Title: Back for You
Author(ess): Berserker Nightwitch
Summary: Dally and Johnny are dead right? Then how is Dally coming through the front door? And who is this person who looks like Johnny?
Posted: March 31, 2004
Chapter Title: Impossible Made Real
Thank Yous:
movielvr – Thanks for the review. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who noticed that… And I would send you a cookie, but you weren't signed into ff.net, and you didn't leave your email address. If you really want the cookie, I suggest you do one or the other next time you review.
Sodapop02 – I hope this chapter can explain it.
eclipsed – I didn't think setting it up like that would hurt anything, so…
shyXshortieXbabe – Johnny will play a key role in this chapter (much like Dally for chapter 2)
Tensleep – I hope this is a soon enough update. I do try to update quick. Let's make a deal? You update, then I update, then you update, and so on. BTW, I am talking about the Different View story. Pepsi's fun.
Outiderslover-0408 – Of course I left it at a cliffhanger. That makes other people come back. It also annoys the piss out of them if it takes a long time for the person to update.
Mistress of the Darkness – 1: I like your name, 2: did you like your cookie? Here's more Johnny.
To movielvr, Sodapop02, and eclipsed: I will NOT go searching for you, so if you wanted a cookie for that chapter, leave your email addresses next time. _
Now to finally get on with the story…
~~
"I'm sorry, but could you at least give me your name?" Pony asked desperately.
"Johnny Cade."
~
"What?" Ponyboy whispered, staring in near-fear at the stranger. The young man gave him a sad smile and sat down next to him on the step, much like Johnny had done for the entire time the boys had known each other.
"I'm Johnny."
"But that's not possible."
"Why not?"
"Because Johnny- We watched him- I mean, I… I saw him… " A look of pain crossed the stranger's face as he watched Ponyboy struggle not to cry. He wanted nothing more than to put an arm around the younger boy's shoulders and hug him. It was what he always did. He made Pony feel better.
"Come on, Pony, don't cry. I'm not dead."
"But I saw Johnny stop breathing. The clicky machine stopped making noise."
"But I'm here now, aren't I?"
"Why should I believe that you're who you say you are?"
"I've never lie- "
"Pony?" Both jumped at the voice calling from inside. "Who are you talking to?" Darry's voice was sounding overprotective again.
"I don't know. He says he Johnny." Almost before Ponyboy could finish, Darry, Soda, and Dally were outside and looking ready to kill.
"Who are you?" Dally asked menacingly.
"I'm Johnny Cade," the stranger answered calmly, though the look in his eyes was very much like the look Johnny got when he was trying to look brave.
"Bull. Now who are you really?" Soda demanded, giving the stranger a glare that would burn a hole through metal.
"I'm telling the truth. What reason do I have to lie to y'all?"
"Then how are you standing here?" Dally asked, beginning to wonder if he was telling the truth. After all, they had gone through this same scenario when he had first come back.
"I never died."
"This is giving me a headache," Darry mumbled, rubbing his temples. "Come on in, and you can tell all of us. Two-Bit and Steve can help us decide if you're lying or not." He lead the group back inside the house, causing the two still inside the house to look up in something akin to alarm.
"Is something wrong, Darry?" Steve asked, eyeing the stranger nervously.
"This guy says he's Johnny," Dally answered for him.
Two-Bit looked the person over, then grinned. "If you really are who you say you are, then you would know this. What is Johnny Cade's nickname, and how did he get it?"
"Johnnycake, and it's because Ponyboy had trouble speaking when he was real little and mixed my last name with his favorite food. No one could convince him that it wasn't my real name, and after awhile it became my nickname."
At the explanation, Ponyboy looked to his brothers to see if it was true. He had been told that it was because of Johnny's last name, but they had left out the part that he was the one who created it. The other five were staring at the stranger in shock, so it was obviously the correct answer.
"But I saw you stop breathing, man," Dally finally said.
"The docs managed to bring me back to life. They kicked Pony out of the room as soon as I stopped breathing, and then they kinda revived me. I was in intensive care for a long time, and I didn't want them to call anyone. They called my parents, but they never even pick up their phone, and no one knew to call you guys."
"But you look so… different," Ponyboy whispered.
"Yeah. I had to go to a lot of physical therapy to learn to use my legs again. At first they thought I'd never be able to, so they had me move around dragging myself with my arms. Then I started trying to walk again, and after awhile I could. That gave me a lot more muscles."
"And your voice?" Steve asked, for all appearances amused by the explanations.
"Puberty? I don't know. It just finally finished changing or something."
"I guess that makes sense."
"Uh… Johnny?" Two-Bit asked hesitantly. He waited until he had Johnny's full attention before continuing. "Where are you going to stay?"
"I don't know, actually. I could just set up a shack or something in the lot."
