The next day was a long day at work. Darry was worrying about Soda. He was feeling like a failure that Soda still believed Ponyboy's death was his fault. Although Darry had to go through his own work to stop blaming himself for it too, but it was difficult. Deep down, he knew he and Soda should go talk to someone about it, but he just hadn't looked into it yet. None of the brothers really went to talk to anyone after their parent's deaths, because having each other going through the exact same thing seemed to help a lot. If something was knocked around Soda's brain though, Darry considered looking into some help.

"Hey Darry!"

Darry wiped the sweat from his forehead and glanced down, placing his hand above his eyes to block the sun. He smiled, "Hi Janie."

"I got something for you."

Darry was surprised to hear that. He climbed down and smiled as he approached Janie. She seemed to get more beautiful each time he saw her, and she was a nice sight to see through his thoughts.

"I brought you some lunch," Janie smiled, "From that really nice sandwich shop."

"Oh wow," Darry said taking the bag out of her hand, "Thanks a lot. You didn't have to do that."

"I wanted to. Hope you like turkey."

"Love it."

"Good. I brought myself a turkey sandwich too. Let's go eat." Darry and Janie walked down the street away from the construction and tools, taking a seat on the curb. "So Darry, why don't you tell me a little bit about you? You seem like an interesting guy." Darry was finding himself unfamiliar with such a spontaneous attitude, this woman he barely knew was bringing him lunch and trying to bring a conversation out like they were on a date. He was also finding himself liking it.

"Interesting huh?"

"Yes."

"We've only talked briefly twice now."

"I know. Something's just telling me you have quite a story to tell, and that I may want to get to know you some." Darry couldn't help but shake his head, only imagining the comments Steve and Two-Bit would have later.

"Just a guy trying to make his way through life," Darry shrugged, "Honestly, I don't know where to start."

"Let's start with family, do you have family?"

Darry slowly nodded, "Yeah."

"Tell me about them," Janie smiled. Darry felt warmth when Janie smiled. She was so innocent to the knowledge he was about to lay on her.

"Well," Darry cleared his throat, "I live with my little brother. I've been taking care of him, because our parents passed away."

"Oh no, I am so sorry to hear that."

"Yeah. It's okay, it's been like that for quite some time. I miss them, but we've been managing alright."

"I'm sure," Janie said, "So it's just you and your little brother together?"

"Yeah," Darry said, not willing to talk about Ponyboy yet.

"So what's your brother like?"

"Well, he's a crazy one. My life is anything, but boring with him."

Janie smiled, "That sounds like a great partner in crime. How old is he? Does he work or go to school?"

"He works at the DX gas station. He'll be seventeen soon. We're actually looking to move into a nicer house."

"Oh really? Does moving out of your childhood home seem weird?"

"Yeah, but I feel like I need it. It's just gotten too difficult. Sodapop is mad at me for it, but I'm hoping he comes around."

"Sodapop? That's your brother's name?"

"Yes it is," Darry grinned, "Like I said, anything but boring. So what about you?"

"Well, I moved here about six months ago. I've just been renting while this house got fixed up for me to move in."

"Where from?"

"Colorado."

"What brought you away from that mountain view?"

"Similar story actually," Janie nodded, "My mom died a few years ago. She was my best friend. I couldn't seem to move on or get better from her being gone, so I finally decided I just needed to move to a completely new place. Just start somewhat fresh."

"I'm sorry to hear about your mom. If you don't mind me asking, what happened?"

"She got sick. She was sick for eight months. I knew for the last three or so that she was probably going to die, that's what the doctors kept saying, but it never hit me. Not until she fell into a coma for the last week. I struggled so bad. I just didn't have anyone else though. Her parents are already gone, and I don't even know my dad, so it was literally just me and her. Without her, I was so alone."

"I'm really sorry to hear all that."

"It's okay. I'm keeping an open, positive mind about this change," Janie smiled.

"You do seem like a very cheerful person."

"Thanks," Janie smiled, "I'm sorry if me bringing you lunch seems a little pushy of things. I was kind of excited to just meet someone."

"Oh no, nothing wrong with it at all," Darry smiled, "I enjoyed it."

"She brought you lunch?" Steve asked, "Before you even went out on a date?"

"Yeah, yeah. We had a great conversation though. Just got to know each other some."

