Disclaimer: I don't own The Outsiders or any of their characters, okie dokie?

Detective Sisto leaned against the brick wall, "It's cold out here, man. And Dallas ain't doing anything."

For the past hour or so the two detectives had trailed their prime suspect, Dallas Winston. He was their prime suspect at the moment simply because of his track record. But the most suspicious thing Dally had done in the past hour was scratch his balls in public.

"I guess we could go knock on that Cade kid's door," Detective Abraham sighed.

"Yeah, okay," Detective Sisto said, sticking his hands in his pockets, "And then go out canvasing for witnesses. Let's make a run back to the station, though. I wanna pick up a picture of him to show people if they've seen him. It's on the way."

"Alright."

When the pair arrived back at the station, a surprise was waiting for them.

"Yo, Sisto! Abraham! You got someone waiting for you in room number four!"

Detective Sisto acknowledged the other cop with a wave, and he and his partner went into said interrogation room. Detective Sisto didn't know if he looked as surprised to see Jonathan Cade, as he looked afraid to see the two detectives.

"Well, Mr. Cade," Detective Sisto said, "We've been looking for you."

"That's what I heard," Johnny said, trying to keep his voice from quivering, "So here I am."

Detective Sisto took a seat across from Johnny, while Detective Abraham brooded against the wall.

"Well, thanks for coming in Mr. Cade. We just have-"

"Johnny."

"Hm?" Detective Sisto asked.

"Just…Just call me Johnny."

"Right," Detective Sisto said with a small smile, "Johnny. Anyways, I just need to ask you a few questions about the night Ponyboy died."

Johnny nodded mutely.

"Did anything out of the ordinary happen that night when you went to the theater?"

"When we went to the movies, our friend Dally was hitting on this girl, Cherry Valance. When she rejected him, he left. She and her friend invited us to sit up with them, so we did. Our friend Two-Bit came by, and after the movie the three of us started walking the girls home."

Detective Sisto was silent, so Johnny continued, "When we were walking, their boyfriends drove by us and stopped. They were trying to start a fight with us, and they were drunk. The girls left with them. After that, Two-Bit split, and Ponyboy and I went to this empty lot and fell asleep. We woke up, and he went home. That's the last time….That's all I know."

Detective Sisto drummed his fingers on the table. If this was true, then the boys in the car could be suspects. However, Dallas Winston didn't mention any girl. Though, Dallas Winston wasn't one to be forthcoming with information, either.

Detective Abraham left the room for a moment, and returned with a notepad and pen. He dropped them on the table and Detective Sisto slid them over to Johnny.

"Write what you told me down. Include the names of the girls and the boys, and any other details you can remember."

xxxXXXxxxXXXxxx

Words such as "final notice" scared Darry. Those were the bills he paid first. They came in yellow envelopes and the words were printed in red, capital letters, like they were screaming at him. He knew he was going to have to go back to work soon. He knew that he couldn't ignore his bills.

He knew two other things as well. He knew that tomorrow was Ponyboy's funeral. He had dug out his and Soda's suits. They hadn't been worn since his parents died. He felt weird about them now. He knew that after tomorrow, he could never wear that suit again. It was too uncomfortable. Ponyboy was to be buried right next to his parents. Darry hadn't wanted a reception, though Soda did. Darry didn't feel like he could bring people over to his house after burying his youngest brother and serve food and talk, and he expressed that to Soda, which made Soda relent. It would be hard enough having to see people at the funeral. He knew they'd want him to say a few words, and Darry just didn't know what there was to be said.

The second thing Darry knew was that a visit from the State was not far behind. Soda was almost seventeen, but still sixteen, still just a teenager, a kid. He knew that some man or woman would come knocking at his door and grill him about what happened to Ponyboy. Why was Ponyboy out so late? Why did you hit Ponyboy? Why weren't you more responsible? Then they would try to pry Soda from him. This thought made Darry's spine stiffen. They would have to kill Darry before he'd let go of Soda. Soda was the last of his family, and he wasn't giving that up.

The knock on the door made Darry sigh to himself. Two-Bit's mother had come over at least twice with food. A quiche and a lasagna. While he wasn't ungrateful, they still had most of that food left. Neither Darry nor Soda really felt up to eating. He went to the door, expecting Mrs. Matthews, as she was really their only visitor that ever knocked, even though she knew full well that it was unlocked.

"Who are you?"

The question came out more accusatory and gruff than Darry had meant. The poor girl standing in front of him gave a small jump and looked up at him in the face, dark circles under her green eyes. He looked down at her hands, in which she was holding a big tray of macaroni and cheese. She thrust it into his hands and then as if unsure what to do with her empty hands, started twirling her red hair around her finger.

"My name is Ch….My name is Sherri Valance," she said, voice quavering, "Um. I went to school with Ponyboy."

