1:30 AM

Deep in Bexley's mind, she saw nothing but darkness. All she could here were several indistinct voices. They grew louder in each passing second until it became unbearable.

She covered her ears but she could still hear it. "STOP! STOP IT!" she screamed.

But they didn't stop and the owner made himself visible. It was none other than that soc that had taken advantage of her. She couldn't back away from him. It was as if there was an invisible wall stopping her from running.

The soc touched her, his grip was as strong as a vise. Looking into his eyes, she could see that what was holding her was not human, and had never been. "GET OFF OF ME! GET OFF" she shouted as the soc started to assault her again.

Soda woke up after hearing Bexley starting to sob. He looked at the digital clock and saw it was little after 1 in the morning. He pushed himself up onto his elbows and glanced over at Bexley.

She was entangled in the duvet, as if she was trying escape something. He gets out of bed and makes his way over to her Kneeling next to her, he gently puts a hand on her shoulder. "Bexley, wake up. It's okay, baby girl..." he said softly, hoping she would recognize his voice, but that wasn't the case.

"GET OFF OF ME! GET OFFI" she shouted in fear Her screams alerted Ponyboy and

Darry, who was down the hall

"What's wrong?" Darry asked, looking inside of the bedroom. His blue eyes were filledwith concern. "She's having another nightmare," Ponyboy tells him, tears filling his eyes.

Darry sat down on the bed and used both hands to wake her up but she began fighting his grasp. "Get off! Get off me!" she screamed in terror, fighting to get loose. "Wake up, Bex. Wake up!" Darry said, shaking her by the shoulders.

"AAHHH!!!" she screamed, sitting up with a start. She panted heavily while looking

around with wide, unfocused eyes. Bexley? Are you okay?" Soda said, reaching out to touch her.

However, she screamed at the contact and scooted back to the headboard, a panic attack coming. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she looked around nervously. "It's alright, Baby Girl.. You're safe. It's okay." Soda coaxed, carefully reaching out to touch her again.

She looked up at her brother and grabbed him by his bare arm since he wasn't wearing a shirt. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in the nape of his neck, sobbing her heart out.

Soda wrapped both arms around her, holding her close to him. Like Ponyboy, he and Darry would be there to push the nightmares away. They would be there to protect themn from whatever nightmares they were having.

Ponyboy scooted into the hug, letting Soda wrap his left arm around the younger boys' body. Darry was worried now. What was wrong with her to be like this? He thought about what Two-Bit was saying after Bexley had been found.

Bexley demeanor wasn't at all like this when she left for school. He'd have to ask later about this to Two-Bit and see what else he knows. But for now, he needed to help calm Bexley down. He sat down on the bed and joined in the group hug.

After about 20 minutes, Bexley was able to stop crying. They let her go and she wiped her eyes with the heel of her right hand. She inhaled shakily and looked at her. three brothers for the first time since she woke up. However, she couldn't look at them in the eye for long.

"I'm okay now," she said, holding the sheets with a tight grip, trying to keep her hands from shaking. muttered, still not looking at them.

"You sure, Bexley?" Soda asked, rubbing her back softly. "Yes," she said.

"Can you tell us what it was about?" Ponyboy asked, rubbing her shoulder. Bexley couldn't put together a sentence to answer so she nodded. "Okay, try to get some sleep," Darry said, rubbing her back. He then goes to bed, leaving the three siblings alone.

You sure you're okay, baby girl?" Soda asked. "I said I'm fine," she said curtly. The two brothers lok at one another in defeat. Neither would get any answer out of her unless she said something to them.

She could be stubborn when she wanted to be. You wanna sleep in our bed?" Ponyboy asked. She shook her head.

Bexley laid back down in her bed, covering herself up. Soda and Ponyboy don't

hesitate to lay down with her. Soda wrapped an 'arm around her while Ponyboy snuggled as close as he could to his two siblings.

Bexley turned around and face Soda's bare chest, curling into a ball. "Gnight, guys.." Bexley sighed. "Night, Bexley. Try to get some sleep, okay?" Soda said, kissing her on the forehead. "O-Okay.." she sighed

It didn't take long before both of her brothers were fast asleep.

The following morning, Darry was in the kitchen getting breakfast ready. While doing so, he heard the phone in the kitchen go off. He answered it and Two-Bit's subtlety distressed voice started speaking through the phone.

"Darry... I think I know what happened to Bexley last night..." He said, starting to cry. Darry turned the stove off and listened. "What is it, Two?" he asked urgently.

"I think those socs..." Two-Bit said, swallowing heavily to keep vomiting, "I think they raped her..."

There was silence on the other end. Darry was in shock at what Two-Bit just told him.

"H-How do you know that?" Darry asked, fighting back tears that were rising in his

blue eyes. Two-Bit tearfully explained the evidence to Darry, and he went pale. "I'll

talk to her.. " Darry said before hanging up.

He couldn't breathe. It was as if the air had been knocked out of him by a sledge

hammer. He just couldn't believe it. He couldn't believe that those disgusting socs had raped his kid sister.

The shock wore off and anger replaced it. If he saw those socs, he would surely break their necks with his bear hands.

He didn't even hear the door to the bedroom open from how angry he was feeling.

