A/N Hey y'all, its been a while but I promise this hasn't been forgotten, I've just had a lot going on. I want to give a special thanks to Prongs, my new beta, for jumping aboard my train of craziness. And as always the disclaimer is if you recognize it, it ain't mine.

"Morning," Darry says, slipping out of the bed, his voice husky with sleep.

"Mmm, Morning," I reply, still partially asleep. I watch as Darry putters around the room, first doing push-ups, then sit-ups, tricep dips and pull ups, before finally stretching. He walks back over to the bed and presses a light kiss to my forehead. I recoil slightly, but I don't think he notices. Darry grabs his towel and walks across the hallway into the bathroom. I'm still shaken up over what happened last night. I woke up last night in a cold sweat and wasn't able to go back to sleep until Darry came into the room. Just knowing Darry was close by calmed me. He returns with his hair dripping and a towel slung around his waist.

"Come on, get moving slow poke," Darry teases, poking me in the side. I play along, grumbling slightly. I grab a towel from the back of the door and walk across the hall. Once in the bathroom, I remember that I showered last night, and it that would be a bit pointless to shower again. Trying not to remember why, I instead take the time to curl my hair and pin it up applying a light layer of makeup afterwards. When I was in highschool, I use to get up early every morning to do my hair and makeup like my mother taught me. But for the past two years, I haven't found much time for things like that. I sigh at my reflection. With my hair curled, and makeup done, I look like a proper middle class girl. One that didn't drop out of college for her boyfriend, only to break up with him. One that doesn't take care of a house of teenage boys. Definitely not one that's gotten caught up in a murder.

I return to Darry's room, but he isn't there. I faintly hear him making coffee in the kitchen and reassure myself that he hasn't left. Darry started drinking coffee once he got two jobs, and he won't tell anyone but he hates it. He thinks it will help him stay awake more, but I think he's lying to himself there. I went to enough breakfasts at the Curtis's house when we were in highschool to know that Darry drank coffee just how his father had taken it, probably to feel closer to his dad.

I flick through the clothes on the right side of the closet, my side. I settle on a long sleeve black blouse with a boat neckline, and a slim black skirt that falls just below my knees. I set out a pair of short heels next to the bed, but I put off strapping them on for now.

I pad out in just my stockinged feet and join Darry in the kitchen. He's sipping away at a cup of hot coffee, but I opt to pour myself a glass of orange juice instead.

"I was thinking," Darry starts.

"Don't you think it's a bit early for that," I tease.

"What do you think about me dropping you off a bit early at the church?" Darry asks. I pause, waiting for him to explain himself. "It's just that tensions are high and I don't want to start off the morning bad between you and the guys."

"Oh, alright," I agree. It was a bit hurtful that Darry didn't trust me to be around the guys, but I can understand that none of them are at their best right now. I haven't seen much of Steve or Two, but I would bet anything that they are itching for a fight with the socs. "What were you going to do today?"

"I have to go down to the court and explain everything," Darry shrugs.

"Are you taking Soda with you?"

"I wasn't planning on it, he's taking it so hard. I don't want anything to slip out in front of the judge that could end up hurting Pony."

"Well, if he is still here when I get home, I'll try to get him up and moving. He is only hurting himself by moping like this."

"I don't know if I've said this already, but thank you Catie," Darry says setting down his coffee and stepping closer to me. "I have absolutely no idea how you have been so calm and level headed during all of this."

"You want to know how I do it?" I ask, taking a step closer so that Darry and I are practically touching. I look up at him and whisper, "I know that if anything ever happened to me, you would be there for me a hundred percent of the time."

"You're absolutely amazing," Darry says in awe.

"And you're even more amazing," I reply, stepping away to start making breakfast for Darry. A full plate of eggs with sausage and toast, and I set a piece of toast aside for myself. We eat in silence. Not unusual, but this particular silence seemed strangely large between the two of us.
"Are you ready to go soon?" Darry asks when we finish, moving our empty plates to the sink.

"I think so, let me just go grab my things from our room," I say, walking out of the kitchen. I peek into Soda's room before heading on to my own. He's asleep, dead to the world. He needs sleep right now, he's been tearing himself up. I continue on to Darry's room, grab my handbag and strap on my heels. We meet back in his truck, but don't speak again until we are outside of the church.

"You're sure about this?" Darry asks.

"It would feel wrong not to," I answer, looking towards the church. There's one or two people milling around, but it is still very early to be arriving.

"Please be careful," Darry urges, grabbing my hand, "Mr. Sheldon had a problem with you, with us, and he's fully removed from from the things that happen on the streets. There are going to be people there who still go to Will Rogers, and you're gonna be alone."

"Dar, I doubt anyone is going to attack me at a funeral."

"I- just be careful, promise me that, I can't lose you."

"You're not going to lose me. And you are not going to lose Soda or Pony, everything is going to be okay, you'll see. Just be honest when you're talking to the social worker."