"Oh," Darry said, feeling bad that he had scared her, "Uh, yes."

In truth, he had no idea who Sherri Valance was. Ponyboy had never mentioned her. He would have been doubtful that the two of them had been close, if he wasn't so worried that his and Ponyboy's relationship had been so gaping.

"I'm just. I can't believe what happened to Ponyboy," she continued, her voice speeding up, "I am so sorry. You can never understand how sorry I am. I just brought this by. I don't know if you like mac and cheese, but it's really the only thing I know how to make, and I just had to bring over something. Ponyboy was such a good kid. So smart, so gentle. He and I…Well. He was just real easy to talk to."

Darry smiled at the girl, though he knew it must have looked half-hearted, "Thank you. I really appreciate it. I love mac and cheese."

"You must be Darry," the girl said, smiling herself, "I can tell, by the way Ponyboy described you."

Darry was taken aback, and Cherry felt slightly guilty. She could more tell that he was Darry because she felt like she knew Sodapop through Ponyboy's description of him. He had hardly spoken about Darry, except to say that he was hard and mean. Cherry didn't think he looked so mean, though. He just looked exhausted. And his eyes. They were ice blue, but instead of looking like a menacing ice berg, they looked like they were stained with tears. Cherry shook her head and looked down at her feet.

"Ponyboy talked about me, huh?" Darry said, "And described me good? Well, shoot. That kid was one heck of a writer. English was always his best class."

Feeling as though he were about to cry again, Darry said, "Well listen. Thanks for the meal. I really appreciate it, and so will Soda. I'm sure you know about Soda, if Pony talked about me."

"Of course. I hope all the best for you two."

Cherry turned around and Darry was about to disappear into the house when he called after her.

"Wait."

She turned around and stared.

"Just um. Ponyboy's funeral is tomorrow at one, if you wanted to come."

Darry wasn't positive, but it looked as though the girl's eyes sagged sadly, "Thanks," she said, "I'll try and make it."

xxxXXXxxxXXXxxx

Soda wasn't sure exactly where he was going. He had thought he was going to confront the Socs that had messed with his brother. But, come to think of it, he had no idea how to find them. It was a small town, but Soda dared not walk past his territory. At least, not alone. And if he did, what would he do then? Knock door to door, asking for a Bob, Randy or Marcia something? And Cherry Valance, that sounded like some kind of stage name.

"Hey! Soda! Wait up!"

Soda continued to walk, but slowed, and turned his head to look behind him. He stopped when he saw Two-Bit Matthews, jogging up behind him.

"Hey," Two-Bit said, slinging a free arm across Soda's shoulders, "What are you up to?"

"I don't know," Soda answered honestly.

"You don't say," Two-Bit said, nodding, "Very interesting."

Soda was too tired to crack a grin, and Two-Bit shuffled, sticking his hands in his pockets, "So. No news yet, then, huh?"

"From the cops?" Soda verified, "No. We're not going to hear any news from them."

"Aw, Soda. You don't know that."

"They don't care about greasers."

"It ain't like Ponyboy was just jumped, he was…Well, look. I mean. I'm sure they're doing their best."

"Yeah," Soda said, unconvinced, "Johnny went to them today."

"He did?"

"He said that they needed the whole story, and he had information about a couple of Socs that were messing with them earlier."

Two-Bit wrung his hands together, "He did, huh."

It wasn't a question. Soda looked at Two-Bit's anxious gesture, "What gives?"

"Nothing, man," Two-Bit said, "Come on. I know my mom sent over some lasagna. Let's go back to your house and I'll let you warm me up a piece."

Soda did smile at this, "Alright, whatever."

They got back to the house to see Darry, already at the oven.

"You guys are just in time. Warming up mac and cheese."

"Your mom sent over mac and cheese, too?" Soda asked Two-Bit.

Two-Bit shrugged as Darry answered, "Nah. One of Ponyboy's classmates. Sherri Valance, she said."

Two-Bit's eyes got big and he commenced wringing his hands together, "Sherri Valance? Red headed gal?"

"Yeah," Darry said, "You know her?"

"She goes to our school," Two-Bit said, "Yeah. I know her."

"What gives, Two-Bit?" Darry questioned his friend.

"Nothing," Two-Bit said nervously, "Hey, I'm gonna get home. Check on my ma. She's probably in the kitchen, making a pie or something. See y'all later."

"Two-Bit-" Soda started, but Two-Bit was out the door.

"That was weird," Darry mused, taking the food out of the oven.

"Definitely," Soda said.

He wasn't sure what Two-Bit knew, or what Two-Bit was hiding, but he knew it was something. His friend could lie up and down to police officers, to girls, or even to his friends about his wacky stories and adventures, but Soda knew that Two-Bit was lying this time. He knew. He had to figure out a way to know what Two-Bit knew.