Title: Memories

Chapter Four: Can't Lose Another

Author's Note: Hello readers, here is yet another chapter! I thank all who has read and I especially thank the ones who have reviewed.

FeistyFeist: The gang is in this chapter, hopefully you like it! Thanks for the review!

OhhGeezz: Thanks for reviewing. I'll make sure to keep updating!

As always please read, review, and enjoy my fanfic!

Disclaimer: Remember the bunnies; always remember the mutant bunnies….

Soda's POV:

I hit the couch with a loud thump, letting out a breath of air as I did. My whole body ached, my head was pounding, and my eyes just wanted to close so I could get some sleep, but I knew I couldn't. I was the first one home, and I had to hear if the rest of the gang had found anything out about Ponyboy….

My throat tightened at the thought of my youngest brother and I rolled over, bearing my face in the pillow. How could he be gone? Everything had been going so well. Darry and Pony had been fighting a lot less. True they both still got on each others nerves but it wasn't as bad as it used to be. Pony had picked up his grades in school. I still didn't get why he gave a damn about them, but it did make Darry happy. And Pony's dreams had happened less and less. It had been weeks sense the last one.

But I should have known this wouldn't last forever. Something had to come along and send us all spiraling down to hell. If it wasn't Johnny killing someone or Dally dying it was Pony going missing….Damn my chest hurt every time I thought about it.

I heard the front door slam and I bolted up just in time to see a very pissed off Two Bit stomp into the kitchen, get a glass of chocolate milk, and then stomp back into the living room. He flopped down on the floor next to the couch, downed the glass in one gulp, and then tried to glare a hole through the blank television.

You didn't find anything did you?" I asked, my heart sinking.

Two Bit shook his head back and forth, making his rusty colored hair fall even more out of place. When he turned to look at me his grey eyes were almost unrecognizable. There were large circles under his eyes and his skin was an ashen pale Gone was the good natured glow and teasing attitude; Two Bit looked on the verge of a breakdown. I knew I didn't look that much better.

"I checked every damn ally, bar, and hangout I could think of." He said, his voice a little horse. "But there was no sign of him. I couldn't even find anyone who had talked to him before he went up and disappeared." He turned and slammed the glass on the ground so hard I was surprised it didn't break in his hands. "I swear, put a fucking leash on that brother of yours. I can't take another one of his disappearing acts.

I nodded in agreement, then reached forward and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulders. When Two Bit looked up I gave him one of my legendary grins, and of course he grinned right back.

The door slammed again, making a both jump, and Steve appeared, looking ragged and out of breath before he slumped into Darry's chair. I gave him a hopeful look, but when our eyes met the look there scattered any hope I had.

"Sorry buddy." He said softly. "I ran all over town, almost went into Soc territory, but I couldn't find nothing."

I fell back onto the couch, feeling defeated. No leads, no explanation. At least there wasn't a body this time. I couldn't help but grin at my morbid humor. How I haven't gone insane yet is beyond me.

The door slammed for the third time that night, and briefly I wondered how it was still on its hinges from the abuse it took from this family. But all my thoughts were dashed when my brother appeared into the room, throwing his burden onto the floor as he did. I couldn't believe my eyes, but I knew I wasn't seeing things as Two Bit swore and said. "Damn Darry, you bring the oddest things home. Whatcha doing lugging home a Soc?"

Darry's POV

My eyes could have burned through metal as a glared down at the crumpled, shaking figure before me. I could barely here the gang's comments as a grabbed the boy's shirt front and hulled him up till he was resting his weight on his toes. "Now tell them what you told me." I said firmly, my voice so full of pent up anger it made the kids eyes go wide and his breath hitch in his throat.

I dropped him to the floor again and folded my arms across my chest, waiting. The Soc ran a shaking hand through his fire red hair, and then stuttered. "We were over here looking for some fun, a good laugh. Damn, I didn't think it would get this out of hand. When we saw the greaser we thought we could ruff him up a bit, then let him limp home. Would make us look real tough. He looked like such a wimp anyways, and was so stupid to be walken by himself."

I heard Two Bit growl at these words and he went to get up, but Soda grabbed him. My brother's eyes were as probably as cold as mine were right now, but I knew he wanted this information. Besides, I had already given the guy a few bruises and there was plenty more where that came from after he gave us what we needed.

The boy with the fire red hair continued, starring pointedly down at his hands clenched in his lap. "But then he ran, never seen someone run so fast. Kevin didn't want to look weak so we tore after him. When we figured out we were never going to catch him I stopped, thinking it was over. But…" He paused, his breath coming in short gasp as his face turned even paler.

I didn't wait for him to continue. I had already gotten the whole story out of him, and what he had said made my blood run cold. "The damn Socs threw a bottle at him and got a direct hit to the head. It must have been bad, because he took me to the place where they ran Pony down." My own voice was breaking now. I couldn't keep going. Instead I grabbed the kid by the shirt again and dragged him outside, the rest of the gang following.

As I walked I noticed that I was having trouble seeing. At first I couldn't' figure out why, but when I noticed my face was getting wet I realized I was crying. I quickly forced the tears back, where they began to burn a hole through my heart. This couldn't be happening again, not to my baby brother.

When we reached the spot I pointed down at the dirt. Even in the fading light from the setting sun the other three could see what I was point at. I heard Two Bit swear like a sailor, Steve let out a low curse, and I could almost hear Soda stop breathing. There in the dry ground was a dark, rust colored stain. All of us knew blood when we saw it. Around it was dark colored brown glass, like that from a Pepsi bottle.

For a moment none of us moved, not even the Soc. Then suddenly I felt the Socs shirt ripped from my hands. I turned to stop him from running, but froze in shock. Soda had the kid by the throat and was shaking him violently. "What the hell did you do with my brother!?" He screamed at the top of his voice. His eyes looked murderous, the expression on his face wild. When the Soc didn't answer Soda pulled back a fist and slammed it so hard into the Socs face he was thrown backward, knocked out cold before he hit the ground.

Soda seemed to deflate after that, and I had to run forward to catch him as he staggered. He turned and buried his face into my olive t-shirt, and I could feel his sobs rack his body as my shirt began to get wet. "Why does this always happen to him." He chocked out. "Why."

I couldn't answer my brother's question. All I could do was hold him tightly as tears ran down my face. I barely noticed Two Bit walk over to the still form of the Soc and bend over him. I thought what he was doing was pointless, but then I saw the Socs lips move, and a grim smile appeared on Two Bit's face.

"Hey guys, the moron here just spit out some worth while information. Listen to this."

Author's Note: Ha, cliffy! My first one in the story. Better come back and read or else you'll never find out what happens.