Blindfolded

Seven

'I didn't sleep that night. I was kind of afraid too, actually. I found out the hard way that there were a lot of things that other people couldn't see around this place and it got worse when I fell asleep, so I had to stay up all night, bored out of my mind.

'Soda wasn't around when I walked back in and I wondered where he was. Not that I was expecting him to be up and about at about two in the morning, which was when we got back, but he wasn't anywhere in the house. I kind of wanted to ask him if he'd find someone to take me back home.

'I know, who ever will be reading this later (which very well may be me) must think I'm a total idiot. It's not like I have much to go back too, considering the Dad factor in this one, but I don't think I can bring myself to hang around here much longer. I found out what I wanted and probably even more than I wanted and now my entire life is just... thrown out the window because of this... thing, that keeps happening.

'That lucky bastard Tommy is fast asleep... and I really wish I could be too. But I keep hearing voices and it keeps me up. A lot of times I'll hear my mother. Just a kind of whisper or something. A faint laugh. It makes me feel awful. I need something to block out the sound of it, but I can't find anything. If I was at home and still five years old, I could crawl into my cousin's bed, or even my grandma's or aunt's and uncle's... of course, if my mom were alive, I could be shuffling into her room right now. But then I wouldn't have a reason to be shuffling about, now would I?

'... I think I'm gonna go shuffle. Maybe Soda's just in a bedroom or something.'

xxxx

Jennifer carefully peeked into each bedroom door, squinting to see who was in each one. Darry was in the larger room, sleeping quite soundly, so Jennifer didn't bother walking into that room. Besides, he was snappy and Jennifer didn't like that. Soda was in the room next door, his back to the door as he slept pretty close to the wall.

Since Jennifer barely knew him, she just shuffled her way in, carrying the pillow and blanket that had been left on the couch, and dropped them on the floor, before following them. She tried not to sigh in relief as she lay down and pulled the blanket over her. There wasn't a single sound in this room except for Soda's light breathing and she wasn't getting the strange tingly feeling she'd been getting earlier that morning.

She fell asleep a few minutes later, curled up on the floor a few feet away from the bed that Soda was sleeping on.

xxxx

"You can't just ask an AoD for favors-"

"Shut up, Bobby," Julie snapped at the rather "dorky" boy standing across from her. The small group of Guardians were standing in a circle, debating on what they should do.

"Well, it's not really a favor. We just want to know where she is."

"To them, that's a favor."

"...Shut up Bobby," Leann said in a flat tone. Dallas snorted, a smirk on face as Bobby glared at him.

"Do you personally know any of those AoDs? I thought they didn't like us, because we prevent them from doing their job."

"That's why they don't like Dallas, Johnny or I," Julie said with a sigh. "We stopped them from taking Paul."

"I can go," Christine piped up.

"... I don't think so. I don't think they'll be too happy seeing the people they brought up here. They just drop us here, they aren't hoping to see us again," Bobby pointed out.

"You're really getting annoying," Dallas muttered, cracking his knuckles in a bored manner.

"Don't do that," Bobby snapped. Dally raised an eyebrow and cracked them again, smirking at Bobby's wince.

"How can you do a good job if you're a fuckin' pussy? Toughen it up there, Bobby," Dallas said, clapping him hard on the shoulder. Bobby's knees nearly buckled and Dally laughed.

"Hey," Julie said, clapping her hands. "Focus!"

"Yeah, c'mon Dal, you wanna find her or not?" Johnny asked, putting a hand on his arm to stop him from grabbing Bobby and doing anything worse.

"I dunno... I guess so," Dallas said with a shrug, cracking his knuckles one last time.

"Maybe we should all go," Leann suggested, looking at everyone with wide eyes. "Yeah? I mean, that way if one of us messes up, we won't be alone with them."

"Or we could just outnumber 'em so they have to say yes."

"Oh, yeah, because we're all real scary," Julie said, rolling her eyes.

"Hey, I'm pretty sure everyone in this section is afraid of you Jules, so I wouldn't be talkin'."

"I swear to-"

"Can we just... go?" Christine asked, her voice setting up a wall between the two fighters.

"Sure. But I expect something from you when we get back Dallas."

"Time and place, babe," Dally said with a smirk, Julie's glare intensifying as they all faded away

xxxx

"Yeah, because I'm in a real hurry to go back home."

"Tommy-"

"No, I'm sick of her. Naggin' at me all the time! Don't get me wrong, I respect her an' everythin', but she's gettin' on my nerves. I'll stay here as long as I want. I ain't botherin' anyone. These are your friends, they ain't gonna care if your kid stays at their house. It's not like I'm bummin' around outside and robbin' stores."

"I get that Tommy, but she's worryin' 'bout you and naggin' me."

"... Am I supposed to feel sorry for you? Just tell her you found me and I'm safe with your friends. I'll come home when I want to. I ain't fightin' with her when I get back, 'cause then you get pissed off."

"Fine... but if I come back again, you're coming home."

"Deal... hey, ya know, there's another kid here too."

"Oh yeah? Darry leavin' the door open again?"

"Nope. From what I understan' she was expected."

"She?"

