"Why would he do this Two-Bit?" Johnny asked through shaky lips. Two-Bit and Johnny were sitting on the front porch having cigarettes. Two-Bit could tell Johnny was shaken up by the news, and the company of the police. Johnny didn't know what to think of it all, he was scared for his best friend's well being. He couldn't help, but also feel angry by his best friend's decision to runaway.
"They're desperate. Simple as that," Two-Bit answered.
Johnny stood up in frustration, "It's stupid is what it is."
"I know Johnny, but put yourself in their shoes. They don't know how dumb it was to do this. They're just begging to be home. That's all they're thinking about."
"Pony should have talked Soda out of it."
"Maybe he tried. Maybe Soda went back and forth on it over and over again. Maybe Pony finally thought it was a good idea, so he went with it."
Johnny shook his head, "I just can't believe it."
"I know you're mad Johnnycake. I also know you're worried to death. We all are," Two-Bit looked down towards the ground.
Johnny had plenty more to say, but couldn't get the words out. His heart was racing with all the different feelings he had. Tossing his cigarette to the side, he stormed down the porch steps and headed down the street.
Two-Bit sighed. It wasn't often you saw Johnny mad or as upset as that. It didn't make Two-Bit feel that great. He felt pretty useless being unable to help the young greaser. "It'll be okay Johnnycake."
Steve sat at the kitchen table, tapping his foot. Darry had gone upstairs to be alone, but Steve couldn't find himself to leave yet. He hadn't been around much. He had kept to himself as much as possible, but he couldn't get himself to leave and drink the news away for the rest of the day and night. It was too much for him and he felt he needed the company and comfort of the gang, even if he didn't want to admit it. As angry as he was feeling, Steve's eyes welled up in tears. He felt worried. He felt scared. For the first time in months, he didn't feel like just doing something stupid out of spite for the world. He wanted help, and he wanted to help Darry.
"Oh Soda, please be okay," Steve whispered to himself, quickly blinking the tears away.
Soda slowly opened his eyes. He hadn't realized he fell asleep. The exhaustion really got to him. He rubbed his eyes to wake himself up. Pony had fallen asleep on his lap.
"Hey Ponyboy," Soda slowly rubbed his little brother, "Get up buddy. I need to go pee."
Pony stirred and sat himself up, "Oh sorry."
"It's fine. I wouldn't expect you to fall asleep unless you were on me," Soda grinned as he stood up.
"That bothered me the most," Pony commented quietly.
"What?" Soda asked confused.
"That they wouldn't let us share a bed."
Darry paced his bedroom. He was in deep thought. He didn't even know if anyone was at his house still or if they all left. It didn't matter. There were too many questions going through his mind. How was Darry suppose to go on with life now? How was he suppose to leave it up to authorities to make sure his brothers were okay? How was he suppose to depend on the state to let him know when his brothers were found and returned to the boy's home? It was impossible. All of it was impossible. It had been a hard road while his brother's were gone, but at least Darry knew where they were and that they were somewhat safe and taken care of. Now Darry had no clue where his brother's were. That was not okay with him. How could the state not see that he obviously could be taking care of them better than the boy's home? The boy's home lost them for crying out loud.
And suddenly in that instant, Darry got an idea.
"Well it's starting to get dark," Soda commented, picking up his bag, "Let's get ready to walk for the night."
"Do you know which way?" Pony asked.
"I think so."
"You think you know where we are?"
"Don't worry Ponyboy. We've barely gotten anywhere yet. We'll make a lot of distance tonight, and I'll know if we are heading the right way or not."
Pony watched as Soda took a few steps down into the heavy trees. He felt his anxiety rise at the idea that they could only be heading the direction that was further away from home. Clearly his older brother didn't care how long, or how many attempts, it would take to find home.
"Are you coming?"
Pony looked up and got to his feet. He was trying to hold off from smoking too much since he had no idea when he'd get more packs, but he couldn't help to take one out at that moment and light it up. "Okay, I'm coming," Pony said as he inhaled with shaky fingers.
Steve noticed Darry had been upstairs for awhile now. He knew Two-Bit was just on the front porch, because he had come in a couple of times to grab a beer. No words were exchanged between the two, just looks of being not sure what to do next. Steve couldn't bring himself to get a beer yet. The idea of it was making him feel sick to his stomach. He couldn't even get himself to smoke a cigarette. He was simply numb at the moment. As much as he was wanting to talk to Darry, Steve couldn't blame him for staying upstairs. He wouldn't be surprised if Darry didn't come back downstairs the rest of the night.
He wasn't sure why, but Steve felt the need to go upstairs, a place he hadn't been in a long time. The last time he was up there landed him behind bars for a night.
"You guys are such a piece of shit!" Steve barked. Soda and Pony had already been escorted to the car that was going to take them to the boy's home, and now there were two people carrying their belongings out. There was also an officer standing by just in case anything got ugly, and apparently it happened often enough for them to already be there. Steve was at their heels yelling.
Darry was at the kitchen table, burying his face to hide the obvious fact that he was crying. Two-Bit sat with him, an arm around the older greaser. "Darry, we will figure this out. They'll be back home very soon," Two-Bit soothingly said.
"Do you guys like what you do to people?" Steve said, "Tear families apart? Take kids from parents? Y'all think you're helping people, but really you're fucking everything up! You don't even know this family and what they've been through!"
"Two-Bit, please stop him," Darry begged with a low voice, "Please, I can't take it."
"Okay," Two-Bit patted Darry's back and stood up. He rushed over to catch up with his friend who was storming all over the house in rage. "Steve, just come outside with me man. Come on."
"Hell no! I'm giving these shit heads a piece of my mind!"
The officer that had been outside was now in the house watching Steve. Two-Bit knew what that meant. "Steve, you need to stop right now."
"No Two-Bit! These pussies have no idea what I could do to them right now!"
"Alright son, that's enough," the officer walked over and grabbed Steve by the arm.
"Get the hell off of me!" Steve yelled with a hard shrug, but the officer only gripped tighter and pulled the greaser along.
"We've warned you to calm down, but you won't," the officer snapped as he half-dragged Steve outside. Darry refused to look up, but could tell what was happening.
Soda and Pony glanced outside from the car they were in. They watched as Steve got shoved against the police car, hands pulled behind him, and handcuffs placed upon his wrists. "No Steve," Soda sighed, "You should have just calmed down."
Pony didn't know what he was doing, but the fear got to him as he threw the car door open and jumped out. He ran over as the officer shoved Steve in the car. "Steve!"
"Son, you have to get back in the car," the officer said.
"No," Pony looked at Steve with tear-filled eyes, "I-I can't go Steve. Help me."
"Pony, just go along," Steve said, "Soda will need you. I'll get you guys out of there. I don't care what it takes."
Steve stared into the bedroom that once had Soda and Pony in it. He hadn't been at the bedroom since that day. He just couldn't face it. "I'm sorry guys," Steve said. A sudden noise from down the hall took Steve out of his trance. He walked down to Darry's room and opened the door.
"Darry, what are you doing?" Steve asked. He watched as Darry placed a few t-shirts into a bag.
"This is crazy if they expect me to do nothing when my brothers are missing," Darry said, "Don't try to talk me out of it Steve."