A/N : I do not own The Outsiders or Reanimator.

Typing this chapter after oral surgery and Percocet. Could be interesting.

Ponyboy and Darry walked silently to the park. Children were playing on the swings and the merry go round. A few were hanging off the monkey bars.

Darry looked over at Ponyboy. Amidst the chaos of screaming children he looked a little lost,

"You wanna do this later?" he asked. Ponyboy squinted and shook his head.

"It's alright. " he looked over at the monkey bars. "This is where they pulled up. Chased us to the water fountain.

Pony boy walked up to the fountain. Darry walked beside him as he tried to gauge his expression. He had a haunted look. What Darry would have given to know what was going on in his head.

The water in the fountain was very still. Thing looked like it hadn't been turned on or cleaned in months.

"Anything?" Darry asked. Ponyboy just stared into the greenish water in the fountain. Did he remember something or was he trying to?

Darry did not know how long they stood there but he was beginning to get anxious. Maybe this was not such a good idea.

"Ponyboy?"

He blinked slowly in response a couple of times, then shook himself out of his stupor.

"Oh, sorry. " he grinned sheepishly.

"Did you remember something?"

Ponyboy blinked a couple of times then shrugged.

"Nothing, " he said. "Nothing at all."

He turned away and walked back in the direction of the house.

As they walked back Darry asked what Ponyboy wanted to do. If he still wanted to go back to the wooded area near Dr. Sheldon's.

Why are you asking him that? Darry asked himself. Have you considered that maybe you're all better off that he doesn't remember anything?

Yes, but if I don't let him go, he'll go anyway. By himself. In soc territory. May as well strap a sandwich board on him with neon lights screaming "Jump me! I'm an ass!"

Darry also remembered his last conversation with Mrs. Jones.

"It's my last day here Curtis so I'm going to leave you with a bit of advice.

"I've seen those two brothers of yours around town. The cutie pie at the DX station and the quiet one that lives with his nose in a book.

"Cutie pie's like a Labrador. He just wants everyone to be happy. He's easy.

"The one you gotta watch is the quiet one. As he gets older he's going to pull the wool over your eyes if you're not careful. He's smart. Very smart."

"Really?" he responded with a grin. With Mrs. Jones it was just better to let her talk.

"You want to keep him out of trouble?" she looked him right in the eyes and pointed at his chest.

"You have to be smarter."

It wasn't easy but he was trying. He was trying.

"Darry?"

He looked over at Ponyboy. The haunted look was back in his eyes.

"Yeah?"

"Ever think about dying?"

"I don't really like to, " he said looking straight ahead. They were maybe a block away from the house. "Why?"

"I don't know," Ponyboy responded. "Was just thinking about it one day."

"Yeah?"

"I think I'd be OK, " he said slowly. "I'm not really afraid of it. I think if it was my time to die I would be OK."

Darry just looked at him. The craziest things came out of Ponyboy's mouth some days. What the hell did happen last night?

They continued walking in silence.