behind a pair of reading spectacles. His hair was gray and wrinkles were just beginning to show around the corners of his mouth, which were turned down in a frown.

"Mr. Williams," Ms. Daniels said. "I have your nine o'clock appointment. This is Darrel Curtis who is petitioning for custody of his brothers, Ponyboy and Sodapop Curtis."

"Ah yes," Mr. Williams said stiffly. "Mr. Curtis, have a seat. Ms. Daniels, that'll be all."

Ms. Daniels flashed Darry one last encouraging smile before she turned and walked out of the office, closing the door behind her. Darry took a discreet calming breath before he took a seat on the other side of the desk.

There was silence as Mr. Williams carefully filed through the papers on his desk, deliberately organizing them. Darry did his best not to fidget but he felt horribly uncomfortable in this situation. He was supposed to be the adult but suddenly he felt like he was twelve years old again when his mother found out he had knocked eight year old Soda down the porch steps on accident while they had been rough housing.

At long last Mr. Williams slid off his reading spectacles and placed them on the desk in front of him, looking up at Darry with a cool gaze. Darry sat up even straighter than he had already been sitting.

"Well, Mr. Curtis. I have heard a lot of your story over the past few weeks." His tone was indifferent, as if commenting on the weather.

Darry nodded, struggling for something to say to that. "It's been a long couple weeks."

Mr. Williams regarded him lightly. "Yes, well, we like to be thorough."

Darry nodded. "I appreciate that. I'm just… tryin' to do right by my brothers. And I think what's best for them is to be home with family."

Mr. Williams glanced down at the papers in front of him. "You are twenty years old?"

"Yes sir," Darry said evenly, not breaking eye contact. "I'll be twenty-one in January."

Mr. Williams raised his eyebrows at him, a vague sign of surprise. "And your brothers. They are fourteen years old and sixteen?"

"Seventeen," Darry said.

"Excuse me?"

"Sodapop turned seventeen last month while he was in the state's custody," Darry explained.

"Ah," Mr. Williams said with no interest. "Your brother's name is Sodapop. And the youngest brother is Ponyboy. Odd names for children."

"Our father had a… creative nature," Darry said slowly, not real sure why he had to explain his brothers' names. It wasn't as if he had even picked the names out himself. It hardly seemed to matter what they were called. But whenever someone poked fun at either of his brothers' names it always put Darry on edge, because it almost felt like an attack on his father as well, for he was the one who picked out the names.

Mr. Williams only nodded. He picked his spectacles up off the desk and looked through them down at the papers before placing them back down. "You were granted custody of your brothers this past March, after your parents were killed in a car crash."

"That's right," Darry confirmed.

"So you had custody of your brothers for about five months before you were brought to court for your youngest brother running away after being implicated in the death of another boy."

"Yes."

"And you had custody of your brothers for six months when they were taken out of your custody."

"Yes, but that wasn't my fault." Darry's tone had turned defensive.

Mr. Williams nodded. "You were incapacitated by an accident at work."

"Due to another coworker's carelessness," Darry clarified.

"Yes," Mr. Williams said. He folded his hands on top of the papers on his desk. "So, why do you want custody of your brothers back?"

Darry was taken off guard by the bluntness of the question. "Um…" he stuttered.

"I mean, you are still a young man," Mr. Williams went on evenly. "An adult only by technicality. Boys your age don't raise teenagers. Wouldn't you rather be off with friends? Enjoying yourself? Many boys your age go to school, go to college. So why do you want that responsibility back?"

Darry took a moment to compose himself. "I've always been very close with my brothers. I was four when Sodapop was born and I was six when Ponyboy was born. I can still remember when I first saw them. I've been helping to take care of them for most of my life. I care about them more than I care about myself."

"We can set up visitation," Mr. Williams said rationally. "You can still see your brothers at your convenience."

"No, that's not enough." There was a sharp edge in his voice. He took a breath and made an effort to calm himself. "My brothers are my responsibility. I've always looked out for them. I don't want anything different than that."

"Isn't it a struggle?" Mr. Williams asked. "All the expenses that come with having to take care of children?"

"We get by," Darry said simply, almost defiantly. "We get by together."

Mr. Williams looked at him for several minutes, considering him. Darry didn't bat an eye even though inside he was about ready to crawl the walls. What gave this man the right to judge him? What gave him the right to have the power to take his brothers away from him?

"I must say, Mr. Curtis," Mr. Williams finally said slowly. "You are far more compelling than I expected you to be."

"I do my best," Darry said, shrugging one shoulder.

Mr. Williams nodded and then picked up his spectacles again, looking down at his papers through them. "I see you racked up quite a bit of debt with your recent medical expenses."

