Broken Roads Lead Home

Losing your folks is never easy, but it's even harder when your younger siblings look to you for guidance. It's even harder when you're forced to move halfway across the country to live with cousins you only saw on holidays.


A/N: Takes in the Outsiders universe, starting in 1960, leading up to the events of the book.


October 30, 1960

Jacklyn Curtis was just shy of sixteen when her parents decided for the first time since her baby sister, Scarlet, was born, that she was responsible enough to watch both her younger brother, Cameron, alongside the infant. Scarlet had just turned a year old and while Jacklyn had been watching her eleven-year-old brother since he was in diapers, her mother often felt apprehensive about leaving the teenager with two kids to tend to.

"Go," Jacklyn assured her parents. "Have fun! Y'all have been cooped up in this apartment for far too long. Daddy said he's got a surprise for you," she continued, hugging the tiny child in her arms close. "Besides, it's almost the holidays, you know as well as I do that the trip to Tulsa's gonna be a lot more stressful than one night out."

"Jax…are you sure?" her mother asked for the millionth time, giving her eldest child a coy smile. Jacklyn had gone by the petname Jax since she was two years old and decided she didn't like being named after her father. Thankfully, her father understood completely and accepted the petname as if it were her given name from day one.

"Of course, momma. You and daddy deserve a night out. Besides, I've watched Cam plenty. And he's too busy reading that book uncle Darrel sent him," she said with a huge smile. Cameron was a reader, always had been, but after the other half of the Curtis clan came up to New York for a shared birthday between Cameron and Ponyboy, Cameron was more excited to dig into a good book than ever. Jax could only guess that it had something to do with Uncle Darrel being real smart while our own daddy wasn't the brightest bulb in the lamp.

"You have the number to the restaurant and the neighbors and you know if Scarlet spikes a fever, you can always call Aunt Martha, she can talk you through bringing it down. Your daddy and me should be back before you all wake up in the morning, don't let Cami stay up too late, you know that boy is a nightmare to wake if he's up all night reading that book of his," Marilyn, the patriarch of the family rattled off, fixing her hair into a neat, yet chaotic up-do.

"Momma, I've got this under control, savvy? Besides, it's late, Scar only needs a bottle and a diaper change then she'll sleep through the night and Cam knows when I say lights out, I mean it," Jax said matter-of-factly.

Marilyn couldn't help but admire her eldest daughter's maturity. She hadn't had it easy, growing up in Upper Manhattan had done her no favors. She had lost count of how many times she had to bail her eldest out of jail and how many times the feisty teenager had landed herself in juvenile hall since hitting twelve. Unfortunately, it was all part of growing up in the ghetto.

"Do not leave this apartment, Jax, you keep them doors locked and don't open them up for anyone, you dig?" she said, her tone stern, as if she never left her eldest alone before.

"Mom," Jax said, this time her own tone stern. "I know the rules. Stop worrying so dang much. If you don't get yourself changed soon, you and daddy are gonna miss your reservation," she continued. They didn't have a lot of money and Jax knew that if her father had put together a romantic night for the couple, he had worked his ass off to make it happen.

"Okay, okay," Marilyn sighed as she kissed her youngest daughter on the cheek before inspecting herself in the small, dirty mirror. "How do I look?"

Jax studied her mother's homely figure. She was wearing a bright red dress that hugged her curves in all the right ways. Her dark hair was in the messy up-do that made her aging face look angelic in the dim lighting. The golden locket that she and her brother had gotten her the year prior for mother's day glimmered against her mother's fair complexion.

"You look amazing, momma," Jax said with shining eyes. She always admired her mother's feminine features. She looked nothing like her mother. Even though she had already reached womanhood, her body seemed to have missed the message. Unlike her mother who had legs that seemed to go on forever, and curves that made men do a double-take, she was mostly flat chested and soundly built. She was strong, muscles rippling in her arms and legs and back, scars lacing along the lines of her petite figure. She looked more like a boy than she did a young woman, except in the face. Her face was fragile and tender, her smile almost as stunning as her mother's. And her eyes. Her icy blue eyes were always tired, but the spark of life in them showed the fire that burned deep within her belly.

"Jax?" Her mother's concerned tone broke into her thoughts.

"Huh?"

"I asked if you needed me to put Scarlet down before I left," her mother said with a gentle smile. "You stared out into space again. Penny for your thoughts?"