"Okay, well did you finally..." Steve stopped as Soda wandered into the kitchen.

"Why you so quiet?" Soda asked.

Fortunately, it wasn't so hard for Darry to switch the conversation. He knew how to do that when Pony would walk in on serious conversations between the older brothers. "Hey buddy, I think we need to get you in to see someone."

"What?" Soda asked confused.

"Steve and Two-Bit told me what you said at the races."

"What about it?" Soda asked, seeming unaffected by Darry's statement.

"Soda...you don't actually believe that..."

"It's the truth," Soda blurted out.

"Soda, we've been over this," Steve said, "We saw the police report, we heard..."

"Steve just hold on," Darry said.

"I know what happened," Soda argued back, "I know how I remember it. Darry blacked out and went in a coma, how can we trust what he remembers?"

"Soda you're remembering it wrong," Steve said with his voice slightly raising.

"No I'm not," Soda barked, "Can we really trust what you remember too? Your brain obviously ain't right either since you have to be on medication just to do something so simple."

"Soda enough!" Darry yelled. Steve's mouth hung open, unable to respond. Instead he turned and walked out of the kitchen. "Soda, we are both struggling with all of this, but you need to cool it."

"Are you struggling though? You can abandon it all so easily," Soda said.

"How can you say that?" Darry asked, "The struggle I'm going through is why I need to leave."

"Sure," Soda turned to leave the kitchen, but Darry walked in front of him.

"Soda that's it. You are going to talk to somebody." That was all Darry could manage to say before he let anything out that he'd regret. He softly brushed past Soda and walked out the front door. He was beginning to feel like he was losing Soda. "Steve, hold on."

Steve stood at the end of the driveway, a lit cigarette hanging between his fingers.

"Steve, you know he's just talking out of anger. He just wants to make a point."

"Just call someone for him," Steve sighed.

Later that evening, Darry made a few phone calls to find someone for Soda to talk with. He was hoping Steve could get Soda out of the house while he made the phone calls, but he knew Steve was hurt by Soda's comment. He ended up going out with Two-Bit while Soda stayed upstairs in his room. After some time and consideration, Darry believed he found the right therapist and scheduled an appointment.

"Hey Soda," Darry said walking into the bedroom.

"Hi," Soda simply responded.

"You have an appointment tomorrow," Darry said firmly, "You're going to talk to someone about all this, okay?"

"Fine," Soda shook his head, "Darry, why do you think I'm remembering it like that? I'm remembering driving, and that's before the accident even happened. How could my brain mess something up before the accident?"

"The brain is a weird thing buddy. Hopefully we can get a deeper answer than that from this."

"It's just...so vivid. I remember it so well."

"Well I want you to explain everything you remember to the therapist, okay? She'll help with this."

Soda bit his lip, "I'm scared. What if I find out I'm crazy?"

"You're not crazy. Just confused."

"Yeah," Soda looked out the window, "Darry, I hurt Steve's feelings pretty bad didn't I?"

"Maybe a little," Darry said, "I told him not to worry, because we knew you were just angry, but you did kind of hit him in a personal spot."

"I'll talk to him later."

When Soda finally came out of his room, he found Steve outside with Two-Bit and Dally.

"Hey guys," Soda greeted.

"Hey buddy," Two-Bit said, "How are you feeling?"

"Fine," Soda glanced at Steve, whose head just hung, "Where's Johnny?"

"He didn't want to come by," Dally said, "He's having some trouble accepting Darry's decision."

"I'm there with him," Soda looked down.

"Well, sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but we did actually come to talk to Darry about that," Two-Bit said tossing his cigarette aside. Soda didn't respond to that as him and Dally walked inside. It felt like a stab in his heart, and he wanted to march inside and argue it, but he decided to take care of matters with Steve first.

"Steve," Soda began, "I'm sorry about what I said earlier. I didn't mean to get so personal."

"It's okay."

"Darry made me an appointment to go talk to someone. Try and get my mind straight I guess."

"Good. I'm glad you're going."

"Me too," Soda put his hands in his pockets, "I'm scared though."

"You'll be fine buddy. I'll be there for you."

Soda smiled, "I know you will be. How have you been doing?"

"Huh? Fine, why?"

