Disclaimer:I own nothing, as always!Well,I do own Samantha! So HA!

Samantha's POV

I know I should have calmed down and found out what to do. But I just couldn't stop crying. I mean, I had spent a lot of money getting here, and all to find out that the only thing that I loved any more was gone forever. It was devastating.

"I'm so sorry," I told Sodapop, as I pulled away from him. He just smiled sweetly at me.

"No, I understand. If I came and found out one of my brothers was dead . . . " He didn't finish his sentence. "I understand."

"Thank you," I said, then looked at the other boys. Pony had a pained expression on his face, and Darry looked like he wanted to die. I realized that it was just as hard on them as it was on me. These were his best friends. "It's just, I went through a lot to get here, and now . . . I'll never even get to meet him." Soda hugged me.

"Do you have anywhere to stay?" Darry asked.

"No, I don't." I said. "I should probably head back to Massachusetts."

"You can stay with us," Darry offered. "I'm sure the gang will love you, and you can sleep on our couch."

"Thank you. I guess I can stay for a while," I said, and my decision was made. The boys seemed so nice.

"Great," Soda said. Pony and Darry nodded in agreement. I got up and followed them into the house.

Soda's POV

I was really glad when Samantha said she would stay. Our gang didn't seem right without Johnny, but she might help to fill in the gap. Besides, I felt something stir inside my stomach and didn't want that to go away.

We showed her the couch and gave her a 'grand tour' of the house, which took about five seconds. Then we all sat down in the kitchen.

"Thank you again," Samantha said, and we all nodded. " I can't believe what has happened to me in the past year, but this is by far the best thing."

"We're happy to have you," Pony said. I looked at him in surprise. He was usually kept his mouth shut tight around girls. He must have been reminded of Johnny, too.

"Alright. We all need to get to bed." Darry said, and I groaned. "Yell if you need anything, Samantha."

"All right. And you can call me Sam or Sammy." She replied. She leaned back on the couch and smiled up at us. "Good night."

"Good night," we said, and climbed up the stairs.

Later that night when Pony and I were lying in bed, Pony spoke up.

"She's pretty cool, huh?" He didn't have to specify who.

"Yea. But I dunno," I said, trying to sort my feelings out. "It seems like she's had a rough life."

"Yea." Pony said softly. "Like Johnny."

"Yep, like Johnny."

"She's pretty," Pony said carefully. I looked at him.

"Yea, she is. She's 16 though, Stallion," I said to Pony, using a nickname that I used when I was being gentle with him.

"Oh, I know, but your 16 too, Soda." Pony looked at me slyly.

"So? Ponyboy Curtis, don't even think that!" I cried. That kid was just too smart for his own good.

" 'Night, Soda." Pony said, and turned to face the wall. I sighed and drifted off to sleep.

Samantha's POV

I woke up early the next morning. I've always been an early riser, and even though I had stayed awake for a while the night before, I was up by 7:30. I walked over to my backpack and found my favorite jeans and a cute t-shirt that I had gotten in Boston. I ran up to the shower and quickly got ready. I knew that I wasn't too dressed up, but I didn't think I would need to look gorgeous. I did put my makeup on though. You just never know when it might pay off to look nice.

I walked down to the kitchen and put some toast into the toaster. I was starving, so you'll have to excuse me for being so rude. Then I pored myself a glass of chocolate milk, and walked into the livingroom. When I entered it, however, I got the shock of a lifetime. Sitting on the couch was the most beautiful man I had ever seen.

Of course, I began coughing on my chocolate milk just then. I always do that. I'm such a klutz. Lord. And, of course, he looked up from his newspaper and looked at me sinking to the ground.

"Whoa, whoa," he said, and jumped up. "Lord, I don't even know you and you're dying on me!" He lifted me up and onto the couch. For a moment I just enjoyed being in his arms, and eventually stopped coughing.

"I am so sorry!" I stammered. "I just, I mean . . . Okay. I guess it went down the wrong pipe. Sorry." My voice sounded so stupid! Why wasn't I wearing decent clothes?

"No, its fine," he replied. "You just kinda. . . freaked me out, I guess. I'm Dallas Winston, by the way."

Oh My LORD! My mind was working over time. The Dallas Winston? The one Johnny was always talking about? Holy heck. He never mentioned that he was gorgous!

"I'm Samantha." I said weakly, and sat up. It was a little awkward, I suppose. Anyway, I rose to my feet, and he sat up and lit a cigarette.

"Wanna smoke?" He asked me. I shook my head no. Ever since my foster mom died of lung cancer, I wasn't to keen on the idea of doing the same. "Alright. Who are you, anyway?"

"I'm Samantha." I said stupidly.

"Right, I know that." He said, raising his eyebrows. "I mean, what are you doing here? You Soda's new girl, or somethin'?"

"Ah, no. Soda actually saved my life from a bunch of dirty Socs, and Darry offered me the couch." I told him. He kinda nodded, and looked me up and down. "What are you doing?"

"Um, I slept here last night." He told me. "I'm part of the gang."

"Oh, I know. I was just . . . curious." I said, and heard the door slam. Two boys came running in. One had rusty sideburns and a smug grin, the other had thick dark hair. They both stopped and looked at me strangely.

I want to thnak all my reviewers. It means a lot to me that you read my story and took the time to review!Thank you somuch!