Disclaimer: I don't own The Outsiders, no matter how much I daydream about it.

"Dally!"

Johnny was shoving people out of the way, and yelling in a panicky voice. He hadn't even knocked on Buck's door, just barreled in.

"Shut up," somebody Johnny ran into said.

"DALLY!" Johnny yelled louder.

Somebody grabbed Johnny's shoulders and flipped him around, "Easy, Johnny, what's'a'matter with you?"

"Dally," Johnny repeated.

Dally was standing there, his sharp angles illuminated in the lowlight. His hair was ruffled up and hiding his normally icy eyes. He felt Johnny shaking in his hands.

"Easy, easy. What's going on? Here, Johnny, come up here with me."

Johnny allowed himself to be steered up the stairs into a vacant bedroom. Dally closed the door behind him. He turned around to see Johnny pacing around the room fast. His lower lip was trembling, and tears were forming in his eyes.

"Dally, Ponyboy's dead."

Once Johnny admitted it, the fear and anguish started to pour out of him. He sobbed, too frustrated with life to be embarrassed. "I don't know what happened. He went home. We were in the lot, but he went home. Why was he in the park? Goddammit, Dallas." Johnny stamped his foot on the ground, making the hardwood floor vibrate. "GodDAMMIT. What the hell was he doing out there? I just found him. In the park. He was all wet. He wasn't breathing, Dallas. He was just dead. God almighty. God almighty."

Johnny's sank into the bed, and cried into his hands. His sobs, and the muffled noise from the radio downstairs were the only noises that could be heard. Dallas felt his heart beating fast. His brain was whirring. Focus, he told himself, focus. You gotta be able to do something for Johnny right now.

"Hey Johnny, nobody see you out there?"

"What?" Johnny said, looking up at Dallas.

"At the park. With Ponyboy. Anybody see you with his dead body?"

"I don't..I don't think so. I mean, it's the middle of the night. But why does that matter? Should I call the police?"

"No," Dally said, peering out the bedroom window, "No. It's a good thing you didn't. They'd pin it on you, man. You're a greaser, you know?"

"Is that all you're worried about?" Johnny accused hotly, standing up, "Dally, somebody killed Ponyboy. What the fu-"

"That ain't it at all, Johnnycake. We're gonna find out who did this, man. But not tonight. There ain't anything we can do for Ponyboy tonight. We just gotta lay low until tomorrow. Okay, Johnny? There, just breathe. It's gonna be alright, man."

"We gotta tell Darry and Soda."

"Naw, man. We can't do that."

"What do you mean? We have to tell them. They're gonna be up all night, waiting for Ponyboy to come home."

"I know, Johnny. But lookit here, if you go over and tell them Ponyboy's dead now, then when the police show up at their house and tell them, they ain't gonna be surprised. Then the fuzz is gonna grill them about how they already know. I know it's hard, Johnny, but all we can do right now is wait. You should get some sleep."

Johnny wanted to laugh, but choked out a sob. Sleep? He wasn't sure he'd ever be able to sleep again.

"Just, give me a minute. Stay here." And Dally disappeared out the door, leaving Johnny to the thoughts rushing through his head.

What was gonna happen? Why would somebody do this? Ponyboy was a good kid. He never did nothing to nobody ever. They had to find out who did this. If it was the last thing he ever did, he was gonna find out who did this and…

The door opened. Dally reentered the room, with a glass of water in his hand.

"Here," he said, handing Johnny the glass of water. He then opened his other hand to reveal two small pills, "Take these and then you can get some sleep."

Johnny hesitated, and Dally gave a wry smile, "Go on kid. I wouldn't give you anything that would hurt ya."

Johnny took and breath and swallowed the pills. Nothing happened. Ah, well. He leaned back on the bed and then realized how heavy his eyes felt. He could hear himself mumble something to Dally, but as soon as he said it, he forgot what it was. Then, sleep.

xxxXXXxxxXXXxxx

"Alright, I'm getting worried."

"Soda, it's going on five AM. Where on earth could this kid be?"

Darry jumped at a knock on the door. Who on earth even bothered knocking on their door anymore?