"I was just thinking how I never really asked you how you've been doing. You've been taking care of me and helping Darry. You've done a ton, more than I could ever ask for," Soda said, "You haven't left my side since that night you came to the hospital, asked me what was going on, and then in that split second you dropped everything and just started staying at my house. I owe you big."

"No you don't Soda. We're a family, that's just what we do," Steve said.

Soda smiled, "How's your sleeping?"

"It's fine," Steve said, "Two-Bit's been keeping me in line with the pills."

"I just don't understand it Steve."

"What?"

"Why did you stop taking them, and why do you need a babysitter to keep an eye on you with them?" Soda asked, "I can just tell there's something more behind it. It just doesn't make sense."

"It's nothing Sodapop. I told you, I just wasn't feeling too good with it."

"You're not telling me everything," Soda said as he shuffled around.

"Soda just drop it please," Steve begged.

Soda crossed his arms, "Look, I'm trying not to be sour with the whole idea that you kept this thing a secret from me for months, and out of anyone you told Two-Bit about it first. You've been there for me so much, let me be here for you. Tell me what's wrong. Tell me what you need."

Steve just glanced at Soda. How was he suppose to tell him it was his actions that caused all of this trauma over taking his sleeping pills? "Soda...is it really going to hurt your feelings if I say I can't talk about it right now?"

Soda just shrugged, "I guess I have to respect it. I just don't understand why I can't know."

"Because it's better for you not to know," Steve said placing his hands on Soda's shoulders, "It's not against you or anything, it's just better if you don't know. Can you trust me on that?"

Soda slowly nodded, "Yeah, sure. Is there going to be a right time for me to know?"

Steve sighed, "I don't know. When enough time passes I suppose."

Darry talked in the kitchen with Dally, Two-Bit, and Steve about getting the house ready to sell. Soda sat in the living room, fidgeting around on the couch listening in. He was attempted to watch TV, but kept hearing bits and pieces of the conversation. It was slowly crawling up his spine and jabbing throughout his torso. Tears stung his eyes as he continuously tried wiping them away. He would keep glancing towards the kitchen, wanting to stop it, stop everything. The remote was being passed back and forth between his hands, trying to figure out a new button to press. His foot tapped against the wood floor, harder and harder to try and block out more of the conversation. Then one sentence came out of Darry's mouth...

"I talked to someone to get the house up for sale, so we need to get this stuff done in a week. I think we should bust stuff out as much as we can this weekend."

"What!" Soda jumped up and marched into the kitchen, "A week! I have a week left to take in this house before you rip me out of it!"

"Soda, it's just going to be for sale in a week," Darry explained, "It could take some time to sell it and then we have to wait to find a place for us and..."

"It could sell within hours," Soda rubbed his eyes to hide the tears, "You're pushing me out of here too fast."

"Pepsi-Cola, the time will never be right for you to leave. I'm struggling beyond what I can explain to you, I need to get out of here."

"That's such bull Darry! Leaving our parents and our brother behind!"

"Soda, they will be with us wherever we go," Darry said softly, "Maybe not physically, but spiritually. I'm not going to forcefully get rid of anything. If you want to bring every single thing that belonged to mom, every single thing that belonged to dad, and every single thing that belonged to Ponyboy to this new house, you are more than welcome to do that. If you want to set up a room just like how mom and dad's are now, and if you want to set up a room just like how Ponyboy's is, then go for it. I'm not trying to move on without them, I just need to move on without the depressing memories of this house. I need to move on without the guilt that I failed at taking care of you and Ponyboy..."

"It's my fault he's gone anyway," Soda firmly said.

"Okay," Steve stood up and grabbed Soda's arm, "Let's go for a walk."

"Oh and you!" Soda yelled throwing Steve's arm off, "I can't believe you're still going to help Darry with this. Look what it's putting me through!"

"Soda, you may not see it now, but we're doing this for you. Darry needs this, and you could do better with it too."

"I'll be right back guys," Darry suddenly said as he excused himself to the backyard. Everyone knew he was going to be crying, but no one rushed out to be with him. They all knew he needed a minute to himself. He had let a lot out, and couldn't bare to continue these arguments with Soda.

"Soda," Steve began, "Please, just try to see we aren't against you."

Soda didn't wait to hear what else Steve had to say. He turned around and went upstairs, not returning back down the rest of the evening.