Disclaimer: Don't own anything except the new created characters.

Things Change Fast

Chapter 3

Pony and Johnny hopped off the jungle gym, not taking their eyes away from the Socs coming at them. Pony took a long drag on his cigarette and stared at the one in the front, Bob. Cherry's boyfriend. Johnny's hand went automatically to his back pocket to feel for the switchblade. He didn't know if he'd be brave enough to use it like Jessi had used it, but it made him feel a little safer knowing he had it. Just a little.

Johnny cried out to the obviously drunk advancing Socs, "Hey, you—you better watch out! You—you're on our turf, now…" He gulped. Bob answered, "No, Greasers. You watch out." He paused for a second, looking them over. He continued, "You know what a Greaser is? White trash with long, greasy hair." He threw his flask of alcohol all over Pony, who was standing in front of him. Pony stood still, determined not to flinch. He retorted, "You know what a Soc is? White trash with Mustangs and Madras!" He spit right in Bob's face who cried, "That's it, Greaser!"

In a flash, three Socs had Ponyboy in a fountain, holding him under the water. Two pushed Johnny to the ground and kicked him. While the two Socs who had Johnny laughed, he pulled out his blade. They immediately backed up and started running for the Mustang. Johnny ran over to the three Socs who had Pony in the fountain.

Pony woke up and coughed water up on the sidewalk. He sat up, dazed and utterly confused. On the ground directly in front of him was Bob, lying in a pool of his own blood. Pony felt vomit spring through his throat and into his mouth. He looked around and saw Johnny holding the knife in one hand, holding his head with the other, a look of horror plastered on his face.

"Johnny? Is he…is he dead?"

Johnny nodded shakily.

About 10 minutes before the Socs came for the guys

Dally burst back into the room to see Jessi asleep on the bed. He smiled and shook his head, taking off his jacket and draping it over her. He mumbled to himself, "Jessi would sleep while one of Buck Merrill's parties is going on downstairs…" He laughed. He turned to leave right as Jessi stirred. He turned back around and stared at her as she sat up slowly and opened her eyes. She jumped a little when she saw Dallas standing over her. She wiped the sleep out of her eyes and said hoarsely, "What time is it?"

Dallas checked the clock on the wall and said, "About 2:30 in the morning. I can't believe you can sleep through that party down there…"

"Well, I have a lot in my mind!" She glared at him for a second and then continued, "So what happened out there?"

"We followed the Socs a bit, they saw us but ran scared. Bunch of wimps. I'd be worried if Johnny or Pony was out and about, but they should be back at the Curtis' by now…"

Jessi nodded and he said, "So what's been on your mind, kiddo? You know, what you came to see me for?"

Jessi snapped awake and put her feet over the edge of the bed, leaning back against the wall. She said to him, completely alert, "What do you think of Johnny and me?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, like…what would say if we…oh, I don't know…got together?"

"Are you going with Johnny Cade?"

"What? No! No, listen. What's been on my mind is that…"

The door banged open and once again, there stood Buck.

"What the hell do you want, Buck? I'm kind of busy here!"

"Sorry, Dal. Two kids are here to see you."

"What? Who?"

"Uh, Sodapop and Darry's little brother and that little scrawny dark skinned boy."

"Pony and Johnny? What are they doing here?"

"I don't know! They just told me to come and get you. They look real shaken up. Said it was important…"

"Alright, Buck. Tell them to come up here."

Buck nodded and closed the door. Dally said, "Tell me quick. 'Fore they get here."

Jessi decided to spit it out before they were interrupted again, "I like Johnny…as more than a friend…much much more."

Dallas stared at her. For the first time in his living memory, Dallas Winston was speechless. He finally managed to say, "And have you…talked to…him…about it?" Jessi shook her head and said, "No, I couldn't. I want to, but I just don't think I would be able to face rejection like that…" Dallas nodded and pulled her into a hug. He kissed her cheek right as Johnny and Pony came stumbling in. Dally looked at them both in disbelief. Ponyboy was wearing a wet sweatshirt without sleeves, and Johnny was paler than a ghost, and blood was all over his hands. Before Dallas or Jessi could say anything, Pony cried, "Johnny killed a Soc!" Jessi's eyes grew wide as she stared at Johnny. Johnny nodded feebly and Dally said, "Alright, alright…I'll tell you what we're going to do. I never thought I'd be caught up in murder here in Oklahoma…"

