Part 9 – Everything went up in a puff of smoke and an inferno of fire

"Do you really have to work today", Miley asked sitting on her brother's bed.

"I'm sorry sweetheart but I have to", Steve said while making ready for work. "Don't you want to play with Alan today?"

"Yes but I would like to be with you this Saturday."

"I feel the same baby mine but I must work so we can pay the bills."

"What if I too get a job then you won't have to work so much!"

Steve chuckled and kissed the top of her head. "When you're older honey, right now your job is to play and dance with your friends."

"It's stupid…"

"No it's not. You're a kid that's what kids do."

"So Miley didn't like being left at his friend's place?" Soda asked as they were working on a car.

"Nope she hated it. She's used to doing things with me on Saturdays."

"Well won't be long now, we only have to work for two more hours."

Two hours later the boys were walking to pick up Miley. They were talking about a Mustang they were working on at work. Suddenly they stopped short as they saw smoke rise towards the sky. Steve started to run in horror, he knew what lied in that direction… Alan's house. When Soda and he rounded a corner they stopped short and stared. Alan's house was burning furiously. Steve's face went white and his eyes big in fear. He saw Alan's mother crying and trying to get out of a firefighter's arm.

"Let me go", she yelled. "My son and his friend are in there!"

Steve's heart clenched and he took off towards the house.

"Steve", Soda yelled in panic and a firefighter saw Steve.

"Stop", he yelled and grabbed Steve around the waste.

"Let me go", Steve yelled with tears flowing down his face. "My little sister is in there!"

"If you go in you'll die!"

"No, let me go!" Suddenly there was an explosion and a big ball of fire went out through a window. "MILEY!"

Suddenly two shapes could be seen through the smoke. It was two firefighters caring two smaller forms in their arms.

"Alan", Alan's mother yelled and saw that her son was alive. He looked at her and coughed.

The other firefighter held a still form in his arms.

"Miley", Steve yelled and the firefighter holding him let go and Steve ran over. The firefighter caring his sister turned to him. Steve saw tears was going down the man's face, the tears had left marks in all the sooth.

"No", Steve said and started to cry. "He took his little sister's body in his arms. "Miley? Sweetheart? Can you hear me baby?"

Steve sunk down on the ground cradling her little body. Her eyes were closed and she was covered in sooth and ashes. She looked so peaceful as if she was sleeping and she looked so young and fragile. A tear from Steve's eyes fell onto her face and left a trail on her cheek. Steve started to cry violently and let his head drop onto her small chest.

"Miley… I'm sorry", he said.

"She must have died of smoke poisoning", the firefighter said sadly. In the meantime Soda had run up to his friend and fell on his knees behind him. Soda felt tears go down his own face and put an arm around Steve's shaking shoulders and put his left hand on Steve's left arm and rubbed it up and down to try to soothe him a little.

"Miley", Steve said and caressed her face and stuck one of her lock behind her ear and then caressed her cheek again. "I love you baby…" Then he let his head drop onto her chest again. Soda coughed from the smoke surrounding them, he guessed they looked really dirty. A doctor took Miley's body from Steve and he just stood and stared after the ambulance. Soda walked up to him and put an arm around his shoulders again.

"I was supposed to die before her Soda."

Soda squeezed his shoulders.

"She was just eight years old Soda…"

"I know man."

"She's the only thing I got! Dad slaps me around, he doesn't even love me! He doesn't care about her or me! But I still love him… damn it she's the only thing I had!"

"Come on", Soda said soothingly. "Let's go to my place."

"I-I got to tell dad…"

"The doctors will. Come on."

"Now where is that boy", Mrs. Curtis said and looked at the watch on the wall. The whole family and the gang were waiting for Soda.

"Maybe he got hold up at the DX", Darry said. "Ya want me to go check?"

"No, no he'll be here soon."

They heard the door open quietly.

"Aw here he is."

But she got worried when she didn't hear Soda's cheerful voice yell hello, nor did they hear the sound of running feet.

"Soda", Mr. Curtis called. "Is that you son?"

Two people moved into the room and everyone stared at them. Both of them were covered in sooth and ashes, Soda still held his arm around Steve's shoulders and Steve's eyes were red and he was not "there" so to speak. He was just staring out into space. Both of them looked struck with sorrow.

"My God what happen to you", Mr. Curtis said and rose. None of the boys answered. "Soda what happened to you?"

"Boys", Mrs. Curtis walked over to them.

"Miley's dead…" Soda whispered. "She was killed in a fire."

"Oh", Mrs. Curtis flung her arms around them and hugged them close to her. "Oh no."

"Mary what's going on?" Mr. Curtis asked.

"Miley's dead Darrel", she said and looked at her husband with tearful eyes. "She was killed in a fire."

"What?!"

Steve suddenly shot out the door.

"Steve", Soda called and tried to go after him.

"No Soda let him go", Mrs. Curtis said and grabbed him as Soda made a run for it. "Let him go…"

"You don't understand", Soda said angrily. "She was the only thing he got!"

The gang looked at one another and Darry walked over to Soda.

"No she was not… Steve got you and us", he said.

Mr. Randle had just got the news of his daughter's death. He put the receiver done and stood in the darkness waiting for his son to come home. He heard feet pondering up to the house and then silence. The door opened slowly and Steve came in. He shut the door without saying a word.

"I just got word about your sister", Mr. Randle said. "I'm sorry Steve."

"Not as sorry as I am… you didn't love her anyway."

"That's not true and you know it!"
"You barely knew her name dad. You threatened her and scared her. Not even when she was just a baby did ya take care for her or love her. That was my job and I screw up."

Mr. Randle walked over and did something he hadn't done since Steve was eight years old. He flung his arms around him and gave his son a hug. Steve didn't struggle and broke down sobbing into his father's shoulder. That night they slept at the couch, Mr. Randle holding a protective arm around his son. Steve remembered that at some time his father had whispered:

"I'm proud of ya boy."

TBC Sorry for the layout of the last chapter... something went wrong and I don't own the characters in this story and I don't own the song used or the name Dodger or Oliver Twist.