"Jennifer. Alice's daughter," Tommy said, smirking at his father's reaction.

"Daughter?"

"Yup. So... you gonna hang around?"

xxxx

Jennifer groaned, the effects of sleeping on a floor swooping in full force. It took her a moment to remember why she was sleeping on the floor in the first place and she wished she hadn't remembered once she did.

"Jennifer? You awake?"

"I think so."

"Good. Darry made breakfast. Kinda like when we were younger, cookin' for an entire army... anyway, said to ask you if you wanted something."

"I don't usually eat breakfast."

"That's gotta be against the law somewhere. No wonder you're so small! C'mon, you'll like it. Darry's pretty decent with cookin' and he ain't as moody as before, if you were wonderin'."

Jennifer looked up at Soda, blinking to keep her gaze in focus. He smiled.

"So?"

"... Do you do that to everyone?"

"Do what?"

"I bet you know what," Jennifer said, sitting up and pushing the blanket away. She felt weird, the clothes she had worn yesterday wrinkled. She tried her best to straighten them out. "Persuading people like that without them realizing it until later."

"I dunno... maybe. I don't think I notice... but it doesn't work on everyone, I know that."

"It didn't work on my mother."

"What?"

"You tried to convince her to stay here, but she refused and went home. Was that the first time it didn't work?"

Sodapop looked a bit upset again, but shook his head. "No... there have been other times that it hasn't worked. Do you want me to get your backpack? Do you have more clothes in there?"

"I think so. That'd be great, thank you," Jennifer said, slipping her bright green socks off as Soda nodded and turned to get her backpack from Alice's old room.

"Here," Soda said quietly, setting the bag carefully on the floor. Jennifer flopped forward on the floor and stretched her arm as far as it would go, grabbing the corner of the bag and dragging it toward her. Soda closed the door and turned as Steve walked down the hallway.

"What's all this about Alice's kid?"

Soda shrugged and tried to move around him, but Steve blocked his way. "I know somethin's up. Is it the person she married? Is that what's botherin' you? How old is that kid anyway?"

"Yes and 15."

"Only fifteen?"

"Born 1970, adopted not long after Alice left," Soda said, looking back at the door. He laughed. "Weird isn't it? If Alice had stayed longer..." he shook his head and smiled a bit. "It's fuckin' insane."

"So where's-"

"She's dead. Died this month. Pony said she was sick, like her father was, but I dunno... she didn't seem sick, did she?"

"...She was tired an awful lot Soda," Steve said carefully, watching his friend. Soda smiled again.

"Yeah, she was. She should have gone to the doctor or somethin'-"

"But she hated 'em. I know..." Steve said, his hands in the pockets of his jeans. "C'mon, let's go eat somethin' huh?"

"Ya know, she looks a lot like Dallas," Soda said as they walked down the hall. "If she had been born earlier, I'd say she was his kid."

"Man, I can't imagine Dally havin' a little girl."

"Yeah, neither can I."

xxxx

Jennifer sighed and poked at her eggs, her hair pulled back in the messiest ponytail she had ever seen. She hadn't brought a hair brush with her. She really hated eating this early and just wanted to go back to sleep. It felt like she had only fallen asleep five minutes ago. Really, it was about an hour ago, but, it's all the same to the person who's sleep deprived.

She yawned and listened to Tommy talking to some other boys and laughing. She saw a football fly through the air as she glanced out the window. She hated eating this early. She shouldn't even be up this early.

"Soda?"

He looked up from his breakfast, but Steve, Tommy's father she found out, continued his trip to the kitchen sink and left the room.

"Do I really look like Dallas?"

Soda was used to Jennifer's sudden, and often uncomfortable, questions and statements by now, so he wasn't as surprised as he usually was.

"Kinda. Why?"

"I dunno. I was just wondering. Mom mentioned him a few times and I always wondered, 'who the heck was this guy?' She told me of course... I don't act like him do I?"

"Not unless you're carryin' around a pack of Kools and plannin' on slashin' someone's tires," Soda said with a smile.

"Nope," Jennifer said, biting into her toast. "But ya know, I still wonder about him. I didn't realize he was dead until yesterday."

"Yeah? She never told you he was dead?"

"She mentioned Angels... but she never said he was one. That was when I was younger. I didn't remember the name until yesterday either. I kinda thought she was makin' it up once I grew up... I was thinking about going home, by the way."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah... I think I should go back... I mean, it's not that I want to. I'm kinda dreading it, but I can't just run away, right?"

"No, you shouldn't run away from anything like that. It don't do you no good... when did you wanna go back?"

"I was hoping today... I think I found out a little more than I wanted, actually."

"And your dad?"

"I'll deal with it, I guess. I'd ask you to stay with me once we get there, but that might be kinda awkward."

"It might," Soda agreed.

"Hey, Jennifer," Tommy said, jogging in with the football. "Do you know how to play football? One of our guys chickened out."

"There was probably a reason he dropped outta the game," Jennifer muttered. "I'm too tired Tommy. I was only asleep for an hour."

"It makes it exciting."

"C'mon Tommy, just play with uneven numbers. I used to do that all the time. Jennifer's gotta get ready to go."