He got up and crossed the room to a closet and pulled out a T-shirt and a big jacket. He threw them to Pony and said, "You're gonna catch pneumonia or something wearing a wet shirt like that in this cold. Put these on. They'll be a bit big; they're Buck's. But it's warm, so you best be grateful." Pony pulled his wet shirt off and threw it in the corner; pulling on the warm, dry clothes Dally had given him, thankful to be out of that wet sweatshirt. When Pony was dressed, Dally opened the drawer on the bedside table and pulled out a gun and a twenty-dollar bill. He handed them to Johnny, instructing him to catch a train to Winchester (A/N- I can't remember where they go and I don't have the book or movie with me right now, so if that's wrong, I'm sorry!) to get away and to hide in a church before the story leaked, and to use the gun for protection and the money for food. Johnny nodded and looked at Jessi, who was still sitting on the bed, her eyes wide.

More than anything, Jessi felt scared. She was so scared for these two guys who she loved more than anything. She didn't want the cops to haul Johnny in for murder. It was such a scary thought. Jessi rubbed her arms. Johnny rushed to her and sat next to her, putting his arm around her instantly. She looked at him and smiled appreciatively, feeling much safer and warmer with Johnny's arm around her shoulders. Dally looked at them and caught Jessi's eye. She could detect a smirk behind his stone-face.

Even though Dallas knew this was a tender and special moment for Jessi, he also knew that cops would be all over this within hours and Johnny and Pony needed to get out of Tulsa. He said to the two sitting on the bed, "Look, I hate to break up the love fest," the two jumped apart, as if just realizing that they were in a room with other people, "but Johnny, Pony, you guys have to get out of here. Fast." Johnny nodded and stood up. He and Pony made their way to the door. They were halfway out when Jessi suddenly cried, "Wait!" Dallas, Ponyboy, and Johnny all turned to look at her as she jumped off the bed and hurried to them.

"I'm coming with you."

"What? No! I won't allow it, Jess!"

"Dallas, you can't stop me."

"Jessi, no. I can't let you leave!"

"And why not?"

"It'll be dangerous!"

"I don't care…Dallas, you know that I can take care of myself. And you know I hate lying, so when the feds come, I won't be able to lie to them. And I know where Johnny and Pony are. I'll just give everything away! And, not to mention, Dally…you know why I want to go. You, more than anyone, know why this is important to me. "

After more protesting, Dallas finally backed down, "Fine, Jessi! Fine. Go. But hurry. I'll come down as soon as it's safe and fill you in. Once you get there, buy enough food to last a few days, buy it cheap. That twenty ain't gonna get you very far. After you buy groceries and stuff, you don't so much as stick your noses out the door, you hear? Now go!"

The three rushed from the room and headed off into the dark to the train station.

Dallas was right. Within 2 hours, someone had reported Bob was missing, and then within thirty minutes, they found his dead body, and no clues as to the murderer. Jessi, Pony, and Johnny jumped off the train and rolled down a hill in Winchester a mere 20 minutes before the police stopped all train activity coming from Tulsa and put up road blocks. The three found the church okay, and slipped inside before anyone could see them. They all laid down on the hard ground and fell asleep, despite the uncomfortable sleeping arrangements.

Johnny and Ponyboy woke up a few hours later to the sunlight streaming in through the gaps in the boards of the wall in front of them. Johnny sat up and looked around. He hadn't seen much of the church the night before in the dark, and it didn't look much better now. It looked abandoned. There were cobwebs and spiders hanging from every corner. The pews were so dusty, they looked like they were meant to be gray. The floor wasn't any better; it had a big mixture of dirt and dust everywhere. After he'd surveyed around a bit, he noticed something was different.

"Jessi?"

She wasn't where she'd fallen asleep the night before. He got up and walked around a little before he called again, "Jessi? Jessi!" It was then that Ponyboy sat up, too, and took in his surroundings. He said to Johnny, "What are you yelling for?"

"Jessi's not here, man!"

"What do you mean, 'not here'"

"I mean she's not here!" He motioned around the room and said, "Do you see her anywhere?"

"No…" He looked around and then sat up a little more, rubbing sleep out of his eyes.

"Why aren't you worried about her?"

"Why are you so worried about her, huh? Like she said to Dallas last night, she's a big girl. She can take care of herself."

"But she's not supposed to be out there, Ponyboy! What id the feds picked her up or something?"