"Yes," Darry said. "I've been paying off as much as I possibly can. I paid off a lot of it just yesterday with my compensation check from work."

"I see that," Mr. Williams said. He put his spectacles back down. "Wouldn't it be easier for you if you waited until after you paid off all your debt before gaining custody back?"

Darry felt his stomach clench painfully. "Nothing is easier without my brothers." He swallowed. "Look, I know that that's what makes sense to you. But I will pay off my debt. It's just a matter of time. In the meantime I just want my brothers home with me where they belong."

"It wouldn't be because your brother Sodapop works fulltime instead of going to high school, would it?" Mr. Williams asked a bit sharply. "Perhaps you want him back just so that he can help you pay off your medical bills."

"What?" Darry sputtered in surprise. "I… No. No it's nothing like that. I would never…" His train of thought trailed off, too shocked at being accused of something like that. "Soda made his choice. It's what he wanted."

"Or maybe what you convinced him that he wanted in order to get him to help you pay the bills," Mr. Williams said.

Darry's eyes widened at this. He felt his temper spike and he wanted to yell at this man in front of him for even thinking he could do anything like that. He balled his hands into fists in his lap, unseen behind the desk as he deliberately inhaled and then exhaled, fighting fiercely for a sense of calm. If he lost his temper then he would lose this battle.

"I've only ever wanted what was best for my brothers," he finally said slowly. "Sodapop too. He helps me to take care of Ponyboy. I don't pretend that I am enough to raise both of them on my own. But Soda is older and can handle himself better. We both pitch in to raise Ponyboy, who still has growin' up to do." He took in a deep breath. Mr. Williams opened his mouth to respond but Darry cut him off as he continued. "We are a family. A little broken since we lost our parents, but we are still family. We support each other. Yes, I am in charge and I am responsible for both of my brothers. But we support each other and help each other in order to remain a family. We are all we got left now."

"Well," Mr. Williams said after a pause. "I will say I am impressed, Mr. Curtis."

"You better be," Darry couldn't help but say. "I love my brothers. I love them more than anything. So if you're wondering if I'll be a fit guardian for them, I can assure you that I am. I am going to care about them and love them more than any foster family would. And definitely more than anyone in a boy's home would." Darry knew he could say anything about what he knew about Soda and Pony because he wasn't supposed to know anything at all about them. It was hard but he had to do it. Letting Mr. Williams know that he knew that Pony was abused in his first foster home and that even Soda was abused in the boy's home would show him that Darry hadn't exactly been playing by the rules.

Mr. Williams just looked at Darry, his expression unreadable. Darry kept his own expression set with determination.

"So you would accept custody of your brothers back even as you pay off the rest of your medical debt?" he finally said slowly.

"Yes, I would," Darry declared.

Mr. Williams paused again, looking at him as if sizing him up. "I don't usually do this," he said slowly. Darry felt so tense that feared he might implode at any moment. "I believe you should be able to pay your medical debt off in the next three months, given your current salary." Darry felt his heart fall. He could see where this was going. Three more months until he could get his brothers back. And then Mr. Williams continued. "I will grant you temporary custody for three months of Sodapop and Ponyboy Curtis. At the end of this time your financial situation will be reassessed. At that time you may petition for permanent custody of your brothers."

It was all Darry could do to remain sitting upright in that chair. "I… really?" he stuttered clumsily. He could hardly believe what was happening.

Mr. Williams cracked the first smile he had seen from him. "Yes, really. You have fought hard for your brothers. I believe that should be rewarded."

"I… thank you, sir," Darry practically gushed, grinning despite himself. "Thank you so much."

"You are welcome," Mr. Williams said. "Don't let me regret this decision, Mr. Curtis. For I take what I do very seriously."

"Yes, I understand, sir," Darry said quickly, nodding vigorously. "When… when can I see them?"

"I will put through the paperwork this afternoon," Mr. Williams said easily. "I believe I can have your brothers back to you by tomorrow night."

"Tomorrow night?" Darry repeated in shock.

"Is that too soon?" Mr. Williams asked.

"No!" Darry practically snapped in a panic. He made an effort to soften his tone. "No, of course not. That would be… that would be fantastic."

"Good," Mr. Williams said with an easy smile. "I'm glad to hear it."

After filling out some more papers Darry was walking out of Mr. Williams' office, his world spinning around him. Nothing else had gone his way throughout this entire ordeal. It was so hard to believe that this was actually happening right now. But it was.

"Well?" Ms. Daniels was on him after he had taken several steps away from the office. She looked hopeful, possibly going off the look of joy and relief that he knew to be on his face. "How did it go?"

Darry grinned even bigger, feeling even more ecstatic now that he was out from under the microscope. "Sodapop and Ponyboy are gonna be home for Thanksgiving!"