"Are you sure you will be able to find a ride home?"

"Yes, don't worry about it," I tell Darry as I slip out of the cab of the truck. Darry nods once sharply, before pulling away from the curb. I walk into the church to find Paulie sitting somberly in the first pew, Mr. Sheldon pacing up and down in front of the altar, the closed coffin already there. He's talking rapidly to the priest while balancing Maria on his hip, Mrs. Sheldon and Tony not there yet. I walk down the center aisle and up to Mr. Sheldon. Without speaking a word to me, he hands over Maria and continues on with his rant. I sit down next to Paul, balancing Maria on my knees. People begin filtering into the church, filling in the pews behind us. Nearly an hour after I arrive, Mrs. Sheldon sits down next to Paulie, with Tony in her lap, a handkerchief already clutched in her hand. Mr. Sheldon seems to reign himself in a bit, before sitting stiffly next to his wife as the service begins.

The funeral passes quicker than I expected. Then again, the last funeral I attended was for Mr. and Mrs. Curtis, and that seemed like an eternity. Mr. Sheldon speaks, along with the priest, Randy, and a Will Rodger teacher. As the service comes to a close, Mr. Sheldon takes Maria from me, and I realize that they're going to stand up as a family and receive the well wishers. Once they move to the front of the chapel, next to the casket, I make my way to the back of the church, waiting in case they need anything.

"Catherine?" I turn and see some of the guys Darry and I graduated with walking towards me. I recognize the one who spoke.

"Mark? What are you doing here? I thought you were in Kansas!" I exclaimed, meeting them halfway. Mark was wide receiver for Darry, and they were a deadly team when they took the field together.

"My dad was up watching our game against Alabama when we heard what happened to Bob, we came down as soon as possible. But why are you here?"

"I nanny for the Sheldons."

"Mark, did you hear that everyone is saying it was a Curtis kid who did it?" Kenny asks walking up to our group. He's another football player from Darry's team.

"Shit, Curtis, are you sure that's what you heard Kenny?" Mark asks.

"One hundred percent, not Darryl through, another one. Hey wait, Catie you still hang around with Darryl right?"

"Yes," I answer, not happy wear this conversation is heading.

"What happened then, is it true?" James, Kenny's twin brother questions. I pause, trying to find the right words.

"Hey, look it's the bitch who lives with the guy who killed Bob," Randy says joining our group, slurring slightly. Behind him are three more his and Bob's friends.

"Take in down man," Mark says, stepping between Randy and I, pushing him away slightly, "No reason to ever call a women that."

"Step aside Mark," one of the other guys says, "We just want to know why she showed up to this. She's probably spying on us for the grease she hangs around so they can pick which one of us to murder next."

"Just drop all of this grease, soc shit, it doesn't matter," Mark says, not moving.

"What does matter is that her kind put one of us six feet under," Randy says.

"Her kind?! What the hell are you talking about?!"

"Oh, so you don't know," Randy smirks, "That whore you're protecting, has been living with grease for the past two years, ever since you graduated. She's not who she was in highschool, now she's just a grease skank."

"Kitty!" Maria cries out, moving between the legs of Randy and his friends.

"Maria honey what's wrong?" I ask, kneeling down.

"Kitty, I'm scared. Everyone's crying and, and, and I can't find Bobby anywhere! Where is he?! I want him now!"

"Shhhs honey shhhs," I say, picking her up into my arms. She was sobbing now.

"I'm sorry Catie, I lost track of her, and she ran," Paul says sheepishly.

"It's okay, she's just confused, I'm going to take her outside to calm her down," I tell Paul. I move past Mark and Randy, giving them both a glare over the top of Maria's head. I carry Maria outside of the church and walk back and forth, hushing her to sleep. Eventually she falls asleep and I take a seat on the stairs of the church.

"Catie?" Mark asks, sitting down next to me. "I hate to ask it but is it true? What they were saying?"

"That I haved lived with Darry for two years? Yes. That it was Ponyboy, his youngest brother and his friend Johnny Cade that killed Bob? Yes. That I'm a greaser? I don't know, I guess technically since my dad kicked me out of the house."

"Shoot, Catie, I had no idea."

"How would you, you have barely been back to Tulsa since graduation."

"I should have come back, we are a team, on or off the field, we look out for eachother."

"Mark, it's okay, I don't even know what most of the girls from the squad are up to these days, and that was only fifteen girls, no one can expect you to keep track of the entire football team, much less look out for them."

"I have no idea what has been going on with you or Darry or Kenny or James or Baby or anyone!"

"Has something been going on with Kenny and James, or Baby?" I ask worried. The way Mark was talking had me thinking something big and disastrous had happened to all of us. I guess some might say what happened to Darry, and subsequently myself, was tragic and unfair, but I didn't think of it like that, I don't think Darry did either. The last I heard was that Kenny and James were still playing ball for some school in Texas, and Baby, also known as Melanie, was becoming a typist in order to work at a law firm.

