Thank you to everyone! I hope you enjoy. Please review if you get a chance, I'd love to hear what you think.

Jem

"Hey man, you wanna go to the drag races tonight?" Steve asked as he entered the store from the garage.

"You planning on racing?" I asked from where I was stocking chips.

Steve grabbed a bag and popped it open. "I might." He said casually chomping on a chip.

I looked over my shoulder at his carefully blank expression and sighed. I wondered if Darry had said something to him or if he'd decided that I needed to get out of the house himself? They didn't need to try so hard.

Since they'd taken Ponyboy away 5 days ago, our house felt cold and empty. During the day I was able to find things like work to distract myself even though it seemed that every little thing reminded me of him. But at night I remembered he was gone every time I stretched out and felt the cool sheets where Pony used to sleep.

I gritted my teeth and pushed back the memory, I wasn't planning on bawling at the DX if I could help it.

"Sure, sounds tuff enough." I kept my face turned away from Steve because truthfully my eyes were getting hot. I blinked hard a few times. He must have noticed because he gave my shoulder a squeeze. Steve had been watching me extra carefully since Ponyboy was taken, he had also been quieter as if he didn't know what to say to me. It was alright, I didn't know if there was anything he could say that would make any of this better.

"Ya think Darry will wanna come?" Steve held out the chips towards me. I grabbed a handful and shoved them into my mouth crunching noisily, thankful for the distraction.

Darry had been taking it real hard. He'd all but collapsed into the armchair after the car with Ponyboy disappeared from view. He propped his arms on his knees and dropped his head into his hands. I sat on the couch just letting the tears drip down my face, too tired to wipe them away. We'd sat that way for what felt like forever until our front door clattered open to reveal Steve and Two-Bit. Their twin looks of shock when Darry told them what had happened would have been comical if it wasn't so tragic.

Steve had started swearing and pacing the living room, snarling about how it was unfair and ripping the smartass kid from his family wasn't gonna help anyone. All the while I sat on the couch, my cheeks wet as tear after tear dripped onto the carpet at my feet. I couldn't have moved if I'd wanted to, I was too empty to bother.

Pony's voice echoed in my ears.

"I don't wanna go." Over and over and over, I could hear him pleading with me. The words tumbled around and bounced inside my head. His voice small and frightened. I covered my ears with my hands, trying to block it out.

"Knock it off Steve!" Two-Bit snapped and my head shot up. He was still standing in the doorway his eyes darting back and forth between Darry and me.

Steve stopped abruptly and looked about ready to fall all over Two-Bit until he noticed Two-Bit gesture to Darry and me. Steve pulled in a deep breath and sat down on the arm of the couch beside me. He patted my shoulder, but I could still feel the anger rolling inside him, just shimmering under the surface.

"Alright fellows," Two-Bit had said, his voice unusually serious. "It seems to me that we need to knock our heads together and come up with a plan if we wanna get Pony back."

"Put our heads together." Steve said, his eyes hard.

"Tomato potato," Two-Bit answered, waving his hand dismissively.

Steve's eyes rolled his eyes. "Glory you idiot, it's tomato tomah..."

Two-Bit spoke over him, his voice becoming insistent. "All I know is sitting here feeling sorry ain't gonna solve nothing."

The novelty of Two-Bit Mathews being the voice of reason must have sunk in because Darry lifted his head and for a moment I thought he was gonna take charge and fix everything.

But, he looked at Two-Bit with eyes that were as cold and empty as a frozen tundra. All hope drained out of me as he dragged himself to his feet and disappeared into his room without a word. The slamming of his door, shaking the very foundation that I'd built my hopes on and I dissolved into sobs. Nothing either Steve or Two-Bit said was able to calm me down and after a while I just gave up trying and escaped to the room that I used to share with my brother.

It had taken until the following morning for Darry to snap outta the haze. Darry had emerged from his room with a renewed fire in his eyes and a plan. The first thing he did was make an appointment with Mrs. Wilson.

"It just don't make a lick of sense, Soda. They just come and take him with no warnings or notice. It don't make sense." He had raged as he stalked up and down the living room. "I'm gonna fix this. Yes, money's tight but if they went around grabbing every kid from poor households the East side would be empty."

I bounced with excitement to see his resolve. My big brother was gonna go give those social workers what for and Pony would be home that evening. Darry left for his meeting with Mrs. Wilson with his head held high and shoulders back, but they were hunched inward when he returned. He threw himself back into his armchair and covered his face before he was able to control himself enough to speak.

"Mrs. Wilson's supervisor thought that you and Pony should have been taken into state custody after the Bob Sheldon's case. He disagreed with the judges decision to keep us together." Darry told me tiredly, running his hand through his hair. "He's been waiting for me to mess up. To prove that I'm an unfit guardian."

He didn't break but his eyes held such despair that I silently cursed this man who had judged my brother without knowing him. "Darry…"

"I'm fine." He waved me off and got to his feet. "Mrs. Wilson says that his opinion does not affect her reports, so we should still be okay with petitioning the judge once I find a better job."

He tried to pretend that it didn't bother him but I'd caught him standing in front of our parents' photo holding one of Pony's books so tightly his knuckles turned white. He had disappeared into his room the moment that he noticed me watching him, but he never let go of the book.