"Go where?" Tommy asked, tossing the ball up and catching it.

"I'm taking her home."

Tommy held the ball tightly and looked at Jennifer, his eyebrows raised. "Yeah? Even with all that crap goin' on at home?"

"I gotta go back... I can't just leave them all behind. 'Sides, I think I can handle my dad. I'm smarter than him anyway," Jennifer said, standing up and pushing her chair in. "You want my breakfast? I don't feel like eating right now."

"No, that's alright..." Tommy said, shaking his head. Jennifer smiled and walked over to Tommy, hugging him.

"See ya later," Jennifer said, letting him go and walking back to grab her things.

"Yeah, you probably will," Tommy said with a shrug, before jogging back outside, the screen door slamming against the house.

xxxx

"I'll be back," Soda said, climbing into the car. Jennifer was sleeping on the back seat, so he left the radio off.

"Hey," Ponyboy said, leaning down to talk to Soda through the window. "Don't worry. It'll be fine. No one hates you up there, you know that."

"Yeah, I know. Ain't gonna make it any less awkward," Soda muttered, starting the car as Ponyboy stepped away. He tore away from the driveway and down the street, still a fast driver despite how long he had to outgrow that habit.

"You think he'll be able to handle it?" Steve asked as Ponyboy walked back to the house.

"Yeah. He was a tough kid and he's still tough today."

"Hey, dad, c'mon," Tommy said, running down the steps. "I'm gettin' hungry and I know there's gotta be dinner at home by now. But I ain't talkin' to her," he added quickly. Steve watched him climb into the car, a bit confused.

"I guess I'll see ya later, Pone. You goin' back to your house?"

"Yeah, I'll leave Darry alone for a bit. I think he was sick of all of us."

"I think so too. Didn't even say bye when he left for work," Steve said, digging his keys out of his pocket and walking to the car. Inside, Tommy had his feet resting on the dashboard, as he looked into the rearview mirror and admired how beat up he looked after playing football.

"If that ain't gonna freak her out, she's gettin' to used to this," Tommy muttered, messing his hair up a bit more.

xxxx

Jennifer dug in her backpack for her keys, sighing. Soda was leaning against his car, waiting patiently.

"There they are," Jennifer said happily, pulling out a mess of key chains and putting the key into the lock. She pushed the door open and tossed her backpack in, looking back at Soda.

"Well?"

"...Well what?"

"C'mon, no one's home and we didn't stop on the way, so you must be hungry or something... Please?"

Soda sighed and smiled. "Alright, fine."

Jennifer walked inside, seeming a lot more comfortable now that she was back in her own city and at her own house. Soda followed, cautiously, expecting to see a house like Alice's room back at home.

But it wasn't. It still had warm colors, like in the kitchen and the living warm, but there were still white walls, like the staircase leading upstairs to the bedrooms. It looked like an average home. Jennifer was staring into the fridge, before she reached inside and pulled out a can of Pepsi.

She walked out of the kitchen, looking at everything carefully. A pretty large pile of mail was sitting on the coffee table, but she only glanced at it, her gaze wandering to a pair of shoes.

"Damn," Jennifer muttered, setting her can of soda on the table.

"Jennifer?"

"I lied, someone's home," Jennifer told Soda quietly. Soda's eyes widened slightly as Ronnie, a surprisingly clean cut looking man, walked down stairs and scooped his daughter in a hug.

"Hi dad."

Still holding his daughter, he stroked her hair and looked up at Soda.

"Hi Soda."

"Ronnie... when did you get so..." Soda faltered, looking for the right words. Ronnie smiled and Jennifer made a face, probably sick of being held for so long.

"Rehab."

"What?" Jennifer said, shocked. "That's why you were gone? Mom said-"

"Your mom said a lot of things Jen. I told her I was going to rehab and she didn't believe me... and apparently you don't either."

Jennifer frowned. She didn't know what he was doing, or was trying to do.

"You can call the place if you want. I still got the number," he said, letting her go and looking at her.

"... You were gone for a very long time. You weren't in rehab that long. I know that."

"No, I wasn't. I couldn't really handle everything that was goin' on, between havin' a little girl running around the house, your mother and my job... I ran away from that. I'm sorry I did, I really am. Your uncle told me Alice had died when I got back. But he wouldn't tell me where you were," Ronnie said, pausing and looking at Soda and Jennifer.

"That's why you were calling so many people. It scared you, didn't it? Not knowing where the last of your family was," Soda said, remembering how about twenty years ago, he hadn't known where his brother and his friend had gone. He and Darry both had been terrified that they would never see them again.

"You were worried?" Jennifer asked, surprised.

"Of course I was worried. You're still my little girl..." Ronnie said, trailing off and putting his hands in the pockets of his jeans.

"...I still don't trust you."

"I know. I have to earn that. I wasn't expecting you to just throw it at me."

"... You don't know what I like."

"I can learn."

"Do you even know how old I am?"

"You'll be sixteen soon."

"I can't cook."

"Then we can both learn."

"You aren't giving up this time are you?"

"Nope."

"...That's good," Jennifer said with a smile. "That's definitely a start."