"Where are their souls?" Pony asked Darry, looking up from his McDonald's fries.

"They're in Heaven." He replied, not really wanting to get onto the subject of their parents.

"How did they get there?" Pony pressed on, oblivious to his brother's discomfort. Soda now looked up at Darry also.

Darry put down his burger and wiped his hands. "By heavenly means," he said before getting up and starting to tidy away the McDonalds packaging that was scattered al over the living room.

"Did God send a bucket down on a rope?"

"I expect so kiddo."

"But like a heavenly bucket?"

"Yeah a Heavenly bucket."

"With a gold rope I expect."

"Probably."

Ponyboy nodded and thoughtfully began to lick salt off his fingers. Darry watched him for a minute, wondering what was going on in that little head of his. It made him nervous, Pony asking so many questions about their parents.

"Alright you two, time for bed." Darry continued, raising a hand to quieten the protests that bubbled up. "Come on guys, I'm really tired tonight. For once will you just go to bed when I tell you? Please?"

To his surprise both children stopped complaining, and smiled up at him.

"We'll go to bed," Soda said, a twinkle in his eye. "If you promise to turn your light out when we turn out ours."

Darry sighed and shook his head, a small smile appearing on his lips. "Alright, alright," he agreed, finally giving in. "Come on lets all get ready for bed then."

Half an hour later all lights were out and Darry had just finished tucking in Ponyboy and confiscating Soda's flash light and comic book. He flopped down onto his pillows and was asleep almost instantly.

He only woke up because someone was shaking him. He rolled over and found himself only inches away from Soda's face. His expression woke Darry up properly.

"What's wrong honey?" He asked, sitting up and flicking on the light. "Don't you feel well?"

"It's Pony Darry. He's havin' one of his nightmares again."

Darry cussed silently under his breath and quickly followed Soda back into their bedroom. Ponyboy was frantically thrashing around, his arms and legs caught up in the sheets, his face drenched in sweat.

"Soda go get me a wet flannel from the bathroom," Darry instructed calmly, not wanting to scare Soda anymore than he already was, while he carefully moved round next to Ponyboy. "Sssshhhhh," he began softly, stroking his cheek gently. "Come on Ponyboy, not tonight,"

Soda reappeared holding a flannel and looking worried. Darry could see bags under his eyes, the result of to many disturbed nights.

"He's wet the bed Darry." He said quietly, handing him the flannel. "Can you make him better?"

"He's not sick, Soda, he's just scared," Darry corrected, although secretly he was worried about Pony, he'd not wet the bed for years.

Darry slowly leaned over Pony's face, carefully avoiding his still flailing arms and squeezed the flannel out over his face. Pony gasped and sat bolt upright. Darry lent quickly back, waiting to see weather Pony had snapped out of it or not. He started to scream.

"Mom, mom, mom! Mommy NO! MOMMY!"

"Saod get me another flannel. Now!" Darry wrapped his arms tightly round Ponyboy as Soda dashed back to the bathroom.

Once he was back, Darry wrung the second flannel out over Pony's face. To both is brother's relief this seemed to calm him down. Darry began to gentle wipe his face, shushing him softly.

"Mommy," Heavy sobs replaced Pony's yells. "Mommy no..."

Darry peeled the wet sheets off him and picked in up, slipping his pyjama bottoms off him at the same time. He handed them to Soda and asked him to put them in the bath with the bed clothes. Soda nodded and began to strip the bed. Darry carried Pony through the living room and into the kitchen. He sat him down on the counter next to the sink and began to gently wash his legs. He then did the same to his tear-stained little face.

Darry had Pony in a clean pair of pyjamas and was holding him on his lap by the time Soda was finished in the bathroom. Pony was still crying and occasionally calling out for their mom.

"It's no use Darry," Soda said sadly, watching his brothers. "He don't want you; he wants mom."

"Go to bed Soda," Darry sighed, knowing his brother spoke the truth. "You can sleep in my bed tonight."

Soda opened his mouth to argue but shut it again and disappeared after a stern glare from Darry. He gently rocked Pony on his lap, whispering nonsense words into his soft brown hair until the tears stopped. Only then did he try and find out the problem.

"What's wrong baby? You had another nightmare?" He felt Pony's head nod against his chest.

"Darry, my legs are all wet."

"That's because you wet the bed honey."

"Oh. Did I pee on my face?"

"No. I had to put water on you to wake you up."

"You did? Sorry."

"It's ok, not your fault. What were you dreamin' about?"

"Mommy."

"What about mommy?"

"She was going up in Heaven's bucket and I couldn't reach her. I kept jumping and jumping. Then there were loads of Heaven's buckets, millions and millions and I couldn't find mommy's bucket and..." Pony trailed off, sighing.

"What?" asked Darry.

"I miss things."

"What things?"

Pony shrugged. "Just things," he yawned. "Sometimes...when I think about them."

Darry smiled sadly and gently rubbed his back.

"I'm not gonna have any more bad dreams am I Darry?"

"No baby, not tonight. I think your all dreamed out."

When Soda got up next morning, he found Darry asleep on the sofa with Ponyboy curled up on his belly, clutching Darry's pyjama top in his fist as though he'd never let go.