"Just admiring how beautiful you are momma," Jax said truthfully. "Think I'll ever…um…"

"Everyone's different, Jax, you're beautiful the way you are," her mother assured her before patting her arm. "Remember…"

"I know, I know momma," Jax laughed. She ushered her mother out of the bedroom just as her father was turning to check in on his three favorite girls.

"Ah, Marilyn, you look stunning," Jack Curtis said, his eyes shining as he came to kiss his wife's cheek. "Jax, thank you for this, we owe you," he beamed at his eldest. "And you, my little lady, best be good for your big sister," he said sweetly as he kissed the infant's cheeks.

"Go, shoo, before I change my mind," Jax said, ushering her parents towards the door. "Don't stay out too late, you crazy kids," she added, a smile dancing on her face.

After the old Ford station wagon was heard coughing and sputtering as it made its way down the street, Jax turned her attention to ensuring both of her little siblings had a fun, but eventless night.

Jax had just finished taking a shower, long after 11pm, when she heard a knock at the front door. Since they lived in an apartment complex, she wasn't sure why someone would be knocking so late at night. She quickly threw on the oversized sweatshirt she had stolen from her eldest cousin, Darry, the summer before and shimmied into the pair of sweatpants that once belonged to her father – her normal nighttime attire.

"Who the hell is knockin' this late?" she mused as she headed towards the door, but not before grabbing her switchblade off the coffee table. She slowly made her way towards the door and looked through the peephole.

Just outside the door stood two officers, their hats in their hands, along with old lady Jenkins who lived two doors down.

"I think you've got the wrong apartment," Jax said instinctively as she opened the door, her hands shoved deeply in her pockets.

"You're Jacklyn Curtis, correct?" the older of the two officers asked.

"Yes sir," she said, holding back her anger. She glanced back into the apartment to ensure that her brother hadn't woken up. "What is this about?"

"Jax, there's been an accident," Mrs. Jenkins said softly. "I'll stay with the little ones; you need to go with these fine gentlemen."

"What kind of accident?" Jax asked, her throat feeling tight. Her mind was racing. While Mrs. Jenkins had watched the kids before, she didn't feel right leaving them behind.

"Jax? What's wrong?" Cam's sleepy voice called through the darkness. "Why are the fuzz at our door?"

"We need you to come down to the coroner's office with us, Miss Curtis," the younger officer said.

"Cor…" Jax's mind was suddenly running faster than her heart. Was it someone from the Outcasts outfit – the boys she ran with when she wasn't sitting at home helping her family? Was it Jimmy? Her high school sweetheart who had a knack for getting himself in trouble?"

"Ma'am," the older officer said gently, as Mrs. Jenkins slowly stepped into the dark apartment, her arms snaking around Jax's kid brother's shoulders. "It's your folks. There's been an accident. Your parents…we presume your parents are dead."


November 5, 1960

"It's a real shame, about your folks," Jimmy said as he hugged Jax tightly to his side. "Are you sure you've got to move all the way to Tulsa?"

"They're the only kin we've got left," Jax said tiredly. She looked around the small apartment, her eyes settling on the three small bags the children had been able to pack up. "I can't raise the kids here. New York ain't safe enough and lord knows I can't stay outta trouble up here."

"I'm going to miss you, Jax, you call me when you get there, savvy?" Jimmy said, kissing Jax softly on the lips. "I'll find you one day, you'll see."

"You keep our boys alive," Jax said gently. She sighed deeply as she scooped up her baby sister and held her close while Jimmy helped Cam, who looked like a walking ghost, grab the bags.

"You've got everything kiddo?" Jax asked softly, trying her best to keep a straight face.

"No, you know I don't. Can't fit my whole life in one bag!" Cameron growled.

"We'll send for our stuff once I figure the rest out, ya dig? Right now, it's about makin' sure the state stays off my back. We're lucky that Uncle Darrel and Aunt Martha said we can stay with them until I figure something better out."

"Yeah, real lucky," Cam huffed. "Middle of dumb-fuck nowhere."

"Language young man," Jax growled, swatting at the back of his head. "Count your blessings, it's this or a boy's home, take your pick."

Even Cameron couldn't argue with that. Little did Jax know, one day, she'd be facing the same tragedy for a second time.