Chapter 8: Fields of Gold

"Many years have passed since those summer days
Among the fields of barley
See the children run as the sun goes down
As you lie in fields of gold"

-Eva Cassidy

The next morning I laid in bed, staring up at the ceiling and trying to remember the dream I had had last night. I couldn't remember what it was about and who was in it but I knew it had woken me up and that it was scary. I felt sick to my stomach and something was nagging at me but I had to force myself to get up because I had to go to work.

No one was there yet as I opened the store. Soda and Steve didn't arrive until after 11.

"Have you seen Johnny yet?" Soda asked me coming in to grab a Pepsi.

I shook my head. "No why?"

He ran a hand through his hair and put the Pepsi on the counter to dig out 3 quarters. "Ponyboy was there earlier this mornin' and he said it don't look good".

My stomach dropped. "What doesn't look good? Johnny's going to be okay isn't he?"

"I don't know. Just Ponyboy looked pretty shaken up about it, he said that Johnny could barely talk and than he passed out and the nurses rushed in and kicked him out"

I bit my lip and quickly brushed the tears away. "He'll be fine"

I could feel Soda watching me but I ignored him as I took his money.

"Well hey I heard the good news 'bout you and Dally" he tried to change the subject.

I nodded. "Will you and Two-Bit be my brides maids?"

We started to laugh. "As long as the dress compliments my eyes"

"Of course it will. Now get to work, I have a wedding to plan" and I pulled out a pad of paper and a pen and began jotting down ideas.

I closed the store around 7 o'clock because the rumble was going to start soon.

I hurried over to the Curtis' house to see the guys off. Evie and Sandy were there too. "Are you going to stay?" Soda asked me.

I shook my head. "I'm going to go home to have a shower and get something to eat and than hurry over to the hospital to see Johnny. But I should be back after"

"Just be ready with the needles and ice packs" Two-Bit grinned, sipping a beer.

I smirked at him than turned to Ponyboy. "You nervous?"

He nodded. "A little bit"

"Just let us handle it all" Steve called as him and Soda began to arm wrestle.

"I'm worried 'bout you Ponyboy" Darry said slinging an arm around his shoulders.

"Why ain't you worried 'bout Soda?" he asked.

"Cuz he can fight"

Ponyboy shrugged. "I'll do okay".

"Well if you boys will be as kind as to make sure my fiancé comes back in one piece I'll be much obliged" I winked as I headed back to the front door.

"He finally asked you?" Steve asked.

"Well not yet, but he said he was. And I expect you all to come to my wedding. But I'm going to go now and change. Don't hurt the Soc's too much. I'll see you all later".

A chill settled over my bones as I jogged home. It was beginning to get dark as I got to my house.

My fingers felt numb and a shiver ran up my spine as I closed the front door, locking out the shadows and darkness. Something was not right. I decided to have a warm shower to settle my nerves.

"They've had plenty of fights, they'll be fine" I told myself as I stepped into the shower. But still I could not shake the uneasy feeling.

When I was out of the shower I made myself a cup of hot chocolate and settled down in front of the T.V. After the rumble I would go and see Johnny.

I drifted off for a few minutes and when I woke back up it was 9. I decided that I'd go to the hospital now and drop off at the Curtis' later to make sure everyone was still in mint condition.

As I walked I pulled my coat around me tighter. Something definitely wasn't right, and the first thing I thought of was Johnny, so I kicked myself in to high gear and ran the rest of the way to the hospital.

When I walked through the doors something powerful and overwhelming hit me. I stopped for a second to catch my breath and than I scrambled to Johnny's room.

I poked my head in to his room to see if he was up and it felt like my stomach had dropped to my knees. He wasn't there; instead there was his empty bed.

A nurse walked by and I stopped her. "Excuse me where is Johnny Cade?"

Immediately her brown eyes softened. "I'm sorry. He passed away a few minutes ago. I thought your friends would have told you"

I held in my tears and balled my hands into fists. "What friends?"

"Those two boys that were here before, a blonde one and a dark haired one. They left 10 minutes ago"

I only nodded and she walked away. I had to get out of there. It was too suffocating.

As soon as I got outside I ran, allowing the burning tears to roll down my face and stain my cheeks. But I stopped when I heard the familiar wailing of police sirens, and a weird feeling washed over me. My legs began to carry me in a different direction and I realized that I was near the park. I watched as a familiar figure ran into the park, 3 police cars following it. My stomach twisted into a knot as I noticed 5 figures running down the street toward me.

"Stop!"

"Dally!"

I took off running toward them, but I watched Dally dodge the police cars.

Sodapop reached for me as I collapsed into his arms as the others cried out to Dallas and the police.

I sobbed into Soda's arms over Johnny but when I heard a sickening crack and gun shots I tore away and watched, as though in slow motion, as Dallas was gunned down.

6 police men were shooting at him and he went down in a cloud of smoke.