"Forget it." Everyone looked to Darry. "Either me or Dally could share a room with you. Or Pony and Soda. But you are not going to stay at the lot."
"I'll share with him," Dally volunteered.
"Thanks y'all, but I don't wanna be a bother."
"How is this being a bother? Now I can be sure that Pony stays at school." Ponyboy flushed and looked away when the other all turned to him. All but Johnny had knowing grins on their faces. At Johnny's confused look, Soda laughed and explained about that morning.
By the time everyone had gotten caught up with each other again, it was getting late. There was school the next day, so everyone went to bed. Dally and Johnny shared a bed that night, but Darry promised that they would go shopping for a different bed later in the week, hopefully even the next day.
~
"What's wrong with this one?" Soda asked, pointing at a queen.
"It's too big. There wouldn't be any space in the room for another bed."
"Why do they need two?"
"We're not brothers and neither of us has nightmares. It's just too creepy to share a bed."
"You're just being a wuss, Dal."
"Shut up, Sodapop."
"Nope."
"What about this?" Ponyboy asked before the argument could turn into a fistfight. The others looked to where he was pointing and saw a bed that looked perfect for the room, except for one thing.
"Why's the other one so high?"
"So that the one on bottom doesn't hit their head."
"So which of us would be on top?"
"You would of course."
"Why me? And don't try that 'You're littler' crap. I'm almost bigger than you are now."
"Fine, because you're younger, Johnnycake."
"That's cheap."
"So sad."
"How much is it?" Darry asked. He smirked at the price, and waited to see if Johnny and Dally were willing to get it. They were, and that is how, that night, Johnny was on the top bed in a bunk bed. After almost an hour of hitting his head on the ceiling, though, Darry came into the room.
"This isn't working, you two."
"Yeah, I noticed," Johnny grumbled, rubbing his head.
"Switch."
"What?"
"You heard me. Johnny will take the bottom and Dally will be on top."
"But I'm older!"
"What? Are you scared of heights or something?"
"Of course not! I just… don't see why I have to go up there."
"Listen, Dal. It's either that, or you two go back to sharing a bed, because Johnny constantly hitting the ceiling is keeping me awake. You're smaller now, and thinner, so it shouldn't be as much of an issue."
He grumbled the entire time, but Dally switched places with Johnny. Sure enough, he was small enough that he wasn't bothered by the lack of distance from the ceiling. In fact, he slept better with the smaller space.
~
"Hey Darry?"
"Yeah Soda."
"Do you think Mom and Dad will be next?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, think about it. First Mom and Dad die, then Johnny dies, then Dally dies. Then Dally comes back, and yesterday Johnny came back. Maybe by this time next year Mom and Dad will be back, too."
"I doubt it."
"Why?"
"Because. We went to their funeral. We saw the caskets."
"But we saw Dally and Johnny's caskets, too."
"No we didn't. If you remember, there wasn't even a funeral."
"But it's still possible!"
"Fine Soda. If you want to believe that, go ahead. But don't get your hopes up. And don't tell Pony your theory. The last thing I need is having both of you heartbroken at the same time."
"That's kinda cruel."
"Soda, I've had a long day. Yesterday was a long day. The past year and a half has been filled with long days. I've woken up at all hours of the night to my youngest brother screaming bloody murder because of dreams he can't even remember once he opens his eyes. I've watched my other brother get heartbroken because of some slut. I really don't want either of you to be hurt again, and right now you're setting yourself up for it."
"I guess."
"I'm sorry, Soda. I wish I could believe it, or let you believe it. It's just not healthy."
"I know. I think I knew all along that it wasn't possible. I just needed to hear someone say it out loud."
"I'm still sorry."
"Wanna make it up to me?"
"How would I do that?"
"Make a double sized chocolate cake for tomorrow morning, and buy chocolate ice cream for my birthday."
"Done."
"Thanks!"
"Sure. And Soda?"
"Yeah?"
"Go to bed. It's after midnight."
"Right."
~~
A/N: Okay, it's pretty long. And I know the ending is kinda weird, but I just couldn't leave it at a sad part. It would have made me cry. There are still two chapters to go, but I forgot where I was going with the sequel. I have one chapter all written out, too. The only problem is that that chapter doesn't give me any ideas about what I was going to do with it. T_T That's what I get for putting off this chapter for so long. Anywho, please review.
BN: And now, thanks to popular demand (popular being one person's hinting) I'M BACK!
Dally: Man, I thought we'd finally gotten rid of you.
BN: That's cruel, Blondie.
Dally: Look who's talking.
Darry: Children, please. Don't fight in front of the audience.
BN: Fine, but only if I get to sing the latest song to pop into my head!
Darry: Fine.
BN: Ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall, ninety-nine bottles of beer! You take one down; pass it around. Ninety-eight bottles of beer on the wall! Ninety-eight bottles of beer on-
Steve: That's enough of that song. Please review.