"What for? She hasn't done anything to get caught for."

"Other than hiding criminals, you mean."

"Well true."

Johnny started pacing and looking through the gaps between the boards for signs of her.

"You know, Johnny…if I didn't know any better, I'd say you liked Jessi."

"We all like Jessi, man. She's…uh, real cool."

"No, no, no, Johnny. You really like her, don't you?"

Johnny stared at his feet for a little while. He wasn't sure what to say, exactly. He always knew that he liked Jessi as a friend, and he'd always felt this special bond between them…but really, really like her? As more than a friend? The more he thought about it, the better is sounded, the more convinced he was of it.

"Well?"

"I dunno, man, okay? I mean, I guess so, but I—I just don't know."

Before Pony could respond, Jessi opened the door, her arms full of paper bags, and stepped inside, closing the door quickly behind her. She dropped the bags on a table and Johnny ran to her and hugged her. She wrapped her arms around him and said, "Did you miss me, Johnnycakes?" He laughed a little and blushed as he stepped back.

"I just went to buy some food." He nodded and they dumped the bags out.

"Okay, now. I bought one loaf of bread, a lot of bologna, a pack of cards, two packs of cigarettes, a few books, and a bag of candy! Just a bunch of stuff that didn't need to be refrigerated. You wouldn't believe how cheap things are around here. "

Johnny said, "Candy? Cards? Books?"

"The candy is for me." She grabbed the bag, "and the cancer sticks are for you guys," she'd picked up Dallas' word for 'cigarettes', "and the cards are for some entertainment. I figured we might be stuck here for a few days, and we'd need something to keep us occupied." Both the boys nodded, impressed by her use of logic. (A/N- heh heh…Jessi's supposed to be me…heh heh.)

Around midday Johnny suggested, "Ponyboy, we've gotta change our appearances."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, they'll have pictures of us by now. They must've noticed we left about the time of the murder!"

Pony and Jessi shivered at the word 'murder'.

"Why would they notice us being gone?"

"Soda and Darry have got to have reported you missing by now."

Ponyboy considered this. Johnny had a point.

"But what will we use?"

"Jess can go buy us some peroxide to make you blonde…and we can cut our hair with her blade, since mine's not as sharp and it's kind of…dirty…"

"Jess?"

She looked up and said, "I think it's an idea worth considering. It definitely wouldn't be a bad idea."

Before Pony could change his mind, Jessi was out the door to buy the peroxide.

"Johnny…you're gonna live to regret this."

Johnny smiled as he opened Jessi's switchblade. He tugged and started trying to cut of Pony's hair.

"Don't cut too much off now, Johnny…"

Johnny smiled again and continued.

A few hours later they started at themselves in a mirror they found in the church. Pony cried, "Oh, glory…" His hair was blonde and short. Johnny's was still black but shorter.

"Oh come on, Ponyboy! It's just hair…it'll grow back…"

"Shut up, Johnny! You still look halfway decent!"

Jessi laughed, "Oh, Pony…"

"My hair was like…my signature! Now it's gone…"

"Pony, you're overreacting."

He scowled and lit a cigarette. Jessi and Johnny left him alone and went out the back of the church to watch the sunset.

"This sure is crazy, Johnny."

"Yeah…I'm sorry you got mixed up in it."

"No, don't be sorry. I begged Dallas to let me come, remember?"

"Yeah…hey, why was that?"

"What?"

"Why'd you wanna come so bad?"

Jessi blushed slightly, remembering how she had wanted to come because she wanted to be near Johnny. She was falling for him more and more every second.

"I don't know…"

"Come on, Jess…yes you do…"

Jessi felt a wave of bravery rush through her as she said, "Johnny, I like you. I like you a lot. I wanted to come because I wanted to be near you…pretty silly, right?"

She looked down at the ground. Johnny stared at her, at a loss for words.

"Jessi?"

She looked up at him. He put his hand under her chin and pulled her face closer to his. Their lips met in a passionate kiss.

A/N- What a good ending to the chapter, right? Well, I never actually did take the story off, and I got all this inspiration, so I decided to write some. Sarah didn't do anything for this chapter. Hopefully we'll start writing together again this summer. Anyway, sorry there wasn't anything with the other Curtis boys or Ali in this chapter, I didn't want to do the wrong thing if Sarah didn't want what I wanted to happen. I promise some of that in the next chapter. Anyway, please review!

Love,

DC