"I think he's working at the warehouse tonight." I answered Steve. Darry had called and begged the manager for more hours, it wasn't enough to get Ponyboy back but it would help.

Steve nodded. "Are you almost done here?"

I looked up at the clock surprised that it was already quitting time. I guess time moves quickly when you spend every second of it stopping yourself from thinking.

We locked up quickly and Steve drove us home so we could get ready to head out.

When we drove up, the house wasn't dark as I expected. My heart started to beat faster. Darry wouldn't have left the lights on, not with the bills hanging over our heads.

I was out of the car before Steve could bring it to a complete stop, running up the steps so fast that I almost stumbled.

My heart was pounding in my throat, as I ripped open the front door, calling out. "Pony!"

Two-Bit looked up startled, from his seat on the coach. His face fell. "Naw, sorry man. It's just me."

All hope rushed out of me, leaving me breathless. My ears heated up and I nodded a few times to him trying to fight back the wetness that sprang to my eyes.

Steve placed his hand on my back and I yelped in surprise. I hadn't heard him come up behind me. "What's going on Soda? You tore out of there like you were on fire." He was watching me with concern again, it was the same look he had been sending me all week. Like I was glass in a hurricane and it was just a matter of time before I shattered.

"He just couldn't wait another second to see me Stevie." Two-Bit drawled and I shot him a thankful look as he pulled Steve's attention from me. I used the moment to wipe furiously at my eyes, cursing myself for being so dumb to think that Ponyboy could be home. Two-Bit caught the movement but didn't mention it. "I have that effect on people." He said with a smile that wasn't as large as they used to be.

Steve smirked and said sarcastically. "Sure, the ladies are all over you."

"Gotta beat them off with a stick." Two-Bit chuckled and swung his arms wildly to demonstrate. Steve rolled his eyes and made his way down the hall. He paused and shot a questioning glance over his shoulder but shrugged as I waved him off. Two-Bit watched him go before turning his gaze to me. For such a joker, his grey eyes can be mighty unsettling when he gets it into his head. He had been joking less since Pony left and this new more serious Two-Bit put me on edge. I wanted my life back to normal again.

"You alright, Soda?" He asked softly enough for Steve not to hear.

I took in a shaky breath and nodded. He cocked his eyebrow for a long moment and I quickly made my way to the kitchen and pulled open the fridge, hoping to redirect his attention. I did a double take and my mouth dropped open. We'd been down to our last few eggs and a carton of milk. Neither Darry or I were gonna get paid until tomorrow so finding the fridge stocked was a shock.

"Two-Bit?"

"Yeah?" He answered absently without tearing his eyes from the screen.

"Did Darry bring home groceries before he went to the warehouse?"

Even from across the room I saw Two-Bit's ear redden. "Naw man, I brought those over."

I crossed my arms. "You can't just raid your mom's fridge, she can't afford that any more than we can."

"I wouldn't do that to Ma. I just won big at poker the other night and I wanted to share my wealth with the little people." Two-Bit grinned sheepishly and turned quickly back to the tv.

"You won at poker?" Steve scoffed from the hallway.

"Glory, I've played enough of it with the two biggest cheats this side of Oklahoma. I've learned me a thing or two." He grinned and took a deep pull from his beer. "That cowboy was a no good cheat and I mean no good cause he was awful at it. Easiest cash I've ever made."

"You don't make any money, you don't have a job." Steve hit Two-Bit upside the head as he moved towards the front door. "I'm gonna have a smoke."

I moved closer to the couch and clasped Two-Bit on the shoulder for a moment. "Thanks man."

He simply nodded and waved me off with his hand. I looked up and saw Steve watching from the doorway. He had been buying me lunch every day this week, and neither of them were staying for dinner. My friends had been silently doing what they could for us, I'd just been too focused on Pony to notice. I wondered if Darry knew?

I smiled as I made my way to my room, pulling my DX shirt over my head and letting it drop to the floor.

I paused in the doorway and looked at the bed that I used to share with my brother. A longing so strong that it made me want to double over filled me and I crawled into bed, pulling Pony's pillow into my arms. I buried my head in it and choked back a sob. It still smelled like him.

I wondered how long that indescribable scent of my kid brother would linger on the fabric and whether I'd be grateful or not when it disappeared.

I didn't know where he was or who was looking after him. Had his nightmares started again? I squeezed my eyes tight against the image of Ponyboy screaming out for me alone in the dark. My stomach turned and I held the pillow tighter.

I knew that Steve was waiting for me so we could go to the drag race, but before we went I needed this. I spent all day at work fighting with myself not to think about Pony, to stop myself from becoming a mess. Now, I let all the walls down and allowed the sobs to bubble up.

"I miss you so much honey." I mumbled.

In three minutes I would pull myself together. In three minutes, I'd go out, smile and laugh with the guys. Right now, I was gonna cry because it was the only thing that would get me through the next two days.

"Soda?" I turned and Steve was standing silhouetted in the doorway. I sat up and threw the pillow back onto the bed, turning away from him to dry my eyes. I grabbed a shirt of the clean pile on the dresser and pulled it over my head.

"I'm ready, let's go." I said with forced cheerfulness as I brushed by him.

Steve didn't say anything but I knew that I hadn't fooled him. He watched me even closer as we moved to the car with Two-Bit in tow. Better to let me pretend that I wasn't falling apart then to pull the base from under me and watch the whole tower fall down.