"No! He's only a kid!"

"Stop shooting!"

My legs felt like jelly, my head was pounding and it felt like my heart had stopped beating as Dallas crawled over on his stomach.

"Dally!" I screamed and ran over collapsing on my knees in front of him as he reached out.

There was blood oozing from his mouth and nose and his eyes were rolling back and forth in there sockets.

"Don…na" he gasped

I grasped his hand. "Dally stay with me, hold on will get you to the hospital. Someone help!" I screamed as I could feel the cold, clamminess of his hand.

He opened his mouth again but no words came out.

"Shhs, don't speak. Help is comin'" I brushed the hair out of his face. "I made a list of things we need for our wedding. I don't care if you don't have a ring let's just get married as soon as possible" I was talking a mile a minute. "Dally? Oh please Dally don't leave" I cried as he gave one last squeeze of my hand.

"I...I… Donna" and than his hand slipped out of mine and he lay still, forever.

"Dally!? Dally!?" I screamed and rolled him over. Blood was slowly leaking out of his wounds and it made me sick. I kicked as two hands grabbed my arms and lifted me up.

"Leave me alone! I'm not leavin' him! Kill me too! Kill me!" I yelled at the police men.

I was flung over Darrys shoulder, Steve had grabbed Ponyboy who fainted. Two-Bit and Soda stayed behind. "We're not goin' to leave him" Soda told me as I reached out to them.

"Please, please come back" I whimpered as I began to feel weak. The last thing I saw before I fainted was my two best friends standing over my dead fiancé, it would play over and over again in my mind years to come.

"I can't believe he's dead" Soda said as him and Two-Bit looked down at Dallas as the police got in their cars and drove away, without a word.

"I.. I ain't dead" and Dallas began to cough.

"You lucky son of a bitch!" Two-Bit called ripping a piece of Sodapop's shirt and bending down to stop the bleeding from Dallas' wounds.

"Donna will be so happy" Soda grinned also bending down.

But Dallas shook his head. "No, don't tell her I'm alive".

Two-Bit and Soda exchanged looks. "Why not Dally?" Two-Bit muttered.

"Because Donna can do better than me. Now help me up"

Once Dallas was on his feet they began to drag him back to the hospital. "The nurses'll be happy to see me".

"Not as much as Donna would" Two-Bit muttered sadly.

"It's for her own good" Dally whispered and they didn't speak for the rest of the journey to the hospital.

I stood between Soda and Two-Bit as a light, cold rain fell from the sky as though the heavens were mourning Johnny and Dally's deaths. We buried them the same day, side by side on September 22nd 1963 in the local cemetery.

As the priest, who only agreed to do the service for 50 bucks, read the passages I looked around at the people who had gathered. None of their family had showed up, but I suppose we were just as close to them as family, and we acted like one. I couldn't look down, because I couldn't handle seeing fresh mounds of dirt. Instead I caught Tim Shepard's eye. He only nodded at me and than closed his again. I raised my head up to the sky and closed my eyes allowing the cold rain to wash away my hot tears.

"Ashes to ashes and dust to dust, may Johnny James Cade and Dallas John Winston, rest in peace"

"Rest in peace" everyone echoed and than the service was over and the priest high tailed it out of there.

Two-Bit and Soda gripped my shoulder as everyone murmured their condolences and headed home.

"Will wait up for you" Soda told me.

"Alright, but can I have some alone time with them?"

"Of course, will be waitin' at the gates" Two-Bit said and than I listened as they walked away before I pulled out the flowers I was carrying around in my coat.

"Johnny cake I'll miss you. You were like my younger brother. Take care of Dally for me" I choked back my sobs and than I placed 2 white daisies on the fresh mound and moved over to Dally's.

I sunk to my knees and pulled out a blood red rose and placed it on his grave. I than began to twist the chain around my neck, with Dally's ring hanging from it, trying to find the words I wanted to say. But no matter how intricate I wanted my speech to be, the only words that sounded appropriate were:

"I love you"

Than I pressed my fingers to my lips and placed them on the dirt, it was our last kiss, and with great difficulty I walked away.

He watched her with his dark eyes. It took all he had to restrain himself from running down to her. He leaned against the tree, his injuries were still fresh and hurt him but what hurt him more was Donna, his Donna crying over him. He wasn't worth it, he knew that, everyone knew that and maybe Donna did too but she didn't care, she loved him. It broke his heart to watch her walk away, but he knew she was going to be okay when she didn't look back.

"You're tuff kid, you'll be okay" he mumbled and than when he heard the gates clink shut behind her he left to catch his train to New York.

Wow, I must admit I loved this chapter. I just couldn't kill Dally, I love him too much!

Maybe if I get motivated or inspired I'll write a sequel I like and post it.

You've all been great and I just wanted to say thank you for sticking with me.

Thanks So Much

-POLY.