**************Two-Bit's pov****************

I was hanging out at the Curtis' house with Steve tagged along. It was December 22nd, the day Sodapop was going to come home for Christmas. Darry and I were sitting on the couch. Mickey Mouse was on; I was watching it, but Darry was watching the door. Steve was in the kitchen eating some leftover chocolate cake, and Ponyboy was standing near the door looking out the window. He was all fidgety. Darry kept telling him to calm down but he wouldn't.

Then a big yelp from Pony distracted me from my Mickey reminiscing. "SODA!" He screamed. I looked up and saw a blurred Sodapop coming up the walkway. I smiled and turned off the TV. "Soda soda soda soda soda soda soda soda soda soda soda soda soda" Pony repeated over and over. It got louder the closer he got to the door. Once he arrived and opened the door Ponyboy screamed "SODAPOP!" and tackled him. Darry and I got up from the couch and stood near him. I was laughing and Darry was beaming. Steve came in from the kitchen and said "My DX buddy's here!" walking over to him, knelt down, and rumpled his hair.

When both of them got off Soda, Darry and I took turns hugging and greeting him. I was SO happy to see him again, but so sad he could only stay for a week.

"Want chocolate cake?" Darry asked. We all laughed.

"Definitely." Soda said, mid-laugh. "Typical Darry."
We all laughed again.

It was Christmas Day, and I picked up Steve to go to the Curtis' place. When we got there, Soda and Pony were goofing off and Darry was just shaking his head with a big smile on his face.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS!" I yelled running through the door. I dropped their presents next to them. "Ho-Ho-Ho!" Steve said behind me.

We all were smiling laughing, and enjoying the stuff we got. Of course, the stuff was nothing. Like maybe a Mickey Mouse thing from me or a DX station cap from Steve or Soda, but of course that didn't matter. We had fun at Christmas anyway.

"Whoa, Darry. Where did you get that huge turkey?" Ponyboy asked when he had dinner on the table.

"I caught it." He said all proud of himself.

We laughed at his little matter-of-factly attitude.

****************Sodapop's pov*****************

Every night since I got home, Ponyboy always fell asleep right away because he used up all his energy during the day.

On Christmas Day he actually stayed up with me, though. "Hey Soda?"

"Yeah?"

"Is war scary?"

I turned and gave him a hug.

"Not when you're an amazing fighter."

He laughed.

"I met this guy named Ralph. He's my bunkmate. We're pretty good friends now. He lives in Miami."
"In Florida?"

"Yeah."

"Cool."

There was silence for awhile. Then Pony asked a question that I seriously couldn't answer.

"Sodapop, what if you died?"

I could tell that when he asked that, it hurt him.

I put my chin on his head.

"Well, I guess you could say that if I died, I died for you. I died for Dally, Johnny, Mom and Dad…I died for Darry, Steve, and Two-Bit too." I replied.

"I would probably kill myself if you died, Soda." He said.

I laughed silently. "That's sweet I guess." He said.

With that, I yawned and fell asleep.