"I don't know about Baby, but Kenny and James just got their letters." Daft letters. We all had been hearing rumors about it happening for the vietnam war, but we never thought it would happen. Especially not if you were enrolled in school.

"How?" I ask, feeling close to being sick. The idea of the government forcing men to go to war was insane.

"Their dad got sick over the summer and they both decided to take a semester off to help out their mother, next thing they knew they had federal envelopes in their mailbox."

"When do they-"

"On Sunday they ship out to basic."

"That's terrible," I say, holding Maria closer to myself. After a moment of silence I continue with, "I should probably return her to her family."

"Why don't I give you a ride home once you do that," Mark offers.

"Are you sure? I don't want you to drive out of your way."

"I'm sure Cate," Mark says standing up, I follow his lead. "I will go pull my car around."

I enter the church and walk around the perimeter slowly making my way to the front and the casket. The Sheldon's are still standing there, the line of well wishers not any shorter than when I left them. Mr. Sheldon notices me as I get closer and excuses himself from the conversation he was having.

"Is she okay?"

"Yes," I answer, shift Maria from one hip to the other, "She's just still confused about Bob."

"I will take her now, and then you are free to go," Mr. Sheldon says, I pass Maria over, and she stirs slightly in her sleep.

"Thank you."

"No, thank you Catherine. I don't think my family can ever repay you for how much you have done for us over these past two years. I truly appreciate you being here today." I nod, unsure of what else to say. Mr. Sheldon turns and joins back together with his family. I exit the church quickly and find Mark waiting in his car on the curb.

"Fancy meeting you here," Mark smirks.

"So not the time or the place for jokes," I scold, smiling.

"Curtis's still live at the same place?" Mark asks pulling away from the curb.

"Mmmhmm, you still remember?"

"Of course I do, Mrs. Curtis made the biggest pre-game meals I've ever seen. I can't get food that good and I'm in college."

"Oh hush, I'm sure they're feeding you twenty four seven, what with you being on the football team an' all."

"I don't know about twenty four seven, but I'll make sure to bring that up with coach."

"I'm sure that will go over well," I reply, sarcasm heavy in my tone. Mark just laughs and shakes his head.

"So, I'm curious, did my wedding invitation get lost in the mail?"

"What are you talking about?" I ask turning my full body towards him.

"I seem to recall you saying something about you and Darry living together, you must of gotten married and forgot to invite me," Mark explains.

"Oh. Oh no. No, not at all. We aren't even dating."

"Sorry but that's bullshit. You guys can't not be dating, you're meant to be."

"I broke it off with him a little over two years ago."

"And you still live together?" Mark asks.

"Yes, well um, it's complicated."

"Nope, I think you two are still dating if not married, even if you say you aren't. I can tell these things, you know."

"Mark, stop it, we are not dating."

"Catie Catie Catie, how long have I known you?"

"I guess since freshman year of highschool."

"And how long have you been in love with Darry?"

"Since freshman year of highschool," I mumble, dropping my gaze to my lap.

"And you are still the same Catie, I would know if you and Darry had really broken up, because you wouldn't be you."

"Darry doesn't define me!" I argue. "And we really have broken up!"

"You're right, Darry doesn't define you. Darry completes you. And you complete him. I've been friends with both of you for long enough that I can see that you two need each other."

I open my mouth to argue, but he cuts me off.

"Answer me this one question, do you still love him?"

"Of course, I've never stopped. I don't think I could ever stop. He's my everything."

"See Catie, you might say you're 'broken up,' but you two are still very much together, just not 'officially.'"

"Mark you haven't seen us in two years, I don't think you know what you're talking about." I say getting out of the car. "Thanks for the ride."

"Catie, wait. I'm sorry if I've upsetted you, or offended you or Darry. I just , I just really care about the both of you, and I can speak for the whole team when I say it's your guys relationship that we all strive for, and it would be a real blow to the team moral if y'all were really done for good."

"Oh. Okay. Thanks for the ride again, it was great seeing you." I tell him, giving my best attempt at a genuine smile.

"You too Catie, you too," Mark says as he peels away from the curb. I watch him drive away until he turns the corner and out of my sight. I retreat into the house, surprised again at how quiet it is when I hear the screen door close behind me. No tv, no radio, no boys. I walk into each room, double checking that no one is home before sitting down onto the couch. I could feel the exhaustion in my bones, the last few days of taking care of everyone and not sleeping finally catching up to me. I kick off my heels, curling my feet up onto the couch. I'll just sit for a few minutes, I think as I lay my head down on the arm rest, but only a couple, then I'll get up and make a pot roast or something for dinner.

A/N so this is shorter than I want, but there is something BIG coming next chapter, so remember to review and it will come faster. xx