"Darry? What's wrong?" Soda asked, touching his older brother's shoulder. Darry flinched at Soda's touch and looked up at him.

He caught the concerned look in Soda's chocolate brown eyes. "Two-Bit called. He

knows what happened to Bexley last night," Darry said, leaning on the counter by using both of his hands to hold himself up. He didn't even look at Soda as he answered him.

"Wh-What happened?" Soda asked worriedly. Darry squeezed his eyes shut and huffed, trying to control his flaming rage around Soda. "Those sons of bitches raped our little sister last night, Sodapop. Two-Bit told me what happened," Darry scowled.

Sodapop was first in shock, letting the words sink in. When they did, he broke down into tears, letting his knees buckle from underneath him. "No... please God no! This can't be happening... Please no..." he sobbed, covering his face with both hands.

Darry helped Soda up from the floor and brought him into a hug, comforting his little brother. Soda cried all the tears he could cry. His cries were heard by Bexley, who had just woken up but didn't know why he was crying like that.

But she believed that they figured out what had happened to her last night. That was what she wanted to avoid. Now she knew if she went out there, that would be the first thing they would confront her about.

Ponyboy felt Bexley move around the bed, so he opened his eyes. "Bex, you okay?"

he asked, pushing himself up while rubbing his eyes. Bexley jumped when she heard his voice.

"Soda's cryin'..." she whispered. Ponyboy looked towards the door, listening to their

older brother's cries. "What's going on?" he wondered, throwing the blankets off and getting out of bed.

He walked out of the bedroom, leaving the door open. Bexley carefully stood up so the old bed wouldn't make any noise. She tiptoed out of the bedroom and down the hall, making sure that her brothers didn't see her.

After making it to the lot, Bexley sat down and looked down at her bare feet,

seeing that they were cut up and bleeding a little bit. She pulled her legs up to her chest and hugged them to her chest and buried her face in them and cried softly.

How could this have happened to her? Why did she let herself get raped? Why didn't she fight back hard enough? She couldn't find the answers to any of those questions. All she could do was blame herself for letting it happen.

Now everyone, except for Steve, knows what had happened. She felt betrayed by Reese. How else would Two-Bit and them know about it? She didn't want them to know...

Just as she got too deep into her thoughts, she heard footsteps walking up

to her. "Bex?" a familiar voice said. Bexley tensed up and barely looked up from her knees. It was Reese.

"What do you want?" she spat curtly. Reese was taken aback by Bexley's tone."I wanted to check on you," Reese said, "I told Keith that I would," Bexley glared at her like she hated her with all of her being.

"I didnt want themto know.." Bexley sobbed angry tears running down her face. "I'm sorry, Bex but I had to. They dont want to gocrazy in tryng to figure what's wrong with their sister. How do you think my own brother would feel if it happened to me if I didn't tell him? Hell, he sees you as a sister and it scared him half to death. Go home and be with your family. You should have time with them," Reese said.

Bexley felt her heart slowly down, realizing that Reese was right. It'd be painful for her brother's if she kept her secret from them. "O...Okay... I'll go back..." she said, sniffling .

She stood up and received a hug from Reese. "I'm here for you. you know that right?" she asked. Bexley nodded into her shoulder before breaking the hug.

Bexley went back home, the thought making her feel a bit safer. A part of her told her that her brothers wouldn't hate her.

They would love her still. She stood on the front porch, her nerves shaking like crazy. She couldn't help it.

She opened the front door, getting her brothers to look at her. Even Steve.

Soda was the first one to stand up fromthe couch and walked over to her. "Are you okay, baby girl?"he asked, pulling her into a gentle embrace. She started to cry in his arms.

"I'm sorry.. I should've said yes to a ride home. He was too strong..." she sobbed, burying her wet face in her big brother's shoukder. "Shhh...it's alight now..." he softly said, caressing the back of of her head.

Pony boy came over and hugged her. "We're right here," he said. Bexley looked over Soda's shoulder and saw that Darry had tears in his icy blue eyes. She knew that he rarely cried. He cried when he saw her and Ponyboy at the hospital after the fire in Windrixvile.

"Darry," she started. "Don't be sorry, hon." None of this is your fault, he said, standing up from his recliner. Stevé raw that they needed time before he told Soda that he was gonna swing by Buck's before lea ving the four sblings aone, Soda let go of Bexley so she could face ther eldest brother.

"If anything, it's mine. Its my job to keep you three safe and." he started with a sob, "I promised mom and dad. I couldnt keep you safe.."

Bexley hugged himaround the neck, tears in her eyes. He hugs her back around her waist, cradling the back of her head. "Why didn't you say anything last night.." Darry shakily said. "I was scared." she whimpered. "Of what, hon?"he whispered, kissing the side of her head.

"Why didn't you say anything last night.." Darry shakily said. "I was scared." she whimpered. "Of what, hon?"he whispered, kissing the side of her head.

"We'll never hate you, baby girl." Soda said, putting his nose to the back ofher hair. Ponyboy rubbed her back in a comforting way.

Even though she was getting love from her family, she couidnt heb but feel dirty and gross. How woud the people at school feel about this? Thats another thing she was terrifed of.

"You're gonna be okay," Soda and Ponyboy said. But she knew they were wrong. Very wrong.